Shackles was what I’d rather be in right now than walking the distance to my own doom, free as a bird. I could run and it had crossed my mind so many times it made my thoughts go in a repeating cycle of turning my head to run for my life, but my gaze of helplessness fell on the king and it kept me where I was. I had promised him to do this. This was all that he had been planning for since I arrived at the castle of Verlo. Every step closer to the border where Questin warriors awaited was torture, and I knew I couldn't take it for much longer. If freedom was what I was looking for, why was I walking straight to the man that could take my soul away? I turned to the king again, and he wasn't there. Something rose in my thoughts and I couldn't stop. It came as fast and as unstoppable as a storm. Where was he? He was supposed to be walking behind me where I could see him! It was the only thing keeping me, and yet I stayed. I hecticly started looking around for my only glimmer of hope that I had been using as a tool to keep myself set on the one thing that I was obligated to do. I whispered for the king, but no one heard a sound because the gravel under our feet was too loud. My eyes started shifting, and I knew there wasn't much I could do on my own to stop myself from flying away, as a wild animal did. Astra had helped me before. She talked to me and in a second I could go back to the gentle hands of a human. It wasn't as if I feared the dragon that I was. I feared the instincts that would take over me and my fear that could take away everything I was and hoped to be.

              “We’ll take a rest here!” A voice declared, and all the warriors and knights of Verlo sat for a break from walking. For me it was a break of torture, for I could finally take a few steps back, the opposite direction of the danger that I feared. I started pacing as my mind couldn't find rest. I was long due for a rest, but this wasn't the place for it and I sensed it wouldn't be anytime soon. I let my ears show, to stretch them and maybe pinpoint the location of the king, but I was too stressed for that. I found a place behind a tent that one of the men had built and hid there from everyone who was gathering around in a circle to have some food. I curled up in myself, trying to pretend I was a winged beast with scales, for I had to stop the aching of turning back. I was hungry and tired and all I wanted to do was stretch, but I couldn't do any of those and the dread of the war I had to conjure was even more unbearable. Hot tears fell from my lizard like eyes and as one fell, the rest followed like floods. I was just . . . me!

             “Dolos!” the king's voice called, and I raised my head to greet my king. He seemed angry and disappointed and I was the reason. I wiped my tears, but the king's attention didn't seize. “Why are you like this?!” He questioned me without any patience at all. “If you are supposed to be a dragon, why aren’t you standing straight with strength? You have no reason to shed tears!” Oh, but he didn't understand! I was as powerless as he was in this situation, if not even more than him. He was full of hatred and he couldn't see me as a person. 

             “Your majesty, could I ask you a favour, to be near me? I do not want to lose you,” I begged. Although it was anger that came for me from all detections I knew the last thing I should show is any aggression myself. The king stood in confusion, looking down at me. I was a mess, a wreck, and I was scared I wouldn't make it to the border.

             The king addressed me again.“ Why? What is making a dragon scared?” If only I could explain everything in one word, I would, but I was left with a story that was too long to tell.

              “I need a reminder now and then, that your still behind me, it’s just, I’m scared, if they have my staff all they will have to do is bang it twice for my thoughts to be lost and my claws sharpened for they’re coming victory,” I cried. The king looked at me in disbelief. “I’m scared,” I cried louder and a few knights heard me from their group. The king looked at me with an order to stay silent as I kept trying to dry my tears. 

             Sympathy was what made the king kneel beside me and pat my shoulder: “I can do that favour of yours, if you keep the promise you made!” I smiled a weak smile and the king nodded with delight. I will keep my promise! I knew that this would be a nightmare of a walk, but this wasn't enough to stop me, for my promise was to return to my princess.