So I am writing a lot of detail into this story I am working on and this is just one of the many side stories that has become a folk tale in the world of Fabled. Fabled will be taking place in a fantasy setting following a young boy who runs from conscription into the King’s Guard like his older brother did before him. In an attempt to make a name for himself, he heads to the neighbouring kingdom to offer his help in finding the princess.

The Sainthood of Alistaire, The Iron Knight

In the land of what is now Archanglia, a sole ancient dragon swooped down upon a kingdom in a furious attack. As the fire from the dragon’s mouth engulfed many a soldier, the King screamed for peace. The dragon had been making weekly attacks, and the King wanted desperately to know why. As he exited the castle walls alone, the dragon made its descent before him.

“Why dragon, why does someone so great, powerful and wise such as yourself choose to attack my kingdom every week? What harm have we done to you?” The King demanded answers from the dragon, unsure if he was even being understood.

The dragon’s eyes narrowed at the King and he leaned in, his long steaming snout barely inches from the King’s face. You wish to know why young King? Your hunters have taken my younglings, slain them, and kept them as trophies. The dragon’s message came across loud and clear, but it spoke only to the King’s mind. Alas, I am now the last of my kind.

“Well, how can I appease you? An apology will not do, and if it is justice you require, I may grant it!” The King’s pleas echoed in the silence following his offering. The dragon stared at him pensively.

I will accept your form of punishment. However I will require the bodies of my younglings so I may give them a proper rest. In a wagon would do fine, I can carry them that way. The dragon’s eyes narrowed even more, almost to the point of being closed. But I will require one thing from you in return.

The King was already ensuring the cart with the dragons was on its way out when he was baffled by the request. He knew it was best for the kingdom, and if he were to have a kingdom at all, he would have to appease the dragon. “Anything for peace my friend, I will give you…”

Your twin heirs. The dragon’s eyes widened and he snarled as if to say, two lives for two lives.

The King stifled back a grin and bowed low. “Of course I would, but alas I have no children!” As he bowed, the cart with the two bodies on it appeared outside the gate.

The dragon’s snout inhaled deeply as it retreated its head from the King. Ah, but you will. With that, the dragon spread its enormous wings and kicked up a cloud of dust, disappearing amid the clouds with the cart in his clutches.

Years later, the King finally wed into a wealthy family to unite two kingdoms. His political power and their funds made them extremely prosperous. As the King found out his betrothed was with child, he checked with his healer to see if it could be twins. The healer assured him it was not possible.

Weeks turned to months, and finally the day arrived. The King stood by his Queen’s side as she gave birth to his first born heir, a boy. As he revelled in the glory of fatherhood, he forgot about the prospect of twins until his wife suddenly had a sharp pain in her abdomen. As the healer tried desperately to stop the bleeding, the King began to panic. What if he lost his wife? Would she be the other life the dragon was asking for? As the healer worked tirelessly to help her, she found a small hand amid the blood. As she forced the child from the Queen, she unfortunately put the Queen into a shock. As the king was handed a twin daughter, he lost his Queen.

He toiled with the thought of having to give away the last reminders of his beautiful wife. Finally he came to a solution. He would have the hunters slay the dragon! As he sent his guards to every household, no hunters wanted to face death head on. Finally the search expanded, until no more were available. As he broke down to his armourer, he told of how he dealt away his children to the dragon in exchange for peace. The armourer shook his head, but in the background a young man clamoured forward.

“Hello M’Lord, I am the apprentice here, and I have heard your plight.” The young man said, his grey eyes shining like steel. “I have heard it, and I wish to help.” The King hugged the young man and promised him riches and his family wealth beyond their dreams. The young man looked to the ground at the mention of his family. “M’Lord, they all died of plague a few years ago. I have nothing left but this job.”

Despite the King’s offer of the greatest armour and weapons, the young man wanted to forge his own armour and sword. The King sighed heavily and sat, watching the young man forge his sword. “What is your name, hero?”

The young man smiled at the King’s compliment. “I’m no hero M’Lord. My name is Alistaire.”

“Alistaire of what house?” The question from the King seemed to sting his hero.

“I have no house, I was too young to remember our name.” Alistaire shrugged as he dipped the scalding hot sword into a cauldron of water. As the steam rose from the heated metal, he looked upon his blade with great pride. “This is a technique I remember my father writing about, it is called star forging.” As he swung the sword in an arc, the blade sung through the air.

As the King felt the time passing, finally his hero came to see him. “Are you prepared for the battle?” He asked politely, unsure if any man could prepare to face such a creature. Much to his surprise, Alistaire shrugged as if he were fetching some bread.

“M’Lord, I have nothing but my life to lose, and I assure you. It isn’t worth much.” Alistaire got down on a single knee and bowed his head. “But I will give my last breath only after I have defended your heirs good King.” Suddenly, Alistaire rose to his feet and removed his iron helm. “But you must promise me something.” Having learned not to promise anything, the King nodded for him to continue. “You must promise me not to make deals with dragons.” The King grabbed Alistaire and hugged him tight. “Never again will I, my friend.”

Alistaire received a blessing from the counsel of clerics and healers and was bestowed a holy symbol. It was an iron sword, depicted diagonally on a silver and gold shield. As the symbol was draped around his neck, the healer smiled warmly. “The Gods watch over you this day.” As Alistaire looked at the charm, the healer pointed to the various symbols. “The Sword, Governor of War; The Shield, Governor of the Protectors.” She paused a moment and raised the charm to her lips, muttering words Alistaire couldn’t hear. The healer nodded and sent him on his way.

The trip was long and perilous but he had to get to the dragon before word got to it about the children. Finally after a few days of travel, he happened upon a large cave. As he peered back down the mountain side, he could see the kingdom in clear view. Alistaire thought to himself that this must be the place. Arming himself with his iron sword and shield, he advanced from his perch amid the brush.

So, the King had his twins.

Alistaire’s face most likely looked shocked, but lucky for him, he had a helm on. “Can you hear me dragon?”

Aye boy. I can hear you. I hear you and what your heart wishes.

The voice echoes throughout Alistaire’s body, resonating off the very essence of his being. “Then you know I’m not afraid of you, so show yourself!”

The dragon heeds his wishes and clamours out of the cave, staring wearily at the mass of iron before him. I also know you’ve come to kill me, human. As his voice resonates through Alistaire’s mind, the two stare at each other and respectfully size up their opponent.

“Well, you will not have the children! I have vowed it to-” Alistaire’s rant is cut short but a voice shatters the silence in his mind.

I know. You vowed to kill me. But you’ve never killed anything before, let alone a dragon. The dragon lowers his head sympathetically. You are but a youngling yourself. His sad eyes blink slowly as he draws his head back. I am the last of my kind, and it is my duty to survive.

As Alistaire stared at the dragon, he remembered he had come here to slay it, not befriend it. He lunged forward, swinging his sword at it’s belly. The dragon drew back, unscathed and reacted with fire. Alistaire lunged behind some rocks as the trees behind him turned to ash. The dragon glanced around cautiously as his eyes darted to any movement.

You finally decided to get on with my murder I see. Puffs of smoke billowed from the dragon’s nostrils as he readied more fire.

Alistaire was ignoring the dragon’s taunts as he climbed atop the cave opening. As he peered over the edge, the dragon looked left and right for his foe. No. I fight for the innocent children in a deal made between two monsters. Alistaire’s thoughts alerted the dragon to his location just as Alistaire leapt forth from his perch.

The fire blew forth from the dragon’s mouth as if Alistaire was leaping toward the sun. The darkness of the helm turned to sunshine as it melted away in the intense heat. His iron shield melted as if it were made of butter, and his chest piece poured over his legs like mercury. As the metal ran down Alistaire’s skin, it singed every nerve and tore skin from muscle and bone. The flames felt cold on the skin however, most likely from the shock of many nerves being destroyed in unison. Alistaire landed half in the dragon’s maw with a clang, and together the two fell to the ground.

Rising from the ground, Alistaire stared at the dragon. His father’s technique had paid off. The sword had cleaved clean through a few of the dragon’s teeth, through its jaw and the point was sticking out the top of its skull. As the steam rose from his scarred skin, Alistaire looked to his chest. The one thing that didn’t melt away was the holy symbol. He kissed it and drew his sword from the dragon’s skull.

Upon Alistaire’s return to the kingdom, the King stared at the broken and charred knight before him. “I am quite sorry for what has happened to you young knight.” His sympathetic look masked his utter disgust. “I will grant you all that you desire, just name it.” Alistaire pondered for a few moments and then attempted a smile. “I wish for the freedom of your children.”

The guards and noblemen in the castle gasped in disbelief. The King stirred uncomfortably in his throne. “What do you mean, freedom?” His words spat forth with venom. “And choose your words wisely, hero of our kingdom.”

Alistaire looked to the blade his father had unknowingly taught him to forge and considered his next words wisely. “I have come to free the children from your grasp as well.”

The King stood from his throne and scoffed at the suggestion. “I just sent you to kill the dragon, so I could keep my heirs!”

With a stern expression on his scarred face, the young Alistaire nodded. “They will still be your heirs, but you will not raise them. You have gambled their life away and sent another to protect them. You are no father figure.” He scowled while considering his next words. “Let someone else raise them.”

The King was disappointed in his champion, but at least he wouldn’t lose his heirs completely. He nodded begrudgingly and pointed Alistaire to the castle door. “Your request shall be granted. I will put them in the care of… the healer who brought them into this world.” As the King watched Alistaire leave, he sighed heavily.

Outside the castle walls, Alistaire collapses in the street. The young healer who gave him the holy symbol appears from nowhere, but directly to his aid. “Come brave knight, you have saved these lands.” As she ushered him into an alleyway, Alistaire braced himself on the wall. “It is done. The healer who helped their mother will take care of the children.” The young healer smiles politely. “And you are now in the hands of the divines, Saint Alistaire.” As she leaned over and slipped the holy symbol from Alistaire’s shoulders, he slumped down to the ground motionless. “Rest easy fair knight, may the Governor of Compassion take you amid his court.”

As the skies slowly cried for the low born knight, the young healer disappeared into the crowd. However even until this day, Saint Alistaire’s battle with the dragon and the King is known among all the kingdoms. Who has recounted the story no one knows, but it is known among the circles of compassion. Praying to Saint Alistaire is common among the burned for a healthy and speedy recovery.