Dragon SlaveThe king’s adolescent daughter, Theora, only knows the life of royalty. When she finds herself living amongst a whole colony of dragons, with no scraps of her previous life to hold onto, she’s desperate to return home. Dragged out of one society and cast into another, there is one thing she will learn for sure-- that the dragons are nothing like the humans envisioned them to be.
Scroll down for the first five chapters. If you would like to purchase Dragon Slave for $10.00, click the button: |
Chapter 1
“Would you like anything, Your Royal Highness?” a lady in waiting asked the adolescent in her chambers.
Princess Theora slumped in the castle window. “No,” she groaned insipidly, cheek slipping from her hand. She ran her fingers through her long hair, watching commoners going about their lives down below.
How is it that the common people always have something to work towards? Theo wondered. I don’t have to strive for anything.
She knew she should be grateful for her easy life- that so many people envied her for it. And yet, she could think of no life duller than her own. Now that I’ve grown out of playing, what is there left for me to do? Chadwick gets to practice sword-play and go hunting…Neither of those are proper for a lady.
“Ma’am, would you like me to have your horse readied for you?” the woman suggested.
Theo sighed. “I suppose…” she answered. The maid backed out with a curtsy.
A wingless, cat-sized dragon slinked along the roofs of villagers’ houses and Theo distastefully turned her gaze away. Horrible little things.
After a moment, she stood up, checking her dress as she did so. Leaving her chambers, she ventured through the castle, passing cleaning servants through the Main Hall. In the courtyard, Theo straightened her posture as she saw the queen, her prim, orderly mother, nearby.
At last, she reached the castle stables, where a stable boy awaited her with her steed.
“Your horse, Your Highness,” the boy addressed her with a hasty bow.
Theo smiled, pleased to see her horse. When Theo was a young child, she had heard of a newborn foal that had just barely survived birth. Curious, she had asked to see it. At the moment she first gazed upon the weak, grey horse she decided it was hers. Her mother tried to convince her against it. Wouldn’t you like a nice, pretty, white one instead? she had asked.
Her father also criticized her choice, saying that a princess should ride a strong, noble horse fit for royalty. But despite her parents’ disapproval, Theo would not consent to any other steed. Theo named her Nigh, in remembrance of the horse’s near death experience. Nigh had grown up to be a beautiful, elegant horse. Her soft coat was dappled grey. The hair of her mane was light and silky, soothing to the touch.
Nigh stood as the only animal Theo truly liked, the only one that Theo enjoyed to be around. She was gentle and quiet. She was not a show of brute force and bulk in muscle like so many other horses Theo had seen.
“Chadwick,” Theo would often say when she saw his horse bothering hers. “Please take that nuisance of yours away.”
But at this, Chadwick would only grin and so Theo would irritably ask a servant to retie her horse somewhere else.
Presently, Theo was helped into Nigh’s saddle. Accompanied by two guards and two maids, also mounted, Theo set out through the village to expansive fields. She followed paths, enjoying the fresh, abundant air that cooled her face and smoothed her hair.
Suddenly, Theo noticed a change in Nigh’s behavior. The horse pulled to a halt as they came across the white dung of a dragon. Nigh began traipsing nervously in place and Theo stroked her neck to assuage her. Her horse had always been especially afraid of dragons. Theo did not care for them either.
She’d actually been hearing stories about them from the rich for years. Stories about cat and dog sized dragons sneaking in and stealing away with valuable items. The first person to complain was jeered at, but when more and more people came to the towns with similar tales, everyone reconsidered.
Such stories reminded Theo of the wyvern in the tree that talked to her. There was a time when even she thought she had imagined it, but with thieving dragons appearing out of nowhere and disappearing with personal property, she wasn’t so sure.
It confused her. All the dragons she’d ever seen gave her little to no impression that they were at all intelligent- not that she’d studied them too closely.
Perhaps they’re like magpies, she contemplated, snatching anything that shines. Or perhaps they’ve been trained by criminals.
But then, she thought, that still doesn’t explain the wyvern speaking.
As she thought about this, she carefully eased Nigh around the dung and they continued on their way.
Passing through the large trading town, Swaineford, the sound of clopping hooves cluttered the air as they rode over a big stone bridge. Swaine River ran fluently underneath, bending towards the castle to provide the kingdom of Wystil with the water they needed.
Theo and her servants journeyed farther and farther from the castle, spotting a herd of deer which sprang away. The path led them into a thickening forest, only ever clearing to reveal a sandy bank.
“Whoa,” Theo slowed Nigh to a stop as they neared the stream, Iron Creek. Never before had a Wystilian crossed this creek to the other side, for along it grew what the commoners referred to as the iron bond plants.
Everything about these plants was dense and impenetrable- roots, core, and all. They grew tall and close to each other, reaching out with their branches to meet and lock around their neighbors’, forming a thick wall that no human could climb over, dig under, or pass through. Wystilians had even tried burning the plants down, but with no success. To build something over it would cost too much time, money, and effort considering there was such little promise of what lay beyond.
Right beyond the wall of plants was a range of mountains. It was thought that the iron bond plants relied heavily on both water and the nutrients that washed down from the mountains. This would explain why the plants grew for miles, only between the mountains and creek, and never further outward.
Beyond the mountain range was land completely unknown to the Wystilians.
Theo looked down the creek. She had heard that farther downstream, well out of Wystil territory, the creek eventually departed from the mountains and the wall of iron bonds ceased. This left a small unblocked stretch, yet there was something else that kept people away. Many stories were told of the legendary dragon that destroyed the castle of Wystil’s enemy, Crageria. This dragon was said to be of terrible size, with a hide the colors of rusted metal.
Stray survivors had come to Wystil begging for refuge, but a famine was upon them and Theo’s father was firm in sending them away. And so, with nowhere else to go, it was believed that all the Cragerians died away.
The terrible dragon lived on, dwelling in the castle ruins, feasting on whatever animals entered its domain. In admiration of the beast’s power, the king, Theo’s father, called it Zeus. He ordered his people never to go near Crageria, in hopes that the beast would not be lured into Wystil. As far as Theo knew, no one ever dared go against his warning.
Zeus…There were rumors that he was getting ready to migrate to more populated areas, where food for a dragon is plenty. Theo bit her lip thinking about it. Oh, how her brother used to taunt her with stories of Zeus, of the lumbering beast burning down villages and swallowing pretty girls. Especially princesses, he’d add mischievously.
At least there’s no evidence of Zeus ever breathing fire, she comforted herself. Surely that idea is simply for children.
A summer storm gathered far upstream. In the distance, heavy, grey clouds were smeared across the sky and she could feel the nearing rain in the warm air. Her guards and servants shifted uneasily.
“It looks like there’s a storm on its way, Ma’am,” one of them spoke up. “May I suggest we be heading back now?”
“In a moment,” Theo responded, eyeing the creek. “One drink of the stream and then we’ll be on our way to the castle.” She slipped out of the saddle to descend the escarpment. Her feet dislodged pebbles and they tumbled down the slope. Precariously, she knelt down to dip her hands in the smoothly running water. Both her guards also dismounted, drawing closer to her in their overly protective manner.
They turned their heads as the sound of rumbling thunder throbbed throughout the sky. “Princess?” said a guard, offering his hand to help her up. But in that moment the roaring of raging water rose and Theo saw the swelling of a huge wave rushing down the creek towards them.
Flash flood.
The maids screamed. The horses reared. Theo’s guards yelled and tried to grab her, but they were too late- the wave hit. Theo and her men were caught up off their feet, turned in nauseating cycles and battered by objects. Something hit Theo in the head and her senses scattered.
Then, as though in a dream, she felt herself caught up in someone’s grasp and lifted high into the air, the violent rapids left far below. Mysteriously, she was taken, gliding along to be set safely down on the ground. Her vision was weak. From the earth she saw a large, green beast with bat-like wings, and a man kneeling over her, trying to give her something. She smiled at the hallucinations, then coughed up water and lost herself to darkness.
“Would you like anything, Your Royal Highness?” a lady in waiting asked the adolescent in her chambers.
Princess Theora slumped in the castle window. “No,” she groaned insipidly, cheek slipping from her hand. She ran her fingers through her long hair, watching commoners going about their lives down below.
How is it that the common people always have something to work towards? Theo wondered. I don’t have to strive for anything.
She knew she should be grateful for her easy life- that so many people envied her for it. And yet, she could think of no life duller than her own. Now that I’ve grown out of playing, what is there left for me to do? Chadwick gets to practice sword-play and go hunting…Neither of those are proper for a lady.
“Ma’am, would you like me to have your horse readied for you?” the woman suggested.
Theo sighed. “I suppose…” she answered. The maid backed out with a curtsy.
A wingless, cat-sized dragon slinked along the roofs of villagers’ houses and Theo distastefully turned her gaze away. Horrible little things.
After a moment, she stood up, checking her dress as she did so. Leaving her chambers, she ventured through the castle, passing cleaning servants through the Main Hall. In the courtyard, Theo straightened her posture as she saw the queen, her prim, orderly mother, nearby.
At last, she reached the castle stables, where a stable boy awaited her with her steed.
“Your horse, Your Highness,” the boy addressed her with a hasty bow.
Theo smiled, pleased to see her horse. When Theo was a young child, she had heard of a newborn foal that had just barely survived birth. Curious, she had asked to see it. At the moment she first gazed upon the weak, grey horse she decided it was hers. Her mother tried to convince her against it. Wouldn’t you like a nice, pretty, white one instead? she had asked.
Her father also criticized her choice, saying that a princess should ride a strong, noble horse fit for royalty. But despite her parents’ disapproval, Theo would not consent to any other steed. Theo named her Nigh, in remembrance of the horse’s near death experience. Nigh had grown up to be a beautiful, elegant horse. Her soft coat was dappled grey. The hair of her mane was light and silky, soothing to the touch.
Nigh stood as the only animal Theo truly liked, the only one that Theo enjoyed to be around. She was gentle and quiet. She was not a show of brute force and bulk in muscle like so many other horses Theo had seen.
“Chadwick,” Theo would often say when she saw his horse bothering hers. “Please take that nuisance of yours away.”
But at this, Chadwick would only grin and so Theo would irritably ask a servant to retie her horse somewhere else.
Presently, Theo was helped into Nigh’s saddle. Accompanied by two guards and two maids, also mounted, Theo set out through the village to expansive fields. She followed paths, enjoying the fresh, abundant air that cooled her face and smoothed her hair.
Suddenly, Theo noticed a change in Nigh’s behavior. The horse pulled to a halt as they came across the white dung of a dragon. Nigh began traipsing nervously in place and Theo stroked her neck to assuage her. Her horse had always been especially afraid of dragons. Theo did not care for them either.
She’d actually been hearing stories about them from the rich for years. Stories about cat and dog sized dragons sneaking in and stealing away with valuable items. The first person to complain was jeered at, but when more and more people came to the towns with similar tales, everyone reconsidered.
Such stories reminded Theo of the wyvern in the tree that talked to her. There was a time when even she thought she had imagined it, but with thieving dragons appearing out of nowhere and disappearing with personal property, she wasn’t so sure.
It confused her. All the dragons she’d ever seen gave her little to no impression that they were at all intelligent- not that she’d studied them too closely.
Perhaps they’re like magpies, she contemplated, snatching anything that shines. Or perhaps they’ve been trained by criminals.
But then, she thought, that still doesn’t explain the wyvern speaking.
As she thought about this, she carefully eased Nigh around the dung and they continued on their way.
Passing through the large trading town, Swaineford, the sound of clopping hooves cluttered the air as they rode over a big stone bridge. Swaine River ran fluently underneath, bending towards the castle to provide the kingdom of Wystil with the water they needed.
Theo and her servants journeyed farther and farther from the castle, spotting a herd of deer which sprang away. The path led them into a thickening forest, only ever clearing to reveal a sandy bank.
“Whoa,” Theo slowed Nigh to a stop as they neared the stream, Iron Creek. Never before had a Wystilian crossed this creek to the other side, for along it grew what the commoners referred to as the iron bond plants.
Everything about these plants was dense and impenetrable- roots, core, and all. They grew tall and close to each other, reaching out with their branches to meet and lock around their neighbors’, forming a thick wall that no human could climb over, dig under, or pass through. Wystilians had even tried burning the plants down, but with no success. To build something over it would cost too much time, money, and effort considering there was such little promise of what lay beyond.
Right beyond the wall of plants was a range of mountains. It was thought that the iron bond plants relied heavily on both water and the nutrients that washed down from the mountains. This would explain why the plants grew for miles, only between the mountains and creek, and never further outward.
Beyond the mountain range was land completely unknown to the Wystilians.
Theo looked down the creek. She had heard that farther downstream, well out of Wystil territory, the creek eventually departed from the mountains and the wall of iron bonds ceased. This left a small unblocked stretch, yet there was something else that kept people away. Many stories were told of the legendary dragon that destroyed the castle of Wystil’s enemy, Crageria. This dragon was said to be of terrible size, with a hide the colors of rusted metal.
Stray survivors had come to Wystil begging for refuge, but a famine was upon them and Theo’s father was firm in sending them away. And so, with nowhere else to go, it was believed that all the Cragerians died away.
The terrible dragon lived on, dwelling in the castle ruins, feasting on whatever animals entered its domain. In admiration of the beast’s power, the king, Theo’s father, called it Zeus. He ordered his people never to go near Crageria, in hopes that the beast would not be lured into Wystil. As far as Theo knew, no one ever dared go against his warning.
Zeus…There were rumors that he was getting ready to migrate to more populated areas, where food for a dragon is plenty. Theo bit her lip thinking about it. Oh, how her brother used to taunt her with stories of Zeus, of the lumbering beast burning down villages and swallowing pretty girls. Especially princesses, he’d add mischievously.
At least there’s no evidence of Zeus ever breathing fire, she comforted herself. Surely that idea is simply for children.
A summer storm gathered far upstream. In the distance, heavy, grey clouds were smeared across the sky and she could feel the nearing rain in the warm air. Her guards and servants shifted uneasily.
“It looks like there’s a storm on its way, Ma’am,” one of them spoke up. “May I suggest we be heading back now?”
“In a moment,” Theo responded, eyeing the creek. “One drink of the stream and then we’ll be on our way to the castle.” She slipped out of the saddle to descend the escarpment. Her feet dislodged pebbles and they tumbled down the slope. Precariously, she knelt down to dip her hands in the smoothly running water. Both her guards also dismounted, drawing closer to her in their overly protective manner.
They turned their heads as the sound of rumbling thunder throbbed throughout the sky. “Princess?” said a guard, offering his hand to help her up. But in that moment the roaring of raging water rose and Theo saw the swelling of a huge wave rushing down the creek towards them.
Flash flood.
The maids screamed. The horses reared. Theo’s guards yelled and tried to grab her, but they were too late- the wave hit. Theo and her men were caught up off their feet, turned in nauseating cycles and battered by objects. Something hit Theo in the head and her senses scattered.
Then, as though in a dream, she felt herself caught up in someone’s grasp and lifted high into the air, the violent rapids left far below. Mysteriously, she was taken, gliding along to be set safely down on the ground. Her vision was weak. From the earth she saw a large, green beast with bat-like wings, and a man kneeling over her, trying to give her something. She smiled at the hallucinations, then coughed up water and lost herself to darkness.
Chapter 2
When Theo became conscious again, she was aware of a feeling completely foreign to her. She opened her eyes and saw that something extended from her face.
Am I wearing a mask? she wondered.
The sound of rushing water came to her attention and she turned her head to it. The flooded creek was but a few steps away from where she lay. Now she remembered. Collision, thrashing, shock, pain, and then- she must have been delusional, seeing things before she blacked out.
As for the present, Theo felt perplexingly well. Her head was clear, she wasn’t exhausted in the least, and no trace of pain could be detected throughout her body.
How is this possible?
Theo was reminded of those also hit by the flash flood. Scanning the scenery in front of her, it appeared that no one else was there but her.
Are they all dead because of me? Dreading the possibility, she twisted around to look for others behind her.
It was then that she saw what she thought to be a dragon. The quiet moans that emitted from its throat, Theo had originally excused as part of the sounds of the rapids, but now they were easily detected. The beast was tendril green, slightly larger than a horse. It was preoccupying itself by grinding its head into the ground, as though in turmoil.
Disturbed, Theo stared and felt the urge to move away. It seems my head is not as clear as I thought.
She tried to stand herself up but was brought back down to all fours, as if she was not structurally built to walk on two legs. By now, Theo was thoroughly bewildered. When she looked at herself, she found that she, too, had the body of a dragon- slate grey and complete with four legs, two wings, and a tail. This vision confirmed to Theo that she was, in fact, dreaming.
Now subtly humored by having figured out the bizarre situation, Theo expected to awaken at any moment. Yet the more she thought about it, the more real everything around her felt, and her disturbance began to increase.
The dragon had noticed her. Silently, it raised its head, dirt falling from its crown. For a long time it stared at her, and Theo stared right back. She was extremely uneasy, but her body was unwilling to move. She could see the animal’s eyes. It looked as if it were thinking.
“Aspen!” A harsh voice startled Theo. The green dragon also looked in the direction of the caller, its body drawn in tightly.
Theo saw another dragon, dark midnight blue, step out from behind cover. The green one dropped low, stepping back as the other advanced on it.
“Where’s Damon?” the dark brute thundered.
Theo stiffened to see the dragon actually speak. Memories flung themselves at her- memories of the white, red eyed wyvern in a tree. Go away! it had hissed.
My God, Theo balked. Dragons actually do talk! I’ve been right all this time…
“I don’t know!” the one called Aspen cried in response to the brute, shrinking lower still to the ground, her belly plates scraping against dirt. There was a moment in which both paused in their clamor. It appeared the dominant one was trying to make a decision. Then he turned his head to stare directly at Theo.
She, too, felt pressed down to earth under his glare.
“We can’t leave her for the humans to discover,” he spoke again to Aspen. “Already one has seen you dive and bring her to shore- before running away screaming. No doubt she went to get the human authorities.”
“What do we do, Wycker?” Aspen implored and the assertive one eased his stance to face Theo.
“We will bring her to Damon and have him examine her,” the one called Wycker responded, proceeding closer to Theo.
Now Theo backed away. This didn’t feel like a dream at all.
“Come with me,” Wycker growled to her, stepping ever nearer. Immediately, Theo turned and tried to run. Just as quickly, Wycker was on top of her, crushing her into the ground.
This is real. This is real! Theo couldn’t keep telling herself that she was dreaming. It all felt too genuine. I’ve been transformed into a dragon!
“Wycker!” Aspen yelped.
“Get over here!” Wycker snapped at Aspen and she edged into Theo’s view. Theo fought them, but it was no use. When she wore out, Wycker let her go, blocking her way when she tried to run again. He and Aspen moved themselves inward to herd Theo. She panicked when she realized that they were forcing her towards the water. She halted, but was butted on until her talons touched the water’s edge. With a final ram from Wycker, she was sent into the rapids.
She had expected a shock of cold but, to her surprise, it never came. Only her eyes could sense the numbing temperature and. when her head resurfaced. the feeling was distant.
The moment Theo was engulfed she was battered by the currents. Her wings caught water like sails, and she found herself twisted and turned to no end. She could only catch glimpses of her escorts, but in those snips of time she could see that they were flying, just above the water.
Something snatched one of her wings, and she could feel something trying to get her other. When both her wings were caught and lifted out of the water, so that only her body was submerged, she was able to gather her senses.
“You have to pull your wings in,” Wycker said, holding her left wing in his claws. Aspen struggled to keep a hold of Theo’s right wing, awkwardly gripping and re-gripping the places that slipped. She could see that the two of them were having trouble flying so close together.
“Pull your wings in!” Wycker repeated, aggravated as he fought the currents for Theo, while avoiding contact with Aspen’s wingspan.
“I can’t!” Theo gasped between splashes.
Wycker cursed.
“Aspen, let go of her!” he ordered.
“Wait!” Theo cried, flailing as both her wings were released. Again, she was caught up in the flow, but then something made hard impact with her from above, plunging her under. It was Wycker.
With his help, she finally managed to close her wings and they swam through a large, dark opening before resurfacing. Here, the water was much less violent.
Theo looked around in awe. What they had gone through must have been some kind of underwater passageway that split the creek. Theo had never heard about it. She expected no one else knew of it. No one except for the dragons, that is.
What amazed her most was the iron bond plants. Here, they grew on both sides of the creek, their branches forming a thatched roof above her to completely hide the sky. Light filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled patterns everywhere.
The wide stream flowed through a rocky trench. Theo had just enough room to stand.
With a gasp, Aspen surfaced.
“Sorry,” she apologized, looking at Theo in a friendly way. “I was having trouble with my wings, too.”
Theo was curious of her.
“Come on,” Wycker prompted, gruffly. “We’ll make it through the valley and see if Damon is at his place.”
Theo didn’t move and neither did Aspen. Wycker looked at them both. “You lead,” he ordered, making eye contact with Theo.
Theo took a deep breath. Move further into unmarked territory? She knew she didn’t have a choice. Grudgingly, she stepped past Wycker, who eyed her every move as he fell into step close behind her.
Theo stared ahead as the end of the tunnel slowly came upon them. At last, she sloshed through it, and saw that the land opened up in a display of forest and meadow. The creek burbled on, cutting its way through trees that pierced the sky.
Everything was so beautiful.
Wycker mounted the bank to Theo’s right, and she willingly did the same, soaking in all that she saw.
When she finally looked away from the scenery, she gaped at the first and only evidence of man there- a shabby shelter built up against the mountainside.
“Who lives here?” she asked, astounded.
“Damon!” Aspen replied brightly and began to whisper, “He’s a-”
“We will wait here for his arrival,” Wycker interrupted.
They waited in expectation, Theo’s mind racing. Who’s Damon? Are there any other humans living here? What else lives in this forest?
As it became dark, Theo could see the change in lighting but found that she still had no trouble seeing.
How strange…Dragons see in the dark? she wondered, but soon lost interest. Doubts that the man, Damon, would ever show up wormed their way into her head. Fatigued and upsettingly confused, she lay down to rest.
- - - - -
In the morning, Theo lay awake with eyes open.
“Theora?”
Theo jumped, whipping around when she heard her name. A large dragon was standing there. Behind him was Wycker, glaring at her as always.
“Theora, you can call me Adder,” the large dragon said calmly. “I understand that you’ve been under a great amount of stress lately, but I’d like to speak with you.”
Each of his scales was a different shade of grey, making him look like a body of swirling shadows when he moved. Theo looked up at him, intimidated despite his placid approach.
“Alright…” Theo responded, feeling very small.
“Wycker has informed me of your unfortunate situation and you have my condolences. However, seeing as your current state of being cannot be helped, there are some things I need to explain to you.”
“Please do. I don’t understand what’s going on,” she deplored.
“Who you know to be Zeus, we dragons call the Maelstrom. You have heard of this dragon dwelling in the Cragerian castle ruins, yes?”
Theo nodded.
“He, the Maelstrom, used to be a human, as did I.”
They used to be human too? Theo stared up at Adder but could not imagine him as a human.
“He and I were known by different names then. We were brothers, living with the rest of our family in Crageria. As I was the eldest and our parents were dead, I took on the responsibility of caring for our siblings and cousins. There was a famine upon us so I had to cut rations short, but my brother was unable to understand why. Though he had the body of an adult man, his mind had stayed that of a child’s.
“When I caught him stealing food from our storage, I was forced to fight him off and he left. No one knew where he had gone, but the family needed me. I was unable to go out and search for him.
“A week or so passed when he returned, though I didn’t know it, as he was a large dragon. I suppose he had come back for my help, but not even I could tell who he was. Terrified of the beast, Crageria attacked him. Something in his mind snapped and he went on a violent rampage, murdering everyone and tearing apart the castle. He brought our numbers down to a few dozen. I was one of the survivors. When Wystil refused to grant us refuge, we were forced to turn to the land beyond the mountain range. Crageria had the only known access to that land, the Narrow Valley.
“We traveled through the valley to the forests and meadows that it led to. More of us starved to death, but then-”
He paused, making sure that Theo was keeping up with him.
“We were overjoyed to find a cluster of plants bearing much fruit. We didn’t think, just grabbed what we could and ate our fill. It wasn’t long after that we realized the severity of what we’d done.”
Theo waited. When it appeared he thought he’d said enough, she pursued, “Which was?”
Adder looked at her in mild surprise as he had to explain, “The fruit of the firesap plant had transformed us into dragons. Now, if we are injured or ill, eating the firesap fruit again will restore us.”
“So I became a dragon because I ate firesap fruit?” Things were so crazy that Theo was ready to believe just about anything.
“Yes,” Adder replied. “When Aspen caught you and brought you ashore, Damon must have given you the firesap fruit.”
- - - - -
By the next day, and the next, Damon still did not come. Nevertheless, Wycker was patient and refused to let Theo go anywhere else. And so she waited restlessly, always keeping the Archway through which she first entered dragon territory in view. The beauty of her surroundings no longer had any grip on her and she wished to return home again, but was forever pinned by Wycker’s glare. Melancholy took over her and the days began to melt together indistinguishably. Strangely enough, she did not grow hungry and so she ate nothing. Instead, she passed her time by scratching drawings into the dirt, examining her new foreclaws, stretching her legs and wings.
One day, Theo was napping when the sound of someone wading through the creek aroused her. She was amazed as she watched him cross the water towards them- an actual man!
He truly looked like a man of the woods. His shaggy dark hair, poorly cut, looked like an unkempt mess. He let it hang over his eyes, as though seeing clearly didn’t matter to him. Whatever Theo could see of his face looked completely exhausted. His garments were well-worn, scratched and dirty. He looked like a careless mess.
“Damon,” Wycker growled, meeting him on the bank. “What’s taken you so long?”
“I had a horse to deal with,” the man, Damon, answered casually, as though talking to a dragon was normal for him. “And after that I didn’t feel like fighting the currents, so I went the long way around the mountain range to pass through the Narrow Valley.”
“You were not permitted to give anyone the firesap fruit,” Wycker accused.
“Wasn’t I?” the man asked tiredly. “I don’t recall anyone having authority over the matter. Besides, I wasn’t going to let my sister die right in front of me.”
“Your sister is the Princess!” Wycker snapped, “What will the humans do now that she’s a dragon?”
Sister? Theo was thoroughly confused.
“They don’t know she’s a dragon,” Damon murmured. Theo thought she saw him shoot her a sidelong glance.
“No, you’re right,” Wycker replied darkly, “They don’t know what has happened to their princess. All they know is that a dragon came and took her.”
Warren and Chadwick are the only two brothers I’ve ever had…What are they talking about? Who is this man?
Damon turned to Aspen, standing not far away. “They saw you?” he asked, concerned.
“A maid did,” Wycker replied for her. “She ran, screaming, before you appeared and made matters worse.”
“And you didn’t stop her?”
“I couldn’t risk myself being seen, nor dare leave her,” Wycker jerked his head in Theo’s direction. Then, as he saw Theo listening in on their conversation, he pulled Damon aside.
Aspen stood awkwardly nearby, looking highly uncomfortable.
“I can look for a cure but understand I have no idea if one really exists,” Theo could barely hear Damon say. “And even if I did find one, would it be best for her to go back?”
Theo couldn’t hear Wycker’s response. The two of them went on discussing for some time.
Theo did not know what to do. Just so long as Wycker was there, escape was impossible. Miserably, she laid down. Over the few days, she had found that resting her chin on her front foreclaws, as she’d seen dogs do with their paws, was fairly comfortable.
“I’m sorry,” Aspen whimpered suddenly and Theo shifted her eyes to see her. “I know you don’t want to be a…It must be so nice to be a human. I…I can’t imagine how you must be feeling.”
Theo stared dolefully ahead. “Why did Damon do this to me?” she uttered.
“Because you would have died otherwise- He could tell!” Aspen ratified, sounding desperate for Theo to believe her.
He should have just let me go.
“Listen,” Theo urged, getting up and looking Aspen in the eye. “Tell me there’s some kind of way to reverse it. I can’t stay like this.”
“Sorry,” the smaller dragon rued. “You’ll have to talk to Damon about that. He should know. He’s a wizard.”
“Wonderful,” Theo groaned, looking over at the man still talking to Wycker. Now I need a wizard’s help.
Theo tried again to hear what they were saying. “I’ve never come across anything that would have that effect,” Damon said. “I may be able to put something together to do the trick- a kind of potion. But that could take a very long time, believe me.”
Again, Theo did not catch Wycker’s response.
“Fine,” Damon replied. “But what are you going to do about it in the meantime?”
Wycker turned and began walking towards Theo. Damon followed.
“You made me like this,” Theo accused the wizard. “Make it right again.”
“Damon will be working on that,” Wycker intervened, “But as for now you will be staying here where you are not a problem.”
Theo rose sharply. “You cannot keep me. I am the Princess!” she spat.
Wycker was not moved at all. “Not of my concern,” he answered. “So long as you stay on this side of the mountains, I won’t bother you. Just don’t cause any problems.”
With that he stalked away and Theo heatedly watched him go, frustrated as she knew it was best not to try him.
Damon still stood there. He looked Theo up and down.
“Who are you, Wizard?” she growled at him.
Irritably, she waited for him to answer, unable to stop noticing a beetle darting in and out of his tunic.
“I’m sure you have heard of your eldest brother, Warren?” Damon spoke finally.
Theo slanted her eyes at him. “He was said to be destined for greatness as King,” she answered.
“Yes, but he died in a battle against Crageria in Wystil’s attempt to obtain food during the famine,” Damon said.
“This I know,” Theo retorted. “Who are you?”
“You have heard of Warren,” Damon put off her question. “But never of your second eldest brother, the boy who looked up to Warren in admiration of his nobility and readiness to take the throne-”
“I know of my brother Chadwick!” Theo snapped.
Damon looked at her with sorrow. “Chadwick is not your second eldest brother, Theora,” he murmured. “I am.”
Theo scoffed at his sudden, preposterous declaration.
“When Warren lived,” Damon went on to explain. “Father paid little attention to me, eagerly teaching his favored son how to be a king. I lived happily in that time, comforted by my brother’s own accomplishments. However, when Warren died, Father realized his mistake in not preparing me for the throne. I ran away soon after, unable to bear the weight of expectations instantly thrown on my shoulders.”
“In that time, the water was running low. Moving up Iron Creek in hopes of covering my tracks, I found an opening underground. I crawled inside and camouflaged the gap with bushes. There, I saw that the opening was actually the entrance to a tunnel. The land that awaited me on the other side has since then served as my refuge.”
Theo wanted to object, but she could not find fault in his words. Chadwick and she had been raised, hearing stories of their noble elder brother who died a warrior’s death. Chadwick always listened to such stories attentively, seeking to make as good of an heir as Warren. The name Damon, however, never reached their ears.
“I won’t believe it…” Theo uttered, shaking her head in dream-like slow motion.
“I rarely visited the towns for supplies,” Damon told her. “But when I did, I’d try to gather as much news about my family as I could. It was then that I heard how Father had wrathfully ordered whoever spoke of my name again to be put to death. Thus, I was forgotten. Later I heard of my younger brother’s birth, and after that, yours. You can imagine how I felt, knowing that I was unable to meet you both…”
“So what? You expect me to sympathize with you?!” she sneered.
Damon took on an empty look. “I don’t know,” he sighed and walked to his shelter.
Theo watched him as her anger faded into guilt.
Aspen stood where she was before, eyes wide with fright at Theo’s outburst. Seeing Theo’s gaze settling on her, Aspen spun around to join Damon in his shelter, looking fearful that she might be yelled at next.
Theo looked behind her and saw that Wycker had been watching, an expression of pure indifference on his face. Their eyes met and he too walked away, leaving her completely alone.
Theo felt as though her life was destroyed. She had no family in her present form, and she had just scared away any means of a friend.
She plowed blindly through the forest. Eventually she came across a large slab of rock and found that beneath its over ledge was a dugout big enough for her to lie in. It was there that she hid in solitude.
It was there that she pretended to be nothing at all.
When Theo became conscious again, she was aware of a feeling completely foreign to her. She opened her eyes and saw that something extended from her face.
Am I wearing a mask? she wondered.
The sound of rushing water came to her attention and she turned her head to it. The flooded creek was but a few steps away from where she lay. Now she remembered. Collision, thrashing, shock, pain, and then- she must have been delusional, seeing things before she blacked out.
As for the present, Theo felt perplexingly well. Her head was clear, she wasn’t exhausted in the least, and no trace of pain could be detected throughout her body.
How is this possible?
Theo was reminded of those also hit by the flash flood. Scanning the scenery in front of her, it appeared that no one else was there but her.
Are they all dead because of me? Dreading the possibility, she twisted around to look for others behind her.
It was then that she saw what she thought to be a dragon. The quiet moans that emitted from its throat, Theo had originally excused as part of the sounds of the rapids, but now they were easily detected. The beast was tendril green, slightly larger than a horse. It was preoccupying itself by grinding its head into the ground, as though in turmoil.
Disturbed, Theo stared and felt the urge to move away. It seems my head is not as clear as I thought.
She tried to stand herself up but was brought back down to all fours, as if she was not structurally built to walk on two legs. By now, Theo was thoroughly bewildered. When she looked at herself, she found that she, too, had the body of a dragon- slate grey and complete with four legs, two wings, and a tail. This vision confirmed to Theo that she was, in fact, dreaming.
Now subtly humored by having figured out the bizarre situation, Theo expected to awaken at any moment. Yet the more she thought about it, the more real everything around her felt, and her disturbance began to increase.
The dragon had noticed her. Silently, it raised its head, dirt falling from its crown. For a long time it stared at her, and Theo stared right back. She was extremely uneasy, but her body was unwilling to move. She could see the animal’s eyes. It looked as if it were thinking.
“Aspen!” A harsh voice startled Theo. The green dragon also looked in the direction of the caller, its body drawn in tightly.
Theo saw another dragon, dark midnight blue, step out from behind cover. The green one dropped low, stepping back as the other advanced on it.
“Where’s Damon?” the dark brute thundered.
Theo stiffened to see the dragon actually speak. Memories flung themselves at her- memories of the white, red eyed wyvern in a tree. Go away! it had hissed.
My God, Theo balked. Dragons actually do talk! I’ve been right all this time…
“I don’t know!” the one called Aspen cried in response to the brute, shrinking lower still to the ground, her belly plates scraping against dirt. There was a moment in which both paused in their clamor. It appeared the dominant one was trying to make a decision. Then he turned his head to stare directly at Theo.
She, too, felt pressed down to earth under his glare.
“We can’t leave her for the humans to discover,” he spoke again to Aspen. “Already one has seen you dive and bring her to shore- before running away screaming. No doubt she went to get the human authorities.”
“What do we do, Wycker?” Aspen implored and the assertive one eased his stance to face Theo.
“We will bring her to Damon and have him examine her,” the one called Wycker responded, proceeding closer to Theo.
Now Theo backed away. This didn’t feel like a dream at all.
“Come with me,” Wycker growled to her, stepping ever nearer. Immediately, Theo turned and tried to run. Just as quickly, Wycker was on top of her, crushing her into the ground.
This is real. This is real! Theo couldn’t keep telling herself that she was dreaming. It all felt too genuine. I’ve been transformed into a dragon!
“Wycker!” Aspen yelped.
“Get over here!” Wycker snapped at Aspen and she edged into Theo’s view. Theo fought them, but it was no use. When she wore out, Wycker let her go, blocking her way when she tried to run again. He and Aspen moved themselves inward to herd Theo. She panicked when she realized that they were forcing her towards the water. She halted, but was butted on until her talons touched the water’s edge. With a final ram from Wycker, she was sent into the rapids.
She had expected a shock of cold but, to her surprise, it never came. Only her eyes could sense the numbing temperature and. when her head resurfaced. the feeling was distant.
The moment Theo was engulfed she was battered by the currents. Her wings caught water like sails, and she found herself twisted and turned to no end. She could only catch glimpses of her escorts, but in those snips of time she could see that they were flying, just above the water.
Something snatched one of her wings, and she could feel something trying to get her other. When both her wings were caught and lifted out of the water, so that only her body was submerged, she was able to gather her senses.
“You have to pull your wings in,” Wycker said, holding her left wing in his claws. Aspen struggled to keep a hold of Theo’s right wing, awkwardly gripping and re-gripping the places that slipped. She could see that the two of them were having trouble flying so close together.
“Pull your wings in!” Wycker repeated, aggravated as he fought the currents for Theo, while avoiding contact with Aspen’s wingspan.
“I can’t!” Theo gasped between splashes.
Wycker cursed.
“Aspen, let go of her!” he ordered.
“Wait!” Theo cried, flailing as both her wings were released. Again, she was caught up in the flow, but then something made hard impact with her from above, plunging her under. It was Wycker.
With his help, she finally managed to close her wings and they swam through a large, dark opening before resurfacing. Here, the water was much less violent.
Theo looked around in awe. What they had gone through must have been some kind of underwater passageway that split the creek. Theo had never heard about it. She expected no one else knew of it. No one except for the dragons, that is.
What amazed her most was the iron bond plants. Here, they grew on both sides of the creek, their branches forming a thatched roof above her to completely hide the sky. Light filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled patterns everywhere.
The wide stream flowed through a rocky trench. Theo had just enough room to stand.
With a gasp, Aspen surfaced.
“Sorry,” she apologized, looking at Theo in a friendly way. “I was having trouble with my wings, too.”
Theo was curious of her.
“Come on,” Wycker prompted, gruffly. “We’ll make it through the valley and see if Damon is at his place.”
Theo didn’t move and neither did Aspen. Wycker looked at them both. “You lead,” he ordered, making eye contact with Theo.
Theo took a deep breath. Move further into unmarked territory? She knew she didn’t have a choice. Grudgingly, she stepped past Wycker, who eyed her every move as he fell into step close behind her.
Theo stared ahead as the end of the tunnel slowly came upon them. At last, she sloshed through it, and saw that the land opened up in a display of forest and meadow. The creek burbled on, cutting its way through trees that pierced the sky.
Everything was so beautiful.
Wycker mounted the bank to Theo’s right, and she willingly did the same, soaking in all that she saw.
When she finally looked away from the scenery, she gaped at the first and only evidence of man there- a shabby shelter built up against the mountainside.
“Who lives here?” she asked, astounded.
“Damon!” Aspen replied brightly and began to whisper, “He’s a-”
“We will wait here for his arrival,” Wycker interrupted.
They waited in expectation, Theo’s mind racing. Who’s Damon? Are there any other humans living here? What else lives in this forest?
As it became dark, Theo could see the change in lighting but found that she still had no trouble seeing.
How strange…Dragons see in the dark? she wondered, but soon lost interest. Doubts that the man, Damon, would ever show up wormed their way into her head. Fatigued and upsettingly confused, she lay down to rest.
- - - - -
In the morning, Theo lay awake with eyes open.
“Theora?”
Theo jumped, whipping around when she heard her name. A large dragon was standing there. Behind him was Wycker, glaring at her as always.
“Theora, you can call me Adder,” the large dragon said calmly. “I understand that you’ve been under a great amount of stress lately, but I’d like to speak with you.”
Each of his scales was a different shade of grey, making him look like a body of swirling shadows when he moved. Theo looked up at him, intimidated despite his placid approach.
“Alright…” Theo responded, feeling very small.
“Wycker has informed me of your unfortunate situation and you have my condolences. However, seeing as your current state of being cannot be helped, there are some things I need to explain to you.”
“Please do. I don’t understand what’s going on,” she deplored.
“Who you know to be Zeus, we dragons call the Maelstrom. You have heard of this dragon dwelling in the Cragerian castle ruins, yes?”
Theo nodded.
“He, the Maelstrom, used to be a human, as did I.”
They used to be human too? Theo stared up at Adder but could not imagine him as a human.
“He and I were known by different names then. We were brothers, living with the rest of our family in Crageria. As I was the eldest and our parents were dead, I took on the responsibility of caring for our siblings and cousins. There was a famine upon us so I had to cut rations short, but my brother was unable to understand why. Though he had the body of an adult man, his mind had stayed that of a child’s.
“When I caught him stealing food from our storage, I was forced to fight him off and he left. No one knew where he had gone, but the family needed me. I was unable to go out and search for him.
“A week or so passed when he returned, though I didn’t know it, as he was a large dragon. I suppose he had come back for my help, but not even I could tell who he was. Terrified of the beast, Crageria attacked him. Something in his mind snapped and he went on a violent rampage, murdering everyone and tearing apart the castle. He brought our numbers down to a few dozen. I was one of the survivors. When Wystil refused to grant us refuge, we were forced to turn to the land beyond the mountain range. Crageria had the only known access to that land, the Narrow Valley.
“We traveled through the valley to the forests and meadows that it led to. More of us starved to death, but then-”
He paused, making sure that Theo was keeping up with him.
“We were overjoyed to find a cluster of plants bearing much fruit. We didn’t think, just grabbed what we could and ate our fill. It wasn’t long after that we realized the severity of what we’d done.”
Theo waited. When it appeared he thought he’d said enough, she pursued, “Which was?”
Adder looked at her in mild surprise as he had to explain, “The fruit of the firesap plant had transformed us into dragons. Now, if we are injured or ill, eating the firesap fruit again will restore us.”
“So I became a dragon because I ate firesap fruit?” Things were so crazy that Theo was ready to believe just about anything.
“Yes,” Adder replied. “When Aspen caught you and brought you ashore, Damon must have given you the firesap fruit.”
- - - - -
By the next day, and the next, Damon still did not come. Nevertheless, Wycker was patient and refused to let Theo go anywhere else. And so she waited restlessly, always keeping the Archway through which she first entered dragon territory in view. The beauty of her surroundings no longer had any grip on her and she wished to return home again, but was forever pinned by Wycker’s glare. Melancholy took over her and the days began to melt together indistinguishably. Strangely enough, she did not grow hungry and so she ate nothing. Instead, she passed her time by scratching drawings into the dirt, examining her new foreclaws, stretching her legs and wings.
One day, Theo was napping when the sound of someone wading through the creek aroused her. She was amazed as she watched him cross the water towards them- an actual man!
He truly looked like a man of the woods. His shaggy dark hair, poorly cut, looked like an unkempt mess. He let it hang over his eyes, as though seeing clearly didn’t matter to him. Whatever Theo could see of his face looked completely exhausted. His garments were well-worn, scratched and dirty. He looked like a careless mess.
“Damon,” Wycker growled, meeting him on the bank. “What’s taken you so long?”
“I had a horse to deal with,” the man, Damon, answered casually, as though talking to a dragon was normal for him. “And after that I didn’t feel like fighting the currents, so I went the long way around the mountain range to pass through the Narrow Valley.”
“You were not permitted to give anyone the firesap fruit,” Wycker accused.
“Wasn’t I?” the man asked tiredly. “I don’t recall anyone having authority over the matter. Besides, I wasn’t going to let my sister die right in front of me.”
“Your sister is the Princess!” Wycker snapped, “What will the humans do now that she’s a dragon?”
Sister? Theo was thoroughly confused.
“They don’t know she’s a dragon,” Damon murmured. Theo thought she saw him shoot her a sidelong glance.
“No, you’re right,” Wycker replied darkly, “They don’t know what has happened to their princess. All they know is that a dragon came and took her.”
Warren and Chadwick are the only two brothers I’ve ever had…What are they talking about? Who is this man?
Damon turned to Aspen, standing not far away. “They saw you?” he asked, concerned.
“A maid did,” Wycker replied for her. “She ran, screaming, before you appeared and made matters worse.”
“And you didn’t stop her?”
“I couldn’t risk myself being seen, nor dare leave her,” Wycker jerked his head in Theo’s direction. Then, as he saw Theo listening in on their conversation, he pulled Damon aside.
Aspen stood awkwardly nearby, looking highly uncomfortable.
“I can look for a cure but understand I have no idea if one really exists,” Theo could barely hear Damon say. “And even if I did find one, would it be best for her to go back?”
Theo couldn’t hear Wycker’s response. The two of them went on discussing for some time.
Theo did not know what to do. Just so long as Wycker was there, escape was impossible. Miserably, she laid down. Over the few days, she had found that resting her chin on her front foreclaws, as she’d seen dogs do with their paws, was fairly comfortable.
“I’m sorry,” Aspen whimpered suddenly and Theo shifted her eyes to see her. “I know you don’t want to be a…It must be so nice to be a human. I…I can’t imagine how you must be feeling.”
Theo stared dolefully ahead. “Why did Damon do this to me?” she uttered.
“Because you would have died otherwise- He could tell!” Aspen ratified, sounding desperate for Theo to believe her.
He should have just let me go.
“Listen,” Theo urged, getting up and looking Aspen in the eye. “Tell me there’s some kind of way to reverse it. I can’t stay like this.”
“Sorry,” the smaller dragon rued. “You’ll have to talk to Damon about that. He should know. He’s a wizard.”
“Wonderful,” Theo groaned, looking over at the man still talking to Wycker. Now I need a wizard’s help.
Theo tried again to hear what they were saying. “I’ve never come across anything that would have that effect,” Damon said. “I may be able to put something together to do the trick- a kind of potion. But that could take a very long time, believe me.”
Again, Theo did not catch Wycker’s response.
“Fine,” Damon replied. “But what are you going to do about it in the meantime?”
Wycker turned and began walking towards Theo. Damon followed.
“You made me like this,” Theo accused the wizard. “Make it right again.”
“Damon will be working on that,” Wycker intervened, “But as for now you will be staying here where you are not a problem.”
Theo rose sharply. “You cannot keep me. I am the Princess!” she spat.
Wycker was not moved at all. “Not of my concern,” he answered. “So long as you stay on this side of the mountains, I won’t bother you. Just don’t cause any problems.”
With that he stalked away and Theo heatedly watched him go, frustrated as she knew it was best not to try him.
Damon still stood there. He looked Theo up and down.
“Who are you, Wizard?” she growled at him.
Irritably, she waited for him to answer, unable to stop noticing a beetle darting in and out of his tunic.
“I’m sure you have heard of your eldest brother, Warren?” Damon spoke finally.
Theo slanted her eyes at him. “He was said to be destined for greatness as King,” she answered.
“Yes, but he died in a battle against Crageria in Wystil’s attempt to obtain food during the famine,” Damon said.
“This I know,” Theo retorted. “Who are you?”
“You have heard of Warren,” Damon put off her question. “But never of your second eldest brother, the boy who looked up to Warren in admiration of his nobility and readiness to take the throne-”
“I know of my brother Chadwick!” Theo snapped.
Damon looked at her with sorrow. “Chadwick is not your second eldest brother, Theora,” he murmured. “I am.”
Theo scoffed at his sudden, preposterous declaration.
“When Warren lived,” Damon went on to explain. “Father paid little attention to me, eagerly teaching his favored son how to be a king. I lived happily in that time, comforted by my brother’s own accomplishments. However, when Warren died, Father realized his mistake in not preparing me for the throne. I ran away soon after, unable to bear the weight of expectations instantly thrown on my shoulders.”
“In that time, the water was running low. Moving up Iron Creek in hopes of covering my tracks, I found an opening underground. I crawled inside and camouflaged the gap with bushes. There, I saw that the opening was actually the entrance to a tunnel. The land that awaited me on the other side has since then served as my refuge.”
Theo wanted to object, but she could not find fault in his words. Chadwick and she had been raised, hearing stories of their noble elder brother who died a warrior’s death. Chadwick always listened to such stories attentively, seeking to make as good of an heir as Warren. The name Damon, however, never reached their ears.
“I won’t believe it…” Theo uttered, shaking her head in dream-like slow motion.
“I rarely visited the towns for supplies,” Damon told her. “But when I did, I’d try to gather as much news about my family as I could. It was then that I heard how Father had wrathfully ordered whoever spoke of my name again to be put to death. Thus, I was forgotten. Later I heard of my younger brother’s birth, and after that, yours. You can imagine how I felt, knowing that I was unable to meet you both…”
“So what? You expect me to sympathize with you?!” she sneered.
Damon took on an empty look. “I don’t know,” he sighed and walked to his shelter.
Theo watched him as her anger faded into guilt.
Aspen stood where she was before, eyes wide with fright at Theo’s outburst. Seeing Theo’s gaze settling on her, Aspen spun around to join Damon in his shelter, looking fearful that she might be yelled at next.
Theo looked behind her and saw that Wycker had been watching, an expression of pure indifference on his face. Their eyes met and he too walked away, leaving her completely alone.
Theo felt as though her life was destroyed. She had no family in her present form, and she had just scared away any means of a friend.
She plowed blindly through the forest. Eventually she came across a large slab of rock and found that beneath its over ledge was a dugout big enough for her to lie in. It was there that she hid in solitude.
It was there that she pretended to be nothing at all.
Chapter 3
Theo stayed hidden under that large slab of rock for days, pitifully miserable.
How long will I be like this? she cried inwardly, but no tears watered her reptilian eyes as she longed for the things of her normal, human life. I have no chamber, I have no horse…no table to dine at, no servants…
Though in her mind she wished for a bed, her dragon form was well at ease, lying on the cold, earthy ground.
From there, she watched as animals of all kinds passed. Birds pecked at the ground, rodents scampered by. A deer once came into view, only to bound off again when it sensed Theo nearby. Theo often saw dragons, the tiny ones that came out to bask in the sun. These were the dragons that Theo was used to seeing, before she was turned into this oversized beast.
Once, a small dragon came right up to Theo. It was the perfect miniature of a large dragon, exquisitely detailed. Curiously, the young dragon peered into Theo’s eyes. It must be a baby, Theo thought. It looks innocent enough.
There was a rustle in the undergrowth and the hatchling turned its head. Its interest redirected, the little one toddled away without another look at her.
- - - - -
There came a time when a rabbit drew daringly close to Theo. She supposed the animal had its eye on some clover, not far from where she lay in the shadows.
The rabbit lopped a couple steps at a time, pausing to check its surroundings. The wind carried its scent to Theo. With every small hop, Theo felt her body get tenser. Hop, hop, hop…hop. Too close.
Immediately, Theo was up, the creature suddenly lifeless, crushed under her two front foreclaws. Horrified, Theo removed herself from it. Blood spilled from its smashed skull- a gruesome sight, yet she couldn’t take her eyes off of it. The scent of fresh kill was strong, making her salivate. She was lured in by it. The moment her muzzle touched the carcass, she snapped it up and swallowed it whole without another thought. As impulse faded, she dropped to her belly and mournfully licked the blood from the blades of grass. She forced herself to stop, even though the taste was so good. Theo buried her head in her foreclaws, depressed. Never before had she been so disgusted with herself.
“Theora?”
Theo sprung to her feet and whirled around to see Damon standing there.
“Did you find a cure? Please tell me you found a cure!” Theo begged him instantly, hoping he wouldn’t notice the rabbit’s blood dribbling from her chin.
Damon shook his head and looked to the ground. “No, I haven’t yet, sorry. I just came to make sure you’re alright.” He brushed more hair in front of his face, as though to hide his eyes, turned and walked away.
Theo thought for sure she could hear the sound of her heart dropping to the pit of her hollow rib cage. A throbbing, empty echo.
- - - - -
The day came when she grew sick of the cool shade. Reluctantly, she ventured out to where the sun hit. The heat soaked through her tough hide to her core. She closed her eyes to enjoy its pleasant warmth.
In the distance she heard a strange sound. It continued on, rising and dropping, speeding and slowing in a weird musical manner. As she became used to it, she closed her eyes again and allowed herself time to set aside her worries.
Time passed and she noticed the sound was gradually increasing in volume. When it became so loud that Theo believed the source was just around the bend, she looked in its direction.
She saw the silver head of a dragon appear. She uneasily drew herself in as she saw that the dragon was at least her size. The strange noises that echoed for miles came from deep within his throat, and his body moved in slow and subtle sways that Theo guessed to be his way of dancing.
His eyes were closed as he concentrated on his composition, yet he also seemed to be aware of her presence. He opened his eyes to gaze at her, and ended his melody with one long lasting hum.
“Greetings,” he purred. “I am Clyde- heard from the distance!” He flexed his silvery white wings which gleamed in the sunlight. Theo viewed him, thrown by his oddity.
“I’m Princess Theora…” she murmured at a loss.
The dragon grinned in a very reptilian way. “My respects, Princess,” he said, dipping his head as a bow. “But may I tell you that I am one of the few dragons who would know what a princess is?”
Theo blinked. This dragon, Clyde, was succeeding to confuse her even more.
“You see,” he explained, “I am considered a Cragerian, because I used to be a human, part of the kingdom, Crageria. The offspring of Cragerians were hatched and began their lives as dragons from the start, thus they are not considered Cragerians. I do believe you are princess of the kingdom, Wystil, yes?”
Theo nodded bleakly.
Clyde mirrored her nod, looking very pleased with his conversation. “Princess Theora of Wystil…” he breathed. “How very nice.”
Theo looked down at the ground. He must have read the sadness upon her for he dropped his cheery mood.
“I know how you feel,” he sighed. “I felt the same way when I lost everything.”
Theo slumped. Over the past week and a half she had noticed dragons could not produce tears.
“It’s not all bad, you’ll see.”
Theo met his eyes. “I can’t stay like this,” she whispered.
“Yes, I suppose you still have something to go back to.” He almost sounded bitter, but it passed quickly and Theo could not be sure. “Perhaps you would like it if I introduced you to others?” he suggested.
Theo thought that the thing she wanted the least was to be around more dragons, but an ache of loneliness lingering within her made her nod. Theo couldn’t understand herself. She had expected to lose such a human characteristic when she became a reptile.
Hopefully, Damon will know to look for me there, where the other dragons are. That is, if he ever finds a cure…
She followed Clyde at his side and, as they walked, he chatted pleasantly.
“I was a messenger boy, as a human,” he remarked.
Theo’s response was minimalistic, but she was truly interested. It comforted her that he was a dragon she could relate to. She listened to his stories of being a messenger earnestly. Then he got to a story far more severe. He told her of his experience when the Maelstrom attacked, telling her of who he lost. He talked about how Wystil refused to let them in and how they could do nothing but escape through the Narrow Valley.
“When we got past the mountain range and found the firesap fruit- you’ve heard of the firesap fruit, yes? Well, everyone was so eager to eat that no one took a moment to think before it was too late.”
“That’s what Adder said,” Theo recalled.
“Ah, so you’ve met Adder? He’s the eldest of us Cragerians…He’s very wise, very wise indeed.” He nodded. “Anyway, after all was done it took us quite some time to accept our new forms. And when we finally did, there was a split between us. Adder was actually the one who proposed the new philosophy that we were all equal and should be untouched by materialism.
“Our bodies were equipped to survive in the wild and physical things no longer brought us comfort. Many of us liked Adder’s idea. With our new lives, we were ready to accept a new way of thinking. However, not everyone felt the same way. Laurel used to be a Cragerian duchess. She was quite familiar with being pampered and cared for by her servants. Because I was once drawn by visual attractiveness as a human, I can say with certainty that she made a very beautiful dragon. She was not willing to give up her life of nobility and see her servants rise to the same level as her. She demanded that she be respected as part of a higher class. Adder tried to explain to her that those ways were old. There was no longer any such thing as wealth. The noble blood that once ran through her veins had been changed.
“Still, she refused to give in, giving herself the title the Golden Dragon. She still had with her four servants who stayed loyal to her. When everyone else refused to do as she willed, she and her servants left for the Lake.”
“The Lake?” Theo echoed inquiringly.
“Yes, there is a lake a ways from here, farther up along the mountain range,” he said. “It is there where the other rogue dragons tend to lurk about.”
“Rogue dragons?”
“We refer to those who do not associate themselves with the main colony as rogues. The Golden Dragon and her servants hated Adder’s proposal, while many others took it too far. They relished the thought of having no masters and no one to tell them what and what not to do. They became violent, lashing out at anyone they did not like. When those of the Colony were disturbed by this, they confronted the merciless dragons. Outnumbered, the brutal ones sneered and left for the Lake, as Laurel had. I would advise you to stay away from there. Some rogue dragons have been known to kill and eat other dragons in a kind of victorious feast.”
Theo shuddered, wanting to change the subject. She asked, “So the Colony is your group?”
Clyde tilted his head in an unsure kind of way. “Yes…” he replied. “I am an ally to the Colony. The Colony is the largest tie of dragons and I’m associated with many of them. While they generally believe that no dragon has authority over another, they take on the duty of watching over hatchlings and frisks, making sure that they are kept safe. That often includes guiding them away from the Lake.”
“What are frisks?”
“A dragon, unless formerly a human, starts out as an egg,” Clyde began. “Then, when they hatch, they are sensibly known as hatchlings. Hatchlings have the instinct to climb trees for safety from many of their predators. They stay in their high places until they grow into frisks. We know them as frisks because they are extremely energetic, exploring their abilities and the environment around them. By the time they are accustomed to themselves, their interest is piqued, usually by one adult dragon in particular. This is their pupil stage, in which they will find a dragon willing to mentor them, focusing on hunts for big game, flying, and also more mental skills. It is often at this time that the young dragon learns how to speak. After their year of being a pupil, they become a striker. Strikers are often proud and easily offended. The time for a striker to mature into an adult varies, usually taking about one to two years. Should it take much longer than that, strikers have been known to ‘leave for the Lake’ to join the rogues.”
“What am I?” Theo asked suddenly and Clyde looked her over.
“I suppose you are a mix,” he said. “Judging by your size, I would assume you were of striker age, but you still know very little of your athletic abilities, yet you ask questions like those of a pupil.”
Theo looked down at her feet as they walked on. I’m a complete mess, she thought, discouraged. She was quiet the rest of the way and Clyde respected that, falling silent as well.
At last, they reached their destination- a clearing of grass and dirt with large rocks strewn all around. This place, Clyde called the Camp.
Theo was immediately shy. At least a dozen dragons of all different colors were there, settling on rocks, scuffing the dirt, and murmuring in conversation like humans. It was weird for Theo, seeing all those reptiles laying around and talking.
If Clyde sensed her sudden insecurity, he completely ignored it.
“Look here, Jacinth!” he called to a nearby dragon and brought Theo close. The dragon was deep red.
“Hello, Clyde,” she greeted him. “Decided to come in for a visit?”
“Yes, well, I thought my friend here could do with some introductions,” Clyde said.
Jacinth looked at Theo contemplatively. “I have heard of a new comer,” she said. “You may call me Jacinth.”
Theo ducked her head. “I’m Theora,” she replied, choosing not to introduce herself as a princess, as she remembered what Clyde had said.
“Ah, Theora,” Jacinth echoed. “What is that in reference to?”
“Um…” Theo did not know how to respond. Thankfully, Clyde came in with an answer.
“The name Theora was given to her by her family, as is custom to humans,” he informed Jacinth.
“Ah, so you’re a Cragerian?” Jacinth concluded. “Very few chose to keep their original names.”
Once again, Clyde helped Theo out. “No, in fact, Theora is a Wystilian! I do not think she has yet been told of our naming customs…” Clyde turned to Theo inquiringly.
Theo shook her head.
“Dragons name themselves,” Clyde explained to her. “It plays into the dragons’ belief that we are all equal and have no authority over each other.”
“Oh,” Theo was surprised. This was not at all what she was accustomed to.
“I chose myself a human name, as did a few other Cragerians,” Clyde went on. “But most of the later generations have taken a liking to nature references, like Jacinth here.”
Jacinth smiled. “Except they usually need some help thinking of them. Clyde happens to be quite good at suggesting names for the little ones.” She laughed. “He’s actually somewhat of a legend!”
“Oh,” Theo said again. She didn’t know what else to say.
Theo’s failure to keep the conversation going led to an awkward moment of silence. Theo noticed dragons nearby looking in their direction. She felt their eyes fall on her, yet the dragons also seemed interested in Clyde, leaning over to whisper to each other. Theo thought she heard one of them call him the Namebearer.
Clyde began to shift uneasily, repeatedly looking towards the woods. Jacinth seemed to pick up on this, for she took action.
“Here,” Jacinth spoke up to Theo. “Why don’t I show you around?”
“Great idea,” Clyde put in quickly. “I’ll be going…maybe see you later.”
“Clyde!” Theo was alarmed at the thought of him leaving her.
“Oh, do come on Theo,” Jacinth willed, and she gave in reluctantly.
Clyde said goodbye. Not long after he had disappeared into the forest, Theo could hear his singing start up again.
“Why did he-” Theo started, but was cut off.
“He’s not one to stick around Camp,” Jacinth answered, pulling her off to the side.
“Really?” she asked. Then why did he bring me here?
“Clyde was trying to do you a favor,” Jacinth said, as though reading Theo’s mind. “He himself prefers to be on his own most of the time.”
He seems the social type to me, Theo thought.
Jacinth had them standing far off to the edge of Camp, mostly hidden by a tight clump of evil looking plants that twisted and tangled in a heap. Little, slender dragons wove in and out of the thicket, easily steering around the thorns that stood in their way. Theo watched them as they went.
“You may want to consider giving yourself a new name,” Jacinth told her.
“Why?” Theo asked.
“Well, for one thing,” Jacinth explained, “you’re a dragon now. Why not fit into our customs? Secondly, if you choose to stick with Theora, you’ll have to explain yourself repeatedly to each and every dragon.”
“You don’t understand,” Theo conveyed. “I can’t stay a dragon! I am a Princess. I have responsibilities.”
“A princess?” Jacinth questioned.
Clyde wasn’t lying, Theo realized.
“Yes, I am the daughter of the king,” Theo reworded for her. “And the king is the ruler of thousands.”
“I see,” Jacinth replied. “You must be important to the humans, then.”
“Very,” Theo breathed, glad that Jacinth understood. “So it’s important that I get back to them.”
“How?” Jacinth asked. “I am familiar with humans turning into dragons, but not the other way around. Does the Wizard have a solution?”
“Apparently he’s working on one,” Theo buried her head in the ground. “I can’t believe all this is because of a fruit! What does a firesap fruit even look like?”
“You’re right next to them,” Jacinth said, nodding to the plants in front of them. “These are the only firesap plants we know about, but we think there used to be many, many more. What have you heard about their fruit?”
“They heal dragons,” Theo sighed, trying to see as far into the tangled plants as she could. “And unfortunately by experience I know what they do to humans.” She spotted a firesap fruit deep within, hanging like a bell from its branch.
Its skin was orange, marked with scars and splotches of other colors like yellow, red, green, brown…About the size of a chicken’s egg, it started at the top as one point and ended in three. Theo guessed that the grooves running down it made the fruit easily divided into sections.
“Yes, but it doesn’t just turn humans into dragons,” Jacinth told her.
That caught Theo’s interest. “You mean it turns animals into dragons, too?”
“Well, we call them monigons instead of dragons, but yes.” Jacinth nodded.
Theo took a moment to think. That monigon she’d seen on the rooftops back at the castle was the perfect image of a reptilian cat. Narrow body, flicking tail, slanted eyes, daintily placed claws. It had the frame and behavior of a cat, but with reptilian modifications and additions.
“It makes sense now!” she breathed. All those different types of dragons, or monigons, she’d seen in her days- how greatly they varied in size and shape. She could see what each monigon used to be. Wyverns, with two wings and two legs, resembled birds. The pack of monigons the royal family used for hunting resembled hounds, built for speed and gifted with the sense for tracking.
The only thing that confused her was how different her dragon body was from her human body…Now, instead of balancing on two legs, she was forced to walk on all four. And though humans lacked wings and a tail, she now possessed them both.
Another question developed in Theo’s mind. “How are there so many monigons? Wouldn’t they only be found in this area where the firesap plants are? Are you sure there aren’t other firesap plants elsewhere?”
Jacinth shook her head, amused. “I’m quite confident that these are the only firesap plants. As I said, I have reason to believe that there used to be many more of these plants before. My guess is that there was a period of time when animals of all kinds gradually came to eat of the fruit and reaped the consequences. Then, those monigons reproduced and-”
“So they can reproduce?” Theo interrupted.
“Oh, yes. Dragons and monigons are very well developed.”
“I don’t understand…Why would a dog or a cat, or any animal that eats mostly meat want the firesap fruit?”
“The firesap plant is very tricky, as I’m sure you’ve gathered. I suppose it has its ways of making its fruit appealing to an unlikely crowd.”
Theo imagined all types of animals coming to eat of the firesap fruit. The thought of a bear monigon frightened her. What would that look like? Perhaps a huge, bulking mass like the beast in that one myth I’ve heard- a monster full of claws with flames blasting from its mouth…Wait…Breathing fire!
“Do dragons breathe fire?” she asked.
Jacinth smiled mischievously, then answered her by sprinkling the ground with sparks. Theo wanted to try picking them up, but all she could do was scratch at them.
“Want to see real fire?” Jacinth appealed to her, having Theo turn her head to the clearing. Jacinth breathed in and came out with flames that reached incredible lengths ahead of her. Blades of grass were singed as the hot, yellow light licked past them. Other dragons watched with obvious admiration. It was one of the most amazing things Theo had ever seen.
“Can I breathe fire?” Theo asked quietly, not wanting to look like an idiot by trying without knowing first.
“You could,” Jacinth answered pleasantly. “The last impressive thing I know about the firesap plant is what it got its name from. See that knot of amber there?”
Theo nodded. The branch which it clung to looked dry and cracked. Fresh sap oozed from the cracks onto the older, harder sap below.
“That sap, one lick and you’ll be breathing fire until the end of your life! I don’t know who figured that out, but I ought to thank him…or her, whichever it was.” Jacinth smiled.
Theo walked around the clump of plants, spotting multiple lumps of amber. One mound was so large it reached the ground and was the shape of a miniature mountain.
“Amazing,” Theo awed. “What happens when monigons lick it?”
Jacinth shifted uncomfortably. “Any monigon that licks or eats the firesap dies within a few days, sometimes less than that. It doesn’t happen very often, and we try to keep it that way by making sure there’s always an adult at Camp to keep watch.”
“What about a human? What would happen to them?” Theo pursued, eyeing the firesap with endless attraction.
“Probably the same thing,” Jacinth guessed. “I don’t think a human’s ever been quite that foolish.”
Theo looked back at Jacinth, wondering if there was an insult hidden in that last comment. She decided it didn’t matter anyway.
Just then, a group of dragons around Theo’s age intruded, curious and bright eyed. Theo pulled back ever so slightly, feeling her personal space was being invaded.
“Who are you?” one of the younger dragons asked, peering at Theo. Something about her reminded Theo of a nosey kitten.
Before Theo could think of what to answer, the dragons bombarded her with more questions.
“Are you a rogue dragon?” a greenish-grey male asked her. “Or are you a rogue dragon that wants to be a part of the Colony? Or does that ever even happen?”
“Did you wander far away as a hatchling and just now return?” another asked.
“Surely you’re too young to be a Cragerian?” a beige dragon insisted.
“My name is…” Theo started, pausing to think, and the group fell silent. I better give them a different name, she decided. Otherwise I’ll never hear the end of their questions. Quickly, she selected a word that she had always liked the sound of. “River.”
Immediately, the dragons let their other questions go unanswered, releasing upon Theo a new flood of comments.
“Oh, what a pretty name!” the beige one approved.
“Yes, good choice!” another agreed.
“I’m quite sure I’d considered that one for myself…” yet another spoke her mind.
Jacinth laughed, interrupting their endless chatter.
“Have mercy, you four!” she chaffed and Theo took note to thank her later, when she had the chance. “At least introduce yourselves before you scare her away.”
“My name is Larke,” the beige dragon said with a smile.
“Lichen!” the greenish-grey male declared.
Pika was the third to introduce herself. Her scales were a dusty brown.
The last was patterned black, white, and yellow. She presented her name to be Oriole.
Theo looked at them all. Their colors match whatever their names refer to, Theo observed, deciding it couldn’t possibly be a coincidence. They tried too hard, she judged.
Before the group’s prattling could start up again, Jacinth said she ought to show River around to the others. The four agreed enthusiastically, and Jacinth had to send them away before they’d actually leave them alone. Theo exhaled in deep relief as she and Jacinth left them behind.
“Sorry,” Jacinth apologized. “Most of us aren’t that obnoxious, I promise. Why don’t I introduce you to some of the males? They aren’t so excitable.”
“If you say so.” Theo prayed to Heaven that she was right.
Jacinth didn’t lie. She walked along giving Theo each male’s name, barely having to pause.
“This is Shale,” she said, stopping by a charcoal grey dragon. The dragon nodded to Theo in bored acknowledgement.
“Jackdaw…Waxwing…Auk…” They gave such little response that Theo gave up on greeting them vocally, which she didn’t mind at all.
“…and this is Cedar,” Jacinth finished, stopping by a raw umber colored dragon, having moved half across Camp. “I think that’s enough for today, would you agree?”
Theo nodded gratefully. I’ve already forgotten their names, anyway…
The two of them chose a spot of their own to settle. Theo took a liking to a shaded grass area while Jacinth lay on a rock not far away.
She noticed a couple of dragons nearby. One of them, a dark brown one, was badgering the other. “Jay, what’s with you?” he said. “You’re barely even listening to me! Who is that you’re too busy staring off at?” Theo blinked as she realized both of them were looking at her.
“Oh, I see,” the male growled. “You’d rather be talking to her, is that it? Fine. Go and see if she’ll even turn her ear to you.” He stalked away, leaving his sandstone colored friend alone.
Theo tried to look away, but she could sense his smitten gaze set on her. Uncomfortably, she attempted to distract herself, experimentally opening and closing her wings until she realized he was standing in front of her. She collapsed her wings against her side, unnerved.
“Hello,” she said hesitantly. “Is there something wrong?”
The male started and shifted his weight self-consciously. “Oh, um…” his voice wavered. “I just don’t rec-recognize you. What’s your n-name?”
“River.”
“Oh, th-that’s nice…I’m Jay. My friend behind me is Badger…” Awkwardly, he looked back, only to realize that his friend had left him a while ago. “Never mind,” he mumbled.
“Ho, there!” a loud voice called out and another male leapt to Jay’s side. Immediately, Jay took on a defeated look, staring at the ground.
The newcomer greeted Jay and then turned to Theo with a charismatic smile. Theo became even more uncomfortable.
“What is it we have here?” he asked, looking her up and down approvingly. He kept his wings slightly open so that they caught the sun, casting brilliant colors on the ground within his shadow like a stained glass window.
“Um…” Theo began, but just then Jacinth intervened.
“Greetings to you, Cobalt,” Jacinth said rather distastefully.
“Jacinth!” Cobalt responded, his smile broadening with endless charm. “Won’t you introduce me to your friend?”
“No, I think you have enough females at your heels,” Jacinth replied scornfully. To Theo, she said, “Do come, River.”
Theo followed without protest, more than happy to evade the others just as it was beginning to get dark.
Theo stayed hidden under that large slab of rock for days, pitifully miserable.
How long will I be like this? she cried inwardly, but no tears watered her reptilian eyes as she longed for the things of her normal, human life. I have no chamber, I have no horse…no table to dine at, no servants…
Though in her mind she wished for a bed, her dragon form was well at ease, lying on the cold, earthy ground.
From there, she watched as animals of all kinds passed. Birds pecked at the ground, rodents scampered by. A deer once came into view, only to bound off again when it sensed Theo nearby. Theo often saw dragons, the tiny ones that came out to bask in the sun. These were the dragons that Theo was used to seeing, before she was turned into this oversized beast.
Once, a small dragon came right up to Theo. It was the perfect miniature of a large dragon, exquisitely detailed. Curiously, the young dragon peered into Theo’s eyes. It must be a baby, Theo thought. It looks innocent enough.
There was a rustle in the undergrowth and the hatchling turned its head. Its interest redirected, the little one toddled away without another look at her.
- - - - -
There came a time when a rabbit drew daringly close to Theo. She supposed the animal had its eye on some clover, not far from where she lay in the shadows.
The rabbit lopped a couple steps at a time, pausing to check its surroundings. The wind carried its scent to Theo. With every small hop, Theo felt her body get tenser. Hop, hop, hop…hop. Too close.
Immediately, Theo was up, the creature suddenly lifeless, crushed under her two front foreclaws. Horrified, Theo removed herself from it. Blood spilled from its smashed skull- a gruesome sight, yet she couldn’t take her eyes off of it. The scent of fresh kill was strong, making her salivate. She was lured in by it. The moment her muzzle touched the carcass, she snapped it up and swallowed it whole without another thought. As impulse faded, she dropped to her belly and mournfully licked the blood from the blades of grass. She forced herself to stop, even though the taste was so good. Theo buried her head in her foreclaws, depressed. Never before had she been so disgusted with herself.
“Theora?”
Theo sprung to her feet and whirled around to see Damon standing there.
“Did you find a cure? Please tell me you found a cure!” Theo begged him instantly, hoping he wouldn’t notice the rabbit’s blood dribbling from her chin.
Damon shook his head and looked to the ground. “No, I haven’t yet, sorry. I just came to make sure you’re alright.” He brushed more hair in front of his face, as though to hide his eyes, turned and walked away.
Theo thought for sure she could hear the sound of her heart dropping to the pit of her hollow rib cage. A throbbing, empty echo.
- - - - -
The day came when she grew sick of the cool shade. Reluctantly, she ventured out to where the sun hit. The heat soaked through her tough hide to her core. She closed her eyes to enjoy its pleasant warmth.
In the distance she heard a strange sound. It continued on, rising and dropping, speeding and slowing in a weird musical manner. As she became used to it, she closed her eyes again and allowed herself time to set aside her worries.
Time passed and she noticed the sound was gradually increasing in volume. When it became so loud that Theo believed the source was just around the bend, she looked in its direction.
She saw the silver head of a dragon appear. She uneasily drew herself in as she saw that the dragon was at least her size. The strange noises that echoed for miles came from deep within his throat, and his body moved in slow and subtle sways that Theo guessed to be his way of dancing.
His eyes were closed as he concentrated on his composition, yet he also seemed to be aware of her presence. He opened his eyes to gaze at her, and ended his melody with one long lasting hum.
“Greetings,” he purred. “I am Clyde- heard from the distance!” He flexed his silvery white wings which gleamed in the sunlight. Theo viewed him, thrown by his oddity.
“I’m Princess Theora…” she murmured at a loss.
The dragon grinned in a very reptilian way. “My respects, Princess,” he said, dipping his head as a bow. “But may I tell you that I am one of the few dragons who would know what a princess is?”
Theo blinked. This dragon, Clyde, was succeeding to confuse her even more.
“You see,” he explained, “I am considered a Cragerian, because I used to be a human, part of the kingdom, Crageria. The offspring of Cragerians were hatched and began their lives as dragons from the start, thus they are not considered Cragerians. I do believe you are princess of the kingdom, Wystil, yes?”
Theo nodded bleakly.
Clyde mirrored her nod, looking very pleased with his conversation. “Princess Theora of Wystil…” he breathed. “How very nice.”
Theo looked down at the ground. He must have read the sadness upon her for he dropped his cheery mood.
“I know how you feel,” he sighed. “I felt the same way when I lost everything.”
Theo slumped. Over the past week and a half she had noticed dragons could not produce tears.
“It’s not all bad, you’ll see.”
Theo met his eyes. “I can’t stay like this,” she whispered.
“Yes, I suppose you still have something to go back to.” He almost sounded bitter, but it passed quickly and Theo could not be sure. “Perhaps you would like it if I introduced you to others?” he suggested.
Theo thought that the thing she wanted the least was to be around more dragons, but an ache of loneliness lingering within her made her nod. Theo couldn’t understand herself. She had expected to lose such a human characteristic when she became a reptile.
Hopefully, Damon will know to look for me there, where the other dragons are. That is, if he ever finds a cure…
She followed Clyde at his side and, as they walked, he chatted pleasantly.
“I was a messenger boy, as a human,” he remarked.
Theo’s response was minimalistic, but she was truly interested. It comforted her that he was a dragon she could relate to. She listened to his stories of being a messenger earnestly. Then he got to a story far more severe. He told her of his experience when the Maelstrom attacked, telling her of who he lost. He talked about how Wystil refused to let them in and how they could do nothing but escape through the Narrow Valley.
“When we got past the mountain range and found the firesap fruit- you’ve heard of the firesap fruit, yes? Well, everyone was so eager to eat that no one took a moment to think before it was too late.”
“That’s what Adder said,” Theo recalled.
“Ah, so you’ve met Adder? He’s the eldest of us Cragerians…He’s very wise, very wise indeed.” He nodded. “Anyway, after all was done it took us quite some time to accept our new forms. And when we finally did, there was a split between us. Adder was actually the one who proposed the new philosophy that we were all equal and should be untouched by materialism.
“Our bodies were equipped to survive in the wild and physical things no longer brought us comfort. Many of us liked Adder’s idea. With our new lives, we were ready to accept a new way of thinking. However, not everyone felt the same way. Laurel used to be a Cragerian duchess. She was quite familiar with being pampered and cared for by her servants. Because I was once drawn by visual attractiveness as a human, I can say with certainty that she made a very beautiful dragon. She was not willing to give up her life of nobility and see her servants rise to the same level as her. She demanded that she be respected as part of a higher class. Adder tried to explain to her that those ways were old. There was no longer any such thing as wealth. The noble blood that once ran through her veins had been changed.
“Still, she refused to give in, giving herself the title the Golden Dragon. She still had with her four servants who stayed loyal to her. When everyone else refused to do as she willed, she and her servants left for the Lake.”
“The Lake?” Theo echoed inquiringly.
“Yes, there is a lake a ways from here, farther up along the mountain range,” he said. “It is there where the other rogue dragons tend to lurk about.”
“Rogue dragons?”
“We refer to those who do not associate themselves with the main colony as rogues. The Golden Dragon and her servants hated Adder’s proposal, while many others took it too far. They relished the thought of having no masters and no one to tell them what and what not to do. They became violent, lashing out at anyone they did not like. When those of the Colony were disturbed by this, they confronted the merciless dragons. Outnumbered, the brutal ones sneered and left for the Lake, as Laurel had. I would advise you to stay away from there. Some rogue dragons have been known to kill and eat other dragons in a kind of victorious feast.”
Theo shuddered, wanting to change the subject. She asked, “So the Colony is your group?”
Clyde tilted his head in an unsure kind of way. “Yes…” he replied. “I am an ally to the Colony. The Colony is the largest tie of dragons and I’m associated with many of them. While they generally believe that no dragon has authority over another, they take on the duty of watching over hatchlings and frisks, making sure that they are kept safe. That often includes guiding them away from the Lake.”
“What are frisks?”
“A dragon, unless formerly a human, starts out as an egg,” Clyde began. “Then, when they hatch, they are sensibly known as hatchlings. Hatchlings have the instinct to climb trees for safety from many of their predators. They stay in their high places until they grow into frisks. We know them as frisks because they are extremely energetic, exploring their abilities and the environment around them. By the time they are accustomed to themselves, their interest is piqued, usually by one adult dragon in particular. This is their pupil stage, in which they will find a dragon willing to mentor them, focusing on hunts for big game, flying, and also more mental skills. It is often at this time that the young dragon learns how to speak. After their year of being a pupil, they become a striker. Strikers are often proud and easily offended. The time for a striker to mature into an adult varies, usually taking about one to two years. Should it take much longer than that, strikers have been known to ‘leave for the Lake’ to join the rogues.”
“What am I?” Theo asked suddenly and Clyde looked her over.
“I suppose you are a mix,” he said. “Judging by your size, I would assume you were of striker age, but you still know very little of your athletic abilities, yet you ask questions like those of a pupil.”
Theo looked down at her feet as they walked on. I’m a complete mess, she thought, discouraged. She was quiet the rest of the way and Clyde respected that, falling silent as well.
At last, they reached their destination- a clearing of grass and dirt with large rocks strewn all around. This place, Clyde called the Camp.
Theo was immediately shy. At least a dozen dragons of all different colors were there, settling on rocks, scuffing the dirt, and murmuring in conversation like humans. It was weird for Theo, seeing all those reptiles laying around and talking.
If Clyde sensed her sudden insecurity, he completely ignored it.
“Look here, Jacinth!” he called to a nearby dragon and brought Theo close. The dragon was deep red.
“Hello, Clyde,” she greeted him. “Decided to come in for a visit?”
“Yes, well, I thought my friend here could do with some introductions,” Clyde said.
Jacinth looked at Theo contemplatively. “I have heard of a new comer,” she said. “You may call me Jacinth.”
Theo ducked her head. “I’m Theora,” she replied, choosing not to introduce herself as a princess, as she remembered what Clyde had said.
“Ah, Theora,” Jacinth echoed. “What is that in reference to?”
“Um…” Theo did not know how to respond. Thankfully, Clyde came in with an answer.
“The name Theora was given to her by her family, as is custom to humans,” he informed Jacinth.
“Ah, so you’re a Cragerian?” Jacinth concluded. “Very few chose to keep their original names.”
Once again, Clyde helped Theo out. “No, in fact, Theora is a Wystilian! I do not think she has yet been told of our naming customs…” Clyde turned to Theo inquiringly.
Theo shook her head.
“Dragons name themselves,” Clyde explained to her. “It plays into the dragons’ belief that we are all equal and have no authority over each other.”
“Oh,” Theo was surprised. This was not at all what she was accustomed to.
“I chose myself a human name, as did a few other Cragerians,” Clyde went on. “But most of the later generations have taken a liking to nature references, like Jacinth here.”
Jacinth smiled. “Except they usually need some help thinking of them. Clyde happens to be quite good at suggesting names for the little ones.” She laughed. “He’s actually somewhat of a legend!”
“Oh,” Theo said again. She didn’t know what else to say.
Theo’s failure to keep the conversation going led to an awkward moment of silence. Theo noticed dragons nearby looking in their direction. She felt their eyes fall on her, yet the dragons also seemed interested in Clyde, leaning over to whisper to each other. Theo thought she heard one of them call him the Namebearer.
Clyde began to shift uneasily, repeatedly looking towards the woods. Jacinth seemed to pick up on this, for she took action.
“Here,” Jacinth spoke up to Theo. “Why don’t I show you around?”
“Great idea,” Clyde put in quickly. “I’ll be going…maybe see you later.”
“Clyde!” Theo was alarmed at the thought of him leaving her.
“Oh, do come on Theo,” Jacinth willed, and she gave in reluctantly.
Clyde said goodbye. Not long after he had disappeared into the forest, Theo could hear his singing start up again.
“Why did he-” Theo started, but was cut off.
“He’s not one to stick around Camp,” Jacinth answered, pulling her off to the side.
“Really?” she asked. Then why did he bring me here?
“Clyde was trying to do you a favor,” Jacinth said, as though reading Theo’s mind. “He himself prefers to be on his own most of the time.”
He seems the social type to me, Theo thought.
Jacinth had them standing far off to the edge of Camp, mostly hidden by a tight clump of evil looking plants that twisted and tangled in a heap. Little, slender dragons wove in and out of the thicket, easily steering around the thorns that stood in their way. Theo watched them as they went.
“You may want to consider giving yourself a new name,” Jacinth told her.
“Why?” Theo asked.
“Well, for one thing,” Jacinth explained, “you’re a dragon now. Why not fit into our customs? Secondly, if you choose to stick with Theora, you’ll have to explain yourself repeatedly to each and every dragon.”
“You don’t understand,” Theo conveyed. “I can’t stay a dragon! I am a Princess. I have responsibilities.”
“A princess?” Jacinth questioned.
Clyde wasn’t lying, Theo realized.
“Yes, I am the daughter of the king,” Theo reworded for her. “And the king is the ruler of thousands.”
“I see,” Jacinth replied. “You must be important to the humans, then.”
“Very,” Theo breathed, glad that Jacinth understood. “So it’s important that I get back to them.”
“How?” Jacinth asked. “I am familiar with humans turning into dragons, but not the other way around. Does the Wizard have a solution?”
“Apparently he’s working on one,” Theo buried her head in the ground. “I can’t believe all this is because of a fruit! What does a firesap fruit even look like?”
“You’re right next to them,” Jacinth said, nodding to the plants in front of them. “These are the only firesap plants we know about, but we think there used to be many, many more. What have you heard about their fruit?”
“They heal dragons,” Theo sighed, trying to see as far into the tangled plants as she could. “And unfortunately by experience I know what they do to humans.” She spotted a firesap fruit deep within, hanging like a bell from its branch.
Its skin was orange, marked with scars and splotches of other colors like yellow, red, green, brown…About the size of a chicken’s egg, it started at the top as one point and ended in three. Theo guessed that the grooves running down it made the fruit easily divided into sections.
“Yes, but it doesn’t just turn humans into dragons,” Jacinth told her.
That caught Theo’s interest. “You mean it turns animals into dragons, too?”
“Well, we call them monigons instead of dragons, but yes.” Jacinth nodded.
Theo took a moment to think. That monigon she’d seen on the rooftops back at the castle was the perfect image of a reptilian cat. Narrow body, flicking tail, slanted eyes, daintily placed claws. It had the frame and behavior of a cat, but with reptilian modifications and additions.
“It makes sense now!” she breathed. All those different types of dragons, or monigons, she’d seen in her days- how greatly they varied in size and shape. She could see what each monigon used to be. Wyverns, with two wings and two legs, resembled birds. The pack of monigons the royal family used for hunting resembled hounds, built for speed and gifted with the sense for tracking.
The only thing that confused her was how different her dragon body was from her human body…Now, instead of balancing on two legs, she was forced to walk on all four. And though humans lacked wings and a tail, she now possessed them both.
Another question developed in Theo’s mind. “How are there so many monigons? Wouldn’t they only be found in this area where the firesap plants are? Are you sure there aren’t other firesap plants elsewhere?”
Jacinth shook her head, amused. “I’m quite confident that these are the only firesap plants. As I said, I have reason to believe that there used to be many more of these plants before. My guess is that there was a period of time when animals of all kinds gradually came to eat of the fruit and reaped the consequences. Then, those monigons reproduced and-”
“So they can reproduce?” Theo interrupted.
“Oh, yes. Dragons and monigons are very well developed.”
“I don’t understand…Why would a dog or a cat, or any animal that eats mostly meat want the firesap fruit?”
“The firesap plant is very tricky, as I’m sure you’ve gathered. I suppose it has its ways of making its fruit appealing to an unlikely crowd.”
Theo imagined all types of animals coming to eat of the firesap fruit. The thought of a bear monigon frightened her. What would that look like? Perhaps a huge, bulking mass like the beast in that one myth I’ve heard- a monster full of claws with flames blasting from its mouth…Wait…Breathing fire!
“Do dragons breathe fire?” she asked.
Jacinth smiled mischievously, then answered her by sprinkling the ground with sparks. Theo wanted to try picking them up, but all she could do was scratch at them.
“Want to see real fire?” Jacinth appealed to her, having Theo turn her head to the clearing. Jacinth breathed in and came out with flames that reached incredible lengths ahead of her. Blades of grass were singed as the hot, yellow light licked past them. Other dragons watched with obvious admiration. It was one of the most amazing things Theo had ever seen.
“Can I breathe fire?” Theo asked quietly, not wanting to look like an idiot by trying without knowing first.
“You could,” Jacinth answered pleasantly. “The last impressive thing I know about the firesap plant is what it got its name from. See that knot of amber there?”
Theo nodded. The branch which it clung to looked dry and cracked. Fresh sap oozed from the cracks onto the older, harder sap below.
“That sap, one lick and you’ll be breathing fire until the end of your life! I don’t know who figured that out, but I ought to thank him…or her, whichever it was.” Jacinth smiled.
Theo walked around the clump of plants, spotting multiple lumps of amber. One mound was so large it reached the ground and was the shape of a miniature mountain.
“Amazing,” Theo awed. “What happens when monigons lick it?”
Jacinth shifted uncomfortably. “Any monigon that licks or eats the firesap dies within a few days, sometimes less than that. It doesn’t happen very often, and we try to keep it that way by making sure there’s always an adult at Camp to keep watch.”
“What about a human? What would happen to them?” Theo pursued, eyeing the firesap with endless attraction.
“Probably the same thing,” Jacinth guessed. “I don’t think a human’s ever been quite that foolish.”
Theo looked back at Jacinth, wondering if there was an insult hidden in that last comment. She decided it didn’t matter anyway.
Just then, a group of dragons around Theo’s age intruded, curious and bright eyed. Theo pulled back ever so slightly, feeling her personal space was being invaded.
“Who are you?” one of the younger dragons asked, peering at Theo. Something about her reminded Theo of a nosey kitten.
Before Theo could think of what to answer, the dragons bombarded her with more questions.
“Are you a rogue dragon?” a greenish-grey male asked her. “Or are you a rogue dragon that wants to be a part of the Colony? Or does that ever even happen?”
“Did you wander far away as a hatchling and just now return?” another asked.
“Surely you’re too young to be a Cragerian?” a beige dragon insisted.
“My name is…” Theo started, pausing to think, and the group fell silent. I better give them a different name, she decided. Otherwise I’ll never hear the end of their questions. Quickly, she selected a word that she had always liked the sound of. “River.”
Immediately, the dragons let their other questions go unanswered, releasing upon Theo a new flood of comments.
“Oh, what a pretty name!” the beige one approved.
“Yes, good choice!” another agreed.
“I’m quite sure I’d considered that one for myself…” yet another spoke her mind.
Jacinth laughed, interrupting their endless chatter.
“Have mercy, you four!” she chaffed and Theo took note to thank her later, when she had the chance. “At least introduce yourselves before you scare her away.”
“My name is Larke,” the beige dragon said with a smile.
“Lichen!” the greenish-grey male declared.
Pika was the third to introduce herself. Her scales were a dusty brown.
The last was patterned black, white, and yellow. She presented her name to be Oriole.
Theo looked at them all. Their colors match whatever their names refer to, Theo observed, deciding it couldn’t possibly be a coincidence. They tried too hard, she judged.
Before the group’s prattling could start up again, Jacinth said she ought to show River around to the others. The four agreed enthusiastically, and Jacinth had to send them away before they’d actually leave them alone. Theo exhaled in deep relief as she and Jacinth left them behind.
“Sorry,” Jacinth apologized. “Most of us aren’t that obnoxious, I promise. Why don’t I introduce you to some of the males? They aren’t so excitable.”
“If you say so.” Theo prayed to Heaven that she was right.
Jacinth didn’t lie. She walked along giving Theo each male’s name, barely having to pause.
“This is Shale,” she said, stopping by a charcoal grey dragon. The dragon nodded to Theo in bored acknowledgement.
“Jackdaw…Waxwing…Auk…” They gave such little response that Theo gave up on greeting them vocally, which she didn’t mind at all.
“…and this is Cedar,” Jacinth finished, stopping by a raw umber colored dragon, having moved half across Camp. “I think that’s enough for today, would you agree?”
Theo nodded gratefully. I’ve already forgotten their names, anyway…
The two of them chose a spot of their own to settle. Theo took a liking to a shaded grass area while Jacinth lay on a rock not far away.
She noticed a couple of dragons nearby. One of them, a dark brown one, was badgering the other. “Jay, what’s with you?” he said. “You’re barely even listening to me! Who is that you’re too busy staring off at?” Theo blinked as she realized both of them were looking at her.
“Oh, I see,” the male growled. “You’d rather be talking to her, is that it? Fine. Go and see if she’ll even turn her ear to you.” He stalked away, leaving his sandstone colored friend alone.
Theo tried to look away, but she could sense his smitten gaze set on her. Uncomfortably, she attempted to distract herself, experimentally opening and closing her wings until she realized he was standing in front of her. She collapsed her wings against her side, unnerved.
“Hello,” she said hesitantly. “Is there something wrong?”
The male started and shifted his weight self-consciously. “Oh, um…” his voice wavered. “I just don’t rec-recognize you. What’s your n-name?”
“River.”
“Oh, th-that’s nice…I’m Jay. My friend behind me is Badger…” Awkwardly, he looked back, only to realize that his friend had left him a while ago. “Never mind,” he mumbled.
“Ho, there!” a loud voice called out and another male leapt to Jay’s side. Immediately, Jay took on a defeated look, staring at the ground.
The newcomer greeted Jay and then turned to Theo with a charismatic smile. Theo became even more uncomfortable.
“What is it we have here?” he asked, looking her up and down approvingly. He kept his wings slightly open so that they caught the sun, casting brilliant colors on the ground within his shadow like a stained glass window.
“Um…” Theo began, but just then Jacinth intervened.
“Greetings to you, Cobalt,” Jacinth said rather distastefully.
“Jacinth!” Cobalt responded, his smile broadening with endless charm. “Won’t you introduce me to your friend?”
“No, I think you have enough females at your heels,” Jacinth replied scornfully. To Theo, she said, “Do come, River.”
Theo followed without protest, more than happy to evade the others just as it was beginning to get dark.
Chapter 4
In the morning, Theo awoke to find Oriole staring at her.
“You slept through the whole night! I didn’t even know that was possible!” Oriole exclaimed. “What’re you going to do next, stay awake the whole day? That’d be daft…”
“I-” Theo gave her a strange look. “I don’t understand what’s so weird about it.”
“You don’t understand what’s so weird about it!” Oriole repeated after her, laughing and rolling her head comically. “What’re you, a bird?!”
Theo shook her head at the dragon, utterly perplexed. Apparently dragons don’t have the same sleep cycle that I’m used to, she guessed.
Just then, Adder came into Camp.
“If you don’t mind, Oriole,” he said, “I’d like to have a word with…” He trailed off, unsure of what to call Theo.
“River,” Theo helped him.
“Yes, River,” Adder repeated after her, looking at Oriole expectantly.
She grinned at him rather stupidly for a moment before replying, “Alright.”
Yeah, go find someone else to bother, Theo thought.
Oriole turned and looked around, still smiling broadly, then wandered off.
Theo anxiously waited for Adder to speak as he brought her to the edge of the clearing.
“Wycker has been spying on Wystil and he’s gathered much information,” he told her quietly.
“Yes?” Theo prompted.
“Chadwick had a skilled tracker known as Tyrone examine your tracks. Do you know him?”
“Yes,” Theo affirmed, her heart quickening. “What did he say?”
“He saw your tracks that led into the water. He wasn’t sure about Damon’s tracks. He concluded that it must have been someone who came to the site after everyone was gone and then went after your horse-”
“Damon took my horse?” Theo asked, but Adder did not answer.
“He also identified the tracks of three different dragons,” Adder continued. “He took note of how there was a struggle between them, and how they too led to the water and disappeared.”
“What happened to my horse?” Theo pressed.
“Damon caught her and brought her somewhere. Where exactly, I’m not sure.”
“Oh,” Theo responded, disappointed. I’ll have to ask him myself. “What did Chadwick say to all this?”
“He raged with the idea that you’d been taken by dragons. He was, after all, first informed of your troubles by a panicked servant who talked about a large dragon seizing you from the waters.
“Tyrone pointed out that there would be evidence, had you been fed on, so Chadwick is convinced that you’ve been taken alive. Wycker even heard a person call you the…Dragon Slave.”
Realization hit Theo. “Dragon Slave, of course!” she recalled. “It’s a children’s story about a girl who’s snatched by a dragon and forced to work as its slave!”
“Tyrone told Chadwick the only dragon of remarkable size that he’s heard of is the Maelstrom, or as he said, Zeus.” Adder added grimly, “Dragon fighting training has begun.”
“They’re going to attack Zeus?!” Theo awed in horror. “They’ll all die!”
“Of that, I am not so sure,” Adder interjected. “They have the numbers, and they could have the skill…”
They think Zeus took me…Theo was dazed, numb with fear as she imagined her brother and his army trampled and feasted on, in her name. “We have to stop my brother,” she said.
Adder shook his head. “Chadwick would surely declare war on us. For now, I don’t see what we can do but wait and see.”
“My brother cannot declare war on anyone,” Theo said, confused. “Only the king can do that.”
Adder gazed at her with an expression she feared to be sympathy. “That was the other thing I had to tell you,” he led. “I’m very sorry, but…”
“What?” Theo urged him, suspense weighing down on her.
“…your father fell terribly ill two days ago and just died this morning.”
“It- It can’t be!” she exclaimed.
“I’m sorry.”
Theo staggered on all four legs. “And so they’ve made my brother King?” she asked, her mouth dry.
“Chadwick’s coronation took place immediately after your father’s death so that Wystil would not go on without a king. Only his celebration has been put off.”
Theo shook her head, unable to take everything in. All was so unexpected. She didn’t even notice when Adder left. She just stood there, staring at nothing as her mind throbbed with thoughts.
In the morning, Theo awoke to find Oriole staring at her.
“You slept through the whole night! I didn’t even know that was possible!” Oriole exclaimed. “What’re you going to do next, stay awake the whole day? That’d be daft…”
“I-” Theo gave her a strange look. “I don’t understand what’s so weird about it.”
“You don’t understand what’s so weird about it!” Oriole repeated after her, laughing and rolling her head comically. “What’re you, a bird?!”
Theo shook her head at the dragon, utterly perplexed. Apparently dragons don’t have the same sleep cycle that I’m used to, she guessed.
Just then, Adder came into Camp.
“If you don’t mind, Oriole,” he said, “I’d like to have a word with…” He trailed off, unsure of what to call Theo.
“River,” Theo helped him.
“Yes, River,” Adder repeated after her, looking at Oriole expectantly.
She grinned at him rather stupidly for a moment before replying, “Alright.”
Yeah, go find someone else to bother, Theo thought.
Oriole turned and looked around, still smiling broadly, then wandered off.
Theo anxiously waited for Adder to speak as he brought her to the edge of the clearing.
“Wycker has been spying on Wystil and he’s gathered much information,” he told her quietly.
“Yes?” Theo prompted.
“Chadwick had a skilled tracker known as Tyrone examine your tracks. Do you know him?”
“Yes,” Theo affirmed, her heart quickening. “What did he say?”
“He saw your tracks that led into the water. He wasn’t sure about Damon’s tracks. He concluded that it must have been someone who came to the site after everyone was gone and then went after your horse-”
“Damon took my horse?” Theo asked, but Adder did not answer.
“He also identified the tracks of three different dragons,” Adder continued. “He took note of how there was a struggle between them, and how they too led to the water and disappeared.”
“What happened to my horse?” Theo pressed.
“Damon caught her and brought her somewhere. Where exactly, I’m not sure.”
“Oh,” Theo responded, disappointed. I’ll have to ask him myself. “What did Chadwick say to all this?”
“He raged with the idea that you’d been taken by dragons. He was, after all, first informed of your troubles by a panicked servant who talked about a large dragon seizing you from the waters.
“Tyrone pointed out that there would be evidence, had you been fed on, so Chadwick is convinced that you’ve been taken alive. Wycker even heard a person call you the…Dragon Slave.”
Realization hit Theo. “Dragon Slave, of course!” she recalled. “It’s a children’s story about a girl who’s snatched by a dragon and forced to work as its slave!”
“Tyrone told Chadwick the only dragon of remarkable size that he’s heard of is the Maelstrom, or as he said, Zeus.” Adder added grimly, “Dragon fighting training has begun.”
“They’re going to attack Zeus?!” Theo awed in horror. “They’ll all die!”
“Of that, I am not so sure,” Adder interjected. “They have the numbers, and they could have the skill…”
They think Zeus took me…Theo was dazed, numb with fear as she imagined her brother and his army trampled and feasted on, in her name. “We have to stop my brother,” she said.
Adder shook his head. “Chadwick would surely declare war on us. For now, I don’t see what we can do but wait and see.”
“My brother cannot declare war on anyone,” Theo said, confused. “Only the king can do that.”
Adder gazed at her with an expression she feared to be sympathy. “That was the other thing I had to tell you,” he led. “I’m very sorry, but…”
“What?” Theo urged him, suspense weighing down on her.
“…your father fell terribly ill two days ago and just died this morning.”
“It- It can’t be!” she exclaimed.
“I’m sorry.”
Theo staggered on all four legs. “And so they’ve made my brother King?” she asked, her mouth dry.
“Chadwick’s coronation took place immediately after your father’s death so that Wystil would not go on without a king. Only his celebration has been put off.”
Theo shook her head, unable to take everything in. All was so unexpected. She didn’t even notice when Adder left. She just stood there, staring at nothing as her mind throbbed with thoughts.
Chapter 5
Weeks passed as Theo began adjusting to her new life. It still saddened her that she was not there when her father had passed, but she had finally accepted it. Some days went by in which all Theo did was watch dragons fish from the creek. Where earth halted abruptly in a sheer rock face, the creek ran off the edge, descending in a beautifully elegant waterfall.
It was at this fall that the dragons gathered to fish. Attentively, they perched at the stone rim, taking turns to swoop, darting through the plummeting water to snap at the fish that fell with it. Some made it a competition, seeing who could catch the most in one try.
For Theo, it was amazing to see, though she kept her distance from the brink of land. One dragon, she noticed, was especially skilled at the art. With exquisite wings of blue and white, the grown female made it look easy, veering off at the last moment so as to not collide with the cliffs, yet managing each time to whisk a couple fish from the water.
Theo also saw Cobalt joining in. He wasn’t nearly as good as the blue and white dragon, but he tried to give the impression that he was. He spent a long time showing off his wings to a tight group of eager females before actually building up the courage to give fishing a try. He proved to be very poor at it, and every time he missed, he immediately gave a loud excuse to his enthusiasts- “The sun was in my eye!” and “I decided to let that one go.” Theo laughed inside at his desperation, but his followers were sympathetic, cheering him on after each failed attempt.
Jay was there, too. His flying was nothing to goggle at, but his fishing technique was most efficient. Theo watched in great curiosity as he took a side approach, snagging multiple fish in his claws and mouth until he could carry no more. How sweet, she thought when he generously presented other dragons his catch. They must be too young to fish for themselves.
His friend, Badger, responded joyously whenever Jay unloaded five or so flopping fish at his feet. He certainly looked old enough to fly, perhaps even older than Jay, but Theo supposed his bulky form made it difficult for him. Watching Jay be so generous warmed Theo and she kept an attentive eye out for him.
When she herself got hungry, she wandered to the creek, feet planted to the ground, and stared down at the flashing movement of fish as they headed for the falls. This looks hard, she thought, trying to imagine swiping one of them up and out of the water.
“Um…River?”
Theo turned to see Jay hovering just above ground as he dropped four glistening, pink scaled bodies before her. Relieved of his burden, he landed lightly behind them, looking at her shyly. “I caught these but- I don’t really need them so I was wondering if maybe you would like to have them, maybe- that is if you even like fish- do you?”
“Jay!” Theo exclaimed, and he flinched. “Thank you! You’re so kind!”
Jay smiled slightly. “I just thought you might want them,” he repeated.
“I do!” Theo assured him. “Thank you again.”
He ducked his head, mumbled “You’re welcome,” and slipped away to Badger who grinned at him knowingly.
Theo cocked her head at the pile of fish before her. Whole, raw fish…she observed skeptically. It’s worth a try. She ate one, then quickly gulped down the others, finding that they slid nicely down her throat without her even having to chew.
It became a new favorite of hers. Ambitiously, she tried splashing in the creek in attempt to catch another bite, but immediately stopped so as not to embarrass herself.
Theo lay down as she continued to watch the Colonists display their talents at the ocean cliffs. Eventually, her mind wandered off to Damon and whether or not he was ever going to find a cure for her. Wouldn’t he have found one by now? Or maybe he’s not even trying.
She had realized, however, that seeing Damon and being human again were no longer her first thoughts when she woke.
_- - - - -
One afternoon, Theo found a couple of small things on the ground. What are these? she wondered, taking a closer look at them. She realized that they were scales from her own hide. Examining herself, she saw that many of the scales attached to her were paler in color.
Hmm…she thought. That’s strange.
Suddenly, a small fleet of frisks came tearing around her, chasing each other. She smiled as one frisk tackled another, nipping like an overly playful puppy. One light yellow one shook a frisk off its back, interest focused in on Theo. Theo looked into its innocent eyes, stunned to be able to see the child within. How can a dragon have so much personality? she pondered as she watched the little dragons go, the yellow one tripping over its feet to catch up.
Theo asked herself what she wanted to do today. It amazed her how often a simple nap appealed to her. But she had just gotten up from one, so she refused to let herself go back to sleep so soon. Am I hungry? She found that hunger came to her rarely. One meal could last her for a long time.
How do dragons entertain themselves? That was a question Theo still had to find the answer to. All she’d seen them do was nap, talk, and hunt. Surely that can’t be all they do…
She decided to go explore, see what the people of Wystil had strived to see for so long. She carved her way around a forested area, preferring not to have to weave between the autumn colored trees. Passing through many meadows, Theo saw a stretch of boulders where pikas dwelled, squeaking periodically.
She came across a wide field of blue flowers, taking a moment to soak in all its beauty. She’d never yet heard a dragon mention the beauty of anything and it took a toll on her. It was hard to be the only one to appreciate the charm of one’s surroundings.
Tiny wyverns clung sideways to the stalks of the flowers, chirping. Theo looked at them closer. What kind of bird did you used to be? she wondered. They stared right back with beady eyes.
She walked alongside the field, not wanting to trample a single flower. Hitting trees again, Theo was amused to see a bramble monigon laying in her path. It was a round reptile, covered in scales that rose towards the end into spikes. These prickly monigons were well known by the humans as things to avoid stepping on, so everyone kept their eyes to the ground to watch out for them as they snuffled the leaf decay for grubs.
Theo made sure to step over the bramble monigon, not for her sake but for its own. In her dragon body, spikes and thorns weren’t a problem.
This time, Theo did not avoid the woods but cut right through them. Usually, she’d just barely feel the twigs scraping past her, yet this time felt strangely different. The light filtering through the leaves was dim. She looked at the woodland dust twirling through the shafts of light that danced and changed as the breeze came.
Not long was it when the trees parted to another clearing. The white overcast was bright to her eyes. It reached vastly outward and Theo realized she had reached the coast farther up from the falls. She stayed away, apprehensive of the cliffs, of the sudden drop of ground into sea.
Theo looked back at where she’d come from and was surprised to see a trail of shed scales behind her. It horrified her to see that most of her scales now hung onto her side like dead leaves, faded of color. She shook herself, sending an array of scales flying in all directions.
What terrible illness has come over me?! she panicked. I have to find Jacinth!
She hurried back the way she came, following a map she’d formed in her head. Bounding across the land, she was very fast.
She burst into Camp, spotting Jacinth conversing with a group.
“Jacinth!” Theo gasped. “What’s happening to me?!”
The dragons looked up at her. Some, Theo noted, looked disgusted while others viewed her in pure sympathy. Jacinth rose silently, a grim expression on her face. “Follow me,” she hushed, passing Theo.
When they found an isolated place, Jacinth turned to face Theo. “You’re molting,” she said flatly.
“Molting? Are you sure? I haven’t seen anyone else molting here!”
“I know,” Jacinth calmed her. “But that’s only because we tend to…hide when we do.”
Theo winced as realization dawned on her. “Because it’s embarrassing,” she connected.
Jacinth nodded sympathetically.
Theo felt humiliated.
How many dragons saw me? Dozens?
“Sorry,” Jacinth pitied.
Theo shook her head. “No, thank you for telling me.” Slowly she left.
As soon as she was out of sight, Theo began running. Since when do dragons care what they look like? Bitter thoughts pumped through her head with every beat of her heart. That was the worst humiliation I’ve ever experienced.
She ran for what felt like an eternity, venturing farther than she had ever gone before. Eventually, she found a swamp at her feet. I’m not stepping in that, she thought looking at the mucky water, but then-
“Shut up and listen to me!”
Theo held her breath as she heard a female voice come from beyond the swamp. Curiosity winning over her, she stealthily slipped into the water until only her nostrils, eyes, and wings were not submerged. She glided closer to where she thought the voice had come from, ever so gently pushing herself along with light toes.
“We have to attack the Highlanders when they least expect it. It’ll be easy- we’re the Strong Pack.”
To Theo, it sounded like the stranger was but a dozen or so strides away.
Thick trees matted with moss stuck out from the green water that swirled around Theo’s legs. Small monigons with frilly decorations and webbed feet stared up at her, flicking their tails to dart underwater when she got too close. Gnats congregated in thick swarms, hanging in the air like black clouds. Theo curled her lip back in disgust as she felt the mud below sucking at her feet.
When she came to a tree so wide she could hide behind it, she stopped. Looking past its trunk, through lichen burdened roots that leaped out of the water in wild arches, she saw a reasonably sized island. It was topped with shreds of tree bark and pine needles, looking like the driest spot of all the swamp. On top of it crouched a lean, sallow dragon with bony features, who kept her head low in a sinister way. Three other dragons were so muted and earthy in color that Theo didn’t see them until they moved.
“But Quiver, it’s only a matter of time before the Highlanders attack the Lakesiders,” said a dragon of pupil age who stood in a shallow water bed. “If we wait, we can take both their lands after killing the conquerors.” His scales were a greyish oak brown and, despite his youth, he looked exceedingly intelligent with a spark in his eye.
“We don’t have to wait,” a big, dull shaded male rumbled. “We can beat both packs, one after the other.”
“No doubt we are capable, Hasten,” the young one agreed, “but with patience we can achieve all that we want with less effort.”
Beside Hasten, the fourth dragon, a mahogany female, grunted in approval.
Quiver frowned irritably. “Veer,” she said to the female. “How can you agree with Chasm? He’s just a pupil!”
Veer did not respond.
Then Chasm said something in a cool voice. Theo didn’t catch it, but next thing she knew Quiver sprang to her feet and lunged for him. He pulled back just in time, eyes widened in surprise as her teeth flashed inches away from him.
Hasten and Veer leapt up in response to Quiver’s sudden assault, watching the female scrabble and snap at Chasm as he continued to back away.
“Quiver!” A grey female arrived on the scene, vaulting forth at gathering speed to collide with the offender.
Quiver was knocked back, sending loose bark flying as she dug her claws into the ground to stabilize herself. She swayed a moment, eyes rolling, then focused her sight on the newcomer. “That’s right, Wolfe,” she sneered. “Protect your precious, little pupil. I’m surprised he’s even made it this far with that sharp tongue of his.”
“You come near him again,” Wolfe snarled, standing guardedly in front of Chasm as he recollected himself, “and I’ll tear out your insides.”
“You forget how grateful you used to be, you know,” Quiver complained mockingly. “Remember how you ran to us, begging us to keep you safe from the Golden Dragon’s guard dogs? Where’s that gratitude now, Wolfe?”
“I don’t need you anymore,” Wolfe replied, strong stance erect. “Now it’s Chasm that needs me.”
“Chasm…He’s not safe here!” Quiver spat. “The time will come when you’re not there to save him, after he’s made enemies with all the wrong dragons. It probably won’t even be me, but someone’s going to learn to hate him and you’ll be too late.”
“I’ll worry about that,” Wolfe growled in response and turned to face another direction. Chasm followed behind her as she began walking away.
“Where are you running to?” Quiver jeered, but Wolfe didn’t answer.
She and Chasm waded their way on by Theo and she tried her best not to move. But as they went, Chasm turned his head and looked directly at her.
Her eyes dilated and she was stricken stiff, terrified of what the rogues might do to her if the pupil called her out. But he didn’t. He just snorted, amused, and moved on, keeping a steady strut behind his mentor until they were out of view.
“How dare he call me a monigon,” Quiver muttered and lay back down in the mud where Hasten and Veer had already resettled themselves.
This is my chance to leave, Theo realized and she slunk back out of the swamp, far away from the rogues.
Reminded of where she had once hidden when she sought isolation, she searched for the large slab of rock with the dugout underneath. She thought over what she’d just witnessed as she crawled under the jutting boulder.
So it’s true that rogues are quick to lash out, she gathered, picturing Quiver attacking Chasm.
Chasm…He didn’t call me out. She saw his face again, the moment he spotted her. Still…I don’t trust him.
A familiar musical sound made her draw further beneath the rock as she recognized the voice.
Clyde! she fretted. Don’t find me here like this.
After a few moments, his song faded away to Theo’s relief.
I hope this whole molting nightmare ends soon. She sighed.
Weeks passed as Theo began adjusting to her new life. It still saddened her that she was not there when her father had passed, but she had finally accepted it. Some days went by in which all Theo did was watch dragons fish from the creek. Where earth halted abruptly in a sheer rock face, the creek ran off the edge, descending in a beautifully elegant waterfall.
It was at this fall that the dragons gathered to fish. Attentively, they perched at the stone rim, taking turns to swoop, darting through the plummeting water to snap at the fish that fell with it. Some made it a competition, seeing who could catch the most in one try.
For Theo, it was amazing to see, though she kept her distance from the brink of land. One dragon, she noticed, was especially skilled at the art. With exquisite wings of blue and white, the grown female made it look easy, veering off at the last moment so as to not collide with the cliffs, yet managing each time to whisk a couple fish from the water.
Theo also saw Cobalt joining in. He wasn’t nearly as good as the blue and white dragon, but he tried to give the impression that he was. He spent a long time showing off his wings to a tight group of eager females before actually building up the courage to give fishing a try. He proved to be very poor at it, and every time he missed, he immediately gave a loud excuse to his enthusiasts- “The sun was in my eye!” and “I decided to let that one go.” Theo laughed inside at his desperation, but his followers were sympathetic, cheering him on after each failed attempt.
Jay was there, too. His flying was nothing to goggle at, but his fishing technique was most efficient. Theo watched in great curiosity as he took a side approach, snagging multiple fish in his claws and mouth until he could carry no more. How sweet, she thought when he generously presented other dragons his catch. They must be too young to fish for themselves.
His friend, Badger, responded joyously whenever Jay unloaded five or so flopping fish at his feet. He certainly looked old enough to fly, perhaps even older than Jay, but Theo supposed his bulky form made it difficult for him. Watching Jay be so generous warmed Theo and she kept an attentive eye out for him.
When she herself got hungry, she wandered to the creek, feet planted to the ground, and stared down at the flashing movement of fish as they headed for the falls. This looks hard, she thought, trying to imagine swiping one of them up and out of the water.
“Um…River?”
Theo turned to see Jay hovering just above ground as he dropped four glistening, pink scaled bodies before her. Relieved of his burden, he landed lightly behind them, looking at her shyly. “I caught these but- I don’t really need them so I was wondering if maybe you would like to have them, maybe- that is if you even like fish- do you?”
“Jay!” Theo exclaimed, and he flinched. “Thank you! You’re so kind!”
Jay smiled slightly. “I just thought you might want them,” he repeated.
“I do!” Theo assured him. “Thank you again.”
He ducked his head, mumbled “You’re welcome,” and slipped away to Badger who grinned at him knowingly.
Theo cocked her head at the pile of fish before her. Whole, raw fish…she observed skeptically. It’s worth a try. She ate one, then quickly gulped down the others, finding that they slid nicely down her throat without her even having to chew.
It became a new favorite of hers. Ambitiously, she tried splashing in the creek in attempt to catch another bite, but immediately stopped so as not to embarrass herself.
Theo lay down as she continued to watch the Colonists display their talents at the ocean cliffs. Eventually, her mind wandered off to Damon and whether or not he was ever going to find a cure for her. Wouldn’t he have found one by now? Or maybe he’s not even trying.
She had realized, however, that seeing Damon and being human again were no longer her first thoughts when she woke.
_- - - - -
One afternoon, Theo found a couple of small things on the ground. What are these? she wondered, taking a closer look at them. She realized that they were scales from her own hide. Examining herself, she saw that many of the scales attached to her were paler in color.
Hmm…she thought. That’s strange.
Suddenly, a small fleet of frisks came tearing around her, chasing each other. She smiled as one frisk tackled another, nipping like an overly playful puppy. One light yellow one shook a frisk off its back, interest focused in on Theo. Theo looked into its innocent eyes, stunned to be able to see the child within. How can a dragon have so much personality? she pondered as she watched the little dragons go, the yellow one tripping over its feet to catch up.
Theo asked herself what she wanted to do today. It amazed her how often a simple nap appealed to her. But she had just gotten up from one, so she refused to let herself go back to sleep so soon. Am I hungry? She found that hunger came to her rarely. One meal could last her for a long time.
How do dragons entertain themselves? That was a question Theo still had to find the answer to. All she’d seen them do was nap, talk, and hunt. Surely that can’t be all they do…
She decided to go explore, see what the people of Wystil had strived to see for so long. She carved her way around a forested area, preferring not to have to weave between the autumn colored trees. Passing through many meadows, Theo saw a stretch of boulders where pikas dwelled, squeaking periodically.
She came across a wide field of blue flowers, taking a moment to soak in all its beauty. She’d never yet heard a dragon mention the beauty of anything and it took a toll on her. It was hard to be the only one to appreciate the charm of one’s surroundings.
Tiny wyverns clung sideways to the stalks of the flowers, chirping. Theo looked at them closer. What kind of bird did you used to be? she wondered. They stared right back with beady eyes.
She walked alongside the field, not wanting to trample a single flower. Hitting trees again, Theo was amused to see a bramble monigon laying in her path. It was a round reptile, covered in scales that rose towards the end into spikes. These prickly monigons were well known by the humans as things to avoid stepping on, so everyone kept their eyes to the ground to watch out for them as they snuffled the leaf decay for grubs.
Theo made sure to step over the bramble monigon, not for her sake but for its own. In her dragon body, spikes and thorns weren’t a problem.
This time, Theo did not avoid the woods but cut right through them. Usually, she’d just barely feel the twigs scraping past her, yet this time felt strangely different. The light filtering through the leaves was dim. She looked at the woodland dust twirling through the shafts of light that danced and changed as the breeze came.
Not long was it when the trees parted to another clearing. The white overcast was bright to her eyes. It reached vastly outward and Theo realized she had reached the coast farther up from the falls. She stayed away, apprehensive of the cliffs, of the sudden drop of ground into sea.
Theo looked back at where she’d come from and was surprised to see a trail of shed scales behind her. It horrified her to see that most of her scales now hung onto her side like dead leaves, faded of color. She shook herself, sending an array of scales flying in all directions.
What terrible illness has come over me?! she panicked. I have to find Jacinth!
She hurried back the way she came, following a map she’d formed in her head. Bounding across the land, she was very fast.
She burst into Camp, spotting Jacinth conversing with a group.
“Jacinth!” Theo gasped. “What’s happening to me?!”
The dragons looked up at her. Some, Theo noted, looked disgusted while others viewed her in pure sympathy. Jacinth rose silently, a grim expression on her face. “Follow me,” she hushed, passing Theo.
When they found an isolated place, Jacinth turned to face Theo. “You’re molting,” she said flatly.
“Molting? Are you sure? I haven’t seen anyone else molting here!”
“I know,” Jacinth calmed her. “But that’s only because we tend to…hide when we do.”
Theo winced as realization dawned on her. “Because it’s embarrassing,” she connected.
Jacinth nodded sympathetically.
Theo felt humiliated.
How many dragons saw me? Dozens?
“Sorry,” Jacinth pitied.
Theo shook her head. “No, thank you for telling me.” Slowly she left.
As soon as she was out of sight, Theo began running. Since when do dragons care what they look like? Bitter thoughts pumped through her head with every beat of her heart. That was the worst humiliation I’ve ever experienced.
She ran for what felt like an eternity, venturing farther than she had ever gone before. Eventually, she found a swamp at her feet. I’m not stepping in that, she thought looking at the mucky water, but then-
“Shut up and listen to me!”
Theo held her breath as she heard a female voice come from beyond the swamp. Curiosity winning over her, she stealthily slipped into the water until only her nostrils, eyes, and wings were not submerged. She glided closer to where she thought the voice had come from, ever so gently pushing herself along with light toes.
“We have to attack the Highlanders when they least expect it. It’ll be easy- we’re the Strong Pack.”
To Theo, it sounded like the stranger was but a dozen or so strides away.
Thick trees matted with moss stuck out from the green water that swirled around Theo’s legs. Small monigons with frilly decorations and webbed feet stared up at her, flicking their tails to dart underwater when she got too close. Gnats congregated in thick swarms, hanging in the air like black clouds. Theo curled her lip back in disgust as she felt the mud below sucking at her feet.
When she came to a tree so wide she could hide behind it, she stopped. Looking past its trunk, through lichen burdened roots that leaped out of the water in wild arches, she saw a reasonably sized island. It was topped with shreds of tree bark and pine needles, looking like the driest spot of all the swamp. On top of it crouched a lean, sallow dragon with bony features, who kept her head low in a sinister way. Three other dragons were so muted and earthy in color that Theo didn’t see them until they moved.
“But Quiver, it’s only a matter of time before the Highlanders attack the Lakesiders,” said a dragon of pupil age who stood in a shallow water bed. “If we wait, we can take both their lands after killing the conquerors.” His scales were a greyish oak brown and, despite his youth, he looked exceedingly intelligent with a spark in his eye.
“We don’t have to wait,” a big, dull shaded male rumbled. “We can beat both packs, one after the other.”
“No doubt we are capable, Hasten,” the young one agreed, “but with patience we can achieve all that we want with less effort.”
Beside Hasten, the fourth dragon, a mahogany female, grunted in approval.
Quiver frowned irritably. “Veer,” she said to the female. “How can you agree with Chasm? He’s just a pupil!”
Veer did not respond.
Then Chasm said something in a cool voice. Theo didn’t catch it, but next thing she knew Quiver sprang to her feet and lunged for him. He pulled back just in time, eyes widened in surprise as her teeth flashed inches away from him.
Hasten and Veer leapt up in response to Quiver’s sudden assault, watching the female scrabble and snap at Chasm as he continued to back away.
“Quiver!” A grey female arrived on the scene, vaulting forth at gathering speed to collide with the offender.
Quiver was knocked back, sending loose bark flying as she dug her claws into the ground to stabilize herself. She swayed a moment, eyes rolling, then focused her sight on the newcomer. “That’s right, Wolfe,” she sneered. “Protect your precious, little pupil. I’m surprised he’s even made it this far with that sharp tongue of his.”
“You come near him again,” Wolfe snarled, standing guardedly in front of Chasm as he recollected himself, “and I’ll tear out your insides.”
“You forget how grateful you used to be, you know,” Quiver complained mockingly. “Remember how you ran to us, begging us to keep you safe from the Golden Dragon’s guard dogs? Where’s that gratitude now, Wolfe?”
“I don’t need you anymore,” Wolfe replied, strong stance erect. “Now it’s Chasm that needs me.”
“Chasm…He’s not safe here!” Quiver spat. “The time will come when you’re not there to save him, after he’s made enemies with all the wrong dragons. It probably won’t even be me, but someone’s going to learn to hate him and you’ll be too late.”
“I’ll worry about that,” Wolfe growled in response and turned to face another direction. Chasm followed behind her as she began walking away.
“Where are you running to?” Quiver jeered, but Wolfe didn’t answer.
She and Chasm waded their way on by Theo and she tried her best not to move. But as they went, Chasm turned his head and looked directly at her.
Her eyes dilated and she was stricken stiff, terrified of what the rogues might do to her if the pupil called her out. But he didn’t. He just snorted, amused, and moved on, keeping a steady strut behind his mentor until they were out of view.
“How dare he call me a monigon,” Quiver muttered and lay back down in the mud where Hasten and Veer had already resettled themselves.
This is my chance to leave, Theo realized and she slunk back out of the swamp, far away from the rogues.
Reminded of where she had once hidden when she sought isolation, she searched for the large slab of rock with the dugout underneath. She thought over what she’d just witnessed as she crawled under the jutting boulder.
So it’s true that rogues are quick to lash out, she gathered, picturing Quiver attacking Chasm.
Chasm…He didn’t call me out. She saw his face again, the moment he spotted her. Still…I don’t trust him.
A familiar musical sound made her draw further beneath the rock as she recognized the voice.
Clyde! she fretted. Don’t find me here like this.
After a few moments, his song faded away to Theo’s relief.
I hope this whole molting nightmare ends soon. She sighed.
Copyright © 2014 Delaney Walnofer