The Land of Dragonia: The Unlikely Heroine

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. The time before the dragons came to the land of Draconia was later renamed the land of Dragonia once dragons had settled in its vast Valley. It was a peaceful time when humans had just settled and began to cultivate and mine the land in hopes of establishing a home to bring up their young and live in harmony. No one knows where the dragons hailed from or why they picked The Valley of Hyacinth to reside but when they came down in droves, the humans did not anticipate that the dragons were not chaotic beasts of evil seeking to murder and take the land for themselves but instead wanted to negotiate a pact. The pact was that the dragons would help the humans cultivate and mine the land and live among them in peace. You see the dragons were not the kind of dragons you hear of in the many tales you heard as a child, these creatures had two forms. They were magnificently large, shiny scales and fire-breathing creatures but they could transform into humanoids that looked like any other human but had horns that sat like a mantle atop their heads, eyes that sparkled like crystals in the moonlight, and when fully grown possessed great strength. Although the King of the human settlers, known as The Great Vanguard the 1st agreed to the terms the Dragon leader known as Ren asked for, many of his subjects were afraid that such powerful beasts could overthrow them and take their home away in the blink of an eye and so word started to circulate and travel to the neighboring lands.

Three weeks later.

Queen Talia of Zenora was a warrior in her own right who had proven her strife many years ago when she first took the throne from king Marcus the 3rd, a letter from one of the settlers of Dragonia had made its way to her. She sat upon her thrown her curly chestnut hair tamed by intricate braids that fell to her mid-drift, her skin was a rich olive colour and her eyes green hazel eyes hardened at what she was reading. Her subjects and patrons listened to her read the letter with horror. "That fool Vanguard is making a mockery of us, welcoming those vile beasts like they are now his kin, No good will come of this!" she thundered to her subjects and patrons, who leaped from their seats in the great hall of her palace chanting "All hail Queen Talia the warrior of Zenora!" Queen Talia sauntered down from her thrown and her booming voice resonated around the hall "Finish training the recruits, start to prepare the battalions and rally together supplies we are going to rid Draconia of these pests and help the people of hyacinth valley." The hall was paved in white marble floors that cascaded up the walls, It was also adorned with tables, seats, and a thrown which were black marble. Engraved above the thrown were the words 'Zenora will triumph' and Hanging above the lavish interior were extravagant crystal chandeliers.

Two months pass and back in Dragonia the dragons are now working the land and helping the humans build a life for everyone to live together in peace. A youngling dragon named Theodora is wandering the endless Vale that was many shades of green and purple with high peaks, fields and winding pathways. Her small brown furrowing as she concentrated on looking for flowers to pick so she could take them back to her mother and also pin some to her the collar of the white dress she is wearing. The little dragon started to chatter to herself " The villagers said that the hyacinths are just beyond the two highest peaks of the valley so they have to be here somewhere." she mumbled, " I wonder if the story is true about the heartbroken maiden who buried her prince in the Vale and planted hyacinths throughout the land in his honour, Oh it is so romantic, maybe she has been reunited with him?" she asked herself pondering dreamily. The youngling was so deep into her daydream that she didn't realize she was atop one of the highest peaks and was teetering at the edge and as horror warped her small features she started to fall...

"Ren! Ren! Here's the water for the workers you asked for," someone holler's to the leader of the dragons who is standing with Vanguard going over the plan for growing the new crops, They look down at the small dragon youngling as she plops them down with a thud the water escaping the top as it splashes. The two men look down smiling ear to ear at the small spindly girl with long hair as white as snow that hung just below her waist, her eyes a dusky pink somewhat like the jewels known as Rose Quarts in the wealthier Kingdoms, her skin sun-kissed with a tan and atop her head are the black curled horns reminiscent of the horns of a ram. She pulled at her plain white dress now covered in dirt and drenched from the water. She had a small bunch of hyacinths pinned to the rounded collar of the dress. Ren quizzingly asked "Theodora I sent you for the water some time ago, have you been wandering the valley picking the hyacinths again?" knowing that she indeed had by the bunches of flowers that were also in the men's drinking water, he still asked the question to which Theodora replied "well I did... but Ren I fell from one of the peaks of the valley and had to fly back up, then I filled the pales but I kept spilling the water everywhere and had to go back several times... Oh! but they weren't heavy I just kept daydreaming and spilling them... " The two hulking men burst into laughter at the tone and dramatics of the youngling. Ren who had dark long hair and eyes as red as rubies but much paler skin than Theodora replied: " Well then thank you for doing the task Dora but next time focus on the task and not the flowers, okay little one?" Theodora nodded smiling at the use of her nickname Dora and exclaimed "Yes Sir!" and proceeded to run off to tell her mother about her small adventure, the bunches of hyacinths in her hands. The carnage that would soon engulf her and the real perilous adventure this unlikely heroine was yet to face were unknown to her.

Some hours later Theodora was being tucked into bed by her mother "Mama, can you sing me to sleep?" she asked excitedly, her mother who had the same white hair but much shorter just reaching past her jaw line and dusky pink eyes with short black horns that curved upwards smiled lovingly at her daughter replying "Ah, my little dreamer, of course, I will sing for you but you must sleep straight after as we have more hard work to do tomorrow." to which Dora uttered " Yes mama, I will work extra hard and not pick any flowers tomorrow, I promise." her mother chuckled knowing fine well her little dreamer would get side tracked by the flowers again. Isla, Dora's mother started to sing a soothing melody of her own story...

"In the valley, we seek to live a humble life, where we can grow, and my little hero, you will know the kindness we have always sought and so our suffering will not be for naught-"

Suddenly shrieks could be heard outside of the small straw hut that was mostly empty except for two small straw beds. There were some candles encased in glass that the dragons had created, melded from their fire, and a pale of water by the door. "Dora stay here! Mama will be back soon" Dora's mother Yara whispered in panic before she rushed out of the hut. Theodora last glance was that of her mothers white flowing dress with long sleeves and the same sun-kissed skin she herself had. "Mama! Mama! Don't leave me, I'm scared!" Theodora screamed but her mother did not turn around or falter in her descent outside where she transformed.

Flames were shooting from all directions and Isla in her magnificent dragon form covered in dusky rose-coloured scales joined the battle, she noticed Ren. His obsidian scales shimmered in the moonlight as he roared, and flew forward scattering fire toward the hoards of militants encroaching on the small village they had not yet finished building. Meanwhile, King Vanguard standing tall, his wide shoulders straight covered by the black robe he wore and black hair speckled with white and grey was readying the few men and women who had stayed behind after hearing from the villager who had sent the letter to Queen Talia that they all needed to leave tonight. He addressed his minuscule army, with a triumphant speech "Zenora has declared was upon us. They do not understand that the dragons are much more like us than we ever could have perceived, they do not understand that we have lived in harmony and bliss with our new kin for the past few months. All they see are monsters but we will help them, we will defend them! I know I ask a great feat from you all but in the short time we have known the dragons we have learned their struggles, we have learned that they have the same desires we have and so we will keep our promise." to which the villagers replied willingly "Yes, My King!" They ran into the battle ahead.

Queen Talia was at the forefront of the battlefield and she did not utter any speech the only words she spoke in a hardened tone were "Capture the traitors and dragon spawn, kill the elder dragons." and so without any rebuttal from her military they marched onwards with their poison-tipped spears, a poison that had been imported from the black-markets of the Ensignia Kingdom who had once had dealings with Dragons many years ago and found that this poison they procured could render the beasts paralyzed for many hours.

In the small hut, Theodora gathered the straw beds in a pile at the far right corner of the small rectangle hut and hid underneath it. The straw was scratchy and uncomfortable but she did not notice her discomfort, instead, her mind was flooded with noises crackling flames, clanking of weapons, and screeching from her kin. She sat under the straw for hours as the sounds of the catastrophic battle started to dim and suddenly all was silent but this silence was unnerving. She stayed put a little longer and then suddenly she heard rustling and knew someone had entered the hut, the words her mother had said to her resonated in her mind and although still fearful she leaped out of the straw expectant that her mother had finally come back. The figures that towered over her were not familiar and a woman with chestnut hair in intricate braids pinned to the back of her head, dressed in heavy Armor that was adorned with jewels but battered and scuffed approached her as well as a soldier in a less polished and beaten armour. "Take this one to the others." Queen Talia quipped at the soldier who swiftly nodded in response and before Theodora could move she felt a sudden pick on her arm and everything started to slip away into silence, darkness invading her vision and stilling her panic.

What lies in store for our unlikely heroine?