Flight

Part 6

They both fled the scene after that moment, leaving only a few witnesses.  The dragon had already trusted Icarus and allowed him to ride her. As they took to the skies that he dreamed of for so long; it was as if he had been reborn.  The air was cool and welcomed him with a breath of wind.  The sun was beginning to sink into the horizon; coloring the sky with a blend of fiery orange and red.  Clouds dispersed at the dragon’s massive wings; Icarus threw back his arms and laughed and cried at his heart’s contempt.  

This was reality - he was free.  No longer would he endure the stringent rules of the human society.  He stepped forth into the realm of the gods now.  The dragon landed herself near the highest peak of a mountain; far from the village she burned.  The giant beast felt a cringing sensation.  She was overwhelmingly curious about the little boy that reached out to her with so successful.  She turned to him as he slid off her head and began to make small conversation.  “Child, you have not yet told me your name,” she stated.  “I am Icarus, after the one that fell from the sky.  Do you have a name, Miss Dragon?”  “No…” the dragon stared down at her claws.

“My species never cared enough to give me one.”  Icarus once again wore that innocent smile as he lay next to her reptilian underbelly.  “Then I’ll name you Hestia.”  He said.  “After the Goddess of the Hearth. Your scales are so warm and comforting; they remind me of a paradise I’ve only seen in my mind…”  The newly named Hestia attempted a smile; although it still appeared threatening as her teeth began to show below her upper lip.  “As do your personality, little Icarus.”

When dawn kissed the retrieving indigo sky, Hestia set out to hunt.  She selected a deer and a cow, and killed them quickly.  She gathered their corpses in her large claws and flew back to the cave.

 “Then how about we put it to a better use?”  Icarus grew excited at his own words.  “Come on, just a little whisper of light.  Breathe it out naturally and slowly…”  Hestia gave him a look as though he were mad but she listened to him nonetheless.  She very carefully let out the small flame, taking great heed of Icarus’s words.  As the ball of light fell onto the barren stony floor cave; Icarus laughed with joy.  He once again took her muzzle and kissed it.  Hestia almost let out another flame of surprise but Icarus had immediately taken the chunk of meat from the corpses and lay them near the fire.  “Now we wait.”  He explained.  “The meat will cook and it will taste better than anything…”  She once again trusted this boy and lay by his side as the sizzling ball radiated warmth to the meat.