I woke up slowly, not wanting to open my eyes just yet. When I asked to be part of a fairy tale on that shooting star, this wasn't what I had in mind. I finally cracked open one eye. Yup, still a dragon, I thought to myself. I stretched my legs and wings out and slowly walked out of my cave to a waiting serf, cowering behind a rock. "What do you want?" I growl.
"Terribly sorry, your Excellence, it's just, the King and Queen are demanding that their kingdom be freed.
His phrasing irritates me. "Their kingdom?! I won this land fair and square!" I breathe a puff of fire to accent my anger. It doesn't do much but it does scare the locals. "But I'll tell you what. I'm bored. If any of their knights can beat me in a fight, then they shall get their kingdom back."
The serf looks relieved that I have to let him go to relay the message, and runs off. "Most generous, your Excellence, most generous!"
I roll my eyes. I just want this nightmare to be over, and in all the stories, at least one knight was able to beat the dragon. I could always take another kingdom if I really wanted.
Of course, if all went to my plan, I wouldn't need to.
Within the week, knights were lined up outside my hoard everyday itching to prove their worth. They were funny. Most of them I roasted before eating. They usually made grand speeches that I'm sure they wanted to be remembered for, and I didn't waste time in gulping down my latest snack.
Then one day, a smallish man by the name of Arthur came in. He simply said, "My father demands you die. Who am I to argue?" before charging me.
I found him somewhat amusing, so I didn't kill him right away. But his blows never landed on me. Eventually he became less entertainment and more of a nuisance, so I tried to roast him. But his shield kept the fire at bay. I paused. He lowered the shield slightly and smiled. "I did mention I am a Prince, yes? I have more than measly knight's equipment."
He stabbed me in the foot and I roared so loudly that the ceiling overhead shook. His blade was certainly not of the mortal realm. But the pain was a welcome experience. This was my escape from the confines of this cursed world. He kept slashing at me until he stabbed me in the chest. I gasped, and felt everything go numb. With the last of my strength, I looked at this young prince and smiled. "Thank you...everything in here...is yours..."
Then the world went dark, and I was free from my cage.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
