NO: Thank you all. 14 Reviews. (Gives out pins) Now, I won't keep you waiting!

Plus, for being good little fans, I'm giving you a longer chappie to chew on!

News:

1- Tomorrow is my 14th Birthday.

2- In a couple days, I'll be gone for five days.

3- I'm starting Summer School (evil Gym class)

So, if I update less often during July, don't shoot me.

Chapter 5: The Healer, the Dragon and the King

"Water…" She said. "Water, please." Lance came over to give her a tin of water. He sat. She couldn't drink it, so he dabbed it onto her lips, then gently poured it into her open mouth. She sighed, then laid her head down on his lap. She was calm, as if remembering something. He couldn't move, not without waking. After about an hour, he gently lifted her head and set back onto the blankets and went back to work. He had to change her bandage soon.

She mumbled something. Lance turned. He came back to ask her to repeat what she had said, but she had fallen into her sleep. She breathed long and deep. Nothing had come to attack the camp; the bowman must've gotten scared when he hit a knight, not him. He turned to change her bandages. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but he kept the bandages clean every half-hour or so.

A voice boomed from all directions, there was no origin. "Prince Lance." It said.

"Y-yes?" Why was he scared? He had her to defend. He couldn't turn into a rabbit and run. "What to you want?"

"You want this lady to be healed, do you not?" It asked.

Of course he did! How could anyone think otherwise? "Yes, sir."

"Then don't ask the questions!" The ground shook from the force of the reprimand. It didn't seem to affect the sleeping woman.

"Yes, sir." He said. Who was he to command the crown prince say 'yes, sir'?

"Take her five miles to the north. A healer resides there. Ask her to heal your sweetheart. Be warned, she demands a high price." It warned. Lance nodded, though he didn't know if the voice could hear him. "Good." That confirmed it, he could see the prince. "Take Swift and Goldflame as well, Prince Lance. You will need them." Then, a breeze floated over him and swirled. The air was tinted a shade of red. "Ride quickly, Prince Lance. She dies, though she fights it."

"Can you tell me her name? Just this question!" He yelled, throwing his voice into the swirling winds.

"She will tell you when she finds it the right time, prince. Don't dawdle. In order to get there, head north as I have said, then say you desire into an oak tree." Oak? How could he tell an Oak from an Elm? He felt the voice leave.

"Wait!" It turned to wait. He breathed deeply. "Why do you want her to live?"

"I have my reasons, Prince Lance. We will leave it there, is there anything else?"

"If you could just-" He pleaded.

"NO! Now leave before I revoke this gift!" It left, giving Lance no options but to either follow the mysterious advice or let the woman he loved die and return to the palace. He approached Swift.

"Now, now. Don't be feisty," He said to the horse. "I need you to take the lady and I north five miles, if not, your mistress will die." It seemed to understand. He took Sir Eric's sword and drew it. It was intricate gold flames with a ruby at the hilt. It had a leather-wrapped handle.

What are you gaping at, boy? It startled him. The sword could talk? Why am I drug from my oh-so-comfortable sheath for you to stare at me? I'm not a woman anymore! It was a girl?

"Uh, well, I'm sorry, miss-" Lance started.

Goldflame, if you would.

"Er, Goldflame. But, your mistress is hurt and a voice-"

A voice? You have got to be kidding! Are you dragging me around to follow some random voice's orders? Bah! People are degrading!

"Well, considering this is my only option…"

You have other options! Boy, you need to set me aside. You are the first man in two hundred years to pick me up. Set me down, I can sear that pretty face to the moon.

"Sorry." He put the sword down. "But I need you to come with me-"

To follow the voice's orders? She asked with a mental snort.

"Well, yes…" He said honestly. "But it's my last option. The capital is over a week's ride from here. She won't last that long."

I see. Gently put me back in my sheath, strap it to the stallion and we'll be off.

"So, you're just going to help, just like that?" He asked, surprised.

If my mistress is in danger, I'll help. If you're bluffing, your great-grandchildren's grandchildren will feel the pain, it'll last so long. Understand, boy?

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted the sword. Gently sliding the bi-polar, female-spirited, animate sword back into her sheath, she thanked him. He packed up the camp; He thanked Sir Eric for pounding the routine into his thick skull, and strapped it to Swift. Lastly, he tenderly picked up the sleeping form and sat her in front of him, as she had done to him. He kissed her on the forehead and gently kicked Swift.

Three hundred yawns, two doze-offs (with a not-so-gentle waking from Goldflame) and three awakenings from his lady they arrived about five miles north of their camp. Say your desire into an Oak. What was an Oak? Was it three-leaved with a red spot connecting the leaves? Was it the tree with a star-shaped leaf? Did it have multiple-small leaves or one big leaf? Was it pointy or flat? Sir Eric awoke.

"Do you know what an Oak is?" He asked her.

"Yes." She yawned. "Where are we?"

"I'll explain later, what does an Oak look like?" He pressed.

"It's leaves look like a hand, big leaves that fall every autumn. Is that all?" She asked, eyes drooping. "I think it was ahead to your right, Lance." She fell back into a slumber. Swift gently moved forward until the came upon a tall tree that had the leaves she had described. He dismounted while holding her and gently set her on the bed of leaves. He went over to the tree and put his hand to it, whispering his desire. The tree shook sending birds into the air. Nothing else happened. He sat down next to Sir Eric, almost in tears. Here he was, the middle of nowhere, he had expended his last option to save her. They had been gone over three weeks together (not including the two weeks he had spent waiting for her to come and save him). His father was probably screaming. Sighing, he flopped back onto the bed of leaves. He might as well die along with her. It was all he could do.

"You called?" A voice asked. Lance sat up. She was dressed so she blended in with the forest. "The birds told me a stranger had come with a woman. Are you the ones that called me?"

"Yes, ma'am. I did. You, see-" He couldn't finish his sentence. She lifted her hand.

"I know why you are here, young man. You wish her to be healed, do you not?" She asked.

"Yes, ma'am." He made his answers short and concise.

"Good, take her with you, and the horse." She turned away, walking into the forest. He picked up his lady and, without being asked or told, Swift followed him. The reins were over his head and he had no guiding. His lady was heavier each step. She never woke and was getting paler.

"She's dying." He said to the woman in front of him. "She's not breathing properly. She's growing paler."

"I know!" She snapped. "We're here." Swift stopped, waiting outside. He entered a low-hanging building with a small fireplace and a homely appearance. Herbs hung from the ceiling, giving it a mixture of scents. "Set her on the floor." It was dirt-covered and had no rug. He set her down, making sure not to bump her head on the hard floor. "What's wrong with her?"

"She was hit by an arrow. I kept her bandages clean and well boiled. I don't know why, but it isn't healing correctly." He stated, feeling terrible for not paying attention when he had his nature classes.

The woman touched the arrow-wound. Then glanced back up at Lance. "I see. It is more than just a wound to the stomach." She said. "There's a wound to the heart. I can only heal the arrow." She sighed. "I'm sorry, but I'll do my best." She looked back at the sleeping knight. "You'll pay me after the service is done, yes?"

"Yes. Please, just do what you can." He readily agreed, anything to help his Lady-in-Shining-Armor.

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The dragon shook its head. How long had it been out? He remembered the knight that had "killed" he laughed. It was good to be of service to the King. Maybe, he could abduct one of the King's beautiful daughters to keep. All the current knights were married. The rumble shook the cavern. He would abduct one, maybe more, of those beautiful little girls. They would make good little servant girls. He may even be able to keep one, or two. After all, the King doesn't need all three! The King could pay him in girls rather than the money he had promised before, when the Prince arrived safely. They should be there by now. Standing, the dragon took flight. He flew off where the King had seen him last time. He sent flames out for the fun of it. Laughing once again, he sped up his wings.

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Clem looked out over the balustrade. A large, red dragon was coming over the horizon. It breathed fire over and over again. The king raced down the stairs and out the back door and mounted his horse. He rode to the small grove where he'd met the dragon when he had agreed for it to abduct his son. He was going to demand his son back. The dragon landed.

"Asnarinth!" He yelled. "You have some nerve!" He yelled.

"What ever do you mean by this, King?" The dragon asked, his baritone voice rumbling.

"I mean, dragon, that you cannot keep my son from me!" He yelled.

"I," The dragon looked taken aback. "Do not have your son, Sir King."

"Then where is he?" The king demanded.

"I do not know. The knight rode off with him after I played 'dead'."

"I see, listen, name your price and I will pay you to find him, and get him back." The king said. The dragon agreed and flew off. He swept the forests day and night. Then, he saw a fire burning with a man kneeling over a hurt woman. He recognized the man as Prince Lance, the wayward son. Where was the knight? Was it the woman? He decided to use his magic to trick Prince Lance into going to the healer in the north (another Dragon, albeit a good one) to get the woman so he could get on his way back to the King and then the Dragon could claim his reward: a princess. Breathing deeply, he spoke.

"Prince Lance."