My golden dragon was ready to fly me. You cannot imagine my excitement for the opportunity. Ailleacht (my dragon) has devised a cunning harness for me to buckle onto as she plans to push the limits of maned or should I say womaned flight. I climbed onto my dragon's back and buckled my ankles and knees down and adjusted the flight straps then immediately after signaling my dragon we were airborne. Our little island home appeared to fall way from me as we soared higher. It became a landscape in miniature. A mixed flock of puffins, guillemots and gulls joined us but were soon left in our wake as we soared higher and higher. The sea from this height appears calm and the sky clear and sun bright in a cloudless sky. Ailleacht then rolled and I was upside down as we fell like a cannon ball from the sky. I held up my hands and screamed for the joy of it and I admit to the terror. I screamed and screamed until I lost my voice and I gasped for breath. Then mere inches above the calm waters of the loch my dragon rolled me upright as we skimmed the surface. My belly felt like I was floating and weightless and I felt the spray on my face from the disrupted water surface as the powerful wings of my golden companion drove us along. We climbed again and I could see spread out before me my home and all of the Hebrides. In the distance out to sea we rapidly approached a thick band of snow white clouds and drove through them again and again rising higher. Then once again we climbed to enormous height and could find no air to breathe. We stalled in the silence of dead air and fell back to earth in a flat spin. I must fly again Aurelija, Dragon Rider

Karlie walked numbly and quietly. She shivered as she was barefoot in the deep snow as the king's son and the high priest marched her to the sacred grove. Tonight she would be sacrificed to appease the dragon. The entire community walked with her, some weeping others laughing and taunting. They carried burning torches to light the misty darkens that surrounded them. Karlie stood tall as she walked refusing to display the terror she felt. She was dressed in her new red dress she had sewn for her wedding, a day that now would never come. Soon all would be stripped away and her life taken.

Since it's inception the Republic of Bountiful has been the only beacon of hope in a world dominated by the use of coersive force. The people of the republic have dreamed of the day when their entire contenent would be united under their blue flag but when faced with the reality of trechery of the Imperial Empire this was simply a dream. Then two star crossed lovers, who simply wanted to make a home for themselves, dared to challenge imperial authority and set in motion a rebellion. This time the dragons would choose sides. Rejoin Elodia, Theodora, and more in this new adventure!

Jolene was at a loss on how to proceed. Weeks ago she was a simple pioneer girl living at the edge of civilization. Now she was hailed as the queen of the dragons as she was responsible for bringing the last of the dragons forth, most of them falling into imperial hands. The fate of the world rested on her shoulders. She and her companion dragon riders responded by dropping water filled bladders on the emperor and his entourage from their dragons. The fact that Mother Ruth knew of her action surprised her. "What is this?" Jolene asked. "Your wanted poster. Thought you might enjoy it." "How do you always know so much. We can't seem to do anything without you knowing about it." "I speak to all the dragons, Jody, even the Wyvern." "I never expected my Blue to be such a blabbermouth," Jolene teased. "Work on the chain breaking spell, all of you need to learn it. I'm counting on all of you. Jody, you will be the one true queen, remember that." "Shall we tell her the rest of the prophesy," Mathilda asked Ruth when they were alone. "Not yet, she needs time. Time to grow in strength and find her solution." "The false queen will kill her, I have seen it." "Perhaps Mathilda, Jolene is made of stern stuff, I feel in my heart she will win the day."

Adrianna was the most notorious pickpocket and thief in the Imperial City. Her career ended when she was caught red handed. Vowing to change her life, she found a loving companion and was well on her way to establishing herself as a lady of quality. Then she saw the dragon egg, and brazenly stole it, hoping to free the dragon. She had no idea of the profound effect it would have on her life. The dragon would propel her and the other dragon riders into conflict with imperial forces for possession of the dragon, and domination of the planet.

Ekaterina had only planned on spending a few days in Brittan. Just to collect her runaway dragon and return home. Now she sat in a cage in the forum of Londinium. The beating she had received left her literally covered with bruises and abrasions, dried blood covered her face from nose and lip bleeds and a cut above her right eye. She was also bleeding from inside her left ear. Her head ached and she only had partial vision from her right eye. Her cage was so small she could only sit. She sat with her ankles crossed and her legs pressed to her chest. She lay her forehead on her knees, he hair adjusted to cover her nakedness. Ekaterina was far from broken. Her knight and her dragon would come for her. **This is a work of Fiction. Use of historical figures and places may differ from history. ** Cover design by: http://www.selfpubbookcovers.com/WestCoast

The dragon continued to climb quickly gaining altitude and slowing its speed. Then just before stalling the dragon did a flip roll and dove. Elodia with her arms out stretched and fingers wide gave a scream of pure delight as she rode her dragon. She loved the feeling of weightlessness in her belly during the dive. Then rolling and looping the dragon skimmed the wave tops while Elodia laughed. She had never dreamed of the happiness she now felt, and was grateful her life had been so blessed. It all started when she fled from her village, was rescued, and found the egg. Cover Design by Yvonne Less @ www.art4artists.com.au

They lit their torches in the dying embers of the fire, descended the broken rocks and entered the cave. "If we keep the light from the opening directly behind us we won't get lost," Isabell whispered. They slowly continued deeper into the cave as the cave traveled nearly straight with a slowly rising grade. The opening behind them a tiny spot of light. "COME NO FARTHER!" "Did you hear that Izzy?" "Yes." "COME NO FARTHER!" "Please, who are you?" Isabell asked. "I am hideous to behold, look not upon me." "Please sir, can we help, we have healing skills." What they heard next seemed like laughter. "You may approach, be warned I am hideous." "Is that your name?" Gloria asked, her voice just a whisper. As they approached the dragon became visible in the torch light. "You are beautiful!" Isabell gasped. Again the sound of apparent laughter. "Can you fly?" Gloria said in awe. "No little one. My wing is broken. I will die soon." "From a broken wing?" Isabell asked. "I have not eaten in almost a year." "Please...PLEASE don't eat us!" Gloria pleaded. *** When Isabell's uncle expects her to wear a yellow cape and work the darker side of a tavern, Isabell runs away from home, and is found and captured by bandits. When a passing knight happens upon them and ends up fighting the bandits, Isabell takes action and in the battle unintentionally knocks out the knight. The knight has no idea what is in store for him when he wakes and agrees to take her with him....

"What's a girl to do?" she thought as she fought to control her panic. They looped the thin rope around her neck. "They really are going to hang me!" she whispered. This latest farce was her third trial in a year. First they tried to burn her for being a witch, then there was that 'little thing' about her stealing the train. Now she was accused of being a spy. For once she actually was innocent. "Hopefully my dragon can rescue me, this time," she prayed.

"What does it mean?" Theodora asked. "It means you're a witch," Mathilda said softly gently putting a hand on her shoulder, "like me." Theodora just sat looking at her companion in surprise. "It's a good thing Teddie." "I didn't believe in witches." "What about dragons Teddie, do you believe in them?" "Not sure about dragons, why?" "The egg you touched hatched and that yellow bird you complained about following you is a baby dragon." Theodora looked around the garden and spotted the dragon. The little dragon chirruped pleadingly. Sit here and don't move. I'll bring the rabbit I was going to stew for dinner. It only took a couple of minutes then she returned with a bowl of meat strips. "Hold a piece of rabbit like this and just be still." Theodora held the meat as instructed and the little dragon floated down turning blue in color and carefully took the offered tidbit. The second piece of rabbit was taken more greedily and then the little dragon landed on her forearm and started eating directly from the bowl. cover: SelfPubBookCovers.com/Shardel