Sleeping Beauty

Chapter Twenty-Three: "Changing Times"

The King's horse backed up with distressed whinnies, while the King yelled out to his troops over Nathan's roar. "Archers at the ready! Bring me that dragon's head!" The King then withdrew his sword and yanked his horse to face Mark. Mark withdrew his sword, his eyes locked on the King as his own horse reared a little. The King and his bodyguards kicked their horses to charge after Mark, but Mark stayed his ground. Behind Mark, Merryweather stepped out from the castle doorway and lowered her hands out toward Mark's back. From the dark cloudy sky, lightning struck the ground in front of Mark. The King yanked his horse into a skidding stop with a frightened cry. Resulting in his guards skidding to a halt behind him. Mark's horse reared, but Mark kept his horse steady as he yelled out. "LEAVE OR DIE!" The King spit in Mark's direction before retreating into his hoard of troops as he yelled out. "KILL THEM!" Arrows whistled through the air as they went toward Nathan. Jack dropped to his knees, holding tightly to the safety rope around Nathan's broken horn. Nathan turned his head to the side and raised his large wing to block the incoming arrows.

The arrows dinged off the chainmail over his wing, while Nathan told Jack seriously. "Get to your seat." Jack sheathed his sword and slid down the rope to a spot between Nathan's shoulder blades. There was no time to make a saddle, but they had managed to attach a thick horse blanket with a rope for him to hold onto. Scrambling to get onto the blanket, he held onto the rope and yelled out. "Ready!" Nathan adjusted his position, his wings flicking out before he leapt off the castle. Jack gripped the rope tightly as the force of the wind and rain hit him. It was scary to think that he had no control of where Nathan would go. Nathan soared over the wall as more arrows dinged against the belly of Nathan's armor. Jack felt Nathan's back tense before he lowered his head and unleashed a jet of green flames across a row of troops. Even if he was above the frightening scene, Jack could still feel the intense heat rise as Nathan flew over what remained of them. Glancing behind them, Jack saw a group turning a large crossbow to aim at them. Nathan snapped his jaws on a catapult that he swooped by, destroying it as men scattered from him. Then Nathan quickly started to flap his wings to rise higher into the air.

Yelling over the wind, Jack told him. "Behind us!" Nathan looked, then snapped out. "Hang on!" Jack screamed as Nathan waited until the crossbow bolt was fired before going into a barrel roll. Jack clung to the rope for dear life as his legs left the blanket and he hung in midair for only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to him! Nathan snatched the large bolt from the air, then dropped to the ground. His firm landing caused the ground to tremble, making soldiers stumble and horses rear. Nathan's armored tail lashed out to yank on the attached rope, jerking the large crossbow from them. When it reached him, his hind leg stomped on it to crush it. Nathan then snorted as another crossbow was fired at him. Jumping to his right, Jack yelped and gripped the rope like he was on a bucking horse. The bolt whizzed past Nathan's side, before Nathan unleashed a jet of flames toward the aggressors. More arrows arched down over them, and Nathan arched his tail up over Jack to protect him as they rained down over them. Nathan started to retreat to leap back into the air, asking over his shoulder. "Still alive?" Jack huffed, blurting out honestly. "I need a saddle!" Nathan chuckled, then gasped as a large bag was pelted at his side.

The bag exploded into bright yellow dust, but the heavy rain kept it from wafting through the air as much. Jack yanked up the green cloth around his neck to cover his nose, shouting out. "You alright?!" Nathan growled but answered as he rose higher into the air. "Ya... Just surprised me." On the ground, Mark pulled a rope to unfurl the green banner on the sides of his horse and bolted out across the field. The troops were so distracted with Nathan that hardly anyone saw Mark coming. Racing through the troops, he rode passed the catapults and cut ropes with his sword and kicked over braziers. Whenever a few soldiers tried to attack him, Merryweather struck the surrounding area with lightning to give Mark a chance to dash away. A few tried to shoot him, but he rode through groups of troops to make himself a harder target to hit. Rounding a corner, Mark kicked a brazier over into a catapult setting it ablaze. Two soldiers rode up on him, about to swing their swords, until Nathan swooped over them and knocked them from their horses with his tail. The cavalry soldiers all turned their attention on Mark, leaving the archers and a smaller force of troops to focus on Nathan.