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Dragons Dark Dominion: A Tale of Power and Forbidden Love This is a rewrite of "Treasured One," which can still be found at This link (pastebin.com) is not approved. Submit this link for approval The second part is coming soon. * * * Is this my fault? Enna wondered. She guided her horse around the numerous black holes and furrows which gave the hills a ghastly scarred appearance. It must have been months ago, now, but Enna easily remembered each blood-spattered detail of her and her companions' fight with the black dragon deep beneath the earth. They had fought the beast as they had many others, having no time to wonder what a drake’s presence might mean. "Trap the wings!" Dailen had shouted. Rondar, bearing the heavy chain net which they had prepared for the fight, roared primally and heaved the metal through the air as Makoa brought the dragon down with an arcane whisper. Before the dragon could rise, the net fell over its wings, and Rondar soon followed, wrestling the chains and clasps into place. The creature had howled then, a sound which had shaken the entire cavern and likely the whole mountain. Enna’s ears had rung in pain, yet over the noise she continued to sing, feeling as the spirits within the mountain responded to her voice which grew to a volume above even the dragon's roar. It had not taken much longer for Rondar and Dailen to beat the dragon into unconsciousness. As Dailen prepared to ram a spear into its throat, Enna had suddenly noticed a hooded figure retreat around a corner. She called attention to it, sending everyone chasing after the stranger. As the cave quieted, she found herself alone, with nothing but a dying dragon for company. Making sure that nobody else was around, Enna had stepped carefully over to it. Enna could recall each detail of the dragon as clearly now as she did then: She could feel the hard, smooth scales under her hand, could feel the warmth which radiated from them like a pot fresh from the hearth. She also remembered even more clearly the ankles of the beast, which seemed unnaturally thin for something so massive. “You’re a prisoner, aren’t you?” Enna asked somberly as she stroked its thick shoulder. Gingerly, she touched the small pendant hanging about her neck and glanced in the direction in which Dailen had run. Looking back at the dragon, she whispered “You deserve a second chance, too. …but everything was about to change
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Dragons Dark Dominion: A Tale of Power and Forbidden Love
This is a rewrite of "Treasured One," which can still be found at This link (pastebin.com) is not approved. Submit this link for approval
The second part is coming soon.
* * *
Is this my fault? Enna wondered. She guided her horse around the numerous black holes and furrows which gave the hills a ghastly scarred appearance. It must have been months ago, now, but Enna easily remembered each blood-spattered detail of her and her companions' fight with the black dragon deep beneath the earth. They had fought the beast as they had many others, having no time to wonder what a drake’s presence might mean.
"Trap the wings!" Dailen had shouted. Rondar, bearing the heavy chain net which they had prepared for the fight, roared primally and heaved the metal through the air as Makoa brought the dragon down with an arcane whisper. Before the dragon could rise, the net fell over its wings, and Rondar soon followed, wrestling the chains and clasps into place. The creature had howled then, a sound which had shaken the entire cavern and likely the whole mountain. Enna’s ears had rung in pain, yet over the noise she continued to sing, feeling as the spirits within the mountain responded to her voice which grew to a volume above even the dragon's roar.
It had not taken much longer for Rondar and Dailen to beat the dragon into unconsciousness. As Dailen prepared to ram a spear into its throat, Enna had suddenly noticed a hooded figure retreat around a corner. She called attention to it, sending everyone chasing after the stranger.
As the cave quieted, she found herself alone, with nothing but a dying dragon for company. Making sure that nobody else was around, Enna had stepped carefully over to it. Enna could recall each detail of the dragon as clearly now as she did then: She could feel the hard, smooth scales under her hand, could feel the warmth which radiated from them like a pot fresh from the hearth. She also remembered even more clearly the ankles of the beast, which seemed unnaturally thin for something so massive.
“You’re a prisoner, aren’t you?” Enna asked somberly as she stroked its thick shoulder. Gingerly, she touched the small pendant hanging about her neck and glanced in the direction in which Dailen had run. Looking back at the dragon, she whispered “You deserve a second chance, too.”
Sympathy welled within her, and before she had stopped to think about what could happen, Enna placed her hands over the hard ebony scales. Beginning with a low hum which grew into a sonorous tone, Enna began to sing. She could feel as the spirits within the mountain shifted uncomfortably about her, but they did as she asked, crawling invisibly up to the dragon’s wounds. A warmth spread beneath Enna’s fingertips as the long cuts knitted together, and before long the blood had ceased its flow. Enna closed the song gently and leaned back onto the stone wall, watching the bulk before her carefully.
Soon, the dragon drew a deep breath and flicked open its massive yellow eyes. The beast lurched to its feet, stumbling for a moment as its wounds throbbed. Enna backed away frantically, but not before the dragon had seen her. Its long tail lashed out, hitting her square in the stomach and sending her flying back into the cavern wall. Her vision blurred, and she saw as the dragon eyed her hungrily. In her daze, Enna shook her head and pointed weakly at the cave's exit. “Go!” she had shouted. The dragon looked where she pointed, looked back at her, then lumbered away as it spat a wad of blood on the ground.
I let it live, Enna thought. The scorched fields, slaughtered livestock, and dead innocents were all her doing. That's why she'd come so far south, though; if this dragon was the same that she had healed, it was her responsibility to end this problem. What troubled her the most wasn't that the dragon had gone so rampant- her greatest fear right now was that she had come so close to its cave, now within sight of it, and yet had not been accosted. From what the rumors had said, nobody could even get close to the mountains any more.
Enna checked the straps on her sword one more time and made the final climb up to the mouth of the cave. She dismounted and drew out a torch, quickly lightning it as she peered into the gaping mouth before her. The darkness inside seemed undisturbed by the light of the sun, and seemed to draw in the light of her torch. The cave whispered gently as wind blew across it, sending chills across Enna’s skin. She reached within her jerkin and clasped the rough stone pendant hanging there firmly. The cave whispered again, and Enna took a resolute step inside. r
Within, the cave’s whispers continued louder than before, becoming a low howl.. Enna’s torch reflected oddly off of water which trickled down the walls, and the air itself seemed to cling to her like a cold silken cloak. “Like the throat of a great beast,” she mused, but pressed downward through the twisting passages. “Hello?” she called, then cleared her throat. “T’saak?” The word grated on her throat.
"Hello," something whispered behind her. The voice responded in deep Draconian, and Enna whipped around to see a large black reptilian head before her with yellow eyes shining like lanterns. She reached for her sword, but the dragon blew softly and extinguished her torch. The darkness surrounded her immediately, and Enna froze in place, her heart beating frantically. She heard a deep intake of air in front of her, followed by a steady breath which wafted over her and filled the air with a harsh acrid stench.
"Mmm," the dragon rumbled. "You are afraid."
Enna wet her lips "I am alive," she said haltingly.
“Impressive," it mused. The sound bounced about her, echoing endlessly in the darkness. “Ours is no easy tongue for a human. Who taught you such things?” Enna turned carefully, trying to pinpoint the dragon. His voice seemed to be moving, she thought, circling her.
"I am a clever woman." She quipped. "But that's not what spared my life. You have killed everyone who has come close- all but me. Why?"
"Curiosity. I never forget a scent, and I could smell you on the wind long before you entered." As the dragon spoke, Enna felt the air around her stir slightly, then jumped suddenly as something briefly flicked across her skin.
Enna shook off the feeling. "You remember that I saved you, then? You were a captive of that priest, and I released you from him."
"I do remember that," the dragon replied. "I also remember the blades of you and your comrades, piercing into my skin and drinking my blood. I remember the biting net. I remember the filth of your magic as it crawled across my scales, and I remember most of all one other thing." The dragon punctuated each item sharply, his very voice seeming to drip with venom.
Enna gripped the hilt of her blade tighter, testing it in its sheath. "I am sorry about all of that. We did-"
"Most of all,” it said, cutting her off, “I remember your voice." His tone was sultry, for a dragon, almost crooning.
Enna breathed deeply, feeling her composure return. "That is all in the past now. I came here to ask a favor of you, as a repayment of your debt to me for saving your life.”
"A favor?" Something akin to a chuckle rumbled around her.
“I want you to fly northward into the mountains, and I want you to leave these people alone." She could not see the dragon, but she felt something large very close to her side. Enna resisted the urge to lash out at it yet.
The dragon grew silent for a moment. "Repayment for saving my life, you claim." He seemed to roll these words slowly, considering each one. "No."
The fear Enna had felt at seeing the dragon for the first time began to well up in her again. She had hoped it would not come to this. "I spared you!” she hissed. “I could have left you to die there, but I chose to exercise mercy. I knew you were not just some mindless monster! You can think, you can reason! I ask you again to leave here," she pleaded. "Be more than others think you to be."
Once again, the dragon paused for a terrifying few moments; Enna could almost hear the sound of the dice of fate rolling in her head.
"I have thought about that," the dragon finally replied, "and I do not fully know what I am. Your friends saw me as a beast. The 'priest' who held me saw me as a god and a tool. My instincts tell me to hunt, to prey on the weak." Enna could pinpoint its voice now- the dragon's echoing bass came from directly in front of her. "You see me as something else, and I think you are the one who is right. I will be my own creature."
"And what sort of creature is that?" She asked.
A sudden strike from her side threw Enna onto the ground. Her sword sprang from its sheath in an instant, swinging in a wide arc in front of her. She felt its razor tip brush against something, followed by a hard grunt. Something smacked against her right hand then coiled about it. Enna heaved with all of her might against the beast’s pull, but its strength soon overwhelmed her and sent the blade flying into the darkness. "I will be all of them," the dragon hissed into her ear. "I owe you nothing, human. You may have saved me, but I spared your life when you entered my domain. My debt to you is paid. But you are right; I am no mere beast to prey on cows and sheep. I am divinity, of the lineage of emperors, and I will have my subjects. Here is my proposition: I will rule over this land like the kings of old, and the people here will pay tithe to me. In exchange, I will cleanse them of the filth which fills their roads and stalks them in the night. They will be my peons to command in a new empire free of your human dregs. Is that good enough for you? Am I still a horrific monster in your eyes?"
In response, Enna drew a dagger with her free hand and plunged it into the tail binding her sword arm. She felt warm blood spurt onto her wrist as a terrifying howl split the air. With her grip freed, Enna shouted and rushed forward blindly, her blade cutting the air before her. A mass moved in the darkness ahead of her, and Enna moved to follow, her sword swinging wildly through the inky blackness. Enna felt a sudden smack against her side, sending her careening. As she gasped for breath, deep claws dug into her mail until her face smacked into the rough stone. Her head rung with pain, but through the fog she felt large hands gripping her wrists as something maneuvered over her body.
“You bear an inner fire,” the dragon spoke through panting breaths. “Such zeal could serve my empire well.”
Enna struggled against the claws binding her, but to no avail. "Empire?” she spat in Thengaren. “The people will never listen to you. They won't even be able to understand you! I'm one of the few who know your tongue, let alone who can speak it!"
"You are right," the dragon admitted. "I will need a herald. You will do."
Enna’s skin chilled. "What?"
"You will be my herald. I will command, and you will carry my orders to my people. You will tell me what they do and say. It is simple, and it is not a request. Either you do this for me, or I will gut you like a doe."
“And is this how you will rule?” Enna asked. “You seem to give little choice to even those you wish to be loyal.”
“There are always choices,” it replied. “Today, you choose whether you live or die. Few have such a privilege in their time”
Enna felt water rippling under her gasping breaths as the stone scraped against her cheek. “I thought you could be different,” she hissed. “Are you not better than your forebearers?”
The dragon’s low voice stirred next to Enna’s ear. “I am,” it breathed. “Let me show you.”
Enna heaved a few more breaths; the pendant poked against her chest. “Fine.”
“Speak clearly- your life is at stake.”
Enna paused for a moment longer “I will be your ‘herald’,” she relented.
"Good.” The dragon released its hold on her body, allowing Enna to finally breathe freely. She heard metal skid across stone, disappearing far into the unknown. "You will have no need of weapons in my new kingdom," the dragon said. Enna rose into a sitting position, wincing as she rubbed her wrists. "Wait here," the dragon commanded. No sound indicated that the dragon had moved, but Enna did feel somewhat more alone. She stood, listening carefully and trying vainly to hear a sword lying still on the ground.
She didn't have much of a chance anyways, as soon a bright light suddenly filled the cave, momentarily blinding Enna. Her head swam with pain, but the dragon offered no apology. When she recovered, she could see the dragon in full detail now. It stood over twenty feet from nose to tail, covered in ebony scales which reflected the light of the bit of sunsteel the dragon had tossed on the ground. She could see that the underside of the dragon was a lighter shade than the rest, though even those scales looked just as impenetrable as stone. The dragon's large yellow eyes stared fixated on her as the it bobbed its head, examining her from every angle. Streaks of dark blood ran from its wounds, and the dragon hissed as it saw her eyeing them.
“These are your work, now fix them.”
Cautiously, Enna stepped over to the dragon’s form and kneeled beside it. One hand traced the cut on his chest as the other patted hopefully at her empty sheaths.
“Sing,” the dragon commanded.
Enna’s mouth opened, and music flowed from her lips. The air about her vibrated with energy as spirits came to her call. She soothed their troubled thoughts, directing them instead towards the presence of pain. The invisible aids quickly went to work, knitting the beast’s scales together and soothing her own aches. Soon, the song died down, and the air returned to its clammy, brisk chill.
"Mmmm," the dragon hummed. Its claws rubbed where the cut had been. “You are skillful. Touch my scales- they are as hard as before. Enna gave the dragon a confused glance. “Feel them,” it commanded. Enna furrowed her brow, but leaned forward and rubbed her hand over its massive chest. The plates did not give under her hands as she pressed upon them, but felt sturdy as iron. As the dragon inhaled, his breast swelled beneath her palms.
“You have felt my power,” it said proudly. Enna leaned back, fuming quietly. "Now, remove your armor."
Goosebumps rose over her neck. "What?"
"Do it!" the dragon hissed. "Armor is a sign of war, of unrest. You are my herald, and you will be the sign of my peace." Enna grimaced and stood as her hand passed over where her sword usually sat. She began to turn around before the dragon interrupted her. "No. Face me."
Enna hesitated for a moment, but continued. Her fingers traced the seam along her back, feeling for the laces which tied her mail together, and began to undo each one. The long chain came loose, and she hefted it off, leaving her in nothing but wools. The cold cave air clung to her even more tightly, and Enna folded her arms in front of her to keep warm. "I'm to go out like this?" she asked.
"Do you know," the dragon said, ignoring her question, "what the priest did with me when I was not devouring his prisoners?"
Her skin began to crawl. “I don’t,” she said flatly.
The dragon began to circle Enna, never removing its eyes from her body. "That man worshiped dragons. He grew infatuated with the power we represented, and he was thus furious at our fall. When he found me in the east, I think he saw it as a sign. He took me while I was young and brought me westward, where he gathered many followers to himself. I was his symbol, his prize. His most devoted were promised a share of my presence. Of course, I was young and alone then. I soon began to enjoy the company of some of them." Enna felt the dragon stop behind her, then felt as its long tail rubbed up the outside of her legs, pushing the soft wool aside. The scales felt surprisingly soft, but the touch sent shivers over her entire body. "Especially the women," he whispered. Its tongue flicked lightly over her left ear. His tongue, she thought grimly.
He began to move around her again, coming to her front and facing her with his topaz eyes. "As my herald, you will be in my company more than any other ever has been. In time, you might even learn to enjoy my presence." He advanced upon Enna, drawing close enough for her to feel his steaming breath upon her neck. "Do you trust me, herald?"
Enna stood her ground. "No," she said, "and forcing yourself upon me will never change that."
The dragon inhaled deeply, and his forked tongue flicked over her bared flesh. "Force? No, not force, my herald. Those I choose to bond with do so willingly; they usually offer themselves, but you are stubborn. By THE END
The second part is coming soon.
* * *
Is this my fault? Enna wondered. She guided her horse around the numerous black holes and furrows which gave the hills a ghastly scarred appearance. It must have been months ago, now, but Enna easily remembered each blood-spattered detail of her and her companions' fight with the black dragon deep beneath the earth. They had fought the beast as they had many others, having no time to wonder what a drake’s presence might mean.
"Trap the wings!" Dailen had shouted. Rondar, bearing the heavy chain net which they had prepared for the fight, roared primally and heaved the metal through the air as Makoa brought the dragon down with an arcane whisper. Before the dragon could rise, the net fell over its wings, and Rondar soon followed, wrestling the chains and clasps into place. The creature had howled then, a sound which had shaken the entire cavern and likely the whole mountain. Enna’s ears had rung in pain, yet over the noise she continued to sing, feeling as the spirits within the mountain responded to her voice which grew to a volume above even the dragon's roar.
It had not taken much longer for Rondar and Dailen to beat the dragon into unconsciousness. As Dailen prepared to ram a spear into its throat, Enna had suddenly noticed a hooded figure retreat around a corner. She called attention to it, sending everyone chasing after the stranger.
As the cave quieted, she found herself alone, with nothing but a dying dragon for company. Making sure that nobody else was around, Enna had stepped carefully over to it. Enna could recall each detail of the dragon as clearly now as she did then: She could feel the hard, smooth scales under her hand, could feel the warmth which radiated from them like a pot fresh from the hearth. She also remembered even more clearly the ankles of the beast, which seemed unnaturally thin for something so massive.
“You’re a prisoner, aren’t you?” Enna asked somberly as she stroked its thick shoulder. Gingerly, she touched the small pendant hanging about her neck and glanced in the direction in which Dailen had run. Looking back at the dragon, she whispered “You deserve a second chance, too.”
Sympathy welled within her, and before she had stopped to think about what could happen, Enna placed her hands over the hard ebony scales. Beginning with a low hum which grew into a sonorous tone, Enna began to sing. She could feel as the spirits within the mountain shifted uncomfortably about her, but they did as she asked, crawling invisibly up to the dragon’s wounds. A warmth spread beneath Enna’s fingertips as the long cuts knitted together, and before long the blood had ceased its flow. Enna closed the song gently and leaned back onto the stone wall, watching the bulk before her carefully.
Soon, the dragon drew a deep breath and flicked open its massive yellow eyes. The beast lurched to its feet, stumbling for a moment as its wounds throbbed. Enna backed away frantically, but not before the dragon had seen her. Its long tail lashed out, hitting her square in the stomach and sending her flying back into the cavern wall. Her vision blurred, and she saw as the dragon eyed her hungrily. In her daze, Enna shook her head and pointed weakly at the cave's exit. “Go!” she had shouted. The dragon looked where she pointed, looked back at her, then lumbered away as it spat a wad of blood on the ground.
I let it live, Enna thought. The scorched fields, slaughtered livestock, and dead innocents were all her doing. That's why she'd come so far south, though; if this dragon was the same that she had healed, it was her responsibility to end this problem. What troubled her the most wasn't that the dragon had gone so rampant- her greatest fear right now was that she had come so close to its cave, now within sight of it, and yet had not been accosted. From what the rumors had said, nobody could even get close to the mountains any more.
Enna checked the straps on her sword one more time and made the final climb up to the mouth of the cave. She dismounted and drew out a torch, quickly lightning it as she peered into the gaping mouth before her. The darkness inside seemed undisturbed by the light of the sun, and seemed to draw in the light of her torch. The cave whispered gently as wind blew across it, sending chills across Enna’s skin. She reached within her jerkin and clasped the rough stone pendant hanging there firmly. The cave whispered again, and Enna took a resolute step inside. r
Within, the cave’s whispers continued louder than before, becoming a low howl.. Enna’s torch reflected oddly off of water which trickled down the walls, and the air itself seemed to cling to her like a cold silken cloak. “Like the throat of a great beast,” she mused, but pressed downward through the twisting passages. “Hello?” she called, then cleared her throat. “T’saak?” The word grated on her throat.
"Hello," something whispered behind her. The voice responded in deep Draconian, and Enna whipped around to see a large black reptilian head before her with yellow eyes shining like lanterns. She reached for her sword, but the dragon blew softly and extinguished her torch. The darkness surrounded her immediately, and Enna froze in place, her heart beating frantically. She heard a deep intake of air in front of her, followed by a steady breath which wafted over her and filled the air with a harsh acrid stench.
"Mmm," the dragon rumbled. "You are afraid."
Enna wet her lips "I am alive," she said haltingly.
“Impressive," it mused. The sound bounced about her, echoing endlessly in the darkness. “Ours is no easy tongue for a human. Who taught you such things?” Enna turned carefully, trying to pinpoint the dragon. His voice seemed to be moving, she thought, circling her.
"I am a clever woman." She quipped. "But that's not what spared my life. You have killed everyone who has come close- all but me. Why?"
"Curiosity. I never forget a scent, and I could smell you on the wind long before you entered." As the dragon spoke, Enna felt the air around her stir slightly, then jumped suddenly as something briefly flicked across her skin.
Enna shook off the feeling. "You remember that I saved you, then? You were a captive of that priest, and I released you from him."
"I do remember that," the dragon replied. "I also remember the blades of you and your comrades, piercing into my skin and drinking my blood. I remember the biting net. I remember the filth of your magic as it crawled across my scales, and I remember most of all one other thing." The dragon punctuated each item sharply, his very voice seeming to drip with venom.
Enna gripped the hilt of her blade tighter, testing it in its sheath. "I am sorry about all of that. We did-"
"Most of all,” it said, cutting her off, “I remember your voice." His tone was sultry, for a dragon, almost crooning.
Enna breathed deeply, feeling her composure return. "That is all in the past now. I came here to ask a favor of you, as a repayment of your debt to me for saving your life.”
"A favor?" Something akin to a chuckle rumbled around her.
“I want you to fly northward into the mountains, and I want you to leave these people alone." She could not see the dragon, but she felt something large very close to her side. Enna resisted the urge to lash out at it yet.
The dragon grew silent for a moment. "Repayment for saving my life, you claim." He seemed to roll these words slowly, considering each one. "No."
The fear Enna had felt at seeing the dragon for the first time began to well up in her again. She had hoped it would not come to this. "I spared you!” she hissed. “I could have left you to die there, but I chose to exercise mercy. I knew you were not just some mindless monster! You can think, you can reason! I ask you again to leave here," she pleaded. "Be more than others think you to be."
Once again, the dragon paused for a terrifying few moments; Enna could almost hear the sound of the dice of fate rolling in her head.
"I have thought about that," the dragon finally replied, "and I do not fully know what I am. Your friends saw me as a beast. The 'priest' who held me saw me as a god and a tool. My instincts tell me to hunt, to prey on the weak." Enna could pinpoint its voice now- the dragon's echoing bass came from directly in front of her. "You see me as something else, and I think you are the one who is right. I will be my own creature."
"And what sort of creature is that?" She asked.
A sudden strike from her side threw Enna onto the ground. Her sword sprang from its sheath in an instant, swinging in a wide arc in front of her. She felt its razor tip brush against something, followed by a hard grunt. Something smacked against her right hand then coiled about it. Enna heaved with all of her might against the beast’s pull, but its strength soon overwhelmed her and sent the blade flying into the darkness. "I will be all of them," the dragon hissed into her ear. "I owe you nothing, human. You may have saved me, but I spared your life when you entered my domain. My debt to you is paid. But you are right; I am no mere beast to prey on cows and sheep. I am divinity, of the lineage of emperors, and I will have my subjects. Here is my proposition: I will rule over this land like the kings of old, and the people here will pay tithe to me. In exchange, I will cleanse them of the filth which fills their roads and stalks them in the night. They will be my peons to command in a new empire free of your human dregs. Is that good enough for you? Am I still a horrific monster in your eyes?"
In response, Enna drew a dagger with her free hand and plunged it into the tail binding her sword arm. She felt warm blood spurt onto her wrist as a terrifying howl split the air. With her grip freed, Enna shouted and rushed forward blindly, her blade cutting the air before her. A mass moved in the darkness ahead of her, and Enna moved to follow, her sword swinging wildly through the inky blackness. Enna felt a sudden smack against her side, sending her careening. As she gasped for breath, deep claws dug into her mail until her face smacked into the rough stone. Her head rung with pain, but through the fog she felt large hands gripping her wrists as something maneuvered over her body.
“You bear an inner fire,” the dragon spoke through panting breaths. “Such zeal could serve my empire well.”
Enna struggled against the claws binding her, but to no avail. "Empire?” she spat in Thengaren. “The people will never listen to you. They won't even be able to understand you! I'm one of the few who know your tongue, let alone who can speak it!"
"You are right," the dragon admitted. "I will need a herald. You will do."
Enna’s skin chilled. "What?"
"You will be my herald. I will command, and you will carry my orders to my people. You will tell me what they do and say. It is simple, and it is not a request. Either you do this for me, or I will gut you like a doe."
“And is this how you will rule?” Enna asked. “You seem to give little choice to even those you wish to be loyal.”
“There are always choices,” it replied. “Today, you choose whether you live or die. Few have such a privilege in their time”
Enna felt water rippling under her gasping breaths as the stone scraped against her cheek. “I thought you could be different,” she hissed. “Are you not better than your forebearers?”
The dragon’s low voice stirred next to Enna’s ear. “I am,” it breathed. “Let me show you.”
Enna heaved a few more breaths; the pendant poked against her chest. “Fine.”
“Speak clearly- your life is at stake.”
Enna paused for a moment longer “I will be your ‘herald’,” she relented.
"Good.” The dragon released its hold on her body, allowing Enna to finally breathe freely. She heard metal skid across stone, disappearing far into the unknown. "You will have no need of weapons in my new kingdom," the dragon said. Enna rose into a sitting position, wincing as she rubbed her wrists. "Wait here," the dragon commanded. No sound indicated that the dragon had moved, but Enna did feel somewhat more alone. She stood, listening carefully and trying vainly to hear a sword lying still on the ground.
She didn't have much of a chance anyways, as soon a bright light suddenly filled the cave, momentarily blinding Enna. Her head swam with pain, but the dragon offered no apology. When she recovered, she could see the dragon in full detail now. It stood over twenty feet from nose to tail, covered in ebony scales which reflected the light of the bit of sunsteel the dragon had tossed on the ground. She could see that the underside of the dragon was a lighter shade than the rest, though even those scales looked just as impenetrable as stone. The dragon's large yellow eyes stared fixated on her as the it bobbed its head, examining her from every angle. Streaks of dark blood ran from its wounds, and the dragon hissed as it saw her eyeing them.
“These are your work, now fix them.”
Cautiously, Enna stepped over to the dragon’s form and kneeled beside it. One hand traced the cut on his chest as the other patted hopefully at her empty sheaths.
“Sing,” the dragon commanded.
Enna’s mouth opened, and music flowed from her lips. The air about her vibrated with energy as spirits came to her call. She soothed their troubled thoughts, directing them instead towards the presence of pain. The invisible aids quickly went to work, knitting the beast’s scales together and soothing her own aches. Soon, the song died down, and the air returned to its clammy, brisk chill.
"Mmmm," the dragon hummed. Its claws rubbed where the cut had been. “You are skillful. Touch my scales- they are as hard as before. Enna gave the dragon a confused glance. “Feel them,” it commanded. Enna furrowed her brow, but leaned forward and rubbed her hand over its massive chest. The plates did not give under her hands as she pressed upon them, but felt sturdy as iron. As the dragon inhaled, his breast swelled beneath her palms.
“You have felt my power,” it said proudly. Enna leaned back, fuming quietly. "Now, remove your armor."
Goosebumps rose over her neck. "What?"
"Do it!" the dragon hissed. "Armor is a sign of war, of unrest. You are my herald, and you will be the sign of my peace." Enna grimaced and stood as her hand passed over where her sword usually sat. She began to turn around before the dragon interrupted her. "No. Face me."
Enna hesitated for a moment, but continued. Her fingers traced the seam along her back, feeling for the laces which tied her mail together, and began to undo each one. The long chain came loose, and she hefted it off, leaving her in nothing but wools. The cold cave air clung to her even more tightly, and Enna folded her arms in front of her to keep warm. "I'm to go out like this?" she asked.
"Do you know," the dragon said, ignoring her question, "what the priest did with me when I was not devouring his prisoners?"
Her skin began to crawl. “I don’t,” she said flatly.
The dragon began to circle Enna, never removing its eyes from her body. "That man worshiped dragons. He grew infatuated with the power we represented, and he was thus furious at our fall. When he found me in the east, I think he saw it as a sign. He took me while I was young and brought me westward, where he gathered many followers to himself. I was his symbol, his prize. His most devoted were promised a share of my presence. Of course, I was young and alone then. I soon began to enjoy the company of some of them." Enna felt the dragon stop behind her, then felt as its long tail rubbed up the outside of her legs, pushing the soft wool aside. The scales felt surprisingly soft, but the touch sent shivers over her entire body. "Especially the women," he whispered. Its tongue flicked lightly over her left ear. His tongue, she thought grimly.
He began to move around her again, coming to her front and facing her with his topaz eyes. "As my herald, you will be in my company more than any other ever has been. In time, you might even learn to enjoy my presence." He advanced upon Enna, drawing close enough for her to feel his steaming breath upon her neck. "Do you trust me, herald?"
Enna stood her ground. "No," she said, "and forcing yourself upon me will never change that."
The dragon inhaled deeply, and his forked tongue flicked over her bared flesh. "Force? No, not force, my herald. Those I choose to bond with do so willingly; they usually offer themselves, but you are stubborn. By THE END
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