Cursed (Watty Awards 2012 Short Story)

Chapter Seven

There is only silence.

Slowly, Tess opens her eyes. The dust settles. She coughs and brings a hand to her mouth.

Her hand. Her human hand.

She looks at the bird cage—it is empty, “But, dragon...?” she begins.

A hand lightly rests on her shoulder, “Up higher, my lady.” A tall figure in royal robes stands in front of her. His smile reaches all the way to his dark brown eyes.

Tess watches as he brushes a black wave of hair off his forehead. “Sebastian?” she whispers.

He takes her hand and helps her stand. “It is I who should be bowing down before you,” he says.

She stutters, feeling her pulse rush, “But you're a...a...”

“Handsome Prince,” Sebastian finishes. “Yes, but we already covered that. Are you all right?" 

Tess nods, unsure if she might faint after all.

He stares at their hands linked together. His voice becomes a desperate whisper, " You have no idea how many times I wished I could really touch you."

A thrill trickles down her spine. Tess steps closer and puts her hands on his chest, feeling the muscles under his silk tunic. “Oh, my. Flying certainly builds upper body strength.”

His hand gently touches her lower back, pressing her closer. “God, you're adorable when you blush,” he teases.

The dragon chuckles deeply, “I'm impressed, kitchen girl. Never before has someone out smarted me twice in one day. Your selfless act broke the spell, proving to me that Sebastian is worthy of his freedom if he's stolen your heart.”

“Is everyone deaf?” Prince Bryant strides into the room. “I'm the Prince and I demand my Queen in waiting come with me...now!”

Tess feels Sebastian's hand slip away from her back. He motions toward Prince Bryant, “It's your choice, my lady. I have nothing to offer you but a crumbling castle full of bats and broken windows. In fact my kingdom, and my family don't exist anymore.”

Tess stands in the middle of the room, between the two suitors. She looks down at her torn cloak and mud caked boots. “I don't believe I'm a proper match for either of you.”

Sebastian shakes his head, “Don't let the attire fool you, my lady. I'm nothing more than a common vagabond now.”

Prince Bryant's expression flits between frustration and bewilderment.

“Don't you understand?” Tess explains. “I can't be your Queen. I...I can't be anyone's Queen.”

“So you're refusing me!”

She lets her hands fall to her sides, “More like the title, Prince Bryant,” she pauses and gives him a smile. “I'll understand if you want to rename the rosebush.”

Prince Bryant looks down at his polished footwear, then shuffles his feet. “Yes, that's all very well, but who will help me get back to my kingdom?” No one says anything. He lets out a huff and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “I mean, look at it out there!” he waves a hand to a hole in the roof. “It's dark and I could get hurt. The King will not be pleased...”

The dragon sends a puff of smoke through the air, enveloping the Prince.

Squawks pierce through the cloud. Before her eyes, Tess sees a crow standing in a puddle of royal clothes.

The dragon nods a few times as the crow with blue eyes jumps and flaps it's wings. “Don't be angry at me, you earned it!”

The crow protests again, but all Tess can make out is angry bird noises.

“You'll learn soon enough,” the dragon says. “I believe it took Sebastian a month or so before he could speak human again.” He picks up the crow and tosses him out the window. “Now fly far away. And don't return until you've learned to love someone other than yourself.”

Tess and Sebastian crowd the broken window watching the clumsy Prince Bryant get used to his wings. They stay still, staring until he becomes nothing more than a black dot against the sky.

The dragon yawns and stretches. “Shouldn't you two be going somewhere?”

Sebastian takes Tess's hand and pulls her close. His eyes are pools that tug at her heart, “Where to now, my lady?” he asks.

His voice sends a spiral of heat down to her toes. She lets her hands reach around his neck, burying her fingers in his black hair. His smile doesn't falter but she can feel him shake under her touch, antcipating.

“But I'm so filthy,” she says, suddenly self conscious.

“Not to worry,” he smirks. “I plan on getting you down to the riverbank as soon as I can.”

She tilts her head and leans back. “When you were a crow, I wasn't so concerned about my honor.”

He laughs, “And now?”

“It will take more than a handful of blueberries to earn my kisses.”

His face grows serious as he leans in closer, his mouth brushes against her cheek. “As long as I can earn your heart.”

Tess lets herself melt into his arms. She says, “That you already have.”

The dragon clears his throat, making them both jump. A breath of smoke washes over both of them. Tess suddenly feels different. Her hair is soft and smells like flowers. No longer sticky and gritty with dirt, she's now clean and wearing a thick cloak and a soft, colorful tunic. She smiles up at Sebastian, his fancy robes have been trading in for a traveler's outfit as well.

“This style suits you better than royalty, I think,” the dragon offers.

“Nice boots,” Sebastian comments. “I forgot how much I liked having feet.”

Tess admires her own new footwear, then gives the dragon a playful pout. “Although, I do feel a little cheated. I was rather looking forward to flying as a crow.”

Sebastian raises an eyebrow, “I can think of a few ways to sweep you off your feet.”

The dragon stands on his back legs and pokes his head up through a hole in the roof. “All right. One trip, I'm due for a vacation anyways.”

Tess and Sebastian exchange glances, then quickly climb up his haunches and settle on his back, grabbing a handful of scales for balance.

Sebastian positions himself behind her, circling his arms around her waist. She feels his chest press against her back. He tucks a soft wave of her hair behind her ear. “Where to now, my lady?” his voice is muffled against the skin on her neck.

Tess clears her throat, trying to ignore the rush of her pulse. “First of all, we're not going anywhere until I hear you say my name...my real name.”

“Where to now, my lovely, precious, brave, most wonderful...Tess.”

She turns and meets his kiss, softly at first, then more sure. He answers back with the promise of his unspeakable yearning for her. Tess is lost in a plummeting sensation of dizziness. Never had Prince Bryant made her insides turn to jelly. This new found desire races through her, making everything feel like it's on fire.

When she finally opens her eyes, the ground is far below them. The dragon glides through the night air, effortlessly. She gasps, wondering how long they've been in the air. “Mercy,” she breaths. Instinctively she grips Sebastian's tighter for fear of falling.

“I told him to drop us off at the next sunrise,” Sebastian says.

Tess turns her body into his chest. She reaches up and pinches his ear lobe, “Wise choice, my love.”