A Tale That Cannot Be Told

Flames of Fear and Friendship

Just as she was about to turn back, a squeaky voice called from behind her, "Hmm, now who do we have here?"

Panic washed over her, and even though her instincts screamed for her to flee, her feet felt glued to the stone floor.

The dragon's voice piped up again, "What brings a maiden to my lair?"

"Um, I, ah—" The princess stammered, words failing her as sheer terror took hold. She felt the dragon's claw gently running through her hair, sending chills down her spine.

"I like the feel of your hair in braids and twists, hmm," the dragon said, continuing to toy with her hair. "It would smell even better, I wager."

Shaking with fear, the princess pleaded, "Please… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to trespass on your castle."

"No need to apologize, milady; you're welcome here anytime!" The dragon's voice brightened, and he was so excited that he let out a fiery breath, lighting up the dim room.

Meanwhile, Ioulos, who was 400 miles north, noticed the blaze erupting from Nahum's lair. "What's going on down there?" he wondered, uneasy at the thought of his friend being in trouble. Without another moment of thought, he took off toward Nahum's castle.

As the warmth from the dragon's fire enveloped the princess, fear surged within her, and she attempted to flee, only to find her path blocked by the dragon's colossal leg. "Where do you think you're going?" he teased.

Desperate to escape, she begged, "Please, I'll do anything! Just let me go." Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Anything?" The dragon leaned in closer to her, intent on learning more, when suddenly Ioulos burst through the entrance.

"NAHUM!" Ioulos's voice boomed, startling Nahum.

"Nahum, chill out, my friend," Ioulos stepped between Nahum and the princess.

"Move aside, Ioulos; she's mine. She came here willingly," Nahum growled, irritation flaring as he glared at Ioulos.

"I saw your fire from miles away. It won't be long before someone comes looking for her too. Let her go; you know this isn't the right way," Ioulos urged, trying to calm the situation.

He turned his head, startled to discover it was Princess Genoa who had disturbed his friend. Without thinking, he snapped at her, "Go!"

The princess looked puzzled but relieved. She wanted to apologize and explain herself. "I…." But before she could finish, Ioulos growled, clutching Nahum tightly. "LEAVE!"

With tears streaming down her cheeks, the princess dashed away, not daring to look back. If she could have made her horse take flight, she would have. The thick trees loomed endlessly around her, and it wasn't until she finally caught sight of the manor houses in town that she felt herself relax a little.

Exhausted and uncertain about walking back to the palace alone, she called for a carriage to take her instead. As she settled inside, her mind swirled with thoughts of the earlier chaos. The young dragon that had burst into the castle had called out for Nahum. "So, the other young dragon must be Ioulos," she pondered. "What could Nahum have done to me if Ioulos hadn't shown up? Where is Ioulos' castle? I hope I didn't bring them too much trouble," she sighed, wondering if she'd ever get to meet the majestic creature again.

Back in Nahum's castle, the two grand creatures continued their fierce battle, growling at one another.

"Why did you even bother to show up?" Nahum snapped; his anger palpable.

"I told you, I saw flames erupting from your castle. What would you have done to the maiden if I hadn't intervened?" Ioulos replied, his irritation growing with his friend's obstinacy.

"That's none of your concern. As I mentioned, she came to my lair willingly. Can't you just mind your own business for once?" Nahum shot back, exhaling a plume of fire toward Ioulos.

Ioulos dodged the flames, but his friend's unreasonable behavior only fueled his anger. He retaliated with a fiery breath of his own. "Are you pretending to be clueless, or is the beast within you just making a fool of itself?"

They were oblivious to Uilliam's arrival, who had traveled 600 miles from the south to reach Nahum's castle.

"ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!" Uilliam bellowed at the two young dragons. "I don't know what this is about, but your fire-breathing is alarming both humans and our kin."

To prevent further trouble for both Nahum and the princess, Ioulos quickly made an excuse. "I'm sorry for my actions, Uilliam, but our argument got out of hand."

Nahum recognized his friend's attempt to cover for him and supported the alibi. "I apologize as well, Uilliam; I'll ensure this doesn't happen again."

Uilliam appeared satisfied with their admissions. "Alright, Ioulos, you can leave now, and let's call it a day."

"Understood, Uilliam," Ioulos replied obediently, but before taking off, he shot a warning glance at Nahum, signaling him not to cause any more trouble with the princess.

When Ioulos reached his castle, he was baffled to find the princess in Nahum's lair. "Is she trying to visit every dragon's castle?" he pondered. "Should I have informed Uilliam about what transpired so he could advise her father, His Majesty the King, on the best course of action? Am I truly protecting her, or am I just inviting more trouble?" The young dragon paced anxiously in his castle, reflecting on what he could have done differently. "Why am I even dwelling on this?" Ioulos exclaimed in frustration. Regardless of the reason, he couldn't shake his concern for the princess and wanted to ensure she didn't leave with a negative impression of his kind. He realized he needed to take action, even if just this once.

Meanwhile, the attendants at Doersam Palace had been hard at work for several days, preparing for Prince Yaakov's upcoming visit. The kitchen was focused on serving the finest dishes with the best ingredients for the lord of the palace, his family, and their guests. Live entertainment was arranged for the grand feast, with plans for minstrels, jugglers, and acrobats to delight the attendees. The palace was beautifully decorated with tapestries, banners, and fresh flowers to create a festive atmosphere.