Cedric has transformed into a massive dragon. For once in his life he no longer felt helpless, he could take whatever was needed and there would be no question in it. He didn't have to sleep in crates or scavenge for food and run away anymore. If anything they all would be running away from him! The monstrous dragon of Tannin Castle. Not even the bravest could match his might! As the sun arose to the top of the sky it shined through the caved roofs and holes the castle endeavored to it's new keeper. The dragon awoken with a ruble in it's throat. For a young boy he was definitely a large full grown reptile. Cedric stood on his fours and as he walked each step thumped and shook the mountain rock ever so slightly. Cedric slowly moved his way out of the castle walls and sat on the tip top of the rock formation and eyeing the lake surrounding it. He never saw such a beautiful sight as he saw all of the land in his view. His thoughts were interrupted as he began to hack the gold coins he consumed earlier. The beast grew a raging hunger as he ventilated his stomach till it was empty. He looked around the land and spotted a farm full of sheep, Cedric spread his wings and leaped off the edge feeling as light as a phoenix feather. The sensation of flying swept over him as he made his way closer and closer to the livestock.
When he arrived at the meat he landed roughly and tumbled to his side, the loud thud caused more than enough commotion. An aging woman poked her head out of the backdoor to witness the dragon and run inside in shear terror. As Cedric very slowly got back on his feet his shadow spread across the farm. For a few seconds the dragon just sat there lingering over the pen of sheep before hastily snatching a handful of the food in his jaws clamping down on them and swallowing with satisfaction. When the old woman swung the door open again she wielded a broom with bent bristles in her hand.
"Dragon! Dragon! Be Gone!" The woman yelled, Cedric snagged the last of her sheep, chuckled under his breath and headed her orders, flying back to the mountain.
It seemed longer than an fortnight as the Dragon sat at the highest peak of his mountain gleaming down at the kingdom he was so glad to be rid of for good. Fire shined in his eyes as he thought of ways to make the king suffer. At first the fire dragon thought nothing but burning his flesh clean off his skeleton then feasting upon it with pride.... But it would be all to fast. As he stretched his neck so his gaze surveyed the castle he perceived a tower that seemed untouched from the former destruction decades ago. The tower beheld a room with a fireplace, clean rugs, a large bedspread, a dresser that Cedric believed beheld fine clothing fit for a beautiful princess, the tower was tall enough that it would be suicide for anyone to leap out its one window. When Cedric realized the stairs was still sturdy he blew a large chunk clean off with one swipe of his claws. The gaping hole was too large for anyone to jump over and the fall would end in death. The dragon smirked with an evil look as his plan seemed to play out itself.
Nightfall arrived, when the full grey moon was high in the middle of the sky. The stars covered every inch of the night sky as Cedric spread his wings and lunged off the rock flying to the kingdom where the princess would be sound asleep. When he arrived at the rock walls and saw her room, it was dark but the moonlight made it clear enough to see that she resided in there alone. He bestride upon her window, all light had vanished from his large shadow. Muffled screams filled the night air as the knights witnessed his presents.
"DRAGON! SAVE THE PRINCESS! DRAGON!"
"PROTECT THE KING!" Cedric pulled his claws back before breaking the window and grabbing her in her near wake expression. Jumping off the castle he charged into the sky shielding the fair maiden from the arrows that bounced off his rough scales. One last cry from Ellyn was heard from the people before Cedric had darted into the clouds. The Kingdom had turned into a riot of worried and scared cries. The King and Queen mourned for their child not knowing is they would ever lay eyes upon her living body ever again. No knights were sent after the Dragon in the night for it would be no use, it would only end others lives as well. Warwick was never filled with so much sadness before as they all knew this was the start of the kingdoms end.
Meanwhile Ellyn was set gently in the tower window as Cedric watched over her as she sat there trembling. Realizing he was causing her too much stress he ducked away from the window resting under it and frequently peering in on her. However she did eventually fall asleep and so did the dragon.
~The Morning After~
Ellyn awoke from her sleep as the sunlight shined over her sky blue eyes. The room was not how she remember it the night before. It was almost peaceful beside the fact she knew there was a keeper of the tower she was utterly afraid of. She found herself sneaking over to the window in fear she would wake it from it's slumber, to her surprise the beast had vanished and was no longer in view. When she scavenged for ways to escape there was none and all she hoped for was that she would be rescued before being eaten. Beside what the princess had thought of her watcher, Cedric had flown over the land searching for the most breathtaking flowers he could spot, carefully carrying them in his jaws. Ellyn ran away from the windowsill as soon as she saw he was returning. Even though she ran from him Cedric still carefully placed the flowers along the window. Ellyn watched closely at the dragon's deed as he placed each magnificent flower beside each other best he could. It dawned Cedric that she would be hungry so he flew away for a while bringing her back a rabbit that was defiantly not easy to catch. When he came home again he looked up at the tower and noticed she had taken his offerings and tied them to the vines along the window. Before he threw the meat inside he inhaled a big puff of air and pumped a burst of fire from his lungs. The princess screeched when it landed in her room, but since she was starving she did her best to tear off the fur and eat the cooked rabbit. Cedric stretched his neck over the window and spoke to her as she ate not realizing his presence.
"Is it to your liking princess?" He asked in his deep voice that seemed to shake the room with each word. It made her jump but Ellyn swallowed the remaining food in her throat then hesitantly answered his question.
"It is.... Thank You....." She answered him in a quit tone, Cedric sighed sending her blond hair off her shoulders. He left her again, still resting under the tower eating a few cows he took for himself. Ellyn began to question the dragons motives, was he really a threat? He was certainly not the type of monster she had heard about in stories all these years. What was this dragons motive?
YOU ARE READING
Dragon Skin
FantasyA young boy is sentenced to be locked away in an abandoned castle by a king's hand and is left there to rot. But the king did not know that the castle was filled with magic and the boy's fate leads him to become a dragon and have his revenge.
