Dragons V.S. Mermaids

Chapter IX

My eyes slowly opened and I saw I was tied down to the ground on my stomach. My hand returned to its natural olive color and I heard someone behind me. It sounded male and I slowly arched my neck to see who it was.

            It was a boy about my age. He wore black armor and had black hair that was combed back. His eyes were different. They were not blue, not green, not brown, not even black. They were blood red and seemed to glow. This must have been the Black Rider. He was muttering a spell incantation and healing my scabbed back.

“Hold still, Princess.” He ordered.

            He then continued to heal me and when he was done, he cut me loose from my bindings. He then walked to his dragon and threw a bag at me.

“You’ll need that out here.” He said, getting on his dragon.

“Who are you?” I asked, weakly.

“I am Shadow.” He informed me. He then placed a hand on his dragon. “This is Night Fire.”

            With a snort, the dragon then took off, leaving me alone wherever I was. I watched until the dragon was gone when I got up. I was glad I did, because my top had been undone when he was healing me. I put it back on and opened the bag that was near me. It had a canteen of water and a new dress inside. I put the dress on over my slave clothes and found my necklace. Was that what he went in the castle for? I put it on and gripped it. Usually I could feel the energy from Matthias’s necklace.

I didn’t feel it this time.

            At first I thought I wasn’t trying enough. So I tried again. Again there was nothing. I then gave up after trying eight more times. I then realized that I was in the middle of nowhere. There was snow around me and there was a small fire that was slowly going out. The bag had no food and all I had was the canteen of water.

Great. I thought. And I was just given my freedom back.

            I then realized I still had the pendant in my navel. I knew I couldn’t stay here. So, I sat down and warmed up before moving through the snow.  After a few hours of walking, my feet began to get frostbitten. By the eighth hour I collapsed in exhaustion of traveling through the thick snow. This is where I thought I was going to die. I wasn’t afraid, though. I would meet my parents again and I would be free from my slavery. My only regret was not seeing Matthias again.

“I love you, Matthias.” I said in the wind, before closing my eyes.

            I woke up and I thought I was in heaven, but I still felt the pendant in my navel. I was in a tent and there were furs around me as I lay in a bed made of sticks. It may have been made of sticks, but at least it was a bed. An old woman brought a warm liquid to my lips. She was dressed in animal skins and her hair looked as if she never combed it. It was worse than mine. I hadn’t bathed or showered in my captivity. Karo only allowed it if I smelled like rotten meat. My hair was a tangled mess. I would give anything for a hot bath.