"Princess Fenice was taken."

Locke's blue eyes went wide and he stared at the knight as his jaw clenched until a cruel look came over his features. Locke rested both hands on his hips with a haughty look of superiority twisting his features.

"Right from under the royal knight's nose." However, even as Locke said it, he knew he had crossed a line.

Felix pushed himself off the wall and took a daring step forward. "I've watched over her ever since her father put the princess in my care, Locke. I swear to you, there is no life I care for more than hers. I would rather kill the one who threatened her than see the princess harmed." He laughed but it was hard and full of hatred. "And it absolutely kills me to have to go to the most disgraced man in all of Beneš for help."

"Well then why don't you just go get her?" Locke hissed. What good was a royal guard if they couldn't defend the castle from a band of kidnappers?

"It's not so simple, the princess was taken by a rogue dragon." Felix didn't even allow Locke to recover from the quick reveal as he began to pace to and fro in the narrow alley. "And tradition dictates not even the royal guard can intervene– she was stolen, right in the middle of the night, the only thing left was the princess' list of champions."

Locke began to connect the dots Felix had laid out for him but it was almost too impossible to take in. "Then you're coming to me–"

"Because you were the one on her list." The knight added with a wry smirk.

Locke was again stunned and uncrossed his arms to think. Felix was coming to him now because he was the first, there wouldn't be any other reason.

It really was an intriguing offer, if Locke did succeed he would be raised higher than even a knight's status, he wouldn't become king as it was the princess who would rule, but if he defeated the dragon it brought with it the promises of immense wealth and the princess as a reward herself.

However, that was a BIG 'if'. That's why the princess had a list, in case the first knight wasn't 'worthy'.

This wasn't even a bred dragon like the others, this one was a wild rogue, and likely a strong one to tear into the Princess' tower and take her. That means it would be far more dangerous.

"Come now, you always bragged about your abilities. You can't have changed so much that a little dragon would terrify the great Lailoken." Felix said with a skeptical grin, egging him on when Locke had gone silent. "Besides, declining would bring untold disgrace to you and your family."

Locke chuckled darkly at that, recovering from his brief silence. "Do you think if me and my family weren't already disgraced that I would be in this shit-stained alley waiting for a gutter rat to pay the pittance he owes me?"

Locke placed a hand to his chin thoughtfully, relishing his power in the situation.

"There must be some other more worthy knight to go save the princess. Who's next on her list? Probably the King's right-hand," Locke mused to himself as Felix began to tense up defensively. "Who is it these days? Sir Evreux?"

Locke had always hated the pretentious ass of a noble lord. He would gladly give up the chance at wealth and the princess' hand to see Sir Evreux roasted like the baked lamb of a new-years celebration.

It was interesting to Locke that Felix seemed to feel so strongly towards the princess. Clearly, his devotion was much more than a knight's loyalty by the way he spoke of her.

"Perhaps the princess picked you next?" Locke's grin widened as something inside his former friend snapped. "I'm sure you would love a chance to prove yourself and win the girl's affections."

Felix stiffened up further but a cynical smile spread his lips. "You, I'm afraid, are all there is."

He stopped mid ridicule and stared down at Felix as the smaller knight turned his back on him.

"You were the only name on the list, Locke." Felix glared over his shoulder and Locke could see it had eaten him up on the inside to say it. "You're the princess' one champion. And her only hope."

Although Locke wasn't unhappy that he would be the only contender for the princess' hand, he was not overjoyed either. If Locke declined the princess' list it would likely mean the kingdom would scramble for days, if not weeks trying to find a solution for the rogue dragon. If the princess still lived, she wouldn't have that long.

"You were always the lucky one when we were young." Locke sneered, his eyes unfixed on Felix's back as the royal guard turned on his heal and began to put his silver helmet back on. "Seems that luck runs in my favour now."

"Perhaps, but you're still the fool." Locke heard Felix laugh over his shoulder as the royal guard left the deserted alley. "Think about it at least, Lailoken. Unless you rather keep being the Vaugrenard's glorified messenger boy."