The Knight and the Prince
The bricks of the old road crunched and clicked under Tressa's feet as she walked, her stead, Tristan behind her. The horse's whickering the only other sound. Shattered by generations of frost and ice the surface gave slightly with each step. Tressa worried she or the horse would slip. A stupid accident like that would be a bad way to end this.
The road sloped up steeply, lined with scraggy furs and grey granite boulders on one side side, roots clinging to the thin earth, needles marked with morning frost. On the other there was a steep drop of perhaps two hundred paces.
Each breath filled the knight with cold, her lungs and throat protesting at the spring air. Short and dark, her cut boyishly short the Paladin and her mount were both heavily laden. Both wore heavy dark plate, without symbol save for the rising sun of the goddess. On the knight's back she wore a sword, its guard marked with the seals of enchantments of fire and against inhuman foes. A lance hung along the side of the barded horse. It was the big dragon gun's heavily carved butt that left hand rested as she lead the horse though.
Finally the hill top came and Tressa stopped, looking at crowd the silent men standing around a trio of logs bound together and placed across the road, blocking it completely. There were fifty, knights in full plate and armsmen with breastplates and leather. The heads of the pikes glittered in the dawn as they lowered to point at her. Knights drew swords and crossbowmen readied bows. Tressa saw the small lights of the spells woven around each weapon wink on, ready to fight.
The men wore their heraldry openly. On each shield stood the white rose and sword of the Royal House of Borthen. Tressa stopped, her cloak coiling back in the wind to reveal the dark plate beneath. The paladin's dark hair flickered in the sudden wind and she pushed it up out of her eyes "I am a Paladin of the holy church on official business. Why do you block this road?"
There was a shifting in the formation and it parted for a man to step forward. He was tall and broad, his plate dark grey like his beard. Duke Richard Farington looked at her from under bushy brows. "I know who you are Ser Knight." He frowned "I know why you're here. I'm afraid I cannot allow you to continue."
"You think the Dragon knows not the difference between the holy Church and the Lands of Borthens?" Tressa asked. "Did you give the beast some assurance that none would interfere?"
The Duke frowned. "I have heard you are a lawyer Ser Knight, you certainly have a lawyers tongue. You know exactly why we're here. Before the goddess I have accepted this sin. Now I for all Ethenland's sake I shall carry it through."
Tressa nodded. "I see. Well milord, if we're being so frank, then I shall tell you in return: I have been charged with a mission by the holy church and sworn before the goddess to accomplish it or die in the attempt. I cannot allow you to bar my way."
Farington's face showed anger. The anger of guilt Tressa thought. He hated her for doing what he would not. "The boy is interested in nothing but fine clothes and comfort!" His voice rose "He is a sot and a wastrel!"
"It's true. The prince is not a great man. Unlike his sister though, he is not a warmonger." Tressa said quietly.
"I do not want to kill you Ser Knight, but if you don't..." Farington was still speaking when Tressa put a hand to the symbol of the goddess on her breast. The sun peaked over the horizon behind her and to the men standing on the road it was suddenly far too bright. They shouted in fear, blinded.
Tressa pulled the dragon gun to her shoulder and pulled the trigger. Even through her armour the recoil was like a kick against her shoulder. The guns thunderclap bent the trees on either side, clearing them of frost and the round tore straight through the centre of the pikemen and crossbows before her. Bodies and parts of bodies were hurled in all directions as the round blew straight through, and Tressa saw a pine tree in the distance fly to splinters as the round struck it. Tristran, stood still, the well trained horse unafraid of the sound. The paladin grabbed the pommel of her saddle and vaulted onto his back, urging him forward through the shattered road block and galloping off down the road, leaving the men's shouts and the screams of the wounded behind.
The land began to change as Tressa galloped, a mountain rising on one side, the ground coming up on the other, replacing the sharp drop with more rocks and pine trees. Tressa slowed the horse to a walk and began to reload the gun, cleaning the barrel, then pouring in the powder, before finally the bullet went in. She was so intent on her task that it took a moment before she saw the figure standing on a standing stone before her.
The woman was tall and statuesque. Her skin was pale and features aristocratic, hair green, with horns of gleaming ivory rising through it. Her body was cloaked in ancient finery, the same colour as her hair. Her eyes though, those were the things that Tressa noticed most, they were blue like sapphires, with without iris or pupil. Somehow Tressa knew they were aimed at her.
"Why do humans kill other humans?" The dragon asked, its voice singsong, threefold.
Tressa stopped the horse completely and looked at her. She thought for a moment, then answered. "Because we disagree or because we want something. To live sometimes. Because we believe things." Her eyes began to lower then she kept the level, not wanting to look away from the beast "I kill because I believe more will die if I don't."
The dragon chuckled and hopped down. "Each of us is its own ruler. We meet infrequently, for the world is large and we are few. Meeting is a joyous occasion, one for gifts, not for slaughter." She looked down at Tressa "You are the first knight I've met who has answered a question I have asked. Humans gave me my prince to save their land, yet you are willing to kill to get him back."
"If I did not, more would die." Tressa looked up at her. "You might ravage this land Dragon, but you are nothing compared to the cruelty humans can inflict." She turned her horse to face the dragon squarely. "Thus I, Tressa Wintergold challenge you to a duel. All weapons shall be used, and the winner shall take custody of Prince Simon of the House of Borthens."
"I, Athanjalkis the Three Fold accept your challenge!" There was a thunder to one side and Tressa's horse swerved around as the dragon's true form erupted out of the rocks. It was huge, large as a keep, armoured in glittering green. Three necks extended forward, dancing like serpents. One held the head of a dragon. The second a beautiful snake of amber scales and divine beauty. The last was an awful thing of black flesh and corrupted metal.
Tressa spun and the dragon gun thundered. On the mountain slope behind the wyrm dust and snow plumed up but the dragon seemed as if it had not been hit at all. Tressa felt a moment of sick realization and frantically she spurred her horse forward into the lee of a bank of rocks.
Fire boiled the mountainside, trees erupting light fat torches as the explosion of flame roiled across them. Only the rock kept Tressa and her stead alive, but still the protective runes built into her armour glowed brightly. Frantically she reloaded, not even having time to curse herself as the dragon thundered by, its invisibility enchantment slipping away as it turned, wings beating as it slowed to make another pass. Tressa lifted the gun, and spoke a short prayer. This time she was taking no chances: the goddesses light flowed into her eyes and tore away the illusions the dragon was spinning, showing it's real position, almost half a length to the right of its image. Tressa shifted her aim and pulled the dragon gun's trigger.
Athanjalkis saw her aim shift and beat its great wings, slowing and pulling to one side, trying to throw her off not quite fast enough. Tressa's bullet slammed into its wing tip. The dragon roared as its wing bone shattered and plummeted into the forest below in a spray of ash and debris.
The dragon pulled its self back up, three heads rising above the forest. "Your tricks have improved human." The three fold voice of the dragon held pain "but not enough!" It's last word rose and the slope rose with it, the keen of the last word sending dust and rock and smouldering trees rippling upwards all across the slope. Debris crashed down as the dragon swung its heads around, shattering the mountain side with a wave of force.
At least the dragon was out of breath, its mouths shut and it breathed in deeply, snake head coughing at the clouds of dust and Tressa hidden until now by an illusion of her own slammed into it from the side. Her lance flashed as the enchantment activated and dug deeply into the flesh of the horror neck where it met the dragon's body. Athanjalkis howled, flailing at her with its forelimbs, the impact knocking horse and barded rider to the grass. It pawed at the lance, multi-coloured blood pouring out of the wound, each head crying its own anguish.
Tressa's horse managed to get up unsteadily, Tressa pulling her sword as the dragon turned on her. "I don't suppose you'd like to yield?" She asked, panting heavily as she raised the blade. All three heads hurtled in at her at once in reply. Tressa rode to meet them. The snake head thundered in and she slashed at it, her sword burning as it struck across the beasts scales sending it back. The horror head spat out a mass of tentacles. Tressa managed to get her shield up just in time as they slammed into her, knocking her flying. She landed, rolling to her feet, trying to brace.
Then the dragon head slammed into her from the front, lifting Tressa off the ground and smashing her backwards into the half molten rocks behind. The divine shield she'd raised almost fell from the strength of the impact. Athanjalkis's dragon head swung forward to hang over her. It's eyes searched across the knight, noting she'd lost her sword and the dragon gun. Her lance of course was still inside it. "You've hurt me human." The dragon's three fold voice purred "I'm impressed, so impressed I shall teach you a lesson. In my guts you will be able to fully know that the cruelty of humans is nothing compared to that of a dragon." It's head descended, mouth open. The paladin felt the heat within, blue flames licking within the dragon's throat.
Tressa grabbed the powder horn from its strap and flung upwards into the flame of the neck. She barely had time to put her arms over her face before the world exploded, the force of the blast smashing her into the ground. Her weakened shield collapsed and she felt bones break from the concussion, her hearing stolen by the thunder.
For a timeless interval there was nothing and then Tressa came back to herself. The dragons teeth lay on either side of her. Sunlight peaked down from above. Whimpering she managed to raise a hand to the symbol of the goddess and her body healed, enough to live if not enough to avoid pain. After that she managed to find one of her healing potions unbroken. She gulped the sickly sweet potion done and felt better. Slowly the knight crawled between the dragon heads part open jaws and looked around at the shattered landscape beyond.
The rest of the dragon had toppled off the mountain. It lay below on the valley floor, smashed on rocks and pine, a small lake of its blood pooling from the shattered remnants of the central neck. It twitched, horror head rising slightly to look at her. It hissed, then fell back. Tressa shook her head and walked back the way she came until she found her horse. Tristan lay, one leg broken on the scorched earth. Tressa straightened it and laid a gentle hand on the warhorse's flank. The goddess's power flowed through her briefly and the bone's knitted. After a moment the horse stood, favouring her injured leg.
She walked for half an hour before she found the cave. The morning sun glittered on what lay within. Tressa made her way forward into it, the morning sun illuminating a mass of gold and gems laid out within. In the centre, unbound, and constrained only by a circle of magic, its symbols now scuffed to illegibility by the dragons death stood Prince Simon. He was younger than Tressa, taller, regally built. His hair was long and delicate platinum. His eyes held a note of indecision.
"I am Tressa Wintergold, Paladin of the Holy Church." Tressa stepped down onto the mound of treasure and then sat heavily on the cave's lip. "I apologise Highness, I'm still injured from confronting the beast. Could you help me with this armour?"
"Of course." The prince nodded and moved to her, hands gently working the straps free. "You need not apologize for saving my life Ser Wintergold." He looked down "Though I'm sure few will thank you for it." Tressa felt him slip her armour's straps free and pull it off, putting it to one side with a clank. "I am one of those few though, I value my life very much." There was a certain bitterness in his words that made Tressa look at him sharply. The prince's expression softened "I am sorry Ser Knight. Perhaps this is not the ending you would have hoped for."
"You're alive, and I'm alive. I will not ask for more." Tressa felt bone weary. Even the prince's handsomeness lacked the power to really move her.
"I'm sure that nobody would begrudge you asking a little more." He leaned forward and gently kissed her, then pulled back as the knights head fell back against his arm and she began to snore gently. The prince laughed, cradling her head against himself. The world rolled on around them.