Saving Rose

Chapter 5

The floor shook beneath their feet, and bits of dust clouded the air all around them as the walls trembled at the sound of another roar. Rose turned toward her mother and father, eyes wide with fear. But her father was positively giddy.

"The dragon is here!" he hollered in glee, grabbing his sword in one hand and unsheathing it. Rose watched as her brother Eric did the same, a gleam of fierce determination in his eyes.

"Come on, men!" her father thundered, pointing his sword at the sky. "The moment we've been waiting for his here!"

With a guttural cry, he led the charge, and one by one the King of the West and the little Prince Eric fell in line.

"You men and your dragons," her mother shouted after them. "Be careful! They're still dangerous creatures!"

But by the time the Queen was finished her tirade, the men were already gone.

Rose turned to Prince Andrew, surprised to find him motionless. His face had lost all color, and it looked to her as if he was nothing more than a ghost.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reaching over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Aren't you going to go and fight?"

"I told you," he said, his voice quivering. "I don't like to fight. I don't want to fight. Can't I just stay here with all of you?"

There was a pleading in his eyes Rose wasn't used to seeing, one that whispered of fear. Chewing her lip for a moment, she glanced back at her mother. The Queen stared back at her expectantly, her gaze flickering to Andrew and then back again. With a sigh, Rose reached down to Andrew's side and grabbed the hilt of his sword. She tugged hard and the blade gave way, slipping easily from its scabbard.

"Come on," she insisted, grabbing his hand with her free one, and pulling him back down the hall towards the dragon.

"Are you crazy?" the Prince shouted as she ran with him firmly in tow.

"No," she said with a bit of laugh, wondering for a moment if she in fact was. "You need to show everyone that you're brave. That you can fight, and that you will fight. One day you're going to run an entire Kingdom. Your people need to trust you. Someday you'll have to lead them into battle, and if you falter now, they won't."

She dragged him along through the giant stone archway that led into the courtyard, and stopped. For there, on the other side of the square, was the biggest dragon she had ever seen.

It's silver scales gleamed like fire in the light of the dying sun, brilliant reds and golds shimmering like flames with each move the dragon made. It roared, its mouth splitting open to reveal rows upon rows of deadly teeth. Rose swallowed hard, knowing that one tooth alone was the size of her forearm. The dragon reared onto its hind legs, great wings spreading as wide as the courtyard, and when it flapped them, a terrific gust of wind rolled the soldiers before it back across the square.

"Go on," Rose said, shoving the sword into the Prince's hands. "You can do this!"

"I don't think I can," he hollered back. "I'm frightened."

The dragon's thunderous rumble echoed across the yard, a deafening sound that made Rose cover her ears. She had always imagined fighting a dragon beside her father and her brother, had always imagined being the one to strike the fatal blow. But standing there now, staring at the magnificent beast, she understood why the Prince was so afraid. It was a gargantuan creature, one that was fearsome to behold. She felt her knees tremble at its cry, but she squared her shoulders, and pushed the Prince forward.

"You can," she assured him, giving him an encouraging smile. "Being afraid is normal. But you aren't alone. You have your father, and mine. And all of the soldiers of my father's army. You can do this, Andrew. Believe in yourself!"

Though he still seemed unconvinced, he took a steadying breath. His mouth twisted into a resolute line, and he hefted the sword before him. With a wild battle cry, he lifted his sword high in the air, and raced forward to attack the dragon.

Rose watched with a mix of envy and pride as the Prince raced across the courtyard. He flung his sword from side to side, still shouting wildly as he ran. When at last he reached the front line, he glanced back at her and smiled.

Then, he stepped forward from the soldiers and Kings, and pointed his sword at the dragon. For a moment, the world fell into silence. The dragon stared at the tiny Prince, and Rose could have sworn she saw a flicker of amusement on the beast's face.

Then, the dragon leaned forward, opened its mouth in a toothy smile, and gobbled the Prince up.