In the last few months Hope had learned to think quickly and act on her decisions without hesitation. Scooping down she grabbed up the dead fish and threw it under a nearby bush where she could retrieve it later. Then, lifting Prick's cape over her fiery red hair, she ran into the woods, on a path quite the opposite direction from the one Whittle had ordered her to take.

Hope had underestimated Whittle. Though in fairness, the young princess had no way of knowing that Whittle was as at home in the woods as she had been in the royal palace. Darting quickly in a zig zag fashion from tree to tree Whittle managed to stay relatively out of sight of the dragon who flew just above the treetops. This so angered the beast that in a fit of rage it blew a great blast of fire down into the woods, nearly singing the boy's backside as he leaped for cover behind a large boulder.

As Hope was busy using Prick's cape to beat out the blaze and the dragon hovered above staring into the underbrush, Whittle crept several feet to the base of a high cliff where he had noticed a small opening in the rocky surface. With some difficulty he managed to squeeze through the hole, but he was too late. The dragon's keen sight had spied the young man. With a heavy thud the beast landed in front of the cliff, causing the ground to shake under Whittle's feet. With a loud hiss the dragon drew back its head and spit a fireball through the narrow opening. Luckily for Whittle the inside of the opening was larger than the outside and higher than it was wide. Having anticipated some sort of retaliation from the dragon, Whittle had clambered upward with his back on one side of the wall and his feet on the other until the walls became too narrow for him to go any higher. The dragon's angry fire shot upward dangerously close to Whittle's body, but caused no burn.

"Not so good!" Whittle muttered under his breath, feeling both hot and uncomfortable.

Princess Hope was thinking very much the same thing as she stood some distance off, watching the dragon settle down, head on its outstretched arms, it's snake like eyes fastened on the narrow entrance. Would Whittle be deceived into thinking the dragon had tired of the game and gone away? That is if the fire it had sent into the opening hadn't done its work and destroyed the young man.

"Obstinate peasant!" Hope muttered, heartsick that she might never see the brave, gangly young man again.

Perhaps she could draw the dragon away? But no, she was not as fleet of foot as Whittle, and the only thing she would accomplish would be her own death, Hope reasoned sensibly. If she had Whittle's bow and arrows she might try and kill the beast, but she had never shot an arrow in her life, and even if she had, the bow and arrows were still on Whittle's back. She thought of Whittle's sword and wondered if the lad would try and use it. It would be a foolhardy act, for it was certain he would be snapped up before he could sink his blade into the scaly chest.

As Hope was thinking all these things a buzzing noise sounded in her ear and two small figures, one half the size of the other, flew into sight.

"Tid-Bit, I'm so glad to see you!" she whispered as the king of the fairies landed lightly on a nearby limb. "The monster has trapped that fool of a boy - and if he hasn't been killed already by the dragon's fire, he will be as soon as he steps out into the open."

"Tid-Bit and Timon hear dragon's angry bellows and fear something wrong," the sprite said, his face serious as he studied the situation. "Dragon very upset. Not leave, Tid- Bit think, until he get revenge."

"Shall I try and draw him away, Father?" young Timon asked, his voice very near to tears. It was obvious that the young prince was devoted to Whittle and wanted to do whatever he could to save his friend.

"No!" his father said firmly. "Tid-Bit will go and see what he can do. If dragon follow Tid-Bit, Timon fly in and tell young man is safe to leave."

"I will, Father," Timon said soberly.

With a burst of light Tid-Bit took to the air and flew over to the dragon. Being careful to stay far enough away to avoid being caught in the mighty jaws, or large but agile claws the pixie darted back and forth in front of the dragon.

Hope's muscles were tense with fear, but she soon realized that Tid-Bit was in no danger. For the dragon paid the little pixie not the slightest bit of attention, even when Tid-Bit, his light blazing, buzzed down dangerously close to the beast's face.

After a time Tid-Bit flew back to Hope and Timon. "No use," he said sadly with a shake of his head. "Dragon know our trick now. He not be lured away so easily."

"But we must do something, Father!" Timon insisted. "Whittle saved Timon from nasty cage, and from Avery's evil spirits."

"Now you be telling tales, Timon!" his Father scolded.

"No, Father!" Timon said in a wounded tone. "It be true!"

Hope was only half listening to the father and son. "Timon," she said thoughtfully, "Did Whittle's music really calmed Avery's evil spirits?"

"So Timon been told, though Timon not see it himself," the young lad said honestly. "Timon talking about time in airship when evil spirits try and take Timon and friends to Avery."

"Do you suppose if he played his music he might be able to put the dragon to sleep?" she asked hopefully, ignoring the last part of Timon's explanation.

"Worth a try!" the boy said with a wide grin and before either of them could stop him the young pixie had zipped away.

Tid-Bit groaned and Hope anxiously watched as the little pixie flew toward the great dragon. "It's all right, Tid-Bit," she assured. "The little prince isn't glowing. The dragon doesn't see him."

Shortly after Timon's tiny figure had darted silently past the dragon and disappeared into the opening Hope heard, for the first time, the sound of Whittle's flue.

"It is magic!" She whispered in awe. "I have never heard anything like it. Not even the best musicians in the royal court have ever produced such wonderful music!"

"Dragon listening," Tid-Bit said, watching the beast lift its head and perk its ears up in an attentive fashion.

"Clayton said that dragon's aren't fooled by magic," Hope said doubtfully.

"No magic," Tid-Bit said with confidence. "Is a gift young master has. Took much work to perfect, but no magic."

"How do you know so much about magic, Tid-Bit?" Hope asked skeptically.

"Tid-Bit tell Hope sometime," the sprite said. "Not now."

Hope had grown accustomed to having her questions ignored or go unanswered by Chester and Tid-Bit, but that didn't mean that she had learned to like it.

"Ho!" a voice called out unexpectedly. "What's going on here?"

Hope turned and saw Julian hurrying toward her, with Alanna close behind. Further back came Clayton and Chester.

"Hush!" Hope whispered fiercely, putting her finger to her lips and nodding toward the dragon. The beast, however, seemed oblivious to all but the sound of Whittle's music.

"Where's Whittle?" Julian demanded as he reached Hope's side. "I hear his music. Where is he?"

"In there, dummy!" Hope said, wishing the young boy would lower his voice. "He's trying to put the beast to sleep so he can escape."

"Why doesn't he kill the monster?" the boy asked, "Instead of putting it to sleep."

"Perhaps he plans on slaying it after he puts it to sleep, Julian," Alanna suggested gently.

"Can you be quiet, for pity sake?" Hope implored. "Do you want the dragon to know we're here?"

Julian shot Hope a resentful glance, but fell silent, watching with the others as the dragon's head bobbed up and down a few times, its eyelids closing and opening as if they were growing heavy.

"I could use a little shuteye myself!" Clayton mumbled and then yawned.

"Put your fingers in your ears," Julian suggested. "If you can't hear the music, you won't be put to sleep."

The others did as they were told and soon began to feel more alert.

"I think the dragon is asleep," Chester said after the beast had laid for several minutes without opening his eyes. Tid-Bit studied the slow rise and fall of the monster's body as it breathed and nodded his head.

"Tid-Bit go and tell Timon and young master that it be safe to leave now," the pixie said and flew toward the cliff.

"I wish he had waited a while longer," Hope fretted.

"Why?" Julian asked with scorn. "The beast is obviously asleep. Whittle can slay it easily with one stroke from his sword. It's a special sword, you know. And then we'll have the claw we need to save our village from your father's evil knights."

Hope wasn't listening to the boy, she was watching the opening, waiting for Whittle to appear. When the tall figure of a young man finally emerged her heart unexpectedly surged, and she had to force herself not to run to him.

As he paused, perhaps to let his eyes adjust to the light, Julian grew impatient.

"What are you waiting for!" he yelled at his brother. "Slay the monster, Whittle!"

In response Whittle's hand went down for his sword. But the soothing music had ceased and Julian's voice had been loud, awaking the dragon from its light sleep.

For a moment young man and dragon stood eye to eye.

Had he acted quickly Whittle could have plunged his blade into the dragon's exposed breast. But for some reason he hesitated.

Then it was too late.

The group of humans watched in stunned silence as the beast flew off with Whittle clutched tightly in its huge ugly claw.

Dragon's Claw Book One
Price $12.95  
    by Charles M. Clark
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

FROM THE BOOK STORE

Prince Adam returns home to find his father, the King, gravely ill, some say dying. Feeling unprepared for the duties of kingship, and unhappy about a proposed marriage between himself and a rather plain princess, Adam makes a plea to the Powers that be for guidance and help. Adam then falls into a deep sleep and awakes in an unfamiliar land full of sinister foes and wild men. Yet it is one of these wild men that takes Adam under his wing and teaches the young prince what it takes to be a real leader. Charles M. Clark has written this book for older children and teens, but older folks enjoy it as well. All Antelope Publishing's fantasy books are browser readable and come on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM contains TWO books. One book with music and special electronic enhancements, and one book without, for times when a quieter read is desired. For more information about browser readable e-books CLICK HERE

The Making of a King
Price $9.95  
    by Charles M. Clark
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

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