Dragon's Fire

Ten

    I wake up in bed, the silk sheets feel nice under my body. I open my eyes and see Kayden laying beside me, his arm draped over me. 

“Kayden?” I whisper. His eyes fly open and he sits up looking at me. 

“How do you feel?” He asks, looking me over. 

“Sore.. tired and hungry” I yawn, “How long have I been asleep? What happened?” I remember things that don’t seem to be real. They can’t be. It’s all too bizarre to be real. I am surprised at myself, I have really opened up to Kayden in the short time I’ve been here. Going from saying nothing to having full conversations with him.

“Three days, what do you remember?” Kayden looks me over. 

“I’m not sure, it all feels like a dream to be honest…” I look down at my hands, remembering the way they turned into huge paw like things with massive claws. Dragon claws, attached to Dragon arms… my arms..

    As if he can see the gears turning in my mind Kayden speaks, “It was real, not a dream” 

I look up at him, “How?” 

    He smiles and gets up from the bed, going over to a bookshelf. ?He comes back with a large leather covered book, passing it to me. 

“Read this, then we will talk more” The book is very heavy, almost twenty pounds I’d say. 

    He kisses me on the forehead and leaves the room. I get up and use the bathroom before settling back down in the bed, I open the book. The leather cracks softly as it is bent for the first time in ages. The smell of the old pages mixed with the leather and ink sends me into a trance and I dive into it. 

    ‘ There once was a time when monsters and men ran amok on Earth. In an effort to bring order to the land, men sought out the Witches, begging them for power. Power to defeat the monsters that pledged their lands. The witches agreed to help, not telling the men how, or the price they would have to pay. 

    The witches performed a ritual on the strongest of the men and they became the first Dragon’s the world had ever seen. Only three of them survive the process, the purest of heart, the ones with the most noble intentions. These men were known as the Three Dragons. The three Dragon’s brought order to the land within no time. The monsters cleared away for some time, the men lived in peace for many years. 

    Rumors of the Dragon’s power spread across the lands, from one side of the Earth to the other, it brought many men forward, wanting the power for their own. One of the three Dragons fell to the men filled with greed and power lust. 

    The other Dragons went into hiding for some time, afraid of the same outcome as their brother. After some time they resurfaced, one wanting peace, the other wanting revenge. After declaring war on the land, one Dragon decided he wanted no part in the war, he left the land to start over far away. 

    In his effort to slay all those who opposed him, the second Dragon died in combat. This left only the third Dragon, alone. He only wanted peace, he made every effort to show the people that and he became King over the land. His reign was long and true, he produced an heir with his loving wife, their child also had the Dragon ability. The Dragon bloodline has passed down fifteen generations.

    The current standing of the bloodline falls between two brothers. George Stormborne and Arthur Stormborne. The two brothers decided that in order to keep the kingdoms prosperous they must marry the neighboring lands. Arthur took the hand of Rosalind Foster, princess to the Kingdom in the East. Arthur and Rosalind lived in the East kingdom serving the people as King and Queen, they produced an heir, a daughter named Taryn. She has been said to have the ability of fire magic, her Dragon not confirmed. She was thought dead in the siege that killed Arthur and Rosalind. She was betrothed to Prince Kayden of George and Margaret. 

    George married the princess Margaret, sister to Rosalind, they stayed in the Stormborne Kingdom, George being the eldest brother, taking over the role as King after their father. They produced but one son. Kayden Stormborne. Kayden currently rules in place of his father, who is gravely ill and in treatment in a secret location, his mother is accompanying him. They have been gone for three years, it is doubtful they will be back to the kingdom to rule” 

    I sit back, taking a deep breath, absorbing everything I just read. I see on the bottom of the page there is a newer entry, I look closer. 

    “After twelve long years of searching for Princess Taryn, King Kayden has finally found her. She is in good health, however she has a magical spell on her, binding her memories of the past. King Kayden works around the clock to help her regain her past. Princess Taryn has shown her strength in fire magic on more than one occasion. It was obvious she has a very powerful Dragon inside her, waiting to be revealed. During an attack on King Kayden and Princess Taryn she transformed for the first time. Her Dragon is small, black with red stripes. Her size is deceiving for her strength. She managed to save herself and King Kayden with her magic. She needs training but she will be a powerful ruler by King Kayden’s side.” 

    I close the book and get out of the bed. I make my way out into the hallway, walking towards the library, I feel like that is where I need to be in this moment. As I enter the library I hear shuffling in the corner. 

“Hello?” I call out, my voice cracking. It echoes in the room. The movement stops. 

“Kayden are you in here?” I take a step inside. The door closes behind me, slamming as it does, I feel myself jump slightly. 

I can hear mumbling from across the room. 

“Who’s there?” I ask, trying to sound more confident this time. 

    I walk down a row of books and see a woman sitting in a chair. She has long dark hair and is wearing an old fashioned dress, it is dark green with flowy sleeves. It really is quite beautiful. 

“Hello..” I say as I advance cautiously. I feel like I know this woman, she looks up from her book in shock. 

“Taryn?” She whispers. I nod and step closer, I feel safe here with her.

“Who are you?” I ask gently, she seems skittish, I don’t want to scare her. 

“I’m your mother silly” She grins brightly at me. Now I’m confused. My parents are dead. 

“No, I’m sorry you must be mistaken… my parents are dead” I whisper, my voice catching in my throat. 

“Yes.. we are, aren’t we? I don’t know how I’m here with you now.. We must not waste any time dear.. It’s so lovely to see you all grown up.. You’re a woman now” She looks me over and smiles. I look down at myself and realize I’m just wearing one of Kayden's shirts, it sits just above my knees. 

    I look her over once more, her facial features look more and more familiar as I watch her. She looks just like me, but a little older.. 

“Mother?” I whisper unconfidently. 

    She opens her arms for me and I run into them. She holds me and strokes my hair as she starts to hum. I recognize the song from many years ago. Suddenly all the suppressed memories I’ve been trying so hard to grasp come flooding into me. I remember everything. 

I feel overwhelmed by it all and I can’t breathe. 

“Relax Taryn.. Let it in. It’s alright” My mother says to me, giving me a small encouraging smile and nod. 

“I can’t! It’s too much” I scream as I hold my hands to the side of my head. It feels as if I’m being trampled to death by a horse. My chest is tight and it becomes painfully hard to breathe. 

“You know what you need to do. You know what is happening. Trust your body Taryn. I’m so proud of you. I love you” She says and the next moment she is gone. I fall to the ground. I wish I had more time with her, but she’s gone and I doubt I will ever see her again. 

    My head feels like it’s going to explode, I run over to the window and open it. 

    I can’t control my body. I know what’s about to happen but I’m so scared for it, last time I was captured. What if something goes wrong again? 

    My body launches out the window before I can think anymore on it and I feel myself falling for a moment before I feel myself go hot and pain erupts from me for half a moment before I feel cool and calm. I launch myself upwards towards the sky. 

“Taryn?” I hear Kayden’ voice in my mind. 

“Kayden! I couldn't control it.. My mom did something to me and I had no control! I’m scared!” I shout into my mind. 

“I’m coming, just keep flying okay.. I’m coming up behind you” He says 

I don’t look back but I can sense him right behind me, he is like a giant compared to me. He casts a shadow over me. 

“What do I do?” I ask 

“Keep flying, tire yourself out, get it out of your system, your body will know when it’s time to change back” He says as he flies slightly lower and hovers under me, protecting me from anything that may come at us from the ground. We fly for what feels like hours when I feel myself suddenly drain of energy. 

“Kayden I’m getting really tired.. I don’t think I can keep going” I say, my voice laced with sleep. 

“Land on my back.. I got you..” He says gently. I do as he says, it’s a rocky landing but I manage it. A few moments later I feel my limbs become normal once more and I collapse on him. I try to stay awake and lift my head to enjoy the view of the flight but I’m so tired. 

    After a little while I feel Kayden lowers us to the ground. I open my eyes just long enough to see that we are at the lake again, I see the cabin in the background. I feel myself falling in the air and I know that Kayden is Transforming back to human form, the next moment I am in his arms safely. 

“We can stay here as long as we wish,” He says to me as he opens the cabin door and places me on the couch. I nod and curl up into myself. 

“We have much to discuss”