Duesa: Ah! that's better. I have a small cut on my foot and the sand was bothering it. How are you doing, Norika? Norika: I'm fine thank you and this is better. Duesa: Good! Now what was I saying? Oh yeah! Why would people who don't know you want to hurt you... a lot has to do with how people perceive the world and their place in it and what is around them. For the most part, people don't want anything too unusual around them, especially people who are different. And like it or not, you are very different from the humans, you've got wings and can fly. You work the Wilde magic and are more in tune with the world than the humans. And that scares a lot of people. And.... when people get scared, they strike out at what they fear. Norika: That's crazy! Duesa: You're right there! However, people are not exactly the sanest animal on this planet. For all our advances in the sciences and technology, we're still pretty backwards if not just a bit insane in what we do with ourselves and the world about us. And because of your difference, there's another group of humans who would hurt you, not because they fear you but they feel superior, if that's the word for it to everyone else. They're bullies who delight in everybody else's pain and enjoy inflicting that on them. Norika: I can't believe that these people exist! Duesa (softly): They do, dear Norika, and I'll help you avoid them. And then there are some others who wouldn't hurt you out of fear or bullying Norika: What do you mean? Duesa: They would want to study you, find out what you are, how you do the Wilde magic, fly and anything else that you can do that humans can't. I'm not sure if their ways would be any less painful than actually hurting you. Norika: That sounds horrible!!!!! Duesa: But don’t worry, dear, I won’t let anyone bother you. Norika: Oh thank you! Duesa: You’re welcome! Now let’s talk of nicer things. What would you like to talk about? Norika: I don’t know, What did you and Corinda talk about? Duesa (chuckling): Oh, let’s see, We'd talk about the boys we were interested in, music groups, clothes, what we were going to do when we got out of college. When you were with Bambi, what did you talk about? Norika: We’d talk about the realm and what plants were doing well and which ones we thought needed help, music, the dragons … Duesa: Dragons? You’ve got dragons in Fae Valley? Oh wow! That’s so neat! Are they big? Do they breathe fire? Are they friendly? Do they fly? Norika (laughing): see what I mean? I say something or answer a question and more follow! Duesa: I’m so sorry, Norika, but I’ve always been fascinated by dragons and to know that you’ve seen them is just so cool. Norika: Okay, we’ll talk about dragons, okay? What do you want to know first? Duesa: Are they friendly? Norika: Oh yes, they’re very friendly to us, but they are also very protective of the inhabitants of Fae Valley. Woe to anyone who hurts one of us and a dragon is around. They would literally tear the ground apart to get at the one who hurt one of us. And yes, they do breathe fire. Duesa: Wow! Norika: And they fly so beautifully, we love to fly with them, although they can easily outdistance us very quickly, and sometimes they allow us to ride on them. Duesa: Oh my! That sounds like a lot of fun. Have you ever ridden one? Don't their scales hurt? Norika: Yes, I’ve ridden one, it’s so exciting and they don’t have scales, they’ve been bred to have a very tough hide and no scales. They can grow very big, even bigger than the beach house in length. And their wings are very big as well. They come in all colours and like I said, they’re very nice. (low rumbling coming from her middle) Oh my! Duesa: What’s wrong, Norika? Are you okay? Norika: I don’t know, suddenly my tummy is making funny noises and feels tight. Duesa: How many plates of beans did you eat? Norika: Two plates Duesa: Oh dear! We may have a problem, dear.