Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

36 - To Be A Dragon Slayer

James stood in the camp, in the middle of a forest region, dressed in armer and his hair cut short and his chin shaved.
"There he is. Our saviour!" said a voice from near by. he turned his attention to King Midas who walked towards him. "The man who is going to tear the dragon limb from limb."
James smiled and pulled the gold sword from the belt. He held it unsteadily and smiled sheepishly.
Midas held the handle of his sword. "You do this and you'll be a legend.
James nodded and Midas walled away, through the camp.
"Here, let me." said a knight walking towards him, indicating to his armer. "You fastened it wrong." he fixed his armer. "Here, give me that." he took the sword from his hands.
"How will I fight? How will I protect myself?" asked James, nervously.
"You won't. You will stay outside when cave while we kill the dragon. If you don't come out of this alive, Midas won't give our Kingdom any gold. You might have the title of hero, but not the job."
James nodded.
Suddenly from behind them came the sound of a dragon screeching.
They looked up towards the mountains with speckles of snow where the sound had come from.

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James and the knights walked along the pathway in the mountains. Spwern accross the ground where sheilds and swords of past knights and Prince's and little flames burned the dead grass. James looked horrified at the burnt body of a knight lying on the ground.
They were almost choking in the smoke that surrounded them as they neared the cave and more body's burned on the ground.
"The dragon's lair is through there." said the head knight pointing in the direction of the cave. He turned to the two knights who stood next to James. "You stay here. We'll be back."
The knights drew their swords and walked towards the cave.
"Did you know him well?" James asked one of the knights.
"Who?" said the knight.
"My brother, the Prince."
"Yeah, we knew him. He was the bravest man I ever met.
The sound of the dragon screeching came from the cave, and after that the sound of men screaming. Flames came from the cave.
"They need our help." said James and he moved forward. The knights pulled him back.
"We stay here. Our orders are clear."
"People are dying." he argued.
"Don't move! Stay back!"
James broke free from the knights and ran to the cave, flames blasted from it.
"Hey!" shouted one of the knights. They looked at each other and stayed behind, fear in their eyes.
James ran to a knight who lay by the entrance to the cave, the bottom half of his body had caught flame. He pulled the injured man back, any for the cave as the flames died out, but as they moved from the cave the big, dark, scaily dragonna came from his lair. He blew fire then flew off into the air.
James left the knight, safely by a rock. "Where's your sword?" he asked, breathlessly. He looked up to see the giant dragonsweep over them and blow flames at them. They successfully hide behind the rock, but screams still escaped their mouths.
They looked ahead to see another burning knight lying motionless on the ground.
"Stay here. Stay." James said to the knight.
He ran towards the knight lying motionless on the ground, he took his sword, but quickly dropped it for it had burned his hand through his glove.
He looked up again to see the dragon flying towards him and screeching. He hide behind the rocks as the dragon blew more flames. He looked around him and saw a narrow path between the rocks. He spead towards the narrow path, the dragon chasing him. James grabbed a sword that lay on the ground and reached the path. The dragon attempted to follow him but his giant body became stuck between the rocks.
He growled and roared, trying to reach James, but he couldn't. He was helpless.
"Didn't see that coming, did you?" said James a smile creeping up on his face as he stared at the dragon.
He turned to the side, held the sword over his head and lashed it accross the dragons neck. The dragon's head fell from its body.
James looked at the dragon, and then at the gold sword that he held in his hand.

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Mary Margaret stood in her empty classroom, cutting an envelope open with a knife.
David stood, quietly at the door. "Careful. Looks sharp." he said.
"You can't be here." said Mary Margaret and she put the envelops down on her desk.
"I needed to see you." he walked toward her.
She picked up a pile of books.
"Tell me you didn't leave your wife because of me." she began to leave the books down on each of the desks. "I do not want to destroy your marriage."
"You're not, it's me. I don't want to hurt her either. But the most hurtful thing to Kathryn would be me pretending. She needs someone to feel about her.......the way I feel about you."
"I'm really trying hard to stay away from you. To do the right thing." she continued leaving books on the desks.
"Why is that the right thing?"
"Because you already have a life."
"With someone I didn't choose."
The school bell rang and children began to walk into the room.
David continued. "The man who chose that life, whoever married Kathryn, is gone."
She shook her head.
"The man here wants someone else."
"You really have to leave me alone." she began to push him away, towards the door.
"Is that truly want you want?"
"Go."
"Meet me tonight. At least think about it."
She looked at him abd opened her mouth but said nothing.
"I'll be at the bridge where you found me at 8:00. Think about it until then and then decide. If you don't show, I'll know. And I'll never bother you again."
She looked away and thought to herself for a moment.
"But if you choose this, if you choose us......." he smiled broadly. "......you know where I'll be."
Mary Margaret watched him as he walked away from the door, ready to say something.