| Astra smiled, but not in an unkind way. Fred managed to get some self-
control, and they were soon talking animatedly. Looking over his shoulder
to check that they could not be overheard, Fred asked Astra how she came
to be serving the dragon. She frowned, clearly deeply unhappy. "The wyrm
captured my younger sisters, Belinda, aged eighteen, and Carola, aged just
fourteen, several months ago. Then he sent a message to our palace that
unless I would come and lead his army, he would do terrible things to them.
He didn't specify what those things would be; he didn't have to. He's a
powerful mage, and if he wished he could turn them into anything that took
his fancy. When the king of a neighbouring country wouldn't co-operate
with him, the wyrm turned his only daughter into a snake-woman and then
sent her back to him. So here I am. The only assurance I have is that I
will not be required to lead his forces against my own land. I fear that
the next target may be the Kingdom, though."
"That's terrible," said Fred. "Can you be sure that your sisters are still alive, though? Have you seen them? Perhaps the dragon is playing a cruel trick on you, and they are already dead?" Astra looked more miserable than ever, as she replied:
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