Lets start with an update on the actual book. Book Two is still on schedule to release sooner than expected. How much sooner? We are not sure.
In other news, I challenged Missa to take one hour away from this project to write a short story about a dragon that hoards knights. I told them that it could be from any view point and have a happy or sad ending. The goal was simply for them to have fun writing something that doesn't have anything to do with "My Immortal Fel." Due to the one hour restriction, they were unable to do any editing. I hope you enjoy this one hour challenge as much as I did.
Dragons Knight Hoard Story Prompt:
As I felt the heat of the sun waning upon my scales, I opened my eyes to watch the sunset. This would be the last peaceful evening for a few days and I fully intended to savor it. Like clockwork, tomorrow would be the first day of what I liked to call the “Knight Season.” All of the Kingdoms would send their best knights to attempt to kill me for glory. Whichever kingdom that had at least one knight return, would be the ruling kingdom until the next year.
Sniffing the sweat air, I picked up the scent of my current favorite lover. When I lifted my head, he came and sat cross legged between my front paws and leaned his body against my breastbone to watch the sun with me. Only once the sky was full of stars, did he move to stand and remove his clothing. Exhaling a plume of smoke, I shifted into a more humanoid shape to make love to him on top of my mountain home before we returned to the cave with all the others.
In the morning the happy chirps of the birds outside, brought me no joy. Leaving my lovers to cuddle on their velvety beds around my hoard, I returned to my usual form and went to patrol the entrance. The knights would start coming soon. Seeing a figure in the distance, I tilted my head in confusion. I was use to knights covered in loud clunky armor. However, the only sounds I heard from this swiftly approaching figure, were the pounding of its mounts hooves.
I spread my wings and glided down to allow my massive golden form to pass over the incoming human. When the horse panicked and threw off its rider, I knew this wasn’t a knight. Easily, I turned in midair to land near the rider and delicately pin the horse to the ground to keep it from getting to far. Its rider spat curses in a suspiciously feminine voice as they threw back their hood.
Her brown eyes showed no signs of fear as she stood her ground and demanded, “What did you gain from killing my brother?”
“Brother?” I blinked in confusion.
Not only was this not a knight before me, it was a female human full of a rage that made me wonder if she was a bigger threat than any I had encountered before.
Taking a step forward, she hissed, “Yes, my brother!”
“I have never killed anyone.”
“What? He came to you four years ago and never returned. If you didn’t kill him then where is he?”
With a snicker, I readjusted my grip on her horse before picking it up and raising my wings. As soon as I saw the flicker of fear on her face, I flapped my wings and ran at her. Picking her up in my other fore paw, I took off and carried her to the entrance of my cave. Landing on the ledge, I placed the horse in a hole then carried her in.
Her screams woke my lovers, sending them to wildly talk over each other asking me what was in my hand. Once I was sat at the top of my gold pile, I dropped her. A few more seconds of screaming and taking in her surroundings, she then slapped her hands to her mouth, cutting off her screams.
“What is this?” she asked.
She listened carefully and kept looking arounds as I explained to her that I would simply pick up the knights and drop them off in the forest. However most would tell me that they could never return home unless they were victorious. Feeling bad for them, I’d allow them to stay with me as my lovers if they wished. Each one of my lovers were as important to me as the rest of the treasures in my hoard. As I finished, her expression had changed from fear to pure annoyance.
Putting her hands on her hips, she grumbled, “Thank you for taking care of my brother. But he has a kid so he better come home.”
“Well,” I asked. “Do you see your brother here?”
Pointing her thumb over her shoulder she answered, “Yes, he’s the idiot hiding behind the statue.”
Chuckling lightly, I delicately scooped her up and sat her on my back. When I felt her hold on to one of my spines, I walked over to my lover behind the statue. When I made it too him, he dropped his head in shame. Picking him up in one hand, I flew back to the ledge for the horse. With all three in tow, I delivered them back to where I had first picked her up. Sure that she had a good grip on the horses reins, I lifted my wings to fly back home.
“Bye,” my ex-lover said weakly.
Shaking my body hard, I felt a few coins dislodge from my scales before I rose to fly back home. Although I would miss him, it was good to know that there were other humans that did miss him. Hopefully the coins that fell were enough for him to have a decent life. As I sat at my cave entrance, I reminded my lovers that none of them were prisoners and I would take them back home whenever they wished to leave. However, none took me up on my offer.
Laying on the ledge with all of my lovers laying on or around me, I kept my eyes on the horizon and waited for the knights to come.
Story by Missa Fire
-Shelb
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