The Ancient Dragon's Bride

Chapter 1

    “Astrid if you don’t hurry we’ll miss them!” An impatient voice called. Heaving a sigh, Astrid closed her book and placed it on her bed.

  “Yes, Taura, I am coming,” Astrid answered. She quickly grabbed her blue sweater and made her way towards the long staircase. Tucking her long, wavy, brown hair behind her pointed ear, she gingerly jumped off the last step and into a little vineyard, full of tiny creatures and exotic plants.

  “Oh finally, you’ve come,” Taura breathed with relief. “Now we mustn’t linger, at this rate they’ll be done training,” she rapidly muttered. Taking Astrid’s hand, the two of them hurried down to the training fields.

  “Taura, why are you so eager to gawk at soldiers while they are training? I’m sure it must make them quite uncomfortable, in fact”-

  “Don’t be silly Astrid, if anything they should be honored that we are gawking at them,” Taura said shaking her head. Giving Astrid a glare of amusement she added, “we are princesses of the realm after all.” Taking a left turn they exited out of the vineyard and rapidly walked down to a small arena where the noises of shouting and swords clanging echoed throughout the field.

  “But you do realize mother and father wouldn’t let us marry such lowly people?” Astrid sighed with a touch of annoyance.

  “Oh please, Astrid, you don’t even care about love or even have the will to get married, so what puts you in the right to say such things hm?” Taura retorted, arching her eyebrows so high it almost looked like they would touch the sky.

  “Well at least I have common sense.” Astrid muttered, as they reached the pathway that led to the training field. Before she could defend herself once more Taura burst out laughing, so loud, even some of the soldiers looked their way.

  “You? Common sense? Don’t even put those words in the same sentence,” Taura giggled. “You are more reckless than the youngest of our sisters,” she snickered. “Besides,” she continued, “all you care about is running away from this place and going off on an adventure. What is it you wanted to see? A griffin correct? Or was it a cyclops? I don’t know why you’d want to see a cyclops, why they’re as ugly as trolls, or maybe even goblins”-

  “Stop it, Taura. My desires and dreams are only for me to know, not the ignorance of others,” Astrid murmured, giving her sister a glare of warning. Taura stared at her with an expressionless face for a few, silent, several moments.

  “Well, um, it seems we have arrived,” Taura stammered. “I’m going to gawk at soldiers now, you are welcome to join me if you’d like, sister,” Taura said, with an encouraging smile.

  “I’ll just sit by the river. If you need me I’ll be about three troll lengths away,” Astrid called over her shoulder, while heading towards the edge of the river. She tucked her white, satin dress beneath her as she kneeled down. “If only I had been born a dragon rather than an elf,” Astrid murmured to herself.

  “Be careful what you wish for, princess,” a deep voice yawned. Astrid whipped her head around in sudden alarm, only to see a male elf, with long, silky blond hair and a charming grin. “Dragons are feared throughout the land, you’d most likely be killed in a shorter time than you think,” he sighed, looking past Astrid into the river.

  “Yes, well then I shall be a troll, or maybe a goblin,” Astrid snapped rapidly turning her head back to the river. The elf laughed his white teeth flashing in the sunlight.

  “You are quite funny Princess Astrid,” the elf smiled. “May I?” He asked, gesturing to a patch of grass beside Astrid. She shrugged, keeping her eyes fixated on the flowing water. He sat down next to her with a grunt and looked down at the water. “Something on your mind princess?” He asked, his gaze moving to her.

  “I’m sure you would only laugh and say it’s complete nonsense,” Astrid abruptly mumbled.

  “Well, if you were serious about wanting to be a troll then I might let out a grin or two,” he smiled with an amused face. Astrid sighed slightly shaking her head as he spoke. “Sorry, go ahead,” he added with a nod.

  “Swear on a unicorn’s life you won’t make fun of me,” Astrid asked raising an eyebrow towards him.

  “Of course,” he said nodding with a serious expression.

  She heaved a sigh and then spoke, “I wish to be free.” She plopped on her back, staring at the bright, orange sky that stretched beyond more than the eye could see. “I wish to see the dragons stretch their wings into the sky, and to hear mermaids sing songs of the secrets that lay beneath the ocean. I wish to climb the highest mountain and find where the Giants dwell, to fly above a griffin’s back and look down upon the vast fields and forests,” she breathed. Closing her eyes, she finally murmured, “I wish to escape.” She could feel him smiling next to her, not out of amusement, but at how peaceful the thought sounded.

  “Yes, that does sound quite lovely doesn’t it,” he sighed, plopping down on his back as well. “I must say Princess Astrid, you do have a way with words, I do recall almost forgetting I was here,” he chuckled.

  “So I’m told,” she whispered. Taking a deep breath, she let the wind sweep her hair off the ground, letting the voices in the background fade off, only to hear the sound of the birds chirping a sweet song, and the flow of the river, softly play in the back of her head….

  “Is this truly your desire Princess Astrid?” The elf’s voice asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  “Oh it truly is,” Astrid murmured softly, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

  “Well, I could help make it true if you’re interested,” he stammered. With a sudden jolt, Astrid quickly got up into a sitting position.

  “Really?!” Astrid breathed with exhilaration. The elf gave another one of his charming grins and nodded.

  “In fact we could”-

  “Astrid! Since when did you know Captain Fayeil?!” Taura’s voice squealed, the peaceful noises breaking off.

  “Captain Fayeil? No this elf is”- Astrid broke off, quickly turning her head back to the male elf. Giving him an odd blink she asked, “are you Captain Fayeil?”

  With a nod and another grin, he slightly bowed his head, “Yes, I’m Fayeil, Captain of the elven soldiers.” Getting up, he bowed to Taura and Astrid. “Ladies, I would love to stay but it seems I must get back to training our soldiers,” looking over at Astrid he smiled, “It was absolutely lovely talking to you Princess Astrid, I hope we can do it again.” He took a step forward and then looked over his shoulder. Softly smiling he said, “I do believe we can become the greatest of friend’s.”