© Avalon Lee, 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Rowan

I was running. This time, it wasn't from the ones who had ridiculed me, but from the only one who hadn't. Rokevir. I was running away from the best thing that'd ever happened to me. But, I reminded myself bitterly, it is for a good reason.

He had warned me that his clan was gathering, and that I had to leave before they found me. He didn't say what would happen, but I already knew.

So, I turned from him and raced away, heart breaking with every step. Where I would go, I had no idea. It seems I have a habit of running and not knowing where, I thought with grim amusement.

I could return to the castle. But no sooner did that thought enter my mind than I immediately rejected it. I couldn't. I had already left, and there was no going back. One part of me felt regret, but the other rejoiced in my new freedom.

Then, my parents entered my mind. I sighed in sorrow. They had always been good to me, had tried to shield me from those that weren't accepting. But they couldn't protect me from everything. I halted my thoughts before they could wander to darker places.

Think, Rowan. Where to go? Not the castle; not yet. I tightened my cloak around myself unconsciously at the thought of facing Lionel. I recalled sensing Rokevir's emotions at learning of the squire. They were tumultuous like a raging river, anger at the fore. His eyes, his sapphire eyes had blazed in fury. Why? I most likely deserve Lionel's torture, I thought darkly. But there had been another feeling . . . one that I couldn't quite name. Protectiveness.

I stumbled to a halt, my lungs prohibiting me from running further. Oh, no. I gasped for air, trying to catch my breath. It was impossible for me to reach the castle, and returning to the forest wasn't an option. I sank to the ground, the hopelessness of my situation overcoming me. It was clear to me now that two-legs and dragons were dire enemies. What am I doing? I'm just a girl. A girl lost in a world she doesn't understand. Trapped between two worlds: friend and enemy. Dragon and Man.

It's hopeless.

I bowed my head in exhaustion, too tired to even cry. I wanted Rokevir's comforting presence. But he was gone, away from here with his Clan.

Somewhere in the depths of my sorrow, I sensed something. A light at the edge of my vision. Ever so slowly, I tilted my head upward, peeking through the curtain of my hair.

My eyes widened at the sight before me. A sapphire dragon stood proud, eyes sparkling with wisdom. He--for something told me it was a he--seemed to almost shine with the stars' light, his scales shimmering. At his side was a slightly smaller dragon, colored amethyst like the wild beauty of dawn. Its slender frame and more delicate features told me it was a female. Like the other dragon, she held an ethereal light. But unlike the male, she had emerald eyes that gleamed in contrast with the purple of her body. She was beautiful. Looking back at the male, I realized he bore a strong resemblance to . . .

"Rokevir?"

"No," rumbled a voice in my mind. This time, I knew it was the dragon who had spoken. It was indeed male, and was definitely not Rokevir. This dragon had not the youth of my friend, but had the world-weary tone of an adult.

The blue dragon tilted his head. "I am not Rokevir, though I do know him. At least, I did." His voice sounded sad.

He didn't seem as surprised as Rokevir had been at discovering I could understand the heart-speak. It seemed as though he expected it, as if he knew who I was.

"I know him too," I said quietly. I waited for the dragon's shock, for his surprise at learning a human could hear him. A mental chuckle startled me. The female smiled a draconic smile, immediately reminding me of another.

Her voice wasn't as deep as the male's, but it possessed an underlying growl I had begun to associate with the dragontongue. It was melodic, almost musical.

"Yes, we know, young one," she said. "We know what you are."

"Y-you do?" I blinked.

The dusk-colored dragon nodded, a movement so human it nearly made me laugh.

The sapphire male spoke this time. "Yes, although you yourself do not yet know. There was a reason you are the way you are, why you cannot hear your two-leg kin."

I started to interrupt, then cut off my statement as he continued.

"While you can't hear nor communicate with your own kind, your disability gives you the gift of speaking with dragonkind."

My eyes widened. I recalled what Rokevir had said. Dragons speak from the heart, not from their mouths.

The female dragon continued. "You are the only one of your kind who can speak to dragons." She paused in thought. "Have you ever seen another with your eyes?"

"No. I . . . I am the only one."

"Your eyes mark you as being unlike your kind, as a Dragonheart."

I shook my head. "What's a Dragonheart?"

The male exchanged a glance with the female at his side, something unspoken passing between them.

"Listen carefully," said the male, eyes flickering with ancient and unknown emotion. "Why did you leave Rokevir?"

I blinked, taken aback by the blunt question. "Because . . . because he told me to. His Clan was gathering, and if they found me--" I let the sentence remain unfinished.

The blue dragon tilted his head, similar to the way I often did. "So you would let danger stand between you and your friend? You would just give up?"

"No!" I stood up adamantly. "No, I would not."

Both dragons seemed pleased by my answer. "Then, go after him."

"But, I don't know where he is," I objected.

"You are thinking like a two-leg," admonished the female dragon with an amused gaze. "Try thinking like a dragon."

"But I'm not a dragon!" I protested half-heartedly, uncertain if I believed my own words.

"Not on the outside," the two said as one voice. Then, they began to fade. The stars that made up their scales swirled together, spinning faster and faster. They were vanishing.

"Wait!" I cried, holding out a hand as though I could stop them. "Who are you?"

The mystical dragons didn't answer. Faintly, I sensed a "Good luck, Rowan."

Then, they were gone. I drew back my hand, still in awe of what had just happened.

I shot up to my feet, new resolve filling my exhausted body with energy. I drew my cloak closer around myself and turned to the forest, a place that strangely seemed like home.

I took a step.

I looked back, and whispered in my heart to the dragons that weren't there. "Thank you."

And with that, I turned and entered the forest once more.

~~~

Now, as I walked through the towering trees, I felt more . . . comforted than threatened. Some part of me was calling this mysterious, peaceful place home. Is it the dragon part? I wondered, remembering the words of both Rokevir and the star-dragons. I shook my head, as though I could rid myself of these strange thoughts that were becoming all too normal.

I've met creatures I've never seen before. Dragons. That is not normal, I told myself. But . . . I think I'm starting to like this rather abnormal journey. A smile found its way across my face, dispelling all dark thoughts as the sun does to clouds.

It wasn't until a shadow fell over me that I noticed I wasn't alone. I froze instinctively, my eyes finding the ground very quickly. I sensed power.

A gust of warm air ruffled my hair. Ever so slowly, I raised my gaze to meet a piercing golden one. Towering over me was a massive dragon, far larger than Rokevir, and with scales like the sun. This one was different. He carried himself with pride and a surprisingly human-like regality. Unlike Rokevir, he wasn't as easy to read. And now, his reptilian gaze was locked directly on me.

I took a step back.

He took a step forward, causing the earth beneath my feet to shake in protest. He continued to stare relentlessly at me, as though puzzled by something. He lowered his head, and I stood my ground. His nostrils flared and he suddenly recoiled, jerking his head back in alarm.

"You carry Rokevir's scent."

His voice was deep, and reminded me of the blue star-dragon I had met. While Rokevir's voice held the strength of flame, this dragon's power rivaled that of the mountainous land itself. I stopped myself from replying to his mental statement, remembering that he most likely had never met a human that could speak to his kind. How did he know Rokevir?

In the few instances in which I had encountered dragons, never had I seen one that wore this one's expression. The only word that could describe his reaction was dumbfounded.

I looked up at the golden dragon, my gaze pleading. I needed to somehow communicate with him without him finding out about mine and Rokevir's secret friendship.

"He went north."

I blinked, almost not hearing the mental sentence. Then I saw the understanding in the old dragon's eyes, and knew that we had indeed communicated. Desperation, fear, awe, caring . . . he had seen it all. Through the most ancient of all languages. One without any words--body language, I realized. The basis of the dragontongue.

His face was stoic, and I couldn't tell how much he knew, or even his response to it.

"Head for the Northern Village."

I nodded, and with one last grateful glance at the wise golden dragon, turned northward. My feet seemed to fly on invisible dragon wings, strength restored, and my eyes found the heavens above. An ancient sense guided me to where I needed to go. Two starry dragons' voices echoed within my heart. "Our gift to you. Now go, Rowan Dragonheart."

I focused again on the earth in front of me, which sped by at an impossible rate; my lungs never tiring. But I had no time to dwell upon it.

I had a dragon to find.

Okay, I am so so sorry this took so long to update! It was a tough chapter to write, and writer's block hates me. But, I also spent all this time developing the story further, and I've thought of the best plot twist ever! It's so beautiful! ^-^ I also planned the rest of the story out. Picture on the side is a wonderful cover my friend Edris_Opal made for me.

Thanks for sticking with me,

-Avalon Lee