BEAUTY AND THE DRAGON

Everyone knows about the story about how Beauty met the Beast and falling in love with him to break the curse that was placed upon him. In this particular tale, there's a bit of a twist. This story also speaks of a legend that has been passed down for many centuries.

Long ago, the dragons ruled the skies and they lived in peace with the humans. The dragons gave rides to humans to travel far away places and kingdoms to warming their homes during the winter. However, peace did not last because a group calling themselves Dragonslayers hunt and killed the dragons because their bones and scales were worth a lot of money. The people stood up against the dragonslayers and they told them they wouldn't do them any harm.

The slayers were angered by this and then they gave up on their hunt or so they did. One day, a harsh young King heard about the price on the Dragons' bones and their hides and he planned to become the most powerful royal that ever lived. He travelled to the Dragon's mountain where the dragons lived and when he made his first kill, the dragons were angered and they felt betrayed and this caused the war between the humans and the dragons.

Unaware to the King, a sorceress called Leila, watched from afar and she knew the consequences for slaying a dragon. The villagers and the King's advisors warned him about her living on the mountain as the Dragons' protector but, he didn't care nor did he listened to their warnings because they knew the King would get cursed.

Leila appeared in front of the King and he was surprised to see her in person because he thought she was going to be old and ugly like the other sorceresses and witches. The King smirked at Leila and he approached her.

'My, my, so you're the Dragons' protector? this is unexpected," The King spoke as he looked at her up and down.

'Why did you kill the dragons? they never did you any harm or the people below the mountains," Leila told the King with an emotionless expression on her face.

The King laughed at her question and he then told her.

'Not done any harm?! what a ridiculous thing to say! Dragons are monsters and they deserve to be put to death. After all, they're the ones who started this war."

Leila was angered by his comment because she was already aware that the King was the one who caused this war.

'I can already see through your lies! you were the one who started this! not them! you're nothing more than a greedy King who wants nothing but power and money!"

'Now, now, let's not get angry, why don't we make a deal? you will make me the most powerful King that ever lived and in return, I shall leave the dragons alone."

Leila didn't like this idea but, she knew a way to punish the king for his crimes.

'Very well, we have a deal."

Leila smirked at the King as she offered her hand for him to shake to seal the deal. The moment the King touched her hand, a bright light appeared and then the King screamed in pain. Leila smirked at the King and once the pain subsided, the King collapsed onto his knees.

'What did you do?!"

'Calm yourself, I made you powerful didn't I? try attacking me."

The King smirked and then got his great sword at the ready before charging at Leila. However, when he did, he was faster than before and when his claymore struck her staff, the ground started to shake and then cracks appeared on the ground.

The King was surprised by this and he liked his newfound power.

'Incredible! I feel so strong! you have my gratitude, Sorceress."

'No thanks are necessary, now I've held my end of the deal, it's time to make yours. Get off this mountain and never come back!"

Leila yelled as the growled at the King and he nodded his head.

'Of course, a deal is a deal."

The King left the mountain but, a deal to gain power came at a price, a terrible one. The King took over a lot of territories with his new power but, day by day, the King began to change. During a battlefield, he became something different.

Black scales started to appear on his skin, his nails and limbs grew longer, his once brown eyes began to change into amber. Black wings sprouted from his back as he grew bigger and bigger until he was the size of a house. The King's army was afraid of him and they didn't know whether to attack or run away from him. The King was also frightened but, he knew who to turn to. He flew back to the Dragon mountain and then he roared loudly which brought the attention the dragons and the Sorceress.

The King, who was still stuck in his dragon form, growled at the other dragons until Leila approached him. Leila smirked at him and then she used her power to help him transform back to his human form. The King collapsed onto the ground and he glared at Leila.

'What have you done to me?!!"

'You told me to make you powerful and I did."

'By turning me into a monster?! do you realise what you have done?! my men and my people will be afraid of me!!"

'And so they should, it is the price to pay for what you've done," Leila spoke with a frown.

'What are you babbling on about, sorceress?!"

'The dragons are my friends and you killed so many of them. I figured since you wanted power so badly, I might as well give you some but, there was a catch. The moment I made you stronger, the power of the dragons awaken inside of you and now you're one of them."

'Why would you do this to me?! your King?!"

'Because someone had to punish you for what you've done. The people below this mountain loved these dragons and they lived peacefully with them until you came along and ruined it all! Since you wanted to kill dragons for sport so badly and you didn't care how some people thought about it or how the dragons felt when you slew them, why not give you a taste of your medicine?"

Leila commented as she saw the approaching dragonslayers. The dragons behind her disappeared and then Leila said to the King.

'You are powerful and immortal now, my King. However, from this day forth, you will be forever cursed to live your life as a dragon and you will soon understand why the dragons fear people like you and the dragonslayers."

'Wait! how do I break the curse?!"

'If you want to get rid of the curse, find someone who is not afraid of you and your dragon form. Someone who can love a Dragon King."

Leila told the King before she turned into black mist and disappearing before the King. The King looked at the dragonslayers and then he suddenly turned into his dragon form. The dragonslayers were ready to fight but, the King flew away before they could fight him.

Very soon, the dragons became extinct but, some people believed the dragons still lived. They believed Leila had also placed an enchantment on them and gave each of her dragon friends human forms so they can live among the humans so they couldn't get hunted or killed before the peace broke.

And as for the Dragon King, he searched high and low for the woman that was supposed to love him but, they all feared him and his dragon. Eventually, the dragon King gave up the search and decided to live alone after he mastered his new powers. However, a part of him wished he could find the woman who could care for him but the main question that was one everyone's mind; Who could ever love a Dragon King?