A prince who couldn’t sleep resulted in many walks at night, the comfort of the stars above providing a rare moment of peace. Astrology had always been his favourite topic, and was a hobby for him to practice on silent nights such as this. The galaxy above glimmered as he lay on the soft grass of the palace gardens, eyes fixated on the sky above him.

With a start, he sat up in a jerking motion, heart racing as a roar rose above the trees outside the palace walls, filled with agony and interrupting his day dreaming. Fumbling with the sheath on his belt, he pulled out his sword, racing swiftly through the castle gates, ordering the bemused guards to follow.

Dragons were large, ancient creatures known for their strength, size and lust for blood. But he saw through the exaggerated tales, told to children to scare them into bed. He’d found ancient scrolls depicting animals of grace and feline strength, of unimaginable intelligence. They were often hunted as their blood was rumoured a potion of immortality, and their scales a prize of a hunter’s strength. The hatred of dragons have driven them to near extinction, banishing them to the lonely mountains bordering the coast - cruel, uninhabitable lands. What was one of them doing so close to the palace?

With one final push through the leafy plants of the forest, he stumbled into a clearing, his two guards close behind him. A dragon lay with a slash wound to the underbelly, their wings tied with chains and its head limp on the ground. The hunters who had stricken the creature were collecting vials of blood.

“Halt!”

He called out firmly, causing the hunters to startle. They immediately dropped the vials, stumbling back before turning to sprint away, not wanting to be reprimanded by the prince. He gave a growl of annoyance before turning to the limp animal, eyes softening with sympathy.

“Such brutes.”

He muttered, crouching beside it with soft eyes.