Cerion and Tagonie
(based on the play Antigone, by Sophocles)
(Creative Response for VCE Literature)

Gather around and pay heed, one and all, to the story of Cerion and Tagonie, a tragedy of pride and foolishness...
  In the sixty-third year of his rule, Baldeer, Dragon Lord of the realm of Thebus, died and left his place empty.  For a day the entire realm bowed its head in mourning, as is the custom, and then the inevitable question was asked - who shall be our next leader?
  Among those who contested for the role of the new Lord were two young, ambitious dragons named Diperus and Cerion.  They had been best friends since their days as hatchlings, and never were any two closer.  They were the only two to reach the Final Trial, the fight against that fearsome beast, the Darkwrym, which was as long as four dragons, with the power of twenty.
  Cerion escaped the creature with strength and guile, and triumphantly brought back the Sceptre of the Dragon Lord, but Diperus was killed by the Darkwrym in front of his friend's eyes.
  Thus it was that Cerion came to be the new Dragon Lord of Thebus, while Diperus met his end in the maw of the terrible Darkwyrm.  But there the tragedy did not end, for Diperus had a sister.  She was dark and proud and beautiful, her eyes flashed with fire and her name was Tagonie.  Cerion had long found his eyes drawn to Tagonie, his heart beating faster whenever she entered the room, but she blamed him for not going to the aid of her beloved brother.  She saw him as the cause of Diperus' death, and she hated him with an intense and unshakeable loathing.
  Four years after Cerion became Dragon Lord, it was discovered that two humans had wandered over the border and into dragon territory.  A group of dragon guards went to inform them of their mistake and send them back, but the humans were afraid of the dragons.  Before anything could be done, one of them drew his sword and attacked one of the guards, inflicting wounds which allowed the dragon's lifeblood to spill upon the ground.  Then the humans were captured and bound, and the remaining guards brought them to their Lord for a judgement on their fate.
  Cerion was in conflict.  No dragon had died by human hand in more years then could be counted, and his heart and his head cried out to kill the prisoners.  Yet the Dragon Law which had been laid down by the ancients when they made peace with humankind forbade such a cold-blooded act.  With a decisiveness which he did not really feel, he ordered that they be taken away and executed.
  Among the dragons who came to hear the Dragon Lord's decision, there were many different opinions, but Tagonie, sister of Diperus, was incensed.  She could not bear to stand by and let the Dragon Law be ignored, so she went to the executioner as he was about to carry out the orders, telling him that Cerion had had a change of heart and had sent her to personally make sure that the message got through.  Thus the humans were saved from death.
  Of course, before the day was over Cerion learned of Tagonie's betrayal and she was brought before him.  Her hands were bound, but her head was high and she looked her lord in the eye without shame.  
  "I am told," said he, "that you have interfered with my judgement and attempted to save the lives of the two murderers.  What do you say to this?"
  "I do admit it," said she.  "I do not deny it."
  "You knew that the act was forbidden, yet you acted anyway?"
  "I did," said she, without trace of fear.  "I hear and obey the laws of the ancients, which are written in the stars and are as unalterable as the sun.  You are only one dragon, and no command you make can ever bind me to its service, if it means going against Dragon Law.  Do you think you have the wisdom and power of the ancients?  I am now prepared to die for what I have done, knowing that I have done my duty by our ancestors.  Kill me and be done with it."
  Cerion was angered by her words.  "I see you are as stubborn as your brother," cried he.  "Perhaps you should share his fate.  Would you like to die in the jaws of Darkwyrm, arrogant devil?"
  "If that it the death you choose for me," she replied calmly.  "It would be an honourable death."
  "You think you have honour?  You, who have shamed yourself in the eyes of Thebus by disobeying your Lord?"
  "There is no shame in honouring the will of the ancients," said she.
  "You think the ancients wished to see the murders of dragon go unpunished?" demanded he.  "I think you insult our ancestors."
  "Who knows?" said she, "In the eyes of the ancients that may be the way."
  "An enemy of dragons cannot be a friend of the ancients," said he.
  "My way is to share my love, not share my hate."
  He stared at her and had not the heart to kill her himself.  "In that case," said he coldly, "you may go and share your love with Darkwyrm and with your brother."
  Cerion's heart was breaking from his decision, but he could not allow himself to seem weak in front of his subjects, so he hardened his heart and put his need for power over his feeling for Tagonie.  The beautiful dragon was taken away to her underground prison and her doom.  Then Cerion reissued the order for the humans' deaths.
  By that time it was evening, and the execution was thus delayed until the next morning.  That night, as Cerion slept, a strange and portentous dream came to him.  He saw Diperus, his dear friend, alive and well.  The two friends flew over the mountains, and as they did so Diperus spoke to Cerion.  He spoke of the place of the ancients, where dragons existed after they had finished with the world of the living.  He spoke of the noble ancients and their Dragon Law, which was higher than any other law made by any other dragon.  He spoke of forgiveness, of friendship, of love.  And when he had finished speaking, he turned and flew straight up into the sky, while Cerion fell back to the ground and to his bed.
  Cerion woke from his dream feeling more at peace than ever before.  At last he knew that Diperus did not blame him for his death.  More than that, at last he understood that he was stubbornly following the wrong course.  Resolved, he left his chambers and flew as fast as he could to reach the humans before their punishment was carried out.
  Tagonie had spent that night in the chamber of the Darkwyrm, but she was brave and cunning, and she had escaped death by avoiding and confusing the great beast.  As the night drew to a close, she finally found one of the smaller exits in the maze of tunnels which ran under the mountain.  With very little time left until the sun rose, she raced the dawn across the land, determined to rescue the human prisoners.
  As the sun rose over the mountains, the first human was brought out and stood up before the executioner.  He was to be killed by a single, terminating bolt of magic, the kindest and most painless method.  The executioner prepared himself and readied to release the powerful magic...
  Screaming her defiance, Tagonie sped over the hill and threw herself between dragon and human.  At the same moment, Cerion shot into view from the other direction, crying out for the executioner to stay his hand.  Unable to stop in time, the dragon released his bolt, which flew straight and true and struck directly in Tagonie's heart.  The beautiful dragon dropped to the ground and lay still.
  Cerion landed beside her in an agony of sorrow, took her in his arms and cried out his love for her, but there was nothing he could do.  Tagonie, sister of Diperus and beloved of Cerion, was dead.
  The Dragon Lord's grief was overwhelming.  With a heavy heart he ordered the humans released and then he took the body of Tagonie in his arms and flew away with her, over the mountains towards the rising sun.  He was never seen again, but it is said that he kept on flying with his beloved until he flew right into the sun and there he perished in the flames of love.
  So now you know what became of Tagonie, who served the ancients even unto death, and Cerion, whose stubbornness cost him his love. 

(c) Copyright Hespa.
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