When she wandered off from school, she didn't know that she wasn't going to go back. Her thought when she wandered off, was to make it just a flower-picking walk, and that she'd come back with a lovely bouquet. There was a small hilly area where lovely wildflowers grew. It was enclosed by a rickety wooden fence, barely holding together. She had been there many times, and everyone who cared, which was few, marveled at the flowers she brought back.
Today, she was bored, after sitting through a long and pointless lecture. In fact, the only reason she attended was because they gave out a few copper pieces. So after picking a few flowers, her heart not really into it, she actually looked beyond the fence, a stunningly lovely apple tree. She loved apple blossoms, for their sweet fragrance, and simple beauty. They would make the perfect finish to her bouquet.
After looking around some more, to see if there was a gate, or a note saying "Keep Out!", she hopped over the fence, and into a more bleak area. There weren't as many wildflowers, but there was that tree. If she had been looking around, and watching where she stepped, she would have notice a mass of leaves. In fall, that would not have been so unusual, but it was spring, and therefore, suspicious. But her good sense was ignored, in favour of the sweet smell of apple blossoms, and off Aurora walked, towards the tree.
She walked right over the leaves and slid down a small hole, saying words that would have gotten her wrist slapped back at the academy. Fortunately, it was not long before she was spat out of its end. It was a imp-hole, something she knew from the tales her father told her. Imps are hungry little buggers who will eat anything if its alone and not dangerous. But there were no imps to greet her. Something must have happened to them. With that disturbing thought, she picked her self up, and dusted off her breeches. There was a small tunnel, and after checking if she could get back up the imp-hole, she went thorough the tunnel, worried about what might greet her.
At the end, there was a sort of light, gold mixed with an ominous red. When she arrived, she found that the red light came from beyond a stone archway, but beyond their, she could not see anything but a smoky haze. The gold light came from a droopy candle, held by an equally droopy man, surrounded by a ragged bunch of people. There were about twenty or thirty there. They looked starved, and Aurora would have felt sorry for them, if she wasn't so mad about being dumped down a hole.
"Who are you, why are you 'ere, and where is out? Better hurry up and make the answer snappy, as I'm not in a good mood." Startled, it took a bit for them to react beyond jumping, but when Aurora started tapping her foot, a scrawny boy stepped forward.
"Miss, we're here because of that imp-trap around the tree up there. If there was a safe way out, we would have gone already, in search of food. Do you have any?" And he looked so hopeful, and yet so sad.
She ignored the boy's question, and instead pointed toward the archway. "So, that's too unsafe for you nances to go through? That's a coward's words." And with that she started towards the archway. The entire group immediately protested and grabbed for her, a collective holler of no startling them all. The droopy man said, "That way lies the dragon, and you don't want to brave him."
By now, Aurora was feeling spiteful, and furious at being grabbed at like she was a roast pig. "Well, maybe I don't want to be die when you go cannibal, and chomp down on me, acting no better than that dragon." Giving strength to her courage was the memory of the stories she used to listen to. She had always loved dragons, and longed to see one, even if she ended up being dinner.
She glanced at her clothing: dark shirt, dark breeches, black boots. Yep, she had at least a 25 percent chance to sneak out unnoticed. Then she noticed the warmth of the air, giving credence to their tale of a dragon being around.
The boy from before spoke up. "He usually gets us by sticking his claw in here, and stabbing someone, then pulling them out. It would be better to die like this, with bravery and honour." Some people looked up at the word honour, but others shook their head. They had been here the longest, and had given up hope. "My name is Coulan. I'll give you all the aid possible."
"Coulan, I appreciate that you're trying to help, but maybe I should do this on my own. Besides, you're what, nine, ten? You're just going to hinder me. Sorry." Aurora informed Coulan. This twerp wanted to see her dragon? No way. She was determined to keep that dragon for her eyes alone to gaze at, before hurrying on her way. Due to being overlooked so often she had forgotten that dragons see all things, unless these things use magic to hide. That and a slight bit of egomania, pushed her towards that stone archway, and to a very much awake dragon, Coulan following warily.