"Finally!" I mutter, wiping sweat from my brow with the back of my gauntlet. After hours of stumbling through this blasted forest, tripping over roots and dodging suspiciously low-hanging branches, I'd finally reached the dragon's lair. "Time to prove my worth, Alaric. For Eldoria! For Princess Anya!"

Okay, maybe mostly for Anya. But a knight can dream, right?

With a deep breath, I draw my sword, the firelight glinting off its polished surface. My heart pounds in my chest as I creep into the shadowy cave. It reeks of sulfur and... something oddly floral? I shake my head, trying to focus.

Then, I see it. A massive form curled atop a pile of gold, its scales shimmering like rubies in the dim light. The dragon.

I raise my sword, ready to charge, when the beast unfolds itself, stretching like a cat waking from a nap. A shiver runs down my spine as it turns towards me, eyes glowing with an eerie light.

I gulp, tightening my grip on the sword. "Surrender, beast! In the name of King William and Princess Anya, I—"

Before I can finish, the dragon lets out a low chuckle. Then, with a blinding flash of light, the monstrous form begins to shrink, scales melting away like candle wax. I stumble back, blinking in surprise as the light fades, revealing...

... a person. A ridiculously, unfairly attractive person.

My mouth hangs open as I stammer, "Uh... d-dragon?"