Things for the most part seemed well and good in the kingdom where Adam was a prince.
Though suddenly disaster struck, a big dragon had decided to nest in a mountain which was right in the centre of this kingdom.

Each day it would fly over the farmers fields and pick up cows which it would swallow whole, it would burn down fields with its flaming breath and any poor soul which got in the way of the big beast would pay a hefty price. People had died already.

It was a disaster, the king send out all his best guards and soldiers, noblemen as well rode out there to try their luck but those who returned only did so barely alive with big wounds that clearly didn't allow them to try again.

The king got desperate, and stated that anyone whom slayed the dragon would earn a title as lord and be given his own piece of land to govern.

That made even more fortune seeking people, even from other countries, head out, but none had any results.
Many noble men was delivered back to the castle, wounded and broken, even unable to move.

"This has to stop!" Adam squinted his eyes a late night as he was talking to Lilliana. "Already now, many people will go hungry this winter, but if nothing is done they will outright starve!" he stated.

Lilliana had no answer to that, what the prince was saying was true after-all.

"There must be something I can do!" Adam swallowed.

Sadly Lilliana looked at Adam. "You and your father is already doing all that you can." she reminded him.

"I can't stand this!" Adam exclaimed. "All my best friends already went out there to try and slay the beast, and yet I am sitting back doing nothing!" he stated.

"That is untrue." Lilliana pointed out. "You are not doing nothing, you are taking care of the wounded who was send here, to see their bravery was repaid even if they failed. You are making plans so the poor will survive this winter. You may not be fighting, but what you are doing is just as important." she said.

Adam smiled lightly then shook his head. "How come I feel like a bloody coward then?" he asked.

"My prince." Lilliana looked up at him, then Adam sighed.

"I made up my mind, tomorrow morning I am going to pack my horse and I will go myself." Adam stated.

That made Lilliana's eyes widen. "NO!" she exclaimed.

"Frog?" Adam turned to her.

"You can't! People have died out there!" Lilliana cried. "If you die, who then will inherit the throne?" she asked.

"How can I inherit the throne if I turn my back on the country now and act like a coward?" Adam asked.

"Please! I beg of you!" Lilliana begged of him. "There must be some other way!"

"If there is I would love to hear it." Adam then stated.

Lilliana opened her mouth then closed it again as she looked away.

"I have to go." Adam then said. "I must slay the beast."

And Lilliana sniffed. "Please, whatever you do, just don't die, I beg of you." she asked looking up at him with tear in her eyes.

Adam looked at her then exhaled as he looked down. "You know I can give you no such promise." he said. "I'm sorry frog." he stated as he walked up and walked away.


The next morning the prince did indeed pack up his horse, the king was there to trying to talk Adam out of it but Adams mind was made up.

"That idiot." Jack huffed. "He's never going to make it, he's not that great a warrior. Fighters vastly more skilled than him has tried and failed."

Lilliana swallowed as it shivered all across her body.

"I will be back when the beast has been slayed, or not at all." Adam stated sternly to his father and then kicked his horse setting off in a gallop.

Lilliana couldn't even look at him vanish, she turned around and ran away as she cried. "Please no! Not my dear prince! Anything but my prince!" she cried as she ran to the big apple tree not far from the castle, there she fell to her knees and called out a name. "Mother Ethel!" she yelled. Then a second time she repeated. "Mother Ethel!" and for a third time. "Please god Mother Ethel, if I have ever needed your help it is now!"

Then next to her, sitting under the apple tree appeared the kind old woman whom looked up at her. "Oh my dear child!" she said. "What's wrong?"

"MOTHER ETHEL!" Lilliana cried as she embraced the old woman and then looked. "Please help me!" she begged. "The prince has gone to slay the big dragon all by himself, but there is no way he can do that on his own. He will die!" she stated.

"I see." Mother Ethel nodded then she reached into her pocket and from it she produced a well known jewel ring, the ring Lilliana had given to the farmers wife the first day after she had been transformed.

Stunned Lilliana looked at the ring.

"That dragon is one of the Troll kings pets which has broken its bonds." Mother Ethel informed. "Its scales are hard as diamond and cannot be pierced. Someone must shoot it in the eye." she said. "How ever, the dragon has quick reflex's and will undoubtedly dodge such a shot."

Lilliana swallowed as she looked up at mother Ethel. "Then what do I do?" she asked.

"This ring." Mother Ethel held the ring in question forward. "The shine from the ring will attract the dragons attention, the dragon will be so enthralled by it that it'll appear nearly hypnotized, that should give a shot enough time to shoot the dragon through the eye!" she said. "However, in order for the ring to work. Who ever holds it must stand perfectly still, move as much as in inch and the spell the jewel has on the dragon will be broken. Do you understand this?" she asked.

Lilliana swallowed as she reached out and took the ring. "Thank you. Mother Ethel." she said.

The old woman smiled warmly at her. "One of my three favors has now been paid, you will only be able to call me twice more." she said.

"I understand." Lilliana nodded. "Trust me, the favor you've done for me now means more to me than anything in the world. I have to go! The prince has already gone!" she said.

"Good luck my dear child." Mother Ethel nodded at her in a gentle smile and Lilliana was already gone.

She ran as fast as her stubby legs could possible allow towards the stables, ones in there she did not hesitate to grab a saddle and saddled up a young mare. A gray spotted horse with a gray mane. She crawled up on the horse and was ready as she kicked it. "HIYA!" and she too was on her way ridding across the fields and the towns. She didn't stop for a single moment but rode across the roads as fast as the mare would allow.

As the sun started to sink, Lilliana came across the fields with the burned down crops that indicated the dragon had indeed been there. She started to see people, whom would look desperate and scared. But she didn't have time to stop.

As the sun rose, finally Lilliana saw the mountain where the dragon had decided to nest. There was no question about it as a big cloud of gray smoke constantly erupted from the otherwise normal mountain. "Oh sweet prince, please let me not be to late!" Lilliana begged as they finally arrived at the mountain base. It was clear that Lilliana would not be able to ride any further, the rest of the way she had to climb herself.
She jumped off the horse and then padded it gently. "Thank you dear horse, I know I have been very harsh towards you." she said. "Please rest, and get something to eat." she asked as she tied the horse up to a nearby tree.

Then she started her climb up the mountain, it was in no way easy. The rocks were loose in many places and there were no clear path up, her webbed hands certainly didn't help as they made her slip several times and she had to scream as she grabbed for any rock to hold unto before she plummeted to her own death.
However, her target was clear as all the smoke came from one specific whole at the side of the mountain.

Finally, she reached the opening, only to have to squint her eyes and cough because of all the smoke. She pulled herself up and managed to look up, though the smoke irritated her eyes and there right in front of her she saw it.

A giant beast! The seize of ten horses standing untop of each other, its entire body was covered in dark red scales that glistened like ruby's, it had two giant wings that spread out. It's eyes were shining yellow, and its claws looked like they were made out of metal and could cut through butter. Worst of all were its giant teethes which dripped with a green substance that had to be poison and the person those teethes where so close by.

Adam! He was pressed against the wall with a raised sword, he was battered and groaning clearly at his limit yet still he raised his sword with whatever little strenght he had left. He was no match for the dragon.

"NOO!" Lilliana screamed.

Wide-eyed Adam looked at her, and the Dragon as well got distracted as it turned its giant head now towards her.

"Frog?" Adam asked. "FROG!" he shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! GET OUT OF HERE?!" he shouted.

Lilliana shook his head as she backed away. "I… I had to tell you. You have to shoot it in the eye!" she said. "It's its only weak spot." now suddenly the dragon had its interest on her and came closer as black smoke escaped out of its nose.

Lilliana was terrified, she was frozen with fear, never in her life had she been so afraid as that Dragon moved towards her, its head was as big as her entire body. Its mouth could easily rip her in half.

"Frog.." Adam gasped. "Be calm… I'l distract it, you get out." he swallowed.

Lilliana shivered as she stood there then bit together as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the jeweled ring then held it up into the air.

Stunned the dragon looked at the ring and then its froze, its eyes were on the ring only, almost as if it was hypnotized.

"Now my prince." Lilliana swallowed as she tried to stand as still as possible. "Shoot it now." she asked.

Wide-eyed Adam looked at the scene but nodded as he took his bow of his back and placed an arrow, then he took aim.

Lilliana had to fight not to shake or drop the ring, she could feel the cold sweat running down her back as the dragon itself was so close. She could feel its hot breath on her face, the stank of rotten meet and sulfur was overwhelming. Lilliana wanted to scream, more than anything, but she knew she could not.

Then finally a swish sounded, the arrow had been shot and it hit right into the Dragons eye making the dragon scream as it fell down and rolled around.

Exhausted Lillian fell together as the dragon as well crumbled together and whined. "Now my prince, now you must deliver your finishing blow." she said.

Wide-eyed Adam looked at the dragon. "Now it's so vulnerable." he commented.

"That's exactly why you must kill it now." Lilliana replied. "Every second you hesitate is a second more this noble beast will have to suffer!"

And Adam nodded as he pulled his sword, he walked to the dragons head as it hissed and crumbled. Then holding the hild if his sword with both hands Adam raised it, and finally thrusted it down burying it in the dragons eye to the hild.

The dragon screamed as it squirmed, but Adam kept the sword in place, then slowly the squirms from the dragon grew weaker and weaker as its life force left and finally it became limp. Finally it was dead. First then did Adam remove his sword and he gasped deeply for air.

Lilliana to, was to exhausted for words as she sat there on the rocky floor of the cave. Then Adam walked to her, and kneeled down in front of her.

"You saved my life" Adam breathed.

"You did the same for me ones." Lilliana reminded him as she looked up. "I was merely returning a favor, nothing else."

"Don't be ridicules, you did far more than that." Adam said. "Here, let me help you." he asked only to fall together himself.

"My prince!" Lilliana exclaimed frightened.

"I may… have overdone this a little bit." Adam admitted as he gasped for air, then he looked to the giant corpse of the dragon, so did Lilliana. "Wow… We actually slayed a dragon." he commented. "Father is never going to believe this."

"I'm sure he will be very relieved to see that you are okay." Lilliana nodded. "And if you wish proof of your deed, you could bring a scale or two." she pointed out.

"Our deed." Adam corrected her. "There is no way I could have done this without you." he stated and Lilliana blushed slightly as she looked away. Allowing Adam to wrap an arm around her and pull her into an encouraging hug.