Chapter 7 ANOTHER PRINCESS, IN ANOTHER TOWER

"I want to exist upon the earth

Something that is relevant

I covet to have a position

That can only be filled by me

I covet to be the hero of my own story"

The girl woke up with the smell of toast and coffee. Can you actually believe they forgot to eat dinner? Because of that both of their stomachs growled like a Rottweiler. The troll fried eggs for breakfast as the girl remembered her past.

They settled in the table for the hearty meal but the girl had a hurtful look like it would not heal. Before partaking of the food, the girl wrote hastily thinking she might forget like she always would. She then handed the troll the small book, as she sunk her teeth to the toast that she took.

The troll not much for etiquettes, read out loud while he sipped his coffee as if reading the morning newspaper to be happy.

The story written in the book, is about a princess. A fair young lady, who unlike them all, don't do dishes. And for narration purposes, I'll write directly what the book said, just like the troll had it read.

"Once upon another time again, there was once another princess locked up again high above another tower guarded by another fire-breathing dragon.

Apparently, again.

But this part of narration, in this story, is not the beginning but the end. So let's start where things have started to bend.

It was way back when the dragons ruled the earth. They flew across the sky and a grand land they gave birth. In our perspectives, they are killers. But to them, they center the universe. Just like our place now. They are the humans of their time. And we are the prey in which they dine.

But it all changed when a new breed of prey was born. One clad in armor and through a dragon's heart it torn. Knights they are called. Cattle towards their keepers got bold.

Once there was a young knight known as the mighty Dragon Slayer. There was no dragon, from the hear of his name, would not quiver. One by one did the dragons fell. Death given by the wicked hero's spell.

Was he truly righteous or was he a murderer? No one knows for everyone called him the Redeemer. Every cattle that is. For at the dragon's sight they see nothing but a dangerous animal on a killing spree.

And at one point, the rulers finally surrendered. And the cattle known as humans reigned over the land rendered. But it was not enough for the blood seeking king.

He wanted to purge them all and have the whole world sing. Sing his name as one glorious thing.

So towards the final dragon's nest he went to weed out the pest. No one knew how he did it. For a cattle to be so strong and killed thousands of shepherds. A rare entity to be born one in every ten billion herds.

The dragons did fight like a flock of mad birds. But their fury would not last against the deadly marauder. One who called himself the dragon's ender.

The battle lasted till only two dragons were left. Upon the ground were heaps of corpses whose lives have been theft. Before landing his final verdict,

the heartless warrior gave them a cruel edict,

'You two dragons. I see that you are husband and wife. Well then, I grant you one final wish before I take your life. But no cunning tricks. Just try it and I'd kill you like ticks.'

The two beasts looked at one another and said,

'Take our lives if you wish. But please, spare our child who hasn't yet hatched. We don't want his future to be snatched. And we are sure he won't cause an uprising for humans now are unmatched.'

With a smile on his face the knight said,

'Very well'

And a swing of his sword fell one head. Another stab to the heart and the dragons were dead.

Except for one.

The egg, unhatched and unknowing. Taken by the hands of a knight who left the place laughing.

Soon after the knight retired and created a kingdom of his own. He established his own court and rounds built from blood and bone. His place prospered as years go by and the egg he took needed years to hatch as well.

Then one fateful day, just before the priest could ring the Sunday bell, hatched a tiny lizard whose family had been fell.

To the young dragon, the king was his caretaker and parent. But to the king, the young dragon was his pawn and servant. But the king had the dragon grew in secrecy. Wanting to use its full grown powers to gain even greater supremacy.

But the king had to postpone that plan for it will take years for the dragon to fully grow. So towards other goals he had to go.

However much he had conquered, he never truly felt like a king. He needed a queen sealed with a golden ring. So in years of search for the perfect bride, continued the growth of his pet while in hide.

After a long search for unparalleled beauty, the king found his beloved lady. And so a wedding was made for the glory of the kingdom. But a few people had started to act strange said some.

A year had passed since their marriage, and a healthy princess was born. While underneath the castle the dragon could hear, the wailing cries of the newborn. That night when everyone was asleep, the king went to see the dragon. He then gave an important job to the beast,

'I hereby declare that you protect my child. Do everything for her and sacrificing your life is the least.'

The dragon nodded and since then, from underground, listened to each and every sound. Waiting and protecting the child.

But in the midst of it all, something happened that only a few could have predicted. Something that not even the current dragon at the time could have prevented.

When the child reached the age of six, the court men had the king and queen put in a fix. The king now old and weak, was slain by his second hand meek. The queen pleaded to be spared. But it was not to be bared.

The court men made it look like they committed suicide for no reason. No one was held responsible for the treason. As for the child that was left, she is nothing now but a step. The court men let the princess rule at a young age. But in reality, it was just a puppet monarchy with the child in a cage.

Deep inside a hidden dungeon, the dragon did hear. On how the metal blade clanged and the king's blood sear. To him, it was torture to his ear. His beloved father and master, killed up above the castle. His chains bound him to the ground therefore he could not hustle to save the king, his only family. Not knowing that he gave despicable misery.

But try as he might, the chains would not set him free. So in the end, he can only listen to the men laugh with glee. Hearing their plans with his powerful ears, he vowed revenge as the princess' eyes dripped with tears.

For a year the kingdom was held in their hands, and to the dragon time slipped by in an hourglass with endless sands. The princess all mindless like a marionette. She was almost like an unsharpened hatchet. The court men laughed and lied. While the princess sulked and cried.

Till the day that the dragon's wing was to bloom. So was his fire breathing fume. His size may yet be small but he stood seven feet tall. His red scales gleaming with anger and pride. The pain he endured he could no longer hide. Breaking the chains after a year that he needed to do so. Regret in his heart weighing even more so.

Out the dungeon he went on a rampage. Humans then again felt the fear of the Dragon Age. But the dragon still not fully grown, could still be taken down by ten knights whose skills have been honed. So he had no choice but to escape the wretched land. But he needed to do the task that was at hand.

He flew up above to the highest tower, talking to the princess in a prince like manner,

"Princess O Princess, I have come for thee. I am here to free you, you see. For we are raised by the same man, and that same man was slain. I am here to save you to not have his death in vain."

Then the princess replied.

"Long ago when my father was alive, he told me of a guardian that would fully strive. One that even the knights fear. But with a gentle voice I could hear. I see that he loved me so. Sending you to save me from this fate. Just in time and not too late."

Then they took off to the sky, the princess holding on tightly for it was very high. Wanting to rid of everyone who gave harm to his master's daughter, the dragon prepared to breathe a fiery temper. But right before the flames could be stricken, the princess stopped him from becoming a murderous heathen.

"Stop my dear knight. It is not right to fight. Instead to make things right, I want you to bellow this message for everyone to hear. Let your words be clear and its message to sear."

The dragon ever loyal, agreed to the princess' wish royal.

Flying high above the kingdom, the dragon said with conviction,

"I hereby take the princess with me, and this shall be a royal decree. Those who are guilty of crime must repent. This twisted kingdom shall be unbent. If you still want to see your ruler alive and well, send to the mountains the court men that in the castle dwell. All of them must be present. Lest you want this kingdom to be incandescent."

They then retreated to the mountains of the kingdom. Unknowing of the court men's conniving plans. To their palms they had them dance.

The court men riled up the kingdom to save the princess, but in reality, it was just a pretense. Seeing this as an opportunity rather than a threat, with thousands of knights towards the mountain they set.

They brought catapults, trebuchets, boulders, and fuel. Wanting to have the kingdom for themselves being so cruel. They never intended to save the princess. Instead, they want her dead along with the beast.

They shall say this to the kingdom after the ploy was done,

"Our princess has been murdered. Try as we might but the beast was not to be faltered. So we had no choice but to seek revenge. And now we present to you, the fallen beast's head! This shall be the birth of a new era! A birth of a new kingdom! A kingdom of which our mighty king has made! As his right hand, I shall continue his legendary crusade!"

Thinking as that, the court men smiled with anticipation. And so they started their retaliation.

The dragon angered with the court men abandoning their princess for the sake of their greed, he wanted to end them with deadly speed. But once again he was stopped, by the princess' kind voice and touch.

The princess can no longer go back to the land of her birth. So the dragon took her to a very faraway place and fearing that her own kingdom would know that she survived the attack, he built a fortress made from rock and steel. And up above the highest room in the tallest tower he let the princess live. After a year of hardships and horror, the princess was happy of what she received.

There they lived for many years. The dragon went out to hunt by day, and returned by night to give the bounty to his beautiful ray. They were happy and contented, leaving behind the world in which they were rejected.

The dragon, grew into a fearsome creature, but nurtured with the love and care of the princess, had a gentle nature. Although faraway from what he used to look, the dragon of red scales thick as steel and a body as tall as a giant hill, he stayed loyal to his princess with utmost conviction. Loyalty which will never waver as restriction.

The princess grew with grace and beauty, she lived up above the tower with the dragon as her company. Her face shone like the radiant sun. On her face were brilliant freckles that complimented her snow white skin filled with grace. Her hair flowed with beauty unparalleled. Flowing in the wind like in water it was held. Her thin red lips more wondrous than a rose. Her perfectly curved small nose. But above all, her eyes that dazzled with mystery. Her brown hazel eyes that can make any man fall in first sight. She was ever so beautiful like a child of light.

The dragon and the princess loved one another like a brother and a sister. And they cared for one another wanting to be together forever.

And thus they were happy. Happy and contented. No longer restricted by trickery. No longer chained in misery. Together they thrived for years, but it was not meant to last. They were about to be haunted by the past.

About sixteen years after burning down the mountain and the disappearance of the princess, the false king fell with an illness. With no heir to the throne, the kingdom was in distress. It was before the king had died, that he had this message read aloud with pride,

"To those who wish to succeed my throne, a harsh quest you must go alone. Far out of the land there's a princess taken by a dragon. If you wish to be king, find the princess and make her your queen. Slay the dragon which had taken her captive. Do not let this kingdom fall into chaos disruptive."

And so thousands of knights had taken the quest. Soon after, they found the princess just like the request.

Knowing that the princess would be used as a political tool once again, the dragon fought with extreme resolute, not leaving the side of the princess' tower, defending her with all the courage he could muster.

The princess cried out of anguish and fear. She then pleaded out loud that all could hear. She will come but they needed to spare the dragon. But to knights they just hear useless jargon. Their sights were only set, to have the kingdom as their pet.

A young prince from an unknown land, suddenly appeared with an entrance grand. Even though one by one the knights before him fell, he showed true mettle as if he came from hell.

The dragon, exhausted from fighting, can no longer stand from injuries hurting. And thus the prince found the opportunity. Being the last one there, he was to bled, cut the poor beast wounded and misshapen head.

And so claiming victory he said,

"Princess my princess, I have slain thy capturer. Come down my princess. Let me be your lover."

The princess smiled and stood at her window. She jumped to her death ignoring her hero. And all she could hear were voices of despair and sorrow.