I slowly came to after hearing a growling sound. At first I thought it was my dog but soon realized that it was too deep. That was when I noticed I was cold and my bed was a lot harder to and there was a repugnant smell. I snap my eyes open and realize where I am. I'm in the beasts lair.

It all came back to me. I was making my way back home after teaching a history lesson only to get ambushed by it. It knocked me off my horse barely giving me enough time to grab my sword. It was no good though the beast was too fast and I'm no swordsman. Next thing I knew I was thrown against a tree and I woke up here.

My odds of survival were slim but I'm not one to give up so easily. I wasn't going to be eaten. I push myself up being careful not to make a noise. That was when the pain in my leg hit me. I didn't know what was wrong with it but I couldn't let it slow me down.

Hobbling down the cave I tried to keep quiet whilst moving quickly. I was making good progress and could feel fresh air hit my face but it was short lived. Something large and heavy hit me in the back and pinned me down. The beast had got me and I could feel it's saliva dripping down my back.

I desperately tried to get out of its grasp but all I achieved was it's claws dug deeper into me. I lay limp accepting my fate as food. Of all the things I thought I would die from, death by beast want one of them. I thought of my husband and children in those moments thinking I would never see them again. That was until I saw something in the corner of my eye.

It was quick like a shadow. I would have thought it was mind playing tricks of I didn't see it again. The beast licked me getting a good taste of my flesh but that barely registered in my head. I needed to know what that shadow was. The shadow appeared again only in the light this time and I realized what I was looking at. A dragon.

The dragon put a finger to his lips. I knew what this meant and averted my gaze. I didn't want the beast to see the dragon. My job to was keep the beasts attention on me so I began struggling again. The beast growled and put more weight on me. I remember thinking "That's it. Keep you eyes on my and not the dragon".

I lost track of the dragon as the beast flipped me over. It's orange eyes glowing and saliva dripping from its many fangs. It's tongue flipped in its mouth as it stared at me. It raised itself up ready to crush me until an arrow but it's leg. It screamed in pain and I turned to see the dragon on a boulder readying another arrow.

The beast rolled me away as it's attention was now on this dragon. It jumped and fired again at the beast. The arrow hit and the beast screamed so loudly that I had to cover my ears. It lunged towards the dragon and in one swift motion the dragon pulled out a sword and struck the beast. It crumpled to the floor and lay there motionless. Dead.

Aching all over I began to push myself up but the pain was too much and collapsed. As I pushed myself up again the dragon lifted me up. "Thank you. Thank you" I whispered before passing out.

I woke up a few hours later in bed with my husband at my side. He hug me tight crying. I cried too. I really thought I was never going to see him again.

"Don't ever go out in the dark alone ever again" he sobbed "I don't want to loose you again"

"I promise" I said sobbing as well and then noticed the dragon standing by the door. "You saved my life. Thank you."

"Don't mention it" he said before turning to leave.

"Wait. I must reward you for saving my wife" My husband demanded.

"I don't take payments for saving someone's life. Seeing them alive is enough for me" the dragon replied.

"At least let me know your name" I insisted.

"My name is Richard." My husband and I looked at each other, eyes wide.

"You're not Sir Richard the Protector are you?"

"Maybe" He replied before leaving the house.

My husband and I were silent for a long time before I asked him "Did we just have a knight in our house?"

"I think we just did." He responded. Needless to say that was something neither of us were prepared for.

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This is a brilliant gift I got from my friend  lewis_pilotlion

Richard belongs to me
Art by  lewis_pilotlion