everyone knows that story. everyone knows the story
where the knight slays the dragon to save the princess's
life, they kiss, and then they live happily ever after.
i prefer the story where the dragon fell in love with the
princess first.
i prefer the story where he tried to tell her he loved
her but smoke billowed from his mouth instead, and he tried to
hold her close to him but his claws tore her dress and
scratched her skin.
in that story, the dragon is so in love that he burns the world
to the ground in search of something -
anything that is brighter than she is.
(in that story, the dragon lies down in the mud and lets the
knight slay him, because it's easier than having to watch
the way she looks at him.)