The Princess, The Dragon, and The Sort of Knight

            The king had been very clear. Ride through Hanglewood Forest. Then cross The Hadrak Desert. Follow The Bardle River until arriving at the foot of Mt. Voros. It all seemed easier when the king was describing it, but after months of journeying, Sir Perceval was finally standing in front of the drawbridge of the dreaded castle.

            The castle was old. Older than anything Perceval had ever seen. He stepped hesitantly across the wooden drawbridge. It creaked and groaned underneath him. He grabbed the hilt of his sword harder as he walked through the portcullis and into the main courtyard of the castle.

            It was silent. The only sound was that of his own breathing and the clink of his heavy armor.  He looked around him. There were walls and towers on all sides. How was he supposed to know in which one the princess was kept? For that was the reason he had travelled all this way.

In order to be deemed a worthy and proper knight, he had to rescue a princess from the clutches of a ravenous dragon and the terror of the Dragon Voros was known throughout all the land. When the dragon kidnapped the daughter of the king, Perceval saw his opportunity. He was convinced he was going to succeed in rescuing the distraught damsel from the dragon’s foul imprisonment.

            As he stood in the courtyard pondering which way he should go, a women’s voice yelled to him from high above.

            “Excuse me!” A woman called down. The young Perceval looked up to see a fair maiden waving at him from one of the tower windows.

            “My dear maiden! I have come from far away - ”

            “I can only imagine!” She said interrupting him, “Must have been an extremely courageous journey, but we have no time,” Perceval was taken a back. This was quite uncommon.  

            “Um…right… of course. Here lurks a hideous beast, we must be quick princess. I’ll be right up,” he said, starting to run toward the base of the tower where he saw a small staircase leading to her chamber.

            “No, I’ll come down. You stay right there,” she said abruptly leaving the window. Perceval was stunned. Surely this was unconventional. He had always pictured himself carrying the young damsel down from her chamber in his strong arms as he stepped over the mangled body of the slain dragon.  

            He sunk to the ground and sat waiting, wondering how on earth he was going to explain this to the king. Would it still count as a rescue if he didn’t even ascend the tower? Would he still be knighted? There were so many questions and he hadn’t even left the castle.  

            Perceval was so caught up in his thoughts he didn’t notice the princess standing next to him. She was the fairest thing he had ever seen. Her blonde hair fell from her head and rolled down her back like a river of gold. Her eyes were like the bluest sky. Her lips…

            “Hello! Helloooo!” She said waving her hand in front of his face. Perceval jumped to his feet.

            “Princess. It is an honor to be thy rescuer. Now, where is the foul creature that imprisoned you.” As if waiting for his cue, the dragon Voros slithered out from the shadows of one of the tall towers.

            His body, hot as coals, steamed and smoked. He was as tall as twenty knights and as long as fifty. He had a muscular snake-like body supported on thick stumpy legs. His red scales glistening in the afternoon sun. His dark claws ripped the ground beneath him as he moved towards his prey. His yellow eyes bore down on the young knight and fair princess.

            But before the knight had anytime to address the dragon, the princess stole his sword from the scabbard and stepped in between him and the beast. She brandished the sword toward the dragon threateningly.

            It wasn’t just Perceval who was surprised, but upon seeing the princess, the dragon stopped dead in his tracks. His once menacing face now morphed into a confused look of utter amazement.

            “Hold on just a second,” The dragon said holding up his front paws as he sat himself down on his haunches.

            “What? Too scared to fight me?” The princess challenged.  

            “No, it’s just…I’ve never fought a woman before. Isn’t the knight supposed to fight me?” The creature asked pointing a sharp claw at Perceval. The princess looked behind her as Perceval shyly kicked a clump of dirt.  

            “Well, actually,” he said stepping forward, “I’m not quite a knight yet.”

            “What are you then?” the dragon asked.

            “I’m sort of a knight.”

            “Sort of? What do you mean? I’ve never heard of a sort of knight.”

            “You’re not a knight?” The princess asked, letting the sword fall aimlessly to her side.

            “No, no, no,” Perceval shook his head half embarrassed, “ Let me explain. I need to rescue you, and slay this dragon in order to become an official knight.”

            “So, you’re not an official knight?”

            “Technically. But who cares anyway. I look like a knight, don’t I?” He said taking spinning around to show off his impressive armor.

            “He does look the part,” the dragon said to the princess.

            “Still, dressing like a knight doesn’t make you a knight. Therefore, you have no right to rescue me and slay this dragon. Besides I have your sword.”

            “Since we’re having this conversation, I want to say I’m quite offended you two keep calling me ‘the dragon,’” the dragon said, “My name is Voros.”

            “Sorry,” the princess responded.

            “You can’t apologize to a dragon,” the knight protested.

            “Why not?”

            “Because it’s just not done. He’s the enemy. That’s why. And just like a lady swinging a sword, it shouldn’t happen. Now give that back to me,” Perceval said lunging at the weapon. The princess easily dodged the knight, letting him stumble and fall to the ground. The dragon heaved in laughter.

            “This is much more entertaining than fighting you,” he laughed.

            “Who says we’re not fighting,” the princess said moving toward the dragon with the sharp sword held in front of her. The dragon quickly moved backward shaking the earth beneath his heavy weight.

            “Hold your horses young lady,” he said, “Let’s think about this. If he’s sort of a knight…”

            “I’m basically a knight,” Perceval said annoyed.

            “Then why do you need to fight me?” The princess thought for moment.

            “Well..because…I’m your prisoner. You’re not going to let me go without a fight? Right?”

            “That’s not true. Since he’s not really a knight…”

            “Technically I am, or almost going to be,” Perceval retorted still sitting on the ground.

            “I could take him prisoner and you could leave.” Perceval looked alarmed.

            “What?” he blurted out shocked at what was happening.  

            “That would work,” the princess said glancing down at Perceval.

            “I don’t think so,” Perceval protested as the dragon reached his massive paw toward the young knight.

            “It’s not so bad,” the princess said. “And now that you two are on a first name basis you’ll be great friends.”

            “It was a pleasure princess,” Voros said gripping the complaining Perceval in his paw.  

            “The pleasure was all mine,” the princess said as she walked through the portcullis, across the drawbridge and rode Perceval’s stallion back to Bardle River, through The Hadrak Desert, into Hanglewood Forest and entered the king’s castle. Upon her arrival, she was knighted for her bravery in facing the Dragon Voros and awarded an honorary seat at the king’s round table.

            But don’t feel too bad for Perceval. Him and Voros became great friends and lived together the rest of their days. The princess visited them every so often and the three reminisced about the first time they all met one another.