Trapped

Deep within BloodHill Forest, where monsters of all types linger, the plants' murder, and the water boils, lives a fearsome 1000-year-old dragon. Corena is considered the mother of all dragons, The eldest known dragon to mankind, 100 feet tall and 70 feet long. Black scales with a red undertone as big as your head are believed to be sharp enough to kill a man. Claws longer than your body and her wit is as fast as a cheetah. Presumed dead, she went missing during the night of the great storm. The thunder shook the sky with a mighty rage, lightning seen from hundreds of miles, and the sea took life on the land. A scale was found in the town floating in the water found by a villager, all had assumed she was killed or left for a better place not ravaged by mother nature.

Ten years later and thriving the town no longer lives in fear of this beast of a dragon. No more going in groups for single-person tasks. All the weapons and resources once used for Corena now used for hunting and gathering. Children running around laughing and playing without a worry in their minds only knowing the tales of this beast. Buildings stood taller and stronger than ever before housing many children. One even housing the king of this nation. This king searched for his lost daughter, looking everywhere a young woman might reside. Arriving just this morning bored from his journey the king takes a walk.

“Back you beast back!” a scream comes from a young lady, chased by two other children in a white sheet acting as one animal. A young lad dressed as a knight and some wood as a sword swinging at this “Beast” follows close behind. As the king watches this play he stops the children to ask what beast it is they are running from, as it is unlike any other he has seen. “Oh mister, this monster has not been seen by any man. It is just play.” Said the young knight.

“Well, play comes from somewhere, does it not?”

“ My mother tells me a story of a dragon in a forest just beyond the stream, this is that animal.” He points towards his friends.

“Just a story not a tale of caution?” the king inquires.

“Silly mister, stories are just that. Nothing more.”

The king laughed and decided to head back into town.

Meanwhile, a tower hidden behind all the trees and hills made of brick and mud hides a treasure in the forest. A young lady, with raven black hair, bright blue eyes, and pale skin, is seen tending to her garden. She smells the roses while humming along with the birds, wearing a torn-up, too-small dress. Blissfully unaware that the mighty dragon, killer of men, is stalking up behind her. Laying low to the ground, slowly making her way up to the girl, step by step. Humming her song not noticing the beast right behind her now feeling the breath on her neck and turns around. Face-to-face with golden eyes, filled with authority. A tense five-second stare turns into excitement and laughter, as the girl jumps up and down hugging the dragon.

“Mom! you're back! You were gone for longer than you said. I missed you.” Now whining.

“Oh hush darling child, it was only a few hours, look,” she says as she nods towards a sack full of items. “ As promised.” A smile curls on the fearsome creature's face.

Running toward this mystery sack, she rips open this bag and finds new dresses for her to parade in. still old and a little tatted, they are bigger, more her size.

“Oh, mom! I love them! Thank you thank you thank you!” She jumps up and down, runs toward her, and hugs her. “They’re so pretty, I can be a princess, like in the stories”

“Oh darling to me you already are. Now come, let's eat.”

As the young miss grabs all her new dresses one flies away caught in the wind's draft in the town's direction. Getting caught in every other tree the wind knocks it off the dead branches and continues its path. Eventually making its way out of the woods and stuck on the last tree. Swinging in the wind, trying to knock itself loose the dress and wind lose as the wind dies down, stuck on the branch. A villager sees this dress and runs for it.

“Look, look! Alert the guards. There’s a dress! Why on earth would there be a dress?”

Guards hearing this commotion run forth and inspect this surprise cloth.

“A dress from the forest? How strange. There’s no town near us for days. The forest is too thick for anything to make its way through it. At least not in this good of condition..”

“ You think it came from the forest?” The other guard questioned.

“No, no can’t be. Nothing in there but beast.” Taking the dress off the branch he then says. “Must just be one lucky dress.” As he walks away the second guard remarks.

“How do we know? No one has been in it. Not far enough for us to know for sure.“

The king paced back and forth from one end of the room to the other, hearing this newfound dress and declaration of exploration. “Well, could there be people in it? The storm was strong enough to kill a dragon and break down walls. Wouldn’t it kill those in an unsheltered forest.?”

Another man in a knight outfit proclaims “ Who said it’s unsheltered? We don’t know for sure what’s in there. People went missing, maybe that’s where they are.”

“Right then!” the first guard shouts.” Let's Go find out!.” Off they went to get their supplies.

“ Well, off we go then.” The king yelled all while balancing bags and weapons. Off towards the forest goes he and his knights.

After hours of fighting off nature and animals, the king finally made it to the tower, only with fewer items and fewer knights. Covered in blood and sores they all were tired and beaten. Taking a few minutes to catch their breath the king looks up and sees the beautiful tower lingering in the air a scent of threat and wonder. One window faces them, and in that window is the young miss from before, looking out in curiosity and fear at the intruders near her home. As she goes to hide and the king looks for a door he finds some old dragon scales near the tower. “ Ready your guard men, we got a dragon!” He screams. Only finding little stones leading up to the open window. Throwing his items over his shoulder and onto his back he starts to climb. The tower crumbles slightly as he does so.

Meanwhile, the young lady is scrambling for a safe place where she will not be found. Going through all her usual hiding places, not happy with any. She chooses her bed to slide underneath. There is a silence in the air as she lays and waits. With a thud and a grunt, she sees his boots walking around the room, twisting and turning in all the different directions she could be in. She covers her mouth and controls her breathing after what feels like forever to her the shoes stop and face right toward her. Hearing the creaking of the floor as he slowly bends down to lift the blanket up, she sees his hand underneath the bed, then his head.

As the king peeks his head underneath he sees the young girl, staring back at him, wide-eyed shaking with fear.

“Please I mean no harm, I am here to save you.” The king pleads. “ I know you don’t know me but I swear I’m here to help you escape the tower. The dragon can harm you no longer.” He reaches his arm out to the child and as he does so, the tower rumbles and shakes as the dragon lands on top of it. The young girl smiles as the king looks around with a concerned look on his face. “Please we need to hurry” he pleads. To no avail, the girl ignores his pleas and pushes herself further away from the opening.

“Who dares enter my territory! The dragon breathes a burning fire toward the soldiers.

“Ready! Aim! Fire!” the soldiers yell as they raise their bows and aim at the beast. Not a single arrow pierced the dragons' natural armor. “Again!” one yells as they repeat the motions and shoot her again. Still not a scratch on her.

“Fools!” The dragon screeches as she launches herself off the tower into the air. Going high into the sky, until she is barely seen.

“I’ll be back for you, stay there and stay safe.” the king says as he jumps out of the opening he came through and starts climbing down the tower, to his soldiers. Nearly falling off the tower multiple times due to him going down so fast with his sword in hand. Missing the last step he took a slight tumble to the ground. Rolling back onto his feet he looked up in time to see the dragon rushing back down right towards the men. “Run” He yells as he ducks behind a rock. She takes a huge breath of air deep into her lungs and lets it go with a mighty roar, releasing fire along with it. The soldiers raise their shields hoping they protect them from the heat. The beast lands on the ground staring the men down. “Attack” many yell as they run forward with their swords, as the archers raise their bows, ready to fire again. The king moves toward the enemy from behind, sword in the air, prepared for battle. As the men attack her, she lashes her tail around as her own weapon. Taking out more and more men with each movement. The king sees his opportunity as the dragon faces the archers and jumps onto her leg as he starts climbing further and further up. Unaware of the man climbing her she continues fighting off the others. Shooting fire at them as they hide behind their shields. She flicks her tail causing the king to slide down about a foot screaming. Hearing this the dragon bends her neck and sees the king. She shakes harder, but to no avail, he holds on. Flying into the air trying to shake this man off, flying higher than the tower. She takes a sudden turn and heads straight for the ground. The king holds on, hiding his face in her scales, scared to look down, holding his breath waiting to see if he lives. He sees the young girl looking through the window and decides he will do what it takes to save her. Climbing with as much force as he can he starts getting closer and closer to the dragon's neck. As she is about to hit the ground he goes to slice her throat open. Right before the impact of the ground and sword, everything and everyone freezes with a flash of white light. All the arrows in the air drop to the ground, the soldiers drop their wepons, and the dragon stops and lands with a slight tumble. The king drops his weapons as well. All the people and even the beast look up and see the young girl with her hand in the air, palm facing out. Light shone all around her.

“Stop! Don’t hurt my mom! Please!” sobbing and begging with all her might. She climbs out the window and floats down to all the people. Landing in front of the dragon she put her arms out. “Please stop! She has done nothing wrong! Don’t leave me here alone!”

A soldier near the king says softly to him “ Your majesty she has your wife's powers.”

“Dumbfounded he just stands there. “I seen.” Finally, the king moves toward her and kneels saying. “ You are the princess of Tinyia. We will not harm the beast if you wish, but please come home with me, for I am your father.”