Cinderella vs. Happily Ever After

Chapter 31

             “Gorgeous,” Valerie murmured, staring up at the dragon with a gaze that could only be called besotted.

            The flaps at the back of the dragons head flared out further and he pulled his nose away to look at the other dragon. “Fearrlesss,” he hissed, the s’s sounding like steam escaping a kettle.

            Isaac, who’d been praying to a god he wasn’t sure existed, froze. For a second it sounded like the dragon had-

            “Yesss,” the other replied, voice more metallic than the first one’s. “Fearrlesss. The right one?”

            Valerie, who’s face had been getting brighter by the minute, shoved her way out from under Isaac and scrambled to her feet. The dragons turned to watch, alerted by the sudden movement. When she was standing properly, she bowed deeply to both of them, the formal bow where one arm was on her shoulder, the other folded along her lower back. “My name is Valerie Ash,” she said, voice quivering. “A-and I…I’ve…You are the most incredible things I’ve ever seen and I’ve always wanted to meet a dragon!”

            The green one pushed his head forward again until the tip of his nose was just touching her chest. He inhaled again, her clothes being pulled towards the powerful nostrils, then he pulled back to look at the other dragon. “The rrright one,” he said. “Polite too.”

            At this point Valerie was grinning from ear to ear and Isaac had pulled his face out of the dirt to stare. Miette was still clutching her head and frantically whispering prayers or spells, Isaac wasn’t sure which.

           Drawing himself up to his full height, the smaller of the two looked down at Valerie, eyes looking like molten gold. “You werre in my nessst.”

            She nodded. “Yes. I was said all the babies had hatched already. Oh! There was the one egg still there. Did it hatch alright? I wasn’t sure, even wrapped, it was going to stay warm enough.”

            The dragon leaned forward and hissed. “Ourr eggss did not hatch. They were murrderred!”

Valerie gasped. “B-but I thought…there was still an egg and no one there so…”

            “We werre drriven off,” he said, tail lashing about his feet. “They lurred usss away and killed ourr childrren.”

            “Then the egg…it didn’t hatch?” she asked, her face pale as her gorge rose. She couldn’t believe anyone would drive the parents off to kill a bunch of babies before they even had a chance to hatch.

            The blast of hot air that he released made her clothes puff and her wig slide back. She realized after a second that it had been a sigh. “No. It isss the only egg to hatch. My mate iss with ourr ssson now.”

            She laughed and clapped her hands. Isaac, figuring if they wanted to eat them they’d have already done so, edged over beside her, keeping his eyes on both dragons. Miette raised her head slightly, tremors still there though they’d slowed slightly. Valerie grinned at Isaac. “See? I told Eggbert hadn’t been abandoned.”

            “You were right,” he said voice wavering slightly as he laid a tense hand on her shoulder. “Now let’s say goodbye to your new friends and we’ll head back now.”

            “We owe you a debt,” the dragon said, dropping his head until his eyes were level with Valerie. “You sssaved ourr ssson.”

            She shook her head, still smiling. “Oh no. All I did was wrap him and leave him by the fire after I found him under the branches. Besides, I was happy to do it. I knew it was a dragon egg and not a griffin one.”

            “We owe you a debt,” he said. “The debt cannot be rrepaid with worrdss.”

            The dragon behind him leaned in over his shoulder to look at Valerie as well. “It iss drraconic honorrr you will not underrssstand.”

            “But…”

            “Until we have rrepaid you forr the life of ourr ssson, we will rremain with you,” the grey-green, and Valerie was beginning to suspect female, dragon replied.

            “But it’s too dangerous! We’re fighting a war. I can’t have you hurt!” Valerie said, stepping forward.

            “A warr?” The male dragon said, his flaps rising higher. “What warr?”

            Valerie closed her mouth but Isaac stepped in. He bowed low to both the dragons, his neck prickling as he exposed it. “Please forgive me but Valerie will attempt to lie to save you. She has loved dragons for as long as I have known her. We are at war with an alliance, led by a fairy godmother who hunts Val. They have taken the Armithian palace and we are gathering allies to reclaim it.”

            “You have mannerrsss,” the female dragon said, eyeing Isaac. “But you have not given yourr name.”

            He bowed again. “I am Sir Isaac of Roosterreach. Lady Ruby Valerie Ash you know and Lady Miette Lacclair is still convinced you intend to kill us so she’s still on the ground over there.”

            She snorted, a sound that Valerie thought might have been due to amusement. Isaac seemed to be recovering from his shock if the way his voice had become lighter and smoother was any indication.

            “I am Rissharal. But humansss beforre you have called me Rish,” the grey-green dragon said with a slight nod of her head.

            “I am Faalerrii. Rissharal is my sister. You will find it eassierr to call me Faal,” the green one added, cocking his head as he looked them over.

Miette, having heard her name and what the dragons had said, slunk over, still trembling as she watched the dragons from behind Valerie. When they had finished their introductions, she visibly swallowed then moved in front. “I am Lady Miette of Lacclair. It is a pleasure you make your acquaintance,” she said, curtsying low.

“Humanss with mannerrss,” Rish said, metallic voice sounding shocked. “A rrarrity.”

“Then little humanss,” Faal said, eyes on Valerie. “You ssay therre iss an arrmy you wissh dealt with?”