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Chapter 46: Day 39 – The Dragon

Everybody watched perplexed as Rumpelstitlskin lifted some loose wood planks from the floor at a corner of the room and returned with a small box. Belle smiled immediately, recognizing it. He put it on the table and opened the lid, revealing his treasure. There were gasps of surprise and shock.

"All this time, there was a fortune under my floor!" Charleston whispered while his shaking fingers reached for the silver coins. "How did you get all of this?"

"It was a gift." Rumpelstiltskin explained. Spinner and princess switched accomplice looks, everybody understanding the source of the small richness.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go and buy that wagon and find the boys!" Thumbelina said, anxious to have her sons back.

Everybody went immediately on with the preparations, which were made fast. Elizabeth and Thumbelina got the supplies; Thomas and Johnathan gathered warm blankets and Rumpelstiltskin and his father calculated the costs for the wagon and the journey, splitting the money into different bags, to divide it among them. Meanwhile, Angelina had brought a new outfit for Belle. She opened her bag and the princess smiled as she took off a leather pair of brown reddish trousers with a matching top. The beauty switched her dress for her more practical garment and was pleased to see she and Angelina had exactly the same size. She couldn't hide a shy blush when she saw Rumpelstiltskin's silent appreciative look he gave her when she appeared in this new outfit.

When everything was ready and settled, farewell had to be bidden. Angelina and Thomas remained behind with the care of little Ravenna. Rumpelstilstkin and Thumbelina protested their father was coming along, none understanding his need to join them and disapproving him for leaving their dear mother behind.

"You honestly think I'm letting my only two children go alone in this dangerous excursion? Oh no, I'm keeping an eye on both of you!" He said pointing at brother and sister. "Besides, Beth asked me to join you. She would come too if she could, but she is not strong enough. So it is decided!"

"We will take care of grandmamma." Angelina said as she hugged her mother and father with tears in her eyes. "Travel safe and bring back my brothers and Baelfire."

Regret was clear in her voice. If only she had known her uncle was in his way, she would never have allowed the boys to depart. But fate had tricked them all. If they were lucky, if they were fast, they would find the teenagers before they reached the front lines. And so, with this thought in their minds, they departed. The wagon vendor didn't really expect to see Jonathan again, but was very glad to see the generous amount of silver coins presented to him. In no time, the family was traveling southwards, to Armithil. The teenagers had about ten hours head start, so they traveled fast and steady, hoping to reach them shortly.

The travel was long and monotone. Soon, both Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were caught by the aftereffects from a long night running in the woods and an intense lived morning. They surrendered to slumber under the vigilant eyes of Charleston, who sat with them on the back of the wagon. He was mainly concerned with his son's health, who had looked too pale and too tired for his liking. He placed his hand on his son's temple. It was cold. He felt the temperature of his hands, icy cold. Not liking the symptoms, the old man covered his son with an extra blanket and sat next to Rumpelstiltskin, guarding him. Thumbelina, who was sitting next to her husband on the front of the wagon, looked behind and smiled. She thought it was typical, her father always scolding and upsetting her brother. But in the end, he still worried with Rumpelstiltskin, like when they were children. She turned again, this time to face the endless road ahead of them and rested her head on Johnathan's shoulder. She silently prayed for the three boys to be safe.

"What do you mean she disappeared?" Maleficent yelled furiously, spitting fire from her lungs.

Regina was in trouble and hid a flinch. She couldn't understand what was going on. She had been most of the day away in the Enchanted Forest, guiding two children to the Blind Witch's ginger home, another attempt to get that apple back for once and for all. And during her hours of absence several unfortunate events happened in her castle. She returned to find seven of her guards mysteriously killed, a very confused Huntsman wandering around and a useless mirror Genie. Princess Belle was missing and nobody could explain what happened. She had no idea if the curse was lifted or if somebody found the princess' statue form and stole it away. All she knew, was Princess Belle was nowhere in her castle.

"She vanished unnoticed. I swear I do not know what happened. But I might have an idea of who is involved in this." Regina did her best to put her self-confident look, because from the inside, she was wavering terribly. Maleficent wasn't a pleasant sight when she was mad. "There are another two prisoners missing too."

"Quite clumsy locks you have! You think they took her?" Maleficent demanded infuriated.

"One of them was Prince James. I was holding him captive with the hope of keeping him until I had Snow under the sleeping spell. It is possible he somehow found Princess Belle and got her out of the castle."

"And the other prisoner?"

"He's just a miserable spinner I used to try that magical wheel. He obviously took his chance and escaped too."

"So this spinner is no threat?" Regina chuckled at the memory of the feeble and scared man.

"Not even to a fly. I'm sure Prince James is behind this. He is Snow's true love. And you know very well Snow is best friends with Belle."

"You should have blocked the tower with a protective spell!" Maleficent spat frustrated at the other woman's incompetence. Queen Regina remained silent. She was so certain no one would find the princess in the tower, she indeed left it unprotected.

"And you cannot find Belle or James in your mirrors?" Maleficent interrogated.

"It seems something is interfering with my mirrors. I'm unable to get proper images of whatsoever. All I get is a confusing blur."

"Something or somebody." Maleficent spoke with disgust. Regina nodded, having already reached that conclusion too. "Zoso, that tricky old imp!"

"I bet he has something to do with Belle's disappearance." Queen Regina said, feeling a little bit safer, now that Lady Dragon's fury was being channelized to somebody else.

"Probably his silly revenge for us trying to steal his dagger. We have to be cautious. I was fearing his silence was too good to be true."

"I will continue trying to find Prince James and Princess Belle in my mirrors. I know some charms that just might do the trick."

"Yes, you go and do that. Meanwhile, I think is about time the soldiers of Armithil learned the true wrath of the Lady Dragon." Regina smiled, as she watched her friend transform herself into a bloodthirsty dragon. The fierce monster gave a terrifying groan and flapped the wings a few times, until it flew in the air, high in the skies.

Mulan never had had such a joyful and energetic company during her travels. Despite their worries, the boys chatted incessantly about banal things of their daily lives, daydreamed of heroic stories and once and a while they would sing a folk's song. Mulan was not used to have company at all during her travels. She was a lonely soldier. She preferred her shadow as only company instead of arrogant men who looked down at her just for being a woman. Even after she had proven to be more valiant and resourceful than some men, she still had the feeling she hadn't won the respect she should receive. Commander Byront was one of the few who treated her as an equal. She looked up to him and admired the old soldier's life wisdom and experience in battle. All the other men looked at her suspiciously, like if she was a threat, mainly that bulk of a Gaston. The man supposed to marry the princess and become king. What a joke! Her memories went back to the day Princess Belle came to her hesitant with a message.

"I'm coming to you because you are a soldier, but also because you are a woman." Belle had said. "I need you to bring a message to a man called Rumpelstiltskin. He lives in a small village called Kriemont."

"And what is the message, my lady."

"Tell him I'm sorry, that I love him and that I need him here with me." The princess had said between tears.

Mulan was a bit taken aback at the moment. It was the first time she saw the princess cry and look vulnerable. But she gave a short smile. Mulan did understand Belle. Because she was a woman and because she was a soldier. Mulan knew how difficult it was to be a leader, be strong and determined in a world of men. Always being watched by men that waited for a sign of weakness, like vultures waiting for an animal to die.

"This man, Rumpelstilskin, loves you back?" Belle nodded. "Then you should be together. Do not worry Princess. You are doing the right thing. I will travel as fast as I can and bring him back to you."

Mulan sighed a bit worried. It wouldn't be easy to break the news of his captivity in Queen Regina's castle. But at least she had found his son. And won another two allies. She smiled at the boys. They would travel four days, taking several short paths she knew well. But she was sure, this time, the company would be a pleasant one.

Commander Byront always had feared for this day. He knew it was a matter of time for it to happen. And today, was the day. Short messages from different camps, from all the way into the interior of Armithil's woods, were being send on carrier-pigeons.

Camp 14. Under attack by Dragon. Number deaths unknown. 48 wounded.

Camp 21. 17 men down. 34 wounded. Dragon attack

Camp 12. Dragon attack. 26 men down, including commander. 51 wounded.

Commander Byront read the apprehensive news that multiplied during the day. They all spoke of the terrifying and deadly attacks of one dragon. Maleficent. He could trace back the attacked camps on his map and realized Maleficent was working from the castle towards Snowland. He calculated the intervals between each message and knew she would reach the frontiers close to nightfall. It would be hell. They needed to be prepared, so water, blankets, tree branches and any product that could extinguish fire was prepared and placed in strategic places. His biggest worry was the children. He didn't have enough time to organize a safe evacuation. They had to stay put. They had to fight too.

For the first time in years, Commander Byront prayed. He prayed for the Princess, whose destiny was unknown to him. He prayed for the soul of Gaston, whose absence would be clearly noticed during the attacks. He prayed for all the dead and wounded soldiers, but above all, he prayed for those who lived, because they were the ones to face the horrors. Finally, he prayed for a miracle.

The hours stretched by in chaos and anxiety until an alien sound was heard during twilight. Silence reined the camp, as everybody tried to understand what this new sound meant. It was a pounding strange sound, like wind hitting in a storm. And at each loud and long rhythmic pounding, the hearts of the soldiers and children started beating faster. Commandant Byront realized it was the flapping of giant wings and ran to the wooden tower. Everybody gasped of fear when a horrible roar filled the skies and all soldiers and children shrunk of fear.

"On your positions!" Commander Byront's voice echoed through the camp.

His eyes were cast into the distance and soon they discerned a large figure hanging in the air, spitting fire on its way. Commander Byront looked ferociously at the vile creature breathing fire. He was sure tonight he would meet his end. But a strange courage filed his chest. A delirious fury took over his soldier heart. He would fight until he died. He would fight defending the people of his camp. He would give Maleficent a battle she would not forget. They would die, but they would die fighting, they would die in glory.

So when the beast was dangerously closer, he gave order to attack. Thousands of black arrows pierced the skies. Heavy stones flew in the air. Maleficent roared surprised and was forced to maneuver herself in the skies to avoid the heavy rocks. But she avoided the assault and was already spitting fire. Soon, Commander Byront was abandoning his tower, which was burning into ashes, like the rest of the camp. People ran everywhere in a mad world of fire and smoke.

"Attack!" Commander Byront yelled on the top of his lungs.

The arrows continued flying, the large stones too. The soldiers were driven by the same strange strength as Commander Byront. They were compelled to fight until their last breath. The battle was fierce and quick, Maleficent circling the camp and spitting fire mercilessly. The volunteers and children were helping with the extinguishing of the fire and surprisingly, succeeded in many places. They managed to save the catapult from the flames. And as the many rocks continued flying towards the beast, Maleficent was forced to retreat. Everybody cheered with their small victory. But they knew it would be short-lived. It would be a matter of time for Lady Dragon to return. And they would be prepared again. They would fight until they died.

Escalating!

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