Chapter 17

Bewildered John rose to his full of half a meter. He craned his neck and looked to his front. He saw pebbly colored scales that extended over his whole body. His great wings were now two tiny knobs on his back. His long spiked tail was little more than a fluffy cattail too. The pain John felt from the lightning was but a distant memory. As he appraised the unnatural changes he thought about shape changing. Between the space of two breathes he changed to human form. Albeit still with the pebbly colored skin.

John felt the road vibrate through the soles of his feet. It was too strange a feeling. Frightened he moved to the side of the road as a single rider guided his great white horse. It was followed by a team of six white horses and gilded carriage crested the hill behind him.

John moved to the side to watch as the lead rider passed. The rider called out " Don't look my lady. It's a homeless waif too poor to even afford clothes." The coachman also looked down his long beak like nose made a disgusted look as he eyed John.

"Stop" issued the melodic voice from inside. The red satin covering the window moved aside. Two copper pieces were tossed from inside the carriage to John's feet. "Clothe yourself boy. Now onward!" the voice said from inside.

"Count yourself lucky waif, Lady Gilcrest spends coin on you." said the coachman in passing. With that the six white horse trotted forward pulling the ornate carriage along.

John had seen father and the uncles collecting coins so he knew they must have some value. Not having pockets and not wanting to hold them in his hands John put the coins in his mouth.

Looking from where the coach came from to where it was going John decided to follow the coach. (Maybe that person had more coins to give him.) as John skipped along.

The sun was high in the sky before he saw his first farmhouse. It was some distance from the road. John looked at the group of farmers staring at him. Not seeing the coach John continued on.

When the sun was halfway between noon and sunset John approached the city gate. The guardsmen looked at the naked youth.

"Hey there. Where do you think you're going?" The guardsmen crossed spears blocked his entry.

"You can't enter without paying the fee of a copper for a commoner but by the looks of it you don't even have that."

John spat the coins into his hand while offering it as the fee.

"I got the last weirdo it's your turn now."

Taking the fee "You can't enter naked. I'll take that other coin for a cloth to cover yourself."

"He doesn't have papers" said the other guardsman. "Give him papers and the old hobo clothes." So saying he returned to guarding the entrance.

"Follow me boy. What's your name? Where are you from?"

The guard entered the gatehouse followed by John.

"My father calls me John. I don't know where he is now but we stayed at a tavern before I woke in the forest."

The guardsman touched his pointy ear. "I'm part elf as you can tell by my graceful pointy ears. You own ears are longer and pointier. Are you a dark elf?"

"No. I'm John a dragon."