Dragon Slave

Dragon Slave

Written by

Delaney Walnofer

The Dragon Slave Trilogy

Book One . . . Dragon Slave

Book Two . . . Dragon Clutch

Book Three . . . Dragon Fool

Cover illustrated by Delaney Walnofer

Copyright © 2014 by Delaney Walnofer

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1311209047

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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For You, the Reader

Prologue

So then, Chadwick, the king’s son, prattled excitedly, "you be the Dragon Slave, and I’ll be the mighty prince!" The child playfully brandished a wooden sword in his hand.

Chad, wait, his younger sister, Theora, said in her high pitched voice. Who will be the dragon?

Chad paused to think a moment. Tyrone! he exclaimed. Tyrone makes a great dragon!

No! Theora yelled. I don’t want to play with Tyrone!

Why not? Chadwick asked her, confused. He’s never been mean to you.

"I don’t want to play with Tyrone," Theora repeated.

Fine, Chad gave in heatedly. "But since Tyrone can’t play with us, you have to be the girl and the dragon."

That doesn’t make sense! Theo protested. You’d have to kill me to save me.

Well, it makes no sense either way, Chad pointed out. Come on Theo, let’s play.

Theo growled and crouched as a dragon on top a pile of leaves, her hoard. She switched characters, sitting down to sadly pick up and rub each leaf one by one. Then Chadwick came galloping, and Theo stood up to meet him so they could fight.

They were still playing when a boy with dark brown hair, around the same age as Chadwick, leapt from a thicket. Hey!

Theo froze with a sharp inward breath as she saw him.

Tyrone! Chadwick laughed, dropping his sword and running over to meet him. Theo fled for the nearest tree, climbing up to hide amongst its leaves. She tried not to sneeze as the dust of its bark tickled her nose. Shyly, she peeked out at her brother and his friend.

Tyrone had something in his hands. He showed it to Chadwick, who goggled at it. From where Theo was, she could just barely see that it was a tiny wyvern. Tyrone held it out to Chadwick and the young prince took it, laughing when it flapped its wings like a baby bird and flew for Theo’s tree. Theo pulled her legs in as it landed on the branch where her foot had just been.

Theo eyed the wyvern uneasily. Its slim body was marble white, with a thin tail and webbed wings.

"Go away!" she whispered, waving her arms to scare it away.

The creature stared at her with frightening, beady, red eyes. It opened its mouth and parroted back at her in perfect imitation, "Go away!" flapping its wings in aggravation.

Theo screamed and lost her grip, falling out of the tree. There was a loud Crack! and she screamed again in agony, her leg snapped underneath her body.

Theora! Tyrone’s and Chadwick’s faces loomed over her with horrified expressions.

Theo wailed, the bright sky and green leaves blotched behind a shield of tears that spilled over and raced down the sides of her face.

Theo! Chadwick repeated. He hastily looked about, trying to decide what to do. I can get you to Nimue! He spoke of their nurse, a kind old lady who made a better mother than their true one- the stern, no-nonsense queen.

He tried picking up Theo and she shrieked.

Stop, you’re hurting her! Tyrone said. I’ll get Nimue myself.

No! Chadwick yelped, the need to do something shining through his eyes. You stay with her, I’ll be back!

He raced away. Tyrone turned his worried gaze to Theo, who now trembled with whimpers of pain.

Theo… he voiced softly.

The wyvern flew down from the tree, landing on him, and he started in surprise.

That…that dragon attacked me, Theo gasped between breaths, auburn hair falling out of her face.

You must have scared her, Theo, he told her as she shook with sobs. She’s never hurt anyone before.

No… she gulped, it talked to…to me!

Tyrone didn’t say anything. He just kept looking at her with concern.

Soon there came the sound of people running. Chadwick was back with Nimue.

Theo! Nimue clamored, clutching her wrinkled hands to her matronly bosom. Oh no, sweet child! Boys, run for the groomsmen and a cart. Hurry now!

Chapter 1

Would you like anything, Your Royal Highness? a lady in waiting asked the adolescent in her chambers.

Princess Theora slumped in the castle window. No, she groaned insipidly, cheek slipping from her hand. She ran her fingers through her long hair, watching commoners going about their lives down below.

How is it that the common people always have something to work towards? Theo wondered. I don’t have to strive for anything.

She knew she should be grateful for her easy life- that so many people envied her for it. And yet, she could think of no life duller than her own. Now that I’ve grown out of playing, what is there left for me to do? Chadwick gets to practice sword-play and go hunting…Neither of those are proper for a lady.

Ma’am, would you like me to have your horse readied for you? the woman suggested.

Theo sighed. I suppose… she answered. The maid backed out with a curtsy.

A wingless, cat-sized dragon slinked along the roofs of villagers’ houses and Theo distastefully turned her gaze away. Horrible little things.

After a moment, she stood up, checking her dress as she did so. Leaving her chambers, she ventured through the castle, passing cleaning servants through the Main Hall. In the courtyard, Theo straightened her posture as she saw the queen, her prim, orderly mother, nearby.

At last, she reached the castle stables, where a stable boy awaited her with her steed.

Your horse, Your Highness, the boy addressed her with a hasty bow.

Theo smiled, pleased to see her horse. When Theo was a young child, she had heard of a newborn foal that had just barely survived birth. Curious, she had asked to see it. At the moment she first gazed upon the weak, grey horse she decided it was hers. Her mother tried to convince her against it. Wouldn’t you like a nice, pretty, white one instead? she had asked.

Her father also criticized her choice, saying that a princess should ride a strong, noble horse fit for royalty. But despite her parents’ disapproval, Theo would not consent to any other steed. Theo named her Nigh, in remembrance of the horse’s near death experience. Nigh had grown up to be a beautiful, elegant horse. Her soft coat was dappled grey. The hair of her mane was light and silky, soothing to the touch.

Nigh stood as the only animal Theo truly liked, the only one that Theo enjoyed to be around. She was gentle and quiet. She was not a show of brute force and bulk in muscle like so many other horses Theo had seen.

Chadwick, Theo would often say when she saw his horse bothering hers. Please take that nuisance of yours away.

But at this, Chadwick would only grin and so Theo would irritably ask a servant to retie her horse somewhere else.

Presently, Theo was helped into Nigh’s saddle. Accompanied by two guards and two maids, also mounted, Theo set out through the village to expansive fields. She followed paths, enjoying the fresh, abundant air that cooled her face and smoothed her hair.

Suddenly, Theo noticed a change in Nigh’s behavior. The horse pulled to a halt as they came across the white dung of a dragon. Nigh began traipsing nervously in place and Theo stroked her neck to assuage her. Her horse had always been especially afraid of dragons. Theo did not care for them either.

She’d actually been hearing stories about them from the rich for years. Stories about cat and dog sized dragons sneaking in and stealing away with valuable items. The first person to complain was jeered at, but when more and more people came to the towns with similar tales, everyone reconsidered.

Such stories reminded Theo of the wyvern in the tree that talked to her. There was a time when even she thought she had imagined it, but with thieving dragons appearing out of nowhere and disappearing with personal property, she wasn’t so sure.

It confused her. All the dragons she’d ever seen gave her little to no impression that they were at all intelligent- not that she’d studied them too closely.

Perhaps they’re like magpies, she contemplated, snatching anything that shines. Or perhaps they’ve been trained by criminals.

But then, she thought, that still doesn’t explain the wyvern speaking.

As she thought about this, she carefully eased Nigh around the dung and they continued on their way.

Passing through the large trading town, Swaineford, the sound of clopping hooves cluttered the air as they rode over a big stone bridge. Swaine River ran fluently underneath, bending towards the castle to provide the kingdom of Wystil with the water they needed.

Theo and her servants journeyed farther and farther from the castle, spotting a herd of deer which sprang away. The path led them into a thickening forest, only ever clearing to reveal a sandy bank.

Whoa, Theo slowed Nigh to a stop as they neared the stream, Iron Creek. Never before had a Wystilian crossed this creek to the other side, for along it grew what the commoners referred to as the iron bond plants.

Everything about these plants was dense and impenetrable- roots, core, and all. They grew tall and close to each other, reaching out with their branches to meet and lock around their neighbors’, forming a thick wall that no human could climb over, dig under, or pass through. Wystilians had even tried burning the plants down, but with no success. To build something over it would cost too much time, money, and effort considering there was such little promise of what lay beyond.

Right beyond the wall of plants was a range of mountains. It was thought that the iron bond plants relied heavily on both water and the nutrients that washed down from the mountains. This would explain why the plants grew for miles, only between the mountains and creek, and never further outward.

Beyond the mountain range was land completely unknown to the Wystilians.

Theo looked down the creek. She had heard that farther downstream, well out of Wystil territory, the creek eventually departed from the mountains and the wall of iron bonds ceased. This left a small unblocked stretch, yet there was something else that kept people away. Many stories were told of the legendary dragon that destroyed the castle of Wystil’s enemy, Crageria. This dragon was said to be of terrible size, with a hide the colors of rusted metal.

Stray survivors had come to Wystil begging for refuge, but a famine was upon them and Theo’s father was firm in sending them away. And so, with nowhere else to go, it was believed that all the Cragerians died away.

The terrible dragon lived on, dwelling in the castle ruins, feasting on whatever animals entered its domain. In admiration of the beast’s power, the king, Theo’s father, called it Zeus. He ordered his people never to go near Crageria, in hopes that the beast would not be lured into Wystil. As far as Theo knew, no one ever dared go against his warning.

Zeus…There were rumors that he was getting ready to migrate to more populated areas, where food for a dragon is plenty. Theo bit her lip thinking about it. Oh, how her brother used to taunt her with stories of Zeus, of the lumbering beast burning down villages and swallowing pretty girls. Especially princesses, he’d add mischievously.

At least there’s no evidence of Zeus ever breathing fire, she comforted herself. Surely that idea is simply for children.

A summer storm gathered far upstream. In the distance, heavy, grey clouds were smeared across the sky and she could feel the nearing rain in the warm air. Her guards and servants shifted uneasily.

It looks like there’s a storm on its way, Ma’am, one of them spoke up. May I suggest we be heading back now?

In a moment, Theo responded, eyeing the creek. One drink of the stream and then we’ll be on our way to the castle. She slipped out of the saddle to descend the escarpment. Her feet dislodged pebbles and they tumbled down the slope. Precariously, she knelt down to dip her hands in the smoothly running water. Both her guards also dismounted, drawing closer to her in their overly protective manner.

They turned their heads as the sound of rumbling thunder throbbed throughout the sky. Princess? said a guard, offering his hand to help her up. But in that moment the roaring of raging water rose and Theo saw the swelling of a huge wave rushing down the creek towards them.

Flash flood.

The maids screamed. The horses reared. Theo’s guards yelled and tried to grab her, but they were too late- the wave hit. Theo and her men were caught up off their feet, turned in nauseating cycles and battered by objects. Something hit Theo in the head and her senses scattered.

Then, as though in a dream, she felt herself caught up in someone’s grasp and lifted high into the air, the violent rapids left far below. Mysteriously, she was taken, gliding along to be set safely down on the ground. Her vision was weak. From the earth she saw a large, green beast with bat-like wings, and a man kneeling over her, trying to give her something. She smiled at the hallucinations, then coughed up water and lost herself to darkness.

Chapter 2

When Theo became conscious again, she was aware of a feeling completely foreign to her. She opened her eyes and saw that something extended from her face.

Am I wearing a mask? she wondered.

The sound of rushing water came to her attention and she turned her head to it. The flooded creek was but a few steps away from where she lay. Now she remembered. Collision, thrashing, shock, pain, and then- she must have been delusional, seeing things before she blacked out.

As for the present, Theo felt perplexingly well. Her head was clear, she wasn’t exhausted in the least, and no trace of pain could be detected throughout her body.

How is this possible?

Theo was reminded of those also hit by the flash flood. Scanning the scenery in front of her, it appeared that no one else was there but her.

Are they all dead because of me? Dreading the possibility, she twisted around to look for others behind her.

It was then that she saw what she thought to be a dragon. The quiet moans that emitted from its throat, Theo had originally excused as part of the sounds of the rapids, but now they were easily detected. The beast was tendril green, slightly larger than a horse. It was preoccupying itself by grinding its head into the ground, as though in turmoil.

Disturbed, Theo stared and felt the urge to move away. It seems my head is not as clear as I thought.

She tried to stand herself up but was brought back down to all fours, as if she was not structurally built to walk on two legs. By now, Theo was thoroughly bewildered. When she looked at herself, she found that she, too, had the body of a dragon- slate grey and complete with four legs, two wings, and a tail. This vision confirmed to Theo that she was, in fact, dreaming.

Now subtly humored by having