Short story with knight and dragon
Story by Random on SoFurry
Couldn't think of a title that was interesting enough.
The knight had travelled a long way for this encounter. From the castle where he resided he had brought his horse through forests and mountains, fought vicious beasts and dangerous bandits, to reach the cave whose entrance was now in front of him. There, into the belly of the earth, resided a creature whose sins would now be judged by him. He proceeded, no trace of fear in his steps.
There, lay an enormous, sleeping green dragon. The knight contemplated for a short moment its scales shining in the last remnants of lights from the outside world, before taking out his sword and waiting for the moment when the monster would sense his smell and wake up – which, he knew, would happen very soon.
Indeed, he hadn’t fully extracted his blade that one eye opened up; and soon the dragon rose in all its immense height, in front of the tiny, but brave knight.
“Who are you,” the dragon thundered, “who come into my lair and disturb my sleep?”
“I have come to judge you for your sins, dragon,” the knight fiercely replied.
The dragon was not impressed at those words. “What sins? What may I have committed, me who has been away from human villages for longer than I remember?”
“Here is the problem! You are too good for a dragon. You never settled any village on fire, never stole gold, kidnapped princesses! Your gentle nature has deprived us knights of our jobs! I am here,” and he pointed his sword at his interlocutor, “to ORDER you to do your duty as a dragon, or else…!”
“Excuse me?” The dragon exclaimed. “Your request shall not be fulfilled. I have renounced the violent ways of my parents. I am living a much more comfortable life than them. Existence is much more pleasant when you need no gold or princesses – all I need is this cave to rest and the occasional prey.”
“Then please, prey on peasants! For sure, human meat must be the greatest dragon delicacy, am I not right? We used to save so many damsels from dragons’ jaws during the old, glorious days!”
The dragon looked at him in disgust.
“You are so sickening. First of all, deer is fatter and nicer and I don’t have to defend from other deer looking for revenge, if I hunt one. Second, it is me who should judge you for your sins. Now, will you take that sword out? It is ridiculously tiny.”
The knight started shaking, and the sword wobbled with him. “But...but…!” Then he shouted. “Duel! Duel with me! I need glory! It is my purpose!”
But with one gesture of his talon, the dragon took away the sword from his hand, and it fell with a noisy clank on the rocky ground.
“You will now calm down,” the creature said, “and then we’ll take care of your egoistic, disturbed nature. Now wait for me while I prepare my tea set. What do you prefer, earl grey or matcha?”
“T...tea?”
“Yes. Everyone loves tea, right? So, tell me what’s your favorite and we’ll spend a good night together.”
The knight fell on his knees, definitely defeated by that unexpected gentleness.
“E...Earl Grey, thank you.”