Well here's the next chapter! Sorry it's a little long; I normally don't post such long sections but I can't break it off in any other spots.
As a brief reminder, the young man Chance has just asked Jot the dragon for help regarding a damsel.
Here There Be Dragons
Chapter Two
Well! This was rich! A human stringbean needing my help! I have to admit, I was quite amused.
“This is a joke, right? Someone took advantage of your idiotic nature and sent you up here, telling you to ask the dragon for help. This is ridiculous.”
Chance flipped his visor up, and I caught sight of two red spots on his very white face. “Sir dragon, I am not being put up to this. I have come of my own volition and I am asking you in all seriousness to come to my aid.”
“For what? What could you need my help for?”
“Sir dragon, if you will allow me to explain my plight, I would be most grateful.”
Temporarily befuddled, I settled back onto my haunches and flicked my tail. “Go on, I’m listening.”
He took a deep breath and began. “My father is lord of the Wolelands, and I am his heir. My sister, Thelia, is a maiden of beauty rare.”
“Oh my, this isn’t going in the direction of incest, is it?” I stirred anxiously. “I’m having no hand in it—messy businesses, those, not to mention morally disgusting.”
He glared at me, insulted. “Not in the least,” he said huffily. “We share the purest of affection. Indeed, it is for the sake of her purity that I am setting forth. She drew the attention of a visiting wizard—Terpith by name.”
I felt a shudder ripple under my scales at the name—he was a bad ’un indeed. I owed a couple of good scars to him.
“The accursed wizard has taken my sister—she would not come with him—and has hidden her in his tower in the citadel of Rale.”
“The king’s place,” I commented. “About forty leagues away. You’ve got quite a journey ahead of you.” This boy was certainly in a pickle. And what he thought he was going to gain with me was even more intriguing.
“I have spoken out against him, but the city is corrupt. Only those with power, prominence, and wealth will be heard justly. In regards to the king’s court, I am aidless.”
“Break her out,” I suggested with a yawn. It had been a while since I had had such a long conversation. “Or maybe she likes living with him. Just think, it’s the richest part of the country. Improvement upon her former status, eh?”
“She would rather die than be married to Terpith.” Again, I shivered slightly. “I must rescue her. My father is too weak, or he would, too.”
“And what, may I ask, does this have to do with me?”
Here he hesitated, forming his words carefully. “I am in need of someone who is able to defeat Terpith. There is no other living creature I know of who can oppose so powerful a wizard.”
“That is true. But what do you expect me to do?” I asked, amused. “Break through the tower and fly away with your sister?”
By the silence of his response, I knew I had struck on his thoughts.
“And even if you came up with some ingenious way of rescuing your sister, why would I want to help you?”
“I could reward you most handsomely,” he replied.
“Oh yeah? How so? You don’t look like you’d make much of a meal for me.”
“I know what it is that dragons desire, more than gold and jewels,” he said in a low voice, as if letting me in on a secret. “I know how much you love the taste and sound and feel and shine,” his voice dropped to a whisper, “of steel.”
I blinked, surprised. Yes, he was right. Completely right. How he ever came to know such a thing was beyond me. But it was true—steel was a mystery, something we dragons both loved and hated. It shone brilliantly against the light, and was beautiful to behold—but it was used to make the very weapons and armor that led to our death. Somehow, in an ironic way, we were attracted to its deathly shine. It was partly why we put up with the knights for as long as we did; whenever one died, we would take the armor and melt it and guard it jealously, our spoils of war.
“I could give you steel aplenty; unformed, pure, as much as this cave could hold.”
I cast a glance around the room, thinking. It was silly, this whole idea. I should just eat the boy and be done with the whole business…but his words would not leave.
To be the possessor of so much gleaming metal—my scales shook and I felt a flame of desire leap within me. To have, to hold, to see, and unharmed, too! The familiar surge of greed and longing came upon me, and I growled, “You would do this?”
The boy nodded solemnly. “Upon the graves of my forefathers, I do swear to keep my word and supply you with steel enough to fill this cavern if you are faithful and aid me in rescuing my sister and defeating the wizard Terpith. Do you swear this also, dragon, along with the promise of leaving myself, and anyone else I designate, unharmed?”
“I swear,” I growled, eyes alight. “I swear upon the blood and bones sunken into the ground from my doing.”
He nodded, satisfied, and I felt my eagerness abate. An odd weariness settled over me and I started thinking about what I had just sworn.
“Now hold on just a minute. How am I supposed to aid you? Nothing like this has ever been done before.” In fact, I was beginning to have second thoughts. How degrading would it be if the other dragons caught wind of me being in league with a scrawny human? How ridiculous! I could eat him now; one gulp wouldn’t harm him, right? That was all I had promised, not to harm him…
“I have not decided yet,” he said, scratching his nose. “It’s a long journey to Rale, though.”
“And I’m not carrying you,” I warned. “My wings are only so strong. Reedy as you are, I think you would weigh me down too much.”
“I have money enough to purchase a steed which would accomplish our quest,” he mused.
“You’re going to need a new suit of armor while you’re at it,” I put in. “Not to mention a sword that isn’t stuck inside an old scabbard.”
At those words, he imperiously drew the blade out of the sheath, and I took an involuntary step back before shaking my head angrily and taking two deliberate paces forward.
The sword’s blade, contrary to my previous belief, was shining and of the finest metal; it thrilled me to see it so close, so shining…
“This sword belonged to my father, and is a relic of the old times,” Chance said. “It shall do the deeds needed of it.” He slid it back into its scabbard and I felt myself flag a little.
“Well this is all very well, but how do you seriously propose setting forth? Shall I go ahead and burn any villages down?”
“Absolutely not,” he replied firmly. “The only ones I have a quarrel with are the wizards and court of Rale. We shall not involve anyone else if need be.”
“I’m not going to get the best reception wherever we go in this form. And I’m not going to go through undue risks, promise or no.”
“I shall think of that,” he said pettishly. “For now, let us walk.”
“Oh?” My tail thumped in surprise. “We’re leaving now?”
“Yes. I came prepared to see you, and in the event that you were not willing to strike a deal, I would have continued on alone.”
I laughed scornfully. “You mean you would’ve ended up inside my stomach, that’s what! I would have eaten you in a tick.”
Here the boy gave me a sidelong glance, and I must admit I found it almost…unnerving. His buggy blue eyes held a certain calm self-possession that was most unusual in someone of his age. He also had a knowing glint in them that I didn’t care for; he had already shown uncanny knowledge with the steel incident. Who knew what else was hidden away behind that most unpromising exterior?
“Lead the way, O Master,” I said dryly. He didn’t reply, and instead merely began the long descent down.
I waited until he was at the foot of the cliff before launching myself from the cave, spreading my wings as I did so and reveling in the feeling of air rushing beneath them. I spiraled down and landed gracefully on the ground, taking extra care of folding in my wings so the boy could be suitable impressed by them.
To my annoyance, the visor of his helmet seemed to have slammed down and did a nice job of covering his face up, so he missed my entire display. While he struggled with the rusted piece of metal, I stretched and looked out over the countryside. It was a pleasant place, indeed—little was I to know how long it would be before I ever saw it again.
