The Huntsgirl Chronicles: Weakness Meets Strength

Chapter Four: Prisoner of The Dark Dragon

Even with her eyes squeezed shut, Rose could still see how bright the flash was through her eyelids. However, as quickly as it appeared, it faded. Before she could even open her eyes, she felt the cool, outdoor wind hit her body and the next thing she knew, she grunted as she felt the dragon's tail unwrap from around her, dropping her to the ground, where she hit with a thud.

Slowly opening her eyes, Rose found herself looking at a temple that was far below her. Her eyes widening, Rose looked around the area and found that she had been dropped at the foot of a good hundred foot drop down the cliff side.

Quickly looking up, Rose could see the two dragons and the monkey, who was sitting on the shoulder of the smaller, magenta-colored dragon. "Yes..." The Dark Dragon said as he looked down at the temple. "...All we have to do now is wait..."

Chang smiled evilly as she listened to her master's words, but then her smile faded and she looked down at Rose, their eyes briefly meeting. Startled, Rose quickly looked back down at the temple, squeezing her eyes shut, almost as if she wished that when she opened them again, she would find that her capture was just a nightmare.

Now frowning, Chang turned her head to the side to address Bananas B. "My pet..." She told him. "...Go down there and make sure that the girl doesn't try anything funny."

"Right..." Bananas grinned. "...On it, Changity-Chang..."

The next thing Rose knew, she heard a whistling noise, like something was falling, and then she felt something quite heavy drop into her lap. Her heart skipping a beat, Rose released a startled wail into her gag. Opening her eyes, she looked down to see that the monkey had landed in her lap and was now staring up at her.

"Yo!" He told her. "Me'z here to make sure that youz don't try any monkey business, right?"

&*%

Rose knew it was her fear of the two dragons that kept her from even moving for the entire day that she was sitting up against the rock that the two dragons were perched upon. Rose didn't think she had any real reason to fear the monkey that remained on her lap, but she knew she had to fear the two dragons. If she made one wrong move or if that kid didn't do as he was told, they would kill her.

Even so, Rose was starving for not only food, but for also water and for the opportunity to go to the bathroom. Rose kept her bound hands to her stomach while she pressed her legs close together, hoping to silence the sound of her growling belly and quell her desperate-for relief-bladder. On top of that, every time she swallowed, her throat burned.

Still, her effort to keep her growling stomach silent failed; just as it growled, Bananas B looked up at her. "You'z hungry?" He asked.

If Rose wasn't so frightened, she probably would have rolled her eyes.

"Yo, Changity-Chang!" Bananas called as he looked up at Chang, who frowned as she looked down upon him. "I think the girl is hungry!"

"So?" Chang retorted. "She's our prisoner, not our guest! It's no concern of ours!"

As this transpired, Rose did her best to keep her gaze away from any of her captors. Instead, she continued to look down at the temple, only to gasp softly into her gag as she saw a dragon flying toward the temple, landing right in front of it, reverting to their human form and walking inside.

&*%

Night had fallen, and even though it had been hours since the very first dragon arrived, Rose had not taken her eyes off of the temple, staring with wide-eyed wonder as she watched a couple dozen dragons all arrive at the temple, all sitting down together at a long, rectangular-shaped table. Rose didn't know why, but watching the dragons arrive seemed to calm her nerves somewhat; at the least, it helped her take her mind off her hunger, thirst and the need she felt to relieve herself.

Finally, Rose caught sight of the last dragon that flew toward the temple; a decently sized dragon of red coloring. Rose recognized the dragon immediately. It was the boy that The Dark Dragon was blackmailing. Watching him land in the middle of the temple and revert to his human form, Rose could slowly start to feel some of her fear fading.

Maybe it was going to be okay after all. Maybe, despite her worst fears, Rose was going to make it home to her family, safe and sound...

After watching the boy mingle, Rose could see Jake hold up the bottle that the potion was in, pouring it into the goblets of all the world's dragons, one by one.

"Yes..." Rose looked up when she heard the sound of The Dark Dragon's voice. "...The boy is giving them the mind control potion, just as we commanded..."

"Do you really think he's truly going through with this, Master? Chang asked. "Are you sure this is not a trap?"

"Of course not." The Dark Dragon shrugged off his minion's doubts. "His love for not only this girl, but for his family is his weakness..."

Then, Rose could see the Dark Dragon's lips curl into a cruel smile. "It's time." He declared.

The next thing Rose knew, she felt The Dark Dragon's tail wrapping around her waist again, dragging her and Bananas up toward them. Then, Rose was forced to shut her eyes as she felt the unbearable brightness of the light that engulfed them all.

After the bright light faded, all four of them were gone.

END CHAPTER

A/N: I finally updated! I don't know how you feel about this chapter, so please tell me with a review. I kind of would have liked to have made Rose's experience a little more traumatic, but it's probably already traumatic enough for her. Well, as it's past midnight and I have a headache, I think it's time for bed. I think you know what's coming in the next chapter...