“My ring is glowing. I think when we are together our powers are stronger. But I have no idea why the ring is glowing now. Mayhap there is a dragon trying to find me.” He stretched his neck and looked out the window, but didn’t see a dragon anywhere.
“Or perhaps our baby is going to be a Dragon Lord someday, too, just like his father.”
“What?” His head whipped around. “Rapunzel, what are you saying?” He took her hands in his and stared into her eyes.
“I’m pregnant with your baby, Marco. We are going to have a child soon.”
“Soon?” His brows raised and he wet his lips with his tongue. “H-how soon?” His eyes darted over to Medea sleeping on the floor.
“Hopefully not that soon.” She smiled and kissed him again. “Marco, you need to get me out of here right away. The witch has found a castle to conquer. There is no telling if she’ll take me there, or command an army to attack my father and brothers.”
Marco felt a new surge of life and confidence flow through him. He had even more reason to save Rapunzel now. Aye, he had to find a way to save his family.
“I promise you; I will summon a strong dragon and come back and somehow break your curse.”
“Marco, I am not sure my curse will ever be broken. After all, the witch said as long as I am connected to the earth, the curse will only get stronger.”
Medea stirred at the other side of the room. Marco stepped back into the shadows. “I need to go now, Rap. But watch for me. I promise I will be back to rescue you and break your curse soon. I will not let anything happen to you or our child.”
He put his hand on her belly one last time. This time his ring glowed even brighter.
“I think our baby already knows you are his father,” Rapunzel told him.
“Either that, or he is trying to tell me something. Perhaps, if I focus on our child, together we can call forth the dragon.”
“And then you’ll give me a ride?” asked Medea, suddenly standing right next to him although he’d never seen her move. She was becoming more dangerous every day. He could feel it in his bones.
“Medea, please don’t wake your mother,” begged Rapunzel.
“Look at me, Marco.” Medea smiled and turned a full circle. “I am sixteen now. And when I wake in the morning, I will be seventeen.”
“So, you will,” he said, the thought scaring him immensely.
“I look forward to my ride on the dragon and my kiss from you in another day’s time.” Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. He didn’t see any darkness within them. Instead, he saw excitement for life – and light. Medea had both a light and dark side about her. He only hoped that the darkness wouldn’t someday overtake her the way it had her mother.
Chapter 21
With a newfound exuberance for life and a passion for moving forward marrying Rapunzel and raising a family, Marco felt confident this morning. Too excited to even eat his breakfast of hot porridge and ale, he pushed up from the table and headed for the door.
“Where are you going, Marco?” His father looked up from eating his meal with the spoon balanced in his hand.
“I am too excited to wait any longer. I am going to call for the dragon and, this time, he will come.” He had told his father everything as soon as he returned home last night. His father was happy to know he would be a grandfather soon, but he was also worried for Rapunzel and the baby.
“I’ll come with you.” He followed Marco, limping out the door and down to the lake.
Marco breathed in the fresh air, feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time. Hunkering down at the edge of the water, he closed his eyes, covering his ring with his hand. He was more focused now, and also had more purpose to make this happen. Rapunzel said she loved him. They were having a baby together. Aye, his life was turning better every minute of the day.
“Focus, Marco,” said his father, sitting down on the bank and closing his eyes.
“I will, Father.” It didn’t take long before Marco became lightheaded and a fire burned in his chest. When he opened his eyes to look at his ring, it was glowing. The green and yellow stone with the black center that looked like an eye was lit up in hues of bright yellow, blue and white.
“It’s happening,” said his father with his eyes still closed. “You have awakened the dragon.”
Marco’s excitement almost caused him to lose the connection. The ring’s glow started to subside.
“Focus, Marco,” snapped his father. “Focus or you’re going to lose it. Think of being one with the dragon and nothing else.”
Marco wasn’t about to lose his connection with the dragon now. Holding his hand tightly over the ring, he looked deep into the depths of his mind, beckoning the beast to him.
Sure enough, the dragon emerged. In the darkness of his mind, a majestic, red beast with a long tail, enormous wings, and red scales rose to the surface. “Come to me,” Marco said. To his surprise, the dragon obeyed. He saw the yellow eyes glowing as the dragon moved forward. Then he felt a whoosh of air against his face.
“Open your eyes, Son,” commanded Marco’s father.
His eyelids drifted open to see a magnificent creature rising into the air above the hills and coming toward him over the water.
“God’s eyes,” he whispered in astonishment, slowly standing. “I did it.”
“It’s magnificent,” said his father, getting to his feet as well. A broad smile spread across his face. There was a twinkle in his eyes that Marco hadn’t seen since he was a child.
“What do I do now?” asked Marco, feeling his heart racing like crazy.
“Don’t let the connection be broken. Call him closer.” His father came to life. “Then approach him slowly and cautiously. Touch its nose first so it can know your scent.”
Marco walked to the edge of the water and raised his hands above his head. A low roar rumbled across the earth as the dragon spotted him and headed in his direction. Enormous, translucent wings flapped in the air, bringing the body of the beast closer. Then, with one more circle over the water, the dragon headed to shore and lowered itself to the ground. The nearby trees bent over, and tall grass flattened against the field with the turbulent air from its flapping wings.
Marco’s ring glowed brighter than he had ever seen it do before. He felt the true connection between himself and the majestic creature. They were one.
“Look at it, Father,” he said in a low voice, sauntering toward the dragon so as not to frighten it.
“It reminds me of my dragon; only this one is even bigger. You must have more power within you than we thought to be able to conjure up such a great beast.” His father sounded very pleased.
“I want to ride it,” said Marco, reaching out and touching the nose of the dragon to let it know his scent. The dragon’s eyes looked straight into Marco’s. He felt as if he knew what the beast was thinking, even without any kind of communication at all.
Marco felt the connection in his soul. The dragon felt it, too. He reached up and dragged his hand across the dragon’s head. It felt like leather. Small scales covered the dragon’s head and face, and the scales became more extensive as they continued toward the back of its body.
The dragon snorted and lifted its head. Its breath from its nostrils hit Marco in the face. Its scent was musky and smelled like the earth mixed with ash. He wondered if it could breathe fire. As soon as he had the thought, the dragon turned its head and blew flames from its nostrils out over the water. Marco jumped in surprise.
“You did it, Son.” His father smiled from ear to ear and stood up proudly. “Just be sure you don’t let the power of the dragon cloud your vision. Be careful, so you don’t end up like me.”
“I promise,” Marco told him.
Feeling the overwhelming urge to ride the dragon, Marco walked over to its side. He reached up and rubbed a hand over the dragon’s back that was well over his head it was so high. He was starting to wonder how he would mount it when he felt a nudge of the dragon’s nose at his back.
Marco did as he was told, and the dragon lifted him onto its back. He sat atop it like he would his horse, holding on to its neck. Elation filled his being, and his ring continued to glow. He was truly a Dragon Lord now. But he’d yet to ride it and wasn’t sure how to make the phenomenal creature lift into the air.
“What do I do now?” he asked, looking down to his father for guidance, too excited to delve into the information that was already in his head.
“Let the dragon know your thoughts of where you want to go. Direct it with your mind, as well as with your legs and hands. Try to remember how it felt when you rode atop my dragon when you were a child.”
Suddenly, it was as if Marco remembered everything he had forgotten through the years. As if he’d done it a thousand times before, he directed the dragon up into the air, flying in a circle above his home. It was easy and smooth, as if it were natural.
“Yaaaaaah!” he shouted, looking down at his father far below. “I did it!” His hands went up in the air at the same time the dragon turned, almost dumping him into the lake.
“Hold on, you fool,” shouted his father, hobbling along the edge of the water in a near run, following them. Marco gripped the dragon with his thighs, tapping at one side of its neck to let it know he wanted to turn. It all came back to him now. It was the grandest feeling in the world.
With the wind in his hair and the scent of the beast filling the air around him, Marco nodded to his father who kept getting smaller as they climbed higher into the sky.
“We’re going to go see Rapunzel now,” Marco told the dragon, not even needing to touch it to direct it to the tower. With a smile on his face and a renewed sense of confidence, Marco was a Dragon Lord now and proud of it. He held on tightly and headed for the tower.
Rapunzel felt Marco’s approach even before she saw him coming across the sky on the back of the red dragon. She gasped to see such a magnificent sight.
“What are you looking at?” asked Medea, sitting at the mirror, once again brushing her hair. Today she was seventeen, and she hadn’t let Rapunzel forget it. The girl wore more paint on her face today, and she also managed to manifest a new gown. This one was burgundy and down to the ground. However, the bodice revealed her bosom that seemed to be twice as large as it was yesterday.
“It’s just a glorious day, and I’m looking at the pretty sky,” she told Medea, not wanting the girl to know Marco was coming to get her. Thankfully, Hecuba was gone already, and Rapunzel hoped the old witch would stay away until she was rescued from the tower.
Marco, her hero, was here to save her. Nothing would keep them from being together now. Her heart fluttered with joy. She even swore she felt a heat emanating from the baby as if he knew his father was there as well.
Unfortunately, Medea turned around and saw Marco, and it all went downhill from there.
“It’s Marco!” she shouted, checking her image in the mirror once more before lifting the hem of her skirt and rushing to the window. When she got there, she pushed Rapunzel to the side.
“Stop it,” commanded Rapunzel.
“I am going to ride the dragon first. Marco promised.”
“He did nothing of the sort.” Rapunzel wanted to get out of there more than anything. Even if Marco had made that foolish promise, she didn’t care. She was going with him, and Medea would stay behind.
“Rapunzel,” Marco called out, waving to her as he circled the tower on the back of the dragon. He looked so confident and regal commanding the beast that was three times the size of the last one. This one was much larger than the green dragon that was Hecuba in her shapeshifting form.
“Marco, come get me,” cried Rapunzel, lifting her knee up to the sill as he came closer.
“I want to ride the dragon as you promised,” Medea called out to Marco, climbing up to the sill effortlessly, balancing on the edge. It took all of Rapunzel’s control not to let Medea upset her.
“Medea, not now,” said Marco on his next pass. “I need to rescue Rapunzel.”
“You promised, and I won’t let you forget it.”
When he got nearer to the window, Medea leaped out, landing on the back of the dragon, holding on to Marco. The action seemed to startle the dragon. It reared up into the air, causing Marco to slip. He quickly grabbed on to the dragon’s neck with one arm and held Medea with the other.
Medea screamed, dangling in the air as the dragon recklessly bucked like a horse trying to throw a rider.
“Marco!” Rapunzel cried out, fearing for his life.
“Mother!” Medea shouted.
Rapunzel watched in horror as Medea held on to Marco and Marco hung on to the dragon for their lives.
Then, out of nowhere, the scrawny, green dragon appeared, only making the red dragon more furious – or perhaps frightened. It went crazy in the sky, and Marco could no longer control it.
The green dragon – Hecuba – swept under them, snatching up Medea and leaving.
“I’ll be back,” Marco called out to Rapunzel as he managed to right himself atop the dragon as it flew away.
Rapunzel’s heart sank as Marco left without her. She’d been so close to escaping. But because of Medea, Marco was gone, and she was still trapped here.
In a green wisp of smoke inside the room, Hecuba appeared, holding Medea’s hand.
“Let go of me, Mother,” snapped Medea, pulling out of her grip. She gave Hecuba an evil stare. Her dark side was emerging.
“You called me, or did you forget?” asked Hecuba with eyes that still glowed with fire like the dragon.
“Marco would have saved me,” the girl sniffed, tugging at her revealing bodice.
“Forget about the fool.” Hecuba continued to argue with her daughter. It seemed as if the two of them forgot that Rapunzel was even there.
“He’s not a fool. He is going to be my husband.”
Rapunzel probably should have stayed quiet, but she didn’t like what Medea had to say. “Marco is going to be my husband and father of my child, not yours.” She covered her belly with her hand.
“Not if I can help it.” Medea shot a bolt of lightning from her hand, causing Rapunzel to dive atop the bed. It thankfully missed her but caught a tapestry on fire.
When Medea raised her hand again, Rapunzel held out one hand for protection, keeping her baby covered with the other. To her surprise, Medea’s gown caught on fire. Rapunzel dropped her hand to her side. Her mouth fell open in shock. She had never thrown a fire bolt before. It felt scary but, at the same time, empowering.
A searing heat burned her palm. When Rapunzel looked down, she realized her unborn baby had helped her. This child would be very powerful indeed.
Hecuba doused her daughter with water from the vase holding the flowers, putting out the flame. Now, Medea looked even angrier. With her hair dripping wet and her new gown burned and still smoking, Rapunzel couldn’t hold back her laughter.
“Don’t laugh at me. It isn’t funny,” shouted the girl.
“Medea, don’t pay her any mind,” Hecuba told her.
“She needs to be punished,” said Medea, the darkness of her eyes feeling dense in the air.
“Oh, don’t worry, she will be punished,” Hecuba assured her daughter. “So will all the de Bars. I’ve got a little surprise in store for them. And when I’m done, you will have everything you ever wanted, Medea. The two of us will rule as mother and daughter, more powerful than even the greatest warrior. You’ll see.”
Rapunzel didn’t like the sound of this at all. Whatever Hecuba had in store, it would affect not only Rapunzel but also Marco and Rapunzel’s entire family. She rubbed her midsection and tried to calm her unborn child, feeling as if the baby were as upset as she was.
Dealing with Hecuba and her nonsense through the years was hard enough. But with Medea at her side and now almost fully grown, they would, indeed, be very powerful using dark magic. Rapunzel gla
nced out the window with frightened eyes, hoping Marco would return and rescue her before Hecuba’s plan was set in motion.
Chapter 22
Yesterday had been hell for Marco. He had gone from being on the top of the world to once again feeling like a failure. It had been easy to control the dragon. He felt the connection – he was at one with it. It had been as if the dragon’s blood flowed through his body. It felt fulfilling and had brought back memories of that day when he was a child, riding on the back of the dragon with his father.
Now, the dragon was gone, and Marco was broken, bruised and bleeding.
“That should hold you together,” said his father, wrapping his arm tightly with a strip of cloth.
Marco gingerly touched his cheek, still feeling the sting of the dragon’s spiked tail as it hit him before he fell into the lake. He’d been lucky enough to fall into the water which is probably what saved him from being killed.
“It’s a long way down from the back of a dragon,” his father told him. “You need to be careful and not fall again.”
“You aren’t telling me anything I don’t know,” he said, touching the knot at the back of his head. Yesterday, after Medea had tried to mount the dragon, scaring it, he had cut his hands on the dragon’s scales trying to hold on. His body had also banged against the tower walls. He had lost all control, and he wasn’t proud of it.
“Tell me again what happened.”
“Everything was going fine,” Marco explained. “I felt the connection with the dragon and my ring was glowing brightly.”
“Go on,” said his father with a nod of his head.
“I was able to control the dragon with my mind as well as with my hands and legs.”
“That’s how it should be.”
“I planned on rescuing Rapunzel. But before I had a chance, Medea jumped out the tower window onto the back of the dragon, scaring it.”
There was a knock at the door. Marco’s father opened it to reveal Lucio de Bar standing there. “De Bar. What brings you here?”
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