Day of the Dragon Rider

 

Day of the Dragon Riders        Destiny of the Dragon Rider Will soon bring back the dayFilling the skies with her fiery breathRider and dragon, their destiny foundAll that is evil will find their death Princess Malondra meanders Through the winding hallsOf Castle DarkListening to the echoesHaunting her in the dark Once it was a peaceful palaceKnown as Castle BlairShe alone is all that’s left aliveOf the long lineage of Blair No one else could survive Her father King ArmaissDied at the hands Of the Dark Prince’s swordQueen Helena’s hand he cravedAnd he would be her lord Her refusal sent him into a rageAnd he stoked the fire blazing hot Her mother burned at the stake In the court yard belowHer grandmother’s heart did brake  Grandmother’s heart failedAs she watched her daughter burn Leaving six year old Malondra … andBrother Zander, her twinZander sold as slave far across the sand   Her older brother BradenWas beheaded before her eyesHis blood splattered on her dressAnd then seeped into the groundHer screams she could not suppress  Dark Prince glared, his eyes burning into hersShe had her mother’s smile … and Lust burned in his eyesHis spinney fingers held her face As he noted her sparkling blue eyes You will grow my dear, he saidSoon you'll be in full bloom of womanhoodAnd you will be my captive and sit here by my sideHis evil laugh made her cryAll she could do was run and hide her world had gone awry Dark Prince had claimed her As his princess brideHe’d turn her pure heart blackOn the day she comes of ageOr his whip he’d crack Days turned into months … andMonths turned into yearsOne more month and she’d be his wifeTo ravage and destroyAnd take what was left of her haunted life Malondra walks aloneOut on the tower ledgePraying that her foot might slipFreeing her from his evil touchSo many times she had prayed to trip Still, she knows it’s wrongShe is the last of the Blair’s bloodlineMalondra will silently endureLonging for brother ZandarIn this nightmare so obscure She knew that he must be deadWhen Dark Prince told her of his fateThe evil Prince relished in her tearsWord had been deliveredZander died in his early years Malondra will live out her daysWrithing in her pain of lossShadows filled her soulDeliverance will only comeWith a Rider from days of ole Malondra’s fate is setIn the evil arms of the Dark PrinceHeld prisoner in her beloved home Her only solace in her existenceWas the bird she called Jerome Jerome perched on her fingerAnd listened when she criedNever told her she was wrongHe always flew by her side ... And Lifted his gilded voice singing loud and long Until the day Dark Prince heard his songAnd sent out Demon his evil catTo devour her precious JeromeDemon pounced upon the singing birdFeathers is all that was left of songbird Jerome Sweet Malondra's tears fell like rainNothing left to sooth her aching heartShe knew she should have sent Jerome far awaySinging to another princess somewhereInstead of the demon cat's dinner this day Once she sat at evening tideIn the twilight’s afterglowSitting on her grandmother’s kneeAs Grandmother whispered stories of oldWhile she watched the barges on the sea She barely remembers the light of Castle BlairAnd her carefree childhood daysOr the happiness she felt insideWhen her mother tucked her into bedNo dreams since then of being a happy bride Try as she may to rememberOnly heartache in this placeOnce a glorious palaceBut now it is dark and dankAnd all eyes look on with malice Darkness fills her lonely heartAs sinister shadows fallNo love surrounding her, only griefFills her aching heartAll love stolen by the sinister evil thief Malondra the beautifulCrown Princess of the realmAll she has is dark dreamsIn the midnight hourOf the Dark Prince and his evil schemes Oh the days of the Dragon RidersWhen dragons filled the sky aboveOnly a fading memory of days gone byI long for them to come againShe whispers with a sigh Dragon Riders once roamed the skiesFlying sleek and fast on dragons bold They filled the sky’s night airTheir stories prophets still tellAnd singing Minstrels sang with flair  It was two evil dragonsHatched from their tainted eggsThey swooped through the countrysideBreathing fire on their kinWhen their flight ended all Riders had died As each Rider burned another dragon fellAll hope then was vanquished And now they are no moreTheir blood cries out from the groundNow ends the Dragon Riders lore Once the sun ruled the skyBut now dark clouds fill the airArmies of Light fought hard to no availDarkness blotted out the blazing sunMarring her beauty pale Malondra dreams of a Rider by nightHer unceasing prayers heard each dayGrandmother Darlama told her the wondrous taleOf how Riders and their dragons flew guardThrough mountains, valleys and in the vale They perched by day on the cliffsSurrounding Castle BlairShe listened to the tale upon her grandmother's kneeAs each mystical story filled her brainShe now asked the gods to grant a final decree Malondra saw it unfold within her mindAll the mysteries of the vast unknownAnd she put it to memory thereLocked safely away for all time … AndNightly her prayers drift up from Castle Blair She dared not utter her prayers aloudFor fear of the Dark Prince’s rageSo silently, so silently she used her inner voiceShe prayed for the return of the Dragon RidersAnd for that day she would rejoice They would be for her protection And for all those she loved Flying over the sea into her mystic realmIn her dreams she sees Great Poseidon standing at the helm She calls out to the godsWith one final heartfelt prayer To bring back the Riders’ dayTo save her from the Dark PrinceThen hung her head in dismay There wasn’t enough timeHer wedding approached on the month's marrowMalondra fled to her balcony in tearsHer upcoming nuptialsAnd all she feared throughout the years She felt the constant pain that Loomed heavy on her heartFor she knew so wellThe dark heart of the PrinceWould burn her heart in his evil spell Yes it would burn … and thenEnter her soul and turn her as evilAs all the wickedness she abhor She would no longer beHerself anymore The princess of light consumed in the ashWith a dark heart beating coldly in her chest Her memories all gone, completely wiped awayNo whispered prayers coming from her lipsAll her people she would betray Malondra’s heart cried out in painShe uttered one final prayerAnd it floated high on the windFar into the sky past all the dark cloudsBack to the gods where all things transcend Her prayer was heard on Mount Olympus   Lord Zeus raised his thunderbolt to the skyMalondra heard a loud voice as thunder roaredDragon awaken call your Rider to your sideObey my voice I am Zeus your lord Time of the Dragon Rider has come full circle roundBless this land with your Rider’s heartComplete yourself with your dragon strongAnd forever end the Dark Prince’s reignFree my people and right all that’s wrong In the stillness of night An egg of golden embers glowIts fiery cinders sent down to the earth below By the god of fire, days of the dragon will ruleRider, feel your dragon’s heart aglow Your dragon has waited a thousand years for this day For you its rider to finally come of ageYou’ll find her buried in the darkest cave Safe from the Shape Shifter’s swordDeep in her chest beats a bold heart that’s brave She’s now small and vulnerable But that will soon changeHer strength will be the forceThat will carry you on this questYou’ll defeat evil if you always stay the course She’ll hatch and grow in the space of a monthShe’ll learn to fly sleek and fast … AndShe’ll destroy evil with her fiery breathWith her help you will succeedAnd the evil Dark Prince will find his death She’ll fly through the air burning her mark Wherever she goes you her rider will hold her reignsGuiding her on this quest to free princess fairFrom Castle Dark and bring back her youthful smileThis I decree because of Malondra’s prayer Christian the bold hunts by night in darkest wood Straight arrows flashing through the airFinding the heart of his preyNot fearing the Dark Prince’s rageThe bravest of lads to his mother’s dismay His mother Alaina kept him safe through the yearsGuarding his identity keeping secret his father’s name She had suffered starvation from the day of his birthBut his Riders heart has finally emergedAnd now he takes good aim without girth  By the light of the moon Christian takes home his prizeStarvation, no longer a word is his vocabularyHis hunting skills are finely attunedIn sync with darkest nightHis eyes blaze under the yellow moon Like fiery embers burning in the nightChristian’s heart beats as one with the glowing eggTime has come for the Rider and dragon to uniteTaking their place as defenders of the realmAnd dragon’s hot breath will soon ignite Christian is drawn through the darkest woodTo the cave’s in the Forest Black He feels the pull of his dragon’s heart at his flankAnd stumbling on he finds his wayTo the cave so dark and dank Although he knows not whyHe follows the glowing beacon … AsHis Rider’s heart urges him onwardHe crouches low in the shadowsLike on a hunt following the herd  Finally he’s standing in front of the caveChristian’s Rider’s heart beats in his chestWith jagged breath he ventures insideFollowing the golden glow of the eggWith swift feet he walks with pride Christian observes the glowing egg It throbs beneath his touch Young dragon hatches and hearts beat as oneChristian’s young and still unsureHis father’s ghost whispers, It’s time my son Christian knows the dragon talesFrom the stories in his youthHe now remembers his mother’s declarationThat he was his father’s son and heirAnd one day he would cleave to his life’s station You are destined for great things my sonHis father’s voice spoke from the graveChristian now understood, he’s a Dragon Rider of the dawnBrave and true his father’s ghost spoke to his mind“My son, with your brave Rider’s heart you’ll now carry on” Spirit of the Dragon Rider whispered to his soulYoung Christian, young dragon together in the caveIn the space of month you’ll both remainWhile your infant dragon grows sleek and strongFeed and care for her and don’t let my death be in vain Young dragon soon ventures out of the safety of the caveA new world to explore and taste along the wayTogether they romp through meadows greenSmelling the wild flowers and playing in the spring rainYoung Christian feasts on berries and venison a fine cuisine  Young dragon eats his fill of rodents in the caveThen dines on squirrels, rabbits and anything that movesShe swallows them whole in the blink of an eyeStoring up food that will make her grow strongAnd be the dragon brave and bold, on her his Rider will rely In one swift moment her wings take flightNow her metamorphosis begins in midairShe streaks through the sky, a beautiful sightWith lightning speed her dragon heart beats fastChristian holds his Rider’s breath, as he gazes with delight Christian views her transformationNo longer the infant from the egg She’ll be a giant of the sky swift and renownedShe swoops down to the earth with wings outspreadLanding at Christian’s feet with earthquake sound Shaking the ground under his feetHer silent voice speaks from her mind to hisMy name is Andromeda and I’ve waited so longDeep in the cave a thousand years I’ve waited for youOur destiny is to right all that is wrong Now I’m your dragon and you my Rider boldClimb upon my back and together we’ll soarThroughout the endless sky in defense of the realmWe'll destroy the ship of the Dark PrinceAs his dark heart stands at the helm We’ll avenge all the Dragon Riders who came beforeLucifer fear my fiery breath, we take back Castle BlairChristian’s young eyes saw the skies open wideAs flashes of lightning streaked across the skyA miracle occurred and it couldn’t be denied Zeus called down thunder, lightning exploded in the airThunderbolt in his right hand and fire from his fingertipsLightning and thunder’s deafening cracksRips open the night sky in the blink of an eyeTorrents of rain pelt the ground below as Zeus rears back  Great Zeus let loose with a single mighty thrustSending a searing fire to earth to make his markOn this Dragon Rider’s heart and the blinding lightFills young Christian’s eyes and in a single moment of painScales fell from his childlike eyes revealing a Rider’s sight Christian felt the burn as lightning flashed From Zeus’s right hand burning the Rider’s markDeep into his chest over his righteous heart within A blazing heart above his now beats with truth and rightHe hears it thumping hard against his skin With the mark of the Rider Christian’s destiny is knownHe and his dragon now will make things right They will free the kingdom and all that is therein   And win back the throne for the Princess of the realmChristian on Andromeda will rid the world of Evil’s sin Christian the Rider is one with his dragon Andromeda will forever be one with her RiderNow the Dark Prince’s plot is no longer unknownChristian takes his place upon Andromeda’s backShe spread her wings, now they take back the throne Into the night sky dragon and her Rider flewChristian looked down and beheld Castle Dark below Malondra’s beauty glowed within his eyes so boldChristian beheld her beautiful face from high in the skyMalondra the fair princess was a sight to behold High on the balcony Malondra stood gazing at the starsShe gasps as she saw the dragon’s form take shapeIts silhouette outlined against the full yellow moonHer pure heart filled with joy as she stood so very stillHer prayers had been answered on this clear night in June Andromeda swooped low as Christian’s hand brushed her cheekShe is my destiny my everything and my reason for beingAndromeda heard his silent voice speak to her mind’s earHe told of a love that was ordained from the beginning of timeMy Rider, the princess holds your heart now she’s nothing to fear Out of the darkness the Dark Prince appearedAnd covered her with his cloak pulling her nearHe would never release her and would fight to the deathTo retain his dark realm and his princess fair … ButAndromeda will consume his wickedness with her fiery breath  He lowered the drawbridge rode his evil steed into the night Now clothed in battle armor and prepared for warChristian’s inner voice spoke and Andromeda swooped lowWith one blast of her fiery breath the drawbridge was in flamesAnother fiery blast and she torched the earth below Battle lines now drawn Dark Prince called out his worst Then out of the darkness the Shape Shifters rode in on black steedsOne moment they were men and in the next lions held the reinsGnashing teeth could be seen and their tails a serpents headIn one hand they held fiery swords and in the other were binding chains Soon the armies of light joined the fight to the deathMarching in rank they came from the north and the southWord of the Dragon Rider had spread throughout the landRiding fast, more came from the east and from the westMountains high and valleys low and far across the sand From forest hideaways and farms they marched without fearCarrying pitchforks and axes shovels and spears Face to face with the beasts calling out the Dark Prince’s nameLucifer, the day of the Dragon Rider has returnedYour days are numbered, now comes the end of your evil game Swords now drawn flashing in the noon day sunA blast from the breath of Zeus dark clouds separatedThe gleaming sun shined through, blinding their evil foeThe battle raged on, but soon the Victor the spoilEvil’s army doomed to defeat as Andromeda swooped low A fight to the death Christian’s inner voice spoke once moreAndromeda’s flame destroyed the army of lions in a single blastGomez the Shape Shifter lord invoked his shifting powerChanging his form growing taller than mountains … AndDagger like spines emerged from his back in the last hour His head transformed with the evilest of looks … AndHis spear like teeth glistened in the afternoon sunThe furnace within him came out with his breathYoung Christian’s eyes beheld this horrible sight … AndHe and Andromeda knew it would be a fight to the death Christian drew his sword Andromeda roaredHer furnace burned, fueled by the purest of heartsFire filled her nostrils as she and her Rider took flightGomez suddenly grew wings, an evil dragon he becameExposed now the blackest of hearts, a real fearsome sight Nothing more evil had ever drawn breath in the Lucifer’s hordesGomez the dark dragon flapped his evil wings and took flight Dark Prince glared into the sky from the groundMore Shape Shifters arrived from the north in full serpent formAnd from their forked tongues screeched the most horrible sound They were the scourge of the Dark RealmMarching to do battle with the armies of Light Their evil hearts burned with the hatred for all of mankindThe sinister Dark Prince had trained them well in all things evilWithin their evil eyes they had the power to strike a man blind These serpents held off the armies of Light, giving Gomez timeIn a single brief moment, Gomez flew high in the skyEvil, ready to bring an untimely end to the first Dragon RiderInvisible to the naked eye Gomez blew his fiery breathFour barbs on his chest contained venom like a Spider Andromeda had a few tricks of her own and she sucked in the airAnd she too did grow larger much larger than GomezAndromeda’s fiery breath blew hot sealing Evil’s fateA fatal error, Gomez didn’t note Christian’s all seeing eyeChristian’s Rider’s eyes saw through Gomez’s invisible state  By Christian’s guidance Andromeda swooped in fastChristian drew his virtuous sword and grazed Gomez's black heartAndromeda sucked in air and she blew her fiery breathHer breath burned hot nearly melting his evil heart Rendering Gomez on the verge of death One final burst of strength, Evil dragon retaliates He’s pushed back again and again By Christian’s righteous swift swordSword finds its mark plunged deep into his black heartAnd he explodes in the air, gone now the dark lord Falling in pieces to the groundAndromeda roars as she swoops lowLast of the evil army burned in her flameChristian and Andromeda victors of the dayDark Prince only has himself to blame With her dragon clawsAndromeda grasps him up out of the landShe flies to darkest sea looks down beneath a waveChristian’s inner voice speaksDrop him to his watery grave Good Poseidon, god of the sea imprisons the Dark PrinceAnd stands ready to lock the gateBeneath the swelling waves for one thousand yearsHe’ll pace inside his cage awaiting another dayFrom his dark prison he hears all the applauding cheers Lucifer bellows from his watery graveHe curses the Rider and his dragon boldHe swore to return with all his rageHissing and spitting calling Christian's nameMy day will come it's foretold by the Sage When Dragon Riders are no moreAnd darkness again reigns supremeI’ll come back to Castle BlairAnd take back the realm and all I surveyAgain I’ll claim my bride your daughter fair With a swift thrust of his swordChristian bolts Lucifer's prison doorYou'll never be released from this cageYou aren't the only one Who has heard the words of the Sage Christian speaks to Andromeda's mindCarry me to Malondra and Castle BlairThis day your Rider will ask for her handA happy bride she'll be on her wedding dayAnd together we'll reign in this war torn land Princess Malondra whispers his nameChristian you are now my kingTogether we’ll walk down the aisleJoining our hearts as oneAndromeda couldn’t help but smile Christian laid his lovely brideUpon their marriage bedTo consummate their love at lastFireworks explode in the night sky asAndromeda’s fiery breath erupts flying strong and fast One short year later in the realmKing Christian sits on his throneHe calls Andromeda to his side From the mountain where she’s standing guardHe calls for more fireworks as the constellations collide Andromeda stands before the throneWith his silent voice Christian speaksFrom his mind to hers the first dragon in the landAnother egg awaits to hatch another Rider has just been bornYour numbers will soon be complete, now go at my command The great god Zeus has declared this hatchling is a maleSo soon Andromeda you’ll have a mateAnd many more dragons will fill the night skiesThe day of the Dragon Rider has only just begunAnd the realm had found its prize Dragons will live forever in this war torn landFighting for right and justice and their fellowmanBecause within the heart of each dragon beats a Rider trueI draw my righteous sword and declare this very dayYou’re the Queen of the dragons, this title I now bestow on you Fly high my Dragon Queen Royalty now graces your nameQueen Andromeda, take your place in the starsYou'll live in the heavens for centuries to comeStand proud Dragon Queen and display your battle scars Day of the Dragon Rider lives longer than a dayThroughout the millenniums, generations will know your nameYou're Queen Andromeda the greatest dragon in the realmMinstrels everywhere will sing their songs about youYou're this Captain's ship I'm proud to stand at your helm Andromeda! Andromeda! AndromedaDragon Queen of the realmOur destinies collideI’m your rider ... AndSoon another dragon will fight by your side By  Nancy Lee Shrader © 2009 Nancy Lee Shrader (All rights reserved)

 

Reviews

[Rick Puetter]

Dear Nancy Lee,

Wonderful poem and epic story. Congratulations for taking first prize for best poem in Albert's "DESTINY" contest. A well deserved award.

Best regards,

Rick

[angelina neves]

Lovely! interesting story!

[Frances O'Neill]

A very enchanting and exciting tale!

[LeLe]

All I can say about this piece is WOW WOW WOW FANTASTIC!!!

[beefjerky]

all i can say is one word... WOW! this poem is great!

[Moribund Bunny]

This is an amazing illistration of the fight between good and evil. One of my favorites.

[Lizanne]

Greatly enjoyed. You do an amazing job of writing.