Rewriting the Story

"Halt there!"

The voice came, sharp and strident in the slightly warm air, when summer’s breezy, carefree steps stumbled into the soft ones of autumn. Startled, the princess jumped and glanced around uneasily; but there was no one there. Shrugging her shoulders delicately, she continued forward, lifting the hem of her heavy hyacinth dress, so that she would not trip over it.

"I said halt!" shouted the voice.

This time, the princess let out a small squeak, and she nearly fell forward.

A huge shadow stepped out from behind the cover of towering oaks with old trunks and gnarled branches adorned with whispering gold-brushed leaves. Each step it took made the ground tremble, and the oaks shiver, and branches broke and cracked as it moved forward. A low grumble, halfway between a groan and a roar, rose, raising the princess' hair on the back of her neck.

The poor princess paled, and seemed about two fingers away from fainting. "Please do not kill me!" she gasped.

The shadow paused, almost seeming to falter. "Kill you?" it repeated, spluttering. "No, I'm not here to kill you. I wonder why on countless clittering cursed coins you would think that!"

Trembling, the princess shook her head at break-neck speed. She tried to speak but all that came out was: “Please don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me!”

“I already said I would not,” said the shadow, lingering in the darkness brought by the trees.

The princess raised trembling eyes towards the voice.“T-Then what do you want?”

“I am here to kidnap you,” answered the shadow simply, stepping into the light.

And here the princess screamed, and would have hit the floor (most likely smacking her head against a rock) if the shadow had not caught her before she could fall.

Not shadow. Strong, muscled back legs, a round pale stomach, a powerful jaw, large front paws, and fiery red eyes that darted round, the creature deposited the princess gently on the ground.

“Are you all right?” it asked worriedly. “I am not sure if this was supposed to happen; Mother made it sound so simple.” Its tail curled nervously around its hind leg.

The princess could not answer; she gaped, her eyes wide.

“You- you are a- a dragon,” she gasped in a horrifed whisper. And then promptly fainted.

The dragon’s forehead creased. “This was definitely not supposed to happen.”

***

One eye cracked open, and soon the other did too, blinking blearily in the sharp light. The princess raised herself on her arms, looking around the place. It was not her cheerful chambers, back at her father's castle, nor was it the forest she last remembered seeing.

Completely dark on one side, the other nearly blinding, it was like night and day captured in a cavern. Sunlight blazed in from the entrance, and teared her eyes up.

Scattered along the floor, lay coins thrown carelessly around, glinting in gold and silver.

"You are finally awake!" boomed a voice, too loud in the small space. The princess winced.

"It was not a dream," she muttered, her eyes wide, as the dragon came into view.

"No, it was not!" The dragon bared its teeth, in a grotesque smile, and she flinched. "Sorry," the dragon hung its head. "I find I often forget my fangs scare humans."

The princess, too dazed to think clearly, only nodded.

There was a slightly awkward pause as both princess and dragon stared at each other hesitantly.

"Now-" the dragon shuffled a little bit, folding and unfolding large wings like great sheets of parchements around its green body, "- do you know what one must do next when one has kidnapped a princess in a forest?" Its ruby eyes blinked at her expectantly.

"Well," she drew herself upwards, sitting straighter, her hands folding in her lap. "I have read all tales there are to find, great ones of love and battles and hardships; but seldom have I heard of a kidnapper asking for advice to the captured!"

The dragon looked uncomfortable. It mumbled something under its breath.

"I beg your pardon?" The princess strained forward.

The dragon's cheeks turned emerald. Was it... was it blushing? But no, the princess quickly shook the idea off her head, of course not. Dragons were vile creatures, that was a well known fact. They had no true emotions, and were only deceivers.

"I said," it said, "that I had not had much experience."

"And why is that?" the princess found herself asking.

The dragon sighed. "It is my coming of age, and Mother says I must kidnap a princess, for that is what makes a true dragon a dragon at heart." It sighed again

The princess stared curiously at the creature. "Do you not want to? Capture a princess, that is."

"I do not really understand the point, you see. Why do dragons always have to be the villains?" The dragon stared dejectedly and miserably at its clawed paws.

"But it is a fact!" she exclaimed. "Dragons are always evil in stories, they capture and steal, and kill and destroy. Evil they are!"

"But why?"

"Well, because, because... because..." the princess trailed off, squinting.

"You see?" asked the dragon. "Not even you, the heroine of this story, know the answer."

"But dragons are evil!"

"You think so because that is all you've been taught!" it burst out. The princess looked taken aback. "Since you were a little child, you have been taught that knights are valiants and princes the rescuers, that dragons are evil, and that strangers slaughter, but was all of this ever true? You see, I've been thinking about this for quite some time now, and here is what I have come up with: readers want the stories continued."

The princess frowned in confusion. "Readers? What do you mean?"

"The people that are reading this right now."

"Reading? Right now?"

"We are characters in a story, that much I've guessed. That is why things with no reasons happen. It is fictional. In real life, things are highly different. Not all dragons are evil, just like not all princes are handsome, or not all knights are brave."

"But, but-"

"It is a fact you must now acknowledge," it said firmly.

"But all the books I've read before, they were never like this! The princess, on her way to a forest, is captured by a dragon, taken prisoner in a high, impenetrable tower, in a land far away. A valiant prince saves her and they marry in a castle, and then they live happily ever after!"

"That is because real life is not a fairy tale. The dragon is not evil, the prince not brave, the princess ugly- not that you are! You are very... fair." The dragon blushed emerald as it stumbled over words.

"So I have heard," said the princess, feeling strangely flustered.

The dragon cleared his throat, a deep echoing rumble that startled the princess. "Sorry," it mumbled, sheepish.

"It's fine."

There was a pause.

"There is something I do not understand," the princess broke the silence.

"Yes?"

"Well, since you know all of this, and seem certainly passionate about it, how come you still follow the story line?"

The dragon hung his head. "Mother says I must, or else I shall be a disgrace."

"A disgrace for not capturing a princess?" exclaimed the princess.

"Not all dragons are evil, but, unfortunatley, some are."

"Is your mother so awful?" she whispered, a hand against her mouth.

"She's not," the dragon shook its head, "she's not so horrid, its simply she won't let me make my choices," it said bitterly. "Says I have to follow the family business and even though I don't want to-"

"Family business?" interrupted the princess.

The dragon heaved its scaly shoulders up and then back down again, in an imitation of a shrug. "Ransom money."

"The ransom money?" repeated the princess, her brow furrowed.

"Of course," said the dragon matter-of-factly, "that is how dragons gain their hoards."

"You get money from stealing people?"

"Yes. Why else would dragons kidnap princesses?"

"Oh."

"Yes."

"I never thought about it," the princess said, worrying at her lip pensively.

"No one ever does," sighed the dragon. "Most people think that the only reason dragons capture princess is because they are cruel, but the truth is, it is the only way for us to gain money, no matter how immoral."

"Can't you try by other means? Perhaps by getting a job?"

The dragon raised one eyebrow. "Do you think anyone would be willing to employ creatures such as me?"

The princess winced.

"Exactly."

She wringed her hands. "I've never, I've never really thought about all this-" she gestured vaguely with her hands, englobing the cavern and the dragon, "- but you've certainly opened my eyes."

The dragon smiled sadly. "I want to be a good dragon. I do not want to be evil and do evil things. But I do not know how."

They both sighed at the same time, their eyes meeting and then glancing away. The princess furrowed her brows, her lips pursued. The dragon stared miserably at the wall, his shoulders sagging.

Then, she jumped up suddenly, startling the dragon. "That's it!" she exclaimed.

"Sweet serpent," said the dragon, clutching his chest, "never scare me like that again!"

"Sorry," blushed the princess. "It's only, I've found the answer!"

"The answer?"

"Yes! You said we were in a story. And that we were characters. And that readers were reading about us, right now." At his nod she continued, "People enjoy things that go out of the ordinary, things that differ a little." She took a breath. "I say we rewrite the story, and change the storyline for good. No more pretty princesses and evil dragons!"

The dragon stared at her for the longest time, and unreadable look on his face, as she waited for his reaction. Then, his face split into a large grin. "I say yes."

"Great," she smiled back. "Let us do this."

His smile faded. "But... how?"

"We go to your mother, and tell her you've taken your life into your own hands."

***

"I can't do this."

"Yes you can. We've talked about this. Just breathe and you shall be fine."

The dragon wrung his hands together, licking his scaly lips nervously. "I will be disowned," he muttered.

"Maybe you will," said the princess, resting a gentle hand on his arm, "but I will be there for you."

The dragon's ruby eyes widened. "You will?"

"Well," she looked down and shuffled her feet, "since the story has changed, I am guessing that there will be no valiant knights to 'save' me, and marry me, and that, maybe there is something else in store for me."

The dragon grinned. "That, I believe."

The princess took a breath and hesitantly smiled back. "Go!" she said, shooing him. "You can do this."

Bracing his back and tightening his wings against his body, the dragon marched towards the entrance of the large mouth of the cavern. Jagged rocks like sharp black teeth grew around it, in a sort of barrier, and disappeared into the dark.

Soon the dragon was out of view from the princess and she could only wait in silence, and alone.

***

The dragon took a breath.

"You can do this," he muttered to himself. "You are fine. Everything is going to be perfectly all right."

His footsteps echoed loudly in the dark, occasionnaly hitting small rocks and pebbles, and sending them skitting or rolling across the floor. Suddenly a small orangle glow appeared before him, flickering, and growing steadily bigger as he advanced.

Soon the cavern opened in a sort of grand room with a tall arched roof, and a fire blazing in a corner. A dragon, its scales the colour of mud, jumped to its feet, going towards him.

"My dear dragonling!" said his mother. "Did you find a princess?" She patted his cheek with her heavy paw. "I knew you would- and so soon! Mother is proud."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about..." he began.

"I hope she's locked away tight."

He blinked. "Actually-"

"Have you sent the ransom letter yet?" she cut him off, her fangs glinting in the firelight. "How exciting! My dragonling is all grown now!"

"Um..."

"And I'm sure you must have fought a knight or too- oh, I'm so proud of you!"

"You are?"

"Of course, silly!" She laughed, a rumbling sound like a rock avalanche.

"Well, in that case..." he nervously smiled.

She patted him on the head. "Come on, tell me! How did it go?"

"Well-"

But she cut him off before he could answer. "I hope we shall get the money soon, goodness knows how long I've waited for it-"

"Mother!" he burst out. "Let me finish, please."

She looked surprised.

"I've decided that I will not keep a princess prisoner, nor will I kill anyone or destroy any villages," he began in a breath. "I want to be a good dragon, Mother, not an evil one. And princesses aren't all petty and pretentious like you've told me. The one I've met certainly isn't. I think she might be my friend. And I do not care if you think what I am doing is senseless, I shall still do it, with or without your approval. But here is it: I shall not continue the family tradition."

His mother gaped at him. Then her eyes narrowed into two yellow slits. "What did you say?" she hissed dangerously.

The dragon gulped nervously but continued on. "I have come of age now, I am grown and I make my own decisions. Here is mine. And now I say goodbye, and capture your princesses yourself!"

He turned and swiftly walked away, an angered roar following him on his way out. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest, his claws gripped the floor a little too hard. His paws hit the floor heavily as he hurried out.

Light nearly blinded him when he was finally out in the open.

The princess jumped to her feet when she saw him. "How did it go?"

"I did it," he said, and as he did, reality caught up with him. "I did it." He let out a breath and a smile made its way on his face.

She beamed and wrapped her arms around his middle, tiny and delicate in his rough, large scaly arms. His wings curled around her.

"You did it," she said, her voice muffled. "You rewrote your own story."

"I did," he said, still amazed himself.

A fury-filled roar echoed from within the cavern, startling them, and they drew away from each other.

The princess bit her lip. "How about we leave?"

"Agreed."