"It's you!"

Ombo gave me an odd look, his orange eyes shining through the mist around it. 'Oh, yes?'

"You killed my mother!"

'Your mother?' Ombo questioned, tilting his head to the side. 'Whom might your mother be?'

"She was the queen until you killed her!"

My eyes roamed Ombo's massive body. There are sharp black claws capable of tearing a human apart attached to his four legs. He has a long tail that starts thick but ends to a point. Black spikes which looked like rose thorns extended out from Ombo's elbows and across the rise of his back to the end of his tail. From his head to his tail is covered in scales the colour of night but the scales beneath his stomach are a little darker than that of bronze. Steam escaped Ombo's two nostrils, in short puffs, mixing with the mist around it.

'The last Dragon Whisperer.' Ombo commented. 'Would explain why you are the new Dragon Whisperer, but you are just a child.'

"I beg your pardon, but I am not a child!"

'Keep telling yourself that,' Ombo, the beast huffed causing a blast of wind to hit me, almost knocking me over. 'Still, you are the new Dragon Whisperer, and then I suppose that means we are connected.'

I regained my balance and stared at the beast. "Connected?"

'You have no idea, do you?'

"Care to shine a light on the situation?"

He opened his large jaw, inhaled then flames shot into the air above my head. I shrieked causing Ombo to chuckle. 'You asked for a light, and you know you are immune to fire, yes?'

"I don't appreciate fire being-"

'Oh, what a shame,' his head lowered in front of me. 'I advise you to get used to me.'

"Your breath stinks."

'Not surprising, I do eat sheep, cows, among other animals you know.'

"Why am I here?" I asked, wanting to get away from this beast. Not because I'm scared, no, because he killed my mother.

'You're here because you are the Dragon Whisperer, as the new Dragon Whisperer you must venture to our nest and come to me.'

He cannot be serious!

"I am a princess! You expect me to travel to the Mountains of Immolation with no protection? That would be suicide!" I release a frustrated sigh.

Ombo tilts his head to the side again, 'Every Dragon Whisperer has a protector, your's is also your Master. You must become Sir William's Squire; then you will come seek me out."

"I beg your pardon? I cannot be any Knight's Squire! That is forbidden!" Even though I would love to become a Knight, it is the law.

'Well, Princess it's time you broke some of those laws. Live a little.'

"Excuse me? You expect me to break my father's laws?"

'Do I look like I am joking?'

I studied his face.

Usually, I am good at judging people's expressions, but Ombo isn't a person.

"I don't know!" I yelled in a frustrated tone and balled my hands into fists.

My outburst caused the beast the laugh, and his laughter ripped through the air around me, creating large soundwaves, I was nearly knocked off my feet.

'You must find me within six months, Princess, if you do not, bad things will happen to you and the people around you.'

Looking up, my brown eyes locked with his orange ones. "What do you mean bad things?"

'You don't want to know.'

"I wouldn't ask if I did not want to know!"

His orange eyeballs rolled around in their sockets. 'So persistent, just like your mother. Too bad, I won't tell you.'

"What!"

'I cannot believe the next Dragon Whisperer is a mere child.'

"How dare you! I am not a child!"

Ombo stretched his neck towards me. His head is mere inches away from my face. I can feel the heat on his breath each time he exhales.

'I will continue to call you a child until you prove yourself by finding me.'

"But-"

'Fair well!'

The ground beneath my feet began to crumble. "Wait! How will I find you?"

'We have connected Princess, trust yourself.'

That was the last thing I heard before the ground ultimately gave way, and I was falling into the darkness below.

*____________*

I woke with a pounding head, beams of sunlight blinded me the second I opened my eyelids.

"Light!" I croaked, shielding my eyes with my hands.

A few seconds later, the sunlight faded.

"I'm sorry about that Your Majesty," I blinked multiple times, then looked around the room to find the origin of the voice. "Feeling better?"

A young woman much younger than me, was standing at the end of the bed.

"Where am I?" I questioned upon not recognising this room. "And what happened?"

"I am begging your pardon Your Majesty, but I don't know what happened, that fella over there brought you in." Her small finger pointed to something on my right.

I followed the direction of her finger to find Sir William asleep in a chair. He's still in his Knights armour, which must be uncomfortable to sleep in.

"Oh?" I swallowed. "He brought me here?"

"Yes ma'am, he refused to leave your side." She said.

I looked back at the girl, "How long have I been out?"

Her bright blue eyes watched as I sat up. "About six hours." She said.

"And where I am?"

She parted her lips to answer, but a husky, deep voice spoke first. "The Trividale Village Inn,"

"You did not take me back to the Castle?" I asked, turning my head towards the Knight who had stood up and was stretching his limbs.

"I don't think your father would appreciate me returning with his unconscious daughter when I was supposed to protect her."

"Could you excuse us?" I said to the girl, she nodded and left the room.

"Sir Knight," I began, lifting my hand that was in a bandage. "You saw it?"

"Depends on what you're referring to?"

I huffed, "The fire! You big oath! You saw my hand did you not?"

In a split second, Sir William was kneeling beside my bed, "Shh! Don't speak too loudly Milady."

"Why not? I am the Princess I can-"

His large hand came up and covered my mouth. I would tell him to remove it, but it feels so good against-

No! No!

I cannot think like that.

"There are villagers who would try and harm you if they found out what you are." He removed his hand from my mouth.

Does he know?

"You know?"

Sir William pushed himself off the floor and sat next to me. "I am a Knight Milady, I know about the Dragon Whisperer."

"Do you believe it?" I found myself asking. "Do you believe I am the new Dragon Whi-"

"My Princess! Lower your voice! I beg of you!"

I frowned, "Sorry, but do you believe it, Sir Knight?"

"Legend says it is possible for the next Dragon Whisperer to be the offspring of the old one, so yes, I do."

My eyes caught his green ones, "B-but then...the dream, it was real."

"What dream?"

I told him everything, including how scared I was---Just kidding! Me afraid? No way! I am excited!

Sir William raised his hand towards my face. "This is too dangerous. I cannot allow it."

"Sir Knight, how long have we known each other?" I asked him.

"Since we were children, Your Highness," He replied, his hand stopping. Sir William's hand opened then closed and reopened again.

I eyed his hand, "Then you must know, I will do it. There is just one problem."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"I want you to train me. I want to become your Squire."

He stared at me in disbelief. "A lady cannot be my Squire! That suggestion is absurd!" Sir William replied. His hand edged closer to my face. "You are our Princess! And I-I-" he swallowed. "-You just can't! It is the law!"

I folded my arms across my chest. "Very well then, I shall tell my father you did not keep your word, thus resulting in me being harmed. I do not think my father, your King, would appreciate that, do you?"

"You are very cruel Your Highness, but I cannot train you, I am sworn to my King and his Laws. I'm afraid it would go against the Knight's code to do such a thing."

"You are dismissed, Sir Knight," I unfolded my arms and shooed him away. "I no longer require your services."

Sir William did not argue, he nodded, and rose to his feet then walked towards the door.

'Pursue him!' Ombo's voice roared in my head. 'Pursue him Dragon Whisperer!'

I was out of the bed so fast I didn't even see my legs move. "Sir Knight, wait!" I reached for his hand and grabbed it.

Sir William stopped, turning around, I gazed up at him. "Your Highness-"

"I must be trained as a Knight, Ombo commanded it! If I don't-" I paused. "-Something terrible will happen to Trividale or me, please Sir William, if not for me, then for our Kingdom?"

I expect him to free his hand, but he did not and instead, Sir William enclosed his fingers around my hand. "Please, I beg of you, train me."

"If you become my Squire it will be dangerous, are you willing to face the wrath of hell by my side? Your Highness?" He asked, squeezing my hand gently.

Oh! The butterflies in my stomach.

Shoo, you horrid feelings.

"Yes Sir William, I will face the wrath of hell, I will face anything with you--I mean! by your side." Colour rushed to my cheeks.

I was utterly shocked when Sir William lifted my hand and planted his lips on the back of, leaving a kiss there.

"There is a way you can be my Squire,"

Still shocked by the tinging sensation on the back of my hand, I opened my mouth. "Ghgyti?"

"Pardon?"

"Nggt?"

"Your Highness, are you feeling alright?" His other hand felt my forehead.

I cleared my throat. "I said, I will do anything, Sir Knight."

With a squeeze of my hand, Sir William leant down to my level and whispered a horrible thing in my ear.

I gasped. "I most certainly will not!"

"It's the only way you can become my Squire."

"But! You cannot expect me. Your Princess to pretend I am a man! That is-is-"

Using his free hand, Sir William raised it and cupped the side of my face.

I froze.

"Ariana, you must trust me," He has not called me by my first name since we were children.

I gasped. "William-"

His finger slides down my face along my cheekbone until they came to rest upon my lips. "You must trust me if you truly want to be my Squire."

"Okay," I breathed out as memories of the time Sir William and I spent together when we were children swamped my head.

We were close back then before he was chosen to be a Knight. We were so close, and he was my first and only kiss. But later, he became a Knight and a man, he changed into someone I did not know, I lost him.

We held each other gaze.

I spoke softly. "I trust you with my life, Sir William, you know this. I shall do as you say and pretend I am a man."

Sir William took my bottom lip between his fingers, gently pulling it; he smiled down at me. "My princess, first there is a terrible thing I have to admit to you,"

"What is it?"

"I-"

The door the room suddenly burst open, causing Sir William to release both my lip and my hand, he quickly stood away from me.

The young girl rushed in seconds later, she was breathing heavily, eyes wide as if the devil himself was pursuing her.

"What is the matter?" I said to her.

"We-we-we-" Her eyes widened even more. "We're-"

"Speak!" This time Sir William stepped forward. "Answer your Princess when she asks you a question!"

"We're under attack! The dragons! They are attacking!"