“There’s a dragon nesting on that cliff,” the woman said to me. She looked at the mountains longingly, like a maiden yearning for her lover. “I saw him once; he’s so grand and fiery.”
“There’s no dragon. Dragons are not real, they’re just fairy-tale.” I told her harshly.
She looked hurt, “But it’s true. I spoke to him.”
I snorted, “Right. What did you say to him?”
“We spoke of many things, and I love him,” she whispered sadly.
I laughed so hard my stomach hurts, “Why! You’ve got to be joking. He’d burn and eat you before you say one word. That is if it’s real. But I told you before: dragons are not real.”
“It’s true; why would I lie to you? I was walking up the hills, looking for herbs and wild flowers when the dragon flew so low. His eye was wounded by a silver arrow, and I helped him. I took care of his wound, dressed it with the mountain herbs: the ancient knowledge of my clan. And we talked, the dragon and I. I soothed his pain and he was gentle and kind.” The woman sighed, she looked so sad that I had no heart to scold her for lying so terribly.
“We talked through the night and I comforted him. As I got to know him, and finding how gentle he was, I begun to love him. I gave him my body, I gave him my soul. I love the dragon as I never loved any man.” The woman smiles; she smiles at a distant memory. Down in the depth of mind I could never venture to see.
“Days came and days went, the dragon’s wound has healed and he had to fly again. So he flew, he told me he had to be free. He told me he had to soar high in the sky. I was heart broken; I know I have no place in his world. I have no wings; I have no means to fly like him.” A tear trickled down her cheek, “So there he goes; he flew so high, his wings spread so majestically. I looked at him as long as I could. He flew so high and the sun blinded me.”
I found myself listening to her story intently without meaning it, I do believe this woman is mad, but I wish to know how her story would end.
“Weeks passed, child; and I thought of the dragon every night and every day. Wishing someday he would come back for me, take me to his nest up on the mountains; and perhaps we could be together forever. But he never came back for me. Instead, I heard news that the dragon had kidnapped a princess from a high castle in the northern cities. My heart was crushed; but then again, what am I to him? I’m only a simple maiden, I am worthy of nothing. The dragon kidnapped the princess and took her to his nest. The lord-father of the princess was so furious; he called his banner-men to take his daughter back. A great host of army marched to fight the dragon, and at the end they managed to take back the princess. They could not kill my dragon, of course; he’s so strong. But they wounded him so badly.
“Half crippled and badly hurt, the dragon sought me. I came to him, I healed his wounds. I nursed him lovingly, soothed his injuries. I loved him into strength again, hoping silently that he would also love me. I asked for nothing else from him; nothing but his love.”
She wept softly, “But he never loved me… I healed his wounds, and gave him back his strength. He thanked me, but he told me to stay away from his life. He told me he cared about me, but he doesn’t want me. He told me to leave him alone.
“’But you sought me when you were wounded…’ I said; ‘I did not seek you,’ the dragon said, ‘I only seek to heal.’ I was crushed, my love healed him, but he denied me. The dragon warned me never to come to the mountains to seek him. He warned me to stay as far away from him as I could. He told me I am unworthy of him; that only a princess should be his bride and prize. He threatened me, that if I ever went to the mountains for him he would burn me with his fire.
“I could not believe what I heard. After all I did for him he threw me away like a ragged doll. I am nothing for him… I am nothing for him…”
The woman wept bitterly. I pity her for the pain she had to endure, but I could do nothing for her. She must be positively insane.
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27 January 2007; 11:24 PM. Heart-broken and hurt so badly. Uninvited to the dragon’s-nest. Feeling like a trash.
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