Part 3:
The sun burned high in its noon-time position.
Dale, now awake and alert, stood at the ready.
Rick dozed in and out of consciousness.
Our couch in the woods had held the night.
Would the dragon be back?
None of us knew for sure.
But there was nowhere else for us to go.
Dale couldn't blink yet, and Rick's ankle meant no walking.
We were here until our friends returned from their mission.
I looked at the eggs in their nest.
So valued, so important.
So fragile and small.
Somehow I knew I'd give my life for them.
We all would.
In that moment, I suddenly sat and thought:
Were we heroes?
I laughed audibly at the notion.
“What's so funny?" the lion wondered.
“Just thinking about the eggs. All that's happened."
“They've had quite a ride."
“Maybe you were right. Maybe they can hear us?"
“I guess we'll never know. It's a mystery."
What was the process of a dragon egg? What did it look like?
What went on in there?
In the end, I just shrugged my shoulders.
Some things were impossible to truly see.
Dale, now awake and alert, stood at the ready.
Rick dozed in and out of consciousness.
Our couch in the woods had held the night.
Would the dragon be back?
None of us knew for sure.
But there was nowhere else for us to go.
Dale couldn't blink yet, and Rick's ankle meant no walking.
We were here until our friends returned from their mission.
I looked at the eggs in their nest.
So valued, so important.
So fragile and small.
Somehow I knew I'd give my life for them.
We all would.
In that moment, I suddenly sat and thought:
Were we heroes?
I laughed audibly at the notion.
“What's so funny?" the lion wondered.
“Just thinking about the eggs. All that's happened."
“They've had quite a ride."
“Maybe you were right. Maybe they can hear us?"
“I guess we'll never know. It's a mystery."
What was the process of a dragon egg? What did it look like?
What went on in there?
In the end, I just shrugged my shoulders.
Some things were impossible to truly see.
“Hey! Just now? Did you hear that?" Dale whispered.
Rick stirred and look concerned.
I had definitely heard it.
The sound of dragon footsteps.
There could be no mistake.
Approaching our way.
I swung the sword and leapt to action.
“Back again?” I shouted. “We’ll add more of you to the pile! Come close and find pain.”
The steps halted and were replaced by snickering
“Ho! We mean know harm. Stand down, brave sword-wielder!”
Winthrop and Joacquil emerged into view.
“You’ve traveled,” the knight said. “What finds you here?”
“Was my cave not to your liking?”
We told them of our struggles with the other dragon, quickly recapping the two encounters.
“That was my brother,” Joacquil said. “That was Spith."
“So he really is your brother?”
“I thought him far from these lands. My apologies. I never suspected he’d come this way.”
“Rick took care of him. Cut off his tail like it was nothin’!”
“I only did it to defend us. To protect the eggs.”
“You did the right thing. And Spith will regret his foolishness."
“How so?"
“Life will change. His gait will be off, his speed gone; he will hunt poorly. I almost pity him.”
“I pity his judgment,” Winthrop boomed. “No dragon shall match a brave man with a sword!”
She stretched her head his way and bore a quizzical smile.
“I just meant … well, you know.”
“In my opinion? Some dragons are a perfect match for brave men with swords.”
It took Winthrop a quick moment to recover.
“Perhaps I ... do concur,” he replied. “Indeed. In fact it might be a truth for the ages.”
Rick stirred and look concerned.
I had definitely heard it.
The sound of dragon footsteps.
There could be no mistake.
Approaching our way.
I swung the sword and leapt to action.
“Back again?” I shouted. “We’ll add more of you to the pile! Come close and find pain.”
The steps halted and were replaced by snickering
“Ho! We mean know harm. Stand down, brave sword-wielder!”
Winthrop and Joacquil emerged into view.
“You’ve traveled,” the knight said. “What finds you here?”
“Was my cave not to your liking?”
We told them of our struggles with the other dragon, quickly recapping the two encounters.
“That was my brother,” Joacquil said. “That was Spith."
“So he really is your brother?”
“I thought him far from these lands. My apologies. I never suspected he’d come this way.”
“Rick took care of him. Cut off his tail like it was nothin’!”
“I only did it to defend us. To protect the eggs.”
“You did the right thing. And Spith will regret his foolishness."
“How so?"
“Life will change. His gait will be off, his speed gone; he will hunt poorly. I almost pity him.”
“I pity his judgment,” Winthrop boomed. “No dragon shall match a brave man with a sword!”
She stretched her head his way and bore a quizzical smile.
“I just meant … well, you know.”
“In my opinion? Some dragons are a perfect match for brave men with swords.”
It took Winthrop a quick moment to recover.
“Perhaps I ... do concur,” he replied. “Indeed. In fact it might be a truth for the ages.”
We gathered up the nest and began the journey to the cave.
Unable to bear weight on his ankle, my brother rode on Joacquil's back.
Winthrop regaled us with their adventures with the king, singing it all to great effect.
The dragon looked most impressed by his abilities.
“What happens now?" Rick wondered when Win had concluded. With your quest?"
"I'll go back and meet with the king's agents. The ones who knew about Gregor."
“While stay back and watch over my eggs."
“Once they've hatched, and preparations made, we'll begin: An ex-knight, a guard, a princess, a dragon, and two babies."
Winthrop's disbelief at this grouping shocked even himself.
He cast a sly smile as he adjusted to a new normal.
“Do you trust him," Dale asked. “The king? To keep his word."
I would not, except for Sarabella. He will be true. At least for a while. Have no fear, I will keenly eye all happenings."
Upon reaching the dragon’s home, we were treated to a feast.
Win cooked a celebratory meal with supplies he’d brought from the castle.
We spent one last evening with our friends.
By morning, Dale was recharged enough to get us home.
We promised we’d return to hear tales of Gregor's search.
And to check on the progress of the offspring we’d defended.
“They would not be in their present condition without your devotion. I will tell them often of their guardians.”
Unable to bear weight on his ankle, my brother rode on Joacquil's back.
Winthrop regaled us with their adventures with the king, singing it all to great effect.
The dragon looked most impressed by his abilities.
“What happens now?" Rick wondered when Win had concluded. With your quest?"
"I'll go back and meet with the king's agents. The ones who knew about Gregor."
“While stay back and watch over my eggs."
“Once they've hatched, and preparations made, we'll begin: An ex-knight, a guard, a princess, a dragon, and two babies."
Winthrop's disbelief at this grouping shocked even himself.
He cast a sly smile as he adjusted to a new normal.
“Do you trust him," Dale asked. “The king? To keep his word."
I would not, except for Sarabella. He will be true. At least for a while. Have no fear, I will keenly eye all happenings."
Upon reaching the dragon’s home, we were treated to a feast.
Win cooked a celebratory meal with supplies he’d brought from the castle.
We spent one last evening with our friends.
By morning, Dale was recharged enough to get us home.
We promised we’d return to hear tales of Gregor's search.
And to check on the progress of the offspring we’d defended.
“They would not be in their present condition without your devotion. I will tell them often of their guardians.”
“Goodbye Joacquil,” I said, reaching up to hug her neck.
“You're the nicest dragon I've ever met," Rick told her, putting a palm against her back.
“Thanks for everything,” Dale added, kissing her on the leg. “Tell your brother we’re sorry, but really, he was being a jerk.”
Winthrop accompanied us on the long walk back to our couch.
Along the way, he declared that we should keep his sword! Stating that we'd rightly earned it.
To my satisfaction, I found that I agreed.
Since our phones were dead, there was no way to snap a photo.
I took a good look at Winthrop, trying to memorize his face.
Hoping to ingrain his features in my mind.
And then ... I imagined him into the future.
As a real gentleman farmer.
I could see it!
I really could.
True, he'd always have the warrior's heart.
But he contained so much more than that.
“You're the nicest dragon I've ever met," Rick told her, putting a palm against her back.
“Thanks for everything,” Dale added, kissing her on the leg. “Tell your brother we’re sorry, but really, he was being a jerk.”
Winthrop accompanied us on the long walk back to our couch.
Along the way, he declared that we should keep his sword! Stating that we'd rightly earned it.
To my satisfaction, I found that I agreed.
Since our phones were dead, there was no way to snap a photo.
I took a good look at Winthrop, trying to memorize his face.
Hoping to ingrain his features in my mind.
And then ... I imagined him into the future.
As a real gentleman farmer.
I could see it!
I really could.
True, he'd always have the warrior's heart.
But he contained so much more than that.
A fresh covering leaves had collected upon the couch.
We went to work clearing it as best we could.
Upon finishing, we found Winthrop on one knee, his head bowed.
“You graciously helped me,” he said. “You saved me."
His voice crackled with emotion.
“Thus I swear here and now: mine skills are forever at your stead; I will answer your call to arms at any moment.”
He threw his arms around me in a boisterous hug, carefully embracing Rick and Dale as well.
“May each meal taste of valor; may each night promise peace.”
“Sir Wintrop," I said. “Farewell."
Leaves lingered momentarily on the noblest of breezes.
Dale blinked us away from the world of dragons and knights.
Our souls made better and brightened from such a fine acquaintance.
We went to work clearing it as best we could.
Upon finishing, we found Winthrop on one knee, his head bowed.
“You graciously helped me,” he said. “You saved me."
His voice crackled with emotion.
“Thus I swear here and now: mine skills are forever at your stead; I will answer your call to arms at any moment.”
He threw his arms around me in a boisterous hug, carefully embracing Rick and Dale as well.
“May each meal taste of valor; may each night promise peace.”
“Sir Wintrop," I said. “Farewell."
Leaves lingered momentarily on the noblest of breezes.
Dale blinked us away from the world of dragons and knights.
Our souls made better and brightened from such a fine acquaintance.