Unlike most dragons, Plagg liked to nap outside during the summer days. He would lay with half of his body in his cave in the mountains, the other half stretched out in the sun overlooking distant cow farms below where he would get his next meal. Then after a while he would switch sides to stretch his tail. It was the best way to spend summer daylight in his opinion, unlike the other dragons who hid in their dark caves until the moon shone bright enough to grant them flight.
One of these summer naps was so rudely interrupted by heavy huffing and wheezing; along with the smell or dirt, flowers, and some sort of sweetness Plagg could not accurately place. Perhaps the person passing by wouldn't notice the dark black dragon, whose scales glimmered a deep metallic green in the moonlight.
"Excuse me?" A feminine voice called, a small finger poking his arm still in the shade of the cave. Apparently going unnoticed wasn't his lot, so he settled with pretending to be asleep.
He felt a pat on his arm, a little more harsh than the poke. Rather than finding out if the intruder had a sword to poke him with next, he opened one eye, finding a young woman in a pink dress, the bottom skirt muddied and slightly torn from her journey.
"So you are awake," the girl looked him in the eye, his gaze following her as she walked to stand in front of his eye.
"What do you want," Plagg grumbled, irritated by being roused from his nap. He still had more time to go before switching sides.
"Mr. Dragon, I have a request."
"I hope your request plans not to infringe upon my sleep further," he scolded.
The girl huffed in irritation, planting her hands on her hips.
"I need you to kidnap me."
This request caused Plagg to open both his eyes. He lifted his head to get a better look at the girl. Judging by her expression, she was quite serious in the matter.
"No can do sweetheart," Plagg yawned before settling his head back down.
"Why not? You're a dragon aren't you? Dragon always kidnap maidens."
"Dragons aligning themselves with humans for battle or children protection died out over a hundred years ago."
"But in the books I read�"
"Which are a hundred years old, or older. So congratulations on being a hundred years late."
The girl frowned, cross her arms over her chest. Plagg closed his eyes, preparing to resume his nap.
"Can't you make an exception?"
"Why would I do that," he huffed, opening one of his green eyes.
The girl took a deep breath, "I'm a princess and my parents are forcing me to get married as part of an arranged marriage. I have met the prince I'm suppose to marry, but I don't like him at all. Looks wise I have nothing to complain about, but personality is painfully dull. Plus he's my senior by ten years. So I thought rather than outright refusing the marriage and causing a war between our kingdoms, I thought that if I was kidnapped by a dragon, that would diffuse any possible tension between the two kingdoms as it was a third party that committed the crime."
The girl took deep breaths as she finished her tale, Plagg uncertain if she spoke her monologue in one breath, and also not really caring if she did.
"So you want to pin blame in an innocent dragon who was minding his own business, napping in his own cave, for your refusal to do your duty as your kingdom's princess?"
"Just until he gives up. Then I'll talk to my parents about finding someone closer to my age. He practically offered a marriage proposal the moment I turned 16, so I haven't really had time to search for a suitor."
The dragon squinted, examining the princess. Aside from her dirtiness, in human terms she would pass as attractive, no doubt many potential suitors would come to her kingdom to request her hand. But that also could mean this prince wouldn't give her up so easily.
"No." He closed his eyes.
"Why not? Dragons do this sort of thing. Kidnap princesses until a knight is worthy of her."
"A hundred years ago, maybe."
"Can't you make an exception?"
"No?"
"Are you worried he will kill you? I can promise you which he is a good tactician, he is a terrible fighter."
"No." Although some part of Plagg was a little relieved to hear that.
"Pretty please."
"I see no gain for me Princess." Plagg lifted his head, turning it so the princess was standing in front of his nostrils. "In this scenario, you get something, but I walk away irritated having to fight your suitor every time he comes by, and sleep deprived."
"What do you want? Name your price? Gold? Jewels."
"Where did you get the idea we light gold? Your books?"
The girl's blush and refusal to meet his scrutinizing gaze answered his questions.
"Humans." Plagg rolled his eyes, resting his head again, although this time, hiding the princess in the curve of his neck so he could look at his with his other eye.
"What do you want then?" The girl looked at him with her big, questioning, blue eyes.
"Cheese."
"Cheese?"
"Oh Princess!" A singsong voice carried up the mountain, the girl panicking the moment she heard it.
"He found me?"
"Well your scent does stand out," he commented, watching her back into his cave.
"Pretend I'm not here then, we'll continue this discussion later." She disappeared beyond visible sight of the dark cave.
Plagg contemplated whether he should disappear inside the cave as well, but he had moved his head enough in the last few minutes, he didn't really want to have to move his whole body again.
"You dragon!"
Plagg opened his eyes to find a man dress in princely clothing, exhausted by the climb. His brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, a princely crown resting on his head. He was, in human terms, handsome as the princess had said, but his scent was a nauseating perfume mixed with sweat, the odor forcing Plagg out of any possible chance to sleep again until the man had cleared the area.
"Have you seen a damsel pass this way? Dark hair as black as the raven, and skin so fair?"
Plagg could hear the princess gag from inside the cave. Didn't women like compliments?
Feeling he had talked enough for the day with the princess (and considering she still had more to discuss) Plagg huffed, a small puff of smoke emitting from his nostrils.
"How dare you snort at me. I am Prince Theo of the House of Barbeau, soon to be King of the united kingdoms of Madrin and Normain."
Plagg snorted again, this time because the "Future king" got too close to his snout, and his smell was horrendous.
"You foul beast! Your head would make my in-laws a lovely wedding present," Prince Theo drew his sword, Plagg noticing while the blade sparkled like the rivers on a moonlit night, it was dull as weapon.
"No Theo!"
Dragon and Prince turned to the cave to find the princess at the entrance, standing as if in command of the situation.
"Marinette, my love, you're alive, a prisoner of this terrible beast no doubt." Prince Theo pointed an accusing sword at the dragon, Plagg tempted to stretched his head further in bite the sword into pieces. But that would be too much effort and wouldn't deal with the smell.
The princess glanced between the prince and Plagg, Plagg looking her straight in the eye. She took a deep breath.
"Yes, this dragon has taken me prisoner, until a suitor worthy enough can save me," she exclaimed, clutching one hand to her chest, while resting the other on her forehead in a melodramatic fashion. The elder dragons had warned him princess could be dramatic.
"Then I shall prove myself worthy to you my dear! Worthy to the whole kingdom to be chosen as your husband!" The princess offered a sweet smile, looking like she was trying to hide the nausea forming in her stomach at the prince's words.
Tired of the long declarations from the prince, and his smell; Plagg raised his head as Prince Theo turned, the prince's eyes following Plagg's as he rose to full height.
The Prince gulped, his neck straining to keep his eye on Plagg's eyes, the sword shaking in his hands.
Tired of the sunlight, Plagg moved to turn, his tail snapping out of the cave, flicking Theo off the ledge of the mountain as Plagg readjusted his sleeping position. The princess ran to the edge at the sound of the first "Oomf", her head bobbing as she watching him tumble.
"Don't come back unless you are worthy to defeat the dragon," she called out before retreating back to Plagg's side, his head now tucked inside the cave while his tailed stretched out on the ledge.
"Thank you Mr. Dragon."
"Don't thank me yet Princess. You still need to compensate me for that."
The Princess nodded, crossing her arms as she sat on the floor to think.
"When do you want your payment?"
"Preferably during your stay. There are royals who have made promises that they never intend to keep."
The princess looked appalled by his claim.
"Since I'll be with you, I cannot summon cheese to be brought here," she spoke out loud, thinking to herself.
"There's a dairy farm at the bottom of the mountain," offered Plagg as he closed his eyes.
"Are you suggesting I steal from my people?"
Plagg shrugged.
He heard the princess hum as she thought. He opened one eye to see her biting her lip as she pondered the problem.
"Do you know of any other dairy farms south of here? Like far south, out of the kingdom south?"
"In case your books didn't inform you, dragons have a strong sense of smell."
"So you could find one then?"
"Provided the smell is strong enough."
The princess nodded, standing as she did.
"I then propose we leave for somewhere south of here, and find you a new cave close to a dairy. That way I can work for the farmer without anyone being suspicious of me, accepting payments of cheese."
"A princess, work?"
The princess sighed, examining her small hands.
"I know, but I'm willing to try so long as it will get rid of Prince Theo."
Plagg eyes the princess, who stood as confident as when she demanded her request.
"Fine," Plagg grumbled, shifting his head so he wouldn't have to see her.
"Really?" He heard footsteps approaching his head, the princess stepping into his view.
"I said fine. Don't expect some elaborate oath like you do for your knights."
"Thank you so much Mr. Dragon." She smiled as she hugged his cheek.
"No touching! No hugging!" The princess immediately jumped back.
"No touching unless I tell you to. And no Mr. Dragon stuff. I'm not that old."
"Then what should I call you?"
Plagg looked at the princess, her eyes genuinely curious to know her savior's name.
"Plagg."
"Great, and you can call me Marinette."
Plagg rolled his eyes before closing them, tucking his head further into his body to sleep.
"So when do we head out?"
"Not until nightfall Princess. Didn't those books teach you anything accurate about dragons?"
Reddit Prompt: "You're a dragon who enjoys living a peaceful life away from humans when one day, a princess shows up asking you to "kidnap" her so she doesn't have to get married."
Based on losing sleep over ideas for this prompt, impossible maneuvers in the MLB mobile game conjuring in my head, and hot peach green tea at 10 pm, this was written on very little sleep. I need a nap.
Might do a Tikki & Adrien one. Idk. I'm tired.
The kind of dragon I'm basing this off of is from Cornelia Funke's Dragon Rider book.
