The Soft-Hearted Prince and His Dragon

2 - Sen

I would've guessed the person in front of me was a magician even if I didn't see him do spells before. He had that inquisitive look that made one feel like he saw everything. Like he sees behind my scales, straight into me. It made me restless.

"I want you to know that I had no idea those men were there. They were not with me. I would never hurt you," he blurted out.

"I saw what you did there. Why did you help me?" I asked while trying to take another good look at him. I noticed in front of the cave already how tall he was. His body was slim, and light brown hair fell into his face, slightly curling at the ends. The thick strands seemed almost golden in the candlelight. I wondered if they were soft to touch. Wait, what? I shook my head, disconcerted.

"As far as I can tell, the men were the aggressors there. I'm not gonna just sit back while someone's being hurt," he answered and dusted the dirt off his black shirt.

I wished people's judgment was always as simple and straightforward. "Maybe I snacked on their wives and set their village ablaze." I pushed.

"Did you?"

"Well... no..."

"Do you... you know... eat people?" he asked nervously.

I was sorry I had brought it up. One part of me wanted to pretend to be a mighty, fearless dragon. At the same time, I didn't want to scare this particular man. He did help me, after all. "I don't," I hunched. "Don't tell anyone, though. It would ruin my reputation."

A wide grin spread across his face.

"So you're really not here to kill me and obtain my power for yourself?" I made myself ask again. It was a fair question, given my lifestyle in the past seven years.

A deep frown crossed the man's bushy brow. "No! I meant what I said in front of the cave. I wanted to see you," he shook his head, then raised a hand to it as if he became dizzy again. I almost lurched to go support him but stopped myself.

I was acting ridiculous. So many people went after me every other week. This man said a few nice words, and I was ready to surrender. Was I so desperate for company? I felt a pang of shame.

"You know that the person who hunts me down will not only absorb my powers but also gain the title the Hero of All, right?" I probed further.

"How barbaric," the man sighed. "Although I can't say I'm surprised."

"And, of course, then they will make this place a pilgrimage point—"

"Yeah, I know how these things go," he said, gritting his teeth and rubbing his face wearily. "Dragon hunting is a very fashionable sport these days."

"How come you're not after all that, young prince?"

The golden-embroidered coat of arms on his dark blue cloak suggested he must've been the only son of the Southern Kingdom's king. I couldn't recall his name. A male magician and a prince, I thought. This could hardly get any more interesting. Oh wait, it could—A male magician and a prince who doesn't want to kill me.

He peered at me inquiringly. "As I said, I find it barbaric."

"You might have a good chance for marriage with princess Laura if you defeat me. She's said to be as beautiful as the sun in the sky. Aren't you interested in that?"

"Nope," the man said without a second of hesitation. "I'm not much for princesses," he added awkwardly.

"I see. You prefer simple common girls."

"I'm afraid not," he said, shifting restlessly. "And just to rule it out for you, too, I'm also not uninterested in... ahem, intimacy," he said with a sudden mischievous flash in his eyes. Although his face turned into the tenth shade of red, he seemed to be pretty amused by his own joke.