Sir Richard's P.O.V.
I would like to say that Elanor is the oddest girl at court. She is the prettiest, smartest and most graceful girl here and yet she is not followed around by any of the bachelors. Why is that, I wondered to myself as I walked away from her hallway. Is it that she is so indifferent? I find that it leads me on, makes me want to find out her secrets not leave her to them.
I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. I had to leave to find the dragon, the purple and gold beast that had just recently burned the town of Answick and made off with two cows. I couldn't figure that out either. Reportedly the dragon had set alight only the fields and taken the two scrawniest cows around. The fires were put out quickly and the cows weren't missed.
All other dragons I had seen, heard of and fought were monsters that killed everything they saw. I had heard only of one dragon that lived peacefully in the mountains in this very kingdom, but it had long since been killed by my own father. He told me about the fight and how he regretted killing the peaceful old fellow. I pondered as I strolled out of the castle into the brisk day that was too early for the sun to have warmed it yet. I remembered that there was going to be another ball in my honor to set me off in my quest.
One last chance to flirt with Elanor, I smiled inwardly at the thought. She doesn't like it when I do, I can tell. Yet when I catch her with her guard down she is sweet and beautiful, not the normal Ice Queen she is sometimes, but sad, always sad.
Elanor's P.O.V.
That night I was once again forced to go to the ball. This time it was a normal ball and I at least didn't have to wear an ironic disguise. The dress I wore was purple and gold, my own insistence. As I descended the stairs and made a curtsy to their majesties I actually caught myself looking around for Sir Richard. I mentally slapped myself and walked to a nook so I could hide from the court and yet watch them without being bothered to dance. I whirled as a man said behind me, "What is this? Lady Elanor doesn't wish to dance?" Of course it was Sir Richard. He was always surprising me.
"No I would dance sir, but I'm afraid no one is good enough to be able to keep up with me." I was challenging him and I think he knew it. I loved dancing when I was younger and not at the court. I danced all day once non stop.
"Do I hear a challenge in that?" He asked looking at me, eyes flashing in defiance.
"Maybe," I said.
"Then I accept your challenge," he said quietly as he stepped closer. He placed one hand on my hip and captured my other hand in his. He stepped off in time with the music and we started to dance. He led us out into the room and we joined the other swirling couples in the waltz. As we danced I lost my inhibitions, my fierce battle against liking Sir Richard subsided for awhile and I laughed for sheer joy of dancing.
When I looked back at his face though, I was not prepared for what I saw in his eyes. Unbridled desire and deeper, love. It shocked me to my core and in my heart his look struck a chord. Numbly I followed his lead out onto the balcony, still dancing to the music. There he stopped; we still stared at one another. The moon had risen and we were bathed in soft light. I could not stop him as he leaned down to kiss me.
Sir Richard's P.O.V.
I could see it in her eyes. The same feelings I felt for her, love, yearning, desire were in her eyes, but also a dash of fear. Why was she afraid of me? I leaned down and kissed her. For a moment, just one second, she responded in kind. But then, she wrenched away from and fled from me again. I was on her heels this time expecting it as she ran for the maze. I followed her in and when we got near the center, I saw her skirt around the corner then a blinding red flash of light halted me in my tracks and I could hear a scream that sounded like it ended in a roar.
The dragon! Elanor! No, she must have run straight into the dragon that I had seen the other night! The one I thought had killed her. I slowly stepped around the corner and there sat the dragon in all her mystical splendor. I started. How on earth had I known it was a female? I shrugged it off as I looked around me keeping one eye on the dragon. Elanor wasn't there. I then looked fully at the dragon. I noticed its posture and the way it was looking at me, not like it was going to eat me but, like it was trying to tell me something. I took another step forward and proclaimed myself. "I am Sir Richard, beast! I have come to defeat you! You shall no longer pillage and burn!" The dragon inhaled in a hiss, like it was preparing to torch me but it only blew smoke. The dragon almost looked hurt. It crouched and flung itself skyward.
I watched as it flew away. Then I began to scour the area, looking for Elanor, hoping she hadn't been killed. I looked down and noticed the tracks. One set of women shoe tracks led in but then they changed into the larger taloned feet of the dragon. I then looked around at the bushes and noticed fragments of the purple and gold dress Elanor had been wearing stuck on the foliage like she had exploded. I frowned at the riddle.