Diary of a Dragon's Captive

A Plague of Snow

The days before I met him are clear to me even now since I spent so long dreaming to return to that simpler time. Wishing in vain to return home... What a fool I was.

In the days before I remember the snow. Snow that drifted silently from the sky. Coming down upon the people of Ambrosia as fast as any plague, I suppose. This unnatural snow had been coming down for days with little to no reprieve. We were starting to feel like the snow would never end and it was clear the ramifications of this would make themselves known. After a few days, no more than three by my counting, people begin to die in droves. Homes were crushed by the weight of ice and snow, people froze in the streets, people froze in their homes, and people were starting to starve. Unable to get to the food frozen in ice under many feet of snow and what they could get was inedible.

We begged the upper classes and the temples for help but they would not help us no matter how much we pleaded. They would scoff and proclaim that it was a gift from the Goddess of the Cold and that we of the lower classes ought to embrace it. We would never do such a thing for embracing the cold surly meant death and to us it was a curse, but not one said such a thing aloud for it was blasphemy. Who ever dared to say such a thing would surely be killed in the worst manner thinkable. Used as an example for the rest of us lower citizens to follow. As more died, though we could no longer wait and see if it would end or continue to beg for aid so the strongest one of us all called a meeting to see what we could do to provide for ourselves and our families.

We met far into the night at Akane's home to speak about what to do and how we should do it. "We are here today to discuss the issue of food, since it is a dire need." Akane said as he placed more wood in the fire to keep us all warm for the trek was hard one for many to make. My eyes were drawn to his brilliant red hair that seemed to glow with the light from the fire he fed. "We ought to attack the upper classes and steal their goods for ourselves. They have constantly refused to help us and laugh as we die one by one." Roma yelled his pride as blatant as his anger many men desire the same route and cried out their approval Thankfully, before it could get to wild Akane quieted them, "That will not work considering our condition. The guards are well fed and trained while we are starving and many of us unskilled. Do not be foolish.". Demetrius who had been silently observing me as he drank his mead lifted his hand to gain attention before he spoke in his deep but soft gentle voice, " We could hunt.. The Dragon Flamma shouldn't notice a few missing deer before the hunting season starts." he said, smiling softly at me.

Oh how he used to make my heartbeat... It makes me sick now to think of how I would have given that hunter everything at one point in time. Demetrius hurt me.. he hurt me far more than the one I am trying to forgive. A will never forgive that hunter!

The moment he spoke of the plan he had to get food I stood and rose my hand in a delicate fashion. " I do not think that he will simply overlook it besides, he is not the one who has done us any harm. He is territorial and holds a fiery temper, but still he has done nothing to warrant our theft from him." he said, but a hand slammed down with a growl, "He is our guardian, but I have no doubt he caused this and if by slim chance he isn't the cause of this he has done nothing to help his people! To help us!" a farmer yelled in his face. Akane once again played mediator, but the look in his eyes was clear as he looked with distaste at me, his own flesh and blood cousin. I looked away from the distaste in his fierce honey eyes.

I chose to leave the meeting early after of course, saying goodbye to his wife and my little niece as I called her. My little Rose. It was for the best as I still needed to work because unlike them my job didn't stop with the snow for I was a artisan. A maker of beautiful goods and other such things which I sold to anyone who would buy them, most often the traders of the desert lands. I was fond of many of them and had been constantly wondering if they would accept a man like me in their company. Though I assume they would, as the leader's son was another who would have stolen my heart if I let him do so years ago.

Walking through the snow I climbed up the steps to enter my second floor home. Unlocking the door I entered the warm hearth and noticed my little kitten lying on the brick to warm his body. "Little black one do not catch your fur on fire..." I remembered telling him as I pulled off my coat and laid it over a chair to dry from the heat of the fire. Strewn about were bolts of cloth and jewelry. Walking to the bricks I placed a kettle near the fire to make tea in the morning. Moving to my bed I lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

I never would have left if I had known they were going to hunt in the dragons land that night, nor would I have fought so little over it. I would have done so much more that night if I had known it would be my last night free.