Cursed (Watty Awards 2012 Short Story)

Chapter Four

The dragon's gravel sounding voice breaks through Tess's daze. “Regardless,” he says, “you have come this far. Now you must face the final challenge.”

But all of the fight has left her bones. Her heart is heavy. Tess says, “Kill me now, dragon. I have nothing to fight you with.”

The dragon smiles his big fangs at her again, “On the contrary, you've brought your sharp mind.”

“My lady,” Sebastian says, “It will be a battle of wits.”

Tess's shoulders fall. “I'm only a kitchen girl,” she mutters. “All I can offer is myself. Let me take Prince Bryant's place as your prisoner. I can be spared, but the kingdom needs its Prince.”

Sebastian's claw practically pierce her shoulder. “Very noble move, my lady, but consider for a moment that the dragon will not keep you in a cage like the Prince. He. Will. Kill. You.”

Tess only shrugs as a reply. As long as the death is swift, she hopes.

“Please,” Sebastian's voice breaks. “You have no idea...please don't—”

“Stop!” Prince Bryant swallows a few times. “Tess,” he breaths. “I remember...I met you in the kitchen, it was filled with sunshine and smelled so sweet. We kissed and the cinnamon stayed on my lips for the rest of the day. The first white rose bush bloomed that afternoon, and I secretly name it after you.” He beams at her. “Tess, my brave love.”

Silence fills the room for a couple of beats. Sebastian makes a sound of disgust at the back of his throat. “Oh, spare us,” he moans. “Naming a rose bush after her? I was using that line in your grandfather's day!”

“It's the truth though,” he pleads. “Tess, please look at me. You're the only one smart enough or brave enough to find me. Only a girl who is fit to be Queen could do that.”

The dragon tilts his head, “What are you saying, Prince Bryant?” he asks.

The Prince grips the iron bars of his cage, “If she can free me, Tess will be my wife and the future Queen of our kingdom.”

Sebastian's gaze flicks between Prince Bryant and Tess, his black eyes growing wider with each second she stays quiet.

The dragon breaks the silence, “That's lovely,” he says, “but since we're all stuck here, your proposal is moot. Any soul who enters this castle is doomed to stay unless they can win a battle of wits against me.” He turns to Tess, “You must play for both yours and Prince Bryant's freedom.”

Tess frowns, “Play?”

The dragon waves a clawed hand through the air. “A single logic puzzle.”

Sebastian squirms, “My lady, I beg, try and escape...now!”

“It's too late,” she whispers. “It's the only way to free him.”

The dragon rolls his eyes, bored with the dramatics. “If you fail you don't lose your freedom, you lose your life.”

“What?!” Prince Bryant suddenly goes pale. “By whose rules?”

“My rules!” the dragon spits fire, making the far stone wall glow.

A trickle of sweat rolls down the back of Tess's neck. “I agree,” she says.

“No!” Sebastian pushes his beak into her hair and angrily nips her ear.

The dragon grins and says, “Very well.” He blows a ring of smoke, encompassing the entire room. When the cloud clears, Tess is facing the dragon all alone while Sebastian is trapped in an iron bird cage beside Prince Bryant.

Out of thin air the dragon produces a blood-red velvet pouch. “Inside are two stones, hundreds of years old, that were once used by an ancient shaman to predict the future,” he pauses a moment and smacks his lips together. “He was delicious.”

Tess bites the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming.

“Each stone is identical in touch and weight,” the dragon explains. “Except one is black as night, and the other is as white as the first snow fall.”

Sebastian screams a warning, but the dragon puts up a claw, rendering him quiet.

“All you have to do, kitchen girl, is pick the black stone out of the bag, then you and your Prince may leave freely. If not, you are both my super tonight.”

Tess swallows but her stomach is forcing itself up her throat. She looks to Sebastian for guidance, but his beak is touching the ground, like he's already given up hope. “My lady,” the desperation in his voice makes her heart stop. “I've seen this trick before. There are only two white stones in the bag. You cannot win.”

Another puff of smoke is sent toward the bird cage. Sebastian flails his wings but no sound comes out, not even a simple caw.

Prince Bryant cries into his hands, “I'm doomed.”

Tess looks up at the massive mouth lined with teeth directly above her head. It's impossible to win if the black stone doesn't even exist! “You're nothing but a cheat!” she declares.

The dragon freezes, then a slow smile curls at the edge of his massive jaw. “I admire your gumption. But I'm not a cheat, you little waif of a thing, I'm merely limiting your options.”

Sebastian throws himself at the cage, wildly thrashing about, unable to talk. Tess ignores him, and reaches into the velvet bag. Her fingers clasp around the first stone she feels. Holding her fist close to her face, she uncurls each finger.

The white stone stares back at her like the Witch of Wenlock's dead eyeball.

“Reveal your stone,” the dragon requests. Tess can hear the smile in his voice and her stomach turns again threatening to bring up the blueberries.

She makes a fist around the stone, then walks closer to Sebastian's cage. She presses her forehead against the iron bars. He lifts a wing, letting his feathers brush against her cheek. “Fly away from here,” she whispers, biting back the tears. “Promise me you'll fly away and see the sunrise for both of us.”

Sebastian looks into her eyes, and she feels like he's reading her soul. He turns toward the broken window frame, taking in the purplish black horizon of twilight.

Tess follows his gaze. “One will still exist without the other,” she whispers. And suddenly she knows what she must do.