In the midst of cleaning up a far too cluttered garage left fallow while life happened in other areas of the home, treasures long forgotten were excavated, retrieved, and rediscovered.
"What's this box of papers? Trash?"
"No, look, they are her stories. Some of them anyway. A lot of these are just beginnings."
The stack of miscellaneous scribbling, comics, drawings, and half started stories lay fallow on my side table teasing the corner of my mind. I liked the idea of building something out of these preserved efforts from my eldest child. She had long ago stopped giving us her writings. Didn't leave stuff laying around anymore. She had found the digital realm and could share her writings elsewhere with others. Mistakenly she thought this had kept her true nature hidden completely. She was wrong, but it was a fun game to let her think she had fooled us somehow. It always came in useful in arguments when we could suddenly read her like the open book she inevitably was, and thus demonstrate that we may have some insight that would be of benefit, even in our advanced aged and with these decayed and addled brain buckets atop our sloping shoulders.
"It's hard not to get caught up in the great drawings."
"Un-huh. Wish she knew. The dragons are the coolest."
"Like at the bottom of the page on the one she wrote with her brother."
"I know, right? Remember when she was nice and did things like that more often?"
"Yep, exactly."
"Talented little turkey!"
A dragon was helping knights and then another bad dragon hurt the dragon that was helping knights and then a knight shot the bad dragon and then the first dragon that was nice went to see a wise dragon and found the wise dragon doing something to the bad dragon at the bad dragon's dying spot where the knight had found the bad dragon and shot him and it turned out the wise dragon was making the bad dragon good, and that's the end.
Once a very good dragon lived a very good life and tried to do good wherever he went. The good dragon was friendly and would even help good knights do good things, like rescue maidens from very tall towers (because he could fly) or make very good meals for the starving poor (because he could breathe fire) or even clean up after natural disasters (because he was very clean and tidy).
One day his best knight friend stopped by to bring some fresh brownies and the new quilt he had been working on (after all the help from the good dragon he had to do something with his spare time and he had really found himself in pastries and textiles). However, it turned out he was not there just to bring crafts and baked goods and spend time with his friend. He also had some troubling news to discuss.
It is best to understand that even in the best of places and the most mystical of realms, dragons are at best uncommon, and more often nearly non-existent. They are large beasts of magic that have voracious appetites and exceptionally large dwelling needs if they are to be truly comfortable. Even if they can avoid the urge to hoard gold and eat villagers, they still need a goodly amount of room to turn around and keep their spice collections and entertain guests, often distant dragon cousins from foreign lands, who are also sizable and unwieldy in tight quarters. This meant that the knight knew that if there was a dragon problem someplace, there were very few options to go to for expert advice. Because of this he also knew exactly where he was going as soon as he had heard of a bad dragon wreaking havoc in the area.
As soon as pleasantries had been dispensed and a proper and appropriate amount of time had been allowed for the easy silence between good friends as they reveled in the simple joy of just being close, the knight explained that word had arrived of a bad dragon committing despicable and unspeakable crimes in a distant corner of the land. The knight was wondering if the good dragon could pop over and get the lie of the land, since after all, he could fly and spoke dragon and the knight was all tied up that evening with commitments to the Virtuous Maidens Charity Ball and his monthly armor oiling and hot bath, which, as the dragon knew full well, was a difficult and unpleasant time each month for the knight, who wasn't getting any younger.
The good dragon was glad to help, as he always was, and after a lovely tea and a quick game of chess, and the most polite of farewells, he was off. It always felt so right to the good dragon to take flight and explore the vast and endless sky. When he had a good deed to do it was even more right, if such a thing was possible. The good dragon was, it should be noted, a lovely jeweled green color that looked like liquid emeralds when he moved. This was the color of most good dragons. From the knight's report, the dragon that was causing such a ruckus was red, like fire soaked rubies. This was a bad sign. Dragons, because of their nearly eternal nature and magical properties, had long ago learned how to change colors, much like their distant relative, the chameleon. The dragons had, of course, taken it to a much more dynamic level but the principle was basically the same. The main difference was that in order to control what color they wanted to be, they had to adopt certain behaviors and these behaviors in turn dictated the color they would eventually obtain. Good and kind dragons were shades of green. Bad dragons became shades of red. Thus the good dragon was concerned and knew that this was not a simple misunderstanding, this was really a bad dragon and there was most certainly trouble ahead.
It wasn't long before the good dragon was sailing over the land where the bad dragon was known to roam. It also wasn't long before the good dragon had found the knight's friend. The good dragon and the knight thought it best, given the bad publicity in the area around dragons, that the good dragon meet with someone who knew he was coming first so as to limit any possible negative interactions that were understandably a real possibility given what the bad dragon had been up to in the area. The knight whom the good dragon met was kind and welcoming, and to the good dragon's shock, told him that the problem was now solved. No further action needed. The bad dragon was good as dead, if not dead already. The good dragon was dubious, but was reassured the matter was well in hand. He was welcome to investigate on his own, but this knight seemed fairly confident of the facts of the case.
The facts were laid out thus. It seems one of the younger knights had happened to acquire the knowledge of the bad dragon's secret lair. This was seen as a great blessing from the gods and the young knight wasted no time in using the knowledge to his advantage. He found the lair as had been told and seeing it was empty, crept inside to lay in wait. The young knight barely had more than to wait until early evening before the bad dragon returned. In short order the young knight had shot the bad dragon and returned to the village victorious. In the days that followed a new peace settled on the land as each day was marked with no new dragon attacks. Each day the joy of the citizens increased and multiplied. It was the first real happiness they had enjoyed in years. They began to smile and have gatherings and sing songs of praise and rejoicing instead of lament and sadness. Life, it seemed, was becoming sweet after ages of being bitter.
The good dragon congratulated the knight on the new found peace and bid him a found adieu, but the good dragon was bothered. If the bad dragon was truly dead, well he sort of deserved it for all the tragic acts he had committed. But, since dragons are so rare, the good dragon always lamented any loss of dragon life, even if they had not been particularly exemplary during their lives. Being a dragon is not an easy thing to be, and the good dragon understood that and was always willing to get the whole picture before he passed any judgement. And even then, he was a generous and forgiving creature as a rule, and liked to give a little extra leeway to dragons who never chose this lot in life in the first place.
The good dragon felt like he needed to understand things. Needed to have some guidance. Needed to seek wisdom. Needed to find the wise dragon. That was what he needed to do. So off went the good dragon seeking the wise dragon. For the good dragon this wasn't a difficult task. Dragons can find dragons. Maybe it is smell or a supernatural sense or maybe a interconnection on a subconscious level, but dragons can find dragons and it wasn't long before the good dragon had honed in on a direction.
Interestingly enough the location was not far away. In fact, if he didn't know batter, the good dragon felt certain that the area had not one dragon, but in fact two dragons. On the good dragon flew and soon was approaching a lair that, because of his dragon senses, he knew was a dragon lair. As the good dragon approached he could sense the wise dragon, but there was something more. Maybe someone else. So the good dragon approached the lair and caught a glimpse of blue sapphire back in the darkness of the lair. This helped the good dragon to relax, because everyone knew that the wise dragons were shades of blue. The good dragon had found the wise dragon and soon, hopefully, some guidance as well.
What happened next was not what the good dragon expected. As he approached the wise dragon cloaked in blue, he noticed the wise dragon was hunched over something and muttering ancient words from ancient spells, and being a polite and good dragon, he felt that perhaps he should not disturb such a solemn scene. Then as the good dragon stepped further into the lair, the scene became clearer and he was even more confused.
It had been many days since the young knight had attacked the bad dragon. Enough days that if the bad dragon had been injured only, even accounting for a nearly fatal wound, the bad dragon would easily have healed and sought revenge for the attack. Yet here laying at the feet of the wise dragon was a living, breathing second dragon that was a confusion of color. There was a hint of red in the tail and on the toes and maybe around the ears and the chin. The chest and torso and up the neck had many shades of green from nearly yellow to something like a forest at midnight. Around the head and eyes the color flowed as well, but this in shades of blue. It was a confusion of color looking for resolution. The wise dragon stirred while the good dragon watched and pondered. The wise dragon turned to the good dragon and beckoned him closer in a reassuring way.
Still with a somewhat quizzical look on his face the good dragon sat and waited. As he did the multi-colored dragon opened a lazy eye and looked at him and giving a slight nod, began to slowly rise to a seated position with the others. The good dragon explained that he had been asked to check into the actions of a bad dragon in the area, but upon arrival had been told that the bad dragon was destroyed. In order to understand better he had sought the wise dragon he had heard of and that is what brought him here. The wise dragon then explained that he had heard of the bad dragon as well and had also heard of the efforts of the young knight, and had arrived at this lair to see if the bad dragon still existed. He did, but was gravely wounded. Not so seriously that he couldn't recover, but there were more wounds than physical that the wise dragon found. So he helped the bad dragon heal physically. In the process he also felt it might be nice to help the bad dragon see if he could maybe not be such a bad dragon anymore. It had, as it seemed now, had somewhat of an effect.
And truly it had. The formerly bad dragon had learned much and had done much and was becoming a wiser and better dragon and maybe something more. Something yet unresolved. Something beautiful and amazing to behold. The good dragon and the wise dragon and the formerly-bad-and-now-something-different dragon talked a long time. They had many easy silences and many deep a moving discussions and a number of particularly good meals and always a brilliant afternoon tea. Soon it was time for the good dragon to depart and make his way home, though he really enjoyed his new friends, he did have a home and his favorite knight to get back to.
On the way home he stopped and explained to the knight in the land of the formerly bad dragon that things had been worked out. That although the dragon had not died, there would be no return of the old bad times. The good dragon also suggested that perhaps the knight could make a visit the formerly bad dragon in a few weeks and maybe find some common ground and develop a good working relationship. The knight was agreeable and happy that the temporary peace seemed to be now a permanent peace with a bright future.
So it was with much good news and many conversations that the good dragon returned home. He found his knight in very good spirits to receive him and many exclamations of how worried he was and how much he had missed his old friend. The good dragon said the same. The knight also noticed that the good dragon seemed to have a slight blue shimmer around the edges since his return, but perhaps is was just his eyes playing tricks on him.
Perhaps it was, but the good dragon would just say, "Dragons are an odd thing. You never really can tell with a dragon, can you?"
And the knight would wink and nod and say, "No, you never really can tell with dragons."
"What's this box of papers? Trash?"
"No, look, they are her stories. Some of them anyway. A lot of these are just beginnings."
"Cool! Wish she would keep writing. I mean, some of these really meander, but most have some pretty great ideas."
"You should use these. Like, use them as writing prompts. You've been wanting to start back up again, take up your hobbies. Just take the idea and expand it."
"I don't know. . . "
"Come on! It will be like when you rewrite research papers for everyone, only fun."
"That is fun."
"Only for sickos like you."
"Yeah, I know. Guess this might work."
"Take them or I'm throwing them away."
"No, no, I'll take them. You know I can't throw anything away. I've got the perfect place for them."
"Your nightstand?"
"No. My intermittent temporary storage staging area for undetermined and unclassified materials of recent interest. It just looks like a nightstand. At least when you can see it. You know, when I leave town and you do my filing?
"I hate you."
"I know. I love you too!"
The stack of miscellaneous scribbling, comics, drawings, and half started stories lay fallow on my side table teasing the corner of my mind. I liked the idea of building something out of these preserved efforts from my eldest child. She had long ago stopped giving us her writings. Didn't leave stuff laying around anymore. She had found the digital realm and could share her writings elsewhere with others. Mistakenly she thought this had kept her true nature hidden completely. She was wrong, but it was a fun game to let her think she had fooled us somehow. It always came in useful in arguments when we could suddenly read her like the open book she inevitably was, and thus demonstrate that we may have some insight that would be of benefit, even in our advanced aged and with these decayed and addled brain buckets atop our sloping shoulders.
"It's hard not to get caught up in the great drawings."
"Un-huh. Wish she knew. The dragons are the coolest."
"Like at the bottom of the page on the one she wrote with her brother."
"I know, right? Remember when she was nice and did things like that more often?"
"Yep, exactly."
"Talented little turkey!"
A dragon was helping knights and then another bad dragon hurt the dragon that was helping knights and then a knight shot the bad dragon and then the first dragon that was nice went to see a wise dragon and found the wise dragon doing something to the bad dragon at the bad dragon's dying spot where the knight had found the bad dragon and shot him and it turned out the wise dragon was making the bad dragon good, and that's the end.
Once a very good dragon lived a very good life and tried to do good wherever he went. The good dragon was friendly and would even help good knights do good things, like rescue maidens from very tall towers (because he could fly) or make very good meals for the starving poor (because he could breathe fire) or even clean up after natural disasters (because he was very clean and tidy).
One day his best knight friend stopped by to bring some fresh brownies and the new quilt he had been working on (after all the help from the good dragon he had to do something with his spare time and he had really found himself in pastries and textiles). However, it turned out he was not there just to bring crafts and baked goods and spend time with his friend. He also had some troubling news to discuss.
It is best to understand that even in the best of places and the most mystical of realms, dragons are at best uncommon, and more often nearly non-existent. They are large beasts of magic that have voracious appetites and exceptionally large dwelling needs if they are to be truly comfortable. Even if they can avoid the urge to hoard gold and eat villagers, they still need a goodly amount of room to turn around and keep their spice collections and entertain guests, often distant dragon cousins from foreign lands, who are also sizable and unwieldy in tight quarters. This meant that the knight knew that if there was a dragon problem someplace, there were very few options to go to for expert advice. Because of this he also knew exactly where he was going as soon as he had heard of a bad dragon wreaking havoc in the area.
As soon as pleasantries had been dispensed and a proper and appropriate amount of time had been allowed for the easy silence between good friends as they reveled in the simple joy of just being close, the knight explained that word had arrived of a bad dragon committing despicable and unspeakable crimes in a distant corner of the land. The knight was wondering if the good dragon could pop over and get the lie of the land, since after all, he could fly and spoke dragon and the knight was all tied up that evening with commitments to the Virtuous Maidens Charity Ball and his monthly armor oiling and hot bath, which, as the dragon knew full well, was a difficult and unpleasant time each month for the knight, who wasn't getting any younger.
The good dragon was glad to help, as he always was, and after a lovely tea and a quick game of chess, and the most polite of farewells, he was off. It always felt so right to the good dragon to take flight and explore the vast and endless sky. When he had a good deed to do it was even more right, if such a thing was possible. The good dragon was, it should be noted, a lovely jeweled green color that looked like liquid emeralds when he moved. This was the color of most good dragons. From the knight's report, the dragon that was causing such a ruckus was red, like fire soaked rubies. This was a bad sign. Dragons, because of their nearly eternal nature and magical properties, had long ago learned how to change colors, much like their distant relative, the chameleon. The dragons had, of course, taken it to a much more dynamic level but the principle was basically the same. The main difference was that in order to control what color they wanted to be, they had to adopt certain behaviors and these behaviors in turn dictated the color they would eventually obtain. Good and kind dragons were shades of green. Bad dragons became shades of red. Thus the good dragon was concerned and knew that this was not a simple misunderstanding, this was really a bad dragon and there was most certainly trouble ahead.
It wasn't long before the good dragon was sailing over the land where the bad dragon was known to roam. It also wasn't long before the good dragon had found the knight's friend. The good dragon and the knight thought it best, given the bad publicity in the area around dragons, that the good dragon meet with someone who knew he was coming first so as to limit any possible negative interactions that were understandably a real possibility given what the bad dragon had been up to in the area. The knight whom the good dragon met was kind and welcoming, and to the good dragon's shock, told him that the problem was now solved. No further action needed. The bad dragon was good as dead, if not dead already. The good dragon was dubious, but was reassured the matter was well in hand. He was welcome to investigate on his own, but this knight seemed fairly confident of the facts of the case.
The facts were laid out thus. It seems one of the younger knights had happened to acquire the knowledge of the bad dragon's secret lair. This was seen as a great blessing from the gods and the young knight wasted no time in using the knowledge to his advantage. He found the lair as had been told and seeing it was empty, crept inside to lay in wait. The young knight barely had more than to wait until early evening before the bad dragon returned. In short order the young knight had shot the bad dragon and returned to the village victorious. In the days that followed a new peace settled on the land as each day was marked with no new dragon attacks. Each day the joy of the citizens increased and multiplied. It was the first real happiness they had enjoyed in years. They began to smile and have gatherings and sing songs of praise and rejoicing instead of lament and sadness. Life, it seemed, was becoming sweet after ages of being bitter.
The good dragon congratulated the knight on the new found peace and bid him a found adieu, but the good dragon was bothered. If the bad dragon was truly dead, well he sort of deserved it for all the tragic acts he had committed. But, since dragons are so rare, the good dragon always lamented any loss of dragon life, even if they had not been particularly exemplary during their lives. Being a dragon is not an easy thing to be, and the good dragon understood that and was always willing to get the whole picture before he passed any judgement. And even then, he was a generous and forgiving creature as a rule, and liked to give a little extra leeway to dragons who never chose this lot in life in the first place.
The good dragon felt like he needed to understand things. Needed to have some guidance. Needed to seek wisdom. Needed to find the wise dragon. That was what he needed to do. So off went the good dragon seeking the wise dragon. For the good dragon this wasn't a difficult task. Dragons can find dragons. Maybe it is smell or a supernatural sense or maybe a interconnection on a subconscious level, but dragons can find dragons and it wasn't long before the good dragon had honed in on a direction.
Interestingly enough the location was not far away. In fact, if he didn't know batter, the good dragon felt certain that the area had not one dragon, but in fact two dragons. On the good dragon flew and soon was approaching a lair that, because of his dragon senses, he knew was a dragon lair. As the good dragon approached he could sense the wise dragon, but there was something more. Maybe someone else. So the good dragon approached the lair and caught a glimpse of blue sapphire back in the darkness of the lair. This helped the good dragon to relax, because everyone knew that the wise dragons were shades of blue. The good dragon had found the wise dragon and soon, hopefully, some guidance as well.
What happened next was not what the good dragon expected. As he approached the wise dragon cloaked in blue, he noticed the wise dragon was hunched over something and muttering ancient words from ancient spells, and being a polite and good dragon, he felt that perhaps he should not disturb such a solemn scene. Then as the good dragon stepped further into the lair, the scene became clearer and he was even more confused.
It had been many days since the young knight had attacked the bad dragon. Enough days that if the bad dragon had been injured only, even accounting for a nearly fatal wound, the bad dragon would easily have healed and sought revenge for the attack. Yet here laying at the feet of the wise dragon was a living, breathing second dragon that was a confusion of color. There was a hint of red in the tail and on the toes and maybe around the ears and the chin. The chest and torso and up the neck had many shades of green from nearly yellow to something like a forest at midnight. Around the head and eyes the color flowed as well, but this in shades of blue. It was a confusion of color looking for resolution. The wise dragon stirred while the good dragon watched and pondered. The wise dragon turned to the good dragon and beckoned him closer in a reassuring way.
Still with a somewhat quizzical look on his face the good dragon sat and waited. As he did the multi-colored dragon opened a lazy eye and looked at him and giving a slight nod, began to slowly rise to a seated position with the others. The good dragon explained that he had been asked to check into the actions of a bad dragon in the area, but upon arrival had been told that the bad dragon was destroyed. In order to understand better he had sought the wise dragon he had heard of and that is what brought him here. The wise dragon then explained that he had heard of the bad dragon as well and had also heard of the efforts of the young knight, and had arrived at this lair to see if the bad dragon still existed. He did, but was gravely wounded. Not so seriously that he couldn't recover, but there were more wounds than physical that the wise dragon found. So he helped the bad dragon heal physically. In the process he also felt it might be nice to help the bad dragon see if he could maybe not be such a bad dragon anymore. It had, as it seemed now, had somewhat of an effect.
And truly it had. The formerly bad dragon had learned much and had done much and was becoming a wiser and better dragon and maybe something more. Something yet unresolved. Something beautiful and amazing to behold. The good dragon and the wise dragon and the formerly-bad-and-now-something-different dragon talked a long time. They had many easy silences and many deep a moving discussions and a number of particularly good meals and always a brilliant afternoon tea. Soon it was time for the good dragon to depart and make his way home, though he really enjoyed his new friends, he did have a home and his favorite knight to get back to.
On the way home he stopped and explained to the knight in the land of the formerly bad dragon that things had been worked out. That although the dragon had not died, there would be no return of the old bad times. The good dragon also suggested that perhaps the knight could make a visit the formerly bad dragon in a few weeks and maybe find some common ground and develop a good working relationship. The knight was agreeable and happy that the temporary peace seemed to be now a permanent peace with a bright future.
So it was with much good news and many conversations that the good dragon returned home. He found his knight in very good spirits to receive him and many exclamations of how worried he was and how much he had missed his old friend. The good dragon said the same. The knight also noticed that the good dragon seemed to have a slight blue shimmer around the edges since his return, but perhaps is was just his eyes playing tricks on him.
Perhaps it was, but the good dragon would just say, "Dragons are an odd thing. You never really can tell with a dragon, can you?"
And the knight would wink and nod and say, "No, you never really can tell with dragons."
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