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Jann is minding his own business. He is playing by himself in the courtyard with a wooden sword: this definitely constitutes minding his own business. Nothing that follows is his fault.
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"I didn't have any faeries around when I was born either way," says Beryl, "because my mother was in hiding at the time, but that's all long been sorted out."
abeance
Meanwhile, Jann hasn't gotten much better about reading his mail.
He graduates from knight school and comes home to be actually knighted. He brings Glynn, because it's a special occasion and Glynn's his best friend.
Now where's Milo? It's a special occasion and Milo's his cousin.
greatcomposure
"It seems so. Naturally, we would like him rescued by someone who understands the situation, because it'll be a bit of a mess if he's rescued by someone who doesn't."
abeance
"Right. D'you know which dragon it was?"
This is Jann's Knight Face. Even though he has not technically been knighted yet.
This is Jann's Knight Face. Even though he has not technically been knighted yet.
greatcomposure
"Roxim. He lives in the Mountains of Morning, he's very old, and he has a reputation for being unusually agreeable for a dragon when someone comes to rescue a princess from him. But I'd still recommend that you try explaining the situation before making a more traditional challenge."
abeance
"Right then. Can Glynn stay here while I'm off fetching Milo? I wanted him to be there when I got properly knighted and all."
abeance
And so Jann in properly knightly fashion saddles up his horse and armors up and finds Roxim's caves on his map and rides off. It takes him several days to get there.
Knock, knock?
Knock, knock?
first-and-final
Milo has organized the library. And the treasure rooms. And the kitchen. And his own room. And the other rooms that don't really contain anything as illustrious as treasure but do contain an awful lot of miscellaneous objects. He has cleaned everything. He has explained his clever yet straightforward organizational systems to Roxim. He has read a few of the more interesting books.
When he hears the knock, he finishes drying the plate he just washed, to give him time to think about whether he really wants to go see who it is. That didn't sound like Beryl or Chirailia. If he's lucky, it's someone who understands what's going on. If he isn't... well.
He answers the door.
"Oh good, it's you," he says. "And just in time, too. I was starting to get bored."
When he hears the knock, he finishes drying the plate he just washed, to give him time to think about whether he really wants to go see who it is. That didn't sound like Beryl or Chirailia. If he's lucky, it's someone who understands what's going on. If he isn't... well.
He answers the door.
"Oh good, it's you," he says. "And just in time, too. I was starting to get bored."
abeance
"You're welcome, Milo. Where's your dragon? I'd better try to explain rather than just sneaking off with you."
first-and-final
"He's napping in the back. You can come in and have a cup of tea if you want, while we wait for him to wake up. You look very dashing. Did I miss your knighting? I missed your knighting, didn't I."
abeance
"I postponed my knighting to come get you, Princess," snorts Jann, stepping into the caves. "We'll go home and I'll get knighted and you'll have a front-row seat."
first-and-final
"Alternately, I could pour the kettle over your head," grumbles Milo, but he shows Jann to the kitchen and provides tea and does not dump boiling water on him.
first-and-final
"Exasperating. But I did get to organize the dragon's library and treasure rooms. That part was fun."
abeance
Jann sips tea. "Well, at least you had something to do."
Dragon footsteps approach and Jann puts his teacup down and clears his throat.
"I smell a knight!" says Roxim.
Dragon footsteps approach and Jann puts his teacup down and clears his throat.
"I smell a knight!" says Roxim.
first-and-final
"Roxim, this is my cousin Jann, who is here to verify that I am a prince," says Milo. "Jann, the dragon Roxim."
abeance
"Hello, dragon Roxim!" says Jann politely, standing up and making a slight bow. "I don't mean to presume on your hospitality. I'm just here to clear up the misunderstanding about my cousin Milo, who is, in fact, a prince. You're not the first to make this mistake but it's probably best if I just take him home now."
"Hmmm," says Roxim. "He does smell like a princess."
"Probably he should change soaps," says Jann blandly.
Roxim chuckles. "Oh, very well, he's running out of things to do anyway. Go on then. If you'd like to tap me with the flat of your sword to have a story to embellish for all your friends, you may, since you're so polite."
"That's very kind of you," says Jann, and he taps Roxim on one of his horns quite gently with the flat of his sword, and then bows again and gestures to Milo.
"Hmmm," says Roxim. "He does smell like a princess."
"Probably he should change soaps," says Jann blandly.
Roxim chuckles. "Oh, very well, he's running out of things to do anyway. Go on then. If you'd like to tap me with the flat of your sword to have a story to embellish for all your friends, you may, since you're so polite."
"That's very kind of you," says Jann, and he taps Roxim on one of his horns quite gently with the flat of his sword, and then bows again and gestures to Milo.
first-and-final
"Thanks, Roxim," says Milo. "You've been very reasonable about this, all things considered."
He finishes his tea and rinses out the cup and puts it away - Jann's too, and the teapot and kettle - and bows to Roxim and departs with Jann.
He finishes his tea and rinses out the cup and puts it away - Jann's too, and the teapot and kettle - and bows to Roxim and departs with Jann.
abeance
Jann has had the foresight to bring along a second horse. Onto the second horse goes Milo. "This way. I'm glad I didn't have to actually fight him, graduation or no."