Legend of the Great Dragon

by J. F. Jenkins

  Swallowing, Ichi stood upright, his body stiffening. “You've never been married.”

  “As far as I know,” she said.

  “I don't understand why you're here, if that's the case.” He looked her over again. She was indeed female. If she was pure, unmarried, and young, then how did she know of the secret? “Are you engaged?” he asked. Sometimes the Terran tribe explained the secret after a wedding was in the process of being planned.

  The woman shook her head. “I'm single. You seem to have a lot of questions about my marital status.”

  “Pardon me for being curious. I was just wondering how a woman of your status is here. This is a private family event.”

  “I'm aware of that. Seeing as how the Great Lord was my grandfather, I believe that gives me more right to be here than you,” she said tersely.

  Ichi shrugged. “There was a story my father told me about how the Great Lord was my godfather, actually, so perhaps not.”

  “Ah, so that's why.”

  “Why what?” He raised an eyebrow.

  She shook her head. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with. My name is Mikko, and you are?”

  “Ichitaca.” Mikko, what a strange but beautiful name.

  “Well, met,” she said.

  “Indeed.” His brow furrowed. “He was your grandfather, and you're female.”

  “Yes, you're observant,” she teased. “Spin me.”

  He did as he was commanded, relaxing his body once more and taking more control over the dance. A female dragon? He almost didn't believe it, but then he noticed the trimmed black claws she had for nails. It was one of the few physical traits that a dragon had a difficult time hiding from the humans. Don't stare at her too much, or she'll think you're strange. “I'm sorry, but isn't that impossible? I knew of one female dragon to be born, but I had heard…”

  “My mother. Yes, she passed away when I was ten.”

  “That's too bad,” he said softly. “My mother has also passed on, but I wasn't quite so young when my parents died. That must have been hard.”

  Mikko shrugged as if it was nothing. He hadn't realized it was possible to be more callous than he. “It was, but there is little I can do to change anything. How old were you?”

  “Sixteen.” His gaze met her briefly and he stumbled over his own two feet. Instead of falling forward like before, he slipped back and bumped shoulders with another man on the dance floor. Mikko pulled on Ichi's arms to keep him from falling to the floor and he teetered forward again.

  He mumbled an apology to the man, who gave him a rather dirty look, before focusing on the floor where he could see what his feet were doing. Mikko cupped his chin and returned his gaze to her face, holding eye contact with him once more.

  “Ignore him,” she said. “I'm sorry to hear about your loss as well. It seems we have a lot in common.”

  “Yes,” he said. “I didn't know there was another female dragon.”

  “Then you must live under a rock.”

  “A mountain, but I suppose that's kind of the same thing.” He flashed her a coy smile. The more he relaxed, the more his dry sense of humor came out.

  She returned his smile. “Right you are.” She curtsied. “Thank you for the dance. It was a pleasure to meet you Ichitaca.”

  “Ichi, please.”

  “Ichi, it is.”

  “Thank you, and I return the sentiment,” he said, hoping that was the right kind of thing to say. “Perhaps I will see you again soon.”

  Mikko nodded. “Perhaps, until then, have a safe and pleasant stay here in my home land.”

  “I plan to. Maybe we could—” He looked away for only a moment, and when he faced her again, he found her gone. The mystery woman had a name, was single, as well as a dragon. He couldn't have had better luck. She disappeared quickly, but he was able to find her again. When he did, he saw her laughing while talking with a young Terran man. It seemed Ichi wasn't the only one vying for her attention. He would be the one to win it, however.

  Chapter Three

  “Who was that?” Teo asked as Mikko made her way through the ballroom toward him. She smiled when she saw him. He leaned in to hug her, and she took a moment to kiss his cheek. “Are you okay, Mik? I know these kinds of things always bring back sour memories.”

  Mikko snorted. If only you knew, but after so many, you get used to goodbyes. “I'm fine, don't worry about me. Let's talk about the other topic instead.”

  “The Aero man you were being indecent with?”

  She laughed. “Dancing is not indecent!”

  “To an Oceina, an Inero, and an Aero, it can be. Dancing with a man you're not promised to is considered unladylike. More so to the Inero and the Aero than the Oceina, but the point is still made. He might think you two are engaged now.” Teo was joking, she could tell by the goofy grin on his face. He did have a good argument all the same. The Oceina had advanced in their courtship rituals, but the Inero and Aero were still painfully traditional. She would hope Ichi would know better than to think something as preposterous as them being engaged just because they shared a dance, however.

  Mikko shrugged. “They'll blame it on my Terran upbringing, courtesy of your father.”

  Teo rolled his eyes. “They will, won't they?”

  “Which they shouldn't care about since there's nothing wrong with Terran,” she added. “The only reason it was a scandal to go live with him after my parents died, is because people are stupid and have their focus on the wrong things. I'm glad Mom and Dad were so insistent about where they wanted me to go.”

  “Me too, because it's fun having a little sister,” Teo nudged her gently.

  She hugged him and sighed. “I'm just glad you're here. Today would be a lot more difficult if I was alone.”

  “I know. Any time you need anything, you know I'm here. Do you want anything by the way? Food? Drink? Permission to leave this whole thing so you can unwind?” He let go of her and stepped back.

  Mikko couldn't help but smile up at the tall, dark-skinned, eighteen-year-old man, who was the closest thing to a biological brother she'd ever have. She and Teo went way back, even before the death of her parents. He'd been there through every moment of her life. Uncle Tyson joked about them being spiritual twins because they had so much in common. Many thought the two of them were a couple, or romantically interested in one another, but that was the furthest thing from the truth. Teo would never be anything more than her brother and best friend, and she knew for certain that he shared the sentiment.

  With a quick glance around the room, she nodded at him. “Let's get something to eat and then we can bail. My stomach is growling and I see barbeque over there.”

  “I'm sure I can find something good for you. Stay here, though. I don't want you to get bombarded. The last thing you need is five million marriage proposals to teenagers.” Teo reached out to give her arm one last squeeze before disappearing into the crowd. Or he should have disappeared, but the man was so tall, it was near impossible to lose him.

  Mikko did her best to stay incognito. Almost everyone at the party knew who she was already, and either had their sights set on her, or on staying far away from her. She'd heard the things people said about her. Most of dragonkind was interested in seeing her married off and mated, curious as to whether she too would give birth to a female dragon. “Perhaps God has changed His mind and wants to bless our people further,” was the line she always heard. Mikko didn't have it in her heart to explain to them that God didn't change His mind about anything. In her gut, she knew there would be no more female dragons born. Her instincts were always right.

  Those who stayed away from her did so out of fear. There was an abundance of tragedy in Mikko's short life. It started with the accident that had killed her parents, and continued through her family line. The Great Oceina Lord was the first of her family or friends to have died of natural causes. Her grandfathers from her mother's side had been murdered when she was thirteen, Teo's grandfather had died wh
en she was fifteen and he might as well have been like a father to her. After them followed aunts, great aunts, grandmothers, and cousins. Some said she had the touch of death, and she was almost inclined to agree with them.

  But it's not my fault. She held on to that truth. It was all a coincidence and nothing more.

  About the only person in the room who did not know who she was, was the Aero man Ichitaca. A peculiar name, and he seemed equally strange. How could he not know anything about her? She was as close to a dragon celebrity as one could get. It was a refreshing change from most of the young men she spoke with.

  For the most part, they were younger than her and trying to show off their assets in hope that she might fancy one of them. Mikko wasn't interested in an abundance of wealth or the most handsome man on the planet. None of that mattered if everything else inside of her was neglected. She did have a heart and a brain as well. Besides, the older she grew, the harder it was for her to be interested in someone who was younger than she to begin with. She wanted a man, not a boy. Her Uncle Tyson got a lot of flack for not just marrying her off right away before she had the chance to get picky about her future husband.

  Finding a single dragon man closer to her age, or older, was a lot harder since most dragons married young. Even in Terran, where the traditional marriage rituals were no longer in practice, it was difficult. Teo was technically single, but dating a human woman he loved deeply. It would only be a matter of time before he proposed. He was considered an acceptable age for being single still, but if he was to reach twenty-five and still not be wed, then there would be a lot more pressure for him to do so.

  What if I wanted to marry a human too, she wondered. I wonder what they would say. I wonder how that would even work. Her mind went back to Ichi for some reason. His flustering was endearing in a hilarious sort of way. Every time she thought about how shocked he was to find out she was not only single and not engaged, but also a dragon, she laughed a little on the inside. The Aero kept to themselves, but she was positive the news of her birth had reached even their ears.

  She'd never met an Aero before him. He was a lot more good looking than she'd anticipated one of his kind to be. His dark, almond-shaped eyes had held a lot of light in them, and so much depth. Although he'd not been much taller than she, he’d made up for it with his developed muscle. Even in his simple button down and slacks, she could see a lot of definition to his form. What intrigued her the most, was that he had to have been at least a few years older than she. Why wasn't he married? Aero still practiced arranged marriages. She knew he had never been married because he also smelled pure.

  He said my grandfather was his godfather. Why didn't Grandma Tai say so when she asked me to go talk to him? With a sigh, she looked around the room, trying to see where Teo was at with the food.

  “Mikko, my dear, there you are,” Grandma Tai said. She held onto Mikko's arm with a lot more strength than anyone would have imagined an older woman like her having.

  “Hello again.” Mikko kissed her cheek. “Already done mingling? I thought you would be out there somewhere, not hiding with me in a corner.”

  She laughed. “I'll go back to mingling in a moment. I wanted to thank you for doing as I asked, and there is something of great importance we must talk about later. Please, don't forget to find me some time before you go back home. This is the kind of thing we must talk about face to face in private, do you understand?”

  “Yes, of course, Grandma,” Mikko said. “We don't plan on returning to Terran for another few days. Uncle Tyson wanted to make sure you were settled and doing all right before we made the journey home again.”

  When Mikko said home, her grandmother winced a little. Mikko knew she had tried her best to hide it, but it was noticeable all the same. It was no secret that the woman believed she should have been raised in Oceina instead of Terran.

  “Tomorrow, come and find me, and we can talk over breakfast,” Tai said.

  “I would be honored.” Mikko bowed. Curiosity filled her over what could be so pressing that the two would need to talk face to face. The two spoke, frequently, but never before had her grandmother expressed such an urgency to do it. Unsettled, she was grateful to see Teo had rejoined her. He took a moment to give her grandmother another hug. Rather than stay and socialize further, Mikko grabbed him by the forearm so they could leave the ballroom.

  “I will see you in the morning, Grandma,” she said. Then she and Teo walked out of the door.

  He laughed quietly. “Had enough partying already?”

  “Like you mentioned earlier, I'd like to be on my way out before I get five million marriage proposals,” she said.

  “I was just joking. I'm pretty sure most people would consider it bad form to propose at a funeral,” he said. Teo didn't wait to dig into the plate. Already he was stuffing his face with chicken wings and potatoes. “Is something wrong?”

  For a moment, she closed her eyes. “It's been a long day, and let's not forget the reason that we're here.”

  “Right, of course. I'll help you get settled into bed. I'm sure you're overwhelmed.”

  She was, and not from socializing. Even the memories of all the funerals she'd attended in the past did not make her feel anxious, like they used to. It was the sudden pressure that had fallen on her shoulders. Mikko's instinct was kicking in again, and it told her that whatever it was her grandmother had to say to her, it was going to be big. Soon you'll understand, my child. A voice inside of her said.

  Chapter Four

  Ichi didn't stay long at the celebration. He was pleased to see he wasn't the only Aero there. Throughout the course of the evening, he’d spotted four others, but he’d never once approached them. They could have been his distant cousins, or even nephews. Fear kept him from introducing himself. He’d spoken to hardly anyone there. A couple of Inero men had tried to strike up a conversation with him and a Terran man had offered him a strong drink which he’d politely declined. Outside of his dance with Mikko, he'd hardly had any meaningful interactions.

  He walked back to his hotel. It was roughly a mile away, but it wasn't a walk he minded. The summer night air was warm, and the towering skyscrapers of Oceina City made for excellent scenery. His father had told him about skyscrapers before, but he'd never seen one up close until he’d arrived for the funeral. Ichi had seen lots of pictures of course, and he'd been to Aero City a few times as well, but none of that compared to seeing everything in person. A picture didn't do the scene justice, and Aero City was the exact opposite of Oceina City.

  The Oceina people prided themselves in their technology. Glass towers made up most of the city, and they reached high into the sky going above the clouds. Several were connected to each other via skyways that were on various floors, creating an entire web of transportation. Electric trains ran up and down the sides of the buildings, allowing for fast travel. It was like being in a jungle of glass and lights, and it was so beautiful to look up at from the ground. Even the street level was clean and a sight to behold. The sidewalks had old-fashioned, flower-shaped street lamps lighting the way. In fact, the businesses all reflected the same traditional vibe, connecting the new city with its past.

  There was a park nearby that he was tempted to explore. Nature had always fascinated him, and he wanted to see more of Oceina's native flora. Perhaps another day. That party took a lot more out of me than I originally thought.

  “Care for some company?” a gentle female voice asked from behind him.

  Ichi faced her and saw an elderly Oceina woman. He recognized her as the Great Lord's widow from the funeral. “You're welcome to join me so long as you won't get in trouble with the rest of your guests.”

  “I can get away with doing just about anything I want to,” she said. “I'll escort you back to your hotel.”

  “It's going to be a long walk. Are you sure you feel up for that?”

  She scoffed at him. “I may be old, but I am far from weak. Besides, I want a chance to talk to you alo
ne. You're a bit hard to track down.”

  “My address hasn't changed,” he said.

  “No, but you don't live in the cabin much these days. My husband would spend weeks at the cabin waiting for you to return home, and you never did.”

  He glanced down at her. “Darien, I mean, the Great Lord, visited the cabin after my parents died?”

  “Of course. He was your godfather, remember? Why wouldn't he come to see you and make sure you were all right?” Her gaze met his and he saw sadness in her blue eyes. “He respected that you wanted to take care of yourself on your own, but the opportunity to come here was always present. I don't want you to think you had been forgotten about in your time of pain.”

  “I never did,” he said quietly. It was the truth. He knew better than to make such an assumption. “I'm glad he respected that I wanted to be on my own. There were a lot of things I needed to learn, and it would have been too much to completely leave my home for here.” He looked up at the city around him. “It's beautiful here, and I'm eager to explore it for a while, but I'm not sure it could ever be my home.”

  The Lady Oceina continued to look up at him. “Where do you go then when you're not at your home?”

  “I camp in the wilderness a lot,” he explained. “I have a tent and other supplies I bring with me, and I live in freedom. Every couple of weeks I return to the cabin to maintain it, but since it's just me who lives there now, there is little to do in that department. A little bit of cleaning here and there. If I didn't move around a lot, I would be worse off. Hunting isn't as easy as it used to be. The people from the neighboring village have expanded their borders significantly. It'll only be a matter of time before they move into the valley where my home is.”