The Princess and the Dragon

Chapter 6: Bittersweet Reunion

© Avalon Lee, 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Rokevir

I was panicking. Externally, I appeared emotionless as ever. Inside, I felt like burning down a village or two. Ironic, considering my situation. An emotion I hadn't experienced in a long time came to the forefront of my mind: fear.

Then, a reply sounded in my mind.

"Rokevir?!"

"What are you doing here?" I bellowed. I was hovering now, causing some of my fellow dragons to hesitate.

"Looking for you! And did you call me Magpie?" I swore I saw the small figure on the ground put her little paws on her hips.

"Er . . . maybe? That's not important right now!" I tucked my left wing and rolled to the side, avoiding a diving dragon. I felt Rowan's sudden horror and realization flood my mind. She turned toward the hatchlings in the field, who now were holding each other in terror, staring at the sky. She slowly turned her gaze back on me, and the other dragons that had begun to descend from the clouds. I could feel the accusation in her stare, and a chilling betrayal.

"You came here . . . to destroy this village?" she asked slowly.

"No!" I protested immediately. "Yes . . . I mean—it's not like I had a choice!"

She simply shook her head and turned away, the action doubling my guilt. I could only watch as she dashed from den to den, crying out wordlessly and pointing toward the sky.

I saw the terror on the two-legs' pale faces and they ran, desperately trying to escape. Faust landed with a roar, destroying a den with a swipe of his tail. A two-leg male ran up to the silver dragon, swinging his kill-stick. I averted my eyes before I could see him be finished.

A familiar blaze of crimson shot by me. I wheeled about to see Qara diving toward the village. Or more specifically, toward Rowan. No!

Rowan was running toward the two-leg hatchlings in the field, who were still frozen in fear. "Rowan!" I roared, tucking my wings to my sides and diving after Qara.

She hissed in surprise as I sped past her. "Rokevir! What are you doing?"

"Call off the attack," I growled back.

"What?!"

"Just do it!" I glared back at her briefly before returning my attention to landing on the ground with a thunderous crash. The hatchlings screamed and ran off. Good. Run far away from here, I thought. Rowan, no doubt feeling the vibration, spun to face me.

A high pitched whistling came from above. It was the unmistakable sound of a diving dragon. And Rowan couldn't hear it. "Watch out!" I roared, leaping toward her. She didn't have time to react as I covered her with my wings, shielding her from the fire that was to come. I tucked my head, protecting the fragile little two-leg. I bit back a growl as the fireball struck my back.

Rowan's cry of alarm was dim in my mind. "Rokevir!"

"I'm fine," I responded tersely. "I've had worse." Raising my head, I caught sight of the dragon that had tried to kill Rowan. "QARA!" I roared, anger all but consuming me. I kept my wings folded, keeping the tiny two-leg female from the predatory gaze of Qara. Hopefully, she wouldn't notice.

The scarlet dragon landed mere tail-lengths from me, fury in her eyes. "What? I saw a two-leg, I attacked it."

"I told you to call off the attack!"