"Hm, let's try this one step at a time, does that sound alright?" The large reptilian beast spoke patiently.

Sir Albert watched from below with his jaw dropped and his sword hanging loosely from his hand.

"I'm terribly sorry, I just-" the beautiful woman, with her curly black hair looked at the stairs with fear written all over her face and whimpered,

"Its perfectly alright. Fret not, your highness, we shall find a way down." The dragon spoke again.

They were standing in a tall tower in the middle of an absurdly large castle. The tower was near bare, holding on a winding staircase and a single room at the very top. The staircase itself was fairly nerve wrecking thing, circling the inside walls, though lacking any railing, leaving a large, unguarded pit in the middle all the way to the bottom floor.

The dragon was currently gently flapping its large wings in order to fly in the middle of the tower, talking calmly to the princess, who clutched the doorframe of the room with a white-knuckle grip.

"Truly, I do not understand that horrid witches obbsession with leaving people in my masters palace, it's so utterly disrespectful. Master is old, he cannot keep retrieving kidnapped guests from this top tower everytime the witch has her feelings hurt."

Sir Albert's bafflement increased, and he place his sword back in its sheath, declaring the beast to not be of threat to him or the princess.

"Uhm... pardon me!" He voiced hesitantly,

Their attention turned to him, and the princess leaned closer to the stairs to get a good look at him, "Sir Albert! You came!" She said happily, before realizing how close she was to the edge and squeaked, backing further into the safety of the room.

The knights gaze flickered to the dragon nervously as he crept further up the stairs.

"Yes... uh.. your parents- they sent me to... rescue... you?" He asked, uncertain that she really needed saving from his observations.

The dragon nodded in understanding, "Oh that was a very good course of action, though I must ask where your men are, sir?"

He paused, briefly wondering of this was a trick to determine how much of a threat he may be, before deciding to go the honest route.

"I've come by myself.",

The dragons eyes widened, "Why, they must have much confidence in your ability!"

He heard Karina's voice from inside the room, "He's the best knight in the kingdom!" She bragged on his behalf.

"Truly? Well how magnificent, congratulations young man."

He flustered, "Ah, it's really nothing special." He said sheepishly,

"Don't let him fool you Astyick, he's the youngest officer of the ages."

"Modesty is a respectable trait." The dragon commented with a nod.

Sir Albert finally reached the top of the stairs, "Right, well, Princess Karina, let's get you back home." He said, offering an arm for her to hold onto.

She fidgeted anxiously in her spot, much to his confusion.

"She's having a bit of trouble dealing with the... distance of the tower."

"Ah, yes, I forgot about her phobia. Well, this may be a bit complicated then." He said, feeling embarrassed by his own forgetfulness. He'd known the princess since they were children, he ought to have remembered her paralyzing fear of heights. The woman hardly ever even went to the second floor of her own castle.

Karina looked embarrassed, "I'm sorry for being so difficult to you two-" she started, but both knight and dragon cut her off.

"Your highness it's no trouble-"

"Its hardly your fault-"

The group brainstormed ways to get her down. Albert's idea that Astyick fly her down was instantly denied by Karina. They wondered if perhaps the wizard of castle could use magic to deliver her down, the same way the witch had gotten her up there in the first place, but Astyick confessed that their master was far too weak as of late and was not willing to risk his health.

Finally they decided the easiest thing would be to have Astyisk block the open edge while Albert held her hands and slowly walked her down each step. Both dragon and knight kept her distracted with stories and conversation, and though it took absolutely forever, she finally touched the bottom floor, where she instantly collapsed and praised the ground, much to the others amusement.

The all decided to pay the wizard a visit, and Sir Albert and Karina stayed long enough to share tea with the frail man before taking their leave.

They would both return at later times to visit the wizard and Astyisk, as they learned he did not have anyone else and agreed the man was far too polite to be lonely all the time.

Sir Albert also put extra work into hunting down the witch that had kidnapped the princess. One, for kidnapping their royalty, and second, for bothering the poor old man with her viciousness. They had learned she would often place the victims in wards to make it harder for them to escape whilst blaming it on the wizard, and that simply would not do for his new friend.

"how did you even manage to get up here?" I knew if the dragon had hands he would be rubbing his forehead due to how tired he was. Yeah so I am a princess of desertia. I came here along with my people, soldiers and you name it. I wandered off around midnight in my mood of defiance, anger, frustration of closed life and started climbing this beautify tower from the rope hanging from one of its windows. I think I was possessed as I didn't look and entered through this window I am right now trying to get out from. I saw the majestic dragon cleaning itself. He was suprised someone made it their and now I know why.

I was above 20 m from ground. And it was morning. I could see how far I managed to come and needless to say I was proud. But now I am stuck. I can't go out cause I am terribly afraid of falling. It was easy to climb up.

"I think the king has sent someone." Oh gosh that's apart of army. No I can't let them attack the kind dragon but how do I get down. I was frustrated. I pulled up the tope before any of them could realise.

"Dragon you have to do this." "Do what princess, fly again after century." Muttered the sarcastic head back to me. Looking at my eyes he stammered. "Wait, you don't actually mean that. Why did you pull up rope? .... No... No you can't possibly be thinking of tieing it around my neck... Oh gosh no... You could die this tower could fall it would be too risky, no.." I saw dragon shaking it's head and reconciling into the wall.

"Let's do this before they come here. I won't die, nothing will happen. I will hide myself in your scales and everything will be okay. But if the knight reaches here I will lose all my chance to freedom. You give me the biggest chance to be myself, to explore this world, please don't refuse. Hurry, I beg you."

He moved forward but didn't say anything. I slowly put the rope around his neck and tied a basic knot I learned from my maids. I used his scales to climb up and his my face between his neck and shoulders.

"Are you sure Princess?" "As sure as I can ever be." I held on tightly to rope and his scales as he howled to warn the knight and his soldiers. He took off. Neither Indies nor the tower fell. Few scraps did but nothing to hurt anyone. I knew the soldiers saw me riding the dragon and I held my head high to show them the real picture. They didn't have to know how afraid I was, nor would they know if I had my eyes closed.

I opened my eyes after what seemed like minutes and I realised it wasn't fear of falling but rather fear of not having someone to catch me. But today with dragon, I could enjoy the skies and flight of freedom.

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