Nathaniel Jenkins
875 Words
There's something about free falling that I love. Maybe it's because I have no control. Maybe there's something freeing about it. Almost as great as flying a dragon. Almost.
I laughed as I heard those two screaming below me. I saw Jordan's dark sharp cut through the night. He flew parallel to me and I reached out and pulled myself into position. Jordan then dived to catch the other two. He caught them by their feet and plopped them down on the corridor. I could hear guards coming and I waved the man forward. He clutched the sword to his chest as he left the poor guard sprawled out on the ground. He climbed on the back of Jordan and wrapped an arm around my waist as Jordan jumped into the sky.
Arrows shot past my ears as we sped through the night. I heard a roar of a dragon but we were too far gone...
"Princess," my father said as I looked up at the tall man. He was different with strange markings painted across his skin. He had rings connected in his lips and ears. His bright greens eyes were full of mischief as he grinned down at me. He had no hair and even his bald head wore those markings.
"What a pretty little girl," he said, his voice sounding like silk.
"Yes," my dad pulled me up into his arms. His eyes were narrowed towards the man, "here for a room?"
"Yes," the man's eyes stayed on me, "I'm just passing through."
"You have coin?" my dad asked as he used his other hand to grab keys.
"Yes," the man pulled out a pouch.
"Name?" my dad asked as he pulled out a roll of parchment.
"Nathaniel. Nathaniel Jenkins."
I bolted up and took in the scene around me. I was curled up beside Jordan, who was breathing nice and heavy. The man who had saved me was sleeping a few feet away. He was still wearing the same clothes as when he had stopped us at the gate. His jacket, however, was working as a pillow. We were in a small clearing of the thick forest. I didn't remember how far we had flown before we had dropped down here. I felt around for Felix's sword. I hugged it to my chest as I tried to hold in the tears that were threatening to come.
"Crying won't do you any good," I said out loud as I took a deep breath. That's what my father always said when I would come to him when I had tears in my eyes. I stood and stretched. I looked down at the sword and my lip trembled.
"Ah!" I threw the sword and stomped my feet. Dead. They are all dead. My dad, my mom, Potts, Jasmine...Felix.
"It's not fair!" I yelled into the sky. The man was up now and he was staring at me like I was a lunatic.
Maybe I am. I didn't really care.
"Why?!" I asked the sky. When it didn't answer, I yelled again. I didn't stop yelling until my throat burned and I had no more tears to fall. I collapsed back into the same position as I was when I slept. I had woken Jordan up and he curled up to me as I leaned against him, utterly exhausted.
I watched the man walk over and pick up the sword. He looked down at it for a moment before looking up at me with sad eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said as he walked over and placed the sword at my feet.
"Why?" I asked him, "why did you stop me?"
"Because I know who you are," the man spoke slowly, "I know what you are trying to do and I believe in you."
"Who are you?" I asked him, "why do you believe in me? You don't know me!"
"My name is Jacob Maine. I believe in you because I met your father. He saved my life. You may not know me but I know you. I was there the day you were born. I...I was the doctor that helped your mother."
"You knew my mom?" I frowned at the man. He didn't look old. Maybe as old as Fergus. I would never have pegged him as a doctor.
"Not very well. I knew your father a lot better. But," he smiled, "for what's it's worth, you look far more like your mother than you father. Believe me, that's a good thing!"
I laughed as he gave me a small smile. I wiped my hand over my wet face and sighed as I, yet again, looked down at the ridiculous dress. It was all dirty now.
"We should..."I stood and sighed, "we should get going."
"Where?" he asked.
"My village," I told him as I climbed onto Jordan, "I have some research to do."
"Research?" Jacob asked as he climbed on after me.
"I need to find someone," I told him. Nathaniel Jenkins...I didn't know where he was but I was going to find him. One thing I have learned was to trust a dream.
Besides, it was better than focusing on Felix... I blinked the tears out of my eyes as we started off.
- Writer
