Categories > Original > Fantasy

Son of Aros

by 44eternal 0 reviews

Aros takes in a human son against her dragon clan's wishes. Upon finding out her betrayal, they want to execute the boy. My first epic fantasy, short one. R n R

Category: Fantasy - Rating: G - Genres: Drama - Published: 2008-07-21 - Updated: 2008-07-21 - 2308 words

0Unrated
The Son of Aros
This fic is sparked by my interest in dragons. Ardeur in dragonias mythologies. And I’m convinced they are good and want to help mankind.

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
In the lost world, there are tales of dragons roaming the forests. Explorers hardly return after their expeditions. So many TV versions of dinosaurs, are there really dragons in the virgin forests? Perhaps……..
There are thousands of races of dragons, the famous are the fire and ice breathing species. Occasionally the two will interbreed with each other. Scales will outgrow the old ones and become shining after sometime. There is no need to groom. No bugs can thrive in the land of Volcanoes, it’s too scorching.
Colors? Green, red, blue for ice species, black, the black ones are not evil, it’s their race.
Only provocation of humans towards dragons has made them hostile. By themselves, they are no ‘giant terror lizards’, for their hearts are good and kind. They are taught by their elders to make peace with all living things. Dragons act in self defense when they slay humans. So you may ask what is their diet? Consists of herbs, meat of live-stock. NOT humans. Slaying stone-balls, cannons brought to the homes of dragons!
Isn’t it despicable?
The talk of knights in shining armour saving damsels in distress is a popular myth. Actually princesses are often runaways, hating to marry their betrothed. Who likes an arranged marriage? So these women Leave their cities, towns to be dragon protectors, sorceresses, retain their titles and become heads of other towns. Some change their names to avoid people arresting them and returning them to their previous torturous lifestyles cooped up in their prisons.
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The man in shabby clothes pulled his crying wife to the volcanoes. “ Throw him in for goodness’s sake! He’ll cause our deaths! We cannot afford to feed him!”
“ How can I? He’s our flesh and blood! I cannot,” she screamed back, howling. Clutching the babe to her breast, she sobbed and choked. “Please don’t do this, we can still--”
His eyes became mere slits. Why are women such pain? She wasn’t being practical. He knew she couldn’t, now was she accusing him of cruelty and callousness? Meanwhile she was singing to her child.
My little child , of the morning star and dawn.
Is my beloved gift
I am so thankful
Why do I have to
Abandon him in the wilderness? I cannot,
It’s against my instincts. I don’t have yet a name for you
The man grumbled, grabbed her hand and ploughed her forwards. She kept turning back to look at the calm child. He just gurgled, smiled and waved at her. What sinners we are, heaven! We have lied to our other children we’ll return, but they’re going to die too. My poor beloved gift,
Forgive me, and don’t hate me………… why must we lead such a damned existence?
________________________________________
When the pangs of hunger drove the boy child he could not control it any longer and wailed. Why, why didn’t his mother return? Where’s the warm fire, house, shelter, the safety of the four walls? The volcanoes rumbled.
Liquid trickled down his face. He licked it. Delicious! When sated he got up and crawled to the moving figure. It breathed quite loudly. Its breath whistled through the forests. He slept against the heavy belly.
‘Ah I’ve never before seen a human in these regions. It must be an unwanted boychild.’ Shedragon thought and nuzzled the little infant.
Her elder had warned against any letting other species know of their existence, so he forbade especially humans. This was a sinners’ race, very prone to gossip and bloodthirsty. The Shedragon was aware of his rage if he knew she wanted to take this infant, but she was childless. Ever since her mate had died…… her present mate was barren. ‘Hey what is taking you? Enough sleep already!’ her mate now called from outside. Dragon’s eyesight is excellent. She could scab the horizons for any danger.
‘Nothing’ she answered. No intentions of telling him, yet. The infant snuggled closer. She thought for a moment. ‘ Go ahead for the hunt. See you later. Need to get some herbs for the seasoning.’
The wingbeats faded off, then disappeared. She called the boy child to awaken, he didn’t scream. He just smiled. There was nothing to be afraid of. At least he felt secure with her. The dragon made a leaf litter with her talons and snout weaving magic into them until they were stable. The baby gurgled. When she looked into his eyes they seemed to be connected by soul somehow.
She carried him easily with her strong muscular body. ‘ Stay down little one. We’re easy targets!’ she told him. He obediently lay down.
The valley of dragons was in a deep concaved land, rich with forests and immense foliaqe. It was known as the Land of the Volcanoes. Live volcanoes spurted their lava. Since these dragons are the element of fire they have no fear and make their homes in caves high above the ground. They find it exceedingly hard to land on flat ground.
She landed with her child beside a pile of books. She enjoyed reading, like all her fellows. It wouldn’t cry too much she hoped, she
immediately tensed upon her mate’s honking in the distance.
“Ah!! You got back already, right? We have this huge feast of sheep at the Mountain of Shades! Come on will you?”
“Yes. I will soon.”
She felt his impatience. “Aros hurry up! I can’t keep it all to myself!” She chuckled and went to the back cupboard and retrieved some feathers of geese they had kept for downing. Aros weaved a nest for the baby and deposited him inside so he wouldn’t freeze. Food was a problem, he needed meat and vegetables. Their fare was too strong for his kind. Now he needed milk only.
“You seem troubled,” her mate said. He was Griffin her second mate, the brother of her ex-mate Soar. Spar had died in an epic battle, defending their leader from the invasion of knights. The knights used Ice blizzard spears to impale him. Aros kept in mind how much apart the brothers were, Griffin an impatient sometimes childlike, needing someone to care for him. “What are you thinking this time? You seldom are like this,”
Aros shook her head, ‘thank goodness we can’t read each other’s thoughts, we just project them if we want to’ Her breath roasted a lamb instantly, and she adjusted the flames to make it not burnt.
“Griffin, where did the sheep come from? Will any farmers be……”
“They’re not. If they knew they’d be shouting and throwing what nots at us already!” he laughed, veering off to her left to kill an adult prey.
“I see,” she replied quietly and swallowed her meat. Aros nuzzled his flank as he passed. “You are still a 4 year old.” Suddenly she took off at a breakneck speed and heard him come up seconds later. Aos ignored him, beat her wings harder and zoomed ahead. Griffin muttered about the unfairness of female dragons, who ad a larger superiority complex than he did.
All dragons like sleeping in the same cave, but because they are restless, they tend towards sleeping in separate areas. A cave can’t have more than a pair, because of sheer size, grumpiness and clashing natures. All of them have differing temperaments, from mild to moody. Hence Aros was hoping he wouldn’t find out, but he did, eventually. As usual he went berserk.
“Are you crazy? We can’t keep him here! It’s inviting trouble!”
“He’s just a child. I can’t abandon him….. he lost his mother and father. So he is an orphan,” Aros replied.
The baby now a year old smiled up at the huge lizards. She let him climb up her neck.
“I will call you Lexus,”
Griffin rolled his eyes resentfully stampeding the place. “He’s still a babe…… he can’t hurt us like this. We can raise this one to be friendly to us. I don’t think he will want to return to his own civilization, after what he has been through,” She added hopefully. Her mate grunted, retreated to the back of the cave.
The child was a year old. He could not speak except for crying. Telepathic messages could be received by his adopted parents. Fleeting picture images. Griffin didn’t like him but was soon won over by his charisma and exuberance. He was brown haired, soon to turn blond. His eyes were exotic green and reminded them of the trees. An eco guy. Soon he became 6 years old, walk run jump anything. He loved to look over the top of the clifflook upon the mountains and valleys, without a fear of them. Lexus didn’t seem like he was scared of his environment or questioned them why he looked so unique. He sent picture messages of why occasionally. Aros reassured him of his security.
Their leader Brach wouldn’t be so accepting of him. He might slay Lexus. She warned him not to stray far from the den. Lexus of course asked why. He didn’t feel like he couldn’t handle a couple of grouchy kinds of the same species.
Brach asked Aros why she didn’t yet conceive. They attended a Fellowship meeting every month. At two hundred and sixty years of his prime, he aged with wisdom. Their kingdom prospered under his leadership. Rules had to be strictly adhered to, unfortunately.
Brach’s appearance: Grey-colored flanks, dark green claws and was a mild mannered old dragon. Yet she knew it belied his physics when angered and provoked. Perhaps he may never accept the truth but she would try to be peaceful and compromise.
“I’m happy enough as I am right now. It doesn’t matter at all."
He thought, it’s no trouble at all I can assure you. So many nurses at your command. Many females have found it meaningful to
conceive after all. He looked forward to being a grandpa.
Aros looked quite uncomfortable. He was alert and said, “Come to the point my dear.”
“I don’t know how to tell you, actually I have a son. And he is a human. But he won’t harm us! We can surely live in harmony. This is no time to be unkind.”
The old leader’s heart shuddered. They had upset the very fragile balance of right and wrong in this perfect society. If his parents were to come now……. Aros was arguing that, his parents had abandoned him and would never dream of hunting him down. But what if?? Brach was furious. Most of the conservatives flocked to his side to defend him. Her mate supported her, with a few of the younger batch.
“Who am I to fight you? But why don’t you give the child a chance since he’s not grown yet?” the female cried desperately. Brach couldn’t afford to let her sound so piteous, his position was threatened!
“How dare you disobey me! I banned the very whole race of stinking human beings, such hopeless and ruthless hunters!! A child is no exception!” he demanded, eyebrows up a centimeter. He planted heavy footprints on the ground and huffed hot breath. Lexus glanced at him with a brave look. He stood ready to fight him.
Why did I take him in?
Because you love him, and even though you’re a dragon you still know about love. I will never abandon him, as her two selves combined and she faced the leader, shielding her son.
“If you insist I have no choice but to kill both of you!”
How did such a rebellion come about? It was so humiliating! Never in thousands of aeons had this been a problem. Brach shook his head, determined to root out all evil. Aros, a red shade opposite of him and showing her youthfulness stared at him calmly. The battle began.
Brach struck at her fist, knocking fins on the side of her neck with his head. blood spurted out from wounds. She stumbled panting. He reared up. ‘Do you surrender? It’s not too late, I will forgive your rashness….”
She aimed him her swinging blow of tail. He ducked, it missed him a fraction and scraped his eye. He screamed. Aros busted him, pinning him on his side. Red fluid flowed slowly from the aged form, breathing as labored and shallow as he could manage.
“Don’t make me hurt you. I love Lexus. We don’t need to fight. We’re on the same side here,” Aros said pleadingly. Amber eyes soft and full of tears. She has been bewitched! Brach forced himself up and took off, challenging her. When they fought the air battle, they were both green and pink whirlwinds. She more agile due to her youth, he the more experienced one. Despite her abilities, Aros was still hit more times than the old dragon. Adrenaline, sweat, pain, ardor, torture.
Brach felt exhausted, light headed. He collapsed at the superior lake, heaving. He drank quickly but it was an unquenchable emptiness. The female swooped down, waiting from a distance. Brach moaned, and fell down. His assistants came for him, but he wasn’t dead, they didn’t cry out.
Aros began to search for her son. Picked him up and headed home to rest her exhausted body. Dragons never exerted so much strength, it was lucky they had survived this ordeal. Taking off already requires fair energy, what if Brach succumbed to his aches?
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