That Dragon

The Village Boy

Flinching upon my approach, I put my weapon down, my hands out and open. If it meant no harm to me, what point would I have in harming it? It was larger than the whole village I called home, angering or provoking it would do no good. Standing only six foot tall, I would barely be able to hurt it; but it feared me still. The giant creature kept eye contact, breathing heavily for its kind. I had never heard of a dragon so timid by human presence.

"Flint?" Mother called.

The dragon lifted its front left foot away from me, waiting for me to do something.

"Not now mother," I hollered back, my head turned in her direction.

I looked back up at the dragon, smiling. It blinked, not knowing what such a gesture meant. Slowly, I took a step back to my sword and returned it to its sheath; it lowered its head in reaction, still keeping eye contact. I turned and left it to its cave. How I even saw it was completely not what I had expected. The whole cavern it occupied was lit up with gems in the ceiling.

"Flint would you stop running off to the caves? We don't know what's in them," groaned my mother. "You could've slipped and cracked your head and we'd be none the wiser."

"Mother I'm alright, I just found an odd formation of stalactites, that's all," I reassured her.

"Alright, but don't forget your non-slips next time ok?"

"Yes mother," I smiled, kissing her on the forehead as I passed her at the door.

The village was loud and happy, the markets from the city had come to share their goods. Exotic food stalls, material stands with fine silks, decoration and furniture displays all lined the street. Everyone who'd been saving for this day had all rushed out to see what they could grab. My coinpurse jingled in my pocket, filled with coins I had kept aside for the food I planned to surprise mother with.

"Ah, Flint! Good to see you boyo," Derrah yelled, causing all the others to lock eyes on me.

"Oi asshole, what have I told you about shouting? Everyone has ears y'know," I huffed in response.

His stall was covered in strange crops and meats we couldn't yield out in our fields. I laid eyes on a large hunk of tied meat.

"Ah, you found my most expensive one mate," he laughed. "Sure you got the coin for it this time?"

"Oh, you bet your soul I have, it can't be more than fifty surely?" I smirked.

He laughed. "Bang on fifty boyo!"

"Good thing I have sixty then my friend," I winked, pouring my coin out in front of him.

Everyone's heads turned as each sliver of rounded metal hit his table. They had no idea how I managed to save so much. 

"Wow Flint," Derrah breathed. "Of everyone in the village, I least expected you to build up this much."

I frowned. It wasn't easy to work for that coin. Some things I did, I wish I hadn't, but I had to earn to help mother, or one of us would surely have had to leave for another village. His words hit me more than they should have. I wanted nothing more than to pull him aside and explain everything, but now wasn't the time. Meat in hand, I returned home.

"You alright Flint?" Mother asked.

"Yes mother, I bring meat from Derrah's stall, it's a big one. Feral cattle."

"Oh my, that's wonderful Flint," she praised. "I'm so proud of you my boy."

"Thank you, mother," I sighed, placing the hunk of meat on the kitchen counter before retreating to my room.

I had many secrets from mother; my work, how I feel when people talk to me, where I go every day, how little sleep I get worrying she'd find out. One such secret however, really stabbed my heart to keep. Under my bed, in a locked box in the floor, I kept cured meats I had cooked out when working that I had saved away. Remembering the dragon, I thought perhaps offering it food would appease its fear of me. I unlocked my safe and pulled out the largest chunk I could pull out, hastily putting it in my backpack. The box was filled so high I could feed the village for a week, but it wasn't something I could just do. If anyone found out, exile would be my only option. I locked the box and exited my room.

"I'm returning to that cave mother, I wish to investigate it," I admitted, changing my usual boots for the non-slips.

"Do be careful alright?" She huffed, rushing over to hug me. "I love you my little Flint."

"Love you too mother."