Queen & King

07.

The walls of this hallway-

inside-a-mountain were

intricately designed, she

hoped not in attempt to lure

her in further for the dragon.

Still, she went along,

as he seemed incredibly friendly,

and gave her the sense she belonged

here, away from all she ever knew.

This dragon made her feel she had a friend,

and if she left she would be alone.

And wouldn't that be a sad end?

“Where do you come from?” he asked

after awhile, turning to sit and face her.

She wondered at them stopping, which he

understood immediately. “There

is still such a long ways to go, if you want

to get away. It will take us a few nights.”

He gave a dragon-grin – which looks much

like that of a puppy, so full of delight.

“I was nearly the queen,” she said,

sitting up a little taller, as taught

to so long ago. Most knew all along,

the prince's love, although she fought

against it long as possible. But what

a prince wants, he does get –

she learned this, and did not blame

him one bit.

After all, he would have let her go,

had she told him she wasn't in love.

But it would have been too much,

she feared, for him to rise above.

The king was a coward;

she knew that this was true.

But she ran away from his sadness 

only because she was one, too.