Sadly, I do not own any characters from Dragonheart…but I wish I owned Draco! Everything else is mine though, so no lawsuits or plagiarism, please.

Chapter Three

After Bowen and mines unexpected meeting—and explaining what it meant to be Korean—I tried to convinced him to let me travel with him. I explained my situation to him—that I was somehow transported here and was possibly stranded…that I was completely helpless. Of course, Bowen argued this, throwing my own words back at me.

"You're a witch. Surely you can protect yourself." Damn him! Damn him to the 9th circle of Hell!

"Er, no I can't. First of all, I'm 16. Secondly, I have absolutely no resources at hand for a proper spell. Thirdly, I'm pretty new to all of this. If I knew I could handle myself, do you think I'd be groveling to some wandering knight asking for protection? No, I would not. Besides, do you know what could happen to a girl like me?"

"….Get burned at the stake for your nonsense and unending talk?" Smart aleck…but no, that wasn't what I had in mind….

"Actually, Bowen, I was thinking more along the lines of being unwillingly ravished by some deprived and depraved psycho looking for a good time. Get the picture?" The look on the knight's face was enough to tell that he completely understood. And was it just me, or was the man turning red? Bowen turned away and seemed to contemplate everything for a moment. Oh please, please, please say yes! PLEASE! I don't want to be stuck here alone. I can't believe I just told him all of that! Now I'm getting chill bumps…damned scary thoughts. My mental bantering was interrupted when Bowen turned to me suddenly, his stormy gaze locking with mine. Then he turned away and started to walk off. I could only gape in amazement. He was leaving me that easily? What?

"Well?" Bowen had stopped and was looking at me.

"Huh?" I brought myself out of my stupid trance. "Well what?" The look I received was one of great annoyance. But I had no idea what it was about. He was leaving me. What did my confusion matter to him?

With a suffering sigh, the knight spoke, "Well, aren't you coming?" he said quickly. "Surely you don't want to be left to the madmen and the dragons." Yes! Thank you! Gathering my wits and my bag, I followed after Bowen. We walked silently for a bit, which was actually quite unnerving. It was strange that he'd accepted me and my magical practices so easily. Of course, if this was really Medieval Europe, then who would really be dumb enough to deny an alleged witch assistance? Not many. I rifled through my backpack for my lip balm, Bowen eyeing me all the while. I glanced up coolly. "Yes?"

"Nothing, nothing." Oh geez.

"You needn't look at me like that. Everything I said before is the absolute truth. I am a witch, I'm from the future, I don't know how I got here, and I'm in dire need of your help. And I will not be turning you into a frog any time soon. Sailor Scout's honor, I promise you. If you must say something then say it." I sent him a reassuring, hopeful smile when I stilled sensed his unease. That was something I didn't need magic to pick up on.

Another sigh. "Why me? Why now? What makes you think that I can help you? Why do you think you can trust me? For all you know, I could be one of those madmen you spoke of before…a psycho." He was doubting his actions now. Did he regret letting me come with him?Oh, that hurt. I stopped walking. I simply stood there looking at the ground. Tears flowed unbidden down my cheeks.

"Grief," was all I could manage to say.

"Samantha?" I turned away wrapping my arms around myself and stifling a cry. I couldn't let him see me like this. I wasn't supposed to cry. No one's ever seen me cry.

Only cry if someone dies….

My body shuddered as I inhaled a deep breath. Damn Bowen. Males are so emotionally inept.

"Samantha?"

The--!

"Samantha!" I looked around, eyes wide. Fearful. Bowen stood a couple of feet away, arms crossed…and his expression looking pretty cross too. But it softened immediately. As he walked up to me I averted my eyes but nonetheless I could feel his gaze probing me. I felt a hand on my shoulder as a gentle whisper filled my ears.

"You aren't lying at all, are you?" I gasped and pulled away.

"Of course not! I already told you that! I promised you! And promises are not something I take lightly, mind you. I've known enough heartbreak in my short lifetime to know what it means to make a promise. I'm not like my…." I let myself trail off. My family dramas weren't any of his concern. All he needed to concern himself with was believing me and helping me. "Anyways, I only asked you because you were the first person I saw. Hell, you saw me first. You kicked me if I remember correctly."

"So, you really are a witch? You aren't from here?" His eyes had taken on a gentle expression…pity. The bastard. I glared at him.

"Oh Hell….and I was just humoring you."

"…WHAT? Did you just think me some pathetic lackwit running around telling stories? Bowen, you may not have known me for very long but for the love of God! Can't you think well of anyone? Just what did you plan on doing to me? Drop me off at the nearest village? YOU JERK! Mmmpft—!" Bowen clamped his hand over my mouth, crooning to try to sooth me. When that didn't work he became rather blunt about it.

"Will you shut up? He'll hear us—Ow! Damn it that hurt! Don't bite me!"

"Don't touch me then…who'll hear us?"

"The dragon." What? Are you joking?

I sent Bowen my most scathing look. "Oh, who's the crazy one now, eh? Here you are telling me that you think I'm loony, and you're hunting dragons! What a pair we make!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Uh hello? Dragons don't exist. They are purely myth, I assure you." I smirked, knowing full well I was at least right about this. "I mean, dragons are cool and all, but you have to face the facts—"

"Dragons are not myth nor are they 'cool'. A boy's heart and mind is now tainted because a dragon decided to share its heart and life-force with him. And I won't stop until I hunt that dragon down. That dragon poisoned him, and I will not let him get away with it." Bowen was shaking now, his entire body overwhelmed with the raw energy that hatred gave him. His eyes shown and I could see his soul. Dragon or no, this man had been badly hurt. Suddenly, Bowen's feelings for me didn't matter. I'd just brought something to the surface that maybe should have stayed in hiding. I deserved to be humored like the babbling idiot that I was. I never knew when to keep my mouth shut.

"Bowen," I said. "Bowen, I'm so, so sorry." I reached out to him—or tried to. Bowen grabbed me by the wrist. "Come on," he said gruffly, "we're losing time. That dragon's not going to just wait for us. We're losing light too." I was haplessly dragged along as Bowen determinedly made his way across the plain. For a while I thought we were just wandering until I saw what looked like a campsite and a dark saddled stallion grazing nearby. His horse, huh? I thought. Does he really expect me to get on that thing?

"Bowen?" I asked gently as he began to pack up camp. "What exactly is the plan?"

He looked at me and I swear I saw a murderous gleam in his eyes. "We're going after the dragon."

"Which way?" He pointed towards the direction from which we had come. "But we just came from that direction."

"I know. He passed overhead in that direction shortly before I found you."

"I see…."

"There's a waterfall back there. That's probably where he went."

"A waterfall? Damn. Could have used that information earlier. Ah well. Since when is the dragon a 'he'?" I got a nasty look. "What?"

"Since when does it matter?" Geez. Be like that then.

"It was just a question is all." Mean ass slayer. Bite me. I received another look for all my trouble. He was still upset from earlier. Fine, I can play that game too.

"Any who, you're a dragonslayer? Officially, I mean. You've done it for long?"

"For the past twelve years."

"Oh. Wow."

"Yes." He said, "Since Einon's young heart was corrupted by the dragon. I have every intention of hunting the beast down. I want him to pay." Ah, so that must be the boy he spoke of.

"But, if you've been doing it for twelve years, how do you know you haven't already gotten him?"

Silence. Then….

"Is that all you're carrying?" Much gesturing was done towards my bag. I whispered an affirmative. "Then let's go. Time's a wastin'." Bowen put everything together in his horse's saddlebags, and hopped on. Once he was settled he looked down at me, who was still a short distance from the horse. "Well? Hurry up!"

"Er…are you gonna make me walk?" Oh, another look.

"Come here!" I did. I suddenly found myself being hoisted up so that I sat behind Bowen. "Never ridden before?"

"Nope."

"Then hang on." Before I could wrap my arms around the dragonslayer's waist, we were off and going. I think I screamed, but we only rode faster. After a few minutes of mind-numbing fear, I checked my watch. It was two-ish. No wonder Mr. Impatient wanted to get rolling. Time really was wasting of you were in the mood to hunt yourself a dragon.

A/N: Okay, sorry it's taking so long to get into the story. I just want the characters to…well, have character. Any who, I'd really, really, really appreciate reviews. I cannot stress that enough. Truly. So leave reviews! (By the way, all of you that have reviewed, thank you soooooooo much!) Just trying to make this thing good! Much love to the readers!

NeoQueenSolaris-Cosmos