To the Hand of Clawed Fingers

[Gypsy]

So i have changed sites and with that have changed the name of my story. Because i felt like actually having a COOL novel name XD

anyways im going to be going threw and pasting all the chapter on here instead of the links, which is nicer anyways.
who wants to have to go to ANOTHER site to read my work anyways?
i probably wouldnt even want to!
sept for the amazing singerboy i dont know if anyone else has either.
So lets start over!! WOOHOO!!

enjoy:)

Gypsy

[Gypsy]

Just Another Unbelievable Story

Ive always been one of those girls. You know, the ones that always seem to find themselves in trouble no matter what they do? Yeah, I'm the klutz who falls UP the stairs and trips into the person who hates her most. The one who seems to say the wrong things at the worst times. And never seems to catch quiet what people mean when they try to be discreet. Yup, thats me.


So when my parents told me at thirteen that I was to get married at age sixteen, I just didn't catch the fact that they weren't joking and that my life would become one of those quizilla stories I always laughed at. As I said, I'm one of those girls that seem to find themselves in trouble no matter what they do. Let me just tell you my story, and maybe you will laugh at it just as I did to everyone else's.

[Gypsy]

Welcome to the Bad Beginning

“Cathy I don't think you understand, my parents wont even let me get my own car!! Or a job, or even let me get to know friends enough that I could do something wrong with them. Do you NOT understand how badly this summer is going to suck?!?” I took a breath but as she opened her mouth I started again without giving her time to even get a word out.

“No of course you don't. You work at hot topic and have a boyfriend that is one of the, you know I say this as a best friend, HOTTEST guys most girls have ever laid their eyes upon.” I sighed and winked at her, letting her know that my rant about her was nothing bad.

“Then why don't you find a job on your own? You know that I would drive you there, hey! You could even work at hot topic if you wanted to! I heard that Stace got fired. Wouldn't that be great? We could work together and everything.” I rolled my eyes but smiled. She had been saying this ever since she had started the job, and I knew that if she actually tried, her cute, huge brown eyes and tiny little frame would have any guy saying yes. But as everyone else knew, I could never go against my parents. It had just been programed into me, that life would be hell if I didn't have my parents support to hold me.
“Hey Cath I have to get home, my parents said they were planning some sort of dinner tonight, I'm guessing its for my birthday or something. I'll catch you later okay?”

“yeah sure, but hey call me later, and happy sweet sixteen darlin'!” She laughed and gave me a hug and I got out of her car and headed in towards my house. It didn't take very long, my legs seemed to have the stride of a giraffe, something I wasn't quiet proud of. My brown hair ruffled around my waist as it always did, getting in my way when I least wanted it to. But mother would never let me cut it off, saying that if I did my silver eyes would look squinty for how small they were and that I would look like a blind person. I had my hands in my trip pants pocket and was looking down at my avenged sevenfold t-shirt when I looked up to see that my house door was already open for me. Raising an eyebrow I looked inside to see no one standing there. I knew that the family had rigged the door to open by itself when my parents pushed a button, but it was only installed when my parents hands were full and they didn't feel like messing with the knob. Odd that it had opened for me.

I suddenly had an anxious feeling, the one that starts in your stomach and moves to your chest, making it feel tight and like you were missing something right in front of you. Shrugging it off I stepped inside to see my parents sitting at the dining room table. When I walked in they both looked up, a waiting expression on their faces.
“What do you want? Me to start dancing? Stop staring at me!” I said annoyed at the weird feeling I was getting from my families unusual behavior.
“Dear have you started packing yet?” I gave her a blank stare. When she didn't say anything I sat down, finally noting the seriousness. (finally)
“What do you mean start packing, are we staying somewhere to celebrate my birthday or something?” I wasn't sure what was going on but all I knew was that it couldn't be good. I didn't really want to find out.
“No dear. Do you remember when you were thirteen, that cute boy you met when we were in Ireland?”

I could remember the trip vaguely, I had just turned thirteen and unlike most of the people my age I was actually bonding with my family instead of fighting with them and getting myself into trouble. It was all a blur to me now really, what we did, but I did remember meeting a nice family in a tavern outside of the town we were staying at. But I couldn't remember the boy at all.

“Not really mom, what the hell does that have to do with anything anyways?”
They both gave me a sideways look before looking at each other, seeming to have a private conversation between their eyes. I hated when they did that, but it was almost normal by now since they had been doing it for so long. So I rolled my eyes and stomped my foot giving them a hard stare.

“If you have something to say you might as well say it now before I just walk away from this silent conversation.” I said this and started to walk away but not before they said the one thing that stopped me dead in my tacks.
“Get packed, in about two days the Genesin Family will be here, and two more days after that you are leaving us to be married off.” The room had grown stone cold after her words had sunk in. Had I heard what I thought I heard? No that couldn't be it. No, no, no. I was turning sixteen, thats not even close to the age that people get married!! Don't normal people pick who they want to marry? And don't arranged marriages happen when they are around eighteen??? I stared at them not understanding at all when my father suddenly stood up quickly walking towards me.

“Jen! Shes about to have a panic attack, quick, grab the stretcher!” I could hear his words like a small cup had been put over my ears. Everything was sounding muffled and it was getting harder and harder to breath. Was I somehow flying in a higher altitude? I cant breath, am I going to die? All of these thoughts were zooming through my head when I suddenly had an amazing realization.

If I died, I wouldn't have to find out if they were joking or not.

That was the last thing I remembered.

[Gypsy]

Waking Up to a Bad Dream

The light was shining straight in my eyes when I tried to open them, just to close ]them again. All I knew was that I felt numb all over and I wasn't sure how long I had been laying down on my bed. From the ache in my muscles it must have been at least a full day. I moaned and rolled over only to feel a burning hand on my forehead. I hissed slightly and pulled back, making my head feel like it was about to swivel off, along suddenly with my stomach. I moaned again and leaned over the bed trying to heave the nausea away. Nothing came out. I mentally sighed, it must be because I HAVE been in bed for longer than a day, I probably haven't eaten anything. Why am I laying down anyways? Where am I? Slowly the questions started to bouble and along with the questions my memory slowly started to form back into shape. Remembering my conversation with my family and why I was suddenly laying down I gasped and sat straight up, eyes wide, uncaring to the pain I had just caused myself.

Looking around I saw exactly what I was afraid of. A boy of about eighteen sitting in a chair staring at me as if he was concentrating immensely. I stared at him shocked before looking down at myself. I was paler then ever, I could see my hair knotted so bad I was afraid id have to seriously cut it all off now, along with just my band t-shirt on that came only to right about mid-thigh. With a squeal I pulled the lowered covers over myself looking at the boy as I felt the heat creeping up my neck to my cheeks. It seemed to have got his attention because at the sound of my squeak he came back to earth and smirked, amused by my reaction to his presence.
“Ah so your awake now, thats wonderful, I was afraid we were going to be behind schedule, and that wouldn't be good.” I gave him a death glare not really understanding anything but truthfully not caring.
This boy thinks he can saunter into my room and start blaming me he had another thing coming.

“And what the hell is your problem bud! Thinking you can just hang out in my room while I'm obviously out! Your probably the reason I'm not wearing any pants aren't you? Pervert! Get the fuck out of my room and the fuck out of my house. NOW, before I get out of this bed and beat that smirk off your goddamn mouth!” I said grabbing my rainbow knife out from under my pillow and hiding it behind my back. “I'm not going to tell you again.”
He looked at me stunned for a second before shaking his head with a cruel frown of disbelief.

“Did you just talk to me in that manner you little wench?! You are so below me that I could have your brains for supper if that were allowed!” He started to walk towards me with a pissed off look on his face. But my anger out-did his and I felt nothing but more hatred. He thinks he could get mad at me for saying what I wanted in my own house, my own room for goodness sake, then he deserves what he's about to get!

“You little worthless wench cant do anything to match my strength or speed. So I hope you like pain.” with that statement he was beside my bed with his hand raised, seeming as if he was going to hit me. But I neither flinched nor moved at the obvious threat. Instead I pulled out my knife and switched it open at the same time I stabbed him right in between the ribs into his lungs. At the same moment his hand came down at such a speed it seemed surreal but not fast enough before I caught it and twisted it around to his back, pinning him to me, knife still hanging from his chest.

He let out a roar like sound, that after all this actually sent scared shivers down my back as he spoke words I didn't quiet understand. But in seconds everyone in my house was standing at the door in utter shock.
“Don't just stand there you idiots! Get this god damn bitch off of me!” He said struggling against my hold that was unbreakable. I should know, I've won so many fights and stopped many more with this holding technique. Quickly my parents ran over to pull(well more like coax) me off of him while who I guessed was his family were pulling out my prized possession from his chest and helping him to the bathroom. Watching as he left I scowled as I saw all the blood he was dripping onto my floor. That would probably NEVER come out. At least they could have pulled out the knife AFTER leaving my room, and thinking of that, they still had my knife! I had half a mind to go after them and make them return it at once but the glimpse of my parents huddling right out of my peripheral visual made me turn on them instead.

“What the HELL was that boy doing in my room and who is he and what the hell made him think he had to the right to treat me in such a matter in my own goddamn room! And if you guys don't start talking OUTSIDE of your minds right now and answer my questions I am going to run my katana straight through you without a second thought!” When I get angry I don't care what I say and who I say it to, which in more than one case has gotten me into a load of trouble. This time it was my father's turn to become an unhealthy tomato color and start moving towards me. My mother on the other hand was use to my sudden angry outburst (as she was also prone to them) and put a hand on my fathers arm, once again seeming to talk to him through their eyes. Man, that was really starting to bug the hell out of me.

“Darling, Vanessa, that was the boy you met while we were in Ireland, do you remember him now? This is the boy you are going to be getting married to.” She said this with a slight pause, waiting for my explosive response I'm sure. But it didn't come. I couldn't feel anything but shock and confusion. Did she really mean it? What about my schooling and my friends, did they really expect me to just move away?

I looked over to the corner they were standing in front of to see all of my blue and black stripped luggage bags behind them, filled to the brim. I was stunned.


I guess they did.

[Gypsy]

Try and Catch Me!

I looked out the window as it all swirled past me in the morning mist. No, I'm not on my way to my supposed new family's house as you might think. There was no way I was going to even consider such a thing. My parents were crazy. So I did what any sensible person my age would do if they new the code to their parents debit card and were totally loaded. ATM and about 1,000$ should be more than enough money to get me to wherever I needed to go. Yeah yeah I was running away, but it wasn't like I was going down the street to my friends house to “try and hide” from my parents. Pfft, I know that never worked so why bother? Not knowing where to go, all I knew for sure was that with cash I could go anywhere, and by train seemed like the most unlikely way to be found. I mean really, who my age takes TRAINS anymore? Exactly. With a sigh I looked at the luggage my family had ever so kindly packed for me ahead of time, not knowing it would end up not where they expected it to go. My phone was sticking out of it but was turned off, since right now I was sure that it wouldn't have stopped ringing and the GPS would be turned on to track me. Well that just wasn't going to happen. Nope, nuh uh, their not catching me that's for sure!

The ticket man came around and gave me a grave look, seeming to look me over to see if I was one of those hooligans and if he should kick me off. I gave him a stern look and handed him my ticket. I wasn't going to be watched all day by this man, no need to make any more suspicious-ness for my disappearance. He wasn't the only one watching me I noticed, a lady in her mid-forties was staring at me holding 2 screaming children in her lap. I looked back at her but when she didn't blink she started to give me the creeps. I was starting to realize why no one ever took trains anymore. Maybe I should have gone by bus or something. Oh well I was here now and we were shoving off (since its not quiet taking off if your not on a plane). Not that I knew where it was heading but at least that was a good thing. If I didn't know, I was certain no one else would know either.

Woopie for me!! Haha, how much more sarcasm could be dripping from that?
The sound of the train itself was overwhelmingly loud, so to pass the time I popped in my headphones and turned my MP3 player up as loud as it was go. Avenged Sevenfold's “little piece of heaven” started playing and for awhile I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in the grotesque love song.

I was sure I most of dozed off as my head slumped forward and jolted me awake to a dead music player. Great. The windows were to dark to see out of by now, as it seems night was at its peek. Probably about midnight or so. Rawr, and now I was awake with nothing to do. (Yes I did say rawr don't judge me. :]) That was when I felt it. As if someone had poured lukewarm water down my spine and was tingling my every nerve. You know that feeling when an ant is climbing on you and you just notice the feeling before finding out what it is? Yeah well think of that EVERYWHERE and you now understand what I'm going through. I stood up quickly and started to pace around, waking up every few minutes one of the children that had fallen asleep in the ladies arms across from me. It started to get on my nerves that when I walked it was making my body jump as if having a seizure. The thought frightened me and a small panic attack started to take over. At that moment the ticket man came barreling down the isle giving me a sidelong look. What was with everyone giving me that look lately? . “Hey miss if your trying to cause problems...” shaking my head feverishly I made and involuntary jerking jump.

“I'm not doing,....this on purpose. If I could just.....get some fresh air. I'm sure I would....BE fine!” I tried to say calmly but every other word was interrupted by a weird movement. Looking me over the man led me to the end of the car, opening a door and holding it open for me. Smiling at him I jerked slightly and walked out, him right behind me. He was the only one that had the key to get back in after all.

The night sky was starless besides the golden moon that hung low in the sky. The ticket man next to me seemed to think it chilly for he kept giving the door backward glances, but I could tell he was a good heart and didn't want to take me back in there jumping like I was. My jumping hadn't gotten any better, in fact it was starting to get worse. I couldn't keep my legs still and I could feel my body tugging on me to jump off the train and head towards the moon. I held onto the railing to keep myself from moving when I saw something out to the distance, but I couldn't be sure for my body was making it had to focus. The ticket man next to me seemed to be antsy himself but I could tell that it was only because he wanted to go inside. I tried to give him a reassuring look when I saw something on the horizon out of the corner of my eye.

A large black figure I took as a plane was heading towards the train through the sky. I turned away from the man and tried to see farther when I noticed that it wasn't a plane and that it really WAS heading towards us. The man next to me didn't seem to see and was looking back at the door as if contemplating if he was going to make me go back inside. At the moment it didn't seem like half a bad idea. I tried to speak to him but my body was still pulling and itching to move off the train and towards the thing that was in the sky.

It was a large figure, something I was sure I would only have seen in my dreams. Leather like wings spread out 3 times larger then the body, tail swinging behind it, directing it right towards where we were. My eyes widened as I saw that it was indeed heading this way, and tried to tell the man to run and open the door. The beast was right on top of us and the itching in my body has suddenly halted, and at the same moment I heard the man being picked up off the railing without any warning, and slashed across the throat without so much as a gurgle.

But that didn't stop me.

Screaming at the top of my lungs I closed my eyes and felt strong talons start to dig into my sides. And then the free falling feeling in my stomach. I didn't have to open my eyes to know that I was off the ground, but as it swooped down quickly I felt a spray of mist in my face and ended up looking anyways.

Have I mentioned lately that I have a fear of heights? Yeah well I do and the sight I saw was one out of my deepest nightmares. I saw that it was a CLOUD we have flown threw,which made me realize I was off the ground, and it was nowhere to be seen. I looked up quickly to try and take my mind off the fact that I was in one of my greatest nightmares and had just enough time to look up and see what would make me, for the second time in the last two days, faint with a small shriek in the arms of a dragon.

[Gypsy]

You've Got to Be Kidding Me

I woke up to the wind blowing in my face. I could feel the wind burn on it even before I opened my eyes. I didn't even have to look to know that I was still in the air, that dropping feeling still sat in the middle of my stomach. How come I couldn't just wake up in some fancy bedroom like any other girl who got taken by a mythical creature? For some reason the fact that I WAS taken away by some mythical creature didn't seem to bother me, odd. I really must be screwed up in the head. No, what WAS bothering me was the horrible ache around my torso and thighs in which I was being grabbed around. I sighed and tried to wiggle around to get into a sitting position but the great beast just snorted(wow it had a sense of humor) and held on a little snugger. Well this thing was going to get annoying alright.

With a sigh a opened my eyes and looked up and around me. All was a bright gold color with a slight chill as it was the morning. The sun had just risen and from the sight of it, I was not in my own country anymore. Well I guess I could take this as a good thing, right? At least I wouldn't have to marry that horrible boy my parents were trying to ship me off to. The thought that I had actually gotten away from them for good gave me a satisfied feeling in my stomach that overcame the feeling of dread I was sure I should be feeling right now, being in the clutches of an evil mythical beast that at any moment could send me tumbling to my death...... I gave a gulp as my mind suddenly realized that it could do EXACLTY that, and that I had a sudden fear of heights.( I'm sure I've mentioned this to everyone already) Dry heaves started to escape my lips before my stomach realized that it has had nothing in it for the last 3 days now and finally gave up trying. The only thing that didn't start bringing on the screaming again was the ever tightening feeling of the sharp talons wrapped around my stomach and upper chest. It seemed to notice my uneasy feeling and squirming and moved its talons so quickly around that I hardly had time to notice I had moved before I was trapped in a sitting position(like you would be if you were on a roller coaster). I gave a sigh of relief. Well at least this wasn't as scary, I could look outwards instead of looking straight down at the ground.

Just beyond the horizon I could see a small line of darkness. Had I been on a large boat, and not a prisoner in the sky where the wind made it hard enough to breath, I would have screamed Land Ho! But as it was I estimated that it would at least take us a few hours to make it to the coast.
Well, anyone who has ridden in the clutches of a Dragon would tell you that it only took a few minutes to half an hour to get to a destination that would normally take way to long. But as I've told you about me before, I seem to have the worst of luck, and didn't realize this, and so had no time to think of what my plan would be if I ever got out of this monster's hands. So as I waited and wasn't looking at the land that was slowly coming into view I wandered what I had done wrong to deserve this seemingly horrible fate. I mean, many would make me a millionaire just to SEE what I was going through(though the ticket man I'm sure would say other wise) but I never would have really cared to ever see one if this is what I knew what would happen. A vampire, yeah sure, learn some moves, maybe be turned, have an amazing night(if you know what I mean*wink wink*), but a dragon? Come on! Princesses are the only ones that are taken away and NOT killed in these sort of situations. And I might come from a wealthy family, but even with that I was nowhere near royalty. Nothing comes from becoming a dragon's “guest” other than becoming a measly lunch. I might have no place to go but that definitely is not a reason to be treated in such a manner.

While I was brooding I heard the sound of movement from below me that sounded nothing like the water I was expecting to hear for a while longer. Taking a daring look down I noticed small carts moved by ox and farms down below me. When had we gotten so far inland without me noticing? Trying to look behind me I noticed that the waves were far off, along with most of the population among this place. Where was I? Looking at the rolling hills and taverns that were flying below me at an alarming pace, I could only assume I was at the one place I had hoped to run away from forever. Ireland, the place my parents tried to ship me off to. Where a horrible fiancée figure was surely now waiting for me. A place that I believed that I had no place being. Hmm, you would think I would be more hysterical about this whole realization.....

How come life seemed to put me back right where I was trying to stay away from the most?

Yeah, have I mentioned my horrible luck?

[Gypsy]

You Want Me to What?

We were far beyond most civilization now, and I was sure that my body was going to fall to pieces from being squeezed so hard by this evil beast. I glared daggers at it from where I was seated in its clutches. For the last two hours we had been having a small 'Who Can Annoy the Other More' Game. Well, seeing as I couldn't do as much as I wanted to, it was winning. You know, the way it acts I'm starting to think its a male, so I'm going to call it a he, not that he was ever going to notice because I wasn't going to talk to him. Anyways, back to the game, first it started with him tightening his grip on me every time I would try to move just a little bit, and get comfy. Well I thought that kinda rude, and, well, decided I would get him back my tapping my fingers along his claw which he couldn't stand and would end up moving me(just like I wanted hehe). Yeah, he eventually figured that out and decided he didn't like me moving so much, and decided his claw needed a break. And Dropped Me. He freaking dropped me, right into the air, catching me just gently enough that he wouldn't break my bones. Oh yeah, I was seriously scared out of my wits. And pissed of course. So I decided I would scream at the top of my lungs for as long as I could in the wind. So he decided to do loop de loops. Well that quickly stopped my screaming. I couldn't even scream on roller coaster rides when they went upside down! So I decided I would sing songs about knights who killed the evil dragons and took away the terrified maiden.

Had I known what was coming next, I probably would have done that first.
He talked, right into my head. Flat out started talking to me without opening his mouth. The only bad part was that he was cursing and yelling at me in about seven-hundred different languages. That didn't seem to stop me from my singing, so he decided to threaten to drop me again. Okay, yeah, I wasn't looking forward to that again, so we ended up back to where we are now. Me glaring daggers at this evil creature that was ruining my already crappy life. What else could it possibly do to make me feel even more put out?


“You, girl, climb into my mouth.” He said in my mind, lifting me up to his face. Okay well that could do it.

“I seriously will not do such a stupid thing! You think I'm that retarded you fucktard? Your just going to eat my innards!” I screamed as loud as I could as to be heard over the wind.
He smirked and I was sure that I could have heard a slow rumble in my mind about, “I would be eating your outsides too.” Oh hell no.

“I heard that!! There is no way in HELL that I am climbing into your retched smelling mouth.”
“Then you have suffered for nothing, for the pressure of the mountain we are coming up on, as high as we are going, will surely crush your human body alive.” He said looking me dead serious in the eyes(if I could explain how THAT look was portrayed on the dragon's face.).

I swallowed my lump that had just formed in my mouth. We were indeed climbing up into the air next to a very large mountain that I hadn't even seen in the distance. I could even feel the pressure that he spoke of, but I was not to keen on climbing into a predator's mouth.
Though, being crushed to death wasn't such a hot idea either. Wow, they really meant it when they said life gives you tough choices.

I screamed angrily upwards to the sky. Hadn't I been through enough already? I had been forced into an arranged marriage, been threatened and attacked by a pompous ass in my own room, been through the worst random seizures in my life, only to have caused the death of a humble man and captured by something unreal.

This was NOT fair.

They say karma comes back at you. If you do something bad something equally bad comes back at you five times worse, and vise versa with something good. But I didn't understand why shes was being such a bitch to me in the last 3 days. I had been good to my friends, ignored the enemies I somehow made, and always obeyed my parents to the tee. Well, maybe besides the running away and not getting married part, but was that worth being captured by something that doesn't exist and being tortured the way I was?

I definitely didn't think so....

“Girl, you have five minutes to choose life or death and id pick fast if I were in your place.” The dragon spoke into my mind, making me shudder from the awkwardness of it.
“Do you promise not to eat me? What are the reasons for me to trust you?” I said, trying to quickly reassure myself that I wasn't just committing suicide.
“I would have surely eaten you by now, and I wouldn't have flown all that way to come get you, just to put up with your ill manners all the way here. I don't wish to have done all this for nothing just because you decided to be stubborn and smother yourself to death.” He mind spoke, annoyance easily readable in his tone.
I quickly thought it over before realizing that, I either had to trust him, or die either way. At this point I didn't give a damn which one I chose, it would be better than what would have happened to me if I had stayed at home. So without saying anything else I closed my eyes and nodded my head.

He opened his mouth largely and started to set me into his mouth, wrapping his tongue around me and pushing me against his large teeth where I clung on desperately. As he was about to close his mouth I screamed as loud as I could.

“NO!” I yelled. Making him stop in mid-movement. “Please, don't shut your mouth, I... I have a fear of dark, small places... Please.” I said at barely a whisper, eyes closed tight and hoping to anything out there that he wouldn't put me into darkness.

“But you'll probably pass out as you'll be able to feel the horrible effects the pressure has on humans.” He thought, uneasiness running though out his whole sentence.
“I don't care. I will die of fright anyway, and the will to know if you try to eat me or not will keep me awake, I assure you. I don't usually faint as easily as you have made me.” I said, trying not to giggle at how many times I HAD fainted in the last few days.
A small gruff sound that I took to be a chuckle rolled from the back of his throat like thunder making me smile. A laugh like Thunder. That was kind of nice......
OW! ugh what the hell is this horrible headache, oh right, pressure. I sat in total concentration as the pressure upon my head started to get worse and worse, along with the ability to breath. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it without passing out, let alone speak so I decided I would try something new.

“Dragon?” I thought, trying to concentrate on the feeling I had gotten when he had spoken inside my head. “Dragon, can you hear me? How long before the pressure goes away?” I tried to keep my thoughts centered but it was becoming harder to do with such short breaths.

“Ah, nicely done. And about two minutes your time little girl.” He replied to my thought bubble (or so at the time I had decided to call it).
I took a few more harsh breaths before deciding that a minute had gone past and that at any moment I was going to loose it. So I took as large of a breath as I could and held it, concentrating on counting to myself. One....two....three...don't think about it....four...five....six.....

A minute went by and at that moment I finally decided I would need a breath and would rather faint than hold my breath any longer, I felt the pressure on my head evaporate and I was spit into the outstretched claw of the dragon.

“That wasn't so bad now was it little girl?” He giddily thought. I could practically see the laughter in his red-silver tinted eyes.
I rolled onto my side and gasped for air, and when regaining it stared straight at the dragon with a smirk on my face.

“I'll let you have that victory of being right if you do one thing Dragon.” I said watching as he gave me a questioning look. “Never call me girl again. The names Venessa thank you very much.”

And with that he was unable to hold back the undeniable laughing thunder that sounded through the large cavern he had brought me too.

[Gypsy]

You LIVE here?

When the sound of his thunder had stopped ringing around the cavern and he was walking away from me I finally had time to actually look at where he had taken me too. It was an enormous cavern, but unlike any I had ever seen. It was sparkling from every angle that you looked at it, and as I moved in closer to one of the walls in wonder I noticed that they were actually small facets of diamonds literally embedded into the walls themselves. I stared at them and started to take a look around me more closely. The floors were of a pure black polished rock, which had easily withstood the Dragon's rather hard landing without even a scratch from his claws or weight. I actually did a full 360 degree twirl looking at the magnificent structure that seemed to have been made neither by nature or man. I laughed to myself at that thought. Of course not, it was made my Dragon's, what else? As I became lost in my thoughts a huff suddenly exploded inside my mind, startling me.

“If your all done staring like an idiot at the ceiling id suggest you get over here and sit on my tail before I leave you behind.” I looked up to give him a dirty look only to find him not only facing the other direction but also about halfway across the cavern I had been gawking at.
“Yeah yeah hold your horses will ya?” I said jogging over to where he was waiting for me.
“The horses are already being held in the lower caverns and near the mouth of the valley.” I rolled my eyes at him and decided to just cross my arms and tapping my toes against the ground.

“Are you going to be this much of a dick to me the whole time you keep me captive?”
“If your asking if I'm going to act like your master for the rest of your life, yes I am. Now I have been told to be nice to you at least till you got to your sleeping corridors but child you are testing my patience. I am your superior, your master and you will do what I tell you! Now either climb on my back or I will shove you in between my teeth once again, do you understand?”

I swallowed loudly and tried to hold back the slight shaking in my hands. He had truthfully scared me, not only with his horrible tone but with his words. Did he just say that I was to be here for the rest of my life? Worse so, I believe he just said that I was to be a slave, and him my master. I slight tremor went through my body and I quickly scrambled onto his back and tried to hold on for dear life and not think about what has just been told to me. He seemed fine with this for he quickly took off down a dark cavern. Well along with heights, I believe I also forgot to mention that I am also scared of dark tight places. And for the fact that I couldn't tell how low the ceiling was or how narrow the corridor was I started to shake and whimper.

Once when I was little my baby-sitter's children decided it would be a fun game to play their version of Fear Factor, which included being tied to a chair hanging out an upstairs window, having to climb from the window to a broken branch that reached from the window to the ground, then decided that it would be more fun to lock me in their chicken coop. Hence the reason for my fears. See! I'm not just a frightened girl I have reasons! Wow I must be loosing it, I'm reasoning my fears to myself, I truly must be going insane.

Soon, in what seemed like hours, we emerged into an even larger cavern full of other types of dragons, which even though in all honesty I had become use to being around my captor these other ones scared me. They all looked at me like I was a piece of food that had rolled onto the floor and was up to grabs, each had dark black and red eyes, some duller than the others, as did the many colors of their scales.

Oh but the colors of the scales were so beautiful, had I been in a different situation and place I would have loved to gawk at the ranging colors of greens, blues, yellows, blacks, and at the back of the cave sitting on high rocks, were the most beautiful colors of red I could see. Their were at the most 5 of them, not counting my captor dragon. These ones seemed to be of some importance, or I'm sure they wouldn't have been the focal point of the whole cavern.

They all watched as my captor shrugged me off onto the floor with a thud in front of the red royal dragons. I stood up trying to not look as scared as I felt and stared directly at them all. Standing in front of these magnificent beasts as they stared at me, scrutinizing and judging my human body, I heard a light snort from my left as if someone was suppressing a laugh. That was what pushed me over the edge and out of my self conscious state. That also was when I caught sight of one of the dragons in front of me. It was pure white, slender yet smaller than the others, with a graceful snout and long looping tail over its feet as it laid in front of a red and black dragon, from the comparison it seemed like a female. It seeming to be watching me with a different look than all the others. It wasn't the hatred that the other dragons were pinning my way, nor was it skeptical or confused like the other percent of the dragons in the room. As I watched her stare at me it seemed she was curious and pleased for some reason. She may be the only one I could talk to. Furrowing my eyebrows and concentrating on her only, I tried with all my might to speak with her.

“Why have you brought me here. I am of no use to you, take me back at once!” I practically screamed inside my head. She gave no notice to my outburst except for a slight inclination of her head towards my captor then to the dragon she was laying in front of.

“We do indeed have a need of you here, just not yet, but it was better than you running off and us having such a hard time finding you. All will be explained in good time, but for now if you will follow my daughter she will show you to where you shall be staying.” She seemed to be waiting for another outburst but her voice had shocked me, I had never heard something so sweet in my life. Seeing that I had nothing to say, whether I wanted to or not, she inclined her head towards a white and red dragon I hadn't noticed before standing on the sidelines between the red and white dragons. She had some similarities to the white dragon, she was as long as her, but she didn't seem to have the age, the mature, look to her as the white one did. She moved lightly over to where I was, only a small thud was heard as she walked, and motioned for me to get on her back as my captor had. With a sigh I got on, just enough time to see a slight hint of amusement on the red and black dragons face before I was whipped off into a side tunnel, almost identical to the one I had just came through. Needless to say I was still scared and closed my eyes. I could feel us racing through the maze like tunnels twisting around left and right. I could at least tell that we were moving downward into the mountain for the air was becoming less of a strain to breath, but the darkness was becoming almost to much to bare, especially with all the twist and turns this race dragon was going at with breakneck speed. The whole way the dragon's joyful laugh could be heard echoing everywhere, and I was glad, for it was soft and happy and made the weight of the darkness seem to lessen.

Suddenly she stopped, and me being the klutz I am, flew off her back and into a lighted chamber. The young dragon gave a huff before the sound of light thudding and laughter filled the halls. Looking around I was only able to realize two things before I was blinded.
One, this chamber was a lot smaller than the last one I was just in.
Two, there were about seven to eighteen girls surrounding me with handkerchiefs.


What do the Dragons have human gangs now too? Pfft just great...

[Gypsy]

This Plan Isn't Going To Work

Trag'Oul looked at his wife, confused.

“Why in the world did she single you out, out of all of us to talk to?”
Marie looked at her husband as his red and black scales gleamed off the light from the candles of their room. She smiled sweetly at him and ran her clawed white hand across his chest before licking his nose in a kiss.

“Because my love, I was the only one not staring at her like she was a repulsive piece of meat.” A small musical laugh came from her throat as Trag'Oul made a guilty face, quickly trying to cover it up.

“You really have been away from the human world for far to long.” She said laying down and bringing her husband with her.

“I have everything that world had to offer me.” He growled pulling her towards him with a playful yank before suddenly turning serious.

“Do you really believe she's the one? There are a million different humans all exactly like her! You know all traits of families after a certain time of impureness tend to stay in her land, lost forever.” He looked at his wife and quickly looked away, as she had suddenly the most frightening face he had seen in quiet a while. Thinking back to what he had said he suddenly realized his mistake and would have hit his head if he could, but she already had his hands pinned to his side and a smile on her face.

“We will find out soon enough my love, only time will tell, and pure is not always perfect I would hope?” She said with a small smirk before laying next to him, head resting on her claws.

“We don't particularly have time.” he sighed staring at his beautiful wife. “This plan isn't going to work.” And with that he was silenced by a white long tail hitting his head.


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I was dragged to the back of the small cavern and thrown in a bed that was freezing cold.

“Cinthia she's not screaming in pain, now can we please unblind her and be civil?” a calm and irritated voice stated. There were mutters from all around me and then suddenly I was blinded again by the sudden light in my eyes.
'Wow I'm just meant to be blind I swear.'

Once I had regained my sight I looked around to see about fifteen girls all surrounding the iron bed they had thrown me on. Some were wide eyed with fright while the other stared at me menacingly.

As I looked at the frightened half of th girls I started to notice they were all much younger then the ones giving me the evil eye. I tried to look at the younger ones and smile, only to have them whimper and step back in return. I knew I looked a fright, still wearing the clothes I had run away in, not to mention the slight smell of Dragon's breath. I was even covered in dirt from being dropped so many times.

Sighing I finally looked at the older ones with a defeated and tired look on my face. I had been through to much already and all I wanted to do was sleep. But it looked like I had to finish this hurdle rave before I I could give my mind some time to relax.

“Why are they frightened of me? I just got here so couldn't possibly have done anything to deserve all this.” I stated simply. The one that seemed to be the head of the bitch club come over to me with a glare in her eyes.

“Because as far as we knew no one knew of any new servants being needed, so we all assumed you were just another one of the young dragons trying to ruin one of our younger girls and muss up our living chamber.” Though her story made enough sense something was still off.

“Then why are you treating me with such hostility still then?!” I asked getting sick of this confusing mess. And my butt was freezing off from this cold bed!

“We heard the young Royal Dragoness and then you practically come flying out of the door way. Thats scary enough! But no one ever get to be in the presence of the Royal Reds if they are not anything but Dragon.” She seemed to be spitting venom out her mouth. Yet I was sure by now that she had to be brain dead.

“What do you mean? I was just in the large cavern with all the Dragons. I was talking to a white one that laid at a red and black ones feet. She said they would soon have a need for me and that the red and white one would bring me to my sleeping corridor. So if you all would just show me to a bed and leave me the hell alone, I would love to get some sleep!”

I fell of the bed with a slight thud as she recoiled her hand back from my face. They all were staring at her like she was insane, but all I could see was her blood covering her body and on my hands.
I closed my eyes to get the frighteningly delicious vision out of my head. 'I must be loosing it' I thought for the millionth time in the last few days.

“I am the one who watches over these girls and I will not be talked back to in such a way. Now no one is willing to give up their bed for you to share so you might as well get use to the cold of that bed.” She yelled in my ear. Oooooh no. That was IT!

I grabbed the knife fro my boot, the rainbow one I had got back before I had run off, and grabbed hold of her hair.

“You are the most corrupt person I have ever seen. U don't even know your name but I know you treat these girls horrible. Its not me their scared of, its you!! You think yourself the queen of the slaves? Well welcome back to our level!” with that and one quick swing I had cut her hair so short that even the most butch girl would have cringed. I threw her hair on the floor as the rest of the girls looked at the bitch on the floor to me with a slight hint of admiration.

Only a few of them looked at me like a had just committed blasphemy and were quick to rush to their “queen's” help. Well guess you cant win them all in one go. Unfortunately that had been the very last of my strength and I could feel my legs starts to give out on me as I started to fall.
'Oh crap, how many times was I going to fall today?'

That was when I felt two people putting my arms around their shoulders. I was shocked to say the least but smiled at them as they led me over to a twin sized bed. I sat down and thanked them as one walked off with a small smile. The other girl that had helped me on the other hand started to grab clothes from a trunk under the bed. I decided I might as well get comfy and laid down.

“This is my bed.” she spoke softly pulling off her night gown and walking over to a wash bin at her bed. “It's warm and we shall share till your dragon gets you your own supplies and what not.” I gave her a questioning look which made her laugh at me as she finished pulling on a plain old style peasant dress.

“ I like you, my name is Laci and I'm part of the day shift. Ill explain everything to you tonight, you just get some sleep.” She grabbed a cap and an extra candle and stand that was beside her bed, leaving me the one already burning.

“Night, and the names Venessa.” And as I walked her and half the girls walk out into the tunnels, and the other have getting ready for bed, I faced a needed but uneasy sleep.

[Gypsy]

Hello Sandman

There were only two hints that showed she was having a dream: everything was in black and white, and when she looked down she noticed she was floating. She could feel the chill of the November night as she looked around to find she was back in Ohio. With confused eyes she looked around, but nothing looked familiar.

She seemed to be by a lake, right out where docks were on both her left and her right. Behind her leading to a boat ramp and a parking lot, was her only way out. Large trees scattered around the peninsula of land she seemed to be on, and there were also two picnic tables, on right were she was floating and the other off towards the parking lot.

“Where am I?” She tried to say, only to have it come out sounding like the wind blowing through the trees. Suddenly she heard noise and out of instinct she hid behind a tree. Just as she started to look around a boy came into the clearing.

His curly brown hair hung around his ears in a natural way. His symmetrical face was made up of a perfect nose and bright green eyes that had a dash of blue. He had a crooked smirk and yet it made him look all the cuter.

He was riding a bike, looking cold and tired. But when she cautiously moved closer she could see something that looked like anticipation on his face. As he sat down at the picnic table closest to her, and her now floating over near his shoulder, he confused her by only siting for five minutes before getting up and practically running towards something.

Filled with curiosity as to who he was and what he had been waiting for she decided to follow him.
“Probably only here for drugs.” she thought to herself with a disgusted face, as she floated over to the other picnic table he had run off to. But to her slight surprise he was no longer alone.

Sitting and smiling shyly at him was a girl, with shoulder length blonde hair and glowing brown eyes. The moonlight seemed to make her glow, an as she sat there talking and laughing with the boy she seemed to look more and more at home. She looked no more than fourteen. She noticed that the boy looked a lot older. She started to guess he was just another one of those perverted guys and as she was about to get out of there before she again noticed two things.
1)she had no idea where to go or how to wake up and:
2)she just noticed the boy picking up the girl and swinging her around before kissing her in the most romantic way she had ever seen.

“I love you Marie.” He said after letting her go.
She started to let out an awe until she noticed two lights in the distance. The atmosphere around her suddenly became frantic and sad, and without any pause the boy had Marie by the hand and they started to sprint toward a random dock. Just as they were out of sight the lights came up right in from her where she was floating, showing her their owner to be a very old, out of production,Toyota.

Before she was able to make out anything more, the lights went out, as the car had been shut off, and four people got out with flashlights. Even from where she was and with just the light from their flashlights she could see the murder in their eyes. Both the woman looked something like the boy or the girl in some way and she quickly took them to be their mothers. The two men clung to each woman and she could only guess they were the husbands, and the step fathers.

Floating over to the dock she had seen the two disappear to, she found them well hidden in the mud and underbrush under the dock, right where the water touched the ground. They looked as scared as a rabbit being hunted, knowing it only had a few more minutes to life.

Watching as the parents easily found the dock with the problem, the men reached down without any hesitation or looking and grabbed the boy from the muck. The boy was clinging to Marie for dear life and brought her up with him. As Marie saw her parents among the captors she looked as if she had started to silently sob, while the boy's shifty eyes still seemed to be looking for a way to escape.

“You might as well give it up boy, there's nowhere for you to run this time, and we found you with our daughter red handed, no doubt trying to soil her and breaking her heart.” Marie's step father said. Marie and the boy both looked stunned and angry while the family separated them,. The boy's family holding him back from attacking but still holding the same glare towards girl's father as the son.
Then they turned towards the girl, ready to have their own say.

“And you, we told you to stay away from our son, and yet you tempt him and force him to sneak out and disobey his family. How long did you really think this could go on before we noticed?” The boy's mother evilly cooed at the young girl, on to have the smug look wiped off her face when she noticed Marie wasn't even paying attention.

This was because the whole time the boy was being wrestled by his dad to the toyoto he was calling out to Marie, telling her to run, screaming out her name. At a most nasty punch towards to boy, that left him with a bleeding nose, Marie screamed his name, Ithir, and ran towards him, scratching out of her parents hold.

As she floated over to them, also wondering if Ithir was alright, the boy's father attacked the girl. Only the moment his skin came in contact with hers, the father's became an unhealthy frostbitten color. Ithir's father fell back with a yelp and a string of curses holding his frozen hand to his chest.
All of the sudden everything started to go in a slow motion take. The way movies could only portray.

Ithir's mother ran to grab him at the same time Marie's family went to grab their daughter. The air around Marie and Ithir had gone unnaturally cold and only around them did the cold wind start to pick up. Marie had started to pale in the moonlight, almost the color of the moon itself, and her hair was whipped around frantically. Ithir's on the other hand stayed perfectly still.

That was when it happened. The moment all three of the family member reached them, Marie's eyes shot open, suddenly the color of purple and silver with no pupil noticable. And it was at this moment that Marie let out a hight pitched scream. The sound of the scream sent her plummeting from where she had been floating, hitting the ground without any sound. But she wasnt the only one that had fallen. All the family member were on the ground, moaning and covering their eyes. The screaming suddenly turned to a high pitched chanting . Then with a great bang, Marie and Ithir were gone.

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I woke up to see Laci standing in front of me with a worried expression on her face. As I fully woke up I could feel the cold sweat dripping down my neck and my chest, soaking my clothes to my skin. Sitting up, my body gave a protest but I ignored it and swung my legs over the bed. Looking up I noticed Laci had backed up slowly away from me. Raising my eyebrows I motioned for her to sit beside me, a small warm smile on my face.

“How long have been asleep?” I inquired as she relaxed and settled on the bed beside me.

“About two days now actually Venessa, and four dragons have come by in that time to see how you were doing.” For some reason her voice sounded as if this was the most extraordinary thing that didn't happen every day. 'They live and serve dragons Why would this surprise them anyway.' I mused to myself silently, keeping my thoughts to myself. I looked over at the foot of the bed to see a plain green dress, scarf, and gloves.

“So where am I suppose to go then? I still dont know what me to do, or where.” She smiled at my questioned, which as I looked at her I noticed it lightened up her features immensely.

“You don't have to worry about that. Another dragon should be by in a few to see if your awake yet. Just hurry up and get dressed and make sure you are ready to go when you escort arrives.”

She motioned towards the clothes I had just been staring at. With a siggh that could have gone on for miles I started to strip out of my clothes as Laci did the same while climbing into the bed on the side that wasn't drenched with my cold sweat.

I shook my head and tried to get the images from my dream to go away. 'It was just a dream. You have more things to worry about then what your imagination can come up with.' But even my own nagging voice couldn't stop the feeling of uncertainty the dream had brought me. As I pulled on the dress and gloves I couldn't help but feel I had missed something.


I already know I've gone insane, but does my mind have to hate on me too?” Whoever said your mind is your greatest enemy had no idea just to what extent he had been right.

[Gypsy]

I Know Exactly How You Feel

I had just finished wrapping my scarf around my head and neck when I heard a slow but loud thumping sound coming down the cave tunnel. From how distant it sounded I was sure I still had about five minutes before it got to the sleeping corridors to collect me.

Walking over to the mirror I had seen laying over by the iron bed. I sat it up and smudged off as much of the dirt as I could. my long hair was smoothed out to the best of my ability and my face and body were as clean as the wash bin allowed. I looked scared and my eyes were still the unnatural color silver with the determined look in them that always came forth when I was mad or unsure of something. But looking at myself in the strange attire I couldn't help but tell it fit me better than my old clothes seemed to, even though these didn't fit me perfectly either.

Sighing I turned around and walked toward the cavern doors (which really was just a small hole in the wall only humans could walk through) when suddenly I noticed I didn't hear the thumping sound anymore. Moving swiftly I stopped as I came into sight of the door and noticed a rather small and skinny man standing in a blue robe right in front of the door. All the girls who had came in with Laci were quickly pretending they were asleep, while the other girls who had woke up a little after me covered themselves as best they could while curtsying. The man seemed to be looking at the ceiling and ignoring the girls, but the moment I came into sight his eyes and head shot towards me without even looking around. 'How did he know where I was?' I thought as I walked over to him quickly and fell into something of a curtsy that the other girls were doing.

“Pathetic.” I heard him drawl as he grabbed my arm and a candle off a table at the same time.

“Come along. I'm suppose to get you the things you will need and the training that is required for what you will be doing.” I was half tempted to ask him what exactly is was I was suppose to be doing, but looking at his face all covered with distaste I could tell I would get nothing more than a snide remark. So I decided to keep my mouth shut.

Instead I began to look about the tunnels I had only been in during darkness. Looking at them in the new light of the candle I could tell my old fear had been for no reason. Each of the tunnels were made up of their own precious metals like the cavern my captor had brought us here through. They all sparkled when the light hit them, but the moment the light disappeared it was once again shrouded in darkness. The tunnels themselves were large, even larger then the biggest dragon I had seen (which had to be the black ones, hands down) and even with this size it didn't seem like the walls were far away.

After taking about half a dozen turns we finally ended up in a medium sized cavern adorned like a sleeping and living chamber. There was a fireplace and a pool of steaming water, along with an overly large cauldron and hot plates. All of this was scattered around the room, along with a small dresser about my size in the little room back room. The only thing I couldn't see was whatever was behind the large dark purple curtain that went across the whole back of the cave.

I was brought out of my gaze by the short man who proceeded to make a horrible cough, as if making his presence known. I couldn't even stop myself from rolling my eyes at him for how horrible it sounded. He finally stopped his hacking after giving me a dirty look.

“Your majesty I bring the human girl you asked me to acquire.” his told was the slimiest I had ever heard and I swear I saw a slime ball fall out of his mouth when he said human, as if he was more.

“Thank you Francis, you many go back to your usual obligations today.” A familiar yet still surprising voice said. I might have been slightly overwhelmed by the room but I was pretty sure the voice came from behind the curtain. Sure enough the curtain started to move and I waited for the white dragoness to appear. But it wasn't the dragoness who stepped out, instead it was a normal (if you call looking like a supermodel normal) woman. She looked familiar yet I couldn't place my finger on it.

Out of surprise and embarrassment I quickly tried to curtsy and ended up falling forward with an “oomph!” The woman let out a tinkling laugh and waited for me to get up.

“I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting to see someone else, uh, I mean I didn't know there were grown woman , wait I meant, uh, oh never mind! Please forgive me!” I added at the end of my stammering while I quickly bowed my head. Yet she didn't speak hard words like my parents would have, nor did she try to make me explain myself. Instead, she just laughed.

“I'm sorry to have surprised you. I was sure you would rather be taught by someone who could move like you. If you do not prefer this form of mine I can surely go back to my dragon form.” she said with a fluent smile. Her bright blonde hair draped behind her ears and sweeping the floor. I stood there dumbfounded, slowly piecing together the fact this was the white dragoness. The moment it all came together in my head my mouth dropped from astonishment. Her green eyes danced with mischievous amusement and she walked over to me quickly and closed my mouth.

“I have brought you here to see me today, to teach you manners and etiquette.” She smiled when she saw my eyes harden at being told I had no manners, but she pressed on before I had time to open my mouth. “Knowing what you have been taught of manners in the states are good basics, but they will not help you at all among a royal court or family, as myself. Nor do you know what to say to keep on a dragon's good side.” Also we shall teach you some of our history and misconceptions along the way. Any questions?” She said looking at me with amused eyes as she looked at my face. It had to of been priceless, with my mouth agape again and my eyes the size of plates. I know I was a comical sight.

Grabbing a stick off the ground and pushing my jaw shut with it at lightning speed she gave me a sympathetic smile.

“Believe me,” She half sung through laughter, “ I know exactly how you feel.” At this she burst into a fit of laughter and I could already tell this was going to be the weirdest class I had ever been in.

[Gypsy]

Basics

“Keep your chin up but your eyes down!” The woman who was the White Dragoness said for the fifth time. I was sure by now that I was never going to be able to get those words out of my head. Actually, that was probably exactly what she wanted. I strained my chin up while looking at my nose, only to have the whip stick, as I was now calling it, hit my nose with a very light sting.

“Your nose is to smell with! It was not made to make you become crossed eyes! Now, looking down does not mean at your feet as it does in the States. Looking at the ground is looking at the floor till your eyelids droop. That's it! Yes, your getting it, that's very good.” In all honesty it did feel more natural like this, but right now my pride was hurting and I wasn't going to admit she was right.

We had been at this for almost the whole morning and all she has been teaching me to do is how to stand and walk! I always believed I was a graceful person, but in the presence of the Dragoness Queen and what she was trying to teach me, I felt like a horrible klutz. A blush quickly adorned my face when I cane out of my own self evaluation and looking up to see the queen starring at me, hands behind her back. She gave me that knowing look and told me to sit on one of the large rock formations by the steaming pool. The steam from the water had heated the stone and as I sat on it, it quickly warmed my body, the steam warming my face.

The queen walked over to a hole in the wall and talked into it as if it was a phone. A hollow sounding reply followed her request a moment later. She said something else and walked over to where I was sitting.

“Zoning out is a good skill, but only when used at the right time.” I groaned at her statement and laid backwards. “Does everything I do have to be wrong and calculated?! This is outrageous!” I cried in an unexpected outburst. “Your majesty.” I added lamely at the end. She nodded and didn't seem at all surprised by my outburst.

“For someone as strong headed as you, I'm amazed you made it this far without a break out of complaints. That's good, much better than when I was taught these things.” She sprawled out over the rock next to me, letting her fingers play in the water. Her long hair, which she had braided, drooped into the water also. She had changed out of the formal white dress she had been wearing and now had on a pair of blue jeans with a brown long sleeve blouse and boots.

Her lips were a medium size and as she stared into the water they seemed to form a small contemplative smile. The silence was killing me, and with all the questions running through my mind. I at least needed to talk!

“ So what exactly is that hole in the wall anyways?” I asked, not really sure what else to bring up. But when she looked up she seemed startled and looked around till she noticed the hole she had talked through earlier. Realization dawned on her face and she looked at me curiously.

“It is a hole that runs into a central room. The central room had more than a million holes in it with a small piece of thin cloth covering them. The holes themselves are outlined on the inside with silver, a metal that is not porus, therefor if you speak into it the sound will echo clearly all the way down to the central room. When someone talks onto the central room the cloth falls off on a string of whatever hole was spoke through. Each hole even has its own marking to tell them apart.”

She looked at me to see if all of that had gone over my head, I'm sure, but I took a moment to think through everything she had just explained to me.

“So it's a crude type of phone system, the control room being the people that patch messages through to other rooms?” I asked finally piecing it together in my mind. A huge smile appeared on her face, like I had just won something, as she sat up.

“Exactly!...” she said pointing at me. She seemed like she was going to to say more but a thumping came through the tunnel and then a boy stood at her doorway, in a white robe holding a platter of food. To call him a boy would be rude, for he looked about seventeen to nineteen, older than me. 'Though seeing hes a dragon he is much older than you.' My mind nagged just to get me to stop staring at him. He really did have a nice figure. The Dragoness called him over and he set the plate down, giving me a quick smile and walked out as quickly as he had came.

When I had finished watching him leave I noticed the queen had a kiwi in her hand and her eyes trained on me suspiciously. Putting my head down as I tried to hide the blush I grabbed a pear and wondered what her look ha been all about. For the next ten minutes we stayed in silence and ate the plate entirely clean. Seeing as I hadn't eaten a thing days I was amazed I hadn't fainted yet.

“Today we shall finish the basics of walking, talking, and falling. And tomorrow you will use your new skills in the central room. After your shift is over you will report to breakfast with the rest of the girls then report back here for more lessons. If you learn what I have to teach you effectively then you may go back to your quarters to sleep.” My eyes were closed as I tried to suck in all that she had just said to me. The silence dragged on and I soon realized she wanted my confirmation. Opening my eyes I nodded quickly. She was standing in front of me, stick in hand and a look of amusement on her face.

“Then let's get this standing and walking out of the way so we may move on.” With that she grabbed my shaking and confused hands and began her lesson more vigorously.
'What in the world had I gotten myself into?'


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That day I had learned how to fall gracefully, fall into a curtsy, what to do with my hands, how to walk without making a sound, how to introduce myself, when to keep my mouth shut, and what all the different colors of the dragon's means. And yet the only thing buzzing through my head was one word the dragoness had said. I groaned and jumped on the bed, head berried in my pillow.

“Basics.” I cried before I tried to get some sleep for the night to come.