Dragon Diary

Entry 9: Dragons Can Fly, Even Me

Hello Diary,
I have been so exhausted from all of my training that I am now not even sure how many days in a row it has been. I end up training until I pass out every day.

It isn't even a physical exhaustion, but my brain is throbbing from all the focused mental strain of his requests. It is all I can do to lift my pen or quill and try to write, when all I want is to sleep.

I must get to my day today, before I am to tired to go on. It's just that I have waited so long to fly like the others, and today I got my first taste of a dragon's true freedom.

My father had to tend to some business during my lesson, so he left me alone to recover until he returned. To my surprise, as soon as he was out of earshot down the hall, a slender green dragon slipped into the room. She glared at me with her glistening purple eyes.

"Almira, what are you doing in here?" I asked her nervously. "Looking for you." She growled in reply. Then she cleared her throat and said more softly, "Cand asked me to try and drag you away from the king as soon as I could. He wants to show you something, come on hurry."

So I raced after the pastel green female as her double ended tail flipped back and forth in front of me. I had no clue what she was leading me to, but it had to be better than lessons with my ruthless and power hungry father.

We made our way outside to the courtyard, where I saw Cand standing in the open, his glorious wings extended out like huge sails. Almira rushed to him and gave him a nod.

"I got him away from the king, just as you asked. I still think he is way too young to fly, but you are the boss." She said grimly.

My eyes went wide in a rush of excitement. "Fly? Heck yeah I am ready. My wings have been growing very strong." I said with a prideful snarl. I ruffled the wings on my back for slight emphasis.

Cand looked at me and laughed but his kind golden eyes could not hide his sorrow. He was upset about something. So this was supposed to be a fun distraction for both of us. I have been around Cand long enough to read his moods, mind powers or no.

"Just tell me how. I have been dying for this moment. Once I can fly... I will be able to... Fly away." I said slowly.

Almira shrugged and giggled at me. "I thought the same thing, but you end up coming back to be with the ones you care about. Friends are worth enduring this life of tyranny. Loneliness is a far worse fate." Then she scurried off back inside the Palace before I could give her a reply.

My anxiousness would not let me worry about her right now, I wanted to fly more than anything. Cand could see it in my face, because he stepped closer to me and growled in his throat to get me to look up at him.

"First off, climb up on to my back." He instructed. I hesitated at first but when he smiled I growled and climbed up his foreleg like a monkey would a tree. Someone as small as me could never hurt the remarkable Cand with my talons.

"Hold on tight, once I get us up into the air I will teach you how to fly. Take off will have to wait until your wings are bigger." He said as I found a good spot to cling onto his shoulders between some spikes.

Once he knew I was safely on board, his muscles contracted and he partly folded his wings in the sunlight. Then he sprung with all the strength of his hind legs and began to pump his wings.

We were lifting off. At first I clung onto his shoulders for dear life, pressing myself tight against him so I did not give him wind resistance. I had to fight my urge to close my eyes as we ascended. I did not want to miss any detail of this moment.

Soon his muscle patterns relaxed beneath me and I knew before trying to see around his body that we were far above our home.

His wings held out like parachutes, he seemed to glide on the wind. I could not get the huge smile off my face as I felt the rushing air against my scales. As much as the wrath of our king burdened us, we are still the most amazing creatures in Angoleth, we are dragons.

"Alright, open your wings and give it a go." Cand instructed.

My grin widening, I opened my blood red wings, letting them catch the wind like little sails. They were at least little compared to my mentor's huge wingspan. I know one day I will be even larger than he is. Red dragons are always the biggest.

I released my grip of Cand and immediately started to rise upwards with the current. The air pushed me and I was tilting my wings to try and steer myself clear of him. It was a lot more difficult to do then I imagined at first, but Cand reassured me that I was a natural flyer.

We practiced for a while, Cand helping me get my beats to match on my left and right. The wind must be used as an aide, trying to fly against it is fruitless. At different altitudes the wind moves in different directions, so a dragon can easily get where he needs to be as long as he knows how to ride the winds. This skill will take me much more time to master.

My fun ended when I was suddenly hit by a strong mental attack. I roared in pain and suddenly lost control of my wings, sending me plummeting toward the earth. I blacked out from the searing pain in my head.

The rest I only know cause Cand told me afterwards...He dived and caught me, landing us in the courtyard and placing me safely on the ground. My father was standing there waiting for us, an evil snarl on his face.

"How dare you take him away from his lesson, for FUN!" Gaelon roared at Cand, who was standing over my limp body protectively.

"Gaelon, you are working him to death. He needed a break. The poor whelp isn't even 3 years old yet. I want to be happy that you show interest in training him, but I won't let you kill him. You will not live forever. Don't you think you should show a little more respect for your heir?"

Gaelon sneered at Cand's words. "Ha, well guess what? I do plan to live forever. I will definitely live longer than you, old friend. As far as Ruinar is concerned. I am only testing his limits. He must be worthy to be called my son."

That was when I started to wake up from the shock of my father's attack. I looked up to see Cand's legs above me, and the menacing stare of my father just beyond them.

"I am sorry. I will go back to training right away. I wanted to do this, do not blame Cand or Almira. I am the one who wants so badly to fly like the others." I mumbled as I crawled towards my father on my belly.

Cand growled and looked down at me, but made no move to stop me. I crawled from under him and was now in the open before my evil king, ready to face his wrath. He leaned his huge black head down closer to me to give me an evil glare.

"Hmm, well fine. Why didn't you just say so? Even I like flying. I can show you some moves tomorrow. " I never expected him to say that to me.

"As for Cand, shouldn't you be preparing for your mission tomorrow?" Gaelon snarled above my head.

Now I know what was troubling my mentor. My father had given him another suicidal mission. I would have to be the one to try and put a stop to this. Can I get my father to respect me enough to hear my plea? I am sure going to try.

Authors note: Thank you so much for your continued support and I hope you are enjoying the story. Please do not forget to vote if you like what you have read. Readers Rock!