By Hannah Carter
Let me preface by saying I didn’t mean to get cursed into a dragon.
It just sort of happened. When your father wages a surprise attack against a rival enchantress queen, curses are bound to occur.
All in all, I thought my father got off easily. Invade a neighboring country, get a cursed son. It’s the most benign thing she could have done. But… Father doesn’t see it that way.
And I must stop him from doing anything ridiculous before he gets himself killed.
“Prince Albert, contain yourself!” The royal advisor huffs and puffs as he chases me through the curved stone hallway—me, a giant lizard of legendary strength, and him, a geriatric man with arthritis and asthma.
“Randall, please sit down!” Though smoke punctuates every word, my tenor voice is far from intimidating, and Randall doesn’t obey. Not even when my tail accidentally slams into a side table, which breaks with a crack. “Whoops, sorry. But, Randall—think of your knees!”
A maid screams as I rush past, wings pinned to my side. Shrieking, she drops the load of freshly laundered towels and one claw catches on the fabric. My leg slips out behind me and I crash into a suit of armor. It clatters to the ground, and poor Randall trips on the helmet, falling right on his bum.
That can’t be good for his sciatica.
“I’m so sorry,” I call over my shoulder. “Do ice that!”
“Prince Albert, you mustn’t follow your father to battle,” Randall begs. “Something awful may happen to you!”
“I’m already cursed. What else can they do?” As we’ve already established, many things are worse than curses. And I’m afraid one of those much worse things might happen to Father today, with his one-track mind of revenge and whatnot.
With a large leap, I crash through the floor-to-ceiling stained glass window and explode into the afternoon sky.
Though I do wish I had a bit more experience flying.
I flap my wings, but honestly, I’m still not sure of the physics of these things. How do they keep my giant, reptilian body in the air? They don’t—not well—but I somehow break the tree line.
Flap, kick. Flap, kick. I treat flying like swimming, which, I assume, is not how most dragons fly. But most dragons—that I know of—aren’t cursed eighteen-year-old princes… and if they are, they’re more coordinated than me.
The snow-encrusted peaks of Falstorm Mountains lie ahead of me, and I don’t see any soldiers between the woods and the range. And dragons have superior eyesight—we can see for miles. For a prince used to glasses, that’s quite a bonus to this curse. It even corrected my astigmatism.
I cross the Falstorm Mountains in under an hour, and right past the last peak, I see the carnage.
Our armored soldiers swing swords and axes at the enchantress’s army, many of whom are spellcasters. Magic explodes like fireworks all across the valley. A few soldiers have been cursed into pigs, and both sides scream at each other—some obscenities, some “die, you fools,” and some generic grrrahs tossed in for good measure.
Flame rumbles in my chest and pushes into my throat. I swallow it down, but my stomach churns with the worst case of heartburn—quite literally—one could imagine.
It doesn’t matter if Father isn’t one of the slain or cursed. So much heartbreak, and for what? Politics, land, and… me?
It’s all so pointless.
There. Father stands on the far side of the field, engaged with the enchantress. My gray-headed king, battle-hardened but blinded with rage, pit against a blonde beauty, cunning and bent on saving her people.
There is only one way this will end.
And I’m sure no one calculated it would be with a dragon crashing between the two adversaries.
“Look out!” I bellow. The two of them scramble apart moments before my one-ton body smashes into the valley, knocking them—and many soldiers—off their feet.
“Albert?” Father cries. “Go back, son!”
“I can’t.” I spread my wings like arms to keep both combatants separated. “Don’t you see? There’s no good that will come of fighting.” I thump my tail, toppling more people. “Sorry—so sorry!”
“I’m doing this for you,” Father says. “She cursed you!”
“You invaded my country!” the enchantress screams.
“You sent an eternal winter our way!” Father shoots back.
The two bicker back and forth, just like our people have for generations.
“Quiet!” I snort a fireball into the air. “Face it. Our people have been fighting for so long over pointless things.” I stare them both down in turn with my fierce draconic glare. It’s intimidating. I know; I’ve practiced. “It doesn’t matter what long-dead monarch started what. If you both can’t let the past die, you’ll keep exchanging blows until everyone we love perishes instead.”
“But…” Father’s voice breaks. “I lost my son because of her.”
Slowly, I press my scaly forehead against his smooth one. “You didn’t lose me, Father. I’m right here.”
Father sniffs. Lowers his sword. “She cast an unbreakable curse on you.”
“And I forgive her.” I curl my tail around the enchantress and bring her closer to us. “I will not take revenge. Can you agree to a peace treaty?”
The enchantress’s brow furrows. “You… forgive me?”
“Of course.” I let out a puff of smoke. “There are worse things in the world than being a dragon.”
“Oh, Albert.” Father wraps his arms around my muzzle—before he weeps against me.
“The war is over,” I murmur.
Father’s sword clatters to the ground as he addresses the enchantress and any nearby generals. “You heard my son. Call off the troops.”
The enchantress places a chilled hand on my scale, and both sizzle. “And mine, too.”
I smile. Maybe the enchantress can’t break my curse, but that’s okay. Because I know all the good a dragon can do in the world.
After all, there are far worse things to be.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Loved all of his apologizing 🤣🐉
Fun story! Love the uncoordinated dragon.
I like that he keeps his character complete while a dragon.
Great title! Loved the theme of forgiveness!
I LOVE THIS!!! So much heart in this one. Humor without snark. Awkward beasts. A curse with benefits. Great Job!!!
Ahhh! So much to love—the them of forgiveness and acceptant, Albert’s clumsiness while in the castle, how he’s still himself just in dragon body. It’s so good! Thank you for sharing.
Oh yes! And as someone who has worn glasses for like 20 years (since 5th grade), I loved the Albert appreciated his new great vision!
I like the prince’s attitude!
I really love how you used the word “benign” as well as the message of the story! I thought the main character’s situation was very interesting.
The prince, in dragon form, just running into everything gives me strong Hannah Carter vibes! But there are far worse things to be! 😌 Wonderful job as always Hannah!! ☺️
This was brilliant! I love it! :)
I really enjoyed this story! I think we all could use a reminder not to fight over pointless things. Albert is a wonderful character to deliver that message with his adorable clumsiness and good heart.