Jewel of the Hoard

For Aries, the journey had been long and tiring. His muscles ached underneath his leathers. The wolf pelt that was thrown over the top kept him warm from the piercingly cold winds that tore through the mountainside. His horse, too afraid to continue up the side of the dangerous cliff, tore off in some unknown direction. Perhaps, it knew something that he did not.

Four days along an unforgiving trail and away from the comfort of the capital of Randelan. There were no more inns or brothels to relax and find someone to keep around; it was just a wasteland. The cold and snow choked out any potential plants so fauna was nowhere to be seen. The horse that bolted somewhere down the mountain had Aries’ supplies which meant he could easily perish before he completed his quest.

His feet stomped forward, the snow underneath crunching as he walked. His leather boots were lined with soft furs which helped keep body heat below and his pants were made of thick hide that helped keep the bite of the wind out and away from his sensitive skin. The sun was nowhere to be seen and was hidden behind dark grey clouds. If there were trees that stuck out towards the sky, they were naked like gnarled guardians.

The environment was like a direct reflection of the task Aries was assigned to by King Therdun. If the Gods felt he was worthy, the mountain would not take his body. After all, a circle of knights gave him their blessing after the Princess was taken by a beast and his hellish powers. Aries shivered but not from the cold. His fortitude could easily shrug off any extreme temperatures, even if he was stripped down to his loincloth. What he feared for was getting shredded by the foul creature that took purchase in the mountains.

From what the Senate described, it was of the magical variety which meant it was far more dangerous. It was a true test of his skill as a hunter. Most of the circle had completed such tasks of valor. Sir Vicente had killed four drakes while saving a family from a burning building, Sir Maximo developed some of the best medicines and cures using hag hairs, and now it was Aries turn to join the table with the rest.

Aries clutched his longsword at his side harder. He was going to slay the beast and take what title was due as well as rescue the Princess. He trudged on. His stomach rumbled with hunger and his eyes burned from the cold but he continued. Up and up the mountain he went until he eventually reached a spot where there was a lone cave. The mouth of the cave was about eighteen feet tall and large enough for a much larger creature to easily make their way inside.

Although Aries did not know exactly where the dragon was, the locals of the area had pointed him towards the mountain. No one seemed too frightened of the caves and no one warned him not to go further. Each of them seemed almost confused why a knight was looking for a dragon in the first place. Aries even recalled a mother who told him the strangest story of the creature; how it traded for sheep with jewels.

The knight-to-be knew it had to be some magic afoot. After all, he was told of the hexes the dragon used to steal the Princess away from the King and how his daughter practically fell into the monster’s arms. Aries gulped, the torchlight coming from the caves lighting his way. The snow on the ground quickly gave way to moisture which slickened the rock. The warmth coming from the entrance was enough to breathe new life into Aries’ aching muscles. It felt like the pain even made its way into his bones and the warmth only brought the fact he was so cold to the front of his mind.

Unsheathing his sword, Aries held it close as he walked forward. He scanned his environment like his training instructor had told him. The opening entrance to the cave was surprisingly organized. From the ceiling, banners hung of the various kingdoms of the area. There were three main ones; Rendelen, Lanish, and Sarwin. Swords, spears, glades, and any weapon forged by the King’s blacksmith was displayed and shimmered at the mouth of the cave.

Aries made note and continued onward. The opening of the cave started to narrow and each of the walls of the cave were little more than an arm’s length away. Aries’ ears could hear two voices as he made his way forward.

“I’m cutting you off of the wine, Princess,” a deep, rumbling voice said with finality. Aries focused ahead and crouched down. Although he was in his leathers, he was thankful he didn’t bring his full plate armor. He would have been found out immediately.

“Oh, loosen up…you have been practically celebant since you took me…,” the Princess stated and rolled along a rug made out of bear fur on the floor. She was laughing joyously. A dragon, as blue as the most gorgeous sapphire, stared down at her as if he had no idea what a human even was. The dragon was in a pair of tied pants with a nice fitting tunic..

Aries made a note that he could take the creature by surprise. The girl had given him a window that he was more than happy to exploit.

After the insult, the dragon huffed and a bright puff of fire came from his nostrils. He moved forward and grabbed the Princess’s wrists.

“You WILL go to my quarters and you WILL take a nap. I will not play babysitter to a spoiled brat,” the dragon said with a roar to his voice that would have made any other human wet themselves but the Princess still had a stubborn resilience about her.

“Oh reaaaaaaalllllyyyy? You are the one that kidnapped me, you offered me wine with my dinner, and I just happpppened to find the reserve in your liiiitttttlllleeee hoard.”

“I took you because I had no other choice. Your pig-headed father would not listen to reason. Now, it’s time to rest!”

The dragon led the Princess towards the bedroom and this moment gave Aries a breather. The knight came out of the narrow hall and into the room. The room was large enough for at least four people. Chairs were set up in a living room style with a square table able to comfortably sit at least four people around it. The wood was a nice, cherry color and polished to perfection. Scratches were on the surface of it and cut into the surface but they were patched up with careful precision. A bottle of wine sat with about three-fourths of its contents drunken down. There were two goblets near the wine and they were polished gold. One was filled to the brim while the other was completely empty.

The lips of the cups had shiny rubies that gave the rim of the cup a nice highlight. Swords of various heights and weights were placed in their holdings. Many of them were more for display than anything else and not for actual damage. In fact, there were many things of note. Old tomes were placed neatly in shelves as well as ornaments and statues made from various metals and gems.

The magic the creature possessed turned the area into much more…liveable conditions that were comparable to a meeting room in the castle. Banners of various empires were hung on the wall and from every kingdom all over the continent. Why a dragon wanted them, Aries had no idea. Cabinets were pushed off to the side. If Aries had managed to get his hands on just some of the materials in the cave, he would be set for life.

Glancing over where the dragon and Princess walked away to, Aries listened carefully. He couldn’t hear anything which meant he was free to pillage. He walked to the ancient tomes first. After all, there were magicians that would pay lots of gold for such ancient texts. The curious human brought his index finger forward and traced across one of the spines of the books. They clearly had not been touched in forever if they gathered so much dust.

Brushing away until the gold leafing of the title showed, Aries read it out loud.

“Rambunctious Ways to Cure the Colds: Magnus’s Guide to Potions of Health.”

A long, pretentious title and one that Aries had never heard of. He had glanced through some of the mage’s texts long ago but these appeared to be even older than that. After all, Magnus died before the first war which happened at least five hundred years ago.

Before Aries could move onto the next book titled “Fireball, Fireball, Fireball”, footsteps sounded out behind him and the human turned on his heels and froze.

The dragon had scales that were an icy blue that reminded Aries of the glaciers that floated along the oceans. His eyes were the same color as the scales and stared at Aries with little concern. Claws, dark as obsidian, capped his fingers and a long tail swished back and forth behind the creature as it walked forward. His muzzle was elongated much like a lizard but had more of a humanoid appearance.

When the monster opened its mouth to speak, Aries could see rows of teeth that froze his blood in his veins. “Are you here for the Princess?”

The question was simple and almost predestined. It was like the dragon knew someone would be coming. Aries walked forward tentatively, his hand at his blade. The wings of the dragon extended out brilliantly and glittered in the torchlight.

“…”

There was clear tension between the two and the knight slowly started to unsheathe his sword as the dragon’s wings began to grow into at least two arm spans. The room was large enough to accompany the span and there was a puff of fire that came from the beast’s maw.

And then, the beast spoke again.

“Please, take her. You can go…”

Aries stopped. For the first part in his career, a monster he was about to slay just gave up. Clearly, this was some joke.

Aries dropped his guard for a split second and that was enough for the dragon to continue. The human took tentative steps forward.

“She drank all my wine. She’s puked on my bear rug…twice! She kept telling me I’m boring. I’m an ancient beast of magic and she has the gall to call me boring.”

The dragon was clearly upset. More puffs of smoke came out of his nose and out of his mouth. “Gods, she has been a worse scourge than the Plague! You must take her away. There’s a blizzard coming soon so you must go down the mountain, but just please…”

The dragon clapped his hands together and Aries paused. He still kept the weapon up and at the ready. He was at striking distance now but something was telling him to hear what the dragon had to say. The voice that came from the creature was unlike anything he had ever heard; a deep, smooth quality that was unworldly. He was still only dressed in his formal wear with no armor to speak of and one precise slice from his longsword could probably allow him to get the upper hand.

“Beast, how dare you think I would be tricked by such foolish lies,” Aries said. The voice was full of life and unwavered. He had faced far worse than this conniving creature. The human knew there would be a time that the dragon would stab him in the back.

“I do not lie! I can even show you the stain!”

“N-no…not about…ENOUGH!”

Aries pointed his sword at his enemy. “You will tell me of your tricks…”

“No tricks you bumbling idiot hero,” the dragon hissed as he walked over to the empty goblet and wrapped a large paw around it. He moved it over to a nearby shelf and the glass cleaned itself. “I am simply tired of using sacred words of magic to clean puke stains off of my precious carpet! I stole….”

He paused for a moment and his tail flicked. “Errr, procured them fair and square!”

Aries glared at the dragon.

“You really think that I am that stupid?”

“Yes, in more ways than one it seems! I am literally allowing you to take the hostage back. I should have never kidnapped her to teach the King a lesson. All that I needed was a couple of lambs from the area…”

“So you are a thief!” Aries interrupted.

The dragon blinked.

“Oh heavens no. I gave the people jewels. Your King just wants me dead because of that. I guess peasants shouldn’t just be getting gems and challenging their King.”

Aries was stunned. The knight opened his mouth but no words came out.

“You lie.”

“You are one stubborn bastard,” the dragon huffed as he walked near one of the many sword displays. His left hand touched it gently and he glared at Aries. “I am telling you that no one has to get hurt. Take your Princess and go before the weather turns…”

Aries stopped for a moment, a moment of reservation coming up. Clearly, the dragon did not hurt the princess or wished to give him harm, but was just trying to make the best of the situation. The dragon dropped his guard for a moment at Aries’ soft look.

“You cannot persuade me otherwise, dragon. I have been given a mission…I’m sorry.”

The dragon watched as the human stepped forward in an attacking stance. He searched the human for any type of remorse for his decision but the fire behind his eyes told him that there was little he could do to persuade the knight.

“Very well.”

Grabbing the top sword, a skinny saber and of elegant design, the creature brandished the weapon with skill and Aries paused for a moment. Dragons were supposed to breathe fire from their mouths and hiss. The knight had never seen any creature of such intelligence. Of course, the fact that dragons were so rare in the first place made it seem that he was being tricked. Perhaps, this was not a dragon but some wizard in a clever disguise.

Either way, the smoke that came from the beast’s nostrils was surely real and Aries began to circle his opponent. The dragon’s wings expanded and his icy irises followed the human closely.

“You are making a mistake, knight….”

Aries leaped forward into action and his sword tip was pointed forward towards the dragon’s ribs. It would be a fatal blow for any duelist. Aries did not wish to waste time to swoop in for the kill. At least the stab would be merciful.

In one swift motion, the dragon parried the blow easily and allowed Aries’ momentum to carry him forward. Tripping over his feet, Aries had little choice but to continue his descent. The knight’s eyes were wide and his mouth was agape. The surprise at being bested fought with the disgust he had with himself. He trained with the greatest of knights! He should have anticipated such a move and not let his guard down. After all, the dragon was wise. The human thought he could take advantage of his opponent and that he was foolish but clearly he was mistaken. The beast had easy access to the neck. With one cut downward, he would be dead.

Aries did not feel the final blow but his world immediately went black and his body slumped forward onto the floor.

The dragon sheathed the sword and checked the blunt handle. It was a hit that did not even draw blood but firm enough to knock the human unconscious. It was clean but fierce. He leaned down and picked the human up as if he weighed nothing more than a bag of flour.

“I’m sorry for that,” he said to the unconscious body as if Aries would respond back to him.

In a fireman’s carry, the dragon carried Aries carefully and made sure to keep the human’s head out of the way of the stalagtites of the cave. The hallway was naturally carved into the cave and had magic runes drawn into the wall. They were wards but they did little to dissuade fauna that lived in it. Bats still came in to steal food and fungus grew symbiotically to form lican but they were not bothersome. After all, they had lived in the cave system longer than anything in the cave.

The narrow hallway that led towards the back room expanded like lungs taking in air. The stone turned as if alive and moved to a comfortable distance so the two could pass through.

When he made it into the back room, the dragon huffed. The room was large enough to comfortably fit three. There was one double bed and two singles. The room had a warm, blue glow to it due to the wisps that fluttered around. The magic that the dragon would practice regularly attracted them. They were neither benevolent or maleficent but simply in existence. A force that was governed by the very laws of mana that was weaved into the fabric of the universe like a celestial tapestry.

Wine bottles were placed in respective cabinets and there was one large dresser placed in the corner along with a vanity mirror. The dragon had snatched it from the elves at one point and it still had their enchantments about it. If he so chose, he could have an infinite number of drawers; he simply needed the right thought for what he desired.

A banner hung from the mirror, a trophy that he took from the elves long ago. He hoped that his hit did not give the knight too bad of a concussion

Each of the beds were lined with clean silks and the pillows near the head boards were fluffed to a comfortable amount. The sheets were made except for one which had a Princess who sloppily layed on her stomach and was fast asleep. Her braided and usually beautiful blond hair was matted and frayed. Her clothes were barely hanging onto her body and she had a blissful smile on her face as well as an empty goblet snuggled into her chest. A bottle of wine laid empty on the bedside.

“Royalty…” the dragon said with an eye roll and walked Aries over to the second single bed. He lightly laid him out onto it and used his left hand to keep the knight’s head from falling too forcefully down onto the bed.

“You will have quite a headache in the morning, noble knight,” the dragon said with a chuckle and laid him onto the bed. He looked quite peaceful in his knocked out posture. The creature’s tail flicked thoughtfully as a random thought crossed his mind; he would be more comfortable without all the clothes but quickly shook it out of his mind. The dragon needed to stop thinking about…

The beast frowned as the past came back for just a brief moment. It was long enough to sour his thoughts.

He lit a rogue candle nearby and the light blue wisps that were lighting up the room dissipated instantly. Although their magical light would be good in normal circumstances, perhaps it would be best if the drunk and beaten did not awaken to such a harsh light. The wisps gave a small sound that would be best described as a chidder before fading into nothingness much like tides returning back into the ocean.

The knight stirred and the dragon jumped for a moment as the man groaned and turned on his side. Drool started to form along his mouth and drip onto the silks. He was a sight to behold. If the knight wasn’t so…enthusiastic about stabbing him, he probably could have overpowered him just based on his musculature alone.

The human’s eyes were shut tight and he was shaking. Walking back over to the human, the dragon brought his palm forward and placed it on the human’s forehead. He mumbled something underneath his breath and there was a small glow. It spread throughout the man’s forehead for just a moment and Aries immediately relaxed and a neutral expression crossed his features. The wisps from before started to dance around the duo. They returned from the ocean of magic and were now back.

“That should help you sleep soundly as well as heal that nasty wound,” the dragon thought to himself. He would need to find a new hideout. After all, if the King sent one man then he would start to send more and his cave did not have room for more. There would be a time when the King realized his men that he sent were starting to dwindle and start to take more drastic measures.

Making his way back out to the main room, the dragon could feel a chill rush through the cave. Even though he was protected from the cold by his natural body heat, it still had a bite to it. If Aries had walked this far in such weather, the human had resolve. Something felt strange about the wind that came through, however. It carried with it snow and the precipitation did not normally make its way so deep into the cave.

“Oh Gods…”

With wings extended, the creature started to break into a run. His footpaws came upon more snow until it was practically up to his ankles. Wading through it, his scales sticking out against the pure white of it. The torchlight at the mouth of the cave was completely extinguished and darkness shrouded the landscape. The wind carried with it a warning; all who went out would die. It’s bite was worse than any predator and the sting would bring any unwise adventurer to their knees.

Looking back into the cave, the dragon frowned. If he left, the humans would have to fend for themselves. He would be able to survive the trek but the people inside would be dead and he felt somewhat to blame if they were to perish. Items could be restocked and enchantments reapplied but lives could not. Although the Princess had an attitude, she did not deserve to die in whatever horrible way fate had in store if he were to depart and Aries may have tried to kill him but he felt some direct responsibility for bringing both of them into his temporary home.

He sighed and placed a hand on his muzzle and swore.

“Such soft creatures,” he said out to no one in particular. The wind carried his words off into the raging blizzard and out into the night.

______________________________________________________________________

Aries woke up. His body lunged forward and he yelled out as if shot from an arrow that pierced his soul.

He clutched at his heart, sweat forming on his body and he felt the back of his head. He did not even have a wound or swollen spot where he was struck. He started to touch the rest of his body. He was still in his armor and had his clothing on. He reached down to feel across the silks of the bed and questions started to race through his mind.

He clearly was not dead. The throbbing pain near his left eye told him that much. His mind processed that fact rather quickly when the blue wisps lit up the environment he was in. They reflected off of the vanity mirror and the polished stone was the first thing he saw. Aries clicked his tongue and looked over to the Princess to see her still sleeping soundly. Her clothing was partially off her body and she had a sloppy smile on her face.

Was this really the fair maiden he was sent to save? Aries’ expression looked as if he had bitten into something rotten. Clearly, the creature was a fool for sparing his life. He reached down to his belt to grab his sword but found it was missing along with the sheath of the blade. He frowned as he searched around the covers as if expecting it to turn up but he came up short.

It appeared that whoever this creature was, it was more clever than what he had anticipated. Aries began to move his body and his eyes glanced over his wrists. He wiggled his fingers, checking each one individually and felt only a mild amount of stiffness. How long had he been out? The knight searched his mind for what had happened. He had dived forward with expert speed and with a blade that was going to strike true but then…

Aries cringed and reached up towards the left side of the head where he was struck. He felt across the tissue and braced himself for pain. He felt only his fingers graze across raised, irritated flesh but no pain. It was as if the healing process of the wound was accelerated and stopped about a third of the way through. He found that he was still in his leathers and they resisted his movement as he got up off the bed. Aries could not recall any moment in time where he fell asleep in his armor. He started to remove it to leave him in just his shirt and trousers and began to look around the environment. He would have to be quiet if he wished to sneak out of the cave with the Princess.

The only light in the bedroom were the small wisps that fluttered around the room. Their light blue glow gave an almost other-worldly glow to the polished rocks of the cave. They danced around the Princess and Aries used his hand much like a broom and scattered them. The light their bodies produced dissipated for a moment before reappearing and Aries knelt down by the Princess and put a hand on her shoulder.

“My Princess, we must leave at once. This wretched creature will surely…”

A loud snore, followed by a quick inhale of breath was all the concerned knight had in response and he let go of the Princess’s right shoulder for a moment. She adjusted her posture and rolled further onto her left shoulder and started to drool into the table.

“Princess…” Aries whispered and leaned forward. He could smell the alcohol on her breath. It was a sweet wine that was more fragrant than anything he had ever caught a whiff of. Aries guessed it had to be a vintage from the North.

The wisps appeared again and fluttered around Aries’ head and floated around his shoulders. No amount of magic had been cast when he trained as a squire but the nuisances still managed to show up where they did not belong. Aries waved his hand dismissively and the wisps disappeared for a mere moment. They seemed so interested in the events going on and their small bodies still held that eerie glow.

The Princess reached her hand up when Aries gave her a bit of a shake.

“Enough of that, father…” she mumbled drunkenly. “I doooo not wish to put on that wretched thing for the ball. Have the dragon wear it…”

Aries frowned and got back up out of his kneeling position. If he could not convince the Princess to come with him, he might as well not come back at all. Maybe, he could cut his losses. After all, there was nothing wrong with having a second shot at the dragon and the creature seemed established enough that the lizard was not leaving his cave system anytime soon.

The human, with a new goal, started to make his way down the narrow, naturally made hallway. The cave rocks felt as if they were closing in on Aries. He had no clue how someone as large as the dragon could fit through. Perhaps that was the point; it would be an inconvenience for anyone to get through the hallway who happened to be in the bedroom and the dragon could act.

It was really the only thing that Aries could logically think of as he shimmied his way carefully through. There was a bright light at the end of the narrow hall and Aries reached through and pulled himself to the end. There had to be some form of magic the dragon had possessed because Aries could barely fit his shoulders through and he found himself nearly stuck between the two walls.

The dragon waited in the main room of the cave. Aries could see his sword glimmering on one of the many racks and was polished to perfection. The creature seemed to at least care for whatever treasure he ended up collecting in his hoard. Seeing his sword reduced down to decoration sent a pang of rage throughout Aries’ body but the human grit his teeth and crouched down. There was hardly any noise to the knight’s movements as he swiftly made his way through. The stone left ample room for error and the knight’s bare feet provided plenty of areas for him to slip on the cool, smooth stone.

Blue scales sparkled brilliantly in the light and it seemed the dragon was busy at work. He had a small, brown bag clutched in his left paw and his right was busy shuffling through it. Sitting in a modest wooden chair, the dragon looked quite at peace as he pulled out each individual jewel, inspected it, used a small puff of fire to polish the gem, and then set it gently on the table. He would then repeat the process. Aries’ eyes took in the environment carefully. The only entrance to the room was far away from the dragon’s gaze and tucked away to the left of the room.

Aries glanced over at his sword. It was as if his blade was teasing him and gleamed just right in the torchlight to look appealing. If he could get his hands on his blade, he could possibly catch the dragon off guard…

Aries quickly pushed the thought out of his mind when his head throbbed again. Clearly, facing the creature head on would not go favorably and he could not count on the dragon’s “mercy” in their next encounter. His sword would have to wait. He would be back, after all.

Creeping his way towards the entrance, Aries crouched low like his trainers had told him to sneak. Although it was not the most noble of skills, stealth could save a life in the most drastic of situations. The cave was starting to narrow and he looked over his shoulder to see the dragon still concentrating on counting his gems. Keeping in the shadows of the wall, his body clinged to the cold stone like a drop clinging to glass.

Sweat started to form on his hands, the human’s breathing becoming rapid. He was almost to the end. So close that he already had racing thoughts of running outside, calling his horse, and jetting off back towards the King to gather reinforcements for their great raid. He would go down in legend for taking down a dragon and fully prove himself as a proud knight. Maybe a statue would even be erected in the square where bards would sing of his victories.

Aries slipped out of the room and into the open mouth of the cave. The torches from before were still lit and flickered all the same. The human frowned as he brought his body up to a more upright position. He scanned the entrance and immediately he started to worry. Snow was starting to buildup along the ground at the entrance of the cave. Aries walked forward, his heart pounding in his chest. His legs began to move faster outside of his own accord until he finally made it to the opening.

The little torchlight that made it out of the cave was dim but it was enough to tell the whole story; large, white flakes were falling from the sky. The stars were completely covered. The clouds that carried the tempest shielded the mountain from any light that would beam down onto it.

The wind that blew through and into the cave carried with it a bite worse than any wolf that Aries had to face off against. It sunk into his skin, down through his flesh, and into his bones. He had no lantern, so if he went out into the snowstorm, he would be without sight and be completely lost. Only the Gods knew how long the snowstorm would last too. If he managed to make it through the night, the day may bring with it more snow.

Aries’ expression went sour as he looked out over into the raging blizzard. The snow was coming down in sheets and blanketed his vision. If he did traverse through, his vision would be blinded and he thought of his body, ragged and sullen, dying in the white wasteland. His mind was too busy racing through how he would make it back to the kingdom that he did not hear the scraping of claws on the cave. Even if he did concentrate, the wind would probably block out the sound of the approaching footfalls.

“So, are you going to leave?”

Wheeling around, Aries was face to face with the dragon. Putting his arm above his eyes to block out the bright torchlight that reflected off the snow, Aries clenched his teeth.The cornered knight frowned and backed up towards the entrance. His feet dipped into the snow and he felt the cold powder sink into his body. He bit the side of his cheek to prevent himself from hissing out.

Aries turned around and looked out into the night. It would be akin to a desert. He would have no water, no food, and barely enough supplies to make it. The dragon walked forward slow and methodical, his hands raised.

“I can give you the supplies you need, knight,” the dragon said with his hands forward. The claws shimmered in the torchlight and they were the first thing that the human saw. The knight watched the dragon and he turned his body, his eyes searching for any ill intent or lying but he turned out to find nothing but truth.

“I-…”

“You can even stay in my cave. As you can see, the princess is fine. Albeit, she is a little drunk,” the dragon said with a smile. “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot…”

Aries frowned and watched the maw in front of him speak so elegantly. Although he hated to admit it, the creature was right. If the dragon had wanted the princess dead or in shambles, he could have done so. He clearly bested Aries in a fight and was not against using force.

“How can you offer me shelter after I tried to kill you?”

The dragon chuckled, the noise foreign to Aries’ ears. It was low and rumbly like if volcanic rock could talk. A lava so smooth but was there deadly intent?

“Well, I would advise you not to try a second time or the results would be far more…messy, but I can assure you that I will not be killing you. I have no use spilling more human blood. Those days are long past for me…and my kind.”

There was a pregnant pause.

“There’s more of you to contend with?”

“Well, ‘contend’ is quite harsh, isn’t it? That seems to imply more violence.”

“I should choose my words more carefully now that I am seeking shelter with someone I just tried to kill…”

Aries walked towards the sapphire colored dragon, his gaze neutral as if any fight that he had left was taken from him. Staying silent, the winged beast stepped out of the way knowingly. He knew that Aries was going to be stubborn but the knight knew that running into a cold blizzard to either starve or freeze was not going to be a pleasant death. The likelihood that he would survive even overnight would be surprising. Not because Aries was not fit or unable, but the dragon knew how harsh and unforgiving the wilds could be.

The dragon chuckled and shook his head.

“You say that as if it is the end of the world.”

“I can’t return back to the King with nothing. This is a humiliation. He isn’t exactly…warm when it comes to contractual obligations and you can bet he is feeling slighted and will send another one besides myself.”

The dragon crossed his arm and flicked his tail. “You are quite the optimist.”

“I’m just telling you the truth,” Aries replied with irritation. The dragon deserved to know what he was up against at least. Especially since he spared his life.

Walking back into the cave, Aries stood tall and proud. He may have been stripped out of his impressive armor and greaves, he was still alive.

Even his feet were displaced in a way that he could easily jump into a fighting stance at a moment’s notice. Before Aries could get into the cave; however, a hand came forward and was softly brought to his chest.

“What is your name, warrior?”

Aries paused for a moment.

“You don’t have to say it if you do not want to. After all, we were enemies moments ago,” the dragon smiled.

“We aren’t friends either,” Aries stated as he glanced down at the hand on him and brushed it off.

“No, but I certainly would like to be on better terms. It would be unfortunate if you were miserable the whole time you were in my residency.”

Aries was silent but did not move forward and past his warden. Was the beast really as pleasant as he seemed or was this all a ruse so he would let down his guard?

The creature sighed, his chest rolling and pecs ballooning.

“As a show of good faith, my name is Cadmus.”

Stepping back, Cadmus then extended out his arm and his hand opened. Sinew and muscles worked underneath the scales and in that moment, Aries realized that Cadmus was holding back on him. If his newest host wanted, he could have easily overpowered him. It would have been like him bringing a foot down onto an ant and ending its small and comparably insignificant life.

Aries gulped, taken aback. Everything was happening so fast. This…creature had a name, a past, and now he was wanting to shake his hand. If the Gods were playing a trick on him, then he was the butt of the joke. He wanted to hate Cadmus but he had no reason to. He wanted him to be a monster and to be evil and something to kill but instead he appeared…human.

Aries took the handshake. It was firm even if Aries’ apprehensiveness was written all over his face.

“Are you okay?” Aries asked, worried that his hand was still clutched in the dragon’s own.

Aries paused and then it clicked.

“You’ve never given a handshake, have you?”

Cadmus did what could only be comparable to a blush. The scales turned a lighter shade of blue and he looked away. The handshake turned limp. There was an awkward moment when they finally let go.

“In the hundreds of years I have been alive…no.”

Aries smiled. “Well, consider that your first introduction to one. My name is Aries.”

Giving a thoughtful churtle, Cadmus smiled. “Well, pleased to meet you.”

The naive nature of someone so old was paradoxical. Aries could not imagine having hundreds of years to do what he pleased with. How would he fill all the time?

Aries’ smile waned and turned back into a frown. All of this could be a ruse. Another trap and that he could be mindlessly falling for. Cadmus shuffled, his eyes flicking back to the cave entrance.

“Come inside. Let’s get warm. I can prepare something to eat after I wake the Princess.”

The sun started to rise over the landscape. Although it was blocked by thick, grey clouds, it was clear that morning was starting to break. Mounds of snow were starting to stack along the lips of the cave and along the entrance.

“So, I’m not going to be put in chains?” Aries commented foolishly.

Cadmus scoffed and then chuckled. “Heavens no. All the chains I have are rusted anyway. I doubt they could chain even the weakest of your kind.”

Aries counted his blessings. Cadmus was feeding, clothing, and taking care of two people now. One, a Princess and the other a knight. It was ridiculous. The whole plot was a tragic comedy. Aries imagined the Fates were laughing as they weaved such a tangled web.

Aries followed close behind Cadmus. The bite of the cold was no longer nipping at his heels and the warmth of the torches sunk back into his skin. Aries looked at the swords again and then towards the hallway that Cadmus had walked down. The shadow of the beast started to grow against the wall before disappearing into the back room.

There was a brief moment where Aries thought of taking advantage of Cadmus’ trust. However, something more telling was brought to Aries’ attention. The collection. The collection started to make sense. Of the research and conversations he had with the King and his court on dragons, the main thing that stuck out for Aries was the idea of a “hoard.” It now made sense as to why dragons collected odds and ends.

Cadmus was bored. A table set for four. Dishes that appeared to be fine rather than the bare minimum. Teacups and kettles of various sizes along with books that were more for leisure than study. Candles were placed around the cave and each one had a full wick; unlit and standing like guards over what never was. Flowers in a strange, foreign vase bloomed with a brilliance that would only be seen in the climax of spring. A shimmer was around them, suspended in time.

Before Aries could do anything else, Cadmus came back with the Princess in tow. She was dressed comfortably in a dress a size too large but her hair was in a brilliant french braid. She walked gracefully towards the table and took a seat. In her obliviousness, she did not notice Aries at first. She fiddled with the ring on her finger; a gold band that was only brought to Aries’ attention because of its significance. Left hand and fourth finger, the ring was a simple but firm reminder of engagement.

The frown she had on her face and posture spoke volumes to Aries. If there was a woman at a ball and she had such an expression, the most unwise would try to woo her. Her sullen expression and quiet pose was so different from the night before where she was drinking wine without a care and annoying Cadmus. Before Aries could search for answers in her features, Cadmus cleared his throat.

“Aries, this is Princess Giscela. She has advised me on how to properly greet her as well as how to introduce her to potential bachelors. I hope you find my announcement of her arrival to my humble quarters a pleasure.”

The dragon’s head bent forward and he brought his right paw in front of his left. Bringing his arms out flamboyantly, Cadmus then started to bend his legs into a formal curtsy and held it there. Aries blushed, his skin flushed red which brought him to Giscela ‘s attention. She had put a hand over his mouth, the sulking she had done earlier turning into a laugh that sounded light and laced with clear amusement. She had to be in her early twenties and her youth showed throughout her personality.