"Who's there?" a booming voice demanded.

"Jane!" Orson hissed from their hiding spot, but she waved them off and moved toward the dragon.

"My name's Jane. You sound like you're hurt. Let me help."

"Okay," the dragon said in a much smaller voice. "It hurts so bad!"

"I'm coming," Jane made her way over the slippery piles of gold toward the dark opening to the right. "I'm bringing a light. Is that okay?"

"Yeah."

Jane opened the lantern before stepping into the room. When she did, she gasped. Curled up on a pile of gold was an enormous green dragon with a yellow belly and wings. Its eyes were dark but with glitter-like stars in the night sky. It lifted its head to watch Jane enter but, after a moment, put its head back down and moaned.

The sound pierced into Jane's heart. "Show me what's wrong?" she asked. She jumped back when the dragon thrust out a taloned claw. It took a few moments for her to figure out why it was so red and irritated. Between two of its talons was a dagger, tiny compared to the dragon, plunged to the hilt.

"It hurts! I can't get it out!" the dragon moaned.

"I can try if you want. It'll hurt, though, so you have to promise not to take it out on me," Jane insisted.

The dragon sniffled. "Get it out! Please?"

Jane crept closer, sure the entire mountain could hear her racing heart. "Okay, lay your claws on the floor, and then I'll pull on the dagger. I'll try to do it real fast," she explained.

The dragon did as she asked. With quivering legs, Jane stepped right up next to the dangerous-looking claws. She grasped the dagger with both hands, took a deep breath, and pulled with all her might.

The dragon roared as it snatched its claws back, licking the wound.

Jane landed on her backside, eyes screwed shut, braced for whatever retaliation the dragon would do. When nothing came, she cracked her lips. It was flexing the claw as if it hadn't been able to move it for a while. Jane guessed that that was the case.

"It's better!" cried the creature. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Jane said, suddenly aware that the dragon would probably have questions now that it felt better.

"So," it began, "here to steal some gold?"

Jane gulped, and she attempted to scoot back but came up against a pile of treasure. "Um. Well... Okay, I'll be honest." She was surprised at how easily her story, minus Orson and Shelly, came pouring out. "I planted a magic bean, climbed up the beanstalk it grew, and got caught by the giant, Mr. Thomas, in the castle. He told me that he'd let me go if I could buy my way home. I didn't have the kind of money he wanted, so he sent me on this quest to steal from you because you're the only thing in the land with more money than him." She tried not to pant in fear as the dragon watched her with swirling, glittery eyes.

"And how did you get in here?" it demanded.

"Umm. The goats. Well, the goats help get me up the cliffs."

The dragon seemed genuinely surprised. "You understand the goats?"

Jane shook her head. "No. At least not without the apples. Those I got from the bears of Applewoods. They're special. The apples, I mean, not the bears. Well, I mean, I guess the bears are special..."

The dragon held up a talon. "I get the gist." It clacked its talon on the floor, thinking for a moment before refocusing on her. "So, you know that I won't give you a single coin to give to that horrid giant, right?"

Jane deflated. Her fate was sealed, it seemed. She'd be Mr. Thomas' servant for the rest of her life. At least Orson would be around. "I understand."

It clacked its claws a little more. "I will, however, give you as much gold as you want in exchange for helping me, on one condition."

Jane swallowed as it bent its head toward her, stopping just a few feet away to wait for her answer. "Sure," she squeaked. As if she would say anything else.

"You will never go back to the castle!"

Jane gasped and covered her mouth, tears springing to her eyes. "But..."

"No buts."

"The beanstalk is there! I want to go home!" she cried. Never had she wanted anything as much as she wanted to see Audrey and her father again.

The dragon sat back up. "Oh, that's an easy fix!"

"It is?" Jane asked, wiping her wet face.

"I will take you!"

Jane was dumbfounded. She blinked for several moments before her brain started working again. "You will?"

"Of course! It's the least I can do, and it keeps my gold out of the giant's greedy hands."

Jane stood up, dusting herself off. "I don't quite know what to say. I mean, if we're going to be traveling companions, I should introduce myself. I'm Jane."

"I'm Theodore. It's nice to meet you," the dragon said, tipping its head to her. "Now, will you introduce your companion, or will you leave them in the tunnel?"

"What? I don't—" Jane protested.

Theodore rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. I heard you all in the tunnel well before you arrived. And, now I hear the fluttering of little wings... a fairy perhaps?"

Jane turned when Orson and Shelly came into the room.

Shelly waved. "Umm... hi, Theodore. Good to see you."

Orson and Jane exclaimed together, "You know him?"

Shelly shrugged. "Yes? But, it's not like you think. I didn't know it was him until I heard his name. I haven't seen him since I was very little. That was centuries ago."

Theodore chuckled. "She was so stinking cute when she was learning to fly!"

Shelly covered her face with a hand. "Oh, Fairy Godmother, please don't let Theodore start telling stories."

The dragon laughed and shifted its weight, sending a wave of coins flowing toward Jane. "I might just, Shelly, if you don't behave. But, right now, we need to get Jane home!" he swiveled his head toward her. "How much gold do you want?"

"I—I don't know," Jane admitted.

"Hey, Jane?" Orson got her attention quietly. "So, this pretty much means that I can't go home. Not that I want to, mind you. But, I was thinking..."

Jane's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah?"

"Well, how would you feel if I came with you? You'll need help if you're doing to have an orchard. I mean, if you want..."

"Yes!" Jane exclaimed as she threw her arms around him. "I can't imagine my life without you in it. Yes, please come and help us create the orchard."

Orson beamed. "Okay, ask for your weight in gold like we'd been planning. And see if Theodore will figure out a way to help the bears against my father."

"Your weight in gold?" Theodore said, sounding surprised. "That's not much. How about twice that?"

Jane gasped again. "Yes, please! And, if you would like to piss off Mr. Thomas, talk to the bears of Applewoods and see how you can help defend against him."

"Oh," the dragon crooned. "That sounds like a lot of fun!"

Shelly sighed. "And," she began, "I guess you can tell the goats if they all get together and declare, in unison, that fairies are people, too, they'll be released from their curse."

Theodore clacked his talons on the floor. "I was wondering how long your family would let this nonsense go on."

Shelly glared at him. "When they try to kill one of your family, let me know how you feel about it."

Theodore thought for a moment. "Good point." He turned to Orson and Jane. "Now, I see that you have a satchel. I assume that's how you're going to carry the gold?"

"Yes," Jane nodded. "Shelly was kind enough to let me borrow it."

"Good." He pushed himself up and began to lumber toward the room's door. "I've got some scales out here. Come on, and let's see how much you're going to cost me."

They spent the next hour or so weighing out, counting, and stowing gold coins. The dragon added a little more to make the amount even in the end. The sun had left some time ago, and the moon was high when they finished. They made a meal of what they found in the satchel, then settled into hollows in the piles of gold to sleep.

Jane was so excited that she was certain she'd never fall asleep, but before she knew it, the rising sun pouring into the dragon's lair woke her. Theodore was already awake, sitting out on the ledge in the morning sun.

He turned to her when she emerged. "Are you ready to go home, Jane?"

"Oh, yes! I miss my family so much!"

"Good. I'm ready to take you. Now, hurry! Wake your friends! The day's adventure is ready to begin!"

🙚🜋🙙

Five years later...

"Oh, my, that's a delight, ol' chap, a de-light!" cried Archibald when he tasted the special apple bits Orson had floated on the water for him. Wendy was eating her portion with equally appreciative noises.

"They're outstanding, aren't they?" Orson asked, chest puffing with pride. "Jane crossed the Applewoods apples with a local variety. This is our first crop. I swear they're better than the bears' apples!"

"I quite agree, Orson, my fellow!" Archibald declared.

Shelly flittered by, "Oh, Archy, don't get him started!"

Orson chuckled as he turned to look across the clearing to see Jane and Audrey coming toward them. His heart skipped a beat when Jane smiled at him. Tonight's the night! He promised himself he'd ask her to marry him when they celebrated their first apple harvest. He hoped she'd say yes.

He left his two swan friends to their paddle and dive in the pond and made a beeline for his love. Audrey saw him coming and smiled; she knew what he was up to.

"Oh! Shoot! I left that knife dad wanted in the kitchen. I'll go back for it," she said, clearing the way for Orson to make his proposal.

He took a breath and fell to a knee in front of Jane, startling her.

"Orson! What are you doing? I need to get this basket of apples over to the barn for the juicer."

"Put down the basket, Jane," Orson ordered.

"What's wrong with you?" Jane asked though she set the basket down as he requested. She stood, one hand on a hip, and waited for his explanation.

"Marry me?" he asked, holding up a gold ring. He'd had two of them cast from the remaining fairy coin.

Jane scowled. "Oh, for Pete's sake, Orson. That's a terrible joke." She bent to pick up the basket again.

With a trembling hand, Orson reached out and touched her. "Jane."

It was the tone of his voice that made her look.

"I'm not joking. Marry me." He put the ring in her hand and curled her fingers around it.

She opened her hand and stared at the ring before looking at him with tear-filled eyes. "Are you serious?"

"I am. I love you. I have ever since you said hello to that rascal of a dragon."

Jane looked at the ring again before trying it on. It fit perfectly. She looked at Orson again.

He thought his heart was going to explode, it was beating so fast. That was until it raced even more with her response.

"Yes," she said, smiling at him. The corners of her mouth trembled.

"Yes?" he verified.

"Yes! Yes, Orson, I will marry you!"

Orson jumped up and shouted before picking her up and swinging her around. From various parts of the orchard, they heard clapping and congratulations from their friends and staff.

Jane chucked as he set her down. "Did everyone but me know you were going to propose?"

"Yes, that's why they're all here," he admitted.

Jane was wide-eyed. "What? They all really—"

He cut her off with a kiss, one that lingered, and said, "I love you."

When it ended, he said, "I just have one request."

"What's that?" she said, smiling up at him.

"When our kids lose their teeth, let's make sure that Shelly isn't on tooth fairy duty."

Jane laughed loud and long. "Yes, dear. I'm pretty sure that can be arranged."

"I heard that!" Shelly said from under her hair.

Orson felt his face heat. "Umm... sorry, Shelly."

Shelly pulled Jane's hair out of the way, revealing that she was perched on Jane's shoulder. "You didn't give me time to fly again, doofus."

He turned even redder, and the two women laughed. Jane tugged on his hand. "Come on. Let's drop these off and then eat. Audrey said dinner's almost ready."

To Orson, dinner with the family sounded just about perfect. "Okay, love. Wherever you go, I'll be right behind."

🙚🜋🙙