Lady Saura, Slayer of Dragons - Chapter Ten - The Trading Grounds

Whether slaved by dragon or man the torment is the same. You are a pet, property at the mercy of thy master's will and exist to only satisfy his or her's every need.

Lord Galtrak met this to be Princess Luquasia and mine's fate but I had different plans.

We were at the trading grounds. A part of the outlands used for tradings of good and services including people.

Lord Galtrak's men put us in a large cage filled with other woman. All of whom seem to come from lower families. Although they weren't ladies and princess such as Princess Luquasia and I they were no different than us. If I am  to free the princess and myself than these ladies I shall free as well.

It was nightfall and we were to be sold at daybreak. In the cover of night I planed to free us all from this unfortunate fate.

"How do you plan to free us?" asked a woman named Maulra. "Only the guard has a key and the cage is made of solid steel. I doubt you know the first step in rescuing us."

"Mind your tongue," said Princess Luquasia. "Lady Saura is a dragon slayer and earlier
this day she rescued me from a ferocious beast if anyone is to rescue us from these foul men it is Lady Saura.

"Princess you speak nonsense," said a women. "The existence of a woman dragon slayer is fantasy."

"Oh I assure you Lady Saura is a dragon slayer and she will save us all," said the princess. "Tell them Lady Saura. Tell them I speak the truth."

The truth I thought was that Maulra may be right. I was absent of my sword and armor. The cage was solid steel. Freeing us would not be a task of ease. But I dare not tell them that.

"The princess speaks the truth. I may be a lady but I am Saura, slayer of dragons and  I mean to free us all."

"And just how do you plan to do that, Saura, slayer of dragons?" said Maulra."

Maulra asked a good question. If I was to devise a plan to escape the proper time would be now. But it seemed fate had other plans.

The princess slowly approached me and whispered in my ear, "he's here."

I turned to her, confused. "Who's here, princess?"

"Yellow Tail."

Surely the princess's capture by the dragon Yellow Tail had made her delusional. I have not known a dragon to be that persistent in chasing a virgin.

"That can't be true, Princess Luquasia. I assure you Yellow Tail is long gone and set on other things. We have more urgent problems to attend to.

"I know he's here," said the princess. "I can feel it."

"Princess I assure you it is only fear you are feeling."

I spoke to soon. Just as the words left my mouth a loud scream was given in the distance followed by a bright light which I was most certain was a ball of fire.

"What was that?" asked one of the women.

More screams were let out from our captors. Always accompanied by a bright light. Then there was no mistaking it.

A man towards our cage covered in flames. A flame that did not go unrecognized by me. He was covered in the flames of a dragon's breath.

His hands grasped the bars of our cage. He stood inches from my face. Melting. I recognized him instantly it was Lord Galtrak's son.

He looked at me "dragon," he let out. "The dragon is killing everyone." With a blazing hand he handed me a key through the bars and fell dead from Yellow Tails breath.

"Dragon?" asked Maulra. "I don't fear the dragons, I haven't been a virgin for quite sometime nor have most of us."

"I'm pretty sure the men haven't either," said a woman. "But this dragon seems to be killing them all the same."

I could see the flames more clearer now. They were getting closer and the princess grabbed my arm. Illuminated by the moon light I could see him. His large scaly wings, his red eyes and his long golden tail.

"What are you waiting for, dragon slayer? Free us!" yelled Maulra.

I took the key handed to me by Lord Galtrak's son and opened the large cage door. The women burst out to their freedom and I grabbed the princess and followed suit

"Come, princess. We must hurry before he sees us."

"It is not sight that has allowed Yellow Tail to find me, Lady Saura. I fear it is smell. We will never be safe, never."

"We will," I assured her. "All I need to do is slay him."

 "How, Lady Saura? You haven't a sword."

"Than I shall get one."

"From where, Lady Saura?"

"From one of the fallen," I responded.

I reached down and removed a sword from the charred remains of a fallen tribesman.

"Lets go," I said the princess.

As I led Princess Luquasia away from the trading grounds I began to realize that there was no escaping this beast unless I slayed him.

I stopped and looked up towards the sky. Yellow Tail hovered there in mid air. Flapping hiss large wings, his large head turning left and right looking for the princess. He then flared his large reptilian nostrils and it was then that he smelled her and turned towards us. It was then that we locked eyes and he stared at me. If dragons faces can make the expression of human than I'm more than positive his face would convey a message of annoyance at the constant site of me.

Yellow Tail widened his large mouth and let out a large ferocious breath of fire. Then with the force of a strong wind and his eyes locked on mine he flew straight towards me as if falling out of the sky.

Princess Luquasia screamed as I made an attempt to slice him with my sword but the attempt failed. Yellow Tail moved his head slightly to the left and the sword missed his large head by inches but he continued to fly past me and instead wrapped his long golden tail around my waist and carried me toward the sky.

End of Chapter Eleven

Lady Saura, Slayer of Dragons - Chapter Nine - Lord Galtrak the Savage

Lord Galtrak and his men shoved Princess Luquasia and I into a cage attached to a wagon.

I wrapped my arm around the princess as she began to weep.

We were going back to the outlands to be sold and I began to fear that Yellow Tail was lying in wait by the forest.

Lord Galtrak's men had no knowledge of what they were in store for if my fears were true.

"Where are they taking us?" the princess whispered in my ear, as we journeyed through the forest.

"Back to the outlands," I responded.

"They can't, Lady Saura. What about Yellow Tail? He will kill us for sure."

"Fear not, princess. I will keep us safe."

I was unsure if keeping this oath to the princess would be possible. Lord Galtrak and his tribe of savages may be fools but they are still a significant threat to the princess and I. But the fear of a dragon is far more greater than the fear of savages.

"Lord Galtrak, you should know that it is unwise to be in our presence at this moment."

"Why is that, Lady Saura?" asked Lord Galtrak.

"We are in the sights of a vicious dragon. I fear he is waiting for the princess and I at the edge of the forest near the outlands.

"What a tale, Lady Saura. Dragons do not wait for princess. They hunt them.

"She speaks the truth!" screamed the princess. "I admit I lack knowledge in the ways of dragons but this dragon has shown an interest in me and surely if you take us back to the outlands he will kill you and your men."

"Lord Galtrak what are they talking about?" asked one of Lord Galtrak's men.

"You fool," Lord Galtrak responded. "They spin lies. Keep quiet and mind your duties."

In the distance I could see the dead sands of the outlands but between the trees I could not see the presence of Yellow Tail. I began to hope that Yellow Tail was long gone. That he had deiced to move on to find another virgin lady.

We entered the outlands from the forest and began journeying west.

"Where are you going to do with us?" I asked Lord Galtrak.

"I'm going to sell you of course. I doubt I will make much coin from you. A lady dragon slayer leads not much to be desired but the princess will surely make me a large sum. Or maybe I will give her back to her kingdom and fetch the reward for her safe return from the fire islands. That will gain me much coin I'm sure.

"You are a fool, Lord Galtrak."

"And soon my dear, Lady Saura I will be a rich fool.

The heat from the outlands was strong and I could feel myself weaken. The princess fared no better. She began to daze in and out. Keeping her alert was beginning to become to much of a task.

"Stay awake, princess."

"I cannot, Lady Saura. I am so tired"

"Be strong, princess. We will make it through this."

"I'll try, Lady Saura."

"Don't try, princess. Do."

"What of Yellow Tail?" asked Princess Luquasia.

"Will it return to take me again?" asked the princess.

"Fear not,  princess. If Yellow Tail wanted to take you he would have done so by now. The dragon has most likely returned to the fire islands and has forgotten all about you.

"I am thirsty, Lady Saura. I fear I will die of thirst."

"Lord Galtrak," I yelled.

"What is it now, Lady Saura."

"We require water."

"Worry not about water, Lady Saura. When we arrive at the trading grounds you will have more than enough water. We will keep you nice and fed so you can appear well for potential buyers."

"The trading grounds are nearly half a day away the princess will die from the heat before we reach them and your dreams of coin will vanish.

"Stop!" yelled Lord Galtrak.

"What is it, Lord Galtrak?" asked one of Lord Galtrak's men.

'"We must nourish our product for fear they will kill over from the heats of the outlands," Lord Galtrak responded.

As one of Lord Galtrak's men approached the cage in which we were kept I had thoughts toward attacking him, killing Lord Galtrak, his men and their horses and taking Princess Luquasia with me to safety but the flames of the bright sun had weakened me and the pain from my back wound began to return from the cramped space of the cage. I had hopes that the water would return my strength and give me the ability to save us both.

The princess held the goblet over her mouth and drank as much of the water as she could.

"Save some for Lady Saura my dear princess," said Lord Galtrak's man.

He snatched the goblet from the princess and handed it to me.

I drank as much as I could.

Lord Galtrak's man reached for it.

I grabbed him by the wrist and he stared at me with intense eyes a bit of fear hidden in them.

"Let him go!" yelled Lord Galtrak.

He removed his sword and inserted it in between the bars straight towards the Princess Luquasia.

"Let him go or I will slit her precious royal throat."

I held on tight to the man's wrist,  preparing to snap it.

"I just want another drink of water," I said.

"I will slit her throat, Lady Saura."

"As if you care more for your man here than you do coin."

"I care when the man is my son, Lady Saura."
 
I looked towards Lord Galtrak and he truly seemed frightened for the young man. I could also tell he truly met to do the princess harm. I took another sip from the canteen and handed it back to the frightened son of Lord Galtrak. I released his hand and he pull it back towards him quickly. he then looked at his father and slapped me across the face making sure to quickly close the cage right afterwords.

"No more problems from you, Lady Saura," said Lord Galtrak. "Or it will be your throat I will slit."

As the carts moved on towards the trading grounds the princess embraced me tighter.

"I'm scared, Lady Saura," said Princess Luquasia. "I'm trying not to be but I'm really scared."

End of Chapter Nine

Lady Saura, Slayer of Dragons - Chapter Eight - By the River

I awoke laying over the back of my horse. I was unsure how I got there or who was riding my horse. When I turned my head I could see the back of Princess Luquasia.

I opened my mouth to speak but found myself absent of voice.

"Lady Saura. You're awake," said the princess. "Speak not. I will get you some water."

It was then that I looked up to see we were riding along side a river in the forest.

Princess Luquasia stopped the horse alongside the riverbank and steeped down.

I began to climb off Lavros but found it difficult.

"Let me help you down, Lady Saura," the princess said.

The Princess held on to my waist to keep my steady.

I then began to feel dizzy and stumbled back into Princess Luquasia. My back was whole but it felt as if it had been sliced in two by the dragon's talon.

"Sit, Lady Saura," said the princess. She helped me to sit on the forest ground. "I will fetch us some water by the river."

Princess Luquasia removed a water pail from my belt and walked down towards the river.

My back began to seize burning already it was beginning to heal. I removed my armor from my upper body and loosened my shirt. I placed my hand up the back of my shirt and felt for the scar. I winced in pain when I finally reached it. I removed my hand quickly from my wound and stared at the blood on the tip of my finger.

Princess Luquasia returned from the river with a full pain and handed it to me. The princess took sight of my bloody finger and her face twisted in disgust.

"Oh the sight of blood has always frightened my," said the princess. "Worry not, Lady Saura. My father will see to it that your wounds are treated properly."

I took a drink of the water and poured some of it on my fingers to wash the blood away.

"I can not," I said.

"You can not what, Lady Saura?"

"I can not be seen by your father. I can not be known."

"Because you are a lady?"

"Fear not, Lady Saura. Once my father the lord king hears tale of my heroic rescue he will not pay attention to the matter of you being a lady."

"He may not but others surely will."

"Well I know your a lady and I care not. If not for you, Lady Saura I would of surley never been rescued from that Yellow Tailed monster."

I did not share in Princess Luquasia's optimism. I've seen many a female warrior fall victim to the jealousy of men.

"I must clean my wound," I said.

"That is a great thought, Lady Saura," said the princess. "We shall bathe before arriving at my kingdom. Come I will help you."

The princess lifted my arm over her shoulder and led me to the river.

Princess Luquasia and I removed our garments until we were completely bare. We then walked into the river to bathe.

"It has been ages since I have felt water on my skin," said the princess. "This is a welcome change to the heat of the beast's cave. Turn you back toward me Lady Saura. I will help to clean your wound."

I placed my long braid over my shoulder and and turned my back towards the princess.  She stared in shock as she noticed the many scars I have acquired from dragon slaying.

"Lady Saura you have the wounds of a knight," she said.

The princess began to pour water on my back. I could feel it flowing down across my long fresh wound. 

"Lady Saura?"

"Yes, Princess Luquasia," I responded.

"How did you become a dragon slayer?" she asked.

She pulled my braid from over my shoulder and began to unravel it.

"It is a long horrid tale, princess."

"You know my tale, Lady Saura. Tell me yours."

Princess Luquasia was right I did know her tale and so few people knew mine. It would be a great release to be able to tell it.

"Fine Princess Luquasia I will tell you my tale." As the princess began to pour water over my hair I told her my story.

"I was a lady of the House Alcourt. A virgin of fifteen. One day I was playing in the forest. Chasing butterflies with a catcher.  I could hear the screams of a dragon but at such a young age I know not the screams of a dragon and mistook the sound for a rather large bird." The princes began to tie my long hair back into a braid."But it was not a bird it was a dragon of emerald green with golden flecks amongst its many scales. And he used his long tail to capture me. He then took me away from the forest then over the vast dead outlands and to the dark caves of the fire islands."

"Were you rescued?" she asked.

"Of course, Princess. By a dragon slayer of the name Rothello."

"Was he handsome, Lady Saura?" asked the princess.

"He was," I smiled. "He had a rather large burn from a dragon's breath across his face but it made him appear fierce and exciting. Rothello was in the dragon's cave looking for gold but when he saw me he came to my rescue instead. I fell in love with him instantly and he took my hand in marriage. He taught me the ways of dragon slaying, amongst other things.

"Where is your Rothello now, Lady Saura?" asked the princess. She grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me towards her. A smile on her face.

"He is gone," I said. "Killed many moons ago by a dragon. I dragon I have slayed in my dreams many a night.

"That's horrible, Lady Saura," she said. Her smile fading.

"It was a long time ago," I said with a smile. "Come, Princess. I feel much better now. Let's return to your kingdom."

I held her by her hand and lead her out of the river onto the fresh green grass.

We got dressed and headed back to my horse when something felt different. I turned around looking in every direction.

"What is it, Lady Saura?" asked the princess.

"Well, well, well," said a voice. "If it isn't, Lady Saura, slayer of dragons and a virgin princess."

I recognized the owner of the voice instantly. It was Lord Galtrack, leader of one of the many tribes of the outlands.

He removed himself from behind a tree along with many others of his tribe.

The princess clenched my arm tight.

"I'm afraid we have a problem, Lady Saura. You didn't pay for protection," he said with a sadistic smirk.

End of Chapter Eight

Lady Saura, Slayer of Dragons - Chapter Seven - The Return of Yellow Tail

It was a long effort but I was finally able to get the Princess Luquasia to sleep.

As the princess rested by the fire I began to ponder her story. The princess told it with great conviction and I felt the truth in it. However, the actions she told of Yellow Tail were unusual for a dragon. In all my seasons of dragon slaying I have never heard of a dragon slaying their virgins to make room for only one. Although I did find it strange to find only the princess in the company Yellow Tail. Dragons with the power and size of Yellow Tail are know for keeping many virgins and pieces of gold in their caves. And a dragon with the reputation of Yellow Tail would surely have many virgins and pieces of gold.

I soon convinced myself that her tale was born out of delusion, bought on by being captured instead of truth. I chose to trust in my years of dragon slaying instead of Princess Luquasia's tale. That was of course until I heard the powerful flaps of a dragon's wings.

Surely it was the sound of another dragon I thought. On his way to one of the many kingdoms to capture a virgin lady. Or perhaps to obtain a some gold. Surely the tale of Princess Luquasia can not be of truth I hoped. But the tale was true and before my eyes I saw the great body of Yellow Tail eclipse the moon. His Yellow Tail bringing light to the darkness. My blade still protruding from his belly.

As Yellow Tail approached with rapid speed Princess Luquasia awoken from her sleep.

"No!" she screamed. "It's coming for me, Lady Saura. It's coming for me."

Absent from my blade I dared not stay to battle the dragon. I grabbed the princess by the wrist and led her to my noble steed, Lavros. We climbed on top of him and with one crack of the reigns we rode as quickly as we can with Yellow Tail still approaching us.

I rode Lavros as fast I could unsure if he could handle the speed. Yellow Tail began to scream as he flapped massive just above us. He began to stretch out his long talons, reaching for the princess.

"It's going to get me," said the princess. "Please don't let it get me."

It was then a thought occurred to me.

"Reach for my blade," I yelled.

"I can't see your sword, Lady Saura."

"It's in Yellow Tail," I responded.

"What? I can't, Lady Saura. I can't."

"You have to, Princess Luquasia. Yellow Tail will kill us both if you don't."

I took no pleasure in scaring the princess but with out her assistance this rescue would have been a short one.

Yellow Tail screamed as the princess reached for my blade lodged in the dragon's belly. I held on tight to my reigns as the princess held tight on to me.

"I can't Saura. I can't reach it!" she screamed.

Yellow Tail was growing more enraged. His efforts to grab the Princess Luquasia from my horse proved to be a challenge for him.

"You must, princess," I said. "You must are the dragon will take you again."

The princess reached and I watched as her fingers lightly grazed the hilt of my sword. She reached farther spreading her arm out as far as she could. Then she grabbed the handle of the sword and with one quick pull she removed it from the belly of Yellow Tail.

We screamed in excitement as Yellow Tail roared in pain and used his ferocious wings to thrust himself further into the air.

In the distance I could see the mighty trees of the forest where the outlands ended. I knew that if I could just get under those trees It would make it difficult for Yellow Tail to get around them enough to recapture the princess. Despite his persistence of her surely he would know it wise to give up.

I looked towards the sky anticipating the return of Yellow Tail but the sky was blank o his presence. It seemed Yellow Tail had finally had enough. Then as of out of thin air Yellow Tail flew at rapid speed out of the sky and clawed me across the back as we entered the forest.

I began to grow dizzy as I watched the dragon scream in frustration at his inability to fit in between the tall trees of the forest to finish his pursuit of us.

It was then that everything went black.

End of Chapter Seven

Lady Saura, Slayer of Dragons - Chapter Six - The Tale of Princess Luquasia

The Princess Luquasia and I had been riding all day when night began to fall over the sky. We began to feel tired and it was on two occasions that the Princess Luquasia almost fell of Lavros due to exhaustion.  I decided we were at a safe distance from the fire islands. Far enough to set camp for the night before our days ride to Princess Luquasia's kingdom of Landwall.

As the princess lay asleep I started a fire to keep us warm and fed my horse some corn and water. While doing this I realized it must have been ages since the princess ate and drink and I decided it was important to wake the princess up for fear she would die in her sleep of starvation.

I shook her shoulder gently as not to startle her even more and held a hand full of corn out for her. She took to my hand quickly consuming the small pile of corn straight from my palm. I had to pull the water away from her soon after, for fear she would drank it all to quell her dry thirst.

"Who are you?" the princess asked.

She began to once again devour as much food as she could.

"Easy," I said. "This food must last us a days ride.

"Who are you?" she asked again.

"I am Lady Saura, slayer of dragons."

"A dragon slayer. But you are a lady."

"Of this, I'm well aware."

"I find it hard to fathom that my father would purchase the services of a lady dragon slayer."

"As far as you father knows, princess he still hasn't."

"The dragon is dead then? You slayed it?"

"No. I'm afraid not."

"No. I saw you sword pierce it's belly. Surly you are mistaken, Lady Saura."

"I'm afraid it takes more than a sword in the belly to slay a dragon," I responded.

That's when I realized I made a grave error after rescuing the princess from the clutches of Yellow Tail. I forgot to retrieve my sword from the dragon's belly. The absence of the sword will make us vulnerable to the elements of The outlands. But I dared not tell the Princess Luquasia this.

The Princess Luquasia rose from the ground. "Then surly he it will come after me again. That vile beast will take me again." She began to pace the desert sands back and forth, lost in a panic.

"Fear not, Princess Luquasia. The dragon, Yellow Tail, will not come this far into the outlands for an escaped virgin princess. He will most likely move on and search the lands for other virgin ladies to capture.

"No," she said. "You don't understand. This Yellow Tail as you call him is obsessed with me. It will never let me go."

She began to walk towards Lavros.

"Come!" she yelled. "Come, lady dragon slayer. We must ride to my kingdom before the dragon approaches.

I could understand not Princess Luquasia's sudden panic. In all my years of dragon slaying I have yet to hear of one who showed affection for a specific virgin lady or piece of gold. I was positive the Princess Luquasia was mistaken in her fright.

I ran to the princess and held her arm before she could mount Lavros.

"Calm yourself, Princess Luquasia. Dragons do not become obsessed."

"You understand not, Lady Saura."

Princess Luquasia calmed herself. She once again sat upon the desert floor. It was then that she began her horrid tale, tears gently flowing down her rosy cheeks.

"There were many of them when I arrived at it's cave."

"Many of what?" I asked.

"Virgins, Lady Saura. Many of them. And it... killed them all. That bright Yellow Tail, covered in blood. I thought for sure I was to be slayed next. But it didn't. It left me alone when it was done slaughtering them. Then it devoured their bodies. It licked its cave floor clean of their blood. It kept me there. And every once in a while it would rise up to smell me. It would place it's nose directly in front of me and inhale. Those instances seemed to last forever. It seemed to wanted me and only me. We must go, Lady Saura. We must go before the dragon me again."

End of Chapter Seven