Dragon Soul

I knelt in a patch of nettles, struggling to control my labored breathing. The air was humid and hot, a storm brewing on the breeze. My tunic and trousers were drenched in my sweat, stubbornly wanting to stick to my slick skin. It was an endless battle of tugging fabric.

         Gently, I pulled free my bow from over my left shoulder and strung an arrow in the quiver. The tightly bound white owl feathers ticked my face as I set myself in the reflexive position my brother had spent months secretly teaching me. Women are not hunters, my father always said. They are to stay at the home to cook and clean and repair torn fabric. Nothing else.

          I’ll show him. I thought.

         The young buck I was hunting froze momentarily, and I tensed. I’d spent hours hunting this one, and if I blew it I’d go home empty and tired and certainly muddy. Bathing in lakes was not fun.

         The buck lifted its head, sniffed, and bunched his muscles, ready for flight.

         It was now or never, so I let it fly.

         It struck true, and the startled and wounded buck cried out before falling to its death, struggling fitfully to get to its feet. I leapt from my hiding spot with dagger in hand, and I put it out of its misery.

         That done, I inspected my catch.

         He was young, fully grown but not old. He was quite large too, and I panicked silently at how I was expected to bring him back whole.

         I sat and rested. The trees seemed to sigh from it’s lost of a brother, and I felt momentary guilt for killing such a young creature. But the guilt was short-lived, and I remembered I had a hungry family to feed.

         So, I brain stormed.

         Through all my lessons, my brother must have mentioned how to carry heavy food. I closed my eyes in concentration.

         The blade zinged through the air, cutting it like a hot knife to butter. Kyle met my attack with gritted teeth. His blue eyes met mine, and I struggled not to smile. “So, do you yield? Father will be home soon.”

         “Never. Alex, do you yield?”

         “Hardly.”

         With a quick step and swipe, he was on his back staring cross-eyed at the sword point nearly touching his throat. “I yield!” he shrieked shrilly.

         I stepped away, still tense. I’d learned the hard way to never take your eyes off your opponent. I still had the bruises.

         He got to his feet, laughing, “I never thought I’d see the day when my little sister would have me a sword-point.”

         I warily stepped back, “and I never thought I’d hear my older brother scream like a girl.”

         He growled playfully, and that resolved into a wrestling match that with a no-duh he won. I was faster, but he was the stronger one.

         “I’m curious. When hunting, I won’t be able to carry things that heavy. How do you do it?” I asked.

         He sat up and eyed me suspiciously, “Not going anywhere, I hope?”

         I shrugged innocently, secretly smiling. “No, just curious.”

         He still watched me, but the ghost of a smile was entering his face. Good old Kyle couldn’t handle a tease. “Well, I would build a sled. Something big enough whatever you caught won’t drag on the ground and get dirty.”

         My eyes snapped open. Tears were building up, and I wiped the away in a flourish. Kyle had passed away from pneumonia. I still missed him in the aching hole of my heart. His kind eyes had helped me cry when dad got too intense.

         And now there was nothing to shield the blows.

         Gritting my teeth, I set to work on gathering lumber.

         I was just lifting the buck onto the finished sled when I heard the heavy accent filtering through the dense underbrush, “Oi! Do ye think it’ll wake up?”

         Another male with an accent, “Nay, she’d be dead if I hit ‘er harder. The eggs are what ‘e want.”

         Eggs?

         I dragged the sled slowly under a bush, and moved inside and peered underneath.

         I froze, every muscle seizing in shock. Only my breath wasn’t frozen.

         Two men were standing near an unconscious dragon. It was huge, bigger than any home I’ve ever seen. Maybe a cathedral would fit its size better. It was a deep green with slashes of red and blue in its wings. The wings were about twice the size of the dragon itself. Horns grew from its head, a little taller than me. Teeth poked out from underneath its top lip, pointed fangs that were longer than my arms.

         The tail had spikes that seemed to move with its breathing, every inch of the beast covered in sharp scales. Even its eyelids had spikes. He claws were about the length of my legs, and its massive head was longer than my height. It was a true killing machine.

         But what the men held took my breath away.

         Green gems that shone like the sun. From the looks of them, smoother than any shard of glass. They were barely larger than their hands, which were much larger and stronger than mine.

         Then I examined the men. They were bigger in bulk than dad was which was saying something. They wore armor over their clothes, and they looked pretty battered.

         The dragon stirred, and the men jumped, which I had to fight off a laugh. The dragon wasn’t waking up anytime soon. I knew that much.

         They talked in lower voices, “I don’ like ‘is. ‘E should kill it ‘a get out of ‘ere.” The one with a beard grumbled. I’ll call him Beardy.

         The one with red hair agreed. I decided to call him Red. “It’ too bloody big to get a knife ‘in. Leave it.”

         They put the gems-eggs-I corrected myself, into a leather bag, and booked it through the woods.

         Warily, I stepped into the clearing. My bow was drawn, and arrow ready.  I paused. They were gone.

         I turned my attention to the dragon. It was-

         AWAKE!!!

         I stopped breathing. Its huge eyes were open and watching me, green pools of knowledge and intelligence. It struggled against the chains holding it down.

         Would you mind helping me?

         Huh? I didn’t move, but I answered, “Is someone there?”

         I am right here, and I’m in a need of help. Would you mind picking the lock? These things are heavy, and my legs are losing circulation.

         The dragon was talking, in my head! “How do I know you won’t eat me if I free you?” I asked. To my astonishment, and pride, my voice was steady. My knees, however, felt like a newborn colt’s.

         Because I cannot make the promise, but I do need help. My eggs need me, and I want to eat the men who took them. Not you. Fair and kind travelers get rewards for helping an ancient creature. Would you be fair and kind enough to help me?

         “Perhaps. What kind of reward are we talking about?” I asked. Genually curious. I’d heard stories in the village of dragons having magic powers.

         Speed and strength beyond your knowledge. Senses so strong you can easily hunt and kill prey. Power. People won’t doubt you as a human, and you will be happy. I see your father hurts you. With my gift, you could fight back.

         Fight back. Those were the only words I needed.

         I leapt forward and yanked my dagger from its sheath, and stuck it into the lock. It was huge, and my hand could have fit inside it. I searched for the chamber, and sprung it.

         The dragon reared up, and I barely had time to spring away before it was fully erect, nearly clearing the tops of the trees. Its neck was elegant as it leered down at me, powerful and graceful.

         It lowered its head, and I met its eyes. “Our deal?” I inquired, my voice barely quivering. I could sink into those eyes.

         I need your name.

         “Alexandra Diansdaughter.”

         Alexandra Diansdaughter, do you swear to use your power, and to use it in the knowledge of the Drakon race?

         “I do.”

         Then I, Mahindra Greenserpent, give you the power of the Dragons to use as a secret guardian against evil magic. Thou art Alex Secret Keeper. Use your power well.

         And then she heaved blue fire into my soul.