Tale of the fireborn

Beginning of the End

„Hiraeth, come out. Come out. Wherever you are", the grown soldier chanted walking around the apartment. I was hiding under my parents bed. Hoping they wouldn't find me. Knowing full well, that my mother THE General is on a trip with her friends and wouldn't be home until three days later. My father a rebound historian was on a mission for the king quiet far away studying a rare creature. Not to forget my older brothers, eighteen and sixteen years older, both not home. One away with his fiancé and the other on some language cultural studying in Temzarr. The rule I am never to be alone in the castle or on my own period, was to quickly forgotten when they planed and left.

Squeezing myself under the headboard of the bed as tiny as possible. I heard a softer voice say to the soldier: „Let me get her. She knows me well." Stomping footsteps leaving the room. I held my breath waiting for him to make a move. I wasn't shaking. I wasn't scared of dying. I am scared of disappointing my mother, the kings favoured general.  Grabbing the little dagger in my hand tighter. „Ira... we are under attack. Let me get you to safety", Aloys said with his fatherly warm voice. Liar, I thought but knew if I wouldn't get out under the bed that violence would be their next choice. I crawled out under the bed full well knowing that every single last move had to be perfectly placed or I would be dead before I could take another breath. He tried to hide his grin with a swift softness but I still saw it. He grabbed my arms. The dagger falling to the ground. „Who do you think you are ?! Something special?! Obey and you will be fine!"; harsh lies. All lies. I know the truth about this impeachment attack.

Rowan was already on flying his way to safety on Casseannas back. The King left on my mothers dragon almost an hour ago. I bought them time. Time to get to safety. To pick up Queen Wren and switch dragons. I ran around the Castle until I started getting tired legs and hid under the bed in our apartment in the castle. If I die today it would make at least my family proud. Proud of my actions nobody else would know about but the saved ones.

Aloys dragged me into my bedroom and throw me on my bed. Cane stood right behind him and a third one I hadn't ever seen before.  „She is quiet the cute one and feisty", Cane growled. I blinked and my pants were already gone. I wanted to see their faces, their eyes to never forget in case I do survive this. They exchanged me like some worthless fun object knowing not a single person would intrude. Aloys was the last one to take his turn. It seemed to slightly bother him to look into my face while thrusting into me, so he covered my face with a pillowcase. He upped his pants stepping away after finishing. I did not move an inch. Waiting and hoping for them to leave. Bootsteps coming closer again. One of those bigger men, heavier. The pillow was torn of my face. Colonel Cane grinned right into my face.

The only official that was outranking my mother before the king. She hates him because he is a lazy prick. He throw my tiny dagger on to the bed. Aloys pleaded: „Isn't it more humiliating for her to be found be her mother?" „Well let us see if this one is as good a fighter as her mommy", Cane growled backing away slightly with his hand on his sword. Grabbing my tiny dagger slowly my mind started racing. They did not seem to know what kind of weapon Cane just handed me. My own personal Dragon Scale Dagger made by my older brother. A black Scale sharpened and combined with a handle also out of dragon scale. It would leave scares never to be healed completely. Not by humankind hands nor magic. The would be visible for the rest of their being. I just needed to cut them wherever. Marking them for all dragons to know and see.

I got up slowly standing on my own feet. Half naked in front of Cane and his six followers. He wasn't waiting another second and pierced his sword right through my chest. Exposing his inner thigh in the process for me to cut him in a quiet nasty position. He dragged his sword back out growling loudly: „Kill her!" I could still breath. Feeling the warm wet blood running through my flowy top. They stabbed into my chest. All over. Like a needle cushion in the dressing departments.  One after the other until I fell on my knees. I could keep myself on my feet anymore. Bleeding. Maybe dying. My dagger fell out of my hand. Seeming to please at least the men. My eyes closed shut I hear their boot-steps leaving. Going further and further away. Until the apartment door slammed into its wooden frame. I am alone.

I felt my body. Still breathing. Shallow but breathing.  Everything hurting. All over only pain. Roaming over the floor with my fingers until I felt my dagger. Grabbing it. I wasn't dying. I tried a deep breath before I slammed my hands into the floor screaming in agony while getting back up on my feet. I couldn't keep my shields up.  One foot before the other I started making my way out the appartment passing my bedroom, the dinnertabel, the small family lounge and the out the door. I turned right in the hallway. Passing Aloys Appartement door. Walking further. Then passing the training rooms. One by one by one. Down the stairs into the basement. The Tunnelsystem connecting everything below the castle. I took one second to look left and right. And kept going towards the northern flightfield. The only place connected to the den. The dragons den.

I felt the Wing movements, the air flowing all around me the second I set foot out onto the flight field. No need to look right or left or up front. Nothing and no one was in my way. Gras. Under my feet. A more comfortable feeling under my feet after the sandy bricks and the red sandy flying field. And I rose up my chin, taking a now deeper breath. Filling my lungs with fresh air. My empty hand roamed over my chest. No open wound, only palpable scares. It still hurts but not as bad as before.

The Den was filled and filled with dragons. I had never seen this many in one spot. Not even when I snuck onto the edge to get a glimpse of them. Huffing, right above my head. I looked up. Right into deep amber eyes. Little one, echoed his deep tenor voice in my head. Staring right into his eyes. Humanlikes weren't allowed on den grounds. Tsharamereon. Gigantic black dragon. Tallest since the first know dragons. I kept staring into his eyes. What is she doing here, echoed a way warmer little higher voice in my head. Seemed to be a female. I kept the staring contest with Tsharamereon. Tilting his head slightly his voice tuned back up into my head, What do you need little one. „Just burn me", I gasped for air. No one moved. No flames coming towards me yet. I held up the dagger.

„BURN ME!", I screamed.