Princess Flame was with Sir Blaze in his quarters. They were sitting side by side on the edge of his bed, each of them embroidering flowers onto one sleeve of a dress.

'There now,' said Blaze, smiling widely, in contrast to Flame's glassy expression. 'Isn't this fun?'

'Mmm,' said Flame.

'Doesn't it help you take your mind off your troubles?'

'Mmm.'

'It's going to look fantastic, trust me!'

'It's going to look like… well, I'm sure it'll look lovely, but it's not very me, is it? Would you like to have it, Blaze?'

'Love to,' said Blaze, 'but I couldn't really wear it, could I?' There came a knock at the door. 'Come in!'

Cinder and Clinker, in their herald uniform, pushed open the door. Clinker had a scroll in his hand, which he held out to Flame as Cinder said, 'A letter for Princess Flame of Camelhot, from Princess Solder of Singetagel Castle.'

'Goodness.' Flame put down her sewing, took the letter and opened it. 'I wasn't really expecting to hear from her again. Well, at least it's good news. She's laid an egg!'

'Ooh, how lovely!' said Blaze. 'She and Sir Wick didn't waste much time, then.'

'She's invited me to go and stay,' said Flame, 'to keep her company for a few days while she's sitting. That's nice, isn't it? I suppose she doesn't have any other girl chums. A bit like me, really.'

'But you've got me,' said Blaze, smiling lovingly at his embroidery.

'So I have. Well, if we keep up this pace on the dress, we'll have it finished tonight and then I can take it to Solder as a gift. Would you mind, Blaze?'

'Not at all. I only hope she likes it. You're definitely going, then?'

'Too right I am.' Flame took up her needle and thread once again, and resumed stitching at double speed. 'Cinder and Clinker, please go and write Princess Solder a letter saying that I accept her invitation. I shall go mad if I stay here a minute longer! Don't put that in the letter,' she added, as Cinder and Clinker made their exit.

'That Scorchred business really unsettled you, didn't it, sis?' said Blaze.

'Not much,' said Flame. 'I had an idea what to do if it actually came to anything, but it didn't, and now everything's back to the way it was about seven years ago. It's like I'm stuck in a time warp - I have to get out of here!'

'Careful, Flame, you'll mess up your stitches.'

'No I won't. I've sewn enough samplers to know what I'm doing, thank you very much.' She paused, then said in more neutral tones, 'By the way, Blaze, you have been watching out for that Evil Spy of Count Geoffrey's I mentioned, haven't you? If he got hold of this information about there being an unhatched dragon egg around…'

'Well,' said Blaze, looking around him, 'he's not here now, at any rate. Of course I shall keep my eyes open. Ooh, Flame, you do stitch a lovely pansy!'

As Blaze admired Flame's handiwork, Count Geoffrey's Evil Spy slipped out of the wardrobe and dived through the window behind them.


Flicker was going around Sir Loungelot's chamber with a feather duster, while the knight himself lay back on his chaise longue reading a magazine.

'I say, Flicker, there's a rather tasty sounding recipe for choccy bickies in here,' said Loungelot. 'When you've finished there, take it down to the kitchen and get Turnspit to rustle me up a batch, would you?'

'All right, Milord,' said Flicker, 'but I wish you'd stop getting me to ask Chef Turnspit to cook extra stuff. He gets really shirty about it.'

Loungelot lowered his magazine and glared at his squire. 'Now don't get cocky just because I made you a cup of tea the other day, Flicker.'

'No, Milord. Sorry, Milord.'

There came a knock at the door. Flicker went to answer it.

'Hear ye, hear ye!' said Cinder, from the threshold.

'Princess Solder and Sir Wick of Singetagel Castle have been blessed with the arrival of their first egg,' said Clinker.

A broad smile split Flicker's face, as he said, 'What wonderful news! Isn't it wonderful news, Milord?'

'I couldn't be less interested, Flicker,' Loungelot said from behind his magazine.

'We really should write and congratulate them, Milord.'

'All right, Flicker, write them a letter if you want to,' said Loungelot, as Cinder and Clinker went over to Sir Burnevere's door to spread the news further. 'Just be sure to do it in your own time. All right, you can put that duster down now - I really am beginning to fancy these bickies. Here's the recipe for Turnspit.' He tore the page out of the magazine and handed it to Flicker. 'Off you go, then.'

'Yes, Milord.'

Flicker left the room just as Flame left Sir Blaze's chamber one door away. She looked at him, and he held her eye only for a second. Then he bowed, said 'Your Highness' in a polite monotone, and finally left. Flame stayed where she was for a moment, quietly fuming to herself. Then she walked off in a different direction, still fuming, and holding her arms stiffly at her sides.


In Castle Threadbare, Count Geoffrey and his Evil Knights were looking at the remains of a staircase, almost all of which had crumbled away.

'Having one serf as a step is fine,' said Geoffrey, 'but I'm not sure a whole staircase of serfs is really practical. But what else can we do? You three had better get to the village and - ah.' Geoffrey turned round just in time to see his Evil Spy approaching. 'Hold that thought, boys - I may be about to come up with a new plan for us to move into Camelhot. Well, what do you have?'

The Evil Spy whispered something into Count Geoffrey's ear. As he listened, Geoffrey's expression became thoughtful, and when the Evil Spy finally drew away from him, he said, 'Well, that is good news, isn't it? You have done well, Evil Spy. You can have extra cream on your dessert tonight.'

'What have you learned, oh dread Count Geoffrey?' asked Evil Knight Number One.

'That dragon princess at Singetagel Castle has laid an egg,' said Geoffrey. 'I suppose you remember when we went to Singetagel Castle, do you?'

'Well, sure,' said Evil Knight Number Two. 'You were almost eaten by a monster.'

'So I was,' said Geoffrey. 'Well, there'll be no monsters there this time. My Evil Spy told me that after we left, that squire of Sir Piston's killed the beast - so, now he's been knighted and he's made an egg with the Princess.'

'Doesn't that mean there's going to be a baby dragon?' asked Evil Knight Number Three. 'I don't see how that's going to help us get our hands on Camelhot.'

'It won't,' said Geoffrey. 'In fact, a baby dragon is what we want to avoid. MERLE!'

Merle the Wizard appeared among them in a puff of smoke, causing Count Geoffrey and his Evil Knights to cough violently.

'What do you want now, Geoff?' she asked irritably. 'When do I get some alone time, huh? I've been real busy lately, what with making you look like the Puce Knight, and the stuff with Agraflame, and animating those effigies, and tricking Griddle's kid into almost marrying me, and I'm only just finished with Scorchred…'

'Who's Scorchred?' asked Geoffrey.

'Never mind. Well, what is it?'

'Unhatched dragon eggs are magic, right?'

'I'll say they are!' said Merle. 'The magic from one dragon egg could double my power! Don't think I haven't been on the watch for one. It's too late for Griddle-Cakes now, but as soon as that princess gets married, I'll be ready.'

'You may not have to wait that long,' said Geoffrey. 'There's a freshly laid dragon egg at Singetagel Castle right now.'

'There is?' said Merle, her eyes shining. 'Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it!'

'Come now, Merle,' said Geoffrey. 'You know we can't just walk in there and take a dragon egg from under its mother's tail. It'll be very heavily protected.'

'Dread Count Geoffrey?' said Evil Knight Number Two.

Geoffrey turned to him with a look of impatience. 'What?'

'Why don't we just wait until after the dragon has hatched?'

Geoffrey looked annoyed for a moment. Then he said, 'Well, I guess that's not the stupidest question you've ever asked. We can't wait, Number Two, because once the egg has hatched, the magic is lost.'

'Doesn't that mean we have to kill the baby dragon?' asked Evil Knight Number One.

'It means Merle has to kill it,' said Geoffrey, 'and I hope you're evil enough not to care, Number One.'

'Er…' began Evil Knight Number Three.

Geoffrey rounded on him. 'What?'

'I still don't see how this helps us get Camelhot from the dragons.'

'It helps us to do whatever we want, you fool!' said Geoffrey. 'Why, with that egg in her possession, Merle could… well, she could…' He turned to Merle. 'What could you do, Merle?'

'Just about anything,' said Merle. 'I could even spruce up this castle good as new, if you ever got sick of trying to oust those dragons.'

'Now there's an attractive proposition if ever I heard one,' said Geoffrey. 'Evil Knights Numbers One, Two and Three! I have a plan!'

'Is it to use Merle's magic to get past the Singetagel dragons and steal the egg?' asked Evil Knight Number Two.

'Well… yes, actually,' said Geoffrey. Then he looked annoyed, and said, 'But there's much more to it than that! Evil Knights, I have a very precise and complicated plan! Camelhot - or a nifty makeover on this place - will soon be mine. Heh-heh-heh!'


Flame was soon settled in at Singetagel Castle, and found herself knitting on a chaise longue beside Princess Solder. Solder was knitting as well, and wearing the dress that Blaze and Flame had embroidered, with the skirt fanned out around her.

'Oh dear,' she said, 'I am sorry. This must be deadly dull for you, especially if you've just been knitting and sewing at home. It's just that I can't really move, you see.'

'I know,' said Flame, 'and it isn't dull at all. Knitting baby clothes is far more satisfying than embroidering dresses. I mean, it actually matters, doesn't it?'

'I'm so pleased to have you here, Flame,' said Solder. 'I've been going stir crazy up here all on my own. Oh, I know I could leave the egg with someone else for a while, but I don't like to - I can't even bear to leave it with Wick. I'd only worry he'd let it go cold, even though I know he wouldn't, or that it would get stolen by Lord Thomas and Earl the Warlock, or something ghastly like that.'

'Earl the Warlock, eh?'

'Yes, he really is most inconvenient. But anyway, I'm simply dying to know what's been going on outside these four walls. What news from Camelhot?'

'Oh,' said Flame, 'we've had a few adventures since I saw you last. Six, I think. The latest was my cousin Scorchred accusing me of dallying with Squire Flicker.'

'And were you?' asked Solder.

'Well… that depends on how you look at it.'

'I knew it! You're in love with him, aren't you? We thought you were. Wick and I worked it out after the last time we saw you. Poor Flame. Are you thinking of killing yourself?'

'No,' said Flame. 'I've got one or two other ideas for what to try first. Solder, may I ask you something? About you and Wick?'

'Of course,' said Solder. 'You can ask me anything. Your and I are best girl chums, aren't we?'

'Well, yes, I suppose we are. I was just wondering… how long were you in love with Wick before he was knighted?'

'Well, let me think. About nine years, I suppose.'

Flame's eyes widened. 'Nine?'

'No, hang on a minute - it was ten. Well, I suppose I might not have been actually in love with him for the first year or so, but… yes, pretty much ten years. How far are you and Flicker off that?'

'Only a couple of years. Blazing dragons, what am I saying, only?'

'Of course, it might have gone on for much longer if Flicker hadn't helped to expose Sir Piston. Dear me, it seemed as though it would never end. I was that close to killing myself, as you may remember. But don't worry, dear,' Solder added, patting Flame's knee, which did nothing to quell the look of horror on her face. 'You and Flicker aren't me and Wick. Why, you might get your wish tomorrow, for all I know.'

'I sort of hope Flicker doesn't get knighted tomorrow,' said Flame, 'because then I'd miss it. Anyway, let's talk about something else. How is Sir Wick? I haven't seen him yet.'

Just as she said this, the door to the chamber burst open, and Wick came struggling in tail-first. He was sword-fighting three opponents, trying to hold them back, but to no avail - they forced him further and further into the room.

'Blazing dragons!' said Flame, dropping her knitting and jumping to her feet. 'Count Geoffrey's Evil Knights!'

'Solder!' cried Wick. 'Take the egg out of here!'

Solder shrieked, jumped to her feet and took her egg into her arms. Flame looked desperately around for some sort of weapon while Wick continued to fight the three knights, and Solder went to the window. She was about to climb out and fly to safety when a grappling hook appeared on the window ledge, followed by none other than Count Geoffrey himself. At the sight of him, Solder emitted an ear-splitting scream. Within a moment, Princess Flame was between them, brandishing a knitting needle.

'You keep away from her, Count Geoffrey!' she said.

'Oh look, boys, it's Princess Flame,' said Geoffrey, climbing through the window and into the room. 'What an inconvenient surprise.'

'You're not surprised to see me - I can tell,' said Flame. 'Did your Evil Spy tell you I was going to be here?'

'Maybe. He's a good spy, isn't he? At any rate, you dragons haven't found him yet. Now then, Princess Solder.' Geoffrey drew his sword and held it to Solder's throat. 'Let's do this the easy way, shall we? Give me the egg, and I won't kill you.'

'Never, sir!' cried Wick, making a lunge for Geoffrey, but the Evil Knights had him surrounded in less than a second.

'You'll have to kill me first!' said Solder, hugging the egg close to her chest.

'Kill Princess Solder and you'll have to kill me,' said Flame, again stepping between Solder and Count Geoffrey, still brandishing her knitting needle. 'I say, Solder, you haven't got a sword I could borrow, have you?'

'Of course not, Flame,' said Solder. 'Swords are for boys.'

'Aha. And knitting needles are for girls, right? Well, there's always this.'

So saying, Flame breathed a stream of fire at Count Geoffrey, who ducked underneath it and jumped nimbly out of her way. Flame turned to face him, her expression steeped in fury as she contemplated her next move. Then suddenly Solder whipped round and, still keeping a tight hold on her egg, knocked Count Geoffrey's sword out of his hand with her tail.

'Nice once, Solder!' said Flame.

'Goodness,' said Solder, smiling bashfully. 'I didn't know I had it in me.'

'Well, Princess,' said Geoffrey, 'motherhood makes women tough. You almost had me there. What a shame that I still have three armed warriors and… oh yes. This,' and he held up a clenched fist. 'Of course Merle didn't let us come unprepared.'

Geoffrey opened his fist. Flame opened her mouth to speak, but found it filled with a thick, multi-coloured smoke, so that all she could do was cough. As she did so, everything blurred around her, and then was gone.


Flame awoke to the sound of voices. Realising she was lying facedown on a stone floor, she pushed herself up onto her knees, and waited while everything swam into focus. She could hear Solder's voice saying piteously, 'Oh, my poor egg…'

'Now remember, my darling,' came the voice of Solder's father, King Spark, 'they will do everything they can to keep the child alive while they take it back to Castle Dead Bear, or whatever it's called. The egg is no use to their witch otherwise.'

'They'll take it to Merle's Cavern of Despair and Occult Museum,' said Flame.

'Well,' said Spark, 'same difference.'

'This Occult Museum,' said Wick, very close to Flame's ear, and as he spoke she felt herself being pulled to her feet. 'Do the dragons of Camelhot know where it is, that they may help me to retrieve my unhatched child from within its sinister walls?'

'Yes,' said Flame, allowing Wick to hold her steady. 'They know exactly where it is, and of course they'll help.'

'Then I must go at once!'

Solder said, in a faraway voice, 'I'd better -'

'Nay, my love,' said Wick, letting go of Flame and going to put his arms around his wife. 'Your place is here with your comfy chaise longue and your knitting. You can make a nice bobble hat while I go a-questing to retrieve our child.'

'Oh, Wick, honestly!' said Flame.

'Yes,' said Solder. 'You're right, my love. I must stay here.'

Flame gaped at her. 'But Solder, you -'

'That's the ticket!' said Spark. 'Off you go then, Sir Wick. Better hurry, eh what?'

Wick gathered up his weapons, said, 'Farewell then, my darling,' to Solder and dived out of the nearest window. Flame continued to stare at Solder, quite incredulous.

'There now, ladies,' said Spark, 'there's no need to worry. He's a capital fellow, that Sir Wick. My top knight, you know. Well, I'll leave you to your… to your, er, selves,' and he did so, shutting the door behind him.

'Do you see how much my father appreciates Wick now, Flame?' said Solder. 'One of these days, that will be your father and Flicker.'

'Solder!' said Flame. 'How can you let him?'

'Oh, I wouldn't have,' said Solder, sitting down on the chaise longue, 'if I'd really wanted to go. But the funny thing is, Flame… well, I don't feel as if I ought to go with him at all. I feel like I should stay here.'

'But why? Not because you're a woman, I hope.'

'No, not just because of that. Oh, I don't know. I just need to sit here for a while and think.'

'Solder,' said Flame, 'I really don't understand, but I suppose if you're sure… Hang on a minute. You're not thinking of killing yourself, are you?'

'Oh, don't be silly, Flame,' said Solder, coming out of her ghostlike state just for a moment. Then she went straight back into it, saying, 'I could never do such a thing while there is still a chance of saving my child.'

Flame continued to stare at her, but did not say any more. Finally she sat down beside Solder and put a consoling arm around her shoulders.


The five knights sat around the Square Table, looking at King Allfire and Wick, who sat side by side with identical expressions of rage and determination. Flicker was standing at Sir Loungelot's side. Wick caught his eye, and stopped looking intense for a moment to flash him a smile. Flicker smiled back rather self-consciously.

'My knights!' said Allfire. 'Sir Wick has just informed me that his unhatched child has been stolen by Count Geoffrey and his Evil Knights!'

There was a collective gasp around the table.

'Gentlemen,' said Wick, 'I flew here from Singetagel Castle, and observed that Count Geoffrey and his men were making their way home on foot, with the egg.'

'Goodness,' said Blaze. 'They'll make awfully slow progress, won't they?'

'Exactly!' said Wick. 'They may mean to trick us by taking a non-standard route to this Occult Museum place. I suggest, therefore, that three of us search for the villains from the air. If one dragon sees them, he will signal to the others. Meanwhile, two will go to Merle's lair and two to Castle Threadbare, in case they mean to trick us by hiding the egg there.'

'Your calculations include seven dragons, Sir Wick,' said King Allfire, 'but we have only six knights, yourself included.'

'Majesty,' said Wick, 'it is my opinion that Squire Flicker is quite as capable as any knight here. In fact, Flicker, you can come with me. We'll go to Merle's lair. It is she that makes me most anxious, as it is she who intends ultimately to murder my child. Perhaps we can incapacitate her even before the egg reaches her evil clutches.'

Flicker looked at Loungelot. 'Is that all right with you, Milord?'

'Yes, all right, fine,' said Loungelot. 'Where do you want the rest of us, Sir Wick?'

'Well, let's see,' said Wick. 'Why don't you, Galahot and Hotbreath search from the air, Sir Loungelot? I need good eyes and brute force up there. I think it's fair to say that Sir Burnevere and Sir Blaze are better strategists than you lot, isn't it?'

Hotbreath scowled. 'I wouldn't say that.'

'Well, let's have those two in Castle Threadbare, anyway,' said Wick. 'I doubt that Count Geoffrey will take the egg there, but he may if he means to trick us. If he does, you two keep him busy while one of the airborne dragons informs us at Merle's lair. If he takes it to Merle's, the same thing backwards. We'll all meet up for the final showdown, as it were. The dragons in the air will have followed them to wherever it is they're going, of course. Gosh, this is all getting rather complicated, isn't it?'

'Worry not, Sir Wick,' said Burnevere. 'We understand. Let us away!'

'Good show!' said Allfire, as his five knights got to their feet and made their way purposefully from the room. 'Do take care, my knights! You have never had to go on a more important mission!'

'Your Majesty,' said Wick, bowing to Allfire, 'I thank you most heartily, on behalf of myself, my wife and all at Singetagel Castle, for your unyielding help and cooperation in this matter. Now then!' Wick trotted over to Flicker, put his arm around him and began to lead him from the room. 'You'd better show me where this museum is, Flicker, hadn't you?'


'Well,' said Sir Blaze, as he and Sir Burnevere each landed on a turret at Castle Threadbare. 'What do you think we should do now? Stay here and keep a lookout? Ooh-ooh!' He flung out his arms to balance himself as the turret wobbled precariously.

'It's a good idea in theory,' said Burnevere. 'We'd do best to stay where the others can see us if they want us. But these things could fall off at any moment!'

'Quite so,' said Blaze, spreading his wings and catching the air as his turret fell from beneath his feet. 'Well, we might as fly down and have a look round.'

They flew into the courtyard, where they found a huddle of serfs holding up a pillar that supported an archway. The two dragons exchanged a look, then walked over to the serfs.

'Excuse me,' said Sir Blaze, 'but are you aware that Count Geoffrey and his Evil Knights aren't here? You could escape, perhaps.'

One of the serfs shook his head, and said, 'If any one of us moved, this whole line of arches would fall in and we'd all be crushed. Besides, the Evil Spy is still here keeping an eye on us.'

'The Evil Spy!' said Blaze.

'Where is he?' asked Burnevere urgently, putting a hand on the pommel of his sword.

'We don't know,' said another serf. 'He's in disguise.'

'As what?' asked Blaze.

The first serf laughed, and said, 'It wouldn't be much of a disguise if we knew.'

Blaze and Burnevere turned, and looked around the courtyard.

'Maybe he's one of the serfs,' said Burnevere.

'There are serfs all over the castle,' said Blaze. 'He could be anywhere, and he might not be a serf at all - he could be in disguise as a milk churn or something.'

'Wouldn't we see right through that?' asked Burnevere.

'I wouldn't be so sure, Burnevere. This man is obviously a master of disguise, or we'd have spotted him by now. Unless it's someone we know and trust, like Chef Turnspit or someone…'

'Oh, surely not!'

'Just a thought,' said Blaze, 'but I don't believe it for a moment. Well, come on then, we might as well make ourselves useful while we're here. Let's go around the castle and see if we can sniff this fellow out.'

So saying, Blaze led the way to the nearest door, and Burnevere followed.