birth of the dragoon
Birth of the dragoon
It has been near twenty years sense the death of the great white dragon. Twenty years sense I took it's head as a trophy. How quickly us humans forget the troubles of the past. How greedy we are for what is not ours. It took me over a year to learn the basics of the dragon language. Another two to learn it properly. It takes time to get the trust of a dragon and even more to gather their respect. Their customs are strange to me. As I am only human but I am the leading expert on dragons. No human alive knows more about them than me. Perhaps that is why I am so covenanted amongst the humans. I leave this record not for the selfish or vengeful hunters of the dragons but the dragoons, who as I have, befriended the dragons.
I was eight when I first encountered my first dragon. I was just a small boy. The son of a former hunter of them and a farmers daughter. It is said my father gave up the hunt when my mother told him of me. That is a detail of the past and I do not remember it well. My father was rather rich for a simple farmer. More a farm owner that ran the buying and selling of the business than tilling the actual fields. It was after the cattle and other animals. My mother burned to death in the house. I heard her screams from the woods. My father died fighting the beast. The white monster that had stole everything from me more times than I wish to count. No cold iron or hot steel pierced it's flesh. Most of the help ran for their lives. I stayed hidden and watched. To much in horror than anything. When I was found I was forever changed.
After that I was adopted by my uncle. My fathers older brother. To teach me the family business. Four years I was raised as a hunter. Four years with only the desire of vengeance on my mind. On my first hunt to learn with my uncle I encountered the white dragon for the second time. We came to the cave of a dragon that had made it it's lair in recent years. On the outskirts of a small settlement paid to have us rid of the curse. My uncle saw what it was doing in the cave before I reached that height and took the opportunity to strike. I got to the entrance just in time for my uncle to be bashed against the ground with all force by the white dragon. Then killing the one he mounted and eating my uncle before eating part of her to fill his gut. It was ugly and sadistic and I could only watch. He knew me watching and wanted me to flee. The evil in his eyes told me that. I had seen such looks in some of the other hunters. When the white dragon was done he grabbed the egg the other dragon was nesting and then came for me. Out of fear I lunged my javelin at it. To both of our surprise I made it bleed. Piercing it where the nail of his finger met his scales. It did not even slow it as it grabbed me.
I do not know exactly how long passed before I passed out and I was awake again. The trauma of my capture and everything else. I do not like thinking about it. When I awoke I was met with the gaze of a dragon chick. It must had just came from the shell I determined. As it was the same shell of the egg from the cave I was captured in as well. It was covered in the egg's contents and I was afraid. I grabbed the first thing near me I could lift and found it a bone. That is when I realized I was going to die there. That dragon's first meal. As the new dragon and I was about to fight to the death a white figure started overlooking the two of us. We both stopped and looked at the new addition. The infant dragon growled at him. I threw the bone and it bounced off it's face. Then I noticed the festering digit where my javelin hit. Most of the weapon had been pulled away but the metal end was still there in a sea of puss. The white dragon put it in front of me and growled. What did I do? Well I did as ordered. The ends of javelins were not easy to remove from dragons. I was happy of the pain I caused in the removal. I noticed I was not the only one.
The first day amongst the dragons had taught me more about them then the four years with my uncle. I learned fast. Adapted even faster. In the end they have an order of things. We may not understand the order but it is there. Me and the little dragon quickly became allies in the goal of a common foe. Yet our extreme differences made things very hard. As in he giving me raw meat to eat. I had to steal some fire from one of them in order to start cooking. Yet once he saw how I ate and operated things became much easier. In truth I could be said of nothing more than a servant. I tend his needs and he keeps me alive. Keeps me from being another young dragons meal after a month of being there.
The first time I left the small crevasse I had been bound to I was not sure of anything. Gray I started calling the young dragon caring for my safety. He understood my language better than I did his. Yet after a month of only him as a companion I learned a few sounds. Learned to heed warning he tried to give. At first I thought of escape. Learn the lay of the caverns I was in. In fact that thought had crossed Gray's mind as well. It was the very first place he lead me. It was the only watched point. Almost like a military checkpoint. None leaves or comes but the white dragon without one of the senior dragons saying so. In fact it was a bit of fortune on our part but not another chicks when one tried to sneak out. She was silent and stealthy. Using her small size to escape easier detection. Yet the moment she tried to make haste to freedom she caught the attention of one of the guards. She was captured and beaten before my eyes. It was obviously a lesson to not only her but many of the others to not try to escape either.
The only thing worse than the small dragons were the big ones. Many tried to take me away from Gray a few times and if they were old enough they succeeded. Many times I think they saw it as a game. Keep the pet from his master. Even them taking me to their much bigger cavern to clean the messes they had there. I was not going to question the wisdom of Gray for not fighting for me at times. I could tell it would have been both of our necks if he fought. Definitely mine if I did not do as expected of me.
It took over a year for them to get use to me enough to let me out of the cave. There was no settlement, no sign of civilization in sight. They thought no escape. By then I was understanding of their movements and sounds. Enough to know when it was safe for me to do things. I also grew a little bolder. Grey a bit larger as well. The community of dragons was led by the white dragon. They knew he stronger than any of them or at least they all thought that as they were raised to believe such. Me and Grey were the only ones to not outgrow that. However we do not show the defiance. We keep quiet and private.
We made our escape in the spring. Between three and four years after our capture. I was not sure exactly how long. I was stuck in that cave for a long time. At first things went well. We got away clean. However it did not take long for the search for us to catch up to Gray's young wings. Individually we stood no chance. Together, for a time, we hid and survived. For travel Gray carried me and for food I hunted. We never traveled two days strait and never stayed in the same spot for more than a week of the time. We made good time and distance but it was not enough. About four months after our escape we were found by the white dragon. Gray tried valiantly but he only delayed the inevitable. The last time I saw him for some time was he being carried back badly hurt. He was bleeding heavily as I was being washed away in rapid currents of a raging river.
I was fished out some time later. My rags of animal skins I used as clothing were gone. Only the harpoon end that I kept that had the blood of the white dragon on it. I washed ashore butt naked right in front of the daughter of the head hunter of a well supplied and experienced dragon hunter group. At least I was told that. She was about my age then. Young and raised around men all her life. I was not exactly bashful either. You tend to only see clothing for warmth or some other form of protection after spending a few years with only dragons as companions. They are a rougher bunch then any burly batch of men. In fact I believe I was out for a week before I came too again. I was afraid of them more than if I saw a dragon hovering over me. I quite got use to that in fact.
It did not take long for them to put me to work cleaning or whatever. After cleaning after dragons the work was vastly easier, if only more plentiful. Humans, bigger slobs than any dragon I ever have known. Well I think their plan for me was to see the quality of hunter I was. They were on their way to their next mark. She had other ideas.
The moving fortress that was their base was slow but able to traverse nearly any landscape. It was able to house dozens for weeks without fear of dragon fire breaking threw. They settled in a valley with clear lines of sight in all directions. From my teaching from my uncle I knew this a standard practice from bigger hunter bands. I of course kept my head down. I recognized her challenging roar. While they readied for her assault I stayed out of the fight. To the side. She was an older dragon. Obviously able to hold her own in a fight. Probably survived the white dragon and left alone from it. She would not fall for the simple tricks they had for her.
The first thing they did was let out three sheep. After running scared some they settled to eating the summer grass. She waited for the men to get lazy and bored before getting the easy meal. I did not say it would not work. After that they tried sending a man with a crossbow out. She kept her distance and easily avoided the bolt at a range far to far to strike effectively. She chased him till she noticed them readying the ballista. She scorched the land and the bait in front of her before taking to the skies and getting out of range before they have a beat on her. One thought he had a chance of hitting her but it went wide. The headhunter punched him hard for wasting the bolt.
For weeks I watched her play with the humans trapped in the box of their own making. Me trapped in with them. They seemed bigger animals than dragons did. A few times I considered fleeing. Then what chance did I have. Either she would kill me before the other humans or after. I did not desire to die. Not after escaping the clutches of the white dragon. Nor did I hold malice for her.
As the food dwindled parties started going out hunting. Eating little for me was a feast. They almost seemed to want to put weight on me. Even after others started getting smaller portions. Plumping up the next sacrificial pig. When they kicked me out in the open all I got was the end of my old javelin on a new javelin shaft. I knew I had only one chance. The dried blood was still there. If she knew who I was? I knew it would buy me time. I removed the shaft of the weapon and showed her the blood. I could tell she understood. She likely caught the scent of it the moment we arrived. Being the one to hold the scent made her cautious. Even afraid. She however did not show it as she warned me to not lie about his death. I did what she would understand. I held out my hand to show her my fingers. Then I lowered one. I tapped the javelin end on the finger I lowered. She knew now who I was and took off with all haste.
I think the white dragon burned threw three settlements before he lost my trail once more. The hunter band was all slaughtered. He knew I was still alive and malice was one thing I learned of him with my time around him. Five years later I was just a stable boy. Keeping my head down. That is when I met Gray again. I understand it was the white dragons plan to send dragons on settlements of humans. Not a bad plan in fact. Usually they were easy prey. Knowing a little more of humans than the average dragon his age he kept his distance. I of course recognized him before he me. I also was recruited to aid defend the town. When I leaped over the wall and ran toward him he nearly killed me. Obviously our reunion was short lived.
That night when the celebration for me scaring off a dragon was over I slipped away. Not really drinking any. Gray met me where we discussed and at the time. He took me to his new lair. My dragon ear was a little rusty but he was happy to see me. We talked. Mostly after our separation then of future plans. Amongst the dragons faith in the white dragon had diminished. As long as I lived they were not sure he could lead them further. If I could harm him as a child, what could I do as a man? That was the general thought.
The vengeance in our hearts still longed to be earned. Yet I no longer cared for that and Gray had grown too. He set his sights on something higher and I dreamed of something even bigger. Time makes a dragon strong. Their scales pile on one another strengthening the weave. In a thousand years I have been the only human or dragon to hurt the white dragon. If I could not pierce it's flesh then I would have to go for either the eyes or the mouth. As those I will likely encounter first in a fight. If opportunity presents then anyplace that opens near his tail should suffice.
It did not take long for the white dragon to come. By then I had a few plans of attack made and the weapons for them. He had not been as surprised in anything sense seeing my harm him all those years ago as me alone to face him. He also seemed humored. I took the javelin I once harmed him with and raised it over my head. That angered him. He could have burnt me alive right then. I hoped he did not. And I was correct. He wanted to have my blood cover him. He wanted to taste my flesh.
At the initial charge I struck his jaw. Another inch and I would have had it enter his throat. Of course another inch and I would have entered the jaws as well. After I managed to live threw the charge those of the town started attacking. He spun around with a burst of flame. Screams of death could be heard from those who dared to strike at him. I took the opening. Going under his hind legs hoping to strike a low blow.
I do not believe he used his own thing like a club on me. Until I made him regret that decision. Just a nick but I made him bleed again. He backed away startled and in pain and soon lost that to rage as he saw his own fresh blood again, it covering his old. This time he wanted me dead by any means. As he readied to breathe fire on me I threw the javelin. Yet again I missed by less than an inch. Yet again I made him change his aim or kill us both.
It was a long dragged out fight. I was no match to him except a few lucky blows but he must have saw this as a grand battle. The dragons that normally keep their distance came closer to watch. To the point of landing and forming something of an impassable crowd. Except Gray. I would have been dead then if he did not act. The white dragons confidence in himself had been shaken. It only took a statement being no match of me when I am his from Gray have the white dragon to become reckless. To succumb to his anger and rage.
Gray challenged the white dragon and he won in one move. With the white dragon's belief in himself as invincible gone and he in fear for his life when he should have not. He flinched at the crucial moment. Gray got his jaws on the white dragons neck and started working his fangs threw the layers of scales. The body did not stop struggling until it's severed head hit the ground. Then the other dragons started to move closer. Gray ordered them to wait for proper turns. He of course got the first bite. Me I really did not want to eat the monster but his blood did quench my thirst. Then the other dragons had their turns.
Me after that was a hero. Anything I wanted I got. I was praised by kings and the Pope. Wanting me to lead a campaign that would rid the world of all dragons. I refused and tried to settle back into the life I had before finding Gray again. It did not take me long to get aggravated with the humans. It did not take long either for young dragons to try to find partners to achieve their goals either. Foolish thing for them to do but it did give me an idea.
Infant dragons came to me often enough to learn my knowledge that I had to become a hermit to protect them. Which did not help that humans also sought me often. More often than not I had to protect the young dragon from the hunter. Eventually I moved back with Gray. Who was happy to have me back. The former tenant of his new room had a thousand years and more of mess to get rid of.
I spent over a year doing that job. At home more with the dragons than humans. Dragons were simple and understanding. Over that time I went over my plan with Gray. Seeing it a way to keep the young dragons out of trouble he agreed with a test. So I went to an orphanage and adopted all the infants I could and went to several more.
Fifteen years later and the first generation of dragoons are raised and ready to go out into the world. I hope that it was the right decision to match humans and dragons together. They had simple orders. Get material to build a town in exchange for the tons of shed scales humans covenant. Honestly I thought whatever could go wrong would have but seeing humans riding dragons must not have been as a surprise. One of which is my own son. One of my prizes for taking the white dragons head as a trophy.
At this point I'm not sure to continue or not.