My adopted dragon mother.

Clip clop, clip clop… went the sound of metallic horse shoes as a robust heavily laden horse negotiated a steep and narrow shingle mountain path. On his back was a knight in shiny armour ( well his armour was not that shiny, more dusty and rusty.)

“Perkins, it may seem strange to you, but do you remember that unidentifiable tavern we stopped in at. Well it may of cost the last of my gold coins to get my hands on this map, but I promise you it’ll be worth it when we get to the mysterious mountain side castle where a princess from a lost kingdom, is being held hostage by the last of dragons. And there’ll be more treasure than we’ll know what to do with. Don’t worry, we’ll take only we need, and give the rest to the poor, after all we are nobles. Say Perkins, it’s a little bit difficult to guild you and look at his map at the same, through this helmet. But I simply can’t take it off, Because we need to ready to face a fierce dragon and rescue a princess.”

Just when his thought that he must had been conned of his last coins, Perkins had found the plateau of the mountain, revealing a massive castle. This presented a mixture of emotions for the knight. Where on one hand finding a mysterious mountain castle, where a dragon was holding a princess was all he had ever dreamed off. But on the other hand the looks of the massive castle was somewhat underwhelming. 

The knight Looked up at the castle. “Perkins I can’t help but get the impression that this castle started off as a grand scheme, to show other kingdoms how a castle should be build. But it seem that in all their dreaming and scheming they never though to check that building a castle on this mountain would never been seen, unless of course you were a goose flying south for the winter. It looks like it all the people involved in building this castle started with a hiss and a roar, and slowly lost interest, leaving behind an uninspiring pile of stone, bricks and wood.” Dismounting his horse the knight took a deep breath. “Well I came all this way I might as well check for a dragon and/or princess.” 

Unsheathing his sword, thrusting it dramatically above his head. “This is my time to shine, now I can finally practice all the things that I been taught.”

Holding out a crumpled notebook. 

“Maiden, oh fairest of maiden, umm… 

Ahem Is there a princess in need of rescue. 

Oh no that’s not right, introduce yourself. Sorry… umm I’m James Rhy-Pendleton, third generation knight, well a knight in training. But worry about the training, I’m quite capable, I come top of the class. You’re rambling James, you got this. Lift your head, speak clearly, project your voice, exude confidence, especially with there’s a rescue attempt involved.” The knight spoke reassuring into his helmet.

His took off his helmet and looked up toward a window in the castle only turret

“I am James Rhy-Pendleton, 

a third generation knight from the St Wellington’s college of knights, 

graduating at the top my class, 

I’m here on a noble quest. 

To slay dragons and rescue the princess.

Is there a princess in need of rescuing?  

If you’re unable to speak just wave out of the window, or give me a sign.”

Pretty soon there was a rattle at the window, and them a pretty woman poke her head out. “There’s no princesses here that need any assistance, and dragons don’t exist. It’s just me here and I’m quite alright. Can’t you see the no knights sign, don’t tell it fallen down again.

NOW GO AWAY!”

Maybe it was all the firework that they used in knight training college that left him with partially deafness or his over enthusiasm that made him mistake her waving arms for a cry for help. 

The knight raced towards the door. His first shove proved fruitless. “I’ll be there soon, this door feels very firmly barricaded,” He yelled. The knight’s adrenaline was pumping, as he shoved and kicked the door open. As his made his way through the door, he was greeted by both a room that looked like a seriously over stocked antique shop that was owned by an incompetent antique dealer who didn’t realises his had payed to much for merchandise that had no inherent value and pretty look women with a angry expression on her face. 

“Who ever is holding you hostage here, sure did barricaded this door. They really must want to make sure that you never leave. Good thing that I showed up.”

“You could of used the other door, now I’ve got clean this up.” The women said in a matter of fact voice, pointing at a door that the knight could just see through a archway of broken chair.”

“Sorry, it just it looks to me like someone has barricaded the door.”

“Well you knights certainly do have an overly active imaginations. No it’s my adopted mother, she likes to collect things. And I like to try find places to put them, it’s kinda a tragically funny game we play. Would offer you something to eat or drink, since you busted unannounced through my door. But since I don’t have any furniture that isn’t broken or crockery that isn’t chipped, I won’t.” 

“Oh, sorry about that, it’s just I’ve been told there’s a princess from a lost kingdom, that’s been held hostage by a dragon in this castle.”

“You knights sure are predisposed towards such fantastical tales. No princess or dragons, just a me and my adopted mum, nothing to write home about. Please can you go now?”

The knight dropped his head in disappointment, and turned around, making his way slowly toward the door. His thoughts started to spiral of control. “All my years of research lead me here, I never been more certain of anything in my life.” He muttered under his breath. “I can’t believe I spent the last of my money on a map, all wanted was the map but that crazy old witch insisted that I also had to buy a truth crystal as well. Truth crystal, that’s my last hope!”

Reaching into a secret pocket in his gauntlet he pulled out a blue crystal, and spun quickly back around. He took a couple hurried step, and thrusted the crystal up to the woman’s face.

“Is there a princess from a lost kingdom residing in this castle?”

The women glared at the crystal cross eyed. “Sort of. The princess was me, but my kingdom is not lost, more just taken over by another kingdom.”

“What do you mean by “the princess was me.” Your still a princess ain’t you?”

“Yeah by birth, but I stop being a princess, at least stop acting like one after my mother was killed.”

“You went missing shortly after your mother died, did the dragon take you. And how does your adopted mother fit in all this?”

“The dragon is my adopted mother, and she never took me, not by force anyway. I just sorta had a connection with her, and she helped me to get away from my father and his wretched kingdom.”

“So you have a magical bond with the dragon, is she your master or are you her master?”

“No there’s no magical bond, it’s just two souls dealing with cruelty from merciless leaders and loosing a loved one’s. Silly to think that I always thought of my real mother as a dragon lady, and my adopted mother an actual dragon lady as kindest and most loving person I’ve ever known.” Now the crystal really started to loosen the women tongue.

“When I was a child I really loved being a princess, I loved all the attention and ordering people around. Having all the best of everything. But as got older I started to hate having to always behave a certain way, talk a certain way. Never to be able to simply feel my emotions. Mostly I hated how unkind my parents were, and I they expected me to be just as cruel as them. When my mother died, as mean as she was, it didn’t make it any easier on me. Late one night, I got out of my room, and I stuck down to gates of my house. By chance or fate I bumped into a dragon, going through our rubbish. Funny really, you would never in a million years think that the first thing you do when meet a dragon is to share your feelings with it, but for whatever reason I did. And she understood.”

“What with all the stuff in this place? there’s actually no place to even sit down. I thought dragons collected treasure not garbage.” The truth crystal was working on the knight as well.

“I think I might of heard it somewhere that sometimes when a mother loses their child, that they start hoarding. I don’t really know what she’s going to do with it all.”

“So she lost her child and you lost your mother. Is this what you connected on?”

“Yes, she lost her child because of cruel and merciless king stole her egg, and in horrible ceremonies he destroyed it in front of his people, to demonstrate just what a powerful king his is. I lost my mother because that same cruel and merciless king had ordered her assassination, just to get at my father.”

With the truth came understanding. “So are telling me that the dragon is not a danger to you or anyone?”

“No, not at all. I don’t know what you believe about dragons, but my adopted mother, is wisest and most beautiful person that I’ve ever met. Listen, over there in that wooden box is bunch of gold. You can take that if you leave us in peace and not tell any one about us. But please leave soon as she’ll be back soon.”

The knight nodded and took the wooden box. “Wait here, I’ve got something to exchange it with.” Walking out to his horse he rummaged inside one of his saddle bags and pulled out oval shape object covered in a plain cloth. “I was told that this is a dragon’s egg, not sure if it is or not, or even it the same kinda dragon as your adopted mother. I was gonna destroy it in one of those horrible ceremonies. But I think it better off here with you.” 

And with that the knight got back on his horse and soon disappeared from sight.