The
young boy shook as the thunder crashed loudly overhead. A single candle lit the
interior of the rickety shack. Water trickled through the cracks in the roof,
and the fire had long blown out. Sensing his fear, his mother drew near and
tucked him in a little tighter. “It’s going to be fine,” she said. “This is a
cleansing rain. It happens once a year. It washes the bad away and renews the
countryside. You’ll see, tomorrow will be bright and sunny.” The little boy
said nothing, his eyes said it all. Sitting on the edge of the bed, his mother
stroked his hair. “There now. Close your eyes and I will tell you the story of
the Dragon Charmer.” His face eased a little. The story was a favorite of
children throughout the land.
She
began. “Once there was a king who was
kind and just and loved by all. During his reign, there was peace. Food was
abundant, taxes were low, and prosperity dominated. It was a great time for
all. But, the king’s son had a black heart. He murdered his own father and
ascended to the throne. The country instantly plunged into darkness, and the
era of agony began. People were tortured, and families were torn apart. The
river dried up, the land turned to dust, and a plague swept the land.”
A
smile spread across the child’s face. “But there was hope, right Mother?”
“Oh,
yes,” she replied, “There is always hope. You see, there was a prophecy. The
era of agony would continue for 200 years. Then, during the reign of the
seventh king, a child would be born.”
“The
Dragon Charmer.”
“That’s
right. The child bearing the dragon’s mark would possess the most ancient of
gifts. This gift would allow her to summon a creature so fearsome; the king’s
army could not defeat it.”
“Then,
the dragon eats the king.”
“The
dragon defeats the king, and peace is
restored for all time.”
“When
will the Dragon Charmer be born, Mom? This is the seventh king, right?”
“Well,
no one knows for sure. It could be this very night.”
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