Snowden the White Dragon

by Raymond L. Weil

  “Controlling the weather is very powerful sorcery,” spoke Harmon, frowning. “It’s something that hasn’t been done in generations with much success.”

  “That’s what father said,” replied Todd, recalling how pleased his father had been when Edward had demonstrated he could make it rain whenever he wanted. “Edward grows stronger every day. He’s already much more powerful than my father or uncle.”

  “What about your powers?” asked Stephen, curiously. “If Edward has really strong powers, don’t you?”

  “No, it doesn’t work that way,” replied Todd with a weak smile. “From what my father has told me there is normally only one strong sorcerer in each generation. My abilities are decent, but I don’t think I will ever be as strong as my father or uncle.”

  Ashley suddenly felt weak at hearing Todd’s words. Could she be the reason that Stephen’s abilities seemed so feeble at times? Was it because she had the stronger sorcery powers in the family? Was it her fault that Stephen had such a hard time doing his spells? Ashley felt a sense of guilt as she realized what she might have taken away from her younger brother.

  They continued to talk for quite some time until Katrina decided that Todd needed to retire so he could get some much-needed rest. Todd thanked everyone for allowing him to stay and, with a parting smile, at Ashley went down the hallway toward Stephen’s room.

  “It’s hard to believe that boy is a Sorenson,” Harmon said quietly, not wanting Todd to overhear him. “He’s nothing like his father or uncle.”

  “It’s his mother,” replied Katrina, reaching across the table and putting her hand on Harmon’s hand. “She raised the boy right. You can’t blame him for the actions of his father and uncle or even his brother.”

  “I know,” replied Harmon, gazing into his wife’s captivating light blue eyes. “But his father and uncle will probably blame us for Todd coming here. Because he knew Stephen and Ashley, the boy ran directly to us for safety.”

  More Ashley than Stephen, Katrina thought to herself. “What do you think the Sorensons will do?”

  “I don’t know,” answered Harmon, leaning back and massaging his brow. “I guess it depends on how Todd’s father feels about the boy. We already know where Edward stands.”

  -

  Later Ashley stood in front of the large window in the kitchen, gazing outside. It was still snowing heavily, and she guessed there was a good foot or more of snow already covering the ground. The steps leading up to the porch were buried beneath a large snowdrift. She could just barely make it out in the light from the window. It was already dark outside.

  “More snow shoveling tomorrow,” sighed Stephen, coming up next to Ashley and gazing at the massive snowdrift with a scathing look upon his face. He hated shoveling snow, and that snowdrift was only going to be larger in the morning.

  “Looks like it,” replied Ashley, feeling sorry for her brother.

  “What do you think is going to happen with Todd?’ asked Stephen, looking at his sister. He could tell she was upset about something.

  “I don’t know,” replied Ashley, wondering how Stephen would feel someday when he realized that it was her fault he didn’t have stronger sorcery powers like their father. “We will just have to wait and see.”

  The two turned and looked back outside, watching the snow. The wind was still howling and blowing occasional snowflakes against the window. Standing this close to the window, they could feel the cold penetrating through the thin glass. It was going to be a cold night tonight one of the coldest in a long time.

  Telling her brother goodnight, Ashley made her way down the hallway to her bedroom. She paused outside of Stephen’s room; hoping things would work out for Todd. Slipping quietly into her room, Ashley pulled the door partially closed. Then, undressing, she climbed into her bed and pulled the heavy blankets up around her. She still had a few more questions she would like to ask Todd. Tomorrow she would try to get him off by himself for a few minutes. Closing her eyes, Ashley was soon asleep. Instead of her dreams being about Todd, she dreamed of a white dragon.

  -

  Ashley was up early the next morning. Entering the kitchen, she found Todd standing by the kitchen window, watching the snow. She knew that Stephen was probably outside lugging more firewood for the fireplace and wood burning stoves. Ashley’s father should be down at the barn checking the cattle and horses. Walking over next to Todd, Ashley gazed out at the still falling snow.

  “It must be two feet deep,” murmured Todd, wishing the snow would stop. Why did Edward have to do this? It was almost as if Edward was trying to kill him. He shivered, hoping that was not the case.

  “This is going to cause a lot of hardships in the valley,” Ashley responded with a deep sigh, seeing the troubled look on Todd’s face. “Some of the livestock probably won’t make it. Look down by the barn, Todd; some of the snowdrifts are nearly six feet high already.”

  “This is all my fault,” Todd said dejectedly. “If I hadn’t gotten into an argument with Edward none of this would have happened.”

  Ashley reached out and took Todd’s hand. “You couldn’t know he would do this,” replied Ashley, looking into Todd’s eyes. She noticed that they were a captivating dark brown. She took a deep breath and then continued. “You did what you thought was right; no one can criticize you for that.”

  “Perhaps,” replied Todd, glancing around to see where Ashley’s mother was. He didn’t know how she would respond if she saw them holding hands. Ashley’s hand felt so soft and delicate. “But I still feel responsible, and at some point I am going to have to face my father and uncle.”

  “My dad said he thought the snow would let up later today or early in the morning,” Ashley informed Todd. She heard her mother coming down the hallway and released Todd’s hand. “It will be several days after the snow stops before the roads are safe to travel.”

  Todd was quiet for a moment as he gazed out the window. He could see Stephen carrying several pieces of firewood up the steps of the porch. “When the time comes, I should meet my dad alone. I don’t want to get your family involved.”

  “We’re already involved,” responded Ashley, shaking her head. “Do you think your family wants to take over Plainview?”

  Todd looked at Ashley with surprise in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment, thinking about some of the conversations he had overheard between his father and uncle.

  “Not immediately,” he replied slowly with a pondering look crossing his face. “I think they want to ensure they have full control over Glendon before they do anything else.”

  “But at some point in time, you think they will want Plainview under their control as well?” responded Ashley, suspecting the worrisome truth of what the Sorensons desired.

  “Yes,” Todd replied with a heavy sigh. “Edward is growing so strong that my family feels that now is the time for them to take control of the entire valley.”

  “What about us?” Ashley asked in a tentative voice. She was almost afraid to hear the answer.

  Todd turned until he was facing Ashley. They were standing very close together, nearly touching. Todd became even more aware of just how beautiful Ashley was. He could feel his heart thudding and his breathing quickening.

  “My father and uncle will expect your family to work for us,” Todd spoke in an unsteady voice. He hoped his face wasn’t flushing. “Either work for us or promise never to use sorcery again. Those will be the only choices my family will offer.”

  “My family won’t agree to that,” Ashley spoke, worriedly. “They won’t agree to any terms.”

  “I know,” replied Todd, despondently. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  They were interrupted as Katrina walked into the kitchen. Seeing the two young people and recognizing the flushed look on Todd’s face, she decided it was best to break this up for the moment. She had seen the same look on Harmon’s face when they were younger.

  “How are you feeling, Todd?” she asked in an innocent voice
. “Your color looks much better today.”

  “I feel fine,” stammered Todd, feeling embarrassed about the color of his face. He knew that Ashley’s mother suspected that more was going on than met the eye.

  Katrina walked over and gently lifted the bandage over the cut above Todd’s eye. “Your cut looks much better,” she reported. She carefully replaced the bandage and smiled at the young man. “Another day or two and you should be fully recovered. You know you were extremely lucky.”

  “Yes, I do,” he replied. “I’m just glad that Ashley and your husband found me.”

  “Why don’t you two have a seat at the kitchen table, and I will fix you both something hot to drink. I know that Harmon and Stephen will be cold when they come back in.”

  Todd and Ashley sat down at the table across from each other. Both were wondering what would happen to their budding relationship if their families became hostile toward one another. Their future didn’t look very promising. They were afraid it was being taken out of their hands by events they couldn’t control.

  Katrina returned to the table and set two glasses of warm chocolate milk down in front of the two young people. She didn’t have to look at them to know they were both worried about the future. She knew this was going to be a very tenuous relationship between the two. Not because of the two young people, but because of who their parents were. She wondered if there was any way this young relationship would have a happy ending. Only time would tell, and time was against them.

  Chapter Eight

  The snow had finally ended. Ashley gazed out the window and shivered as the cold easily penetrated the thin glass. Everything outside was covered in layers of chilling white. The fireplace in the kitchen was burning and putting out a warming heat, but this close to the window, the cold dominated. She pulled her jacket tighter around her, trying to stay warm. She could see her father and brother walking slowly through the deep snow heading for the barn to check on the animals. In places, the snow seemed to be nearly up to her father’s knees. She had never seen so much on the farm before.

  “Edward really made a mess, didn’t he?” spoke Todd unhappily, as he looked out the window from Ashley’s side. “This is all my fault. I should never have come here.”

  “You couldn’t know what your brother would do,” Ashley reminded him in a soft voice. “How could you know he could hold such anger in his heart?”

  “I’ve seen him act this way before,” Todd replied with sadness in his eyes. “My older brother can be very heartless when he wants to be. He has been such a disappointment to my mother.”

  “I’m sorry, Todd,” replied Ashley, turning and putting her left hand on Todd’s wrist. “I wish there was something I could do.”

  “You’re family has done enough,” Todd responded with a weak smile. “Ashley, you are very lucky; your family is wonderful!” He took Ashley’s hand and squeezed gently.

  The two turned and watched the barn as Ashley’s father and brother finally made it inside. Behind them, Ashley’s mother watched them with a thoughtful look upon her face. The two young people didn’t know she had entered the kitchen. She knew that because they were standing at the window, holding hands. They had been very careful not to show any signs of affection where someone might notice. However, Katrina suspected what the two must be going through. She also knew that because of who their families were their young love was almost certainly doomed.

  Katrina walked over to the stove and rattled a couple of pots to let the kids know she was in the room. When she turned back around the two were no longer holding hands, but the slight flush on both of their faces indicated that they knew they had been caught.

  “Mom,” Ashley stammered, not sure what to say.

  “Don’t worry,” Katrina replied with a slight knowing smile. “I won’t say anything to your father, but you two need to be more careful.”

  “I’m sorry,” Todd apologized, feeling uncomfortable. He was a guest in this home and should have known better.

  “Don’t worry about it, Todd,” Katrina replied with understanding. “I was young myself, once. Now, Ashley, why don’t you come and help me with breakfast. Your father and brother will be quite hungry once they’re finished feeding the animals.”

  -

  After helping her mother wash the breakfast dishes, Ashley went to her room. Her father was talking privately to Todd in the study about some of the stuff that was occurring at the Sorensons’ end of the valley. Anytime her father was talking to Todd, it made her feel nervous.

  Sitting down on her bed, Ashley thought about Snowden. The dragon had been quiet for several weeks now. She suspected Snowden was in a deep sleep for the winter. It was hard to believe that he was thousands of years old. She would like to be able to ask her father more about the dragon. Supposedly, he had a book that described them.

  There were also those mysterious prophecies he had mentioned that had been written by one of their remote ancestors. She would like to read them, but hadn’t figured out how to broach the subject to her father without raising suspicions about her sorcery. She was also curious whether there were anymore surviving dragons. Her father had mentioned Gilmreth, but he had never been spotted around their valley.

  Ashley stood up, walked over to her dresser, and sat down in front of the mirror. She gazed at her face and felt embarrassed when she noticed that her blonde hair was a mess. Reaching for her brush, she began brushing out the tangles. She looked at the mirror, and her dark blue eyes gazed back. In another four weeks, she would turn seventeen. Laying the brush back down on the dresser, she selected a bright green bow and used it to tie her hair back.

  There were two candles setting on the dresser. Ashley glanced toward her door, making sure it was closed. Closing her eyes, she touched her amulet with her left hand. With her right, she began weaving a spectral pattern of blue energy lines in the air. A few simple words and the spell was complete. Opening her eyes, she cast the spell at the candles, and bright four-inch flames leaped up. The wax began to melt and run in small rivulets toward the bottom of the candles from the heat.

  Taking a deep breath, she concentrated and focused her mind upon the candles and the leaping flames. The flames rose up into the air leaving the candles behind. Ashley combined the two flames and slowly formed them into a small fireball.

  Keeping her eyes focused on her creation, she made the fireball slowly float around her room. With a little effort, she could make it larger or smaller. The flames seemed to dance inside the fireball, completely obedient to her commands. A sudden knocking on her door distracted her, and the fireball fell apart, vanishing above her bed.

  Before Ashley could rise and go to the door, it opened and her father stepped inside. “What’s burning?” he asked, looking around suspiciously his eyes focusing on Ashley.

  “I had a candle lit,” stammered Ashley, realizing how close she had come to being caught. “I just blew it out.”

  “I see,” her father replied, glancing at the two unlit candles setting on her dresser. “Your mother wants you to help her with some baking. I think she plans to make some fresh bread. Todd seems to be doing much better today, and he’s helping Stephen bring in some firewood.”

  “Tell Mom I will be there shortly,” Ashley replied. She enjoyed baking, and she knew Todd would enjoy the home baked bread. “I’m glad to hear that Todd is doing better.”

  -

  It was several days later, and Ashley was standing on the porch with her arms folded across her chest, watching her brother and Todd. Todd was helping Stephen with his sorcery. With Todd’s help, Stephen could now light candles with ease and seemed to have more confidence in himself. Todd was currently explaining to Stephen the importance of focusing intensely on the spell.

  “If you don’t focus, the spell has a tendency to be very weak or it might even fall apart,” Todd was explaining.

  “That happens to me all the time,” Stephen complained.

  Closing his eyes, Todd ran his right h
and through several gestures and the two candles they were working with flared up with brightly burning flames. Todd continued to focus, and the flames grew larger and then smaller. With a final gesture, the flames went out.

  “Wow!” exclaimed Stephen, impressed. “You can actually control the size of the flames?”

  “Yes,” Todd replied with a friendly grin. “Just picture in your mind what you want the flames to do. Now you try.”

  Stephen closed his eyes and focused on the fire spell. Opening his eyes, he cast the spell at the two candles, and instantly two flames appeared; not quite as large as Todd’s, but the candlewicks were burning. Stephen continued to focus, and the flame on one of the candles slowly doubled in size.

  “I did it!” Stephen yelled excitedly. The flames instantly went out. “What happened?”

  “You lost your focus,” replied Todd, patting Stephen encouragingly on the shoulder. “You just need to practice. The focus part is the hardest part to learn; it took me months before I could do it right.”

  Harmon opened the kitchen door and stepped out on the porch. Stephen seemed to be learning a lot from Todd. He was pleased to see Stephen finally feeling more at ease with his sorcery. Harmon strongly suspected it was because Todd was closer to Stephen’s age and Stephen felt more at ease with Todd.

  “It’s getting pretty warm today,” stated Harmon, seeing that the snow was starting to melt.

  He noticed numerous large icicles hanging from the roof of the porch. Stepping forward, he knocked one of the larger ones down, watching it shatter into hundreds of pieces as it struck the wood on the steps.

  Todd walked over to stand by Harmon and looked out across the yard toward the barn. The snow was already nearly gone from the roof. “It has to be Edward. My father probably told Edward to get rid of the snow. They will be coming for me in a few more days.”