Dragon Diary

Entry 12: Unexpected Help

Hello Diary,
Ever since I revealed my tiny bit of knowledge of the Ancient Language to my father I have not studied any more of it. He was so upset that I fearfully placed all the books back on a table in the library, all except the black book that Kram dropped of course. Gosh, that seems like ages ago now.

Anyway, I never heard about my little outburst until today, which is at least three days later. I was afraid of what he may of done that was so bad he had to make sure I wouldn't remember.

Today when I arrived before my father in his throne room he had a small stack of books placed before him. I immediately recognized them as the ones I had been studying in my room, plus a few new ones I had never seen before.

"You seem so eager to learn the Ancient Language of the dragons, but do you even know why it is so dangerous? It is also known as the language of magic. Even one word can create a powerful weapon if used by the right wielder." He paused and moved closer to me. His tone was neutral and I was a bit shocked he was not more angry. He really is quite unpredictable.

"I know you are small and my training the past few weeks has been all but easy on you. I hope you know it was all just to test you, see if you are even worthy of this power. Do you want to know my verdict?"

I gulped and looked down at my talons. This was it, it was going to be my end. I couldn't stop trembling.

Suddenly I heard a deep rumbling laugh above me. He was laughing at my terror.

"Tomorrow I will teach you your first spell. Today you must read and write to get started." He pushed the pile toward a table in the corner. There was already a quill and paper there. I quietly moved to my place and he held out a book to me. His paw alone was larger than my whole body.

"Start with this one, I have kept it in my personal collection for years. The basic words will get you a good start. Writing the words out will help you learn to annunciate them better. You should never speak out loud in the Ancient Language for it may cause an unknown spell. You will practice saying the words only in your mind. I will keep my mind connected to yours and tell you how to say them right. Your training will be silent, got it?" He advised me.

I nodded and started reading in silence. I felt my father's powerful mind bombard me but then he slowly lightened his presence, making it not to unbearable.

I think I studied like this for at least 2 hours before I heard the sound of a dragon entering the room. I looked up, curious to see who was making council with the tyrant king.

My eyes widened in shock when I saw Cand. He was limping and his tail looked broken. His face was bruised and he had a huge welt over his right eye. I had no idea what could have done this to him. I also could not keep my father from sensing my emotions through our connection.

Gaelon showed no reaction to me but took one look at his beaten army general and an evil smile spread across his lips. "So, you survived?" The king said smugly.

Cand snarled but said nothing. I could see he had just arrived home and came straight here. My father had tried to kill him, again. Why would any king in their right mind send his own loyal army to die?

Cand's one, not swollen, eye turned toward me. Then he growled deeper and glared at Gaelon on his throne.

"Why on earth is he reading books on the Ancient Language? He is only 2 years old. You are insane." Cand roared in anger.

Gaelon smiled again and shrugged. "Well don't ask me that, ask the whelp. He took it upon himself to steal books from the forbidden section of the library. If he is going to do it he may as well do it with supervision."

Awkward silence filled the room. I started to tremble as I stared down at the page in front of me. I did not want to face the horrifying stare of either of them. Tauntingly, the words for king, queen, prince, and princess were staring back at me in the Ancient Language. I closed my eyes.

"If you are planning to use him as some sort of magic weapon, I am stopping it right now!" Cand snarled. I heard him rushing in my direction so I was forced to open my eyes and look up.

Cand snarled as he stopped before me, snatching up a book from the pile in front of me. He suddenly burst forth a jet of ice that engulfed my entire table, turning everything into a frozen popsicle, including the stack of books and my quill. I was left in shock that he had somehow missed me.

The one book in his claws he waved before Gaelon and then started to shred pages from it and toss them aside. I have never seen an evil glare in Cand's eyes before and I was sure glad it was not directed at me.

"Ruinar...come with me now!" Cand ordered at me, never letting his eyes off the king.

"What do you think you are doing?" Gaelon growled in anger. I could tell he wanted to unleash a spell.

"Berior!" I screamed as I stepped forward toward Cand.

My tiny shield spell at least worked long enough to leave my father snarling in shock and rage so that Cand and I could scamper away. It also broke his mental connection with me.

"You need a healer," I said worriedly as we darted down the halls. His injuries were so bad that it was easy for me to keep up with his pace.

Cand shook his big head as we went. I could hear his thoughts, he was saying there was no time for that now. Gaelon would be after us.

We scampered and hobbled along. We were turning a corner when we almost ran head first into my father's adviser. Cand froze. He was breathing heavy.

"Did that happen to you on the mission?" Kram suddenly asked as he noticed Cand's current condition. Cand responded with a nod but said nothing.

Kram noticed me as I stepped out from behind my blue mentor. I glared at him silently, pretending to be unafraid. He suddenly gave me a faint smile.

"Watch this boy..." He whispered to me as he reached a paw and placed it flat against Cand's golden chest scales.
"Gara Cunar," he said softly.

At first I feared the worst, not knowing what sort of spell he would think up to either kill or capture us for his master. I could somehow sense that what he had just used was a dark magic spell.

I was mystified when I saw that Cand's wounds we're suddenly healing rapidly. Cand let out a groan of discomfort but otherwise seemed to be healing in a matter of seconds. The next thing I knew Cand had no wounds at all, back to his majestic old self.

"Now get outside or to the servants quarters before Gaelon comes this way. Oh and Cand... I don't want to hear my sister cry about not having a child any longer. You better take care of her, understand?"

Kram's words were confusing to me but Cand gave him a grateful nod. Kram then let his blue eyes fall on my tiny form.

"You can't handle two whelps." He groaned at Cand teasingly. Then he shrugged and let us pass.

Did that happen? Did my father's sidekick just give us help? Maybe we have even more allies then we thought.