by Cloudbornsoul
Sky Dragonheart burned six ships in an afternoon and didn't feel the weight of a single one going under. That's not cruelty. He was simply born without whatever lets most people carry what they've done. The empire calls that useful. It gives him two hundred knights who'd walk into fire on his word, points him at a pirate kingdom that's swallowed five hundred years of fleets whole, and hands him rules of engagement with real teeth — anyone who fights dies clean, anyone who doesn't becomes property. He follows every rule without blinking, and somewhere in the smoke starts learning exactly what kind of empire he's actually serving. His own commander sees it clearest, after Sky breaks a direct order and turns out to be right and the order turns out to be wrong: "Next time you break my orders, be right again. Because I can work with right. I can't work with anything else."
