I'd heard stories of men who could tame dragons. Whisper to them, control them, ride them. Everyone had heard a tale or two of dragons and their tamers, but nobody I knew had ever really seen either. Now I wondered. If dragons were real, did that mean the fabled Dracori were, too?
According to the stories, there had once been dragons roaming the mountains and forests. They terrorized the kingdom, setting fire to villages and eating travelers. Men tried to fight the dragons back and kill them, but more often ended up dead themselves. Everyone lived in fear, hopeless. Then the Dracori began to appear. Across the kingdom, young men faced dragons and lived. When asked how, these men said they heard the dragons' words and the dragons heard theirs. The Dracori refused to kill the dragons. Instead, they communicated and brought peace between people and dragons. Soon, dragons had riders and were hailed as heroes. The riders patrolled the kingdom to maintain peace and offer help. They even led the kingdom to victory in wars--until eventually the dragons seemed to die out, and the Dracori vanished. Nobody knew what led to someone being Dracori; the legends said some were just born with the gift, like Praecants. Unlike Praecants, Dracori were only ever male. Also unlike Praecants, Dracori hadn't lived long enough to see themselves become outlaws and villains. Something I was envious of.
All of this was on my mind as I numbly followed Lord Balliol back to the wretched little building I'd been held in for at least a month. But then, we didn't go inside. We kept walking. My heart sped up as he led me closer and closer and closer to the area I'd heard the roars coming from. A remarkably high fence was some distance in front of us, and I assumed that was where the dragons were.
/How many are there? Where are they finding them? Is he going to feed me to one of those beasts? Am I to get a glimpse of them as part of my "reward" for being weak and letting him into my mind?/
Mind racing, I trudged along dutifully, hoping to receive an answer to at least one question before the day was through. The fort was larger than I'd originally thought, and my legs were starting to grow weary. I had so little energy to begin with. Perpetual hunger, pain, and confinement had taken their toll on my body.
Eventually we stopped walking and stood before a gate in what appeared to be a smaller walled-in area within the fort. The dragons were still some ways away. I tugged nervously at the sleeve of the rough woolen dress I'd been given to wear while Lord Balliol unlocked the gate and ushered me in.
"Alright. It's time for you to show me what you can do," he said, gesturing broadly to the abandoned space around us.
The ground was half dirt, half snow. A few boulders and trees were the only occupants aside from us.
"You've already seen what I can do, Lord Balliol," I said carefully.
I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes when my mind flashed to the ruthless way he'd invaded my mind just an hour or so earlier.
"Only some," he corrected, raising an eyebrow. "I barely scratched the surface of your mind. I can go in again, if you'd prefer?"
I hastily shook my head.
"I didn't think so. Let's see it then. Show me your best."
/Will my power be used against me? What happens if I appear too weak?/
I hesitated, weighing my options until a clearing of Balliol's throat spurred me to action. I resolved to not show my best, but put forth a fair effort. Be predictable. Be safe.
Stepping into the center of the space, I looked around for something I could use.
/The snow./
Easy enough to move, visible enough to make an impact. I brought my hands together in front of my chest and smoothly pushed them outward to each side, urging the snow to follow my movement as I uttered the incantation.
"Pello."
The snow on the ground began to ripple and condense toward the edges of the enclosure as if by wind. I'd meant for it to be forceful and immediate. Instead, it was a gentle roll that stopped before it had pushed all the snow aside, leaving short piles a few feet away. I staggered slightly and caught my balance on a nearby tree, breathing heavily. This wasn't supposed to take so much energy from me. This was not my plan!
"Again," Lord Balliol demanded.
"I can't…"
"You can."
The sky was spinning above me, the ground spinning below me. It was all I could do to not tip over. I gripped the tree trunk tightly.
"Please," I begged quietly, "please...I can't."
"Pathetic," he sneered.
"Perhaps if I just had some food? Or some rest from my torments? Then I could--AH!"
A sharp zap through my body told me Balliol had once again used his magic to punish me.
"Quiet, woman! You are in no position to make requests. Stop begging and do as you are told. You're letting the magic control you, instead of you controlling it. Command the power, don't make requests of it! Try again. I'll see to it that you get a warm meal once you succeed, but not before."
Straightening up, I let go of the tree and shook out my arms, feeling stupid.
/I'm going to try again and all I will get for my effort is muddy, because I'll surely faint to the ground. I can't do this!/
But, I had to try. My body needed food. Maybe if I fainted, he would believe me. Searching inside myself, I found my resolve and strengthened the internal desire for power from a wish into a demand. It did feel…different. Repeating the incantation, it was as though a wave went through me, crashing out of my hands and into the air around me. This time, the snow blasted away to each side, exploding in a white powder as it cleared a path in the dirt. I braced myself, prepared for the world to go black, but--it didn't. In fact, I felt somehow invigorated, a new sense of power coursing through my veins in step with the adrenaline.
Lord Balliol squeezed my shoulder approvingly and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. My captor had just given me two invaluable gifts. Food, yes. But more importantly, the knowledge and power I would use to break free.