The Dragon comes

Granny Renna was then not a granny but a little wild farm girl called Renny. She was no older than eleven years when this story began.

Renny had a play day and the weather was splendid. She was not allowed to have many play days and so she made the best of it. Renny ran down to the village and saw all her friends there, had a playful swim and did a multitude of wonderfully leisurely things but she had saved the best to last. Her favorite thing was to sit on the edge of a large bridge on the half way to town and stare straight into the water. If you set your thought just the right way you could trick your mind into thinking you were flying over the water. For her it was the most wonderful part of the day she could spend on this rickety old bridge.

Suddenly she saw a really strange reflection flash over the surface and gust of strong wind hit her. She looked up and there was a truly magnificent creature flying over the tops of the trees. It was flying toward the town and Masters castle looming over it from a hill in the center of the town. Now Renna had to make a choice. Should she run home or should she follow the beast?

It did not take long for her to make up her mind. In a minute she was running towards the town. When she got there it was a blaze. Most of the town was burning and people were everywhere, all running away from the beast with fire in its breath. Dragon was still flying and setting fire to buildings, but the first thing it had lit was already ceasing to burn. It was the masters castle. Rennas eyes followed the beast to blow its last flames and then settle on the ruins of the castle. People had watched the castle burn with tears in their eyes. Nobody was particularly sorry for the Masters castle because Master was mean to all his subjects, but they knew they will be forced to rebuild it before they can start making new homes for themselves.

It just sat there for some time. Sat and watched the scared people at the same time keeping an eye an the castle gates as if expecting something. A servant girl was pushed out of the gates. Girl was scared to death and shaking like a leaf as she looked up at the dragon towering above her. And then the dragon spoke.

“Master, if you want to live you will come and talk to me! Go home girl.”

His voice was so strong that even Renny who was standing half a mile away heard every word he said. Poor girl ran away as fast as she could. After a little wait the Master stepped out of the gates. He was tall and middle aged man in strong armor holding a huge sword, but everyone knew this was just looks. He was weak and unskilled in combat. His sword looked big and impressive but was actually a good fake made hollow inside so he could lift it.

“I am Dragon and I have the might to destroy you all. Remember that!”

Dragons voice boomed so loudly that everyone could hear the threatening note in his voice.

“Master! I demand tribute to leave your lands alone!”

Masters voice was barley audible.

“I do not have gold, I’m but a poor Lord who barley manages his taxes to the High King!”

Renna and people around her sneered even in their misery. All knew this to be a lie too. How else could he afford pretty horses and expensive spices brought from far? Peoples faces were turning sadder still for to them tribute to the dragon would have only meant more taxes. But then the dragon said a most horrible thing.

“I do not want your cold! Gold cannot be eaten!” A flame erupted from his mouth in disgust. “I want an unmarried maiden. One every year. I want her brought to wait me at The Lonely Watchman and I want this years tribute tomorrow at noon! In return I will leave you alone for a year and fly away to mountains. But remember to put out my tribute on the first day of the summer or I will return to burn your crops and your homes.”
Master agreed to this with a relief even audible in his faint voice.

“As lord Dragon wishes! I …”

But dragon was not listening. He spread his wings and flew away.

People put out the fires and Renny ran home. Her parents had been worried about her. They had seen the dragon too. But when she told them what dragon had said, they were even relived. They did not have unmarried daughters old enough.

The next day dawned with a promise to be sunny and warm. All now knew of dragons demand and for parents of maidens this was a terrible morning. Rennys day began with all the usual chores but as noon approached she slipped away and headed towards The Lonely Watchman.

On the east border of The Masters land used to be a single standing rock. Beyond it lay only mountains. From certain viewpoint it looked like a man standing on guard so it was called The Lonely Watchman.

Renny ran down the path to the river and up its banks until a stream flowed into it. She knew if she followed the stream she would reach The Watchman. Noon was near and she hurried. But as The Watchmans top became visible over he hill she started to look for a hideout. Not pleasant voices told her something was going on. It just would not do to let the dragon see her. She noticed an easily climbable willow growing in the bank of the stream just few paces ahead of her.

?The Watchman is not visible from the ground but it must be from the top of the willow? thought Renny.

She gathered her skirt and started climbing. It had been a few years since she started to feel too old for climbing trees like boys. But finally she was up there and had a perfect view. She saw a woman being tied to The Watchman. She was screaming and fighting as hard as she could. One of the guards was beating her hard to make her stay still.

Renny realized it was Margarite, a strange girl who lived with her old mother in a hovel on the edge of the town. People whispered she was a witch. Renny had spoken to her a few times before. She was truly strange but to Rennys mind most certainly not evil or even mean. Margarite lived in her own world.

Suddenly she stopped screaming. One of the guards had knocked the poor girl unconscious. Master was there too. When she was securely tied to the stone everyone backed down the hill leaving unconsious Margarite allone. Renny did not have to wait long.

In the sky over the mountains she noticed a dot that kept growing with every minute and then the dragon was almost there. His huge wings beating the air made the willow a difficult thing to stay on. It was swaying a lot in the strong blows of wind. It took some time for her to find a safer way to hold on to the unstable tree. The dragon had arrived when she finally had a chance to look around. Now Renny could see the beast properly.

This Dragon was taller than the tree Renny was sitting on, but felt light, as if made of mostly air. Its skin wings covered the sky. Dragons white body was covered with scales, but they shined like diamonds in the sun not resembling snakes scales one bit. Its head was like one of a horse, but with many sharp teeth. Between its huge catlike eyes was single horn. This creature had a very long neck and two strong feet with very sharp looking talons. First two spikes on its neck were taller and wider. Row of spikes went down from them to the tail that was shaped like an axe. It was the most powerful creature she had ever seen. At this moment she knew that whatever happens she will be back next year, in fact, every year until the Dragon comes no more.

The Dragon flew around its tribute and then landed in front of Masters company.

“Mine shall not be hurt again! Understand!” Dragons voice seemed to sound angry as he said it.

He flew behind the girl and the Watchman. With one breath he burned the thick ropes loose and did it without leaving a mark on the girl. She fell face down to the ground. With out looking back he closed his claws around the girls waist and flew away with her.
Renny watched him go to the mountains with a strange loss in her heart. This was the feeling she left with year after year until spring of her 17th year.

Next…