Everyone told him that it was impossible. So many fearless and chivalrous men went on this too dangerous quest and no one came back. Jake didn't care, he knew he would be the one who succeed. Because his heart and his intents were pure and clear. He would be the one saving the princess, not because he wanted to get something from it, but because she deserved to be free. That was is motto for the whole journey, the reason why he never gave up. She was trapped in this tower for a few years already and the only thought of an helpless person in an isolated far away place was unbearable!
And so there he was, packing everything he might need for this rescue. Some of his close friends tried yet another time to stop him, but his mind was set, it was too late to back off. He travelled all the way to this wild and dangerous forest where it was said the princess was being captive. Those who trapped her didn't chose those woods for nothing. It was said that in the deep of forest lived the most dangerous and vile creatures that ever stepped foot on this Earth. But Jake was ready, he had his beloved sword by his side, his useful bow strapped on his back and a quiver full of arrows and last but not least, his small but deadly knife hidden in his boot. He had trained all his life for this very moment. All those hours spent in the training ground, fighting anyone willing to face him. Once he reached the edge of the forest, he took a deep breath and started walking.
After the first day of this grueling march, Jake found a hiding spot under a fallen tree and set camp there. He was lucking enough to avoid any danger so far and he thanked all the Gods for that. He ate some of the dried meat he put in his bag before leaving with wild berries and roots that he found on his way. It wasn't much but it was all he needed. A small and nutritional meal for the events to come. Because even if he felt thankful for the luck he had today, he knew it would turn sooner of later. He made sure his small camp was safe and he went to sleep.
The next morning, he got woken up by a loud cracking sound not far from his camp. In an instant, Jake was on his feet, ready to fight only to freeze in fear at the sight of this gigantic lizard passing by. He didn't know what this monster was, but he hoped it wouldn't see him. It was ten time his height atleast, and by the way the whole nature went completly silent around it told him this lizard was a really dangerous one. Once it passed by him, he noticed a bunch of various animals on it's back: Birds of all size and colors, some dears and even a young moose. The lizard didn't seem to be bothered by them and a stupid idea came to Jake's mind. It was going into the direction he needed to go... What if he climbed on it's back and enjoy the ride for a while? Jake threw the few things he had out of his bag back in it and ran after the creature, trying to keep himself in it's blind spot. Then again, he was lucky that the monster wasn't in a rush, he even wonder if it was waiting for him sometimes... And he could swear that after he fell because his feet got stuck in a tree root that the monster looked at him. But it kept walking like it didn't see him. Maybe it was only his mind and nerves playing with him. After a few hours of chasing the creature around, it stopped and layed down on the mossy floor of the forest, it's back pressed against a tall tree.Some of the animals walked off of it's back and went on their way,not scared at all by the enormous mouth full of teeth not so far from them. Jake didn't feel confident enough to do the same. He looked around to find a way to get closer without getting caught. He decided to try and climb the tree behind the creature, one of it's long hanging branch wasn't so far from it's back. He could try to take that leap of faith and land on it's back.
Jake highly underestimated the time it would take him to climb this tree. Once he finally reached the low hanging branch, he was out of breath, all his muscles were aching and he was shaking real bad from all the effort. He was trying to keep his balance with a hand on the tree trunk, the branch was quite big, but the wind up here was strong and pushing the branch around and the small human trying to walk on it too. After a few steps, he decided to walk on all fours to help with his balance. Once he reach the middle on the branch, he was right above the lizard's back, finally! But now that he was there, he saw how dangerous and stupid his idea was. The ground was really far under him and if he missed his landing... He shook his head, trying to get rid of all those bad scenarios he couldn't help but imagine. If only the creature could stand up, he thought, that way it's back would be much closer. And just like that, like the faith heard his thought, the monster stood up all straight right under him. Without a second thought, Jake jumped off his branch and hardly fell on the lizard's back, scaring off some of the birds that was still hanging there. Jake rolled on his back and let the lizard carry him farther into this cursed wood.
Jake gave himself a few minutes to calm down before sitting back up and looked around, making sure the beast were going where he wanted. Luckily, it was. He thought about what he just managed to accomplish and he thought it was too perfect... Too easy. He could swear the lizard actually waited for him to jump on it's back before leaving. He could swear he heard it sigh loudly out of annoyance before standing up... He looked at he back of the lizard's head and asked ''Are you helping out, buddy?'' he let out a small laugh when it didn't answer. He didn't know what he was expecting, but he still felt a bit disapointed. Oh well, atleast he was getting closer to the princess and he felt safe on this gigantic creature's back, so that was all that matter. And the slow rocking movement of the lizard's walks was helping him to relax a bit. He found himself laying on his back again, closing his eyes and slowly falling asleep...
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Only to be woken up by the lizard shaking him off it's back. Jake felt himself falling and falling, he screamed out of suprise and fear only to land on a really soft and squishy mossy patch on the ground. He looked up at the lizard and it was staring at him. He held his breath, fearing of what was going to happen next. The lizard came closer and closer until it was only a few inches from Jake. Jake tried to push himself all the way in the mossy spot he was in, to be as far as the big reptilian's face that he could. When the lizard didn't do anything to him, he said in a really high and shaking voice ''Huuh... thanks for the ride?'' The lizard stood back up, did what looked like a smile and ran away at an incredible speed. Jake let out the breath he was only on for so long and laughed loudly. A really nervous laugh that helped him calm down a bit. What the hell just happened? Did this creature really help him? It was definatly a really fast creature and all the time that it was around Jake, it was so slow and gracious... The young man thanked the Gods again for his luck.
He stood back up and took a good look of his surrounding. He was in the middle of nowhere, but when he finished his 180, he found himself in front of a tower. The tower where the princess was trapped in! His scally friend brought him all the way here! He couldn't believe it. He unseathed his sword and walked closer to the tower. He heard about the dangerous way to get to the tower, but he didn't know what was actually guarding the princess so he had to be ready for anything. Traps, monsters, evil wizard... He was now in and it seemed empty. Only cold and dark stones all around him. He spotted a long spiralling staircase that was going all the up to the top of the tower. After a final look around, he took the stairs and slowly climbed. The silent being interupted only by the sound of his own footsteps was making him nervous. If there was any ennemies in there, they all knew he was there by now. He finally reached the top to the stairs and there was a reinforced wooden door in front of him. He grabbed the handle and turned it as silently as possible, it was unlocked. He pushed the door open and he was now in a really luxurious bedroom. Not really what he was expecting, but atleast she was there, the princess, she was sitting in front of the only window of the room. He stood up straight and cleared his throat to get her attention ''Princess?'' she spun around to face him and her face lit up ''You are here to safe me, my knight?''
''I am!'' She stood up and pulled him in a sweet embrace ''Oh, thank you so much, my savior! What can I do to thank you? A kiss perhaps?''
Jake gently pushed her away ''No princess, I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to! Only because I'm here to set you free doesn't mean you have to give me anything!''
''Oh, well, oh sweet of you.'' Jake looked at her with this puzzled look, he could swear she was disapointed that he didn't want her to kiss him. She still came closer and gave him a small kiss on the cheek and took his hand ''Follow me, my knight!''
''Of.. of course, my princess.''
Jake's head was spinning a little, he could hear the princess talking to him and pulling him by his hand but it was all fuzzy and cloudy. They were going down the stairs and she stopped in the middle of it. She pressed one stone on the wall and a hidden door opened. She pushed him inside harshly, the only thing Jake remember is the sight of all those men, all knights or princes, standing in perfectly ordered lines in front of him. The princess then whispered in his ear ''Usually they accept the kiss and the charm start right away and they don't have to see this, but you wanted to be a gentleman and now here we are.... But you will still save me, right, my knight?''
Jake wanted to scream, to run away, what was happening? But his body wasn't listening to his command, he even heard himself say ''Of course, my Queen.'' And he slowly went to join the rank of this charmed army, his eyes slowly getting dull like all the men around him. He could feel himself drifting away, but he couldn't do anything... In the last bit of consciousness he had, he finally understood why no one ever came back from this quest. Not because it was an impossible one, but because the danger wasn't what they were all expecting...
The Queen stared at her army of knights and princes in shining armor. With her last catch, it was now more and completed. She could finally march on any city, she would be able to rull them all. Not only because she had an impressive army, but because the leaders of her ennemies was now in her rank. They were all helpless because she knew everyone over there would hesitate before killing their fathers, their brothers or their friends but her little puppets wouldn't hesitate at all! She faced her army and simply said ''Please, my savior, those city people are threathning my life, save me!''
''Yes my Queen'' They all replied in one voice and they all started walking. The Queen followed them and once she was outside, she climbed on the back of her giant lizard and lead the way to the nearest city. Where her realm would finally begin!