Sir Richard's P.O.V.

I saw the beast lock it wings and fall towards the ground. I kicked my tired mount into a gallop and advanced to where I thought I'd seen the dragon fall. I found a mound of broken branches but no dragon. I stared uncomprehending for a second; I could have sworn this was where the thing fell. Then I heard a stifled groan, a human groan and I saw the hand under the branches. I dismounted and, thinking this was a trap, cautiously advanced and looked into the destroyed brambles.

There was a naked bloody Elanor. I ignored all dragon fighting protocols and rushed to her side not caring if this was a well designed spell trap set by the dragon. "Elanor!" I said breathlessly as I scooped her up. Blood was all over her arm and her side.

She tiredly opened her eyes and whispered, "I knew you would come. There is something I have to tell you."

I shushed her, "Save your strength, Elanor. I have to get you back."

"No," She said absently, "I have to tell you before I die," she coughed.

"Elanor, you are not going to die! I won't let you!"

She smiled wanly and lifted a hand to my face, "I must tell you my secret, Richard." I stared at her face. She was about to die when I could at least try to save her for this? "I…I am the dragon, Richard…but, I find that I love you and cannot tell you how sorry I am because of that." I was horrified.

"What are you saying? You cannot be the dragon!"

"Look at me Richard!" She said with more force then she had before, "I have the same wounds that you inflicted on the dragon! When the sun rose I changed and fell through the trees."

I looked at her arm and saw the same wound, though it was smaller, that was exactly where I had wounded the dragon. I could feel the blood pouring out of her shoulder wound. I finally understood the tracks I had seen in the maze and the taters of cloth. She was telling the truth. And I realized that I loved her all the same and I felt horribly guilty for trying to kill her.

She was looking at my face in dejection. "You must hate me now," she said with conviction her tears brimmed over and they flowed down her cheeks.

"No, don't say it. I don't care if you are a dragon who slaughters livestock!" She chuckled at this and closed her eyes with a smile. I shook her in fear, but she didn't wake. "I love you! You cannot leave me!!" I leaned down and kissed her passionately my tears running into hers.

The wizard sat in his tower in the castle damning the disobedient and late dragon. He held the dragon's purple scale and was studying it in the flickering candle light. Then suddenly he felt his magic dissolve and watched in horror as the scale dissolved under his fingertips. The servants in his wing could hear his cry of rage ring though the night.

Elanor's P.O.V.

I was dead. I knew it. Yet, there was a blinding yet insistent light on the other side of my eyelids. They fluttered open almost involuntarily and I began to wonder if I was actually dead. I was looking at the roof of a cave. The light was from the setting sun shone brightly into the cavern. I groaned as I regained my nerves, wishing I hadn't. The pain was concentrated in my shoulder, arm and ribs. I tried to move, but I was so weak and sore that I gave up. Where was I and how did I get here? I asked myself. Wasn't Richard with me? I tilted my head and saw a dozing shape on the other side of the fire. Armor was piled neatly at the feet and a sword lay by his side. I knew it had to be Richard. I sighed in contentment, I wasn't alone. I closed my eyes and drifted off again.

I woke sometime later fully awake and only feeling a bit sore. When I tried this time I actually was able to sit. I noticed that he had thoughtfully let me have his shirt, which hung down to mid thigh on me. I looked across the fire. My heart leapt into my throat. He wasn't there. I told myself to calm down, I could take care of myself…I think. I threw the blanket off of myself and attempted to stand. I was finally able to get shakily to my feet after the first five attempts. I skirted around the fire and walked outside. The air was cool and the moonlight shone down from the night darkened sky.
I looked above and saw the constellations of stars. I studied them for a moment and located the drake formation. "Father," I whispered on a whim, "Help me find a way to defeat this wizard."

I looked down, away from the stars, tears in my eyes. They evaporated in joy when I saw a shadow of a human on a horse break from the trees and canter up the hill to the cave. He stopped his horse and dismounted. I stood there as he walked over to me and captured me in his arms. "I am so happy to see you awake," he said with a kiss, "But, should you be up? I did hurt you pretty badly." Concern was written on his face.

"I don't know," I shrugged, "I haven't checked my wounds recently."

"Then lets go take a look," he said leading me back to my bed roll. "Lay on your stomach so I can check your shoulder wound. It was the worst of the lot," he said quietly; sadly; as I lay on my stomach. He pulled up the blanket for my modesty, though I could care less about it right now, and I pulled my shirt up exposing my back and shoulders to him. He carefully unwrapped the bandage and I could see the dried blood on it, and I shuddered involuntarily at how close to death I had been. "How can this be?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"What?" I asked.

"There isn't any wound. Just a light scar," he said in shock.

"Really?" I asked trying, unsuccessfully to see it.

"Just a scar," he repeated as he brushed his fingers over the spot. I shuddered under his touch; his fingers left burning flesh behind them. "Turn over I have to check the others now." I complied. He felt my ribs through the shirt and proclaimed them unbroken as well as my arm. All healed with only a bit of scarring or bruising as on the ribs. It was a wonder to the both of us.

Sigh, True love breaks all spells right? Thanks for reading. Hopefully I'll write more /