by K. M. Shea
I hurried to the room, thinking they would want more refreshments, if not dinner, but all of the dragons were standing and shifting, clearly getting ready to leave.
“Ahira, help me see our friends to the door,” Azmaveth ordered as he relocated from the table to my shoulder.
“Alright,” I agreed before turning to Rose, Zerah, and Shammah. “This way please.” I said, leading the way. We reached the doors and I pushed them open, stepping out into the late evening air. The birds were still chirping and the sky was a beautiful shade of dusty pink.
“Until next time!” Shammah dragon grinned, winking at me, before stretching his giant wings and taking flight, doing spirals through the air.
“Show off,” Rose grumbled as she untucked her wings. “Good bye Azmaveth. I had a fantastic time talking with you as usual. It was a pleasure meeting you, Ahira,” she said, giving me a pat on my head with the tip of her wing.
Azmaveth squawked as the wing tip barely missed smashing his head from his position on my shoulder.
“Thank you,” I called to the red dragon as she leaped into the sky, flying away.
“Azmaveth,” Zerah coolly said with a bow of his head. “Ahira,” he slowly and painfully added before disappearing into the sky.
“Okay, I’m hungry. Let’s eat,” Azmaveth ordered as he twined his tail around my neck again.
“Right. Just don’t fall in anything while I’m making dinner,” I said.
Cooking was a little awkward, mostly because Azmaveth insisted on sitting on my shoulder during the entire experience. If I moved too fast he went flying off my shoulder and into whatever bowl I happened to be standing over. Additionally, as I added ingredients Azmaveth kept up a steady commentary, lecturing me on everything from the mish mash way I threw in ingredients, to what ingredients I chose to use.
Out of mere spite I made stew with a questionable meat substance I found crammed in the icy cellar. Azmaveth lapped it out of a saucer.
After a lot of complaints we finally finished our meal. I washed the dishes, fishing Azmaveth out of the soapy water whenever he fell.
I was drying my hands off, finally finished, no thanks to a small purple dragon, when Azmaveth stretched and yawned. “Let’s go to the library,” he ordered, holding the rim of my ear with his tiny paws.
“Why? You go. I’ve got work to do,” I said.
Azmaveth tugged on my ear. “Sheesh, are you certain you’re a princess? One would think you come from a very long, very dedicated line of chamber maids. Come on, it’s been a long day. We can sit in front of the fire,” he lured.
Sitting down did sound nice.
“Okay,” I agreed, tossing the towel aside before busily moving through the hallways. After a few minutes we popped in the dark library.
“Where was this fireplace you mentioned?” I asked, stumbling in the dim light.
“Move towards the left corner. It should be here still. I’m pretty sure I got it replaced after Shammah smashed it with his tail several months ago,” Azmaveth recalled.
“That’s hardly comforting,” I dryly said before yipping when a huge, marble fireplace magically roared to life.
“Ah-hah! I knew it was somewhere back here!” Azmaveth triumphantly cried.
I seated myself in a comfortable, overstuffed green chair that was pulled up in front of the fire. Azmaveth slid off my shoulder and curled up on my lap like a cat.
“See, isn’t this nice?” Azmaveth yawned. He purred as I ran my finger up and down his neck.
“Yes,” I admitted, staring into the cheerfully snapping orange and red flames. “Azmaveth, Zerah hates humans, doesn’t he” I said, my lap growing warm thanks to hot, little Azmaveth.
Azmaveth snorted. “What gave it away? The way he refused to look at you, or perhaps the fact that he wouldn’t talk to you?” Azmaveth said, his voice vibrating. He was trying to purr while simultaneously talking. “You know the fact that he even said goodbye to you was highly, highly impressive. It’s a first as far as I know.”
“Why does he hate humans?” I asked as Azmaveth curled up into a tighter ball. I still stared at the brilliant flames even as my head started to drop.
“Don’t know, don’t care,” Azmaveth happily sighed. “All I know is that he sees humans as being utterly beneath him. Don’t worry about it though. The worst thing he’ll do is ignore you, which is actually more like a favor. He might act like a porcupine but really he’s quite harmless,” Azmaveth finished.
“Mmm,” I said, my eyes slowly closing as I drifted off to sleep.
I woke up to a painful cramp in my lap. It felt like an elephant was perched on my knees.
“Ow,” I muttered, struggling in the chair. Something hard and distinctly scale-like was digging through the material of my gown and into my skin. “Azmaveth, get off,” I muttered, the great weight was holding me captive.
I opened my eyes and rapidly blinked before stretching. Sure enough, Azmaveth had returned to his normal size of humongous. The tip of his muzzle was resting on my lap. The rest of his body was curled around my chair like a giant dog.
“Azmaveth, wake up,” I grumbled. “Your spell wore off,” I yawned, cracking my neck. “You’re going to squash me,” I added.
Azmaveth opened one large eye, peered around, and gave an affirming grunt before flipping over to his other side, removing his muzzle from my lap.
I didn’t think much about Azmaveth’s shrinking spell experience besides feel vindicated that being an inventor magician was a horrid idea. Perhaps, if I had thought long and hard about it, I would have noticed that Azmaveth was perfectly willing to try out his newly created spells on himself.
Chapter 6Meddling Wizards
About two weeks after the shrinking spell incident Azmaveth came to bother me while I was cleaning the den.
“Ahira, I need you to come with me to the woods,” Azmaveth whined as he watched me sweep.
“Why?” I asked without pausing.
“Well, erm. My do I feel ridiculous. You see I need to collect some flowers,” he said trailing off. “And, well, um…I can’t really pick flowers,” he added helpfully, lifting up a clawed paw to wave in my face.
I stretched backwards, cracking my back as I considered the request. “I suppose.” I reluctantly agreed. “But why do you need flowers?” I asked the slightly embarrassed Azmaveth.
“They’re used in a spell,” he answered.
I didn’t think much of it. Azmaveth was always trying to acquire interesting items for a spell. The week after his friends came for a visit I caught him trying to smuggle my hairbrush out of my room.
I skipped down the tunnel to my room to grab a shawl before swinging back through the kitchen to get a basket to place the flowers in.
Azmaveth was waiting for me by the front entrance, the doors already open.
I trotted past Azmaveth and started down the driveway, swinging my basket as Azmaveth hotly pursued me.
“I should lead,” he impatiently called out from behind me. “It is I, after all, who knows where we’re going!”
“Right right, just keep moving Azmaveth. I don’t care who leads as long as we leave that filthy den behind!” I sang as I skipped along side of him.
After walking a few paces Azmaveth lumbered off the path and delicately stepped into the forest. I followed him with an even bigger smile spreading across my face. This was the first time Azmaveth was letting me enter the forest surrounding his home. (Usually if I wanted a breath of fresh air he only let me run up and down the beaten path that led back and forth between the den and the main road. Why dragons need roads is still a mystery to me.)
“It’s called the Endless Forest,” Azmaveth lectured as I danced in place. The forest was peaceful and quiet with cool, crisp air that smelled of pine. It was filled with huge, old trees that towered over Azmaveth. I could practically taste the zing of magic.
“What we’re looking for is in a meadow,” Azmaveth continued. “These flowers can only be found
in once place, and that’s Unicorn Meadow,” he explained.
I ignored him and grinned at a doe and her fawn that peeked at us as we trampled past. Animals were popping out everywhere. The forest was alive with the sounds of animals and the songs of birds.
Azmaveth continued to lead the way, and no less than ten minutes later we approached a small meadow. In the meadow were some beautiful white flowers that oddly resembled roses. “They’re called Ever Blossoms, because they can blossom year round,” Azmaveth said as he settled down in a cat like position in the middle of the meadow. “And I need at least a basket full,” he added as I continued to skip around him.
“No problem Azmaveth!” I sang. I sat down with my skirts fluffed around me as I reached out and carefully picked the fragile flowers. Azmaveth craned his neck and rested his head directly behind me so I could lean against his muzzle.
Azmaveth closed his eyes and rumbled contentedly as the sunlight bathed us. I had the basket filled up in no time, but I was in no hurry to leave. So instead of telling Azmaveth I weaved a crown of flowers for myself. (Weaving flowers another one of my many useless talents I acquired from my flings in the castle kitchen.)
I finished it and placed it on my head before I started making a much bigger crown for Azmaveth. A few minutes into the project I gave up, realizing I would need more flowers than were in the meadow to complete a circlet big enough for Azmaveth.
I grabbed the flower chain and I climbed up the side of Azmaveth’s face. He snorted in his sleep but remained still enough that he didn’t send me flying. I scratched at the base of one of his giant ears and he purred, opening one of his beautiful eyes when I giggled. My huge flower chain was barely long enough to fit around one of his ears.
I laughed once more as I scratched his ear again. His nose twitched and he rolled his eyes when he realized I was tying the flowers around his appendage. “What is it with you and your obsession of making me a clean creature?” he asked with unusual complacency over the idea.
I smiled and didn’t answer as he closed his eyes again. I shimmied across his forehead, stopping when I was exactly in the center. I just settled down when suddenly there was a rush of wings. I opened my eyes, Azmaveth was already alert, and watched Zerah drop into the meadow.
The silver blue dragon frowned as his eyes went from the flower basket to Azmaveth and myself.
“Interesting,” Zerah said, tucking his wings against his sides. “Picking flowers with your Princess, I never would have guessed,” he said, his eyes taking in our Ever Blossom crowns.
I considered him. “Do you think if I touched him he would die from shock?” I whispered to Azmaveth.
Azmaveth shot me an expression that told me my humor was sorely misplaced for the moment before he turned back to Zerah, who was ambling over to us with the same enthusiasm one would use when greeting a leper.
Before he arrived I snagged Azmaveth’s decorative crown off his ear and tossed it next to the basket full of flowers. As adorable as he looked with flowers on his head I had no intention of making him look childish in front lord snobby scales.
It never escaped me, however, that Azmaveth hadn’t moved an inch since Zerah. He hadn’t even picked his head up from the ground.
Zerah nodded his head at Azmaveth, who opened both eyes again before slowly sitting upright. I clung to his head and noticed with great pride that Azmaveth was just the tiniest bit taller than Zerah.
“What do you want Zerah?” Azmaveth snapped.
“The Dragon King decided to call up the wizards, witches, mages, and sorceresses from Somnio. They will be crawling all over the Endless Forest by nightfall,” Zerah said, ignoring me. “I thought you’d want to know. After all, who knows. One of them might set their sights on your princess,” Zerah said with a harsh laugh.
The silver dragon dipped his head before elegantly walking away from us. I frowned as he unfolded his wings and prepared for flight.
“GOOD BYE ZERAH!” I shouted with all of my power just as Zerah began to leap into the air.
I shocked Zerah, who tripped over his own paws and nearly went crashing to the ground. He turned to glare at me. I smiled and waved in return.
Zerah muttered under his breath before righting himself and taking off, upsetting the meadow as he beat his giant wings.
Azmaveth growled in his throat. “I don’t know whether you’re extremely foolish, extremely brave, or just suicidal,” he said as Zerah disappeared in the sky.
“Just because he has terrible manners doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to extend a common courtesy,” I said as Azmaveth stood up. He snagged the flower basket with a claw and awkwardly passed it up to me.
“You’re so unpredictable,” he grumbled as he started to move. His gate was relaxed and smooth as I clung to his forehead.
“I think he’s crabby because he doesn’t have any friends. He must be lonley,” I announced as Azmaveth left the meadow and plunged into the forest.
“What on earth makes you say—,” Azmaveth started. He abruptly halted and sniffed the air before twisting his giant head to gaze behind us.
On the very edge of the meadow was a young mage with brown hair and sky blue robes. He was watching Azmaveth, myself, and my flower crown with keen interest.
Azmaveth rolled his eyes and continued on as the mage trailed us. “Oh bother. It’s one of those dumb wizards Zerah was talking about,” Azmaveth said, loud enough for the young man to hear. “Don’t worry, they wouldn’t dare hurt anyone here. But they can be extremely annoying, over enthusiastic, and they tend to get underfoot,” he said as he left the forest, flicking his tail like a cat.
We continued to chat as Azmaveth carried me back to the cave. Once we reached our den I slipped off Azmaveth’s giant head, landing on the ground with a grunt. As I dusted myself off I noticed the wizard had followed us home. He met my gaze before scuttling back into the forest.
Azmaveth had not noticed the exchange and was rambling about all the useful things he could do with the Ever Blossoms. He went inside the den as I gave a sigh of exasperation and followed him. Azmaveth ambled on to his lab, still babbling about the flowers, and I finished my previous task of sweeping out the main tunnel.
Just as I finished I mentally cursed, remembering that I had yet to check for the day’s mail.
Out of all the ideas, incredible and not so incredible, that dragons have come up with the concept of mail has to be the dumbest. Dragons have this stupid little system that allows them to pass messages and letters to each other every day. Ten dragons take these messages and deliver them to whomever you want. All you have to do is stick them in your mail hole, which is basically a hole in the ground. It’s all very useless if you ask me. I mean it’s never like they send anything important! Azmaveth once received a letter from Shammah that described his afternoon tea in great detail. Pointless. Completely pointless.
I walked up our long driveway, (Believe me, it’s really long. I have to walk up it every day.) pulled back the stone that covered our mail hole, and peered in. A few letters were in there. I snatched them up before covering the hole and walking back home.
I was nosily looking at the addresses on the envelopes, so I didn’t watch where I was going and walked straight into a something hard. I tore my eyes away from the letters and looked up into the face of a human prince.
“Shoot,” I muttered as I rapidly backed up. And here I had hoped that I wouldn’t be bothered by male royalty, besides my brother, again.
I had to admit, this prince was drop dead gorgeous. It was almost like he leaped out of the pages of one of my sister’s romance books. His golden colored hair blew prettily in the wind. His fair complexion made his deep hazel eyes even more striking. He well toned to boot, and looked positively remarkable in his black armor. His white horse was standing at attention several feet behind him, and the prince’s hand was wrapped around the hilt of his deadly sword.
I gulped. This prince was a harsh comparison to the previous prince. He c
learly knew how to use his weapon.
“Ahira?” he asked in cold apprehension as he looked me up and down from head to toe. I felt like a cow being seized up by the butcher.
“Yes?” I irritably snapped. I hated dealing with princes.
“I’m here to rescue you,” he said, as though he could hardly believe the idea himself. He was even less enthusiastic of my company than Zerah.
“Huh?” I stupidly said.
“I’m here to take you back with me,” the snobby prince repeated in his artic voice.
“Oh. Right. I’m sorry, I’m afraid you have the wrong cave. Good luck though. Bye bye,” I said, walking around him. I wanted to have the satisfaction of slamming the front door in his face.
The prince’s arm shot out, and he grabbed my wrist, bringing my parade to a screeching halt. “Let me go!” I demanded. “Why do you want me anyway? I’m average, I have a terrible personality, I’m not pretty and I never shut up.”
“Prince Caspian is offering a huge reward,” the prince replied with a smirk. “Upon our return I’ll have to marry you. However, I believe that if you wear clothes that are suited for your status and learn to hold your tongue you’ll clean up quite nicely.”
“Caspian is offering a reward?” I asked, boggled by the idea.
“Yes. Apparently your mother won’t allow him to come rescue you. Tales of your beauty and intelligence has flown through Somnio. Obviously such rumors are falsehoods. But many princes have still gone searching for you,” he said.
“I’ve only seen one prince though,” I reflectively frowned.
“That’s because your cave is guarded by sorcery. Thankfully I know enough magic to take care of that pitiful wall that surrounded the cave. To a normal prince it would seem that there was a meadow at the end of this road, but not to me!” he proudly said as I rolled my eyes and tried to pry my wrist from his hand.
