"Aurore woke me up the next day, before the sun had even rose.

"Wake up, sleepy bones. There is work to do." I yawned loudly. I was still exhausted from flying all day the day before, but I got up anyway. When I exited the tent, all I saw was movement. Little blurs of speedy gypsies moving faster than bees, trying to tear the place down. Everyone was helping. They were packing and getting ready to go to the next place. I helped as much as I could with moving tents, moving lumber and a number of other things. It did not take long; we were done by sunrise. Before I knew it, we were off."

Jane yawned again. She adjusted her small muscular frame against Dragons firm scaly body.

"The next city we went to was called Lyon. We did not break when we arrived; instead we set up the fair once again. The rest of the day was spent exploring the city. Aurore guided me through the center of the town. It was so big. Everywhere there were traders and merchants selling and shouting right and left. Gypsies performed in the streets, while little children threw around hoops and played hopscotch. The scent of freshly baked bread and flowers filled the air. The city was so alive. Everyone was happy. Except Aurore. She was getting more and more depressed by the day."

Dragon looked up at the heavens. The moon was almost in the middle of the sky.

"It's getting late. Maybe you should turn in Jane."

"No, Dragon. I want to hear the rest of the story." She yawned. "Maybe cut down on every little detail."

Dragon nodded.

"They had me perform aerobatic shows and jump through inflamed hoops. Oh, it was great fun. I loved the looks on the peoples faces when I would plummet from the sky and nearly crash into them, then swoop up at the last minute." He chuckled.

"I thought you were not a short-life entertainer." Jane raised an eyebrow at him jokingly.

"Gypsies are exactly why I am not anymore." He said sternly.

"Oh. Continue."

"Well, I performed with them for three weeks, two more than I had promised, but I did not mind. When we traveled from town to town I noticed something strange. I had seen everything we took with us on our excursions, except for one thing. A covered wagon that only Paulette was allowed to touch. Everyone else knew what was in there, and I felt left out. Every time I would ask someone they would give me an evil smirk and not answer."

"One day, while we were traveling to our biggest performance yet, we made a pit stop. We stopped on the edge of a forest between the edge of a cliff and wood. Paulette made an announcement.

"Tonight is going to be a night of merriment and good cheer. Tonight, we give Dragon his reward."

I was so excited. I was finally going to meet who I was promised. That night we built a huge bonfire in the middle of our circle of caravans. We all sat in a circle on logs around the fire. Uncle Isaac pulled up the mysterious wagon beside my spot around the fire. He gave me an evil smile, showing all of his black and yellow teeth. He reached his hand under the cover, and then took his seat. That was odd. Aurore, who was sitting next to me, hung her head depressingly and turned her body away. Paulette stood up from her seat and walked over to the wagon. As she was about to pull off the cover, she said, "Dragon, I would like you to meet, Victoria." As she unveiled the wagon, my eyes went wide with shock. Guess what I saw."

Jane shrugged.

"Another dragon!"

Jane fell over out of shock. "Another Dragon? Dragon, I thought you said you had never seen another Dragon."

"Shh. Let me finish. She was beautiful. Her scales were dark blood red and her belly sunshine gold. She looked horribly sad, yet so stunning. I could understand the reason for her sadness. What I thought to be a wagon, turned out to be a cage. I was furious and so confused.

"Why is she locked up?" I asked.

"I could not have her running around and ruining the surprise now could I? You would have left as soon as you met her."

I furrowed my brow at her and glared. "I made a promise. I would not have turned back."

"Well, how was I supposed to know that? I barely knew you." Paulette looked a little frightened. I backed down.

Aurore stood up and curtsied. "Can I be excused?" she asked Paulette.

"Yes." Paulette said through gritted teeth. I heard them arguing earlier that day, but it was none of my business. I guessed they were still angry at each other.

"Now Dragon, you can leave, you have given us your services for longer than you promised." Bernard reasoned gently as he stood by his wife.

"Or, you can stay here with Victoria. Either way, Victoria is staying here." Paulette said coldly.

"I can leave, whenever I want? Even if I decide to stay for a little while?"

"Yes."

"I think I will stay a little longer just to get more acquainted with Victoria."

Cousin Gustave giggled. He was a mischievous seven-year old, he acted a lot like Cuth-brat. "Maybe we should let them have some time alone." he giggled even harder. Victoria sneered at Gustave.

"Gustave, time for you to be going to sleep. Come." His mother Nicole reprimanded. He whined and started throwing a temper tantrum. She picked him up, kicking and thrashing and took him to their tent. Paulette grinned then turned to everyone.

"Maybe we should leave them alone. So they can talk." Everyone nodded. Paulette was sort of our leader. Everyone trusted her judgment. The only person that ever dared to challenge her was her husband. They all stood from their seats, bid one another good night and headed off to their tents. Paulette released Victoria from her cage before leaving. Victoria leaped down and took the seat across from me.

I coughed. I was so nervous. I had not ever seen another dragon before, let alone a girl. It was very intimidating.

"So, do you like living with the gypsies?"

"No." She glared at me. She had piercing cold blue-gray eyes. They looked like a sword left in the rain. "I hate it here and I especially hate talking to you." She turned around and curled near the fire. I was so confused. Why was she so cruel to me, what did I ever do to her, was all I could think. I stood abruptly and sulked off to my tent.

It was barely light when I awoke. Dew was fresh on the grass. The sky was a cornflower blue. Fog filled the trench next to us. A wet haze filled the air. I love mornings like that. Everything was perfectly silent, save the twitter of birds. Then piercing shouting broke the silent air. I ran as fast as I could to where I heard the shout. It was coming from Paulette's wagon, where she stayed with Bernard. I noticed Bernard had left earlier that morning to relieve himself. Paulette was arguing with someone. I stood as close as I could to the wagon, without being noticed. I pressed myself up against the door of the wagon. I know that it is wrong to eavesdrop, but it seemed important.

"Mother, this is not right! We should tell him the truth."

"No! Victoria has him right where we want him. Soon, we will be back in Lyon. Then Isaac will change Victoria back into a human."

"And then?"

"We will kill him."

"And? You do not care that he is one of the last ones in the world?"

"No! And you do? You are pathetic!"

"No, I care about life! I for one will not be responsible for his death."

I felt a sneeze building in my nose. I sniffled trying to keep it down. It did not work. I turned my nose up to the sky and sneezed. Paulette shrieked and gasped all at once. She burst through the door in a split second.

"What is this? Were you eavesdropping?" she screamed at me. I curled in a tight ball and nodded.

"The plan is exposed. Might as well kill him now. Gaston! Luc! Tie him up!"

"No!" Aurore yelped.

I would not let them take me. I flapped my wings and tried to fly. I did not get very high, before I felt a thick board crashing into my back. Isaac hit me and knocked me to the ground. I thrashed and blew fire. Luc bound my feet and hands together. Gaston tied my mouth shut. I was caught. Isaac picked me up on one side and Gaston on the other. They started dragging me to the ravine.

"Throw him over!" Paulette ordered.

Like a mother protecting her baby, Aurore tackled Isaac to the ground. She pulled a dagger out of a sheath tied to her belt. She ripped the knife through my bindings.

"FL-" She was cut short by a blow raining down on her skull from Isaac.

"Aurore!" I shouted in my anger.

I smacked him with my tail and tried to smack him again but Luc grabbed me. Isaac had his hand up on his face trying to comfort his wound. I bared my teeth and tried to bite but I was hit again, this time by Gaston. They knocked me to the ground and were lying on top of me. I was outnumbered.

Bernard appeared out of the forest.

"Stop! What is this madness?"

"He figured out the plan!" Paulette shouted.

"You have gone mad! Your own daughter is lying unconscious on the ground because her own uncle hit her. Go to the wagon!" He roared. Paulette hiked up her skirts smugly and stomped off to the wagon in a huff.

"Get off of him and get back to your tents. I will deal with you later. As for you-" He turned to sons leaped off of me and scrambled back to their dwellings. "You are not welcome here. Change your daughter back and I had better not see your face again. Or so help me," Isaac meekly hopped to his feet and ran to Victoria's wagon.

He got on his knees beside me "I let this happen. I am sorry. Paulette did not tell me what was going on. I should have asked. I will have Nicole tend to your wounds. We will be packing up as soon as Aurore awakens, I advise then that you leave. I have no problem with you, but you need to go for your own safety. I am so sorry." I nodded.

My surroundings were spinning. My brain was everywhere at once. "Is Aurore okay?" She got hurt trying to save me. I owed her my life.

"I think she will be fine. She just received a bump on the noggin." He grinned, trying to be happy through his tears. My eyes rolled in the back of my head, for the briefest of moments. That scared Bernard to death.

"Nicole!"

"No, I will be fine." Everything stopped spinning. I got to my feet and walked over to my savior. She winced and her eyes fluttered open.

"Dragon? You are alive!" She sat up straight and her arms flew around my neck.

"I am so sorry. I should have told you to leave sooner." she whimpered in my neck.

"It is not your fault. I am sorry that you got hurt because of me." She rubbed her head.

"I will be fine. Maybe we will meet again someday." Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I hope so." I nuzzled my snout against her, then spread my wings and flew away."