My adoptive dragon.

“It’s been sixteen years now. You have grown phenomenally; will you be rejoining the humans now? It is long since time for you to do so.” Although his mouth did not move, the telepathic means which Viotar spoke. Viotar is a gorgeous dragon, his smooth emerald green scales and snakey gray eyes were his most prominent features. For sixteen years this lord of the forest upon a mountain deep in Welsh territory has raised me as his own. He bestowed the name of Dara, in hopes that I would always persevere and never give up whether by his side or not.

I felt a pout pull at my lips, it was a heavy feeling, I could not stop myself from wondering. Did Viotar grow tired of my presence? Reluctantly I smiled and shook my head “I suppose a visit would be interesting. However, if you will permit it, can I remain by your side… If the human parents that reared me left me to face beast and demise, then is it not a fair assumption that they will not take kindly to me? As a girl who lives amongst the woodland creatures in harmony, will I not be an outlier to their cultures? The violent creatures who make even starved wolves seem adorable in comparison?” I could feel my blue eyes trembling as I looked up to meet his eyes. The proud dragon lowered his head and pressed his snout to my forehead, closing his eyes “Child, whether you remain by my side after you make your venture. I do have hopes you would pay a visit to their lands at least once. There are things that even I with my many years, fail to teach you. Should you find it more reassuring… I can use my magic to accompany you?”

Feeling the gentle touch at the top of my head i gained a bit of confidence and approached wrapping my arms around his neck, he was as tall as the smallest willow in this forest. Our home was atop a steep mountain surrounded by lush forests and pristine lakes and towards the peak there was a spring of bubbling water. “Would you really come with me if I made that request?” his tail curled around his body and pressed against my back as he returned the hug “Of course my child. Although it is forbidden for me to take a ‘humanoid’ form, I can accompany you as a companion animal. However, be aware should I do that I will be unable to protect you for a few hours. Should I shift using such intensive magic in this world where the traces are slowly vanishing, I will be powerless for a handful of time. If someone does attempt to do you harm, you will need to defend yourself.”

Smiling sheepishly I nodded “I will protect both of us, I have never used a sword against a human… Though even if that’s the case, you trained me for eight years using a sword I’ve been able to even cut down the pumas that stalk the upper grounds or the boars the recklessly charge. Under your tutelage I have learned every lesson I could ever need. Since you found me sixteen years ago unnamed, alone in a basket about to become a meal for a puma here.Just as you protected me, I will let nothing happen to you. You are my only family, blood or not.”

The radiating happiness that I felt was absolutely the warmest feeling I had ever felt. Slowly I felt my draconic parent becoming smaller in my arms, and despite my estimations a form similar to mine began to appear. As if testing my mettle were the only reason for his previous words. Slowly the scales were turning into a tanned skin and dark hair with green robes. When the transformation was done, before me stood a dark elven form of my parent. I hugged him more tightly after being surprised “You really spoil me too much Viotar.” You felt his arms around your waist, he lifted you in a gentle spinning hug and chuckled “Anything for you my dear Dara, although I cannot take on the form of a human. The elven races worship my kind as deities, taking one of their appearances to walk amongst the lesser races is wholly acceptable. Let us get you dressed for our descent to the village, the horses will allow us to make it before the sun falls below the horizon.”

Viotar donned royal green robes, his snakey gray eyes remained and his tanned pointed ears parted the long hair which he restrained with a matching green ribbon. He looked exactly like a elven prince from the fairy tale books that I read many times. He tucked a wand into his chest pocket and helped me pick out a mythril sword, the weapon had come from a champion who had lost his life years ago attempting to slay ‘the evil dragon haunting the forests.’ Needless bloodshed, but humans are greedy and stunningly shortsighted. So the bodies laying in the graveland number hundreds from the thousands of years, the tales of the warriors who perished under Viotar’s draconic powers are impressive and depressing. It never failed to depress me how such tales of bloodshed and carnage could be considered heroic. Is a murderer not still a murderer if he is cherished? A hero never kills, or so they say; You see a hero saves lives, so does that mean that villains are no longer alive in the eyes of the populace? How ridiculous.

As we dressed I could not help humming the words to a small shanty I ended up making

“They say heroes don't kill.

Heroes don't kill? Then what's all this blood on my blade?

The skeletons line my closet, and the medals shine on my chest.

I still remember the first life I took.

The eyes twisted dark and evil, writhing in pain.

Not the eyes of someone who was sane.

Yet as my blade pierced his heart. I saw life fade away.

Heroes don't kill, they save your life. They slay villains, but never kill.

Is a villian not alive? Since a hero never kills?

Justice isn't just if a hero isn't true.

Then what is this hero meant to do?

Heroes don't kill, heroes can't be evil.

Heroes might be deceived but they're never wrong.

Still they trample over life when others are impure.

They dress in velvet and armors, adorned with silver and gold.

Standing tall in the rain, parting the wind and seas.

A hero never falters even when they feel weak in the knees.

Heroes never bow, heroes never kill.

Yet everything a hero does isn't just skill?”

I had a gown with a dipped back, covered by a black cloak; the skirt was simple. Puffed at the bottom, with slacks that wrapped around my midleg for comfort and ease of travel. A simple sash at my waist held the holister of my blade, the white sheathe contrasted against my blue gown; the black cape accentuated my blonde hair and blue eyes. Once I had the approval on my choice, we headed to the stables. There are only half a dozen steeds we keep, more than that is difficult for me to care for. In this cavernous mountain the higher you go the more living things you find, steeds, birds, plants and such. The lower you go, the treasures; records of histories long past, weapons, gold and jewels, and our dwellings.

The two gray steeds I lead out of their stables and prepared for our venture, Vesta and Apollon; twin gray stallions given their names for their speed and their glory. On their backs we left the cavern we called home for the first time together in a decade, there was never a reason for our departure, anything we desired could be found in these woods. While nostalgia claimed my attention, a branch nearly knocked me from my mount; causing a troubled voice to ring out “My dear Dara please be cautious. I know that you may be both excited and dreadful, however carelessness in such distraction is merely recklessness.” My cheeks were flushing as I cleared my throat “My apologies for worrying you Vio, I was just thinking that we haven’t ventured outside together since I was little. When you introduced me to these woods I was so afraid, and I feel similar the lower we go, the more worried I feel… I doubt I will feel any kinship with the slaughterous creatures I share my blood with…. I worry that I will come to loathe their very beings, and more than that I fear that something may happen to us when we enter unannounced.”

I hear a sigh that was barely louder than the galloping hooves against the ground “Have I not taught you well enough little one? Just as there are acts of horror, there are acts of righteousness. For each part good there is evil, the opposite is true. If I was a different dragon I would have smited you where you sat on that day in the forest, if I were my sister I would have used you as bait to hunt humans who vie for my hide. If you were any different you would have aimed to slice my throat when I was unexpecting. In another world, in another time there is a couple of us living out those truths. You see my darling daughter, There are parallels for all things, perhaps there will be not a single soul that welcomes us, and yet they could be like my elven companions that welcome us without a trace of hesitation.”

I could only bob my head and wonder as we traversed the woods. We made the trek in aa few hours, leaving our mounts at the edge of the woods we proceeded on foot. The town was quaint, a market that housed thousands of good, tens of hundreds of souls were dwelling in this small city. I was overwhelmed by the smell. The air was scented with odors of humans, animals, metals, waste and more things I could not identify. Unlike the crisp, clean air I love, this made me queasy. I slowed my breathing as I tried to adapt. Everything was different, the noise was ten times the quiet woods. Yelling, chattering, laughter, animals, machinery. As we approached the town guards took notice of us and took guard slightly.

Humans could not trek the treacherous mountains on foot, even with a steed most humans would fail to survive. There were venomous snakes, deadly boars, silent pumas and even the bloodthirsty dragon of myths. As we calmly walked we reached the guards. The leftmost one called out “State your business. Who are you and from whence have you come?” I smiled sweetly “We have come from the village of Sennav, my noble master desired to visit a human settlement after all of these years. My name is Dara and this noble master is Viotar, Might we visit as emissaries for a mere few days?”

The guard gaped silently for a few moments. Sennav is a settlement of elves, surrounded by high and dark elves, it is the only multicultural elven settlement known to humans. Noble and royal elves almost never descend from the forests due to the impurities, just as dwarves rarely leave their mountains do to the lack of power outside of them.Two creatures descending from a mountain without even a sheen of sweat were peering at two guards who were dumbstruck.

While the guards debated a voice came from the opposite side of the gate. “We have no mercy on liars, dragons are not welcome here in any guise.” I looked at where the voice came from and took a breath “I understand not what you imply good sir?” Voi crossed his arms within his sleeves and clicked his tongue “Human, how dare you belittle our deities. As a rule of their gloriousness they may not take a shape even slightly human, or bipedal. How dare you besmirch their glory.” His elven accent was flawless, I could not help but glower at the voice “My noble master speaks the truth, retract your words.” The guards startled “Lord, please do not insult travelers. They are emissaries of Senanv.”

The lord behind the gate laughed darkly and stared at Voitar, not even taking a moment to blink “Fine, do not keep our emissary friends waiting. However, should they prove to be false. Both lives will belong to me, the lord of this city of Celyn.” I could only sigh in my mind, and wonder what parallel world we were living. Would this visit meet a good or bad ending. Would our heads meet a pyre, would I be enslaved, would we depart as planned. Only time could tell, despite my anxiety, all of the years of hunting allowed me to remain stable. As the wooden gates swung open, we entered and were given passes of welcome.

During the next week we would experience a human village, Voitar was hoping I would consider calling this a new home. He hopes that I may find things here like emotions, love and friendship which I may not have with humans where we dwell. Yet as the minutes tick by, the most important thing I want to find is the way to return to our home without the hunters harassing us. I cannot stop myself from wondering when this time will end. I want to go home and relax with my adoptive dragon father.