How to Be a Hero

Dragon slobber gooped over Deyadria’s face as the force of her angry roar blew her kinky curls all over the place. The roar almost made Deyadria cower like a dog when thunder cracks into the sky. The sky as Deyadria stood was the dark abyss of Rivertona Hollows, home to one of the world’s most aggressive dragons, Simra. Deyadria could not cower like a dog when Tashard and Zareen, her academy instructors and mentors watched her with critical eyes. “What do you want?” 

Deyadria fought every nerve in her body not to back away. The short, umber woman stared into Simra’s big blues eyes, focusing on the thin black slit in the middle like a child focusing on the heads of the audience during a speech. She took in a deep breath and responded with no quiver in her voice, “Be my companion.” 

Simra huffed and Deyadria wished she had brought breath mints along with the slab of beef she brought as a friendly offering. However, before she could reach for her bag, the dragon roared again making Deyadria stand stiff. “No.” The dragon turned around, nearly whacking Deyadria with her long, wide tail. Deyadria’s shoulders dropped as she helplessly watched Simra disappear into the darkness of the deep cave.  She slid to her knees, allowing the fear she held in her belly to come out in a long stare at her boots. 

Tashard plopped a heavy hand on Deyadria’s slouched back. She shrugged it off and stood. “Fooo weee, that was intimidating even for me, and I’ve seen a lot of dragons!”

Zareen tapped his staff and said, “Let’s camp for tonight; we’ll give you a week to tame a dragon otherwise we cannot continue your lessons.” Deyadria clenched her fists and stomped away to follow her team down the mountain. 

Zareen, Tashard, and Deyadria set up camp in the forest. Tashard threw the final logs in the fire. Deyadria stroked the handle of her battle axe mindlessly gazing into the fire. Her head was heavy with thoughts on how to tame the dragon. She had been a poor, young girl with dreams of one day becoming a hero so she could go on great quests, fight monsters, and philander with princesses, like the ones she read about in books. She wrote the best essays, made the highest grades, and trained every day to get in, and she succeeded. Now, she had to rise through the ranks, but first she needed a dragon. 

The next few days, Deyadria tried different things to appease the dragon. She had studied them and used every tactic she had learned from lectures. One day, she held up the beef slab she brought, but the dragon nearly burnt her to a crisp. Another day, she tried to pat it because one instructor said dragons loved patting. Deyadria was lucky to have her fingers in tact. She tried explaining her circumstances, but the dragon roared her silent. More slobber in her hair. On the third night, Deyadria sat with her team. Tashard rambled on about his latest quest he spent in the Forbidden Slopes where he took down a barrage of rock skeletons and wolf gnolls to retrieve the Fury’s Gaze Warhammer, a great edition to his collection. Deyadria listened hungrily and ate the inspiration from the stories. “Man, if I didn’t have my dragon to bail me out, I would have been a goner.” The fire cast a glow onto Tashard, making him look like a mountain cliff as he spoke. 

Zareen glanced at the full moon and said, “Tashard and I must return to the academy tomorrow. I will be generous and extend your assignment to five days.” Deyadria stared into the fire, stroking the handle of her battle axe. The next night, Deyadria sat by the campfire alone. She had gathered the wood by herself and booby trapped her sight. Alone, under a starry sky, she began to wonder if she had what it took to rise to the top of her ranks. She gripped the handle of her battle axe and held it up to the fire. She watched the fire flicker off the metal and she decided that she would not give up trying. Somehow, she would tame the dragon, and her name would be filled with glory having tamed one of the most aggressive dragons in the kingdom. She earnestly believed in herself, though she didn’t have any other plans on how to tame the dragon. She had a restless sleep.

When she woke up the next morning, she decided she might catch some fish because she had run out of sandwiches and bananas. Deyadria walked through the forest and heard the gurgle of the Ethereal Run River. She saw a nice spot by the bank to perch herself. She walked a couple of steps before she noticed a giant figure next to her. It was the dragon! She dipped her snout into the river, catching a small bass fish on her claw. She dropped the flopping creature into her big snout. Deyadria approached the dragon. Simra spotted her and snarled. Deyadria held her hands up in peace. “I’m just tryna catch some breakfast,” Deyadria remarked. “May I fish alongside you?” 

The dragon huffed, but she nodded curtly and returned to poking fish out the river. Deyadria got her fishing pole ready. The dragon and the black woman fished alongside each other. This was the closest Deyadria had ever gotten to the dragon. Once she saw the dragon was going to leave, she thought about petitioning Simra again, but she didn’t. Instead, she said, “Thank you for allowing me to fish next to you.” The dragon huffed and flew away. Deyadria watched the dragon slip into the cave in the mountain. 

The next day, Deyadria found the dragon fishing in the river again. She asked the dragon if she could fish next to her. The dragon huffed, said nothing, and continued fishing. She didn’t move away, though. Deyadria and Simra fished side by side together again. Deyadria thanked her again before the dragon leapt into the sky. 

The next day, Deyadria and Simra fished together. A fish slipped past the dragon and Deyadria caught it. She reeled it in and offered the fish. The dragon stared at her for a moment before nodding. Deyadria tossed the fish and Simra caught it. “You know, I would have never thought you liked fish.” 

The dragon huffed. “Most people don’t. Arrogant kids from that stupid school .” 

Deyadria pursed her lips as a sense of shame creeped into her belly. The dragon flew away. Deyadria decided that she would try and get to know the dragon. The next few days, Deyadria fished with the dragon. Before the dragon would fly away, Deyadria asked her questions. She asked her where she came from, when did she decide the cave in the mountain would be her home, did she have family, what were dragon families like. Surprisingly, the dragon conversed with her and answered all of her questions. The dragon asked questions too. They fished and talked like two old friends. Deyadria even learned that dragons had their own language. By the fourth day, Simra allowed Deyadria to pat her. 

On the morning of the fifth day, Deyadria explained to the dragon she had to return to the academy to complete her training. Simra huffed. “Would you like a companion, bold and gentle Deyadria?” Deyadria’s eyes widened as a sense of joy and pride swelled within her. Deyadria nodded. The dragon invited Deyadria for a ride. Deyadria hoisted herself onto the dragon. She had never ridden a dragon before. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The air at such a height startled Deyadria, but she grew accustomed to it. She rode the dragon into the cloudless sky to the academy. Once she saw the large, golden gates, she signaled to Simra to start heading down. The dragon flew downwards and they both landed before the gates. Behind them stood a surprised Zareen and a proud Tashard. Tashard and Deyadria high fived. 

“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” exclaimed Tashard. “I knew you’d figure it out; old man Zareen had so much doubt, but me I know talent when I see it.”

“Suppose it took a gentle approach,” Deyadria said, scratching the back of her head and giving a humble smile. 

Zareen, never quite impressed, followed with, “Well, onto the next lesson. You’re late by the way.” Deyadria nodded to Simra, and she flew back to her home. Deyadria watched her friend disappear into the sky, and then turned back to the academy, ready for her next task. 

Author's Note

My attempt at some flash fiction