3/3
“Did they have anything valuable on them?” asked the dragon.
“Um…well the big guy had a really cool sword!” said Agatha, grabbing the sword out from Archibald’s cold, dead hand a few hours later. “I could train myself to use it!”
“Don’t be ridiculous”, scoffed the dragon. “You’re too small to carry a sword like that.”
“Am not!” said Agatha.
“Are too!”
Agatha stuck her tongue out. “Well fine. You take it then”
“Look at me,” said the dragon, lifting her scaled talons towards Agatha, “do I look like I could hold a sword?”
“…no”
“noooo” mocked the dragon, a smirk on its face.
“Shut up!” giggled Agatha, lightly shoving the dragon away in playful frustration.
The dragon snickered back.“Well, anything else?” It asked, examining the breastplate on Victor’s corpse.
“Um…the pretty lady had beautiful earrings”
“Diamonds?” asked the dragon, perking its head.
“Maybe…they were blue.” Agatha reached over towards Lauralee’s cold body, passed out from exhaustion, and suffocated in the tar. She picked the earrings out of her ears, showing them to the dragon.
“Those are sapphires,” said the dragon. “Very valuable, Mother will love these.” Just as she said that a towering voice boomed from behind them.
“Naysein? What are you and your sister up to?” Out from the shadows appeared a colossal dragon, similar in color but far taller and mightier than the beast sitting beside Agatha.
“Nothing Mother,” said Naysein, the dragon.
“We were just trapping humans in the pit!” piped Agatha.
“What did I tell you about playing with pests?” asked the mother dragon, sternly.
“Sorry Mother,” said Naysein, sheepishly avoiding eye contact. “They’re just so much fun to trick. Agatha convinced them she had a brother. Ha! As if one shrimp wasn't enough”
“You mustn’t lie. Either of you” roared the Mother. “Only humans lie to one another, and the two of you are better than that.”
Naysein sighed. “Yes, Mother. I’m sorry. Just a bit of fun.”
“Mommy?” said Agatha, “Are humans really all that bad?”
The Mother brought her attention to the human child. “My child, humans are a vain, cruel species. They wish for nothing but wealth and glory and to destroy everything around them, including themselves.”
“Am I bad, mommy?” asked Agatha.
The mother smiled. “Of course not. You are young, the world hasn’t corrupted you like it has to many others. Agatha, the world is full of wolves and vipers who wish to sink their teeth into you, or worse, turn you into one of their own. That’s why you are safe HERE. Where you are loved. By me and your sister.”
“I know,” said Agatha, smiling. “I got you some earrings.”
“Did you now?” asked the Mother.
“They’re sapphires.”
“Those are very lovely. Thank you so much, sweetheart.”
“I love you, mommy.”
“I love you too, Agatha.”