The Dragon Queen

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley.

At least not this valley. It doesn’t hold the same smell. The one that persists for years that all dragons are tuned into. This valley lacked any trace of the scent, which is one of the reasons that drew me to it. As good a place as any to bide my time and recover, licking my wounds both literally and figuratively. My pursuers would need to travel far to find me, and there has been no indication that any of them are close.

Walking around the forest is one of my favorite forms of relaxation. A time to think, to plan, and to reflect. My own form of meditation. I love finding a quiet grove with trees to lay and bask in the sun. As of late, that’s harder to come by. The two little beings next to me are the cause of that.

“But why do the leaves change color?”

The village nearby is small enough that I didn’t expect them to discover me so quickly. This forest is one of the more secluded I have come across in my life. My arrival from the west came unnoticed, but after one of their hunting parties caught wind of my tracks, I knew my peace and quiet was at risk. Regardless, centuries can go by in the blink of an eye for a dragon, and this forest might just be my favorite. I can outlast humans. I’ve done it before. Plus, the old trees surrounding me feel like old friends and they remind me of a home I haven’t seen in a very long time. Some of them may have even seen as many seasons as I have. I feel a comfort here I have not felt in a long time.

The boy is always so inquisitive about the world around him. The girl, on the other hand, is still so silent. The humans have only been with me for a few weeks, and old habits die hard. No matter how many times I tell the boy that my abilities allow me to hear their thoughts, as well as project my own into their minds, he insists on speaking out loud. Hence my longing for those quieter walks I had grown so fond of.

Once again, my meditation is interrupted by the boy’s next question.

“Why do we go on so many walks? Are we looking for something? Like a new hideout maybe?! I love finding new hiding places!”

The children were brought to me by the villagers. There’s a glade a few miles into the forest from the village where the children were tied down. It was a sad sight, but not new to someone like me. A tale as old as dragons themselves, villagers across the land find it necessary to follow the demands of the worst of us: two of their youngest in exchange to be left alone in peace.

Stretching to expose as many of my scales as possible, I feel the sun hit those hard to reach places. Opening my wings, I look upon the two humans as they sit in the sunlight near me, leaning up against a large boulder. The sudden force of wind knocks them over, and for a moment I feel a hint of regret, but the boy rolls back over giggling while the girl continues to scowl. The sun feels so good.

This is not the first home I’ve found for myself. Every time I arrive in a new place, I like to walk. It helps me feel safe.

He blinks at me a few times as he thinks about what I have said. I choose not to open my mind to him - I know the same question would be echoing within at this very moment.

“But why?” he would ask.

The girl’s eyes never leave my face. She’s skeptical. Who could blame her? Her people had brought her to me as an “offering” they had said. As I gaze on the boy and his laughing fit, he raises his eyes to meet mine. There. The subtle blue-glow that few would recognize.

Initially, I was planning on eating them. I’ve lived far too long, survived too many battles, to care about the lives of two young humans. It would be a mercy for them. Starving to death in the woods is not a fate I would wish on my enemies.

However, the boy is different, and I noticed it immediately. The power behind his eyes is something the world has not seen for centuries. The potential hidden within him is significant. World changing, even.

The girl on the other hand offers me nothing. But while I gazed on the power of the boy, the girl assumed my intentions, and threw herself between us. The fire in her eyes was a power in itself. Her dedication to protect her younger sibling was something else I haven’t seen in humans for many years. My mind started racing at the difficulties of raising the boy by myself. It quickly became obvious that she might prove useful if I could win her trust.

Leaving the glade that day with the children in tow, my mind wandered to the idiocy of the sacrifice by the humans. I never understood why they were pretentious enough to believe they could have something to “offer” to us. Despite the fact that dragons are far fewer in the world, we are still more powerful than anything the humans could conjure up. For most of us we just want to be left alone.

Now, as I sit bathed in the golden rays of the sun, I remind myself how humans have always feared what they don’t understand, and furthermore, what they cannot control. These thoughts dance among others through my mind as I notice the girl is still staring at me. I decide to address her.

I presume you understand the importance of protecting that which you hold most dear to you, little one. This new home of mine will be safe for quite some time if I can maintain its secrecy.

Interestingly enough, the girl responds. I can tell from her furrowed brow she is trying to “push” her thoughts to me, still unsure if I can actually read them, but willing enough to test my abilities. I try my best to contain a smile.

What could possibly hurt you that you would want to make sure your new home is safe?

Hmm. I debate between answering honestly and answering to protect their innocence. I choose to humor her. The humans have only been with me for a few days now, but I enjoy their company for the most part. It has been many years since I had any sort of companion, and that was an old beast I met in the forests of Angta whose conversational skills were comparable to the large boulder the humans now lean against. The boy’s constant questions are a minor inconvenience.

Well little one, there are many things to worry about as a dragon. Most importantly, I prefer to be left alone from the other beings of the world. Dragons are often misunderstood, and that leads to conflict. Conflict rarely ends with both sides having their way.

She nods in understanding. I know she may not catch on to the undertones of what I said, but she gathered the basics. The boy, on the other hand, is preoccupied with a nearby butterfly.

“Why are you scared? You’re a big dragon! With big dragon teeth, and claws!” the boy exclaims. I have to hold in another smile.

There are things in this world that you do not understand, but maybe one day you will. Let’s leave that for another day. For now, how would you two like some dinner? It’s getting late and I’m sure you’re hungry.

This time the girl responds.

Yes, I think we both could eat. And you seem nice enough. How many of you are left anyway? We must be pretty lucky to have found such a nice dragon.

I nod at them both and look as they continue to relax in the glowing sun. The innocence in her eyes is a cover for the maturity she has gained in caring for her younger brother over the years. There’s more to this girl than meets the eye. I know she still doesn’t fully trust me, but I have waited much longer, for much less. I know I need their trust in the end. I know I need their power. My eyes come to rest on the boy, and the glow behind his eyes that only I can see. With him at my side, nothing could stand in my way.

As the sun continues to shine, I look to the sky and think of Archon, silently cursing him. He and the others will have no choice but to defer to me. Bend the knee or face my wrath. I will no longer hide in the shadows. No more traveling from distant forest to distant forest, always on the run. Looking down on the little humans I know I now have the necessary tools to regain my throne as Queen of the Dragons.