History TheDragon / Literature

* In ''Literature/TheElenium'', by the same author as above, Martel is DragonInChief to [[BigBadWannabe Annias]] and [[GodOfEvil Azash]], while in the sequel, ''Literature/TheTamuli'', [[PhysicalGod Cyrgon]] is The Dragon to [[EldritchAbomination Klael]].

** Also, Lara Raith serves as Dragon and BastardUnderstudy to her father (who used rape to establish control of all of his daughters except the youngest) until the events of ''Blood Rites'', after which she is in charge of the White Court through control of her father.
** In ''Dead Beat'', the Corpsetaker uses a ghoul named Li Xian as her enforcer, though he mostly just hits things while she holds them in place with her mental powers.
** [[spoiler: Aurora]] had a Sidhe Lord, the Winter Knight Lloyd Slate, and a Centaur as her dragons.

** In ''Changes'', the Red King uses a pair of assassins known as the "Eebs" and a massive, difficult-to-pronounce beast that Harry dubs the "Ick" as his Dragons.
** The Skinwalker serves as the Black Council's Dragon in ''Turn Coat'', and Binder is Madeline Raith's Dragon as well.
** In ''Ghost Story'', [[spoiler: Evil Bob]] plays this role for [[spoiler: the Corpsetaker]].

* Portia Hoechst, in Creator/CharlesStross' ''Literature/IronSunrise''

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'': In ''Eclipse'', Victoria uses Riley as her dragon and also has him making all of the moves for her.

* ''Literature/Metro2035'' has Lyokha/Aleksei Zvonariov, who starts out as TheLancer to the main protagonist Artyom. However, he later becomes The Dragon to the novel's BigBad [[spoiler:Aleksei Bessolov, when he betrays Artyom, after his imprisonment along with him.]]

* ''Literature/Metro2035'' has Lyokha/Aleksei Zvonariov, who starts out as TheLancer to the main protagonist Artyom. However, he later becomes The Dragon to the novel's BigBad [[spoiler:Aleksei Bessolov, when he betraays Artyom, after his imprisonment along with him.]]

* Sauron's own Dragon in the ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' saga is none other than the Witch-king of Angmar. This is more obvious in the film than the book.
** Saruman, although appearing at first to be [[CoDragons co-dragon]] with the Witch-King, and is arrogant enough to think he and Sauron form a BigBadDuumvirate, best fits the role of TheStarscream.
** The MouthOfSauron may be considered a [[CoDragons co-dragon]]. He knew a great part of his master's plans and thinking. However, he doesn't present any real challenge -- physical or intellectual (unless we count the emotional strain and doubt that he causes them before the Black Gate) -- to the heroes in either the book or the movie adaptation; and appears to function strictly as a communication tool.
** In ''Literature/{{Unfinished Tales|of Numenor and Middleearth}}'' it's also mentioned that Sauron (still the Necromancer of Dol Guldur at that time) intended to co-opt Smaug (the dragon from ''Literature/TheHobbit'') as a Dragon both literal and an example of this trope - but was thwarted when, ultimately thanks to actions by Gandalf, Smaug was killed during the events of that book.
** In the Film at least, Gothmog (the Orc) played this role to the Witch-King himself during the Battle of Minas Tirith.
* In Paul Kelly's 'The Lost Brigade', General Arras Kierhenan is most certainly the Dragon to Eustace 'The Evil' De Mharburg's Big Bad. Unquestioning and subservient, Kierhenan is always ready to fulfill De Mharburg's orders, no matter what they may be...

* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'': One different Morgoth's high-ranking minion plays this role in each "Great Tale": In ''Literature/BerenAndLuthien'', Sauron is the commander of Morgoth's army which invades Dorthonion and drives Beren out. In ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin'', Glaurung -a literal dragon- destroys Nargothrond and sees that his master's curse destroys the lives of Túrin and his sister. In ''Literature/TheFallOfGondolin'', Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs and High-Captain of Angband leds the attack which razes to the ground the last Elven Kingdom.

* Arielle Kliest is this to the old Man in ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'''s sequel, ''What We Become''.

* In ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} Eclipse]]'' Victoria uses Riley as her dragon and also has him making all of the moves for her.

* In ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', there are several Dragons

* Although Morgoth's minions in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' include actual dragons such as Glaurung, as well as the Balrogs, Sauron most clearly fulfills this role, particularly in the story of Beren and Lúthien.
** However, in ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin'', Glaurung is The Dragon in all senses of the word.
** Considering Sauron hid in Taur-nu-Fuin (Forest of Darkness) after Lúthien and Huan defeated him and Glaurung was killed by Hurin, at the Fall of Gondolin Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs and High-Captain of Angband who led the attack, seems to have played that role.
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the mercenary Bronn serves as Tyrion's Dragon, and Sandor Clegane is Joffrey's. Tywin has his brother, Kevan, who acts as his NumberTwo, and his son Jaime who is his favoured field commander (but is captured too early to do much dragoning).

** Brogg (temporarily replaced by Cludd) and Ashleg to Tsarmina Greeneyes in ''Mossflower'' Ashleg [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere skipped town on deciding Tsarmina was a health hazard]].

** Cluny goes through a long series of Dragons, since none of them lasts very long. After the strategically-minded Darkclaw dies Cluny favors the efficient and solemn Scragg. After Scragg dies, he sets up the power-hungry, bullying but largely out of his depth Cheesethief as a Dragon but then he unexpectedly serves as a decoy and gets killed. By the final battle, Killconey loosely fills the role, and after that it ceases to matter.
** Brogg (temporarily replaced by Cludd) and Ashleg to Tsarmina Greeneyes in ''Mossflower''.

* In ''Literature/TheInheritanceCycle'', The [[EvilSorcerer Shade]] Durza serves as King Galbatorix's right-hand man for the first book. After [[spoiler:his death at the end of that book]], he is replaced by [[spoiler:[[FallenHero Murtaugh]] and ''his'' literal dragon Thorn]], when [[spoiler:the former is captured at the beginning of the second book and forced to do a FaceHeelTurn]]. In the backstory, Murtaugh's father Morzan was right-hand man to Galbatorix, the first and last of the Forsworn, the Dragon Riders who turned traitor and joined Galbatorix.

* In the ''[[Creator/TamoraPierce Protector of the Small]]'' series, Stenmun serves in this capacity to Blayce.

* In ''Literature/TheGodlessWorldTrilogy'', [[TheFatalist Fatalist]] [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless]] DarkActionGirl Shraeve, is The Dragon to [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Aeglyss]], whom she believes to be the [[DarkMessiah promised one]] who will end the world and make her [[ChurchMilitant faith]] the rulers of the new paradise. She believes in him whole-heartedly until the end of the series; when she begins to doubt, Aeglyss [[MoreThanMindControl
brainwashes]] her. Throughout books two and three she does most of his killing for him, and serves as his bodyguard.

* The ''Literature/MediochreQSethSeries has a few:
** [[SmugSnake Mr]] [[BadassInANiceSuit Antler]] serves this role in ''The Good, the Bad and the Mediochre]]'', with [[DiabolicalMastermind Sapphire]] being the BigBad.

* In ''Literature/GoneWithTheWind'': India Wilkes has a convict named Archie and [[GossipyHens local gossip]] Mrs. Elsing as her dragons. Or at the very least, they side with her when all three of them catch protagonist Scarlett O’Hara hugging India’s brother Ashley in their lumber mill. This causes a feud throughout Atlanta that sees Scarlett and her husband Rhett Butler being outcasted from high society.

*** Quirinus Quirrell from Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone was Voldemort's first [[TheDragon Dragon]] seen in the series. Though this wasn't due to Quirrell's skills, rather it was because he was literally the only person Voldemort could get to do his bidding at the time.

* ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'': [[ColonelBadass Colonel Sebastian Moran]] is The Dragon to Professor [[DiabolicalMastermind Moriarty]].

** ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is full of Dragons, since there are almost as many factions as characters and the better part of them are either overtly nasty or neutrally antagonistic. Euron Greyjoy has Victarion [[TheStarscream (for now)]], Roose Bolton has Ramsay, Hizdar zo Loraq has Khrazz, The Tattered Prince has Caggo, Selys has Axell Florent, and so on, and so on.

** From the Targaryen perspective, Eddard "Ned" Stark was Robert Baratheon's dragon during the War of the Usurper, their name for Robert's Rebellion.

* In Kim Newman's Colonel Moran and Professor Moriarty short story collection/novel ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheDurbervilles'', Moran is Morairty's number two, in charge of homicides for Morairty's criminal organization, The Firm. He and Moriarty even live together, in an apartment above a brothel loyal to the Professor, and is a (mostly) loyal agent of his boss.

* ''Literature/NightfallSeries'': Tristan to Prince Vladimir, although the servants mostly describe him as ‘The Puppy.’
* In Kim Newman's Colonel Moran and Professor Moriarty short story collection/novel ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheDurbervilles'', Moran is Morairty's number two, in charge of homicides for Morairty's criminal organization, The Firm. He and Moriarty even live together, in an apartment above a brothel loyal to the Professor, and is a (mostly) loyal agent of his boss.

* The Literature/{{Lensman}} series is built on Dragons behind Dragons. Along about the end of each book ... or the beginning of the next ... it's revealed that the BigBad just defeated was TheDragon for someone even higher up. The stories were rewritten after their original appearance so that the reader is let in on who the real BigBad is at the beginning of Book One, but the protagonists don't find out until Book Six.
* Hagen in Literature/{{Nibelungenlied}}.

* In ''Literature/ChungKuo'', Charles deVore to Berdichev, although he later gets a promotion
* Played straight in ''The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth'', by Creator/LordDunsany. Leothric has to fight a literal dragon, Wong Bongerok, before facing [[BigBad Gaznak]].
* Played in ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'' by Creator/RickRiordan. There is Porphyrion, the king of the Giants.
* Although Morgoth's minions in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' include actual dragons such as Glaurung, as well as the Balrogs, Sauron most clearly fulfills this role, particularly in the story of Beren and Lúthien.
** However, in ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin'', Glaurung is The Dragon in all senses of the word.
** Considering Sauron hid in Taur-nu-Fuin (Forest of Darkness) after Lúthien and Huan defeated him and Glaurung was killed by Hurin, at the Fall of Gondolin Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs and High-Captain of Angband who led the attack, seems to have played that role.
* Sauron's own Dragon in the ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' saga is none other than the Witch-king of Angmar. This is more obvious in the film than the book.
** Saruman, although appearing at first to be [[CoDragons co-dragon]] with the Witch-King, and is arrogant enough to think he and Sauron form a BigBadDuumvirate, best fits the role of TheStarscream.
** The MouthOfSauron may be considered a [[CoDragons co-dragon]]. He knew a great part of his master's plans and thinking. However, he doesn't present any real challenge -- physical or intellectual (unless we count the emotional strain and doubt that he causes them before the Black Gate) -- to the heroes in either the book or the movie adaptation; and appears to function strictly as a communication tool.
** In ''Literature/{{Unfinished Tales|of Numenor and Middleearth}}'' it's also mentioned that Sauron (still the Necromancer of Dol Guldur at that time) intended to co-opt Smaug (the dragon from ''Literature/TheHobbit'') as a Dragon both literal and an example of this trope - but was thwarted when, ultimately thanks to actions by Gandalf, Smaug was killed during the events of that book.
** In the Film at least, Gothmog (the Orc) played this role to the Witch-King himself during the Battle of Minas Tirith.
* Walter o'Dim in Creator/StephenKing's ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'' series serves the enigmatic Crimson King. [[spoiler: He's a DragonInChief considering that the Crimson King is just a frail, crazy old man... albeit one with a lot of bombs at his disposal.]]

*** Lucius Malfoy was originally Voldemort's Dragon. He hands missions like the one at the ministry in book 5 to the cool-headed Malfoy. Then after losing the prophecy in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'' the Dark Lord [[YouHaveFailedMe decided he'd failed one too many times.]] Lucius spends most of ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'' doing little more than sitting in his chair at Death Eater meetings and quietly whimpering[[note]]it really doesn't help that Voldemort "borrows" his wand and promptly loses it[[/note]]. [[spoiler: Then he and his family make a HeelFaceTurn of sorts...]]

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': If Lord Vetinari [[NobleDemon were]] an EvilOverlord, then Samuel Vimes would be his Dragon. Vimes is often said to be Vetinari's "terrier", often unwittingly or unwillingly, but is TheProtagonist of all the Watch books.
* In ''[[Literature/TheIcewindDaleTrilogy The Crystal Shard]]'', Errtu was Akar Kessel's Dragon, especially since most of Akar's power is derived from the Crystal Shard, while Errtu is a powerful demon in his own right. In [[Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt the rest of Drizzt's adventures]], Artemis Entreri is often The Dragon.
* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', every villain has at least one Dragon that Harry has to deal with before he can tackle the book's real villain.
** Deirdre is TheDragon to Nicodemus, her father and lover.
** Tessa, Nicodemus' actual wife, uses both Rosanna and Magog as her Dragons.
** Also, Lara Raith serves as Dragon and BastardUnderstudy to her father (who used rape to establish control of all of his daughters except the youngest) until the events of ''Blood Rites'', after which she is in charge of the White Court through control of her father.
** In ''Dead Beat'', the Corpsetaker uses a ghoul named Li Xian as her enforcer, though he mostly just hits things while she holds them in place with her mental powers.
** [[spoiler: Aurora]] had a Sidhe Lord, the Winter Knight Lloyd Slate, and a Centaur as her dragons.
** The Faerie Queens all use a mortal agent known as a Knight to serve as their assassins and enforcers in the mortal world, as they cannot directly act against mortals.
** In ''Changes'', the Red King uses a pair of assassins known as the "Eebs" and a massive, difficult-to-pronounce beast that Harry dubs the "Ick" as his Dragons.
** The Skinwalker serves as the Black Council's Dragon in ''Turn Coat'', and Binder is Madeline Raith's Dragon as well.
** In ''Ghost Story'', [[spoiler: Evil Bob]] plays this role for [[spoiler: the Corpsetaker]].
* In ''Literature/TheBlackCoats'', Lecoq is [[MagnificentBastard The Colonel's]] dragon.
* In the ''[[Creator/TamoraPierce Protector of the Small]]'' series, Stenmun serves in this capacity to Blayce
* In ''[[Literature/TheFantasticFlyingJourney The Fantastic Dinosaur Adventure]]'', Throttlethumbs is the Dragon to Sir Jasper.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'':
** The Forsaken are the Dark One's most powerful mortal servants, and the most powerful of them is Ishamael, who is the Dark One's right hand. After he dies, the rest compete viciously for the vacated position of [[TheAntichrist Nae'blis]], which basically ''means'' The Dragon. The position ultimately goes to [[spoiler: Moridin, an apparent newcomer who is soon revealed to be Ishamael in a new body]]. Subverted by Shaidar Haran, who initially appears to be another Dragon but is actually [[spoiler: a sort of extension of the Dark One's own will, and is discarded once the Dark One's prison weakens enough that he's no longer needed]].
** This is played interestingly during the Last Battle across several levels. The Dark One is the BigBad. [[spoiler: Moridin]] is his Dragon, but he's not the type to get physical or lead his own troops into battle. Therefore ''his'' Dragon is Demandred, the Shadow's greatest general, who is also a DragonWithAnAgenda, since he only cares about defeating [[TheChosenOne Rand]], not advancing the Shadow's cause. ''His'' Dragon is [[spoiler: Mazrim Taim]] who acts as his enforcer in the ranks and leader of his [[EvilSorcerer Dreadlords]], and who also [[TheStarscream schemes to take over from him]].
** Among the [[KnightTemplar Children of the Light]], the tough, skilled blademaster Eamon Valda is blackmailed into serving as a sort-of Dragon to the elderly, frail Rhadam Asunawa.
** Ironically, Lewis Therin Telamon is called "The Dragon" but is not an example of The Dragon trope, but TheChosenOne, as is his {{Reincarnation}} Rand al'Thor, "The Dragon Reborn".
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the mercenary Bronn serves as Tyrion's Dragon, and Sandor Clegane is Joffrey's. Tywin has his brother, Kevan, who acts as his NumberTwo, and his son Jaime who is his favoured field commander (but is captured too early to do much dragoning).
** ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is full of Dragons, since there are almost as many factions as characters and the better part of them are either overtly nasty or neutrally antagonistic. Euron Greyjoy has Victarion [[TheStarscream (for now)]], Roose Bolton has Ramsay, Hizdar zo Loraq has Khrazz, The Tattered Prince has Caggo, Selys has Axell Florent, and so on, and so on.
** Melissandre could be seen as Stannis Baratheon's dragon, considering he is on a line between AntiHero and AntiVillain. She could be seen as representing his evil side, encouraging him to perform ruthless actions, while Ser Davos Seaworth, serves as TheLancer and represents Stannis' good.
** From the Targaryen perspective, Eddard "Ned" Stark was Robert Baratheon's dragon during the War of the Usurper, their name for Robert's Rebellion.

* Katla is [[BigBad Tengil's]] (also literal) dragon in ''Literature/TheBrothersLionheart''. She is as evil as Tengil and is his greatest weapon, and the only reason she is under his command is that she obeys whomever is in possession of the horn she is afraid of.

* For all of the books that feature him, [[Literature/XWingSeries Kirtain Loor]] is The Dragon. He's allowed autonomy but ultimately cringes before his superiors, both of whom are [[EvilerThanThou worse than he is]]. [[BigBad Ysanne Isard]] recruited him and put him in charge of the underground Imperial movement on Coruscant after it fell to the New Republic. He had his own plots going, but the head of the People's Militia, nominally there to stop Loor, recruited him to further his own agenda. Interestingly, neither he nor his superiors ever engaged in direct or even starfighter combat with the New Republic; Loor mostly sent stormtroopers and operatives after them, and later started setting bombs and directing speeders filled with explosives into population centers. He didn't even see any New Republic protagonists until he tried to surrender [[HisNameIs some information]] in exchange for his life.
* Dah'mir of ''Literature/TheDragonBelow'' TabletopGame/{{Eberron}} trilogy is The Dragon to the Master of Silence, a daelkyr. [[spoiler: And an actual dragon...]]
* In Creator/DavidEddings' ''Literature/TheBelgariad'', Ctuchik and Zedar play Dragon to [[PhysicalGod Torak]], while on a lesser scale [[{{Ninja}} Brill]] is the Dragon to [[StarterVillain Asharak]] (although the full details of that relationship aren't made fully clear). In the sequel, ''Literature/TheMalloreon'', Naradas is [[BigBad Zandramas]]' NumberTwo, while the [[DragonWithAnAgenda Demon Lord Mordja]] is her last line of physical defence; Mordja's rival, [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils Nahaz]] is DragonWithAnAgenda and DragonInChief to her rival, [[AGodAmI Urvon]]. Urvon's right hand man [[SmugSnake Harakan]] / [[DarkMessiah Mengha]] could be considered another Dragon and is definitely his BastardUnderstudy; like Nahaz Harakan too [[DragonWithAnAgenda has an agenda]].
* In ''Literature/TheElenium'', by the same author as above, Martel is DragonInChief to [[BigBadWannabe Annias]] and [[GodOfEvil Azash]], while in the sequel, ''Literature/TheTamuli'', [[PhysicalGod Cyrgon]] is The Dragon to [[EldritchAbomination Klael]].
* In ''Literature/TheGodlessWorldTrilogy'', [[TheFatalist Fatalist]] [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless]] DarkActionGirl Shraeve, is The Dragon to [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Aeglyss]], whom she believes to be the [[DarkMessiah promised one]] who will end the world and make her [[ChurchMilitant faith]] the rulers of the new paradise. She believes in him whole-heartedly until the end of the series; when she begins to doubt, Aeglyss [[MoreThanMindControl brainwashes]] her. Throughout books two and three she does most of his killing for him, and serves as his bodyguard.
* Creator/TerryBrooks also makes use of this trope. In ''Literature/TheElfstonesOfShannara'', [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils The Dagda Mor]] has [[TheJuggernaut The Reaper]] and [[ShapeShifter The Changeling]] as his CoDragons. In ''Literature/TheHeritageOfShannara'', several [[TheHeartless Shadowen]] could be seen as [[ManipulativeBastard Rimmer Dall's]] Dragon, but the most archetypical is likely the entirely human PsychoForHire Pe Ell. In ''Literature/TheVoyageOfTheJerleShannara'', psychopathic computer system [[DiscOneFinalBoss Antrax]] has [[HollywoodCyborg Ard Patrinell]], and [[BigBad The Morgawr]] has Mwellret [[SmugSnake Cree Bega]] as his NumberTwo. In ''Literature/RunningWithTheDemon'', the titular demon uses the [[SealedEvilInACan maentwrog]] as his Dragon during his confrontation with the heroes, having it incapacitate [[KnightInSourArmour John Ross]] while he targets [[TheHero Nest]].
* In Andy Hoare's Literature/WhiteScars novel ''Hunt for Voldorius'', Nullus to Voldorius.
* In the eBook ''Legend of a Hero: Ice and Wind'', ironically, the BigBad IS a Dragon (7,000 years old and counting...) called the Dragon of the Ice, or the Ice Dragon. Its Dragon is a fire-wielding general named Marko Terror...HIS Dragons (if he were the BigBad) would be (besides the multiple Captains) Alba T. Ross and Maria Terror, his niece.
** In the same eBook, on the Hero of Wind story, we have the Sky Commander, whose Dragons are [[AxCrazy Ace-Right Blaze]], [[TheStarscream Lieutenant Julius]], Lieutenant Alexis, and [[MagnificentBastard the Ace-Left]], a.k.a. [[spoiler: Leon Heart]].
** [[spoiler: They all die save Leon, who decides to do a HeelFaceTurn and just disappears.]]
* Medea plays this role In Icemark Chronicles Books (''Blade of Fire'' and ''Last Battle of the Icemark'')
* In Creator/RobertEHoward's ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'' story "A Witch Shall Be Born," Constantius, the Kothic voivode of the Free Companies, is one of these to the title character Salome.
* In ''Literature/LastLegionary'', [[TheJuggernaut The One]], an [[PoweredArmour exoskeleton]]-clad EvilCripple, is TheDragon to the Warlord Arachnis, which due to being a HiveMind made up of 24 people, is more or less immobile. The One is Arachnis' top field commander, trains its troops, and is its best and last line of defence, providing TheHero with his toughest challenge ever.
* In Paul Kelly's 'The Lost Brigade', General Arras Kierhenan is most certainly the Dragon to Eustace 'The Evil' De Mharburg's Big Bad. Unquestioning and subservient, Kierhenan is always ready to fulfil De Mharburg's orders, no matter what they may be...

* In ''[[Literature/ChildrenOfTheRedKing Charlie Bone]]'', Ezekiel Bloor had Manfred Bloor, Dr Bloor, Yolanda and Yorath Yewbeam, Count Harken Badlock, Lord Grimwald, Titania Tilpin and Ashkelan all as Dragons at different points in the series.
* Most ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' villains have at least one.
** Cluny goes through a long series of Dragons, since none of them lasts very long. After the strategically-minded Darkclaw dies Cluny favors the efficient and solemn Scragg. After Scragg dies, he sets up the power-hungry, bullying but largely out of his depth Cheesethief as a Dragon but then he unexpectedly serves as a decoy and gets killed. By the final battle, Killconey loosely fills the role, and after that it ceases to matter.
** Brogg (temporarily replaced by Cludd) and Ashleg to Tsarmina Greeneyes in ''Mossflower''.
** In ''Mariel of Redwall'', Greypatch was this to Gabool the Wild originally. After his desertion, seven dragons were sent to retrieve him: Garrtail, Orgeye, Flogga, Catseyes, Riptung, Hookfin and Grimtooth.
** Klitch and Deathbrush to Feragho the Assassin in ''Salamandastron''.
** Gurrad was Badrang's assassin briefly in ''Martin the Warrior''.
** Nightshade to Swartt Sixclaw in ''Outcast of Redwall''.
** Lask Frildur, Sagitar Sawfang and Grall to Ublaz Mad Eyes in ''Pearls of Lutra''.
** Ripfang, Doomeye, Karangool, Grand Fragorl and Groddil to Ungatt Trunn in ''Lord Brocktree''.
** Riftun to Kurda in ''Triss''.
** Glimbo to Raga Bol in ''Loamhedge''.
** Shard to Gulo in ''Rakkety Tam''.
** Atunra to Riggu Felis in ''High Rhulain''.
** Magger to Vizka Longtooth in ''Eulalia!''.
** Veeku and Sicariss to Korvus Skurr in ''Doomwyte''.
** Zwilt the Shade and Dirva to Vilaya in ''The Sable Quean''.
** Shekra, Mowlag and Jiboree to Razzid Wearat in ''The Rogue Crew''.
* Many examples in ''Literature/SeptimusHeap'':
** [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame The Hunter]] in ''Magyk''.
** Simon in ''Flyte''.
** Merrin Meredith in ''Queste'' and ''Syren''.

* In the novels set in the "Veteran" universe by Gavin G. Smith, the "Grey Lady" Josephine Bran serves as a dragon to main antagonist Major Rolleston.
* Hester seems to be The Dragon in ''Literature/DeathSpeaker'', and a pretty scary one, considering her mutation.
* In ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} Eclipse]]'' Victoria uses Riley as her dragon and also has him making all of the moves for her.
* ''Literature/DarkFuture'': Elder Roger Duroc is the series' Dragon for [[BigBad Nguyen]] [[TimeAbyss Seth]]. Apparently, his family has served Seth in this capacity for several hundred years.
* By the end of ''Literature/LordOfTheFlies'', Roger becomes the dragon to Jack, with shades of DragonInChief and DragonWithAnAgenda.
* ''Literature/TrappedOnDraconica'': Taurok is the general working for EvilOverlord Gothon. While the latter sits around at home, Taurok leads the search for the main protagonist.
* [[spoiler: The Ice Cream Psycho]] in ''Lovely Assistant'' (by Geoph Essex) serves as The Dragon for the bad guys. [[spoiler: Although in the climax, there are hints that he may have been TheManBehindTheMan (or at least a DragonWithAnAgenda) in the first place.]]
* In ''Literature/TheNightsBlade'', Annamaria 'Anna' Hallin is Kelstra's dragon.
* GONE series:
** Big bad Caine Soren has sadist and on-off best friend Drake Merwin...Before throwing him down a mine shaft at the end of book 2.
** As of book 3 and onwards, Penny the monster bringer reprises Drake's role.
** Although, Argubly, Drake is still the dragon, only now to the "thing in the mineshaft".
* Portia Hoechst, in Creator/CharlesStross' ''Literature/IronSunrise''
* The ''Literature/MediochreQSethSeries has a few:
** [[SmugSnake Mr]] [[BadassInANiceSuit Antler]] serves this role in ''The Good, the Bad and the Mediochre]]'', with [[DiabolicalMastermind Sapphire]] being the BigBad.
** [[NerdInEvilsHelmet Xanatos]] [[TortureTechnician Gambit]] ([[XanatosGambit no relation,]] possibly) fills in the role in ''Black, White and Shades of Mediochre'', as the apparent right-hand Strigoi of [[spoiler: [[SorcerousOverlord the necromancer]]]]. Although it turns out that [[spoiler: the necromancer]] isn't calling the shots either, being something of a DragonInChief to [[spoiler: [[TheQuietOne Jasper]] and[=/=]or [[TheSociopath Obsidian]]]].
** Also in ''Black, White and Shades of Mediochre'', despite both of their villainous organisations being {{Unwitting Pawn}}s in the grand scheme of things, [[TheBrute Underdog Narrow]] is pretty-much TheDragon to [[FantasticRacism Zac]] [[RightWingMilitiaFanatic Abrahams]], and [[TheChampion Tiffany]] [[CuteButPsycho Quicksilver]] is pretty-much TheDragon to [[ClassicalMovieVampire Guinevere]] [[ForTheEvulz Spencer]].
* Literature/FirebirdTrilogy:
** ''Firebird'': Tel Tellai is Phoena Angelo's right-hand-man. He oversees security and the day-to-day operation of their resistance group when she is busy with other matters, and personally supports her as a friend and, later, husband.
** ''Fusion Fire'': Dru Polar is the Shuhr's strongest telepath, the head of Testing, and [[TheHero Brennen Caldwell]]'s direct captor. He ran the attempts to extract the classified information from Brennen and he is the one who planned to break Brennen by forcing him to kill his own wife. Polar answers only to Eshdeth Shirak, who is the leader of the Shuhr.
** ''Crown of Fire'': Micahel Shirak is the son of the new leader of the Shuhr and the de facto second-in-command. He helps his father carry out their various plans and orchestrates the attempts on Firebird Angelo Caldwell's life.
** ''Wind and Shadow'': This book does not have a Dragon; instead, it has a major BigBad and a lesser one.
** ''Daystar'': Colonel Zeimsky is Piper Gambrel's crony, creating the means to destroy the Sentinel's telepathic abilities and working to apply that "cure" to all the Sentinels. He is the scientist to Gambrel's religious bent and enables Gambrel's plans against the Sentinels to move forward. Zeimsky and Gambrel have a somewhat unusual relationship as BigBad and Dragon, as they are frequently in conflict with each other and Zeimsky resents his subordinate role, feeling that he should be Gambrel's equal.
* ''Literature/AdventureHunters'': Marcus becomes this for Ryvas; his second in command and the enforcer of his EvilPlan.
* ''The Queen of The Damned'', part 3 of ''Literature/TheVampireChronicles''. Said Queen, the [[AGodAmI deranged]] Akasha, wants resident AntiHero Lestat to be this to her. While he does call himself evil more than once [[spoiler: he suffers a major [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone breakdown]] over the [[EvenEvilHasStandards things she made him do]] and leaves her.]]
%%* [[spoiler:Tam]] to [[spoiler:Lucy]], when infected by the Shadow. Of course, his main allegiance is to Voss. However, this doesn't stop him from doing everything Lucy tells him to do.
* ''Literature/ThePowerOfFive'':
** Jayne Dervill in ''Raven's Gate''.
** Captain Roberts in ''Evil Star''.
** Susan Mortlake in ''Nightrise''.
** Jonas Mortlake [[CoDragons and]] the new Chairman in ''Oblivion''.
* Several examples in the ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series:
** In ''Sabriel'', [[OurLichesAreDifferent Kerrigor]] uses an unnamed Mordicant[[note]]a sort of golem inhabited by an undead spirit, noted as an ImplacableMan and ScarilyCompetentTracker[[/note]] as his Dragon.
** In ''Lirael'' and ''Abhorsen'', [[EvilSorcerer Hedge]] manages to subvert his rival [[HiddenAgendaVillain Chlorr]] of [[TheFaceless the Mask]] using [[TheCorruption Free Magic]] into being his Dragon, though she's got something of an EnigmaticMinion type flavor about her as well. [[spoiler: The end of ''Lirael'' then reveals Hedge himself to not be the BigBad as he first appeared, but TheDragon himself to Orannis the Destroyer, a tremendously powerful SealedEvilInACan that uses Hedge as Its agent in the outside world]].
* Arielle Kliest is this to the old Man in ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'''s sequel, ''What We Become''.
* Weed Maddox to Iain Corvus in ''Literature/TyrannosaurCanyon''. Corvus plays the aloof amoral intellectual, Maddox is a sociopath ex-military LightningBruiser.
* In ''Literature/TheLegendsongSaga'' Kalide is this to his mother Coralyn. Despite thinking herself to be TheChessmaster BigBad, she herself only the Dragon to the Chaos spirit.
* [[spoiler:Sebastian[=/=]Jonathan]] to [[spoiler:his father]], Valentine Morgenstern in ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''. [[spoiler:Seems to be one to Lilith now, too.]]
* The Axe-Man in the ''Literature/AhrimanTrilogy'' serves as the quietly AxCrazy Dragon for the more loquacious Toby Homolka.
* In ''Literature/MrsFrisbyAndTheRatsOfNimh'', the Fitzgibbon's cat acts as the dragon to the various animals on the farm, terrorizing and killing many of them [[spoiler: including Jonathan, Mrs. Frisby's husband]]. The cat is quite appropriately named Dragon.
* In ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'', there are several Dragons
** In ''Steelheart'', Nightwielder acts as the Dragon to the book's namesake, Steelheart.
** In ''Firefight'', Newton is a straightforward Dragon to Regalia, with Obliteration acting as a DragonWithAnAgenda. Obliteration also [[spoiler:abandons a defenceless and dying Regalia at the climax of the book.]]
* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'': Clove to Cato.
* [[spoiler:Luke Castellan]] to Kronos in ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians''.
* In Literature/TheFlyingBoy, Dr. Paigne has a daughter named Demi.
* ''Literature/WarrenTheThirteenth'': Petula is Annaconda's apprentice who does most of the spying for her.
* Contessa (from the web serial novel ''Literature/{{Worm}}'') is Doctor Mother's closest, longest-standing and most effective subordinate, [[spoiler:although, as seen in her Interlude, [[BigBadDuumvirate they formed Cauldron together]]. Contessa eventually just let Doctor Mother call the shots while Contessa focused on finding the paths to success with her power.]]

* In ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'', General Wesley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is this to the rather weak-willed President Warner, and probably the most effective force in the Federal Government when it comes to combating the freedom fighters in that setting's near-future civil war. When Warner and his cabinet are killed in a weird-looking terrorist strike he [[TheStarscream may or may not]] have had something to do with, Wesley also becomes the DragonAscendant.
* Creator/IsaacAsimov's "Literature/SearchByTheMule": By now, Han Pritcher has been made the Mule's lieutenant general, and is the best [[{{Brainwashed}} Converted]] minion he has. He sends Pritcher out on important missions, mostly revolving around Seldon's Second Foundation. In this story, Pritcher is sent out with Bail Channis on another attempt to find them, and is finally successful! [[spoiler:Mention is made in "Literature/SearchByTheFoundation" that he became a DragonAscendant, trying to keep the Mule's Union of Worlds intact, but was unsuccessful.]]
* ''Literature/{{Temeraire}}'': The Chinese Celestial dragon Lien adopts the BigBad UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte as [[DragonRider companion]] in order to gain {{Revenge}} against Temeraire. Not only is she a ''dragon'' and by far the most combat-capable of the two, but her expertise leads Napoleon to enact the Western world's most extensive dragon-breeding program and dragon civil rights movement, which drastically change the course of the Napoleonic Wars.
* In ''Literature/GoneWithTheWind'': India Wilkes has a convict named Archie and [[GossipyHens local gossip]] Mrs. Elsing as her dragons. Or at the very least, they side with her when all three of them catch protagonist Scarlett O’Hara hugging India’s brother Ashley in their lumber mill. This causes a feud throughout Atlanta that sees Scarlett and her husband Rhett Butler being outcasted from high society.

*** Lucius Malfoy was originally Voldemort's Dragon. He hands missions like the one at the ministry in book 5 to the cool-headed Malfoy. Then after losing the prophecy in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix The Order of the Phoenix]]'' the Dark Lord [[YouHaveFailedMe decided he'd failed one too many times.]] Lucius spends most of ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows The Deathly Hallows]]'' doing little more than sitting in his chair at Death Eater meetings and quietly whimpering[[note]]it really doesn't help that Voldemort "borrows" his wand and promptly loses it[[/note]]. [[spoiler: Then he and his family make a HeelFaceTurn of sorts...]]

*** Snape knows too much about Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix to be wasted somewhere else, and since he's Voldemort DoubleAgent inside the Order of the Phoenix he reports directly to him and no one else. [[spoiler:He's also Dumbledore's DoubleAgent, which subverts this trope as far as intentions go.]]

** ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets The Chamber of Secrets]]'' has a literal example. The basilisk is the Dragon and Tom Riddle is the BigBad. It's even the classic scenario: to save the DamselInDistress, TheHero battles the Dragon and then defeats the physically weaker Big Bad. [[spoiler: He ''also'' marries the damsel, though not until many years later.]]

* In ''Literature/GoneWithTheWind'': India Wilkes has a convict named Archie and GossipyHen Mrs. Elsing as her dragons. Or at the very least, they side with her when all three of them catch protagonist Scarlett O’Hara hugging India’s brother Ashley in their lumber mill. This causes a feud throughout Atlanta that sees Scarlett and her husband Rhett Butler being outcasted from high society.

* ''Literature/DunctonWood'' has [ManipulativeBastard Rune], who is this to Mandrake.

''Literature/DunctonWood'' has [ManipulativeBastard Rune], who is this to Mandrake.