Micro-fiction: Hero Dwarf Stephen

 Hero dwarf Stephen

By Jonathan Traynor

He was trapped under the giant’s body. Eight times he’d stabbed the behemoth in the neck, but it was only when he stabbed it in the eye did it falter and fall. Now, the blows and spear wounds could no longer healed, nor the burnt hair from the dragon’s breath ever grow again.

His breaths were ragged, but he took a last look around the battlefield. He could see the bodies of so many, and the two dead dragons.

A shadow passed over him.

“My queen,” he muttered.

Her armour was tarnished by the fire of the dragon she killed. An arrow was jammed into her side, through a gap in the plate. Yet when she crouched beside him it seemed that she was not in pain.

“What is your name dwarf?”

“Stephen, Stephen StJohn.”

“I don’t think you are going to last the day Stephen.” He nodded.

“Stephen, many of your dwarven kin have died today, but thanks to you many more have lived. Your courage will be sung of in the halls of men, dwarves and elves. Your actions stopped the betrayer’s forces and they will fall, thanks to you.”

He coughed blood and spoke in a ragged whisper. His queen leaned closer to hear his words.

“Release me my queen. I would rather die by your hand than from these wounds.”

She stood, and he marvelled at the magnificence of his queen. The fierce green eyes, her red flowing hair and the power within each part of her body. She inclined her head, those eyes reaching into his soul. He nodded.

Drawing her black blade she ended his suffering.



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