Swords, Sorcery, & Self-Rescuing Damsels

by Jody Lynn Nye

  Humans were the ultimate prey. No claws, mostly furless, often quite plump. Their clothes singed off in a flash and there you had it: an ideal dragon meal. And so they were, for other dragons. But Tinvo couldn’t bring herself to kill humans.

  The sobs rose from her belly again. She had made the mistake of watching humans. They acted like dragons in their love of treasure and their fierceness in protecting it. The oldsters led the youngsters around, teaching them how to walk and talk, just like dragons did. Watching young humans play and tumble reminded her of the days when she and her four nest mates did the same. When the four of them were sent out into the world, she was assigned here, to the least favored, most remote, long-abandoned cavern and lands. Abandoned so long that there was a village at the bottom of the hill. She could not make the world-warming flame and she had a strange fascination with humans.

  A soft, sweet voice interrupted her wallowing.

  “Pretty bird. Pretty bird.”

  Tinvo flinched and whirled toward the entrance. She saw a middle sized girl who wasn’t as tall as Tinvo’s front legs.

  Wait! What? A girl? In my cavern? How did I not hear her come in? How dare she! I’ll show her. She drew in a deep breath, ready to flame. Except her head and nose were still filled with goo. Well, I didn’t want to flame her anyway.

  “Pretty bird. Pretty bird.”

  Tinvo studied the girl’s face. Her nose was flat, her cheeks were round and rosy, and her wide eyes, with red around them, slanted up. Tinvo knew that red meant the child had been crying, but she didn’t look a bit afraid. Not even a little. Her eyes sparkled in spite of their red rims.

  The girl came closer, hands reaching out. “Pretty bird. Pretty bird. Pretty bird fly high. I see.”

  Tinvo was stunned. What sort of human was this? She had long suspected the villagers were not properly scared of her, but this? To actually come into her cavern?

  The girl reached up and patted her, using her whole forearm. Thump, thump, thump.

  “Pretty bird. Pretty bird. Love pretty bird.” The girl emitted soft waves of a sweet, warm energy. Tinvo squinted and she could see those waves of love. They were just like the ones she remembered from her mother.

  Tears welled in Tinvo’s eyes again and her nose started dripping.

  “Pretty bird sad. Love pretty bird.” The girl patted her, sending out even more comforting waves of love.

  “Who are you?” She tried to roar, but it only came out as a weak rumble.

  “I Yendy. Love pretty bird.”

  “What are you doing here?” she growled.

  “Yendy need your help. Scare mean ones away who make fun and call Yendy names. Pretty bird never make Yendy scared. Love pretty bird. Yendy imagine what village look like up high. What village look like?”

  What an odd question.

  “The houses look like bits of blue and yellow and white, peeking out from under red tile and thatched roofs. Each house has a little garden and chickens. Sometimes the cows run away when my shadow passes over them.”

  Tinvo stopped mid-breath, horrified. She rumbled again, this time louder. “Go away. I don’t want you here.” She still didn’t sound very impressive because of the crying goo.

  “Yendy love pretty bird.”

  “I’m a dragon, not a bird! I’m Tinvo Rattlescale.” She gulped. Some dragons might share their last names. They never shared their nest name with humans, ever! It’s those waves coming from that girl, it has to be. Tinvo rose on her haunches and rattled her gleaming scales, sending iridescent green and yellow flashes across the walls and ceiling. As a hatchling, she’d been the best at scale-rattling and quite proud of it. The rattle shivered and echoed around the cavern, making a few, smaller stalactites fall with faint crashes.

  “Oooo. Make sound again?” Yendy paused, cocking her head as she looked at the dragon. “Fly like bird. Pretty.”

  “You’re supposed to be afraid of me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because dragons eat humans.”

  Yendy’s eyes opened wide as she stopped patting. She stepped back and looked at Tinvo from nostril to tail-tip and back. She shook her head.

  “No, pretty bird not eat Yendy. We friends.” Old wisdom shone from her eyes. “We for each other. Tinvo not like other dragons, Yendy not like other people. We like each other.”

  Tinvo stifled the “humph” rising up her throat as what Yendy said sank in. The girl is right. She’s too simple, too trusting, unlike most of the humans I’ve observed. I guess some might call her stupid. But she’s not. She’s wise in her heart. She’s full of love. I can see it rolling out from her in waves. We aren’t like our own kind.

  “Tinvo come with me.”

  “Come with you where?”

  “Home. Meet Granfer. Granfer nice, like you.”

  “No. I’ll stay here.”

  Yendy put her hands on her hips and cocked her head. “Okay. I come back tomorrow. You like cookies?”

  Tinvo glared and turned away. Cookies. Hmpfff. She curled into herself, lay down, and closed her eyes.

  The girl sighed. Tinvo heard her light steps as she left the cavern. In spite of herself, Tinvo had to get up and watch the girl walk down the long hill. She’d overheard villagers say it was a long mile. That was nothing. Tinvo could see a kid goat in the hilltop field on the other side of the village. It was why dragons were such fearsome hunters.

  Just as Yendy reached the first house in the village, some boys darted out and started poking and taunting her. Then they began pulling at her clothes. Yendy stood firm, swatting back. They pulled her braid, Yendy lost her balance, and they pushed her down.

  The dragon’s heart rolled over. Those boys were overwhelming that girl. The same thing had happened to Tinvo and she hadn’t liked it. I might be a small dragon, but I’m dragon enough for this. That girl is pure love. She doesn’t deserve this. Tinvo launched herself into the air and felt unaccustomed warmth on her nose when she blew a bit of real flame, blue and white. That didn’t stop her. Four wing strokes brought her close to the gates. Tinvo chortled as she watched the boys trip over each other as they scattered. She landed next to Yendy and folded her wings. “You all right?”

  Yendy nodded, mouth clenched, tear tracks plain on her dusty face. “They meaner this time.”

  Tinvo curled herself around Yendy before she knew what she was doing. “They’re all gone. You’re safe.”

  “They run and stumble when see pretty bird,” Yendy said as she steadied herself against the dragon’s flank and looked up to meet Tinvo’s eyes.

  Tinvo bent her head down. I’m now a complete and utter failure as a dragon and I don’t care. This little one is special. She’s stronger than she looks. Got real fire in her. She’s teaching me, a dragon, about courage! And those boys, those boys will never hurt her again. I’ll make sure.

  “I’ll send them running again, maybe scorch them, if I see them hurting you.” Tinvo stood on her hind quarters, crossed her arms on her chest, rattled her scales, and bared her teeth. Her long pointed gold fangs gleamed and her scales glistened in the afternoon sun.

  “Come meet Granfer now.” Yendy said.

  And so it was that Tinvo found herself walking through the village for the first time. She shook her head, knowing she should return to her cavern, even as she padded along beside the girl. I like how I feel with Yendy. She makes me feel special. She doesn’t care I’m a small dragon. She just cares that I’m me. I feel more me than I’ve felt since, well, since I got sent here all those years ago.

  The world looked new and bright. Tinvo’s body felt fit and strong. Her nostrils cleared and she could smell the grasses, earth, and smoke from the village hearth fires.

  People scattered as Yendy and Tinvo walked down the street. Parents grabbed children and pulled them into houses. Shutters banged closed and doors slammed, followed by the thunk of lowered bars. Tinvo saw two boys pulling a third into an alley.

  Yendy pointed at him. “That’s the mean one.
” Her voice shook.

  Tinvo felt quite brave. There was something about Yendy, more than the love, that made Tinvo want to protect her. Something that made Tinvo feel like a real dragon and washed her self-doubts away. Yendy believes in me! That’s it. She believes in me.

  Tinvo turned toward the alley and released a short jet of blue and white fire. The mean one bolted with his friends, banging on doors until one gave way and they dove inside. Tinvo grinned when she heard the thump of a lowered door bar.

  Twice! I’ve made blue and white fire breath twice, without even thinking about it. It really doesn’t burn me. I thought it would.

  Tinvo’s mind jumped back to when she was a nestling. I’ve never forgotten Zulee, how he tumbled from the sky, blue and white flame around him. Tinvo shuddered, which made her scales rustle. The sound of Zulee’s neck snapping when he hit the ground was as clear now as it was then. Nobody talked about it, at least in her hearing, and Tinvo hadn’t asked. Now she wished she had. She was beginning to think Zulee’s death had everything to do with his boasting recklessness and nothing to do with blue and white fire breath.

  “Tinvo okay?”

  “Tinvo okay. I’m better than okay. You’re good for me, Yendy.”

  Yendy clapped her hands and patted Tinvo. She pressed her mouth to the dragon’s leg, making a smacking sound. Tinvo had heard and observed humans doing this. From the best she could tell, it was how humans let each other know they cared. She’d overheard it called “kissing.” Tinvo felt oddly blessed.

  “Tell Yendy more about flying. Please?”

  Images flashed through Tinvo’s mind as her body felt, again, the freedom of the skies.

  “From up in the sky, colors are brighter than they are on the ground. Roads are smooth brown ribbons through green and yellow. The air cools as you rise up. You know how the wind feels? It feels like that.”

  “Oohhhhhh.”

  Tinvo looked at her, noting that Yendy barely came to her shoulder. I wonder if I could pick her up in my front claws. No, I might hurt her. I use them when I take off and land. Tinvo shook herself, scales rattling. What am I thinking? Carrying a live human is not like carrying prey to my cavern. And dragons do not carry humans!

  By the time they reached Yendy’s house, Tinvo’s mood was brighter than it had been for years. It had been quite satisfying to watch humans scatter for shelter. It had been downright exciting to scare those mean boys, especially the meanest one. It had been exhilarating when she produced a hot blue and white fire-breath, twice! She felt quite draconian: eyes sparkling, scales rattling, and fire leaking out her nostrils. Tinvo felt real and good. It’s those waves of love that Yendy sends out. And she believes in me. I’ve never felt that before. She doesn’t need me to be different. I’m enough just the way I am.

  Before the pastures and fields began, they reached the last house on the right. Yendy called out. “Yendy home, Granfer.” The house door opened immediately.

  A man with whispy white hair stepped out, bending slightly so he would not hit his head on the top of the door frame. “I see you’ve brought a friend.” Granfer’s eyes narrowed, lips pursed, as his arms crossed over his chest.

  Yendy walked over, eyes wide, and reached up to put her hand on Granfer’s arm.

  “Tinvo Rattlescale Yendy’s friend, Granfer. Mean ones scared of her. Tinvo and Yendy both different. We help each other.”

  Granfer’s eyes widened as he looked from Yendy to the dragon and back to Yendy. He shook his head and sighed.

  Tinvo saw the man clench his hands, then relax them. Granfer stepped up to her.

  “She’s a fine, brave dragon, is Mistress Rattlescale.” Granfer walked around Tinvo, studying her from nose flange to tail tip.

  He offered his hand, with a slight tremble, for her to smell, as if she were a dog. Tinvo should have been insulted, except it was quite clear Granfer loved his Yendy very much.

  “Yes, a fine dragon, this one. A good friend for my Yendy.”

  Granfer looked at his hand. It was not scorched or bitten. The dragon had twitched once or twice. Yendy was grinning from ear to ear, clapping her hands.

  “Yendy want to fly with Tinvo. Granfer help?”

  Tinvo’s eyes widened. What is this?

  “I can help,” said Granfer, “but there’s another who needs to approve. Have you asked your friend?”

  “No. I forgot.” Yendy bowed her head a moment, then straightened and turned to Tinvo. “Please, Tinvo, let Yendy fly with you? I want to see village high up.”

  Fly with her? Tinvo chuckled, which sounded more like a growl. “Humans can’t fly, not that I’ve ever seen.” Tinvo paused as the sparkle left Yendy’s eyes. Tinvo sighed.

  “I’ve never seen a dragon fly a human. I would fly you if I could, but I can’t think how.” Tinvo looked from Yendy to Granfer. Tinvo was grateful no other dragons could see her, as she fell even further away from what a proper dragon should be.

  Granfer frowned, fingers on his chin, then nodded. “Hmmmm. If you’re sure, Mistress Rattlescale, I think I know what we need. I can make you a saddle. It’ll take a few days, six or seven at least.”

  “Saddle? What’s a saddle?”

  “You’ve seen humans on horses? Most sit in a saddle, so they don’t fall off when the horse runs. It straps around the horse’s ribs, with a seat for the human.”

  Straps around her body? Never! Not her, dragon and queen of the air. Tinvo was about to say no, but then she saw Yendy’s serene face. Tinvo nodded her head once.

  “Mistress Rattlescale, you’re sure? I’ve never heard of this being done.” Granfer said.

  Tinvo shrugged and tidied her wings. She never had fit in, so why worry now? “Yes, if there’s a way Yendy can be safe.”

  “If you please, Mistress Rattlescale, I’ll be right back.” Granfer ducked into the cottage and came out a few minutes later with a thin board, a little skinny stick, and a long ribbon.

  “If you’ll be still a bit, I’ll take some measurements, so I know what I need to do.” Tinvo felt the long ribbon when Granfer flipped it over her back. It was times like this that reminded her how sensitive her hide was and how much information came to her through her scales and their movements through wind, rain, and air.

  “Mistress, if you would extend this wing out a moment? Now the other one? Thank you.”

  Granfer seemed to have forgotten Tinvo was a dragon. He nibbled the end of the skinny stick, scratched the thin board with it, looked up at her, head tilted, then scratched the thin board with the skinny stick again.

  “I think I see what to do.”

  Yendy and Tinvo spent the next few days traipsing between the cavern and the village. On the third day, they noticed the villagers nodding at them as they walked through the village square. They walked a little further and two of the mean boys smiled and waved. The meanest boy, though, scowled even more. Yendy and Tinvo ignored him.

  ~*~

  Granfer, a leathersmith known far and wide, spent those days making a simple saddle and harness of soft leather. When it was done, he placed it on Tinvo’s back, tightening here, pulling there, then walking around her, nodding his head.

  “How does it feel?”

  “Strange, but not uncomfortable.” Tinvo said.

  “If you would, please fly to your cavern and back, to see how it feels in the air.”

  In all of twelve wing beats, Tinvo was back.

  “It moved up toward my neck. And it rubs against the front of my wings.”

  Granfer nodded and pulled sheepskin strips out of the bag by his side. He settled them around the areas Tinvo mentioned. “There. Try that.”

  Tinvo obliged. She’d given up being surprised.

  “It still felt like it moved and it still rubs against my wings, it just isn’t as rough?”

  “I’ll make some adjustments that will help. Thank you, Mistress Rattlescale, for letting me see how it sits on you as you fly.” Granfer took off the saddle and harness and went back into
the house.

  When Tinvo returned the next morning, Yendy was jumping with excitement, pulling Granfer’s hand. “Granfer says fly today.”

  “You might fly today. We don’t want to hurt Mistress Rattlescale, now, do we?” He turned to Tinvo. “If you would allow, Mistress, let’s see how last night’s little adjustments worked.”

  Tinvo lowered herself to the ground so Granfer could get the saddle over her back, then stood up. Granfer tightened various bits, then patted Tinvo. “Take to the skies, Mistress. Let me know how it is.”

  Tinvo flew to the cavern and back. “Much better, but still strange.”

  “That’s to be expected.”

  Granfer turned to Yendy. “Come here, little one. If Mistress Rattlescale is agreeable, step in this stirrup and pull yourself up.”

  Yendy and Tinvo looked at each other for a long moment.

  “Tinvo let me fly with her? Let me get in saddle so I safe?” Yendy said.

  “Yes, Tinvo is happy and honored to have Yendy see the world astride her back.” She crouched down and Yendy, grinning so wide it split her face and nearly hid her sparkling eyes, climbed onto Tinvo’s back and settled herself.

  As she felt Yendy’s slight weight on her back, something unfurled inside Tinvo. She took a deep breath. She felt herself bigger and stronger and braver, while self-pity and sorrow drained away.

  “Here, little one. Buckle these straps just so. These will make sure you don’t fall off, in case Rattlescale needs to dodge and dart.” Yendy nodded and watched as Granfer buckled one.

  “Buckles pretty, shiny. Now me.” Yendy said. She pulled up the other strap and fastened it, hands shaking with excitement. She looked at the buckled straps and nodded. “I did right. Watch.” She bounced and tried to fall off. “I on safe.” Her face fell. “Oh. Tinvo, I not hurt you?”

  “No, Yendy. You didn’t hurt me.”

  “You did that buckle just right, Yendy.” said Granfer. “And you were wise to make sure. You’re ready to go. Only a short trip today, just to Mistress Rattlescale’s cavern and back. You must learn to fly together and it will take more than a day or a week.” He patted Tinvo’s side and stepped back. “Off you go.”