52 stories

Week 19: The knight in shining armor

Prompt: A prince/knight in shining armor saving the princess trapped in a tower.

A/N: I had this story idea for a while now and I thought it would be perfect for this challenge! I hope you will have as much fun reading this that I had writing it. And don't forget to not judge a book by it's cover. Things are not always as it seems.

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Everyone told him that it was impossible. So many fearless and chivalrous men went on this too dangerous quest and no one came back. Jake didn't care, he knew he would be the one who succeed. Because his heart and his intents were pure and clear. He would be the one saving the princess, not because he wanted to get something from it, but because she deserved to be free. That was is motto for the whole journey, the reason why he never gave up. She was trapped in this tower for a few years already and the only thought of an helpless person in an isolated far away place was unbearable!

And so there he was, packing everything he might need for this rescue. Some of his close friends tried yet another time to stop him, but his mind was set, it was too late to back off. He travelled all the way to this wild and dangerous forest where it was said the princess was being captive. Those who trapped her didn't chose those woods for nothing. It was said that in the deep of forest lived the most dangerous and vile creatures that ever stepped foot on this Earth. But Jake was ready, he had his beloved sword by his side, his useful bow strapped on his back and a quiver full of arrows and last but not least, his small but deadly knife hidden in his boot. He had trained all his life for this very moment. All those hours spent in the training ground, fighting anyone willing to face him. Once he reached the edge of the forest, he took a deep breath and started walking.

After the first day of this grueling march, Jake found a hiding spot under a fallen tree and set camp there. He was lucking enough to avoid any danger so far and he thanked all the Gods for that. He ate some of the dried meat he put in his bag before leaving with wild berries and roots that he found on his way. It wasn't much but it was all he needed. A small and nutritional meal for the events to come. Because even if he felt thankful for the luck he had today, he knew it would turn sooner of later. He made sure his small camp was safe and he went to sleep.

The next morning, he got woken up by a loud cracking sound not far from his camp. In an instant, Jake was on his feet, ready to fight only to freeze in fear at the sight of this gigantic lizard passing by. He didn't know what this monster was, but he hoped it wouldn't see him. It was ten time his height atleast, and by the way the whole nature went completly silent around it told him this lizard was a really dangerous one. Once it passed by him, he noticed a bunch of various animals on it's back: Birds of all size and colors, some dears and even a young moose. The lizard didn't seem to be bothered by them and a stupid idea came to Jake's mind. It was going into the direction he needed to go... What if he climbed on it's back and enjoy the ride for a while? Jake threw the few things he had out of his bag back in it and ran after the creature, trying to keep himself in it's blind spot. Then again, he was lucky that the monster wasn't in a rush, he even wonder if it was waiting for him sometimes... And he could swear that after he fell because his feet got stuck in a tree root that the monster looked at him. But it kept walking like it didn't see him. Maybe it was only his mind and nerves playing with him. After a few hours of chasing the creature around, it stopped and layed down on the mossy floor of the forest, it's back pressed against a tall tree.Some of the animals walked off of it's back and went on their way,not scared at all by the enormous mouth full of teeth not so far from them. Jake didn't feel confident enough to do the same. He looked around to find a way to get closer without getting caught. He decided to try and climb the tree behind the creature, one of it's long hanging branch wasn't so far from it's back. He could try to take that leap of faith and land on it's back.