Bound To The Flame Read online

  Then she thought of Rose and the little cottage she had bargained with her father for. Rose was to go and live there with her family. It had a garden and an orchard, they would be happy there. It was the least she could do for the young woman who had served her so loyally.

  If she did not give herself to the dragon her father would go back on his word. No, if only for Rose's sake she had to go through with the ceremony tomorrow.

  “Please, stop.” She pushed him back firmly and bent down to pull her undergarments back up, tying them hastily.

  He stood and watched her with his dark flecked eyes, which she tried not to meet. Once she had smoothed her skirts and was satisfied she looked respectable she turned back to him.

  “Thank you for what you tried to do, but this is my fate and I cannot, and will not, escape it.”

  He stood straight and then took her hand kissing the back of it lightly with his lips and bowing in respect. “Until we meet again, princess.”

  “I am not sure that we will,” she replied wistfully.

  He smiled, “We may yet.” Then he turned and left.

  Chapter Two

  All the local dignitaries and the mayors from the surrounding villages were expected to bare witness to the binding ceremony. The great hall was filled, with many more people standing in the great doorway to glimpse the mighty dragon.

  Opposite the great door was a mirror image of it, only this one had stood closed for over a thousand years. The hinges were regularly oiled, but never in any of the attending people's lifetime had it been opened.

  Today was the day when the caretaker charged with maintaining it hoped he had done a good enough job, for this was the door through which the dragon would come. The key, as big as a man’s arm, had been taken from its ceremonial resting place and carried by two strong men. It was made of metal heated by the dragon fire, made tough and hard, and denser than any other metal known.

  Now the key was being inserted into the lock, everyone waited, with breaths held, for the great door to swing open and welcome the dragon. The key turned with a satisfying click, the first part of the ceremony was now complete.

  Moving on the high wizard blessed the door and lock, made to keep the people safe, and gave thanks that it would open today and allow their protector in. Then he went into details of how the first dragon had fallen in love with the daughter of a blacksmith and how he had taken her as a virgin and forged the first bond between dragons and the city.

  Trinity stood trying to keep her mind busy as the ceremony dragged on. She thought about that first dragon and wondered what relation he was to the dragon that would come for her today. Also her thoughts turned to the first bound mate of the dragons. Did her parents force her to take the dragon's offer of protection for the people?

  The wizard droned on, his deep booming voice full of power and meaning, taking her freedom and giving it to some winged beast. The people around her were becoming restless too, they had come to see a great dragon, not listen to a sermon.

  Then the wizard voice grew louder, he raised his hands towards the great door, bony thin fingers spread as though he were holding the egg of the dragon. The light in the hall seemed to dim and it seemed as though an egg did sit in his hands, a red egg, flickering with flame.

  “That is what the dragon expects of me, to deliver him an egg, the next in the line of dragons.” Trinity felt sick, a thing like that would never leave her body naturally, it would surely have to be cut from her. So that was how she would die, after the pain of mating with the beast she would carry his egg and then he would cut it from her and she would die.

  Her life seemed such a pitiful waste at that point. She had been robbed of most of her childhood, never being allowed to leave the castle grounds, few people spoke to her for fear of a backlash from the king, and now she would suffer the humiliation of being given to a beast, and forced to mate with him.

  The fact that she would give birth to such a magnificent beast was lost on her. All she thought about was the fate of the poor virgin who would someday have to go through all of this too.

  As the wizards voice grew to a crescendo he threw his arms out towards the great doors and they swung open slowly. The room trembled as they creaked and groaned and daylight streamed in, illuminating the hall and the sun's rays made the golden statues around the room glow.

  They were all in the shape of dragons, as though her ancestors had worshipped them like some deity. Now they seemed to come to life, as though the very fire of the sun leaped around them and played off their scales.

  Then the light began to dim, a great shadow fell across the doorway, every head turned, the room deathly silent. Trinity started to hear the great thrum of wing beats, the dragon had come, he had come to take her and her pitiful life would be soon ended. This time she did not feel rage, she felt beaten, cheated, there was no escape from fate.

  Closer he came, alighting on the balcony outside the great door, the only thing to have touched the ground there for over a thousand years. Part of Trinity wished it would collapse under him, yet something inside her grew fascinated by his presence. The huge, monstrous creature to which she was bound set her blood on fire, making her heart beat wildly.

  The dragon reared back, roaring so loudly the whole castle shook and then he lifted his head and spewed out a stream of flames that licked up the side of the ramparts. The crowd congregated in the hall all stepped back as the heat reached them, gasping at the power of this magnificent beast that would protect them from their enemies once the ceremony was complete and they handed the Dragon Princess over to them.

  Stepping forward his claws clicked menacingly on the floor. Trinity was struck with the feeling that he did not want to be here either. This thought chilled her, would he fly away with her and then devour her in one mouthful just to be rid of her? Or was he a creature of honour, who would take her and aid her people when they called?

  The wizard began chanting, the dragon moved forward slowly, swinging his head from side to side, the people cowered back from him. The closer he came to Trinity the more excited she felt. Looking at the beast she saw how the light shimmered off his scales casting a red glow all about him.

  There was no doubting how strong and powerful he was, despite his young age. If he were a man he would be in his prime, lithe and supple, yet commanding in his strength. She wanted to touch him, to feel the heat of his skin under her fingertips and the strong pulse of the blood through his veins.

  Trinity became aware of her body in a way she never had experienced before. A yearning, her nipples hardened and heat spread through her body concentrating at her core. The dragon turned to her and sniffed the air, Trinity blushed, he could sense her, smell her arousal. His tongue streaked out from between his massive jaws, forked like a lizard's. He tasted her scent on the air.

  An involuntary shiver ran through her body, she imagined him using that thick long tongue on her body. She remembered the touch of the stranger from last night, how he had used his tongue to make her come. But the dragon's tongue, how deep that could reach inside her, and how much pleasure it would give.

  Trinity closed her eyes and her legs felt weak. She imagined how big his cock must be and wondered how it would possibly fit inside her. Would it be scaly or smooth?

  The wizard's voice changed, he said her name but Trinity struggled to shake off the images in her head of herself coupled with the mighty dragon. Looking around to try and focus on where the wizard stood she caught the eye of the dragon who seemed to be reading her thoughts. His scaly lip curled back as though sneering at her human emotions.

  Her name was repeated, the crowd murmured, perhaps worried she would change her mind and not agree to go. Trinity jerked her head around and forced her attention on the wizard. She repeated the words she had learned off by heart, a sentence in an unknown language that gave her consent to the offering of her life to the dragon.

  The wizard spoke again, this time directing himself to the dragon, his tone sneeri
ng as though he spoke to a beast of burden, not this creature of fire and death. The dragons head snapped around to look at the thin man standing so full of his own importance. Trinity could read the dragons mind, he wanted to crush the wizard in his mighty jaws and spit him out on the floor in front of this crowd of weak humans.

  However he was bound by the spell too, and so he uttered his agreement in a voice that reminded Trinity of two pieces of battered armour sliding against each other. The metallic sound unpleasant to her ears, but she wanted to hear it all the same.

  He uttered his agreement, and then turned back to her, looking at her with his lizard like eye. What his thoughts were now she couldn’t tell, but she imagined he was either thinking how nice she would taste in his mouth, or how nice she would feel wrapped around his huge dragon cock.

  The wizard was shouting now, pulling together all the authority his position held. Commanding the dragon to come to the aid of the city in their time of need. Then he threw his arms out and a terrific bang as loud as thunder rang around the great hall. The crowd gasped, the dragon turned unblinking on the wizard and Trinity had the notion that the noise had been for no other reason than effect, and the dragon knew it.

  The dragon turned back to her and took a step closer, leaning his shoulder down towards her. Trinity knew she was supposed to climb onto his back now so he could carry her off to his home and have his wicked way with her.

  Trinity took a step towards him, and then hesitated. He saw it immediately and snapped at the air angrily. She knew he wanted to be out of the castle as quickly as possible, she sensed his dislike of the people here, especially the wizard. But Trinity had something she needed to do first.

  So despite the glare of the dragon and wizard alike, she stepped away from him and went to address the crowd.

  “Thank you all for attending. I go today to fulfil my fate and am now bound to the dragon. Before I leave I wish to thank you for your support while I have lived among you.” The crowd murmured, congratulating themselves. Trinity stood tight lipped, as they settled down. It was a lie, they had never supported her, only one person ever had, and this was the reason for her speech. “I particularly want to thank my maid, Rose, and to tell her of the gift my father has promised to give her as I leave.”

  For the first time the king stood with his full attention on the proceedings. Trinity saw his face clouded with anger, but he could not hurt her now, she was bound to the dragon, not him.

  “She is to be given her freedom and a cottage for her and her family in the village of Garston. Plus a sum of 100 gold coins a year.” Trinity could feel her father's wrath, and also see the tears of gratitude in the eyes of her maid who stood back against the wall. The crowd buzzed with excitement at such generosity. “Father, please come and tell the people of our gratitude towards Rose.”

  Her father smoothed his mask into place, always playing the part, no matter his feelings. He walked solemnly up to Trinity and with a withering look, which she met, turned to the assembled crowd.

  “Good people of Shadole, the Dragon Princess has asked for this reward to be given to her maid for doing her duty of keeping our tribute pure.”

  Trinity held her emotions in check, so this was it she was no longer his daughter, she was the tribute. She knew he was going to try and squirm his way out of it, either now or at a later date, this had been her reason for making the announcement public before she left. Her mind raced to try to counter whatever he threw at her.

  “I will do my utmost to honour her wishes, and now give Rose her freedom. She may travel to Garston with her family, and will be escorted there by my men seven days from today.” The crowd cheered, and the King acknowledged them.

  He then offered Trinity his arm and he escorted her back to the dragon who stood impatiently, smoke escaping from his nostrils. She knew he was angry with her for the delay, but she would suffer the consequences for this later, now she had to make sure Rose would be safe.

  Her father stopped a distance away from the dragon, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. As he lifted his eyes to hers he said. “You have sealed your maids fate, neither her or her family will make it to Garston alive, my men will dispatch them and no one will ever know.”

  Rage and fear flared in Trinity. “Why? Why could you not do this one thing for me? Is it not enough that I am giving my life, my freedom, so you and your people can live in this city protected by the dragon to which I am bound?”

  “It is your fate, and now the dragon must hold his side of the bargain and do as I bid. There is no gain for me to do as you request.”

  “Not even for me, your only daughter?”

  “No.” with that he held her arm tightly and pushed her towards the dragon before she could answer.

  The dragon wanted to be gone from this place of humans, he had heard the exchange between the father and daughter and was confused. He thought that blood bound families together, he had no real experience of love but knew that was an emotion parents were supposed to feel for their children, yet there was none between these people.

  Confused he wrapped his tail around the bound one before she had the chance to escape him again. She did not fight, her heart was heavy, he could feel her sadness and guilt, and it touched him, brushing against his mind.

  Dropping his shoulder for her and helping her with his strong tail he got her onto his back. Then his body crouched down like a cat about to pounce and with a strong downward beat of his wings he leapt into the air and flapped in long powerful strokes until the city was a small shadow against the green of the fields and forests.

  Up he took them, and when he was high enough that the people below would not be able to see him against the clouds in the sky he turned north and took them to the high mountain peaks that were his ancestral home.

  ***

  Trinity sat between two of the dragon's horns that ran along his spine. Her hands were tightly wrapped around the one in front of her, clutching it so tightly the whites of her knuckles showed. They had climbed higher and higher, the ground becoming so far away that the land below was a mass of greens with the blue of the sea off to the east.

  Eventually she had to shut her eyes to stop her stomach from emptying itself of her breakfast. For years she had dreamed of escaping the city, but this was too much, and certainly too high. After an eternity she felt the wind on her face change, the dragon was using his great wings to turn them and they set off faster to the north and the high mountains where fables told of a city of dragons.

  She risked opening her eyes, there was little to see, a mist surrounded them. Her stomach lurched again when she realised the mist was in fact the clouds in the sky. Clamping her thighs tight around the dragon's scaly skin she held on even tighter although the friction of his body against hers made her legs bleed.

  Her body trembled as she held on, wanting the whole thing to end. Exhaustion threatened to take her, a mixture of fear, and the surprising coolness of the air this high up, robbing her strength. Then at last a shift in his wing beats told her they were descending.

  Opening her eyes she saw the high peaks of the Shandon range jutting up in front of her. With their snowy caps they reminded her of the fancy cakes the cook would make for her on her birthday. She would share them with Rose and then allow her maid to take them home to her family.

  Trinity tried to close her mind to the sadness that threatened to overwhelm her. She could not believe she had brought the wrath of her father down on Rose whilst trying to help her. In trying to get her friend out of the clutches of her father she had sealed her fate instead.

  Trying to focus on something else she watched the high peaks as they skimmed over them, and then looked down into a green lush valley below. They descended quicker now, the air growing significantly warmer.

  Trinity gazed around her in wonder, as far as she knew no one had ever been here, it was surrounded by a ring of high peaks that no man could possibly climb. A river wound its way through the valle
y floor and then disappeared over the side of one of the mountains. It must make a spectacular waterfall and Trinity longed to see it, and to explore this hidden valley from end to end.

  For now though she had to hang on tightly again as the dragon lurched upwards again and then headed for a ledge that stuck out high over the valley like a huge lookout platform. He lifted his head and stuck his legs forward before landing gently on the ledge.

  He stood still for a moment before using his tail again to support her as she tried to climb down. Her body had almost moulded itself to him, her legs stiff and aching and her hands cramped with the cold. Only the support his tail gave her enabled Trinity to clamber down.

  Standing trembling by the side of the magnificent dragon Trinity felt weak and insignificant. How could such a beast want her? She was nothing compared to him, yet only yesterday she had frowned upon being given to him, a young immature dragon.

  The heat from his body soon began to flow into her, it was like standing next to a huge crackling fire on a cold winter's day. He moved forward, and she went with him, not wanting to lose the heat of his body, but not knowing what was expected of her now.

  Turning to see where he was leading her she saw the stone altar standing in the centre of the overhang. Her blood ran cold, chilling her now despite the warmth of the dragon. He was going to eat her, sacrifice her to the gods. So this was what became of the dragon bound.

  She turned, looking for anywhere she could run and hide, but this ledge could only be accessed by the dragon from the sky. She was trapped, she would die here, her life over before it would ever have a chance to begin.

  “Please,” she begged him, “Let me go, you do not have to do this.”

  “The ritual had to be completed. I stood and accepted the spell your people use to bind me to you. Now it’s the turn of the dragons to have their way. The binding needs an offering of blood. You will bleed on the altar and we will be bound as one for eternity.”