Sofia got up early and went to Smithy's forge to get some fire.

The forge was empty, but the fire still burned. Smithy must have lit it and went back to his room for some reason.

"Breakfast is served..." She muttered to herself as she inhaled a lot of flames.

"Sofia?"

She jumped at the sound of Gunther's voice. She turned to see him standing within the forge. "Gunther? Why are you awake?" She smiled at him before continuing to eat the flames.

"I don't know; I woke up but couldn't get back to sleep. I just happened to look outside and see you walk towards here." He leaned against Smithy's table. "You seem really flame deprived this morning."

She laughed walking towards him and standing across from him. "I am. I didn't eat any last night so I needed to refuel quite a bit."

He gazed at her face, then his eyes travelled to the pendent around her neck. "That... looks really beautiful on you."

She looked at her hands and tried to hide a small blush.

"Sofia, Gunther... good morning." Smithy arrived.

Sofia met his eyes and smiled. "Good morning."

"'Morning."

"Are you alright, Sofia? You seemed tense when you came back to the ballroom last night." Smithy remarked.

Sofia nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry yourself about it."

"But I do worry." He sighed. "Oh, by the way Gunther. I saw your father talking to Sir Ivon with a friend of his next to the storage shed. Just thought you'd like to know."

Sofia and Gunther shared a look.

"Which friend I wonder?" Sofia breathed and followed Gunther out of the forge.

"Yes, my friend here wishes to see Lady Sofia..." Gunther's father's voice reached their ears as they neared the storage area.

"Sofia..." Gunther whispered.

Sofia nodded. "It's him. He's persistent... I'll give him that."

Gunther caught her hand and squeezed it. He let go as soon as his father's eyes turned to them.

"Speak of the devil." He smiled and waved at the two.

They both nodded.

"Father, what brings you here?" Gunther asked politely.

Sofia's eyes were trained on the dragon-slayer that she had met the night before.

"My friend here, Mr Atwood would like to see Lady Sofia, if she is willing." The merchant looked to the lady knight.

"Of course. To what do I owe this honour, sir?" She bowed her head to the dragon-slayer.

"I came once more to ask for your hand in courtship, my lady." He held out his hand. "I couldn't stop thinking about you last night, nor what you said to me."

She watched his eyes. "I am afraid that I once more have to decline your offer, sir." She said politely.

He scowled at her. "You think because of what you are that I can't find other means of gaining your hand, my lady." He said in a low voice that was barely possible for the others to hear but Sofia heard him loud and clear.

She raised a brow. "Oh... is that a threat, sir? Because I assure you that I could take you down before you even think of doing anything to harm me or my friends." She smiled sweetly.

Gunther silently clenched his fists. He looked to his father. "How could you bring him here father? I told you last night that she had him escorted from the castle because he was bothering her." He hissed.

The merchant shrugged. "He's a valued client. He threatened to break the agreement we made if I didn't bring him here."

Gunther growled. "Sofia, let's go." He grabbed her wrist and tugged her to move.

She didn't budge an inch. She shook his hand from hers. She stepped up to Atwood. "What do you think you could do to persuade me to court you?" She asked in a low voice. "I can tear you apart limb from limb without batting an eyelid."

"You were in love with me for some reason... why can't you see me that way again?" He asked.

The merchant frowned. She was in love with him? She's a mere child... how could she have feelings for him?

"That was a very long time ago. A mistake on my part. I would have never done what I did if I knew you'd be this kind of man. I realised last night that you don't care what woman you have as long as she has good face value. Also knowing what kind of woman, I am you would be guaranteed protection and immunity to death. I want a man to love me for who I am not what I am." She added.

"Fine." In one swift move, a dagger was shoved into Sofia's stomach. "I'll let nobody have you. You monstrous freak of nature..."

Sofia staggered back.

"Sofia?!" Gunther caught her by the shoulders.

Ivon drew his sword and hand it to Atwood's throat. "You DARE raise a sword to a knight of the king's court. You're coming with me. Magnus you're staying here so I can question you. Gunther, take her somewhere to get treated to."

To everyone's surprise, a laugh escaped Sofia's mouth. "No need to be like a clucking hen, Sir Ivon." She pulled the dagger from her stomach and lifted her shirt to inspect the damage. "I'm perfectly fine." She met Atwood's eyes. The wound was healing by the second.

"Lady Knight?" Ivon stared at her. "What shall I do with this man?" He asked.

"Leave him to me." She said, drawing her dagger from its holster. "He wants to play with fire... he's gonna get burned." She backed up into a clear area of the courtyard. "You're the one who challenged me, Dragon-slayer. Come and face your fate." She called to Atwood.

He drew his sword and went towards her. "You really are... her."

The merchant went to Gunther's side. "Just what is she, Gunther?" He asked.

Gunther met his eyes. "She's a force to be reckoned with."

Ivon watched as Sofia gave off a deadly aura. "Lady Knight! You needn't fight him! We'll let the King pass judgement!"

Sofia snorted. "This is a matter of honour, Sir Ivon." She replied. Her eyes trained on Atwood.

"Honour of a Knight, or Honour of a Queen?" Atwood smirked.

"Queen?!" The merchant coughed.

"Oh, Sir Breech? You didn't know that your son was fraternising with the queen of all dragons?" Atwood shot him a look.

The merchant looked to his son. "What is he talking about, boy? Dragons...?"

"I am a dragon, Sir Breech. It's not fresh news here." Sofia kept her eyes on Atwood. "So, are you going to fight me or not?"

Atwood was still looking at the merchant. "Actually, no. I think I've done enough damage to eventually persuade you." He chuckled and slid his sword into its holster. He walked around her and headed for the main gate.

"Mr Atwood! Get back here!" Sir Ivon made to follow him.

Sofia caught his sleeve. "Leave him. This is my fight. If he returns I'll turn him into charcoal."

Ivon looked at her for a moment. He saw a hint of fear within the rage in her eyes. "Fine. But if he does return and I see him first. I'll arrest him."

She nodded before turning to Gunther. "Looks like I'm not gonna get the fight I've been after for a few weeks." She smiled.

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Don't scare me." He whispered.

"Hey! Don't touch her!" The merchant dragged his son from the girl. "If what Atwood says is true, I don't want you going anywhere near her." He said.

Gunther glared at him. "Father!"

"If she is a dragon... she's the same as that overgrown green lizard that Jane rides around the kingdom."

Ivon sighed. "Sofia is a valuable asset to the kingdom, Sir Breech." He stated. "The most skilled knight we have. I won't have you insult her."

Gunther shrugged from his father's grip. "Neither will I." He moved to Sofia's side. "Don't you dare do anything that will cause her harm."

"Well then... I'd like her to prove to me that she is in fact a dragon."

Gunther snorted. "As you can see, she is in a human body right now."

"So, are you saying that her powers are nullified? Apart from her healing, of course." The merchant looked to her stomach, where her shirt was torn and bloody.

"Actually, I have all the powers of a dragon, apart from flight of course." She folded her arms.

His eyes widened.

"How do you think I have all those riches that I gave to you? That is a minor chip to my wealth." She smirked. "I was the great black dragon queen of old. I was cursed by a sorcerer into this body. I asked for him to turn me into human so I could be with the man I fell for as a dragon. But the sorcerer tricked me and put me into an eleven-year-old body." She explained. "The man that I fell for was Mr Atwood." She added.

The merchant looked from Sofia to the gate, through which Mr Atwood went through. "So why didn't you accept the man's hand?!"

"I believe I explained before. I made a misjudgement with him and I am now paying the price."

The merchant then looked to his son. "You believe all of this?"

Gunther met his gaze. "What's not to believe? I've seen her magic, I've witnessed her strength and power for myself."

"Yet you still like this... this... thing?"

"Yes, I do. As does everyone in this castle."

Sir Ivon cleared his throat. "You'd do best not to say anything about her around town. Otherwise you'll have the whole court to answer to." He told the merchant.

The merchant looked again to his son. "Can I have a moment alone with you?"

Gunther looked to Sofia.

"It's fine by me, I'm off to get some breakfast from Pepper." She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Call if you need me." She added in a low voice.

He nodded once.

Sofia walked towards the kitchens and Ivon went to the stables.

Gunther rounded on his father. "What else do you need to say to me?"

The merchant had a glint in his eye. "Gunther... I want you to court that girl."

Gunther's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because if you make her your woman, you'll have access to all of her riches..."

"What?! I knew it'd be for your own gain!" Gunther exclaimed. "What makes you think that she'll let me near her riches?"

"Because you'll be her man, and eventually husband. You'll own her... and therefore have every right to her money and jewels as she has."

Gunther felt his anger reach its peak. "You do realise that she is a queen, right?! A dragon queen at that. Furthermore, I'd never do something like that. Marry a woman to get to her treasures."

"Gunther... do you want to be a knight?" The merchant asked.

"Of course."

"Then you'll do as you are told, otherwise I'll stop paying for you to be trained."

"Go ahead. I have her. That's all I need. She has already guaranteed that my training will be paid for." He added in a mutter.

"What?! You were just saying that you'd never be with her out of greed."

"Yes, and I meant it. She's the one who wants me by her side, so she said she'd see to it." Gunther looked to the ground.

The merchant huffed and walked away. "Don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart. She is after all an uncontrollable beast that should be slain, same goes for Jane's lizard."

Gunther sighed and walked towards the kitchen to find the said girl.