Dragons of Draegonia

by Michael Libra

  Dragons Brown, Blue, Red, and Gold, were seated in the Great Hall with Dragon Black, the all night session showing on their tired faces. They were discussing in detail with Dragons Grey and White their verbal reports. Dragon White still wanted to explain about earlier, when she had seen the little craft and the tiny people and the fact that she definitely had not seen an invading force, when Dragon Yellow hurtled in.

  “We have fought and frightened the invaders off” Yellow yelled. “They are taking to the sea in small crafts” he further exaggerated. All the dragons turned their heads towards Yellow. “And as they were so small and no match for the two of us I and Dragon Green chased them off, with their tails between their legs.” Yellow was so full of the importance of his role, he forgot that earlier, Green had carried a bloodied bandage and wounds of a battle, with what he now was confirming as a fearful force.

  Dragon Black only reacted to the fact that the invaders had been repelled and with a very rare smile on his face congratulated Dragon Yellow for his and Green’s remarkable bravery. Yellow was the centre of attention, something he was not used to, and as such continued with the story he had rehearsed on his way to The Council. “It was my role to chase off the invaders as Dragon Green had cornered the army’s generals” he continued with his lies. “We have them a couple of ‘Dragon Miles’ away in the scrub land hiding behind the rocks, pleading for mercy.”

  Yellow loved the adoration and admiration coming from all around him but one of the dragons was not entirely impressed. Dragon Brown interrupted Yellow’s flow and said, somewhat quizzically. “So Dragon Yellow, how many were there in the army you chased away? What weapons did they have? How did you manage to repel them without any fire flame? And more to the point, why did their generals stay behind, only to be captured?” Yellow was now a little stuck for words. He had not reckoned on being questioned in so much detail, so he had to think very quickly on his feet, something he had never been used to.

  “Well,” he slowly started, “the main army I could only see in the distance, they had obviously decided to leave the island thinking that perhaps a smaller force would suffice.”

  “So why did they leave four generals behind with such a small force and what is the strength of this remaining army? And, will the others, who you say, YOU chased, be back with the main force?” Brown cross examined. Yellow was floundering it was obvious that Brown had severe reservations about the whole saga.

  “Brown, you’re reading too much into what obviously is a very brave action from two of our finest and heroic dragons” Dragon Black bellowed. “Yellow, where is Dragon Green right now?” “Well Sir,” Yellow said puffing out his chest at being referred to as heroic, “Dragon Green has the invading generals cornered a couple of ‘Dragon Miles’ away and we can bring them in for questioning with the assistance of Dragons White and Grey, well that’s what Dragon Green suggested.”

  “Good idea,” agreed Dragon Black. “The three of you should bring them in immediately for questioning and confiscate any weapons they may have.” Black continued, “Dragon Blue and Brown go and organise the interrogation rooms and arrange four containment areas so that there is a cell for each of them.”

  Brown, turning from a hard stare at Yellow’s twitching cheeks spoke to Dragon Black. “Dragon Blue can arrange the cells, I’ll go with them Sir to assist and verify the intelligence.”

  Black snorted, “Totally unnecessary, Dragon’s Green and Yellow appear to have everything well under control, no real thanks to you and your efforts are obviously not required by them. You go with Dragon Blue and prepare the cells, Gold and Red you stay with me, the rest of you MOVE.“

  Outside the Council of Dragons Main Hall, numerous dragons could be seen running in all directions, some scampering off with the news to others and many preparing themselves for the imminent arrival of the prisoners.

  CHAPTER 11

  The Capture

  Green taking as much cover as possible afforded by the thick shrubs had been crawling back and getting closer and closer towards the four intrepid travellers. His steely devious eyes were now watching their every movement. He was considering, why were they not armed? How small they looked and what were they doing on the island?

  George, out of earshot of the other two boys was quietly talking with Grace. George pointed towards the island’s centre. “You know we should be very careful as we get closer to that volcano. We have seen three dragons now, White, Green and Pink and I am sure there must be more!” Grace nodded her head in agreement and diverting her eyes towards Joel and Zach, she said. “ I think Joel should keep close to me and you take care of Zach” she continued more in a whisper, “if we get separated let’s meet back at the life raft and hope someone will find us soon.” George was in agreement and with a reassuring smile added. “You know I am not too sure that those dragons are more scared of us than we should be of them. Think about it. The white one was not particularly scary especially when it did the submarine impersonation, the pink one was kind of sweet and that green one looked as though it was frightened out of its life by our shouts and screams.” Grace thought for a moment. “Look” she said “let’s try to find the pink dragon and ask it to help us.”

  “OK guys” George beckoned to the lads, “Collect everything and let’s go.”

  Zach and Joel picked up the survival bag and Grace and George gathered all other items, checking to make sure nothing was left behind. The fire had long gone out and the rocks heated by Dragon Pink were now stone cold, but Joel kicked dust and gravel, more as a safety precaution to prevent any of the dry brush from catching alight.

  Dragon Green watched as the morning sun rays added warmth to the hard ground. From his almost flat, crouched position and on all fours, he was studying their every move. Was this a war dance? He saw Joel kicking the ground and Zach running in circles as he picked up various items ready for their departure. Dragon Green was crawling nearer thinking of his next move when all of a sudden George spotted him.

  Green tried to hide, by burying his head in a clump of taller bushes, but with limited cover and his back side now sticking way up in the air, as he crawled towards the four, he was easily visible to all. Green looked very stupid, especially from George’s point of view.

  “Hey” shouted George moving towards the dragon, “Can you help us?” The green dragon dropped his mouth, his eyes bulging. “Are you talking to me?” he asked. “Yes” said George as he approached somewhat cautiously, “Why did you frighten us earlier and then run off, we need help?”

  Green raised his head and haunches, stretched to his full height and with a broad sickly grin moved closer towards George. Here was Green’s opportunity; these were obviously not generals of any invading force but creatures from another world, country or another island. It mattered not to Green who or what they were but more as to how he could (unknowingly) persuade them to come quietly with him to the Great Hall, where he would present them as prisoners.

  “What do you want?“ Green bellowed.

  “You don’t have to shout” George replied “just take us to where someone can either get us back home or at least contact our parents.” Homes, parents, Green thought, were these creatures just lost. Had he made a big mistake? Was he now going to look very stupid when explaining things, especially the injuries he had (not) sustained from the ‘marauding army of invaders’?

  Green frantically fought for a solution, when in the distance out of George’s line of sight, he saw three other dragons approaching. Dragons White and Grey were closely being followed by Dragon Yellow, who as always, did not want to be at the front line of any danger. Green hatched up another plan, not a very good one, but one that, he thought, might work.

  “Look” Green said speaking quickly, “I had to run away earlier for I spotted one of our more annoying dragons, a yellow dragon who just causes loads of trouble and chases us all the time. He’s a real pain.” Dragon Green, every so often, looked nervously behind him at the three tiny dots of the ra
pidly approaching dragons. Dragon Green continued “I believe if Dragon Yellow saw you racing towards him shouting and screaming, then I am sure he would run away and leave us alone, you see he is a real coward at heart and avoids any confrontation.” Green spied the three dragons getting even closer, “Look, there’s Dragon Yellow chasing my two friends right now, he really is a nuisance. If you help me, I and my friends will only be too pleased to help you.”

  George thought this request to be rather strange but everything about the Island of Draegonia was strange and he and his cousins were not in a position to reject any form of help. “What do you want us to do?” George said as he was joined by his three pals. “Just pick up those sticks and hide behind those boulders” Green pointing to several sticks on the ground and gesturing the four back to their camp “And as my two dragon friends get to me, with their assistance I will try to stop and persuade the Yellow one from annoying us further.” Green’s plan, although a rather shaky one, was taking shape. “If Dragon Yellow does not take our advice I will guide him to where you will be hiding over there behind those rocks” Green continued in a more urgent voice, whilst pointing again to the boulders. “And, as Dragon Yellow passes, you should all jump out waving your sticks and screaming. It frightened me when you did it and I know it will scare the living daylights out of Dragon Yellow, who as I have told you, is a coward at heart.” Green, further to reinforce the logic of his demands, added. “You will teach him a very good lesson which he deserves and will be appreciated by all the other Dragons of Draegonia.”

  The four children saw the three dragons getting even closer and now having no time whatsoever to discuss things or ask questions, each picked up a stick and hot footed it to conceal themselves behind the rocks of what had been earlier the corner stones of their makeshift camp.

  Zach thought the idea of scaring a dragon real cool, whilst Joel was again thinking that if they made friends with the inhabitants of the island he might get a well deserved breakfast. George and Grace took up their positions quite close to each other but well out of sight of the three dragons that they could see running up to Dragon Green. Green appeared to be holding up one of his paws in a gesture to halt the three from proceeding any further. The four saw him speaking and pointing to where they were concealed and laying in wait, but too far away to hear what Dragon Green was actually saying.

  Dragon Green had stepped in the path of the oncoming three dragons. “Stop,” he commanded, “go no further. I have them cornered and tied up, there was a bit of a fight but this time they were no match for me.”

  Yellow opened his panting mouth and not to be out done of any glory said, “Yes this is where we cornered them earlier, after I had chased the remnants of their invading force away” “Uh UMM” coughed Green,” continuing with his update. “I know nothing about any other soldiers as I was unable to assist Dragon Yellow in dispensing with them. I was concentrating on the capture of the four creatures now safely restrained behind those rocks and I am of the firm belief it was the very same four that set on me yesterday.”

  Yellow stared in amazement at Green. What was he saying, that he Dragon Yellow had single handed chased the entire invading force away? But before Yellow could think any further, Green ordered: “Look we need to take these four Creatures”…… “Generals” Yellow interjected, “Generals, creatures whatever” Green growled, “They need to be taken back to the Great Hall for Dragon Black to deal with.” Green knew only too well that Dragon Black would not listen to any of their stories or allegations, they would all be sentenced to immediate ‘Volcanic Death’, the price paid for all who crossed or upset Dragon Black.

  “We’ll go and get them” White and Grey said in unison, “NO“ Green snapped, “It is only fair that as Dragon Yellow has done so much to assist in their capture that he leads them to Dragon Black, it should be his honour.” Yellow preened, “Of course Green, I’ll go over right away and drag them to and through the streets of Draegonia for all to see how we deal with invaders.” But with legs visibly shaking Yellow waddled forward, towards where the boulders stood and his future prisoners, he thought, were tightly tied up.

  Out of Yellow’s earshot, Green spoke quietly to White and Grey, he was about to play his next move. “You know these four creatures are slippery characters. I have had to twice tie them up as they seem able to get loose quite easily and it will be important that we get them into lock ups right away.” Green turned to look at Yellow, who was slowly approaching the side of the boulders and a sly grin spread across his face as he started to say, “White and Grey, I suggest that…” Green did not finish his sentence, for as Yellow took the last few steps towards the boulders, four yelling, arm waving, stick wielding, screeching creatures emerged. A startled Dragon Yellow took immediate fright, turned and ran for his life chased even harder by the four who had gained confidence that they were in no danger and just doing what Dragon Green had told them to do. Dragon Yellow running at speeds several times faster than the pursuing children shot past the three dragons. Green took the initiative. “Stay here you two, leave it to me.” And with that, ran towards the four young warriors. As he neared them, Green put on a false smile and said how pleased he was with their efforts. “You certainly showed him a thing or two, well done” Green congratulated. “Now” he continued, pointing to the ground. “Throw your sticks down here and sit down and do not move, just wait for me whilst I explain to the other two dragons that you need and deserve our help.

  The four immediately dropped their make shift weapons and sat together on the ground as Green had instructed. Green returned to where White and Grey were looking on in amazement at the remarkable event of Green single handed stopping the young warriors and disarming them. Meanwhile, George turned to Grace and showing considerable concern whispered. “I don’t know what is going on but things seem to be rather strange. I don’t like this one bit. Why are we sitting here with them over there, where has that yellow dragon gone and what are those three cooking up?”

  Green was indeed cooking up a plan. “OK you two, White you inform Dragon Brown that we have recaptured the ‘Generals’, Grey, you go after Yellow and stop him from making a fool of himself and be quick about it.”

  Both dragons acknowledged Green and set off in different directions. Green had now rid himself of any observers. He definitely did not want any other dragon round him during the next phase of his plan which was to march the four as captives, back to Draegonia, to face the wrath of Dragon Black.

  Dragon Grey ran as fast as he could and finally caught up with Dragon Yellow just as he was entering the city limits. “Hey hold up Yellow, stop running!” Yellow skidded to a halt. “Where are they? What’s happened to the other two? Are they alive?“ he said shakily.

  “Oh, you should have been there. Dragon Green was marvellous he stopped those creatures from chasing you, forced them to lay their weapons down and even made them kneel before him.” Grey knew he had exaggerated very slightly but Dragon Grey was usually very boring, had little conversation and never got things totally right, just like now.

  Yellow was impressed, but fearing that Dragons Grey and White would see him as a coward, wanted to put the record straight and get his version across.

  “I wasn’t running away from them you know, but seeing that they had escaped and had weapons I was not going to take any chances and was running to get re-enforcements.” Grey knowing this not to be true just ignored Yellow’s protestations and said, “Look we need to inform Dragon Black of the situation and that the creatures have been captured.”

  Yellow nodded furiously. “You’re right and we can confirm that all the others have left the island as they are now in fear of us.” Yellow was thinking fast on his feet as he had not seen any others and remembering what Green had said to White and Grey knew that everyone would believe he had chased them away. Yellow thought of the medal and honour that would be bestowed on him by Dragon Black, then momentarily he shuddered at the thought of what Dragon Black would
do to him if the true situation was found out and that he had told lies.

  It was just dawning on Yellow that Green, whilst giving him all the credit, was also making him seen as the dragon who was responsible for reporting an army that was not there and running away when tackled by four very small creatures. Yellow’s concerns were soon, at least for the time present, dismissed, as Dragon Grey confirmed that at the Council of Dragons, Dragon Black had praised both him and Green for their excellent and heroic work. The two dragons were soon within sight of the entrance leading to The Hall of Draegonia and were both thinking of what to say to Dragon Black as they entered his council chamber.