"Please, mercy, I'll give you anything! Gold? Wine?" sputtered Mitron Mithrionenson, former Prince of Traeton.

"I'm thinking of something a bit more . . . substantial, such as, say, a city," Rughoi answered, letting a sly grin slowly form on his snout.

"Oh, no, I can't give you that! My dad's spirit would- No! Please! Take the city!" started Mitron, quickly changing his response in the middle upon seeing the many kobold shortswords of Rughoi's guard loose themselves from their sheaths to point at him.

"There we go, isn't it easier when everyone cooperates?" Rughoi said, as the guards continued advancing on the diminutive prince. "Now, where was I? Oh yes, I already have your city, don't I? So what do I need with you? Merat, stop standing there like an idiot and kill him." Arch-General Merat nodded, then charged Mitron with a shout. His sword arced in the air, and found a place in a dracon throat.

"Your Might," Merat said, kneeling before the dead body, in the direction of the throne. "I am yours to command." Rughoi nodded.

"Traeton . . . too dracon. That will not be the name of my capital. From now, I declare the city and its surrounding territories Xigyll!" Rughoi declared. Merat and the generals around him nodded, and all took out their maps, drew a line through Traeton, writing in Xigyll under it. "I need to be recognized. Where is my advisor? Kutur!" 

"Here, Your Might," shouted a tiny kobold, tearing himself from the crowd. He kneeled in front of his lord, then spoke. "By the limited powers granted to me by Scenn, Nasha, and Hetuis, I recognize my lord Rughoi the following. The Unbound, the Conquerer, Count of Trae- Xigyll, Rightful Duke of Draconis, and Emperor of All Kobold,"

"And Son of the Dragons," Rughoi interrupted.

"But Your Might, that's a fairy tale," gasped Kutur. 

"Think about it. I am the first kobold in centuries to be a lord. Could I not be the prophesied conquerer of our ancestors?" Rughoi said, letting the anger seep into his words.

"You are of course right, Your Might," Kutur sputtered. ". . . and Son of the Dragons."