Four hours. 

For six long, agonizing hours, you had been lodged in between a dresser and a bookshelf, your knees pulled up to your chest and your back straight against the wall. The dragon that circled outside of the castle growled lowly. If you looked to the left, you would see its giant wings outside of the window, flapping slowly.

It circled around and around --- just waiting for you.

Every now and again, the dragon would nudge the tower as it circled around. The entire building would creak and groan and tilt to the side before it settled back on its weight. You would cover your mouth and focus on breathing, because if you screamed, the dragon breathe a mouthful of flames right into the room and kill you instantly. If you moved even a muscle, you risked the chance of it seeing you.

This was the most miserable you had ever felt in your life emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Against your chest was the piece of enchanted stationary. You felt the page heat up slightly where the ink was scribbled across. Almost eagerly you pulled the paper away to read what Ian had written.

You didn't know the guy, but holy tooth of Zadar were you grateful that he had been the one to answer your call for help. He was talking to you constantly. The page you had written on was quickly running out of space, but he managed to find a way to send you encouraging words, updates on where he and his brother were, and questions about how you were doing.

Are you okay? was currently written at the top of the page.

You wrote a simple, Yes. There wasn't room for much more.

You gasped and hid your head as the dragon roared. The sound shook the tower. Particles of dust fell from the ceiling. You clamped your hands over your ears and dropped the paper. You regretted it the moment that you did; the page slipped away from you and slid across the stone floor. 

"No, no!" you whispered, reaching your hands out to catch it. It slid across the middle of the floor and directly under your bed. "No---"

The dragon roared and you slammed your back against the wall and froze. You held your breath. Did you just screw it up?

The dragon went back to circling the tower. You slowly exhaled, sweat dripping down your forehead. You inched back as far as you could and shut your eyes. 

It was going to be a long night.

/ / / 

"Barley, right here!" Ian said, pointing out the window. Barley took the sharp turn in between the tall trees. The tires squealed as they picked up speed against the muddy pathway. Ian gripped the door handle and sighed, sitting back against the seat. 

"We're almost there," Barley said encouragingly. "I suspect we will arrive any moment now. According to the map, we are right by the river, right? I mean --- there's that mountain right there."

"Yeah," Ian said. But he didn't feel any more confident. 

"What is it?" Barley asked. His eyebrows pulled together. "You still haven't heard from her?"

"She's been quiet all night," he said, putting the paper down. "What if---"

"You can't think like that," Barley said. "You must think positive."

"How can I think positive if there's a pretty high chance that the dragon found her already? She said it was circling around her tower." He tapped his foot against the floor of the car. "I promised her we'd save her. We are literally her only hope right now and she's somewhere out there either dead or almost dead and we aren't there yet!" 

"We'll get to her," Barley said calmly.

"How can you be so sure?" 

"Because right there is the castle." Barley's face was serious as he tapped on the brake and let Guinevere the II slowly roll forward. There was a long bridge that would bring them directly across a pool of grey water and to the tall castle. "Wow. I can't believe how awesome this looks. Holy --- there's the dragon!"

Ian didn't have to follow Barley's pointing finger to see it. It circled the tallest tower of the castle in the same loop. He gulped and thought back to when he battled the dragon made up of his school only a few weeks ago. That wasn't easy, and somehow this dragon seemed a million times more terrifying.

No time for being scared. He had to do this.

"C'mon." Ian shook his head. He folded the piece of paper into his pocket and grabbed the wizard staff. "We don't have time to sit and wait around. She's in there."

"Right behind you, little brother." Barley reached behind him and picked up his helmet. He lowered it on his head with a look of determination and confidence. He tied his cape around his neck and grabbed his sword. Ian stared at him in bewilderment. "It's show time."

Together the brothers left the van and began their journey across the bridge. Ian walked ahead, his staff pointed at the water below just in case the wood failed them and he needed to make a trust bridge. He walked ahead bravely. 

"We need a plan," Ian said. 

"I agree. You go into the tower and get the princess. I'll distract the dragon."

"No," Ian said, shaking his head. "We shouldn't break up. We need to fight together. I think we should do it this way, okay? I'll go ahead and fight the dragon. I think I'll use arcane lightning on it first. That'll get it angry. We'll finish it off before we get the princess---"

"Then what if we get killed and the princess is left behind to die?" Barley asked. "You gotta think this through, Ian." 

"Me think this through?" Ian hissed, looking over his shoulder. "I don't think you are thinking this through, Bar---!" 

His foot stepped onto a weak board. He gasped in terror as he felt his body fall through the bridge. Barley lunged forward and grabbed the back of his shirt. His feet dangled over the water and he kicked in terror. 

"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!" Ian cried. "This is the end!" 

"Stop overreacting before you get us killed!" Barley whispered. He pulled his brother up with ease. "Hold onto the rope and walk slowly, and then trust my gut, got it?"

Ian nodded. "O-Okay." 

"We'll rescue the princess, get her to safety, and deal with the dragon as it comes. I think that's the best way. You can trust me."

"H-How do you know that's the best way?" Ian asked, swallowing hard. He was trembling. 

"I saw it in a movie once," Barley said. "Come on. This way!" 

Silently, the brothers crossed the rest of the bridge and stepped onto the rocky shore. The avoided the entrance to the castle; a burned piece of doorway that was surrounded by smoking rubble. They ran to the tallest tower and Ian looked at Barley nervously. 

But Barley wasn't nervous. He was full of confidence and one hundred percent ready for this. He gave his brother a tight nod and pointed him to the length of vines that grew up the length of the stone. 

Then he picked up a giant stone in front of his feet and tested the weight of it. He looked at the dragon and threw it.

It hit the side of the beast with a thud. The dragon swooped down and turned. Its mouth opened and its eyes locked on Barley. 

"Aha!" Barley cheered. "It worked. Oh --- it worked. Run!" 

Ian gasped as his brother dove out of the way and into the water as soon as a giant ball of fire hit the ground where he was standing. He shook his head and quickly recovered. Turning to the wall of vines, he yanked on them to test his weight. They held. 

He tucked the staff under his arms and stepped up. He pulled his body up and up, clutching as many vines in his hand at a time as he could. He pulled and pulled, gritting his teeth in the effort. Barley shouted somewhere far below. Ian's eyes widened and he looked down, breathing heavily. He watched his brother take cover behind a broken wall as an explosion of flames chased him. 

"Barley!" Ian screamed. 

"Hurry!" Barley shouted back. "Go!"

Ian didn't want to leave his brother behind, but he knew that the best thing he could do was keep going. His arms shook as he reached up and grabbed the vines and pulled. 

And finally, finally, he made it to the top of the tower. He threw himself up through the window and with a cry of exhaustion he pulled himself inside of the tower.

His body shook and he stood himself up. Across the room, standing in a dark green dress, he saw you for the very first time. His eyes widened. 

How come he didn't plan out what he was supposed to do when he found the princess?

How come he never thought about how pretty you might be?

Because it isn't the time for that, Ian! he thought to himself. 

"Uh, hi, I'm Ian," he said nervously. He held out a hand. "Come on, I'm here to rescue you."

"Yeah," you said. The tower rocked as the dragon roared. "I figured that was what you were here to do. Where's your warrior brother?"

"Down there!" Ian shouted. He ran to the window and looked down. Barley was holding up his sword and standing in front of the dragon now. "Barley!"

"Get the princess somewhere safe!" he shouted, cupping one hand over his mouth. "I'm okay!"

"You guys didn't think to slay the dragon first?" you shouted. "That's a pretty important part of a rescue!"

"It's on my to do list, okay!?" Ian said. He grabbed your hand and shook your head. "Come on, we're taking the stairs this time."

"You could've taken the stairs the first time, knight in shining armor," you said, gripping his hand tight as you started your descent down the steep staircase. 

"You know, you're not as nice as you seemed in your letters," he said. 

You breathed heavily as the stairs began to tremble and shake. Ian dropped your hand for a brief moment and fell against the wall. You grabbed his shoulders so that he wouldn't fall down the stairs. 

"I have to argue against that. I don't mean to be rude," you explained. "Sarcasm is a defense mechanism of mine. What do you expect me to do? I'm a helpless princess awaiting a knight so bold as to rescue her. Don't you know that story?"

Ian glanced at you. "You're probably the weirdest the princess ever." 

"Thanks," you said. The stairs began to crumble. From above, a chunk of the bedroom floor crashed and fell directly in between you and Ian. It shattered the stair you were standing on. You suddenly fell. "Whoa---"

"Princess!"

Ian's arm went around you and your arms wrapped around his neck. 

"Ian," you gasped. "You just saved my life."

Your eyes caught his and he swallowed hard before he set you back on your feet and swapped your waist for just your hand. Your heart nearly beat out of your chest.

"Come on!" 

Outside, you were immediately overwhelmed by heat and brightness. You covered your eyes with your arm as the flames engulfed directly in front of you. '

"Whoa, careful!" Ian exclaimed, grabbing you and yanking you back. You clutched his hand tighter. 

"Princess!" Barley exclaimed joyously as if you were a movie star that he happened to recognize in public. The dragon swiped at him with her tail. He flew backwards into the water. 

"Holy tooth of Zadar," you whispered. 

Ian staggered forward, releasing your hand and turning his full attention to the dragon. "Barley, no!" He lifted his staff and positioned himself. He raised it up to the dragon. "Voltar Thunasir!" 

All at once, a cluster of lightning strikes attacked the dragon. It roared in pain and tipped towards the water. Its jaw opened wide to release a mouthful of flames. 

Your eyes widened and you sprinted away from Ian and towards Barley, who was choking and coughing as he broke through the surface of the water. You got on your knees and stretched your hand out for him to take. 

"Come on, I'll help you," you said. 

He paddled quickly, his eyes on the fight behind you. You were almost too afraid to look, but you had to. 

Ian was running away from the dragon as it was about the let out a breath of fire right in his direction. You turned and screamed,  "Ian! Aloft elevar!" 

"Aloft---? Oh, right!" He turned and stepped backwards. The dragon let out a ball of fire and he held his ground as he stared right at it. "Aloft elevar!" he shouted. 

You held your breath as he caught the flames in midair. A gasp of relief burst out of his lips and he grinned. He brought the staff back and then threw it forward. It hit the dragon and sent it spiraling towards the sea. 

When it crashed through the surface, it made a huge wave that nearly took Barley back under. His hand found yours and you pulled him up onto the shore and then turned to Ian. 

"Are you okay?" you asked.

"Yeah," he breathed, wiping a hand across his forehead. "That was pretty awesome?"

"Pretty awesome?" Barley asked, standing up straight. "That was the coolest thing I have ever seen you do. Nice. Work!" He held up his hand and Ian gave him a high five. 

"What about you!? You distracted the dragon like it was nothing!" Ian exclaimed. "That was the coolest thing ever." 

"That was pretty cool of me, wasn't it?" Barley crossed his arms and nodded thoughtfully.

Ian laughed. He glanced over at you.

"You did a great job, Ian the wizard," you said. You nodded. "Thank you both."

"My brother was happy to do it," he said. "Well. I was too, but I want to give him special shout out just so you know to mostly thank him." He looked at his brother and winked. "You two get to know one another. I will just wait in the van."

"Barley!" Ian hissed. "I-I'm so sorry, he---"

You shook your head and leaned in to kiss his cheek. He fell silent and his eyes widened. "Thank you, Ian. You have done so much for me. How could I ever repay you?"

He was at a loss for words. He was pretty sure you just did. "You don't... you don't need to worry about it."

You smiled shyly. "I know I made everything a joke back there. I-I really was terrified. I didn't know how to escape on my own. You saved my life, Ian Lightfoot."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" He looked sympathetic. "I mean..."

"Oh." You looked at your castle and kingdom which had been completely destroyed. You started to feel the weight of all that you had lost at once. Your eyes grew wet and you shook your head. "There's no where else for me to go."

He looked around. "Sure there is. You can go with us."

"Go where?" you asked.

"Anywhere," he said, shrugging.

"You know," you said teasingly, "I did just meet you. You could be a total creep or something."

He laughed. "If I were, I'm not so sure I'd come all this way just to save a princess that sent me a magic letter."

You laughed, your shoulders shaking with it. "You're right."

He turned and offered you his arm. You couldn't help but beam and feel your heart stutter in your chest as you took it.

"You know," you said jokingly, "I'm surprised you didn't automatically assume that I was the giant creep and just leave me to die. I mean it had to of crossed your mind."

"Once or twice."

/ / / 

i will do a final part 3 :-)