V'rain, the red Dragon, visits me during my dreams, and lurks like an unfinished nightmare during the hours of daylight. This was not always so, especially since dragons live no more in this realm.
They cannot come unbidden, there is always an invitation.
One dark night, as I sat starring into my small fire, I pondered the stories that had been passed down to us, some meant to scare small children, and some meant to glorify a kingdom, an image upon a unfurled flag. I pictured a huge beast, with eyes like molten gold. Then shuddering at the thought, I brushed it aside and lay down to rest.
In the darkest hours of the night, 3 bells tolled, and my dreamscape unrolled before me. There, wandering some dark and ancient hall, stood I, frozen to my spot and listening. "Whump-whump-whump," that echoed down the hall and vibrated my ears. It repeated, "Whump-whump-whump," like some giant bird hovering above the hall in which I stood. Suddenly I heard other sounds, the cries of fear, the running of feet, and the crowd of others were running around me, past me, almost knocking me over. "Whump-whump-whump!" Now I looked up, feeling the hair on my head blown back by mighty gusts of wind.
What I saw, red glistening scales that went on forever, I could not see the whole of it, it was simply too big. I slowly turned in a circle gazing upward, until I came to two molten eyes starring down at me. I forgot to breathe, I stumbled backwards, trying to keep my footing..and the thought "RUN!" trembled through my body. Turning and running as fast as I could for the shadows that might conceal me...until I heard
"You, cannot hide little human." again, the deepest of rumbling that I felt through my entire body.
" I was invited, do not be rude."
I stopped almost falling, feeling the shock, still the vibrations that filled me. Turning I looked up
with my mouth wide open, as foolish looking as a fish.
"Yes, little human, You called Me."
"No, no, no, not possible!" I managed to sputter.
"Tsk, tsk, I heard you." rumbled the beast.
" I said nothing!" I shouted.
" No, but you thought upon me." rumbled the dragon.
" A thought?" said I, "A thought? How can that bring you here?"
" I am not of your world any longer. Thoughts and dreams call me back. Your thoughts little human."
" Who are you?" I asked.
" Why, I am V'rain, the Red Dragon..I bring fear to all that see me, and so shall you little human."
*To be continued.*
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Jolted awake by the threat in my dream, still breathing heavy as if I had run down dark halls.
A cold sweat following the memory of molten eyes and rumbling voice that felt as though my very bones quivered in response.
Slowly I turned seeing the fire only faintly flowing embers, and quickly cast my eyes someplace that did not resemble a dragon's eyes. A crack in the shutter showed early morning light, and a sigh of relief escaped me. No dragon's here..and I prayed it was so.
Tumbling off the bed, stretching and feeling sore muscles that should not have been. I could not have really been there, I mean that would be impossible. I snorted at my own foolish notions and set about getting ready for the day.
Refreshing the fire to break my fast was far harder than I could imagine. Red mixing with gold, and me jumping at each pop of the wood catching. Grabbing a pail I headed out the door for water and personal needs, fussing at my self audibly. There was a fine mist swirling over the ground, something I had not seen in quite some time. Something my old Granny had called "Dragon's Breath." The sound of me growling at my own fancy's echoed in the still quiet woods surrounding my home.
And so my day continued. Every so often my mind would dip back into the dream, recalling the sheer terror that I had felt. feeling the ice cold of the old hall, hearing the 'whump' of giant wings, I came close to smacking myself a few times, desperate to shake the images and sensations from my head. I dug myself into mundane chores and assured myself that it had just been a nightmare, a right nasty one at that.
I must admit that I set out to sweat the vision from my head. I chopped wood, tended to my small menagerie of animals, feeding the chickens and milking the cow, fussing at the cats wandering around the shed. Then I jumped into tilling and weeding my garden, gathering ripened produce, watering and sweating as much as was possible on a cool spring day. After wiping my brow for 100th time the thought of a cool dip in the pond carried me out of the homestead and down a path towards running water. The woods were still just awakening, small tight bright green buds adorned branches. The bird song joyous and varied, and my mood lightened.
The shock of winters chill still clung to the pond, and I quickly decided that a short bath would be quite sufficient.Splashing, swiping water from my face and hair, and jumping out almost as quickly as I had gotten in. Drying off I found a warmer sunny spot on the bank and sat down to rest for a spell. I closed my eyes, listening to the wind, the trees and the birds, feeling the sun warm me.
I had not meant to doze off, but a night without rest and hard work made me drowsy, and so I nodded into sleep.
