Daughter Of The Dragon / PUBLISHED

Chapter 19 - Home Sweet Home

The rest of our journey passed in tense silence. James amd I sat close on Taurus' back. Neither of us argued with him when he declared he would find Soria himself.

The sun was starying its descent by the time we saw any land. And as I laid eyes on it, I felt my heart sink.

"James," I pointed him in the direction of the land. He grinned and stood up.

"We're almost home! You mught not remember the last time you were here, but I sure do," he said wistfully.

"I do remember, actually," I said quietly. He gave me a weird look amd Taurus snorted.

"Impossible, you were but a child," he added in. I shook my head.

"This is where Eron brought me three days ago," I said. Taurus growled at the mention of Eron.

"Well, at least you've had a little glimpse," James shrugged. I sighed.

"You dont understand," I said "when we were there, some other humans were walking by, Knights,"

"But, for there to be Knights, there has to be a ruler.." James trailed off. I nodded slowly.

"They spoke of a King, someone already rules this kingdom."

"It can't be. Unless, unless Magnus stayed," James said quietly. His shoulders had dropped, his happiness fading quickly with every passing second. I took his hand in mine, feeling his hope diffuse.

Magnus had killed my parents and destroyed our kingdom. He was the reason we were all here. I knew he couldn't stay, but what was I to do against him?

As we reached the cliffs where Eron had taken me, I gazed down at the land that was so beautiful and freeing three nights ago. Now, it was a place where blood was shed and families were broken.

Taurus flew across the forest and headed to the mountains. There, he flew up into a cave, nesteld amongst the tall rocks and settled inside. He allowed us some time to unload, sitting silently, most likely thinking about how to save Soria.

"Taurus," I called him as finished unloading "you can go now." I gave him a small smile amd a look of guilt flashed over his face.

"I am sorry, Sapphire." He bowed his head down towards me and I lay my hand on his cool scales.

"You haven't disappointed me, you know that, right?"

"I disappointed myself. Many years ago, I allowed myself to be used by humans in their war games and I killed millions. When you were a baby, millions more were killed but this time I did nothing."

"But you saved me," I added, trying to swallow his sudden heart to heart.

"And at the time you need me most, when a cruel man sits upon your throne, I must leave you," he said. I smiled and hugged him, stretching my arms as far as I could across his body.

"I know that when I need you again, you will be here."

"Farewell, Princess, you are home now," he nudged me towards the mouth of the cave. He turned and leapt up into the air, the force of his wings pushing me back against the wall. Sighing, I slung a bag over my shoulder and joined James outside.

"Cheer up, kid, they'll be alright," James said with a smile that didnt quite reach his eyes. This was not the welcome home we had expected.

We walked down the mountain for what felt like hours, following the natural twists and bends of the earth. At one point, James laughed and told me about how we had escaped from wolves by flying on a horse.

He chattered along the way, pointi g our small things and letting me in on memories that I didn't remember living. I soaked it all in. The

"Why'd you do it?" I asked as we entered the forrest.

"Do what?" James said as he pushed aside the low hanging branches.

"Why did you agree to run away with me, what if Taurus didnt take us or save you?" I asked, setting down my bags and resting. James sighed and joined me, swinging his peg leg out first as he sank to the ground.

"We were all set to die anyway, Sapphy. And, I was not a great man in my youth, you were ti be my redemption," he said, somewhat sheepishly. I gave him a small smile.

"Consider yourself redeemed, you took excellent care of me and you got me back."

He smiled and pulled out a small package of food for us to share and we ate in comfortable silence. It was dark now and we would have been able to travel no further.

We pegged up a small, makeshift tent, having not gotten any supplies for sleeping outside. It was never gonna be so easy I thought to myself as I pulled on a thicker shirt to hold of the chill. Suddenly, I ached for the cool comfort of Taurus, along the familiar plane of his back.

I lay down on a blanket, looking up at the sky, marvelling at rhe little stars. James lay beside me and we relaxed intona comfortable silence, slowly drifting to sleep.

I awoke to the sound of rustling in the bushes. I waved it off as a nature dragon and turned on my side. When J heard the twig snap beside my head I remembered where I was and shot up out the bed, before I could call out to James, a heavy, dirty hand was slapped across my mouth. I watched as James was dragged out of his sleep, lashing out with his leg in an attempt to free himself.

"Now, who do we have here?" The man who held me whispered grossly in my ear.

"Dont scream, darling, nows not the time for it," he added as he slipped his hand away from my mouth. He tied a thick rope around my wrists and pushed me towards a laege cart.

"Who are you?" I asked, my sleep fading away quickly.

"Dont worry, darling, you'll find out soon." I was pushed roughly into the cart, struggling to climb in without my hands. James was shoved in beside me and we kneeled up in the hay and trash that littered the cart.

"Where are you taking us?" James yelled as the men and women walked back to their horses.

"Why, we're going home, of course," one man leered at us. I huffed and turned onto my back. Home, sweet home.

As promised, another update. I feel like the story is going super fast or maybe its just cuz Im updating so often??

See you tomorrow, my lovelies,

Love, Orange

XxXx