Author's note: I've deliberately refrained from mentioning Draco's
name in front of Bowen, so that the naming scene can be carried out, in due
time.
Halfheart by Chris Atola
Chapter 4
The following morning, Bowen and Draco were caught making plans for how they were going to swindle a nearby village. Kirsti wasn't happy, but didn't interfere. Draco flew away toward the village, soon followed by Bowen on horseback, Kirsti and the others, in that order.
People were working on the fields of the small village, the houses of which were rather rickety. One worker, a young boy, glanced at the sky. "Father, Father! Look!" he called.
"Dragon!" Workers in the field yelled, close to a panic.
"Out of the way! Out of the way! Out of the _way_!" Draco called while swooping downward. He proceeded to scorch some of fields, then destroyed a mill, which exploded into an enormous fireball, while the villagers fled.
The dark-haired lord (*) of the village ran out of his hovel, his pants undone and about his knees, followed by his minx, who remained in the entry way.
"Pesky critters, dragons," Bowen said while riding up to the lord.
The lord recognized Bowen and said, in an accusatory tone, "You!" after which he tried to adjust his pants, which had fallen even lower, now around his ankles. Kirsti, who was watching from the edge of the village, stifled a snort.
Bowen laughed, "Like big rats. You never seem to get rid of them._Unless_ you pay me two bags of gold, in advance."
Moments later Bowen was readying a ballista, (*) with the entire village watching.
"Come on, Dragon." He paused, then Draco appeared. He continued with a more gruff tone, "Come on, Dragon." He paused yet again. "Yes!" Bowen lifted his sword, then cut the line, propelling the spear upward.
Draco, while catching the spear, wailed, "Ohhhh!" He promptly began to plummet, tossing away the spear just before he dived into the lake. The villagers cheered.
Bowen rode along the edge of the lake as Draco followed him, swimming underneath the water's surface. Draco's head poped out, surveying the area until something of interest caught his eye. Kirsti looked in the direction his eyes were directed at and saw a large flock of sheep in an area of pastureland along the lake's shore.
Draco considered for a moment, then murmured, "Hmm." He clicked his tongue; then, seductively continued, "Hello..."
Bowen was on his horse, riding on a knoll covered with wheat, counting coins. "Twenty-eight, twenty-nine..." He laughed. "Most profitable, Dragon. I should have met you a long time ago."
"There is much gold in the world." Draco flew by, upside down. "Perhaps when you've had your fill of it, you'll no longer need me," he responded while swooping through the air around Bowen.
"I am a Knight of the Old Code. My word is my bond," Bowen stated.
"No compunctions, then?" Draco asked while flying right over horse and rider.
"About what?" Bowen asked.
"Well, such deception hardly befits a Knight of the Old Code," Draco commented.
Bowen laughed. "Fleecing Einon's lackeys -- _that's_ a service to mankind!"
"Is it?" Draco asked while hovering before Bowen. "When you squeeze the nobility, it's the peasants who feel the pinch."
"That's not my concern. Why should I stick my neck out for people afraid to risk their own? Don't clutter up a clever scheme with morality," Bowen answered, firmly.
"Mmm, so be it... _Knight of the Old Code_." Draco took completely to the air again.
"If I wanted my conscience pricked, I would have stayed with the priest! Huh! And what does a _dragon_ know of the Old Code, anyway?" Bowen asked derisively.
"His blade defends the helpless." Draco began to hover in front of Bowen again. "His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth." He landed beside Bowen.
"Shut up! I remember. That's all it is--a memory. Nothing can bring it back," Bowen growled.
"You sound like one who tried," Draco said in a kindly tone.
"And failed. So I no longer try to change the world, Dragon. I just try to get by in it," Bowen commented.
"Yes, well, it's better than death, I suppose," Draco said, softly.
"Oh, is it? I should think you'd _welcome_ death. You know--the last of your kind, all your friends dead, hunted wherever you go," Bowen said.
Draco stopped dead in his tracks. "Do you _delight_ in reminding me? Yes, Knight, I _do_ long for death." He paused. "But fear it."
Bowen slowed down as Draco's words registered. He turned around in his saddle. "Why? Aside from your misery, what's to lose?"
"My soul."
They looked at each other for a long moment, Bowen's expression changed as he realized that Draco was serious. He turned back and begans to ride again, Draco walking at his side.
Kirsti watched the exchange with sorrowful eyes. She wished there was a way to kill Einon without harming Draco, but knew it was impossible.
About an hour later, Bowen was trying to light a fire with a piece of flint against his sword. Draco watched, noticing how hopeless it was.
"I can." Bowen ignored him. "I really can." Still ignored, Draco covered one nostril with a finger and exhaled through his open nostril, letting out a wide blast of flame which engulfed the wood - and the rabbit which is sitting on a spit overhead.
"Sorry, Bowen, hope you like it well done." Draco apologised.
Bowen had just finished eating, and tossed a rabbit bone. He picked up his shield, tossing it to the side. Draco looked at the spike-adorned shield, and said, "You must have hated us very much."
"I hated one of you. These I killed because I wanted to kill him. I never will: if you're the last, he must be dead," Bowen stated.
"Tell me, what was he like, this dragon you so hated?" Draco asked.
"He only had half a heart, but even that was enought to pollute an innocent boy." Bowen said. Kirsti stifled yet another snort.
"Einon was no innocent, he polluted the heart!" Draco exclaimed.
"How do you know that?! How do you know that, dragon?!" Bowen almost yelled.
Draco put a hand behind his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "All dragons know that story: a spoiled, ungrateful child was given a great gift, and destroyed it!"
"No! I knew Einon, I was his teacher. I taught him the ways of honour, of right!" Bowen insisted.
"Then he betrayed you, just as he betrayed the dragon whose heart he broke!" Draco muttered, leaning closer to Bowen.
"That's a lie, dragon!" Bowen shouted.
"Stop calling me _dragon_! I have a name!" Draco tried to change the subject.
"Well, what is it?" Bowen asked with some derision.
Draco scoffed. "You couldn't _possibly_ pronounce it in your tongue!"
Bowen smirked. "Try me."
"Alright, it's - " Draco was interrupted by a lancing pain in his heart, he cried out in pain and fell down unconcious. Kirsti jumped to her feet, running to Draco. "Oh, dear, not again!" She muttered, "Creatus aqua**", and a bowl of water appeared in her hand. She tore off a thin stip from the hem of her robes and dipped the strip in the bowl, then placed the strip on Draco's chest, after which she sat down next to him. Moments later, she was asleep, leaning against him.
Bowen sat, wrapped in a blanket, beside Draco, who was lying down -- asleep -- and was now awaking.
"Have you been watching over me all night?" Draco asked, now noticing the light weight of Kirsti leaning on his side.
"I've...been thinking," Bowen admitted.
"Yes? About what?" Draco asked.
"Many things." Bowen got up, moving towards Draco's head. "Mostly about what to call you. I think I've found you a name."
"You say that as though you reached up and plucked it from the sky," Draco commented.
Bowen chuckled. "I did." He gestured towards the sky. "Up there." He paused. "Do you see that group of stars?"
"I know those stars very well." Draco answered.
"Do you see the shape that they make?" Bowen continued.
"Mm-hmm--a dragon," Draco quietly answered.
"Yes. They call it "Draco". It means "dragon" in the scholars' speech." Bowen explained.
Draco chuckled. "So instead of calling me 'Dragon' in your tongue, you'll call me 'Dragon' in some other tongue."
Bowen shook his head. "You're right. It's silly." He began to walk away, but Draco placed a hand in front of him.
"No," Draco quickly said, then paused. "No, I would be honored to be named after those stars. I--I truly would." He paused yet again. "Thank you, Bowen." He tried out the name, "_Draco_." Then, more softly, "Draco."
Both looked back at the stars.
* I think...
** In case you didn't realise, this is my own invention. It's probably butchering Latin, but the thing is, I never learnt Latin. They don't teach it in Finland.
My thanks for their reviews or help go to Someone, M2 (even if he wasn't the most enthusiastic reviewer on Earth), and Visitor, from here on called Light Rises, who's kind enough to send me the dialogue for the film, upon request, since 'kins decided to take the cassette to Helsinki. Thanks a lot!
Halfheart by Chris Atola
Chapter 4
The following morning, Bowen and Draco were caught making plans for how they were going to swindle a nearby village. Kirsti wasn't happy, but didn't interfere. Draco flew away toward the village, soon followed by Bowen on horseback, Kirsti and the others, in that order.
People were working on the fields of the small village, the houses of which were rather rickety. One worker, a young boy, glanced at the sky. "Father, Father! Look!" he called.
"Dragon!" Workers in the field yelled, close to a panic.
"Out of the way! Out of the way! Out of the _way_!" Draco called while swooping downward. He proceeded to scorch some of fields, then destroyed a mill, which exploded into an enormous fireball, while the villagers fled.
The dark-haired lord (*) of the village ran out of his hovel, his pants undone and about his knees, followed by his minx, who remained in the entry way.
"Pesky critters, dragons," Bowen said while riding up to the lord.
The lord recognized Bowen and said, in an accusatory tone, "You!" after which he tried to adjust his pants, which had fallen even lower, now around his ankles. Kirsti, who was watching from the edge of the village, stifled a snort.
Bowen laughed, "Like big rats. You never seem to get rid of them._Unless_ you pay me two bags of gold, in advance."
Moments later Bowen was readying a ballista, (*) with the entire village watching.
"Come on, Dragon." He paused, then Draco appeared. He continued with a more gruff tone, "Come on, Dragon." He paused yet again. "Yes!" Bowen lifted his sword, then cut the line, propelling the spear upward.
Draco, while catching the spear, wailed, "Ohhhh!" He promptly began to plummet, tossing away the spear just before he dived into the lake. The villagers cheered.
Bowen rode along the edge of the lake as Draco followed him, swimming underneath the water's surface. Draco's head poped out, surveying the area until something of interest caught his eye. Kirsti looked in the direction his eyes were directed at and saw a large flock of sheep in an area of pastureland along the lake's shore.
Draco considered for a moment, then murmured, "Hmm." He clicked his tongue; then, seductively continued, "Hello..."
Bowen was on his horse, riding on a knoll covered with wheat, counting coins. "Twenty-eight, twenty-nine..." He laughed. "Most profitable, Dragon. I should have met you a long time ago."
"There is much gold in the world." Draco flew by, upside down. "Perhaps when you've had your fill of it, you'll no longer need me," he responded while swooping through the air around Bowen.
"I am a Knight of the Old Code. My word is my bond," Bowen stated.
"No compunctions, then?" Draco asked while flying right over horse and rider.
"About what?" Bowen asked.
"Well, such deception hardly befits a Knight of the Old Code," Draco commented.
Bowen laughed. "Fleecing Einon's lackeys -- _that's_ a service to mankind!"
"Is it?" Draco asked while hovering before Bowen. "When you squeeze the nobility, it's the peasants who feel the pinch."
"That's not my concern. Why should I stick my neck out for people afraid to risk their own? Don't clutter up a clever scheme with morality," Bowen answered, firmly.
"Mmm, so be it... _Knight of the Old Code_." Draco took completely to the air again.
"If I wanted my conscience pricked, I would have stayed with the priest! Huh! And what does a _dragon_ know of the Old Code, anyway?" Bowen asked derisively.
"His blade defends the helpless." Draco began to hover in front of Bowen again. "His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth." He landed beside Bowen.
"Shut up! I remember. That's all it is--a memory. Nothing can bring it back," Bowen growled.
"You sound like one who tried," Draco said in a kindly tone.
"And failed. So I no longer try to change the world, Dragon. I just try to get by in it," Bowen commented.
"Yes, well, it's better than death, I suppose," Draco said, softly.
"Oh, is it? I should think you'd _welcome_ death. You know--the last of your kind, all your friends dead, hunted wherever you go," Bowen said.
Draco stopped dead in his tracks. "Do you _delight_ in reminding me? Yes, Knight, I _do_ long for death." He paused. "But fear it."
Bowen slowed down as Draco's words registered. He turned around in his saddle. "Why? Aside from your misery, what's to lose?"
"My soul."
They looked at each other for a long moment, Bowen's expression changed as he realized that Draco was serious. He turned back and begans to ride again, Draco walking at his side.
Kirsti watched the exchange with sorrowful eyes. She wished there was a way to kill Einon without harming Draco, but knew it was impossible.
About an hour later, Bowen was trying to light a fire with a piece of flint against his sword. Draco watched, noticing how hopeless it was.
"I can." Bowen ignored him. "I really can." Still ignored, Draco covered one nostril with a finger and exhaled through his open nostril, letting out a wide blast of flame which engulfed the wood - and the rabbit which is sitting on a spit overhead.
"Sorry, Bowen, hope you like it well done." Draco apologised.
Bowen had just finished eating, and tossed a rabbit bone. He picked up his shield, tossing it to the side. Draco looked at the spike-adorned shield, and said, "You must have hated us very much."
"I hated one of you. These I killed because I wanted to kill him. I never will: if you're the last, he must be dead," Bowen stated.
"Tell me, what was he like, this dragon you so hated?" Draco asked.
"He only had half a heart, but even that was enought to pollute an innocent boy." Bowen said. Kirsti stifled yet another snort.
"Einon was no innocent, he polluted the heart!" Draco exclaimed.
"How do you know that?! How do you know that, dragon?!" Bowen almost yelled.
Draco put a hand behind his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "All dragons know that story: a spoiled, ungrateful child was given a great gift, and destroyed it!"
"No! I knew Einon, I was his teacher. I taught him the ways of honour, of right!" Bowen insisted.
"Then he betrayed you, just as he betrayed the dragon whose heart he broke!" Draco muttered, leaning closer to Bowen.
"That's a lie, dragon!" Bowen shouted.
"Stop calling me _dragon_! I have a name!" Draco tried to change the subject.
"Well, what is it?" Bowen asked with some derision.
Draco scoffed. "You couldn't _possibly_ pronounce it in your tongue!"
Bowen smirked. "Try me."
"Alright, it's - " Draco was interrupted by a lancing pain in his heart, he cried out in pain and fell down unconcious. Kirsti jumped to her feet, running to Draco. "Oh, dear, not again!" She muttered, "Creatus aqua**", and a bowl of water appeared in her hand. She tore off a thin stip from the hem of her robes and dipped the strip in the bowl, then placed the strip on Draco's chest, after which she sat down next to him. Moments later, she was asleep, leaning against him.
Bowen sat, wrapped in a blanket, beside Draco, who was lying down -- asleep -- and was now awaking.
"Have you been watching over me all night?" Draco asked, now noticing the light weight of Kirsti leaning on his side.
"I've...been thinking," Bowen admitted.
"Yes? About what?" Draco asked.
"Many things." Bowen got up, moving towards Draco's head. "Mostly about what to call you. I think I've found you a name."
"You say that as though you reached up and plucked it from the sky," Draco commented.
Bowen chuckled. "I did." He gestured towards the sky. "Up there." He paused. "Do you see that group of stars?"
"I know those stars very well." Draco answered.
"Do you see the shape that they make?" Bowen continued.
"Mm-hmm--a dragon," Draco quietly answered.
"Yes. They call it "Draco". It means "dragon" in the scholars' speech." Bowen explained.
Draco chuckled. "So instead of calling me 'Dragon' in your tongue, you'll call me 'Dragon' in some other tongue."
Bowen shook his head. "You're right. It's silly." He began to walk away, but Draco placed a hand in front of him.
"No," Draco quickly said, then paused. "No, I would be honored to be named after those stars. I--I truly would." He paused yet again. "Thank you, Bowen." He tried out the name, "_Draco_." Then, more softly, "Draco."
Both looked back at the stars.
* I think...
** In case you didn't realise, this is my own invention. It's probably butchering Latin, but the thing is, I never learnt Latin. They don't teach it in Finland.
My thanks for their reviews or help go to Someone, M2 (even if he wasn't the most enthusiastic reviewer on Earth), and Visitor, from here on called Light Rises, who's kind enough to send me the dialogue for the film, upon request, since 'kins decided to take the cassette to Helsinki. Thanks a lot!