The Blue Mage Raised by Dragons

Book 3: Chapter 5

Alice frowned at the little meatball girl that was lying down across her lap. She pursed her lips as she brushed the sleeping girls hair back behind her ear. Its like someone wanted her to be eaten by wild beasts. Who would let a child wander around looking like this if that werent the case?

Didnt your father say he dressed you up as a baby griffin? Mr. Skelly asked. I dont see how its any different. Perhaps this girl really likes meat. He laughed as he leaned forward and lifted a raw slab of thinly cut meat off the girls arm. He put it into his mouth, and it passed through the bottom of his jaw, dropping to the ground. Tastes like salt and pepper.

You can taste things? Alice asked, raising her eyebrow. Did that mean skeletons really could feel pain? What if she was torturing Mr. Skelly every time she punted his head off? She swiped her finger across the girls back and licked the sauce. It was salty with hints of spice. Seriously?

Mr. Skelly chuckled. Im just kidding you, he said as he waved his finger underneath Alices nose. There was so much salt and pepper left behind on my fingers. It was easy to tell what itd taste like.

Alice glared at the skeleton, but before she could say anything, a rustling sound caught her attention. Mr. Skelly grabbed the meatball girl as Alice took out her shield and turned it into a tower shield. Two women came into view, wearing clothes made of woven grass. Their eyes lit up upon seeing the meatball girl and Alice. One of them smiled and approached Alice. Are you two the new sacrifices?

Alice shifted her shield to the side. The new what?

The woman didnt answer as she stepped even closer. Honey, salt, and pepper, she said, staring at the little meatball girl. It seems like she came from Hornet Village. And only Sterben Village would adorn their sacrifices with human skeletons. But it seems like the dragons already ate all the meat on it? Thats odd; they usually never do. The woman stepped around Alice and reached out to grab the little meatball girl. Poor girl. Shes so young too. I wonder what her elders told her.

As the womans arms wrapped around the little meatball girl, Mr. Skelly grabbed onto the womans wrist. She screamed and jerked back, falling onto her butt. She scrambled backwards on the ground like a crab, but Mr. Skelly didnt let go, letting himself get dragged along while cackling. The womans shrieks filled the air, and her companion ran away while screaming her head off. A moment later, Alices shield slammed down onto Mr. Skellys spine with a loud cracking sound, pinning him to the ground. Stop with the skeleton shenanigans!

Mr. Skellys cackling stopped as he sighed. But terrifying people is one of the only ways to enjoy life as a skeleton, you know? You cant taste things; you cant smell things; and you cant even feel things. If I dont terrify people, whats the point of living?

Youre not living, Alice said with a snort. Do some good for the world. Instead of creating terrified faces, try making people smile. Sheesh, look at how badly you frightened the poor woman. She crouched down and pried Mr. Skellys fingers off the womans wrist. Are you alright? Hes a skeleton, but hes just a big doofus; he wont hurt you.

I-its a moving skeleton! I-it talks!

Alice sighed and pursed her lips. Thats right. Its a talking skeleton. You can think of it as my familiar, she said as she helped the frightened woman to her feet. My name is Alice. Who are you? What was that bit about sacrifice to the dragons?

The woman stared at Mr. Skelly, who waved back at her, before averting her gaze while swallowing her saliva. Youre not a sacrifice?

Alice shook her head. No. Are people regularly sacrificed to dragons around here?

The womans head bobbed up and down. Yes, but the dragons dont actually eat the sacrifices. They said we taste bad. The woman shook her head once and took in a deep breath. Every time a new sacrifice is offered up, the dragons would leave her alone, and wed pick her up to bring back to the village.

Back to the village the sacrifice came from? Alice asked, raising an eyebrow. She lifted the little meatball girl, who was still unconscious, and frowned. Wouldnt that ruin the villages purpose of sacrificing someone in the first place?

No, no, the woman said. We bring her to Sacrifice Village. We live in a little valley to the south. If we try to go back home, wed be sent back here with more sacrifices to appease the dragons that we escaped from even though the dragons dont care. If we try to enter a different village, the same thing happens. She shrugged. Thats why Sacrifice Village was established. We have several hundred women living there.

And all of you were sacrifices, Alice said, her expression blank.

Yes.

Youd think people would learn, Mr. Skelly said, scratching his head. Why do villages offer sacrifices? Is it like a protection fee? The dragons threaten you to pay or something along those lines?

No, the woman said, shaking her head. Dragons possess great amounts of mana. As long as they are happy, the mana that passively radiates out of them is filled with abundance and life. The crops grow well, and the sky is full of rain. But if the dragons are sad or angry, the crops wither as drought plagues the land. And with the constantly raising taxes, the villages need more and more crops to survive.

Alice turned her head towards Mr. Skelly. Is that true?

Mr. Skelly shrugged. Im not an expert on dragons. But even if its not true, it makes sense. If villages are short on food, they can sacrifice people to have less mouths to feed. Brilliant.

Thats not something you should be praising, Alice said with a snort. I dont like the ruler of this land alreadyraising taxes so much that people are being offered to dragons? I wonder if Vur will overthrow them if I asked him to.

Why not do it yourself? Mr. Skelly asked. Are you forgetting who your husband is? Im a great commander.

But you dont have your army, Alice said.

Then we can just make one. Mr. Skelly wrapped his arm around Alices shoulder. Rally the people around you. Become a leader for the peasants to follow. Engage in warfare and overthrow the evil king. Lets do it. Itll be fun. Didnt you say you enjoyed your time at war with me?

Alice bit her lower lip. I did, but

Mr. Skelly slapped Alices back. Its decided then! Lets start a war.

The woman stared at Mr. Skelly and Alice as if they were crazy.