This is the story that the Princess told.
“When the dragon snatched me from Castle town I feared it would kill and eat me but instead it took me in its clutches and began a long flight across the kingdom. I don’t know how many hours it lasted but it felt like days. I was held tightly in the beast's sharp claws and subjected to freezing winds at heights far far up in the sky. How its claws tore and me and it's terrible smoking breath burned my lungs.
If that was all I think I should have bore it well but the beast played games with me. It took me far up into the heavens to where I thought I could no longer breathe the thin air. Then it dropped me. I fell a long way, screaming and waiting for my death but then the monster would catch me again and laugh with its terrible booming voice. It did this over and over with great amusement at my pain and suffering. It laughed and laughed. I was exhausted and eventually it seems I fainted from this ill treatment.
When I awoke I was laying atop a stone pedestal. The air seemed very warm about me and smelled of sulfur. To my astonishment I was clothed in white and I had flowers in my hair. There was a young woman sleeping beside me who was also clothed in such a manner. All around me were the walls of a great cave with a yawning opening on one side. I looked over the edge of the raised platform and saw that the pedestal I lay on was far above the ground with sheer sides so that I could not climb down from it. Below were piles of gold and silver, rubies, sapphires, silk garments, pearls, and many costly things. There were also bones. Human bones and animal bones in the piles of treasures.
Then I saw the dragon. Sleeping amongst the treasures was the great beast. Its snores reverberated through the cavern and a trail of smoke came from its nostrils. The realization of my capture turned my heart to ice and it was some time before I could think of what to do next.
When finally I felt I could move again I decided to wake the young woman beside me and see what she had to say. I admit I felt much comfort for having her there with me and not being totally alone with the beast. I shook her softly but when she opened her eyes I knew immediately that something was wrong with her. Her eyes were not that of a human. Her irises were red, as red as the hide of the terrible dragon.
‘Good morning Princess!’ She said to me cheerily. “How did you sleep? I know you were out late with the master. When he brought you in you were fast asleep. But he brought presents for you. Clothing and jewels and pretty things. I put that dress on you and plaited those flowers in your hair. I hope you like them. I know he does”
In horror I beheld her and finally I asked, ‘Who are you and who is this master you speak of?’
‘I am called Margret, my lady. I once lived in the valley far below in the shadow of the mountain. There I was a shepherdess and of very low rank. But one day the master came and took me away to work in his household. He has given me such important tasks and I love to serve him. Now he has brought me you! Oh we shall be the best of friends’ the girl said. Something about her face was not quite awake, her red eyes did not really see. She spoke as if in a trance.
‘Do you mean to say that the dragon is your master?’ I asked.
‘Yes of course!’ Margret replied, in that too-sweet dreamlike voice, ‘And he is your master now too.’
It was then that I understood that I was to be the property of the dragon. Another pretty thing in his horde of treasures. Later when the dragon finally awoke he told me as such. Grasping me in his claws staring at me with his horrible dark intellect. The woman Margret was under his spell and no longer had will to resist his powers. She fawned after him like a slave and did his bidding. He tried to entrance me too, but I resisted with all my might.
Each day he would leave the cavern to capture more spoils or to steal livestock. Margret would attend to my needs but I could not talk to her. I tried again and again to convince her to help me escape but she was too far gone under his spell.
When the dragon returned he would bring us food and gifts. Margret was always delighted with this but I resisted and did not eat for a long time. Finally my will gave out and I began to eat the food and drink he brought me. Each night he would speak to me for hours, staring at me unblinkingly.
‘Say you love me,’ he would say in his smooth voice. ‘If you say you love me I will let you down off this platform and take you under my wing. I will make you my queen and we shall rule the kingdom together.”
‘The Kingdom already has a queen,’ I said to him through bitter tears, ‘My mother is the Queen and my father is the king, but you will never be king. My father will come back and destroy you.’
For hours he would torment me, allowing me no sleep. His voice would creep into my mind and at times I felt like giving in. But always the thought of my father would strengthen my resolve.
Finally it seemed he grew sick of me and one day he left the cavern for a long time. When he returned he brought another maiden with him, stolen from one of the villages. Her name was Agitha. She was a dear friend to me at first and we spent many days working on trying to escape. She played a silver harp which soothed the dragon and put it to sleep so that we wouldn’t have to speak to it. But eventually she too succumbed to the dragon magic, her eyes turning red. She no longer played that harp after that.
Every few weeks he brought another captive maiden who soon fell under his spell. I tried to save each of them but I could not match the honeyed words that Terranis spoke. Finally when there were seven of us there was no longer enough room for us on the platform. The dragon moved us to a new place in a little room at the back of the cavern. The door was open but he charged the other women with guarding me so that I could not escape. I begged and pleaded with them but they would not listen. Please do not mistake me. I do not blame them for they are under his spell and I dearly hope for their liberation.
One day when the dragon was gone I tried to force my way out but they grabbed me and pulled me back in. When Terranis returned they told him what I had done. He punished me for this by denying me food for many days. He would put me again on the pedestal each night, all alone this time, and spoke his poison words to me for hours. I cannot tell you the distress I was in, having no one behind me and the dragon ever before me.
Finally there came a day when he was particularly angry. He came back to the cavern in a terrible mood. He took comfort in confiding in the other girls and I heard him speaking to Agitha that night on the pedestal.
‘It's that Celtas,’ He said. ‘The so-called king has returned and means to make war against me. But I will show him. I have set up a puppet on his throne’
I cannot tell you how much those words thrilled me. For I then knew that my father had returned and was waging a campaign against the dragon.
The dragon continued fuming at my dear captive sister on the pedestal. He became more and more angry as he talked and smoke and flame roiled out of his mouth and nostrils. It became apparent that the flames were hurting poor Agitha, alone and entranced on the pedestal. I yelled at the dragon to please stop but he ignored me. Finally I took up the discarded harp and began to play a soothing tune my mother had taught me when I was a child. As I played I Iistened to the dragon’s harsh words. They became more relaxed and softer in tone. Finally they became sleepy words like a man on the edge of dreaming. The maidens around me were all more relaxed and several of them had fallen asleep. I felt the spark of hope as I made my plan of escape. I continued to play the harp watching as the cavern became silent except for the dragon's snoring breath. Finally when all were fast asleepI crept slowly out of the room I was held captive in. I was careful not to step on any of the maidens who were my only companions all those dark days. I walked on tip-toe through the treasures of the cavern and right out the mouth of the cave. All the while playing the harp. Neither the dragon nor the maidens awoke. Once I exited the cave I scrambled down the mountain side as quickly as I could and found a place to take cover. When morning came I heard the dragon’s terrible cries of wrath as he searched for me. These past four days I have been sneaking down the mountain ever so carefully in mortal dread that he will recapture me. I have felt terrible pains of fear that he may punish those dear women when he cannot find me. After all this it is to my utter astonishment and joy to meet you all here. For I had thought I was alone in the whole world.”
When the princess had finished speaking Sir Rodrick embraced her again and told her he would protect her with his life. Druis, who had known her since she was a child, lay a hand on her shoulder in admiration. His eyes sparkling with emotion. The men all had tears of wonder and anger in their eyes. They had thought they had been through great troubles and yet the princess herself had shown more courage than many of them. They made solemn oaths to protect her and to destroy the dragon who had so mistreated her.
Then Lord Andras himself knelt before Princess Epona and pledged to return her and her family to the throne.
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