Entwined

Another long, endless day passes. I take a slab of pork out and cook it. As it finishes, I think of the girl; Stupid and slow, but quite intriguing. She doesn’t complain and she hasn’t sought me out in a while. I cut her a larger portion of meat than the night before. Quite honestly, food is hardly a necessity and I almost never feel thirsty.

Devouring the food as quick as possible, I look towards the door to make sure she isn’t there. The absence of her presence fills my empty soul with relief. I tap the bell softly and slither away quickly as it reverberates throughout the castle. I feel my mass augment as my dragon form takes over. Air passes me as I make my escape. Flying is second nature to me; I could fly through the castle with my eyes closed if I so wished to.

Red fabric catches my eyes as I fly through the numerous columns. It’s the girl. Her eyes are drooping with exhaustion and her feet drag as if there were sandbags attached. She’s scrawny like a child and all I can imagine while in my dragon form is snapping her in half with my jaws. Memories of being blasted by purple lightning fill my mind and I remember why it is I haven’t killed her like the others. I’ll find a way though and if not, she will leave; just like everyone else.

My gaze lingers a few seconds too long and snap back in time to see a column connect with my face. Pain courses through my core and I can feel myself getting smaller and smaller. I hear the girl burst out into laughter. Humiliation wells inside me and I get up quickly ready to storm off. Before I can start running, I sense the closeness of the girl. My heart quickens, but before I can react I feel her hand on my back.

Every part of my body is awakened as if a thousand needles impale my very skin. The only thing that stops the pain is a new aching pain as my body slams against the wall. I hear her gasp and run towards me. This time I don’t make the mistake of letting her touch me.

“Stop!” I shout deafening all creatures within the castle. She stumbles back as my voice echoes throughout the halls. Her eyes grow big with fear, a rare occasion. “Do not touch me again or I will find a way to cut off your limbs.”
Her body stiffens. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay… you hit that column pretty hard. Did you fall asleep or something?”

The flames within me burn bright with indignity. “No.”

“Do you just suck at flying then?” Her twisted smirk makes me want to strangle her.

“In the kitchen you will find your supper and I suggest that you go to it before anything else comes out of that impertinent mouth of yours.” The words hiss between my barred teeth and even though I am in my more human form, the animal within me grows.

Her eyes narrow in an unpleasant way. “Me impertinent? You are just as rude as I am if not ruder! I was only kidding okay?”

Images of shredding her into pieces cloud any humane feelings in my body. “I am a King! That means that I shall act however I please to those that are below me and you, puny mortal, are nothing but dirt.”

All too familiar defiance lights up her face. “Then why can’t you touch me huh? If you’re so powerful, why is it that you are zapped every time we come in contact?”
She takes a step towards me. Instinctively I take one back. “That’s right, Ayrie. You don’t scare me. I’m good at reading people or lizards or whatever you are. The point is that you know I’m immune to you and that scares you.”

Dumbfounded, I stand there as her fierceness coils back inside of her. She turns and walks towards the kitchen. I try to tear my eyes away, but the small, dark girl is the only thing my eyes want to see. Memories of a boy, miserable and defiant fill my mind; a boy whose only wish was to escape this God-forsaken castle. I see myself walk away towards the kitchen, bold and angry.

Once again, the dark is my only company. Even so, I yell at it, “I’m not a lizard and do not address me by Ayrie!”

~*~
For the next few days I spend my time in solitude. The west wing, my sanctuary, is one of the only places she has absolutely no knowledge of. The little humanity I had that whispered to make her food completely disappeared. She could starve and I’d be perfectly content. In fact, if she starved she would no longer be a hindrance.

On the 14th day, or what I believe to be the 14th day, I hastily leave the west wing hoping to find the girl dead among the halls somewhere. I scour the castle, but find nothing at all. The girl is gone. Excitement should have warmed my cold heart, but something like fear crept up inside me. A witch sent her to me, which is an omen and omens are not to be trifled with. Though a fate worse than suffering as a monster for eternity is unforeseeable, as the day passes by I grow more and more uneasy.

The sun turns cold and the night approaches. If she’s not back by morning I shall go searching for her. As if some celestial power heard me, the door creaks open and footsteps of a tiny being echo through the main hall. I rush to make sure it’s really her.

Her tan face is rosy from the cold. Her hands, filled with bags of various things, are white in comparison to her arms.

From the shadows I bellow, “Where have you been?”

Without so much as a flinch, she looks in my direction. “I could ask the same to you.”

Her mouthy words remind me of why I had refused to come out of the west wing. “How did you survive without eating? Eating is crucial to humans.”

“Very good, Ayrie. I guess I’ve underestimated your knowledge of humans.” Pursing her lips she examines me and I suddenly feel very exposed. “If you have to know, I taught myself how to use the fireplace to cook and even found a market that sells stuff. So contrary to popular belief, I don’t need you either.” She walks right past me haughtily.

“But with no coin, how is it that you plan on buying things that are sold in the market?”

“Well, one day I stumbled upon a room with all this gold and it was unlocked so I took some.” Her head cocks to the side innocently.

“You stole my gold?!?” My breath quickened and I could feel my claws extending.
Her deep brown eyes meet mine and for a second I forget why I was mad. Her hand reaches out towards me and I snap back into reality. Luckily, I am quick enough to escape her cursed touch.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Besides, you have enough gold to last a lifetime and I doubt you have any real need for any of it.”

“That’s not for you to decide!” I want to tear her to shreds and have no more of her mischief and games. For some mystical reason I do nothing, but turn my back towards her as if she is not even there.

For the next few days I can’t help but watch her from a distance. Even without my magic she is able to sustain herself. She does not seem as weak to me as she once did. Something about her eyes and the way her lips are always pressed in a hard line cultivates a small amount of respect for her. I wait for her to leave though. She will. They all do.

The time passes slowly but I eventually find myself in the freezer rummaging through the meat. Although eating isn’t a necessity I do enjoy the juiciness of a steak between my teeth. I cut a piece down and slam it on the counter. I can hear her heartbeat and footsteps approach quietly.

“So the beast has come out from hiding.”

“I am not a beast, peasant. ”

The blue surrounds my hands and I can feel the energy drain out of me. The smell of the almost perfect steak causes me to uncontrollably salivate. I hear the girl protest with disgust. I glare at her for a second too long and realize I’ve spoiled my steak. Every ounce of the perfect meat is charred.

A growl escapes my mouth and words come charging out. “Look what you have done!”

I look over at the small girl. Biting her lip she shrugs, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to distract you.”

My claw rises at her, but slashes the burnt beef instead. I head towards the door knowing there’s no reason to be here any longer. In an instant, she’s blocking the door.

“I’ll make it up to you.”

I almost laugh. “How?”

“I can make you something really good.”

Rolling my eyes, I try to get past her and in an instant my body is electrified. From the ground I mutter, “Fine.”

I sit up and see her face light up as if she were actually pleased. “Good. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I want you to leave and return when I ring the bell.”

“And if I don’t come?” I say over my shoulder as I walk through the unblocked door.

“I will find you and shock you until you eat what I make you.” With that the kitchen door shuts.

Contrary to her delusional beliefs, she does not scare me with her protective spell. Still she intrigues me enough agree and wait in my parlor. The minutes pass and I grow impatient. The sun moves from high above to level with the castle. What could be taking her so long?

I make my way back to the kitchen and as I walk in all I can see is her long dark brown hair. I tower over her trying to peek at what she’s making, but in an instant she whips around.

“Hey I told you to wait outside the kitchen!” She tries to scold me, but her eyes soften and betray any hint of anger.

“You were taking too long.” I growl at her.

“Well it’s a good thing I’m done.” She turns around and presents a piece of meat between two pieces of bread with something oozing out.

The smell of beef wafts through the air and without much control I pick up the thing she made stuffing it into my mouth. Surprisingly it is delicious. I eat all of it in a matter of minutes.

“It’s called a cheeseburger.”

Licking the rest off of my lips, I look at her nonchalantly. “It wasn’t too bad.”

She rolls her eyes and smiles. “Whatever.”

Taking a dainty bite out of whatever she made, her eyes meet my gaze and I look away. “Do you want another one?”

I shrug. “If you insist.”

Smiling, she sets hers down and starts to take a freshly baked roll. Without another thought I command. “Eat yours first.”

She looks at me with confusion. “Why? You already ate one, so you know it’s not poisonous.”

“I…” Without a clear reason of why I said that, I huff and turn to leave. “Do whatever you want. I do not care. Ring the bell when it’s ready.”

I stalk away to wait elsewhere. The interval of waiting is shorter this time. The bell’s vibrations echo only twice before I am at the kitchen. There are not one, but three round things on the table. I pick up the round thing that she calls a cheeseburger and gulp it down whole.

A voice from behind me comments, “You know, if you take bites out of it instead of eating it whole, it lasts longer.”

I ignore her and continue to enjoy my food. She comes around the counter and sits on a stool. Her eyes bore into my side. I snarl at her, “Do you need something?”

“No I already ate.”

I roll my eyes in irritation and continue to eat the delectable food she has made. To my annoyance I still feel her eyes examining me like I’m some sort of abomination. I slam the food down and turn towards her. She is calm and tilts her head. “You are making this delicious meal quite unpleasant. Leave the kitchen.”

She just glares at me stubbornly. “No.”

“Then quit staring at me. It’s obnoxious.” I turn back to the food knowing that she will do what she wants regardless of my commands. Foolish girl. Someday, her protection spell will wear off and that will be the day she shall perish in my hands.

The quiet surrounds us as I finish the last of the cheeseburgers. “You know, you’re not that ugly.”

A piece of the meat gets caught in my throat. “What did you say?”

“You’re not that ugly.”

I turn and glare at her. “Are you implying that I am?”

“Well you are a half human half lizard thing, which isn’t considered attractive, at least where I come from.” She says this so confidently that I can just imagine my claws ripping out her insides and then asking her if she’s attractive now.

I refrain, but keep on imagining the benefits of murdering her. “I am not a lizard, I am a dragon, imbecile.”

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever.”

“I am tired of your company. Leave me. Tomorrow prepare a dozen of these cheeseburgers.”

She shrugs and leaves. Surprise overcomes me; she listened. If she listened more often I would not mind having her around. Except for the fact she asks discourteous questions.Her last comment erases any feeling of respect or intrigue I hold for her. The sooner she leaves the better.

A silver pot is lying out. I hold it up to view my reflection. Scales creep up my neck, but dissipate on my face. My hair has gotten very long and quite unkempt. The eyes that look back at me are not ones I remember. What use to be round, emerald green jewels are now replaced with predator eyes. I throw the pot across the room. The girl is right; I am no more handsome than I am human. I have become my curse.