The Knight, the Dragon, and the Heiress (Short Story)

Chapter 5

The Dragon's P.O.V.

   I awake to only a soft glow in the lair made from the remaining embers contained in the fire pit. Princess Maylis is still bundled up in the animal hide blankets sleeping peacefully. I get up and stretch my limbs hoping not to make any noise even though my claws seem to clack when I walk around.

'Strange that I'm more cautious of my actions around Maylis.'

   As I'm getting ready to head out Princess Maylis arouses from her slumber.

   "Where are you going?" she groggily asks while peeking her head out from under the blankets.

   "I'm going to get more food and firewood. It's possible that it will take all day for Lord Sheffield to appear. I shan't be long, your majesty. Urgh...sorry, Maylis." I answer.

   But something stops me right at the entrance of the lair.

A smell.

That smell.

His smell.

Musk and pure malice.

   "He can't be here this early," I heatedly mutter.

   "Lord Sheffield's already here?" Princess Maylis anxiously asks more awake now.

   "Yes, he's about a mile away," I respond.

   "What will we do?"

   "I have a plan but you must follow it precisely," I speak assertively.

   "Okay."

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   While Princess Maylis and I eat breakfast, I tell her the plan. Afterwards, Maylis gets in position; her job is to act natural but keep her distance from Lord Sheffield when he arrives and also assure him that I'm not in the lair.

   And once he lets his guard I'll be able to strike. I need to go hide in the darker cavern part of the lair right away.

   "Incendie, I'm terrified," I hear Princess Maylis quiver possibly on the verge of tears.

   "There is nothing to be afraid of, Maylis. Lord Sheffield cannot risk hurting you nor will I allow him to even lay a finger on you," I confidently state.

   "Thank you," Princess Maylis sniffles.

'Arrgh! I can barely even see Maylis from my position let alone reassure that my plan will work. It must work!'

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   I catch sight of a shadowy figure rising up from the lair's entrance and I take a deep whiff.

'Yeah, that's him alright.'

   "He's here," I utter quietly towards Maylis. "Please abide by the plan."

   As Lord Sheffield is making his way to Maylis, every fiber of my body becomes tense sharpened by the fear of the unknown outcome of, well, anything.

   I watch the conversation between Lord Sheffield and Maylis with steel focus. Princess Maylis is doing quite well sticking to the plan. She has her shoulders back, a calm composure, and plastered on such a relieved but happy expression perfect for deceiving anyone. Lord Sheffield first asks of my presence which was to be expected of course. But Maylis starts asking Lord Sheffield questions something that wasn't part of the plan.

   "How did you get here so quickly?" she asks.

   From what little light was in the lair I see Lord Sheffield's expression of relief from news of my absence but now alarm from Maylis' question.

   "I rode all night to rescue you, my bride," Lord Sheffield responds anxiously.

   "All by yourself?" she inquires further.

   "Yes, there wasn't any time to waste on others," Lord Sheffield says.

   "Well I thank you. Aren't you weary from scaling those cliffs? Please, take a seat." she speaks sweetly.

'What is Maylis doing? I told her not to get anywhere near Lord Sheffield!'

   "There's no time, Maylis. That cursed dragon may return any second! Let's proceed out of his lair. Follow me now!" Lord Sheffield commands and sprints to the entrance while Princess Maylis stays in the same position.

'Now's my chance!'

   I pounce out from the shadows of the lair liberating my body after its contracted state. I let the burning abyss relinquish its hold of my abdomen but in doing so the fiery hooks climbs up my esophagus just waiting to be released from the cavity of my maw.

'No, not yet. He must suffer!'

   I strike with my claws targeting Lord Sheffield's shanks. He swiftly dodges and draws out his sword. Lord Sheffield primes his sword waiting for my next attack while the amulet glows a deep crimson equal to the pigment of my scales.

'He's using the amulet's magic to assist him in battle. Curse him!'

   I aim my jaws for his torso hoping to chomp down on it. Sheffield also dodges that then ends up mounting onto my neck. I immediately fly out the lair into the open sky hoping to shake Lord Sheffield off.

   He starts slashing his sword across my neck and wings. Each slash to make contact stings and causes a newer rush of adrenaline surging through my body. But one perfect slash made contact with my wing forcing me to lose altitude putting both Sheffield and me into a free fall.

   We crash onto the ground cracking its crust into a crater-like impression. Lord Sheffield lands flat on his feet hard but unscathed because of the amulet. But I land straight on my injured wing. I stagger to my feet, all four of them, while my wing is still searing with pain.

'That's it! No more holding back!'

   I unleash the intensified inferno making my body hot to the point of steaming in the direction of Lord Sheffield. I wait for the fire's smoke to clear anticipating to see a body burnt to a crisp but instead I see a shield made from magic.

   "You didn't expect to destroy me that easily. Did you?" Lord Sheffield asks snidely.

   "I'd wished it would at least make a scratch," I remark.

   "Then you're gonna have to do better," He says.

   I charge towards Lord Sheffield snapping at him and each time he rapidly dodges my attacks. But this leaves an opening for Sheffield to make a slash across my jaws causing the wound to steam from the searing open skin.

'I'm going to have to remove the amulet from him to get any hit in.'

   I continue the attack through more slicing him by my claws and even lacerate him and the ground with my blade-like tail. That last slash severed the chain of the magic amulet making it fall from Lord Sheffield's neck leaving him defenseless.

'I have never seen any man so terrified in all my life!'

   I slowly stalk Lord Sheffield back to the edge of the deathful unfathomable chasms cornering him.

   "Surrender, Lord Sheffield. And except the consequences of your actions. This way you will live as a penniless man than be a dead man. Your blood will not be on my hands today or ever!" I proclaim.

   "You're wrong," He says at the same time as I hear Princess Maylis scream from the towering cliffs.