The Castle Dragon

A Writer's Cramp (24 hours/1,00o words or less)
NEW PROMPT: I've always wanted a horse, ever since I was a little girl. While I did briefly live my dream twice, I've never actually achieved it the way I envisioned it.

So, write about a desired, but unattainable, pet. Horse, dog, giraffe, dragon--don't limit yourselves! Have fun!

The Castle Dragon

“I wanted a puppy,” Ricardo told her one day. “A puppy that would play, chase balls, do all those things puppies are supposed to do . . . but mainly grow into a friend, because I really had no friends. Princes don’t, you know. Princes have servants, tutors, people who slaver over you or scold if that’s their job. But friends . . .” he said with a shrug.

Jezzie reached out, touched his arm, gave him a smile of understanding.

Servants walked in and out of the gardens where they were sitting. One thing Jezzie had noticed is that castles, especially the palatial sections never came with privacy. There were always eyes on them – eyes that spied for the king, for the queen, for purposes of gossip.

Jezzie withdrew her fingers, scooted herself further away so no one would accuse them again of being too public, too much in love – like that was a bad thing.

“Why couldn’t you have a puppy, Ricardo? Even princes can have pets.”

His eyes looked so sad when he turned to look at her. His fingers reached out, closed around hers. In so doing, he defied the queen’s wishes.

But Jezzie didn’t pull away. Let her scold them. Let her rant and rave again about how they must show decorum. Jezzie loved Ricardo’s touch, loved the way his fingers shot feelings of warmth, goodness, love throughout her body. They were husband and wife now. They should be allowed to hold hands in public, surely it couldn’t be as wrong as she said.

Ricardo shook his head, stared off into the distance. His voice when it came sounded flat, hopeless. “The castle dragon would have eaten any pet, Jezzie. No puppies, no kittens, no pets of any kind. “

They rose, hand in hand, and returned to their chamber. At least there they’d have privacy. At least there they could be themselves.