Val followed Isilda to the stables. About fifty steeds stood in their stalls, their coats shining in the early morning light, and not a hair out of place.

“They treat their horses better than their heroes,” said Val.

Isilda found a stable boy and ordered him to outfit a mare that very moment. The kid was, in fact, a black-haired faun, his top half-boy, his bottom half-goat. “A little too close for comfort, having him work with the livestock,” mumbled Val under his breath.

He nodded to Isilda then carried on to where she indicated the baby Bluebacks were held. He wished he had a few coins to tip the boy and keep him quiet, but he’d be lucky to make it out of there alive, gold or no.

A few minutes later, Val stood in front of a large cage whose walls and ceiling were made of stone. Nothing flammable was within reach of the iron bars of the cage. The bars ran vertical and horizontal so that he could look at the Bluebacks through squares a little smaller than his head. The three dragons cocked their heads at the sight of Val. He smiled until the familiar stench of dragon droppings filled his nose. Looking down, he gave a sigh of relief. He’d almost stepped in a clump left just outside the bars.

From his belt, he opened his satchel and pulled out a pinch of dragon nip. The Bluebacks flocked to the edge of the cage. Their nostrils flared and they squawked, threatening to set off an alert. “Easy, easy,” he coaxed.

A swift backhand caught him in the side of his head. He sank to the floor, tried to get back up, but the ground spun, and he could not catch his breath.

“Didn’t take enough of a beating last time, eh? I knew something was up when the dungeon guards reported in to me, dismissed from their posts.”

That thick voice could only belong to one big oaf. Captain Thack.

Val spat the blood out of his mouth. “Real courageous, sneaking up on me.”

“You’ve almost ruined everything. I slave to please the prince. Devoutly serving his father all these years only for the king to fall ill. Now forced to bootlick that brat. I’ll hang if you escape. I’m going to enjoy killing you slowly.”

His vision still blurred, Val got to his feet, fumbling for his blade, but he found a chink in Thack’s stoic demeanor. “So you’ve had to grovel your way to the top like a cowed sod? Pitiful.”

His sword already drawn, the captain gritted his teeth and stabbed. As his opponent lunged forward, Val leaned back and let Thack’s blade and arm pass through the square space between the bars. Before he could recoil, Val struck Thack’s elbow, hearing it crack with a satisfying pop.

Captain Thack cried out and stumbled to one knee. Vaulting off of Thack’s thigh, Val delivered a much-deserved knee to Thack’s jaw. The captain didn’t even make a noise as he slumped to the ground, face-first in dragon dung. Val pumped his fist with a yip.

He patted Thack’s pockets and found a small ring of keys and—what was that? He heard a familiar jingle. “My gold!” he hissed, clutching the bag to his chest.

He located the right key and had the lock open faster than a chastity belt. He swung open the cage and set the dragons free, dropping dragon nip, pinches at a time to lead them out through the open stable door.

Screeching at the saffron morning sky, they flapped their scaled wings and leaped into the air, rising high above the castle spires. Val watched the Bluebacks take flight, and smiled in spite of the headache-inducing knot on his head. Perhaps someday he’d rise above it all, too. He stumbled back to the princess and his escape horse. When he got back to the stall, Isilda, the mare, and the stable boy were nowhere to be found.

Footsteps and a pair of hooves reached Val’s ears. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. A pair of stable doors burst open, Prince Ectar and the stable boy-faun leading a squad of guards appeared, weapons drawn and leveled at Val. The boy raised a stubby finger. “That’s the man.”

Val grumbled. “You warned him! Why—you little rat, er, goat!”

The men formed a circle giving Ectar a ring with which to confront Val, cutting off his escape route. The prince raised his sword. “How did you escape?”

Isilda on horseback charged into the ring, forcing the guards to break formation. “I set him free.”

The prince stammered, “I did not expect this from you. Not at all. You really have fallen for this filthy peasant, haven’t you?”

Isilda shot back, “He saved my life. I owe him, as do you.”

“He must die for his lechery. Men!”

“I didn’t touch your betrothed,” objected Val. “But I did best your man Thack and get my gold back.” He held up the bag of coins. “Wait, I take that back. I did steal a kiss from Isilda, it’s true. Guilty as charged.”

Ectar’s face contorted, his eyes bulged, skin flushed purple with silent fury. His sword blurred as he whirled it lightning quick. Instead of unsheathing his, Val bolted and mounted the horse behind Isilda who kicked the steed into a gallop straight at the guards who scattered to avoid being trampled to death.

“Fight me, you dog,” roared the prince, chasing after Val.

Val guided the horse through the courtyard and to the large gate leading out of the castle grounds. The guards at the gate looked at him curiously. Then above the galloping hooves of his own horse, he heard someone yelling behind him. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw the sky-borne prince pursuing him on his winged stallion and a squad of guards pursuing on foot and horseback. “Close the gates. Close them!” the prince screamed. But by the time they heard the orders, Val and Isilda were already through.

They winded down the trail heading towards the town below the castle. Isilda kept the horse at a steady pace on the straightaways, but when the trail turned back on itself, she had to slow to a near stop to make the turn.

Apparently, the mare was not as agile a horse as Ectar’s pegasus, for he was gaining on them. Isilda cut her own path off the trail, expertly weaving her way between thick trees, ground littered with layers of leaves, holes, and underbrush. The nimble pegasus soared right atop them, mirroring their every move. Val worried about Ectar’s sword, but knew the prince would not attack while the princess rode so close. They broke back onto the trail just in time to exit the forest into the town.

As they approached the town square, the wind from the pegasus battered Val’s hair, it was so close. With a roar Ectar leapt from his flying steed, tackling the dragon tracker to the ground. They rolled into a knotted mess, both gasping from the fall. The prince recovered first, his sword singing as it was drawn.

Isilda circled the horse back around, but Ectar stood between her and Val. “Let him be,” she commanded.

Ectar snarled, closing the gap between he and Val. Val produced his own sword, and together they danced. Both seeking the high ground advantage, they fought their way onto the raised platform, three stocks providing obstacles to put between one another. The one-eyed old man occupying the middle stock had probably never seen half as much action in his life.

They fought long enough for the guard squad to catch up, but the prince held them at bay with a command. “Back, men! Skagg is mine!”

“You know, Isilda is much better at swordplay than you,” grinned Val.

Ectar nearly sliced Val, but only managed to cut through his satchel, spilling much of his dragon nip all over the platform.

As Val parried and tried to make his own attacks, he quickly realized there was no way he would be walking away from this sword fight today. He purposefully put his back to one of the empty stocks. As the prince swung at him, he vaulted over the side of the wooden frame. The prince’s sword caught in the top of the stock, and as he tried to pull his sword free, Val removed the pin holding the stock shut. The force of the prince pulling suddenly made him fall back as the stock opened on its hinge.

Val used this opportunity to taunt him. “Falling on your arse, my prince. It’s a place you belong really. Mostly because you are one.” He twirled his sword in one hand, the other hand on his hip, every bit the cocky fighter.

The prince growled, taking the bait. He leaped up and tried to cut Val in two over the top of the stocks. Val stepped back, causing the prince’s swing to hit nothing but air. His momentum carried him into the stocks. At that moment, Val kicked the stock closed and threw the pin in place. The prince screamed his throat hoarse, full of rage and spitting like a snake, all the while, Val just chuckled.

The guards, seeing their prince bested and in danger closed in, but Val he held the sword just over the prince’s neck. “Ah-ah-ah!” He waved a finger. The guards halted, unsure how to proceed. “Call your men off, Ectar.”

The prince pursed his lips in defiance. Val pressed the blade in until it drew blood.

The prince caved. “Back off, you idiots!”

A crowd of townsfolk gathered behind the guard squad, clamoring as they tried to understand what was taking place.

“Oh, prince,” Val said, “All I did was save your dear betrothed, but you are so insecure that you could not even stoop to acknowledge my good deed.”

The prince glared at him, and if looks could kill, his would have seen Val chopped to bits. “You have done me a great injustice,” said Val in a low voice. “You have left me with no dignity, so now I will remove yours.”