Continued from Part 2
Through Dirk's very good directions I found the dragon
easily. He was in a large cage along the road to the castle; indeed, not far
from it. He was several feet higher than Agren, and the dark blue of midnight
on a moonless night, with his underside the color of a hazy midafternoon summer
sky. There was only one guard, who sat dozing on the ground a short distance
away. The dragon ignored me as I stood and watched him for a moment. Then I stepped
up to the cage and spoke.
"Greetings,
great one. What are you called?"
His
massive head swung around to face me and he regarded me closely. "I can feel
that you can be trusted. My name is Sirocco."
His
voice was wonderful. It was like the wind sighing through the grasses in a
meadow on a day when the sun is obscured by clouds.
I
dipped my chin toward my chest, then moved my head outward and up--the
traditional dragon greeting. "Well met, Sirocco. My name is Gwynnethe. I
have come to help you."
He
regarded me with surprise. "Well met indeed, Gwynnethe Dragon~Friend. What
is your plan to help me?"
"Sirocco,
I need you to tell me everything. When I've heard your story, I will go to the
queen and try to make her understand."
"But
in order to do that, you would be risking your life for me. Why would you do
such a thing?"
"I
would do this not only to save your life, but the life of one who is dear to
me. I believe you had a good reason to kill Wallace, and if I can convince the
queen of this, perhaps I can also convince her to take back the law which will
claim the life of my dragon."
Sirocco
sighed and gazed off into the distance. "Very well, I will tell you. Wallace
was involved in a plot to kill the king and queen. Several months ago, I
overheard him and a few other men discussing their plans. The very day I killed
him, he was on the way to put the plan into action. By the end of the day both
king and queen would have been dead by poisoning. And who would have been next
in line for the throne? Wallace!"
I
stared, horrified. "Wait a moment! You said that there were a few men involved in this. Are the king
and queen really safe?"
His
head swung to face me and he looked me in the eye. "I frightened them by
killing Wallace. They knew that if the queen listened to me, they were as good
as dead. She was in shock, so it was easy for them to convince her that I had
been holding a grudge against Wallace for a long time and had lost control of
myself. I doubt that now they would even think of murdering those who have just
promoted them. So you see, Gwynnethe, you are getting yourself involved in some
very large problems. I will not blame you if you do not wish to go through with
your plan."
I
straightened my shoulders and stood tall. "I would not think of backing
out. I will go on with it, and if I fail, at least I know that I tried. And if
something happens to me..." For a moment I faltered. "...if something
happens to me, then too, I will know that I tried to save those I love."
We
talked for a while longer and I told him all about Agren; then, since it was
starting to get late, I headed home.
---
The next morning I dumped out
the haversack that Mother had packed for me. I hoped that there was a change of
clothes, for I could not appear before the queen in my travel-stained garments.
Within that haversack was more than I could even have hoped for. Mother had not
only provided me with a clean shirt and pants, but also a skirt, comb, and hair
ribbon. I washed as best I could at the basin in my room, then slipped into my
clothes and started on the task of putting my hair in order. In a little while
I was on the road to the castle.
The
castle was built upon a low hill, which raised it above the other buildings and
gave its residents a clear view of the surrounding country. Two guards stood
one on either side of the massive gates. When I reached them, the guard on the
left stepped forward.
"What
is your business here?" he asked stiffly.
"I
would like an audience with the queen," I stated firmly, despite the
nervousness which fluttered in my chest.
"Follow
me."
He
opened one of the gates and waited for me to go in before he himself stepped
inside and shut the gate. We were in an enormous courtyard. We crossed it
quickly and were admitted into the castle building itself by another guard who
opened one of two gigantic doors. We now stood inside a long, high ceilinged entrance hall. Off to the
left a set of wide stone stairs curved upward through the ceiling. A guard
stood at the bottom, and it was with him that the gate guard left me before
hurrying up the stairs. In a moment he returned.
"The
queen has granted you an audience. Follow me."
Elation
rose within me, suffocating the nervousness. Perhaps this would not be so
difficult after all! I had figured that one of the most difficult elements in
my plan would be getting the chance to speak with the queen; and I was going to
see her the first time I tried. I quickly tamped down my overconfidence. It was
one thing to gain an audience with a queen, it was another entirely to convince
a royal personage that she was wrong.
I
was shown up the stairs, down a long hall, and through an immense door. As I
stepped inside I found myself standing in a large hexagonal room. The walls
were bookcases which stretched from the carpeted floor to the domed ceiling and
were filled with books, scrolls, and maps and dotted here and there with
statues. The wall across from the door was a window made up of two long panes
which were swung outward to let in the breeze. The windows led out onto a balcony,
from which the observer could watch the ever changing sea. In the middle of the
room stood a desk, and behind the desk stood a woman.
It
took me a moment to realize that this was the queen, for she did not look like
one. She wore a plain green dress with dark green sleeves. Her light brown hair
was pulled back from her face and wound into a large flat bun on the back of
her head. She wore a circlet of green and dark green ribbons on her head, the
ends of which hung down her back. Her brown eyes were neither friendly nor
cold. The only signs of her station were a large gold signet ring and a gold
belt studded with many large perfect opals. She had a distinguished quality
about her.
I
gave a deep curtsy. She nodded her head in acknowledgement, and sinking
gracefully down into her chair, motioned me to sit in the one on this side of
the desk. As soon as I sat down, she spoke.
"Tell
me why you have come to see me," she ordered. Her voice held the same
quality as the one which seemed to emanate from her.
I
drew in a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "Your Majesty, I have
come here on behalf of someone. I have spoken to Sirocco, and he has told me
his whole story. Forgive me if I seem forward, but I would like to tell it to
you, Your Majesty, if I may."
I
saw her go rigid. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded, as though she could
not speak.
I
told her the story from beginning to end. Several times I thought I saw a look
of astonishment cross her face before she could regain her control. When I had
finished, she rose from her chair and paced agitatedly to the window.
"If
you will talk to Sirocco, you will find that what I have said is true," I
insisted.
I studied her back closely for any sign of her
reaction, and observed that her dress had a short train. When at last she
spoke, her voice was strained, and she did not turn to face me.
"You
may go."
I
rose to my feet and made my way to the door, then followed the soldier out of
the castle. I made my way toward Sirocco's cage; he deserved to know what had
happened.
"Perhaps
something you said will change her mind," he said after he had heard my
story.
"But
we're running out of time! The execution is in two days."
"I
know. Listen to me, Gwynnethe. If the queen decides to go through with the
execution, take Agren and go home. You said that you live by the mountains. It
is on this side of those mountains that the kingdom ends. If Agren lives up in
the mountains, she should be safe, and close to you."
I
reached out and laid my hand on his nose.
---
The next day
passed slowly. I tried to distract myself by wandering the city and pretending
that I was a grand lady with all the money in the world. I went into almost
every shop. The only thing I actually bought was a small vegetable pie to eat
for lunch. As the afternoon began to fade into evening, I went to see Sirocco.
He
sat in his cage, and when he lifted his head to look at me, I saw that all the
hope had gone from his eyes.
"I
don't think she is going to change her mind, Gwynnethe."
I hung my head. "I'm so sorry. I
should've done more. Surely there was something else I could have done. I
didn't try hard enough..."
"Gwynn!"
he interrupted me. "You did all you could, and I am grateful. I ask only
one thing: keep Agren safe."
"I
promise you, I will do everything I can to keep her safe."
"Thank
you. It does me good to know that at least one of our race will live on. And
now, Gwynnethe Dragon~Friend, I believe it is time to say farewell. I thank you
for all that you have done for me, but most of all for your friendship. It has
eased these difficult days. Farewell, my young friend." So saying, he
bowed to me, the highest honor a dragon can bestow.
I
returned the bow, tears in my eyes. "Farewell, Sirocco. I shall never
forget you. I shall make sure that you live on in legend so that everyone may
hear of the great Sirocco."
I
saw a small smile hover about his lips. "If you are going to be writing a
story, Gwynn, be sure to write yourself into it. The story would not be
complete without an account of your courage."
I
returned the smile. "I'll do that."
...to be continued
Read the previous parts here:
To Save a Dragon is an original short story by me, Rebecca Kletzing. I
hope you enjoy reading it. Please do not copy or use any part of this
story without my permission.
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