Angry Goose
[Author's Note: I wrote this for the second week of /r/Fantasy's NaNoWriMo short story contest. Once again, I did not win. The theme was a knight battles an angry goose.]
The king sat upon his throne, his face a mask of worry. His eyes brightened a sliver when he saw me enter. I kneeled to him.
“Rise, Sir Galloway,” he said. “I have a pressing matter that requires your unique faculties.”
“Anything, your grace.”
He twirled his beard with his hand. “A drake, Sir Galloway, has taken Princess Ranunculus. He holds her hostage, and demands half my treasury for her ransom.”
I considered this predicament. “A vicious drake?”
“An *angry* drake,” he said. “Please, Sir Knight, rescue my daughter and I shall give you her hand in marriage.”
“I pleasant notion, your grace,” I said. “Consider it done. By your leave.” I left with a bow.
I made my way to the stables to regain my horse. I checked the edge of my sword before riding off at full tilt.
I searched the grasslands for the telltale signs of dragons: smoke, fire, animal carcasses, but found none. I stilled my horse and listened. I heard the gentle sobs of a captured maid: Ranunculus. I led my horse toward the sound.
Soon, we were upon the mouth of a cave. The cries echoed from within, as did the strange sounds of my foe, quite unlike the sounds of any dragon I had previously bested. I pulled a torch from the saddlebag and lit it. Torch in hand, sword in the other, I made my way into the cave’s empty maw.
Deep into the cave I walked. The sounds of the princess and the dragon echoed the corridors, augmented by the sounds of dripping water, batsongs, and gnomish chanties.
I saw her stranded upon an island amid a chthonic lake, but no sign of her captor. I borrowed a jetty, landing upon that distant shore to rescue her.
She embraced me, her savior. “Oh, thank you good Sir,” she said. “The drake is away, but I fear he may return soon.”
“Then we shall be gone when he does,” I said. I carried her to the jetty, propelling us back across the water. Once we touched land, I led her past the winding tunnels of the cave.
When we made it to the mouth, the sounds of the drake echoed from all around. *Honk*, *honk*, *honk*! I turned to face my foe in time to see him wrap his wings, white and feathery around the princess.
“That is no drake!” I said, my heart quaking. “That is a dandered gander!”
I pushed aside Ranunculus, her fair form landing in a spot of heather. I raised my sword to the vile beast and struck. My blow cleaved its chenine head from its body.
I returned to the castle bearing my foe and its folly. I deposited the carcass before the king. He admired my handywork.
“Thank you, Sir Knight,” he said. “Tonight we shall feast in your honor.” A servant carried the carcass away to the kitchens while I looked into the eyes of my betrothed.
“The honor,” I said, “is all mine.”
The king sat upon his throne, his face a mask of worry. His eyes brightened a sliver when he saw me enter. I kneeled to him.
“Rise, Sir Galloway,” he said. “I have a pressing matter that requires your unique faculties.”
“Anything, your grace.”
He twirled his beard with his hand. “A drake, Sir Galloway, has taken Princess Ranunculus. He holds her hostage, and demands half my treasury for her ransom.”
I considered this predicament. “A vicious drake?”
“An *angry* drake,” he said. “Please, Sir Knight, rescue my daughter and I shall give you her hand in marriage.”
“I pleasant notion, your grace,” I said. “Consider it done. By your leave.” I left with a bow.
I made my way to the stables to regain my horse. I checked the edge of my sword before riding off at full tilt.
I searched the grasslands for the telltale signs of dragons: smoke, fire, animal carcasses, but found none. I stilled my horse and listened. I heard the gentle sobs of a captured maid: Ranunculus. I led my horse toward the sound.
Soon, we were upon the mouth of a cave. The cries echoed from within, as did the strange sounds of my foe, quite unlike the sounds of any dragon I had previously bested. I pulled a torch from the saddlebag and lit it. Torch in hand, sword in the other, I made my way into the cave’s empty maw.
Deep into the cave I walked. The sounds of the princess and the dragon echoed the corridors, augmented by the sounds of dripping water, batsongs, and gnomish chanties.
I saw her stranded upon an island amid a chthonic lake, but no sign of her captor. I borrowed a jetty, landing upon that distant shore to rescue her.
She embraced me, her savior. “Oh, thank you good Sir,” she said. “The drake is away, but I fear he may return soon.”
“Then we shall be gone when he does,” I said. I carried her to the jetty, propelling us back across the water. Once we touched land, I led her past the winding tunnels of the cave.
When we made it to the mouth, the sounds of the drake echoed from all around. *Honk*, *honk*, *honk*! I turned to face my foe in time to see him wrap his wings, white and feathery around the princess.
“That is no drake!” I said, my heart quaking. “That is a dandered gander!”
I pushed aside Ranunculus, her fair form landing in a spot of heather. I raised my sword to the vile beast and struck. My blow cleaved its chenine head from its body.
I returned to the castle bearing my foe and its folly. I deposited the carcass before the king. He admired my handywork.
“Thank you, Sir Knight,” he said. “Tonight we shall feast in your honor.” A servant carried the carcass away to the kitchens while I looked into the eyes of my betrothed.
“The honor,” I said, “is all mine.”
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