The Mate Of The Ice Dragon

Chapter Two

When I was a child my father, was chief. My life was carefree then, but I suppose that was because my parents sheltered me from the shame for my sex. In the Rikikobi tribe we have many legends and myths, one that says if the chief's wife is to borne a female child first and she is to lead the tribe that she will curse the tribe. That particular myth was named after the she-demon herself, Reema, the only other female chief aside from myself. According to the myth, Reema's birth had been a similar situation to mine. Reema was said to have been beautiful and feminine, but blood thirsty from a young age, but for a long time it was suppressed and masked with a fake kindness. It started with tormenting and killing defenseless animals, she thrived on seeing the desperate weak gleam in their eyes as she used a razor to slit open their fur matted bodies. It made her laugh hysterically as they helplessly tried to fight back to no prevail. Many had thought she had grown up to be insane from the pressures of being the chief's heir, while others had thought she was just pure evil. But then, one fateful day she received the title of chief and became a ruthless leader to our tribe . One day she had grown bored of killing her normal animal prey and started to kill and inflict pain on people of her own tribe. She started with young children and their parents, forcing the child to watch as their parents are mutilated not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Then she would restrain the child, forcing them to eat their parents remains, only to lock them up in a dungeon and command her guards to do unspeakable things to that child. She made all of the young men abide by her wishes with her bewitching looks, she went so far as to killing any maiden whose face was fairer than hers. Her eyes were said to have held the burning embers of hell deep inside her brown orbs. Her tyranny reigned on for years until she had made the mistake of killing the mate of the tribe's first recorded dragon as an attempt to win his heart and mating rights. Devastated at the loss of his mate, Tabin, the Dragon of Cruelty as he is known today, unleashed hell upon Reema. He ended her life with in a split second of recognition of her deeds, and as soon as he came, Tabin left deep into the night as the tribes savior. Reema had been a curse on the tribe that will never be forgotten. 

In many cases, previous chiefs have tried again until they have a son to avoid another chief like Reema. Unfortunately for my parents, after my birth my mother mysteriously went barren. At this point in Rikikobian culture, normally the chief would be expected to kill their wife and take a new wife, but my father didn't believe that way. My father loved my mother very dearly, often he would express his feelings through words and affection. But the most striking way he showed his love was how he respected her like an equal, perhaps more.

By rejecting the obligation of killing my mother, he had lost the respect of the tribe. Most of the tribe's elders believe with all of their heart that I am the reincarnation of Reema. Many times he was considered weak, selfish, and sometimes even psychotic for his choice to make me his heir, but because he was the strongest warrior no one held the bravery to challenge him. 

Growing up my father always said that to be a chief, you are dedicating the rest of your life to being a selfless slave to the tribe. As a child I was under the impression that he was joking, now I find that he was not. The tribe depends on its chief like a child for protection, food, water and then to repay the Chief they have a group pushy councilman manipulate the chief's entire life. Of course I understand that this system was never supposed to be like this, but every type of governing will soil and corrupt onto itself no matter how we try to preserve it; and that's for one reason, greed.

Now my tribe's greed is going to lead us to the brink of extinction. I tie my satchel to my horse. Out of respect for my parents I have never run from my responsibilities to the tribe, but I know in my heart I am not the right leader for this tribe. How can I be the right leader for a tribe who does not want me, and much less trusts me? How can I lead a tribe who believes I am destined to either be a she-demon, or a pathetic piece of property for them to dispose of how they see fit?  The self doubt came stabbing at me once more. Huffing out a cloud of breath I try to squish those doubts deep inside of me to silence them. Trying to find an inner peace.