Revenge of the Myth

"This isn't just a room though. This is an animal shed! An animal shed, you know? It's amazing! I've never heard stories of dragons keeping livestock." Her excitement was bubbling as her pain levels started to calm down. She was still covered in dirt and blood, but she was far less anxious than she once had been, especially around this stranger whom suspiciously lived with a dragon.

"This may be a rude question... But are you the dragon that saved me, Mister Erbrow? Because I've never heard a story about a dragon keeping livestock, let alone keeping a human. Most of the stories are they eat humans, in fact... Though these are human stories told by mothers to scare their children out of going out too far or late at night, so it could just be fantasy."

A loud growl exited her stomach before she could try to claim she wasn't hungry. "I'm certainly hungry... I haven't eaten in quite a while. It was hard to eat after being told I was to be killed for my father's heart attack." She laughed timidly, adding, "Most humans can move faster than me right now- even myself. It's just, my body is really stiff from not being able to move, and I'm covered in wounds, so it hurts when I move, which makes me slower than usual. You wouldn't think it looking at me now, but I used to be the fastest runner in the whole village!"
 
His lips thinned as he tapped the top of the gate. He waited for her to stop talking , which seemed to take forever. "Yes. I am the dragon, and I cannot say what every dragon chooses to do with livestock any more than I am sure you could say every human chooses to do with dogs." He wrinkled his nose at her smell and gave up waiting for her. "Come!" He turned his back and started walking down the tunnel. Why had he saved her? He'd forgotten. Maybe he should leave her outside for the night and let the wild animals have her.

Then he walked into what was his living space. This area was even bigger than the animal "shed," as the human had called it, but shorter in height. A massive fire that ate entire tree trunks burned in a firepit against one wall, the smoke trailing up a chimney and disappearing. His eye turned toward the cave doorway on the right, and his anger dimmed a little. That entrance was only large enough for a human to enter, and a wooden door closed it off from the rest of the cave. He turned away, going toward the cave directly ahead.
 
Cautiously, Chinza tried to catch up to the man- dragon man? She wasn't even sure how to describe him. Surely he was an attractive man, but he was also a dragon. What did dragons like to talk about? She had no clue. It was like she was suddenly meeting the king- only this king was far more powerful than the king of the country, in her mind.

The moment she noticed the door that only a human could walk through, her questions seemed to double, no triple. However, he had seemed frustrated with her being slow, and talking would surely slow the active girl down further. As they were going towards another cavern, however, she finally peeped. "So where are we going, Mister Erbrow?"
 
Erbrow glanced at her, and a sinister smile curved his lips. "Why, to eat!" he purred. He gave her a minute to process that sentence then continued. "First, you will have to clean yourself. You reek more than the billy goat." He wrinkled his nose at that statement and walked into the cave.

This cave turned out to be a dragon-sized hallway, the short part leading into a dragon's larder. He turned down the other way rather than go into the larder, but stacks upon stacks of smoked meats and a few cribs full of vegetables were clearly visible. He tended to eat whatever he could catch fresh, but the weather in the mountains could be unpredictable, especially in the winter. It was wise to have a good selection of non-perishable food stored up, and despite its proximity to the main room and the fire, the larder was several degrees colder than the rest of his home. Almost like an icebox.

The hallway Erbrow led the girl - Chinny? whatever her name was - led back outside on the other side of the mountain peak. Stark, black walls rose up all around them, creating something almost like an outdoor room without a ceiling. Fresh water tumbled down one wall, sparkling in the moonlight that filtered over the edge of the walls and filling a huge, crystalline pool of water. The water was warmer than expected, about the temperature of the average hot bath, creating a faint mist of steam.

Erbrow stopped and pointed to the pool. "There."
 
Chinza couldn't help but laugh timidly as she was compared with that playful billy goat that had taken such great interest in her earlier on. The animals on this side of the woods were quite gentile, she'd noted, and she was sure it had to do with this dragon man. He was rough around the edges with her, sure, but she could tell the animals liked and trusted him a lot. And, clearly, he cared for them back, having that animal shed at the forefront of his cavern.

Her eyes were wide in disbelief as she saw the pool of water she'd been brought to to bathe in. The way the dark walls rose so high above her head, the way the moonlight trickled in alongside the fresh water- it was almost... romantic, she wanted to say. Sure, there was nothing romantic about this situation, but she was sure anyone who saw this unique bath would think it were. Nature was, in all its essence, romantic to Chinza. It made her want to quote a poem, but she opted not to. Instead, she kicked off her shoes and took tentative steps into the pool of water.

"It's so nice and warm!" Chinza cried, smiling with delight. She'd thought she'd never get to bathe again, apparently, because it made her tear up inside. "Can I clean my clothes in here as well? They're all I have at this point, and I doubt you want me wandering around naked afterward."
 
Erbrow grunted, a verbal shrug, and said, "You can do whatever you like. I do not care. Only that you have a better scent to you when you are finished." He stood back, waiting. He didn't leave. He was watching her suspiciously. It didn't even occur to him to leave as privacy was not really something that came up often.
 
With a quick twirl towards the water, Chinza was nonchalant about taking her shirt off- but that was because she had an undershirt to protect her form from the eyes of others. When she was ready to take it off, she turned her shoulder and said with a cautious yet eager tone, "Can you turn around? It's kind of embarrassing being stared at, and I'm a bloody mess. I'd rather not be seen that way."
 
Erbrow rolled his eyes heavenward. "Oh for... Fine. I will go and fetch the food. When you are done, return inside. Try not to drown. The current in the center is strong." He walked back inside with a huff. He hadn't really wanted to leave a stranger alone anywhere in his cave, but if she was going to be particular about such things, he supposed he could grant her a lonely bath. As long as she didn't try to run away. Odds were not in her favor if she tried to run, although if she managed to get out of the pool area, she would be doing far better than he ever would have thought.

He went inside and found a side of cow. She would need it cooked before she ate it, Erbrow knew that much about humans. He cooked meat mostly because he liked the flavor when it was hot, not because he needed to. Nothing could survive in a dragon's stomach. He set to work cooking it and soon had a dripping hunk of piping hot meat over the fire. He found a couple of knives and sat down to wait while he kept an eye on the meat.
 
Chinza was well aware that running was not an option, but it didn't seem to bother her. So far, the dragon had saved her and was being at least somewhat pleasant, even if it wasn't his common demeanor. He was trying to keep her at ease, she felt- trying enough that he'd leave her alone in a part of his home. With a smile as he left, she stripped down and waded in the water. She began to wash and lay her clothing to dry, realizing only moments later that she could have just gotten in in her clothing potentially.

It took some time, but Chinza was finally dressed and smelled halfway decent. She'd almost gotten sucked into the center, but she was wary of it like she was told, so it was only a minor case. Finding her way towards where the smell of roasted meat came to her nostrils, she clasped her hands together and bowed towards Erbrow. "Thank you for the lovely bath." She looked at the meat curiously. Should she ask to have some? Or, should she just sit with him and expect him to let her join in? She decided on the latter, taking a seat in a position so that she was facing him, a smile on her face. "You even made dinner. It is very kind of you."
 
It seemed to take the human forever, but at least this meat was slow cooking. He looked up when she walked in and sat near him. That was better. She smelled proper, and this was the most human she'd looked since he'd found her. Maybe he'd keep her after all. It was nice to have a pet that talked back and didn't get itself stuck on a ledge fifteen times a day.

"You are welcome," Erbrow replied to her thanks. It felt weird to be thanked. He flipped one knife over and offered it to her, handle first. "I assume humans need to eat just as dragons and sheep do. Take what you like." He went first, using his knife to easily slash through the meat then held it skewered on the knife as he bit into it. He did it all with one hand and didn't miss a beat. "Why were you tied to a pole?"
 
Taking the knife, Chinza began to examine it closely. She could tell through its sharp edge that it was meant to cut through things easily. That said, she couldn't help but wonder if she could slice through the meat herself without touching it. She mimicked her companion, managing to get a good slice skewered onto her knife. Taking a bite, she smiled brightly. It was too tasty for words after such a cruel day.

"A man decided I'm a witch. Mother died of illness, and father soon after died of a heart attack. The man claimed it was my fault, that I must have used some dark magic to kill my parents. But everyone in town knew that man was aiming for my father's business for a long time... He didn't want me to gain control, so he spread the rumor. Even if people know you, rumors spread and become reality to people... So, they decided he was right and I was a witch. They tied me to the stake and left me to be food for a wild beast. By tomorrow, I'll be forgotten... If I haven't been already."
 
Erbrow finished his meat in a few bites and cut off another slice. The way she examined the knife amused him. Had she never handled a knife before? It was a good thing he picked her up. Even if she could get free of the ropes on her own, someone who didn't even know which side of the knife was the sharp side wasn't going to survive in the wilds long. If he'd left her, she probably would have been eaten by now.

He finished his second slice and licked the knife clean. "Don't count on it," he snorted. "Humans are constantly curious and restless. It will take some time, but eventually, someone is going to check your stake to see if you have, indeed, been eaten. When they see the mess I made of your stake, new rumors will spread. Then they will tell the story over and over again until it become something else entirely." He idly tossed the knife toward larder. He'd put it away later.

"You certainly are not acting much like a grieving child who has just lost their parents. As a matter of fact, you are acting incredibly comfortable in a dragon's lair. It makes me wonder... perhaps you are a witch. Or more likely, you are psychotic." He watched her with narrowed eyes.
 
Taking smaller bites than Erbrow did, it took Chinza a fair bit of time to get through her first chunk. She did, however, dive in for a second piece. This meat was delicious- perhaps the most delicious she'd ever had. Was it because of the adrenaline of the day? Maybe. She wasn't sure, but she was sure to laugh when the man told her she might be psychotic. It was far easier to deal with than the hard truth she was going to checked on and not a scrap of her would be found.

"Hopefully they'll think their plan worked," Chinza said. A fire was set in her eyes as her free hand was clutched so tightly into a fist, the knuckles were a bright white- brighter in color than any of her very lightly tanned skin. "If I'm thought dead, they won't expect me to come back for revenge... once I have a plan."

She pondered over Erbrow's idea that she was psychotic. "Perhaps I am. I'm numb right now- I spent all day screaming for help, expecting to die and meet my parents in the clouds. Instead, I was saved by a kind but rough dragon, something completely unheard of in the myths we'd been told since toddlerhood. It's hard to focus on my parents death when I'm in shock. Besides, if I focus on their death, I'll just end up crying as much as the waterfall in that bath. Focusing on avenging them is much, much sweeter tasting."
 
"Uh-huh, I suppose that makes sense," Erbrow drawled, leaning back. He adjusted the way he sat, stretching out on his side instead. He propped his head on his hand, his red hair spilling down his back and chest. He gave her an amused look. The tiny little thing (he still thought of himself in dragon size, whether or not he was in his human form) was so adorable the way her face scrunched up with anger. It was like a hampster squealing angrily at a human for some wrongdoing. "And how, exactly, are you intending to exact revenge?" he asked. "Walk up and spit on their knees? Kick their ankles?"

He chuckled at the thought, but a part of him was interested to hear her response. If there was one thing dragons understood, it was revenge. And she had such feeling and passion boiling up in her eyes, it was rather impressive. It had been a long, boring half a century for him, and he was curious. He wanted to see how this played out.
 
Chinza was surprised when the man asked her how she planned to enact her plan to avenge her family and, more importantly, her own honor. It took her a moment or two to really think of what she'd want to do- and there were so many things, she didn't know when to start. So, she just started gushing ideas.

"Let's see... I could castrate the bastard so he doesn't have the ability to have children of his own to take advantage of. That would be good for society," She mused, staring at the knife's sharp edge as if she planned to use it in her endeavors. "I could break his nose easily enough if I punch him, I think. I've been known to have a pretty strong right hook. Spitting on the rest of the townfolk sounds nice, since they're part of it too. I was thinking of kicking shins more than ankles, though. Or, you know, setting a major building in town on fire. I used to go camping with the village boys. I'm really good at rubbing sticks together to get a spark."
 
Erbrow stared at her. Then he started to laugh. "Seriously? You are the worst at revenge I have ever seen," he cackled. "Those are terrible ideas! Except for the castration. That was not so bad. You should have ended on that note, not started with it. This fellow tried to get you killed and got you exiled from home, and the best you can think of is to break his nose and kick their shins? Oh dear oh dear, you are not going to go far in this at all. At least, not by yourself."
 
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His stare had her nervous, but his laughter eroded that quickly. She felt her cheeks puff up without thinking, a pout on her lips. "If my ideas are so bad, what would you do?" Her voice was a wee bit haughty, but curiosity filled her eyes. As he continued talking, saying she couldn't do any good revenge on her own, she let out a deep sigh and took a bite of food. "It's not like I know anyone who would want to help me avenge myself and my family. I mean, you're being nice to me and saved me from the stake, but that's exactly the reason I can't ask you to do it. Besides, you have no personal qualms with them... or do you?"
 
Erbrow rolled up to sit cross-legged once more. He stretched, appearing already bored with this conversation. He wasn't actually bored, but he liked staying in control. "Oh, please. I am a dragon. I have a 'qualm' with every human alive, minus a very few," he said dryly. "If it is not some knight in shining armor trying to slay me and rescue the fair maiden - what fair maiden, I have no idea, but they talk about them a lot - then it's some idiot trying to train me like a horse and get me to let them ride me into the sunset. The rest run around squalling at every little peek. It's rather annoying." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "As for how I would get my revenge, is it not obvious?"
 
"The only thing I can think of for a dragon's revenge is kidnapping due to fairy tales and burning down the village based on reality. Wait, dragons do breathe fire, right?" Chinza was embarrassed heavily. She didn't know anything truly about dragons- Erbrow was the first dragon she'd ever met, and he had abilities none of the old wive's tales could mention from experience. Her embarrassment soon turned to giggling. "It's neat that of my village, only I know there's a dragon that can take human shape."

That was when it clicked... There were plenty of ways to use this transformative skill! "You could infiltrate a village and start rumors or do pretty much anything you want with your ability to take on a human form, huh?" She smiled a bit, thinking he could be useful to plot her revenge, but also thinking about all the things he'd just told her about humans. "Some knights are just idiots that think a dragon equals a 'fair maiden' being held hostage. They became knights solely to fight a dragon, save a random girl, and get in that girl's stockings."
 
Stockings? What did stockings have to do with anything? This girl changed tops faster than he could keep up. He supposed he would have to get used to it if he was going to keep her around for very long.

"I am not going to wander aimlessly around your little village without a clue," Erbrow sniffed. "I do not know who anyone in the village, and I do not deal well with people."
 
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