by Nathan Roden
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My Name is Simon
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I,
Dragon
Thrones Under Fire
By
Nathan Roden
I, Dragon
Thrones Under Fire
Copyright © 2017 by Nathan Roden
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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One
The dragon pushed through the wet leaves and stepped into the clearing. The first light of dawn glowed on the horizon. Fog rolled across the grass and the air was heavy with dew. The dragon exhaled as quietly as he could, making a low groan as black smoke poured from his mouth and nostrils. His keen eyes scanned the surroundings—a row of tents lined up at the edge of the village. The only sounds were muted snores and a solitary wood cricket. The dragon spread his wings.
“Where are you going?”
The dragon jumped.
“You about scared me out of my skin, Boone.”
Boone Blankenship raised his hand. He held four dead rabbits.
“The best hunters are quiet. Didn’t I teach you that?”
Simon Morgenwraithe, the dragon, laughed. Quietly.
“Yes. You taught me that a long time ago. You also used to announce your presence to keep from startling me. Have you forgotten?”
“You control the flames better than you used to. You were a menace when you were still a kid. You’re still growing, so I have more time to move. That furnace of yours is farther away.”
Simon looked down.
“I’m not still growing.”
“Yes, you are. Do dragons ever stop growing?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Simon said. “I think you’re imagining things.”
Boone waved a hand over his head.
“Hello! Did you think I’ve been shrinking? Of course, you’re still growing.”
Simon sighed.
“That’s great. I’ll have to eat more.”
“You’re still growing—and you’re getting more…”
“I’m getting more what?”
“Tougher, I guess. Fiercer. Like a—”
“Like a real dragon?”
“Yeah.”
“Yes. I’m fierce, all right. I still hate having to kill to survive—and I write ill-advised love letters in my spare time.”
“You…you bit the head off the Captain of the Border Guard.”
“He wouldn’t—”
Simon looked away.
“He was an evil man.”
“You’re going to look for those baby dragons, aren’t you? They didn’t come by last night. Are you afraid they don’t love you anymore?”
Simon said nothing.
“I’m sorry, Mate,” Boone said. “That was a terrible thing to say.”
“They have a family,” Simon said. “A mother. A father. Friends. I just…I like them.”
“Hurry along, then,” Boone said. “Tell them I said hello.”
“I will.”
The baby dragons circled over the lake-shore and looked down at their friend. Simon flew into a flock of geese, catching four of them. He dropped them to the ground. The babies were on them in an instant and swallowed them whole.
“You won’t be babies much longer,” Simon laughed. “A few more weeks and I’ll be the little brother.”
The thought made Simon a little sad. He liked the thought of having a little brother and sister. And though they were not his real flesh-and-blood, at least they did not want to kill him.
Like his real brother did.
The little dragons could hunt for themselves, but it made Simon feel good to take care of them. And their relationship was one of mutual benefit. Simon studied the way the young dragons flew—particularly the way they used their bodies and wings to quickly change direction. Simon had needed such a skill the day he encountered the giant, Dathien. His inability to avoid Dathien’s magic had almost proved fatal—to both Simon and his friends.
Simon eyed the flock of geese and prepared to give chase again. A dark shadow over his head startled him.
It was Papa.
The black dragon passed over the lake and dropped his cargo on the shore; a bison bull. The fall broke the bison’s legs. The baby dragons took care of the rest. Simon narrowed his eyes and watched the father dragon fly away to the south.
“Showoff.”
Simon couldn’t really resent the enormous black dragon. He and his friends were alive thanks to Papa’s participation in their battle with the Border Guard.
Simon knew nothing about a dragon’s approach to child-rearing, but he had seen little of the mother and father in the last two days.
If they are so quick to leave their own children to fend for themselves, will they sympathize with a band of humans? Simon thought.
It’s not like I can talk to them.
Well, he could—and he had. In a desperate moment, he had begged for the father dragon’s help. The dragon had come, but its mate and one of their babies were injured at the time. Was that the only reason he had joined the battle?
Simon followed the black dragon. It disappeared over a hill. Seconds later, Simon halted in mid-air, turned and flew back in the other direction.
There were dozens of dragons in the valley.
And not all were babies.
Simon flew back to the beach. Boone, Helena, and Caleb were there. Boone and Helena watched in awe as the baby dragons devoured the bison.
“I’ll never get used to that,” Boone said.
“That’s what you look like when you eat,” Helena said.
“Very funny. Simon, it looks like your little brothers have adopted you.”
“Brother and sister,” Simon said. “May I introduce, Nigel. And Alice.”
“Alice? How do you know the girls from the boys? Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
“We are alive because of them,” Simon said.
Boone ran a hand through his hair. He blew out a breath and watched a dragon lower its head so that Caleb could pat it.
“I know. And now they’re part of your family, or you are part of theirs—which is fine—but we don’t know what they’re thinking.”
“We need them, Boone. I know Sir Edmund and Lord Roball are doing everything they can to increase our numbers, but you’ve seen the men who’ve joined us in the last two days. They are only boys, for the most part. Some old men. Even some girls. None of the lot has any battle skills. If there was a fighting force hidden somewhere in the South, I’m sure Braun or Roball would have mentioned it.”
“You’re just trying to cheer me up, mate.”
“Have you forgotten why we’re here, Boone?” Helena asked.
“No, I haven’t. Simon, we have to do something about Sara and Zeke. Caleb is worried about them—and who can blame him? They’ve never been apart before.”
“I know,” Simon said. “But where on earth could they be any safer? I doubt the giant has given up his quest. I believe the children are safer where they are right now.”
“In the days to come, no place will be safe,” Caleb said.
Helena turned.
“How can you hear us from over there?”
“My ears are not blind,” Caleb smiled. He joined them.
“Sara’s gifts are increasing, even without training,” Caleb said. “The giant may soon be able to sense her. He will certainly remember the little girl who disabled him, and he will be angry. If he finds her…I must go to them.”
Caleb lifted his chin.
“There are more dragons nearby. A lot of them.”
“What?” Boone said.
“That’s right, Caleb. In the valley beyond that hill,” Simon said.
“That would have been a good thing to know,” Boone said. “Are you talking about the other babies?”
“The babies and their parents.”
“A valley full of dragons,” Boone said. “And we don’t know if they are friend or foe.”
“I can ask them,” Caleb said.
“Well, there you have it then,” Boone said. “The boy who speaks to dragons. There’s a fine spanking new song for the minstrels.”
“There are too many,” Simon said. “It’s too dangerous to approach them now.”
“Well, write them a letter, then,” Boone said. “Ask them to send a representative to our camp. Tell them we’ll have tea and biscuits.”
“You’re not helping,” Helena said.
“What does it matter if there is one dragon or a hundred?” Boone asked. He motioned toward the baby dragons.
“One dragon the size of their father could finish off the lot of us.”
“I am not afraid,” Caleb said. “But I cannot stay here protected by soldiers and dragons while my brother and sister hide in a dungeon. Take me to these dragons and then take me to Islemar. Or I will go there myself.”
“You would walk? To Islemar?” Boone said.
“He won’t have to walk,” Helena said. “He can summon a horse. Or perhaps even an eagle.”
Simon exhaled fire and smoke across the lake.
“Climb on.”
Two
Simon landed below the hilltop.
“Stay here,” he said to Caleb. “I’ll try to find Mother and Papa.”
He came back moments later.
“We’re in luck. Mother and Papa are just on the other side of the hill. Are you ready?”
“Yes,” Caleb said.
Simon could feel their eyes on him. Most of the dragons had been at rest. But they knew instantly that Simon was not a member of their clan. And with the wind at his back, Simon had little doubt they smelled the flesh of a human.
Simon landed.
“Get down!” he shouted at Caleb. Caleb slid to the ground and fell over. Mother moved to protect him.
A giant red dragon flew toward them. Papa dragon spread his wings and roared. The red dragon stopped and hovered over them. He threw back his head and blasted the air with fire. He turned his head toward Papa and made barking sounds.
Papa sounded back. So did Mother. Simon noticed something odd. Papa Dragon was missing two teeth.
Simon lowered his head and spoke to Caleb.
“Do you know what they’re saying?”
“Papa is the clan’s leader. The red dragon is challenging his position. I don’t think today is the first time.”
“Is that all?”
“He also wants to eat me.”
Simon growled.
“I’ll die before I let that happen.”
“The red dragon doesn’t like you either.”
Papa leapt into the air. He roared at the red dragon. The red dragon retreated to its mate, who was only slightly smaller. Papa returned to the ground.
Simon turned his head.
“I guess it’s time—”
Caleb had already stepped in front of Mother. His voice carried over the valley at such volume that Simon was not sure it was natural. Caleb spoke in the same barks and screeches the dragons made. Every dragon watched and listened in silence.
The red dragon launched into the air and flew straight toward Caleb. Papa leaped into the air. He lowered his head and crashed into the red dragon’s side. The red dragon recovered and turned toward Caleb. Simon knew what would come next. He flew to Caleb and knocked him to the ground. Simon spread his wings in front of Caleb and took the red dragon’s fiery assault.
The pain surprised him. His body was made to withstand attacks from other dragons, but the heat was intense. He felt it burning beneath the scales on his back and on his head.
Papa flew at the red dragon again. The red dragon dodged to its right and snapped its jaws on one of Papa’s rear legs. Papa roared in pain. The red dragon turned his attention to Caleb again.
Simon prepared for another assault. He saw movement to his left.
No. Don’t do it, Mother!
The mother dragon was not going to stand by and watch Caleb die. The boy had saved her life.
Simon saw the reckless rage in the eyes of the red dragon. Papa gave chase, but he was too far behind to help.
The red dragon loosed its fire.
Mother flew at the dragon’s rear. She sank her teeth into its tail and whipped her head.
The other dragons had been silent spectators. They stirred and screeched into the air.
A flash came in from the side. The red dragon’s mate roared. She lowered her head and flew full-speed into Mother, crashing into the side of Mother’s head. Mother’s grip on the red dragon’s tail was broken and she fell to the ground. Papa crashed into the red dragon, throwing him into Simon. Simon and Caleb went head-over-heels through the grass.
“Are you hurt, Caleb?” Simon yelled through the roars and screeches of dragons.
“No! But something is very wrong. Dragon mates are not supposed to intervene in a battle for clan leader.”
“I bring out the best in everyone,” Simon said. “But I will not allow them to hurt my Mother.”
“Simon,” Caleb said.
Simon climbed to his feet.
“What is it?”
“She’s not your mother.”
“She’s…I know. Stay behind that rock. I’ll be back.”
Mother dodged the fire of the red female. She took to the air again. A boom sounded across the valley. Papa and the red dragon crashed into each other, sending them both to the ground. They ran together, thrashing talons and snapping their jaws. The red dragon’s mate feinted to avoid Mother’s attack. She sank her teeth into Mother’s leg. Mother screamed.
Simon roar
ed in anger. He flew beneath the red dragon’s mate and sank his teeth into her front leg. Mother swiped her talon at the dragon’s soft underbelly. The red female screamed as her blood spilled. She flew away, disappearing to the south.
The red dragon male loosed a roar that shook the ground.
Papa was weak. The battle had been long and intense. He bled from his mouth.
The red dragon sensed his advantage and flew with a renewed intensity.
A voice sounded behind Simon. Shouts echoed throughout the valley as the red dragon prepared to take Papa’s position—and possibly his life.
Who can that be? Simon thought. And then, he knew.
The old man held a staff in one of his outstretched hands. He chanted into the air.
A bolt of lightning flew from the staff. It struck the red dragon on its chest, knocking it to the ground. The dragon pushed to its feet. It wobbled and took to the air again.
Another blast of energy sent the red dragon rolling across the valley floor. It got to its feet with difficulty. When it took to the air again, the red dragon whipped its head about, roared, and flew out of the valley in the same direction as its mate.
The other dragons were silent again.
Papa launched himself into the air. He flew toward the old man.
“Papa! No! Sir Edmund! Run!”
Simon and Caleb ran up the hill.
Papa landed in front of Sir Edmund Braun. He lowered his head.
The man who was once First Knight to Simon’s grandfather put his arms around the great dragon’s head and kissed it between the eyes.