When she finally came too Zara found herself on a large bed covered in an enormous blanket. She was no longer wearing the coat she last was, instead she was in her wedding dress. Her body ached. She had pushed herself hard, and she was paying the price. Her mind was also a little scrambled, since it had been pushed to its limits as well. She found herself in a large room lined with gray brick walls and huge metal bowls with fire coming out of them lined the wall, and finally she saw the Dragon looking at her.

"Please don't be alarmed, I don't want you to run away" The dragon said with a booming voice.

How is this possible? Dragons can talk? Since when? Why was he being polite saying please? How did he know her language? she thought of a thousand questions until the dragon spoke again.

"I know you don't understand your current situation, you probably didn't even know dragons could talk. So I'll try to answer any questions you have." The Dragon said. This was too much. The fact that she wasn't dead yet was a good sign. Wait, hadn’t she fallen into the river, unless.

"Did you pull me out of the river?" she said.

"Yes," the dragon said, "I pulled you out of the river and brought you here, where I could use some fire to dry you off and heat you up, saving you from freezing to death.” It was truly amazing seeing this giant creature talk, they were way more animated than she ever realized and they even did some head movements while talking. It was the most surreal sight. She had too many questions. This was going to be difficult.

“Why did you save me?" Out of all her questions this is the one that burned the most. Why the hell would this dragon capture her? The dragon sighed deeply.

"That is a long story and I will give that to you later but in short, I need your help.“ The dragon said. There was one other big question on her mind, but she wasn’t ready to ask it. She wanted some other answers before she antagonized the dragon.

“Fine. “ Her mind thought back to the wolf, why the hell did the dragon make a wolf to attack her?

“Why did you make wolves to attack me?” The dragon's head suddenly rose up and was tilted slightly.

“I did no such thing, It was the forest that made those wolves.” The dragon said in response. What the hell did that mean? Since when did forests make animals to attack people?

“What the hell does that mean? You can’t possibly suggest that the forest can think for itself?” The dragon tilted his head down, and shook his head.

“The forest outside is an enchanted forest, it doesn’t like people who linger in it. It especially doesn’t like people who take from it. It most likely conjured a wolf, to get you to leave the forest, and when you wouldn’t leave. It wanted you gone. You need to be more careful. That forest is a dangerous place to get lost in.” She was being lectured by a dragon about being safe. What had her life come to.

Her emotions were bubbling over. She couldn’t take it anymore she needed to ask.

"WHY DID YOU CAPTURE ME?” she shouted. She was getting overwhelmed, all her life she was told all the inhumans outside the castle were not to be trusted. They would use us as food. They would destroy anything and everything to eat. This dragon in front of her wasn’t any of that. Which made it difficult for her to understand what was happening.

“I’m sorry about that, but I had no other choice, I'll give you the full story about why later, just ask all your other annoying questions first." Annoying questions? Who did this dragon think he was, telling her what to do. However she knew what she was up against and she was lucky to get this far.

"Fine." Zara said, waving her hand. "Aren't you supposed to be some ferocious beast. Why didn’t you eat me." The dragon snorted.

"Dragons are not ferocious beasts, we are an intelligent race just like the rest of the races. I can't believe I have to explain this at all," the dragon said shaking his head at that last statement. Zara took it that the dragon was talking down to her, she did not approve and refused to take this standing down.

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"Even if I am asking you annoying questions I ask that you not talk down to me." she said. The Dragon looked shocked as if she just insulted them.

"The is some nerve you have. Not only have you been talking down to me, you haven't even been polite." The dragon said, snorting angrily. "You haven't asked me my name and you assume I'm some ferocious beast even though we are no such thing." The words hit Zara like brick. She couldn't fight them as they were true, but she couldn't let this dragon throw her around like that, how dare this beast accuse her of being impolite. It was the dragon that was being impolite, he had kidnapped her.

"It's you who was nerve, you KIDNAPPED me and are now demanding I be polite." said Zara. This made the Dragon snort again.

“I do regret that I had to capture you, if I had another choice I would’ve taken it. However if we are going to get anywhere, I will need your cooperation. Please ask more questions." The dragon was clearly annoyed, even though Zara had no experience recognizing the body language of dragons she could tell that this dragon was not pleased. It was infuriating to Zara that this dragon had the gall to be annoyed at her when he was the one being annoying. This was going be difficult

"Fine, if I answer these questions will you let me go." said Zara

"No, I cannot let you go, I need your help, if you try to leave I will recapture you" the Dragon said, she had expected the answer, but she did not expect this beast to be so unmoved about everything. The dragon looked as if he were dealing with a child.

"Why should I answer these questions then? Why even bother?" She was fuming.

"Cooperating with me is the best way to get out of here, the less you cooperate. The less likely you get out of here unscathed," the dragon said, “I was scouting around and I saw a search party that will be here within a week or so, and if they get here, and if I don't have your help then I fear things will get ugly and who knows what will happen."

This was getting ridiculous, why did this dragon want to cooperate, they would just kill her.

"Why would a beat like yourself ever want-" the dragon cut her off.

"With your lack of respect, we will never get anywhere." The dragon bellowed out. "Your views towards me are prejudiced and unwarranted. I know that is not your fault but you need to recognize that this is the problem I am trying to solve. This prejudice squanders any chance for communication. You need to understand that there is no need for you to fight me." What was this dragon saying? One part of her was saying that the dragon was right. While another thinks this is all a trick meant to fool her. In the end the anger won out.

"DRAGON, I WON'T GIVE YOU THE TIME OF DAY LET ALONE MY COOPERATION" Zara shouted into the air. Silence ringed out for moments until the dragon finally responded.

"This will not continue until you learn how to show some respect and realize your inconsistencies. This is how you will define yourself. When your worldviews are challenged, what will you do." The dragon got up. "I will wait for you." The dragon walked towards the back of the huge chamber. Her blood was boiling, her mind was fighting. Who was she really? Finding it hard to think she turned and walked out of the large wooden door behind her. The dragon had walked to the back of this enormous room and curled up as if they were going to sleep. That damn dragon thinking he's better than me, why would he ever think that?

She stormed out of the room, fuming with anger and instinct. What the hell was that? Why did she have to cooperate with that beast? Who wrote that letter? They obviously weren’t going to show up unless they needed to it seemed they were still out attending to something.

She stepped into an equally large room and her eyes grew wide. This room was full of odd objects and artifacts. It looked like some kind of treasure room. It was a long hall that was as tall as the previous room. The sides of the room were lined with all manner of things. From gold and gems to unreal looking artifacts. Was this the famed dragons hoard?

She eventually noticed a mirror. Taking a step towards it she saw herself but it was different, there was a dark cloud behind her, it was as if there was darkness radiating from her. She wasn’t able to see anything around herself, what was the mirror doing? She brought her hand to touch the mirror and a glowing white light radiated throughout the mirror when she did. The sudden change startled her and caused her to rip her hand back. The ripples continued to emanate from the spot she touched. Soon symbols started to appear at the top. Appearing to be etched into the surface they spelled out a message.

Zara J. Ingelmar,

Your soul is almost beyond the horizon,

It is not too late to save your soul,

immediate action will take place,

may you find yourself

Suddenly the whole surface of the mirror radiated a bright light, and a series of ribbons appeared and flew at Zara. Before she could combat them, they grabbed her limbs, waist and neck and began pulling her in.

"HELP ME DRAGON" Zara shouted, resisting the force of the ribbons. There was no response, but before she could shout again she was pulled off her feet and into the mirror.

Everything went white.