Ill call him Emerald anyway, Estella decided aloud, even though he looks more like a swampy in color.
You should call it Ale, said Reason. He always responds to the word ale.
There were plenty of empty ale barrels in the dungeon. Some had been crushed to splinters by the claws of dragons. From the smell, it was clear to this day what their contents were.
And he likes to drink heady drinks, Estella concluded bleakly.
Well, call him Drunkard, Reason jumped off Estellas shoulder and began bouncing around the kegs, even trying to pull the corks out of some. He didnt seem to mind a drink himself. Fortunately, our dragon had not yet reached the fancy wine cellars in the royal cellar. And it wasnt because he was lazy. The cellar is a narrow passage, and your daddys spell on the door. Its impossible for a dragon to get in. Otherwise hed have been nicknamed the Wine Connoisseur a long time ago.
It is no more name choices, she said, staring mesmerized at the green spines on the dragons backbone. Ill call him Emerald.
Hes not really a doggy to give him names.
Of course hes not a little dog. He is my own personal dragon. I have the right to give him a name and an honorary title like chief watchman of the kingdom.
Youd better give him the title of sleepyhead. He can sleep for decades.
Reason poked the dragon on the tip of his ear, but the sleeping monster grumbled drowsily and exhaled a puff of steam from his nostrils.
He grumbled, as if he were in a laundry, with steaming laundry, Reason grumbled grudgingly.
Well, its not right in the oven, is it? Estella realized that the dragons mouth was as large as several ovens. Its tongue and saliva must have been fiery. And this monster had been asleep in her dungeons for years, and she didnt even know anything about it.
And if he wakes up now, will he burn us, like my knights?
Of course not, Reason said uncertainly. He doesnt burn anyone alive when hes full. Well, not unless its fun. Do you know any charms for controlling dragons?
What kind of stupid question is that? Im not a sorceress.
So the King didnt teach you anything, Reason was visibly disappointed.
Why did he have to teach me magic? He trained me to be a queen, not a sorceress.
Youre a laugh and a sin! Youre the daughter of a sorcerer king, and you cant do magic, Reason scowled resentfully. If you could, you could control a dragon. And the good ale would not go to waste in his fiery belly.
Reason realized he didnt have the strength to pull the plugs out of the barrels or unscrew the faucets. He murmured something to the effect that the wine bottles in the nearest cellar would be much better. How he could get one for supper?
Estella didnt care about Reasons worries. She could see the dragons twisted horns, its scales sparkling in the torches, and its sharp claws, each the size of a spear.
If you could conjure, youd take him out to hunt and hed drink blood, not ale, as a martial dragon should.
Is he a battle dragon?
King Abraham would feed a non-combat dragon in his cellars. Your father was a shrewd and hoarder, Reason grudgingly kicked a barrel of ale with his clawed paw. Had it not been for his provisions, the dragon would not have been a drunkard.
Emerald! Estella called softly and stroked the dragons scaly horn.
Careful! Youll hurt yourself! The scales are sharper than razor blades and impenetrable to arrows and spears. There is a reason why magicians have long since learned to fashion armor from dragon scales that is resistant to fire. Such armor makes anyone a hero. Once you wear it, not even magical creatures can defeat you. By the way, you have one such armor in your arsenal. When you put it on, you can go to war with evil spirits.
Reason hastily covered his mouth with his claws. He must have said something unnecessary.
Im not going to war with anyone else, Estella reassured him.
Of course you arent! Why would you want to go to war when you have a martial dragon? If you send it to war, therell be no more enemy troops left. As long as he stays awake, he can get to the battlefield in time, long before the other armies march on to our castle. Imagine! Enemies are already ramming the gates, and you cant get the dragon to wake up.
Reason laughed evilly. His laughter caused the dragon to wiggle his ears sleepily, as if trying to drive away a pesky gnat.
Tell you a secret. If you sing a song, a lullaby or something touching, the dragon will wake up.
Lullabies usually make you fall asleep.
Thats just it! Everything works differently for dragons than it does for humans. They especially like the songs of young innocent maidens. If you want to tame it, youll have to become a singer.
Lets try it! Estella prepared to sing the only song she knew. The girls used to sing it at the spinning wheel.
The yarn stretches,
My heart is aching
Im waiting for a beautiful bridegroom,
And theres nothing but evil around.
Im waiting for a rider on a horse,
But only black elves are dancing in the hearth.
The song was a somber one. It was usually sung by spinners at work. Apparently there was a shortage of young men in the villages of Aluar, and there were plenty of bad ones. Estella could see for herself that there were more of them when she discovered colonies of boggles beneath the battlefield.
Dont sing! Reason nimbly jumped up and clamped down on Estellas mouth. Not when you want to wake up a dragon for war or hunting.
But I want to wake it now, she protested, and Reason jerked his claws from her mouth. She must have gotten her teeth caught carelessly in them.
You are wretch! He hissed and blew on his fingers.
Who are you talking about?
It is a cask of ale, my dear, Reason brushed her off. Ale is a bad drink, if a dragon drinks it. Lets go to the cellar and get some wine. Hes going to wake up and give us a hard time. If we leave, hell go back to sleep.
But the dragon was already awake. One of its yellow eyes flickered reluctantly open.
Emerald! Estella exclaimed happily.
His name is Virgil, said Reason, correcting her. Thats what your father once called him. And what his real dragon name is, only his scaly ancestors know.
I am so glad you are awake! How handsome and scaly you are! Ill sing for you again, if you like! Ill even learn ballads and romances. You like singing, dont you?
Estella stroked the dragon, and it rumbled like a big cat.
Hey, you, Reason scrambled up the barrels so that the dragon could see him. Remember me, big boy?
The dragon hissed at him, but Estella encouraged him.
Virgil, my dear, Reason snapped at him, you ought to loosen up a little, keep watch over the realm. Otherwise youd be lying on your side.
The dragon shooed at him, exhaling hot steam again. Reason ducked behind the pile of barrels.
Hes comfortable here, Estella said for the dragon.
My tail stiffened as I sat in the chest, Reason complained.
How is it that Estella liked the dragon, but not Reason? Maybe dragons prefer silly coquettes.
Oh, my darling, she petted him.
You sound as if you were singing a lullaby to him. Hes a monster, not a baby.
Hes so nice and cute.
When he shoots sparks at you, youll change your mind.
But the dragon was slow to fire at Estella. Apparently dragons dont hurt princesses. Not without reason, even the prim Gisela loved tales of love between beautiful girls and dragons. Estella felt almost in love when the dragon encouraged her affectionate touch. She had finally found the friend she had never had in her life. And Reason had managed to pierce the bottom of the barrel with his claws and was now greedily drinking ale straight from the puddle on the floor.
It was delicious! He said. If Id been locked in a cellar with hops and groceries, Id rather be in there than with you.
Estella wasnt even offended by him. After all, the dragon had made a choice in her favor.
Dont be fooled! He liked your jewelry, not you. Dragons love rings and necklaces and things like that.
So do you! She remembered hiding place beneath the throne.
But I would not pity a maiden merely because she stroked me with her hand in precious rings.
You mean youve hurt girls?
I have even killed Reason paused. Why should you want to know about my past? Think of the dragon. Youre lucky you found fun. Mind your own business.
Her Reasons past is no one elses business, is it? Estella frowned. That doesnt make sense. Considering, of course, that her Reason had been taken from her by magic, and shed been trapped in it, anything could have happened to her that she didnt know about. If the situation is extraordinary, it must be handled differently. It is better not to ask Reason what he himself does not want to tell. He was already ranting about the dragons past mischief.
Last time, the dragon ate a brewer and then wondered why no one else made beer. He even crawled into the kitchen to burn everyone there. Anyway, acted like a serviceable worker who stopped being fed for no reason.
I dont remember that.
Of course, you werent there yet.
Were you?
It seems strange that her mind was born before hers. Maybe thats why it got lost in the beginning. Reason chuckled slyly.
You know too much, youll grow old early.
Estella immediately wanted to look in the mirror. No wrinkles? Mind chuckled something very snidely. She didnt have a mirror with her; she must have left it on the dressing table in her bedroom. But if she rubbed her dragon scales with her sleeve, they were just as reflective as a mirror. Her face looked fine. There was no sign of aging yet. And she was too young. She wasnt even twenty. The dragon really liked her. And as everyone knows, dragons only like the youngest and most beautiful girls. An aging lady would not have been to his liking.
As luck would have it, just as she was about to make nice with a dragon, a sentry snuck into the dungeon.
So long since anyones been down here, Reason muttered as he heard the clatter of his armor, your song is what got the sentries going. You ought to keep your voice down.
So the dragon wouldnt have heard me! He wouldnt have woken up.
The watchers helmet was already gleaming in the passage. The dragon moved only the tip of its mighty tail to send the sentry tumbling to his feet. The armor thundered loudly. The halberd flew aside and nearly decapitated Reason. Thankfully, Reason was very agile and bounced off the blade in time.
Its like war at home! He complained, while the dragon had already clawed at the guard and was about to unleash a blast of fire on the unfortunate man.
No, it is not here! It would set the whole castle on fire! Not, Emerald! Estella whispered, but the dragon could not hear her. But it was impossible not to hear Reason howling at the top of his lungs. He was waving his clawed paws vigorously, leaping onto the pile of barrels in front of the dragon, and shouting:
Stop it! Youll burn another brewer. Whos going to make you beer?
The dragon scratched at the back of his head with his claw. Drunkenness was not a hindrance to his quick wits. But he had let the sentry go for nothing. He was no brewer, so he began to panic.
We must fly away while your guards run about the castle looking for the dragon, and when the clamor dies down well be back.
Reason was right. Estella herself was terrified of the conflagration that could break out as soon as an armed detachment burst into the dragons dungeons. She tried to climb onto the dragons back, clinging to the spikes. She did not succeed. She herself only slid down the dragons fur. If the dragon hadnt have held her up by his wingtip, she would have never made it onto his backbone. But there, between the big green spines and the ridge that extended from her head to her back, she sat down comfortably in the saddle.
Lets fly! Take me for a ride! Estella asked, but the dragon did not respond.
Thats not the way to ask, Reason jabbed him with a claw, and the dragon sprang away. She barely had time to land on its back.
Reason slid onto the dragons ridge like a nimble black flea. There was a broad opening to the outside of the dungeon, but no one could see it because King Abrahams cloaking spell had obscured it. If Reason hadnt told her all this, Estella herself wouldnt have known why theyd found themselves too quickly in the starry night beyond the castle.
The only unpleasant thing was the rattling of the guards weapons from behind and the shouting:
The dragon has kidnapped the princess!
The whole henhouse is abuzz, Reason grumbled grudgingly.
It is the barracks, not the henhouse, Estella corrected.
Reason chuckled.
And Ill prove to you that the keepers barracks is no better than the henhouse, where a cunning fox will wring everybodys neck in the morning.
Do you want to etch a dragon on the soldiers, or do you want to claw them yourself? For some reason Estella was more afraid of Reasons claws than she was of dragon fire.
No. Whats a castle without guards? The neighboring kings would laugh at us. I have a better idea. When we get back, Ill go to the cellar and pour all the guards some wine thatll knock out their memory. Theyll think theyve only dreamt of the princess being kidnapped by a dragon. Besides, there was no kidnapping. You rode the dragon yourself. Did you know that in the old days, riding a dragon was considered a great art?
Emerald didnt kidnap me, she repeated dumbly, trying to shield her new friend. But to deprive the Watchers of their memories is despicable. They might forget their families, their duties
And above all, they would forget their pay and rations, Reason summed up. Well avoid any unnecessary expenditure in the future.
Forget wages, thats all right, but rations She squeezed her eyes shut in the strong wind that came from her flight. People die if you dont feed them, dont they?
But an army of zombies wouldnt be as much trouble as it was today. The dead are more docile than the living. True, they rot quickly, but skeletons can serve and fight, too. Believe me!
Estella was no longer listening to him, but was enjoying her flight. The towns and villages below became so small, as if they were toys. If you ride a flying dragon, its as if you are the queen of a toy kingdom. You cant even see the people below. But the starry skies are very close. It seems as if you could reach up and touch the stars like a bed canopy.
When we get home, Im going to order myself a star-colored canopy to resemble the night sky.
We could not get back!
What do you mean?
Reason chuckled. Clinging to the twisted horn on top of the dragon, he clearly felt like a flight captain.
When I fly, I feel like the king of the universe, he declared. I wish I had wings of my own.
Did you have wings? Estella wondered. The only thing protruding from his skinny black back seemed to be hump-shaped growths.
Down below she glimpsed the roofs of fanciful castles and fortresses. Shed never seen such architectural marvels before.
This is no longer Aluar!
Thats right! We are already abroad!
Were abroad!
What did you want? Do you want to spend your whole life in your own country with a flying dragon?
I thought wed be flying over the Aluars countryside and those woods where the Evil One supposedly dwells, but the fairies dance there at night.
You cant even see the fairies from up there. Theyre not flying close to the dragons mouth, and theyre not that stupid.
And I can see them! Estella saw a bridge in the black clouds, shimmering like the moon. Winged, glowing silhouettes danced across it.