Valiants of Intrepid Fame
After Black Dragonheart dragged Eastern Dawn away with him to the faraway star behind the Moon’s back, the Star of Transformation, and after contracting an alliance, he made a covenant of blood brotherhood with Red Dragon Warrior, he completely changed as if he had been replaced. From then on, he obsessively defended the weak, the fallen, and if the black dragon heart on the buckle from which he got his name glowed on his waistband, he always knew that he had a challenger among his creators, the evil dragons, and immediately jumped on his magic steed ready to fight. At this time, through the blood brother alliance, Red Dragon Warrior also became aware of the challenge and immediately rushed to the aid of his brother. It was not different when a Red Dragon Warrior was called out by the enemy: then Black Dragonheart came to his aid. They fought countless battles on each other’s sides in this way, and found no defeater: their intrepid fame and gallantry got around world-wide, and they were revered by all among the people, and they were also revered among the people of Dragons’ Folk, for they took part in the killing battles and bloody struggles of the Black Battle and the Red Dragon Battle on each other’s sides, and even a hair of their heads was not hurt, though they were not prodigal of their lives in the struggles.
None of the Maidens Are the Real
Black Dragonheart sighed to himself at the sight of Orient Aurora, for he now knew he couldn’t hold her heart, but he longed for such a wonderfully beautiful, strong, courageous companion as Orient Aurora was, to share his life with her. But no matter how many kidnapped maidens he rescued from the clutches of evil dragons, none of them made his heart beat, none touched his soul, though one more beautiful the other maidens were captured in the high air, where the eagles could not follow them with their flight; or they dived into their underwater palaces with the beautiful girls petrified, and Black Dragonheart saved many such maidens from death, and there was not one among them who would refused him.
Feel Uneasy to Stay Further
Black Dragonheart, however, always sighed when he was not seen, and one fine day he resolved not to stay in Red Dragon Warrior’s house anymore, for the sight of his happiness caused him pain. So he decided to jump on his horse, to rely on the magic steed’s [1]instinct, and go wherever it took him.
He stood before Red Dragon Warrior, who was saddened to learn of his brother’s decision, and was about to shower him with his farewell wishes, when Orient Aurora came up from somewhere and said:
“Sweet husband, we’ve been living at home for a long time, we’ve been fighting each other’s side for a long time, and your brother, Black Dragonheart, has been living with us for a long time now, as well. I haven’t seen my abandoned mother, father, siblings since I left my father’s house, and my heart aches with longing to see them again! So please, allow me to visit my parents and siblings, and since I know you wouldn’t feel safe with your children and me, I ask you to accompany me there with our children if you can do so! And I have one more request, my sweet husband, which you will certainly not irk you to fulfill: I am not in vain your woman and mother of your children, it is not coincidence that I am called Orient Aurora: I have long seen as the cryptic contagion of sorrow is devouring the heart of your brother, Black Dragonheart. I don’t know what the reason is, but please invite him with you to my father’s house and see before he makes the trip to where his urgent duties call him, a little change will do him good!”
So saying, she waited to see what Red Dragon Warrior would answer.
“… where my house stands, so is thy house,…”
And he turned to Black Dragonheart:
“Orient Aurora spoke the truth, brother! There’s nothing such an urgent task that wouldn’t have time, until you can stay as a guest where you’re welcome. Where I dwell, so is thy abode; where my house stands, so is thy house; and wherever I am to go, there is thy place beside me, for thou art my brother. If grief consumes your heart, share it with me, your brother, and I will try to help it, or at least alleviate it!”
But Black Dragonheart did not reveal his secret, but he bent his neck: he, too, was preparing to go on the journey with the children and their father-mother, to whom he had a brotherly bond.
In the Easternmost Country
So, after long preparations, they set out for the easternmost island, where Orient Aurora’s father ruled the country, and fortunately arrived there. Oh, the joy of seeing each other again was great! The old parents didn’t even know how to coddle the boys, and they received Black Dragonheart with respect and love as Orient Aurora’s and their son-in-law’s brother. Black Dragonheart felt comfortable in the easternmost country: the first rays of dawn had already found him on his favorite magic steed, he hunted, roamed, rode, split the air on his magic steed’s back, dived in the water of the creek shining in golden rays, and began to recover from his sorrow.
Fighting here did not upset them, they were surrounded by tranquility, peace and happiness. And then, on a fine day, when they had been visiting the easternmost country for quite some time, Orient Aurora’s parents began to prepare excitedly. As it revealed, Orient Aurora’s sister Orient Breeze was expected home from her girlfriend, where she had been visiting a seven-day walk from their palace, and she hasn’t been home in quite some time.
To Arms!
But just as she was about to arrive, a little page white with fear arrived at the palace in hotfoot, he prostrated and they could scarcely make out from his frightened words what had happened: “Sir, madam, a terrible horror… I dare not say it, I plead… Orient Breeze… madam, my young lady…”
“So what happened? Nothing will happen to you, do not be afraid, you will not get hurt, just talk!” The monarch said.
“Sir, your daughter has fallen into bondage to a terrifying, purple-scaled, long-clawed, fire-breathing dragon… She was taken out of the carriage by the ugly beast, it cast a flare of flame on the carriage, the bearers all burned to coals… and I threw myself to the ground of fright and all I could see was the beast dragon turning in the high air with Orient Breeze toward the Land of Dragons”, the herald groaned in horror.
“To arms! Go! Whoever brings her back has her hand!”
“Oh, what will happen to her, sweet sir, what will happen to Orient Breeze, my sweet daughter?”
“Sweet sir, Red Dragon Warrior, come with me, I can’t leave her!”
“But where did the Purple-scaled Dragon snatch him from the carriage?”
“In the midst of the clearing of the Sun and Moon”, the announcing little page whimpered.
In the Trace of Purple-scales
Those valiants who had only been in the palace had all taken up arms, got on a horse, and the army had driven the dragon, but there was no one to get the clue to Purple-scales and Orient
Breeze. And in the clearing of the Sun and Moon lay a silver hair-slide falling from the raven-black locks of Orient Breeze. It was spotted by Orient Aurora, and it was sighted by Red Dragon Warrior and Black Dragonheart, on whose belt the black dragon heart erupted in purple flames, and incessantly blew them out of itself.
Black Dragonheart flew in the track of Purple-scales, followed by his brother, Red Dragon Warrior, and his wife, Orient Aurora. But Black Dragonheart felt his horse’s pace too slow, so he raised the dragon fire in his heart, which he hadn’t done for a long time, and so he chased the beast even faster than thought. His fellow warrior and Orient Aurora barely managed to follow him. The glow of dragon fire illuminated for Black Dragonheart Purple-scales’ flight, and it also showed its purpose: it was heading to the Red Dragon Rock with its prey, and it was close enough to it.
Power of All Dragons
Then Black Dragonheart sighed for himself, and all the dragons’ powers moved in him, and with its help he caught up with and overtook Purple-scales at the Red Dragon Rock. By the time it got there with the faint girl, Black Dragonheart was already waiting for it ready.
And Purple-scales dropped Orient Breeze from an enormous height above the cliff, who fell helplessly beneath it, she recovered in the blink of an eye, and then fainted again at the sight. On the rock, however, Black Dragonheart was waiting for her, who caught her, laid her quickly in a hiding place on the side of the cliff, and jumped up his magic steed to take revenge on Purple-scales.
All the scales of Purple-scales began to glow, it squirted purple flames at the intrepid dragon-slaying valiant, but he knew the intricacies of dragon fire, and he knew that if he used a back-fire, its flame could not burn him. He did so, devouring Purple-scales’ evil soul with a black flame. But Purple-scales started the fight with the dragons’ celestial weapons, and then Black Dragonheart began to fall. However, his magic steed flew under, caught him, and that’s when Red Dragon Warrior arrived and came to his aid. Orient Aurora first looked for her sister, and then she, too, attacked Purple-scales. Facing triple overpower, the beast was weakening more and more, for by this time it was already fighting three opponents at once who were equally skilled in armed and thought struggle, and whose will was an impenetrable armour against the will of Purple-scales. Purple-scale then summoned the old grandmother of all evil dragons, the Dragon Witch, to help, but Black Dragonheart plunged Dragon Witch into Purple-scales’ flames in an unguarded moment, leaving an enemy with less, and then they defeated Purple-scales with a united force.
Three Worrying Faces
The dragon breathed out his beastial soul by scattering purple sparks, just in time for Orient Breeze had already woken up in the hidden side of the Dragon Rock.
Then three worrying faces leaned over her at once, but all she could see was Black Dragonheart’s black eyebrows, the worried sparks of his green eyes, she didn’t even notice the scar on his face, neither that he was bleeding from a hundred wounds, nor that her sister and her brother-in-law whom she had seen for a long time, looked at her with as much concern as the dragon-slayer valiant.
For then she sighed, opened her emerald-green eyes, raised her semicircular eyebrows, life returned to her cherry blossom face, her black locks swayed unruly, her rose-red lips opened to speak, and asked:
“What happened to me, where am I?”
The Only Valiant
To which she did not want to believe the answer, and it is true that she was saved by three, but to whom she could give her heart, that there was only one valiant. And the heart of the only valiant was captivated by the emerald gaze, the fresh face of cherry blossoms, the raven curls, the tiny, graceful stature, and most of all, her light walk, which was like the rose petals being blown by the breeze of the morning, for fairies were ascending upon them. And her musical voice was sweet music to Black Dragonheart’s ears, and the mischievous gaze that flashed out from under the long curving eyelashes promised compensation for any sorrow.
He seated her on his horse behind him, and Red Dragon Warrior and Eastern Dawn also saddled up, and so they returned to the easternmost realm to the palace, where everything was already draped white as a sign of mourning.
The Trombones Blared
As soon as the three magic steeds splitting the air were seen, the horns sounded, the trombones blared, and people of the courtyard rushed out to see the miracle. And the miracle came true: Orient Breeze, the kidnapped and brought back young lady gracefully fluttered from the saddle to the ground, and returned to his parents, whose happiness knew no bounds.
“The custom is, as you know, my son, to serve seven years at the parents of his future wife, the one who wants to bring a woman to his house, and that is a test of perseverance and fidelity. But in this case, I will make an exception and dispense with this habit, since you saved my child from certain death. If you want her to, and so does she, marry her!”
Black Dragonheart’s happiness knew no bounds, even when Orient Breeze raised her head, shook her hair back, and said, with downcast eyes, and yet shining:
“I haven’t thought of a man until now, my father, as you know well, I haven’t felt affection for anyone, but I’m happy to marry Black Dragonheart, not because you wish it that way, or because you can’t break your plighted word, but because he captivated my heart.”
Wedding Fest for Seven Countries
It so happened that Black Dragonheart and Orient Breeze wedded, and the fame of their wedding ceremony for seven countries spread around the world, and the multitude of invited and uninvited guests poured in, and there was no end to the great joy and happiness.
Then, when they were tired of the wedding, they jumped on Black Dragonheart’s magic steed and flew away to his house. During their long lives, they frequented and hosted their siblings, participated in many fights, and had children, as well as Red Dragon Warrior and Orient Aurora. But they never forgot Orient Breeze’s gaze when she saw only one of her three saviors, and they sometimes recalled it…
Written: 16. July, 2009., by J. W. Cassandra
Translated 26. Aug. 2022., by J. W. Cassandra
[1] Magic steed in the Hungarian folklore and world of legends, tales is a horse with miraculous talents, among others it can fly, speak, blow fire or flame, it knows the future, it is able to speak, etc.
