Fiction Fragment Friday
This week’s story was from a writing prompt. I started another story and had to step away from it before seeing this prompt. The prompt in question was the image to left. In it I saw a frustrated woman and a protective dragon. I see sadness in her, but a deep inner strength. Thus I wrote a quick story about the image. Upon sharing I was given the immediate feedback from a friend that she wanted more of the story. What I had written was just a quick jot down of my thoughts so I went back and made an editing pass. I rewrote and expanded on it.
To share the writing process with you I want to share both versions of the story. I want you to see what it was and what it became.
First I’m going to share the finished story and then the original draft. I know this is not the most logical way to do it, but if you only read one I want it to be the better tale of the two.
Blaze flew through the village at top speed dodging buildings and trees. The residents of Hearthaven had become accustomed to the sight and no longer reacted. Other towns might have panicked at having a baby dragon roaming free, but here it was just one of the many strange occurrences that were daily events. As usual Blaze rose high into the sky the moment, he reached the clearing at the edge of town.
With a grace only possible by a magical creature Blaze dove down in a spiral pattern and landed on Lily’s shoulder. Despite being six feet long she could barely feel his weight and did not even need to adjust her footing. Blaze stretched out his long wings to their fullest extension and then brought them over his head creating a kind of shield over the two of them. It was barely fast enough to block the rain that started pouring from the sky.
“Oh, Blaze. You always seem to know just when I’m about to need you the most.”
The young dragon as he often did wish that he could speak. He couldn’t understand why she did not feel him as strongly through their emotional link as he did her. There was never a time that he did not know her moods and needs. If she could sense him, she would know just how frustrated he was at his inability to communicate. This was beyond her though so the best he could do was nuzzle his head against hers and try to provide some level of comfort.
She leaned into his head and there hidden from prying eyes by the wings of her loving companion the tears started to flow. “You’re all I have. I just don’t know what I would do without you.” She had been alone in the field with only her own thoughts to keep her company. Thoughts that she wished she had greater control over.
Blaze thought comforting thoughts towards her. Even if she couldn’t feel him directly, he hoped that she might subconsciously. It was her subconscious that so often tapped into power that she did not even know she possessed. Power that could shape the very world around her. He had felt her depression overtaking her and knew that the rain would soon fall. The skies wept because she would not allow herself to do so for fear of being seen. Only under his protective wings could she allow it.
Lily felt so alone, and all Blaze could do was try to send her comforting and protective thoughts. He wanted so badly to scream out that he was there. He was her friend, and he would never leave her side. He wanted her to know that she was not helpless. She was so powerful and wonderful and shown like a beacon for him in a world of darkness. Her own desperation paled in comparison to his own desire to communicate.
She walked through the rain holding her hands out to feel it touch her skin. “There is something soothing about rain. Calming and steady.” Blaze cooed to indicate that he understood. In reality he disliked the water, but he could feel her calming and that pleased him. A bit of discomfort for his friend was a small price to pay.
“I envy you. You’re free to spread your wings and fly wherever you choose. No one expects anything from you.” She stopped and looked into his eyes. “You could go anywhere and do anything. Why do you stay here?”
“Because you are here,” he thought. He desperately wished she could hear it. She was his world. His person, but she didn’t understand that. She spent so much time in her own head she could not understand how much others cared about her. This more than anything brought him pain as he felt the loneliness through their connection. He licked her face because he had no other way to tell her how much he cared.
“Ugh, not in my nose,” she complained, but she also laughed. The sound brought him a wave of joy. The rain started to slow as her mood improved. He had once again managed to get through to her somehow. It still was not enough though. He vowed that he would grow and get stronger. He would someday be able to communicate with her. On that day he would make sure that she knew she was special. It was only a matter of time.
The Rough Draft of Friendship
Blaze flew through the village at top speed dodging buildings and trees. When he reached the clearing, he rose to the sky and then dove in a spiral pattern. With a grace only possibly by magical creatures he landed on Lily’s shoulder without adding the slightest bit of weight to her. His wings stretched out wide and then wrapped over her moments before the rain started to pour.
“Blaze you always seem to know when I’m going to need you most.”
The young dragon as he often did, wished that he could speak. He wandered why she could not feel him through their emotional link like he did her. If she could then she would know how frustrated, he was at his inability to communicate. The best he could do though was nuzzle his head against hers and try to comfort her.
The tears started flowing from Lily’s eyes. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Blaze thought comforting thoughts towards her. Even if she couldn’t feel him directly, he hoped that she might subconsciously. It was her subconscious tapping into power she didn’t realize she possessed that had caused the rain. He had felt her depression and desperation and knew that the environment would be shaped by it. Since he couldn’t give her words of comfort protection and thoughts would have to do.
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