The Dragon Scale

Chapter 8

"Ella?" Her mother knocked on her bedroom door. "Come, love. Dinner's ready." Ella, having just vaulted herself through the window breathlessly, made a noise of assent. She waited until the footsteps disappeared down the hallway, and then took a deep breath and lay down on her bed. She. Was. A. Dragon. Rider. She repeated those words over and over to herself until they had no meaning.

Unlocking her door, she stepped out into the hallway before remembering that she was still wearing trousers and her cloak. She squealed and slammed the door shut. Wearing trousers in front of her parents, especially her father, would mean the end of her. Literally. So she quickly changed into her dress, and hid the trousers under a pile of books and old, forgotten pieces of parchment in her closet. The scale, along with its pouch, went in her dress pocket. Opening the door again, she walked down to the dining room.

"Well, Ella, I hope you have learned your lesson," her father said, his voice resounding through the room. She sat down modestly and remained quiet. "What's the matter?" He asked. Ella couldn't possibly tell them about the dragon scale, Tom, or her soon-to-be dragon. "Dragon got your tongue?" He started laughing. Ella looked up quickly, her heart beating fast. Could they have found out? It was impossible that they knew. But that was an old phrase they used quite a bit. So was it a harmless expression, or did they know? Her mother looked at her oddly.

"Ella dear, are you alright?" Ella cleared her throat.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. It's just probably the stuffy air in my room. I've been in there quite a while, you know," she laughed nervously, picked up her spoon, and hurriedly started eating her vegetable soup.

*********

"Hello, Ella."

"Hello, Zachary," Ella said as she lay down in the grass. She gazed up at the full moon.

"How was your day?" He grinned, lying down beside her, and Ella hit him on the arm playfully.

"You know it was terrible! Just because you weren't being punished doesn't give you the right to go and ask how my day was after you know I was locked up in my room all day!" Zachary held his hands up.

"Whoa there, Ella. Don't try and throw another basket at me now." She grinned.

"Don't worry, I left my arsenal of baskets at home."

They were silent.

"The moon looks beautiful tonight," Zachary murmured. Ella nodded. "So, Ella. I was thinking..."

She turned to look at him. Her heartbeat accelerated. She held her breath.

"...that maybe you could teach me to shoot a bow and arrow. I've never seen you, but I think that you would be pretty good at it." She sighed dejectedly before plastering on a bright smile.

"Yeah sure, sounds great! Um, what time?" She sat up. Zachary smiled, his white teeth shining in the moonlight.

"You'd do that? Thanks, Ella! How about tomorrow? In the afternoon? I have to go berry picking for Elder in the morning. Do you want to come?"

Ella shook her head. "No, it's fine." She had to meet her dragon first thing in the morning.

"Are you sure?" Zachary asked. She nodded. After glancing at her for a few more seconds, he held his hand out. Taking it, she stood up.

"So, I have to go. Elder is letting me sleep at her place. She said not to be back too late," Zachary said. He was still holding her hand. Ella looked up at him. He looked so naive, so innocent. She smiled as she remembered when he came charging into the clearing, with his sword brandished, his face full of anger. She grinned as she remembered how they first met. How he thought that Ella was an elf and held a knife up to her neck. Those things seemed to have happened years ago. But in reality, it had only been a month.

She couldn't keep this secret from him. But she had to. No. She didn't. Tom never said anything about not telling. It was her own conscious holding back. So she cleared her throat.

"Zachary James Smith," she whispered slowly. "Can you keep a secret?"

*******
So.... How do you think Zachary will react? Will he be astonished? Amazed? Will he scoff at the magical story she is telling him? Please let me know in the comments!!!!! First commenter gets a shoutout!! #firstcomment

And speaking of shoutouts... This chapter is dedicated to @JuneKathleenCabrera !!! Thanks for voting!!

~CB_1