The clinking of chains echoed through the dimly lit chamber as a hunched, dishevelled figure moved cautiously around a table, hands trembling as they held a pitcher of wine. The air was thick with tension, and the pale glow of torches cast flickering shadows on the stone walls.
"The entire operation turned into a bloody mess," grumbled one of the figures, frustration palpable in their voice. The scars on his face tightened as he frowned. The others exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of irritation and disappointment.
He raised his chalice, and the slave poured wine into it with shaky hands. The liquid shimmered, catching the faint light as it filled the ornate cup—the smell of the rich iron mingled with the musty odour of the chamber.
"Our best, trained for every scenario. How could they fail so miserably?!" another voice sneered, slamming a hand on the table. The sound reverberated through the chamber, and the slave, startled, spilt wine on the scarred man's hand.
It dropped to its knees immediately, apologising profusely as it grovelled at the man's feet.
"This insolent wretch," he kicked the slave aside, wiping his hand, "can nobody do anything right these days." The slave rolled away, revealing whip marks and scattered scales beneath its rough clothing.
The other slaves in the room pressed against the walls, attempting to make themselves smaller. The masters were clearly not in a good mood, and the air charged with a sense of impending punishment.
"They were hired for a simple task, 'Retrieve the eggs, not get killed.' It's not arcane lore," someone grumbled. "And they couldn't even handle that," he scoffed, disappointment heavy in the air. The weight of unmet expectations hung over the chamber.
"The dragon outsmarted them. It's more cunning than we thought," a fourth voice added. Some slaves flinched at the mere mention of a dragon.
"We might be dealing with a sentient," he said, a sinister glint of curiosity in his cold eyes.
A heavy silence settled over the room. Sentient dragons were notoriously challenging to fight; their ability to transform into human forms made them elusive, and their products were highly valued for their magical conductivity. They were also known for holding grudges, a fact that sent shivers down the spines of those present.
"But there's a survivor," a voice purred, breaking the quiet. Their eyes gleamed with a disgusting sense of glee. "There is hope yet," they said, sipping the clear liquid, the wrinkles on their face smoothening as they lowered their cup.
"We will simply wait for them to send a report; then, we will know what to do," the first voice concluded. As the others nodded in agreement, the chamber's oppressive atmosphere lingered, thick with anticipation and uneasy stillness.
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As the dragon's colossal wings faded from view, Yara stood in the cavern, her heart still pounding from the intense encounter. Taking a moment to collect herself, she looked around the passage. The beat of the dragon's wings had also stopped echoing.
'It must have left.'
With cautious steps, Yara explored the passage, trying to find her way back to the cavern.
As she traced the intricate carvings on the passage walls, a flood of questions came to mind. Why did the dragon stop its attack? Was it because of the eggs? What caused that strange sensation when she touched the eggs? And what did it mean for her? Her hand, still bearing cuts but no longer bleeding, tingled from experience.
Magic flowed through everything in the kingdom, from the air to the earth. Humans, animals, and various creatures coexisted in unity. Mighty and magical dragons were known for their reclusive and sometimes violent nature. They often stayed hidden from people.
Little was known about them, and this marked the first time she saw one up close in the wild. Having arrived in the village weeks ago, whispers of a dragon guarding their lands had reached her ears. Initially thinking it referred to a deity, she was surprised to discover the dragon was active.
Many dragons had fallen into "Eternal Slumber", a strange spell that rendered many non-human creatures unconscious a few centuries back, leading some to believe they could loot treasures or even take the dragons themselves from known dens, creating a thriving black market sales of the non-human creatures.
With each step in the passage, Yara's surroundings grew unfamiliar.
'How deep does this passage go? And how will I get back to the village?'
She would have to return to tell the cavern to see the eggs again. She may be able to patch together what exactly was going on. She looked at the passage in front of her. Nothing but darkness stretched far. It seemed like an endless labyrinth, and panic crept in as she realised she couldn't find her way back to the cavern.
Days turned to a blur of wandering, each step echoing with the growls of her stomach and the ache in her limbs. Hunger gnawed at her relentlessly, and desperation clung to her like a shadow. Exhausted, she sank to the rocky floor, her hope dwindling with each passing moment.
Just when despair threatened to consume her, the dragon returned. Its massive form blocked the passage, and Yara stumbled toward it in a mix of relief and delirium. The dragon nudged her, gently grabbing her clothes with its teeth. The unexpected turn in the dragon's behaviour should have left Yara on edge, but she was too weak to focus. She allowed the creature to carry her through the passages that had become her prison back to the spacious caverns.
Once in the open, the dragon's behaviour took an even more unexpected turn. It lowered its head, and Yara tensed, expecting an attack. Instead, the dragon began licking her hands and face. Fear surged as she thought it was trying to eat her, but to her surprise, the cuts on her body started healing.
'So the healing rumours were true.'
Being a healer, she had heard about dragon healing properties and was curious to learn more about how it worked. Unfortunately, she could not use her healing powers on herself, which was quite annoying.
The dragon grabbed her again when the cuts were gone and flew out of the cavern. She closed her eyes and tried to hold on as the wind swept through her face and hair.
Eventually, they reached a courtyard atop a hill, the crumbling remnants of a once-grand structure. The dragon left her there, disappearing momentarily. Alone in the decaying courtyard, Yara felt uncertain and tired.
'What were the dragon's intentions, and where was this place?'
She couldn't see anything past the woods that surrounded the manor.
'How will I get back to the village?' She wondered as she walked close to the tree line. It was getting dark, so going into the woods she knew nothing about wouldn't be sensible. Besides, she was exhausted and hungry.
As though summoned by her thoughts, the loud beats of the dragon's wings could be heard in the distance. Upon the dragon's return, it carried a large animal, laying it at Yara's feet.
Puzzled, she watched as the dragon nudged the offering toward her. Realisation dawned—Was it trying to feed her?
"Is this for me?" she asked slowly, gesturing to the animal and herself. The dragon nudged the animal to her again and waited.
Grateful yet wary, Yara hesitated before accepting the food. This was too big for her to eat alone. She looked around the courtyard for some wood and something sharp to cut and cook the meat.
Yara scoured the area and found a few pieces of dry wood and a shard of metal. She would have to check the manor for cooking utensils later.
As she worked on preparing the meat, the dragon's gaze felt heavy. It studied her movements, its large form looming over the courtyard. She understood that it wouldn't harm her for now as something had happened back in the cavern with the eggs.
This made her slightly more relaxed, or that might just be the exhaustion speaking. Once the meat was ready, Yara placed a small part on a flat stone, making an improvised cooking surface. The dragon suddenly blew flames on the wood, startling her to her feet.
Chuffing at her expression, it lowered its head to the ground, seemingly satisfied, and watched the proceedings.
'Of course, it would laugh at my expense.' She rolled her eyes as she brushed the dirt off her gown. She looked at the structure behind her.
'Would there be any kind of clothing here?'
She took a larger portion of the animal and dragged it close to the dragon. It peered at her for a few minutes before turning to the meal. She had decided not to cook it as she didn't expect the dragon to eat cooked meals.
The dragon eyed the raw meat briefly, its golden-slitted eyes narrowing as it sniffed the air. Its massive snout hovered over the meat, and its forked tongue darted out to snatch a piece.
A low rumble echoed from its throat, a sound that seemed almost content. It continued to devour the meal, tearing into the flesh with its sharp teeth. The tension in the air eased as the dragon feasted on the raw meat, and Yara felt a strange sense of accomplishment.
She returned to her spot across the courtyard and focused on her meal. The courtyard echoed with a crackling fire and the occasional rustle of leaves in the surrounding woods.
Surprisingly, part of the courtyard manor was still inhabitable. Dust danced in the air as Yara explored the remnants of the manor's left wing, her footsteps echoing through empty halls.
She gathered clothing from the other rooms to make bedding for herself. In one of the rooms, she discovered a chest with surprisingly well-preserved blankets and linens. She also found a cleaner room with intact windows and a roof.
As Yara arranged the makeshift bedding, she couldn't help but wonder about the manor's history and how the dragon got a hold of it. While searching for bedding, she had seen some scorch marks on the walls.
She lay down, suddenly exhausted. The events of the previous days finally catching up to her. She had spent heaven knows how many days wandering in the passages before the dragon returned for her. Yara found a strange sense of comfort as the dragon observed from a distance, letting sleep ease her aching body and mind.
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Days passed, and the dragon's visits became routine. Sometimes, it brought food and watched over her. Other times, it provided bedding and clothing materials. They were usually ripped and mismatched, but they served their purpose. Gradually, Yara grew accustomed to its presence. Attempting to leave the courtyard, she found it surrounded by deep woods. After getting lost a couple of times and waiting for the dragon to come to her aid, she gave up on returning to the village alone.
Determined to make the courtyard more habitable, Yara started a cleaning spree inside and outside the decaying structure. As a seasoned traveller, she understood the importance of a comfortable living space, especially with the Frostweave months approaching.
Judging by the change in weather, she estimated she had spent about a week in the passage, and the chill of Frostweave was beginning to settle in. She couldn't help but wonder about the dragon basking in the sunlight. Would it hibernate when the weather grew colder? The lack of communication with the dragon only added to her growing list of questions about it.
As Yara scrubbed the remnants of dust off the walls, she couldn't help but shoot glances at the dragon, still basking in the sunlight. The courtyard began to feel stagnant, and Yara feared she might lose her mind if this silent routine persisted.
Unable to bear the monotony any longer, Yara took a bold step. "Hey!" she called out as she walked towards the creature. The dragon opened an eye to stare her down, then closed it back, dismissing her.
"Hey?! I know you can somewhat understand me. I need to go back to the village." She stood in front of the dragon, maintaining a cautious distance, aware of its teeth. The silence hung thick in the air, and the dragon remained still.
With a frustrated sigh, Yara tried a different approach. "Look, I appreciate the food and all, but I need more than ripped clothing to survive Frostweave. I have bags in the village with warmer clothes and other necessities."
The dragon's eye opened slightly, a glimmer of interest. Yara seized the opportunity. "I need you to take me back to the village, just for a short while. I promise I'll come back. I can't survive out here without my things."
As if in response, the dragon huffed a low, almost amused sound. Yara took it as a positive sign. "And, uh, female things. You know, for hygiene?" She gestured vaguely to her lower abdomen, not really expecting it to understand.
"I can't keep smelling like this; I need a bath at least."
The dragon regarded her with confusion. Yara sighed, realising the difficulty of conveying her needs to a creature that lacked her frame of reference. She tried to mimic urgency through exaggerated gestures, hoping the dragon would catch on.
In the end, all she received was a flicker of its massive tail. It seemed like a noncommittal response, but Yara chose to interpret it as an acknowledgement. She sighed in relief.
"Great. Let's go back to the village. I'll show you where to hide; we don't know how they would react to seeing you. Just don't eat anyone, okay?" The last part was said with a half-joking tone to lighten the mood. The dragon remained silent, its gaze fixed on her. Then, it rolled to its side, turning away from her.
Her smile fell. "Don't turn your back to me!" she yelled, forgetting herself momentarily as she moved closer to the dragon.
The dragon blinked, clearly not expecting her to stand her ground. It stood up, shook its large frame and walked away, leaving her fuming in the clearing.
"Really? Well, thank you for nothing," Yara muttered to herself, her frustration evident in the deep furrow of her brows. She kicked at a loose stone on the ground, sending it clattering through the courtyard.
As the dragon retreated, she clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. "Fine, be that way. I'll find my way back without your help," she declared, her voice filled with irritation.
Having perched itself at a distance, the dragon observed her with a tilt of its head. Yara shot a glance in its direction, her eyes narrowing in a silent challenge. The unspoken standoff lingered, the tension palpable.
Suddenly, she turned and stalked towards the tree line, each step deliberate. The dragon, caught off guard by her actions, roared and took flight, circling above her—smoke billowed from its nostrils, adding an intimidating air to its presence. Yara coughed at the smoke being blown in her face but didn't back down.
"You are either going to help me or let me go! Keeping me up here isn't going to help any of us!" she shouted, bordering on hysteria, shaking her fist at it.
It seemed to hover briefly as though considering her words before flying away.
'Argh!! That stupid, scaly lizard- fuck!' she raged as she stalked around the tree line, watching it fly further away.
She calmed down after a few minutes and crossed her arms, her expression a mix of frustration and worry.
"Well, that went splendidly," she muttered, pacing back and forth. She looked in the direction the dragon had disappeared and rubbed her temple.
She could have handled that better; at least it hadn't tried to eat her. The sun was setting, so she decided to go back inside. She shuddered as the cool Harvestgleam wind brushed against her skin. She needed to start a fire soon; those things in her satchel were very important to her, and she also needed to let her family know she was okay.
Yara spent the evening inside the crumbling manor, the fire crackling and casting flickering shadows on the walls. Her frustration lingered, but the dragon's absence allowed her a moment to collect her thoughts.
As the night deepened, Yara found herself staring into the dancing flames. The warmth from the fire took care of the chill outside, but concerns consumed her mind.
"Was I too harsh?" she whispered to herself. The answer she got was a distant howl echoing through the woods, a haunting reminder of the world beyond the courtyard. Yara wrapped herself tighter in the makeshift blanket, a futile attempt to ward off the cold.
Yara's thoughts turned to the place she once called home. She wondered if they would have sent out search parties for her. They knew she was travelling north; she would have sent a message with her magical crystal when she arrived, but that was in her satchel.
'I need to find my way back to the village, with or without the dragon's assistance.'
With a sigh, Yara settled into her improvised bedding, closing her eyes and letting the crackling of the dying fire lull her into a restless sleep.