Dividing Dragons

By Teresa L Grant

Dividing Dragons will transport you on an adventure involving love, devastating loss, subterfuge, humor and joy. It tells of the complicated beginnings of an orphaned being, thought by locals to be an abomination. Learn how he meets up with our heroine, Elise. Be swept along for the adventures as an ancient curse is revealed, a prophecy comes to be, and Elise discovers powers she never dreamed she possessed.

Just when Elise thinks the chaos in her life has finally subsided, fate decides it is not quite through with her yet. Who ever said a girl could only have one destiny?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Teresa L Grant
• Release date: Apr 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463489369

Teresa L Grant

Teresa L Grant. No matter what life throws at you, a good book can always take you away.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The woman walked out of the forest one morning as if she’d dropped from the sky. She entered the village alone with no possessions but the clothes on her back. Although they were worn and ragged, they were originally of fine quality. The villagers looked at her with suspicion; strangers were rare and usually avoided. Her only saving grace which kept her from immediately being run off, was that she was so obviously with child. Being a small community, children were precious.

The Elders eventually caught wind of the woman’s enquiries for work and quickly met to discuss her situation. Once it was confirmed that she was indeed a stranger and not someone’s distant relative, she was then questioned to see if she had any skills or anything to offer the community. Finding none, they did not want the shame of running her off on their own conscience, so it was decided they would put the problem before the people. They knew the villagers were poor. No one had the means to support another mouth, let alone one that was soon to become two.

A large crowd gathered to hear what the Elders had decided. The woman stood before them looking exhausted. As the elders explained that the woman would be sent away if no sponsor would speak for her, the people hung their heads or looked around uncomfortably. No one would meet the poor woman’s pleading eyes, that was until they came to rest on the face of a woman staring at her boldly as if in deep thought. She had a brood of six small children, all attempting to hide behind her skirts at the same time. They kept peering at the stranger shyly and edging each other out to vie for a more secure position closer to their mother.

As if coming to some silent conclusion, she slowly smiled, and turned to her husband, giving him an expectant look. She was rewarded by the rolling of his eyes, as if he knew exactly what she expected of him and he was already resigned to the fact. Taking charge, the man stepped forward and introduced his family to the woman as the Hawkins. His name was Ronald, his wife’s Carolyn, but his children’s names were lost in a sea of gratitude as they all embraced and immediately began making plans as they walked away from the crowd.

The strange woman called herself Fairleen. She never offered a word about her past or any explanations of her sudden appearance. She was well spoken and of a quiet manner. This helped the villagers to easily accept her. They assumed she was widowed, since she still wore the gold band King Martin of Neglavale placed on her finger on their wedding day the year before. That was a story she hoped one day to explain to them, but as time went on, she worried that the tale may never be able to be told.

Fairleen still held her regal beauty but the unwieldy pregnancy strained her nerves beyond endurance. She was as wide as a cottage but kept assuring everyone she still had at least a few more months left to go.

Some predicted twins or maybe even triplets.

None therefore were prepared, for what actually was delivered such a short time later.

Carolyn and Ronald knew when the labor started something was very wrong. It started a lot sooner than they expected, and it wasn’t long before Fairleen was delirious. She kept ranting about how sorry she was; that she didn’t mean to bring the curse into their village. She begged them to forgive her and became hysterical when Carolyn’s eldest daughter entered the room to help.

Get out! she screamed. Turning to Carolyn she cried, Take the children and run to the forest! Hide! You’re not safe!

She then turned her feverish eyes to Ronald, pleading, Ronald, have you your hunting knife? Be ready!

The couple knew that women were capable of many irrational ravings during labor, but Fairleen was beginning to scare them. They originally agreed not to call in a midwife. Carolyn had given birth to her entire brood on her own. She helped with many of their friend’s and family’s deliveries, and even assisted at the birth of her sister’s twins.

But this labor was different.

Ronald there is so much blood! Carolyn wailed. What should we do? I should have called the midwife. I was a fool to assume I could handle this alone!

Ronald kept trying to leave the room. This was no place for a man! Shouldn’t he be out on the porch patiently smoking his pipe, like he’d done with all his wife’s joyous births? Every time he made it out the door, Fairleen’s hysterical screams would scare the children and bring him dashing back in to try to help Carolyn sooth her.

I see it! Fairleen, the baby’s coming! After hours of torment they could finally see that the birth had started. Thank the gods! It won’t be much longer. I see the head now Fairleen, don’t worry. All is well. Your beautiful baby is coming!

Carolyn was ready, or so she thought.

Here come the shoulders, you’re doing well Fairleen, just a bit more, one more push…

Carolyn sat back stunned, What the… Gods help us! she cried letting the baby fall from her hands to the blood-stained mattress. It’s a monster! she screamed.

Luckily the last words Fairleen heard in this world were that her baby was beautiful. She died peacefully assuming she gave birth to a Prince.

The baby’s head, arms, and chest emerged normally except for a strange coating beneath the blood and mucus. It was a light gold color that almost resembled a tight-fitting little jacket, with no collar or clasps or other accruements. Where the baby’s hips and legs should have been, it was connected to a reptilian body the same color as the jacket, with four legs, wings, and a tail; like a tiny Centaur.

But this creature did not resemble a horse.

Carolyn was about to scream for her husband to kill it, when the infant opened its mouth and began to wail.

No mother in the world is immune to the cries of a newborn.

It sounded so human.

Carolyn lifted the tiny creature to her chest. Glancing up, she noticed Fairleen had stopped her heart wrenching struggles. She stood and reached for Fairleen’s pulse, knowing before she touched her, that the baby she held was already an orphan.

Standing near the back of the room, Ronald was in shock and slow to react. By the time he gathered his wits about him and ran for his rifle, his children were crowding the doorway to see the new baby.

Carolyn blocked the door to keep them from seeing the torn body lying in the bed, a faint smile still evident on the now silent lips.

Children look out! Get away from that thing! Ronald bellowed, pushing his way through them back into the room. Carolyn, give it to me and I’ll take it out back.

Ronald was never so frightened in all his life. What if the monster was hungry and started attacking his children? He lunged at the creature, meaning to knock it from his wife’s embrace.

Carolyn leapt back, shielding the infant with her body. No! I don’t know what this baby is, but it’s still a baby! You’ll not hurt it! Everything has the right to a chance in life and I’ll not let you harm it!

The baby stopped crying and lay peacefully as Carolyn wrapped it in a small blanket, she had placed near the bed earlier. With its abnormal body covered, it was almost possible to imagine it was all a nightmare; under the cloth were two tiny legs and nothing more.

Sweat ran down Ronald’s face while he debated what should be done. He was just beginning to breathe easier, when Carolyn shifted the position of her arms and one tiny claw poked out of the corner of the wrap.

Clutching his rifle again he demanded, Give it to me, Carolyn! It’s not safe! Think of the children!

Before Carolyn could reply, one of her daughters, Emily, provided the answer to their dilemma.

Mommy, can I keep it as a pet? Please mommy? It could live in the rabbit hutch out back.

Carolyn looked at her husband with that same expectant look she had given him when Fairleen first appeared. That look always made his insides flutter. He’d never been able to deny her. The woman was everything to him.

Still, Ronald made one last attempt to make her see reason, though Carolyn could tell there was no conviction behind it. What if it gets loose? What are we going to tell the neighbors? What will the Elders say? His final argument was asked as a joke, but just barely, What if it eats one of the kids?

It will be alright Ronald, Carolyn assured him calmly. Go and fetch the wagon. We’ll get everything cleaned up, and then go bury poor Fairleen beside my mother’s grave. She’ll rest easy there; knowing her baby is nearby.

The children, in their innocence, accepted the new addition easily and spent countless hours feeding, playing and talking to the small animal. For animal they thought it was, and so they treated it as such. Even the strange covering that looked as though he wore a tiny jacket was mistaken as a type of skin or pelt of some sort. They never attempted to remove it.

Gradually the entire village found out about their little secret pet. But, when curiosity led them to their door, the baby kept winning hearts faster than they could be scared away. By the time the Elders heard of the little bundle, three quarters of the villagers were ready to take up arms to defend the infant.

Coming from loving parents, the children handled the baby with care and tenderness. They insisted on naming it Mickael, after a hero in a story the old grandmothers used to tell.

The whole village was soon enamored with Mickael, as it became a frequent sight, tied to a rope and paraded around the market by the Hawkins children. As it grew, the children taught it tricks, just as they would a rather large dog. It never crossed their minds that Mickael could be more than a fascinating pet.

Ronald still insisted that Mickael be put in a cage at night, or when no one was watching it. Although he loved the creature too, he always had this nagging feeling that it was more intelligent then it let on.

Six years passed quickly while the baby grew into a child. The village was remote, but when strangers did approach, everyone aided in keeping Mickael a secret. They knew that if news of it were ever to spread, its life would be put in jeopardy.

More years passed as Ronald kept a watchful eye on Mickael. He continued to build bigger and more elaborate pens to accommodate its comfort and exceptional growth. The ‘pen’ now resembled a shed more than a cage.

Ronald would observe as the children played with Michael, it almost looked as though the animal were putting on an act. It would follow the boys around like a puppy. Ronald couldn’t help but notice that rather than displaying the actions of a faithful family pet, trying to please its masters, Mickael was acting more and more like the rest of the boys; such as a younger brother might mimic an older sibling.

Ronald was struck speechless one evening while taking Mickael outside to be put into the cage for the night. Stopping ahead of him in the path, Mickael turned to Ronald, and for the very first time, he spoke.

Are we… a monster?

Ronald was so taken aback; he didn’t know how to respond. Taking a deep breath, he chastised himself for somehow knowing this was coming and not dealing with it sooner. Until Mickael actually spoke, it was easier to just deny the fact that this… whatever he was, was not human. Although human was not actually an accurate description, Ronald finally had to acknowledge beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Mickael was much more than just a pet.

Reaching out, Ronald removed the collar the Elders had insisted upon. He looked into Mickael’s eyes and the guilt soared anew. He had known for a long time now this boy had a clever mind. He just could not bring himself to face it before now.

We’re not sure exactly what you are boy, but from now on, you’ll be a proper member of this family, Ronald assured him gently, and led him back towards the house.

That night Mickael slept in his first home. The next morning instructions began in basic household etiquette. The transformation was amazing. Mickael learned everything he was shown instantly. He started asking questions and didn’t stop for a month. It was as though he had stored them all up inside, and now that the dam was broken, they tumbled uncontrollably from his lips.

The rest of the Hawkins family took a lot of criticism for bringing their ‘pet’ into their home. It was a long hard struggle for Mickael and his adopted family to change the biased opinions of the rest of the village.

Mickael’s dynamic personality and natural charm soon won over even the most hardened cynics. He turned out to be one of the brightest youngsters around and eventually worked out a niche for himself in the day to day goings on in the village.

As Mickael matured, Ronald began to notice another puzzling aspect of his character. Mickael picked up the habit of talking to himself. At first Ronald thought Mickael must have invented an imaginary friend; just as his daughter Emily had a few years back when she was vying for a bit more attention.

But as Ronald quietly observed, he gradually came to the realization that Mickael was actually talking ‘with’ himself, not ‘to’ himself. He referred to this other self as Dryfus.

Ronald was astounded to realize that there actually seemed to be two unique personalities inhabiting this amazing creature.

The family continued to lovingly refer to them as their very own little monster. While the nickname was given with the best of intentions, it nevertheless succeeded in keeping Mickael at arm’s length, always the outsider.

Years passed and Mickael was well into his early teens. Hormones were raging and egos were bruised when Mickael began to stand out as a very accomplished athlete, poet, and hunter; almost anything he set his mind to, came easily for him.

He was under a constant strain to prove himself worthy, and in doing so, jealously began to rear its ugly head.

Up until now the village was adept at hiding Mickael’s existence, but his prowess won him enemies among his peers. One day while one of these young boys was visiting his relatives in a distant village, he started a vindictive rumor. He stated that a vicious monster was living amongst his village and it kept them all in fear for their lives, if ever they were to talk about him.

It didn’t take long before the rumor grew to outrageous proportions, and stories of the monster stealing babies in the night, and running off with livestock, plagued the surrounding villages.

An angry mob was soon formed, and torches could be seen approaching to hunt Mickael down.

The Hawkins and a few of their loyal friends and neighbors prepared to do battle in Mickael’s defense, but Ronald knew the only real chance Mickael had, was to flee. He would never be safe now the secret was out, and besides, Mickael could not bear putting any of his friends and family in danger. He retreated to the forest to live a life of exile, always on the run. It would be many more years before he finally found a place he could truly call his home again.

He was gone just as suddenly as the sad pregnant woman had appeared, sixteen years earlier.

Chapter 2

In a distant kingdom, another woman was entering a village under false pretenses. She was the Princess Natalia, of Arilonia, coming to the end of her young adventures.

She wanted to explore her realm and meet her future subjects anonymously in order to truly get to know them. She convinced her father, King Belfast, that she would be safer traveling alone, no one would guess who she really was that way. Her father never liked the idea, though he indulged her, hoping she would soon return and settle into the life he had planned for her. For his own peace of mind, he charged Branadon, a trusted friend and warrior, with secretly keeping his daughter safe while not revealing his mission and jeopardizing her independence.

At first, Branadon kept track of Natalia from a distance. He was an abnormally tall Dwarf, or rather, half-Dwarf as some rumored. Being a great hunter, he followed her for days without her noticing. He thought it absurd allowing a young girl to travel on her own, let alone a Princess, but who was he to question the motives of a King. All was going well until one evening shortly after dusk; Branadon was mortified to discover the young girl had doubled back and caught him on her trail. The Dwarf had never had the patience to be around small children. He had been away campaigning for her father most of her young life, so he was relieved when she did not recognize him. He had to think fast to come up with a suitable ruse to convince her into letting him travel with her.

Back then he was under service to the King, on a mission he felt completely beneath him. Now however, after getting to know the Princess, he would willingly die for her if the need arose.

They traveled together for months until one day they were forced to stop at this accursed town with a lame horse. The Princess immediately fell in love with the handsome blacksmith named Allan, and they had been here ever since.

For reasons Branadon could not understand, he could never bring himself to respect the man. Allan had a constantly pained expression as though he tried at life too hard and always came up short. It made it harder and harder to word his reports to the King.

The real problems began when the two young people tossed caution to the wind and eloped after only knowing each other for such a short time. Branadon had arrived only moments too late to stop the fiasco. It had taken all the self-control the Dwarf possessed not to kill the young man when he’d found out. He walked a very thin line keeping up the pretense of being only a friend, and not her guardian, appointed by her father. Branadon could just imagine the King reading this latest report. He did not look forward to the trip home. He knew what happened to messengers bearing bad news, and the news just kept getting worse.

Upon awakening the morning following the elopement, Allan lay there not wanting to get up, but knowing something must be done about the night before. The nightmare had returned even worse, and with it, the realization that what he had done was wrong. All night long, dreams of his late father plagued him. In them he ranted and raved about how Allan betrayed him and now he could never rest. This morning Allan decided it was all a mistake.

How could he explain to Natalia the blind passion that over-powered his senses and blocked out all reason from his brain? He could see Natalia through the roughhewn doorway in the small cottage he had lived in all his life. Her fiery red hair was tussled loose from her braid and a small satisfied smile played on her lips. She hummed a tune while making him breakfast. Damn! Even at first light she took his breath away.

Shaking himself, he knew the matter must be dealt with immediately, if only he could get through these next few hours without damaging her feelings for him beyond repair. What on earth was he supposed to say?

Natalia, I apologize from the depth of my soul! I did not wish for this to happen.

Puzzled, Natalia turned to see Allan standing in the doorway fully dressed. His short brown hair never looked out of place. He was always so proper. Not at all how the blacksmiths at home had looked. His tall rugged frame stood rigid, but his eyes looked confused and lost.

She tried to make light of the seriousness she heard in his voice as she chuckled, Allan, it is not a sin to make love to your wife. Granted this has all happened so fast, but everything will work out fine. You’ll see.

She wasn’t making this any easier, Allan thought, as he tried again, But it is wrong to take liberties where I have vowed I would not. Last night should never have happened. I should never have allowed you to marry me. I have given you false hope.

Allan explained it all to her when they first fell in love. It was easy then to ignore the things your heart refused to hear. He was committed to marry another woman next fall, the daughter of his father’s oldest friend. He had given his oath. But that was before he had fallen in love at first sight with Natalia. The desire between them became so intense that last night Allan decided nothing else mattered, and they married in a small secret and very romantic ceremony.

His attempts at trying to explain this all after their night of passion sounded inane, even to his own ears. By the time he was finished, even he couldn’t believe how absurd it all sounded.

As the words began to sink into Natalia’s disbelieving mind, she sat down at the table where mere moments before she was feeling so satisfied and complete.

Now she looked at him with bewilderment in her eyes, Let me get this straight… you promised yourself to someone you don’t love, married someone you do, and now you’re telling me, you have to honor your first promise?

She shook her head as if to remove the offensive reasoning from her thoughts.

She has no claim over you Allan. We were wed in the church, before witnesses!

Frustrated, Allan just stared at Natalia with pity in his eyes, willing her to understand.

Damn it! She didn’t want to understand. Because of some crazy vow Allan made to his father on his deathbed, she was to be doomed to a life without him. What about the vow he gave her? Where was the reasoning? It was madness!

The marriage will have to be dissolved, he told her gently.

Try as he might, Natalia would have none of it. Allan had no right trying to bring in a reality that had no business being there, in what started out as such a perfect beginning. Not to mention, she was no longer a virgin. That wasn’t something she could explain to her father without him sending in his army.

Natalia steadfastly refused to give up. As unbearable as that moment was, life afterwards soon became decidedly worse. Allan moved into the small storage room off the kitchen and their lives seemed to drop into a sort of limbo. Time passed, and with no future to look forward to, bit-by-bit, and day-by-day, Natalia’s spirit died as she resigned herself to her fate.

Having left her home, a defiant and headstrong young girl, a Kingdom at her fingertips, she should have been satisfied. But no, she wanted to see the world before yielding to her father’s demands for an heir. Well, all thought of returning died with Allan’s words. How could she face her father with this disgraceful mess?

Eventually, Allen will have to change his mind… wont he, she thought.

Weeks turned to months and she was still being plagued by Allan’s folly.

Angelica, the girl Allan was promised to, wallowed in a perverse smugness; claiming that Allan’s first vow to her was all that mattered. The instant she heard of the wedding; she began manipulating Allan at every chance she got. She stopped at nothing to drive the wedge deeper and deeper between them.

To make matters worse, this woman was under the false impression that Natalia was a village girl. She thought her constant unannounced visits would intimidate her and eventually force her to leave. It burned Natalia’s pride that she could not fling her true heritage in the horrible girl’s