The Dragon Queen

2.

Seven years later.

My first encounter with a dragon was when one was close to the village and it set off this loud alarm. My dad runs into my bedroom and grabs my shoes from my cupboard "lets go!" I quickly put them on and run after him out the door and down the castle hallway.

One of the maids Melinda is waiting outside the castle doors with two horses. I look at my horse and shake my head "daddy I don't know how to ride yet?" He nods towards Melinda and smiles nervously "you can ride with me and Melinda can take the other."

I look at her and shake my head "what about the other maids?" Melinda laughs sarcastically as she gets onto the horse "I'm not a maid anymore Ashley." My dad lifts me onto the horse before getting on with me "I'm your dads girlfriend." She rides away without saying another word. I look at my dad and shake my head "what?" my dad laughs nervously and looks towards the horse "we should go." The horse speeds off after the other one and we ride towards the woods.

As we ride through the woods I cant help but think my dad moving on was too soon. It was only under two years ago my mother passed away and he already had a girlfriend. I hold onto him tightly as he ride through the woods "daddy?" He touches my hand and nods slowly "we will speak about this once we get to the cottage." I nod agreeing and hold onto him tightly "ok."

An hour or so later we reach a cottage "what is this place?" My dad helps me off the horse and smiles "this is the cottage we got in case of an emergency like this." I look towards the direction we came from "like what? What happened back there." He opens the door and nods "dragon attack."

I laugh sarcastically and shake my head "dragon? As in fire breathing, flying big monster dragon?" Melinda walks in and nods "that's the one." She nods towards the stairs and shrugs "I'm going to go for a bath and get changed." She walks up the stairs and I look towards my dad "so all the stories mum used to tell me about the dragons was real?" He nods slowly and hands me a sandwich "yes."

I look towards the stairs "so now what about you and her?" My dad laughs nervously avoiding eye contact "I just told you that dragons are real and you want to know about my relationship?" I shrug and sit down "."

He rolls his eyes and sits down "Melinda is nice when you get to know her." I shrug and put my feet up "It's just weird seeing you with another woman that isnt mum." He stands up and kisses my forehead "I will always love your mum." He walks towards the stairs "bedtime, let's go." I stand up and follow him upstairs.