A Crown of Gold

I am Yours

I jolted awake, a cold breeze sending a chill down my spine. I winced at the pain in my leg, the bandage stained with a red line where my blood soaked through. Memories of last night's events came flooding back.

I went into the Beyond at night. I found an egg. I was taken by a dragon.

I sat up, clutching my head as I searched the cave for the beast holding me captive. It was gone, it's egg with it. I drug myself to my feet, favoring my gashed shin.

My satchel was gone, but my mother's dagger was still strapped at my hip. I analyzed the cliff side— too steep to scale down, and even if I could I'd have no idea where to go to get home.

And yet, maybe I didn't want to go home. After all, I never had any love for the village, and all I ever wanted to do was escape. And here I was, out in the world.

You can't just live with a dragon, I reasoned with myself, things like that only ever happen in stories.

I turned away from the cliff side and gazed into the open cave. The mouth of it was wide, making it seem less closed in than I'd expect a cave to be. I padded toward the piles of gold and gems, admiring how they glowed with the incoming morning light.

I scoffed a bit as I knelt down, picking up a ruby about the size of my thumb. Ruby eyes, golden hair. Born to please a dragon.

I placed the ruby down gently, turning my attention to the massive hearth carved into the back wall. I ran my fingers over the side edge embellished with an intricate design of lines. I walked along it, reaching up as far as I could before the stone stood too tall, the peak so high I couldn't reach it if I jumped. Inside, rested blackened stones rather than wood. I reached forward, gently dragging my finger tips over the charred surface.

"Strange." I murmured. Last I checked, rocks weren't exactly a burning material.

As I walked away, pain shot up through my leg causing my gait to stutter. I groaned, sitting down on the stone floor with a huff. I picked at the bandages, the knot proving too tight to untie. I unsheathed my mother's dagger, slipping it carefully under the first layer of my bandage and pulling upward. The cloth cut with little resistance, the blade sharpened expertly.

For the first time since I left, my mind drifted to my father. He would know I was gone by now, probably worried terribly. I turned the blade over in my hands, careful of the edges. He gave it to me as a symbol of trust, to go out into the Beyond. I broke that trust and shattered every goal he had in taking me out there with him.

A lump creeped into my throat, and I felt guilty. Ashamed even. My father had lost my mother when she birthed me, and now for all he knows he lost his daughter too. It could've all be prevented, had I listened. Had I just stayed in the village to be betrothed to some boy and have children with. To grow old and stagnant like Nan.

"No," I whispered, "that never could have been me."

I returned my attention back to my wound, grimacing at the pus leaking from it. I use the torn bandage to dab it, hissing at the sting that came with the contact.

As I was doing so, a shadow appeared over the mouth of the cave. Giant claws perched on the cliffs edge, the rest of the dragon coming into view as it landed. I shuffled over to the other side of the hearth, making room for her to place the egg back in its nest of gold.

Once satisfied with the placement of her egg, the dragon peered at me. It snaked it's head toward me, causing me to shuffle away in fear. It halted its movements, never taking its eyes off of me. I hugged my knees to my chest, carefully avoiding my gash which still oozed. The dragon continued her movement toward me, this time I remained still, deciding I trusted she would've eaten me already if she truly wanted to.

Her forked black tongue slithered from her mouth as she gently licked my wound a few times. It stung for a moment, but soothed almost instantly afterward. I sighed in relief, loosening my grip on my legs and relaxing in posture. Even the color in my leg looked much better.

"Thank you," I said with a nod.

The dragon turned away from me with only its head, returning with a large golden goblet held gently between its lips. Setting it down gently on the floor in front of me, she gazed at me for a moment before pressing her talon into her own arm, drawing blood onto the claw.

She let the droplets fall into the goblet, their size filling it after a few drops. With the same claw, the dragon pushed it toward me, it's eyes flicking between my face and the goblet.

"You want me to drink it?" I asked with shock.

It looked content with my assumption, so I guessed I was right. I took a deep breath, eyeing the golden cup.

Chances are if I don't do it, it'll upset her, I reasoned, best not to take the risk.

I picked the goblet up with both hands, eyeing the almost black liquid that sat idly inside. I closed my eyes before placing my lips to the cup, tipping it back with as little hesitation I could muster. It was still metallic tasting, yet had a strange warm flavor— almost smoky.

I swallowed thickly, finally opening my eyes to stare up the beast.

There. A voice in my head said softly.

I dropped the goblet, the remaining blood spilling out over the floor.

Don't be frightened, it's only me, The voice said.

I didn't know what to make of what was happening. There was a voice in my head that I couldn't control, a voice I was almost certain belonged to the dragon standing in front of me.

Yes, child. It's me. We are bonded now, as Flight and Rider. My name is Sephraim, she explained.

"This doesn't make any sense," I said aloud, beginning to pace. "How are you- why are you in my head?"

We just completed a bonding ritual. We are now linked mind and soul.

I couldn't wrap my head around any of this. It just wasn't possible. "So we can communicate now?"

Only telepathically, you wouldn't be able to understand me if I spoke aloud and the only reason I can understand you is because you think the words before you speak them, Sephraim clarified for me.

So you can hear me right now? I asked, using only my thoughts now.

I can.

And you said I'm your rider. Does that mean...

Yes, she answered. We will work on it later, but I am now your Flight and you my Rider, meaning we are bonded to fly together.

I thought on this for a moment, individually. So if we're bonded then, I'm yours?

And I am yours, for whatever use you see fit.

But that's so much power in a person, I shook my head, I could destroy the world with a dragon at my hands.

She chuckled, Not quite. And I chose you because I know we will fly for the good. And I know you'll hold the dragon's blood well.

How?

She bared a sleek grin, Because look at you. You're practically a dragon already.