A Turtle Friend!

Exhausted from her efforts, Lucia slumped to the ground, her back resting against the turtle's shell. Each of her three hundred strikes had been delivered with her full might, and now, as she crouched there weakly, it felt as though every bone in her body was protesting, on the verge of shattering from the strain she had inflicted upon herself.

The looming presence of the evil dragon had compelled her to strike with unyielding force. She knew, in the absence of his watchful eyes, she could have spared herself the agony by tempering her efforts; the dragon would be none the wiser, and her pain far less severe.

This notion often brought her back to a stern admonition from Eva: "Your Highness, when you slack off and deceive, who do you think you're fooling? Not me, surely, nor your teacher. You are only fooling yourself. The knowledge and strength you gain through earnest practice will lay your foundations, build your confidence, and enhance your beauty."

The evil dragon had commanded her to hit the turtle with all her might. Lucia pondered the advantage of such deception. The immediate benefit was clear, less pain. Yet, the true benefit of honesty eluded her, leaving her to wonder about the dragon's intentions.

Was the evil dragon really scheming against her? From the perspective of the [Amethyst Young Dragon], it wasn't the dragon who was deceitful; rather, it was she who betrayed her own potential. From a human viewpoint, the princess feared the dragon's retribution more than anything, a fear that had seeped deep into her bones.

If she didn't allow herself a moment to rest, the pain upon moving would only worsen. It was time to face her reality, she might be bound to striking the turtle's shell for a long time. Perhaps, she thought, it was best to start by forging an understanding with the turtle. If they could establish a rapport, maybe they could scheme together for it to feign a turnover.

For now, Lucia decided, getting to know the turtle was her best strategy. Forget the plans of knocking it over; she didn't want to risk the wrath of the mountain itself.

The tortoise shell of the Turtle was impressively hard. Lucia reflected that the mountain the evil dragon had chosen as their battleground must indeed be harder than this resilient armor. Eva's words echoed in her mind, a poignant reminder that sometimes, the one being deceived could very well be herself.

Grimacing slightly from the exertion, Lucia approached the Turtle, which had not withdrawn into its shell, its head fully exposed.

"Hello, Turtle," Lucia greeted, her voice gentle yet carrying an undertone of concern. "My name is Lucia. I truly hope my earlier strikes didn't cause you any pain."

To make sure Turtle could see her clearly, Lucia positioned herself a little distance away. Even in her juvenile dragon form, her stature was formidable, towering over ten meters in height. From her vantage point on the ground, she could easily make out the turtle's head, eyes, and nostrils, details she hoped conveyed her peaceful intentions.

It would be so much simpler if the Turtle could respond. Lucia pondered this, recalling the evil dragon's pet, Marley Cerberus, who also couldn't speak the human tongue. The evil dragon seemed to understand its canine language, but such linguistic nuances eluded her.

Considering Turtle's size, it seemed unlikely it could speak. If it were capable of speech, surely it would have greeted the evil dragon upon their first meeting.

The light in Lucia's eyes dimmed as she addressed the silent creature again. "I realize now that you might not speak, and I'm not even sure if you understand me," she said, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Then, hopeful, she added, "Turtle, if you understand what I'm saying, could you give me a nod?"

To her astonishment, Turtle nodded, it understood her!

"Can you really understand me?" Lucia asked, her voice rising in excitement.

Turtle nodded once more.

A smile spread across Lucia's face, transforming her expression from surprise to joy. "That's wonderful! Does this mean we can communicate? Could we... could we be friends?"

Again, the Turtle nodded.

Overjoyed, Lucia's heart swelled. This was different to Marley, whose presence was marred by aggression and showboating in front of their master, the evil dragon Lance. Here was a chance for a genuine connection, a respite from battles and schemes, a friendship born not out of fear or rivalry, but out of mutual understanding and perhaps, necessity.

"Do we need to feed the Turtle?" Lucia pondered aloud.

"Absolutely not!" The very thought made her grimace. Ever since she had taken over the feeding duties, the repulsive sight of vegetables falling from the dog Marley's mouth had been too much to bear.

What irked her even more was Marley's incessant bickering. He boasted that since Lance had vaccinated him against rabies, there were no viruses in his saliva. According to him, the vegetables like cabbage, radish, and corn that he drooled on were perfectly clean. Lucia often daydreamed about a slip of fate where she might accidentally crush the bothersome dog under her might.

Turning her attention back to Turtle, she asked with concern, "Turtle, I didn't hurt you earlier, did I?"

Turtle nodded reassuringly. A small dragon's hits were nothing compared to what the fearsome evil dragon Lance could do. If Lance struck Turtle, it would likely be fatal.

And the consequences of such a demise were grim; Lucia knew that Lance would not hesitate to turn Turtle's shell into a form of housing.

Noticing no sign of Lance, Turtle twisted its body and gestured for Lucia to come closer. Understanding the cue, Lucia approached Turtle's head and whispered, "What's the matter, Turtle?"

"Shh, keep your voice down," Turtle cautioned in a hushed tone, surprising Lucia with its ability to speak. "I have a secret to tell you. I can actually talk."

"You can?" Lucia gasped, her voice a mix of astonishment and delight.

"Yes, but keep it down," Turtle insisted, glancing nervously around. "Don't let Lance hear us."

Lucia covered her mouth with her claw, glancing around like a thief. Seeing no trace of the dragon, she lowered her claw and whispered, "Why don't you want Lance to know you can speak?"

Turtle sighed, a deep, rumbling sound. "Lance doesn't know I can talk."

"You've never told him?" Lucia's curiosity grew.

Turtle shook his head slowly.

"But why haven't you told him?" Lucia pressed, intrigued by Turtle's secretive nature.

Turtle twisted his body once more, casting a wary glance around. Confident that the evil dragon Lance was still nowhere in sight, he spoke in a cautious whisper, "I hold too many of Lance's secrets. If he ever discovered I could speak, he'd see me as a threat. He might even... eliminate me."

"Really? But you're his pet; surely, he wouldn't harm you," Lucia responded, trying to reassure Turtle.

Turtle sighed, "There was a time he almost did. Once, a mosquito buzzed too close and overheard him. With a mere breath of his dragon fire, he silenced it forever. He joked that if a creature can overhear, it can be silenced just as easily."

Lucia pondered, slightly unnerved. "So, you mean to say, even speaking to oneself is risky around here?"

"Exactly, young dragon," Turtle continued, "And let me offer you some advice, never drink any concoction the evil dragon offers you."

"Why? What's wrong with his potions?" Lucia asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Am I not immense?" Turtle gestured to his sizable form.

"You are, indeed, quite large."

"Well, I wasn't always this way. I used to be just an ordinary, small turtle, plucked from a mud pit by Lance. That's when my miserable, yet somewhat legendary, life began. Initially, he wanted a companion, boasting that between a thousand-year-old dragon and an eighty-thousand-year-old tortoise, I might live ten thousand years."

Lucia listened intently as Turtle recounted his transformation from a mere listener into something far more bizarre under Lance's care. "Over time, Lance grew dissatisfied with just my silent company. He wanted conversation, interaction. So, he delved into arcane medicinal studies, concocting various potions which he then fed to me."

"The effects were horrifying at times. One potion made me run as fast as a rabbit. Another time, my head swelled larger than my shell. But the worst was when I drank one particular brew that sprouted tiny wings on my head. I was so terrified!"

Lucia's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Wings on your head? That's terrifying indeed!"

"Yes, and there's more, young dragon. Take heed and be cautious of what you consume here," Turtle warned, emphasizing the unpredictability of Lance's experiments.

As Lucia absorbed Turtle's cautionary tales, a deeper sense of foreboding settled over her, coupled with a newfound resolve to tread carefully in the shadow of the evil dragon Lance.