Long ago in a land of tall and green, where merry and ale were the order of the day, men fought, women loved, children grew and became men and women. In the city of Conderun, land to the maidens of snow, dwelled the purest beauty of all of earth realm " Rosabell" far and near many would come at the the season of snow to see her beauty displayed, men would crave her, women envied, but her price was too high, "the head of the black dragon". The very mention of the black dragon, sent cold chills to the most courageous of knights, it was said no sword or spear could pierce its tough skin, and he could melt the Sun with its flames, he dwelled at the top of the deep mountain, bedded by a voluminous sea of silver and gold , but even greed couldn't push a man to this mount of fiery death. The season of snow approached, and like every other year, the maidens of snow would name their price for betrothal, men of valor, riches, science and knowledge would come with their best to the city of Conderun to claim One Snow maiden or two if they could, for they were the fairest of all, and every year maidens were won and replaced, but no one could meet Meriposa insane demand, no one would even dare take the task. Finally the day arrived!!! maidens named their prize, kings, philosophers, and warriors gave great gifts, treasures of rare, sapphires, diamond, everything mother earth could offer, they brought. It was her turn atlast , men listen and waited, perhaps she would change this insane task, "Black dragon" she uttered "They booed and booed, she stared with a coldness, unmoved by them, she sighed "no one again" "I will do it" the whole crowd went silent as everyone stared at the madness that spoke, a rather crooky man he was, he was neither king nor warrior, Son to a blacksmith. She requested he be brought up,
"Who are you ?" She asked,
"Edward Straton blacksmith and farmer" he replied.
"Where are you from?" she asked.
"Katsura, the land of fine steel" he answered.
"Why Did you accept my request Katsura? Does thou fear not death?" She asked
"I do! But death comes to all, we can neither hide or escape it, but what I fear most is dying without ever knowing if I could have lived with one of such great beauty, for even to gaze at you now, I would be dead content! " Left speechless she was!
" Well! I must go now, if am not back by first light then let it be that I breathed my last" he Kahuku said.
Katsura! She called out, "Please do come back! She said smiling" I guess I have you no choice now, as you wish a mildday".
He took his best sword and shield, and rode away. When he arrived at the peak of the mount, the horse got violent and fled in fear leaving without his master. A strong wind blow out from the mountain (the dragon's breathe) he was asleep, Katsura picked his steps all very carefully, he positioned himself to slice its neck clean, gripping tight sword he brought it down upon the dragon neck with all his might, the sword broke and the dragon awoke BAM! he smashed him high onto the wall
Whoossssp!!! Drags himself into a tiny corner inside the cave, where the dragon's claw unable to reach him. The dragon sent forth its fiery flame, although it reached him not, he screamed in agony, as though the flames had consumed him, long after the dragon flew off, perhaps to prey on livestock (a dragons meal). When he was sure the dragon had left, he came out, not to flee, but to do what he had come to do, although fairly skilled with a sword, his true skill was his mind , as a farmer he understood herbs, mixtures of portions, most specifically poisons! If he could lace the dragon feedings with his strongest portion perhaps he could wait out its death or at the least weaken it enough for him to reach its soft spot, for all creatures have an achille's heel, even the mighty dragon. Its throat, where its armory skin was thinest, if he could jam his slinger ( his strongest blade) , he would undoubtedly claim its head.
When the dragon had come back, with but a remnant of his hunting, he had yet to know how he himself was about to be his own undoings, at peck of night, he came out from his heinous cave and stocked the dragons feed with as much " vixen saxous" as he could, this poison most lethal quality was not it potency but its tastelessness, making it almost undetected to the most skilled of rangers, at first light.
Meriposa awoke and ran to the castle gate almost as if she was expecting a guest, he had promised first light, and for some reason she couldn't bring herself to doubt his words. But the gates didn't open, she sighed as tear dropped from her eyes, the gate opened almost as though it wanted to catch her tears, there he was covered in dragon red with his stained slinger on one hand and a sack on the other, Has he approached " she held back herself from showing her joy and relief,
"I see yoooo...." Caught unaware He kisses her, she kissed him back,
"I would slay a million dragon for this moment", as the slayer of dragon the riches of the cave was rightfully his own, and that's the tale of snow and fire, the fairest of maiden, the wielder of fine steel and the slayer of dragon.
The end
