Purple Scales

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Three months of training had past, Ephvangeline felt ready to take on anything, or anyone for that matter. Purple Eyes was always distant, cold. Unlike Ephvangeline she hadn't changed over the three months. Not even slightly.

The grief of Purple Eyes haunted Ephvangeline, as if the dragon were actually dead. Every night Ephvangeline would wake up suddenly with a falling feeling in her stomach. Her heart racing. Her eyes would go straight to Purple Eyes' bed.

This time the dragon wasn't there. Only an empty bed. Ephvangeline rubbed her eyes. Could it have been what she feared all this time or just a mere trick of the eye.

She threw off her covers and raced over.

It was as she feared. No Purple Eyes to be seen. Panic flooded Ephvangeline. She just stood there wide eyed staring at the bed willing Purple Eyes to be there. But of course she couldn't will Purple Eyes' existence.

Remembering to breathe again with a huge gasp of air she knelt down to feel the bed. Slightly warm. It was reassuring. She hadn't left too long ago.

Ephvangeline raced out of the cave grabbing a coat and shoes as she went hardly stopping to put them on as she flew down the streets. It was very early morning before the sun was up. The city was dead and seemed like the dark purple of a rose with it's curved streets.

Ephvangeline became hopelessly lost in them but she didn't care. Knowing where she was wasn't any concern. The guard dragons and their riders watched her from their perches with lazy eyes. Finally movement after hours of nothingness. She was a slight bit of entertainment to them. They didn't know who she was and bluntly assumed that she was merely a hatchling rider. If they had approached her it would have been a different story. The whole guard would have been out looking for Purple Eyes the only child remaining of the royal family.

But they did not.

Ephvangeline was tasked with finding the riderless dragon princess alone. Before anything horrible and self inflicted happened to her.

Satisfied with her search of the city Ephvangeline snuck through a gap in the wall Destiny had proudly got her about. It was tight, even for Ephvangeline and in her rush she tore her coat.

But none of that mattered of course.

Outside the walls of the city she was back into a sprint. Searching the farm lands. She was grateful for how Destiny had pushed her now her indurance had increased dramatically and she was able to keep running. The farm lands seemed to stretch forever though. Each field seemed like an eternity to run past and each second felt like she was losing even more of her dragon.

She was panting hard when she came to the mill and tree farms but waves of panic would not stop and neither could she.

She hurtled into the perfect forest. All the trees the same kind and grown in such straight lines. It was unsettling and strange but she didn't have time to think about it. It came with the benefit of being able to see left and right if anything was there. Sadly nothing. No dragon.

She willed her legs to go faster but they couldn't she was reaching her limit.

Sorrow set in and tears streamed down her face. Her lungs tightened with the effort of running and sobbing and she was reduced to a jog but still she kept at it.

She reached the edge of the forest. Eyes filled to the brim with tears she could hardly see. She wiped them off.

In front of her was a hill and on top, a glimmer of Purple. Hope rose in her chest.

It had to be. Surely it was, what other dragon would be up this early?

The morning sun was rising casting soft light over the dragon making it's scales shine like pearls. Ephvangeline approached now nervous. What if it wasn't Purple Eyes? If it were some other dragon she would have lost her dragon forever. She bit her lip.