Writing Prompts:
1. Sometimes the dragon falls in love with the princess.
2. "Happily ever after is only..."
3. She knew she was cherished.
4. Of all his possessions, he was most proud of...
Sometimes the dragon falls in love with the princess.
This is their story...
Of all his possessions, he was most proud of Ariana. His niece. Balthazar LaStrange was an odd man with 6 fingers on one hand and who had a menagerie of exotic, mythological creatures that he collected over the years. Some from the far east to the frozen north. But unlike the others he did not keep Ariana in a cage. She was special to him in another way that awarded him more worth than he would have received on the lot. You see Ariana was special. She looked like an ordinary girl ignoring the odd physical features; mismatching eyes, one eye as blue as if it were a shard from the sea and the other as green as an oak in the height of summer and long hair as white as fresh fallen snow. Beautiful but within her was a power that if the wrong people discovered would have her destroyed. Balthazar needed her.
* * * *
The year was 1918. The Great War had just finished yet not many were in the Christmas spirit. Ariana watched the other children play together. Even as a child herself she longed to play with others but Uncle Balthazar kept a strict watchful eye on her. She wasn’t allowed to play with other children. When she asked why Uncle Balthazar would only say, “You are too special to be running around with ordinary children.”
She knew she was cherished. Uncle Balthazar always made sure she had everything but there was still this hole in her heart that toys, pretty dresses, and jewelry couldn’t fill. Ariana had to content herself with watching; living vicariously through the many children she saw pass through the Strange Carnival. Her other passion was fairytales. Heroes facing monsters, knights rescuing princesses, and breaking dark curses with true love’s kiss. In between shows Ariana would read in the tent with Galen, the merman who lived in his large glass tank.
“What’s this story about?” Galen asked as he leaned over the edge of the tank, his dark fish tail swishing in the water. Galen’s fish form was somewhat ugly to some. He had translucent skin, slimy to the touch with webbed fingers but when the light hit him he shimmered as if he were coated in diamonds. His face was kind and his eyes were large and gray like a sea on a stormy day.
“King Arthur and his knights go on a quest for the Holy Grail,” Ariana beamed.
“Sounds fun,” Galen smiled.
“They get to see amazing places,” Ariana sighed as she daydreamed of doing the same.
“If I could walk then I’d go with you,” Galen winked. Ariana looked up and smiled at Galen.
“But we’d have to bring plenty of water or stick to the river or else you’d dehydrate in 12 hours and die,” Ariana mourned. Merfolk can change into human form but walking on land is extremely painful for them. Some cry as they walk. Often tears of pearl that gleamed in the light. But that didn’t stop them from changing.
“It’d be worth it,” Galen said. “If you’re there the pain wouldn’t be so much.”
Galen and Ariana would often flirt but that’s all it was. A flirtation. Nothing more could ever come of it. It was a fish being in love with a bird. So close but in two wildly different worlds.
“Happily ever after is only a fairytale,” Ariana quoted her uncle. Galen submerged back down into his watery cage. Ariana put down her book and leaned against the glass as Galen began to hum. Merfolk had amazing singing voices. It wasn’t that they drew sailors to their death on purpose… Sometimes. Many were drawn to the sound because it spoke to something deep within everyone human and animal. Something primal. For Ariana it was a calming lullaby. She could hear the longing sadness in his voice. It would have gone on forever if it hadn’t been for the Carnival’s most unruly yet most popular attraction.
Ariana heard a frustrated roar from the tent next door.
“Again?” Ariana groaned. “And so close to show time.”
“You better get in there before he burns the whole place down,” Galen rolled his gray-blue eyes.
“I just fed him,” Ariana sighed, messaging her temples.
“Must be something else that has him ornery,” Galen swam in circles. Ariana walked over to the roaring tent seeing the golden orange glow inside the red and blue striped tent. Some of the handlers ran out leaving a trail of smoke from their singed garments.
Ariana entered the tent without fear. She was more irritated than afraid. Of course with the dragon Damon she was always irritated. She could see him in the darkness, his brown scales gleaming in his fire light.
“STOP IT!” Ariana cried as the last handler ran out. Damon ceased his fire breathing. Ariana saw his glowing yellow eyes glare at her from the shadows. A low growl rumbled from his long throat at her approach.
“Stop it now or I’ll do what I did to you last week,” Ariana threatened. Damon lashed out a long black claw at her but the chains that held him restricted his movements. Still Ariana did not flinch. The growl died away as Damon shrunk. The lights came on and Uncle Balthazar stood in the entrance of the tent.
“Everything alright in here?” he asked.
“I was handling it, Uncle,” Ariana said. Before her stood no longer a giant winged creature but a man with yellow eyes and a long scar along his face. The chains were enchanted to fit Damon no matter his form.
“These chains are chafing me,” Damon growled. Despite his human appearance Damon had all the ferocity of a dragon.
“I can’t make them any looser,” Ariana shook her head.
“Perhaps he just needs to rest before opening night,” Uncle Balthazar reasoned.
“I prefer to rip you to shreds and burn you all alive,” Damon snarled.
“Maybe if you weren’t such a beast we’d give you freedom to walk the grounds like everyone else,” Ariana placed her hands on her hips looking down at Damon with her mismatched eyes. “Tell you what if you behave tonight then I’ll let you roam outside tomorrow.”
Damon glared at Ariana and Balthazar, mulling it over in his mind. He longed to stretch his wings and feel the sun on his scales. Feel the fresh wind on his hide. Damon spoke drily, “If that is the princess’s command.”
“Good,” Balthazar nodded. “See that he’s ready for tonight’s show, Ariana.”
“Uncle,” Ariana called. “I was wondering if I could maybe take the day off the day after tomorrow… If that’s ok?” Balthazar stared at Ariana. “It’s just I wanted to see if I could go into the city and check out some book stores.”
“If you have a list I can have someone go into the city for you,” Balthazar said.
“I know but I’ve been cooped up here for a week and I’m feeling restless,” Ariana wrung her hands and picked at her finger nails, cleaning up the little dirt that was left under them. “Just for a few hours?”
“Ariana,” Balthazar rested his hands on her shoulders. “You know how dangerous it is out there. It would destroy me if something ever were to happen to you.” Ariana’s eyes dimmed with disappointment. “You’re better off here where I can keep an eye on you.” Balthazar smiled lifting Ariana’s chin to meet her eyes.
“I promise we’ll go into the next town together,” Balthazar assured her. Ariana only nodded. Her uncle kissed her forehead then left the tent. Damon chuckled.
“At least my chains are visible,” he snarked. Ariana turned an angry eye on Damon. She wanted so badly to put him to sleep like she did to others when they misbehaved but she didn’t want to give Damon the satisfaction of seeing how he affected her. Instead she stormed off leaving the indignant dragon to stew in his misery.
* * * *
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