Chp 1 - The princess stuck in the tower

Once upon the time there was a castle that towered so high you would have to crank your head all the way up to see the top.

Its walls were thick and almost impossible to break, several horses would have to be used to move a single brick of the impenetrable castle.

The only way in would be to get in was through the doors, to climb the walls, or dig deep enough to find where the bricks end. But before even trying you would have to protect the dragon that protected the castle day and night.

Upon the top of it was a red dragon that guarded it day and night never leaving its place. They said it was protecting a treasure trove of gold and sparkling jewellery, some would go to the castle hoping to slay the dragon and take its treasure. No one would feel bad for it, it was only simply just a dragon that wanted to keep all the treasure to itself.

But did they ever think of how the dragon actually felt? Actually?

The dragons long red scaly tail, hung over the edge of the castle's wall. It had golden yellow eyes, with black slits that looked over the horizon soullessly there wasn't a bit of life in its eyes. The dragon seemed a bit bored. The dragon's scales glistened and glittered in the sunlight that shone down on it.

It let out a huff and a bit of grey smoke came out of his nostrils and lowered his body closer to the castle, closing himself off and hiding its most vulnerable part his light yellow underbelly.

It was one of the only parts without scales. But of course this didn't mean just anything could penetrate it, a standard sword couldn't even come close to hurting it. it would just bounce off harmlessly or break into many pieces.

Many came to challenge him but not a single one succeeded, the castle walls were too tall, the dragon was too strong. All illusions of defeating the dragon and living a life of riches would be destroyed the moment you arrived, and you would most likely be burnt to a crisp only leaving a pile of ashes.

Then one day, someone who was a bit different came to visit.

On top of a pure white horse with strong haunches, that allowed it to travel the long distances it went without stopping to take a rest.

The rider was a young knight called Adrayn, his eyes were bright with wonder, and if you looked close enough you could see them sparkle. Adrayn had recently turned 18, after finishing his standard training for a knight instead of finding a job of being a guard at the castle or such he went on an adventure.

He was naturally curious wanting to explore the world not wanting to be confined in the city walls despite the city being so vast. No matter how big a prison was it was still a prison.

Adrayn had always wanted to meet a dragon, he had only heard of them in the fairy tales that were read to him when he had been a child. Adrayn's parents tried to stop him but with his never wavering ambition he had still went anyways with his trusted horse Cael.

Instead of thinking about how he wanted the treasure the dragon had, or wanting to slay the dragon. He thought about how lonely the dragon must be, days on end sitting alone on the top of the castle walls.

The only company were bloodthirsty people that came sometimes to try and kill him in hopes of stealing his only possessions. If you stole someone's valuables they still had their friends, family, and their companions to help them get through it.

But who did that dragon have? If you took away his treasure what exactly did he have except for himself?

Wanting to give something to the dragon he had made up a little stuffed bear, with black button eyes, and crude and crooked stiches.

But one could see how much care and love had been put into it, he had poked himself with the needle because of his clumsiness, it had been a bit scary to see his blood soaking a small spot of the bear.

Adrayn hadn't been able to wash out the stain and could only make it faint and hope that it wasn't noticed.

Adrayn used a thin long sword that might as well have been a katana. It was sharp and could cut through anything cleanly.

He was a bit lazy not wanting to move as much as others so he opted for a longer sword with a longer reach, but if it was too wide it would be too hard to wield so he ended up with a sword a bit different than others.

Though he was a bit lazy he had been one of the highest achieving students in the academy only being bested by one guy.

Adrayn hopped off of Cael and took off his helmet and waved his chestnut brown hair out of his eyes. The dragon silently stared curiously down at the young boy, for some reason he felt different than the others that had come before.

The boy's wide doe eyes stared with astonishment back up at the dragon, his mouth hung slightly opened as his eyes darted all over the dragon. He had looked more majestic in person, the pictures in the fairy tales couldn't even hold a candle to it. They sparkled, the dragon shifted silently waiting to see what Adrayn would do next.

"Ah," He quickly rummaged in his bag looking for the teddy bear he had made for the dragon. His expression lit up, Adrayn pulled out the teddy bear that already looked like it was falling apart a bit. He held it up for the dragon to see.

"I've gotten something to keep you company!" Because the dragon was so high and faraway, he had to use his voice to his full capacity so the dragon could hear him.

But Adrayn didn't know that dragon's had better senses than humans and would've heard him just fine if he just spoke normally. The dragon continued to stay silent. Thinking the dragon hadn't heard him Adrayn spoke again. He pointed to the teddy bear with his other hand.

"This teddy bear is for you, I made it myself!" At the mention of him having made it, he broke into a smile feeling proud of himself. Seeing that the dragon still hadn't answered he said.

"I'm going to throw it up to you now, okay?" He tried to throw it up but the castle walls were too tall, the bear pathetically hit the wall. Hurriedly Adrayn ran to catch it before it hit the ground and risk getting dirty.

"Sorry about that, it must've hurt right?" He lifted the bear in his hands, talking to the bear to the bear as if it was alive. Adrayn someone seemed to genuinely seem to feel sorry for throwing it into the wall. The bear's button eyes stared back at him the bear was unable to talk.

"It must've been scary right?" He hugged it to his chest and pat it's back trying to comfort it. The bear hung lifelessly in his arms, because in the end it was only some fabric stuffed with some cotton. Suddenly he seemed to remember that the dragon that was still there and snapped his head up.

"Sorry forgot you were there, any chance you can come down and get it yourself?" Adrayn tilted his head, the dragon still stayed silent and let out a gruff snort.

"Or maybe open the castle doors?" Then the dragon finally answered,

"I don't know how to open the doors or get down myself," He had a deep voice, it resonated and rumbled like the shaky ground when there was an earthquake.

"…Oh, well I'll try to find a way to get this bear up to you," His voice grew determined and he clenched his fist that wasn't holding the bear holding it close to his chest. Adrayn acted like he just hadn't been told the dragon's life secret. Maybe it was because he had said it so casually.

"There's no need, like I'd want that bear anyways," The dragon looked away, hiding his expression. Despite being so big he actually looked a bit cute. Adrayn's smile grew wider and you could see his pearly white teeth.

"How about this, until I can get this bear up to you. As a temporary measure I can keep you company instead," By now Adrayn didn't realise he wasn't shouting out his words now and the dragon could still keep a conversation with him.

"…Why would I want you company?" If the dragon had eyebrows he would be raising them. But the skin above the dragons eyes went up a bit.

"Anyone would be lonely, having no one to hang out with up there," Adrayn said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, no matter what he wanted others to be happy.

Though he knew the person was probably lying to manipulate him into doing something, he still did it because what if the things the person had said was the truth?

He couldn't push this thought away leading to him doing things for others, but never something that would hurt someone else. It would be going against his values. Adrayn got his happiness from making others happy.

"Well too bad you're wrong, I'm doing perfectly fine up here by myself," His tail swung side to side.

"But, isn't it horrible being stuck up there? Unable to get down forever stuck in the same place, what is there to do? How do you get food?" Adrayn couldn't understand, such an existence how could one survive?

He refused to believe that the dragon was fine with things being this way. Being stubborn could either be one of Adrayn's worst or best traits of him.

"I absorb the magical essence in the air I don't need to get food, what's the point of saying weither or not I like it up here it's just how it is. I have no choice in the matter at hand," His voice was pessimistic, the dragon had already accepted his fate long ago. His fate to forever protect the castle and the treasures inside it.

"Even if you've accepted it I won't, I'll find some way to get you down from there. Then you can be free!" His speaking grew faster, he had already gone too deep, and he wasn't going to stop now.

"And how are you going to do that?" Despite knowing that he wouldn't have an actual answer the dragon still asked.

"As long as I keep trying and looking I'll find a way to get you down, I promise. No, I swear on my life!"

"…Oh, you swear on your life? Such ambitious words for a mere single little human, can you really do a thing like get me down alone?" The dragon slightly smirked, a little amused. He slightly laughed at the possibility.

"I don't ever go back on my words, I guarantee it!" Adrayn believed he could do this, and he wanted the red dragon to believe as well. To have some hope that one day he would be able to leave the top of the castle walls.

"Then I'll believe you, what do I have to lose?" Though he didn't seem like he actually believed him it was still some progress. He closed his seeming to be thinking about something.

"Don't worry, I'll get you down from there in no time," Then Adrayn stopped talking his mind raced with thoughts, but none of them seemed to be a tangible idea to get him down. Though he didn't know why the dragon couldn't just fly down he would find another way.

Finding a magician strong enough to levitate him down? Make a giant slope for him to climb down? Put some cushioning at the bottom for him to jump down onto?

Adrayn also didn't know why the dragon couldn't jump down. Though he might get a bit injured it was much better than staying up there for eternity. So was the problem that he was cursed to stay up there?

Once upon there was a valiant knight, with his white horse. He had set out on a journey to find a red dragon. When he arrived, like how knights would save princesses from towers, he would save the dragon from the top of the castle. But how was he to do this?