My name is Clementine.

I’m fourteen years old.

I’m the first girl in centuries who doesn’t want to ride a unicorn.

I’m standing in a field with all the other girls taking the Unicorn Riding class. I didn’t want to take it, in fact, I almost begged mom not to make me but with her being on the council I had no choice. There are at least a dozen girls here, all between the ages of eleven and seventeen. I can hear them all murmuring excitedly to each other while I stand a little further away from them. Learning to ride a unicorn is one of the first steps to becoming a women in our land. It is an honor to do so, at least, that’s what we’re told.

Our instructor walks out to the field to meet us. She’s a middle aged women with black straw-like hair that is tied back. She’s thin, almost frail looking, but don’t let that fool you. She’s tough as nails. “Afternoon ladies.” She greets us.

“Good afternoon Mrs. Nibbs.” We chant mechanically.

Mrs. Nibbs is the type of lady who everyone knows but doesn’t necessarily get along with. She’s strict on the rules but clever and wise. I guess that’s why our Queen has chosen her for the very important job of teaching young girls how to ride unicorns.

“If everyone is here we’ll get started. Can someone tell me what you learned last week?”

A young girl by the name of Flora raises her hand, jumping up and down. “I know! I know!”

Mrs. Nibbs looks at her sternly. “Yes Flora?”

“We learned how to call unicorns to us. From the forest!” She points across the field to where the edge of the forest looms.

“Very good.”

Flora beams, as if she has just been nominated for Queen. Flora is an eleven year old, over hyper, upbeat girl who just loves being a girl. She seems annoying at first, but you get used to her.

Mrs. Nibbs continues. “Do you all remember how to call unicorns?”

Everyone nods. Flora is bouncing on her toes.

“Alright then.” Mrs. Nibbs says, almost sounding bored. “Everyone form a line facing the forest and called out to them.”
We do as we’re told, and I end up in the middle of the line, stuck between Flora and a seventeen year old girl named Natalie. At the count of three, we all begin whistling the song that we were taught last week. I swear I must’ve whistled this song twenty times already. It’s not even a catchy tune.

We continue to whistle as we wait for them to show themselves. We were told that unicorns are shy creatures and it takes a while for one to warm up to you. After a few minutes my throat is getting sore and I want to stop but then I see them.

Finally. I think to myself. Flora is bursting with excitement next to me, her eyes are alight.

The unicorns approach us slowly and cautiously. Why do they have to be so slow? We stop whistling as more of them exit the forest and move onto the field. They’re majestic creatures, I’ll give them that. They’re large, bigger than horses for sure. They have bright white fur and long white manes that, from a certain light, look sparkling. They have this sort of glowing haze that makes them look like something out of a dream. Of course, a unicorn is not a unicorn without the horn. The horns of unicorns are beautiful, with hues like a seashell. I used to be afraid that a unicorn would stab me if I angered it, but they’re gentle and harmless.

We stand there, staring at the creatures. They’re mesmerizing.

“I’m so excited!” Flora is bouncing again. I sometimes worry about her. How can a girl who’s so little have so much energy? The other girls all murmur in agreement. I’m the only one who says nothing. “I want that one!” Flora points to a unicorn standing near the front. “That one is per-”

She’s cut off by a loud, obnoxious roaring noise. The unicorns are startled but don’t retreat like they usually would. Everyone looks around. Mrs. Nibbs is muttering under her breath what I’m sure are curse words.

Then I spot it.

In the distance.

A dragon.

Flora screams and hides behind Mrs. Nibbs. “A d-dragon! Is it coming to kill us?”

Mrs. Nibbs looks at it calmly. “No. It is flying near the Kingdom of Manlee. It will not bother us. Most likely they are training as well.”

I speak up. “You mean the boys?”

Flora gasps dramatically. “You said the B word!”

Mrs. Nibbs glares at Flora before she speaks. “Yes. The boys are most likely learning to fly their dragons. Filthy creatures.”

I get angry. I don‘t know why. “Dragons aren’t filthy!”

Mrs. Nibbs glares at me sharply. “I was talking about the boys.”

Let me give you a little bit of a history lesson. A long time ago there was a war between women and men. It started when the men of our country began to take charge. They ordered women to do things instead of doing it themselves. There were mean to women. Disrespectful. Cruel. Savages. They were violent, and eventually began using women as slaves. Women, of course, wouldn’t allow it so they fought back. There was a huge war between all the Kingdoms. Women versus men. People died and lost loved ones. You know, the usual when you’re in a war. The kings and queens of kingdoms eventually started fighting with each other. Husbands and wives. Brothers and sisters. Families were torn apart. It was devastating. Finally, a Treaty was made that said that all men and women were to be separated into different Kingdoms and Queendoms. There are several different Kingdoms and Queendoms in our country but the two main ones are the Kingdom of Manlee and the Queendom of Rose, which is where I live. The Queendom in which I live has a council consisting of twelve women (my mother included) and the almighty Queen of the land. The council makes and enforces laws and helps the Queen make decisions. It is honorable and just, which is what our Queendom stands for.

Now you might be wondering how do Kingdoms and Queendoms repopulate if we are separated? Well thank the Fairies for that. The Fairies created some special treatment plan that allows women to get pregnant without the assistance of a man. I don’t really know much about it. All I know is that if the child is a boy, he stays with his mother for about two years and then is sent to the Kingdom of Manlee where he will grow and train with all the other boys. If the child is a girl, she stays with her mother.

Anything that has to do with boys such as dragons and violence and short hair is strictly forbidden in any of the Queendoms. We’re not even suppose to talk about them outside of school.

I don’t agree with it. But what do I know? All I know about boys is what I’m taught in school. I’m suppose to hate them. They’re terrible people who only want violence and power. I don’t know everything about the war. I don’t know what it was like for girls back then. I suppose it’s better this way. At least we’re not slaves.

When I was little, my mother would always tell me, “Now remember sweetheart, you’re a girl. You like the color pink. You like unicorns and flowers and butterflies. Alright?” And for a while it worked for me. I was so excited as I watched older girls riding unicorns. I wanted to be eleven already so I could learn. I would pick flowers and wear pink and do whatever my mother said being a girl does.

That is…until I saw my first dragon.

I’ll take you back to when I was nine years old. It was an ordinary day but to me it was the best day. I was walking home from school when I heard a booming noise. It startled me so much that I dropped the flowers I was holding. It was mid afternoon so people were still working in the village. I live in the country and it isn’t a long walk to the village but not a lot of people come out this far. Most people live in the village. There was no one around and for a while I just stood there, listening. When I heard it again, it was softer and I could pinpoint the direction it was coming from. It was coming from the lake.

My mom always told me to come straight home after school and not go wondering off. But I couldn’t help myself. I was nine years old and I was curious. So I went to the lake and I saw it.

A dragon.

It was incredible.

At first I was frightened. We were taught that dragons were dangerous, violent creatures that breathed fire. We were taught that if we came across one, get away as fast as possible. I couldn’t move. I just stared at it in wonder. I didn’t know what kind of dragon it was but it was amazing.

It wasn’t as big as I thought it’d be. I know there are dragons that are bigger than villages but this one was probably the same size as a unicorn, only with a longer tail and longer wings. It was a copper red color with a bright yellow belly. Its scales contracted as it leaned down and drank from the lake. It had claws that were longer than my hand and sharp pointed teeth but for some reason, I wasn’t afraid. It didn’t seem violent. It was just thirsty. As I watched it drink, I thought about how delicate and beautiful it looked. It was drinking. Not lighting things on fire. Not ripping apart an animal or person. Drinking. Completely at peace with the world.

Its bright green eyes found me and it ceased drinking and lifted its head to stare at me. For a moment I was afraid that it was angry at me for interrupting its peace and quiet. But it just stared at me curiously. After a minute, it turned and fled into the forest.

I went back to the lake everyday after that, but it was never there again.

After that moment, riding unicorns sounded a lot less fun.

Mrs. Nibbs interrupts my thoughts. “All right! Approach your unicorns. You too Clementine, let’s go. We don’t have all day.”

I approach the nearest unicorn, my thoughts still on the dragon. I wish I could ride a dragon instead of you. I say to the unicorn in my head. Dragons are faster, bigger, and they breathe fire. How cool is that? Alas, boys ride dragons, girls ride unicorns. I sigh as I climb on the unicorn.

My name is Clementine.

I’m fourteen years old.

I’m the first girl in centuries to want to ride a dragon.