Part 3:
“Fish for dinner,” Win called out happily.
We found ourselves back at the river’s edge.
“She asks us for fish. Finally, an easy task in this quest.”
No eggs were in Winthrop’s future.
Not a chance.
But at least Joacquil had seemed cordial, seemed sympathetic.
“I always imagined dragons as being ugly,” Dale offered
“Yeah, her skin’s not even scaly – almost like a suede,” Rick added.
“A more handsome creature I’ve yet to see,” Winthrop said. “Such grace; so beautiful in form.”
“But what about your king?” I wondered.
“Right now, I am catching fish. Let that be mine focus.”
The dragon smiled upon our return.
Win began cleaning and cooking our dinner.
“You three are from a different kingdom?” Joacquil asked us. “Far away?”
“We’re from a different world, a place without kings.”
“What brings you here?”
“Dale, can you show her? Blink over to that rock.”
He did as Rick asked, popping out and reappearing.
“We came here by accident,” I said. “Then we met Winthrop.”
“Most unusual. But quite helpful, I’m sure.”
“They’re quite a group,” Win added. “In a single day, they’ve become stout companions.”
“You please me, good knight. Your heart must be pure to trust so freely.”
“I am not unfamiliar with doubt. Yet we never dance too long, for I find it a cumbersome partner.”
We found ourselves back at the river’s edge.
“She asks us for fish. Finally, an easy task in this quest.”
No eggs were in Winthrop’s future.
Not a chance.
But at least Joacquil had seemed cordial, seemed sympathetic.
“I always imagined dragons as being ugly,” Dale offered
“Yeah, her skin’s not even scaly – almost like a suede,” Rick added.
“A more handsome creature I’ve yet to see,” Winthrop said. “Such grace; so beautiful in form.”
“But what about your king?” I wondered.
“Right now, I am catching fish. Let that be mine focus.”
The dragon smiled upon our return.
Win began cleaning and cooking our dinner.
“You three are from a different kingdom?” Joacquil asked us. “Far away?”
“We’re from a different world, a place without kings.”
“What brings you here?”
“Dale, can you show her? Blink over to that rock.”
He did as Rick asked, popping out and reappearing.
“We came here by accident,” I said. “Then we met Winthrop.”
“Most unusual. But quite helpful, I’m sure.”
“They’re quite a group,” Win added. “In a single day, they’ve become stout companions.”
“You please me, good knight. Your heart must be pure to trust so freely.”
“I am not unfamiliar with doubt. Yet we never dance too long, for I find it a cumbersome partner.”
Winthrop placed the cooked fish on flat stones, and served of us each us a filet.
“You’ve cooked me dinner, the first human to ever do so. Shall I dismiss all caution?”
“You still question? Choose any piece, I shall gladly take the first bite.”
“A generous offer. Yet I propose this: let us dine in my cave."
“You invite me into your home?” Winthrop replied. “I accept.”
“So readily? No apprehension?” the dragon asked.
“If you truly desire me dead, do as you may. I already have the king wishing ill; how much more shall I worry?”
“If he goes in that cave,” I whispered, “we can’t save him.”
“Come then,” she said, “let us see if we are destined for friendship.”
He gave us a salute and followed her into her home.
“What should we do?” asked Dale.
“Be ready to get us out of here,” Rick said. “If she kills him, we’re next.”
“No, I mean the fish. Can we eat it? Or what.”
“Eat the fish."
The hungry lion happily scarfed down the meal.
Hopefully his chewing would be the only such sounds we heard.
“You’ve cooked me dinner, the first human to ever do so. Shall I dismiss all caution?”
“You still question? Choose any piece, I shall gladly take the first bite.”
“A generous offer. Yet I propose this: let us dine in my cave."
“You invite me into your home?” Winthrop replied. “I accept.”
“So readily? No apprehension?” the dragon asked.
“If you truly desire me dead, do as you may. I already have the king wishing ill; how much more shall I worry?”
“If he goes in that cave,” I whispered, “we can’t save him.”
“Come then,” she said, “let us see if we are destined for friendship.”
He gave us a salute and followed her into her home.
“What should we do?” asked Dale.
“Be ready to get us out of here,” Rick said. “If she kills him, we’re next.”
“No, I mean the fish. Can we eat it? Or what.”
“Eat the fish."
The hungry lion happily scarfed down the meal.
Hopefully his chewing would be the only such sounds we heard.
Nervous moments passed as we waited for an answer.
Soon enough, both man and dragon emerged back into the sunlight.
“An understanding has been reached,” Winthrop announced.
“Each of us passed the test,” Joacquil said. “Given the chance, we chose not to harm the other.”
A peaceful resolution!
We sat and ate our fish in great spirits.
As dinner ended, it came our turn to receive an invite.
“You must come inside,” offered Win. “When else will you view a dragon’s lair?”
“That’s all right,” Dale answered. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Are you scared?” Rick asked. “She didn’t eat him, she won’t eat you.”
“You sneezed us here. Don’t back out now,” I said.
I wasn’t scared. Not even a little. I liked Joacqiuil.
Her cave felt cool and damp, but not cold. And it wasn’t dark, not like I thought it’d be. Natural light streamed in here and there.
A bed of straw was arranged in one corner.
“Would you like to see my eggs?”
“We don’t want to impose,” Dale offered.
“You should at least see the items causing all this fuss.”
She gestured toward the straw bed.
I peeked inside.
The eggs glowed from within a bed of straw, enveloped in a sturdy maze.
Their moony, milky light shined of hope and promise.
Perched up against one another, the duo radiated pure perfection.
Soon enough, both man and dragon emerged back into the sunlight.
“An understanding has been reached,” Winthrop announced.
“Each of us passed the test,” Joacquil said. “Given the chance, we chose not to harm the other.”
A peaceful resolution!
We sat and ate our fish in great spirits.
As dinner ended, it came our turn to receive an invite.
“You must come inside,” offered Win. “When else will you view a dragon’s lair?”
“That’s all right,” Dale answered. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Are you scared?” Rick asked. “She didn’t eat him, she won’t eat you.”
“You sneezed us here. Don’t back out now,” I said.
I wasn’t scared. Not even a little. I liked Joacqiuil.
Her cave felt cool and damp, but not cold. And it wasn’t dark, not like I thought it’d be. Natural light streamed in here and there.
A bed of straw was arranged in one corner.
“Would you like to see my eggs?”
“We don’t want to impose,” Dale offered.
“You should at least see the items causing all this fuss.”
She gestured toward the straw bed.
I peeked inside.
The eggs glowed from within a bed of straw, enveloped in a sturdy maze.
Their moony, milky light shined of hope and promise.
Perched up against one another, the duo radiated pure perfection.
“Truly awe-inspiring," Winthrop beamed. “I realize know we cannot release them to the king.”
“I appreciate you saying that, good knight.”
“Alas, I doubt I shall be the last man-at-arms to pursue them."
“He'd send more?" Dale asked.
“The next attempt might have greater numbers, perhaps a whole army. Plans may be being devised as we speak.”
“They do not scare me," the dragon said. “They shall take my last breath before these eggs.”
“That, I fear, is the idea.”
“Maybe you could convince them that Joacquil is peaceful,” said Dale. “That it’s wrong to steal from her.”
“The oratory skills I possess shall fall far short, I’m afraid.”
“Maybe we’ll go back with you,” Rick added. “We could prove that you tried. And that she’s nice.”
“Thank you, but as strangers to the kingdom your words would carry little weight.”
“What if Joacquil went with you?” I asked. “Your king could meet her himself. Perhaps it would impress him?”
“I appreciate you saying that, good knight.”
“Alas, I doubt I shall be the last man-at-arms to pursue them."
“He'd send more?" Dale asked.
“The next attempt might have greater numbers, perhaps a whole army. Plans may be being devised as we speak.”
“They do not scare me," the dragon said. “They shall take my last breath before these eggs.”
“That, I fear, is the idea.”
“Maybe you could convince them that Joacquil is peaceful,” said Dale. “That it’s wrong to steal from her.”
“The oratory skills I possess shall fall far short, I’m afraid.”
“Maybe we’ll go back with you,” Rick added. “We could prove that you tried. And that she’s nice.”
“Thank you, but as strangers to the kingdom your words would carry little weight.”
“What if Joacquil went with you?” I asked. “Your king could meet her himself. Perhaps it would impress him?”
“That idea … is clever. We might aid each other,” the dragon agreed.
“Awesome,” Dale said. “Can't wait to see what happens when they see you.”
“No, I’m afraid that won't be possible,” Joacquil answered.
“You, um, don’t want me there?”
“You’ll need to stay here. The three of you. Someone has to guard my eggs.”
“Us?”
“It would be unwise to bring them on the trip. Seeing as you have a little magic, you are delightfully suited for the task.”
“You would trust us that much?” I asked.
“Why shouldn’t I? Besides, you’d just have to sit here in my cave.”
“We’d be honored,” Rick declared. “We accept the job.”
“Only recently I had despaired. Now I have hope," Winthrop said. “May we all find success.”
“This task will be easy for the likes of you," Joacquil added.
“Here’s to two eggs,” Dale shouted. “Over easy!”
While everyone smiled at his enthusiasm … not one of them laughed but me.
“Awesome,” Dale said. “Can't wait to see what happens when they see you.”
“No, I’m afraid that won't be possible,” Joacquil answered.
“You, um, don’t want me there?”
“You’ll need to stay here. The three of you. Someone has to guard my eggs.”
“Us?”
“It would be unwise to bring them on the trip. Seeing as you have a little magic, you are delightfully suited for the task.”
“You would trust us that much?” I asked.
“Why shouldn’t I? Besides, you’d just have to sit here in my cave.”
“We’d be honored,” Rick declared. “We accept the job.”
“Only recently I had despaired. Now I have hope," Winthrop said. “May we all find success.”
“This task will be easy for the likes of you," Joacquil added.
“Here’s to two eggs,” Dale shouted. “Over easy!”
While everyone smiled at his enthusiasm … not one of them laughed but me.