The Knight and The Dragon

Once upon a time in a peaceful kingdom lived a Knight and his Dragon. The kingdom was accepting unlike some, allowing dragons and humans of all shapes and sizes to live together happily. The Knight and The Dragon were happy together in that kingdom. But this is not a happy story.

    Melodic laughter like bells chimed through the courtyard which The Knight and The Dragon played. The charming Knight would heave an oak branch to The Dragon, grunting at its weight, only for the shimmering creature to catch it in its mouth like a small twig even if it was yards away. The Dragon bounded and leaped across the grass green courtyard, a twinkle in its eyes. The Knight jogged to catch up with The Dragon, to lean against its tree of a leg and let out a content sigh.

    "Good job, bud," The Knight said, calloused hand over the scales that shone like embers. He hugged The Dragon's leg, closing his eyes while hiding in the shade below The Dragon.

    That was when the cries of people broke the peaceful silence like a slicing blade.

    "I demand all knights from your kingdom come with me!" a frightening figure screeched. She stood in her horse cart, a train of cages guarded by grim soldiers. She was pale as death, eyes sunken and cheeks hollowed, a paper-thin grin like that of a reptile. She wore clothes black like obsidian with sharp edges that could cut flesh, hair slick like oil and nails like talons. The horses were smudged with war paint that may have been blood, spindly antlers attached to their headpieces. The air was warm yet cool frost blew from their muzzles.

    The people in the streets crowded to the sides, cowering, while the people who were inside closed their shutters. Nobody spoke to the figure that radiated evil yet everyone was murmuring. The Knight, being stoic as he was meant to, stepped forward.

    "Good day, m'lady. I'm The Knight." He bowed, fists clenching and teeth gritted under his mask of appeal. The Knight was kind but it wasn't always genuine. "Your request was unclear, how may we help you?" The Knight gave a charming smile, to which the woman scoffed.

    "I am The Princess, and if you and the other knights of this wretched place don't come with me, I will have no choice but to kill the people of here and there will be no one left to defend!" The Princess cackled. Nobody moved.

    "How could you ask such a thing of us?"

    "This isn't a request!" The Knight swallowed nervously. Not in fear. "Now!" Her scream turned into the wails of the wind, a dark storm swirling overhead. She laughed to herself, pitying the feeble people and dragons before her. A spear of dark magic formed, then pierced through the abdomen of a person standing nearby. They were gone when the crash of lightening sounded.

    The power of The Princess was clear. Why she needed helpless knights was not. The people cooperated. The Knight of The Dragon went first. Their weapons and flashy armor held no status once they were packed into the cages. Scared faces, sad faces, but The Knight stood tall, hands gripping the cell bars, poker-faced. The Dragon shuffled, unsure of what it should do. The Knight saw, shaking his head desperately. Don't follow me. The Dragon needed another warning to listen. He didn't receive one. The Dragon watched as the cages of cooped Knights vanished into the Prickly Forest. Then The Dragon followed.

    The Dragon would do anything for The Knight. The Knight knew. It was unfortunate for the both of them. The Knight sighed, taking down his shield of no emotion and letting himself slump down against the cage, dreading what The Dragon may do.

    The Dragon traipsed through the Prickly Forest, unable to fly overhead in fear of being spotted by numerous enemies. For one, The Princess may spot them, and two, the pegasus overhead. Most fairytales told pegasus as majestic, peaceful beings, but these were not. They could seem majestic from afar, but they were some of the most vicious creatures to live, attacking at anything that flew into their skies. The Dragon made it's way through the forest, thorns pricking The Dragon's wings. Blood was drawn but for a cause, for The Dragon would do anything for The Knight. Their friend.

    The Dragon finally rolled out of the forest, wing's purpose lost, determination unfaltering. At least it still had its fire breathing and its scales which could protect it at the least. If only that poor dragon knew that The Princess was aware of it following them. She sensed everything. Her plan never failed.

    Next came a churning river. The water roared like a beast, murky yet all-seeing, darker than night, icy yet thawed. The Dragon crept from behind a hilltop, watching the cages led behind The Princess hover over the water mysteriously.

    Once they had passed, The Dragon made its way to the river. The Dragon was of size, yet not large in comparison to this river before it. Fearless, it took a running start and leaped as far across the river it could get, splashing under the current which swept it like a leaf.

    Drowning, drowning, drowning.  The Dragon was under too long, forcing it to gulp back the icy water that stung. It sprayed against The Dragon like hellfire, small spears cutting away The Dragon's scales.

    The Dragon was under so long it couldn't tell its tears from the rushing water. It was so dark, The Dragon shut its eyes and saw flashes of light. Was this it? The Dragon suddenly dreaded failing. Failing The Knight. It took the last of its will to breach out of the river, the water that crushed its chest splashing violently against the rock which The Dragon had crashed into.

    Drained, The Dragon crawled onto the shore, fortunate to have made it to the other side. It hacked up gallons of water, already knowing what had followed being thrown into the river. The Dragon had lost lots of its scales, as well as its ability to breathe fire. It already knew it was lost and nearly defenseless but continued for The Knight.

    The Dragon had been pushed relatively far from the trail The Princess took, fearing that it may be too late when it finally caught up. Once it had hit a clearing, it knew it was no longer lost.

    Before it was a throne of dark purples and blacks, boiling lava geysers and skeletons of creatures ten times its size littering the path to the castle entrance. The Dragon persisted. It was stumped by how the entrance was completely open for a fraction of a second, the obvious terror which would keep people away like like-sided magnets not affecting The Dragon since it was so devoted. It was nearly joyous that it had come this far, finally able to see The Knight again.

    The Dragon huffed back a shallow breath and made its way into the lair of The Princess. The first thing The Dragon's eyes landed on was The Knight. Alive! There! The Dragon didn't even hesitate before The Princess which sat at the far end of the grand room.

Happily, The Dragon dashed to The Knight. It was so grateful of The Knight. The Knight gave The Dragon so much hope and strength it didn't know how it could repay him. The Knight stood stoic as always, yet no excitement in his eyes. Was The Knight not excited to see The Dragon? The Dragon was hurt but too excited to linger on the pain. So excited that it didn't notice The Princess waving her finger next to her sitting figure, a smirk plastered on her face like it had been carved there.

The Dragon rolled around at The Knight's feet, mouth smiling and that same twinkle in its eyes. The Knight didn't have one in his. In fact, his eyes suddenly seemed so dull. Even as The Knight went up to The Dragon which sat in front of him to hug him, he didn't show a smile nor emotion. There wasn't even hatred.

The Dragon had been too late and never realized it. The Knight wasn't there anymore. Its soul was no longer inside of it. It was empty, consumed, dead. Just as dead as The Dragon felt.

The Knight may have appeared to be hugging The Dragon, but with a quick shift of his arm his sword was drawn, piercing the underside of The Dragon's chest.

A tear somehow escaped The Dragon that had given its all to The Knight which had murdered it. Heartlessly, The Princess laughed, The Knight mimicking her laugh like a robot. As the life of The Dragon faded, it was forced to hear the emotionless laugh of The Knight. The Dragon came to realize that what made The Knight The Knight had died before The Dragon had.

The Dragon's life was draining so slowly yet drained too soon. As the final wisp of its life was sent away, so was the last sentence of this story.

The End.