Sir Josh Dries Out

"Very well, if it will make you feel better."

Astra sits down with her back to Sir Josh. Five minutes later she hears him say: "Er, excuse me, but how exactly do I start a fire?"

Without thinking, Astra turns her head in order to reply. Sir Josh turns bright red. All over. Now that his face is no longer partly obscured by his helmet, Astra can see more readily that he seems to be very young for a knight, no more than seventeen or eighteen or so.

"Sorry," she says, looking away again. "I forgot to tell you how to start a fire. You see that pile of branches over there? The dragon has enchanted it so that if you look at it and say 'Burn' it will burst into flames. When you and your things are dry, just say 'Stop' and the flames will go out."

"Wow, that's cool."

"I think that you'll find that it's pretty hot, actually."

"No, I meant... Oh, never mind."

Sir Josh finds that it's just as easy to get the fire going as Astra has described. Soon he, his underclothes and his armour are all drying rapidly. To make conversation he asks Astra: "Isn't that lycra bikini that you're wearing a bit of an anachronism?"

"Is that what this material is? The dragon created the 'bikini' - I think you called it - for me. I'm very glad to have it. At first he kept me naked."

"You said that you'd been his captive for three months. What does he want with you?"

1. "He's asked for a ransom for me, but so far my family hasn't coughed up."
2. "It's strange, but I think that he was lonely and wanted some company."
3. "This may sound odd, but even after all this time I honestly don't know."

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