Chapter Three

Zina was so startled that she shot forward and landed on her side in the dirt. Hard. Wincing, the young girl got up and turned to stare at what used to be her favorite sitting place. Instead of a neat crevice that would hide her from sight, roots had spontaneously grown right over the hole. Grass, moss, and bugs were thriving on the new roots. But what had Zina so amazed was the thing that was under the roots. A shining gem stone colored like orange flames, glittered under the roots. Cautiously, oh so cautiously, she reached a hand under the roots and felt the stone. It was smooth as paper, silky as a dress, and hard as a...well, a stone. Small veins ran all over it, creating little fingers that spread across the delicate surface.

Zina leaned forward and wrapped a hand around the stone and tugged at it. It didn't budge. She pulled and heaved and probably moved it less than a centimeter. Ripping out a knife that lay hidden in her pocket she apologized silently to the tree and cut away at the roots. It took her nearly twenty minutes to cut one root through. She sawed away at another section and cut that chunk out. She could only stare in dismay at the layers of roots under the first one. Zina sighed and sawed, cut, dug, and labored away at them, but it seemed like for every root she cut, two more showed up in its place. It was an impossible task and at last Zina dropped her worn out knife, sat down and studied the siduation. It still wasn't very good. She was no closer to the stone than she had been when she had started. It was still just barely visible and she reached under the roots to stroke it. It was then that she had an idea. Why not dig it out? She began to dig at the base of the roots, but once again was thwarted. Dirt continued to fall in where she was digging. Exhausted and irritable, she surveyed the tree and roots once again.

The stone was glittering like the sun now, it seemed literally like it was trying to help her out. Dismayed she eyed the stone. There was no way of getting in there to reach it or to get it out. Sadly, she pushed back the dirt and covered the remains of her chopped roots. She started to get up, but then something started to lift her. With a yelp, she wriggled around to see the Captain striding towards her, his hands lifted and eyes burning like an unquenchable fire. He stopped and growled at her,

"Thought you could reach it, huh?" He dared her to answer. Zina was so startled at his intrusion and angry at him using magic on her that she literally shouted at him.

"Reach what? Let me DOWN!" He didn't seem to hear the "let me down" part. Instead her began to circle her, his fingers working spasmically.

"Hah! You defy me! I know your game, slave." He twisted his hand and Zina's throat was being constricted. Pain shot through her head and she wailed with anguish as fire seemed to well up within her.

"Tell me or you shall suffer the consiquences." He said it calmly as though he wasn't threatening her life, but simply discussing the weather. Zina bit back a howl of agony and hissed tightly.

"I can't tell you when you are torturing me!" Simply saying that made her lose her breath and she went limp, not having the strength to speak. The magic left her and she was lowered to the ground. The Captain came to kneel by her with a grim smile. He picked up her limp hand and felt her pulse. She couldn't do anything as his hand came up her arm to her chest as he listened to her heart rate there. Then he stroked her hair,

"You cannot fool me. I know your father well. He knows me. I also know who you are, Zina." Zina choked in amazement.

"H-how'd-d you kn-know?" She croaked.

"That's an easy one. Your father, the duke, and I were all in military school together." His hand tightened on her neck, leaving her no room to breath. Anger made her desperate. She struck out with her leg and caught him in the side. The force flung him back several steps and he fell on his back. Zina jumped out and tried to run, but some magical force held her.

"Don't even think about coming back, sweetie. I'll be watching." The voice hissed at her before she was dropped to the ground. Terrified she scrambled away into the castle, knowing she would be safe there.

For the next five days, Zina barely had any time to go to the stone. She was either being plagued by work or being followed by the Captain. He showed no signs of having tortured her before, only giving her gifts and helping her with her jobs. She never trusted him but pretended to forgive him. That part, at least, wasn't hard. The Captain had over ten women following him around, but he didn't seem like the type to pretend to love you and then break your heart. But Zina continued to try an reach the egg, but there was always either the Captain or his personal servant near. She was becoming impatient and decided to deal with this herself.

One day, when she was working in the stable, the Captain came up. She turned around and gave him a smile.

"The Duke wants to see you, sir. He is in the library." The library was the farthest place from the garden she could think of, but not so far he might get suspicious. He nodded and left, striding towards the castle, Almost on cue, in came his servant. Zina hated his servant like a dog hates a cat. That man was plain evil. He never stopped pursuing her and was always trying to kiss her. As usual once the Captain made his exit, the servant came up to her and grabbed her by the arms for a kiss. With a snarl, Zina grabbed the shovel and cracked him over the head with it. He sank down unto the floor and Zina hauled him into the chair outside. She placed an empty bottle of beer in his hand and scurried off towards the garden.

She ran towards it, carrying a rake to relieve any suspicion from the passing slaves. She scrambled into the garden and found the huge tree. Sure enough, the stone was still there. Zina reached out and touched it, stroking its unblemished shape like a baby. For a second, she was all alone with the stone, touching it. Then it started peeping. Zina lept backwards and fell over. She crawled back to it and stared in shock. Cracks zig-zaged down the gleaming orange shell, ruining its perfect shape. Zina could only watch as a small hole in it got larger and larger until a small orange head stuck out of it. And then it exploded and the egg shells smashed against the roots. To her astonishment the roots disappeared and she was sitting right in front of a gorgeous baby dragon.

Its body was as fine and precise as though one of the famous sculpters had chiseled it out of lava marble. Its head was small and the eyes were large. Black pupils surrounded by a lake of white with golden flecks stared at Zina who cautiously moved towards it. Instantly, its head snapped around to glare at her. A long neck and tail made it look uneven and little papery shreds of wings hung uselessly at its side. It had miniscule teeth and claws that gleamed like silver and were serrated on the outside edge. Small spikes stuck out from its head to its tail. They were barely bumps on its head and tail, but grew to spikes as big around as her thumb and as long as needles. Zina could only stare at it. A tiny rumble came out of its chest and it stumbled towards her, helpless and scared. Zina couldn't help but feel sorry for it. She reached out and cupped its fine head in her hand. A slash of fiery pain shot up her arm. A loud clang, like the sound of iron cymbols, only ten times as big filled her ears. All she could see were flashes of colors she didn't know existed. She was paralyzed in fright and a memory rushed back to her, even in her terrorized state.

She was walking the Princess Layna out to her carriage when a huge shape swooped out of the sky. It was a golden dragon! Fear had raised in Zina and Princess Layna has pressed into her, quivering with fear and excitement. The huge thing landed and a smaller, lithe figure jumped down from its back. The dragon's Rider! Zina had realized with a pang. The man-elf had strode past her and Layna and into the castle. The carriage driver was huddling in his seat, as the dragon inspected him with amusement. Feeling a bit sorry for him, she called out to the dragon, not realizing she was calling him with her mind.

Leave him alone! Can't you see he is scared! The dragon's great head swung around to glare at her and she struggled not to flinch. But then he spoke to her mind-to-mind as well.

Too bad. Are all humans as cowardly as this one? He had asked, amusement stilled coloring his voice.

No! But I doubt he has ever seen a dragon before. The dragon had considered her for a moment before saying,

And I have a feeling that I'm not the last dragon you will ever see either, young one.

The memory filled her mind as Zina came out of her daze. The dragon was awkwardly searching her pockets, squeaking loudly with hunger. Zina sat up quickly, but when he nuzzled her hand, only a small electric tingling went up it. Full of wonder she carefully pulled out her lunch, a small ham, turkey sandwhich, cup or beans and fed the ham to the small dragon. It snapped and chewed at the ham hungrily, growling and rumbling ferociously. Zina had to smile because the tiny thing didn't look one bit savage though it was making a good effort. Zina's smile vanished as she realized what had happened. She was a Rider! If anyone found out, she was in major trouble! She would be used as a protecter and would probably be subject to abuse from anyone. Zina got up rapidly, despite the undignified squeals of the tiny dragon. She picked it up and felt around for the thoughts that had connected her withe the older dragon. When it brushed past her conscious, she grabbed it and pushed one main idea into the dragon's mind. Stay here NO MATTER WHAT! The dragon stopped rumbling and looked at her quizically. She pressed the though down on it until it squeaked and agreement seeped across the link. She pushed the dragon back into the tree and scrambled down to the kitchen. Saying she had lost her lunch to one of the guards, she recieved several days worth of food.

Running to her barrack, she grabbed her bedcloth and her possessions. To her ultimate surprise, a shining sword was in her pack, and so was a gold-bordered book that glowed. She grabbed the bag and rushed out to her dragon. To her dismay, the Captain was already there.