An Unlikely Hero (Part 4: Father-like Figure)

Captain Draco was getting himself something to drink when the explosion happened. Screaming and shouts followed after the boom, and he quickly flew into the panic to try to locate Piper.

He then spotted her on the ground covered in dust and blood, and motionless.

"Piper!" he shouted, frantically, sprinting to her side. He lifted her body into his arms and looked around for help.

"Draco!" the Captain then heard Wolf shout. In an instant Wolf was in front of him looking down at Piper with wide eyes.

"Wolf, I need you to tend to that boy over there." Draco commanded him, gesturing to Flint, who was also motionless and covered in dust.

Wolf nodded and followed his orders, rushing toward the fallen pixie.

Meanwhile, Draco lifted Piper up, and flew into the air, making sure to be cautious with Piper's limp figure.

Below him, the Captain saw Arachnids invading buildings and attacking innocent Pixie folk. "I need to help them." he thought to himself as he watched the horror show continue.

Draco looked around; where was he supposed to put Piper where she was guaranteed safety.

"Hey!" he heard someone shout behind him, causing to snap his whole body around. Draco saw a soldier flying over to him; the officer looked down at the Captain's badge, and stated, "Your daughter need medical attention, Captain?"

Draco tensed when the officer called Piper his daughter. "She's not my daughter, she's my companion, but she does need medical attention badly. Do you know a place?" he asked.

The officer nodded, and answered, "The doctor's offices will be filled with wounded pixies, but I can grant you access to a doctor who works inside the castle. Follow me."

Draco nodded, but didn't say a thing as he followed the officer towards the castle.

-*-

Draco paced outside the doctor's door impatiently waiting for news on Piper's condition. Wolf appeared flying down the hallway toward him, and he landed next to him.

"Any word yet on her condition?" Wolf asked, just as nervous as his friend was.

Draco shook his head and sat down on the wood bench that was next to the door. "How's the spider situation outside?" he asked.

Wolf sighed and plopped down next to him, sighing, "They drove those pests out of the city, fortunately. Checked on Maie, she's shook, but alright."

Draco nodded, and rubbed his tired eyes. Suddenly, the doctor's door opened and the doctor came out of the room. The captain jumped to his feet and asked, "How is she?"

"Her head suffered trauma, and she'll have some scarring where the gash is, but other than that the young will pull through." the doctor informed him.

Draco mentally sighed, and he said, "Thank you, may I see her?"

The doctor nodded and responded with, "Yes you may, she won't wake until morning."

The captain pushed past the doctor and walked over to Piper's side. Her face was now clear of dust and blood, and the gash was patched up, but she still looked broken and pale.

A sudden tug of guilt filled the Captain, almost like this young pixie was his own daughter.

"No, no, no. She's not my daughter, just my companion-" Draco stopped himself in mid-thought. Piper had never brought up her parents, and she seemed to be living alone when they crashed into each other.

Is she an orphan?

"I know why you don't want to feel close with Piper." Draco was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Wolf's voice.

He turned to his friend, and asked, "What do you mean?"

Wolf walked over, and peered down at Piper, before looking up and responding, "Piper reminds you of your wife and daughter doesn't she?"

Draco tensed with wolf brought up his wife and child, his wife had died before he joined the Pixie military from an arachnid attack; it was one of his main motives for joining in the first place.

His daughter on the other hand, had been taken by the Arachnids when she was only three, and he wasn't able to find her.

The thought of his family made Draco angry. He stood to his feet and growled at his friend, "Why on earth would you bring them up?" Before Wolf had time to respond, Draco stormed out of the room.

_*_

The Captain strolled down the now darkened streets, with his mind filled with thoughts that usually wouldn’t be there. 

“Sir! Sir!” A middle-aged woman's voice startled Draco from his thoughts, and he turned around to find a woman running toward him. 

She halted in front of him, and asked, “Do you know a young pixie named Piper?” 

Draco’s muscles tensed at the question; how did she know about Piper? He hesitantly nodded, and watched as the woman’s eyes lit up. 

“You must be Captain Draco then. Lieutenant Wolf stopped by my house to tell me my son, Flint, was hurt but alive, and only an hour ago my son explained to me it was your daughter who saved his life.” she explained to him. 

Captain Draco wanted to correct the woman about Piper not being his daughter, but found himself unable to find his words to do so. Instead he asked, “How did you know my name?” 

“Lieutenant Wolf gave me your name. Do you have anywhere to go for the night? If not, you can stay with my family and me for dinner.” she exclaimed. 

Draco looked down the cobblestone road; he could go back to Wolf’s house, but he didn’t want to turn down this woman’s invitation; she looked really eager to thank him for Piper’s actions. 

 The Captain, after thinking about it, turned back to the woman and said, “Only for dinner.” The pixie’s eyes lit up once more, and gestured for the Captain to follow her, so she did. 

_*_

“So, Flint, how exactly did Piper save your life?” The Captain asked, before taking a forkful of his food and shoving it into his mouth. 

Flint, who had several bandages on his arms and shoulders, looked up from his dinner plate, and explained to him, “She pushed me away from the explosive that had been rolled into the crowd, and took it for me.” 

The Captain examined the boy’s body language; he was slumped over, and his eyes wouldn’t look directly at him, like he felt that Piper being unconscious and injured was somehow his fault. 

“It’s not your fault.” The Captain tried reassuring him. Flint gave him a small smile and said, “I know,” However, Draco knew he was lying. 

The dining room was filled with a deep silence until Flint’s dad, Timber, cleared his throat, and asked the Captain, “So, Piper is your daughter? My wife says she is.” 

Draco peered down at his plate, and reluctantly said, “She’s not my daughter. My real daughter and my wife were taken from me a long time ago.” 

The only sound that could be heard was a fork hitting the rim of the plate as it was laid down. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Draco cut off Flint’s mom by raising his hands and saying, “It’s alright, this isn’t the first time Piper’s been mistaken for my daughter. I guess I treat her like one.” 

Draco looked up, and looked around at the family before him. “Well, now that you know the truth I’m assuming you don’t want me here anymore. I’ll show myself to the door.” he exclaimed, getting to his feet. 

“Wait, what? You are still Piper’s guardian, are you not?” Timber exclaimed.

Draco looked over at him, and answered, “I am, yes.” 

“Then you are still welcomed here. You’ve protected that young girl, and taking care of a child that isn’t yours can’t be easy.” Timber explained to the Captain. 

Draco sat back down in his seat, and said, “It certainly wasn’t at first.” Before anyone else got the chance to say something, there was a loud knock at the door.

Timber stood up from his chair, and said as he walked to answer it, “I wonder who that could be this late at night.” 

There was silence for a few moments, then there was the noise of a door opening, and the spine-chilling sound of Timber yelling!

In an instant, Draco was out of his chair and sprinting toward the door. He skidded to a halt, however, when he saw the most horrific sigh he’d seen in years. 

Timber was lying dead on the floor, with two puncture holes in his neck; he had been drained from both his blood and his life. 

To be Continued....