Long ago, in a land far, far away, there was a place called the Land of the Hundred Kingdoms. It was a magnificent world filled with great nations, diverse people, and a touch of true magic here and there. And if one is blessed enough, one might find the hidden places in this wonderful land; places where miracles happen and where enchanted creatures live in harmony with all the people around them. It is a world where fairy godmothers abound; where dreams become a reality and true love exists aplenty.

Nestled at the edge of this wide realm was a small kingdom called New Tinsley. It was a young community by it’s neighbor’s standards; made up of twelve small towns linked by dusty roads and rich farmlands.
Sitting at the center of this small group of villages was the biggest town called Highmeadow. It was located close to a meandering river which flowed with clean, sparkling blue water.
The kingdom was ruled by a kind King named Jeryk and a generous Queen named Helena. They ruled wisely, being fair in all matters great and little. They lived in a modest castle, which was more like a large house; a simple three story structure with a steep triangular roof. On all four corners of the small castle stood four round towers. On each tower flew the flag of New Tinsley, which was symbolized by a simple golden crown on a green background.  The castle  was located near the northern edge of Highmeadow, on a small hill just before the blue river.
Although the couple were loved by their subjects, their happiness was not complete because they had no children. King Jeryk and Queen Helena prayed everyday for a child.
One day, there was much rejoicing for the queen was finally pregnant. Soon after, a healthy baby Princess was born, and the whole kingdom was invited to the christening.
Inside the castle, King Jeryk and Queen Helena discussed their baby daughter’s name.
"We shall call her ‘Mabel’, after my mother." Said the Queen. "After all, in my homeland, ‘Belle’ means Beautiful." She said as she looked lovingly into the infant’s wide eyes.
"I think the name ‘Rose’ suits her better," answered the King. "See how rosy her cheeks are." The baby Princess squealed in delight as the King tickled her chin.
"Well, we shall call her Mabelrose, then." Said Queen Helena and she smiled at her husband.
"That’s a good idea." King Jeryk . "Mabelrose… Yes; I like it."

And that’s how the Princess Mabelrose got her name.

The little Princess grew up quickly. She grew into an inquisitive and curious young child; always interested in learning about everything around her.
Her father would take her along when he visited his subjects. They would ride far. (Well, at least Mabelrose thought it was far. Because to a little girl, everything looked big and every place seemed so far.) The good King would visit even the smallest village in his kingdom.
To King Jeryk, everyone was important.
Mabelrose’s father was a tall and imposing man. His kind face sported a mustache whose ends would shoot upwards every time he smiled. He had a tall and erect posture; the result of years of soldiery. He was still well-muscled despite being the king now for almost twenty years. He had won the little kingdom of New Tinsley from a duel with an evil giant who ruled it like a tyrant. It had been a poor bunch of  clustered villages then. Now, after twenty years of hard work, it looks like the kingdom is at last entering an age of prosperity. And Highmeadow, where the royal family lived, was one of the most prosperous of the twelve towns.
All the people in the kingdom adored the young Princess. They all awaited her father’s visit each time with joyous anticipation.

Queen Helena was a good mother to Mabelrose. She was once a Princess herself whom King Jeryk rescued from the same evil giant. The Queen was a tall and graceful woman. She was also gentle and very kind. She raised her daughter herself and taught her to be humble, generous, and most of all, to pray always.
From her mother, Mabelrose learned how to be kind to even the smallest animal or bird. She also learned how to care for plants.
One of the queen’s hobbies was gardening. She tended the royal gardens with a passion greater than that of their gardeners; often doing the planting herself.
When the young Princess learned enough about gardening, the Queen gave Mabelrose her own little flower patch to tend. Mabelrose was happy to get her own little space in the royal garden and she took care of it diligently. She planted Roses of all colors because the rose was her favorite flower. In the middle of her flower patch rested a stone bench and she would sit there with her friends and just talk and laugh.

Mabelrose had a lot of childhood playmates.
She befriended all the children of the servants living in the castle.
The young Princess played "house" with the chambermaids’ daughters.
She raced the knights’ sons (and beat all of them).
Her favorite game was "Hide and Seek" and she excelled at it.

When the other children were not around, the good King Jeryk would play with her. The King liked to carry her on his shoulders or on his back. It was a funny sight to see the King acting as his daughter’s "horse". Then, they would spend many hours running among the fallen leaves of the garden.

"Dear, Mabelrose is getting too old to ride piggyback, already!" The Queen would sometimes call out to her husband.
"But look, my love!" King Jeryk called back. "She’s having so much fun!"
"Don’t worry Mother," Mabelrose would giggle in delight. "I won’t fall!"
"It’s hardly lady-like, you know." The Queen would lecture them both; smiling at them.
The good King and Queen loved their little daughter so much.

As the years passed, Mabelrose grew into a healthy young lady, if a little too plain for a royal Princess.
"Why are my eyes too big?" Mabelrose would fret.
"They are beautiful eyes, my dearest." Her mother would answer her "The eyes are the windows of the soul. Everything that you let in should nourish your spirit and broaden your mind."
After saying that, Queen Helena would usually take her young daughter and read to her; showing her picture books lavishly drawn by hand. Mabelrose always loved those moments with her mother.

"My face is full of freckles!" Mabelrose would moan.
"Let me see how many they are!" Her father would lovingly say. Each of these is a small blessing. Let me give each one I see a kiss."
"Aha, here’s one…ah, here’s another."
"Papa…." Mabelrose would giggle. "Your mustache tickles!"
King Jeryk would lose count even before he got to twelve. For by that time, Mabelrose would already be laughing so hard that it was difficult to keep still…
And so, the days passed happily for the young princess.
 
 

Chapter 2
The Ball

One day, an invitation arrived in the small kingdom of New Tinsley. The royal family were relaxing in the audience hall when it came. King Jeryk sat on his massive large oak throne. To his right sat Queen Helena on her smaller quilt-covered chair. To his left, young Princess Mabelrose leaned over the seat of her throne, (the smallest of the three) to better look at the parchment her father held in his hand.
"My!" Queen Helena looked over her husband’s shoulder. "Why, it’s an invitation to the ball at the Kingdom of Warwick."
"Oh, Mother, Father!" Mabelrose exclaimed. "I shall meet many other Princes and Princesses from other Kingdoms! What should I wear?"

"Don’t worry, my little pumpkin," King Jeryk told her, "I shall gather the best tailors in our kingdom."
"Oh, you will have a wonderful time," Queen Helena said. "Imagine all the nice people you will meet."
"Oh, I can hardly wait, mother!" Mabelrose jumped down from her seat and hopped around in excitement.
It took three days to make the young princess’ gown. When it was finished, Mabelrose tried it on in front of her mother. Queen Helena clapped her hands enthusiastically.
"My, you will be the prettiest princess at the ball!" She said to her smiling daughter.
"Do you really think so?" The young princess’ eyes sparkled with joy. She twirled around happily, already imagining the stunning effect she might have on the people at the ball.
"I really do," her mother answered happily. "Well, off to bed you go. The ball will be held tomorrow and it will do you good to get plenty of sleep. And be careful when you take your dress off in your room; you don’t want to crumple it much before you wear it."
"I’ll be careful, Mother."
With that, the queen kissed her excited daughter goodnight.
Later, as she prepared to sleep, Mabelrose knelt by her bed and prayed:
"Please bless my mother and father and thank you for the invitation and I hope I have a lot of fun at the ball tomorrow and I hope I meet the prince of my dreams and live happily ever after."
 
 

The next day, the sun shone brightly on the town of Highmeadow. It shone especially brightly on a small group gathered at the edge of the town. A few people stood and looked on happily as the young princess Mabelrose boarded the royal carriage. She was helped up by the royal footman Karl, whose wife worked in the castle kitchens. Anita, her childhood nursemaid, followed her in. Eran, the family driver, sat at the carriage bench; the reins of four gray horses resting in his lap. Eran, who used to be a royal guardsman, also doubled as the young princess’ personal bodyguard when her father was not around.  A few servants stood at the side of the dusty road, smiling. Finally, King Jeryk and Queen Helena were there, of course, to see their daughter off.
"Enjoy the ball, my little pumpkin!" The king said to Mabelrose.
"And remember: be courteous to everyone," the queen added as she reached up and caressed the cheek of her daughter.
"I will," the young princess answered cheerfully.
And so, dressed in the finest gown ever made in New Tinsley, the fair Princess Mabelrose traveled to the neighboring Kingdom of Warwick.

The journey took almost a whole day and it was the farthest distance the young Princess had ever traveled. They passed green meadows and newly plowed fields. It was planting season, and the farmers were just beginning to plow their fields in preparation for the year’s crops.
Soon, the Royal carriage bearing the princess of New Tinsley entered a small, rustic town. Mabelrose’s eyes took in the wonderful view.
"Is this the Kingdom of Warwick, Karl?" She asked the footman.
"No, your Highness, this is just the border town of Rejnavik." The aged servant replied. Karl had been serving the family for many years. He had been the Royal footman long before she was even born.
They stayed at the town only to have lunch. Soon, they were traveling again. They passed by many more towns. Each one was bigger than the last. Each time, the young Princess would poke her head out of the cabin to ask Karl if this was the Kingdom of Warwick.
"Is this the Kingdom of Warwick?" She would ask. Surely this was it. This town was bigger than Highmeadow itself back in New Tinsley.
"No, your Highness, this is the town of Ashwell, a mining town."
"Are we there, yet, Karl?" She asked again as they passed another town.
"No, your Highness, this is the town of Duchmach." Karl would patiently answer all her curious questions. "Patience, Mabelrose," Anita said to her young charge, "we’ll get there soon."

As the day progressed, the young Princess became tired of asking questions. She sat back as town after town passed. Between towns stretched wide green meadows and farmlands.
It  was nearly dark when they entered the biggest town she had ever seen. It was so big that—
"This must be what a city looks like!" She exclaimed.
"Your Highness," Karl, the old footman turned to her with a happy sparkle in his eyes. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Warwick."
 
The Kingdom of Warwick was huge. It was a bustling city with plenty of large buildings, barns, inns, taverns, churches, and houses. The young Princess kept moving from one side of the carriage to the other, her eyes looking at everything there is to see.
A small boy tended to his goats. On another street, smithies pounded on pieces of red hot steel in their shops. She saw taverns with strange names where swordsmen gathered drinking ale. She marveled at the magnificent harbor and the large galleons that were moored there. Sailors walked up and down the piers, carrying crates and barrels which were unloaded from the big ships.
And there were plenty of houses! There were many houses ranging from small cottages to three story buildings. Many of the buildings and larger houses had tall chimneys which puffed out gray smoke at the sky.  The town’s market square was vast, with plenty of vendors selling their wares in colorful, makeshift stalls.
"Look at all of this!" The young Princess exclaimed. "So this is a city! I’ve only seen illustrations in my books, but seeing it for real is much better."
"Please sit down, your highness." Anita tried to get the restless young girl to sit on a cushioned seat . But the Princess kept bounding around the carriage, even poking her head out to get a better view, which the people outside found amusing.
She happily waved and greeted everybody on the street.
"Hello," she called out, "I’m Princess Mabelrose from the kingdom of New Tinsley." She said this to everyone. The citizens of Warwick gladly waved back. They were not used to having someone important greet them and were grateful when somebody from a neighboring kingdom did.
Mabelrose’s eyes went even wider when she saw Warwick castle itself.
The palace was simply gigantic. The  castle gate was so wide that two carriages side by side could pass through under its heavily gilded silver arches. Its towers were so tall that they seemed to reach the sky. The walls’ massive size awed her. They seem to stretch on forever on either side. Behind the walls, at either side of the castle, she could see a few treetops. There must be a whole garden inside as well. Patrolling the battlements were soldiers dressed in clean, white uniforms and gleaming armor.
The whole palace was painted white and very majestic to look at. She kept staring at the silvery arches until she passed under them.
As her carriage entered the courtyard, she saw  numerous courtesans inside all dressed in colorful clothes and gowns.
She saw plenty of other carriages like hers bearing the symbols of other kingdoms. Some of them were large and heavily decorated with gold and silver. Others were pulled by the biggest horses she had ever seen.
"My," Mabelrose exclaimed, "the owners of these wagons must be giants!"
Her carriage stopped in the middle of the courtyard, behind one of the huge wagons pulled by the giant horses. Karl helped her and Anita out while Eran tended to the horses.

Mabelrose stood upon the solid stone courtyard, beside her nursemaid. She wore a pink gown with a rose flower brocade pattern and white lace trimmings. A white sash around her waist ended in a rather large ribbon at her back. Her hair was combed and tied neatly with white ribbons. But because she moved her head a lot, her coif was beginning to get undone so Anita tried to fix it with pins and more ribbons.
"Do try to keep still, Mabelrose." Her nanny scolded her.

The young Princess stood looking around uncertainly at the wide palace grounds filled with gaily dressed people. They all looked rich. She waved at everybody but hardly anyone paid attention to her. They all looked so busy; preoccupied with themselves to notice anyone else.
Mabelrose turned in time to see a smartly dressed man approach her.
"Excuse me, may I know from what part of the Land of the Hundred Kingdoms does her Highness hail from?" the usher politely asked her. He smiled widely, showing a perfect set of white teeth.

"Princess Mabelrose of New Tinsley." Mabelrose  replied, smiling back excitedly.
"New Tinsley?" The usher’s smile disappeared into a frown.
"I don’t seem to remember any Kingdom with that name—"  he looked at a scroll he had unrolled in front of him.
Mabelrose wondered why anyone would forget her kingdom. Everyone back home knew her father. And everyone knew her. Perhaps it was because her kingdom was so far away that nobody ever heard of it. After all, she had not seen the Kingdom of Warwick  until now, either.

"Ah! Here it is. Oh yes, New Tinsley." The usher’s smile returned to his face (although it was not so wide as before).
He looked at their small carriage and sniffed.
"This way, please," he said arching his eyebrows. (Anita rolled her eyes at this)
But Mabelrose hardly noticed the steward’s sudden aloofness in her excitement. She was too busy admiring the carved wooden double doors that now opened before her.

 If the outer appearance of the palace impressed the young Princess, the interior took her breath away. There were finely dressed noblemen with their ladies everywhere. She glanced and smiled at the knights in their shining armor, her face turning slightly red when they tipped their visors to greet her.
Ahead of them, was a large pair of  ornate doors trimmed with silver and gold. Mabelrose and Anita both looked at one another.
They parted at the doors to the grand hall. Anita had to stay behind with the other maids. Only the Princesses were allowed inside the Great Hall.

As she entered the doorway, the gathered crowd inside grew silent.When Mabelrose wondered why, she saw them looking her way. Mabelrose smiled and waved at the crowd looking at her. She felt happy and pleased that complete strangers would welcome her like this.
But lo and behold!
They were not looking at her at all!
They were looking at the stunningly tall and beautiful Princess behind her!
Poor Princess Mabelrose from New Tinsley was pushed aside to make room for Princess Giovanna of the powerful kingdom of Ithmeness.
After Giovanna came Princess Merioth from the kingdom of Hillshire.
After Merioth came another. And another.
To Mabelrose, it seemed that each Princess who came through the double doors was prettier than the last.
"Oh, how beautiful they all are!" Mabelrose clapped in glee and gasped in awe. She admired every one of the tall and graceful Princesses. She glanced often at their satin gowns and silk slippers; their skirts lined with gold and silver trimmings. On their hands were shining diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and many other jewels she could not name.
"Oh, how I wish I had those too!" She exclaimed in a daze.

She did not have time to admire for long for the trumpets sounded the arrival of the Prince of Warwick.
When the Prince came down the gilded steps, all eyes were upon him. He was dressed regally in a dark blue suit and he looked very, very, handsome. Mabelrose had never seen such a finely dressed Prince as this one. (Actually, she’d never seen a real Prince in her whole life.)
Prince Jeremiah led all the gathered Princesses, Noblemen and Ladies to the Dining Hall where they were treated to a sumptuous feast.
Remembering what her mother has taught her, Mabelrose prayed and gave thanks. Then, she lifted her fork and began to eat heartily.

After the delicious banquet, the guests went back to the Grand Hall. Waiting for them was an orchestra of about three dozen musicians. When everyone was in, they began playing a slow musical waltz. With shining crystal chandeliers gleaming above their heads, couples took to the floor. Prince Jeremiah danced with one Princess after another. His nobles danced with their ladies.
Each time the Prince selected a new dancing partner, young Mabelrose hoped he would choose her. But instead, he chose someone else. He danced with Princess Giovanna more often than the rest.
How pretty Princess Giovanna looked indeed! Her gown sparkled with hundreds of white and blue diamonds every time she moved. Her dress looked so expensive, that Mabelrose was sure it was worth more than all the wealth of New Tinsley put together.
Mabelrose wished she had a dress like hers!
Oh, how she wished the handsome prince would glance her way…
If only he would look at her, Mabelrose felt she would be happy enough.
Just one look.
But he didn’t. No one did. She felt like an invisible ghost; standing there at the edge of the dance floor.
As the dashing prince danced with the glamorous princesses, the young girl from New Tinsley sat and watched all night…
She heard the other princesses whispering among themselves behind her back:
This little snippet expects a dance from the prince?
That’s certainly hilarious.
In her drab attire, not a chance.
That was last year’s fashion, I believe.
Not a single diamond on her, what a shame.
She looks more like a peasant.
Her hair is so dull and lifeless.
No form whatsoever – what a runt.
Her face is so full of spots too.
And did you notice that dreadful scar on her nose?
How simply AWFUL.
She must have fallen on her face when she was a child.
What a poor wretched creature!

Stung by the harsh words, Mabelrose wished the marble floor would just open up and swallow her.
"I wish I had a better dress, a bigger kingdom and more wealth…" She thought sadly. "I wish I was prettier too…"

Princess Mabelrose spent the night at the palace of Warwick. The whole south wing of the castle had been provided for all of the guests who had traveled from far-away kingdoms. Her room was small, but comfortable. An extra bed was provided for Anita so that she can accompany her in her room. As usual, the bigger rooms were reserved for the more "important" guests (the "important" guests being the richer or more powerful ones, of course).
That night, she was unable to sleep; tossing and turning in her bed.
She kept thinking about the other princesses and their beautiful gowns.
When the sun rose over the Kingdom of Warwick, she boarded her carriage with Anita and settled down for the journey home.
 
 
 

The next morning after she had arrived back at New Tinsley, Mabelrose sat in the dining room eating breakfast with her parents. She idly scooped up warm cereal from her small bowl. Queen Helena watched her while putting slices of fruit into her own mdium-sized bowl of oats, which was slightly bigger than her daughter’s and piping hot. King Jeryk had the biggest bowl of all. But his oatmeal was getting cold because he was busy reading.
Today, King Jeryk  was reading only one scroll.
There was not much news in a small but quickly budding kingdom such as New Tinsley. They were prosperous, but not rich; everyone lived just right. The good king gave back to the kingdom much of his wealth. He kept only enough to maintain the small castle and buy little things for his queen and their only daughter.
He looked up from his scroll (Which was about farmers’ problems with summer crops) and looked at his daughter, who sat glumly in her chair.

"How was the ball, dear?" Queen Helena asked her daughter, breaking the uneasy silence.
"Oh mother, I don’t know if I want to go to another Ball again." Mabelrose replied sadly. "All I did was sit and sit and the prince never even looked at me."
"Oh, there will be others," the Queen tried to comfort her. "and you will have an enjoyable time then."
"What if I don’t?" the young Princess’ lower lip stuck outwards.
"Don’t worry, my little pumpkin," King Jeryk said. "You will meet a prince who will like you for who you are."
"Oh… Maybe…" Mabelrose said.
"May I be excused?" She asked her parents.
"Yes you may." Her mother replied. At this, Mabelrose got up to leave the table.
"I’m going to take a little walk by the garden." She said with her back turned and her head drooping.

After the young Princess left the room, Queen Helena turned to her husband.
"She’s really upset that her first ball turned out to be a disaster." The Queen said.
"Well, I’m kind of sad too." The King replied. "Still, there will be more balls in the future and she’ll have more fun next time."
"Oh, I’m sure she will have her own chance to shine." The Queen smiled. "After all, she’s only fifteen."
 

 Chapter 3
Kidnapped! (the search for the lost princess)

Mabelrose had such kind parents. Although she was not extremely beautiful, Mabelrose was a very smart girl. She was also very kind to all the servants and has helped many people in her father’s small kingdom. This has endeared her to many of the inhabitants of New Tinsley.
One would think bad things would not happen to such good people.
Not to King Jeryk and Queen Helena.
They gave away their wealth freely to anyone who needed it.
And certainly, nothing bad would happen to Mabelrose herself.
But something bad did happen to them.

It happened as young Princess Mabelrose sat on her bench in the middle of her small garden.
The morning had dawned gray and cloudy as if matching the young princess’ mood. The sun would occasionally shine from behind the clouds but before it could warm anything, it would hide again from view. A few birds flew in the clear, cold air. The gentle breeze brought with it the faint scent of roses and freshly cut grass.
Mabelrose hardly noticed these things for she was thinking.
"Oh, I wish I had a prettier dress and just a little jewelry to go with it." She thought. "Then maybe the prince would dance with me…"
She looked down at her plain garment. The silver ring on her finger and the bracelet on her wrist hardly looked regal without some gemstones embedded on them. Her royal seal, which she wore as a pendant around her neck at all times, can hardly be called jewelry at all.

It was while she was thinking about these things that she first saw it.
High in the sky, it was a mere dot at first. It grew in size as it flew down. Soon, it resembled a bird… then something bigger…and bigger…
It looked awfully familiar; like something out of a scary story her father used to tell her at night when she wasn’t being a good girl. She had seen its form often enough in drawings of books she would peek into every time her private lessons became boring. She had never seen one before, but she knew this creature approaching her was a Dragon.

A hot wind suddenly blew in her face. Although Mabelrose was not the fainting type, she felt like fainting in the sheer heat gusts that engulfed her.
She tried to scream but could not.
She tried to move, but could barely do so.
The young Princess felt ill and dizzy.
Her knees grew weak and her eyes drooped sleepily.
Somewhere far away, Mabelrose heard voices being raised in alarm.
She looked up.
A dark shadow engulfed her small form. It was really close now.
The world began to spin around her. The sun in the clouds was gone, its feeble warmth replaced by a cold wind that blew out of nowhere.
She could not see the monster, but she knew it was there.
The young Princess felt herself being lifted up high in the air.
The voices faded away and were gone.
Through sleepy eyes she saw the sky and the clouds.
It hurt too much to keep her eyes open.
She could not fight her drowsiness any longer.
Her consciousness fell into a deep and dark abyss of restless sleep from which she would not awaken for a very long time.
 

The whole Kingdom was shocked to hear the terrible news. The Princess’ disappearance devastated the King and Queen. King Jeryk sent riders to every part of his kingdom to search for clues. He even sent messengers to the other kingdoms for help. Word spread across the land.
The King of New Tinsley offered a reward for anyone who can offer information about his daughter’s whereabouts.
The days passed by slowly and agonizingly for the royal couple.
But no one came forward. No one could help.

Finally, a wizard, one of the last of his kind, came to the castle of King Jeryk.
He told them that an evil Dragon had captured their daughter.
"Where does this Dragon Live?" King Jeryk asked.
"He lives beyond the Enchanted Forest," the wizard croaked,  "surrounded by a Black Swamp and a wall of thick thorn bushes."

"I can offer you no more." The aged magician turned to leave.
"Wait!" the king called out. "What is its name?"
"Its name," replied the aged Sorcerer, "is Shalathrumnostrium."

The King’s face became grim at hearing this news.
He had heard tales about the serpent (as dragons are also commonly called by villagers in those days) that calls itself Shalathrumnostrium.
He knew it existed.
And he knew what kind of destruction a beast like that could wreak upon a city. Now he was beginning to regret not placing any harpoons on his castle walls. New Tinsley looked peaceful, after all. It did not look like the type of place that would be attacked by such monstrosities.
Contrary to popular belief, Dragons this huge did not live alone in dismal caves. They have legions of monsters to do their bidding. They are well -guarded by thousands of evil followers ranging from small goblins to large trolls.

A few days after their daughter’s disappearance, the King could not bear to do nothing anymore. He decided to search for his daughter himself.
On that morning, Queen Helena found her husband outfitted in his armor.
"How it seems like it was only yesterday when you rescued me from that evil giant." The Queen said as she managed a sad smile despite her anguish. "Seeing you again in that armor brings back memories."
"Yes," King Jeryk answered.  "Indeed it does bring back memories."
From a dusty trunk he drew a huge sword from its scabbard. It was the same sword that slew the evil giant long, long ago. The same one that cut the bars to the cage where Queen Helena was held captive. (Of course, she was still Princess Helena then…)
Though ages have passed, the sword had not even rusted. It remained shiny and sharp even after it was hidden for almost twenty years.

Outside the castle, a group of the king’s best men were gathered waiting for their leader. They silently adjusted their saddles and tightened loose armor straps. King Jeryk strode out to meet them with Queen Helena at his side.
"Find her, my love," Queen Helena bade her husband, "and come back to me safe as well."
"Don’t worry," said King Jeryk as he mounted his armored, white horse, "I will return with our daughter Mabelrose." With that, he spurred his horse to a gallop and his men followed him.
Queen Helena waved at her departing husband until he disappeared over the horizon.
Beyond New Tinsley, beyond the kingdom of Warwick, and beyond the lands of Hillshire they rode. Over the hills and mountains they traveled. King Jeryk traveled far and wide in search of his daughter and the terrible Dragon’s lair…
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Chapter 4
The Dragon

It was dark when Princess Mabelrose woke up suddenly from her deep sleep.
"Where am I?" She thought to herself. In the darkness, she could sense the room’s immense size. The air was cold and stagnant with the scent of old flowers.
A dim light slowly illuminated her room. She could not tell where the light came from, but she was grateful for its presence, anyway. She saw that she was sitting on top of a very large bed, covered by thick blankets the color of pink roses. It was ten times larger than her bed at home.

"What a wide bed…" She thought to herself.
"And my clothes," she looked down at herself, "they’re so pretty!" She was dressed in a fine night gown made of the purest white silk with lace trimmings.
While running her hands on her fine dress, she glanced around in awe at the bedchamber. The room looked old but grand in its design. The walls were filled with faded paintings of forest animals of all kinds.
Directly in front of her was a set of double doors made completely out of stained glass. Gathering her long night gown about her, Mabelrose slid off the bed and opened the glass doors. They opened to a balcony shaped like a half-circle lined with white washed balusters. Looking over the edge, the young princess saw a  lovely garden far below her window complete with a fountain and a pond.
Looking around behind her, she saw that the balcony jutted out of the side of a very large castle. Gazing at the impressive walls and buildings, she could tell this was even bigger than the palace at Warwick!
"Who could live in such a huge castle as this?" She wondered.
A deep voice suddenly answered her:
"I do."

Startled, the young Princess turned around, but nobody was there.
"Where are you?" She asked, a little puzzled by the absence of a speaker, although she was sure the voice came from her room.
"This way," the voice answered.
Mabelrose felt a pair of invisible hands touch hers and they gently led her across the room toward another set of tall doors, this time made of wood. They opened inward as she approached and she passed through them quickly.

The corridor beyond her room was large, dark and silent. She was led through long corridors whose ceilings were so high, the tallest trees in the garden back home would fit neatly under the arches. Every passage was so wide that ten people could walk side-by-side through them. The walls were decorated with ancient, peeling murals. Many of the painted walls looked strange and creepy. The only sound she heard was the pattering of her own slippered feet as she walked on the black marble floor.
Mabelrose was led through many twists and turns, always being led by the invisible hands. She soon lost her sense of direction in the confusing maze of corridors and vaulted chambers.
She passed a hall decorated by stone gargoyles which seemed to look down at her from their high perches near the ceiling. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw one of them move. Shivering slightly, Mabelrose hurried past the cold and scary room.

Soon, she came upon a pair of  tall doors. They were covered with metal sheets held in place with giant rivets the size of her arm.
"Come right in." The voice called out to her.

Mablerose pushed the giant doors inward. She gasped silently as she did so; quite surprised that they opened so easily; making not the slightest sound.
It opened to a vaulted chamber the size of a  huge cathedral.
Inside, Mabelrose’s eyes grew big and round at what she saw…

Before her stood tall piles of treasure!
Mountains of wealth lay scattered everywhere.
"Gold, Silver, Gems!" She looked around wildly.
Big coins, little coins…Round coins, square coins…
Her big round eyes tried to look at everything at once.
There was so much to see!
"Bracelets, Necklaces, Crowns!" She whispered in awe.
She cautiously walked among the scattered treasure, picking up items of interest.
She held a gleaming necklace in front of her; the temptation to put it on her neck was almost too strong to resist.
"This must be a treasure vault beyond compare!" The young Princess exclaimed.

"Do you like my collection?" A deep, gravely voice behind her suddenly interrupted.
Princess Mabelrose dropped the necklace in surprise and quickly turned around.
She gave a small cry that sounded like a gasp and a stifled scream as she saw it; her eyes growing bigger and wider with unimaginable fear.

Directly in front of her stood the biggest Dragon she had ever seen!

(She never actually saw one before. She knew Dragons were big. Her father told her so. But she never imagined that they would be THIS BIG! No, bigger than that!)
It was simply HUGE.
The dragon’s head was as big as a carriage. Its massive claws rested on the dark-red marble floor; each nail as big as a man’s chest. Its whole body was covered with thick, black scales which gleamed dully in the dimly lit chamber. Caught in between many of the massive scales were hundreds of jewels and coins. They glittered as the dragon moved its massive form or simply breathed. The sight was horribly mesmerizing; fascinatingly beautiful and terrifyingly ugly at the same time.

Normally, Mabelrose did not scare easily. She was a brave girl. But when she saw the dragon, she almost fainted. It was so scary, that she closed her eyes to avoid seeing it. Her small body trembled in fear. Her breathing became ragged gasps. It was frightening to be so close to such a huge Monster.

"Do you like my collection?" It asked again.
"What’s the matter?" It asked. "Nothing nice to say?"
It spoke!
The deep, gravely voice was the Dragon’s own!

"Y-y-you c-c-can talk!" Mabelrose stammered with her eyes still closed.
"Of course." The huge Dragon boomed with pride. "I am Shalathrumnostrium, the most fearsome Dragon that ever lived."

"Y-y-you h-h-have a name?" The young Princess managed to squeak out. Her throat felt tight and her heart hammered wildly in her small chest.
 Princess Mabelrose may not be the fairest in the land, but she was certainly brave.
"Wh-what are you going to do with me?" She asked.
"P-pp-please d-don’t eat me. Oh please!"
"I-I-I d-don’t think I’ll t-t-taste good!"

"My, you are so different from all the others, Mabelrose." The Dragon growled.
He knew her name!
"Usually, Princesses who see me for the first time faint and lapse into hysterical sobs or they go insane with terror." He said this in a plain sort of way; like it happened normally everyday.
"You," the dragon purred almost as if amused by it all,
"You just stand there and even try reasoning with me."

The young Princess started to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth but a slight squeak of air.
The Dragon’s presence was so overwhelming, so frightening, that Mabelrose felt she would surely faint, cry hysterically, and go insane with terror all at the same time.

"Oh, don’t worry," the Dragon said to her. "I do not plan to eat you. My dear Princess, what kind of stories did they tell you as a child?"
"Did they tell you that Dragons ate maidens?" If a Dragon can smile, he did.
"Some do." He went on.
"But not I. I am too big now."
"I am so huge, that I won’t even feel you going down my throat. Besides, to a really smart Dragon (which I am), little Princesses serve a better purpose than just becoming appetizers."

"No; I have all the food I’ll ever need here." The Dragon’s breath was hot on her back.
"But, I suppose you are hungry." He said. "Follow the unseen servant, and it will guide you to your lunch."

It seemed like the Dragon had read her mind, but Mabelrose was not about to argue further.
All this talk about food made her realize how hungry she was.
She tried to remember how much time has passed but found out she could not.
She did not know how much time she had spent sleeping either.
The unseen hands led her from the gigantic treasure chamber and led her down another tall passageway. The young princess heaved a sigh of relief when the Dragon did not follow her.

"Dine well," the Dragon’s booming voice echoed from the huge doors. "After all, we are going to be together for a very long time."
The Monster’s last words scared her. She thought about them as she was led down ever winding passageways.
"A Noble Prince will come for me and I will be free." She thought to herself.
She hoped that would happen soon.

Mabelrose soon forgot her worries when she entered the dining hall.
There, she saw a large table heavily laden with delicious looking food.
A single chair has been placed for her and she sat down.
Seeing that she was alone and getting no signal to begin, she began to help herself to the banquet set before her.

There were roasted slices of beef and veal covered with a thick creamy sauce sprinkled with  chopped asparagus. A whole shicken lay steaming in a silver platter, stuffed with baked yams and turkey cubes. There was mushroom soup served in a large silver tureen. Behind that lay a tray of assorted sausages along with baked potatoes and brown gravy.
There was a pie to her left, stuffed with spinach and broccoli. To her right, was a tuna casserole and fried red mackerel, smothered with sweetened tomato sauce.
Lastly, apples, pears and peaches lay  sliced and cubed in a bowl of expensive crystal.
Seeing all this and much, much more, the young Princess’ mouth watered.

Suddenly, she paused, her hand in mid air.
"Oh, I almost forgot." She said.
Even in the dark dinner hall, she clasped her hands together.
"Thank you for this food that I’m about to partake," she prayed.
"And may a noble Prince rescue me soon, amen."

With that, Mabelrose hungrily ate. There was so much food on the table that she could barely do nothing more than taste each entee before she went on to the next. She did not wonder where the food came from or how it got here. After all, the hideous dragon was so rich, it could afford to buy anything it wanted.
After Mabelrose had finished eating, she was led back to her room by the invisible servant. Once there, she felt tired and sleepy and the gentle, invisible handmaid dressed her up for bed. She lay down on the huge mattress and the unseen, gentle hands tucked her in.
Now, all alone in the dark room in the middle of a massive oak bed, she began to think about her parents and home.
"Father, Mother, I miss you." She thought sadly.
She felt lonely and scared.
"I wish I could tell you I’m at least alive and well." A tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly blinked it away. Her father taught her to be strong in the face of adversity.
She crawled off the bed and knelt down beside it.
"Please bless Father and Mother and may a noble prince rescue me soon, amen." She prayed and then slid back under the silk blankets…