Lucius rode far and fast into the night. But eventually the best bred horses run out of strength - much more so for those who are little more than a tired and beaten ass. Fear was a wonderful motivator, but he was so tired. Of fear, of running, of hurting, of being out of his own skin!
The stolen bride atop his back pleaded him to continue on, yet he slowed and hoped to show without words he could no longer speak that he was unable to go on. Miraculously, she seemed to understand him for she then spoke words of a different tune, “I believe there’s a cave to the right - we can hide there.”
Thankful beyond words, Lucius adjusted his path accordingly. He had to tread carefully among the stones, but the path was relatively clear and soon they were at the cave. The lady slid off his back and Lucius plopped to the ground in sheer ecstasy. Finally, a moments rest!
The bride looked at him with her kind brown eyes and tilted her head to the side. “You’re a strange donkey, you know that?” she questioned.
Lucius couldn’t help but to snort in reply. Lady, he thought, you have no idea.
The girl’s eyes widened, and she drew in a sharp breath before questioning, “Can you… understand me?”
With a roll of his eyes, Lucius jerked his long head affirmatively. Gods above, could she just let him sleep? His answer seemed to shock the woman into silence - good - and the tired steed was nearly in that wonderful land of morpheus when a small voice asked timidly, “If I said I could help you, would you allow me to?”
Wishing he had the vocal chords to groan, Lucius made himself pay attention. It was a little hard, what with that gentle hand stroking his mane in such a loving manner. She really had nice hands, he mused, and it was the nicest attention he’d been given since having to shed his true skin. But he managed to open his eyes and stare at the woman - a clear indication for her to go on.
With a slightly sardonic smile, the stolen bride explained herself. “No doubt you found it odd that the bandits went straight for the bride as a ransom instead of taking the plunder all around, did you not?”
Well, now that she mentioned it, that was rather odd. Granted, those bandits weren’t quite touched by Minerva’s wisdom, but still…. huh. Lucius saw the girl was waiting for an answer, and so snorted his agreement. He was still too tired to so much as nod his head. He was just going to lie here long as he was able.
With a slight chuckle, the girl tousled his mane lightly before resuming her earlier calming motions. “I come from a land far to the north, conquered during Caesar's campaign. I was only a very young girl, but I can still remember the clatter of hooves and the ferocity of the legion’s might.” With a pause for a slight shudder as memories overtook her, the young woman continued. “My father allied himself with young Caesar, and through service in his army gained citizenship for our family. We then moved out here, where I met my young fiance.”
What did that have to do with anything? Lucius let out a soft whinny in confusion - she hadn’t cleared anything up! Oh how he wished for human tongue again, that he might question her properly! If only this curse was broken as easily as striking two snakes.
The young bride sensed his impatience and giggled. Then becoming still, she leaned in close and met his eye with her own mischief-filled two. “The bandits heard of our family gift,” she whispered, “given to us by the gods of old up in the north. Our true, primal gods born not of woman but of Fire and Sky. They would eat your Jove for lunch.”
Okay, Lucius figured that was enough resting. He wanted to be as far away as possible when lightning struck down. He was a pretty good follower of Apollo, but considering the god hadn’t done much for him in a long time now was probably a good time to start fleeing again. He’d just get his feet under him and then -
“I can remove your curse.”
Risen with one foot ready to turn and bolt, Lucius paused. He looked at the stolen bride - no longer a crying, wailing mess. She stood confidently, full of power and poise. If he hadn’t known better, Lucius would have sworn she was a goddess.
“I cannot regain my family’s gift without devouring magic,” the bride informed him. “Your priests have sway enough for that. If I remove your curse, it will free me of mine. Will you do me this favor, strange donkey?”
Lucius wanted to say he thought hard about this, but in all honesty the choice was fairly simple. Help himself and a damsel - it seemed an easy solution. So he nodded, ready to be a human again.
The young bride stepped closer, placing her hands gently upon the sides of his face, and breathed inwards.
Just as Lucius felt himself shifting from four legs to two, he watched in dawning horror as reptilian scales broke out upon the bride’s fair face. They spread like a fungus as her form expanded in bulges and bumps, her neck elongating as teeth sharpened and ears pointed. From her longer spine a tail emerged, and there was a mighty tearing as two great leathery wings burst forth from her broadened back.
Standing fully human as claws cradled his head, Lucius found strength in trembling limbs and ran from that cave. The bride turned monster let loose a roar that shook Olympus itself, and as he fell to the ground outside Lucius looked up to see a mighty beast take to the sky in a plume of fire.
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Notes: So the main thing that bugged me in my reading this week was the fact that in the frame story the bandits ignored all of the goods out and about on the actual day of the wedding but kidnapped a bride because "they couldn't find anything". Like, really? What kind of incompetent idiots are you? Not to mention according to the bride's version they came straight for her on a mission. So I attempted to explain that, adding in some stuff I learned in my Ancient Art of War class. We learned a lot about Julius Caesar, and I added bits of that in here. He led campaigns all the way up to Britain, and fought against the Gauls many times. He also allowed natives of the conquered lands to join the army, and if they stayed on for a certain time period they were given citizenship in Rome that extended to their families as well.
So I made the bride hail from a Gaelic tribe, though they immigrated while she was little (thus keeping in tune with the established backstory she gives). But considering the Gauls were very like Druids in their worship I decided to add in dragons. Mainly I just thought it'd be cool to have her turn into a European dragon. Rome is a bit too far south for the mountain dragons in normal medieval fantasy, so she is rare and thus the kidnapping and ransom. Also explains why Lucius has no idea what she is.
Also, to explain the abrupt change in her demeanor: when I read the story she reminded me of Helen of Troy. Helen is manipulative and allies herself to whoever will profit her most, and in the girl's incessant wailing attempts to get sympathy from the old woman the bride reminded me of that. So she's much less helpless damsel and much more powerhouse in my tale.
Bib: Cupid & Psyche by Apuleius (before 158 AD) translated by Tony Kline. Web source: Cupid & Psyche
