A Dragon's Treasure

Chapter 2 - The Hopeless Agreement

By the time that Roman got to the bottom of the mountain, there were only about two hours of daylight left. He would have just enough time to make it to the nearest inn. He could wait there until it was safe to travel in the morning. Getting back on his horse, Roman let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the world weighing down his shoulders. Did he really have the right to turn down the dragon's offer? He knew that his life wasn't worth much in its own right, but as the future leader of his kingdom, it was worth far more. He was the hope of his people, he would be their leader, and it was his job to fix the problems his people had. Giving that up meant leaving them in the hands of someone else, and Roman didn't have any other siblings to leave the kingdom to. Then again, what kingdom would he lead if all of his people were gone?

As he made it into town, the tree cover didn't decrease, instead, trees dotted the land in strange places, and Roman felt his heart sink. Each of these trees had once been a person, a family member, someone who meant the world to those around them. He had to stop his horse as he came up to a small tree, decorated with paper ornaments and notes left for whoever this once was. He couldn't help himself, sliding off his horse he gently picked up one of the notes.

'My April Rose,

I hope that you see this soon. I hope this curse can be broken. I love you, my baby girl. I have your favorite soup waiting for you. Please, please come home.

Momma'

The stains on the paper made by long dried tears, were met with fresh ones as Roman closed the note, gently setting it against the trunk of the unmoving tree.

This was far from the only tree in the area, and as Roman looked around at all of the others, he also noticed the town's state of disrepair. The more people that disappeared from this curse the fewer people there were to help sustain the town. Rooves went unfixed, fences remained broken, families remained destroyed. The village was silent, it wasn't fully dusk and yet the place was more still than it should be.

Roman hopped up onto his horse, turning it around and racing back towards the mountain. He couldn't leave his people without hope. He couldn't leave them without their families. Climbing the mountain would be tricky at night but he had to do what was right. He had to save his people, even if it meant his life, his freedom.

This time a man stood waiting for him at the base of the mountain, though, the way his eyes glittered in the darkness of the night was inhuman. Without the other man opening his mouth, Roman heard the dragon's voice in his head. "Returning so soon Prince of Nevarci?"

Despite the darkness, Roman could see the raised eyebrow, he could feel the smugness and his shoulders fell. "Yes," he breathed out. "I... I must save my people."

"Then shake my hand, and I shall save them." He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but Roman felt like the voice had become a bit softer, more gentle with him. He didn't have time to be confused by the softness as the man in front of him held out a hand and Roman was struck with the realization that the dragon had a human form. He hesitated, stepping forward and holding out his hand.

As the two connected, Roman felt a burning in his wrist, it wasn't so bad that it hurt but it was strange and uncomfortable. When they separated, he had a mark burned into his skin that looked like the black scales that had adorned the Dragon's face.

"Welcome to my hoard," the man opened his mouth to speak. "My name is Janus, and that mark will prevent you from hurting any of my other treasures. I shall work on reversing the curse right away, but it will take me some time. I promise to have it done before the new moon."

That was... Roman looked up into the sky, not too long, but it was still longer than he would have liked. Three weeks was plenty of time for more people to be cursed. "What of my people who are already cursed?"

"As long as they have not fully become a part of the earth, they will return to their mortal forms." He let Roman know, "Now, back up, I would rather not climb the entire mountain in this form, so we will take a short cut."

Janus began to shift into his dragon form and fear overcame Roman as he once again saw the dragon who could eat him in one bite, his horse running off. His hand shot to his sword but the mark on his wrist flared with his intent and he wrapped his fingers around his arm.

"Tut tut, did I not tell you that you couldn't hurt my treasures? That includes myself." He lowered his head. "Now climb on, I would prefer not to lose you to the wolves so quickly after getting out."

He had so many retorts to that, to all of this, but he kept his mouth shut, unsure if the protection to Janus' hoard extended to him, and he had no desire to find out. He had sold his freedom to a dragon in exchange for his people. He had done the right thing.

He had done the right thing.

Roman's mind was fuzzy as they made it to the cave. He didn't notice that he could now see inside. He didn't notice the crystals that shined softer than any light he had in the castle. What he did notice was the bedroom he was led to. It was befitting a prince, and not what he was expecting from his captor.

"Sleep well, Little Prince," Janus said quietly before shutting the door behind him, leaving Roman alone in an unfamiliar room. Had the bed been any less comfortable, Roman would not have been able to sleep, but the mattress was the perfect temperature, and it fit right around him. He thought back to April Rose, the little tree, hopefully with the dragon's help, she would be able to go home.

He had done the right thing.

So why did he feel so empty and wrong?