The Girl With A Dragon

Dancing With Fire

Alina

The past few months my schedule has been the same. Get up before the sun and train with Daegal.

He is the younger man that came with my Grandmother. He is a master swordsman and I am learning how to wield weapons. I guess even in their dragon kingdom, not every daughter receives a dragon, But if she does, she is trained the same way that a boy is. My training will continue to be even more intense since I am related to their queen.

Their world exists in the clouds above us. Within our realm, but still safe from our wars and conflicts.

After I finish with Daegal, my mind is trained by my Grandmother. There is so much about dragon taming and our lineage that I don't know about. I even found out that my own mother was trained by my grandmother, except she had no choice and had to be trained there. I'm even being trained on war and battle tactics from my Grandmother's general.

My parents and Elric have launched an investigation into who attacked our home, but the investigation has come up dry. At least for now. My parents have turned their efforts into keeping the kingdom running well. They're hesitant to crown me queen until they're able to figure out who attacked us and to see if a war can be avoided.

I also wonder if I did something to upset Elric. We started to become friends again and talked about my training. I'd see him at mealtimes or when he would get back, even if it was late, we would go for walks and talk about his new trade deals or whatever was going on with him politically. Now I hardly see him and I have no idea why. His sisters are still present and they're also being trained by my Grandmother. At my request. Although their training is much milder than mine.

My mind wanders back to Elric and away from my current sparring and I end up with a sword to my neck.

“Daughter of Dragons, bring your mind back here. You would have died just now if this were a real match,” says Daegal with a smirk.

He is only a few inches taller than me and he keeps his long white hair braided with leather. He is not much older than me, but his posture makes him seem older. He comes from another royal line within the dragon realm, but we're not related. His father and mother are dukes. His father trained my mother and now he is training me. He has taught me how to wield many different weapons. Anything from a whip to a sword.

We continue to spar until my lesson is done. We bow to each other. Me physically exhausted and Daegal with his signature smirk on his face.

I head over to the courtyard gardens where my grandmother is usually waiting. This time she is waiting with her General, and another woman that I haven’t met before. She is petite, with long white hair that is also braided with leather.

“Good afternoon, Daughter of Dragon’s, my name is Ress and I will be teaching you how to dance with fire…”

“I think that it’s rubbish.” Says the general before he walks away.

“Ignore him, it’s not rubbish. It will help you bond with your dragon…and honestly..it’s sort of fun in a way.” She says with a confident smile.

“Dance with fire?”

“Come come. You need to change first. I know that you want the other two princesses to be trained, but I will train you first.”

She takes me into another room and brings out different leather gear.

“Do all dragon daughters learn this art form?” I ask my grandmother. She has been quiet so far. She smiles.

“Most do, yes. Some men do as well. It is a bonding experience with your dragon.”

“I’m surprised that our queen is not teaching you herself. She is one of the best.” Said Ress as she started to remove what looked like dresses made from leather.

“I might be the best, but I’d rather her learn from more than one instructor. There is wisdom in many counselors”. My grandmother said this with a smile and left the room.

“These dresses are so fitted…are these pants?”

Ress chuckled. “You humans are so covered. I’m surprised that you don’t die from heatstroke”. As she says this, she pulls out a top made from leather. It has straps that wrap around my arms and a set of wrist guards. She also pulls out a skirt that barely goes to my knee. Lastly, she pulls out a leather pair of shorts that go underneath the skirt, but those do go to my knee. She brings out a screen and I go behind and change.

“The leather is made from dragon scales. It will protect you as you train.”

I come from behind the screen and she has a mirror.

“You look more like a daughter of dragons now,” says Ress with a smirk. Ahh, I recognize that smirk.

“Are you related to Daegal?” I ask as I look in the mirror. It’s so fitted. I can see where my arms have started to gain more muscle from wielding weapons and I have few bruises healing from sparring.

Ress smiles, “We’re cousins”.

I simply nod as I move around in my new outfit. I’ve shown this much skin before. Not even for swimming.

“Are you ready to get started?” she asks.

“About as ready as I’ll ever be.”.

Ress goes behind the screen as well and changes into a similar outfit.

We go outside to where Sapphire is. Sapphire sees my new look and turns her head to the side before bumping me with her nose. I’m sure that the dragon scale armor smells different.

“Why do dragons usually use their elements?” asks Ress as she runs a hand down Sapphire’s neck.

“In times of danger or with a certain routine.”

“Exactly! Dancing with fire teaches your dragon to use their element more on your command and less on their danger impulses. They may not always recognize the danger that we do.”

Just then Ress taps a part of Sapphire’s neck and she lets out a bit of fire. Ress guides Saphire around and gently moves her neck while touching that part of her neck occasionally. Every time she does that, she sings a high pitch note.

“Pick a note that you want your dragon to learn. Okay, Daughter of dragons. You come and try.”

Elric

*Later in that evening*

I’m watching Alina from the garden. She looks like a warrior queen dancing with her dragon. She had no fear of being that close to a dragon’s fire. I didn’t even hear Alina’s grandmother come and sit next to me.

“King of ice you’ve taken yourself out of the running? Why is that?”

I’m confused for a second...what was running? Then her grandmother nodded her head towards Alina.

“I’ve noticed that she and Daegal have gotten close. I don’t want to get in their way…”

I look out and I see Daegal complimenting Alina’s progress. A wave of jealousy washes over me.

“Are you sure that’s the only reason why?” asks her grandmother.

“... it is painful to watch.” I rasp out.

“Mmm… I’d imagine so. But I can’t believe that you are letting her slip away when you fought for her to stay here. Painful or not, how would it feel if you were invited to their wedding?”

Another wave of jealousy hits me and I feel bile in the back of my throat.

I’m confused suddenly.

“...why are you encouraging me? I thought that you couldn’t stand me?”

“Oh young King of Ice, don’t misunderstand me. I can’t stand you. You’re a pain in the @ss just like your grandfather was, but I can see that you have good intentions. You have a Kingdon. You loved my granddaughter for who she was. Not for what she can give you. I’d like to assume that Daegal has good intentions, but I could never be sure. He is not her equal.”

“...loved her for who she was?” I asked, confused. I love Alina now. That will never go away.

“Yes, you haven’t spent time with her. She has grown into a woman. You were engaged to a girl. You loved who she was. You still need to get to know who she is now. That is up to you. We, dragon women, are always growing. Never let yourself get bored with her. She will continue to progress and change throughout her life. It is in her nature.”

I nod, taking this all in.

Suddenly, a wave of fear hit me. It's similar to the fear that I felt when I saw her lying in a hospital bed. Did I just lose her, again? How badly did I mess this up?

“I won’t give up on her so easily.”

"Good, I'd hope not. You need to tell her about your time in the bad lands. She deserves to know that you aren't just the sweet prince that she was engaged to."

I felt my face pale..."How did you?"

The dragon queen sneered,

"Do you think that you, someone my granddaughter is interested in, wouldn't be watched?"

"..was interested in." I corrected her and she rolls her eyes.

"If you truly think that, King of Ice, then you aren't as smart as I give you credit for."

Author's Note

Thank you for reading!...this might be early...but who is Team Hugh and who is team, Elric? :P

This will be updated Tuesday and Saturday.

-Joy