There be Monsters

Shimmering light flooded the vale as the knights crested the ridge of Fire Mountain.
Dawn had come at last to this cursed valley, where peasants cowered in fear of the mighty Shadow Wing. Deep in the shadows of Fire Mountain, the princess of the Fire Plain rose and the slow whine of sword sharpening filled the air.

Sent by her father as a last sacrifiace to the Dragon Shadow Wing, Princess Aurora detested the plains kingdom. She hated her that her father would give up his daughter before his crown. She hated her sisters who had planted that idea in his ear. She hated the knights who never raised a sword when she was snatched away. She hated the people who danced in glee thinking they were finally free. Yes Princess Aurora was a darkling thing, half elven like her mother, she had been allowed to run free and so she was fearless, even in the hidden places of Fire Mountain, she stalked like a cold shadow. She watched the knights progress into the vale and smiled grimly, between them at long last the surrendered crown of the plains king.


The Knights as they bore the crown kept their eyes to the ground, for who alive wants to see death on wing swooping down like lightening loosed. Their eyes ran from the sulphurous fumes and upon their ears fell strange keening of beasts they coudnt discern. Even the brightest felt the resolve shake as they arrived at the dragons keep. Setting the crown upon the stone, they prepared to wait, the supersticious began began prayers to the gods that death would be sift and the dragon merciful.


Aurora sat upon the highest ridge and watched the knights hudled like sheep. The fear rolled of them like a palpable wave and she knew the dragon could scent these things. Then from across the mountain range came the sound of massive wings, Aurora felt her heat quicken and on the horizon appeared the Dragon. Shadow Wing was a mighty thing, with scales like elven steel, his wings dark beating the air with massive strokes. From darkest grey to lightestest silver, he was as if of shadow spun. The hardest steel, the surest arrow could not harm his enchanted hide, for Shadow wing was magick, a mage among dragons. He had more power in a single gesture than humans could fathom in a lifetime of searching. He knew of ancient things, begining things and secrets at the heart of life itself, its force, it purpose and its fire. As he landed before the knights, two expired just like that, no force of claw or flame.

Aurora watched and notched her arrows and carefully took aim, she was determined He would die He who brought her pain. She watched as Shadow Wing took the knights one by one snuffing their souls like guttering sparks, in the last second she drew back her arm and loosed her single arrow. With a meaty thump, it hit home and a death keen filled the air.

Aurora picked her way through the dead littering the valley, triumph singing in her veins. she danced a jig amongst the dead and watlzed over their cold hands, they would never asked her to dance freezing her out of court. She skipped and giggled amid the mess, singing courting songs until a thunderous rumble stopped her dead and she turned to find the dragon. Shadow Wing seldom laughed but now he couldnt stop. A princess who despised knights and fell in love with a dragon! Who would have even known...

Aurora picked up the gore spattered crown and placed it on her head. She ran her hands down her claws like she knew he liked, she dropped her armour among the stones and he delighted in her fine skin, surely a fire soul she was, the princess who dared love a dragon. Shadow Wing swept her up to her castle in the villlage, installed her on the throne, magnificent and fiery with rubies in her hair. Who would oppose her, no one would dare.

And now all the people when entering Fire Plain, look upon the castle, 'keep your gaze down' they warn children passing in the yard. ' There be monsters' And they do not mean the dragon whose fire fills the air. The monster is the princess for who would even dare to love a scaly beast and enslave him without chains, surely their new queen was a monster wonderous and fair. Yes, warned the elders there be monsters there.