Sapphire Blue Dragon

Old book paper crinkled and cracked, soft boyish hands turned the pages of old legendary stories. His young mind wondered over the fields of boyhood adventures. The sheets shift beside his leg and a little blue nose creeps, tiny nostrils testing the air.

The boy reaches forward and pulls the blankets away from the little form.

“Come Tav, look at these stories with me!”

The Sapphire blue dragon, no larger than a mouse runs up the boys shoulder and curls against his neck, wide eyes staring down in wonder at the bright pictures and curly script.

“Look Tav, this is Hildo the Brave! He defeated the armies of the west with his great dragon Casto!”

Tav puffs out his tiny chest and lets out a little puff of smoke through his nostrils.

“Oh Tav, Casto was a Legendary dragon, you are a Miniscule, you could never do such great deeds!” Tav cocks his head and lets his floppy ears fall flat against his neck.

“Now look at this!” They boy exclaimed. “This is Ellana of the North! She defeated the Sea Pirates with her Snow dragon Bravado.”

Tav perks up and opens his tiny jaw letting his tongue hang out in excitement. “Calm down Tav!” The boy says. “Bravado was a Mighty dragon! She was powerful! You could never have her strength.”

Tav sucked in his tongue and stamped his tiny feet, the little claws stretching in nervousness.

“Here now, this is one is my favorite! This is Gavril the poor, he defeated the Bandits of the Forest Hardrow with his Wolf Dragon Karkil!”

Tav looks at the bright pictures of the man Gavril and his Average dragon Karkil, his wide blue eyes searched the page and decided he was too small to this great deed as well. The boy continued to talk and flip through the pages taking in every new hero with excitement and joy. Tav watched despairingly, he saw no warrior possessing any dragon of his size. He was too small, the Legendary dragons, the Mighty dragons, the Average and the Normal dragons were far beyond his tiny Miniscule size. He was just too small to do anything of importance.

The candle burned low and the boy fell to sleep. Tav sighed and grabbing the sheets between his tiny fangs pulled and jerked painstakingly slowly until the boy was completely covered up. He flopped onto his tiny bum letting out a little puff of smoke in exhaustion. Then, Spreading his spindly wings he flew over to the windowsill and watched the rain fall in heavy torrents. A Legendary dragon wheeled over head, his massive red wings creating a pulse of thunderous noise with each heavy beat. Tav let out a sad sigh, he crawled to his tiny pillow on the windowsill and holding his cookie jar pulled out a dragon crumb, munching contentedly for a moment he thought over the great deeds of greater dragons than he and tried to place himself in this world of great feats of valor! Where could such a Miniscule thing as he find a place in such a fantastic world?

“Paper Tav!” The boy, now grown into a man extended his hand with a flourish, not bothering to look up from his work.

Tav crawled across the desk and grabbing the paper desired, dragged it slowly to his masters waiting hand.

“Really Tav you are so slow!” The man jerked the paper out of the tiny jaws. Tav’s ears drooped and his Sapphire Blue color grew a single shade darker. He looked at his scales and sighed, his pretty Sapphire color was almost no more, it had nearly darkened to the point of blackness. Uselessness was a tiresome thing.

Tav watched his master scratch away at accounts and other such duties of business. The street outside was full of laughter, comings and goings but it mattered nothing to Tav’s master, he was working, he had money to make, no time for adventures. Tav crawled up onto a burnt out candle and curling into a tiny ball he feel to sleep.

He was awakened by a burst of wind from the door, the stuffy room was filled with the smells of the busy street. Tav curled his tail around the candle stick and turned his head to the side wondering at the figure that had just entered the shop. A man with the garb of a peasant and the eyes of a hero strode up to the desk and standing with the boldest of postures smiled brightly.

“Are you here to settle you debts Bard?”

“I am indeed!” The Bard dropped a pouch of coins onto the desk.

“Good.” The Master emptied the bag before him and counted out the coins. “You have a half shekel more than what was required, I shall get you some change.” The master moved to his cash box grumbling.

The Bard glanced at the candle stick and smiled at Tav, the smile was soft and caring, it filled Tav with warmth and his scales lightened ever so slightly. The Bard furrowed his brow, leaning forward he brushed his thumb along the back of Tav’s tiny scaled head. Tav’s scales lightened one more tiny shade and the slightest hint of blue could now be seen.

“Wait!” The Bard spoke quickly. “Could I take the Miniscule instead of the change?”

The Master looked surprised. “You want the useless beast?”

“Yes!”

The Master furrowed his brow, then smiled wickedly. “For five silver coins more!”

The Bard hesitated. He looked at Tav once more. Tav saw hesitation in the eyes and his color dropped three shades, blackening further than it ever had before. He dropped his head and let a single tear roll down his cheek.

He did not hear the jingle of silver coins or see the smug satisfaction of the master, but he did feel the warm hands of the bard as he took the tiny dragon and dropped him into his coat pocket.

Tav lay there listening to the kind Bard’s strong beating heart and he fell asleep to the deep thuds.

A bard plays his lute in the center of the town square, telling stories of Legendary dragons and mighty heroes! People cheer and laugh with every new tale he spins! On his shoulder rides a Miniscule Sapphire Blue Dragon. His bright scales shinny and clear, occasionally he flies hither and thither gathering coins from the watching crowd, bringing them back to the kind hearted Bard’s wife and baby, the woman uses her thumb and gives Tav a soft scratch behind his perky ears. Finally, a purpose as small and as important as he is!