Macster - The Last Dragon

To the east, atop the battlements of Queen Rapunzel's castle, Wolf leaned against the stone balustrade of the allure, gazing into the sunset pensively and worriedly. He had sought the solitude of this place, the highest he could climb save for the single tower spearing above him that had held the bier of the Sleeping Beauty for eighty years. And now he fixed his eyes on the west, his mood reflecting the fiery hues of the sky as he watched the march of the hours, trying not to think of the one thing that consumed his mind.

Virginia.

Gritting his teeth, he slammed one fist down on the battlement and growled under his breath. He should never have let her go to the dragon's den alone, never! He had promised her he would, of course, but her safety was so incredibly important to him, nothing else mattered. He had seriously considered following her in secret, keeping a close watch on her trail as he had after Kissing Town, keeping at a distance but always near enough to swoop in and rescue her from the jaws of death should the situation demand it. After all, she had never known he was there as she scaled Dragon Mountain, as she penetrated the mines, emerged near Snow White Falls, and entered the Royal Estate. The Dwarves, caught up in the tragedy of their broken mirrors and their search for the trespassers, had not seen him. The Huntsman with all his skill had not detected his presence, and the three Trolls had been so drunk and preoccupied with singing that ridiculous song they must have picked up in Virginia's world that they wouldn't have noticed if he'd walked right up to them and snatched their weapons out from under their noses. True, they'd managed to capture Virginia and Tony before he could stop them, but the New Yorkers had escaped on their own, and Wolf had been able to save the day in the swamp.

So now he had seen no reason why he should not follow Virginia again, just to err on the side of caution. He'd even considered bribing the coachman into letting him take his place in disguise. Then he truly could have kept a close eye on her. But something had stopped him--not only the fact that he had given her his word, but the fact that she had impressed upon him so vigorously her independence back when they were arguing in the fox burrow. She had insisted he stop smothering her, that his overprotection was getting on her nerves. He had to admit it was rather unfair of him to treat her the same way she had treated him in Little Lamb Village and not expect to be chastised for it. And even though she had sworn to him her love and promised to marry him at the end of their quest, he was not about to threaten their reconciliation with his dominant need to flex his figurative muscles. So instead he had contented himself with paying the coachman a few gold Wendells to look out for Virginia and ensure her safety, hoping that his mate's clever wits and the aegis of destiny would be enough to protect her should things go awry.

That was another reason he'd given in to her demand. She was a princess now, a princess of the same house from which Wendell was descended, and it was her birthright and honor to be the one who would save the Kingdoms. He would never in his life wish to interfere with that. And in any case, now that she was a princess that changed everything.

Relaxing somewhat, he sighed softly and reached into the inner pocket of his greatcoat, removing something folded and creased many times over. Opening it up to the fading light, he smiled fondly down at the photograph he held in his hand. The lines of the folds formed a perfect square around Virginia's face, as if he had attempted to box her in with them. But--and here he smiled roguishly--she would never be constrained by anything, from prison cells to people's conceptions and expectations. This was the same photo he had stolen from her and Tony's apartment so long ago, and he had kept it in his breast pocket, close to his heart, ever since. He'd known then that she was special, unique, one in a million. He'd known it from the day he'd first seen her, first smelt her. That was why it didn't surprise him in the least she'd turned out to be a princess. To be sure, her exact lineage was a shock--even though he had learned, like every other child in the Kingdoms, of the mysterious vanishing of Lady Celeste Charming, he'd never connected the mirror in the cellar of the Snow White Memorial Prison with her, let alone Virginia and Tony. But it had to be the truth, Queen Rapunzel would never lie, and it certainly explained a great deal.

And that was also why he had agreed to her decision that he stay behind. He'd let her think he was awed by her newfound heritage, which was only a half-truth. Royalty and the aristocratic elite had never impressed him, from his experience those born to a high position did not deserve to rule, for they knew next to nothing about their subjects, yet expected everyone to bow to them and follow their every whim. Wendell had certainly fulfilled his every non-expectation, only changing his stripes after being forced to spend a month as a nonentitious dog who had to sleep on the ground and whom no one even bothered to notice, let alone obey. And even now Wolf was still not convinced he had entirely learned his lesson. He smirked slightly, thinking not for the first time that in a strange way the Evil Queen had done them all a favor with her spell.

But with Virginia, all the rules were different. Unlike Wendell and Red and the few other royals Wolf had rubbed shoulders with, Virginia actually cared about the lower classes, the wolves of society--literally. Never once had she judged him harshly, at least not for his species, not once that little misunderstanding with her grandmother had been cleared up (and what an amusing and tense confrontation that had been, until he laid on all his wolfly charm, of course). After the life she had lived in the Tenth Kingdom, she understood what it was like to suffer, to want for things, to warrant consideration. She was real and emotional and gorgeous, not like those other arrogant rulers. He could respect in her what he could not in the others. She was his mate, after all, and he already worshipped her with all his heart, mind, and body. It was only natural he defer to her. And now that she was a princess, he wanted to please her even more. In all honesty, he did have to admit that he was a little put out with her for suddenly being granted high rank and class, but his annoyance had been short-lived. If anyone deserved to be a princess, it was she.

Sighing softly, he stroked his thumb over the cheek of his creamy beloved in the photo, then folded it back up and replaced it in his pocket. There was one more reason he had agreed to stay behind. Two nights ago, the night of the ball, while Virginia had spoken with the queen, he had caught the king's attention and quietly informed Arundel of the escaped prisoner, Red Riding Hood III, and the threat she might pose, particularly since with the breaking of the spell the border was now unobstructed save for the resurrected watchposts. Wolf did not think Carmine would go so far as to invade, to declare war on the Sixth Kingdom, simply to recapture them all and carry out the sentence against him, but he was not taking any chances. Arundel had promised to send his men out to reconnoiter and seek out whatever was to be discovered, and he had been true to his word.

After throwing propriety to the wind and sneaking into Virginia's chamber to spend a glorious night there involving a bathtub, aphrodisiac perfumes, and very little clothes; after blissfully sleeping in her arms; and after a tearful farewell to her in the morning as she set off to brace the dragon, Wolf had been drawn aside by the royal chamberlain who, with a grave expression, had told him the king wished to see him in his study. And there Arundel had given him the bad news: Carmine had indeed made it back to her kingdom, and by the age of her footprints as determined by the finest tracker in the land, the queen had somehow escaped prior to the destruction of the thorns. His soldiers had cautiously crossed over to the Second Kingdom and searched for any clues, their journey taking them all the way back to Pumpkin Village, where after the Mayor had gotten over his initial shock at seeing Sixth Kingdom royal guards, he had informed them that Her Majesty had arrived three days ago near sunset with her woeful tale of the travails she had undergone as a prisoner and hostage. A message had been sent to the nearest village, where as luck would have it the commander of the garrison at Incarnadine had still been diligently searching for his sovereign. A carriage had been enlisted to carry Red, and she was even now on her way back to the capital.

Wolf gripped the battlements again nervously, barely resisting the urge to howl his frustration. He had been close, so close--not to revenge, he had meant every word when he promised his father to release that desire from his heart. No, he had been so close to a breakthrough, he had been so close to cracking through Red's walls and finding her weaknesses, her vulnerabilities. Now, now that she was once more in the safety and comfort of her retinue, he was convinced all hope was lost. Even if the Piper had been telling the truth, even if the contrition and repentance she had reportedly displayed to Colin had been genuine, there was every reason to believe that all their work had been for nothing, that she would revert to form and again dismiss any argument for the honor and worth of wolves. And with her now out of his reach, there was nothing he could do about it. For that reason, he was glad he had stayed behind at the castle. He was no longer needed here in case Carmine could be found, nor did it seem likely she would come back herself with her armies--in that respect, at least, she had told the truth. But now that he knew he had failed in the task he had set himself, he did not want Virginia to see his distress and self-loathing. He didn't even think he could be of any use to her now against the dragon. Even if she did manage to persuade the dragon by herself and they headed back to face the Ice Queen...even then, by the yardstick of his personal goal to change Carmine's heart, the quest was a failure in his eyes.

So he brooded, alone, on the windswept, lonely castle heights, accompanied only by his guilt and pain, his worries and fears, his wonderings and musings. Elsewhere events moved on without him. Virginia would be facing the dragon at this very moment, and either today or tomorrow Red would arrive at Incarnadine. And only God and Snow White knew what the Ice Queen was up to. Yet all he could do was wait, wait and hope that everything would work out the way destiny foretold.

The creaking of the door to the southwest tower came when Wolf had his head bowed, gazing uninterestedly at the forest treetops below. Turning, assuming it was some curious soldier or one of the painfully discreet and diffidently industrious royal servants come to summon him to the king's presence, he was surprised and annoyed to find it was the Piper. To his relief Briar Rose was not with him; despite the true love that had rather forcibly removed the aggravating prince from their company, the way she clung to Colin had become something of a disturbing trend that almost made Wolf feel sorry for him. She was beautiful, he supposed, in a princessy sort of way, but no one could compare to his Virginia.

"Ah, there you are, Wolf," Colin said, sighing in satisfaction. "I've been looking for you everywhere. I should have known you'd be out here in the fresh air."

Was he that predictable? Shrugging, Wolf shot the Piper a warning glare and then turned away again. "Oh? And whyever for, princey? I'd think you'd be spending as much time as possible with your fiancee before we head out again to face the Ice Queen."

"That...is part of the reason I wanted to speak with you." The Piper looked rather upset and embarrassed. "I...won't be leaving with you and Virginia when she returns with the dragon."

Wolf blinked and regarded the prince in disbelief, shocked out of his sullen and angry stupor. This he had not expected. The way the young man had insisted back in the mountains on coming along to aid in the quest had made him quite certain Colin would see it through to the end, remaining a constant thorn in Wolf's side. And, rather uncharitably, Wolf had been certain even the love of Briar Rose would not keep the Piper from the journey, seeing as how he had always been arrogantly thoughtless and selfish the entire trip. But he could see honesty, determination, and regret filled the other man's azure eyes. He meant what he said.

"Oh." Scratching uncomfortably at the back of his neck, Wolf searched for something to say. "I see...that's...that's too bad."

Colin gave him a querulous look, which soon changed to a sardonic and exasperated one. "Oh, come now, Wolf. There's no need to pretend with me. If there's one thing you've always been, it's honest, and I have endeavored to be the same. I know very well that you cannot stand the sight of me, and I'm certain you cannot contain your glee at my decision." He grinned lopsidedly.

In spite of himself Wolf had to smile back. Other men might have held a grudge, or at least been disgruntled or huffy at such obvious dislike on his part, but not Colin. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was more to him than met the eye. "All right, you got me, Piper-boy. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not your biggest supporter, but I do know one thing, Virginia likes you, and she'll be sad to see you go."

"Will she?" the Piper replied sadly, astutely. He half-turned away, his shoulders slumping wearily.

Wolf paused, realized to what he was referring, and had to hold back a growl. Indeed, after what had passed between Virginia and Colin, she might very well be glad to be rid of him. And the more he thought about it, the more incensed he became, until finally he could no longer hold it back. He'd promised Virginia not to hurt Colin, but that didn't mean he couldn't confront him about what had almost happened. And his wolven need to chastise those lower in the pack for challenging his dominance was blazing in his heart.

Still, when he spoke, it was quietly, almost conversationally. "Who knows, Piper-boy. Maybe she will want you around, what with the way she tried to kiss you..."

Colin stiffened visibly, his hands clenching on the balustrade. When he swung about, Wolf was pleased to see horror and fear in his countenance. "So...you do know."

"Oh, yes, princey." He made sure his canines flashed in the light. "Did you really think my mate would keep secrets from me?" He took a menacing step forward.

"No, of course not." The Piper held up his hands placatingly. "I merely had hoped that we could talk this all over together, explain what had happened, so there would be no misunderstandings."

Wolf chucked darkly. "Oh, I understand. I understand quite well what happened. Virginia explained it all."

The blood drained from Colin's face and his knees trembled. He looked as if he were ready to collapse any moment, a marionette whose strings had been cut. Wolf let him stew for five long minutes, relishing every moment of it, as he kept his fangs bared and flashed his golden irises a few times for good measure. Then, just when he thought the prince might be on the verge of fainting or soiling himself, he relented, relaxing back to a normal expression and stance. In an amiable tone of voice, he said, "I understand...that it was not your fault, Colin."

The Piper leaned weakly against the battlement and shuddered, wiping at his suddenly sweaty brow. His expression hovered between terrified and furious. It finally settled into relief. "So...you do not blame me? You're not angry with me?"

Wolf eyed him appraisingly as he considered the question and realized he wasn't, not anymore. For one thing, Virginia had impressed upon him the reasons and feelings behind the kiss-that-never-was, and he and she had already reconciled. While it was true that they still had things to work through, the worst was past them, he believed. Also, with the passage of time he had realized that hating Colin for something this trivial was petty. He had seen what hating Red for so long had done to his heart, it wasn't worth it to do the same thing with the Piper, and there was no comparison between their crimes.

"No, Piper-boy, I don't blame you, and I'm not angry with you--not much, anyway." He smirked. "I just wanted to make sure you knew your place, that's all."

Colin nodded rapidly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed. "Oh, believe me, I know it, Wolf! That is why I am leaving your company, I do not wish to be any further hindrance in the quest. You do not need me any more, my magic could never withstand sorcery of the Ice Queen's caliber. And I would sooner die than cause any further strife between you and Virginia." The sincerity in the other's tone was palpable and made Wolf falter in astonishment. Peering closer, he began to wonder anew about Colin. Could he have been wrong about him?

"Well...that's quite charitable of you. I really appreciate it." Wolf paused. "But doesn't the fact you have a fiancee matter too?"

The Piper looked embarrassed all over again and nodded. "Of course, that is the other reason I choose to stay here. She is also the other reason I came to find you. There is...something I have not told Briar Rose, and I was wondering if I could seek your advice on the matter."

Wolf almost choked. Colin was coming to him for relationship advice? He almost laughed, but then thought better of it, the prince seemed rather distraught. And what harm could it to do to humor him? It was the least he could do in return for Colin leaving their lives for good. "All right, lay it on me. I'm all ears, princey. What seems to be the trouble?"

"Well..." The Piper seemed at a loss where to begin. "It concerns what happened at the campfire after you left to rescue Virginia."

Suddenly Wolf was no longer listening half-heartedly. He'd known there was something fishy about that story. "Yes?" he asked guardedly.

Colin clasped his hands and gazed down at them mournfully. "I told you that Carmine tried to persuade me to release her, or even lead her back to the border with my pipe. I did not tell you what method she used. Her final line of defense, her last bastion of hope...was seduction." He flushed heatedly and tugged at the collar of his jacket. "To put it bluntly, she kissed me."

Wolf just about fell off the battlement at that revelation. He'd always suspected Carmine might have a lewd, temptress side to her, a sinfully wanton appetite, but it had never been confirmed. To have it be so now, and with the Piper...it somehow appalled him, in the same vein as some repugnant court scandal. At the same time, he wanted to burst out laughing, but the look of utter misery and seriousness on Colin's face stopped him just in time. "She must have been desperate," he mused aloud.

Somehow Colin failed to notice the insult in this, replying without a trace of sarcasm. "She most certainly was. I have never seen a woman so determined as she was to escape. I rather think she would have gone further if she had believed it would have won me to her point of view...if I had not refused her again, who knows what might have occurred." He shuddered.

"My goodness, princey, whatever did you say to her to cause that?" Wolf was genuinely puzzled and curious; after hearing the Piper's admission, he believed now his tale of what occurred at the camp, the stiffly proper and uptight Colin would never use such a tawdry claim as his excuse unless it were real.

The Piper lifted his face out of shadow so that the setting sun's light bathed his features. In them there was an implacable resolution. "I told her the truth, Wolf. I told her you love Virginia, and that Duncan loved Cerise. I told her to abandon her limited mindset, to realize she was neither saint nor sinner, but human. I told her that if she expected to ever face you, or Virginia, or herself again, if she longed to set right the evils of the past, then she must end the persecution of the wolves and grant you your pardon. And that was why she wanted to escape, why she tried to convince me, then seduce me into helping her. Because she could not face you knowing she was wrong. She felt she had no choice but to do as you wished if she wanted to spare her own life. She was convinced she would die for her crimes until I gave her an alternative, to change, to forgive herself and enable others to do so by altering her policies. You might very well say that in finishing what you and the Lady Virginia started, I opened and then brought down the barriers of her heart, the same way I used my pipe and then the kiss of true love to separate and later destroy the thorns." He trailed off, an introspective and profound look on his handsome face, as if he had only just understood the significance and symbolism of his actions.

Wolf was no longer amused or skeptical over Colin's words. What he felt was shock, shame, and repentance. All this time, he had believed the Piper to be a worthless butterfly, an ignorant and narcissistic play-Prince on the order of Wendell and his ilk, like his sycophantic courtiers. He had despised the man ever since laying eyes on him, but now, for the first time, he had to admit to himself that the only reasons he had for his opinion was Colin's station in life and the way he had tried to subdue Virginia's will. But Colin had made up for that latter mistake with his aid in the rescue at Incarnadine and in gaining entrance to the Sixth Kingdom. As for the former reason, Wolf saw now that the Piper was much more than just an arrogant prince. He was a good man. He had no reason to tell Wolf any of this, he would be leaving the company and had no further reason to stay on Wolf's good side. He showed great insight into Carmine's state of mind. If what he had said was the truth, and there was no further reason to doubt it, then he had managed what they had not, appealing successfully to Red's conscience, and he had done so solely because he believed in the justice and morality of it. He had broken a spell that had trapped hundreds of innocent people for eighty years and saved one of the Five Women Who Changed History. He had resisted the advances of a beautiful woman whom he had come to care for and respect, for the sake of those who had not always treated him kindly. And now he was asking for advice from the one man he knew for certain disliked him, simply because he feared what his moment of weakness might do to his newfound love with the princess.

As all of these new thoughts and epiphanies ran through Wolf's mind, he realized that Colin was speaking again, and tried to focus on his words. "Anyway, Wolf...what I need to know is, what do I tell Briar Rose? You have experience with this, you and Virginia have faced a similar dilemma. And do not be offended by this, but as a wolf you surely have experience with lust and seduction. So...do I tell the princess the truth? Is it even necessary? It happened before I met her...it has no effect whatsoever on my deep love for her...but she might not see it that way..." He shrugged helplessly.

For a moment Wolf was offended, but then it passed as he recalled the numerous shepherdesses who had tempted and enticed him, and not just Sally Peep and the other girls of Little Lamb Village...there had been others before his imprisonment, ones that had succeeded in more than just temptation. He had not told Virginia, of course, because it was only lust, physical pleasure, not love the way it was with her. But it still made him feel guilty, particularly when he had taken issue with her previous sexual exploits. Of course it was different for males than for females, especially male wolves and half-wolves, but he was rapidly coming to realize that the standards for both genders were the same, or should be. Another reason for him to heal the wounds of their arguing as soon as possible.

But he still had a question to answer. Considering it from all angles, he finally replied as earnestly as he could. "Colin, I really think you'd best let this go. It's true that Virginia and I have survived many obstacles in our relationship, and what happened between you and her wasn't easy, but we've managed to overcome it. And since what you and Briar Rose have is true love, it's possible she'd forgive you. In fact from what I've seen of her, she is a very sophisticated and intelligent young lady. But don't take the chance, princey. Something like this comes along only once in a lifetime, believe me, I know! And what she doesn't know can't hurt her. It was just a kiss, nothing more, and it didn't involve your heart in any case. So I'd say, just let it go, Piper-boy." He altered the inflection of his voice as he spoke that final epithet, making it more endearing and affectionate than contemptuous as it had always been.

Colin blinked, then smiled hopefully. "I...I think you are right, Wolf. That is what I shall do. Thank you very much...you have no idea how much you have helped me."

"No, thank you, Colin." Wolf looked at him regretfully, a strange sorrow in his heart. In an odd way, he would miss having the Piper around to needle and jab at with his caustic words.

"For what, Wolf?" Now the prince was clearly confused.

Wolf chuckled. "For a lot of things. For what you did with Carmine. For putting up with me. For helping us escape the dungeon and getting through the thorns." He paused, struggling with what he had to say, what he could no longer avoid. It was hard for him, letting go of his own prejudices and beliefs. Now he had at least an idea why it was so hard to change his aunt's mind. But he knew he had to do it. After all, how could he expect Red to reverse her point of view when he could not do something as simple as give Colin the benefit of the doubt? For that matter, how could he expect her to change her view of him when he would not change his view of her? True, she had still done so many horrible things to his family, it would take a long time and a lot of concessions and passings of laws before he could ever forgive her. But if even half of what Colin said about her was true, he needed to at least be cautiously optimistic about the future. Perhaps things would be all right after all. Perhaps Red would turn over a new leaf. After all, he had once thought he would never be anything but a filthy animal, and look what Dr. Horovitz and Virginia had done for him. Anything was possible.

Finally he shrugged and extended one hand. "I just wanted to thank you for helping out. And to tell you...I was wrong about you."

For a moment the Piper looked at Wolf's hand as if it were about to sprout fangs and bite him. But then slowly he grasped it and shook it, gently at first, then more firmly. He smiled, a genuine, warm smile. "That...means a great deal to me, Wolf. You may not have realized this, but I had very much wanted your approval, your being a hero of the lands and all."

Wolf raised an eyebrow at this, even as inside he felt more excited and proud than he had in a long time. Someone actually looked up to him, wanted to emulate him! And not just anyone, a human, a prince! After recovering from his surprise, he grinned back. "What can I say, that just goes with the territory these days. And you aren't so bad in the hero department yourself, Colin. I still can't get over how well you play your pipe!" He offered that last observation rather shyly.

Colin gazed at him with a completely straight face and replied, "Indeed. It is not the size of your pipe, it is how you play it."

Wolf threw him a startled look and burst out laughing. As tears came to the corners of his eyes, he gasped out, "You know, princey, you're not so bad after all."

With a rueful expression, the Piper joined him in his laughter, and their mirth lasted for about ten minutes or so, until finally the pain in their sides forced them to desist. After that, the two of them stood in comradely silence, watching as the disk of the sun finally slipped past the horizon, plunging the sea, sky, and land into lavender twilight. As the stars began to come out, Colin shifted restlessly from one foot to the other before he finally spoke. "I wonder how Lady Virginia is faring in her quest."

Sober and worried once more, Wolf tried to keep his voice from breaking. "I don't know, Colin. Huff-puff, I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Glancing aside at him, the Piper looked chastened, and replied almost at once. "I'm certain she's come to no harm, and that she will persuade the dragon and fulfill her destiny. There is nothing she cannot do, now that she believes in herself."

The sky was darkening gradually, and shadows lay heavily over the battlements so that he could no longer see the landscape or his companion's face. But suddenly Wolf was glad he was no longer alone up here, and that it was Colin who was with him. At least he understood how Wolf felt about Virginia, and was similarly worried about her welfare.

Looking once more to the horizon, toward the sea to the southwest where his beloved still had not returned from the dragon's cave, he sighed and murmured softly, just loud enough for the Piper to hear.

"I hope you're right, Colin. I hope you're right..."

Fire burned and danced near the roof of the cave, and Virginia's eyes were drawn to those crimson and orange tendrils as if hypnotized. They emerged from between titanic teeth at least twice as tall as herself, stained with the soot and ash of countless fiery breaths and filed to incredibly sharp points. There were hundreds of them, so many there seemed more than a mouth could hold, bared in a grimacing snarl that made her blood run cold. Now and then the jaws parted to allow an enormous, forked, black tongue to slip out between the fangs, as if the dragon were contemplating a choice dinner he had not sampled in decades. Above, smoke roiled up from his flared nostrils, choking and gray, while perched in armored sockets, his baleful eyes blazed like full moons. A gorgeous but menacing head fan spread behind the back of his thick skull, flexing and rippling in the light.

Virginia didn't know how long she stood there, staring upward and frozen in primal fear, but eventually the dragon grew tired of waiting and shifted, startling her into motion. "I...I...I am..." she stuttered, trying to reclaim her voice.

The dragon arched an armored eyebrow sardonically. "Such eloquence. This bodest highly of our encounter. Please, regale me with more of thy syllables, mine ears crave thine efficacy."

Mockery accomplished what destiny and higher purpose could not. Galvanizing her courage, Virginia rose to her full height, such as it was, and forced herself to look the dragon in the eyes. "I am the Lady Virginia, come here on a perilous quest to beseech your aid against an evil so great it threatens all of the Kingdoms."

A vast yawn spread the dragon's fangs even farther, revealing a blackened, cavernous throat, and then he blinked sleepily and smiled slightly. "Ah. Thou art one of their ilk. Now, which noble house dost thou hail from, milady? I must needs determine what is the common courtesy due thy station and birth. As to this evil, how quaint. I wis that the Kingdoms are alway in peril. And how passing strange that thou shouldst come unto me for aid, when the dragons have been assumed the source of evil eterne from time immemorial."

Virginia glared up at him in spite of herself. She had expected the dragon to be recalcitrant, stubborn, even hostile, but this callous disregard, this blatant contempt, made her extremely angry. She had come all this way, been through so many hardships, all for the sake of those she cared about, and now this infernal beast dared to sit in judgment? "I don't know anything about that," she replied diplomatically, "but this evil can only be defeated by your magic fire, so whatever may have happened in the past, you are needed now. As to my lineage, I am of the House of Charming." She adopted a proud and regal pose, hoping she didn't look too ridiculous.

The dragon's eyes narrowed to slits and the color of his flame changed to an even sootier crimson, while steam rose from his nostrils. "Then thou art either naive or deliberately tempting fate, for thou shouldst know that my kind despiseth the House of White, and its offshoots, for what wast perpetrated against us nearly two hundred years ago. Choose thine answer carefully."

She could see this was definitely going to take a while. "I knew of the enmity between your kind and mine. That is exactly why I hoped this appeal would not fall on deaf ears. After the pain and tragedy of the past, doesn't it behoove us to try and see beyond it? Wouldn't it be better if the two of us could undo the evil, and bring our peoples back together, for the good of all?" Ever since learning of her heritage, Virginia had worried about this possibility, that the dragon would be infuriated by who she was, and the argument she had just proposed was the only one she could think of that might conceivably have any effect.

And it did seem to be working somewhat. The dragon was regarding her with new eyes, frowning thoughtfully, and there no longer seemed so much menace in his gaze. "This is certainly a different approach. Never in all of my years hath a human, let alone a White or a Charming, come unto me offering peace and reconciliation. Alway it hast been threats, guile and craft, superiority and arrogance."

Virginia nodded. "As you can see, I come alone, unarmed, a helpless woman. I wouldn't have done so if I didn't want you to trust me, if my need wasn't great. But it is not just my need, or that of the Kingdoms, it is yours as well."

"Mine?" The dragon blinked, and his smoke curled up questioningly from his muzzle. "I should like to hear how thou camest to that conclusion." Settling more comfortably on the rocky floor of the cave, he brought his hind end about, while his tail deliberately curled around her to trap her within its arc. "I am listening..."

She gulped slowly. If things went wrong, there would be no way for her to escape. And the dragon was quite firmly letting her know she lay in his power, so she would know exactly how precarious her situation was. "Well..." She paused. "May I know your name, before we begin?"

The dragon's jaws snapped shut, and his head fan shivered like a frilled lizard's. "Nay, thou mayest not. No human deserveth to possess the name of a dragon...certainly not when she arrivest begging a favor." The fury left his voice and faded into a yearning, wistful tone. "And...in any case...I no longer deserve to be known by my name. Thou shalt call me...the Last Dragon."

An almost visible wave of sorrow seemed to flow off of the dragon, an atmosphere of inner torment that made Virginia forget her offense at his pompous attitude. Lowering her eyes, she nodded slowly. "Very well...let me tell you the story, Last Dragon. Let me tell you why I have such dire need of you, and why after hearing my tale you will understand how important this is to you, to me, to everyone."

Cautiously, tentatively, for the final time on this quest and the time that held the greatest ramifications, the time that would make all the others count for nothing if it were not as impassioned and persuasive as possible, Virginia related what had brought her to this lonely, isolated cave. She told of the wicked Ice Queen and her malignant spell, of the danger posed to all the Kingdoms, and of the Seeking mirror whose clairvoyant power had identified dragon fire as the only means of breaking the enchantment of winter ice. She even told of her destiny, how Snow White and Rapunzel had both charged her with the task of saving the Kingdoms, and how her ancestry made it her duty to comply.

Launching into her conclusion, she held up her hands imploringly as she fell to her knees on the gritty shale floor. "So I beg you, please help us! We have no one else to turn to, the fate of all the Kingdoms is yours to decide. Destiny calls us both to this battle, and it would be wrong to ignore it, to dismiss it, because of past hatreds and sins. Please, Last Dragon, please...you are our only hope..." She felt ridiculously like Princess Leia, but no other words came to mind, as she gazed up at the dragon's visage.

All throughout her speech, he had listened silently, brooding, but as the threads of her tale spun forth from the loom of destiny, as she unveiled her humble plea and the reasons for it, gradually his expression changed. Emotions raced across it, first intense concentration, then curiosity, then disbelief. There was approval and respect at the honor and prestige being given to dragons, as well as a dark, sinister glare at the mention of the Ice Queen.

Finally he stirred, his scales rasping in the darkness, as the spikes on his tail tapped on the stone. "Thou makest a valid case, Lady Virginia. 'Tis undeniably true that dragons possess the greatest magic in the Kingdoms. Even Queen Lydia couldst never ensorcell us. And the Ice Queen wast wise indeed to wait until nearly all the dragons were vanished from the lands, for our fire canst melt her spells. But...I am afraid I cannot help thee."

"What?!?" She could not hold back her horrified reaction.

The Last Dragon shook his great head, his pliable lips forming a frown of reproach and mournfulness. "Art thou blind, milady? Dost thou not know of the hatred and prejudice that runneth deep in the hearts of men? I could ne'er emerge from my haven grot, for an I did, an I dared to enter a civilized realm, I would be murdered on sight, no questions proffered."

Virginia breathed slowly, deeply. She had been warned over and over that the dragon would be unwilling, bitter, closed-hearted, and disdainful. But she had held out hope that the urgency of her plight would awaken his conscience quickly. Now she knew she would have to use every power of reason and coercion to complete this task.

"Of course I know how everyone feels," she scoffed. "But don't you think you're exaggerating, just a little? Don't you think that once everyone sees what you've done, that you've rescued them all and saved the Kingdoms from an evil witch, that they would forgive you, or at the very least let you go unhindered?"

A puff of smoke and fire blazed up from his maw and the dragon snorted derisively. "Thou hast a far better opinion of the human race than I, milady. Thou hast never experienced the cruelty and rejection of the Kingdoms as I have. Iwis, an I did as thou askest and aided thy cause, there wouldst be great celebration, divers promises and praises, numerous declarations of forgiveness. But as soon as the danger hath passed, they shall turn on me. I shall be hunted down, slaughtered, or driven once more into hiding. Nothing shall change. Nothing ever changeth." His tone was no longer angry or contemptuous, but listless and empty, a litany he had likely repeated to himself over the centuries.

Virginia felt like tearing her hair out. It was like talking to a brick wall. "No, it doesn't change, and it won't as long as you keep hiding here and pretending the rest of the world doesn't exist!" she snapped. "Do you really think you can hide here forever? If the Ice Queen wins, she will freeze all the lands, and there will be nowhere left for you to live. You'll die."

She was certain that argument would faze the dragon, but he only closed his eyes and let out a soft growl, almost a moan. "What do I care for life? Life hath never granted me anything but pain and suffering. An I am to die from the encroachment of winter perpetual, so be it. I welcome it. Anything is preferable to this endless existence, this petty pace, this baneful vigil for cruel eld to strike me down. And an I do manage to care for my well-being, I can simply soar away from the Kingdoms to other distant lands and escape. I am in no danger, Lady Virginia...none that I do not embrace wholeheartedly."

That she had not expected. To learn the dragon's loneliness and despair were so great he would rather die than face life alone...that he would let the lands wend to their fate because of his terrible life. It was truly tragic. Shivering, she clasped her hands before her chest. "Last Dragon...you can't mean that! There has to be something you can live for! What of destiny? What of being a hero? You could change everything! You could win respect and prestige for your kind again. And what if you aren't really the last? Would you give up on living when there could still be a chance for love and family, a rebirth of the dragons everywhere?" Once she could never have made such a suggestion, but now that she was before the dragon, she saw more than a demonic creature, a hellspawn, a firebreathing menace. There was a pride in him, a nobility, that bespoke of ageless generations and glorious splendors uncounted. It was that pride that prevented him now from admitting he was wrong, from daring to dream for hope and happiness again, but it was that same pride that could awaken a new sense of purpose in him, if she could but find the way.

Lifting his reptilian head, the dragon gazed down at her arrogantly, but she could see there was a weakening of his resolve, a twitching of his lips, a tightening of his throat tendons as he considered what she had said. Surely the things that made life worthwhile--success, love, children, the accolades of others, the future, greatness--all of these things were something he longed for more than anything. "Milady...forasmuch as I am grateful to thee for this appeal, for thine attempts to quicken me to new life, I thank thee. No one hath ever done such a thing for me before. No one hath ever cared for a dragon, let alone the species as a whole. But thou knowest not of what thou speakest. Heroism and respect are merely dreams for a dragon, dreams as ephemeral as my smoke. No human wouldst ever dare to laud me for mine efforts on his behalf. Despite thy cogent reasoning, thine indefatigable belief in goodwill and trust, I cannot do as thou askest."

He paused, a dark cloud seeming to pass over his face, and he bared his fangs once again. "I do indeed mean what I say, there is nothing to live for. Destiny is of no moment to me, it hath never done anything for me but engender heartache and agony. And as for being the last..." He ground his teeth furiously. "Even an I were not, I would ne'er seek out another of my kind. I shall never love again...not after the theft of my beloved mate and hatchlings by the odious Kingdoms thou art so keen on my rescuing. Thus nay...nay, milady. I shall never help thee. Thou art a credit to thy race, a gentle soul, a compassionate soul, and I would gladly converse with thee anon, an thou shouldst desire it. But 'tis far beyond my power to heed thy call."

The rumbling voice died away into silence, and for the next several minutes it was all Virginia could do not to collapse in tears. She had failed. Somehow, despite everything riding on this decision, despite the assurances and beliefs of Snow White and her mother, despite everyone who counted on her, she had failed. The dragon was simply too hard-hearted, too trapped within his own walls to see the light of reason and truth. He could help himself, he could escape the trap of his own devising, but he refused to do so. By dwelling on the past he had deprived himself of a future. Deprived all of them of a future.

Wiping away the thick layers of sweat on her brow and neck that had collected from the intense heat of the cavern, Virginia gazed up at the solemn, dour myth brought to life before her, the myth that was such a letdown in reality because of the broken heart and soul that resided within the powerful exterior. And slowly, adamantly, she began to grow unbelievably angry at the Last Dragon. Rather than concealing her fury, she let it smolder and blaze and flare high inside of her, fueling her determination. She had only one choice left. Back in the throne room in Incarnadine, she had given in to her anger, had used it to bolster the power of her truth so that it shocked through Carmine's prejudice. Ultimately she had failed, but perhaps here she could succeed. If she could tread the line just perfectly, perhaps she could anger the dragon just enough, goad him into agreeing to help without provoking him to flame her...

"Why would I want to come back and talk with you?" she asked archly, bravely. "All I see here is a selfish beast."

The dragon had been curving his tail away to make an exit for her back toward the cave mouth, but it froze in mid-motion, the tip twitching. Slowly his horned head descended toward her level again. "What didst thou say?" he growled.

Trembling, she rose to her feet and balled her fists. Her fear was great, but so was her need. This, she saw, was why she was the ordained heroine of the Kingdoms--because she was too damn stubborn to quit, even when wiser heads might have given up. "I said you're selfish! All you care about is yourself. It doesn't matter to you what will happen to all those innocent people who never once hated or distrusted you. It doesn't matter what Snow White wants, she who even forgave the dragon that started all of this by killing the Seven Dwarves. It doesn't even matter to you that you could remove all tarnish from the dragons' reputation, and restore people's faith in them, and even restore the race. All that matters is you staying safe and protected and curled up in a ball in your cave. You're scared, that's what it is. And I don't blame you. I'm scared too. We're all scared. Didn't that occur to you? But we do things anyway, because we have to, because we know there's no one else to do them. That's called bravery. But you're giving in to your fears. That's called cowardice."

A roar of outrage burst from the dragon's throat, followed by a ball of flame that filled the roof of the cavern with light and bathed every inch of the hollow in the rock, every inch of ebony-scaled flesh. But she yelled even louder, loud enough that he could still hear her, because she was in her element now, and she was not about to stop until he heard everything she had to say. "Roar all you like, Last Dragon, but you won't be able to drown out the truth. The reason you're the last is because of your cowardice. If you dared to fight, if you dared to dream, if you dared to search for others of your kind or for a way to bring change, you could do it. I know you could. I mean, look at you!" She gestured at his enormous, muscled form undulating across the floor. "You've got all that strength and magic at your disposal! You could do anything you put your mind to. And what do you do? You waste it all. You hide, you snivel, you whine and complain. Well, I'm sorry, but I won't let you do it any more."

The dragon stared at her, shocked into silence. Incredulity and wrath and consternation warred in his eyes. "Thou shalt not let me?!?"

"That's right." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I won't let you, by telling you exactly what you're doing wrong. You are convinced the world hates you, that no one could ever love you, that no one could ever treat you with respect or decency. But how do you know, unless you go out there and find out? And if you don't receive respect, what do you expect after the way you treat everybody else? Dragons are supposed to be noble, worthy of admiration, but I don't see much of that here, and that's too bad, when you had so much potential. I just see a selfish creature hiding his head under the sand and refusing to change. Do you think your brethren would be proud of you now? Do you think they'd be glad you are all that's left to represent them in the Kingdoms? I don't think so. And what about your mate and cubs? Would they be proud of you?"

The dragon stared at her, still silent, his flame flickering and dying, his jaw slack and horrified. He had no answer for her, but that was answer enough.

Virginia relented slightly then, injecting sympathy and kindness back into her voice. "I know you're hurting. I know you're still grieving over your losses. But you can't let it incapacitate you. Your mate wouldn't want that. And you seem to think no one else can suffer. I may never have been hated or hunted or called a vile monster like you and your kind have, but I do understand what it's like to be rejected. I didn't know I was a princess until recently. Only nine months ago I was living in another world, on the other side of the Traveling mirror, and I knew nothing of the Kingdoms or anyone in them. I lived in a world where the rule was to look out for yourself, to care nothing for others, to do anything you had to and step on anyone you needed to in order to get ahead. And more often than not I was the one getting stepped on. I know what it's like to be rejected for who you are, for where you come from, for what you stand for. I know what it's like to lose loved ones, to think the world doesn't give a damn about you and you should just let it all go to hell. So don't think you can preach to me about experiencing the cruelties of life." She stopped and took a deep breath, shuddering with her emotions, and was stunned to hear the cave was as quiet as a tomb. She looked up.

The dragon stared at her, and he was listening.

"You have to let it go," she said at last, softly. "Forgive yourself for not being there to help your fellow dragons, for not preventing the depravities of humans, for not saving your mate and cubs. And realize that the humans living today should not be punished for what their ancestors did, anymore than you should be. They're not to blame. And if you save them, you can heal the wounds, you can bring change and start everything over again, bring us all together again. I did it, I've changed, I've learned to care. You can too. I know it's not easy, but you have to do it sometime. It's the only way you can keep from disappointing all of your ancestors, from becoming truly worthless. Do it for them, if not for me or for destiny, and then you will find a reason to live, a reason to be happy. I don't know what it will be, but it'll happen. And when it does your life will never be the same." She sighed and then shrugged half-heartedly, adding the final touch. "But if you still can't see that, if you still can't understand what you need to do and how pathetic you'll be if you don't change, fine. I have my own magic. It will be enough to stop the Ice Queen. I don't really need you. No one does. And it's your own fault."

She turned toward the cave entrance and began to stroll out, her shoulders squared proudly. But before she had even gone more than three paces the scaled, serpentine tail of the Last Dragon slammed down in front of her, blocking her escape. Slowly she turned back, afraid of what she would see. She would never apologize for what she had said, it had all come from the heart and she knew it to be true. But she was afraid that once again she had gone too far, and this time it would cost her her life.

Towering above her, the dragon's infuriated visage hung suspended like some frightening African tribal mask, smoke and fire billowing up on either side to highlight every gleaming scale and taut sinew. Beneath, his claws flexed and scraped on the stone floor, creating shrieks more piercing than any chalkboard could. Fire seemed to burn in his eyes as well, a pit of magma rising to explode from the core of the earth and consume her utterly. "How darest thou..." he hissed. "How darest thou..."

Virginia whimpered and closed her eyes, silently wondering what else she could have said or done, how she had been meant to proceed in this confrontation and how she had instead shattered it, ruined it, sealed her own doom. She whispered a fervent prayer, said good-bye to Wolf and her father, apologized to Snow White and her mother...and waited for the end.

But it did not come. The dragon's steaming breath continued to fill the enclosed space until she felt on the verge of heatstroke, her sticky dress clinging to her roasting body. But there were no more words, no more fire, no sounds of motion or attack. Then finally the air rushed past her, and she knew the dragon had just been waiting, biding his time, turning the screw, enjoying his prey's terror. Yet again nothing struck, and finally she dared to open her eyes.

The dragon remained poised where she had last seen him, although the smoke and fire had cleared to allow his face to retreat somewhat into the gloom. But his expression was now one of abject misery, despair...and acceptance.

"How darest thou," he repeated a third time, "speak the truth..."

With a colossal rumbling crash that shook the entire cave and made small rocks tumble from the ceiling, the dragon collapsed on the ground, his head dropping like a dagger about to impale her, and Virginia involuntarily stepped back. But at the last moment the dragon moved, his head coming down in front of her, and his incendiary breath cleared completely, leaving her untouched.

After stilling her heart from the near coronary, she gingerly stepped forward to examine him, still irresistibly afraid but unable to abandon him. As she came within a few feet, she heard a soft sound, barely discernible over the pounding waves at the base of the cliff, and then she realized to her shock that the dragon was weeping! Tears, true tears, were streaming down his cheeks onto the floor, and his expression was pinched and twisted by anguish and pain so ingrained she could not imagine it. Suddenly understanding for the first time how deeply he must have suffered in life, and how callous her words must have seemed to him, she reached out a hand to gently stroke his muzzle. "I'm sorry...but it had to be said..."

Abruptly his eyes snapped open as he understood intuitively what she was about to do. "NAY!!! Do not touch me...!!!"

But it was too late. Virginia's hand brushed the bridge of his nose, just the barest of touches, but it was enough. Without warning a fiery pain lanced up her arm, heat and cold intermixed, and she screamed in agony, stiffening, writhing as she tried to get away. But it was as if her palm had become melded to the dragon's flesh, and a flaring white light blazed out from under her hand, up her forearm, into the rest of her body, consuming her. Gyrating wildly like a rag doll, she barely had time to notice for the first time that the dragon's widened eyes were the same bright blue as her own before she was falling out of herself, losing herself, drifting on a current of electricity, buried under layers of the white magic...layers of memory...

/broken bitter grief pain loss hiding empty cold so cold/

/hollow no heart death blood flashing claws arrows spears/

/warm warm content sleep love gentle happy hungry meat meat meat--was that her baby? her baby!/

/heat magic swirling away, blur of motion, endless jumble of images, anxious release, surging intensity, brightness sun sparkling water swaying trees/

/one tree, solitary and alone, looming in the midst of the Disenchanted Forest, a shell, a hideaway, a prison, a hunter's home with skins and pelts, blood and guts, traps and racks, a tall broad-shouldered man with pale blue eyes and blond hair beneath a floppy hat--the Huntsman? the Huntsman?--embracing a woman with buckwheat-honey hair, kissing her, passion desire need love lust/

/screaming shrieking horror outrage despair an old man in velvet and jewels face red with fury an ornate key clicking in the lock of a solid oak door tears weeping pain thudding heart a magic bird/

/resignation loneliness indifference curiosity a gift a sheet whipped away a golden frame etched with runes adorned with wheel-like ornaments a simple turn argent light blazing from glass/

/hate flinty gaze blending with blazing ruby eyes of an ebony crossbow I will kill you Pietro no how can you betray me twang of a bowstring, thunk of bolt in flesh you never loved me I rather think you will never see me again no no no NO/

/running feet, slamming door, more weeping heart carved out gouged out no one loves me I am alone I wish to die the glitter of magic, shining catch, turn it turn it you know you want to cold light engulfing swallowing rushing like a river bearing her away away away to a realm where you will never find her lost lost forever lost/

/shivering freezing blanket of white snow falling, twirling in intricate patterns blinding masking concealing a fallen form collapsed on the steps of a weathered arched keep rising forlornly to an ashen sky ghostly and faint in the howling storm fading in and out of sight a fluttering scrap of parchment I will have my revenge on the House of Charming/

/stumbling falling weeping starving alone alone alone torn dress shoes lost, crawling dragging collapsing oh my God are you all right a face a strong handsome face concerned and kindly intelligent and aristocratic come with me come I'll help you out, what's your name mine is Geoffrey, Geoffrey Lewis/

/so THAT is what happened whose thought is this his or mine does it really matter all is one, one is all sharing understanding confusion welter of emotions love and family new life burning light/

/flash of light, sun off burnished wings and scales, circling arcing curving tails lashing claws flexing colossal roars leather oil unwashed bodies gruesome Troll faces grinning in triumph maces and morning stars whirled about/

/weaving bodies, muscles flexing rippling beneath scales of crimson and gold, azure and veridian, massive wings spreading uncurling flapping downdraft billowing clouds of smoke fire flame burning flesh screams and howls of agony desperate flight/

/desperate fly fly fly dodge twist and wind among the colossal beanstalks bursting from the barren soil pungent stench hide hide undulate and writhe flee arrows spears and swords hordes of Trolls in putrid pursuit/

/deserted plains stormy sky you'll never get away from us you lizards axes rotating and flipping end over end gleaming in the light the crunch of armor and bone blade buried in heaving chest BROTHER NAY!!!! falling falling limp wings bent plummeting hot blood pumping spraying spurting/

/tremendous crash earthquake splitting ground diving swooping thou shalt pay for thy unjust murder fireball bursting forth roasting sizzling cooking swords slashing pain instinct flight hacking into green underbelly more fire land scorched maniacal ferocity maces crushing ribs piercing lungs thrashing/

/death death running away I ran away I left her behind she was my sister and I deserted her no no it wasn't your fault you didn't kill her yea I did it wast my duty to protect her and I failed she hateth me she hateth me and so doth my brother they must I know it I am guilty/

/guilt guilt sorrow distress Wolf's face twisted by despair and pain a scallop shell ring box held out as a peace offering shoved aside stumbling back from the table primal desire for home the mirror the mirror was lost to her you spent it on food no I spent it on you I don't belong here I never want to see you again love and devotion crumbling into a shattered heart a slim figure dressed in gorgeous red velvet left standing alone howling in a romantic restaurant/

/darkness blackness the twilit streets of Kissing Town stumbling weeping trapped trapped forever her faith in men destroyed but she'd also hurt Wolf he had to hate her now collapsing on the steps things can't get any worse but oh yes they could her idiot father on the roof with the mirror sliding off to smash on the cobblestones everything was over she'd lost everything her soul was as fractured as her reflection in its glass/

/glass the glass of the Evil Queen's mirrors shrouded like corpses in the hidden alcove looming sinisterly in a circle silent watchers to the terrifying confrontation Wolf Wolf standing there at her side, bowing deeply to the cold emotionless woman who had once been someone else how could he do this how could he betray her but then he had been after Wendell all along he'd been in prison with her of course he was bad she'd always sensed it but he was her mate for life she'd told him she loved him but no she had hurt him he hated her now he hated her I obey the Queen a knife thrust to the heart she had lost him/

/loss horror family dead all dead returning flying back bringing meat to feed his mate, flying back to the nest, back to the cave, cries and laughter, sneering faces, pointed ears devilish ears flapping wings so beautiful and ethereal giggles and merriment eggs tossed casually in the air thrown splattered broken target practice impaled by magic arrows shimmering mist surrounding his mate/

/Elves closing in contracting the circle laughing teasing mocking poking the dragoness with their swordpoints roar of fury fire blasting forth smoldering incinerating high-pitched screams of lambent death ignited wings delicate limbs racing with flames long-fingered hands upraised beseechingly other hands stiff and frozen shining incandescent vines of light cast outward in a golden net intertwining constricting tightening squeezing binding fast/

/sanity giving way ferocity feral instinctive destructive teeth shredding ripping tearing stained with blood bodies smashed and crushed beneath titanic feet rent asunder bisected devoured ground to a pulp screams and wails roars and struggling golden magic restraining glinting metal enchanted blazing stabbing transfixing scales and armor over heart blood spewing from fanged jaws nay nay nay nay NAY NAY NAY she cannot be dead she cannot be dead she cannot be dead life-essence gurgling churning coppery in her throat choking/

/choking pressing fingers forcing determinedly into her throat crushing her windpipe a mask of stone tripping stumbling over bodies of dead guests forced back across the marble floor enormous pain vision growing dark gasping wheezing stop Mom madness implacability relentless knees weakening giving way then the comb the comb encrusted with jewels self-defense wrench it free of auburn hair slashing with deadly teeth across the neck/

/release freedom breathing cold eyes gone numb spots of red on ivory glovetips you have drawn blood a strange smile of pride the final card played with such skill in a manner worthy of the Queen herself falling collapsing the broken spell one last chance don't die don't die just remember who you are it's too late but no it wasn't she was back her mother was back soft and warm vibrant and loving/

/touching cheek stroking caressing my little girl ancient poison overwhelms Swamp Witch will Christine fades and dies Mommy Mommy nooooooo heart stops throat fills tears flood useless useless tragedy the end found then lost so many deaths but only one mattered her mother her mother dead dead dead by her own hand dead/

/Mother Father sacrifice death protect the hatchling images darting images and confusion and pain and longing and need warriors soldiers come Old King Cole is not so merry after all blue and red uniforms of Fifth Kingdom army marching marching fortifications phalanx adopting positions the command to fire catapults springing snapping jerking boulders crashing crushing ledges and cave entrances family dens roars and strafing fire scalding soldiers red-hot armor/

/triumph victory short-lived shields upraised flames turned aside men pouring up the hillside, up the cliffs, scaling ladders ropes grappling hooks surrounded trapped save the hatchlings flying flying abandonment fear carried clutched in unknown claws borne away to safety war war continues rallying cries axes and swords hacking and chopping/

/escape death no more no more but still it comes a torrent of blood and cruelty Father struggles free limps away launches into sodden sky where possibilities lie forever unclaimed boulder catapulted crushing shoulder falters spirals down arrows streak in horrific rain balls of flame perched at every tip stabbing piercing unerringly finding edges of armor plates agony heart pierced muscled body so much dead weight falling falling falling bent crumpled tumbling smashing down the cliff/

/pain pain too much pain rapid memories screams cries centuries of death and conflict and loss images whirling out of control bits and pieces of interwoven lives her father crying Wendell turned to gold ruined castles Carmine's hateful face a gauntlet punching Wolf's jaw/

/fireballs and toxic smoke desperate battles impossible to win bared fangs razored spikes slashing sweeping prejudice exile slaying slaying wizards' spells and iron weapons maelstrom of immolation howling shrieking/

/wolves wolves persecuted and slaughtered Duncan and Cerise burning innocent atop the pyre uncontrollable intense intolerable pain shuddering unrestrained frantic Snow White's rose-red lips intoning destiny the Ice Queen's visage emotionless contemptuous laughing snow and ice so cold it burned like the fire engulfing all/

/fire expanding billowing blasting out from draconian throats again and again but somehow never enough endless death defying magic magic the curse of the Sixth Kingdom hide hide get away none dare to penetrate the thorns stay safe alone but lonely oh so lonely nothing and no one to love but so much love to give never to be touched do not touch magic too strong passion desire joining dissolution death surge hot white white blinding searing pain pain pain PAIN/

With more strength than she had ever thought she possessed and a shriek of inhuman agony, Virginia somehow wrenched free of the dragon's muzzle. Cradling her stomach instinctively she collapsed on the rocky floor, curled into a fetal ball, pitiful and broken.

For the next fifteen minutes it was all she could do to breathe, her lungs heaving first with the power that had been unleashed, then pain, then a hyperventilating attempt to gulp the life-giving oxygen, then finally with racking sobs. She pressed her hands to her face, squeezed her eyes shut, tried to block out the images. But they would not be banished, churning and flowing and crashing beneath the surface as if she had somehow broken a dam that had dumped an entire river of memories into her psyche, memories that were not her own but felt as if they were. The pain was excruciating, but it was now mental and emotional rather than physical. She'd had no idea...no idea...

Eventually the pain faded and the memories receded into the background, more by default and her own weary acceptance than for any other reason, she thought. Looking up weakly, she found herself eye to eye with the Last Dragon. He too was wheezing and gasping, recovering from the immense forces that had been released. And as she gazed into his azure eyes, she was shocked at how changed they were. No longer was there a wall there, a barrier to keep out any who might wish to offer sympathy, understanding, or comfort. No longer were they filled by distrust, wariness, and superiority. Instead she saw only tenderness, compassion, love, and an aching need she felt compelled to assuage. He was lonely. He wanted someone to care. She could sense it.

"I...I'm sorry..." she panted at last. "I...I never meant for..." She gulped and stared down at her palms. To her amazement there was no mark on the one that had been joined to his muzzle, when she had been certain there would be at least a welt if not cauterized flesh. But she could still feel the heat and magic within.

"'Tis...'tis forgiven, milady," the dragon murmured. "Thou knewest not...the memories of a dragon are e'er at the surface, our magic keeps it but a touch away 'neath the armor of our visages...although..." He paused, frowning in puzzlement. "Its extent hath e'er been to gather the memories of others, ne'er to pass on mine own. And no human shouldst survive such prolonged contact."

"I told you I had magic," Virginia replied. "It...must have reacted to yours. No wonder we bonded so closely..."

"Indeed." The dragon seemed to have recovered his wits and calm once more. "In any event, thou shouldst ne'er touch my countenance again. I cannot ensure thy safety in future."

"Don't worry, I don't plan on it..." she muttered.

After several more minutes she was able to sit up, then shakily rise to her feet again. Staring into the beast's newly gentled face, she shook her head and closed her eyes. She had not known what she was doing, but now she knew. And she knew what she asked was far too great. "I'm sorry, sir," she apologized yet again. "I was ignorant and selfish. I didn't know what all you'd been through. There's no way I could ask you to help me, not after what I've seen. After all you've suffered, it would be the cruelest of injustices to demand you help the Kingdoms that so spurned you and destroyed your life. I...I'll find some way to stop the Ice Queen on my own. I...am sorry to have troubled you."

She turned to leave, despair and resignation filling her heart, wondering how she would explain this to Wolf, but a vast roar, as of a bellows blasting into a forge, came from behind her. Instinctively she ducked and a column of fire blasted over her head, exploding out the cave mouth into the orange and crimson sky of sunset, as if feeding the sun's own furnace.

When the fire had dissipated, she slowly turned back. The dragon had risen back to his feet, his tail lashing furiously from side to side, and the look he gave her was at once reproachful and offended. "Thou wouldst depart now, after all that we have suffered together, after such a wondrous communion of souls? Thou wouldst abandon thy quest after thy passionate and shining plea unto me? This is most unseemly, milady! Remain where thou art and listen, lest I should grow wroth."

Virginia froze and nodded silently, abruptly afraid anew. Had she been wrong about the dragon?

Once he was convinced she wasn't going anywhere, the dragon settled back on his haunches. "Now, pay attention ere ye decide thy course. I would be remiss an I did not inform thee...thou wert a speaker of truth. Not a single word thou spokest wast a lie. I am indeed the greatest fool of all for never seeing it until this day. But of greater merit still wast thy memories, which even now do linger and abide within my heart. They have shown me, as nothing else could, how I have erred. Thine ancestress, the Lady Celeste, and her forbidden lover Pietro...from them I have learned what the past hath given up so that what wast foreordained might come to pass. To belittle their sacrifice would be unthinkable. 'Twould be pure selfishness, as thou hast said. And the price of selfishness is high, as thou hast discovered when thine insecurity and longing for home caused thee to reject and dismiss thine own love in the Kissing Town. Thou camest nigh to losing him, and after thou hadst declared thy love for him. I have lost many things in my life, but I shall not dare to remain selfish and discover what I still have left to lose...or what I shall become when that loss occurs. Lastly, thy mother." His voice softened, became tender and understanding. "I see now how verily I wronged thee when I said thou hast not suffered. I hope thou canst forgive me. Thy sacrifice wast great...and yet thou didst not shirk thy duty, thy new life and friends and belief mattered more. But although thou lost thy mother, thy gain wast just as great. A soul freed and saved, self-confidence, love, the gratitude of the people, a place to belong, a child..."

The dragon trailed off, gazing almost protectively at her midsection as steam hissed and curled up from his nostrils. For several minutes the waves crashing on the shore were the only sounds, as Virginia listened raptly in disbelief and rising hope. Then the dragon nodded to himself and regarded her candidly. "In other words, milady, I am willing at last to seek out what I have to gain, even an it costeth me dearly. Life is a risk, a gamble, and I have paid the price erenow. I pray it is not necessary once more, but whether 'tis true or not, I cannot evade my destiny. Let us away from here henceforth. Let us see an I can restore thy faith in the courage of dragons." He grinned almost boyishly and winked at her. "Let us teach the Ice Queen that there are those who will stand athwart the tangled skein and deny her victory."

Virginia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Even as the dragon's memories still burned and swirled within her, and she felt the strange, ambiguous power of her own magic stirring and mixing, she fell on her knees again and wrapped her arms around the dragon's foreleg. "Oh, thank you, thank you, Last Dragon, you have no idea how much this means to me, to everyone. Or maybe you do. And I will make sure you get your reward for this, I swear it."

Looking rather embarrassed, the dragon smiled, his head fan flapping and flexing to clear the cave of smoke and soot and allow fresh air to flow in. "I do indeed understand, at last, the urgency of thy quest. And I have no doubts whatsoever that thou shalt keep me ever in thy thoughts. But I would make one request of thee. After what has passed between us, thou hast gained the right of sacred knowledge...and I, I have earned the right to claim it as mine own, and pass it on."

As Virginia stared up at him in awe and tremulous anticipation, the Last Dragon finished in a whisper, quite unlike his previous bellows and roars. "Clepe me no more by the mournful epithet 'Last Dragon.' My name is...Daviander."