Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede Page B

out a sword and waved it at the dragon. Well, actually, he waved it a couple of feet to one side. His helmet had slipped a little, and evidently he couldn’t see very well. The dragon looked at him, and then back at Shiara.
    â€œ
This
is a knight?” it said.
    â€œMy love is the bravest and best of knights!” the Princess cried.
    â€œIf this
is
a knight, maybe I can handle him after all,” the dragon said. “He doesn’t look so bad.”
    â€œAh, hideous reptile! No longer do I fear you, for my love will defend me! Yea, he will defend me even unto death!”
    â€œNow, wait a minute, Isabelle,” the knight said. He pulled off his helmet, looked at it disgustedly, and threw it on the ground behind him. “I’m perfectly willing to kill dragons for you, but who said anything about dying?”
    â€œYou are my knight, and my brave love!” the Princess said dramatically. “Oh, save me from this awful monster, who would carry me off and eat me!” She sprang up and threw her arms around the knight.
    â€œIt’s going to be a bit difficult for me to save you if you hang about my neck like that,” the knight said apologetically. “It’s quite awkward. If you’ll just sit down, I can see about doing this properly.”
    The Princess only hung on to him more tightly, which made his aim almost as bad as it had been when he was wearing his helmet crooked. The dragon was watching them closely, and its eyes were starting to glow. “You certainly aren’t very polite,” it said.
    â€œMy love is the soul of courtesy!” the Princess said from behind the knight. “For he is a knight most gentle and well spoken, much given to—”
    â€œI say, Isabelle, must you go on like that?” the knight said. “It’s embarrassing. Do, please, sit down and let me fight the dragon. Then you won’t have to worry about being eaten, you know.”
    The Princess gave a small scream. “Alas!” she said in a quavery voice. “Behold my sad state! For now must I watch a bloody battle, and perhaps see my love slain before my eyes, and become a captive of this monster.”
    â€œThis is ridiculous,” said Shiara, and before I could stop her she marched over to stand between the dragon and the knight. I followed her, hoping I could get her out of trouble if I had to.
    â€œAh, save me!” the Princess said as we got closer. I wasn’t sure whether she wanted to be saved from the dragon or from Shiara.
    Shiara glared at her. “You shut up,” she told the Princess. “You’ve caused enough trouble already.”
    â€œI say,” said the knight. “If we’re going to discuss politeness—”
    â€œWe aren’t,” said Shiara. “We’re going to discuss battles. Battles between dragons and knights. Why do you want to fight this dragon?”
    â€œKnights are sworn to do battle with the beasts that ravage the fields, carry off innocent maidens, and generally make a nuisance of themselves,” the knight said. He sounded as if he were reciting something, and he didn’t look very pleased about the idea, but the Princess nodded approvingly.
    â€œWell, this dragon isn’t ravaging anything, and it doesn’t even want your stupid princess,” Shiara said.
    â€œI do, too!” the dragon broke in. “If I’m not going to carry her off I could eat her, after all. And if I fought a knight no one could say I’m not a proper dragon, even if I don’t have a princess.”
    â€œI really don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. “Princesses aren’t all that common, after all.”
    â€œBesides, you promised me you wouldn’t,” Shiara said.
    â€œI did not!” the dragon said. “I only said I wouldn’t waste a perfectly good princess, and this one’s not so great. Eating her wouldn’t be much of a