All eight young dragons were eager and excited when they were finally let out into the largest open courtyard. They stretched their wings and lashed out with their long, pointed tails. The rays of the sun warmed them, and the dragons’ skin sparkled like precious jewels in the light. They whined and yelped and made chirping noises, enjoying their freedom. Bella stroked and scratched them, her eyes filled with a strange excitement. Mia followed behind her.
‘Now, listen! Listen well,’ said Bella sternly. ‘There are important lessons to be learned today!’ Mia was unsure whether Bella was talking to her or to the dragons, though they all quietened down immediately.
Bella moved among them, slowly inspecting their wings and muscle tone and strength.
‘As you already know, Mia, dragon wings are highly sensitive, and are all too easily injured or torn, taking weeks to heal. That is why it is important for a good dragon keeper to check her dragon before letting it fly. The loss of even one dragon is too much!’
Mia nodded in agreement.
‘Also, that is why it is so important for the young dragons to learn to take off and land and swerve safely, without injuring themselves.’
The old woman called the first dragon forward. Arznel was already much stronger and bigger than the rest.
‘Arznel, you will lift off slowly, westwards from the parapet, and fly around the castle. Circle it twice, follow the line of the lake below us, then drop slowly and land. I will guide you down.’ Bella whispered something into Arznel’s ears and the powerful, young, black dragon began to run, gathering speed. He moved heavily, reminding Mia of an ungainly swan, his huge wings flapping up and down awkwardly, before taking off smoothly.
He flew away from them, then turned, his gleaming wings at full stretch as he circled high above their heads. They watched him as he flew up and up, almost to the top of the castle, and swung out into a wide circle.
Arznel was a powerful flyer, and Mia could tell that he was scouting his new surroundings. Finally, he began to drop down, slowing gradually until he landed perfectly in front of Bella.
‘He’s a natural flyer, Mia, just look at his wingspan and the way he holds himself.’
Mia had never seen anything so powerful and magical as Arznel. He was a handsome young dragon. Dink was next. He was a green dragon, and of a shorter and stouter build. Bella tried to encourage him, but it took at least five attempts before he managed a shuddering takeoff.
‘Look skywards! Skywards!’ ordered Bella, as he immediately began to lose height and drop towards them. With great effort, Dink managed to right himself and landed without injury. Rana, a medium-sized green, was next, taking wing easily.
‘Are you watching, Mia? See how Rana is leaning too far to the left, she must correct it without losing speed.’
Mia loved the magical sound of dragon wings as they filled the courtyard. They took off one after the other, all doing their best to please Bella. Trig came to stand close to Bella snuffling at her hand for attention. But Bella ignored him. He wasn’t ready to fly yet and had to content himself with just watching the others, learning from their mistakes. Strength and courage gleamed from the emerald-green of his eyes, and Mia sensed that he would make a good flyer yet.
All morning the dragons repeated the exercise, taking turns to fly and land. Bella suggested that Mia take a turn at instructing them.
‘They must get used to your voice, Mia child! Don’t be afraid!’
It was an incredible thing to stand there, directing a magnificent young dragon in flight. Her eyes were glued to every move until each landed safely back on the ground.
‘Listen to me, child! Watch the dragons. You must learn to understand them, read their minds, so that in time you will be able to guide and control them.’
Mia found that if she really concentrated, she could almost see what the dragons saw as they circled the castle. The connection between them was so strong, she could sense their nervousness as she guided them down safely.
By lunchtime they were all exhausted and ravenous, and Mia was grateful for the big meal prepared by Gwenda. The dragons would rest for the afternoon, but Bella insisted that Mia join her in the library to study astronomy and astrology.
‘To become a dragon keeper and apprentice mage, you will need to develop a broad background in many subjects, including the sciences,’ she explained.
Bella took down charts that showed her the positions of the planets and the stars and the various configurations. It was a lot for Mia to learn and remember.
‘I was only a wee bit of a girl, no more than three or four, when my mother began to teach me about dragons,’ confided Bella. ‘They say the younger an apprentice is, the better, magician’s daughter. All my long life I have worked with and trained dragons and, truth to tell, I know of no other way of life, and do not wish to.’
‘But there’s so much to learn, to understand,’ Mia pleaded.
‘That was exactly how I felt when Dracon, the druid and Great Mage, took me here to this castle for training. You will learn, Mia. I will teach you everything I know,’ promised Bella, hugging her gently.
‘I love the dragons, Bella, you know that, but soon I will be returning home. Remember, you promised me!’
A look of ugly spitefulness crossed the old woman’s face and her hand squeezed at Mia’s neck, two fingers pressing against her throat, almost choking her.
‘You are a guest in my castle, child! You would do well to remember that! Attend to your studies, I have work to do.’
Mia gasped, as the old witch woman stomped out and closed the library door firmly behind her. She couldn’t understand it, at times Bella was caring and loving and kind to her, brushing her hair, giving her extra feather pillows for her bed, fetching her warm drinks and helping her, but today she had scared her. Was Bella someone she should fear or someone she could trust? It was so hard to know.
Trying to concentrate, she learned off the patterns of stars that shaped the Great Bear, the Little Bear, the Plough, drawing them out on a piece of paper to help her remember them. The thought of Bella’s anger frightened Mia more than anything else, for there was no telling what the powerful old woman would do. And Mia was her captive, with no way of escape.