Esther Wallace

Princess Herona and the Dragon Short Story Third Place Winner of the Georgia Peach Writing Contest  Esther Wallace Dust and the thundering rumble of crumbling stone filled the air. “He’s attacking the keep!” Racing up the north tower, Princess Herona saw five-foot claws slash past the arrow niches. After devouring even the country’s wild game, the dragon was after the last of their livestock hidden in their dungeons. “Dragon!” Herona bellowed, leaping the last steps through the opening at the top. Her call brought searing flames racing overhead, singeing her ebony locks as she hastily ducked. “Dare you speak?” the dragon roared. First, tongue lapped over the balustrade, then nostrils rose into view, and then the burning yellow eyes appeared, shining with vindictiveness. Herona met that gaze without averting her own green eyes, although her body’s tremble betrayed her. “Leave our castle alone,” she offered, “and I will give you myself.” “What’s to stop me from eating you now?” “I

I was speaking with a young man the other day about how mind wiping or mentally tricking another human being in order to hide magic was completely corrupt. His theory was that it was not that terrible because of how wrong the world would be if magical people and animals simply walked around. I instantly asked the question, ‘how so’ and he gave me a look as if I had two heads. I never finished that conversation. That aside, if magic were something real, something humans and creatures could be born with, there are certain rules we know it would have to follow, rules of all nature, rules placed in the universe before the dawn of creation, because these rules stem from the character of the Creator Himself. The first rule is, No natural ability is evil : Outside of sin, which is part of free will, f someone is born with the ability to do anything, draw sing, etc. it was placed there by God, and He never makes anything bad. It is up to the person himself or herself to do