A dragon stands tall in an open green field.

It unfolds its wings, bears its teeth, and curls its claws into dirt to stand firm on the turf.

Its dark red scales glisten eerily under the bloody sunrise as two people approach. As the two near, this tall proud beast stands its ground wondering why these tiny fools would dare to encroach.

A prince and his royal guard walk courageously in the open green field.

The knight's sword remains closed away in its sheath, the shield on his back unequipped.

The knight asks the prince how he remains so persistent.

To that, the prince responds with a simple explanation.

He refuses to serve for a nonexistent nation.

As the dragon readies its first attack, the pair of men face each other hand in hand.

The prince in turn asks the knight one question, "As for you, my dearest friend, why protect me and my people? What is your inspiration?"

A writer somewhere in a far away place

under a sunset in another universe sits back and thinks.

Oh, this knight, this valued knight.

Why does he subject himself to such harm and such plight?

There could be no clearer desperation, no thing more dramatic than this knight's aspiration to protect his lover's kingdom from complete annihilation.

"Why, Your Highness, you needn't look further than a mirror to find the reason I do my work, since my love for you and my love for my kingdom are what maintain my spirit. They are that which remind me to keep at it in the midst of battle."

So the beast let out an angered growl as it cooked the green field beneath its jowl,

stepping nearer to threaten the pair.

But the pair faced forth and drew their weapons,

knowing now that what encouraged them was neither the threat of death nor their aggressions

but instead what encouraged them was a simple thing.

Thus, the writer wrote about the knight and the prince ridding the kingdom of a dragon's interference

with nothing much more

than a world's worth of love and perseverance (and some swords)