E-Written: The Sleeping Beauty

Ephram looked down on the kingdom below, feeling bored and petulant. Decades...no... centuries ago, the humans below used to pay him tribute. Food, gold, treasure, companions. Things dwindled away over the years, they stopped paying tribute.

It had been far too long since he had razed their fields and burned their flocks. They had become complacent and Ephram had become bored. Angry.

He watched their celebration below and sulked, contemplating making an appearance at their celebration. Destroying it. Turning the tournament fields into an inferno. He huffed and smoke billowed from his nostrils, then he stood and paced, causing his piles of gold to shift and spill with his thundering steps.

He flapped his massive wings in the cavern and huffed again, working up his temper as he continued to watch the tournament opening ceremonies.

A girl. A human girl, small and insignificant. A princess they call her, young and beautiful. Her birthday celebration.

The world had been invited, everyone in the nine kingdoms had been invited to come and enter the tournaments. Try for her hand.

Not him. He hadn't been invited. He raged, turning, scorching the walls. There once was a time when they would have honored him with a tournament, with a celebration. GIVEN him any girl who struck his fancy, princess or no.

Now they snub him, pretend he does not exist and offer him not even a morsel in tribute!

He would show them!

He stormed to the entrance of his cave on the mountain and roared, shooting flame into the air.

In his mind's eye he could see the humans pause and turn to the mountain. Curious. Not afraid. Not terrified. Curious. They did not even remember him!

He shrieked in rage, then forced himself to calmness.

He would make them remember.

He stepped out and took flight, angling to the sun, allowing the reflection to refract and render him invisible. He was silent as he coasted into the fields near the tourney grounds, staying invisible right up until he took human form and strolled in among the humans.

Aurora looked back at her father, wondering why he had that worried, pensive frown as he gazed at the mountain.

"Papa?" she asked questioningly.

"Nothing my love. Just a story my grandfather told me once. It's nothing."

"Do you know what that was? That sound? That shaking?"

"It was just thunder, a distant storm beyond the mountain echoing strangely. Do not worry over it, this is your time now! Your celebration! Tell me, who do you hope will win?"

"Oh, papa, we have been over this. I think your tournament is ridiculous!"

"It is tradition!"

"So long as they don't actually think to have my hand if they win!" she laughed.

"No my love a mock ceremony to honor tradition. Now. Who do you hope wins? To whom would you like to bestow a kiss?"

Aurora giggled, looking around at all of the young... and not so young men. They truly had come from all over and she didn't know most of them. She saw her friend Phillip and waved and he grinned, waving back.

"Not him," her father said glumly. "I am sure he has had his share of your kisses!"

"Papa! Of course he hasn't..." she said, blushing and looking away quickly. She and Phillip had kissed... but only once. He had stolen it only the night before after boasting he would win and claim her first kiss. She informed him he wasn't nearly good enough with a lance or a sword to win. He had said perhaps she was right and had stolen the kiss, saying he would still be her first kiss. She blushed again, just thinking about it.

"There, what about Lord Edwards son, there. What's his name? Joel? What about Joel, he is a striking figure."

"Striking? Perhaps for a bear. I've no wish to kiss a man as big around as he is tall and hairy enough for four men."

"Bah, you want pretty I assume. There. Lord Chadwicks son. Elliot? He is pretty enough to be a girl."

"He is beautiful, but he likes himself too much. See how he preens at his reflection in Wulfberts armor?"

"Wulfbert. How has the man lived this long without changing that ridiculous name? I suppose you think him striking?"

"Not really. He makes me think of a snake."

"I don't recognize half of these faces, do you have the roster?"

"It has not been brought yet, there are still men entering."

"Ridiculous that they are allowing last minute entries!"

"That was your idea father, when so many were showing up from far off."

"Well if they want to throw away good coin for a chance at a kiss! Who am I to say no?"

"You said you met mother this way on her 18th birthday."

"So I did, but... there were not quite so many back then. It was... just the seven of us," he chuckled. "She cheered me on fiercely! As I am sure you will cheer your Phillip on today."

"Papa!" she laughed, pressing her hands to her cheeks.

"Just don't be too upset when you have to kiss another and be glad he is not the hot tempered type. The boy really is helpless when it comes to the lance."

"No more talk of him!" Aurora said firmly. "Look there, who do you suppose that is, standing and glaring at us so? And him, with his smile as if he knows a secret we don't? And him, the tall one who looks so mysterious and dangerous? Look at him! Have you seen a man with his coloring? And I have never seen a sword like that?"

"He is from Mjennic! He had to be passing through, he wouldn't have really been answering the call for the tourney."

"Mjennic? Truly? I have never seen anyone from so far off. His skin is so dark and his hair so black! Perhaps he will win and I will see him up close and speak to him. Does he speak common, do you suppose?"

"He must if he signed up. Even if he doesn't win, you can invite him to sit at the head table for the feast so that we may all speak and hear about where he is from."

"What about that man? Where is he from? The tall one with the golden curls?"

"One of the northern countries with his fair complexion."

"Oh, look at him! He is a giant! Who is he, papa? You would have heard of such a man?"

"No, look at him. He is one of the wild nomads from the mountains."

"How could he sign up at all? Look at his sword? Is that even a sword?"

"It looks like it was a bastard sword, but just a sword for him. I have to say I am glad I'm not in the melee with him!"

"What sort of sword is that there that the tall man has?"

"Flamberge my love. Enough of this. Let's sit back and get ready for the Archery to start. It is the short round with the fewest contestants."

"Because no one will go up against Phillip," she said proudly, turning to look at him again. Phillip was speaking to a shorter man, but he was standing so he could see her and he grinned when she looked.

She turned quickly and looked over at her little brother who was down on the floor leaning into the arena to look around. "John, you are going to get hit by something! Come up here and sit down!"

"I will be careful!" he called, not moving.

"Papa!"

"Leave him be, Aurora, he is fine. There now, the first round is about to start!" he said happily as the lists were handed to him. "Only fourteen bowmen!"

"Because it's worth the fewest points," John called over his shoulder. "Bow is a coward's weapon!"

"You just hush!" Aurora hissed, her cheeks burning. "Archery is an art and it takes skill!"

John snorted.

"Hush now, both of you. Sit back my love, don't let him rile you. Boys will be boys, he is only trying to goad you. Your Phillip is third, let's see how he does."

Aurora sat back and watched as Phillip quickly took the lead and held it. Right up until the last four men. The tall, pale, golden haired man who kept looking at Aurora like he had a secret. The man who glared at her, dressed all in black with his black hair pulled back and tied with a chord. A small, unassuming man who never looked up from the ground, and the giant mountain man whose bow looked like a limb.

The top five were moved to the next round, but Phillip was out quickly as the final three moved up. The unassuming, mousy little man whose name was Henry, the tall man in black whose name was Amir and the pale, golden haired man whose name was Torsten. The Giant, whose name was Fafnir, was out alongside Phillip, who looked shocked and upset that he had lost. Archery was where he excelled! Still, he would get points for 5th place.

The unassuming Henry won the archery competition and he didn't look up but he canted his head just enough to cut his eyes at Aurora and smile just slightly.

"Peculiar little fellow," her father said softly, watching the little man as he slipped through the crowd unnoticed.

"He is very good with a bow," Aurora said sadly, turning to look at Phillip as he prepared for the jousting.

That took much longer and she quickly grew bored with it. Phillip was out in the first round. The mousy Henry made it to the third round though, which surprised her. It did not surprise her to see Amir, Torsten and Fafnir moving into the fourth round. Actually, it did surprise her to see Fafnir once she thought about it. How could he possibly be so good with a lance on the horses he had to use for his size? She did note that he was no finesse, all brute strength and reach. She learned the name of the Mjennic man that round as well, though it was when he was finally out. Ekon. His smile lit up his face as he laughed and bowed graciously to the man who had unseated him. Amir.

It was Amir and Torsten facing off in the final joust. The beautiful and pale golden knight and the dark and dangerously handsome knight.

Torsten won by unseating. He turned to her as he pulled his helmet off and smirked, his bright sapphire blue eyes glittering like they held a secret. Amir glared, his gaze hot and angry as he stalked off the field.

The melee was next, though with the points on the board, Phillip was out of the race even if he took the melee.

She looked around the arena at the men who did have a chance, the ones whose names were highest in points, feeling a little nervous about it.

"Papa, you are certain they all know it is only a kiss and a mock ceremony to honor tradition?"

"Of course my love," he said muzzily. He had partaken of a great deal of wine already. "It was announced again and again. They are competing for the purses for the winners in each bracket as well as the kiss. Have no fear. Though the way that Torsten keeps looking at you, I think he might mean to ask you for a walk once this is all over, kiss or no."

Aurora looked and Torsten was still smirking at her, watching. Amir was still glaring, his arms crossed. She did not see Henry anywhere, but she was sure he would be good at remaining unseen. Fafnir was sitting under a tree in the shade, looking over his blade, not paying attention to anyone. Ekon was not high in points, but she looked for him anyway and he was with a group of men, talking and laughing. She wondered how good he was with that oddly curved blade of his.

When the melee began, Phillip only made it to the third round, though he had obviously pushed himself beyond his normal abilities. Aurora gave him a sorrowful look, then smiled and blew him a kiss. His scowl left as he smiled wanly.

Ekon surprised her by also going out in the third round. For some reason, she had thought he would make it longer. They way he laughed and cheered and yelled, he was having fun and that meant more to him than the winning.

She watched and was amazed to see little Henry slipping in and out of opponents, unnoticed, unseen until he landed a 'killing' blow, using all of the chaos and bodies to move unseen.

He made it to the final round, along with Torsten, Amir, and Fafnir. Torsten and Amir gave a small nod to each other, then turned and went after Fafnir together, all of them ignoring Henry. Henry dispatched Amir as Fafnir took out Torsten.

It was ridiculous as everyone cheered wildly for the little man and the giant, circling each other. It should have been no match at all, but the two stayed alert and wary, the giant giving the tiny man respect in his attention.

Aurora looked over the points and summed the totals quickly. Whoever won this, would win the kiss.

She blushed. Not that they were necessarily competing for the kiss, they wanted the purse, but still. She would be required to kiss the winner.

She looked at both of them fearfully. Henry was small for a man, but larger than her still. He was older, but not more than a decade. Perhaps 30 at the most. Fafnir she could not put an age to, he could have been 20 or 40. It was hard to tell given his size and his wild hair and beard. Henry had no facial hair and she much preferred that. She decided she was rooting for Henry, simply because she did not want to kiss a man with so much facial hair, not to mention that he was a giant and that would make her feel smaller than she already felt.

"If he lands a blow on him, it will break his neck," her father said softly, his words slurred. "I should call this."

He no sooner said the word than Henry darted in to strike at Fafnir's femoral artery. The giant moved with an agility that belied his size and arced his heavy sword, slamming it down a hair in front of Henry, halting his progress. Henry managed to stop himself, but the giant had a dagger at Henry's throat, his sword still buried at Henry's feet.

Henry dropped his short short and raised his hands, signalling Fafnir the winner.

The crowd erupted, cheering still for the diminutive man who had gone up against the giant.

Fafnir stood, yanking his sword free from the earth and strode to the dais, looking Aurora over as he did.

Her father stood. "Congratulations, Fafnir of the mountain clans! You won quite a sizable purse today! We will be feasting in your honor and you will sit at the high table with..."

"I came for the girl," the man interrupted, his loud voice booming across the area, silencing everyone.

"Your kiss, of course. Step up. Aurora, the man would like his kiss now rather than later," her father chuckled.

Aurora was standing, looking at the giant in fear. He did not want a kiss.

Fafnir stepped closer to her, looking down at her even though she was on the dais and he on the ground. "I came only for the girl," he yelled again.

"Easy, you're scaring her!" Phillip called, climbing up onto the dais.

"You said she would wed the victor! I am the victor. She is mine."

"It is just a tradition, a kiss is all the winner gets. The tradition is a mock ceremony, not a real one! It is clear in the rules!" her father stammered.

"Do you intend to deny me my prize?" Fafnir demanded, his voice loud enough that Aurora dropped to her knees and covered her ears.

The sound was immediately followed by a dozen swords being drawn, men running forward.

Fafnir laughed derisively and then... changed. He grew... his body getting larger, longer... turning a slate color. "Sleep," he hissed at all of them as he continued to grow, his wings unfurling.

Aurora woke to darkness, and a bone deep chill that made her shiver. "Papa?" she called into the darkness and the word echoed all around her and away, deep into a cave and beyond until it was no longer a whisper. "PAPA?!?" she screamed, sitting up and trying to feel around her.

She was in a bed, the blanket on her thin. It was massive, this bed, as she crawled, trying to find the edge.

"Do not leave the nest or you may hurt yourself," a deep voice rumbled. A huge voice.

"What are you? Who are you?"

"That who I am is lost to your people angers me immensely! You have gone too long with no reminder as to who you serve!"

Aurora cried out when he yelled, going to her hands and knees and covering her head.

"I am a god! I am YOUR god! There are two of us in this world created for you to worship and pay tribute to! Me and my sister, one male, one female. I am the male, Ephram Somnus, my sister is the female, Delphine Surgere. Once your kind showered us with tribute, sent us companions and servants. Now we lay forgotten and dismissed.

No longer. I will reclaim what is mine. Your people sleep below. When they wake, they will know the pain of loss. You are mine now and you will serve to remind them of their forsaken vow to always worship. They will hear your screams of anguish in their dreams, see visions of your torture every time they close their eyes. As they are seeing you now. Flames licking your feet as you hang by your hands, your hair and clothes singed off. Begging, pleading, screaming. They will see your torture for an eternity."

Aurora sobbed brokenly, shaking her head. "We did not know! No one told us, please!"

"It was on your people to remember! You let us fall away, forgotten!"

"Let me go back and tell them! We will worship! Pay tribute, we will! And we will never let our children stop! Please, you don't have to do this, you don't have to kill me!"

"I will not kill you, girl! They will see your torture as they are seeing it now, replaying again and again. They will know their mistake and pay tribute soon enough! You. You I keep for my own. I won you and you are mine."

"What... what are you?"

"I am Ephram."

"But WHAT are you? Not a man, you changed into... something."

"A dragon. A dragon who can control sleep and dreams. My sister controls the waking world, but she grew tired of it and left. She wanted to see the moon and other stars. She will return some day and woe to the man who has forgotten her!"

"Can... can she change forms like you did? Become human?"

"We can both take human form."

"Please, it is so dark! I can see nothing."

"Your human eyes are weak."

"Perhaps that is so, but is there a light somewhere? And... my dress?"

"The old ways stand here, there are no clothes in the mountain. You stand as I do, in nothing. Ready for pleasures of the flesh at all times. It has been so long, I have forgotten a human need for light and warmth," he grumbled, then exhaled a fiery breath, lighting a brazier in the huge cavern.

Aurora looked around, then quickly backed away from the edge of the bed. The nest. It was up high and the fall from the edge seemed unending, no end in sight. She turned and the giant slate blue dragon was perched above the large round bowl of a bed, looking down at her with amber eyes. She wrapped more tightly in the blankets as she looked around. There was nothing here but the huge nest and the perch. Pillows and blankets piled around in the giant bed as if left forgotten.

"How long has it been since you have had a human here?" she asked, trying to make conversation and get on it's better side.

"Too long. I do not know the passing of years as you humans do. I nap and awaken and things are different below. The companions dwindled after my naps until I awoke and none were waiting for me. That was not the bargain struck!"

She covered her ears and cowered down in the bed as he raged. "Can... can you stop yelling, please? I don't like it!"

"You think I have a care for what you may like, human?" he roared, lifting up and flapping his wings malevolently. He thrust up from his perch and dropped down to the nest, making her scream as she was about to be crushed, covering her head with her arms.

When nothing happened and there was silence, she peeked out and up at the giant man standing several feet from her. She averted her eyes quickly, blushing furiously.

It has been long since I have known pleasures of the human flesh. Come. You owe me vows and a kiss for my victory below."

"Vows was not truly part of it!" she said breathlessly, clutching the blankets.

"I heard the announcement myself! Would you name me liar?"

"No! No, but perhaps you did not hear all of what was said? It was to a be a mock ceremony! Not real. Just a following of tradition. All that was promised was a kiss!"

"I will have vows and a kiss, human," he raged. "I won their contest and I did so fairly! You are mine and I will keep you from them! When they wake they will know their mistake and they will know anguish! They will send me tribute and companions, but you will forever be mine! A symbol of their mistake, never returning to them. Come, now, and say your vows to me!"