Dragon Fusion

by Karen Carnahan

  Lazeen started the meeting, “Zamian and I have been going over different strategies, we believe we’ve come up with some good ideas, one on how to help Zamian and El to strengthen their magic, as well as help the guards prepare for a magical battle. The scenario was to have the guards all come at them from different directions at the same time. It would better strengthen their response time, with several opponents at once, plus with Lazeen adding magic distractions as well. Of course, they’d use very, very minimal magic, especially in El’s case, we don’t want anyone getting hurt. It would also help the guards, to be evasive to magic users. What do you think, Vigdis?”

  “It’s doable. How many guards you think would be needed to do this training?”

  “Say maybe, forty to start.”

  “Yeah, we can do it,” Vigdis told Lazeen, she’d make the necessary arrangements. “When do we want to start this training?”

  “In a week?”

  “Good, that will give me plenty of time to get things ready, amongst the guards.”

  El wasn’t sure she was ready, she knew they need to prepare for anything, the best way to do that would be to train. But like this, someone could get hurt she hadn’t even been able to keep from setting the grass on fire. How was she going to ensure she didn’t blow someone up? With forty guards, it was surely going to be a battle of quickness. She and Zamian were going to have to work on her response time. She needed to be quick, as well as only to send a small trickle of magic, to ensure she doesn’t kill anyone.

  The meeting adjourned. Everyone stood going off in a different direction. El slowly stood. She wasn’t feeling very speedy after the meeting. As she came down the hall, out of the corner of her eye she saw a blue fireball coming at her, she raised her hands in the nick of time to send ice to cool the fire. Quickly, she looked around for the attacker, but no one was there; except Zamian, it had to be him. Smiling, she walked off down the hall, headed for her room.

  Lying in bed, she thought about the meeting. She prayed she’d be able to pull this off without getting her butt kicked royally, not to mention hurting one of the guards. Vigdis wouldn’t be happy with her if she did; this wasn’t going to be easy at all.

  Vigdis was ready; after last night's meeting, she had already planned how to help train El. “I want you to run as fast as possible around the arena.”

  Scrunching up her face, “Why?”

  “It could save your life. Now stop questioning me and get going.”

  She didn’t want to run but took off praying she wouldn’t have to do this all morning. After about the fifth lap, she got bored, so she made it more interesting by jumping over things as well as on top of things to run across them and jump down.

  “Quit, you are supposed to be running so you can build up your speed.” Vigdis scolded her.

  “Grrr,” she mumbled under her breath. She went back to running; this was so boring. It wasn’t how she thought Vigdis would be training her after the meeting. She wished she had her earbuds along with her cell phone; then, she could listen to music. It would make this go by much better. No, she had to leave it behind. Now, she was stuck with silence as she ran lap after lap. Finally, Vigdis yelled, “Break time!”

  "Hallelujah," El walked over to sit down under the tree. As she sat there in the shade drinking some much-needed water, she relaxed a bit; she was sweating like a stuffed pig. “Ok, how fast do I have to run to quit running laps?”

  “It’s not just about the speed. It is about being able to run long distances. You aren’t always going to have transportation, you might have to run, to wherever you are trying to get. You’ll need to have the endurance, to be able to make it there, we are building up your ability to handle long distances, as well as your speed.”

  She couldn’t argue with that, “Fine!”

  “Look, it’s a good way to get you into shape, and I mean real shape my guards have had years where you have only had months. Their stamina is far better than yours if you want a fighting chance in hell you are going to have to up your training.”

  Now she understood why Vigdis was having her do all the running—sitting there a few more minutes to rest since she had just drunk a lot of water. Vigdis had solid advice. She always had a good reason for the things she made her do. Though she didn’t always like them, standing, she took off running. She ran and ran, looking up at the sky she knew mid-day was approaching by the position of the sun that was beating down on her.

  Vigdis could see El was sweating profusely, “Break!”

  “Oh, thank the stars,” grateful Vigdis had called for a break. She was sore all over after running so much. Praying she wouldn’t have to run through mid-day meal, she wouldn’t put it past Vigdis to have her do so. Taking a large drink before she poured water over her head, trying to cool herself off.

  “Five minutes, then off you go again.”

  “Seriously.”

  “Yes, you’re doing well keep up the good work.”

  “Ugh, she was so tired of running.” She drank some more water, caught her breath before she got up started to run again. As she came around, she saw something out of the corner of her eye, it was flying at her, but it wasn’t magic, she dodged just in time as an arrow flew in front of her. It was Vigdis’s way of making sure she was on her toes, hearing her laugh as she continued to run. Again, she saw something flying at her. She dropped down to the ground; it flew over her head. Man, that was close, this training was taking on a whole new meaning. She had to get up she was an easy target on the ground, running, she didn’t want to get shot. She was sure it wouldn’t be long before another arrow would be coming at her, but she didn’t know when.

  About halfway around the last corner, El saw something coming at her, but this time it wasn’t an arrow, it was blue, she knew it was the fire magic. Stopping, she held up her hands, quickly releasing her ice, but she wasn’t quite quick enough, she got a bit scorched. Where the heck did that come from, she turned searching the area she saw Zamian. He was looking at her with a weird look on his face.

  Looking down at herself, she realized he had burnt her dress, half of it was missing. She sent her ice to stop the fabric from burning anymore. The good news was it didn’t reveal anything significant. Leaning down, she tore the bottom part of her dress, which was hanging on the ground. She tied the fabric around the lower part of her body; the skirt was a bit too short for her liking. She took off running again, thinking she needed to have a talk with Ivoka about a different wardrobe. She understood the need to look like a princess, but it wasn’t practical at all for fighting. If she was to be a warrior, then there was a need to wear something more appropriate. Something she could move easily in for a battle. She came over to where Vigdis and Zamian stood, she stopped.

  Laughing, “Don’t you think you should change your clothes?” If the Queen saw you like this, she would be beside herself, and you know it, especially if she found out it was Zamian who was responsible for your dress being half burnt. She might have him tarred and feathered.

  “Hmmm,” that might be fun to watch, El laughed.

  “Thanks a lot. I don’t think it would be fun at all. I think it would be downright embarrassing, not to mention hard to get off.”

  “True, ok give me a minute, I will go change, be back as soon as I can,” El took her leave. As she ran down the hallway, she realized there wasn’t much going on. The halls were clear right now. There were very few guards, not even seeing a servant as she came down the hall.

  Inside her bedroom, she opened the wardrobe grabbed another dress that was close to the color she was already wearing so she wouldn’t have to change everything. She dons the gown then looked in the mirror to see her hair was so out of place, she quickly fixed her hair. Looking back in the mirror, she looked more presentable. She walked out of the room. She was heading down the hallway, back to the training area she wasn’t in fear of being discovered by someone who’d report to Ivoka that she was only half-dressed. She knew Vigdis and Zamian were wait
ing for her return. She came around the corner, running smack into Elva.

  “Sorry, my lady!” Elva took off down the hall.

  Boy Elva was in a hurry, thinking nothing more about it, El took off down the hall. She arrived at the door, opened it, and walked outside.

  “Much better,” at least now the Queen won’t want to hang Zamian, for all to see him tarred and feathered, Vigdis laughed. “You guys ready for mid-day meal?”

  “I am, I’m starving!”

  “You’re always starving, El.” Vigdis laughed.

  “Yeah, what can I say, I have a trainer who makes me work off all the food I eat.” She joined in the laughter.

  “Come on, let’s go.” Vigdis led the way through the door and down the hall.

  El came around the corner to see Elva coming back down the hall, she was carrying something, but she acted as if she didn’t want anyone to see what was in her arms. She took off into a room, closing the door. El had stopped, wondering what that was about, she wanted to go check it out.

  “You ok?”

  Looking at Zamian, “Yeah, I am fine.”

  “Well come on then, I’m hungry, and I thought you were as well.”

  “You’re right, ok, let’s go.” She took off with him down the hall.

  As she walked out onto the balcony, she saw Ivoka, Oberson, and Lazeen standing at the entrance.

  “Happy Birthday, dear!”

  Oberson came over and gave her a hug, “Happy Birthday, my sweet angel!”

  Could it be her birthday? She hadn’t kept track of the days since she had arrived in this world. Yeah, in her old world, she would have been counting down the days. But here she didn’t think they cherished days like today. Was that why Elva was being so secretive with what she had been carrying. ‘Thank you!”

  As everyone sat at the table, she was able to see a massive cake in the middle of the table. She was excited they had remembered her birthday when she’d had forgotten.

  Once they all had finished eating their meal, Ivoka cut the cake handing out a piece to everyone. As El took a bite, it was delicious, she could have probably eaten the whole thing, but she knew that wasn’t possible. She was going to savor every bite, as she ate this slice. With a mouth full of cake, Vigdis walked over to stand by her side.

  “Happy birthday. We hope you enjoy these.” Vigdis laid something covered in a cloth in front of her.

  “Thank you,” she pulled back the fabric to reveal a set of Double Edge Battle Axes, with a Black Dragon etched into the blade.

  “The axes are from me; the carved dragon is from Zamian, and they have both been infused with magic by Lazeen. They’ll return to the user once thrown.

  “Wow, thank you all so much!” El was so full of emotion as she hugged each one of them. Zamian being the last one, she took a deep breath. Man, did he smelled good, not wanting to let go, but did so because she feared how her parents would react. Returning to her seat, she was fixing to ask for another piece of cake. When King Oberson came over and grabbed her hand, “Close your eyes.” She felt him put something cold in her hand. “You can open your eyes now.”

  She opened her eyes to see a key in her hand, confused she looked at Oberson.

  Seeing El confusion, he told her, “Go to the sitting room where we use to meet.”

  Hey, it was where she’d seen Elva carrying whatever going into that room—leading the way down the hall stopping in front of the door. She slid the key into the lock before turning it to hear a clicking sound. Grabbing the handle, turning it, and pushed open the door as she walked into the room to see two stick figures. Both contained what looked to be clothes, as she walked closer, she could see it was armor they were black with golden design on the front as well as the shoulders and neck, there were even armbands to match. It looked like a jumpsuit underneath with a cape over the top. There was one about her height. The other was slightly larger. Feeling the material, it was light but durable, grabbing the fabric. She felt the material it was stretchy, which would allow her to move with her body.

  “These are from Ivoka and me. They are for you and your dragon.”

  “Thank you,” she looked over at Zamian, who stood their eyes wide. She hugged them both.

  “Yes, thank you,” stated Zamian, he wasn’t exactly sure how to act, no one had ever given him a gift, outside of Lazeen.

  El walked around the armor. She saw a spot for her axes, chakrams, a quiver full of arrows, and a bow. Smiling, when Vigdis came over and slid her axes in their appropriate slots. “Hey, this is so much better than these dresses, she laughed.”

  Ivoka walked over, “I hope you’re enjoying your sixteenth birthday!

  Oh man, it was her sweet sixteen birthday. “This is the best birthday ever!” she smiled from ear to ear.

  Zamian was checking out his armor. She wondered if he liked it.

  “Don’t fret, will have Elva bring it up to your rooms so the two of you can start to wear them during training, that way you can get used to the armor. Don’t want to wait till a battle to find out how to move in it that would be way too late, Oberson stated.”

  She was thinking about the dress that got scorched earlier. She might as well tell Ivoka now, while she was in a good mood. “Speaking of battles there was a slight mishap at training today, I didn’t block fast enough, and my dress got burnt, it was the dark green one." El could see the expression on Ivoka’s face faded a bit, but she took it better than El had thought she would. “Well, I’ll have the seamstresses make you another one.”

  “Ok, so can I have another piece of that delicious cake?” she asked, smiling.

  Laughing, Ivoka replied, “Yes, today is your day!”

  “Why thank you,” she walked out the door and headed down the hall to the balcony area. She took her seat after she got herself a big piece of cake. Licking the icing off her fingers, man, this was magnificent icing it wasn’t too sweet, it was just right. She never had a birthday cake, this delicious. The cake itself was light and fluffy. It didn’t take long for her to eat the second piece.

  Zamian sat at the other end of the table. He had helped himself to a second piece. He stayed hungry all the time since he’s a dragon; his metabolism was always running high. He hadn’t been eating a lot at the table, but he would go and hunt for food to fill his belly. He looked over at El. She was beaming with joy; he was glad she was having a good birthday. He wasn’t expecting the armor they had made for him. He knew about hers, but his was a total surprise. With her doing so well in her training, he didn’t know how much longer he’d be remaining here. He hadn’t talked with Lazeen about him leaving. He liked it here; he loved being around her. He wasn’t sure he wanted to leave this place, plus they treated him like family.

  Vigdis had followed El to her room to show her how to don her armor and to make sure that it fits so she could move within it. Still beaming with joy as she entered her bedroom. Vigdis came in behind her, closing the door.

  Stripping out of the dress she’d been wearing, Vigdis walked over undid the armor pulling it over El’s head. It was much lighter than she had initially thought, which was good, it should be easy to move in. Once everything on, she moved around. It fit like a glove. It moved with her body, wasn’t restricting her at all, not like them bloody dresses did. Thank the stars, she thought.

  Vigdis showed El how to be able to get in and out of the armor with no help before she placed the armor on the bed.

  She saw Vigdis headed for the door, “Where are you going?”

  “I am off to see if Zamian’s armor fits him!” as Vigdis walked out the door.

  Yeah, her dragon, she was ok with Zamian being her dragon, she liked him, he was cool even if he had burnt her dress today. Laughing, she put her dress back on. She went over sat in the windowsill, staring out the window. It was still hard to believe; she was sixteen. Glad for today, it was nice to have the small party she had. Today was more special than any of her other birthday’s. Considering in her old world, they looke
d forward to such parties; they didn’t have much to worry over. Where here there was a lot to worry over. She loved each of her gifts; she was glad he etched the dragon into her axes. It gave them a beautiful look. She hoped that it would stay through all the battling; she would be doing in the future with them.

  Opening a book, which was in her hand, so she could finish it, to be able to move onto the next one. Who knew how many books Ivoka had for her to read. But it gave her something to do, instead of just looking at the walls, there was no other entertainment here, no television or radio, there was no place for them here, it was all about survival, with that thought she began to read.

  It was time for the evening meal. El had just finished the book; she placed it on the table as she walked out the door. She walked down the hallway arriving at the cross-section she could see down the guest hall. She saw Zamian had just come out of his room, smiling, she thought to herself, my dragon. She snickered as she went down the hall, arriving at the balcony taking her seat; she noticed the cake had been removed. “Where’s the cake?”

  Ivoka looked at El “Funny,” then remembered she hadn’t grown up here, “My child, we cut the cake up into small pieces for the Kingdom to share. It’s one of the delights our people get to look forward to each year.”

  “So, wait, everyone knows about me?” El was excited to hear this.

  As hard as we try to keep secrets in these halls, things seem to leak out, amongst the servants. It hasn’t been officially announced that you’re the Royal Princess, but there are rumors about the Kingdom of you being a Princess, she wasn’t sure everyone knew it was her birthday cake.

  “Oh!” Her excitement is gone now from hearing the news that everyone shared her birthday without knowing it was hers. If they had known it was hers, then it would have been like a huge party, and her people would have known who she was, plus that they had excepted her as their Royal Princess.