Dragon Valley part 1

.................Part1: The Forest Interrogating...........1

As she walked along the narrow path that led through the forest, she was already regretting what she did.  She never imagined that something like that could happen to her. She was still hysterically crying.2

“Do you realize that you are convicted in committing three crimes?” the Judge asked. “Do you admit your guilt?”3

“No,” she said slowly and added, “your honor.”4

“And I suppose that you will admit your decision on suspending the advocate?” he asked.5

“Yes, I will your honor,” she pushed out of her throat. She already knew that she would be convicted guilty in every single crime they could relate to her. 6

As the judge talked, Joanna looked at the mark on her right palm – a beautiful red dragon with spread wings. She moved her long thin fingers over it and thought in her mind, “If I don’t get any punishment I promise that I will go anywhere… even to the Dragon Valley. I swear! It’s a word.”7

“…not guilty…” the judge said.8

“What?” exclaimed Joanna, her mouth flipped open.9

“Any problems Miss?” the judge asked and his eyes sparkled with a mean light. Joanna shook her head and the judge continued, “The verdict on the first crime, which is breaking into a shop and rubbing it, is not guilty as you were in need of this money. The verdict on the second crime, which is threatening the owners of the shop, is not guilty due to no harm caused to the owners. The verdict on the third crime, which is causing harm to the royal police, is not guilty as you were in the state of self-defense… Is it clear?”10

“Yes, you honor,” whispered Joanna when the truth was that nothing was clear to her.11

Everybody stood up and the judge left. Joanna was standing in the same place and looking at the chair where a minute ago the judge was sitting. She could have stood there for hours if not a voice from behind her, “Excuse me, young lady.”12

Joanna looked back and saw a handsome tall thirty-year-old man seriously looking at her. His black hair that lay over his shoulders was darker than the night; his blue eyes were as deep as an ocean; a scar was vertically crossing the flesh over and under his left eye. He was wearing a tight, black leather cloak with a hood over his head. A huge sword was seen from behind his body. 13

“Would you please come with me?” he asked.14

“Huh? Yes… sure,” mumbled Joanna. She did not expect to meet anyone like him in her life and she did not expect anyone like him to talk to her either. She followed him out of the arbitress and into a small tavern on the edge of the city. 15

They sat in a dark corner and the man said, “I am Marin… StrongSword.”16

“StrongSword? Never heard of it,” jeered Joanna.17

“Um… This is because…”18

“What do you want?” asked Joanna. Marin looked at her with surprise and she added, “You brought me here for some reason, didn’t you? So what do you want?”19

“Alright…” he started. “Do you know why you were not guilty in all the crimes you actually committed?” Joanna raised her eyebrows and Marin said, “I heard you when you gave your words that if…”20

“You read my mind!” Joanna asked in anger. “That is a crime!”21

“And I made the judge…”22

“This is illegal too!” Joanna said and stood up. She was furiously looking at Marin. She was not concerned about the way Marin tricked the judge’s mind… She was furious about the fact that Marin read her mind. This was an insult to her dignity.23

“Listen…”24

“We have nothing to talk about!” Joanna raised her voice and stood up. “Thank you for the help that I didn’t need!” And she walked out of the tavern. 25

She had nothing to do in that city… and besides, everybody knew that she got away with her crime. She walked along the trap that led to the forest. She wanted to get to another city and try to steel something there. 26

Once she entered the forest, she heard someone saying, “But you have given a word!”27

She stopped and said sharply, “Buzz off!”28

“But you promised,” Marin said and walked past her. He stood in front of her and looked into her eyes, “Listen… I am sorry that I read your mind. I am… really.”29

Joanna could not resist his beautiful manly eyes and said, “Um… Alright.”30

“Thank God!” the man said. “You have promised that you will go to the Dragon Valley…”31

“I did not mean it,” said Joanna.32

“Do you know what does the word you gave mean?!”33

“Don’t you dare question me about what I know and what I don’t about my kind!” yelled Joanna in anger. 34

“Then you do know what it means,” he insisted. “So you are going to the Dragon Valley.”35

“This is none of your business! Now step aside! I want to pass.” She pushed him aside and walked looking up and showing all her anger.36

“RedDragon?” he whispered and Joanna froze in her place. 37

She slowly looked back and a sign of fear was clearly seen on her face. Her heart was beating faster than ever. “Who are you?” she whispered with precaution.38

“I am Marin BlueHeart,” he said.39

“BlueHeart?” repeated Joanna with the fear rising in her eyes. “What do you want?”40

“I just want you to come with me to the Dragon Valley,” he explained.41

“And why would a BlueHeart care about the Dragon Valley?” Joanna asked suspiciously. The BlueHearts were famous for their violence. Their men were strong swordsmen and brilliantly owned some certain magical skills.  Their women were like vessels that owned many skills but couldn’t use them but could only pass them to their sons. They were known as the vigorous thieves and killers.42

“Don’t worry; I am not like the other BlueHearts. I intended, and still intend, to use my power to protect what is good.”43

“Then go and protect it by yourself. Leave me alone,” Joanna said and tried to pretend to be confident. 44

“I need a powerful magician,” Marin insisted.45

“I am no magician!” Joanna lost control upon her emotions. “I am just a burglar.”46

“RedDragons are magicians if I am not wrong… and I am never wrong,” Marin said with a strange smile growing on his face.47

“I said I am not a RedDragon! I am just a... Go find someone else!” Joanna hesitated and walked backwards. She stopped when she could go no further because a tree blocked her way.48

“Then if you are not a RedDragon I’ll have to get rid of you,” Marin said and pulled his sword from behind. Joanna’s knees bent – the sword was black, huge and emitted purple-black colour. It was strange how Marin could hold it with only one hand. He waved it above his head and pointed it to the ground. “It is a loss to kill you…” He started walking towards Joanna who was pressed to the tree’s trunk. 49

He was very close. He raised the sword and… Joanna gathered all the courage she had in her heart and fell onto her knees. She stretched one leg and hit Marin’s foot as heard as she could. He lost his balance and fell on the back. The sword flew away from his hand. Without losing a moment, Joanna jumped over him, grabbed the knife from her back-pocket and pressed it against Marin’s throat.50

“Without magic, huh?” jeered Marin while motionlessly lying under Joanna. “Very clever.”51

“You don’t seem to be a BlueHeart,” said Joanna, breathing with difficulty. Her knife was still presses to Marin’s throat but she had no more courage… to kill him.52

“You are no burglar,” Marin smiled and added, “and you are no killer either.”53

He pushed her away and rolled over her. He managed to take the knife out of Joanna’s hand and point it to her heart. Joanna closed her eyes in preparation to feel the pain of the knife that would enter her chest… 54

“You are a RedDragon, aren’t you?!” demanded Marin. 55

“Just kill me,” whispered Joanna.56

Bu instead she felt Marin’s weight taking off her body. She opened her eyes and saw him holding out his hand to help her up. Joanna hesitated but stood up. Marin smiled and stretched the knife to Joanna. She took it with precaution.57

“Very adamant,” he remarked and grabbed the sword from the ground. He fixed it at his back and said, “Listen… I’ll tell you everything and then you can decide if you can tell me that you are a RedDragon or just go away.” Joanna was not as strong as Marin was and she could not resist so she nodded. “I want to go to the Dragon Valley. I heard a lot about that place… I went there but it seemed that my sword was useless. I need magic. Magic that I don’t own. So I was looking for someone who would agree to go to the Dragon Valley with me… and not anyone… a magician…”58

“Then I cannot help you,” Joanna said.59

“I understand why you are keeping your real self in secret. I know that the royal knights are exterminating your kind and that there is a prize for your head… but I am not one of them. I need your help.”60

“I can’t help you,” said Joanna.61

“Damn it! How am I supposed to prove it to you?!”62

“I am not the one you are looking for,” Joanna insisted.63

“Well then… farewell,” Marin said and walked away.64

Once his figure disappeared from Joanna’s sight she fell on her knees and started crying. She was used to encounter many strange people but she never got to meet a BlueHeart…65