Princess Hanna: Time to Focus
Princess Hanna catches a glimpse of the competition...
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Hanna went for a closer look at the dragon doing the fire tornado in the distance. She soared ahead through the air, leaving Carrie and Michael alone together at the top of the tower in the heart of Scale City. They both then took off into the air after her.
Carrie looked over the city as she glided through the air. She flew down low for a closer look of the streets. There was just so much going on — so much life. The streets were filled with dragons and carts and stalls, constant movement; the foot traffic of dragons was like interweaving streams of water.
Carrie flew over a courtyard with a ludicrously long table, as long as the whole town hall building back home. The table was packed with dragons, with kid dragons running all around it too. The dragons were making bread together. Some were kneeling dough, some were cutting the dough into shapes, and some were carrying off trays of the finished dough and taking them away into a nearby building.
Just in that one courtyard, there was half the population of Courage Town.
Carrie kicked into gear and went to catch up to Hanna and Michael. The spot was at a farm just beyond the city wall. Hanna and Michael were set up on a steep barn roof, as if in hiding, just peering over the top of it. Carrie landed beside them and looked out over the roof at the open patch of farmland in front of them.
The fire tornado swirled up into the air, flicking flames and dust in every direction. Carrie could feel the heat of it on the scales of her face. She had never seen fire like that before. She looked at Hanna and Hanna looked completely entranced by the flames.
“Who is that?” Carrie asked.
“That’s Lion,” said Michael. “He’s won the past two years of the main event Fire Festival.”
Lion stopped the fire tornado and everything went quiet and still. He turned his head towards the barn and Hanna, Carrie, and Michael all ducked their heads and held their breaths.
After a long nervous moment, Hanna peered out over the top of the roof. A young dragon walked out from under the barn and stepped into the opening with Lion. It was George, the dragon from qualifying that had won the youth division Fire Festival last year.
The two dragons were talking, but Hanna and the others couldn’t hear what they were saying. The older dragon then stepped away to the edge of the opening. Young George was getting ready for a fire tornado of his own. He breathed in deeply and then he streamed fire up directly into the air. He kept the fire going in a constant rush of heat and then he began to make it swirl.
They watched from the rooftop as the tornado began to take shape. It was greater than anything that Hanna had managed. She was livid.
Suddenly then, the stream of fire was broken and the tornado fizzled out to nothing. George shouted out angrily into the air and kicked up some dirt. The older dragon, Lion, walked over to George and talked to him.
Hanna turned and launched into the air, flapping her wings with ferocity, flying back towards the city. Carrie and Michael took off after her, each struck with a sense of déjà vu.
Hanna tore across Scale City, focused and driven, staring ahead. She made her way back to the town square of the opening ceremony and landed on the ledge of the apartment where she and her dad were staying.
She stormed inside, where she found her dad and uncle having a conversation over some coffee.
“Uncle James, I need your help,” said Hanna.
Carrie and Michael landed behind them on the ledge. They saw Uncle James getting ready to go and train Hanna.
“Looks like it’s training time,” said Carrie to Michael. “Are you going to be training too?”
“I hate training,” said Michael. “I hate fire.”
“I thought you were in the Fire Carnival with Hanna?” Hanna wondered.
“I am,” said Michael. “It’s a strange story. Are you hungry?”
“Very,” said Carrie.
“Do you want to get something to eat?” he asked.
“Let’s do it,” said Carrie.
Hanna came over to Carrie and Michael in a rush while her uncle was still getting ready.
“I’m sorry, Carrie, but I need to train,” she said urgently. “You saw that guy. I need to be able to do a fire tornado. It’s everything.”
“I get it,” said Carrie.
“You can come if you want,” said Hanna.
“No, you go,” she said. “You’ll focus better. I was going to get some food with Michael.”
Hanna was still caught up in the rush of everything.
“Good,” she said. “You guys have fun.”
She turned back to her uncle who was now making his way towards them.
“Quickly, uncle,” said Hanna. “We need every second of light we can get.”
*
Hanna and her uncle flew to some nearby grasslands just outside of the city. They found a spot and then it began.
Hanna took a few big breaths and started up a fire tornado. She gave it everything she had. The fire began to swirl and pick up speed. Her face was going bright red. She was running out of breath. Suddenly, the fire disappeared and Hanna was left panting for air.
Uncle James hurried over to her.
“You have to be careful, Hanna,” he said. “Don’t hurt yourself.”
“You don’t get it,” she said. “He’s so much better than me.”
“Just slow down,” said Uncle James. “You’re getting lost in the moment. You have to be clear. You have to be focused. Count your breath for me.”
Hanna steadied herself and then Uncle James started counting.
In… Two… Three… Four…
Hold… Two… Three… Four…
Out… Two… Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight…
In… Two… Three… Four…
Hold… Two… Three… Four…
Out… Two… Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight…
In… Two… Three… Four…
Hold… Two… Three… Four…
Out… Two… Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight…
“Panic doesn’t help,” said Uncle James calmly. “Prepare. Practice. Do your best. The end result will sort itself out. Whatever happens.”
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful rest of the week!