by Dane Bagley
Aiden was surprised that the dragon hadn’t already returned. He and John had made every possible preparation. They had even killed a ram and ate it raw. They’d not had cooked meat since they began to ascend the mountain.
“Aiden,” said John. “You’ve been preparing for this moment for a lifetime. What will you do next?”
Aiden looked out at the horizon, scanning the sky for
Dromreign. “There is this woman. A woman of Cardsten. Her name is Mirinda. She is the most beautiful, most perfect woman in the world. I will return and marry her. And we will raise children and be happy.”
“Tell me more of this Mirinda,” said John, pleased that Aiden was opening up.
“I’ve explained her already,” said Aiden. “She is feminine perfection in every way.”
“I see,” said John chuckling. “What’s she look like? What color is her hair, her eyes…”
Aiden looked over the way dreamily. “Ah Mirinda, with her hair as black as night, and her dark brown eyes, and her olive skin, there is nothing more lovely in this world that eyes can behold.”
John could tell that Aiden was truly affected.
“And you?” asked Aiden, after some time.
“What will you do next?”
“I shall return…to the promise land.” John searched Aiden for a reaction. There was none.
“Did you know that I was from there?”
Aiden smiled and nodded.
“A man who knew nothing about this world, who was found beaten to within an inch of his life, near the pool in the dark forest—I had a hunch.”
John smiled.
“Why’d you leave?”
John looked out over the forest below. “This is why. What we’re doing. I had an itch that I couldn’t scratch within the safety of those mountainous walls. Something called me—what we’re about to do. I’ve had the time of my life, these past few months. When we lay that beast to rest I will return…to my Sarah.”
“Sarah,” Aiden said with a smile. “Let’s hear of your Sarah.”
“I do not claim her to be the most beautiful woman in the promise land, but she is the most extraordinarily.”
“Who’s the most beautiful then?”
“That would be Janice.”
“What was wrong with Janice?”
“Nothing. Nothing is wrong with Janice. She is like your Mirinda, only blond with blue eyes.”
“What happened with her?”
“I let her go. She was as amazing. But, Sarah was more precious to me, and I chose Sarah.”
“Tell me about Sarah.”
“She also is blond with blue eyes, short hair that’s straight. But when you look at her face, when you look in her eyes, it’s like peering into the deepest ocean—into a heavenly abyss. There is no end, like standing on the end of the world and staring into eternity. There is such light, such glory, such divinity. No one in the world is like my Sarah, not Janice, I dare say, not even your Mirinda.”
Aiden smiled.
“So, why’d you leave her?”
John was silent for some time. “Why’d you leave Mirinda?”
Aiden nodded knowingly.
