dragon archives 03 - loved by a dragon

by Linda K Hopkins

  “Well, look what we have here,” he said, reaching out to run a finger up her leg. She kicked her feet against the side of her mount, but the path was blocked by the two pack horses that trailed Thomas. Before she could turn the horse, the man had his hand on her shoulder and she was tumbling from the saddle. She had a moment to scream before big, rough, dirty hands were covering her mouth. She felt the bodice of her gown rip as one of the man’s hands covered her breast, and she struggled, trying to break free from his grasp. His fingers twisted into her arm, grabbing her painfully, and she stopped her struggle, aware that he could quickly overpower her.

  “That’s better,” he sneered, sliding his hand from her mouth and holding her chin as he brought his lips down to kiss her. She yanked her head away, but he jerked her back with a growl. His teeth were cracked and broken, and the few remaining in his mouth were black. His breath stank of rotting food and stale ale, and she felt herself gagging. Her hands were free, and she rained them down against his chest, but in a quick movement, he dropped her arm and grabbed her hands, holding both of hers in one of his. Desperate now, she pulled back a foot and kicked with all her might, connecting with his shin.

  “Why, you little …” As he yanked back on her hair she started screaming. “Shut up,” he growled into her ear. She was unable to turn her head, but she lifted her foot for another kick. The foot she was standing on slipped in the mud, and she flew up into the air, but felt her knee connect with a soft part of his body before she landed with her backside on the muddy ground. He yelled, releasing her, and dropped to his knees, but at that moment a dragon swooped down from the sky, catching him in his talons. In another swoop a second man who had been grappling with Thomas was in the dragon’s claws, screaming and struggling to free himself as flames poured from the dragon’s mouth, a roar ripping through the air.

  Anna pushed herself back to her feet as the dragon flew straight up into the air, his form growing smaller as he climbed towards the clouds. High above them the dragon slowed down, then turning in a circle, he flung both men into the air around him, before turning around and heading straight down again. Anna watched the two men as they fell, their yells growing louder, before they disappeared behind the trees and their screams abruptly stopped. She glanced around to see the other two thieves backing away as the dragon headed straight towards them. Turning on their heels, they ran into the trees, but the forest did not prove to be a hindrance to the dragon, and with outstretched claws, he plowed into the retreating men, knocking over any trees that stood in his path. She heard the men screaming, and then all was silent. Dropping to the ground, Anna buried her head in her hands as the tears started flowing.

  She heard Max return to the clearing, his voice low as he asked Thomas a question, then he dropped down on his haunches before her.

  “Anna.” The concern in his voice made the tears flow faster, and then she was in his arms, his hard chest against her face as he rocked her gently.

  “It’s all right,” he whispered. “You are safe. The men are gone and will not be returning.” She nodded, allowing herself to lean against his steady frame. He pulled her to her feet and led her to a fallen log, where he made her sit once more.

  As he stepped away she called his name, her voice panicky, but he was back in a moment.

  “I’m right here,” he said. “I was just finding some wine. Here.” He pressed a flask into her hand. “Drink a little. It will help you feel better.” Lifting the canteen to her lips she took a long swallow, handing it back to Max when she was done. He was watching her closely, and she gave a weak smile.

  “He reminded me of Edmund,” she said. Max nodded.

  “Edmund is gone, and so are those men.”

  “Did you kill them?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “When Aaron killed Edmund, he ate him.”

  “What?” Max pulled back in surprise. “How do you know?”

  “I was there. I didn’t watch,” she added. “I think Keira did, though.” Max stared at her, then dropped his head with a wry laugh.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “Anna, I’m not going to eat those men.”

  “Why not?” she said. “Don’t you eat human flesh?”

  “I do,” he said, watching her carefully, “but only when absolutely necessary.”

  “Well, no point letting a good meal go to waste.”

  “Anna,” he said in exasperation, “we need to get going.” He pulled her to her feet, then glanced down at her gown. “Should I burn that for you?”

  “What?” she said, following his gaze. She blushed when she saw how much the ripped gown revealed, and quickly pulled it closed.

  “Go away, you, you …”

  “Yes?” he said, lifting his eyebrows.

  “Urgh! You are so annoying. Go away.” She turned away, gritting her teeth when she heard his soft laugh. She pulled another gown from her saddle bag and stomped off into the woods. Her chemise had also suffered some damage, but she would change that in the evening, in the privacy of an inn. For now, the gown would cover all that needed to be covered. A few moments later she stomped back out again, ignoring the two men as they watched her in amusement. Leading her horse to the log she had been sitting on, she pulled herself onto her saddle and waited for Thomas to lead the way.

  Chapter 18

  Keira and Aaron left Storbrook Castle at dawn two days later. Aaron flew all of the first day, his strong wings carrying them over the mountains with ease. Keira carried her satchel across her back, with some food and a change of clothes for both of them.

  She had barely seen Aaron since their return from the cave. He spent much of the time in his study, finishing some business, he explained, staying there long after she retired to bed.

  As the long day of flying dragged on Keira felt herself growing more and more weary. She could see the sun starting to drop low in the sky, the pastel hues mesmerizing her as she gripped Aaron’s neck. Her bones ached and her limbs were numb from holding onto him, and she leaned her head forward, slipping her body down Aaron’s back, wedging herself against one of the upward-pointed spines. If she just closed her eyes for a moment …

  The weight of the satchel swinging forward and hitting her knee startled Keira awake, making her jump. She could feel herself slipping against the smooth scales down Aaron’s side, and she gasped when he banked slightly, forcing her back up again.

  “We need to stop and rest. You’re exhausted!” he said, concern coloring his voice.

  “No, I’m fine! All I’m doing is sitting here.”

  “Sitting there, hanging on,” he said, turning towards an open field and landing smoothly. Keira slid off his back as he turned towards her.

  “Lie down next to me. We’ll rest for a few hours and then be on our way again.” Keira opened her mouth to protest, but instead found herself stifling a yawn. Realizing the good sense of Aaron’s suggestion, she nodded her head and slid down onto the ground next to him. Aaron curled his legs beneath him and sunk down onto the ground, pulling his tail tight around her. She could feel his heat warming the ground beneath her as her eyes drifted closed.

  “Psst!”

  Aaron was hissing at Keira as she clung to his back. No, that wasn’t right. She was dreaming. Slowly Keira came to wakefulness, as the hissing came again.

  “Psst! Over here!”

  Forcing her eyes open, Keira peered through the darkness surrounding them as they lay in the field. There was movement ahead of her, and after watching it for a few moments, she realized it was an arm, waving her over.

  “Quickly! The dragon’s asleep. You can get away.”

  Keira screwed up her eyes to peer through the dark at the man standing about six feet away. Was he trying to rescue her?

  “Quickly! But be quiet. You don’t want to wake the dragon.”

  Keira glanced back at the huge body behind her. He looked to be asleep, but his eyelids flickered slightly, a thin ray of gold seeping out from his eyes
. She turned back to the figure as he edged closer. Keira sighed, realizing he was determined to save her from the monstrous beast behind her. Pushing herself up to her feet, she tiptoed forwards. As she drew closer, Keira could see the russet color of the knee-length tunic her rescuer wore. He was only a few inches taller than her, but with broad shoulders and thick arms. He wore a felt cap on his head, folded up at the temple, and when he lifted his hand to push it back slightly, she could see that he had an open, friendly face. He kept an eye on the dragon as she moved towards him, and he reached out a hand to grab her.

  “Come! If we move quietly we can get away before the dragon even realizes you’re gone!”

  Keira allowed him to pull her a few feet away from Aaron, before freeing herself from his grasp.

  “Thank you for rescuing me,” she said, glancing back at Aaron, “but I’m not here against my will. I don’t need saving.”

  “It’s all right,” he said gently. “You don’t need to be frightened. I promise I won’t allow the dragon to hurt you.” He grabbed her by the hand, and placing his other hand on her waist, pulled her another few steps. She wriggled under his hand until she tugged herself free from his grasp once more.

  “Please,” she said, her voice growing urgent, “I don’t need rescuing. The dragon is not going to hurt me. I appreciate your concern, but it isn’t necessary.” The words were barely out of her mouth when he lifted his head, the flames above him illuminating his expression of horror. The man grabbed her again and pushed her behind him as another stream of flame lit the air.

  “Stay away,” the man shouted. “I will not let you have this maid.” Above him, the dragon roared as the man turned, took her by the arm, and started running with her.

  “No,” shouted Keira, trying to pull free, but the man paused only a moment to throw her over his shoulder, strong arms wrapping around her legs and holding them to his chest. “No! Let me down!” she shouted, pounding him on his back as he ran. The weight of her blows threw him off balance, and he stumbled, tumbling them both onto the ground. Keira pushed herself onto her knees and looked up to see Aaron swooping down towards them. The man stood and tugged at her arm in an effort to pull her up, but she shrugged him off, waving her arms up at the dragon bearing down on them.

  “Stop!” she yelled.

  Changing course, Aaron started circling around them, and for a moment Keira felt a moment of relief, until she saw that Aaron was setting the ground alight, catching herself and the man in a trap that could only be escaped from above.

  “Run,” shouted Keira, pushing the man ahead of her, but the man was slow to realize what was happening, and before he took a step, Aaron had completed the circle, landing within its perimeter. He looked at Keira for a moment, his bony eyebrows pulling together as he cocked his head, then turned his attention to the man. The man returned Aaron’s gaze, but he was shaking.

  “He won’t hurt you,” Keira said. “Or at least, I don’t think so,” she added with a frown in Aaron’s direction.

  “I’m not worried about me,” the man said. “Dragons prefer maidens.”

  Keira laughed. “He hasn’t eaten me yet,” she said.

  “That could always change,” the man said. “How long has it kept you prisoner?”

  “I’m not a prisoner,” Keira said. She turned as Aaron blew out a sigh of frustration.

  “Enough, Keira.” Aaron’s voice sounded hard. “Let’s go.”

  “No.”

  “No?” He dropped his head to her eye level, glaring at her as the man stumbled back a step.

  “Not until you lift this man out of this little prison you’ve created,” she said.

  “No,” he said.

  “He was trying to help me. He only had my best interests at heart.”

  Aaron snorted. “This man,” he said, “had his own interests at heart, my sweet. I could smell his lust for you from the moment he first saw you.”

  Keira drew in a deep breath and turned towards the man, who was watching them in bewilderment.

  “Why are you talking to this creature? And how is it that he can talk to you?” he said.

  Aaron’s head swung towards the man. “She talks to me because I am her husband,” he said. “And you will be fortunate if I leave you alive.”

  “Her husband?” The man turned to look at Keira in horror. “You are married to this … this beast?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  “But, I don’t understand. How can a pretty maid like you be married to a monster such as this?”

  Aaron’s eyes flamed and he brought his head within inches of the man’s. “That is no maid, that is my wife,” he said with a growl. “And she is well satisfied with the monster.” He turned to look at Keira, who was glaring at him. “Let’s go. Now.”

  “No,” she said. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Not until you have lifted this man to safety.”

  “I will not,” he said.

  “He will die.”

  “Yes.”

  Keira turned towards the man. “Come,” she said, “I will run with you through the fire.”

  “But we will get burned,” he protested.

  “You will most definitely succumb to the flames if you stay here. But you will just get a little burned if you run.” She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the flames. “We will get burned together.”

  With a glance at Aaron, the man nodded, and together they ran towards the flames. Behind her, Keira heard Aaron growl, and then she was lifted into the air, her hand slipping from the man’s arm as Aaron grabbed her with his talons. At first she thought Aaron had taken only her, but a glance to the side showed Aaron carried him as well. It was clear that Aaron was not being too gentle with the man, but better a few scratches than burns, she reasoned.

  A moment later they were both back on the ground, the ring of fire behind them. The man stared at Keira for a moment, and then turning on his heel, started to run. Keira watched him for a few moments, then began to walk in the same direction.

  “Keira.” Aaron’s voice was cool, but when she turned around to face him, his eyes were blazing.

  “How dare you,” she said.

  “I said nothing but the truth.”

  “You shamed me. And you would have killed that man.”

  “I saw how he looked at you. Damsel in distress. Gallant hero. He would quickly have offered himself as a shoulder to lean on after your traumatic experience at the hands of a monster.”

  “He was trying to help me!” she yelled.

  “He wanted to have you,” Aaron growled.

  “You were just going to let him die!”

  “Yes.”

  Spinning around, Keira marched away, following the direction that the man had taken. She felt a wave of hot air roll over her as Aaron passed over her head, his tail mere inches from her face. He swooped into the sky, pushing higher and higher, then disappeared altogether against the lightening sky.

  The field Keira was standing in was fallow, a scattering of snow creating a pattern of light and dark over the brown earth. A few crows gathered in the field, picking over some fallen animal, while in the distance Keira could make out the shadowy outline of a rock. She started towards it, pulling her cloak around her shoulders; and then she remembered her satchel, which must still be lying on the ground where she had slept with Aaron. It was difficult to see the dark satchel against the ground, but she eventually found it, and slinging it onto her shoulder, she headed towards the rock once more. Once there, she sat down and rummaged in the bag, finding some bread and cheese to eat which she chased down with a sip of wine.

  The sky was already light, the sun well above the horizon when a blur of shadow in the sky caught her eye. She watched as Aaron dropped towards the ground, his body in human form. His wings, stretched out on either side of him, glowed in the morning light, again making Keira think of an angel. A beautiful, dangerous, avenging angel. She watched him cautiously as he reached the ground, his wings still outs
tretched as he walked toward her, stopping a few feet away.

  “Did you kill him?” she said.

  “No.” He glanced back at where the man had discovered them. “I probably should have, though.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I revealed more than I should have.”

  “That’s not his fault. He was trying to help me.”

  “He was,” Aaron said, “but only so he could have you himself. Still, given what he believes about dragons, his concern for you was valid.”

  Aaron paused. “Keira,” he said, “I should never have spoken about you in such a way. I’m sorry.”

  “You should never have tried to burn that man,” she said, looking up at him. He towered over her, his golden wings stretched to their fullest extent, his eyes blazing. He stared at her for a moment, then dropped down to his knees before her.

  “I was jealous,” he said. “Instead of telling him that you belonged to me, you were defending his actions. He wanted you, Keira, but you saw him as a hero.”

  “Of course I belong to you,” she said, but then his lips were on hers, stopping all further argument. She felt his arms go around her, and she leaned into him. She was still annoyed, but she knew that had the situation been reversed, she probably would have been jealous, too. Besides, they had each other – what did a nameless stranger matter?

  Chapter 19

  Aaron flew with Keira until dusk started to fall, then landed once again so that Keira could get a few hours’ rest. Instead of landing in the open, he found a small cave at the base of a hill that had long since been abandoned by some animal. It was too small for Aaron to crawl into, but rather than change his form, he lay his huge body across the entrance, while Keira slept within, pressed up against his side. He wrapped his tail into the cave, however, circling it around her as she slept.

  They left the cave early the next morning, before the sun had even risen, and continued their journey. As they traveled, Keira noticed that the snow was thinner on the ground, the temperatures not quite so cold. It was mid-afternoon when Aaron finally pointed to a cluster of buildings in the distance.