The Princess squeezed through the nobles reaching for the quiver on the table, slamming through the guard door showing her special entrance pass, tripping over multiple well polished gleaming shoes.

“ Where are you going your highness,” asked Mr. Stickler.

“Running away again to the archery training, well don’t worry I won’t tell your father this time.”

“ Thanks, Mr. Stickler, I owe you one,” said Princess Alice.

“ You owe me more than one,” said Mr. Stickler laughing.

Wow, the scenery is magnificent and mesmerizing and how the gleaming water slowly drops on the leaves while running through the breathtaking forest. Wait a minute why are footsteps here, those are not mine, I better be cautious.

Just as Alice went through the vines of entanglement as she called it, going through the vines she felt someone was their thinking if her father sent guards to keep her out.

“Well this is new,” she said.

Just then a figure with a sword drawn coming into the bush with his polished and well-taken armor took her arm and brought her near the archery’s grounds main encampment without Alice struggling at all.

“ Well well well what do we have here your highness, I thought you father said this area was off limits,” asked the guardsmen.

“ I was just coming to doodle with my diary, see this is my diary if you want to check,” said Princess Alice.
“ Alright run along your highness and go the other way,” said the guardsmen.

Wow, that was a close one I hope the guard does not tell my father. If he did, let's not think about it. Ugh, nobles, why did it have to be nobles in the courtyard. Oh, why is my bearer on the fountain, oh my ceremony is tomorrow? I can’t wait for the prince!

“ Oh, where have you been your highness,” grinned the servant.

“ I was wondering about the courtyard,” whispered Alice.

“ Your late for your ceremony feast come now we have your favorite food ready,” said the announcer
“ Princess Alice has arrived,” shouted the announcer.

Princess Alice watched at all the rich nobles bowing to her in a deferential way.  Just looking at the food made her mouth water especially the turkey with the rich butter oil and the soft orange maroon glow with a tad smell of cinnamon but Alice realized that this was for no normal reason but for her ceremony with the prince which she always wanted to meet. Her father put rules that one can see each other before the ceremony.

“ Don’t put your quiver or bow on the table, no weapons allowed on the table,” shouted Alice’s father.

        “ So you are trying to sneak into the archery encampment again are you not.”

Sometimes he gets on my nerves, I just want to eat I don’t want to hear all this nonsense but if I said that my father would cancel the ceremony and I will never let that happen.

“ Are you even listening to me, hello Alice listen.”

“What."

“Besides that let’s get started with the ceremonial feast.”

I never knew the turkey would so scrumptious. With the butter melting with inside honey, gluing together making my taste buds feel like heaven. This is a treat I would die for.

As I went upstairs I slammed on my bed reading old texts looking at the bright and sunny day drifting to sleep.

“ Your Highness, it’s time for dinner,” said the maid.

“ I am not hungry, go away!”

“Your father is not going to be happy, you know what happens when you don’t eat you sleepwalk creating disturbances in the castle.”

By the time she said the last word, I was asleep waiting for the next adventure with my Prince unless my father ruins it all, like usual.

Just as I woke up I could hear cries of adults like little children realizing the prince is here! Nobles would not scream for no reason.

“Here comes the grand prince of Norway,” said the announcer.

“ It’s Showtime”,  Alice mouthed.

“ Come now Princess you don’t want to wear your hunting gown do you.” said the maid.

“Just get me changed”

“ Yes, your highness can just move a little to the right I can’t see the mirror.”

Princess Alice moved as requested,  thinking how she would be received or thought of by the prince.

I wonder if this prince is actually what I thought he would be, guess I would be finding out now.

“ Wow, I can’t believe my father did something with effort,” said Alice.

The place is beautiful the red and gold banners with the everlasting smell of mint and rosemary, I have never expected this he even invited only a few nobles to the ceremony.

“ I assume you are the lovely princess named Alice.”

Wow, that was fast how did he find me that fast, well there is only the highest nobles in here so that is a possible reason.

“Um, yes I am,” Alice said shyly

“ Would you like to have a dance with me, Alice.”

“ I would like to but you're about to be called,” Alice said looking at the announcer about blow the ceremonial horn.

“ Prince Charles would you please come with the princess to the top of the stairs.” the announcer said.
As Prince Charles held my hand, we went up the stairs as everyone glared as we went up the red carpet with its red and gold curving up to the stairs and if you stared at the carpet you could get blinded by the shimmering light reflecting off the carpet. When we were at the top my father was there to greet me and the prince. I never knew that one could get charmed by such a presence. Just when I thought everything was just going as normal I heard scatters of screams and crossbows firing.

“ Incoming fire,” yelled the soldier who then just got spiked and several others but in the chest with a silver blade with blood gushing out as the effect of the artery being pierced, which I saw my reflection on the sharp blade.

My father yelled to me to go to the secret bunker as the crowd came near us scattering my dad scattering fleeing from whoever they were. I could hear maybe wing flaps, but it was too subtle to know. Balls of fire seemed to be hitting the main defenses. Then I heard the dragon swoop down crashing onto the ground making an ear-deafening sound as I was pushed by the wind and was slumped on the ground where the once bright and flourishing carpet but now was all worn down with fire!

“ Oh, my gosh fire! ”

The dragon looked my way and looked like it was sniffing and as I saw the terrifying beauty of the dragon with it’s blue and olive green body with its dark yellow eyes I suddenly realized it was the dragon had shot those spines which were metallic  dark gray but were sparkling silver getting a closer look at them. The dragon then quickly with reflexes shot the enemy guards coming at the dragon with javelins. I then saw the dragon looking at the prince with all his shiny gold and take him away. The dragon shot a fiery gas of hot molten fire at the castle taking out the artillery and heavy skin piercers, which when demonstrated can pierce the heaviest and strongest armor. The dragon then started shooting more suppressive fire on the castle which melted the castle to nothing more than ashes. I was shocked at how the dragon had done this in a matter of seconds, I tried to get up but my leg was stuck under the heavy banner and the carpet that was on fire was relatively a safe distance not spreading too quickly. The dragon then shot a high beam of a green and red ball of gas that was blinding taking out the patrols and the artillery fire catapults which then collapsed on the wall, my dad told me those could stand up to anything. The dragon swooped up for another attack and flew to the barracks with a numerous amount of men shouting and firing with Grand Admiral Thrawn trying to organize the men with his corporals and sergeants smacking the men around, another blasts of hot and fiery gas as if it was going slowly and I saw it then immediately hit the barracks creating a horror of inferno and men all over the ground indistinguishable who they were after the fire. I was dumbfounded, this castle was where I grew up in. The memories I still cherish were burned to the ground. I still wondered if the secret bunker was okay.

“ Are you okay you highness,” asked the soldier.

“ I am alright, is my father alright.”

“ He is in the bunker with some fellow survivors and the emergency legion has arrived to attack the location of the dragon immediately with the recon scouts already dispatched.”

“ What so quickly when are they going out for the march.”

“ Oh, look it seems they are already going your highness.”

What they can’t do that, hum. If I was one of them wouldn’t my morale be really down seeing that Grand Admiral Thrawn who is a military expert who studies the art of his enemies and eradicates them from the inside? With him gone it would be the soldier's judgment to take action are not.

“ Oh honey are you okay, you have a nasty bruise on your leg. You should rest a while,” sniffled her father
I went to the bed and the nurse inspected it and I fell asleep.

“ What, you said what, that can’t be… are you concealing something… I am… How did this happen.”

“ The dragon was smart we could not do anything it was too late,” cried the scout

“ Who else made it out from the fight.”

“Only me.”

“ What! ”

I have to do something, I can’t just sit around here and do nothing. My father cannot send more innocent lives to their death. I have to do something. Well, my leg is better is it not. I can go and get my horse, take my bow and go. I will prove I am not like the other girls who will just run and will actually believe in what I stand for.

I have all my stuff don’t I, I should be off now

“ Come now girl let’s go now.”

As I went through the forest I saw the many creatures and beautiful lakes with their everlasting shimmer, with their crisp taste as I stopped to fill my canteen and as I went down the lake I saw a body. This means we're close.

As I was galloping for about two to three miles I went to a certain limit to how much of the nauseating smell of blood I could take and covered my nose looking at the scattered bodies.

I went to a wall where it said do not disturb with the saying Mr.Winkle is busy inside, I almost started to laugh but I saw a man with an arrow in his chest and a sign saying be cautious. I just then calmed myself hoping the plan I just figured in my head worked which would mean that the dragon would have to be dumber than I thought it would. I then knocked on the door hoping I would not get through in the air and fall to my painful death. I then knocked on the door hoping what I thought would not happen.

“ Go away, I have eaten a lot of vegetables and I am not hungry for more,” said Mr.Winkle with a heavy deep tired voice.

“ Is it you the great an honorable dragon that has slain this miscreates and has freed me from being a slave.”
I can’t believe I am saying this, hope this works out

“I too was a slave to these treacherous people who would do experiments on me to see if they can make the fire artificially. I was abandoned by my parents and was lost and had to their bidding for that filthy empire of theirs.”

“ I found this prince with lots of gold and I am going to sell that kid with a golden spoon.”

“ You mean ransom,” gulped Alice

“ What is your name sir ? ” asked Alice

“ It is Mr. Winkle, sorry not introducing myself.”

“ What is your name ?”

“ What terror did they make you work in Alice.”

Oh gosh I have to make something up quick

“ Umm, Well I worked in the vegetable department.”

“ Really this must be a new department because back then I did not have a vegetable department.”

“ Is it true that you can circle the earth a hundred times,”

“ Where did you hear of this.”

He found out didn’t he

“ It was saying when we were slaves we heard stories about you.”

“ well can you actually do that.”

“ Oh yes I can,” Mr.Winkle said with an excited voice.

The dragon jumped and swirled out and started flying so fast that he could be faster than the speed of light and sound, the dragon then stopped and came to the ground with a hurl clearly exhausted. Well, I better use the net one.

“ Can you burn 100 forests with your mighty breath.”

Just do it, my plan is about to work

“ yes I can,” and Mr. Winkle said with a weary voice.

Just then Mr. Winkle breathed in all of the air his lungs can muster and blow at the forest next to them burning through everything in its path. The tree were all smoldered by the hot gushing fire and air which lasted for several seconds.

“ See I did it is all burnt all 100 forests.”

Mr. Winkle started to walk a little stoned and fainted on his heap of gold.

“ Prince Charles, Prince Charles, where are you.”

The prince was tied to a chair where he was trying to speak but had a cloth in his mouth.

“ Well, well what do we have here,” squeaked the Alice.

“  I am glad to see you,” said the prince.

“ I feel like a dump,” said the prince smiling

“You look like dump too,” whispered Alice.

“ What will we do with this dragon.”

“ I have an idea, we can use the everlasting deep sleep potion that was near his heap of gold,”

The prince went to the potion and put it into the dragon’s mouth so that it would go completely in.

The Princess and the prince took the horse and went towards the castle. The ride was a silent and awkward time for both of them.

Wow, I can’t believe I had outsmarted such a terror. I now know that I am really stronger than I thought I was. Who would imagine I would outsmart something like that monster.

“ it seems like we are coming to the castle,” said Prince Charles.

We waited and heard many soldiers to open the shield wall since the gate was broken the soldiers were here, Wait there are soldiers from the neighboring kingdom, hope they are helping.

“ Both of you are back, I missed you, honey, you brought back the prince. That’s my brave girl you always had her courageous spirit. I know after she died it has been hard for you but you kept on pushing yourself to be stronger. I want to tell you I love you, honey. You, me and the Prince are going to the kingdom next door. We are leaving now. I know it has been a long day but we have to go in cause any rebel skirmishes want to ambush us,” said Alice’s father.

Alice, the prince, and her father went on the carriage, meanwhile, Alice was thinking what her next adventure was going to be. Fighting ghosts or breaking spells or outsmarting and being herself. Alice realized no matter what happens she was going to be herself and would not change for anybody. Alice drifted to sleep thinking about what was ahead of her with the prince.

                                    THE END