Kinesthinus and the Dragon

The dragon’s smile grew larger. Kinesthinus couldn’t exactly say the smile broadened, since he could only see half of it... That, actually, was more than enough. "No. I’m saying that you’re not overly impressive."

"Ho! Serpent! You wound yourself by insulting me!" Kinesthinus danced backwards, hefting his heavy broadsword with one hand while lowering the visor on his helmet in preparation of battle with the insolent dragon. The dragon appeared surprised by the change.

"My, my. If you kept your face covered while you spoke to the king, no wonder he placed his faith in you."

Kinesthinus, though the dragon couldn’t see his face, froze, stupefied. Aggravated, he lowered his sword and raised his visor again to look at the dragon squarely. "Do you mind? I have a job to do here."

"Oh. Sorry. By all means, let me make it easier for you. Here, I’ll open my mouth and you step inside, and we’ll save ourselves both a world of trouble." The dragon opened its mouth wide. Kinesthinus, no taller than one of the pearly front teeth - which of course made the canine teeth tower over his armor-plated head with a seriously sinister confidence - blanched, sweat beading on his forehead. He averted his face so quickly that his visor slammed shut again with a loud clank. He jammed the point of his sword in the dirt beside his foot to offer him support. Otherwise, he would have fallen, and with the armor he was wearing, he would never be able to get up without help.

The dragon opened one eye, regarding the knight thoughtfully. It closed its mouth, whispering, "Oh, yes, that reminds me. If you would be so kind as to remove your armor before you step inside? Chain mail is okay, but full armor causes my stomach to ache in the most alarming way." Satisfied that its directive would be obeyed, the dragon closed its eye again and opened its mouth, waiting.

Kinesthinus, glared at the dragon through the slits in his visor, no longer bothered by the overlarge teeth (as long as he thought of them as columns in some twisted castle, that is) and he pulled his sword free of the gravel road. Make it easier, will it? he thought to himself. On some deep inner level that he preferred not to listen to just now, Kinesthinus hoped that the dragon would kill him quickly, armor or no. He raised his sword, and without a sound, he launched himself at the dragon.

The dragon must have assumed that the sound of clanking armor meant that the little man was removing it and waited patiently with its mouth wide open. Kinesthinus charged at the yawning cavern, his gaze focused upon the mottled pink and black skin that anchored that huge canine tooth looming tall and magnificent, filling his vision as he neared. He made no battle cry as he charged, preferring the silent attack. In fact, the only sound he made was a loud grunt as his sword made contact with, then pierced the dragon’s mouth, right at the gum line.

The dragon’s eyes popped open in surprise, and its head left the ground. It surged upward, growling and snarling, to its full height, leaving Kinesthinus standing on the ground. The knight had remembered to let go of the hilt of his sword just in time to keep from flying through the air, attached, of all things, to the dragon’s mouth. Now, though, he had a perfect view of the dragon’s soft underbelly, as well as the toes - and more importantly, the toenails. Kinesthinus licked his lips, then clenched his eyes tightly, waiting for the final blow that would end his life, and his responsibility to the kingdom. He never much liked to work, anyway.