A Heart So Precious Sample

Chapter One

AHVI

I brandished my sword, pretending that the dummy in front of me was an actual opponent. With a flick of my wrist, I beheaded the wooden foe, it's head flying 20 yards from where I stood, the remaining body swaying slightly before falling to the ground with an unsatisfying thud.

The dissatisfaction rose within me as I gazed, not at the defeated rival in front of me, but instead at my peers flying overhead. Every day that I was playing with this useless human weapon, was a day that they became stronger, more agile, and more deadly than I could ever hope to become with this slab of pointy metal. Another day where I was cast aside as a waste, where I would forever be considered the runt of the litter, with no hope of ever redeeming myself. For surely if it were possible to have defeated a dragon as someone with my stature, greatly alike to that of the pesky humans my kind despised so much, it would have already been done.

A sigh escaped my chest as I walked over to the wooden head, a mere chunk of wood at this point. Lifting it into my arms, I carried it over to the fallen body, left lying in the dirt. Chucking it onto the worn earth beneath my boots, I walked swiftly back to the hidden domain of the dragons. It's never really had a name, for it is simply known as home. We never leave its borders, nor do we allow others within. It's simply the way of the dragons.

As my feet tread the familiar path leading down the rocky terrain, I found myself wondering of the workings of the humans beyond our borders. While many of my fellow dragons despised the people outside our solitary mountain, I often pondered if maybe I'm more human than dragon.

No matter what my brethren did to make me feel a part of the dragon clan, I had never felt at home. Despite what they said with their scaly lips, I knew the thoughts hidden behind their eyes. That I wasn't truly a dragon, and more alike to their enemy then they would like to admit.

It felt crushing being around my family knowing I was the embodiment of all their ancient problems. That in their eyes, I was a disgrace. I would never meet their prior expectations before my hatching. Of having a strong, healthy dragon in which to carry on the family name. Instead I was destined to die alone, with no mate, and no hatchlings of my own.

It truly was a sad life, if I thought about it too much. That's why I didn't think about it. Instead I focused on the sound of the crushing of rocks beneath my feet, the sound of the wind whistling through the stony paths behind, and before me. My gloved fingers trailed along the rocky crevices of the mountain as I approached the cavernous home of my family tribe.

My foot had just breached the perimeter of the cave when I heard my name growled from amidst the inky darkness surrounding me. Standing up straight, I peered into the shadows, in search of who had just uttered my name. Before I could determine the identity of who was talking, they continued on, as if I wasn't there. Slowly, it dawned on me that they weren't talking to me at all but about me.

As another voice chimed in, I felt my heart plummet as the words leaving their mouth echoed with barely disguised anger.

" What would you have me do then?" the voice responded, belonging to my beastly father. " She is what she is, no matter what we may want otherwise. There is no point dwelling on it."

" While it may be useless to dwell on such things, I will no longer pretend to be happy with that despicable creature they call by our name," my mothers voice growled out in the darkness.

I could feel my cheeks start to burn as anger simmered in my core. They weren't happy? Did they not once think about how my state may have affected me? Forever cast aside, as the disappointment, or weakling. As if I didn't try at all. Maybe it would be for the best to stop trying. Pretending I'm one of them. When we all know otherwise. Instead maybe it's best for me to finally allow the thoughts inside to slip free. To discover if I'm meant to be with the people who share my stature if not my spirit.

As the tears trailed down my flaming cheeks, I creeped into the cave where my pallet rested against the rocky wall. Quickly grabbing my leather harness for my sword, as well as my stock pile of rations that I kept for midnight snacks, I slipped quietly back out into the open.

While I had thought I didn't fit in with these powerful beasts, I had always hoped my world would align with theirs in some form or another. However, if my own parents thought so little of me, I didn't see that dream coming to pass in any lifetime, and certainly not mine.

Stumbling along the mountainous path I had just descended from, my vision obscured by the tears spilling down my face like rivers, I hurried towards the clearing I had just left. Grabbing the mat where I sat for my breaks, along with the knives I kept within reach in the case of a wild animal attack, I was quickly on my way.

Tucked into its scabbard secured at my waist, my sword, previously a reminder of my differences, now gave me comfort. The worn leather of its hilt, warm within my sweaty grasp.

As I trudged through the spring muck, the tears slowly stopped, instead replaced by a feeling of resolve. While my parents may be happy to continue living this life of dissatisfaction, I certainly am not. I may be just as alone among the human kingdoms, or I may finally satiate the desire within to have a purpose. A life. A real one, not one filled with pretending, with trivial tasks to take up my time.

A feeling I had not felt for a long time settled in my chest as my foot finally crossed the border into the part of the mountain not claimed by the dragons. An emotion I could only describe as hope.

~

Tumbling down the path, I came to a stop, the rocks biting into my frozen face where they lay on the rocky trail. I had been trekking through this never ending mountain for weeks on end, the hope of a future slowly dwindling along with my rations.

I had run out of food days ago, my energy slowly fading until I fell down this path, now laying motionless in the snow. Mustering the strength to stand seemed impossible and eventually the feeling of the crisp snow on my face left, along with the muted sound of running water. I was so thirsty. A moment later, all I could see was black.

Please vote if you enjoyed this chapter🥺