Dragon Skin

Bittersweet Revenge

     There it was just below them, the kingdom she had grown up in. Today there was no sun lighting the baren sky leaving the kingdom below gloomy and cold. The deep feeling of fear and distraught clouded the girls brain and heart as she glared below. "What a fool I am...." Ellyn though self-loathing. 

     "Do you see it princess?" Cedric asked mocking her, she refused to answer the rhetorical question as she lay there uncomfortably against the his claws. Once they had reached low altitude Cedric stepped on the dusty ground and placed her in a large oak. 

     "Stay here." He instructed in his booming voice turning around. Ellyn gripped tightly to the branches and reached out the beast hoping there was still something she could do. 

     "Don't do it!" The desperate girl beseeched, salty tears seeping out of her eyes. The dragon paused for a second with yet another flat look upon his snout as she turned back to face her. Ellyn reached her arm out further just barley being able to poke him between the nostrils. 

     "Do you think your farther is a good man?" This question caught the princess of guard as she hesitated for a moment. Of course she thought of her father as a good man but what was the lizard hinting at?

     "Well, yes." She pronounced sounding some what confused. 

     "You are so naive. I am not the monster here, he is. There is nothing you can say or do that will stop me." 

     "But why!? What do you do this to me and- and-" 

     "I DID NOT START THIS PRINCESS!" Cedric barked scouring at he defenceless girl as she sniviled in the tree. Ellyn trembled as smoke rose form his glower that displayed his jaws. She did her best to control her quivering lip as she tried to mouth out something but nothing came out. The dragon spun back around whipping his tail then taking air born again dropping into the castle walls. Behind the walls lied the cowering people ready to flee. The band of wizards as well as the knights stood their grown, sword in hand. The King and queen prepaid for the dragon's return. The king wanted so badly to leave for he feared for his life and his wife's too. But Maria refused to back down, if she was to die she would die with her people. Cedric started in the village breathing the burning flames on to the market stands then the houses. The screams of every man and woman engulfed the ashed filled air as they were separated from their children by collapsing buildings. Ellyn braced herself as she hung from one of the branches and then let her grip slip with her fingers. As her right foot collided with the harsh ground it made a crunch sound and snapped. She let out a cry of agony along with heavy breathing trying to withstand the unbearable pain throbbing in her ankle. Clawing at the tree she dug her nails under the bark and pulled herself up. The blazing heat and crumpling houses filled the square. Cedric stomped his way on the fire wood till he was faced with the closed draw bridge. The knights above shot down their finest arrows at the lizard but they had no affect on him. 

     "Do you remember what I told you your highness?" Alvis said to Maria as they stood in the courtyard at the castle doors. The queen nodded her head at the old man remembering the conversation they all had at dinner. 

     "But that sword will, right?" Maria asked with worry referring to the sword under his cloak. Alvis nodded which was good news but it did not calm her nerves in the slightest. 

     "You should step inside your highness, it's better for you there." The rest of the group emerged from the castle after her as Alvis drew the blessed sword. Cedric spit out a wall of fire setting the grass ablaze. Some ran and others stood their ready to attack, but the decision lead to their gruesome fate. Their bones being cooked in Cedric's inferno.