The Dragon's Gift [Rewriting]

Chapter 3

In which I make an ally
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My eyes darted open. I went to move my arm, but I couldn't. I looked up and found both of my hands chained to the wall. 

The memory of yesterday (or at least I think it was yesterday) flooded my mind. I cursed under my breath. It was real. But I couldn't help but smile. That meant Calysta was still alive. 

I was just a child when it happened... I shook away the thoughts. Now wasn't the time for that. I needed to escape. 

The  cell I occupied was dark and shabby. The walls were made of grey stone that looked like it could collapse with one wrong move. On the ground of the cell was hay. A beetle crawling through the hay caused me to shudder. On the walls were torches. The fires looked like they could go out with a sneeze. The whole place had a dark atmosphere. 

The sound of footsteps echoed through the gloomy halls of the dungeon. Someone was coming. 

One of the thieves walked into sight. He held onto a boy with his hands clamped together by metal shackles. The thief opened my cell door, threw the boy in, then slammed it. I glared at the guard, my green eyes stormy. 

"Don't forget to breathe." The guard said with a cackle. He walked away, his footsteps fading. 

The boy sat up, then looked at me. The boy looked like he was in his early twenties. He had shaggy blonde hair and light skin. His dark blue eyes were dull and tired. Dark bags were under his eyes. He looked like he might die. 

With the thought of death, I realized my wound was treated. The thieves wouldn't help... would they?

"They're selling us into slavery." They boy said gloomily, looking down. 

I sighed. The one time I leave my house. I'm not ready for any of this. 

"What about my dragon?" I asked him, worry seeping into my voice. 

"He's somewhere here." The boy said. "They said they have a client who wanted dragons. Someone who fancies dragon scales."

I sighed in relief. At least he wasn't dead. 

"And they took my sister." The boy agonized. 

I was silent. I knew what it was like to desperately hope your family was still alive. I thought of Calysta. My sister. 

I was so young when it happened. I was probaly around 3 then, but my sister was still dear to me. 

The boy looked down at his shackles. Then his eyes brightened. He grabbed a piece of hay, then struggled to put it in the keyhole. 

"What are you doing?" I asked him. 

"Trying to pick the lock." He said, half focusing on his words. 

"Wait, what?" I said, leanieng in as much as I could. Even if he could pick the lock, how would he be able to get us out of the cell?

He didn't reply until his face brightened. There was a soft clicking sound, then the shackles dropped to the ground.

"Now we wait." The boy said, putting the shackles on his hands, putting his shackles back on, careful not to lock them.

"So..." I said, "my name's Ayla. And you?"

"Daniel Seela." The boy said, "The girl they took-- my sister. She's Caasi."

"Oh." I said, "Well, Daniel. What's the plan. What are we waiting for?"

"I'm guessing from what I've of other prisoners, they give us food." Daniel said. "When that happens, I'll take the key and get us out of here."

"The thieves carry keys when they give us food?" I echoed. "Why? Wouldn't a prisoner try to escape like this before?" 

"The thieves who guard this area aren't necessarily the smartest." He answered. "And neither are the prisoners. I was one of the few people here who actually went to school. And I graduated at the top of my class." He shone with enthusiasm. 

"School?" I said, "What's that?"

"It's a place where people can learn." Daniel said. "You never heard of school?" When I shook my head, he continued. "Oh. I'm... sorry."

"It's fine." I muttered, a bit envious of how he grew up with a normal family and got to be able to go to school... whatever that was.  

"So, what time are we supposed to get our food?" I asked, unsure of whether it was time for dinner, breakfast, or lunch. 

"Sunrise." Daniel said, "But I have no idea when that is."

"Sunrise?" I gasped. How long was I asleep?

"Yeah." He said, "and I hear the food here is just retched."

"Great...'' I muttered. But at least I didn't have to catch it, skin it, then cook it myself. 

"So, how did you meet the dragon?" He asked. 

"His name is Naji." I said, "and I met him in the woods, then took him home."

"What about your parents?" He said, "Were they surprised when you brought a dragon home?"

"My parents..." I lamented, "My parents are dead."

"Oh." He empathized. "I'm sorry."

I was silent for a moment "What about your parents?" I asked. 

"They're dead too." He said, "There was a Winter that was especially harsh... They didn't survive. It's just been Caasi and I for the last few years."

I was about to speak when the sound of footsteps silenced both of us. I glanced anxiously at Daniel, who was watching, making sure the shackles wouldn't fall off until he wanted them to. 

After a minute, a filthy man dressed in black armor appeared by the cell. He was holding two bowls of a brown liquid that appeared to be some sort of soup. The thief set down the bowls, then opened the cell door. Quickly, Daniel sprang to his feet, then charged the man. 

The thief stumbled backwards in shock when he saw the handcuffs off of Daniel.

Without a second thought, Daniel kicked as hard as he could, sending the thief to the ground. Daniel brought his foot down on the thief's face, knocking him out.

I craned my head to see the thief. If he was stupid enough to fall for that, he wasn't smart enough to pretend to be passed out.

Daniel took the man's keys off of his belt, then unlocked my chains.

"Thanks." I said, looking at the thief's unconscious body with distaste. 

Daniel looked away from the body.

"Come on." He said, "I need to find my sister."

Without waiting for me to follow him, Daniel walked out of the cell.