Author's Note: This is from Prince Aaron's point of view and as such doesn't fit in to the story.  It was written for Once Upon's Mulan challenge about sacrificing one's self for a family member.  Word Count:  500

The Sacrifice

Prince Aaron hated having short dragon arms, which were completely sticky after spending the evening picking berries for his guest.

He heard a noise behind him and a knight wondered into the clearing. Aaron had to deal with this from time to time. He expected a knight to greet him much sooner with a princess for a guest.

Normally he'd swat them away like bugs, but something was off about this knight. "Good sir, why do you smell so foul?" Andrew asked.

The knight sniffed his underarms and looked around. "Who said that?"

"Oh, just a concerned citizen." Andrew hid his head in the trees when he spoke. Most people couldn't handle a talking dragon and it amused him to see the knight searching for the voice. "Who might you be?" Andrew asked.

"I am Prince Nicholas of the Eastern Nation," he said, "I demand you show yourself."

"I'm much too shy for that. Why are you dressed as a knight, Prince Nicholas?" Aaron said as one of the tree's leaves tickled his nose distorting his voice.

"I'm here to slay a dragon." Prince Nicholas touched the hilt of his sword, taking a warrior's stance on the grassy clearing.

"That dragon, hiding in the trees?" Andrew said. "What did he ever do to you?"

"Ma'am I have no time for idol chit-chat." Prince Nicholas said. "The dragon must know I'm here by now. I suggest you get to safety."

Ma'am? Andrew took offence to that. His voice was deep and silky, nothing like a woman's. Perhaps he was having allergies to the berries. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that dragon. He's not very smart." Andrew said hoping to buy some time. "Are you here for the princess?"

"I'm afraid I need the dragon's heart, I could do without marrying the princess though."

"Is it because she's like your cousin since all the royal families are related? Or is it because you're in love with somebody else." Andrew asked.

"Yuck, I didn't even think about being related to her." Nicholas said. "I'm in love with the witch's daughter and the witch cursed me for it. I need the dragon's heart to break the curse."

That explained the smell, Andrew thought, since witches' curses always left a repugnant odor.

Nicholas walked to a fallen log and sat. "Look at the stupid dragon. His life isn't less valuable than my own. I can't kill him, even to save myself."

Andrew closed his eyes, he had to help Nicholas. A witch once put a curse on their common ancestors. Those ancestors promised that their descendants would help each other if anyone in the family ever faced a witch's curse again. Though Nicholas was a distant relative, Andrew would not turn his back on his duty to protect him.

He contorted his face to look menacing and threw up his little arms, running towards Nicholas who quickly drew his protective sword. Andrew fell on it, sacrificing his dragon heart and life for family and love.