The Fire Haired Girl by Kirashon (best classic books to read txt) 📕

was tending to the horse and mother was making breakfast.

I walked over the fallen twigs, and made myself look presentable while the others sat down around to eat, getting out silverware and plates we had brought along, then we were on the move. “We should be at the peak of this mountain by night fall, then it's a clear shot to Marblewarden.” Along the way I picked flowers like I naturally did, Kathryn watching me oddly, making jests at me about dragons and flowers.
It stalled about half of an hour because of a small river that took sometime coaxing the horse and us across before we we're on a small winding line through the forest up the mountain, only encountering a couple foxes that were easily scared away. By sunset we we're at the top, the small cliff edge offered a beautiful of the valley below, and Besglen.
I felt a slight pang of homesickness overcome me, my family entering the small cave behind me, testing it for any creatures. I walked down the brush covered slope and gathered twigs, bringing them inside for my father.
“Ah, thank you Katrina.” I nodded and walked back out, siting myself of the edge of the small overhanging rock, watching the patterns of the fire play of the ridges of rock.
“Where will I belong?” I asked, looking up at the stars, that always seemed to stay the same.

“Talking to yourself again Katrina?” I turned my head to see Kathryn sitting down beside me.
“Yeah, I suppose. I miss home already...”
“I know, I do too. We're just going to have to deal with it though.”

I sighed and looked down at the little town, it's many fire's still burning.
“Well don't stay out too long, Papa doesn't want you attracting animals.” She stated with a teasing smile, I nodded and she left, letting the leaf shutters my mother wove together fall behind her, cloaking me in darkness.

I sat out there, thinking to myself for I don't know how long, before I guessed I should retire for the night, and stood slowly walking back to the cave.

A scream.
My head snapped around, “you've got to be kidding me.” I whispered looking at the horde heading straight for Besglen, apparently they didn't get the message.

“Come on dragon... Do your thing and save them.” I prayed, hoping to see it's shadow over take the village and get to the actual creature. I prayed and prayed, nothing. I suddenly realized.

It wasn't coming back.
“No...” I ran through the forest down the mountain on instinct, everything moving in a blur, faster and faster, “No, No No NO!” I slid to a stop at the edge of a cliff directly over the village, the troops marching to village with a deliberately slow pace. Screaming... Screaming...
“NOO!!” I clutched my head, where are you?! Why did you leave us?! I suddenly saw my skin glowing again, I was so angry with the dragon, I didn't care. How dare it leave us in our time of need?!

I felt a force push me on all fours, and when I clutch the soft ground, I felt the entire cliff rumble... “What?” I looked down, Suddenly I was much higher up and my hand was... a massive claw?

What a minute, that story... I was the dragon!

“How do I work this thing now?” I muttered, feeling abnormal muscles protrude from my back extend. “Wings check.” I hissed, my body stretching and shifting. I felt so heavy... But so strong.

I looked out at the meager townsfolk trying to stall them from the destruction. I snarled, my anger rising, and I didn't care how I did it, I just needed to stop them.

My wings snapped open, and I let out a battle cry of a roar gliding down over the small village and over the Princes forces, I heard cheers...
the townsfolk! They we're cheering for me!

The Prince himself, this caused me to stare in shock. He was here!
SLAM
Into the side of a mountain, unfortunately the mountain seemed to take more damage and rumble dangerously. I took off once more, flapping heavily, seeing them all scatter like bugs. I unleashed a jet of flame on instinct.

My claws lashed out, destroying any opposing forces, my blood surged through my veins.
“See! I told you! A dragon!”

I looked over, seeing the Prince himself grinning at me, with an odd look in his eye. “Excellent.”

The nervous man beside him grinned as well, but looked quite relieved.
“Capture it!!”
“hm?” I suddenly felt something wrap around my leg, dragging my down, several other wrapped around my limbs, dragging my down. “uh-oh” I hissed, slamming the ground with such impact the earth seemed to shatter and crumble, I stood fulling lashing out, again and again.
“Such power.” He purred, watching me like a predator watches it's prey. I glared at him, my tail lashing out, but was strapped down as well. Then my head, I growled.
“You are mine, and I will make you stronger, and you will serve me.” He walked up to me, setting his hand on my snout. I snarled, and tugged at the ropes.

I realized how tired I was... No... Not now! My energy faded, and my body huffed as it slept, my vision blacked out, returning to my human form, startling all. “A woman..” Hushed voices continued, as the Impaler Prince himself seemed speechless. Then quickly regained himself and picked me up and set my unconscious body in front of him on his horse, and if to show ownership, and rode of with the meager remains of his once massive army, and rode to his castle, victorious.
Getting Acquainted

“Little one?” A voice called softly.
“Huh?” I looked around, I was in the forest.... how?
“There's something I want to show you.” I turned and saw the dragon... or me. It was huge, it's blue eyes motioned to follow as it stood and walked through the forest.
When we reached a clearing I saw besglen, “what? Why did you bring me here dragon?”
“Look at your people, look at your family.”
I looked where it pointed with it's tail tip, seeing them huddled together.
“Their.... Their crying? Why?”
“You are their hope, the reason they were saved, who would not cry for that?”
“Am I... Dead?”
The dragon looked at me before chuckling. “No, not yet. You were captured, and will wake up soon, just be sure not to forget where you come from.. or you will lose yourself.”
“What do you mean..?”
The massive creature suddenly sighed, “You are waking little one, be prepared. I can say no more.”
“But..-”
The world suddenly turned into swirls of color, before going black.

“Wait!!” I sat up, panting. I was in a dark room with stone walls and carpets covering the floor. I looked around searching for any remain of the dragon or my dream.
“Just a... dream..” I looked at my hands, one was slightly tingling and had a slight burn...
I sat back against the headboard, looking at the flat ceiling. The door creaked open slightly, and a skinny nervous man scuttled in. I stared at him, watching his movements as he set down what I guessed my breakfast. It looked delicious, but I was in no mood to eat, my family... What will happen to them? I prayed they were all right.
“Prince Vlad would like to see you down at the garden in an hour. Please don't be late, it aggravates him.” I nodded slowly, and watched him walk back out quickly as he had came in, closely the door quietly behind himself.

I forced myself to eat part of the breakfast, before sliding out of the warm sheets and my bare feet making contact with the cold stone floor with a soft woven carpet over it.
I flicked through my wardrobe, seeing numbers of dresses, but nothing else. I will admit I was never a dress person, but apparently I had no choice now. I picked out a red dress with a fire-like pattern on it, and two servants who had been standing by for quite some time rushed over and put it on me, then did my hair in an elaborate braid.
I went down a flight of stairs after getting directions from a servant, and continued until I saw a garden to my left, a pathway winded to a fountain where several men stood, having a conversation, I could tell one was the Prince, from his red and black clothing that was fit for a prince and shoulder length dark hair. The one to his left had brown hair and was wearing a mixture of green and black clothing. There were three to the right of him. One was an elderly looking gentleman wearing purple, another had dark hair as well, but was wearing blue and white. The last had light brown hair and was wearing a light pea color with white as well.

I felt a harsh wave of self-consciousness wash over me, I was never one for people, and the fact these were people I had never met before and on top of that they were all nobles and / or royalty.

The one to his left glanced over, looked away then glanced back very quickly, “Well, Well if it isn't fire girl.”
My eyebrow twitched as attention was directed at me, “Fire girl? Really?”
He grinned and eyed me up and down as the others seemed to, “Don't you like my nickname for you.”
I glared, “Well 'Fire Girl' is going to throw you into that fountain, does that explain what I think of it?”
Several of the men did “Ooooohh” “You've done it now lad”
The man put his hands up in defense, “Settle Pyro, I was merely jesting with you.”
I crossed my arms and huffed, “Don't poke the sleeping dragon with a stick and you won't get burned. Simple, unless of course your small mind can't comprehend that statement.”
He puffed up, “Listen woman, you have no place to tell a man-”
“You were born from a woman, have some respect. Lord, It wouldn't surprise me if you couldn't hold a woman for more than a week.”
The elder man laughed loudly before putting a gentle hand on my back, “Ahaha! I like this girl, and that fiery temper she's got.”
The offended man in green muttered, “Keep her then, I lost interest anyway.”
“Bah no, too young for me, I already have a woman anyway, and I've held her for more than a week Hah!”
The prince himself finally spoke while still looking at me with what I assumed was curiosity, but I didn't meet his eyes. “Enough, leave us.” And they indeed did as they told, nodded to me and bowing to