A cheesy host in a flashy gold jacket takes the stage and gurns inanely at the audience.

"Welcome to Cliff-Hanger Special. Each episode will feature one of our favourite personages in shocking cliff hangers. How will they escape? Based on the opinions of our various judges..." The judges wave as soon as they realise that they're being referred to. One of them looks just like you. "Each cliff-hanger will be resolved. Won't that be fun?"

A studio audience fails to clap or cheer. Their signs of boredom fail to register with the still-gurning host.

"Yeah! Inane joke. Pause for laughter."

"Let's go to our first victim, I mean our first star. Lykouleon of....thedragontribe. Let's roll!"


Lykouleon looked around nervously before leaving his office. He could usually bluff his way past the dragon fighters, but Alfeegi had recently told them to keep a closer eye on him and report any unusual doings straight to him.

There's definitely something odd, he said to himself, when your own dragon fighters are more scared of one of your underlings than of you. He snorted and then caught his breath. Oh my. It's worse than that. I'm the Dragonlord and yet I'm creeping around my own castle and sneaking out because I'm afraid of Alfeegi. I should be able to just walk out, head held high.

He paused, then hugged the wall.

I'm doing it because I like to do it this way. Yes, I like to sneak out. I'm like a spy in my own castle, trying to get out without alerting the guards.

A bead of sweat formed on his brow and slowly made its way down his forehead as he tried to convince himself.

The plan. Part one, get to the stables. Part two, leave the castle. Simple. Perfect.

Lykouleon inches his way down the corridors, his ears alert to any sound that might indicate another's presence. His actions may look suspicious, but usually when he meets someone in this area, they have a query or a matter of the utmost importance to discuss with him. People leave him alone in the garden, which he's very grateful for, but getting there can be difficult. I have to leave now. In the hallways of the castle, I'm considered fair game. I can't risk wasting any time talking to someone, no matter how well-meaning they are, so I must not be seen.

The sound of a door creaking open echoed down the corridor. Lykouleon's mind flashed. I'm near Kai-Stern's Office. He's still away so it's the safest bet. The Dragonlord dashed to the door. A glance up the hallway revealed the body of another appearing from a door further up. He turned the knob in front of him and entered the office. Lykouleon slowly closed the door, hoping that the click as it did so would not register with whoever was walking down the hall.

The door closed without incident. The Dragonlord wiped his brow and then leaned up against the door to hear the doings beyond. From what he could tell, there were two people heading down the corridor, talking loudly to each other. Their voices hushed as they neared the office in which the Dragonlord was hiding.

Do they know I'm in here? Did they see me come in? I thought I'd made it. I hope it's not an involved matter they want to discuss. Oh please let it not be about Alfeegi's latest budget. That's always a nightmare to deal with.

The footsteps halted outside the office door. His hand still rested on the doorknob and he could now feel resistance as the person on the other side grasped it firmly. Lykouleon scanned the room frantically. Kai-Stern's study was pretty empty. He did most of his work in other cities, that was his job after all, as a result his study was rarely visited. He mostly used it as a place to store souvenirs from his travels and they were few and far between. Kai-Stern travelled by foot and had learned not to carry any unnecessary weight. The only object in the room that could hide the Dragonlord was Kai-Stern's desk, solid and practical in the centre of the room.

Bluff or hide? I have to choose now.

The door started to open and the instincts of the Dragonlord took over. What if it's Alfeegi? He leapt over the desk and rolled underneath it. The door opened fully and then closed. An unfamiliar, male voice spoke up.

"See, Kai-Stern's still away. This place is perfect."

A second unfamiliar voice spoke up. This one was female.

"Still, he's a Dragon Officer. What if someone comes?"
"Why would anyone come?"
"Maybe to check on the place. Make sure no-one's been in. There's bound to be some important stuff in here after all."
"If this place was important, the door would've been locked. We're fine baby. Don't worry."
"Still, what if someone was cleaning and went away to get a new brush or something and could walk in on us!

The first voice laughed.

"Don't be silly. I'm telling you, this room's deserted and no-one's going to come into it all day. The only people here are you and me."

The voice has gotten louder as he spoke. He must be walking toward the desk. Lykouleon looked at the surface of the desk above him. I hope they're not going to do what I think they're going to do. I could be stuck here all day!

The desk creaked as weight was placed upon it. Lykouleon looks down again and can just see a pair of feet beyond the gap in the desk. His face fell as he resigned himself to the immediate future.
I guess I know what's coming next. I'm never hiding in Kai-Stern's Office again. I wonder if he knows what goes on in here while he's away.

The sounds of their kisses were soft and could barely be heard by the hidden Dragonlord. Small mercies Soon though, the noise of the kisses was replaced by the sound of moans as the guy explored more of the woman's body. Just as the Dragonlord was wondering how he could block out their love, all the groaning stopped.

"Fell wait!"
"Wait?" He sounded upset and was panting heavily himself.
"I don't think I can do this."
"Why not?"
"It's just so soon. I really like you, but I think that we should wait."
"I like you too. You know that I love you."
"You love me?"
"I really love you." Several soft wet kisses can be heard as one was placed between every word in that sentence on some unknown part of her body.
"Oh Fell!" Her voice was breathless and Lykouleon could tell that she was losing the battle between what she should do and what she wanted to do.
"Oh Grawnia. I love you. I want to make love to you."
"I want you to."

From this point on, everything moved a lot faster. Grawnia's inhibitions had been tossed aside and Fell was overwhelmed by the speed with which she tore off his clothes.

Just a bit faster now please, the Dragonlord thought. I want to get out of here as quickly as possible.

The lovers' breathing grew wilder and more erratic. Finally Fell said to Grawnia "Ready?", then, "Does it hurt?". Grawnia didn't answer and was very quiet for the next few minutes. However, it wasn't long before her groans echoed throughout the room again, reverberating particularly loudly in the space under the desk. The groans suddenly stopped and there was silence.

"Fell? Why did you stop?"
"I can't go on. See?"
"Oh. Can we do it again?"
"It'll take a while before it works again."
"I can wait."
"Well, uh. I have to go back to work. I'm on duty in a few minutes and I need to clean up."
"Oh well, maybe next time, we can spend longer at it?"
"Yeah, of course."
Liar.

Fell didn't have much to say as they got dressed again, so Grawnia eventually gave up even the lightest small talk. Before they walked out the door, he turned to her and said.
"Grawnia, I really love you and I'll see you again soon. This was great."
"'Bye Fell."

The door opened and closed and the Dragonlord bounded up from underneath the desk. There were no obvious signs of the couple's activity, apart from the faint scent of sweat. The desk looked bone dry, Lykouleon felt no need to touch it and merely headed to the door. Caution caused him to listen before opening it and he heard the familiar tread of footsteps travelling down the hall.

Lucky I stopped.

The mumble of voices accompanied the footsteps, voices which hushed and fell silent outside the door to Kai-Stern's Office.

Not again.

Lykouleon's hand dropped to the doorknob and he felt resistance there, as before. His back stiffened.

Another set of lovers? I'll show this lot! I'll scare them out of it and be on my way. I hope no-one's noticed that I'm missing yet.

Lykouleon jerked open the door and glowered down at the two preparing to enter their little love nest. Alfeegi hadn't noticed him yet, as he was still staring adoringly at his beloved....


"Aaaaaaaaaand cut!"

The host bounds back into view. "Well folks, what do you think? Who's with Alfeegi? How will Lykouleon get out of this one? If he gets out of this one." He laughs unconvincingly. "And what is the next scrape to be featured on ... Cliff-Hanger Special?"

The audience is a bit more animated now, but the antics of the host are quickly draining them of the will to live. Save them from his dull links and appalling jokes. Act now!