Queen of Fire and Shadows

Part 49

William

I know that these dragons have survived the years I'd been gone. I can't exactly say that I have been dead. But most certainly dead in a mental way.

"How do you wish to continue?" Kalodor asks, his red tail swishing anxiously. His white teeth pointy and sharp. Clearly he knew war was coming.

"I know this is wrong—" I begin. The dragons in the cave around start to roar with laughter.

"Wrong is not a word we use here." Maluka says strongly.

I sit back. "What words do you use then?"

"We have many different words for many different things Salamander. We have words for hate and death and war. Words for blood and words for flying. Even a word for humans." Gandor intervenes. I can almost see the glasses sitting on his snout. Then I realise something.

"Is there a word for love?" I ask.

Gandor scrunches up his face as he tries to remember. "No—I don't think so—No."

I smile. "Well, I'm about to invent one." All the dragons scoff. As if an elf can create a word that would be taught to their children and so forth. How can someone like me make something so memorable?

"Sarca Kipp."

The dragons look at each other in shock. Clearly they hadn't been expecting that.

Gandor isn't fazed. "That could work—sarca means 'weak' and kipp means 'heart'.

"Is that really what love is?" Kalodor asks, still in shock.

I shake my head, smiling. "No—for me—it means, 'ruined families'."

Kalodor cocks his head but doesn't push me. There is an awkward silence as no one can think of anything to say.

"What is your decision on the matter?"

I grin, my teeth flashing in Kalodor's yellow eyes. "We will call on Bron."

There was a shocked silence before a chorus of celebratory roars echo around the chasm. I lock gazes with Kalodor's cat yellow eyes and what he's thinking is being sunk straight into my brain tissues.

I know that words like these being thought are a clear declaration of stupidity. But men are like that, stupid and bloodthirsty. So why can't dragons be the same?

The words ringing in my head are enough to make me smile back as imagines of my son and daughter spring forth into my mind.

Let them come.