Chapter 6

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And rise early they did; Scott was awoken by his father when it was still dark out, though the birds were certainly wide awake, given the amount of squawking and chirping coming from the surrounding trees.

“Time to get up,” his father told him, shuffling around the room.

Scott groaned. “Isn’t it a bit, oh, I don’t know, early to be up?”

His father laughed. “I’m sure it is, Scott. Although, you don’t have to go with us, if you don’t want to. I just wanted you to come on the journey so you could see what a quest is like. But you don’t have to come with us to meet the dragon.”

Scott lay back in his cot. “Alright, that sounds good.” Then he groaned. “But I might as well get up now, seeing as you and those birds have got me wide awake.”

In a short time, Scott was ready for his day. He was pleasantly surprised when, after walking out of his tent, he saw Lyla awake too, sitting on a log – a makeshift chair – beside a fire. “Morning, Lyla!” he said, walking over to sit next to her.

“Good morning, Scott!” she greeted him, scooting over on the log so he could have a seat. “How did you sleep?”

“Pretty well, actually,” he said, grinning. “Those birds woke me up, though.”

She laughed. “Me too!”

As the remaining members of the quest awoke and got ready, Scott and Lyla talked quietly about their plans for the day. She was dead certain she knew a shortcut across the river and to the dragon’s home. “It’s a cave, actually,” she told him.

So they waited. Scott discovered it took a surprisingly long time for knights to get ready, longer even than Lyla did. And she was a girl.

Finally, with many last-minute instructions and preparations, the quest party left the campsite, leaving Scott and Lyla alone by the river. Quickly, they themselves got ready, dressing in leather practice armor and each arming themselves with a sword. Lyla also took her bow and quiver, just in case they needed them.

As they left the campsite and headed downriver to a hidden bridge Lyla knew about, Scott pondered how different Lyla was from most other princesses he knew. Actually, because he didn’t know many other princesses than his own sisters, how different she was than the nobles’ daughters that lived around Castle Pantera. He didn’t think they would ever wish to go on a quest, or be brave enough to talk to a dragon.

They crossed the river on a slightly rickety old bridge that spooked Scott more than the tunnels did. But when Lyla crossed it without even a second thought, he refused to let her get the better of him and cautiously crossed it. Then she led him through the thick forest where the dragon lived, apparently deep in the heart of it. Eventually they arrived at the crest of a hill, looking down into where the river trickled into a small creek.

“We have to go down there,” Lyla explained. “Technically we’re right above the dragon’s cave.”

Scott shrugged. “Then what are we waiting for?” There was no sign of the kings or knights, so they headed down the slope towards the valley.

Just as Lyla had said, there was a large opening near the base of the hill. Scott could see trees that looked as if they were burned down, and there was a large patch of scorched grass near the cave entrance.

Beside him, Lyla swallowed. “Well, that’s where the dragon lives.”

“Yeah…” Scott replied with a nervous laugh. “What do we do now?”

“Well,” she said, an equally nervous tone in her voice, “I suppose we go talk to it. You lead?”

He sighed and headed towards the cave entrance, stopping several feet in front of it. “I lead, but you do the talking.”

“Alright. Um, Dragon? Are you there?” she timidly asked, grasping the hilt of her sword with nervous fear. “I’d like to speak with you, please.”

For several seconds, there was nothing, and Scott feared that they wouldn’t be able to see the dragon before the knights arrived. But then there was loud noise from inside the cave, and a glint like a diamond caught his eye.

Before he could say anything to Lyla, a large creature – the dragon – came out of the cave. It was tall, taller than Scott expected, with reddish-orange scales covering its body. As it walked out its home, it unfurled its wings, which were also orange in color. It stared at them with emerald green eyes, quietly studying them.

Welcome, humans. May I ask what brought you to visit me in my home? Scott heard the dragon speak, although it never opened its mouth. It seemed as if the voice was inside his head. He looked at Lyla to see if she heard the same thing.

Apparently she did. “Well, Sir Dragon, we wanted to warn you about a party of knights that was coming to, um, reason with you.”

Oh? The dragon mindspoke, raising its head.  And why would they wish to reason, so you say, with me?

She swallowed, obviously intimidated by the large beast. “My father, he’s the king of Alydar. He doesn’t want you to attack the feast that he’s hosting in a few days, and he’s willing to use force to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“He doesn’t really wish to hurt you,” Scott decided to add. “He just brought knights in case you wouldn’t comply.”

I see, the dragon said thoughtfully. But if he is coming, then why are you here?

“We didn’t want anything to happen to you,” Scott explained.

“And we thought we could talk to you better than knights with swords could,” Lyla added.

I see, the dragon repeated. Well, what makes you so sure that I wouldn’t hurt you?

Dun-dun-dun! hehe please vote and comment, the next chapter's gonna be the last :)

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