Alaric Fortis

Alaric Fortis: In the dragon's lair

There it was, one lone tower erect at the very heart of the clearing before his eyes. Fashioned out of raw stone bricks, only meadow that bent to the whims of gentle winds surrounded it. The trees that encircled the flat land stood as though they dared not stepping any closer to the construction.

His goal had never come nearer than it had then.

"Here to slay the dragon?"

The raspy voice reaching his ears from behind ripped his attention away from the tower.

He turned around and stood straight as he removed his helmet, ready to properly introduce himself in front of the old lady, "Greetings good mother. I, Sir Alaric Fortis, sworn to serve Lord Caspian the third as a knight of the Silver veiled kingdom," he smiled.

Her frail and hunched over figure trembled even more as she laughed, "No knight from the Silver veiled kingdom had ever ventured to these parts," her eyes lingered on the emblem decorating his shield.

"Honored to be the first," he stood proud.

"Every knight I've seen came not on foot but on the back of a horse. Where might yours be?" she asked.

"At the foot of the mountain where plenty of grass and water lies by a river. It was a long way up here, one hardly made for a horse,"

"Very considerate of you," she smiled, which further stressed the creases riddling her skin.

"As for your previous question; I've come to deliver the princess,"

"A princess?" her dull looking eyes widened a tad even though the grin remained on her lips.

"Indeed. Princess Louise, daughter of king George who reigns over the Golden kingdom,"

She gave a short hum, acknowledging his words before speaking again, "Well, if a dragon is what you seek then you've come to the right place," with her wooden cane, she shakily and very slowly pointed at the tower, "But if a princess is what you've come for, then I am afraid you must have taken a wrong turn somewhere on your journey, brave knight,"

Instinctively, and upon hearing that statement, his head snapped around towards the tower. Although it was quite hard to distinguish much of the building from the distance he stood at, he strained his vision until he made sure what he saw was indeed a window, carved into the columnar wall, very close to the top of the keep.

That was when he saw her... It was nothing more than a figure. Aside from a dark shade of hair color, observing the details on her was no easy task, but Alaric was sure of it. It couldn't have been someone other than the princess he'd vowed to deliver.

"Then who might that be?" he pointed towards the tower as he turned to look at the expression on the old Lady's face.

"Who?" she retorted.

His head spun around once more, only to find that the figure was no longer there to be seen.

By the time he had his gaze back on the old Lady she'd already started to walk away from him.

"Well, Alright then, I shall be on my way. I will rid you of that cursed beast. That is my promise to you!" he declared, eyes on the tower, as he was about to put his helmet back on.

The old lady's raggedy laugh traveled to his ears, and without stopping she addressed him again, "That creature has never been a bother to us for as long as I've lived," at the end of her sentence she did come to a halt. She, very gradually, turned her head back and with a more serious tone declared, "A word of advice, nothing but death lies ahead. Turn around while there's still air in your lungs,"