A/N: I don't own Jane and the Dragon.
This was originally called 'The Sword'. I figured it was a boring title, so I changed it to this. You'll figure out while below.
Yours, Mine, and Ours:
"So, are you sure you know where we are?" Jane asked for the fortieth time that day [or at least she hoped it was still daylight out]. Her reptile companion, much to her chagrin, grinned nervously at the question. It didn't inspire much confidence in their chances of getting back up to the opening chamber, otherwise known as Dragon's bedroom.
"I am sure! Very sure! So sure that-!"
"Do you know where we are?" Jane cut in, crossing her arms as she gave the reptile a firm look. One that pierced the confident façade like a pin.
"Alright, I may be a little turned around, sorry."
"It is alright; let's just see if we can retrace our steps." The red-head suggested, internally sniggering when she noticed Dragon staring at his feet with a confused expression as he tried to puzzle out what she meant.
"Going back the way we came?"
"Ah. Right. Knew that."
Jane had to resist the urge to laugh. Dragon, for all of his faults, did have the irrevocable tendency to lighten her mood.
Which did not stay bright for long, when the two realized it was a lot harder to get out of the mountain than it was to get in. Jane was also becoming uncomfortably aware of how low the torch was burning. Dragon, on the other hand, seemed to be on the trail of something.
"Do you smell that?"
"Smell what?"
"Er, not sure exactly what, but it's not more cave."
Vague, but promising. Then again, they were already lost, so what could the harm be in following this lead? Especially given that, when she looked at the fire, it did look like it was blowing in a very weak strain of wind. Perhaps there was an opening of some kind they could squeeze through.
Given that the two were in slowly fading light, it took a moment for either to notice the difference in the cave structure around them. The ceilings had become higher, the floor more level. It was almost as though they had stepped into some sort of giant entrance hall, the stalactites and stalagmites hanging about like unfinished pillars.
Jane, looking about , nearly tripped when something caught her foot. Looking down, she caught a glint of metal in the torchlight.
"Jane?" Dragon suddenly chimed in as he noticed his friend's abrupt halt. Turning his head back, and by now noticing that the redhead was staring at something down at ankle-level. Flaring up a small plume of fire, just for the added light, the two were given a very detailed look at what was holding their attention.
"Is that a sword?" Dragon asked, eyes roving over the smudged and tarnished blade. There was a faint aroma of soot around the metal, along with the familiar blackish dust coating the actual steel, and nearly caked to the hilt.
"It appears so. I wonder how long it's been down here." Jane thought aloud, fumbling for a moment before getting a hold of the hilt. The sword itself was light, and it seemed almost as though the hilt was made for her hand. "Maybe Smithy could tell us more about this."
"Um, there may be a problem. Smithy is out there, and we are still in here." Dragon piped up, tone fitting something of someone trying to explain something to a particularly difficult person, or someone who was hard of hearing.
Placing her hands on her hips, the squire gave the bold reptile a momentary glare before noticing something odd.
"Do you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
"A breeze." The squire elaborated, and this time, the reptile too noticed the small, faint wind, blowing from behind him. Turning back in the direction they had been heading in before they were sidetracked, Dragon took in another breath of the scent coming in with the breeze, noticing that it was stronger. It smelled like open, fresh air, something that they were in definite need of.
"I think we may have found a way out." Dragon stated matter-of-factly as he turned back to grin at his friend, who returned the smile at the news. Some sunshine would be good after all of this spelunking, that much could be agreed on.
"I could not tell you much, Jane, except that this sword is in rather good condition. All it needs is a good cleaning. The metal is also quite remarkable. Where did you say you found this?" Smithy asked later as Jane presented him with their discovery.
"In Dragon's cave. We…were a bit turned around."
"It is a rather large mountain." The blonde replied justifiably, a small smile on his features as he gave the blade another going over before deeming it satisfactory and handing it back to the squire. "Sorry I could not be of more help."
"It is fine!" Jane replied, brushing off her friend's apology with a wave, her other hand holding the blade carefully. The first order of business would be to find a scabbard for it; she certainly didn't want to have an accident with the sword. Not to mention that it would be useful once it was cleaned. Bidding Smithy farewell, Jane headed off in the direction of her room in search of some suitable rags and other materials.
And that was where a certain green reptile found her nearly an hour later, working busily on the metal with a cloth and ointment.
"So, what did Smithy say?"
"Aside from it being something he has not seen before, not very much."
"Not very helpful, though understandable. It is from my cave, after all."
"Points for modesty, greenlips." Jane chimed, turning a playful look to the proud lizard before going back to working on the cleanliness of the blade. Dragon, momentarily caught in throwing a superior look back in reply, gave the newfound sword a mildly curious look.
"Are you planning on keeping that?"
"Well, it is a perfectly good sword. I do not see any point to get rid of it."
"Whatever you say." Dragon remarked lazily, growing somewhat bored with the activity of merely watching the squire work. "Can we go for a quick flight? Please?"
The definite wheedling tone caught Jane's attention, and the red head looked up just in time to catch the beseeching golden gaze thrown her way which melted down her resolve little by little until she finally had to give in.
"Alright, alright, you newt. One moment." The squire replied, carefully stowing both the freshly-cleaned blade and the supplies before bounding out the door.
Later, when Jane had gone to work on the training dummy, she had to admit that her new sword had handled like a dream. It was light, quick, and the metal shown like a comet streaking through the sky when the sun hit it just right. Not to mention, a spar with the training dummy had never felt quite so easy. Her movements were fluid and free, and the sword practically felt like an extension of Jane's own arm, something that greatly helped her coordination and footwork as she moved about and slapped at the spinning enemy with her blade.
"Attack! Hit that sorry-! That's it, that's it!"
And she appeared to have an audience, it seemed. Skipping out of range of the swinging mace, Jane turned deftly to see Dragon, perched on the nearby wall, and looking about as jubilant as he had when she had first given him permission to take her flying.
"Yes! Ha! Show that dummy who is boss!"
Taking a mock bow, much to Dragon's elation, as he clapped his forepaws together with a hearty whoop before calming down a little bit.
"So, sword works well, does it?"
"What do you think?" Jane challenged playfully, the sword in question balanced carefully on her shoulder.
"It is from my cave." The reptile remarked superiorly, to which Jane found a quip of her own ready to fire back.
"But it is our sword."
And that is how, in my head-canon, Jane and Dragon found that peculiar sword. Reviews are appreciated but not mandatory. Also, to my Orphan School of Tough Learning readers, an update should be coming soon, just so long as Real Life stays out of the way for a bit.