THE MONSTER

With her heart in her throat, Cielle crawls back until her body is flush against the wall, putting some space between the monster and her. But no matter how hard she presses her back against the cold stone, she still feels the heat of the dragon's breath radiating to her skin.

Her head snaps to her uncle who is standing outside the cell with a sick smile curving his lips, and she notices how there are a few knights by his sides now who weren't there before. Her eyes beg for help yet he turns a blind eye toward it.

A growl breaks out of the dragon again and Cielle feels her chest tightening and breath laboring. "I— I'm no threat…" She manages to string the words together and sound convincing, hoping the creature staring at her with fire in its orbs would understand her somehow. "I do— do not mean any harm." Her voice quivers like a leaf in the storm.

The creature cocks its head to the side, assessing her. The golden flicks scattered on its black irises glow like fire flames, hypnotizing. It tries to move toward her, but the shackles let it not. The dragon stumbles back with a loud cry as if it is shocked by electricity.

Another cry wrecks through its mouth when it tries to yank its body forward again. That is when she notices how the shackles are digging deep into its skin and drawing blood. Her heart stings at the sight. Why would they hurt it like that?

"Worry not, Little Cielle. The shackles around it would stop him from causing any harm." Her uncle calls from outside the cell, "As long as it is locked by those electrifying bonds, he won't be able to move so much or breathe fire."

Breathe fire? Good god, it can really breathe fire!

The excitement that bubbles inside her cracks altogether when she processes that certain word that leaves her uncle's mouth. Electrifying bonds. They are giving it an electric shock?

One of the knights walks inside the cell and lifts her to her feet and takes her away from the dragon, but the relief that washes over her vanishes the very next moment. Because, out of the blue, he rushes inside the cell and starts to beat the creature up. The thorny whip digs into its scales every time it lands on its skin, blood oozing out. The screams that leave the dragon stab deep into her heart like blades.

"What are you doing? Stop hurting it!" Cielle screams, stumbling inside the cell and pushing the guard away from the dragon. "It did not hurt me! Why are you doing this!"

"It did not hurt you because it is unable to, not because it doesn't want you dead." Her uncle's vicious voice booms in the air. "Let the knight teach you how to tame that thing."

"No. Don't beat him up again. That's not how you— Please…"

"No, Cielle. You have to fucking tame it! It won't happen without some bloodshed." Anger sharpens the Lord's tone like the edge of a sword. "Just watch. So you can tame it without dying."

"Move back." The knight orders the creature, but the dragon only stares at him with those huge expressive eyes that glint dangerously. "I said move back you sick fuck!" A harsh smack of whip lands on its skin, pulling a scream of agony out of its mouth.

"Oh, my! Stop that please!"

Cielle's begging falls on deaf ears.

"Move back now!" The knight shouts and this time the dragon takes a step back, its limbs shaky. "Just like that! It was not so hard, was it?" The man's mouth curves in a smile of victory. "Did you see that, your highness? This is how you tame a dragon. Your sweet talking would not work for a wild thing."

Disgust seeps into Cielle, her stomach coiling. Why are these people so cruel for no reason? Did they even know what the word kind stands for?

"Now," The man starts, "We are going to make him shift." He fishes out a bottle from one of the pockets of his black slacks and sprays whatever is inside it to the dragon's face, a growl rumbles out of its chest but it is a faint one this time.

"What are you doing?!" Cielle yells, "Are you drugging him?"

"Yes, I am. If we didn't, it would have bitten your head off." The knight scoffs, spraying it again to the creature's face until it trickles down from its skin.

"Look carefully, Your Highness, this is the last time you will get help."

If getting help taming him is like this, then I don't want it.

"Shift." The words are spitted out of his mouth like it's some sort of insult. "Sift into your human form."

The dragon watches him with half-lidded eyes that look soulless, all the energy sucked out of him. Cielle feels her heart thudding painfully against her ribcage, unease dripping into her bloodstream when she anticipated what is coming next.

The wip lands on the dragon in a much harsher way this time, "SHIFT!"

The dragon doesn't budge, its cries getting fainter and fainter. Cielle feels nauseous, all the agony that these people put it through makes her skin crawl and stomach twist. She screws her eyes shut as the whip makes an impact on its skin one after another, not having the heart to watch its agony.

"Please, shift into your human form—" Cielle's voice cracks as she begs, "They won't stop until you do…"

Golden orbs flicker to her, bleary and barely open, but she finds a glint in them that was not there before. And she stupidly hopes that it will listen to her pleas.

The sound of bones breaking and harsh breathing filled the frigid air, the smell of blood and metal seeping into her nostrils and making her sick. Cielle feels her eyes burn with the threat of tears. They tortured this poor thing right in front of her and yet she wasn't able to stop them, guilt poured down on her like lava, scorching her skin.

When her gaze rolls to the ground where the dragon lay only mere seconds ago, she is met with a naked man drenched in blood. His honey skin tattered with neoumorus gashes the whip gifts. He lies there motionless, eyes closed and the expanse of his chest which is swirled by ink does not even rise and fall with the beat of his heart.

Panic closes its hands around her throat.

Cielle rushes to his side with jittery limbs, "Good god, did you just kill him!"