Dragon Heart

O n e .

She was quite the sight to see, the King’s daughter. Princess Maria Belle Orland was her name, regal in itself. High upon her horse she rode, green eyes glued to the back of the man who rode in front of her. She ignored the begging of peasants not because she was superior, but because she could never bear the sight of human suffering in the way that some were. Her family name had been glorified without reason. They were said to be noble and always giving to those without the luxuries they enjoyed but few knew the way she had been raised-to think little of those below her. However, the good nature of her would not allow it. Her heart screamed to help her people but there was little help she could give with her father still in command.

“Princess, Princess Maria,” a small voice came. “Please help me.” The princess tensed, slowly turning her neck to look at a dirt smudged boy. His clothes were torn and coated in a fine layer of muck and grease. A tug came from the bottom of her dress and there was his hand, the dirtiest part of him, wrapped around the outermost layer of her garment.

“Please, let go of my dress.” She said curtly, tears brimming at the edges of her eyes lids. The guard behind her spoke loudly.

“Remove your hand from the Lady’s dress, sir.” He commanded, his booming voice causing her to jump. The small boy let go of the dress, leaving in crinkled and dirty.

“Please Princess, my mother is dead.”  He said and a single tear fell down Maria’s face.

“Guard,” she said her voice soft. “Take him back to the castle and give him what he wishes. Take whatever is left of his family and give them a good home, too.” She commanded. The guard grunted in reply and jerked his head for the boy to follow. The young boy’s thanks were shouted as he followed the guard.

The party of Nobles continued forward, the clicking of horse shoes on the ground the only sound that was heard throughout the village. It seemed as if there was no one there, that the village was abandoned, but Maria knew better. She could see the little hands of children yearning to see the princess tugging at the cloth that covered the windows and she could also see the children being rushed away from the windows, their parents trying not to look at the princess. The houses in the village were barely held together with smoke billowing out of holes in the tops. Logs were piled in front of nearly every home and few animals skirted the streets as you would see in normal villages. Maria tried not to dwell on the face of the child who had grabbed her earlier and she was sure that everyone in the village lived like that.

“Princess, we are nearing the Dwarven escorts. Would you like us to hold the egg for you?” The guard in front of her spoke, slowing his horse.

“I will keep it with me.” She said, straightening her back. Tugging on the reigns, she slowed her horse to a stop. About 20 feet away stood a small company of Dwarves. They were thick, meaty things and most had long beards that would occasionally be seen dragging on the ground. Maria shuttered at the thought of how dirty they must be.

“Ah, Princess Maria Belle, how good it is to see you,” the company leader said, his voice thick and deep. His arms were so large and immobile looking that Maria doubted he would be able to best even a child in a swordsmanship show. He had on a dull red garment, a deep green belt helping to tuck in his gut. At his side was a dagger and on his back an Elven bow. Behind him was the rest of him company, 7 others, and they were all dressed in their Clan’s colors. Like their leader they had on a red overcoat but their gut was held in with a single golden band that didn’t really old their gut in, only squished it a bit.

“It has been to long Tohrn.” She said simply, dismounting her horse. Her guards did the same and Maria grabbed the sack that had rested between her legs during the trip. It was a simple burlap sack with simple gold strings. If one looked closely enough, however, they could see the web of magic spun around it.