by A. W. Cross
"At the beginning when the master first turned." Griselda answered nodding her head as if to say yes, it was Fletcher’s fault that scar existed.
"Turned?" Bella asked, eyes wide, even as confusion came over her features.
Griselda opened her mouth, as if she wanted to speak but pain filled her features.
"There are things I can tell you, Bella, and then there are things written in time that I can never speak. These are for you to discover."
Bella had no idea of what the woman was trying to tell her, but she nodded her head, "I'll try to understand."
"Long ago, before man walked the Earth, beasts we have only been told of in fairytales roamed across the land. Dragons were not feared then, or even a thing of fairytales. They were lovely, and their colors expanded past anything you could ever picture with your imagination. This was how it was meant to be, but alas, they were to lovely, too powerful and they turned corrupt.”
“Soon they took over the lands, running out all other creatures and destroying the homes of some of the most magical beings you could have ever hoped to see. Beings that still exist in secret now. It was not long before they turned on each other, and the deities regretted that they had given them immortal life. So, they retracted that, and one by one, the dragons killed each other off.”
“It was when only one dragon in all the worlds remained, that the deities saw fit to bring to life their next creation, man. Beautiful, intuitive, and cunning. This one dragon followed after man as closely as he dared, imitating every moment, every mannerism, even in the way he walked.”
“Slowly, the scales fell away and then, the dragon found himself a man as well. This dragon turned man, and over time fell in love with a maiden. That maiden was the first to give birth to what would be known as the Winslow line. Every successor since, has given birth to just one heir."
Things were clear and confusing all at once, "Are you telling me that Fletcher is a Winslow dragon?" Bella asked, studying Griselda's face for any sign of falsehood.
"I'm afraid there are laws of magic, that will not allow me to answer that with certainty. You know the story; the answers are there. Judge with your heart dear."
"But Fletcher is already a dragon. Does that mean he never found love?"
"Again, there are things I cannot say. Not because I don't want to, but because there are certain laws of magic that prevent me from saying such things."
"And these other magical beings you discussed, what do you mean by that?" She thought about all the stories she had read over time, recalling certain things that stood out to her.
"Fairies? Griffin's? Phoenix's? All real?"
Griselda nodded her head, "That my dear, and so much more. In hiding, afraid. Worried they would be killed or run out, on sight."
It was a bit much for Bella to believe, to even begin to wrap her mind around. "If that's true, then why has no one ever seen them?"
"People see what they choose to see. Some of these beasts, and mythical beings exist in the very people that you know. They have hidden themselves in the world of man to avoid death, and I can assure you there is nothing so damaging."
Did that mean that the very people Bella knew, her friends, her townspeople, could possibly be magic? She shook her head, suddenly very tired, and very overwhelmed from the day.
"Griselda, I don't know what I believe, but thank you for everything you have shared with me. Even if it's just a story, I've always loved a beautiful story." Griselda bowed her head, and Bella wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a glint of light traced behind the woman's body reflecting thin, elegant wings. So petite and lovely, like flower petals.
Oh, my word, I need to sleep.
Bella curtsied, and hurried to her room, quickly shutting the door behind her as she thought about all that Griselda had spoken to her.
In the village, a very tattered, and bruised Lucien, hobbled his way through the town. His dark eyes flashed red, and he fought back releasing his wrath on the small village.
A Winslow Dragon! He'd thought them all dead! A Winslow dragon was the only beast on the planet that had the power to destroy his plans. Now, he had to figure out how he was going to defeat the dadblammed thing, without getting too close. He'd already been shown to be weak in the presence of such a thing.
As Lucien made his way to the town meeting, he began to form a plan. A plan he was certain would work as long as none of the villagers were magical beasts themselves. Something he deemed an unnecessary worry. No one here was magic, or beastly. Except for Lucien himself.
He grinned wickedly, as he passed a silver pot for sale in the marketplace. His horns only visible to himself in the reflection. The dragon may have injured him, but the scaled beast would be no match for a whole village of rioting men and women, fearful for their very lives that a dragon would harm them. They would ban together and fight to take the dragon down, Lucien had no worry of that.
He just had to make sure the right man became mayor, a man that the whole village could trust. A man who was gullible enough to believe the word of a demon in human disguise, when he told him that he'd been attacked and nearly killed by a dragon beast in the wood, and that Bella had been taken by the creature. That would set Gustavo's blood boiling, and he'd hunt the dragon down, himself.
Yes, everything was coming together, he thought as he burst through the doors of the mayoral election.
He feigned great injury as he fell forward onto the ground, to the gasps and shouts of the villagers present at the meeting.
9
Gustavo sat with his friend, contemplating his outlandish story, wondering if perhaps, Lucien had taken a blow to the head. He stared hard, evaluating any potential visible injuries.
"You're staring."
Gustavo laughed, "I am." He said turning his attention toward the roaring fire Frederick had lit in the cigar room. He leaned back into the high back leather chair, sipping from the snifter. A good whiskey to lighten the mood, so he thought. "It's not that I don't believe you. But a dragon?"
Lucien stood in frustration, rubbing his fingers through his red locks, pacing in front of the fireplace. "This is exactly why I didn't say anything in the town square. Heck. You are my best mate. If you don't believe me, what will others think?" He said with bravado. "I'll tell you what they'll think. That I'm certifiably crazy." He moved toward his friend, getting on his knees, knowing all too well he was trying to entice as much empathy and belief in his story. "Is that what you believe, Gustavo? Huh? Do you believe me to be crazy? That I've made this story up about a dragon in the mountains, attacking me? All because I'd gone in pursuit of Bel..."
He stopped himself and moved away, biting his clenched fist. He was sure to get a reaction out of Gustavo, now.
"Finish what you were going to say!" Gustavo demanded.
"It's not my place. If she..." He looked back to Gustavo. "She left. She rode off with Stan. I found out she'd sold the farm and I pursued her, trying to get her to come back and bid you farewell, properly. After everything, you've done for her. It was the least she could do."
"Bella is gone?" Gustavo said moving to his feet in one swift motion.
Lucien nodded, putting on a display with an empathetic stance. Eyes so somber, shoulders rolled in. "I may not like your friend, but I also didn't think it proper for her to go off riding alone. And I was right. That is when I encountered that beast of a dragon. I tried to save her, but the beast knocked me out of consciousness. When I woke, there was no trace of Bella, Stan, or the dragon. I surveyed the area, but it simply was useless." Gustavo called for Frederick.
"How did Bella get Stan?" He demanded.
Frederick stood stoically unmoved as he took in his master's outrage. "It was I, young Gustavo, who gave her Stan."
"Why? Why would you do such a thing?"
"I... uh... I believed it to be your wish, young master."
Gustavo got in his valet's face. "My wish? Now, what would make you think such a thing?"
Lucien
interrupted. "Gustavo, please don't lash out at the wrong person." He said pulling his friend back, knowing very well he connivingly deceived Frederick, by telling him exactly what and how to handle Bella and all on behalf of Gustavo.
The redhead had the audacity to wink and dismiss Frederick, who was shaken to the core.
"My friend let us not focus on those trivial matters which preceded the encounter with the dragon. We must focus our energies in trapping the beast, or it will surely move on us. On the people of the village. And now that you are the mayor-elect by a landslide, you have the power to move your people."
Gustavo stood seething, furious with Bella. She'd left him without so much as a farewell, or a goodbye.
Fletcher moved about the gardens in the dewy morning believing everyone was still asleep, except, he was mistaken. Bella was moving about across the gardens, unaware of his presence.
She was young and beautiful. Her skin channeling the cold morning air.
Could someone like her ever love him? He wondered, slowly moving backward out of sight.
Just then, Bella looked up in his direction. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone else was out here."
He breathed out steam, releasing tension from his aching soul.
"I come out here to the gardens, often. It is a place I can just be and think, without judgment from such beautiful specimens."
She was confused by what he meant, almost as if he'd spoken in a riddle. He was a dragon. Did he not see just how difficult that would be for mere humans to accept let alone understand?
And even so, in the still of the morning, she somehow could see a man within that gargantuan scaly body. There was something in the way his eyes sparkled that was human. the way he moved, always cognizant of his surroundings. Heck, even his temper was very much that of a moody human being.
She snickered.
"So, you find me humorous?" He huffed.
"Not at all. I'm just trying to figure you out, Fletcher. That is all."
"Tell me, what have you figured out this far?"
"Well, that you seem to put on this really tough position, but somewhere deep down inside, you truly do care for everything and everyone around you. Take Griselda and her son Charlie. They are quite protective of you. That can only happen in a relationship where the other party is truly caring. That kind of love and loyalty isn't given freely. It is earned. And then the gardens. Most people I know don't take the time to appreciate vegetation in its full form, for what it is. And you do."
He moved away from the wall and into the open. "That's because I'm not a people. I'm a dragon, just in case you've forgotten."
Bella let out a burst of joyful laughter, causing him to wince, wondering what exactly it was about her that made him want to be around her. She was endearing to her very core, a fact his half-human, half-dragon heart and not let go unnoticed.
"Fletcher, was that your attempt to be humorous?” she giggled.
He shrugged his scaly shoulders as he walked beside her.
“Now, now, don’t play coy,” she gently shoved his side, causing him to grunt and turn his head to look at her. No one had dared touch him in several years, had he upset her?
“Did you push me out of anger?”
Bella shook her, laughing again, “No, it was playful! It was a good thing! And no, I have not forgotten you are a dragon. That's kind of difficult, especially considering just how unforgettable you are."
He didn't respond, instead he moved around the roses, putting the thorny beauties between himself and the beautiful woman before him.
"You have a lovely place here. I'm thankful you've allowed me to stay. I promise I'll be gone as soon as this dreaded wound heals up more."
"Where would you go?" He said through slit eyes.
"I'm trying to get as far west as possible. I dream of the ocean coast and warmer weather all year round. I can almost smell the sea breeze in the air." She said with her eyes closed as if imagining just the scene.
"Have you ever been?"
"No. Have you?" she asked, brows raised, as she pulled her hair out of her face.
His long snout moved up in the affirmative. "Many years ago. It is breathtaking. And the people..."
"The people what?" she said with quizzical eyes.
"They are much more evolved. Accepting of diversity."
"Aww. I see. Of people like Griselda and her son?"
"Indeed."
She smiled and moved around the rose bush, to be closer to him.
Except her movement to be closer to him terrified him so, that he scurried away from her like the scared rat he'd scorched just days earlier. He didn't want to be like that, but the truth was he was a dragon and he couldn’t imagine in a million years why anyone, human or otherwise would desire to any sort of companionship with him. So, he steered away, best not to give himself even a glimmer of hope.
"Breakfast will be served soon. I hope you'll enjoy it. I've asked Griselda to prepare a great spread in your honor." As he spoke, his wings spread out behind him, and he lifted into the air.
"Thank you," she said kindly, hoping he could hear the sincerity in her voice. But he'd moved to take to the air so quickly she wasn't sure he'd heard her.
Bella stood back watching how his scales caught the morning rays of the sun. Creating an iridescent opal color over his entire back.
He climbed higher into the sky, no longer the massive creature who'd just stood by her, as he disappeared into the clouds.
"Sir Mayor, this sounds preposterous!" The carpenter shouted.
"Are we supposed to move on the imagination of a possibly sick man?" Hollered the baker.
"My friends. I have every reason to believe that there is something dangerous out there. And I have the responsibility as your mayor, to go in search of whatever it is that my friend Lucien encountered." Gustavo took a deep breath, just hoping someone would understand where he was coming from. "Whatever is out there, I cannot allow getting closer to the village. To our people. Our children."
Lucien smirked to himself. He knew Gustavo had it in him to play on the villager's fears. Their children possibly hurt by something crazy, wild, unknown.
"Mr. Mayor," A woman's voice pierced through the crowd. "If the men will not go with you, we will."
The town square grew quiet as every man and women looking to each other, wondering just exactly would happen if the women truly were the ones to rise in arms, to protect their small community.
"Nonsense." A gravelly voiced echoed about. "We will go with you." The head of the lumberjacks stepped forward, his men behind him. All bulky hardworking men, whose stories told of fighting with bears and wolves, coming up triumphantly.
"Then it is settled. We shall band together at high noon, on the road leading toward the mountains. Bring whatever weapon you are comfortable with, for whatever is out there, will not live to see another day." Gustavo said looking to his friend, who applauded the mayor's words. The crowd erupted, cheering their new young mayor and his brave action to protect their own.
Meanwhile, Lucien salivated at the thought of taking down the last Winslow dragon. A one of a kind majestic beast of old.
His eyes blazed practically tasting the delicious glory.
10
Bella found herself intrigued by the dragon and overwhelmed as well. Her subconscious told her to be afraid, but it was Fletcher's eyes that told her there was more to him that his opalescent fangs, and ferocious temper.
She had seen it in the way he walked the garden, and his love for the beauty that surrounded him. Perhaps as Griselda had told her, there was more to understand than meets the eye. Maybe Fletcher wasn't what he appeared to be, just as Bella assumed about Griselda. Had the shadow of translucent wings been a figment of her imagination? Or had she really seen them? If she had, what did it mean? If Griselda wasn't human, than what was she?
Bella could feel the questions piling on top of each other, and she found herself wondering what to believe. She went over wha
t the kind woman had explained to her in the hallway, about magical being disguising themselves as humans out of fear for their life. She wanted to believe such things, but she just couldn't wrap her mind around it.
In her books of make believe, things like this happened all the time. Princesses were rescued from high towers and brought to life by true loves kiss. Only, Bella wasn't in a book, this was real life. She thought back to her sweet little village, full of all the people she'd known all her life. She adored her home, but there was nothing out of the ordinary there. Certainly, none of the faces she'd grown to love over time. It was why she needed out, why she needed to get away.
She desperately wished her father were there. She needed his words of affirmation and understanding. He was the only one who would be able to speak sense into her chaos. This moment was definitely chaos. She had meant to be on her way, putting as much distance between her and the village as possible. Only she was caught up in the moment, and though her injuries no longer pained her as much, her desire to stay was growing.
"Bella dear, are you ready to eat? The master has ordered all of his finest to be prepared for you. Please, won't you join us?"
Griselda's voice sounded like a song floating through the garden, and at the sound of it, it seemed even the flowers seemed to turn in her direction.
She nodded her head, and followed after the woman, her thoughts and questions a jumbled mess in her mind. Things she dared not speak aloud tumbling one after the other.
"You're awfully quiet, my dear. Something troubling you today?"
Bella lifted her eyes to the sky, wondering how to even bring clarity to everything she was thinking.
"So many things in my head I can't even begin to process." Bella answered honestly.