The League of Dragon Riders

My Father's Life

"What is that, Papa?" I asked my father. He was cradling a large egg in his arms.

"It's a dragon egg. Your dragon, Princess." He kneeled down and carefully put it in my arms. I cradled it with a wistful smile on my face. A dragon. My dragon.

"You need to take care of it, it's a big responsibility."

"I will!" I reassured him. I turned to take it into the Inn when he grabbed my arm.

"We can't bring it in there, Princess. Let me take it. It'll come to you when you are ready."

"When I'm ready?" I asked him.

"Yes, when you're ready, Princess."

I smiled up at my father and smiled down at me.

"Princess?!" He yelled suddenly.

"What?"

"Princess?! Alaina?! Wake up?!"

I opened my eyes and was momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight. Maxwell was looking down on me with a concerned look on his face.

"Hey." Maxwell said as he helped me sit up. Lake Macobar was calm and beautiful in the morning.

"Where's Midnight?" I asked him. My dragon. Had that actually been a memory or just a dream?

"In the trees." Maxwell narrowed his eyes at me. I didn't realize before but he had these piercing green eyes...

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine except for the fact that a dragon just destroyed my home." I said.

"I'm sorry." Maxwell said as he stood.

"Do you want to go back?" He asked.

"Not really." I said.

"Well, it's your choice of you want to come with me but we should go quickly." He said.

"Where would we be going?" I asked him.

"You'll just have to find out, Princess." Maxwell said as he whistled.

"Stop that." I told him as Midnight came running through the trees. He was a dark black color with a spiked tail.

"Come on." Maxwell said as he sat on the dragon and waited. I sighed and walked over and climbed on after him.

After two hours and a sore backside, we landed in a cave. I could see anything until Midnight sent a blast of flames to what I thought was hay. It lit up the rather large cave of which I saw no end.

"Welcome to our humble abode." Maxwell said as he led me past the flaming pile of hay. There was three sleeping areas and a table with maps over it a corner. The cave went farther but we did not go on.

"Here you are." Maxwell said as he opened a chest that I didn't notice before. He handed me a slice of dried meat and a slab of bread.

"Thanks." I said as I took a bite of the bread.

"You're welcome. Erin and Fergus should be here anytime; we will talk more about this whole problem when they get here." Maxwell said as he plopped down on one of the piles of cloth.

"Okay." I said as I sat down, leaning against the cave wall. It was dark and smelt musty.

"Look, Maxwell," I looked over at him and realized he was sleeping. His snore echoed off the walls. Midnight was sitting closer to the exit, like a guard dog.

"So what am I supposed to do?" I asked myself.

"It's your dragon."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. My father's visits were few and far between. My mother died before I could remember her. Aunt, sorry, Madam Carmen was the only family that stuck around. This whole life, my father's life, isn't mine.

I barely even knew my father. Could he actually have been part of Maxwell's little gang? Could he have been friends with Fergus and Erin?

Did Maxwell know my father?