The White

My hands slid along the creamy clay, smoothing the surface of a resting wing. A slight tingle in the web gently seized my attention… and then a soft knock. It occurred to me that maybe I had inadvertently set a tool to rocking on my worktable creating the soft tapping. I knew I would not be able to return to my work until I had checked the door so I did so. I was stunned silent when I opened the door and the words “Any ghosts out here?” froze in my throat. Standing there in the dim light and backlit by fog was a thin figure in a long white hooded robe. Large pupils, enlarged from a long journey in the night stared at me from a flawless and regal face. The red of her lips created a captivating accent against her pale and beautiful face.

I realized at once what she must have come for and my mind quickly began forming a checklist of the requirements for calling forth a Dragon for this unearthly visitor. Her gaze traveling down my chest interrupted my planning and my face flushed red hot when I realized my immodest dress at this hour. I beckoned her in and quickly grabbed for something more suitable to wear in the company of an elegant lady. She spoke not a word as I prepared but followed my actions with her eyes. I poured her hot tea and offered it to her to give her something else to focus on—hopefully freeing myself of the self consciousness of being watched by such a captivating creature. Over her cup, her eyes followed my every move and my face flushed each time she caught me hazarding a glance at her.

Finally I was ready and beckoned her out onto the huge stone that served as my backyard, alter and vantage point of the valley floor far below. The fog allowed not the slightest hint of lights from below or from the opposite cliffs. I offered her the seat on the hopeful stone which sat next to my calling stone. Both stones normally afforded a beautiful view of the valley below and I couldn’t help but to wish the fog would lift to share my view of the world with her. My nervousness subsided as I sat cross legged and began slipping into the flowing river of the web from which I could make her request for an audience with a dragon. Her spirit beside me was an enveloping warmth. I knew it wouldn’t be long before a beautiful green dragon would be drawn to her presence. As soon as my creamy call blended with the waters of life, I felt dragon wings flapping. It was as if the dragon had been waiting for this call. As I pulled slowly back to my own realm and the soft wing beats materialized into our world my eyes opened slowly. I looked into the fog over the precipice to greet the arriving creature.

Shock nearly destroyed my focus and I saw the creature’s slight reaction to my surprise take the form of the slightest midair pause before it proceeded closer. The creature had an air of amusement, no doubt at my shock at the color of her scales. The Red surely must be used to surprise when she appears. Few are said to have seen a red dragon. In this lifetime I myself had only seen her once before and that was not in this realm. I could not help but to glance at my guest. I wondered if she was aware of the honor that was being bestowed upon her. To my complete and utter surprise the woman was staring not at the incredible yet terrifying creature bearing down on us. She was staring right at me! My face flushed again as I averted my eyes quickly back to the arriving dragon. The dragon’s claws softly drifted down to the stone of the mountain. As always, I was briefly lost in the gaze of the dragon as she looked me over. Her soft familiar smile brought incredible joy to my heart. All is right with the world. The grand guardian of the dragon’s turned her attention to my guest and I fought off the impulse to break my concentration and stare at the woman. I was aware of the dragon sniffing her softly… and of the woman’s slender arm caressing the red dragon’s shiny neck scales. I redoubled my focus to allow my guest her privacy with the creature’s council.

My drifting on the heartbeat of the dragon was interrupted softly and after what seemed like a microscopic delay. The dragon was almost nose to nose with me and her thoughts entered my mind. “Why have you called on me?” she queried. I thought surely this was a formality of the queen that I was not accustomed to but answered readily. “I made the call for the lady who seeks a dragon” I answered. The dragon glanced at the maiden with a wistful smile and responded slowly. “She does indeed seek a dragon, but it is not I she seeks.” “She seeks the company of the White Dragon… and maybe the Black” she said with a soft smile. With that, the red dragon spread her wings and leaped into the sky laughing softly.

I sat stunned. The White and the Black dragons are metaphors. They are metaphors for the two sides of me.