by Holly Stacey –
A huge fire blazed in the fireplace at the castle’s banquet hall. Valeena sat with her older brother at the head table, just two places away from their uncle, the king. Her plate was filled with delicious roasted things to eat–fireberries, gammon, treacle tarts, and even candied plums. But she didn’t touch them. The king was saying some very interesting things, and she was far too excited.
“I have held a banquet in the hopes of finding a new champion!” the king said. The entire hall cheered. “I now challenge all young men to go out and prove your worth! The best knight who does the best deed shall be my champion.”
Valeena knew that she would make an excellent champion. “Can I try too?” she asked. She’d been so excited about the idea that she called out before the king had even lifted his golden goblet to toast the occasion.
The entire hall of feasters laughed. “A GIRL?” her brother asked, laughing. “A girl champion? You can’t have a girl knight!” And then the jester came out and pretended to be a girl riding on a horse. Everybody laughed even harder.
That night Valeena barely touched her food. She didn’t enjoy the banquet at all and went to bed early.
She awoke the next morning in her purple quilt-covered bed and stretched. The room was a little chilly, even with the warm fire crackling in the fireplace. She needed to prove to the king that girls could be knights too. It was only fair. At the last banquet the king had announced the need for a champion–any worthy young man was allowed to go on a quest. A quest to prove his worth.
Well, maybe girls couldn’t be knights, but they could be knightesses. There was only one thing to do. She was going to have to slay a dragon. It was in all the storybooks, and there had been a rumour going around the kingdom that a very hungry dragon lived in the woods.
It was still too early for the rest of the castle to be up. Valeena put on her thick riding trousers she’d borrowed from her brother’s old belongings, pulled on his large green tunic, and slipped out of the room. Next, she went to the armour room and found a suit of armour to fit her. It was very heavy, but she knew she had to wear it if she was going to be a champion.
“One last important thing,” she said to herself as she smuggled into the kitchens. “I’ll take just a little bit of the cook’s magic cake. Who knows how long I’ll be?” The chocolate cake was a favorite in the kingdom, and because the cook was part fairy, she was able to enchant it with powers. Anyone who ate even just a crumb would have their hunger satisfied. Any extra eating after that was purely for enjoyment. It was VERY tasty cake.
Argyll, her horse, was less than pleased when she sat on her saddle. “You’re far too heavy!” he grumbled.
But Valeena stroked his mane and whispered, “Just think how many carrots the king will give to the horse of a champion.”
That pleased Argyll very much, and he proudly trotted out onto the road with his head held high. They made their way out toward the low hills where there had been some unusual fires of late. Valeena was sure it was because there was a dragon living there. She would defeat it with her lance and be the best champion the king could ever dream of.
****
Meanwhile, a very hungry dragon was on the lookout for food. He had green and purple scales and long black claws with silver spots. His teeth were sharp and his wings were quick. He could snap a knight in half with a mere glance. But there was only one problem. There were no knights to eat. There were only bunnies. Winged bunnies that could disappear when Stomps tried to sneak up on them.
Things were getting pretty desperate for Stomps. Even the swamp fairies were laughing at him. And he was getting so thin his wings were starting to droop. But then one morning something big happened. He heard the echo of a horse’s hooves. Click-clack, tap-tap, click-clap, tap-tap. His pointy ears perked up. A horse usually meant a knight was riding it.
Stomps left his cave happy. He was finally going to eat! He imagined how tasty the knight would be. How crunchy. How spicy (those lances always made his tongue sting a bit).
It was a beautiful, bright day, and Stomps cheerfully made his way to the main road in big, loud stomping steps. He felt so good, he could breathe flames. Belching out fire, he ignited a tree next to him. “Oops,” he said to himself, “I mustn’t give myself away to the knight.”
But when he reached the clippity-clop of the horse’s hooves, something was wrong. Yes, there was a gallant-looking knight on top of the white charger. But it was the long and flowing blonde hair that threw him off balance.
“Maybe long hair is the trend now for knights.” It had been a very long time since one had made its way towards his cave. As he got closer, the knight spotted him (he was, after all, pretty difficult to miss).
“You, there! Dragon! I come in the name of the King to slay you!” shouted the knight in a very high, musical voice.
Stomps stepped back. Something was definitely wrong. He closed his eyes and sniffed. He expected to smell the usual knight’s scent–sweaty, metallic, brutish. But this knight smelt of flowers. After a moment, Stomps knew EXACTLY what was wrong. “I can’t eat you!” he shouted back at her, “I don’t eat GIRLS.” He wrinkled his nose up in disgust.
The knightess turned beetroot red, which made her look even prettier, despite the heavy armour she was wearing. “I taste just as good as any BOY! Anyway, come and try to eat me, I’m here to slay you!”
But she didn’t charge toward him at all. Instead, she looked at his claws.
“Don’t worry, knightess,” said Stomps. “I’m not going to disembowel you with my long, sharp talons.”
“My name,” said the knightess haughtily, “is Valeena. And…” She stopped mid-sentence and pointed at his claws. “Ooh, they’re so…”
“Sharp and frightening,” said Stomps smugly.
“They’re just so… so… PRETTY.”
Stomps swelled with pride. Even his droopy wings lifted a little at her compliment. “Thank you,” he said. “It IS difficult to keep them so glittering when I haven’t eaten in so long.” He looked at her wistfully. If only she were a boy-knight, he’d have no problem eating her.
Valeena looked concerned. “You’re not eating properly?”
“No,” grumbled Stomps. “I’m STARVING.”
****
Now, Valeena just couldn’t slay the dragon. It wouldn’t be fair. He was starving to death, and it wouldn’t be much of a challenge. Besides, she rather liked him. It bothered her he was so hungry. It also meant he wasn’t as scary as the villagers in the kingdom had reported. I wonder, thought Valeena. If I help him, could he help me? The king would certainly love a champion who had a dragon as a friend.
Valeena smiled sweetly at the dragon. “Ah, I just happen to have something here that you’ll love eating. But you’ll have to promise me not to eat any people.” She thought for a moment more. “Or winged bunnies. I rather like those too much to see them get roasted.”
The dragon perked up further. “You’ve got something for me to eat? Is it good for dragons?”
“Yes, and it makes your nails extra shiny, too.” The enchanted cake had loads of vitamins and special goodness in it.
Now the dragon really was interested. Looking pretty was important for a dragon, just as important as it was to eat knights.
Valeena opened a basket and brought out something that looked suspiciously like cake.
“It’s special MAGIC cake,” she said. “The castle cook makes it chocolate, but she can make it knight-flavoured if you prefer. It cures all hunger with just a bite. The only problem is that it tastes so GOOD, it’s difficult to stop eating when you’re full.”
The dragon reached out a claw to take a sliver of cake, but Valeena pulled it back. “First, I need your word that you will not kill people or bunnies,” said Valeena.
“I swear, on my honour as Stomps the dragon… I will never slay another living creature without your permission, IF this cake is as wonderful as you say it is.”
She handed a sliver of cake to Stomps, who took it carefully onto one of his claws. Popping it into his huge mouth he froze, a huge and toothy grin spread across his scaly face. “This cake is far BETTER than any knight I’ve ever munched on!” He started jumping up and down with excitement. “I never have to chase things again!” He blew fire up in the air and flapped his wings with glee.
Valeena laughed, although Argyll looked a bit nervous and stamped his front hoof. “You can have more at the castle if you wish. But…” She smiled slyly, “it will have to be earned.”
“Anything you say, as long as I can get some more of that amazing cake,” said Stomps, his mouth still watering.
****
Two days later…
Once again a huge fire blazed in the banquet hall. Only this time, it hadn’t been started by any of the castle’s fire tenders. It was started by a very happy (and not hungry at all) dragon who had just been awarded the position of co-champion. Valeena was again at the head of the table, but this time she was right next to her uncle, the king.
“Well done, Lady Valeena, you have proved us all wrong. A girl can indeed be a champion!” he said. The banqueters all cheered and clapped.
Valeena straightened her back and smiled. Then she winked at Stomps, who was busy munching on freshly gathered fireberries. His teeth dripped with berry juice as he smiled back.
It was going to be a very good year.
the end.
Question Time
1. What did the king announce at his banquet?
2. What did Valeena decide to do to prove that girls could be knights too?
3. What did Valeena take with her on her quest? (Hint: something magic…. Made by a cook who was part fairy….)
4. What did the dragon promise Lady Valeena so she would give him some cake?
5. Who were named the two co-champions?
