Cassandra Pendragon

My body was brimming with energy, my limbs trembling with suppressed movement. If it hadn’t been for Ahri, I would have thrown Viyara’s plea to the wind and rushed up to meet them. As it was, I barely managed to remain earthbound, every instinct screamed at me to do something, anything at all but stay rooted to this spot, an easy target for whatever was to come.

“What did he say?” I pressed out. My voice was filled with tension, a hoarse whisper against the wind. Ahri didn’t let go of me but rather tightened her grip as she replied:

“Where is she, followed by a detailed scene of how he’d turn our camp into ashes if we didn’t set Viyara free. He thinks we’re the ones who kidnapped her. Come on, I don’t think she’s in danger, much less than us anyways. We should get going, the dwarfs are moving again and running for their weapons. They won’t attack, at least I hope so, but we have to make sure.” She finally let go.

While Ahri had been talking, my mom had come running out of the tent, my brother directly on her tails. She glanced around once and with an incredible jump landed neatly on my shoulder again, her tails anchoring her to my neck.

“Follow us,” I called over my shoulder before I took to the air in Ahri’s wake. The scene had changed drastically, most of the dwarfs had sprung into activity, running for their weapons or shepherding the children out of sight. Erya and the elven sisters had emerged, dishevelled, from their tents, spell formations already forming around their hands. They quickly put out the flames, that had threatened to spread from where the scattered embers of the fire had begun eating into the dry cloth and seasoned wood. And whatever they missed was smothered by water and sometimes even mead, the dwarfs liberally poured everywhere they could still see smoke.

A tug at my awareness made me glance to my right where, at the edge of the encampment, Mephisto was slowly rising into the sky, his eyes glued to the golden lizards overhead while his lips worked furiously. Thin beams of energy came to life around him to from a sphere of translucent light that pulsed and grew until it formed a dome around the kids, sealing them and their dwarven chaperones off. Before it closed completely, I saw two small figures slip out and head in our direction. A trickle of energy allowed me to clearly make out Reia and Archy, who easily evaded the reaching hands that tried to shove them back inside. Damn it, if I had the time, I’d pull their ears off!

Nobody seemed hurt, at least from afar, but the appearance of a fully grown dragon and the storm his wings had caused, had turned the camp into a chaotic mess of running bodies, screamed orders, flickering magic and unrestrained confusion. Xorlosh’s deep voice, still discernible over the ruckus, was gradually restoring order while he commandeered his lads like a captain would his ship. Ships! Anxiously I searched for the two sky ships, half expecting to see them in ruins somewhere along the cliff, but they were still moored to the island. They swayed heavily, the ropes they were tied to groaning loudly enough that I could hear it across the distance, but for now they held.

I touched the ground the fraction of a second after Ahri, practically in the middle of the mess. We had landed directly in front of the running troublemakers, their speed carrying them neatly into our arms. “And where do you think you’re going?” I said while I locked my hands behind Reia’s back and effortlessly picked her up.

“We can help,” and “it was her idea,” came the immediate replies, neither of which actually answered my question. I shook the squirming bundle lightly. “Enough, I’m going to let you down, but you’ll stay right here.” As quick as we had been, by now the winds had died down and Viyara and the stranger had turned into tiny spots in the sky, indiscernible from a flock of birds, even to my eyes. Without the looming shadow of the dragons and the violent storm, the dwarfs quickly doused the remaining fires and began forming orderly squares, weapons at the ready. A calloused hand landed on my free shoulder and I heard Golamosh’s rumbling voice behind me.

“Lass, do you know what’s going on? Where, by the darkness, did that dragon come from?”

“I can’t say for sure but he’s closely related to Viyara’s father.” Mephisto was quickly coming closer, walking on thin air, but his gaze never strayed from the dark silhouettes above our heads. “His magic, it has almost the same resonance as the artefacts and enchantments we encountered in Shafeer’s hoard. Except it tastes… older, more refined. If I had to guess, I’d say the winged calamity up there is Viyara’s grandfather.” He landed softly next to me and smiled. “Good to see you awake, Cassandra. Hmm, it seems like you didn’t suffer any lasting consequences, did you? Your body is working like it should? No sudden pains or difficulties with moving?”

“Is now really the right time,” I asked exasperatedly.

“Sure, we’re in no immediate danger and unless you want to get in the way, the best we can do for now is stand right here. So, how are you?” I looked around. Crossbows were handed out and Etosh was beating a quick rhythm on his drum, signalling the ships. The dwarfs on deck broke into frantic activity, tying down every thing loose that hadn’t been catapulted over board and preparing the huge ballistas mounted on the stern.

“Fine, I’m…” “Cassandra?” Viyara’s sudden call made me flinch and I promptly lost track of what I had wanted to say. “Can you join us? Only to talk, I don’t think we’ll have to fight.” She was anxious, I could feel as much, and worried but there was also a spark of … curiosity? Maybe excitement? “Sure, I’ll be with you in a moment.” Out loud I said:

“… I’m going to leave. Viyara reached out, she wants me with her. You,” I sternly looked at Reia and Archy, “both of you stay with Ahri or I swear, I’ll have your ears for lunch. Is that alright with you?” I added as I glanced at her.

“I’ll keep them safe or work them over, depending on how they behave. Are you going to take your mother with you?” As she spoke, my mom’s tails tightened around my neck and I felt her claws pierce through my shirt.

“I don’t think I have much of a choice in the matter,” I croaked in a strangled voice. “Love you.” With a thought I shot into the sky just when my brother finally had reached us, panting heavily. “Cassy?!’ Was the last thing I heard before the winds of my passage drowned out every other noise. Someone would fill him in, besides, I didn’t even yet know myself, what this was about.

“I imagined our first flight together slightly differently,” I murmured, while the tents and rushing figures below us quickly shrank to the size of dolls, “but I’m still glad you’re up here with me.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Fresh air, void of smoke and the oppressive scent of too many people without proper baths, blew back my hair and despite the looming shadows above, I felt free. The vast expanse of blue welcomed me with the caress of a stiff breeze and I angled my body slightly so it could carry me along. In wide circles I rose higher until the world turned into a chessboard of different colours and the silhouettes I was heading for became clearer, golden reflections and blurry outlines slowly transforming into wings, tails and polished claws.

The closer I got, the more I realised how small Viyara actually was, compared to her conspecific. Without her tail, he would easily have been able to fit her in one of his paws and when he turned, his wings covered her whole form before she appeared again on the other side. Each of his four legs seemed like a mighty tree in the depths of the jungle, wide enough that I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to wrap my wings around it, even once.

He was built differently from her, instead of a ruff along the length of his body he had a set of bat like wings, huge sails that propelled his heavy body forwards. Small, spear like protrusions ran along the edges, shimmering with the same pearly white as his claws and the row of horns that covered his back and tail in two neat rows. His head was angled like a snake’s with large, massive golden eyes under heavy ridges. The slitted pupils glowed with an inner fire and sparks of energy danced between the moving, fleshy tentacles that hung form his jaw. His aura, nearly imperceptible at first, was physically pressing against my skin by now, wisdom and rage, power and kindness, all bundled into one, a constant reminder that I was facing one of the oldest creatures on this world.

He and Viyara were constantly circling around one another, their wings didn’t allow them to stand still while airborne, and the torrents of air, both of them produced in their wake, were strong enough that my mom had to flatten herself against my neck while snaking a couple of her tails around my arm to have another anchor. She’d been blown away instantly otherwise.

I didn’t even try to hide my approach, I had been called here after all, but I had to admit, flying carelessly towards two creatures, whose very nature made them regard me as a light breakfast was unnerving. Especially when the larger one once again turned around and came to face me. I was still a distance away but when he opened his snout in what I fervently hoped was a smile, the fangs that appeared in the red depth of his maw, seemed much too large and way too many for a friendly conversation.

I slowed down and remained a healthy distance away from him. In case this thing went south I had a nagging feeling that Viyara wouldn’t be the one he’d go for. He had come here for her and I couldn’t imagine that he’d want her dead. Me, on the other hand… Damn it, how badly had I fucked up in my previous life to deserve this?

“Come closer, little one. There’s nothing to be afraid of. If anything I owe you thanks for how you’ve treated my blood.” His voice was deep but melodious, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. I felt the faint traces of magic as he worked his spells to talk out loud, Viyara presumably had told him that I couldn’t easily communicate mind to mind. “I mean you and yours no harm but I’d like to hear your story. From what the child has told me, it should be an interesting tale.”

Unsure I shared a look with my mother before I drifted closer. Both of them changed their course, Viyara slowly circled around me and kept her body between me and the golden behemoth who lazily spiralled around us, a faint spark of amusement shining from his eyes.

“You have me at a disadvantage, my lord. While you have heard a bit about myself, I’m afraid I don’t know who you are. But it’s a pleasure to meet you, hopefully,” I added under my breath. “My name is Cassandra, Cassandra Pendragon. I’m a friend of your… grandchild?”

“A friend? Humble and well mannered, I like that. But let’s speak plainly, I’m too old to spend my time exchanging platitudes. When I choose to interact with others, they call me Ignus, as quaint a name as any and it’ll do for now. Viyara’s father was my son, which makes me, as you so astutely noted, her grandfather. I want to know how my son died and which role you played in keeping his daughter safe. My gratitude is yours, but I’d still like to know who you are.”

“My heartfelt condolences, I’ve never had the honour of meeting your son but the girl he raised is an excellent testimony to his virtues.” That was close enough to the truth, even though I actually thought that Shafeer had been quite the megalomaniac without much of a conscience. But that was probably true for most dragons. Hopefully this one had had enough time to develop some form of empathy, old as he was. “I’ll gladly tell you what I know. Maybe we could land somewhere on the island. I’d prefer to sit and and look you in the eyes while we talk, but I can’t say that my friends would necessarily take kindly to a gargantuan creature like yourself squashing our camp beneath its paws. But I’m sure they’ll part with a barrel of mead or two, if you’re partial to humanoid beverages.” In my opinion, a little bribery never went amiss, especially when dealing with an oversized reptile that can breathe fire and cast spells.

“Excellent, make that a round dozen. Why don’t you hurry back down and come find us afterwards? The girl stays with me.” That definitely wasn’t a question and it irked me immensely.

“Is that alright with you?” I asked Viyara telepathically. If she didn’t want to go with him, she wouldn’t. “I… yes, I think so. There isn’t much to do about it, anyways, is there?”

“Don’t say that. If he wants to force you, we’ll have to bring him down a notch or two sooner or later anyways. In that case, I’d just as soon get it over with. Besides, I don’t know if I’m more afraid of clashing with a dragon or telling Xorlosh that I just gave away most of his mead reserves. He’s going to skin me alive…” a cloud of smoke escaped her, the equivalent of a laugh in her human form.

“Thank you. I already knew, but… thank you. I’m not taking your support for granted.”

“You should, you came after me, no questions asked. So… I’m the one who is grateful. Also, I promised, and I keep my word, always. He wants to take you away, doesn’t he?”

“Yes…no, I don’t know for sure. How did you know?”

“You’ve never heard of him but yet, here he is. A long lost relative, ready to take you in after tragedy has struck. If he hadn’t arrived in a blaze of righteous fury, demanding your release, I wouldn’t be as courteous as I am. It makes sense, but only if he kept some form of surveillance on you or your family. He must value you and dragons collect what they value.”

“He thinks I’m not safe here. Not after… he reckons that more dragons know about my birth and that they’ll come looking, searching for the key to crossbreed with another species. Cassandra, I don’t want to leave, but maybe I should. I’m endangering all of you.” Honestly, she was adorable, but also so far away from the truth that I had to suppress a smile.

“Viyara… have you been paying attention what has happened in the last few days? Fair enough, I’m not keen on worrying about a bunch of stubborn, egotistical lizards as well, but it hardly makes much of a difference. Honey, we’re on the verge of a war against an almighty sorcerer who subjugated one of the strongest members of your race, made him into an obedient pawn and was or is playing around with an artefact that caused the cataclysm. If anything, it’s us who endanger you. You haven’t told him much, have you?”

“Only what happened back home but nothing related to you or your race, if that’s what you mean. I didn’t want to divulge your secrets. Cataclysm?”

“A story for another time. If you want to, you can, of course tell him the truth. I trust you. How could I not? So I ask again, do you want to stay with him?”

“For now, but I won’t leave with him.” Her emotions had been in turmoil the whole time, light and dark tides rising and falling but now, I felt warm gratitude from her and a growing spark of confidence.

“Alright, I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m going to bring Ahri along, so you better prepare your gramps. If anything happens, anything at all, you’ll immediately call me, promise?”

“Promise. And good luck, I like your skin the way it is.” An unheard exchange later, both of the dragons turned and slowly circled downwards. I stared after them for a moment and quietly asked my mom: “what have we stumbled into now?”