Chapter 19

Princess Gwenalot started towards a long cave a day's distance from the Great Cave in silence. She hadn't expected the loss of Sir Blunderbrain to affect her as much as it was, but there was no denying that she would miss him. He wasn't her best friend, like Mallory, but he had been loyal and able to criticize her with a smile … somewhat like Blundig. Princess Gwenalot appreciated the fact that they didn't act angry when they didn't like something she did.

Soon Crooner appeared in his white cape, his guitar slung over one shoulder and the Magic Pipe in his right hand. He smiled at her. "I thought you might like some company and some help."

"I can do this by myself," she told him cheerfully. "I don't need any help. It's just a dragon."

Crooner's face fell. "It eats Fraggles."

The Princess laughed, holding her knees and squinting in pain as she laughed so hard. "Just because some scaredy Fraggles ran away from some little dragon doesn't mean it actually eats Fraggles," she replied through guffaws. "Come on, Crooner. You know better than that."

He smirked. "Then why are you bringing your last sword?"

The Princess stopped laughing and glanced at it. "Huh? Oh, well, I might need it to hack away at some vines or something, I guess."

"Uh-huh," Crooner answered with a droll tone. "You know, this pipe can make vines untangle and leave. Let me come with you."

"Crooner," Princess Gwenalot began, exasperated, "why do you want to come?"

"Because I want to be with you!" he retorted, grimacing. "You let Blunderbrain --."

"Don't mention him!" she shot back. She looked away, her voice softening. "He's gone."

Crooner stared at the Princess for several moments in silence. Soon he had an epiphany. "You think the dragon got him?" He nodded. "You're not thinking of revenge, are you?"

She continued to avoid his gaze. "I don't know exactly. The story seems to be a tunnel ate him, but that's stupid." She paused, her voice slightly trembling. "I sent him."

"He always knew he'd leave the world in battle. That's how knights are, Gwen."

"I sent him," she repeated numbly.

Crooner stepped closer and gently placed an arm around her. "You sent him to rescue the missing Fraggles. He succeeded. He deserves our respect and our thanks." He kissed her helmet. "You don't have to throw your life away out of guilt."

She chuckled, surprising him. She backed away and wiped a tear from her eyes. "Yes, I felt guilty. I guess I still might." She shook her head. "That's not why I wanted to go find the dragon. I'm a lot like Sir Blunderbrain, I suppose. I like the thrill of adventure, the excitement of discovering new creatures, the rush of battle --."

"You like fighting?" Crooner asked, confused.

"It's all just play," Princess Gwenalot replied as though talking to a toddler. "I don't want to hurt any Fraggle."

"That's not a prop sword, Gwen," Crooner told her coldly. "The blade is sharp."

Princess Gwenalot sighed in frustration. "I know what a real sword is, Crooner! You need to give me some credit!" She pointed at him. "You can make any Fraggle do whatever you want with that pipe of yours. Just because it's not a sword doesn't mean it can't be a weapon."

"But --."

"No 'buts'," she retorted. "You act like I was born yesterday. You do it all the time! I may not be some sacred Minstrel, but I also have a brain. It's one thing to suggest an alternative to my solutions. It's quite another to act like I can't make any solution whatsoever."

"I don't --."

A female voice cleared her throat. They both turned to Blundig, who stood behind the Princess.

"Blundig?" noted Princess Gwenalot in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to assist my Princess --."

"Why does everyone think I can't handle a simple dragon?" screamed Princess Gwenalot.

"No no!" replied Blundig, bowing slightly. "I imply no such thing! I have information regarding the dragon!" She crept up closer to the Princess and glanced at Crooner. "The sacred Minstrel's music might still the heart of the rampaging dragon, but it also calms Fraggles. There are far more Fraggles to calm than dragons to discover. Everyone seems so stressed out lately. If the Minstrel would be so kind as to calm the Fraggles, it would prevent our fair maiden from being harmed because frightened Fraggles got between her and the dragon's rage."

Crooner smirked slightly. He admired Blundig's diplomatic skills. He was bright enough to see right through them, of course, but he never left her unimpressed. She wanted to spend time with the Princess to see if she was okay with Sir Blunderbrain's disappearance … yet she still had a point. Crooner would be of more use keeping Fraggles occupied, since he could also tell everyone was starting to feel … on edge … recently. He bowed and left without a word.

As the Princess followed Blundig, the Princess struck up a conversation. "So, how's all that documentation going?"

Blundig smiled. "Hm, it's progressing nicely, I think."

The Princess stopped. "Are you here to check up on me?"

Blundig stopped and glanced at her innocently. "How do you mean? Do you need a check up?"

"Pffbt, no."

Blundig smiled. "Well, then why did you bring it up?"

Princess Gwenalot started to walk again. "Crooner acts like I'm holed up in my room mourning the loss of my friends all day long."

Blundig nodded. "I thought he was more perceptive than that. Something must weigh heavily on him if he is so inaccurate regarding his beliefs."

The Princess stared at Blundig as they headed down a tunnel that acted like a downward staircase. "He wants to be with me every waking moment. That's his problem."

Blundig smiled and stopped. "He defines 'uniting Fraggles' more personally, then?"

Princess Gwenalot returned the smile. "Males are always redefining things to suit them."

They shared a round of giggles.

Soon Blundig stopped and averted her eyes slightly. "It … must … be frustrating," she said softly and wistfully.

Princess Gwenalot found she could not answer. Her instincts had been right: they were having similar problems. She silently patted Blundig on her shoulders. Still, she would not talk about Fishface unless Blundig brought it up first.

A roar nearly deafened them as they appeared in an amazingly long tunnel, porous with countless side tunnels.

Hunched over on a boulder sat a dragon with rocky light blue skin, tendrils drooping from its snout, thick arms and even thicker legs, a dark red crest along his skull and spine, and flame-like scales emanating from what looked like manacles on his wrists. His soft yellow underbelly matched the yellow of his eyes.

"He's hardly bigger than a Fraggle," whispered Princess Gwenalot, disappointed.

Blundig nodded. "He is very hungry."