The Dragon King

Secret Haven

Rowan P.O.V.

With the summer solstice only two days away it's been harder than ever to sneak out of the castle. Father keeps me cooped up inside all day never even allowing me to take a stroll in the gardens. He's afraid of the dragon king. He's never told me about him but I've overheard him talking to mother about him before. They refuse to tell me why they don't allow me to go outside, But I know it has something to do with the dragon king, the great beast that flies over the kingdom every night.

Quietly I sneak past my father's study and then bolt for the nearest door leading to the gardens. After making it outside unseen I continue to run through the red and violet roses that line the pathways of the garden. I reach the edge and look for the hole in the stone wall that I had discovered a few years ago.

I sneak out of the palace walls and run into the woods, my secret haven awaits my return.

As I run through a small clearing in the trees I notice the dragon king flying overhead and staring right at me. I know he doesn't pose a threat but I am still frightened into a death like stillness as we hold eye contact. Never have I seen him this close. His black scales glisten from the sun light and his powerful wings make a cooling breeze against my face. his eyes were what made it difficult to look away, they looked human but not also not at the same time. The deep blue orbs seemed to stare into my very soul. I knew I had to break the eye contact and return to my short journey to my secret haven, but it was impossible to look away from the mesmerizing view of the legendary king of the dragons. After what felt like hours, but was surely only a few fleeting moments, the dragon king looked away and continued his voyage across the sky back to the mountains.

I can feel my heartbeat throughout my entire body, my blood pumping fast as though I had just run a mile. Why am I reacting like this? Instead of dwelling on it I decide to continue onward towards my haven. After just a few minutes of walking beneath the canopy of trees, I arrive at a small spring surrounded by mossy beds and wild flowers. The sun illuminating the spring making it glow and sparkle. There is still early morning dew covering the wild flowers that are scatters are the area. The sweet smell of moss and pine fill my nose as I walk closer to the small spring. It was then that I noticed the figure leaning against a large oak tree closest to the spring. They were looking down into the water, luckily not noticing my presence just yet. I quietly moved behind a thick pine tree to my left, my eyes never leaving the figure. My dress brushes against the tree making a soft noise so soft I could barely here it. They had somehow heard the quiet sound though, and looked up in my direction. Dark blue eyes met my own. Everything seems to stop, the wind, the birds, my own breath.