The Maiden

She brushed her long blonde hair slowly, smiling as it sprung back up into waves at the end of each stroke. She was amazed at how beautiful her hair was. It had never been washed so completely. The linen dressing gown caught the light when she moved in front of the mirror. How she loved the feel of the fine linen against her unaccustomed skin. As she lay the brush down, she again marveled at the splendor around her. Never in her life had she even imagined she might one day find herself amongst such luxury.

The rising sun drew her attention to the window. She had been staring out that window all night. Aware of what lay out there, but grateful of the darkness that concealed it. The sun, however, would reveal that which she could not see the night before. Her red-rimmed eyes closed almost involuntarily. The thought of what lay out there and what she must do was almost too much to bear. As was the knowledge of what would happen if she did not go through with the sacrifice. She was determined not to be the cause of so much death and destruction. How she wished she could stop her thoughts, as if not thinking would somehow make her duty disappear.

Of course she knew better then that. She was no longer a child. Hadn’t she just attained the age of adulthood? As any child, she had long awaited the celebration of her sixteenth year, the year that she would be considered an adult. She wanted to rejoice in her new status. She longed to drink ale, to travel to nearby villages and towns. And most important, she wanted to walk out with the boys of the village. She wished she could to do all of the things that other girls her age could do. But now, for her, things would be different. She would not be allowed to take part of those wonderful traditions. She had another task ahead of her.

Her mind drifted back to the coming-of-age ceremony that had seemed so different this year. Compared to previous years, it had seemed somewhat muted. At first she and the other girls thought that it felt strange because they were at the center of the celebrations. However, by the time the day had come to a close, the fours girls were sure that there was something wrong with this year’s ceremony. They all eagerly awaited the meeting with the elders at the end of the day, the events of which were traditionally kept secret. She, at least, had hoped that she would discover why the celebrations had been unusual. As it turned out, she learned much more then she ever wanted.

Had her mother known? This was a question that had taunted her all night. How could she not have known? The woman had given birth to and raised her. She of course knew her daughter’s age. But then, perhaps her mother didn’t want to know. Would she have been treated differently? Had her parents been more lenient on her then they had been on their other children? No, that couldn’t be. She had been treated the same as any other child of her village. That had been the only conclusion she could reach.

Another question had plagued her through her long night of luxury. Why did it have to be her that was Chosen and not one of the other three girls? Why had it been her to draw the only black stone? This was a question that had no answer. As soon as the stone had been drawn, she had been blindfolded and led away from her friends and family. At first, she had struggled with all her strength, only calming when she was told why they been asked to draw the stones.

All night, her feelings had wavered between being honored that she was the only one that could save her village, fear of what she had to do, and sadness that she had to leave her family. She was resolute not to let her village down, however. She would not dishonor her family.

Before the sun had fully cleared the nearby hills, the chambermaids entered her room. They seemed pleased to see that she had washed herself and combed her hair. As they set about preparing her, they did not speak to her. She knew these women, as they were also from her village. To them, now, she was no longer considered a person. She was a soulless body, a carcass being readied for cooking.

In this subdued manner they dressed her in the finest cloth. Her hair was bedecked in spun gold and jewels. Her body was draped with priceless necklaces and bracelets. Never would she have even thought that she might one day wear real jewelry or touch true gold. Only the lord and his wife were known to wear such things.

The maids allowed her one last glance in the mirror before they led her away. She smiled sadly at the beautiful reflection. She would never again see herself dressed so nicely. She no longer looked anything like the lowly village girl that she had been the day before. Of course, that common girl was dead. The body that stood here now was an illusion. She would be seen as the ghost of a person that they had never known.

The passage through the castle was a long and twisted one, but she did not try to remember the way. She would never be brought back through this maze of corridors and rooms. Her eyes were fixed to the floor as she walked. She did not want to see the pitying eyes of the servants and soldiers whom they passed. They were the same stares that she had seen the day before as she had been led to her room. She had been in a kind of shock then, still gawking at the decorations and riches that lined every hall and corridor. Now her eyes were filled with tears as she walked. After only one night of torment, the spender no longer amazed her.

The gathering of villagers in the courtyard of the castle seemed to be an almost faceless mass as she stood before them. For a moment, she wondered if her mother or father were concealed in the crowd, but then realized that they probably were not. She was not to acknowledge her former family in any way, nor were they to acknowledge her. She had been told the night before that her family had been compensated for the loss of their daughter. Her father had stood before the counsel of elders and advised them of the tragic "death" of his dear daughter on the night of her coming-of-age. According to the village records, that girl was now dead. She was presented to the village as the orphaned princess of a distant holding.

The ceremony was short. She focused on a spot directly before the spread of her gown, hardly hearing the words of the lord who stood beside her. She dared not look into the eyes of the closest villagers. If she recognized anyone, she was sure the tears would flow freely. She could barely keep them back as it was. The words of the lord echoed through her pained head. He promised to lavish her with presents and luxury as befit her status. The lord’s voice shook as he finished his speech. It was time to board the carriage.

She climbed into the carriage uneasily, this was the first time she had ever done so. The interior was smaller then she had imagined. The few carriages she had seen were so ornate on the outside, she thought that they would be very large inside for some reason. The seats were cushioned, which she found was necessary as the carriage began to move. The lord and his wife sat across from her. Even in the confines of the dark carriage, they did not speak. The lord kept his eyes turned to the window, watching as the small village passed by. His wife simply kept her eyes on her tightly clasped hands.

The excuse was a picnic with the new daughter of course, but she knew that was a farce, all to continue the illusion that must be upheld. She would be left in the foothills of the mountain alone, and that is where she would die. Her chest tightened at the thought. This was the first time she had allowed herself to acknowledge the fact. Although it had been no secret, as any child of her village knew the fate of the Maiden.

The carriage drew into a dark canyon, causing the interior to become even darker. The walls of the gorge looked oppressive and dangerous as they passed. The scrub brush seemed to lean toward the passing vehicle with outstretched thorns reaching. She knew it was absurd of course, but the feeling remained. She tore her eyes from the window, preferring instead to examine the roof of the small cabin. Even the ceiling of the cabin was hung with silk. In any other situation, she would have yearned to touch that soft fabric.

Finally, the carriage began to slow. The tears she had been trying to contain at last over spilled, sending tears coursing down her face. The cabin tilted up as they began an ascent, and she now knew how very close they were to the cave. She had never been to the storied spot, but the hill they were climbing was easily seen from the village.

She desperately wanted to open the door and run away as fast as her gown would allow her too. For a brief moment, she allowed herself this final fantasy. Just as quickly, she pulled her mind back to the present. She would never be allowed such freedom, and even thinking about it was dangerous. The closer they got to the cave, the more guarded she would have to be with her thoughts.

The cabin lurched to a halt, nearly spilling her off the bench. She gripped the seat tightly, not wanting to let go even after the cabin settled. The lord and lady disembarked quickly, not even waiting for the driver to open the door for them. She waited inside for a moment before following. There was no choice for her, there hadn’t been since the moment she took the black stone. If he had to, the lord would have her taken out bodily and tied to a tree. It had been known to happen in the past.

As she stepped out of the cabin, she looked about. They were at the top of the green hill that she had seen all of her life. There was a small copse of trees to one side. The path continued down the other side of the hill toward the mountains that rose up out of the foothills.

No path led to the cave that opened just a stones throw from the hill. It brooded alone, hewn roughly from the living rock. No living human had ever entered that cave, and as long as the resident survived, none would. She was here to meet the occupant of that cave, as part of an ancient agreement.

She watched as the lord stood facing the cave, his feet shifting uncomfortably. He began speaking loudly, advising the denizen of the cave that he had brought his daughter to the appointed place in accordance with the agreement. His voice shook uncontrollably as he finished. Quickly, he turned to his wife and embraced her. The Maiden saw unmistakable grief on the man’s face before he covered it with his hand. She held no ill will toward them, as they were simply fulfilling their part. They had a duty to protect the people of the village, and she now she had hers.

For the first time, the lord came to speak to her. He told her that he admired her bravery and that she had honored her family by not resisting her duty. She barely heard him. Her eyes were fixed on the mouth of the cave. An acrid smell had begun to drift from the bowels of the abyss and the interior was lit with a flickering yellow light. The occupant had awoken.

The carriage was boarded and turned around quickly. The maiden heard it lumber away, back toward the relative safety of the village. Still she was not alone. She had caught glimpses of soldiers in the canyon and could hear them in the copse behind her. She was not going to be given any chance to escape. She was sure, though, that the soldiers behind her were just as terrified of the beast as she was. Her heart pounded painfully as she watched the entrance to the cave, desperately hoping that there would be no beast. Perhaps he had died in the years since he was last sighted?

She had not waited long before the beast made his appearance. Within the space it took for her to blink, the Dragon emerged from the cave. In near silence, the massive beast sprinted from the cave on four legs. He unfurled his great wings and threw himself into the air, launching himself toward the hill and the maiden that stood upon it.

A scream ripped out of her lungs unbidden and she fall back onto the grass in shock. The stories that she had heard could never have prepared her for this sight. She screamed anew as the Dragon closed the distance between them. The muscles on his forelegs rippled as he flew and his partially open mouth revealed the massive teeth within.

He came to a surprisingly gentle landing not far from where she sat. He towered above her, larger then any barn or tree that she had ever seen. His black wings stretched, obscuring the sun and most of the sky before they were folded back.

She continued to scream as he landed, unable to stop. The sound of the soldiers behind her breaking cover and running reached her ears. A wild thought skittered across her mind that she wished she could go with them. When she couldn’t breath anymore, she stopped screaming.

The Dragon stood unmoving before her. His breathe streamed out in a hot column of steam, his chest rising and falling in a slow cadence. He regarded her calmly, his black eyes looking down into hers in an intense stare.

She sat frozen, transfixed by this powerful gaze. She felt intelligence from this beast before her that she had not been prepared for. She had assumed that the Dragon was a mindless monster, intent on killing and nothing else. What she saw before her was an intelligent creature, preparing to eat a tender morsel.

The Dragon shifted his body and began to move toward her. The paralysis that had gripped her broke and she to scurried backwards, tripping over her garments as she tried to regain her feet and failed. She dared not take her eyes off the approaching Dragon. He stepped slowly, his long black claws digging into the soft grass.

"No!" She cried, digging her fingers into the turf behind her, "Don’t do this! I’m not the Lords daughter. I…I…I’m…I’m just a girl… just a girl from the village. I have nothing to do with him! Please… please spare my life!"

The Dragon’s gaze was steady as she screamed up to him. His advance continued slowly, only now his tail flicked at the air behind him.

I CARE NOT! The answer surged through her mind with hot intensity. She clasped both hands to her head and fell back to the ground in pain. She pushed herself up and managed to stand, turning to face the creature advancing toward her.

The Maidens blood for the protection of the Village, the voice penetrated her mind again, overriding everything else. Your status is not my concern. Her eyes widened as she realized the significance of this statement. She had been treated to luxury and her family had been compensated to further the illusion that she was the Lord’s daughter. But it didn’t matter, none of that did. The Dragon didn’t care if she was the lord’s daughter or not. He would have honored the arrangement even if she had arrived in the rude clothing of a village serf.

She dropped her eyes as she contemplated this revelation. She did not register the lightning fast movement of the Dragon as he lunged for her. Some strands of her golden hair floated to the ground after her head was ripped off. Her body was devoured in a second bite just as quickly as the first.

The Dragon would protect the village for another fifteen years.