Dragon Love

By Tony Farnden

A tragedy unfolds in song and poetry, a tragedy that spans time, space and myth. But most of all it is about love whether as a result of enchantment or love that grows from the tiniest of seeds.

Dragon Love is a story of magic and mystery. A story about orphans lost between the worlds. A story of orphans finding each other. A story of a beauty and a beast locked in a quest for love that can never end well or can it?

There is a maiden, a dragon, a suitor, a witch and there is magic but nothing is as it seems. The dragon's talons are blunted by his love but the maiden wields a sword wrought of denial that is so keen it slices through his steely scales and pierces his heart. Can she see beyond the dragon in the same way he can see beyond the human? Who will be saved and who will be lost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tony Farnden
• Release date: Jan 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310750618

Tony Farnden

I'm Tony and I used to write when I was young and then life got in the way. Let's hope it's not too late to make some impression with what I write. I'm not giving up this time round that's for sure but I may take breaks :)I'm not much into social media so don't expect any guff from me. I'm bit of a recluse living in a forest in South Wales with a very variable mobile phone connection.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Opening Songs

The Sisters

The great mother spreads the cloth upon her table.

Ah, I thought this embroidery would never end,

she thinks with a smile as she surveys her handiwork.

How wonderful it is, all these stars and all their worlds,

all this life that must now finds its place.

But how they all would slip apart and wander alone in the void.

She gathers up the fabric, takes up her needle,

threads it with starlight and its shadow, and with a stitch

anchors the sister worlds in place together.

Let all of time and space turn about my beautiful children.

Let my daughters be forever linked across the void

and let their young cross it with number and with song.

The Parable

As a child I heard the wise women singing

A lesson I did not learn until the door was locked

On the love we all expected would be ours

Never to hold it in our arms as we dance away time

Their words now echo through my dreams

And I tell them to you so you may find another way

Another way free of loss and despair

Another life with some other lover:

A mortal cannot love a dragon for long

A dragon should never love a mortal

A mortal may shed a tear and pity a dragon

But a dragon will remain true and lose all

Time Dancer

Why me?

Why did magic find me?

Hush child, my mother whispered

Hush my child, the magic will wake

And tear your soul away

Why me?

Why do all my friends turn from me?

Hush child, my mother whispered

Dry your tears and try to get some sleep

For you are to be a mistress of time

Why must I leave you?

Why must I go so far from home?

Hush child, my mother whispered

Far beyond this life you must go

Far far away from this world to keep you safe

Will I see you again?

Will I ever again help you in the fields?

Hush child, my mother whispered

Hush my daughter or you will make me cry

You may watch me from afar but I will not see you again

Why me alone of all my sisters?

Why does magic want me and time to together dance?

Hush child, my mother whispered

No one here knows why you have been called

Called by magic to serve the rulers of all you see.

Then must I go and find the answers myself

And become a dancer with time for ever more?

(Kindra, aged 6 years)

Magic Numbers

Magic numbers, hidden figures,

Magic numbers you cannot be told.

The first is so small but is magic still

and is for the people that I love,

for all those that I have loved

and for all those I will come to love.

Magic numbers, secret figures,

Magic numbers only you can discover.

The next is a magic of a different kind

and it stands for all the people of this world,

for all my brothers and my sisters

and for all those I will never know.

Magic numbers, secret figures

Magic numbers you yourself must unfold.

The last is for the universe

for all the stars and for all the moons,

and for all the worlds that are repeated

in the atoms that make up your smile.

Magic numbers, perfect figures

Magic numbers you cannot be told.

(Iosef, aged 14 years)

A Lesson in Magic

We are unique, we dancers;

neither sorcerer nor sorceress,

not a wizard and not a witch,

never a seer and never an enchantress.

We are unique, we dancers;

always a servant,

sometimes a slave,

and other times a prisoner.

We are unique, we dancers;

unique in that we are chosen,

never to make the choice ourselves,

and never to walk free from fear.

We are unique, we dancers;

some are dancers of the seasons,

some are dancers of time and of space,

and some are dancers of the elements.

We are unique, we dancers;

we are so few and so valued,

we alone can set our charges spinning,

but never join the dance ourselves.

(Kindra, aged 11 years)

Chosen

a shadow