She never knew how it would feel to fly. She could run as fast as the wind but she never had the wings to fly. But, she had always been curious about it. She even dreamed about it sometimes. She thought if she could fly she could escape the boring town of Crekarth. She could fly anywhere she wanted. Unlike running, no one would be able to catch her. She could go from one place to another in the blink of an eye. She could finally be free.
But that had always been a dream.
Until now.
She shrieked with joy as Icefyre flew up into the air. The wind hit her face making her hair fly all around. This was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. She let out a laugh. The laugh was both joyous and terrified at the same time.
After sometime he descended into a straight line. The slow flapping of wings now seemed soothing. She looked down. The village she was trapped in was no more than a dot. She caught his spikes tightly. He gave a satisfied growl which vibrated throughout her entire body. She laughed hysterically as she hugged his neck. As they flew across the Barren Land she remembered the time she found him.
Being an orphan in the streets was not a good life. She didn't want to stay on this wretched town but she's couldn't leave it either. She didn't want to be in the Slaver's Drum but she didn't have a choice in that either. So she did what's he did best. She ran. She knew she would get caught and the punishment would be worse. But that never stopped her. She ran because not running meant giving up.
So she ran. She pushed her legs faster and faster but she knew deep in her heart it wasn't fast enough. Her vision blurred with tears and she ran right into the dangerous Barren Land without even realizing it. She never stopped running. Not until she heard a painful whimpering. She had found a small hatching surrounded by snow. It wasn't just any hatching. It was a dragon hatching.
She hesitantly took a few steps near him. After all she had heard so many stories about the dangerous beast which killed anything and everything with fire. But he hadn't seemed so dangerous. He had been scared and alone. And abandoned. Just like she was. The few steps she took had united two lonely and lost souls.
All she managed to do was to make him a small fire and shelter with some food before she was caught and taken back again.
That was two years ago. He wasn't the helpless dragon anymore. As he grew, he started flying on his own. Hunting on his own. Soon, he could breathe fire. And suddenly, the protected became the protector.
He had come roaring and breathing fire into the Slaver's Drum. She never expected to see him again after that night. She didn't even know if he made it alive past winter. But, in her heart, she hoped he had survived.
While everyone shattered and ran for their life, she stood still. He landed mere meters away from her. She didn't hesitate to go near him this time.
"Icefyre" she whispered as she touched his nose.
That was what she had called him two years ago.
He closed his eyes and she could swear he was grinning.
He fell to the ground and pointedly looked at his back. She looked surprised. He wanted her to ride him. She didn't know if she could. He pointedly looked at her again. She let out a shaky breath and slowly climbed onto his back. She caught a spike to hold on.
That's when he soared into the air. And a shriek left her mouth.
She knew it was dangerous to raise a dragon in this country. If she got caught by the Empire's soldiers, there is no doubt she would get hanged. If she got caught by her masters, no doubt they wouldn't hesitate to put a knife in her.
But she didn't care. She hadn't cared then. She didn't care now. They would face anything in their path. Together. Always. Until the very end.
She shrieked as Icefyre suddenly did a somersault in the air.
"Please don't do that again." she exclaimed.
He snorted. She guessed that meant no.
"Atleast a warning next time, Ice." she said, smirking.
But she knew he wouldn't listen.
She laughed loudly as he playfully flipped and turned in the air. She had never been so happy in her life. Never so free. Right now nothing existed in the world. No masters searching for her. No soldiers hunting Ice. Nothing existed expect her and Icefyre.
She didn't have any worries anymore. Nothing to regret. Nothing holding her down.
No one can touch her now.
Because she could finally fly and no one can catch her this time.
"She could finally fly and no one could catch her this time"
ReplyDeleteMan, you have an awesome way of writing.
Wow.
You can make people smile without even realizing that. Awesome.
ReplyDeletegoosebumps. I got goosebumps for the second half of the story.