The Dragon's Legend

Chapter II

The slaves were led to their tents shortly after the name listing, they all looked scared out of their minds, but also relieved. The next day there would be more names listed, and I couldn't promise that I wouldn't be called on. I was still shaking from anxiety, I was much more disliked then Gill or Nova, why wasn't I called on? It made me feel like the Guards had just pulled names out of a hat. The last time I had seen Nova, she wouldn't hurt a fly, she was weak of heart and stomach. She cried for hours when she found out that Chef Bruno stole from the Royal Kitchens. She would not be the one to hold the dagger, shed be the foolish one that trusted the one ready to stab her. I would bet all the gold in the world that Nova was not a part of the Night Thieves groups.

After I arrived at my tent, fervor hung over me like a dark storm cloud, I had realized in that moment that I would see Nova die in the most horrific way possible, and there was nothing I could do. Nova had come from a poor family in the south. She was sold into slavery young. She was scared and hungry. I worked double so that she wouldn't die of starvation. She felt like a sister to me, for I had taught her how to work in the kitchens. I had taught her the ways the economy work and told her to fear your fellows.

I remembered one time she had told me of her dream.

"I wish to be a princess in a beautiful castle, that way I wont have anyone to boss me around." She had told me. I had just looked at her sadly and asked, "Was this a dream of yours?"

"It is a dream I still have. She told me wisely."

"Remember, Nova. Dreams are for children, reality is for the sensible."

After that she had never told me a wish or dream that she had ever again. She rarely talked to me after that, and eventually we were thrust apart. I have regretted what I said ever since.

I laid on a hammock and quickly fell asleep, my thoughts of Nova soon turned to terrible, terrible nightmares.

I dreamt I was in a vast hallway, it could be seen that it was once a grand room where feasts and balls were held, but now it was just stones and rubble. Heaps of hot ash littered the room as if the whole room was set ablaze. Black corpses littered the grounds, their bodies so burned that I could barely see their face. I wish I couldn't. I could only see their faces, frozen in fear, as if they were turned to stone. I could see children's crying faces. I could see women's face gaping wide, as if they were screaming. I knew they were already dead, but I seemed to hear their blood curling screams.

I don't know how I knew, but I knew it was my fault. I was responsible for all these peoples deaths. They all had families and loved ones, and I was the one that ripped these people from them. How could I even do this? How was it possible? I crumpled to the ground and wept.

But then my dream changed. It was dark, darker than any night. It was not warm nor cold. No sounds for miles. I was in a field, there were no other rock nor tree as far as I could see. I turned around and saw a shadow, I couldn't make out the shape but I could tell it was watching me. The shadow turned and ran, and I ran after it. I felt a connection to it. I simply needed to find it and discover what it was.

The shadow was much faster than I could run, so it stopped and looked at me until I got close, then it would run farther and then turn again. I could tell it wanted me to follow, and it could tell that I wanted to. Suddenly, I was immersed into fog. I looked around wildly, searching for the shadow, then I saw it. It was closer than before, I could see its eyes, they were glowing red. I felt like they were searching for something inside of me. The shadows eyes lingered on my heart, then it ran off, leaving me in the thick fog.

Before long, it was time for the execution. Royal Guards started rounding up the slaves to see what it would be like to commit a crime, what you would end up as. The slaves were led to the local torture stand to see up close. I scanned the crowd, and to my chagrin, I saw Gill. He must have convinced the Royal Guards he was innocent. I couldn't wait until I could prove him guilty to the Royal Guards. I couldn't see Nova, that only meant she was found guilty.

Philip stood by me side and held my hand, I hated making him go through this. He hated the executions on normal days, but now he knew he would see someone he knows being brutally killed. I could tell that he was struggling not to cry.

"Hey," I said to him, pulling him closer to me. "Look at me, alright? It is going to be alright."

"No, its not, He said, How many more people must die?" His question caught me off guard, and I didn't know how to respond.

"Philip..." I started.

"No! I don't get it, how could you let Nova be killed?"

"Philip, don't think that this is not hard for me. It is just as painful for me as it is for you." I told him sadly.

"Then do something! If you wont, then I will!" He told me. I looked into his eyes, there was a fire there, an impulsiveness. I had seen it before, but not like this. His eyes were green, but just then his eyes flashed silver, just like mine. I probably imagined it, but I seemed certain that what I saw was true.

He turned his back, and ran into the crowd.

"Philip!" I called. I looked around, if I left and was ratted on, it could be me on the execution stand, but I wouldn't let it be Philip either. I looked around trying to see him, but all I saw was Gill smiling at me. All I wanted to do is run over there and punch him right in his foul face, but I had to go after Philip. I ran and disappeared into the crowd.

I knew not to shout, I knew not to draw attention to myself, but I couldn't help it.

"Philip," I screamed, "Philip!" I saw him look back at me, then run off again. I chased after him. A Royal Guard stepped onto the stand, the executions were starting. I ran faster than I ever ran before, but I soon lost sight of him.

"Philip!" I shouted.

"Today we have a special guest," the guard said idiotically, as if he thought he was a part of a theatre play. "The one and only slave that even dared to join the Night Thieves. The odd thing is that she is only fourteen. I give you, Nova Blanks!" He bowed as if he wanted applause, but he got none. He only received distasteful glances and mumbling. No one liked that he would kill a fourteen year old girl.

He was giggling drunkenly, "And her punishment for betraying her village is a bath of hot oil."

I saw her, ready to step into the large bowl of oil. That's when two arrows were fired into the forehead of the Royal Guard.