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Connor made sure to keep an eye on Sumo as he tended to the garden. The dog was usually well behaved, but he had a habit of tearing up the flowerbeds when Connor looked away for too long.
A quick glance revealed Sumo slumbering in a patch of sun warmed grass, so Connor allowed himself to get lost in his task. He only snapped out of it hours later when Sumo jumped up with a loud bark.
Turning around, he saw his father standing at the gate. Well, his creator may be a more accurate description. Hank was the man who'd spent years putting together cogs and other machine parts until he'd finally created a living son for himself.
"Father." Connor greeted, getting to his feet. He froze when he got a proper look at the inventor.
Hank was covered in mud, not unusual considering he'd spent the day working with the animals, it was his grim facial expression that concerned Connor.
"Father...?" Connor started, almost hesitantly. "What's wrong?"
"Let's go inside, Connor." Hank sighed, wrapping an arm around his son to guide him gently to the front door.
Sumo seemed to catch on to the mood, his excited bouncing coming to a stop, tail tucking tightly between his legs as he followed with a soft whine.
"You're worrying me..." Connor whispered, hand reaching up to clutch the sleeve of his father's coat.
Hank remained silent as he entered their small cottage. He removed his coat and heavy boats, shaking loose clumps of mud that Connor immediately wanted to sweep away.
He refrained, followed Hank to the tiny kitchen table and took a seat opposite the man instead.
"The dragon." Hank muttered, "That damn dragon has been spotted heading this way." He paused for a second, looking uncertain, he continued barely above a whisper, "I was thinking of volunteering to fight it."
If it was possible, Connor thought his clockwork heart might have stopped at hearing those words.
"No." He muttered in disbelief, standing so abruptly he knocked his chair to the floor.
Hank held up his hands in a placating gesture, "Connor..."
"Father, no!" Connor repeated, then continued frantically, "You can't do that! What if- what if it hurts you?"
"I can't just sit by and do nothing! This bastard has destroyed everything it's come across and it's heading right for us! I won't give it a chance to hurt- I won't let it destroy my home, not when I can do something about it!" Hank hated raising his voice at Connor, but he couldn't help it. He'd made up his mind, he couldn't let Connor change it.
"Don't leave me..." Connor cried, "Father, please, I don't want to be left alone, you're all I have, if anything happened I-"
Hank had to turn away, couldn't stand to see the look of pain on his creation's face, "You'll still have Sumo."
Connor rushed to Hank, wrapped his arms around the man's thick waist. The automaton didn't speak, just sobbed quietly as he shook.
-
They didn't speak for the rest of the night, and Connor knew Hank's mind was set.
The following morning they received news that ten knights had rode out to intercept the dragon before it arrived.
None of them returned.
-
The next day, when Hank was distracted by the animals again, Connor snuck out. He had to do something before Hank got himself hurt. He borrowed a horse from their neighbour, and rode out to the castle.
It took some convincing, but eventually he was allowed in to speak to the king. He needed the man to stop with the violence, it wouldn't help them, Connor knew it.
It just ended in pain and suffering.
The dragon was like Connor. It didn't have a mother or father, it had a creator who'd made it with gears and metal, the same way Hank had done. If Connor could just speak to it, maybe he'd be able to get it to stop.
He knew it wasn't a cold, cruel creature, it must have a reason for what it was doing. Connor could find out, he could help, if he was just given a chance.
He asked the king, "Why don't we try approaching peacefully?"
The king, he laughed and said, "Dear boy, I'll tell you what we need!"
-
It was useless, the king wouldn't listen to him.
Connor knew what he had to do.
He returned his neighbour's horse and instead took Hank's with him, a beautiful black mare named Duchess. She wasn't as skittish and he knew she'd take him right to the dragon and stay by his side.
Connor waited until nightfall, when his father fell asleep in his armchair, and then rode out to meet the dragon. It was much closer now, Connor could still see the kingdom when he arrived at the field the dragon was resting in.
He dismounted Duchess with a pat to her flank and slowly approached the dragon.
"Hello." He called out softly, "Excuse me, dragon?"
The dragon jerked its head up, filling the air with the sound of clashing metal, and focused icy blue eyes on Connor. It got to its feet, eyes staying on the automaton. It flexed its claws and stretched its wings, it was huge.
Connor wasn't afraid.
Not when the dragon reached its full height, not when it slunk closer to him, not when it let out an ear splitting roar just inches from his face.
He held his ground and the dragon seemed almost impressed, the way it bared its large metal teeth looking more like a grin than a snarl.
"Excuse me," Connor said again, "I live in the kingdom just up ahead and I- I'd prefer it if you didn't destroy my home. May I ask why you're doing this?"
The dragon growled, pressed closer, the cool metal of its nose touching Connor's, and then it paused.
A deep rumbling sounded from the creature's throat and it lowered its head to nudge at Connor's chest, "That sound..."It said in the deepest voice Connor had ever heard.
He wanted to ask what, but he stayed quiet instead, and then he heard what the dragon was talking about.
The soft, muffled ticking of his clockwork heart.
There was another noise underneath it, a deeper ticking noise, and Connor realized it was the dragon's own artificial heart.
"We're the same." Connor muttered softly, lifting a hand to stroke along the dragon's jaw.
The rumbling sound grew louder, becoming similar to the purr of a cat.
"I'm sorry." It mumbled, "My maker, a man by the name of Elijah Kamski, he passed so suddenly." Connor had heard of him, an inventor even better than Hank was. "I-... I'd never exerienced such pain before, it consumed me." The dragon's nose pushed harder against Connor's chest, "I wasn't in control, I never wanted to hurt so many humans."
"It's alright." Connor soothed, sitting down and letting the dragon lay it's huge head in his lap. "That must have been awful. I couldn't imagine losing my father."
"Your father?"
"The man who created me, his name is Hank. He's a very smart man, kind, though he doesn't often show it. I'm sure you'd like him."
"Perhaps."
-
They talked until sunrise, sharing stories of their creators, of where they were from. Connor learned that that the dragon had been named RK, and he was created to be a protector, for both Elijah and the land where they came from.
"You can be a protector again." Connor urged, trying his best to convince the dragon to come back with him. "They won't hurt you, I won't let them."
"I appreciate it, but I'm not sure I could, Connor. I did enjoy your company though, perhaps you could visit again sometime? I promise I won't cause anymore destruction." RK spoke as he watched Connor mount Duchess. "Your father will be worried if you don't return soon."
"Please follow." Connor pleaded one last time as he urged Duchess into a gallop. Hank really would be worried, the sun was high in the sky now and Connor was usually done making Hank's breakfast by then.
The only thing he heard was Duchess's hoofbeats for several moments, and then the metallic swoosh of large metal wings overhead. He fought hard to keep the grin off of his face, but lost soon enough.
Connor arrived home quickly, dismounting Duchess at the front gate. He was barely off of her before his father had him in a crushing hug, tight enough to make his metal frame creak.
"Don't you ever do that to me again." Hank growled, shaking Connor ligtly, "I thought you- I heard that beast, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, father, please." Connor replied, pushing Hank away gently, "I do have someone I'd like you to meet though, his name is RK."
The dragon emerged slowly from where he hid, wings tucked in, head lowered, trying to make himself seem as small and non threatening as possible.
Hank grabbed ahold of Connor and shoved the boy behind him, "Back!" He yelled at the dragon, "Get back! Don't come any closer!"
"I wish you no harm." RK spoke in an almost sad grumble, "I was out of control, I'm not now."
"He speaks the truth, father." Connor said, stepping out from behind Hank to get between him and the dragon, "He isn't a cruel beast, just like I thought, he was only hurting."
Hank looked at Connor, to the dragon, and then back again, "Connor, you can't be serious."
"I am! Please just give him a chance, he's really nice once you get to know him! He's going to stay with us and protect our farm Hank, and the rest of the kingdom too."
Hank seemed reluctant, but the lack of aggression from the dragon in front of him must have convinced him to give up the fight.
The king seemed to agree too, overjoyed that Connor had managed to tame the fearsome beast. He gifted a larger plot of land to Connor and his father, more than enough space for all the animals and crops they wanted, even enough space to build a shelter for RK. The people of the kingdom showered Connor with thanks and praise, and took to their new protector quickly.
Everyone was safe and happy again and Connor couldn't have asked for more.