Marriage is expensive so I was born out of wedlock. Thus my name was only Etheda. but my parents cared for me; those 16 years of my life were wonderful. The 16 years when they were alive.
We always lived in a rundown home unable to make repairs. As a result I looked for things to distract me and that thing was always reading, fiction, non-fiction. I loved it all. But even after the printing press, books are expensive. So we didn’t get many so I would sit and read the same books over and over again.
This gave my parents an idea that if I love reading then logically I could make a career out of it. They could send me to college and I could become a scholar. It would be hard work but I could live a better life than them.
So they gave me books to help me with that; books about magic and science, things that are currently and on the horizon to be seeked out by colleges. I hated it but I was young and didn’t know the importance of it, but I studied for them.
This continued until I was sixteen when the sickness came. The sickness killed people all around the kingdom… including both my parents. We all got sick but only I survived.
I was alone but I could live alone. All I had to do was work the farm like the rest of the villagers and I would get money from the noble. Using that I could save up for books and would still have plenty of time to study.
I still study for them but now with passion I have money for college but need more and now at age twenty-one I am ready to go but I first have to take the exam this coming spring. I''m a bit older than most of the other wealthier students but I’ll make it.
But to buy those books and make that money I had to work with those simple minded brutes that are my fellow villagers. There is very little of consequence to talk with them about. I just want to spend all my time on that entrance exam to get out of this village.
But to get that money I have to work the field like the rest of the villagers constantly getting in contact with those simple minded fools. And I hate that. I can tell they view me as a wanting noble and boy do they hate nobles they are just looking for a chance to get rid of me.
But my thoughts are interrupted by sounds of a harsh timbre. They pierce the night and shake the ground with a massive boom but they speak in my native tongue.
The booming sound says "How dare you send someone to attack me! Come and meet my face!"
No mistake about the origin of that sound; it''s the dragon who moved into the castle by the village recently. He occupied the ancient castle driving away those bandits. We had been told about it after a bunch of kidnaped villagers came back to the town and told the guard.
The castle must be at least 3 centuries old from the predecessor kingdom to Fhreight, Misitein Fhreight. People consider Misitein Fhreight to be a predecessor kingdom to the Fhreight kingdom. But it seems to be a separate civilisation entirely; they even occupy different places. The whole war is based on claims that the kingdom makes on land. Ancient castles make excellent places for people to hide in during conflict because of their fortified nature. But this castle was taken by bandits and now a dragon so this one is not a good place to hide in. the castle itself is said to be medium sized and only recently discovered by said bandits.
While I was thinking the dragon continued to growl at Blake, a popular village guard. Though the dragon doesn’t seem to like him. Why did he have to piss off a dragon, no way that would ever end well.
They continue to talk; the dragon demands some wealth without saying what he wants in particular.
I decide that that dragon is bad news and decide to read some more while hiding until I hear the distinct sound of massive wings picking up air and when I hear it leave in the direction of the castle I lay on my bed and fall asleep.
The next day is uneventful. I get up and farm before arguing with some villagers and go back to studying for the coming test before being interrupted by the sound of knocking on my door.
“Etheda come out here” I recognize the distinct midrange voice of the mayor of the village.
I open the door and look at the mayor surrounded by rather large and muscular village guards. He has a neutral but not normal look on his face. He says “we are gathering offerings for the dragon.
I don’t want to sacrifice my college fund but I can offer something “I can offer some gems”
“No Etheda you won''t be needing to do that.”
“What why?”
“Because dragons like to take human sacrifices.”
Silence fell between us because we both know what that means. I’m a pretty young girl. Dragons love to kill and eat people that look like me. But I’m ain’t going to die tonight. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
So I slowly walk out the door and run from them
“Catch her” the mayor “this is for the village.”
I get tackled to the ground and I do the only thing I claw at them. They try to grab my arms but miss them and rip my shirt.
I begin to try to punch them but they grab my hands and manage to get them behind my back and while I try to kick them it’s in vain and they tie my hands behind my back.
I’ve been caught and there is no escape so I stop kicking. They grab my tied hands, gag me and pick me up.
one says “now walk to the cart.”
They put me with the livestock that they will feed to the dragon. It’s clear that this is not some unwanted sacrifice; this is getting rid of someone who they don’t like. They want to get rid of me. That is why they put me with the livestock, as an insult.
They have always thought of me as a freeloading nuisance. They expect me to die and are happy about it. No one looked at me with sorrow, they looked at me with neutrality because they were conflicted. A person will die but that person is one they hate.
I am taken to the front of the castle where I see a foreboding thing. massive Broken doors those doors would have required machinery for humans to open but the dragon made his own way by breaking them down.
We were on top of a large hill. I feared I may die from falling off it before I even met the dragon. Large moss-like trees grow out of the castle; they are called greffs and they are shaped like wine glasses.
The castle was a medium sized one but to a peasant girl it was massive. She couldn’t see the horizon, the castle was so large. A massive wall as far as the eye could see. Made of massive stone seemingly too large for a normal human to move it would normally make me wonder what could move them but all I could think about was my impending demise.
The castle was not lit despite the large torches it was just pitch black I could barely see the only light was glowing blue eyes that stood one story over us. looking up at the eyes I hear a low growl from the dragon.
The mayor speaks for a bit but I’m not listening. I''m too captivated by the dragon. I can now see light reflecting off the scales of the dragon from the light of the doorway but I can still only barely see the dragon. I stare at the dragon, from what I can see to my complete shock. It''s beautiful. I expected something ugly and horrid but it is like a shimmering lizard. I had never seen a dragon before this. I expected something more furry and bat or bird-like but a lizard was the last thing I was expecting. I almost forgot I was to be devoured by it.
Suddenly I hear the low boom of his voice. “It''s the middle of the day. I''m trying to sleep!”
The dragon calms down as he talks to the mayor and I’m just captivated by the voice, the beauty and the terror. I can hardly believe something so beautiful and so horrid exists. It’s like something from another world.
The mayor introduces the offerings one by one as I wait my turn. All the while the dragon named Spike seems to be toying with the mayor enjoying the fear he causes. It’s hypnotizing his power and how he uses it. My heart sinks and rises with the mayor. Though the dragon is hard to understand he speaks so casually yet it is clear he looks down on us. My heart beats faster.
Finally the mayor says “We also have a human for you to eat.”
It’s finally my time. I’m going to be killed by that beautiful thing.
“What!?” the dragon says.
The mayor is afraid “Is that not what you wanted?”
“Umm. No, it''s fine."
There it is, it''s fine my life is over though the dragon seems unsure he has no strong qualms about killing me. I begin to cry and scream through the gag. How could I not? It''s the end of my life I’m sure of it. The dragon is silent in the dark.
“Hmm” he finally says
"Are you not satisfied, Spike?" says the mayor
"Put the livestock in the dungeon, leave the girl here, then leave." I say
I try to break free but the guards do as he says. I am taken from the livestock and put in front of Spike the horrific beautiful dragon.
And the other villagers do the rest of his command while the dragon simply looks at me. This is confusing. What is he thinking? I stair and the dragon looks up into the air seemingly thinking.
“I’ll name you Daisy.”
What the fuck does that mean. I’m so confused. Why is he naming me? It''s as if he thinks he owns me. I suppose there isn''t much I can do no matter what I or he wants. I’m stuck as long as I am tied up.
"Oh yea I should." He raises his claw
I scream through the gag one more time. But the slice is not meant to kill, it''s meant to free. Now I’m just confused about what to do now? Obedience seems the best option to keep me safe.
"Isn''t that better Daisy."
“What?" I look at him confused. "My name is Etheda."
"Is it? Well now your name is Daisy."
What is he thinking?
-Spike-
She’s so cute I definitely want to keep her.
-Daisy-
“Please, My name is Etheda.”
“You no longer are free to choose your name, your name is Daisy.” says my new owner. I no longer have a choice. This dragon sees me as lesser and I hate to say it but I am lesser.
“Now put this on” I squint my eyes as he holds a beautiful green dress from his hoard.
I must obey him. I look down and realize that I am exposed because of my scuffle earlier. Embarrassed, I put on the dress.
The dragon looks away politely; he seems to respect me at least that much. What am I in for?