The King's Heir

The Dragon's Heir

Crick!

            The snapping of the branch reverberates through my already on edge nerves.

Drat!

            I silently curse Tobin's noisy approach.

            "Psst. Kiva." he whispers loudly. All of a sudden the doe's head jerks up from the grass. The noise spooked her. I quickly lined up an arrow and shot in the instant it took her to start her escape. I rush to the half-dead deer, Tobin close behind.Kneeling next to the doe, I draw my knife and puncture it's heart. Tobin grins next to me.

           "Way to go Kiva! It didn't have a chance." he places his hand on my shoulder. I feel the electricity just before he jerks his hand away.

           " If you ever do that again, I will shoot you instead.Am I understood Tobin?" I get up and whistle for the dogs. Howls return my call and I soon hear the rapid breathing of the wolves.

Master.

         Their voices echo in my head. I click my tongue and they sit at the head of the deer. I tie the doe to Lin and Rae's harnesses and prep Coba for the ride home.

          Tack and doe secure, I hitch Tobin up onto Coba's back. I jump onto Aqui's back, no saddle.

Home.

I send my thought to the wolves and they start full speed for home.

                "What did I do?" Tobin shouts to me. I roll my eyes at him and urge Aqui faster. Her raw, primal energy floods into mine and our minds fall into one accord.

            We surge forward racing time; past and present colliding. But still, although more is granted in these joined moments, I don't feel free. My thoughts drift into memories; memories of fables and legend, tales of righteous kings and creatures unimaginable. Times when people like me weren't considered freaks. Days when magic was revered, not feared.

                 They say it no longer exists, but I know different.I read enough to know; my father taught me how to read and connect dots through time. At least before he died. But all I read led to one conclusion, it was magic that ran through my veins. They say it's not real.But I am very real.

             But even with this "gift" I feel empty. Like something, somewhere is raining for me. Something with magic like mine. Something that isn't supposed to be real. Something, I wish, like a dragon.