Time escaped Sofia as she gazed upon the glistening mountain of treasure before her. It was as if she was caught under a spell, making it almost impossible to look away.
She was lost in a reverie of make-believe, where women in layered dresses of silk and linen strode down arched hallways with cobble stone floors and stained-glass windows. They gossiped and giggled, paying no mind to the extraordinarily expensive relics displayed along the walls as they strolled by.
It was a true fantasy, and one Sofia thought about often while working on her father’s land with her brothers. How she yearned for just a single day in a noble’s castle, just to know what it was like. The gardens, the chandeliers, the balconies, the dresses, the jewels—she wanted to see it all for herself.
But now, amassed before her, was a bounty of the very items she’d coveted in her imagination, taken from the looming towers of wealthy towns and stored here in this damp cave dwelling.
She giggled. Seeing a pile like this in such a place brought a dry smile to her face. Vast riches are kept in such a forsaken space, likely never to see the light of day again.
As she stood, the glimmer of an obscure object caught her attention. She took a step and squinted, then moved closer. Its shape took shape as she continued forward until she saw it was a necklace. A thin, silver chain that clasped around a dark, green emerald. It looked as if it were a scale plucked from Rahan’s very hide.
She picked it up and twisted it above her head. Never had she held something so fine. It’s draw was magnetic, as if it were pulling her into its world of refracting green light. She felt herself becoming lost as her mind began to drift again.
Suddenly, falling water materialized over the giant bolder behind her.
She quickly latched the sterling chain around her neck and secured it beneath her blouse. She then clamped her hands around her ears as the torrent of water resumed. The grotto’s wide, conical walls intensified the water’s roaring boom as it collided with the pool outside.
Moments later, the ceiling shook as steps from Rahan pounded overhead. She ran to a nearby crag and hunched behind it. As she did, a limp and mangled carcass was thrust through the waterfall and into the chamber. It rolled until finally stopping on a bank of stone and sand. Slowly, Sofia peeked to see Rahan’s shadowy silhouette shrinking behind the wall of water until his head finally pierced its veil.
Mists curled around his neck as his eyes searched the ground. After a short pause, his front legs emerged with each step followed by a soft rattle from the pile beside Sofia. He shook the water from his body and then heaved hot flames onto the dead sheep.
An aroma filled the area, causing Sofia’s stomach to growl. Aside from the faint scent of charred wool, the smell reminded her of lamb chops prepared for evening supper. Another growl, and she pressed down on her abdomen.
The dragon did not so much as perk an ear. Instead, he tore a leg free from his catch and tossed it toward the rocky buttress.
She peeked again, only to see Rahan’s glowing eyes staring right back at her. With a squeak, she fell back into cover, only to see Rahan’s eyes still watching from the reflection of a bronze serving tray to her right. She was rather tired of cowering in the dark, and it seemed she wasn’t very good at it. With a dry swallow, she stood and walked to the discarded slab of meat.
“Is this for me?” she muttered. Rahan turned his head and began feeding. It seemed the dragon was sharing and she felt it unwise to reject his gift. After running to grab the serving tray along with a shiny steel dagger, she returned to the lamb’s leg. Tendrils of smoke swirled as she clumsily maneuvered the dagger around the meat. She eventually found a good area to slice, cutting away the scorched flesh to reveal a beautifully cooked portion of lamb shank. She dug in, not realizing how hungry she’d become.
“What were those nasty things? Will they come back?” she said as she chewed.
Rahan swallowed and looked over at the girl with a hint of confusion. Sofia stood and made her body look as if it were a worm.
“Those big monsters.” She pointed to the ceiling. “Will — they — come — back — to — eat — us?”
Rahan’s head cocked to the side, still watching as Sofia completed her odd worm dance.
“Never mind,” she groaned. “They were evil, gross things, and you scared ’em pretty good.” Her voice echoed off the walls and a silence drew out for a moment. “Thank you, erm, for saving me back there. I thought it was going to…” Rahan tilted his head again, this time the opposite way, then blinked and resumed eating.
“I think you are a good beasty. I’ve heard my brothers talk about you. They called you Ra-han. Is that what you like to be called?”
The wyvern paused. He knew this name. It was the name the humans had given him from many moons past. He heard it shouted from fleeing townsfolk as he pillaged their towers for golden treasures.
He nodded and Sofia stood abruptly, pointing her dagger.
“Okay, then. You are Rahan and I am Sofia, and we are going to be friends. How does that sound?” Without knowing it, the emerald amulet fell out from her blouse and bounced on her collar.
Rahan’s eyes tightened, realizing one of his treasure pieces hung around the little human’s neck. But this was no ordinary trinket. This was an item he knew to be very powerful, and very dangerous.
His lips twisted into a snarl, exposing sharp teeth and bits of lamb flesh. Sofia grabbed the amulet on her chest and fell back into the rocks.
“I just thought it was pretty, I’ll give it back!”
But it was far too late for that.
To Be Continued…