DREAMS of a CLOUD
Peruse the many random ramblings of a writer-in-training as I build stories and develop my craft.
30 May 2024
When Valia left to investigate the situation, she expected to find a burnt out shell of a town, with what few survivors remained cowering for safety. Instead, she discovered a bustling, prosperous town.
25 May 2024
“I have no intention of being the one to die today.”
A burst of fire flared from a far corner of the cave, almost blinding Valia. “What can an insignificant creature like you do?”
Valia cocked her head. “The stories don’t even name you, dragon.”
24 May 2024
“I noticed that little town down there is in surprisingly good shape.”
“And why wouldn’t it be?” The dragon replied smugly. “They are mine.
23 May 2024
“Curious. All alone, girl?” the dragon taunted. “Was there no one else willing to die with you?”
With a snort, Valia shook her head. “I don’t need help to kill a single dragon.”
16 May 2024
Rumors of the dragon terrorizing the town of Birchwood had spread for weeks, with no news that anyone had managed to defeat it. So Valia had understandably expected the town to be more than a little run down, with its citizens cowering out of sight, any that remained.
Instead, the town seemed as busy as ever. Children played freely in the streets, and well-dressed housewives chatted with each other at the market. No patches on any of the pants or dresses, and Valia caught a whiff of one woman wearing an expensive perfume as she walked by.
20 April 2023
“And who would helm this coalition, then?” Roland demanded. “You? One of the other monarchs? Perhaps that princeling you dragged in out of the ocean? No we will not leave ourselves vulnerable to some arrogant bastard declaring themselves our king or queen.”
“And what will your people do then, when a real dragon appears? When some foreign king or queen arrives in a storm of scale and claw and fang? When the Black Conqueror herself lands on your shores? Who will defend you? The living statue of a dragon holed up under the city?”
18 April 2023
Then, from the back of the room, a female voice called out, “I, too, vouch for her.”
Arylwen’s blood froze, and she turned to see an all-too-familiar figure in deep black armor. [Agthere] still bore the wound in her chest where Charles had killed her a decade and a half earlier. If anything, she seemed to wear it with pride.
5 April 2023
“I’m guessing you didn’t have a lot of friends growing up, right? Spent most of your days around adults, all trying to teach you how to be a ‘proper’ lady?”
Bethany nodded. Moira continued, “It’s not so different for Arylwen. There’s not that many kids on pirate ships, and the small handful Arylwen did meet were all terrified of her, especially after hearing she’s a dragon.”
5 February 2023
Then her smile faded, and she looked down into her lap. “I guess not much about Charles has really changed, has it? He’s still a hero, still kind to everyone, and I… I’m just a silly girl with a silly crush.”
I frown and look up from my notebook. “It is not silly.”
Bethany looks up at me, eyes wide. I sigh. “Even if it doesn’t pan out. Even if you know he and Arylwen get together, and then you watch it happen. Those feelings helped you get here, today, no matter how timid you think you are.”
31 January 2023
Arylwen was interrupted by a sudden stinging on her cheek. She looked in shock at Bethany–quiet, timid Bethany–and could barely believe the girl had slapped her.
Bethany certainly wasn’t timid now. She glared up at Arylwen, the corners of her eyes glistening. “Charles isn’t like that. You know Charles isn’t like that. And I’ll never forgive you if you ever say something so cruel about him again.”
24 January 2023
Moria’s eyes flash, and the next thing I know I’m slammed up against the wall with her claws around my throat. Good thing I’m not actually physically present; that seems like it would have hurt.
“Don’t you dare,” Moira hissed, “send my girl into that pack of arrogant, self-serving pigs.”
2 January 2023
Charles bit his lip, then asked, “W-were those wings real? Are you really a dragon?”
“Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
At that, Elliott finally reacted. “But, that means you’re some sort of royalty! And yet, you’re dressed like that, without any sort of royal dignity!”
Arylwen shrugged. “I don’t care about any of that crap.”
24 November 2022
For a while, Isaac couldn’t find the words. “It’s like… I thought it’d be different, you know? I’ve searched for her for years. My whole life, in a way. I thought it’d be so amazing when we found her, and everyone would be happy, and… Instead, Mom and Dad are all but dead. My eyes are going to drive me insane, and technically, I should’ve been blind. And Aurora… Rapunzel…” He snorted. “Well, whatever I was expecting from my sister, she is not it.”
23 November 2022
Once the dragon faded away and only Gothel remained, that’s when it really struck Aurora that this was real, it was really her.
Aurora walked over and pulled the sword out of Gothel’s back, then turned her body over so she could at least face the sky. Aurora’s heart churned. This was the woman she’d called “mother” for all those years. And she’d helped kill her.
22 November 2022
Isaac darted through an alleyway to try and regroup with the soldiers stationed in the plaza nearby. Gothel landed on the remains of the tailor’s shop, causing it to collapse, and after sniffing the air, she pointed her snout straight down the alleyway after Isaac. Her jaws opened, and Isaac could see the flicker in the back of her throat that signaled her flame breath.
18 November 2022
Gothel struggled to keep her emotions under control. Her thought flashed from that witch, the one who stole away her sisters, to Rapunzel. Then she shook her head. No, they were not the same. …Weren’t they?
She called out again, “Rapunzel! Come out, come out, wherever you are. Everything can be alright again! It must. So it’s not the time for games, dear!”
…Above her, Rapunzel’s voice was firm. “My name is Aurora. My mother gave it to me. And don't you forget it.”
Then something solid struck the side of Gothel’s head, and she fell unconscious.
14 November 2022
When Aurora had rushed in on horseback, Isaac had just a split second to feel relieved she was safe before he wondered how she could attract so much trouble so quickly.
How else could you describe being chased by a dragon, after all?