"This is my favorite time of year!" an excitable teenage girl with flowing blue hair exclaimed as she twirled down the brightly lit castle hallway.

"Please slow down, Your Highness! You're going to..."

"Ack!" The young woman cried out as she smacked into a decorative suit of armor, causing a large clanging sound to ring through the hallway before she flopped onto her backside from the shock of the impact.

"Princess Dawn!" the girl's governess cried out with worry and a healthy amount of reproach in her voice as she lifted her skirts delicately and bustled over to her energetic charge in a lady-like shuffle. She was rubbing her forehead with a light groan as she recovered from her accidental run-in and her governess reached down and pulled on her arm, looking all around her to make sure no one had seen the disgraceful event.

"Your Highness, please get up. It is not at all dignified to be sitting on the floor!" Her governess scolded in a hushed voice and Dawn looked up at her, giving her an angelic smile.

"You are so stiff, Marjorie," she said with a giggle before picking herself up off the floor and brushing off the fabric of her skirt for any specks of dust that might be clinging. "Lighten up a little. It's almost Christmas! There is going to be a feast and then the Yule Ball will be held and I have a beautiful new dress to wear... And it's been snowing since this morning! Aren't you excited to have a white Christmas?"

Governess Marjorie let out a dainty huff of disapproval. Dawn pouted lightly at her before her grin was back and she began skipping down the hallway once again.

"Your Highness you are 18. Please refrain from doing something so childish," Governess Marjorie chided as she walked demurely along behind the princess. Dawn ignored her overly stuffy governess though and hummed lightly to herself, thinking of all of the celebrations to look forward to.

* * * * * * * *

"Oh my darling, you look absolutely gorgeous!"

Dawn turned around to give her mother, the queen, a wide smile. She turned slowly to show off the luscious cream-colored dress. The skirt looked to be made up of thousands of feathers flowing down from her waist while the thick cream fabric covering her torso was dotted with beautiful rhinestones crafted in the shape of feathers and her long sleeves ended with a short cuff of the softest downy feathers Dawn had ever felt.

"If only you had wings you would look just like a swan," the Queen said with a wide smile. Dawn laughed, bending over slightly so that the maid who was resting a delicate white tiara on the crown of her head could position it better.

"Thank you, Mother. You look like a present," Dawn said with a giddy giggle. Her mother's dress was made of a gold-colored fabric and featured an ornate bow on the back that flowed all the way to the floor. The duo shared a quiet chuckle as the maids finished their final touches on Princess Dawn's elegant updo before they made their way arm in arm to the grand hall.

After the feast finished off with the most stunning sugar sculpture of a rearing pegasus being presented, Princess Dawn led everyone into the ballroom. The air was alive with the sound of happy music and everywhere you turned gorgeous colors popped out from the guests extravagant outfits.

Princess Dawn had just accepted a dance from the elderly ambassador of the kingdom next to hers when a sudden crash sounded from the ceiling. Laughter and conversation turned to confused muttering and the occasional yelp of fear as several more crashes could be heard from the ceiling high above the party attendants. The elderly ambassador turned and, as if to shield the princess, held his arms out to keep her from leaving his side.

Shrieks of fear followed the sound of splintering glass and the princess's eyes widened as what looked like a deep purple tail retreated from the window it had just shattered. The room was now in a panic as the nobility dashed to the other end of the dance hall as several more windows were smashed through by the massive tail. The ambassador pushed the princess as if telling her to flee the room with the other nobility. She, however, ducked under his arm, hiked up her feathered skirt and dashed through the chaotic crowd towards the raised dais where her mother was watching everything with a look of calm regality.

"Mother!" Princess Dawn cried out, but her voice was drowned in the panicked yells of the people around her. Several elbows thrust into her side as people pushed towards the exit, but Dawn grit her teeth and continued forcing her way against the flow of people.

When the last window had been smashed and Dawn was beginning to feel the chill of the winter air, she turned and gasped as a large yellow eye set in a scaly, reptilian face glared through one of the windows. Several people screamed in terror as the word "Dragon" began to circle the guests who hadn't yet fled the ballroom.

The glowing eye retreated from the window and slowly a clawed paw with wickedly sharp talons stretched through one of the smashed windows and rested on the ballroom floor with its lighter purple palm facing up as if it was a beggar asking for spare coins. The screeching sound of nails against a chalkboard rang out as the Dragon shifted its hold on the outside of the castle and brought its massive eye to once again look through the gap of a different smashed window.

"I require a princess," a deep voice that seemed to cause the air to shiver bellowed from outside, cutting through the noise of the chaos in the ballroom as easily as a knife through butter. All of the nobility still in the ballroom froze at this declaration and hundreds of eyes turned to search out Princess Dawn.

The Queen took a step forward and the dragon's yellow eye shifted to look directly at her. Her opulent gown swished around her as she walked calmly to the edge of the dais and leveled a glare at the beast.

"We have no princess to give you, Dragon. Leave before you start a war you will not wish to wage," the Queen said with steel in her voice and incredulous whispers began flying through the nobility who had been frozen with fear at the appearance of the dragon's giant paw.

"Do not lie to me, puny human," the dragon's deep voice growled as his palm turned down and he gouged four huge grooves into the stone floor beneath him. Several cries of despair could be heard but everyone was too terrified to move as the dragon once again rested his paw on the ground with the palm facing up. "I do not like the taste of humans, but I promise you will lose hundreds of your people before you come close to defeating me. I require a princess, and if she fulfills her task well I will return her to you without harm."

The Queen narrowed her eyes and folded her arms.

"Forgive me for not believing the word of a dragon who destroyed my ballroom," she said testily.

Several gasps came from the crowd as people moved slowly out of the Princess's way. Princess Dawn was holding her head high, her tiara shimmering radiantly in the torchlight, a stark contrast to her deep blue hair and pale skin. Her posture was perfect and just as her mother she betrayed no fear of the massive beast in front of her as she moved steadily through the crowd.

"Do not move another step," the Queen commanded, holding her hand out towards her brave daughter, but Dawn ignored her mother and continued moving forward.

"Your Highness, you musn't!" the strangled gasp of Governess Marjorie came from the far side of the crowd, but everyone else was silent as they watched their princess walk up to within three feet of the massive dragon's clawed paw.

"You promise you will not harm my people?" Dawn asked, her voice firm and unyielding even as a harsh winter wind blew through the smashed windows and ruffled her feathered skirt.

"You cannot trust this beast, Dawn, get away from it!" the Queen barked out, swiftly descending the stairs and marching towards Dawn. A scaly tail rushed through another open window and slammed onto the ground, causing the crowd to jump in fear and blocking the Queen's path to her daughter.

"You have my word, Princess," the dragon growled from within his throat.

"And you will return me once I have fulfilled your request?" Princess Dawn asked, shivering as the wind flew in hard and began to extinguish several of the torches lighting the room.

"Yes." The dragon answered simply before extending his paw the last few feet between them.

His talons were nearly four feet long and had been proven to be wickedly sharp, so it was no wonder that Dawn looked at the extended paw with trepidation. Ignoring her mother's commands to not sacrifice herself like this, Dawn reached out a trembling hand towards the talon closest to her while gathering her feathered skirt in her hand. Taking a steadying breath, she steadied herself against the talon and stepped into the middle of the large dragon's palm. The dragon began to move as soon as she had alighted. She stumbled, collapsing on her hands and knees in the middle of his gigantic paw and the dragon's talons closed around her as if closing the doors of a cage.

"Dawn, no!" the Queen cried out, sounding truly terrified for the first time.

The princess reached a hand through the space between two of the dragon's talons to wave reassuringly to her mother before she was pulled out of the ballroom and into the freezing night arm. A cacophonous roar rang out above Dawn, causing her to slap her hands to her ears to try and block the horrid sound before she felt the dragon jerk away from the castle and fall towards the ground.

For a split second Dawn thought her life had come to an end, but then she felt the dragon level out and speed away impossibly fast. She watched as the castle with all its Christmas decorations faded into the night. The air up in the sky was bone-achingly cold and Dawn was soon huddled in a ball, pressing herself firmly against the Dragon's scaly palm to try and siphon even a trickle of warmth from the reptile. She was shocked when she felt her living cage move though.

She couldn't help a squeak of fright as the dragon shifted his palm, causing her to tumble over slightly as he pressed her up against what appeared to be a massive chest plate. Just when she was wondering if he was planning to drop her, a strange humming sound began and the dragon's chest slowly began to turn an orange color and emit a wonderful warmth. Deciding she would rather accept her kidnappers kindness than die of frostbite, Dawn cautiously moved over to press herself against the gently glowing scales in front of her and felt her body relax.

She could not see anything with him pressing her up against his chest plates, but she was surprised that not too much time had passed before she felt their direction change. After what felt like an incredibly smooth descent, the sound of the dragon's hulking body landing on ground jostled Dawn away from the warm plate to fall against his scaly palm. The dragon did not attempt any conversation as he walked jarringly forward, still holding her pressed against his chest which was the only source of warmth around her.

As the dragon hobbled along on three legs Dawn was jerked to and fro and she wondered what a dragon could possibly need a princess for. She had heard the tales of the mighty beasts that had ruled the world hundreds of years ago, but the only dragons she had seen in her life were the small ones that only the bravest of soldiers would battle in the mountains to tame and ride like horses. They could blow a weak blast of fire and fly short distances, but they were nothing compared to the monster that had her captive.

Dawn squeaked in surprise when the dragon slowly moved his paw away from his chest, exposing her to the chilly air of what appeared to be a massive cave of some kind. A serene pool of water was located in the back of the cave and had a steady trickling waterfall flowing into it that dripped down from a crack in the ceiling. The rest of the cave was covered in massive pelts of fur that looked incredibly luxurious and soft but slightly eerie at the same time.

As she continued to silently observe her surroundings, the dragon reared his head up and let loose a blast of fire from his open mouth. The gushing flames lit dozens of gigantic torches positioned around the cave and caused the room to become as light as a summer's day. Dawn's heart slowly stopped racing from the terror of seeing the massive flamethrower display, but she had to admit that the cave looked much cozier with the light.

The dragon lowered his paw that she was curled up in and gently tilted her so she could slide out and land on the firm ground. Her knees gave out though and she collapsed onto the ground, digging her hands into the soft fur rug beneath her to keep herself from falling on her face. Taking a second to compose herself, she then cleared her throat and looked up, and up, and up, until she could look at one of the dragon's glowing yellow eyes.

"Why have you brought me here?" Dawn asked, pulling on all of her mother's training to remain calm and dignified as she addressed the hulking beast in front of her.

This was her first good look at the dragon and it was taking quite a bit of self-control in order for her to remain calm. It's sheer size was intimidating, it looked to be twenty feet tall with every inch of it covered in gleaming scales. Two horns were sprouting from the crown of its head and spikes marched their way down its spine all the way to its powerful tail.

The dragon looked down at Dawn without emotion in it's reptilian face and Dawn was having to fight to not squirm with impatience as the awkward silence continued to stretch between them. Finally the dragon turned away and began walking carefully over top of her, making his way to a corner that had an even thicker layer of fur rugs and blankets that looked like a nest of some sorts.

The dragon settled into the nest of furs and breathed out from his nose, causing plumes of smokey steam to raise up from his nostrils. Anger began to boil inside of Dawn and she stood up on only slightly wobbly legs and marched over to her captor.

"Excuse me, but you promised you would take me home when I did what you required of me. So please tell me what you need so I can go back," Dawn said while folding her arms and glaring at the dragon's closed eye. He slowly opened one eye to look at her and she could feel her throat tighten with fear, but she forced herself to remain firm.

"You're a strange one," the dragon sighed, letting out a faint smell of campfire smoke. "Most princesses are begging me not to eat them by now."

Dawn flinched slightly but then frowned and planted her fists on her hips. "You're the one that needs me. Why should I be afraid of you eating me?" she asked with a huff, and a rumbling sound began emanating from the beast, which she thought might have been his version of a chuckle.

"What if I lied?" the dragon asked with an odd glimmer in his eyes and he slowly raised his head from where it had been resting on his front paws and brought it closer to Dawn. She flinched when he pulled back his lips to flash his fangs at her, but she stubbornly stood her ground.

"You didn't," she responded firmly, glaring into the massive eye she could see with annoyance. "You could have destroyed the entire castle if you wanted, but you didn't. So just tell me what you need me to do and take me home. Mother will be worried."

The dragon closed his mouth, hiding away his ferocious teeth and his head retreated back to rest on his paws as he let out another sigh. Dawn yelped when his long tail slithered up behind her and prodded her forward until she was sitting on the edge of his plush nest and he trained his other eye on her.

"I haven't always been like this," the dragon started, never taking his eye from Dawn's small figure. "I was once as human as you are. When I was young I trained to become a knight, but I was strong and power-hungry. I did not wish to swear loyalty to the pompous royalty that reigned at the time. So I went off on my own and became a black knight. I gathered followers, waged wars, and actually managed to take down the royal family and make myself king."

Dawn's eyes were as wide as saucers as she listened to the Dragon's absurd tale. She could hardly believe it was true, but she found herself intrigued and she remained silent as he continued his tale.

"Turned out that being a ruler was incredibly tedious," the dragon said with an annoyed growl. "So I left someone else in charge of the daily tasks and began expanding my territory. No matter how hard they fought, my men and I would eventually prevail. I felt invincible. But also frustrated, since I could never seem to feel satisfied even with all my land and riches."

The dragon's large eye was covered for a moment as he blinked and slowly turned away, gazing out in front of him before he continued his story.

"One kingdom I had plans to overtake was smart though. They hired a witch to try and stop me." Dawn's eyes widened at this plot twist and she thought of their own court mage that was one of her mother's greatest confidants and supporters. It was rare for someone to be born with the gift of magic, and it actually set their kingdom apart that they had an official court mage. It was considered vulgar to call them witches or wizards though, and Dawn nearly reprimanded him, but he had already continued with his story.

"Apparently the witch had a mean streak though. Instead of killing me or making me incapacitated, she transformed me into a dragon and let me loose on the world."

Dawn gasped and glanced over at the end of the dragon's tail that was lying motionlessly behind her. She pictured it smashing through the ballroom windows and didn't even need to imagine how much damage his powerful fire breathing could create.

"Honestly, at first I loved it," the dragon said with what sounded like deep regret in his voice. "I had always wanted to be the most powerful man in the world, and now I literally was the most powerful creature in existence. I went on a rampage. I destroyed cities, laid waste to armies that came to kill me...There had never been a time that I felt more powerful."

A slow smile quirked up the edges of the dragon's lips and Dawn gulped at the terrible admission. His smile soon turned to a frown though and when the dragon turned to look at her she was shocked to see that he actually looked remorseful.

"It only took a few years though before I started realizing that now that I was undeniably the strongest being in the world... I still felt empty." Dawn watched the dragon force the words through his scaly lips with shame and frustration evident in his voice and she realized that she was actually beginning to believe him.

"I hid away for a few years until the people thought I had been killed before I went and searched for the witch that had cursed me. I asked her to change me back and she laughed wickedly, telling me I had been a fool to seek for power without wanting to actually use it. But she told me that the only way for me to turn back into a human was for a human princess to willingly bring me a cup of water from a special fountain that negates magical spells."

"That's it? That seems easy," Dawn said with a tilt of her head. The dragon let out another rumbling chuckle and smoke lazily curled from his nostrils as he raised his head from his paws to look at the plucky princess head-on.

"You'd think so. Unfortunately the witch meant it when she said 'willingly'. I've brought dozens of princesses to the fountain and drank nearly as many cups of water, but it never worked. I figured that the witch had just been pulling my leg and that there was no way for me to go back to being human, so I gave up. Years turned into decades, decades turned into centuries. I honestly don't know how long I've been like this, anymore," the dragon said, sounding tired and lost.

Dawn was shocked when her heart tugged with sympathy for the dragon. She tried to tell herself that was ridiculous. Afterall, he had admitted he had been a power-hungry tyrant that had destroyed countless people's lives... but looking at him now and the despondency that was causing the proud creature to look shriveled with exhaustion made her sadder than she could even describe.

"I... didn't know dragons could live that long," Dawn said, not sure what else to say to pierce the melancholy silence that had descended. The dragon gave a half-hearted smirk and tilted his horned head.

"My species of dragon is practically immortal. The only thing that can kill us is being fatally wounded. Most live a millennia and then just fall asleep somewhere deep in the heart of a mountain. As far as dragons go I am still young... but I am tired of living this life. I decided that I would try one last time to turn back into a human, and if it didn't work, then I will just go to sleep."

"If you turn back into a human... will you be an old man?" Dawn asked after the silence had once again lasted for an uncomfortable amount of time. The dragon looked down at Dawn and his scaly lips pulled back in a sad smile.

"I don't know. But if I am, at least I will die in my true form."

Dawn's heart clenched at the morbid thought and wondered just how lonely he must have felt all these years. Glancing behind her at the large, scaly tail that was still curled up behind her, she slowly reached out and rested her hand on the edge of it. The dragon didn't move from her touch, but he gave her a suspicious look as she turned up to meet his glowing eyes.

"Do you promise not to try and conquer kingdoms if you turn back into a human?" Dawn asked firmly. The dragon blinked down at her and let out a rumbling chuckle.

"Those days are long behind me, little Princess. All I want is to eat a Christmas pasty and watch the snowfall in the main square," the dragon said with a peaceful longing in his expression.

"Wait... our main square? You're not saying..." Dawn's eyes went huge and she pressed her hands to her mouth as one of her history lessons about the great kings of old came to her mind. She blinked up at the dragon and recalled a tapestry of a knight in black armor leading an army forward.

"You're... King Paul?" Dawn choked out, completely shocked that her history, who had painted him as a conquering hero who died gloriously in battle, had actually been a power-hungry tyrant transformed into a dragon because of his bloodlust.

"Yes. The castle you call home was the very first that I overthrew and took for myself. I grew up in those halls centuries ago as a squire to a pathetic excuse of a knight, but I grew to love the city and when I had gathered enough men to follow me I claimed it as my home. It's the only place I've ever truly felt happy."

Dawn blinked up at the dragon, realizing just how old he really was and what a huge part he played in her own life growing up as a descendant of the man he had left in charge as he continued his crusade to expand their kingdom. Feeling slightly dizzy from putting all of the pieces together, she heard a slightly gentler chuckle coming from the dragon's throat and he lowered his head to rest on his crossed front paws once again.

"I flew a long way to get you, Princess, and I am tired. Rest now. Tomorrow I will take you to the fountain and we'll see if the witch really was telling the truth." Dawn cocked her head to the side as the dragon closed his heavy eyelids and she felt herself frown.

"Why were the other princesses unwilling to help you?" Dawn asked, crawling through the furs to come closer to the dragon's massive side.

The dragon opened one eye just a slit to look at her before puffing out a breath of smoke-filled air from his nostrils."They were all too scared to listen to me. Between their crying and screaming and begging me to let them go, I basically just ordered them to give me the water. You're different in that way, Princess. I've never met a human to be so open to speaking with a dragon as if you were my equal."

Dawn felt herself blush slightly at the odd compliment and she shrugged before slowly crawling over closer to the dragon. After working her hands through one of the layers of fur blankets she lifted up the edge and snuggled down underneath it, curling her back up against the dragons side where a gentle heat was emanating from wherever his fire was created.

"I hope you can become human again," she said quietly before she lost herself to sleep.

* * * * * * *

The next day Dawn found herself once again pressed against the dragon's warm chest as he flew them to the fountain. The dragon had gifted her a thick cloak to keep herself warm, but she was still grateful for the warmth that bubbled underneath his scales and kept her toasty throughout their cold journey. When the dragon landed, jolting her slightly within his huge paw, she looked down at the special chalice the dragon had given her. It wasn't much bigger than a normal ale tankard, but it was made of what looked to be gold and had an interesting lid that sealed it completely shut once it was latched onto the side.

The dragon slowly extended his palm and tipped her out so that she could slide to the snow-covered ground. She landed easily, grateful that he had also prepared fur-lined boots for her to wear, before looking up at the dragon's immense body.

"You're sure this will be enough water?" she called up to him, holding up the comparatively small container. The dragon nodded with a small smile and made a shooing motion with his paw towards the forest that stretched in front of us.

"Stop questioning your elders, Princess. Just follow that path to the fountain and bring the cup back. Then I'll take you home."

"You'll take us both home," I said with a smile up at the dragon. He blinked at me and then cautiously nodded, looking away slightly and causing Dawn to frown. She could tell he didn't want to get his hopes up, and even though she didn't know him very well, she felt a strange connection to him.

"Don't worry. You'll definitely turn back into a human and I'll make sure you get the biggest Christmas pasty you've ever seen." The dragon looked over at her with a confused look but when his rumbling chuckle began to sound Dawn couldn't help but smile.

"Sure, sure. Don't get lost, Princess. I can't fit through those narrow trees to save you," the dragon said with a teasing grin, smoke swirling between his teeth. The look would have been menacing yesterday, but now Dawn just turned her nose up in an exaggerated huff and began marching towards the path in front of her. She paused before she walked through the trees though and turned back to look at the dragon.

"You know, my name is Dawn. You don't have to keep calling me Princess." The scaly skin above one of the dragon's large eyebrows raised up in a look of sarcastic dissatisfaction and Dawn suddenly found herself being prodded forward by the tip of his tail.

"Whatever. Just get going so we can get back before Christmas is over with."

Dawn turned away to hide her smile and walked forward obediently. She was surprised that the dragon's tail continued prodding her forward even past the line of tree and it wasn't until he couldn't stretch his tail any further that it began to shrink away. Feeling oddly lonely, Dawn turned around and caught the tip of his tail in her hand. It immediately stopped and Dawn stood there, looking past the tree limbs to see the outline of the dragon watching her. She didn't think he could see her through all of the trees, but she smiled anyway and squeezed his tail in her fingers before letting it go and turning to continue her journey.

The forest was oddly silent and the deeper she went the creepier things appeared. Soon Dawn was speed walking down the snowy path, clutching onto the golden chalice like a lifeline. After what felt like forever, she heard the trickling sound of water and she let out a sigh of relief before rushing forward.

Dawn stopped as the path opened into a small clearing and her mouth dropped open in shock at the ornate fountain in front of her. It was made out of glimmering white stone that made the snow around it look grey in comparison, and there was a gorgeous statue of a swan about to take flight raising its beak up to the sky and spurting out water to drip down into the fountain below. She didn't know how the water was still liquid with how cold it was, but not wanting to spend a second longer in this forest than she had to, she quickly unlatched the chalice and held it under the stream of water coming from the swan's beak.

It filled quickly and Dawn carefully latched the lid, shaking it upside down to test its seal. When she was satisfied that she wouldn't lose a drop, she gazed once more at the beautiful fountain before turning and swiftly making her way back to where the dragon was waiting for her.

A strange thumping sound came from the path ahead of her and she slowed as she peered through the trees to see what was causing the noise. A scale encased leg passed the opening of the path and a few seconds later another one followed it. Dawn blinked as she watched the dragon's tail swish past the entrance of the path and then a few moments later his leg was visible through the opening coming from the opposite direction. Dawn smacked a hand against her mouth as she tried to stifle her giggles.

"A dragon that paces? There's a sight I never thought I would see," she thought to herself with a grin before slowly creeping forward. Once his hind leg had passed the opening she waited for his tail to swoop by and she pounced, landing on the non-spiky end of his tail while holding the chalice close to her side.

The dragon let out a short burst of fire and swiveled his head, lifting his tail a few feet from the ground and glaring down at her while baring his teeth before realizing who it was. Dawn gave him a teasing smirk and he let out a long sigh, releasing a cloud of billowing smoke that curled up his face and past his horns to join the clouds far above.

"You very nearly became a crispy strip of bacon, Princess," the dragon growled with annoyance but Dawn just kicked her feet in the open air and gave him an angelic smile.

"Where's your sense of humor, old man?" she asked him, not being able to hide her gloating grin.

The dragon narrowed his eyes and Dawn yelped in shock when he suddenly launched her from his tail and sent her flying into the air. She clutched the chalice to her stomach and closed her eyes, but soon landed in the dragon's waiting palm. Her breath was coming out in panicked gasps when she looked up to see the dragon giving her a wolfish grin.

"I thought we were having fun, Princess? What's got you so scared?"

Dawn turned over to her back and threw her arms out so she could get control of her breathing. As her heart slowed down a wide grin split her lips apart and soon she was laughing. As Dawn laughed the dragon's smile softened and he curled his toe talon over and rubbed Dawn's stomach with the blunt side, causing her to laugh even harder and swat ineffectively against it.

The dragon chuckled and pulled Dawn over to rest against his chest where he triggered a slow burn inside him to warm his chest plates and give her a makeshift heater. Dawn rested her back against the warm scales and held the chalice filled with magic-negating water on her lap as the dragon took off without notice.

Dawn was almost shocked when she could feel their angle change and they began to make their descent. She could hardly believe that not even two days had gone by and the dragon was already returning her home. To her surprise, a mix of emotions that included sadness flowed through her as she felt the dragon beat his wings several times to level himself out before gently touching down on three legs.

Neither the dragon nor the princess moved for several seconds after he had touched down. Silent moments passed as Dawn leaned against this massive beast's chest who had taken her away only yesterday, and yet now she felt as if she had found a true friend in the intimidating creature.

The dragon slowly moved his paw and Dawn reluctantly crawled forward so she wouldn't slip between his chest and his palm. Soon Dawn had been gently deposited onto the ground and the dragon slowly sat down and brought his face close to her.

"Your home is just down the hill from here. I'm sorry I didn't get closer, I just didn't think they would be very welcoming if they saw me," the dragon said with an awkward frown and Dawn chuckled.

"Probably not. Are you... ready to drink this?" she asked while hefting the chalice up in her hands.

Without a word he carefully set his head down directly in front of Dawn and opened his mouth. Dawn blinked at the large black tongue that oddly had spikes dotting the entire thing. She blinked and jumped when all of the spikes suddenly laid flat and it looked like it was now covered in black scales. Dawn glanced to the side so she could meet the dragon's eyes with her own wide ones and she could see a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"How else did you think a dragon's tongue wouldn't get burnt by its flames?" he asked with a smirk, closing his mouth again as he smiled at Dawn's shock.

"I've... never really thought about that before," Dawn said with her head cocked to the side. The dragon let out a rumbling chuckle before he released a pent up breath and opened his mouth again.

Dawn unlatched the chalice's lid and looked at the mouth that was easily big enough for her to fit inside before moving the chalice towards it. Before she dumped the water in though she paused and leaned over to glance at the dragon's eye.

"Hey," she said awkwardly, holding the chalice carefully so she wouldn't spill. "Even if this doesn't work... will you still come to visit me every once in a while?"

The dragon snapped his mouth closed as his eyes widened while they stared at each other. He moved his head up slightly to turn and look at her more head-on and she could see a confused frown on his face.

"I don't think your mother would like that," the dragon said awkwardly and Dawn grinned up at him.

"Are you afraid of my mother?" she asked with a playful grin and he immediately frowned.

"Of course not..."

"Then don't worry about it! I'll explain things to Mother. It's not like you actually hurt anyone. She'll understand." The dragon gave Dawn a dubious look and then replaced his head on the ground.

"Let's see what happens and then we can decide," the dragon said noncommittally. Somehow Dawn knew that was the best she was going to get though, so this time when the dragon opened his huge mouth she carefully reached past his sharp teeth and poured the water in as far back as she could go.

Dawn swiftly moved back from the dragon so he could close his mouth and swallow the comparatively tiny amount of water. She held her breath waiting for something to change, but several minutes passed without any changes. Dawn's grip on the chalice slackened and she slowly let her arms fall to her sides as she gazed sadly at the dragon, whose eyes were closed and his face betrayed no emotion.

Not knowing what to do, but wanting to express her sorrow in some way, Dawn slowly crunched through the snow to stand next to the dragon's cheek. With his eyes still closed, Dawn reached out and leaned against his cheek and began slowly stroking his deep purple scales.

"I'm sorry it didn't work, Paul," Dawn said, whispering his name for the first time.

The dragon's eyes flew open in shock and he pulled away from Dawn so swiftly she fell forward onto her hands and knees in the snow. Before she could reprimand him though, her own eyes widened as she saw that his whole body was glimmering. Dawn watched in stunned silence as the blue glow intensified and his body began to change.

Before her eyes the majestic dragon began to shrink, going from his 20-foot tall figure to less than seven. His scales shrank and slowly melted away, revealing pale skin underneath and his face became less serpent-like and more rounded like a human's. Bit by bit his features changed and Dawn couldn't even think to move from her crouched position in the snow as her friend finally stopped glowing.

Blinking dully, Dawn's eyes went up and down the man in front of her that looked nothing like she had expected. Instead of the hunched and gray old man she had been anticipating, a tall and surprisingly muscular man wearing casual pants and a leather jerkin stood in front of her. His shoulder-length purple hair was lighter than his dragon's scales had been but his deep eyes, which he turned down to look at her, were exactly the same color.

The two gazed at each other in shocked silence, until Dawn's mouth opened. "You've aged well..." The two continued staring at each other until Paul's human lips suddenly split into a wide grin. He reached down, scooped Dawn into his arms, and twirled her around energetically.

"It worked! You saved me, Dawn! Thank you." Dawn was shocked to feel her cheeks heating up with a blush when she heard the dragon's voice coming from this strange man hugging her and she circled her arms around his shoulders to hide her reddening cheeks from his view. He continued twirling her until Dawn became dizzy before he gently lowered her to the ground and gave her a wide grin.

Still unable to keep herself from blushing, Dawn looked down and took one of his hands into her own before turning towards the path that would lead down the hill and back to her home.

"Come on then. I promised you a Christmas pasty and the clouds look like they are just waiting to let loose some snow!" Dawn was pulled to a halt unexpectedly though as Paul gripped her hand and stood firmly where he was. She turned back to look at him and he gave her a somewhat guilty look.

"Don't you think you should go home first so your mother knows you are safe?" he said quietly and Dawn's cheeks finally stopped burning as she mulled over that question.

"I'll just send a messenger to let her know. The best pasties are at Milicent's Bakery in town and her shop is right in the main square. It'll be perfect to stop there on the way to the castle," Dawn decided with a carefree smile before wrapping Paul's human hand in hers and pulling on him. He cautiously followed after her, reveling at how different the world looked now that he wasn't 20 feet tall.

Dawn pestered Paul for stories of what the kingdom had been like back when he was a child, which he reluctantly responded to. Before either of them realized it, they had reached the outer wall of the city surrounding the castle that Dawn called home.

Neither of them had mentioned their entwined hands, nor did they pull away even as they walked through the gate, much to the guard's shock. Dawn requested the guard to tell her mother that she had returned safely and would be taking a detour before heading to the castle. The guards did not seem all that pleased with that decision, but Dawn knew this city better than most people realized. Without a pause, she guided Paul through several back ways and successfully lost the worried guards.

Feeling pleased with herself, she glanced over at Paul to brag when she caught him giving her a gentle, adoring look. Both of their eyes went wide and they turned away from each other, an awkward silence stretching between the two. Dawn could feel heat gathering between their joined palms and she gently patted her chest to try to get her heartbeat to stop racing so much.

"M-milicent's bakery is just up ahead," Dawn said, shyly tugging Paul's hand that was still holding hers. She felt his fingers twitch but he fell into step with her without removing his hand.

When Dawn showed up at the bakery, Milicent shrieked loud enough for everyone in the square to hear. The portly woman buried the Princess in a sobbing hug, causing her to lose grip on Paul's hand. All of the townsfolk had apparently been told about the dragon whisking away their princess and there were shouts of a "Christmas miracle" bringing her back safe and sound.

An impromptu celebration ensued and townsfolk filled the square. Music began ringing through the square as the townspeople danced with their returned Princess. Paul watched from the sidelines, amazed at the joy that Dawn's presence could bring. Dawn caught his eyes just as she saw him angling away from the group and looking like he was thinking of escaping. She quickly extricated herself from the townsfolk and swiftly ran over, catching his arm in both of her hands and stumbling a bit in the snow so that she crashed into his back.

"You okay?" Paul asked, instantly turning and steadying her with his other hand. Dawn could feel a flush going through her cheeks once again but she frowned as she glared up at him.

"You weren't leaving were you?" Dawn demanded angrily and Paul blinked, glancing away from her and dropping the arm she wasn't clinging to back to his side.

"It's... not like I belong here anymore, Dawn," Paul said, his voice sounding awkward and he refused to meet her piercing gaze. "I just wanted to see it for old times sake. I... never meant to actually stay."

Dawn blinked in shock at this admission. She frowned and yanked on Paul's muscular arm, turning him around so she could see his deep purple eyes go wide with surprise.

"You still haven't eaten Milicent's Christmas pasty. You can't leave until you eat a pasty and watch it snow in the town square," she said stubbornly, holding tightly onto his arm. Paul frowned lightly but eventually nodded and allowed Dawn to pull him back to the bakery.

Milicent not only gave them pasties but also cookies baked in the shape of Christmas trees. Dawn thanked her happily before ushering Paul through the crowds of dancing townsfolk to the large fountain where they took a seat on the raised edge and enjoyed their treats.

An awkward silence stretched between the two as they watched the townsfolk continue their celebrations and Dawn stole glances at Paul's handsome figure next to her out of the corner of her eye. She knew logically that even though Paul looked like this now he was actually several hundred years old and had once been a man who sought nothing but power and glory... but after spending time with him as a dragon and now seeing this gentle side of him as a man... she couldn't help but feel that she never wanted to part from him.

"It never did end up snowing," Paul finally said, breaching the silence between them. Dawn looked up at the cloudy sky and silently begged the clouds to hold on to their snow a little longer.

"I guess that means you have to stay longer," she said lightly, pulling her cloak around her a little tighter to ward off the chill of the air. Paul looked down at her with a frown and she plowed on before he could argue with her. "After all, you said you wanted to see it snow in the square. If it doesn't snow today you'll just have to wait until it does snow. You can come stay with me in the castle!"

Paul blinked in surprise and titled up one of his eyebrows at her.

"Stay with you?" he asked, putting emphasis on the 'you'. Dawn's cheeks immediately heated up and she shook her head.

"No! I just meant in a guestroom or something," Dawn said in a panic, waving her hands in between them. "I mean, it's a few centuries late, but this was originally your home. It's only fair you stay until you can see the snow."

Paul's amused expression at Dawn's panic slowly faded and he turned away, leaning his elbows on his knees and looking down at the ground. With a small sigh, Paul shook his head and glanced over at Dawn with a troubled expression.

"I don't think that is a good idea, Princess," he said quietly and Dawn frowned.

"Why not? And what's up with the Princess thing? You were calling me by my name just a minute ago," she said with a small frown. Paul shook his head and looked back down at the ground.

"I have centuries of life experience, Princess, and one thing it has taught me is to trust my instincts," Paul said quietly, turning to meet Dawn's deep blue eyes with his own. "As a man or a dragon, I have never had someone make me feel this way. If I stay with you... I don't think I'll ever be able to let you go."

Dawn gasped lightly at this unexpected confession but could do nothing but stare at his serious gaze.

"You are a good person, Princess. You deserve to find happiness with a guy who doesn't have hundreds of years of baggage to sort through. So...," Paul reached out and tenderly stroked Dawn's cheek with the back of his knuckles. She didn't even blink as he looked at her with more sadness than she had ever seen cross his expression. "I need to leave before my feelings become a burden to you."

Paul turned away from Dawn's riveted gaze and slowly stood up. Dawn's temporary paralysis broke though and her hand whipped out and took hold of Paul's wrist. He turned with a look hovering between pleading and annoyance, but Dawn just pulled him after her, ducking in between several shops and guiding him to a more secluded section of the city.

Just when she could feel his muscles tensing up as if he were about to pull away from her, she let go, turned swiftly, and buried her face into his chest while wrapping her arms around his back. Paul's body went stiff at this unexpected embrace and Dawn's own heart sped up as she felt the rapid beat of his heart underneath her cheek.

"Dawn..." Paul said in a strangled whisper as he held his arms out to the side. Dawn tightened her hold on his back but slowly pulled her head away from his chest so she could look up into his tortured expression.

"I know I probably seem nothing more than a child to you, Paul," she whispered, looking resolutely up into his eyes. "But if you want to be with me then please stay. I'll try to grow up as fast as I can to match you."

Paul's eyes went wide as he met Dawn's, which were on the brink of filling with tears. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around Dawn's shoulders and pulled her firmly against his chest, dropping his head down to rest on her shoulder. Dawn's breath caught in her throat as she heard an almost animalistic growl coming from his throat, reminding her of his dragon chuckle.

"I don't want to taint you, Dawn. I've hurt so many people already..." Paul's voice washed over Dawn as she tried to stay calm. She tilted her head slightly to the side to rest her cheek against Paul's surprisingly smooth skin and spoke softly next to his ear.

"The people you have wronged are long gone, Paul. You should focus on trying to live your life to the fullest now that you have a second chance. And I want to be with you throughout your journey."

Paul slowly pulled back from Dawn and stared into her eyes for several long moments. He briefly closed his eyes and when they opened she thought she saw a flash of their old yellow color in them.

"You're too stubborn for me, Princess," he said quickly before leaning down and pressing his lips against hers.

Dawn was stunned speechless and her hands fell down to her sides as her entire body froze from shock. Paul was far from finished though. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he spun her around and placed her up against the side of the alley they were hiding in. He then gently reached past her head and brought the hood of her cloak up to conceal her features from possible passersby before he slipped a hand behind her neck and stroked the bottom edge of her lip with his other thumb.

"You said you'd grow up fast for me right?" he asked with a mischievous glint in his dark eyes. Dawn, still speechless, nodded her head mutely as he continued to stroke her bottom lip and she could feel his pinky shimmying down her neck to slip under her dress collar.

"Then open your mouth a bit," he whispered huskily, leaning over and pressing her back up against the wall behind her.

She could feel her cheeks flushing with embarrassment, but an unfamiliar thrill went through her body, making it tingle and she met his amorous gaze before slowly letting her mouth open. Paul moved forward instantly and Dawn closed her eyes in embarrassment as she felt him bite down possessively on her bottom lip. The tingles in her body intensified as Paul patiently but passionately taught her how to kiss.

Long minutes passed and Dawn knew the only thing keeping her upright was Paul's firm arm wrapped around her waist and the weight of his body pressing her against the building behind her. When Paul finally pulled away their breath fogged up in the air between them and even though Dawn knew it was cold out, she had never felt so warm in her life. Paul chuckled, sounding slightly out of breath, and reached down and tapped his nose against hers.

"You better not have a hidden fiance or anything," Paul growled out, and Dawn couldn't help but chuckle even as she gripped his strong arms in her hands to help her stay upright.

"Mother believes in marrying for love," she responded in between light gasps. As she got her breath back she looked up and gazed adoringly at her newfound love. Paul cocked an eyebrow at her in a challenging expression and she chuckled before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down so she could give him a gentle kiss.

"Merry Christmas, old man," she said with a teasing giggle. Paul chuckled as well before pressing a deeper kiss on her lips.

"Merry Christmas, Dawn.

The End