War Flame

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Dragons, plural. There had always just ever been the one. Not even Halm, the Village Elder, could remember a time before Matchitehew roosted deep in the caverns just south of their small village. It was with the appearance of the second dragon that everything changed.

Harlan dug his heels into the stallion’s sides, driving the horse faster. Groff rode on his heels. The sound of hooves should have been thundering, but the sound of the two dragons battling it out above their village drowned out all other noise.

Matchitehew’s golden scales glinted as they caught the sun, beautiful as they were deadly. He roared, and the ground shook beneath him. The second dragon shouldn’t have stood a chance. He was smaller than Matchitehew’s great bulk, his shadow half the size of the village whereas Matchitehew’s engulfed the entire thing. But what the smaller dragon lacked in size, he made up in speed.

“Watch out!”

Harlan yanked back on the reins just in time. His horse reared, eyes rolling in their sockets as he whinnied. Harlan grabbed onto the stallion’s mane, his legs wrapping around the barrel of the horse. The building in front of him was engulfed in flames, though which dragon had loosed them, Harlan did not know.

“We have to get back home.”

Home. Home, where Mother was waiting. She wouldn’t be able to run, nor would she be able to ride. Not with the baby so close to coming.

“Mother would never make it. She won’t be able to run. We have to keep them from reaching our house.”

Groff turned to him, incredulous. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that? Matchitehew might stop. Might. But I doubt that second dragon will stop just because you asked it to.”

“I don’t know!” Harlan replied, glaring at his brother. “But we have to do something.”

“We get home. We attach the wagon to Clip and Clop and we ride like hell.”

“You’re going to get us killed.”

“Do you have a better idea?”

He hated to admit it, but he didn’t. Groff was right. Harlan’s fire magic may have given him invulnerability to dragon fire, but that didn’t extend to anyone else. And dragon hide was stronger than steel. No weapon they had could harm a dragon. If they tried to help Matchitehew they’d only get in his way. And likely end up dead, just like the rest of their patrol had.

"Home. We go home."

The entire village was burning. Everyone was running around frantically, shouting at each other.

"We need more buckets!"

"Grab some blankets, we can smother the flames!"

"What is that second dragon doing here?"

"He's going to destroy the entire village."

"Matchitehew will drive it away."

"Before or after it destroys the entire village?"

"The slate dragon shouldn't be big enough to shoot fire!"

The brothers were forced to slow their horses to a crawl, dodging around flaming debris and frantic people. Their horses snorted nervously, tossing heads and rolling eyes. Harlan touched a hand to Baelfire's heaving sides, trying to ease the nerves of the creature. "Easy boy, you're alright. You're alright."

The fight between the two dragons only grew more vicious by the time the brothers returned to their small homestead.

Groff jumped from his mare's back, throwing the reins towards Harlan, who barely managed to catch them. "Get the drafts hitched to the wagon, I'm gonna go check on Mother!"

The dragons were still above the village, but they seemed to be getting closer. Close enough already that Harlan could make out both forms clearly. Matchitehew loosed a stream of flames towards the second dragon, who dodged the attack and attacked a pale golden wing. Matchitehew roared in anger, rolling over and trying to catch the smaller dragon in his claws.

He'd only managed to get their two horses tied up, and pulled the wagon down onto all four wheels when Groff shouted his name from inside the house.

The door bounced off the wall when Harlan entered, and their mom glanced at him briefly, but focused her attention back on Groff.

"Mother she's cursed."

"Groff, there's many things you don't understand."

"There's a dragon attacking, and she just so happens to bear its mark?"

Harlan approached, standing beside Groff when he noticed the baby held delicately in his mother's arms. She rocked the baby gently, cooing softly at the crying girl. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Harlan, don't."

Groff's voice was full of warning, but Harlan wasn't listening. He felt drawn to the girl, to his sister. Smiling, he reached out, and the girl was placed in his arms. "Hi," Harlan's voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, staring down at the girl, his face alight with happiness and love. Reddish gold hair crowned her head. She stared up at him, her small face twisting in curiosity. "Area," His mother whispered, "Her name is Area."

The house shook violently, and all eyes were drawn upwards. Area cried out, her small voice shrieking. They heard several shingles shaking loose from the claws of the dragon upon their roof. A series of chirps came from above, and Area quieted.

"Groff, Harlan, you have to protect her. Keep her away from Matchitehew. She can save us." Their mother's voice, insistent and fearful.

"What?"

The dragon roared, and heat engulfed their house. Harlan crouched protectively around Area, cradled tightly in his arms. Groff threw himself at their mother to protect her, but he was too late. The stream of flames ended, and Harlan uncurled, staring around them. Groff stood staring at their mother's burnt body, the debris and embers blazing around them. The gray dragon unfurled its wings, and flew upwards towards Matchitehew with a roar dripping in what could only be described as fury.

It didn't make sense.

But Area was crying again, stealing Harlan's attention again. That was when Harlan noticed it. Suddenly, Groff's reluctance towards Area made sense. Stretching across her abdomen was a mark. And it bore striking resemblance to a dragon. A small, lithe dragon the color of steel.