by T. S. Ryder
“Ah... This is why I need your help, Lady Karina,” Carmichael sighed. A sorrowful look glazed over his eyes and a single tear, like liquid gold, rolled down his cheek. “Lady Karina, I am a creature of the air and of the sea. Fire resides in my belly. A hunter, most intelligent and mighty, I am feared and admired by all. My beauty and grace know no rival...” he trailed off wistfully, a second golden tear rolling down his cheek.
“Your Queen is a witch who has robbed me of my real form. Of my true form! And she’s killed my unhatched children, as well as my mate!”
Karina listened to Carmichael’s lamentations, her heart growing heavier with each sentence he spoke. The dragon king truly stood before her, bound in his human guise, and it broke her heart to see such a majestic creature grieve so deeply.
“The witch Danasi has enslaved my brethren in tombs of rock, beneath lakes and inside volcanic mounds. She sentenced them to remain imprisoned until her death, wasting away in a dormant state as if dead or sleeping heavily. She’s crushed our eggs or stolen them. I escaped her at the height of her power, but even still, I was affected and enslaved in my own way. I am stuck for an eternity inside my human form unless her curse is broken with love or with death. For so long, I have thought there to be no hope and that no mere human could possibly captivate me so. I thought no human ever could stand chance at besting her, but word of your presence in the land reached me as if in a dream. I had to find you and ask, no... beg you for your assistance.”
“Dragon King, are you asking my permission to mate me?” she whispered finally, a flash of indignation in her gaze. “For I am not willing to sell my love to even one such as you. I am free to stand as my own person!”
Carmichael grimaced as he trailed her movements with his eyes. “I... am not certain that mating you is my intended course of action,” he admitted slowly, though upon finding her true gender, he’d certainly felt a spark of yearning lust, like fire, deep in the pit of his belly.
Briefly, Karina stared, a battle of incredulity and understanding in her eyes. “What, then, are your intentions, Dragon King?”
“Until learning of your femininity, my plan was but to have you help me defeat the Witch Queen with your telltale battle prowess, nothing more.”
“Still, you ponder now of mating me?” Karina asked suspiciously. As Carmichael struggled to answer, she narrowed her eyes. “I give to you my service, but hear this—I am not some piece of meat or finery to be forced into any form of courtship.”
Carmichael dipped his head in agreement, his golden irises locked onto her form. Such independence and grace clung to this human female, the likes of which he’d never seen. It was as though she somehow had dragon blood in her veins that gave her such dignity. “I accept your terms, Lady Knight.”
“Then I accept your quest, Dragon King,” she said, kneeling in a low bow that brought her down to a knee. “As long as your word is held, I am honored to have been sought out by such a creature and will do what I can to free your brothers and yourself.”
Carmichael chuckled deep in his chest and slowly reached out a hand to his chosen champion, waiting for her to take it as he helped her to stand once again.
“Lady Karina. I am the Dragon King Caichmiorral,” he confirmed. “But I deserve no such special treatment. Not now, not in this pitiful form. You are an equal. You are as equal as a human can be to a dragon. I am comfortable in my human form, but I long to reach for the heavens once more and spiral through the sky on wings of gold,” he sighed.
“Then we are agreed and now must return to town for supplies on this upcoming journey,” Karina said, as she slowly got up to her feet and extended a hand to Carmichael, much in the same way as he had to her. The Dragon King took her hand, his golden eyes sparkling gratefully as she led him back outside.
“Let’s leave at dawn,” Carmichael agreed as he allowed for Karina to pull him forward.
“Come,” she said, tugging him forward as she headed down the path back towards the village of Rostlecastor.
“Where are we going for the supplies you speak of, Lady Karina?” Carmichael asked as she led him up the worn path.
“If we are to make it to the Queen’s castle, you will need a horse. We shall go to Flannigan, the town’s breeder. Tarron is strong, but not strong enough to travel for days on end with two full grown humans on his back,” Karina explained.
“A dragon riding a horse? Whoever heard such a thing!” Carmichael grumbled, an expression of pure disgust on his face.
Chapter Three
The village stables were familiar and smelled as stables do—of horse and dirt and manure. A row of stalls with five horses faced out toward the street and the portly faced stable owner sat napping against the hitching post.
Karina talked to this man, Flannigan, often and had even allowed him to breed Tarron with a few of his mares. At night of course and in the forest, lest Tarron be recognized as the Black Knight’s jousting steed. He was perhaps her only true friend and thus was the only one, other than Carmichael, who knew of her secret life as the Black Knight.
“Hail Flannigan!” she called out to him, a smile quirked at her lips as he jumped and peered over at her with first confused and then delighted eyes. He tottered up onto his feet and waved a pudgy hand with a wide grin.
“Hail! It’s been far longer than I’d like since you’ve come to see me, Karina!” he scolded lightly though he gave her a hug and pressed a kiss to both of her cheeks in greeting. “What a splendid joust! That Black Knight, freeing the Duke’s daughter and abandoning the field with a stranger! Such a bold move,” he hummed, winking at her as they walked back towards the stable.
“Flannigan, this meeting is not one for jest,” Karina explained, apologetically. “This is the same stranger. His name is Carmichael,” introduced Karina.
“Ah. So this is who you left the field with,” Flannigan whispered, his voice hushed as he looked from side to side, making sure not to be overheard. He knew very well that Karina enjoyed her secrecy as the Black Knight’s true identity.
“Lady Karina, is it wise to... reveal information to this stable man?” asked Carmichael, at her side. His golden eyes were glazed with obvious distress and he paced about impatiently. It seemed the horses noticed his distress as well, as they all pranced and whinnied in their stables.
“I trust Flannigan with my life, Carmichael,” Karina stated firmly, her eyes still focused on Flannigan. “He has been cursed by Queen Danasi and is the King of the dragons and... we need a horse to bring him to the Queen,” she stated in a soft whisper.
Flannigan’s eyes were huge in his skull and he stared, open-mouthed in awe. His brown eyes met Carmichael’s golden ones for a brief second before he knelt before him. “King Caichmiorral... I…” he stammered, all but rendered speechless. “It isn’t possible…”
“Stable hand, it is so. I am King Caichmiorral of the dragons,” Carmichael grunted, his golden eyes glittering in annoyance with the man.
“F-Forgive me!” Flannigan stammered as he regained himself. “I am simply overjoyed. Stories of your reign have held a great place in the hearts of my family. My great, great-grandmother was a healer in the war Queen Danasi waged against your kind. She was among the humans in favor of you and worked with the last of the elves that were on your side.”
Carmichael looked down at Flannigan with a new interest in his eyes and a smile crossed his lips. He could feel the human man’s sincerity as he spoke.
“Rise, human Flannigan. What was the name of this grandmother?” he asked.
Flannigan scrambled to his feet and scratched his head as he glanced over at Karina excitedly. This man, the last dragon in existence as far as anyone knew, was talking to him. “Her name was Aurolin. Did you know her?”
A soft, sad look entered Carmichael’s eyes as he nodded. “Aye. And I knew her well. It was Aurolin and an elf whose name was forgotten with the rest of their deceased race, which worked to save my mate when she was riddled with poisons c
rafted by Danasi herself... Aurolin tried valiantly to save Morrigana.”
At this, even Karina hung on Carmichael’s words. Of course they knew of Morrigana. Legends upon legends were told about her and Caichmiorral, the war between Queen Danasi and the dragon race and the downfall of both the elven race and the dragons. To hear about it firsthand was a different experience entirely.
“What happened then?” Flannigan asked, his eyes wide and gleaming with unshed tears. “I knew not that she worked to save the very life of Morrigana herself.”
Carmichael sighed and a soft, golden tear rolled down his face. “It is as the stories say. She died. Our eggs she had yet to lay died with her... Danasi overpowered our forces a few days later after slaughtering the Elven King and the last of his warriors. She then laid curse to me saying until I am with a mate and she is baring my eggs, I will never be dragon again.”
Karina crossed her arms with a huff at this point. “Well seeing as no dragon remains, save yourself. Finding a mate is not an option,” she snapped as she glared with meaningful eyes, silently reminding Carmichael of his oath to her.
“How do you intend to break the curse by going to see her?” Flannigan asked. “If it is a mate you seek, what will seeing Queen Danasi prove?”
“Well...” Carmichael sighed as he looked up towards the sky. A wistful, yearning look crossed his face as he imagined himself soaring through the air. How he wished to be a dragon again. “I expect to kill her. Once she is dead, the curse will be lifted from not only me, but from my ensnared brethren. We’ll claim the earth and the skies once again and take back the land unjustly stolen from us.”
“You will set right the unjust taxation of the land as well?” Flannigan urged as he looked first at his stable, run down and shabby and then at the buildings that lined the street across the way. “Danasi steals every penny extra from us. Anything we don’t need to survive.”
“It will be so, noble stable hand,” Carmichael agreed. “Never before had taxation of the land been so heavy under my rule, nor shall it ever be so once the throne is reclaimed.”
Flannigan sniffled suddenly and gestured towards his stable, his eyes watery though a smile graced his lips. “Under you, my little sister and frail mother will no longer starve. Of this I am sure,” he whispered, as he wiped a hopeful tear from his cow-like eyes. “If you can promise to right the wrongs of Queen Danasi, it is the least I can do to provide a steed. Take Beau,” he said.
“Human Flannigan. I intend to pay for this inferior steed,” Carmichael protested, but Flannigan only shook his head.
“Hear differently, I will not. Beau is my fastest horse. Aside from Tarron, he breeds the most magnificent of horses. No other steed not spoken for here will get you as far as you need, let alone keep up with Tarron. Take Beau and when you are free, bring him back to me,” Flannigan said as he led them around the stable off the street and back to a second, smaller one that stood behind his house.
Briefly, Flannigan disappeared. He returned with a leather saddled, grey dappled stallion at his side. “Here,” he said, handing the reins over to Carmichael and kneeling before him once more. “Ride with all the speed of a dragon. Free us from Queen Danasi’s reign,” Flannigan urged Carmichael before he turned to Karina and grasped her hands.
“And you. Karina, guard yourself well. Queen Danasi is not someone to be trifled with lightheartedly. You know the stories as well as I,” he murmured lightly. “That said, should anyone defeat her, it would be you.”
Karina dipped her head with a smile and lightly squeezed his hands. “Thank you, Flannigan.”
With that, she released his grasp and stepped back to stand beside Carmichael. “Come. We have much to prepare for before the morning,” she sighed, before slowly turning and leading the way back up the street.
Chapter Four
The sun had just barely risen completely above the skyline. The light bathed the small clearing Karina’s house sat in, in a bright cream light. It promised to be a nice day with all the birds that sang them a greeting. Tarron and Beau pawed at the ground, restless to get moving.
“Soon boys. Soon,” Karina soothed, her pale hand pressing up against Tarron’s cheek. Quickly, she made her way back inside to once more attempt to rouse the sleeping Dragon King.
“Carmichael, the morning is upon us.”
Karina received no response from the Dragon King despite the fact that he slept just on the other side of the room. She’d been packing since before dawn, mainly necessities while the Dragon King slept. All the dried meat she had, a pot, slabs of salt and a lump of animal fat all fit inside of a leather skin pouch she’d tied down to the saddle bags that Beau carried. Her sword and her armor were tucked away into the saddle bags Tarron wore.
The only factor holding them back from leaving as the sun broke the horizon, was Carmichael himself. Everything else, including a warm breakfast to take on the road was completed and ready for their long journey.
“It’s no wonder you’ve remained human this long. Anyone who’s come across you must think you don’t want to be dragon! Have haste, Carmichael!” she scolded, but as Carmichael sat up with a groan, amusement shone in her leaf green eyes.
“’Morning, Lady Knight,” Carmichael mumbled as a yawn split his lips.
“Wake up! We could be riding already had you gotten up before dawn like I did,” Karina sighed as she threw a handcrafted, canvas sack towards Carmichael.
He looked surprised as the sack smacked into his head, still dazed from being roused.
“I have had rare need to awaken so early,” Carmichael mumbled sleepily.
“Well, certainly this quest of yours is reason enough!” Karina said in exasperation. Carmichael, Dragon King or not, was behaving far too lazily for her liking.
“I am awake, Lady Karina. We can depart immediately,” Carmichael assured, though his eyes still held the glazed look of someone having recently awoken. True to his word, he shouldered his pack and swept past Karina out the door. Looking over his shoulder, he added, “Come, Lady Karina, what are you waiting for?”
Karina stared for a moment in disbelief, before she rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Men!” she muttered as she followed behind.
At this, she shouldered her own handmade pack and closed her door, her copper hair pulled back in a high ponytail.
“Are you coming then?” Carmichael questioned. He hadn’t hesitated a second, once he’d gotten outside, to swing up onto Beau. The question left Karina seething
“How do you propose to ride when your steed remains tied to the tree?” she asked. Much to her satisfaction, Carmichael blushed lightly. She untied both Beau and Tarron from the tree she’d hitched them to, before she swung up onto Tarron. As she looked over at Carmichael, once she was on her charger’s back, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as his golden eyes twinkled with awe.
“You make it look so easy,” he whispered.
Karina all but squirmed beneath Carmichael’s intense gaze, unsure of how to handle his high praise. She blushed lightly, but then horrified and embarrassed, immediately kicked at Tarron’s sides to get him moving.
“We have a long way to go,” she called back to Carmichael. “It’ll take three days to reach the capital.”
With that, she urged Tarron into a steady trot, not bothering to see if Carmichael and Beau were following.
Chapter Five
It became apparent by the second day of travel that Karina was not entirely sure what to make of Carmichael. He was talkative, cheerful and heart-meltingly sweet to her when he wasn’t being arrogant. The part that frustrated her most about him was he was hard to travel with. Had he not been with her, she’d have been able to make the journey in the three days she’d thought it’d take, but by the time they were setting up camp on the second night, they hadn’t even made it half way.
“So, how did a fair lady find her heart yearning for the life of a knight?” Carmichael asked as he lounged beside their small campfire. Drie
d meat, animal fat and salt boiled in water over the flickering flames for their dinner.
Stirring at the meat with a stick, Karina smiled faintly and shrugged her shoulders. “I was brought to Grizlenzadi as a small girl. Where I was born exists no longer. Many warriors fought valiantly for the land, even the ladies. My mother was one such warrior, until she was with child. We lived in the outskirts of my homeland until I was three years of age and able to walk on my own. When we got to Grizlenzadi, we lived with the captain of the guard of Hamonny and I remained there until I was old enough to journey throughout the land on my own,” she explained as she sat back down beside him.
“So it was instinctual for you to become a warrior. The captain of the guard trained you, then?” Carmichael asked.
“Not quite,” Karina said. “He took me beneath his arm and raised me alongside my mother. I often found myself watching the knight’s train. I had learned all their moves with a stick by the time I came to womanhood. He saw my skills, trained me to fight with a sword and shortly thereafter knighted me,” she explained. Her tale was nothing spectacular.
For a moment, silence stretched between them, until Karina sighed and removed the stick she stirred with from the pot. “This is done.”
Carmichael nodded as he got their metal bowls from the saddle bags for Karina to scoop some of the bland stew into. His stomach growled plaintively at the smell of cooked meat, leaving Karina to smile faintly.
“Hungry?” she asked, handing him one of the bowls. “Anyway. I’ve always been built bigger than most girls. I have more muscle, a stronger, sturdier frame. I’m built more like the men here than the woman. So once I left to be on my own, it was easy to become a jouster.”
