Trouble in the Land of Dwarves
Chapter 10
Moment of Truth
“The back door?” Again the
dragon had captured Nathan’s attention.
“Yes,” the dragon hissed. “I
know of a secret tunnel from the island
above that leads to the underwater cave.
Have you forgotten that it once belonged to
me?”
“If you know of a secret
entrance, why don’t you just sneak in there
and get this magic pearl for yourself? Why
do you need me?”
“Ah, now that
is the irony of the whole thing. You see
although my size is my curse, I am still too
big to fit through the entrance of that secret
way. Only dwarves can fit through.”
Snagglefang began to pace back and forth
in his aggitation and lowered his voice as if
talking to himself. “Oh the cruelty of my
existence! Not large enough or small
enough to be of any good for anything.
What cruel punishment I must
endure!”
There was a moment
of awkward silence and Nathan was just
about to ask him what he was talking about,
when the dragon wheeled around yet again
and fixed the prince with a gaze of renewed
determination.
“WELL? What
will it be, knight? Will you come to the aid
of the helpless and defend the weak? Will
you make a name for yourself in the pages
of history and live a legendary life that is
sung about in minstrel songs? Or will you
allow this once in a lifetime chance to pass
you by and leave this cave the way you
came, unknown and unloved in the world?
Make your choice!”
Nathan
was caught off guard at the suddeness of
Snagglefang’s question and almost said yes
at that moment, but something held him
back. He wasn’t sure that he believed this
dragon was the victim it pretended to be, or
that it’s intentions were completely
trustworthy. He didn’t want to make a
decision yet but knew that he had to say
something quick. Then another question
popped into his head.
“Where is
this secret cave entrance that I’m supposed
to use?” he blurted out.
Snagglefang paused in thought then
raised his long neck proudly. He cleared
his throat, put his hand to his heart and
answered.
“Under bone
and tooth of stone,
Beside the
belching froth,
Below the eye
that still might spy
Those who
find the cross of cloth.
Beneath
the hand and drifting sand,
The
guardian must die,
Courageous
heart will play it’s part
And take
the serpent’s eye!”
His claw returned to the
floor and he looked at Nathan as if he were
waiting for something.
After a
moment he spoke again. “Well, what did
you think of my work? I wrote that myself
after I was kicked out of the cave.”
Nathan was impressed, but also
confused by the verse. “What does it
mean? It didn’t make much sense.”
Snagglefang was offended.
“Really? I thought it was quite plain
actually. They really don’t teach you
knights the way they used to. I suppose I’ll
have to give you the written version with
the map that I have.”
“Oh hey, I
got that right here, boss!” The jester jumped
to his feet producing a worn parchment
from under his hat.
“Never
mind that right now.” the dragon scolded
waving off the intrusion. Then he fixed his
eyes on the prince and grew deadly serious.
“First give me your word - the honorable
word of a knight - that you will undertake
this mission and see this evil creature
destroyed!”
Again, Nathan almost
said yes. What could be the harm in
helping to destroy a big, two-headed sea
monster anyway? Why not help? But
somehow he knew that the magic pearl was
something that should not be given to the
dragon. He couldn’t explain why, but
something told him that this was all wrong.
So he tried to get out of answering one more
time.
“How will I get to this
island where the secret door is anyway? I
don’t have a boat.”
This
seemed to catch the dragon off guard for a
moment. He paused once again in thought
and Nathan thought he would get out of it
until he heard the slow, deep rumble of
Gart’s voice. The giant had been so quiet
that Nathan had nearly forgotten he was
there.
“Um, ‘scuse me, boss.”
Snagglefang turned to scowl at the giant
who gulped hard and then went on. “He
don’t have no boat...but he got’s a
DRAGON.”
Snagglefang froze in
place and the expression on his face
completely changed. His face darkened and
his eyes widened. Gart saw the dragon’s
features change and thought he had said
something good so he continued
on.
“It’s a big one too! With
big blue wings and purple skin! But that
didn’t stop Weggio and me from takin’ this
little knight from it! You shoulda seen it,
Boss. Weggio flew right in it’s face
and...uh,” The small minded giant suddenly
recognized the familiar look of impatience
in his master’s face as Snagglefang slowly
turned to face him. “Um...anyway, I bet it
could fly him to Skull Island in a
minute!”
“Did you say a
dragon?” Snagglefang’s voice was deadly,
but Gart didn’t seem to notice as he proudly
shook his head up and down.
“You betcha, boss! But nothing me
and Weggio can’t handle! We could catch
it and make....”
“Idiot!” Gart
scrambled to his feet and stumbled back as
his “boss” advanced on him. “Why didn’t
you tell me this before? Do you know what
this means?”
At this point the
jester was on his feet as well and they were
all moving away from the angry dragon
who seemed to be throwing a temper
tantrum as he turned back to Nathan with
smoke in his nostrils.
“It means
that you’re no dwarven knight! If you were
with one of my brothers or sisters than
you’re no dwarf at all! You’re a human!”
Snagglefang reached out and grabbed the
prince’s helmet, yanking it off of his head
and seeing his childish face for the first
time. The helmet clanged against the floor
as the dragon’s blue scaled face seemed to
turn white with fear and his hands began to
tremble. “You really ARE from that
accursed castle on Ivory mountain! Which
means you’re one of His children!”
For a moment, no one moved
and Nathan thought the wild reptile would
eat him at any minute in a fit of rage.
Snagglefang seemed capable of anything at
that moment. But as quickly as the panic
came upon him, it left and he grew
strangely calm again taking long slow
breaths as he turned back to the cowering
giant.
“Gart, where is the other
dragon? Tell me quickly!”
“I
left Weggio to keep ‘im busy after he
knocked the little man from the dragon’s
back.” Trying to redeem himself, the giant
kept talking. “It was great, Boss, you
should have seen it! Weggio was flying
circles around it...”
“And
where is your bird now? It has been a long
time since you left it to face a creature ten
times it’s size. Surely you don’t believe
your little pet can evade one of my kind for
long, do you? Did you consider that the
dragon could have roasted it by
now?”
Gart’s tiny forehead
wrinkled in puzzlement. Then as the idea
finally registered in his small brain, his
hands clenched into tight fists and Nathan
knew something was about to be
smashed.
“I suggest that you
check on your fine feathered friend,”
Snagglefang ordered, “and make sure that
the dragon doesn’t find out where you have
taken this boy!”
The giant
turned and stomped out of the cave angrily
with a growl , ready to smash anything that
got in his way and redeem himself with his
master.
As Gart left,
Snagglefang glared back at
Nathan!
Chapter 11
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