Dizzying Heights

"Dragons...why did it have to be dragons?..." Zan rubbed his forehead.

"I mean that actually makes sense. They are stronger, bigger and infinitely more clever than any of the other flying beasts around." Gandr nodded. "Too bad they hate us."

"This one doesn't." Aurora listened to the contented growl of the baby dragon in her arms. It reminded her of the palace cats who occasionally curled up next to her in between mice hunts.

"That one cannot fly you up where you need to go," Zan pointed out the obvious. The little dragon could fit into the woman's arms. There is no way she could ride it. "Even if he were strong enough to carry you, I doubt his wings are developed enough to get all the way to the waterfall."

The little dragon cocked its head to one side and yelped like a puppy.

"I know that," Aurora said as she crinkled her nose at the Guardian. "But if this little one does not see us as enemies, maybe these dragons are different than the ones who attacked us. Either way, perhaps he knows someone who can help."

The little dragon screeched encouragement. Its noises were endearing.

Aurora giggled. "Zan, do you remember what I wanted most as a child?"

"I do, Your Majesty. A pet dragon." Zan walked over and scratched the baby between its ears. It was too adorable to resist.

"But no one ever managed to get me one. It was very disappointing," the woman pouted.

"After seeing what the mighty creatures can do, I am happy the Council never entertained the idea." Zan was unapologetic.

Aurora frowned. "This little guy would never hurt a fly, would you?"

The dragon answered with a mixture of coos and gurgles.

"He says his name is Smokey," Gandr said. "What a human sounding name!"

Smokey snorted and smoke billowed out his nose. His fiery red eyes narrowed on the halfling.

"You offended him!" Aurora scolded. Gandr held up his hands in surrender.

"It was just an observation. Please don't let him cook me."

The Empress stepped back and moved off toward the bushes. "Don't worry, Smokey, we will find your parents. Any idea where they may be?"

A large roar shook the ground and a flash of fire broke through the branches and singed a nearby treetop.

"I think we found them," Zan warned. He moved to take the baby from her arms. "Perhaps you should put the child down."

Smokey snapped at the Guardian, barely missing his fingers. The small creature wrapped his tail around the Empress's arm like a bangle.

Lowering the baby to the ground, Aurora tried to release the unwilling Smokey. "Come on, sweet boy," she coaxed him. "Time to go."

Smokey fought to stay in her arms, squealing heavily in protest. His cries brought another set of roars from just beyond the trees.

Wind swirled around the trio and baby dragon as hundreds of massive, bat-like wings beat at the air from above them. A host of grown dragons quickly surrounded them headed by an emerald green behemoth. Aurora knew him and the stunning crimson dragon next to him. They blocked the trio from entering into Dew Mountain, which meant they had no exit.

Aurora curtsied. "King Ejder and Queen Deragona, how unexpected to see you again so soon."

Edjer growled. His belly was lit but not brightly. It seemed he was the source of the powerful flame a few moments before, which meant she had time before he could turn her into a charred crisp.

"The king requests that you put down his child." Gandr translated. His hands were at the ready should he need to drag himself and the humans through the ground to safety.

"Smokey is the dragon heir?" Of course he was! How could the magnificent baby be anything less? Aurora shook her arm gently to show the little creature's attachment. "I would love to put him down, but he seems to have other ideas."

Deragona looked ready to light them up like candles. Her eyes were already ignited to finish them off. Edjer's deep measured breaths made her even more nervous. He growled.

"The King demands to know why when his son goes missing a second time, he is found to be with you again," Zan translated this time. His hands were concealed in his cloak, ready to pull whatever he needed from its depths.

Aurora laughed nervously. "Excellent question! I found him caught in the bushes, freed him and now I would be happy to return him to you…Please, Smokey, let go of me and go to your mother," the Empress whispered into Smokey's ear. "I think your parents are considering turning me into dinner."

Smokey at last took the hint and released his new friend. He ambled over to his mother and the three dragons had an animated conversation of grunts, roars, growls and whistles.

The longer they talked, the calmer the two parents became. With a wave of his claw, the other dragons flew off leaving the three heroes and three dragons alone.

"King Ejder says that he owes you an apology. Both for destroying your palace and for his accusation just now." Gandr relaxed his clenched hands.

After another exchange Zan added, "Their Majesties swear to never enter the human lands again. Neither they nor their subjects will bother humans again."

"That is not necessary," Aurora tried to explain.

Smokey flew up and landed on his father's back. He made a chirping sound as he jumped up and down. Edjer listened and then turned to the halfling. The king made a noise that sounded like a question.

Gandr's eyes went wide and he nodded. The King's wings extended so that the baby could walk along one and jump on his mother. Derogona took off with her child, leaving only the king behind. Edjer waited expectantly.

"What did he say?" Aurora asked.

"Smoky mentioned you might need ride. The king is willing to take you. He hopes you are not afraid of heights." Gandr smiled.

"Forget heights, I would even overcome my fear of rambling politicians for a chance to get that water!" Aurora realized by the dragon's confused expression that she had not understood her joke. "Forgive me, King Edjer. I most humbly accept. Can you get me to the entrance of the waterfall?" She pointed off there it could be seen in the distance.

Edjer puffed out his chest proudly and then lowered one wing for the Empress to climb on. The spines along the stretched, scaly skin made a decent ladder. Leaving her pack with Zan, Aurora took the water canister and looped it over her shoulder.

"I will be back soon," she promised. Clamoring up the wing ladder, Aurora sat with her legs crossed near Edjer's neck.

"You can hold onto the spines. They are very sturdy," Gandr relayed the message. "And King Edjer can understand you, so tell him what you need."

Edjer puffed smoke out of his nostrils and bent his legs to launch them into the air. The wings began to flap, causing Aurora to grip onto the nearest feathery spine on the dragon's neck for dear life. Rather than watch their ascent at first, the Empress closed her eyes and envisioned what needed to happen.

The movement of the dragon was so smooth and elegant, that Aurora was shocked how high they were when she opened her eyes to view their progress. Zan and Gandr were specks on the ground behind them and the castle was looking like they would reach it in a few more minutes. Really, they still had a ways to go.

The air was thinner up here. It was something the Empress had noticed at the Mystic Spires, but it was worse here where she was taking deep breaths to remain calm. She needed to stay focused or the dizzying drop that awaited her would finish her off.

"Stay focused," she repeated to herself. Ejder thought it was an encouragement for him. He too was beginning to feel the change in the air, and had to work hard to continue their upward climb. With her words in his ear, the dragon gave the extra push to break through an invisible barrier.

Suddenly a harsh wind whipped up around them like a hurricane. The Empress remembered that Justum had mentioned there were safeguards to protect the water. On the ground, the flowers had been there to stop them. It seemed the wind had a similar mission.

Aurora tried to guide the dragon to where the flow of water disappeared, but Edjer was unwilling to risk getting his wings caught in the icy dew. After fighting against the howl of the wind to talk and grunt, they decided that the top of the falls was the only place that would let the king get close enough for Aurora to fill her canteen.

What the Empress originally thought would be a short ride became longer and longer as Edjer struggled to make it to their goal. Any other creature would have given up in despair, but the King of the Dragons would not go back on his promise. He would make it to the falls or die trying.

They reached the tallest of the Mystic Spires and the waterfall's opening at last. The air up here was not only thin, but wild and unpredictable. Aurora could see into the chamber, and memories of her engagement filled her mind. But while the pool inside the room was placid, the water falling from it was anything but calm.

Aurora took the water skin and tied the cord firmly around her wrist. It would do no good to lose it now. She opened the bottle and, with one hand gripping Edjer's spines, leaned out in to the spray. They were both being covered by the water's spray, but at least some of it was filling the bottle.

"Just a little longer, King Edjer!" Aurora called.

A gust of wind unlike any other pushed the pair out of the water's flow and up high above even the upmost spire. The Empress felt like she could hardly breath. And now that she was wet, she could feel how cold it truly was up here. Edjer fought against the current and made his way back to the pool's chamber. His wings now had ice droplets frozen to them making them heavy.

"One more try," Aurora pleaded even as her teeth chattered. Edjer nodded. His huge body came even with the waterfall's opening and Aurora leaned with all her might. One last stretch into the flow and...the bottle was filled!

She tapped Edjer with gratitude. The King began to pull away from the spire when another gale, this time from above, bore down on them. Edjer lurched, but the icy wings did not cooperate in the manner he expected, and the mighty dragon careened into the spire.

Aurora lost her grasp, flying through the waterfall's opening and into the chamber's pool.

In a flash of brilliant light, she disappeared.