Old Prompt (from November 30, 2022):
"You are kidnapped by a knight who demands your assistance in slaying the city’s most dangerous dragon. To save your kingdom, you must learn how to breath fire and best the dragon." {credit to 500 Writing Prompts on Written Word Media}
My Story: Josephine Seodern, Dragon Slayer
"I want to make sure I understand you." I chuckled. "The purpose of my kidnapping is to defeat the dragon that slayed your kingdom?"
The knight sighed as he added more wood to the fire. "I don't find this situation humorous, but I'm glad you do."
"You have to admit, this does seem a little hair-brained." I shifted in the ropes that kept my hands bound behind my back. "And are the ropes absolutely necessary? We're miles from the palace. You could easily track me down if I tried to flee now."
"I suppose." He grunted as he rose to cut my bindings.
"Ah." I rubbed my wrists. "Much better."
"Which part of my plans seems so hair-brained?" The knight adjusted the meat that was sizzling over the fire.
"That you think a princess will be able to slay a dragon. My father would've cut off my hand had I ever tried to wield a weapon. What am I to do? Charm it with my beauty?" I couldn't stop the laugh bubbling up in my throat.
This time the knight chuckled as well. "You don't know the story."
I furrowed my brows. "What story?"
The knight stood and took the meat off the spit. He pulled two plates that were undoubtedly gifted to him by the king of his former kingdom for numerous years of service. After dividing the meat, he handed me a plate and returned to his seat across from me.
He must've traveled quite a ways to capture me. His leather armor was stained with mud. Despite the insufficiency of it, he had a small patch of chainmail that covered his torso and head with a tunic sporting a royal blue shade and the crest of Alasmier on the chest over the chainmail. The tunic was ripped in various places as well.
Even as we ate, he watched all sides of us. He had specifically chosen a spot where he could sit with his back against a tree to not allow sneak attacks. There were various daggers stashed around his waist likely along with other places around his person. This knight was one with plenty of years of service. My best guess was at least twenty years based on the gray starting to show in his beard and hair.
"How did the royal families come to be across the Immortal Realm?" The knight asked.
"They were the most powerful families in the territories. To stop warring against one another, they drew up a treaty to maintain peace and foster community." Though I slept through as many lessons as I could, this was said so often that I couldn't help but memorize it.
"That's only partially correct." The knight chewed a piece of meat. "All of the royal families came to power through special abilities that were passed from parent to child. When they came to the realization that warring was only hurting their people, they chose peace. This meant consulting a sorceress to make the abilities dormant within the royal children to not allow one to grow strong again. The use of said powers in a non-emergent situation would result in the dissolution of the accords and peace would not be recognized in that kingdom any longer."
"What you're saying is that each of the kingdoms became kingdoms because of special abilities that they no longer possess?" I asked.
"No, the abilities are lying dormant. With the right stimulus, we can reawaken the abilities within you," the knight said.
"You stole me from my kingdom to awaken these abilities? Why didn't you come to my father and ask for his assistance? My family is not evil. They would have helped you." I couldn't believe this man's logic. Intelligence was supposed to be an asset in the knighthood.
"It wasn't that simple. You see, a few of the royal families felt that their abilities were too powerful and wished to forget about them. Seodel, your kingdom, was one of them. Your father would've had me captured on the spot and hanged for heresy," the knight explained.
"And you decided being jailed and hanged for taking me prisoner was a better idea?" I asked.
"No, I was hoping we would be able to reawaken these abilities within you and you could convince your father to not have me killed." The knight flicked the grease from the meat into the fire. "I am going to rinse these plates and get water for the horse."
"I'll be here when you return. I wish to help if I am able." I handed him my empty plate.
After a few minutes, he returned. He flipped open his pack and slid the plates into it. In their place, he retrieved a scroll of paper.
"Our kingdom's healer gave this to me to protect as his dying wish." The knight unraveled the scroll. "This is what will awaken your powers."
"Hold on. If I am going to let you train me, I need to know your name," I said.
"They called me Sir Berinon, the Loyal." The knight took a deep breath. "So, I suppose that makes me just Berinon."
I walked over and placed my hand on his shoulder. "If we succeed in reawakening my abilities, I will personally see to it that you are reinstated into Seodel's knighthood."
"Thank you." Berinon smiled.
"What do we need to do?" I took a seat beside him.
"The healer had this vial enclosed in the scroll," Berinon said, holding up a vial of bright blue liquid.
"Do you know what it is?" I asked.
"Well, I can assume that it is the activation salve that is mentioned in this scroll. Someone who is of royal blood needs to take only a small sip of the salve to reawaken their abilities. From there it's some training to get you familiarized with your new-found abilities." Berinon shrugged.
I took the vial and analyzed it. "Sounds easy enough to me."
The liquid in the vial tasted like burnt toast. I swallowed my mouthful and handed it back to him. "How will we know it worked?"
"The scroll says it takes a few hours to work. How do you feel?" Berinon asked.
"Tired," I said. "It's not every day a young woman gets kidnapped from her palace by a knight she's never met before."
"You go ahead and rest. I'll keep watch." He pulled his sword onto his lap.
I was asleep in a matter of minutes. However, it was not long before I bolted awake. Not because there had been a loud noise or because Berinon had awoken me. I just sat upright.
"What is it, Josephine?" Berinon asked.
"I'm not sure." I looked at my hands. "I feel peculiar."
Berinon pulled out the scroll again. "It says here that the royals of Seodel will feel warmth. When it's time to use their abilities, the heat will radiate from the base of their spine throughout their bodies."
"I would say I feel warm." I continued to analyze my arms. "I almost feel as though my blood is buzzing, like bees."
"Great heavens!" Berinon averted his gaze from me.
"What?" I asked, panic filling my body.
"You're glowing." He turned back to me. "And your eyes have gone yellow."
"How do I use my powers?" I asked.
"Hold your hands in front of you and flex your muscles as if you are trying to push your bones from your body," Berinon read.
I took a deep breath before placing my shaky hands out in front of my body. I curled my fingers and flexed all of my arm muscles as Berinon had suggested. Warmth flowed into my arms. When I turned my head back to my hands, jets of fire were shooting out of them. I relaxed my hands and it stopped.
"I think that will do it." Berinon smiled from ear to ear.
*****
As we rode on his noble white steed toward the ruins of Alasmier, I felt my uncertainty grow. I wanted to help him, but I had only been training for a few days under the guidance of someone who hadn't been properly trained to train me. What was it my father had always said? Tis' nobler to die for others than to die for yourself.
"What happened to the royals of Alasmier?" I asked. "I knew Catherine. She was a friend."
"They were captured by the dragon. He is a wise one. He knows other people will try to save them," Berinon said.
"I will save them. The Alassian family are kind people. They don't deserve this fate." I furrowed my brows. "I'm going to kill this dragon or die trying."
"Good. Because we're here." Berinon said.
The city was still ablaze. Most of the palace was still standing, but a large black dragon had coiled its way around the castle. Smoke curled out of its nostrils as it seemed to sleep peacefully.
"We walk from here. Gives us a better chance of surprising it." Berinon hopped off his horse and offered me a hand.
We snaked our way through the city of Alasmier trying our best to hide behind the burning rubble. As we neared the castle, I realized how large the dragon truly was. This was no ordinary dragon. A great dragon has laid siege on Alasmier. He was the size of at least a normal dragon and a half.
"Berinon, the Loyal," the dragon said as we approached. "I thought maybe you had abandoned your namesake. And who is this you have with you? A young maiden? A snack just for me?"
I stepped forward. "I am Josephine Seodern, and I am here to defeat you."
The dragon chuckled and started to uncoil himself from the castle. "A measly girl cannot—"
Before he could finish his sentence, I attacked. I threw my arms out in front of me and contracted my muscles. Flames erupted from my hands and scorched the dragon's throat. He groaned in pain as he writhed away from me.
"How did you reawaken the fire spirit?" The dragon narrowed his eyes.
"I had a little help from a friend." I threw more fire at his face.
"You insolent child! I will—"
Sucking in the deepest breath possible, I began spitting fire at the dragon's face. I threw my hands behind me and started shooting fire at the ground. Amazed that it helped me levitate, I lost my concentration. The dragon swatted me out of the sky.
In a quick thought, I propelled myself back at the dragon. I shouted and more fire spewed from my mouth. Despite his best attempt to block me, I struck him in the face. Since I had been distracting him, Berinon climbed up into the castle. He had a sword hoisted over his head and leaped from the second-floor window.
With his neck already scorched from my first attack, Berinon cut through it with ease. We killed a great dragon. I lowered myself back to the ground. No one was going to believe me. With the dagger Berinon had gifted me, I sliced a scale off the dragon. It was easily as tall as me but as light as my toddler little brother. I folded it up to keep in my bag.
"Josie!" Catherine screamed from a third-floor window. Her face was covered in soot with a few lines where tears had streaked down her cheeks. Her clothes were singed and she had a few wounds, but she was safe.
"Katie!" I raced up the hill to meet her. We embraced at the foot of the castle door. "I'm so relieved you're safe."
"When you announced yourself to the dragon, I wasn't sure what was going to happen." She pulled away from me. "We saw the whole thing. You're a hero. Father is talking about calling a meeting of the royals to discuss awakening all the primal spirits to keep the Immortal Realm protected."
"I just wanted to save you. The Alassian family wasn't going to die if I could stop it. You've been a great help to the Seodel Kingdom." I gave her a side hug.
"And you fancy my brother." Katie giggled.
I smacked her arm. "I told you that in confidence, and I expect it to remain there," I said through grit teeth.
"You know, this might be worthy of uniting the kingdoms." Katie elbowed me in the ribs.
"Right now, all I care about is finding a bed." I yawned. "We can worry about arranged marriages tomorrow."
Katie laughed as we walked arm-in-arm to the castle for the night.
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