The knight rounded the castle steps, sword in hand, the fire breathing dragon nipping at his heals. As he reached the landing he turned on his pursuer, and lunged. The dragon screeched in agony as the sword landed between his eyes going straight through, and pinning the monster to the castle wall. The knight began his accent while the wailing dragon wrestled with the blade penetrating his gruesome face.
Reaching the top, the knight paused momentarily, to locate the maiden. There she lie, a feeble heap in the corner of the room. The knight approached, and gently spoke her name. Awaken from her tearful reverie, the maiden looked up in awe at the gallant knight, come to rescue her. The maiden took his extended hand and he lifted her into his arms.
Quickly, yet carefully, he carried the maiden down the castle stairs, avoiding the reaching claws of the still trapped dragon. His white horse awaited as he they escaped the castle walls. And climbing atop the beautiful creature, the knight and the maiden rode away.
Wouldn't that be nice?
In a way, or rather momentarily it probably would, but let me point a few problems here. The maiden is sitting in the corner, a feeble, crying mess. How the hell can anyone get out of a sticky mess, like a dragon attack, if they are hiding in the corner. Now, don't get me wrong, it's important to take a moment and be sad over things...but not when you're in the thick of it.
That is when you have to fight.
Other problem, why is the knight rescuing the maiden? Why isn't the maiden rescuing herself? The knight can be there, for sure, he can be back up, but if the maiden really wants to get out of this mess, she is going to have to find herself a sword or a bow and quiver of arrows and she's going to have to face that dragon.
She got herself in this mess, she needs to get herself out.
The idea of someone coming in and rescuing us from our problems sounds all too magical. It's hard to be strong. It's hard to fight. But we won't be strong and we won't fight, if we are lying feebly on the floor, waiting for someone to come rescue us.
We have to be our own hero, our own knight in shining armor.
So, let's try this again...
The knight rounded the castle steps, sword in hand, the fire breathing dragon nipping at his heals. The maiden stood on the landing and reached in her quiver, pulling out the razor sharp arrow. With precession and speed, the maiden shot the scaly beast between the eyes. He wailed out in agony and charged towards the two, his anger boiling. Swiftly the maiden shot two more arrows at the ever approaching beast, who screeched as the arrows landed in his heart.
Yet the dragon continued to inch towards the maiden.
There they stood, face to face. The maiden stared into his black eyes, without flinching, she reached for the dagger at her side and lunged towards the fire breathing monster. Plunging the dagger in the dragons head, the maiden swung herself around and slid down the dragon's arm. Reaching for the arrows in the dragons heart, she caught hold and with all the power inside her, she thrust the arrows deeper into his heart, killing the giant beast.
Pulling herself away from the slumped, dead heap, the maiden looked up at the knight. Exhausted from battle, the two reached out, meeting halfway. Bolstering each other up, the two paused a moment. Then, catching their breath, they walked hand in hand through the castle gates. Their stallions stood, waiting for their masters return. Each climbed atop their beautiful beasts, and rode away, into the starry night.
The beautiful thing about rescuing yourself, is you don't lose your love by being your own hero. The maiden still ends up with the knight in the end. And the relationship is more balanced, both are strong, both can hold their own.
And who doesn't love a person who is strong? ....I think the knight does.
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