fathom the torture we humans suffer when the needle-sharp barbs prick our skin. The sting is worse than a spear piercing a dragon’s underbelly. Venom courses through our bloodstreams. Our bodies swell like rotting cadavers. Our throats constrict, and we gasp for just a swallow of air.”
She wrapped her fingers around her throat. Sticking out her tongue and gagging, she staggered from one table to another. Finally, she collapsed in a heap and peeked at the dragons. Xenith gawked at her, mesmerized. After a few seconds, Koren spoke in a groaning lament. “Though we beg for death to come and end the torture, the dark predator stalks slowly, laughing at us as we strain to breathe. Then, just as we realize we want to live after all, he thrusts his jagged sword into our chests, deflating our lungs and the last gasping prayer for precious life.”
She rose to her feet and posed as she had at the beginning, again using a dramatic voice. “In order to avoid the stings, I wore a robe I constructed out of acorn caps. The hard surface made me feel like a powerful dragon—brave, strong, and invulnerable to the pesky bees. Armed with nothing but a sharp stick, I attacked the hive, and although the wicked bees swarmed around my body, buzzing and driving their stingers into my robe, I managed to pull out the finest honeycombs in the land, dripping with gooey, delicious honey.”
She lifted a finger and lowered her voice to a raspy whisper. “But, after I loaded the combs into my cart, a hundred squirrels attacked me.” Raising her hands, she ran around the area enclosed by the tables, acting out her story. “I fought them off, stripping each one from my acorn robe and throwing them into the river until I was finally rid of the furry rats.”
Koren halted in front of Xenith, panting. “I took off my robe and hurried back to my cart, but my escape had already delayed me too much. I knew I would be late, though I strained with all my might to run up the hill with a cart dragging me back.”
Her draconic mouth hanging open, Xenith turned to Arxad. “Father, she risked her life to get your honey. I could almost see the squirrels and the bees. Have you ever heard such a story of courage?”
Arxad chuckled. “No, I cannot say that I have. It was quite a tale indeed.”
The male dragon eyed Koren. His pulsing red pupils told her what she needed to know. Although he realized the story was really a tall tale, he was pleased.
“You may wash and retire to your quarters,” he said. “Your entertainment has earned an early rest.”
Koren smiled and bowed. “I trust that my service to you will continue to demonstrate the loyalty due you and your household.”
“You see,” Xenith said. “If any human deserves Promotion, Koren does.”
Arxad glared at her. “You speak that which you do not understand. The Separators know about Koren and her talents, so it is up to us to be silent and trust their judgment.” He glanced at Fellina briefly before turning to Koren with a kindly smile. “Go to your quarters now. Madam Orley will clean up in here.”
Koren bowed again and walked out of the room, her back straight and her head high. When she reached the tunnel and its concealing shadows, she leaned against the wall. Her heart thumped. Her legs trembled. The Separators know about me! Maybe Promotion was more than just a dream. Maybe she would finally be able to go to the mountain spas and the cooler climate.
Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around herself. There she could serve the King Dragon and be with the other promoted humans. The tasks were so much easier there, a few hours of food preparation and cleaning, and the rest of the day could be spent wandering in the hills, picking flowers, singing prayers, or just sitting in the green grass doing nothing at all.
Koren looked back toward the kitchen. At least that’s what Madam Orley and the other women always said. The men, of course, told different, though equally
She wrapped her fingers around her throat. Sticking out her tongue and gagging, she staggered from one table to another. Finally, she collapsed in a heap and peeked at the dragons. Xenith gawked at her, mesmerized. After a few seconds, Koren spoke in a groaning lament. “Though we beg for death to come and end the torture, the dark predator stalks slowly, laughing at us as we strain to breathe. Then, just as we realize we want to live after all, he thrusts his jagged sword into our chests, deflating our lungs and the last gasping prayer for precious life.”
She rose to her feet and posed as she had at the beginning, again using a dramatic voice. “In order to avoid the stings, I wore a robe I constructed out of acorn caps. The hard surface made me feel like a powerful dragon—brave, strong, and invulnerable to the pesky bees. Armed with nothing but a sharp stick, I attacked the hive, and although the wicked bees swarmed around my body, buzzing and driving their stingers into my robe, I managed to pull out the finest honeycombs in the land, dripping with gooey, delicious honey.”
She lifted a finger and lowered her voice to a raspy whisper. “But, after I loaded the combs into my cart, a hundred squirrels attacked me.” Raising her hands, she ran around the area enclosed by the tables, acting out her story. “I fought them off, stripping each one from my acorn robe and throwing them into the river until I was finally rid of the furry rats.”
Koren halted in front of Xenith, panting. “I took off my robe and hurried back to my cart, but my escape had already delayed me too much. I knew I would be late, though I strained with all my might to run up the hill with a cart dragging me back.”
Her draconic mouth hanging open, Xenith turned to Arxad. “Father, she risked her life to get your honey. I could almost see the squirrels and the bees. Have you ever heard such a story of courage?”
Arxad chuckled. “No, I cannot say that I have. It was quite a tale indeed.”
The male dragon eyed Koren. His pulsing red pupils told her what she needed to know. Although he realized the story was really a tall tale, he was pleased.
“You may wash and retire to your quarters,” he said. “Your entertainment has earned an early rest.”
Koren smiled and bowed. “I trust that my service to you will continue to demonstrate the loyalty due you and your household.”
“You see,” Xenith said. “If any human deserves Promotion, Koren does.”
Arxad glared at her. “You speak that which you do not understand. The Separators know about Koren and her talents, so it is up to us to be silent and trust their judgment.” He glanced at Fellina briefly before turning to Koren with a kindly smile. “Go to your quarters now. Madam Orley will clean up in here.”
Koren bowed again and walked out of the room, her back straight and her head high. When she reached the tunnel and its concealing shadows, she leaned against the wall. Her heart thumped. Her legs trembled. The Separators know about me! Maybe Promotion was more than just a dream. Maybe she would finally be able to go to the mountain spas and the cooler climate.
Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around herself. There she could serve the King Dragon and be with the other promoted humans. The tasks were so much easier there, a few hours of food preparation and cleaning, and the rest of the day could be spent wandering in the hills, picking flowers, singing prayers, or just sitting in the green grass doing nothing at all.
Koren looked back toward the kitchen. At least that’s what Madam Orley and the other women always said. The men, of course, told different, though equally
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