Neraida and Her Dragon

She grew up with several other siblings in a small home near the beach. Neraida, being the youngest of 5, was very spoiled. She'd ask for toys, and she got them. She'd ask for clothes, and she got them. But there was one thing that she really wanted that her parents could never give her-- she wanted a star.

It was a peculiar request, but her parents explained the logic behind the specks of light in the sky. Neraida still didn't care, she wanted a star. "Neraida, if you become too selfish you'll turn green and be eaten by a dragon." Her sisters would always say to her when she begged for more. Neriada's older sister, Lanni, would warn her more and more of this "selfish-child eating dragon" that lived in their bathroom. 

Neraida thought of these warnings as lore and nonsense, and one night as Lanni tucked Neraida into bed, she whined once more.

"Lanni, I would be the happiest child in the world if I could own a star."

Lanni smirked and responded to her little sister's greed. "If you fall asleep tonight, with that on your mind, I'm sure that a dragon will come down and eat you right away."

Neraida pouted, and hid her face under her pillow. And that is exactly what she did. She fell asleep with the thought of owning a star.

She awoke to the piercing blue eyes of a beast staring at her through a window. Then she found herself at the foot of a dragon.

He was immense, majestic even.

She became frightened, her sisters were right.
The dragon sensed her fear.

"Little Neraida, why are you frightened?" The dragon spoke in a calm tone.

"You are here to eat a selfish child. And I think that child is me."

The dragon laughed, "But how did you know this?"

Neraida shrugged, "I've been warned and I never listened. But I am not selfish. I am just a dreamer."

The dragon tilted it's head confused, "A dreamer you say?"

"I just dream of holding a star, I'll put it back I don't have to keep it Mr. Dragon. But I'm not selfish I promise, please don't eat me." Neraida begged with tears in her eyes.

The dragon smiled and he brought is face close to the little girl.

"I'm Formidulosus, a dragon that eats selfish children, but--" He lets Neraida climb atop his nose--"I smell a dreamer, not a selfish child. So reach for the stars, Neraida. I'll help you."

That night, Neraida not only held a star near her heart, she also befriended Formidulosus. A dragon that didn't really eat children, he just happened to love the stars just as much as Neraida did.