Is there such a thing as dragon magic?

Gwyneth snorted flame as she read the question once more. As if there was any doubt that there was dragon magic. She shook her head from side to side. What she asked herself while doping so was, what was the world coming to when people doubted in magic?

Gwyneth lived in a country far from villages and towns, where the mountains kissed the sky and the rivers flowed with gold. She stared into one of those rivers now and smiled at her reflection. She was still a majestic creature with eyes that sparkled like jewels and scales as dark as the night sky. What distinguished her from other dragons was her outward look. Few people, or dragons, could comprehend the power Gwyneth possessed—the magic of the dragons.

She was not alone in magical abilities; some dragons, with just a flick of a tail or a roar from their mighty jaws, could summon earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms and even hurricanes. The rumors of what dragons could do amazed some people and frightened others.

It was these rumors which had forced the King to send the most valiant Knight, Sir Roland Vanquish, to search out a dragon and asked him or her if the rumors were true. Weeks after setting out on his quest, Sir Roland Vanquish, pulled his steed to a stop when he crested the rise and spied the enormous dragon laying by the flowing river. “My word that is sight one does not see every day.”

With a slight tap to his horse’s flanks, he made his slow way down the hill. When he was within calling distance, he hailed the dragon. “Oh, dragon, may I have a moment of your time?”

“Who disturbs my rest?”

“I am Sir Roland Vanquish, I have come from the King to ask you questions.”

Gwyneth tapped one long claw in thought, after a minute she said, “Come to where I can see you.”

Sir Roland stepped down from his horse and walked fearlessly to where the dragon could see him. Gwyneth gazed at the stranger dressed in knight’s armor, and when he removed his helmet, it surprised her to see intelligence staring at her from bright blue eyes. “Good-day Sir Roland.”

“Good day, dragon.”

“My name is Gwyneth.”

Sir Roland bowed gracefully as he said, “A beautiful name for a beautiful dragon.”

“I thank you. Now what questions does thou have for me?”

“It is said dragons have magic.”

“This is so.”

“In my kingdom, the king’s advisors say that the magic is sorcery, or possibly merely a talent that dragons are born with? Others say dragons merely possess special skills, just like humans do. While some scholars think the power of the dragons is purely mystical and extra-terrestrial, other scholars say it is all completely science or logical.”

“That is interesting. I would like to converse with your scholars.”

Sir Roland gulped, then said softly, “I do not know if that is possible. You may frighten the learned men.”

“Are they easily frightened?” asked Gwyneth.

“Sadly, they are.”

“I see. What else is said about dragon magic?”

“It is said dragons can summon earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms and even hurricanes.”

“This is so, but not all dragons are so skilled.”

Sir Roland pulled on his bottom lip as he digested this news. He shook his head as he mumbled, “This is not good… not good at all!”

Intrigued with his response, Gwyneth asked, “Why so, knight?”

“My King, in fact, all the Kings will not receive the knowledge that dragons have this power easily. It will disconcert them to know you are more powerful than them.”

“This is not good.”

“No,” the knight said, “it is not.”

Gwyneth looked at the man and told him, “There are dragons with different powers.”

Surprised and pleased, Sir Roland asked, “Such as?”

“Why, take myself. I have the ability to influence the elements and heal the sick and wounded.

Astounded, Sir Roland said, “I see, well that may go a long way to appease the Kings, but I fear not the populace, they will still fear you.”

Gwyneth frowned, she was a dragon that believed in the actual strength of dragon magic. She had experienced it first hand, dealt with it directly, and even used it to defend her loved ones. Now as she looked at the Knight, an idea came to her. It was enormous, and so startlingly brilliant, it made her big heart actually stop its thumping for a moment. “Sir Knight, I know how we can make this right.”

“We! What do you mean by we?”

“You, Sir Knight, will fulfill you Kings quest by coming with me and showing the populace and the Kings that dragons and dragon magic is real and can help the world.” So determined was she about demonstrating to everyone the benefits of her magic she and Sir Roland set out that very day to prove the existence of dragon power.

Together, the dragon and knight embarked on a voyage to spread her enchantment around the world. She flew across the landscape, stopping at cities and communities while showcasing her amazing prowess. With a single brush of a claw, she healed a young child of sickness and conjured rain to irrigate fields. She also used wind gusts to put out wildfires. The populace was astounded, and many started to accept that dragon power existed. They perceived Gwyneth's abilities as a blessing from the gods and proof that the universe was larger than they had ever envisioned.

But not everybody was persuaded. Gwyneth was perceived as a menace by some Kings, a ferocious beast with the power to wreak havoc if she so chose. Other Kings coveted her gifts and resented how she shared her gifts with everyone, they desperately wanted her magic for themselves. Often she and Sir Roland had to defend against attacks by ruffians in the employ of Kings who wished to steal Gwyneth’s power or kill her to stop her from spreading the knowledge that dragons' magic was not something to be feared but rather to be honored and cherished. And that the magic would live on as long as dragons like Gwyneth existed.