Silver Tongue

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 102496

"Dragon, it seems to me that you are as afraid of dying as I am," Fred says to it, his voice higher-pitched than he intended. "And I confess myself loath to kill you if I can avoid it."

The dragon blinks and raises its head. "To live is always desirable." Its voice is as old as the mountain and rumbles like thunder.

"Yes, and I pity your plight, but I have been sent on this quest for the express purpose of killing you, and you have been ravaging our lands for generations."

"Please, wise warrior," the dragon says in a silver voice, "do not punish a beast for an appetite to match its size. I wish I could have an alternative, but my hunger so overcomes me that I go into a fit of madness and eat everything in sight. It is hardly my choice."

Its words somehow strike him deep, and he believes them without question. "Then I am sorry for you, but that only makes my choice more clear."

"Oh, but if I might be allowed to offer a solution other than that...?"

Fred nods.

"I can fly far and fast with little rest; perhaps I could offer my services as transportation in exchange for regular feedings. Thus we could both benefit and avoid anything unpleasant altogether."

He's torn with indecision; should he take the dragon's offer? To him it does sound like a good arrangement, and he certainly doesn't want to kill the dragon.

"And I would like the company," the dragon says sadly. "I'm all alone here; I chase away all my friends with my hunger, and the only visitors I get are strangers trying to kill me. And then I'm forced to defend myself against them and it only blackens my reputation the more. I've been alone for, oh, so long!" It hung its head in despair and a great, boiling tear rolled down its face.

Fred was moved by its words and found himself crying too. How could he kill it now? Still, that was his quest, and he didn't know what the king would say if he returned while the dragon was still alive.

  1. He kills the dragon
  2. He releases the dragon

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~Everarda

9/12/2013 11:59:26 AM

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