My Hero
In which a dragon meets an intriguing human
Cedric chewed on his lower lip as he crouched to get a closer look at one of the tracks. Brett bumped her wet nose across his fingers as she snuffed at the large, clawed print. She whined, and Cedric rubbed her ears as he pushed himself to his feet.
“What do you think?” he asked her. “We haven’t had a dragon around here in… who knows how long.”
Pricking her ears forward, Brett walked to the next print, bent to sniff it, then glanced back at Cedric as if to ask if he was coming along.
Dusting his hands off on his pants, Cedric nodded. “You’re right. We better check it out. Wouldn’t do to have some beast carrying off the farmers’ animals.”
Brett waved her tail in agreement and took off into the forest, following the trail. “Damn wolf,” Cedric muttered good-naturedly as he hurried to keep up.
Twenty minutes later, Cedric paused to catch his breath outside a large cave partway up the mountain. The climb up here had winded him more than he’d expected it to. “I’m getting too old for this,” he muttered. Never mind he had seen barely twenty-five summers.
Brett awaited him at the cave mouth, one front paw lifted, ears and nose pointed forward into the darkness. She turned to check on him as his breathing slowed, then turned back to the cave, seeming satisfied that he was all right.
“Lead on, then.” Cedric waved a hand at Brett as he approached the opening in the mountainside. She chuffed at him and stepped forward into the shadows.
As the light outside the cave faded behind them, Cedric slowed his steps to allow his eyes to adjust. It really wouldn’t do to walk right into a dragon’s mouth because he didn’t see the beast. He was going to have enough trouble hearing anything the way his pulse was pounding in his ears. While the stories of dragons didn’t paint them as cruel, and they were said to have intelligence on par with humans, they were undeniably dangerous.
A faint luminescence stippled on the walls barely brightened the interior of the cave, providing just enough light to keep Cedric from tripping over his own feet as he followed Brett’s grey form deeper into the darkness.
“That’s far enough, hero.” The voice was not at all loud, but it echoed oddly in the enclosed space. Brett stopped mid-step and let out a sound that was halfway between a growl and a bark.
Cedric also stopped walking, and raised his hands palm forward to show he had no weapon. Although he could see nothing in the deep shadows ahead, the dragon could likely see him as if it were daylight. While the stories had often included dragons that spoke, he had always assumed that was an invention. Or perhaps an exaggeration. While Brett could make herself understood, she didn’t use words like this.
“Why have you invaded my home?” The voice was deep and rich, but gave no hint to the gender of its owner. “If you wish to find glory in the slaying of a dragon, you’d be best to turn around now and go home before you regret it.”
Cedric shook his head, unable to prevent his eyes from trying — albeit unsuccessfully — to penetrate the shadows before him. “Apologies for the intrusion. I have no desire for glory. I live in a village near here, and I only wished to plead for my neighbours’ animals.”
The voice made a thoughtful wordless sound. Something moved in the shadows, shifting into the form of a stunningly beautiful woman. Brett whined and sat on her haunches with a thump, gazing up in adoration as the dragon bent to gently rub the wolf’s ears.
Speechless, Cedric could only stare as the dragon straightened and fixed impossibly green eyes on him. “You intrigue me, hero.” The voice no longer seemed to come from everywhere at once, but still held that strange echo that felt like it filled Cedric’s head. The dragon took a few steps toward him, long red hair moving like a waterfall, then stopped and gazed into his eyes. Perfect lips curved into a smile. “I believe you. And I can easily grant your request for your neighbours. I have all the wild game I could wish for, and I have no need to pilfer for food.”
Cedric had to swallow before he could speak. “Thank you.” He dipped his head and tugged on his forelock. “I’d best be going now then.”
“So soon?” Pink lips shimmered in the muted light, reminding Cedric of the scales of a salmon flashing beneath the water. A hand rested on his cheek, skin cool and smooth, but not soft. “Perhaps you would consider visiting from time to time?” Brett whined in agreement, coming to lean against Cedric’s leg.
“I… don’t even know your name.” Cedric felt as if he was drowning in those depthless eyes. He reached down and gripped Brett’s thick fur to try to ground himself.
“You can call me Issain.“ The cool hand trailed down to Cedric’s shoulder, then circled around behind him to his left. Fingers tipped with long pointed nails in a purple so dark they were nearly black came around Cedric’s right side, gliding across Cedric’s shoulder to his collarbone. Issain’s head tipped back to study Cedric’s face, and now there was a neat red beard around those salmon-coloured lips. And the lithe body was now definitely masculine in shape. “You fascinate me, hero.”
Blinking, Cedric shook his head in disbelief. “I’m not interesting. I’m just a hunter. You’re a dragon.”
Issain laughed, eyes sparkling with delight. “But I am ‘just a hunter’ too.” Green eyes dropped to look down at Brett. “As are you as well, my four-legged friend. We are in good company here.” Looking back to Cedric’s face, Issain smiled. “I have not known many humans, hero, and the ones I have known have been mostly trying to slay me. That makes you interesting to me.”
“Oh.” Cedric swallowed again, and cleared his throat. He had to ask. His cousin Ryan had assured him it was polite to ask. “May I ask how I should think of you? He or she or they or — or something else?” Ryan preferred ‘they’ but had reiterated that not everyone was the same.
Issain’s eyes widened. “You are a rare one. They, if you would. And if you would do me the honour of sharing your name and preferred address as well?”
“Cedric. And, uh, he.”
“I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Cedric.” Issain tossed their head, sending waves of red hair in ripples down their back. “Now, if you must go, you must go. But if you don’t return, I will fear that something has happened to you, and I will come searching.”
Cedric’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of Issain coming after him, looking for him. No matter how exciting that might be, he resolved not to worry the dragon. “I will come back. I promise.”
“I look forward to it.” Issain leaned forward and touched their lips to Cedric’s forehead. “My hero.”
Thanks to Artemis Shishir for sensitivity reading!
This piece is part of the short fiction challenge of the LGBTQ Fiction Project, hosted on Crossin(G)enres. This week’s theme is “Heroes.”
