Queen of Dragons Page 6

  Sterre was relieved as the men one by one pulled their softening cocks out of her, but then they just let her drop into the pile of coins. She struggled onto her back and looked up at the spent men, she could hear them talking in their native tongue again and then she closed her eyes. She was spent, she had never felt anything like this and she knew it may only be the beginning. She felt overwhelmed with everything that had happened, it was making her mind reel until she finally just passed out.

  ***

  Sterre opened her eyes and blinked away the blurriness, she was sunk into a soft down mattress and covered by a heavy quilt. At first she thought that maybe it was all just an incredibly real, sexy dream, but she ached everywhere especially along her side where she was drug along the treasure pile, and she felt stretched in all of her holes so she knew it was real. She pushed up and rested on her elbows looking around the area she was in, it was a simple cavern lit by a few oil lamps, a bed that she was laying in, a table and several chairs along one wall, a plate of steaming roasted meat on the table, and a bucket with water in it. She pushed her weak legs over the edge of the bed and stood beside the bed feeling the cool air on her naked body. She walked around the cavern and found only one way out and that was down a long narrow tunnel. She looked down the tunnel and could see a dim light far down it so she began walking down the tunnel toward the light. It was slow going with the light being so poor, but she eventually made it to the light. She felt her heart sink as she came to the end of the tunnel and seen that it was a cliff that dropped about two hundred feet to the tall man's treasure horde below. She looked up and could only see sheer cliffs all the way to the top of the cavern.

  “You would probably die if you tried to climb up or down,” said a calm low female voice off to her right of her. “I think that is why we were put here.”

  Sterre jumped at the voice coming from her side and almost lost her balance over the cliff. Her heart raced, pounding hard in her chest as she turned to look where the voice was coming from. She could barely see the girl but she was on the next ledge over just watching Sterre calmly and coolly.

  “Who are you?” Sterre asked as she finally choked down her fear enough to talk, and then realized how rude she must sound. This girl was in the same position as her. “I'm sorry for my rude behavior. I am Sterre.”

  “I am Shandria,” she replied with a smile and a low bow. “It is I who should be sorry young Sterre. I have been alone here so long that I jumped at the chance to talk to another human, and did not think of the consequences. You could have fallen.”

  “How long have you been here?” Sterre asked looking at Shandria and seeing the girl pull back into the darkness a little.

  “I have been here a very long time,” Shandria said with a bit of fear entering her voice. “We should go back to our room, they have excellent hearing and our talking will attract attention we do not want.”

  Sterre watched Shandria disappear back into her tunnel and Sterre followed suit. She did not feel so alone now that she knew someone else was here with her.

  ***

  Days went by and the dragons did not come back for her, every morning there was a fresh plate of food, and she was again alone. Shandria had not been seen since that day they met and Sterre was beginning to fear the worst had happened. Sterre was sitting at the table eating when she heard a noise coming from down her tunnel, she stood and backed up along the side of her bed just as a woman walked out of the darkness. It took her a moment to recognize the woman but it was Shandria for sure. Sterre found her eyes wandering over the woman, she was as tall as Sterre, and very muscular for a woman, long platinum blond hair that went half way down her back, the lightest blue eyes like glacial ice, extremely pale white skin that was contrasted only by her naturally dark pink lips. She was wearing a long tunic that hung to the middle of her thigh. It had a symbol of a sun rising over a mountain embroidered into it. Sterre recognized the symbol, it was from that of a sect of paladin's that served the king of the northern lands.

  “Hi,” Sterre said with excitement as she took a few steps forward and then realized she was naked. She quickly grabbed the blanket from her bed and wrapped herself with it. “How did you get over here?

  “I climbed the gap,” Shandria said not feeling good about lying to Sterre. “I wanted to see you, I had an urge for company.”

  Sterre looked at the symbol on her tunic again and the words popped out of her. “Are you a paladin?”

  “Very perceptive,” Shandria said with a surprised look on her face. “I did not know that people outside of the northern territories knew of my order.”

  “They probably do not,” Sterre said honestly as she walked toward Shandria. “I was schooled in much lore of the north for my alchemy study.”

  As Sterre neared the woman she felt a chill roll through her making her stop in place, terror entered her heart and she did not feel she could go any further.

  “Are you well?” Shandria asked with obvious concern in her voice.

  “No, I do not feel well,” Sterre replied as she felt her stomach clinch and her head start to spin as she moved even slightly closer. “Maybe I should lay down.”

  “Could I stay?” Shandria asked with pleading eyes and desperation in her voice. “I just want to be near another person. I have been alone for so long.”

  “I would love it if you stayed,” Sterre said honestly. She instantly felt better like a weight had been lifted from her. “I'm actually feeling better, we could sit and talk if you would like?”

  Sterre was startled as she watched Shandria turn and run toward the darkened tunnel.

  “I have to go,” Shandria said as she could hear one of the dragon's coming, like a horde of insects descending down from the darkness above. “One of them is coming, and we should not be seen together.”

  Sterre started to hear a low droning sound coming from down the tunnel. “Maybe you should just hide here they might catch you going back.”

  “I think they would move me very far away from you if they knew we were talking,” Shandria said with confidence. “I need you to be near me. I need you to be there when the time is right.”

  Sterre was excited and confused by Shandria's words and she tried to follow her but felt that same feeling of utter terror wash over her. She heard the droning sound get louder, and louder and hen something blocked out the light at the end of the tunnel leading into her living area. Sterre backed all the way to the back wall of her cavern and just waited. She did not know what was going to come in from the darkness but she would just take whatever they threw at her. Several moments went by and then she could see something in the darkness, two green glowing eyes that pierced through to her.

  She tried to back even further away pressing her back hard into the stone wall behind her as she watched a small dragon emerge from the darkness. It was terrifyingly beautiful with its long slender, and graceful body, slender delicate butterfly like wings that were neatly folded down to its back, it had opalescent blue-white scales covering it from head to toe, it shimmered with every bit of light that touched it, glowing emerald green eyes that seemed kind. It was about nine feet long from head to tail and seemed to be just looking at her with interest, shifting its head from side to side.

  “Did they send you to take me too?” Sterre asked in a small voice. She half wanted the answer to be no and half wanted it to be yes.

  She was watching the creature and thought it was about to answer when the whole cavern started to shake violently knocking her to her hands and knees. She was startled and had never felt the earth move like this, fear grabbed her again as the cavern shook violently. She looked up to see the dragon every bit as shocked as she was, a large snapping sound filled the cavern they were in, something hit her hard on the back and head, pain shot all through her, a heavy weight crushed her down and darkness quickly overcame her.

  ***

  Sterre was not sure how long she was out but she hurt all over, she slowly opened her eyes and fo
und herself lying in the soft down bed. The dragon that entered her cavern was looking down on her with concerned eyes. She hurt everywhere she could hardly breathe due to the pain in her back and chest. She could see the dragon’s mouth open letting its rows of sharp fangs be seen as it sang several words she did not understand, its voice was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. She watched helplessly as it reached its clawed hand down and placed it on her forehead, she tried to shrug away but every movement felt like a knife was cutting into her. As the beast’s clawed hand touched her skin a brilliant blue light blinded her and a soothing coolness flowed into her relieving all of the pain. She could breathe deeply without searing hot pain, she could move without mind numbing agony, and she felt a strange calm come over her.

  “Thank you for healing me, you are not like the others,” Sterre said as she pushed up on her elbows to look deep into the beast's emerald eyes. “You have a kindness the others lack.”

  “Your words are kind,” the dragon hissed.

  “What happened?” Sterre asked as she remembered what happened as the creature came in.

  “The mountain was stirring,” the dragon sounded out carefully so that Sterre could understand. The words of men were hard for her in her dragon form, but she was not ready to show her human form yet. “It is coming into a period of activeness and the cavern ceiling cracked dropping a significant amount of debris on you.”

  Sterre realized she could have died if this creature had not been here, and may still have died if it did not heal her. She wanted to know who it was that saved her. “What is your name?”

  “You could not pronounce it,” the dragon said softly.

  “Can you take on human form like the others?” Sterre asked with true interest and excitement in her eyes.

  “Yes, I can,” the dragon said knowing this question was coming and that her betrayal would soon be apparent to the human girl. “I could show you if you wish.”

  “Yes, show me,” Sterre said excitedly as she sat up cross legged in the down bed and watched intently. She found it amazing that these creatures could be a dragon or a human whenever they wanted to be. “Oh, please show me.”

  “I hope you will understand,” the dragon said under its breath as it began changing form. “I hope you will forgive me.”

  Sterre sat with a confuse look on her face wondering what this creature meant, but then it became clear as she seen the dragon's final human form.

  “Katarina?” Sterre heard come from her mouth as her eyes soaked in the familiar form of the girl that was her servant. “How is this possible?”

  “I did not wish to lie to you,” Katarina said in a low voice laced with her thick accent. “What was I supposed to tell you? You would never have believed the truth.”

  Sterre sat stunned at the girls words, but realized what she said is the truth, she would never have believed. Sterre lowered her head thinking of the raw passionate moments they shared and asked. “Was it all an act? Did you mean any of the things you said to me?”

  “I was sent to watch you because I was not banished with the other dragons,” Katarina said honestly. “I can come and go from the dragon realms as I please. I am paid generously for doing tasks for the dragon lords in the realms of man, things they cannot do themselves.”

  “Why me?” Sterre asked thinking she knew why already.

  “The lord of this realm had humans watching you but they became unreliable,” Katarina said softly. “He sent me because I have never failed in a mission for a dragon lord ever.”

  “He bought me from my father for a son,” Sterre said feeling tears run down her cheeks as the truth stung her deeply. “He wanted to make sure his investment was safe.”

  “That is how it started,” Katarina said as she sat cross legged at the end of the bed directly across from Sterre. “But I became enamored with you. I let my feelings for you interfere with what I was doing.”

  “How did he come for me?” Sterre asked searching for understanding. “Was he not banished?”

  “He was, and is,” Katarina said not having a really good answer for how the dragon lord did what he did. “I do not know how he left to make the deal with your father, and I do not know how he came to claim you, but here we are.”

  “Why are you here now?” Sterre asked with deep sobs overtaking her. “Your job is done. Why have you not moved on to the next mission?”

  “Like I said, I have become drawn to you,” Katarina said with a deeper emotion entering her voice. “You do not know my kind, but I cannot leave something I want. I must have you.”

  Sterre watched Katarina start to crawl on her hands and knees along the bed toward her, and she could not deny that she wanted to experience the love Katarina had to offer. She pushed the blanket down exposing her breasts and then even further letting her honey colored pubic thatch come into view. A heavy sickening feeling washed over the room just as Katarina was about to touch her, and that feeling was not just effecting her, she could see Katarina was effected as well. She watched Katarina bolt upright and clutch at her head as she let out a blood curdling scream that was a cross somewhere between human and animal. Katarina suddenly stopped and locked eyes with Sterre just before falling down and off of the bed. Sterre watched in horror and as Katarina fell she was left looking at Shandria, she had not heard the woman's approach, had not noticed anything until Katarina fell.

  “It is time,” Shandria said to Sterre as she turned and started walking away.

  “Time for what? Sterre said as she leaped out of the bed and checked Katarina for a pulse and signs of breathing.

  “She will be fine,” Shandria said in a cold voice. “I have something for you, and my time will be short if they find out that you can make it to me.”

  “What do you mean make it to you,” Sterre said just as another heavy quake rocked the whole mountain forcing her to her knees for stability. The quaking did not seem to faze Shandria as she kept walking away. “You are right in front of me.”

  “Hurry,” Shandria said with desperation in her voice. “I need you to come to me.”

  Sterre did not think, she just knew she needed to follow so she stood up just as the quaking stopped, and ran down the tunnel after Shandria. She caught up just in time to see her climb to the right side off of the cliff. Sterre followed her up to the edge of the cliff, she looked out to the right to see Shandria scaling the cliff from her from here to the tunnel that led to her cavern. Sterre reached out and got a solid hand hold, she planned every move carefully, she could not afford to lose her grip as it would mean she would fall to certain death. She climbed and scaled her way across, and it was not too bad there were plenty of hand and foot holds. As she pulled herself onto the tunnel ledge she could see Shandria disappear into the darkness. She quickly followed down the tunnel and came to an area that seemed to be mostly blocked, Sterre looked it over carefully and a voice came from inside of a very small crevasse that seemed to lead through the blockage.

  “Follow my voice,” Shandria said from the darkness.

  Sterre did not respond she felt something pulling her into the crevasse, she shimmied her taut body along the thin opening, the course rock scratching and scraping her all over as she fought to squeeze through.

  “Keep coming,” Shandria said from the darkness desperately urging her forward.

  Sterre could not see where the voice was coming from but she kept pulling herself through the tight crevasse until she finally came into a widened area.

  “There is a lamp to your right,” Shandria said as she leaned down to Sterre. “Light it you are almost to me.”

  Sterre fumbled around in the darkness finding the lamp, it had a flint and steel tied to it. She deftly lit the lamp like someone was guiding her. A thin orange flame sparked into existence lighting the area around her, she stood up and started walking deeper into the tunnel. Something was driving her forward, she could see glimpses of Shandria just ahead of her but always just out of sight and then finally she ca
me into full view. She was outlined by a dim glow, she looked different, gaunt and pale maybe even ill. She watched Shandria step aside and behind her was the source of the glowing, an armor clad form that was bent to one knee with their shield resting on their left side, both hands were gripping the pommel of their sword that was point to the ground, their helmet visor was closed and their head was resting on the very end of the pommel.