Boy and the Dragon 4
Judith was only aware of the monsters at first, until she noted the men with weapons. One of the men had arrived he had a long sword and ordered William away from her. He had golden hair and red eyes. He looked at her darkly and like he would kill her. She roared. An arrow landed close to her, spared from an injury only by the fact that she’d moved her head as she roared loudly.
She turned in the direction from where the arrow had come from to see an empty bow held by a pink haired, blue eyed man with a fierce glare. She reared back, ignoring the other armed men as her mind flashed back to the monster that had cursed her and her beloved Mama. These people weren’t to be trusted, no matter what William said. The monster had come back to kill her, and this time it was disguised as a man. She felt scared so she grabbed her friend and took off. Her wings beat hard as she avoided the next arrow and she flew all the way to the cave that had been her home.
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He stood there, staring at the crystal ball that had just moments ago been occupied by the Emperor’s face. It seemed as though time froze as he uttered those words. ‘Traces of Penelope’ kept circling around his mind. When the crystal ball dropped, it was as though time had begun to tick again and he took a badly needed breath.
“Reynold! Derrick!” He screamed out, calling for his sons. Within seconds, they’d sprinted into his tent, eyes searching him worriedly.
“What is it?” Reynold asked, eyes alert as he gripped his sword.
“Father!” Derrick said as he braced him, helping him sit on his chair when he stumbled.
He glanced at them, not even half a year had passed since the memorial and now…
He wanted to beat the hope in his heart. “The Emperor has called, commanding that we gather up men to search the south mountain where a cave’s entrance could be found behind a waterfall. And call for Marquis Verdandi as well.”
“Why?” Derrick asked. Both of his sons frowned. His relationship with his friend’s son had definitely been strained in the last few years ever since Ivonne and Penelope… ever since… no, there was too much that had happened. And even if he had in a way brought Ivonne home, it had brought about a different calamity. Now, all he had was confirmation that Ivonne was dead, her body destroyed after the Laila’s defeat in order to ensure no traces remained. There was no body for him to bury. Not for either or his daughters.
“Is it because of the dragon?” Reynold followed up the question.
That brought him back to what they’d been searching for since the dragon took the Porter boy. And even if the child had been retrieved, the threat of a dragon’s attack was still looming over head. They would need to be cautious.
He shook his head. “The Emperor said that he found traces of Penelope in the cave.”
“Traces of… are you sure he’s not lying?” Derrick asked sharply.
He glared at his son. “The Emperor wouldn’t bring her up if he wasn’t sure of what he had found. You should know that the Emperor would never, ever, lie when it comes to her.”
“That’s true.” Derrick conceded.
Reynold looked at them both, expression dark. “Father, we’re looking for a dragon and suddenly traces of Penelope have been found in a cave within the mountains. Is there any possibility that the dragon did something to her?”
That… he’d been trying not to get his hopes up but had been slowly and steadily failing until Reynold all but crushed them with his words. “Bring me my sword and have all the men arm up and ready to move in half an hour’s time. Divine beast or no, if that dragon did something to Penelope, I’ll end it myself.”
His sons left him alone as they began preparations, outside his tent, he could hear the frenzy as the soldiers hastily began their preparations. He’d waved Pennel away and told him to don his own armour.
Winter arrived in his own armour. He looked put together.
“You called for me, Your Grace?” He asked politely.
He nodded. “How do you kill a dragon?”
“Pardon?”
“Kill a dragon.”
“I would assume either through beheading it or gutting it before you cut out its heart.”
He looked at the Marquis grimly. “Can you subdue a dragon long enough for me to kill one?”
“Are you asking me to…” Winter trailed off.
“His Majesty said traces were found in a cave close to where they’d been tracking the dragon. If it killed her, I’d take its own life as payment.”
“I see.” Winter was quiet for a moment. “I’ll gather the rest of the mages.”
He watched the Marquis walk out of tent.
Right on the dot, half an hour later, at least a hundred men rode off into the night.
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Callisto stared around the cavern they’d found themselves in. The smaller chamber that Judith was in was mostly taken up by her huge bulk. He could see some stones that had looked to have come from the opening. He suspected the entrance would’ve been easy to enter as a woman and small child, even when she’d first transformed into a dragon all those years ago. But as she grew, Judith must have forced herself through the hole, carving through it with sheer will and claws just to get to her mother.
He tried to imagine what Judith had looked like as a human. He wondered how much she would’ve looked like Penelope underneath his colouring and his heart broke further, shattering what little was left of it. He thought about Penelope often, about what their life would have been like by now. How many children they’d have, if they’d have any daughters. In the dark of the night, he’d dream about a daughter of theirs, one that took after Penelope and who was just so utterly precious.
He felt sick to his stomach as he remembered that he had pointed his sword at her in the forest. He hadn’t known but that didn’t matter. He deserved all the hatred she’d give him for not only threatening her but failing to protect her all these years. For leaving her alone.
Judith turned to him, staring at him for a moment before she turned her head away to look at her mother again, ignoring everyone. William Porter continued to talk to her while he craned his neck to look at her, to catch her eye or to see the statue that had been what had remained of Penelope’s…
Suddenly, Judith’s head raised again and she growled low and threatening as the sounds of footsteps approached. Just as he’d been about to head off the men, they burst into the cavern.
There was a commotion as about a dozen armed men entered led by the Duke of Eckhart and his sons. Marquis Verdandi was there as well, his eyes scanned the cavern with a frown. He heard William Porter’s feet land on the ground.
“Wait, everyone! Put down your weapons!” He said frantically as the sounds of something large moving had echoed throughout the cavern. Nobody listened.
Judith curled her lips showing the sharp teeth of a dragon, as she continued to growl. She looked at William Porter and he took a step back.
“I didn’t betray you, Goldie!” He protested.
But it seemed Judith had made up her mind. She flicked her tail on the wall and a gust of wind swept them away. Their weapons landed in a surprisingly neat heap to one side. The pathway shifting in front of their eyes.
The Duke let out a frustrated grunt as he searched for his sword. “Dammit!” He cursed. “We could’ve ended the dragon there.”
“End the…” He repeated the words slowly. “Duke Eckhart! Why are you talking about killing the dragon?” Voice edging towards dark cruelty.
The Duke looked at him in confusion. “Didn’t the dragon do something to Penelope? The traces of her inside a dragon’s lair, what else could it be?”
He flinched.
“As I’ve said, omitting the most important detail wasn’t wise.” Cedric said matter of factly.
“The most important detail?” The duke parroted back.
Callisto bowed his head. “When Penelope ran away, she wasn’t alone, not exactly at least. She was pregnant.”
He let that sink in.
“Then is that dragon…” The duke asked in shock.
“How is that even possible? Did she lay an egg?” Reynold Eckhart asked in bewilderment, running his mouth.
“No!” Callisto growled. “The Laila found them at their home not too far from here. The demon chased them into the cave and forced Penelope to watch as she turned our daughter into a dragon before forcing Judith to watch as her mother died a few moments later.”
The corridor was deathly silent. The Laila had been dead for years.
“What… what did the Laila do to her?” Derrick Eckhart asked in a whisper.
“The demon turned the Lady into a statue.” William Porter said solemnly. “Goldie loves her mother a lot and stays here to protect her, she brings hot coals or magic stones to keep her warm if she doesn’t wrap around her. She’s been all alone for so long, the only one she used to come see is her old nanny. And now me.”
He noticed that the Marquis had yet to look up, shame written all over his body.
When the Marquis finally spoke up, it was quiet and weak. “Can you tell me more about the curse?” He asked.
“Goldie, I mean Princess Judith’s form as a dragon grows bigger as time goes on, and she used to be able to transform back into a human every once in awhile but since the curse keeps getting stronger, those are getting fewer.” Young William explained. “She loses more of herself every time she changes back, and she’s been stuck mentally and physically as a five year old girl.”
Then William turned to the Duke, unleashing those devastating green eyes that Marianne Porter claims had seduced her into having all those children. “Goldie’s been so lonely and scared this whole time. She just wanted to play with me. We need to break the curse so that she won’t be alone anymore and so that she can meet you properly, Your Grace. Don’t you want to meet your granddaughter?”
He floundered for a bit, his mouth opening and closing before the words granddaughter seemed to truly sink in. “I… yes, of course.” Then he straightened his back and turned to his sons. “Issue the orders, we find our way back into that cavern but nobody strikes my granddaughter. Throw away your weapons when you see her.”
“How lovely.” He drawled, already quite irked that he’d been thrown so far away from his daughter and would now have to find his way back. “Now how do you suppose we’re going to find her if we’re all just sitting here?”
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As they walked through the tunnels, they soon met up with the rest of the men and found themselves outside the cave. Sir Porter’s son began to complain. “Why did you have to scare her? Now it’s going to be so hard to find her. Goldie can also have a temper.”
“William! Don’t talk to the Duke like that.” Sir Porter scolded the child.
“I’m sorry your grace.” William said, apologizing to him.
He smiled at the boy. “It’s alright. Perhaps you can tell me about my granddaughter while we walk.”
“Hmm… I don’t really know much about her. I think she likes fish or maybe that’s only because that’s what I’ve been bringing her. She made me eat the raw fish once as a sign of our friendship. I know she used to like drawing when she was with her mother. And I think she would draw every time she returned to being human. There were a lot of drawings near her mother. I… I think she would draw her and her mother doing the things they used to do and show them to her and talk to her.”
His eyes watered as the boy kept talking. His heart crushed at the idea of his poor granddaughter suffering such a lonely and isolated life.
The boy bowed his head. “The one who would know the most is their old maid, Nana. But she wasn’t at the entrance when we got there earlier.”
“The one in a brown dress?” Reynold asked.
“Yes.”
“Maybe she ran away? We can find her later if we need to.”
“Goldie trusts her.”
Ah. Well then, he could see how that would be helpful right now. The Emperor was quiet as he walked ahead of them, but even in the dark tunnels, he could see that the Emperor’s hands were clenched tightly, white knuckled and near enough to drawing blood.
Young Master Porter ran to catch up to his father, the moment he did, the tunnels shifted and they were separated. There were shouts of dismay but it seemed they were committed to this path. And then all of them heard it, what sounded like howls but were truly the cries of a cursed little girl.
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Callisto walked forward, determined to find his daughter. He had listened to William speak and imagined a little girl with his hair and eyes drawing pictures in the dim light and showing it to Penelope, to the unresponsive statue that her mother had become and begging her mother to talk to her, crying her eyes out in despair just as she’d been doing. Just as she was currently doing.
“Marquis, can you break through this magic?” He demanded.
The man stopped walking, visibly pained at the realization of what was causing the sound. “A moment please, your majesty.”
It took nearly three minutes of agonizing wait as they endured the echoes of her cries.
The air around them grew thick before something shattered and a path was opened up. “Hurry.” The Marquis urged as he panted.
They all crossed the gap before it closed once more.
They were now back into a more familiar path and were soon with Judith again. Only this time, the servant was there, stroking the head of the dragon in front of her in comfort.
When Judith saw them, she pushed the nanny behind her before she growled at them but didn’t attack because William Porter ran to her, arm thrown around her, or, well, he tried to hug her. Callisto immediately dropped his sword and so did Cedric. The Marquis dropped both his sword and his staff.
“Can you study the curse from here?” He asked, his eyes still on Judith, staring sadly at his daughter.
The Marquis was quiet. “From what I can see, the curse is held together by the Laila’s malice. There is a key to it, but we may need a third person, someone outside of the curse but still integral to it. At least, that’s what I can guess.”
“A guess?” He asked incredulous. “My daughter’s possible salvation lies in a guess?”
“Your Majesty, I’ve only been able to inspect the curse from a far and only for a handful of minutes. Please forgive me for not having an adequate answer but I truly do not know the types of magic that demon used.” The Marquis said sincerely apologetic yet calm.
From the side, the servant and William were talking to Judith before they turned to him.
“Your Majesty, I apologize but may I request you come closer to us and hold out one hand.”
“Why?” He asked even as he complied.
The servant was calming Judith who looked weary at his approaching form. “He’s not going to hurt you.” William said. “I promise you. Your father just wants to meet you and take care of you. You’re safe now and you don’t have to be alone anymore. This is His Majesty and he’ll make sure you’re always going to be happy from now on.”
The little hand that guided it to her nose was strong and steady. Judith sniffed for a few moments before she stared at him fully. Callisto didn’t dare look away, couldn’t, wouldn’t from his daughter. Ever.
The two who had been with Judith began to retreat, leaving them alone together.
“Judith, I’m sorry.” He apologized. “I’m sorry you’ve been alone. I’m sorry I didn’t know about you. That I didn’t find you sooner. You must have been so scared and lonely, sweetheart. My baby girl.” He moved to stroke her head the way the servant had done. “I’m here now, and I’m never leaving you alone again, even if I have to stay here for the rest of my life. Your father will stay by your side for however long I live, and even beyond that.” He said.
She bent her head before she turned and ushered him on into the room she’d been guarding.
And there she was, his first real look of Penelope in over a decade. What he’d known, what he’d seen through the small shadowed gap that Judy’s body hadn’t covered didn’t prepare him for the feeling of utter grief that came when he saw her.
There, in the middle of the glowing magic stones that their daughter had gathered to keep her mother warm was Penelope. Gone was her beautiful and vibrant colouring. Her body was twisted away, one hand raised and the other seemed to have been in the position one would have when clutching a child to their chest. She’d been trying to shield their daughter from the Laila it seemed. Penelope’s face was frozen in an expression of desperation, fear, and despair. And it would forever be so.
He collapsed. A wail of anguish tearing through his throat unconsciously as he stared at what remained of the woman he loved, encased in stone and forever frozen in a moment of terror and utter desperation.
He could imagine, from what he’d seen at the house, what he’d learned from the healer and the old woman, and what he’d heard of his daughter’s pain, just how much they’ve suffered over the last few years. How much his weakness had cost them.
He wanted to walk over there, wanted to reach out and cup Penelope’s cheek but he was afraid. It wouldn’t feel like her. It wouldn’t smell like her. It would be stone. Judith stood behind him. Cautious still around him. He could see the fear in his young daughter’s draconic eyes as she stared at him.
Penelope had laboured hard to bring her into his world, to try to protect her as she raised their daughter in love; for how else could Judith have been raised if she was so devoted to her mother? And in the end, she had fled here. The protective spells going up fully only when it was too late to save them from the demon’s attack.
Callisto whimpered, his thoughts tormenting him. By all accounts, before the Laila found them, they were happy. He remembered the home filled with toys and clothes. Handmade perhaps by Penelope. Her room had been filled with projects, sewing and weaving, patterns for clothing for their child. Stuck to the walls were childish drawings of Penelope and Judy, and the crude writings underneath that said ‘Mama and me.’
He didn’t even mind that he hadn’t been part of that life. His failure was proof that he didn’t deserve them. What pained him was the destruction of his child’s happy life. Her childhood and innocence, the life cut short by the demon’s malice as Penelope was cursed eternally.
If he had been stronger… if he had fought harder… if he was able to find them before the Laila… If… if… so many what if’s that would never be.
Judith whimpered behind him and she ushered him on, forced him closer and closer to her mother. She curled her body around it, laying her head on the arm that must have once held her before Laila froze Penelope and ripped Judith from her arms.
How could he save their daughter? For surely that was the only thing Penelope would care for. How could he bring them both to the light of day? But he knew… even if he wasn’t able to save Judith, he’d give up the throne and stay in this dark cave to keep her company so she’d never be alone, just as he’d promised her just moments prior. And if he died by her hand when she eventually lost herself… wasn’t that what he deserved for his failure?
He gathered his thoughts and looked at his daughter. “Please let me be a part of your life, let me take care of you.” He begged his daughter as he held out his hand again, close but not touching her face. Judith stared at him before she made her decision and reached her head forward so that he could touch her again. “Thank you sweetheart.” He said as he brought his head to hers.
There was something he felt compelled to say, something he knew needed to be said just in case. “Your mother doesn’t hate you, she never could. And she wouldn’t blame you for this. You were a child, helpless and weak. It shouldn’t have been up to you to try and save yourselves. And such a guilt and burden should never have been in your heart.” He began. Judith’s head swung up and she stared at him again, her full attention was there and it seemed as though she’d stopped breathing. It seems he was right. In a way, he and Judith were the same in taking the blame on to themselves. “It wasn’t your fault, it was the Laila’s and mine. I failed to protect her and you because I was weak and foolish. I was too weak to throw off the demon’s thrall, to foolish and scared of love that I drew up a boundary on your mother and never admitted what I felt for her until it was too late, never told her that I loved her, and that caused an opening by which the demon was able to ensnare me. I hurt her and drove her away, I drove you both away. And it led to all of this.”
Unbeknownst to the two of them, the magic stones changed colour, from the orange of a flame to something golden. The change was subtle at first but as he continued to speak, it became more noticeable, brighter. But the two were lost in their own world as Callisto spoke to his child.
“Until I met your mother, I lived my life with no regrets. But then she entered my life and it seemed that all my regrets began to pile on to one another, all the mistakes and missteps seemed to all be about her, and now you. Because neither of you deserved this. And I’ll tell you this now so that I don’t regret it later. I love you Judith, you’ve only ever been a dream to me, one that I’d long despaired I’d never have. And I’d take you in any form, human or dragon because you’re my precious daughter. The child of the woman I love, even now. And I’m so happy to meet you, and so incredibly proud of how brave and strong you’ve been to endure this on your own, even if you shouldn’t have had to. I’m here now, and here I’ll stay by your side, now matter where we live.”
Then he put his arms around Penelope and Judith both, noticing what must’ve been water leaking in from the cave’s ceiling trailing down Penelope’s face as though they were truly tears. “I love you both, Judith and Penelope.”
And then golden light blinded him.
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She’d been locked in one position for so long, aware of her surroundings, able to see, hear, smell, everything but unable to move or speak. Constantly awake, her magic fighting to free itself, reaching out to Judith. She was forced to hear and see her daughter’s sorrows, unable to comfort her even as she screamed in her mind that she could hear her, even when she wished to hold her daughter and tell her that she wasn’t alone, that she was loved and that she didn’t blame her.
Everyday when Judith went out for food, she worried and she despaired, alone in the dark and the cold. Judith would curl up around her at night or leave the stones to warm her, to give her what little comfort she could. She wept inside, her heart dying a little everyday, especially when Judith returned to human and talked to her, begged her, crying as she showed the latest drawing.
The only comfort she could have was Nana who took care of Judith even in that form, who never shied away or feared her. Who visited and told tales of the outside as though they were still in that little house they all shared.
And then one day they arrived. And suddenly she had hope, because Callisto was here and he knew about Judith and he wanted to take care of her. And yes, yes. Take Judith far away from here. Break her curse and bring her into the light. Please Callisto. Please save our daughter, forget about me, leave me here.
But he was there and he was saying everything she wished to tell Judith, saying everything she’d wanted so desperately to hear once upon a time. Something she’d given up on. His love.
She didn’t know it, but tears had begun to leak from her eyes as the curse began to break.
And soon, the entire chamber was bathed in a golden glow and she felt truly warm. She gasped audibly as a weight fell on her, familiar and comforting, her daughter’s weight. She adjusted her arms quickly even as her knees buckled and arms that had once held her so tenderly caught her and held her with all the care and wonder she felt at being human again.
“Judith, mama is so sorry she took so long. I love you so much.” She said before the world fell dark and she fell into a deep sleep for the first time in years. Her magic and mind exhausted, her spirit battered but willing to fight, her body healthy just as it had been when the curse was placed on her but riddled with dark magic that was being gradually expelled.
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“What’s happening?” Sir Porter demanded as they noticed the change.
“It’s working.” Winter said as he watched breathless.
“What is?” The servant asked.
Winter glanced at her kindly. “The curse is breaking. The Emperor was the third party that was needed to break it. Unrelated to the curse but related to the two who were cursed. After all, what would touch the heart of an orphaned child and the scorned lover than those of the man who’d unwittingly broken three hearts? The Laila had a wicked humour. And an even more wicked heart that had long ago lost the capacity and knowledge of any sort of love, even filial. Releasing her people became nothing more than a mission and a way for her to gain more power and revenge. And even if she knew love, it would twisted and corrupted.”
“Did you know it would happen?” William asked.
“I guessed.”
“How?”
“Love is a truly terrifying and powerful thing, capable of causing so much miracles and destruction by those who wield it.”
They covered their eyes and when the light had died down. The Emperor was holding Lady Penelope who was speaking weakly to her human daughter before the Lady passed out. The Emperor took off his cloak and threw it around the two, particularly his daughter who had returned to her true form without a stitch of clothing.
The Emperor stood, their daughter still clinging to her mother as the Emperor walked with all three of them. The Princess was laying her head on her mother’s chest, over her heart and counting her breaths and heartbeats.
“Nana!” She said happily.
“My little lady!” The servant said just as happily.
Winter frowned. “Ahh, I guess the curse didn’t break fully. She still has wings.”
The servant laughed. “Oh she was born with wings and magic.”
They all paused and looked at the little princess who was happily cuddling her mother. Now that the curse was over, it seemed the magic was fading with the perceived danger over. It was a quick exit where they met up with the men who’d come to search for the dragon princess who was now currently asleep, as was young William Porter who was now being carried by his father.
“What?” The Duke gasped. “Penelope?” He stared at the lady in awe.
The Emperor shook his head. “Marquis, can you take us to the camp? I want to get them checked over as soon as I can.”
“Of course, now that we’re out of the cave we can do it without any interruptions. But I’ll only be able to take the three of you.”
“Do it.”
Nobody protested because they all seemed to understand the Emperor’s urgency.
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Callisto stared at the two sleeping in his bed. He remembered when he felt the shift. Suddenly Penelope wasn’t inflexible stone but was soft and pliant, stumbling into him, hair ticking his nose. And the scales he’d held was gone, only soft hair and small hands remained. He knew even before the light died down that the curse was broken. He’d thought maybe he’d be able to give Penelope a proper burial but it wasn’t necessary. Penelope was alive.
And now here she was, sleeping off the after effects of the curse. There would be no telling just what the curse had done to her because on the outside she looked healthy but it was possible that it would be a long time before she would be up and about. And Judith would need a lot of care as she readjusted to being human again.
But none of that mattered, his love was here, as well as their daughter and he would take care of them no matter what.
That’s it for part 4. If there’s some disconnect or errors between @saneijeijei and I’s chapters, I apologize. We write what we want for fun and we try to coordinate but there’s bound to be some differences or errors. Anyway, Jei, it’s your turn again. I got to write my angst and I’m happy.
Also, side note but remember, Judith doesn’t know about the Eckhart or nobility. And she saw the Laila who was using Ivonne’s body, and Ivonne looks like Reynold so things may get a bit dicey. If you want to read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3 you can read it here. Stay healthy and safe folks!
