Twelve Days of Fruk

Day Ten: Knights and Dragons [NSFW]

The mission had gone just about perfect until they realized that the creature was a light sleeper. They had all been in position, swords at the ready, when it had raised its head and seen the knights in silver armor amid the gold of its horde with sleepy eyes. It decided to leave no man un-toasted. Well, except for one, that is.

Curled up in the corner was the usually quite brave knight, Sir Francis Bonnefoy. He had earned a name for himself after aiding the kingdom in the war against the tribe of the Southern Likara Elves, by switching sides, as he was an elf as well. He was brave and kind, but as soon as the chamber had heated unbearably, and his comrades in the line of fire were incinerated by a sleepy, irritated beast, he had retreated to a corner among rubies and onyx rocks. He began to remove his armor, carefully setting down metal as he stripped down to woolen undergarments. His ears were burning, as they were quite sensitive to heat. He wasn't sure what to do, as the King had instructed him and his group of knights to simply kill the dragon, and claim the island for the Kingdom. In times long past, the island lying off the coast of the Kirata Kingdom and the Fulluti Republic was fought over, as it lay right between the two powerful empires. It was home to a beautiful cave and said to be where deities and sorceress nymphs resided, but all of it was ruined when a Dragon decided to make the sacred place its lair.  The cave became full of stolen treasure and the bones of those who had tried to slay it.

His feet were slick with sweat, and he suddenly became aware at how this little golden coins shuffled along each other as he moved. The dragon's tail swayed back and forth like a cat ready to strike. Its back was turned to Francis, green tinted black scales glimmering in the light of tiny fires reflected off its wealth. A piece of armor accidentally hit a coin, and Francis saw the dragon's head turn toward him as the knight ducked for cover behind a large silver urn. Smoke slowly rose from its nostrils, and it began to slowly crawl toward Francis. Not sure how to react, he stood still, hoping it wouldn't notice him, and go back to sleep. It turned out to not be the case, as the beast gently picked up the urn in its mouth, and placing it aside, looked at Francis, it's two large eyes sparkling in the firelight.

"Who are you?" It demanded to know, booming voice sounding like it came through a thick curtain. It was almost artificially deep and muffled, like the creature wasn't meant to talk in the tongue of people. "And what are you doing in my cave?"

"I am Sir Bonnefoy of the Kirata Kingdom, on here by order of the king to take this island back for the Empire," he recited, swallowing hard as he finished in anxiety. "As I stand no chance against you now, I beg of you to spare me, for I wish not to harm you. I am only doing what my king asks of me." He began to lie at the end. He wanted the dragon dead, and with his loyalty to the King strong, he wanted nothing more than to please him, and earn further glory in the process.

"Are you telling the truth?" The Dragon asked again, its mighty head lowering to Francis' level.

"Yes," he replied, swallowing. "I am."

"Am I intimidating in this form?" It seemed to laugh without making a sound, its tone mocking. "Would you like me to change for a more civil discussion?"

"If it is pleasing to you," Francis nodded, not sure what the dragon's offer implied.

Its head lifting back up, it shut its eyes, and began to be engulfed in a soft white glow, until it had become completely luminous. Its body rose and morphed, until it took the form of a human draped in dark red velvet. It seemed to be a man, with more angular and harsh features, and it was thin, and where the fabric swayed in the breeze from the transformation, its pale hips were exposed. They were thin enough to see the bone of its pelvis. Scraggly blond hair fell just above its ears, with messy bangs falling into its face. A long black-green tail grew from its lower back. For a creature of anarchy and terror, it was kind of attractive in Francis' eyes.