"When they come, stand behind me and do as I say," said Vincent, "and I'll do my best to save you."
"Oh, thank you, Sir Knight," the Dragon said, and moved to stand behind him.
Vincent quickly picked up his lance, for just now he could see an approaching band of men on horseback, coming straight toward where Vincent and the Dragon Mayana stood.
"Here they come," she moaned.
"Trust me," said Vincent.
"Stop!" called Vadis as the band came near.
"What are you doing here, Pipsqueak?" he asked Vincent. "I have a Dragon to slay, and you're in my way. Move."
"You can't kill this Dragon," said Vincent calmly.
The men of Vadis' band of knights laughed as if he had told a joke.
"I am a knight," said Vadis, as if correcting a troublesome child. "Knights slay Dragons. That's a Dragon. So I have to kill it. It's what I do."
"Not this Dragon," said Vincent. "It's my Dragon."
Vadis snorted. "Prove it," he said.
Vincent gave his best icy grown-up smile and turned to Mayana, who was cowering behind him. "Stand up straight," he ordered.
The Dragon stopped cowering and stood up on her hind feet, straight and tall as an oak. She waved her claws menacingly for added effect.
The knights turned a little pale and stared in surprise.
"Sit," said Vincent.
She sat.
One of the knights made the sign of the cross against the Devil.
"Speak," said Vincent.
And the Dragon took in a great breath and let out a low, rumbling roar, like the sound of an earthquake, or ten-thousand thunders, or a stampede of mythical Elephants, and even before the echoes had faded each and every knight had fled from Vadis' side like a runner first hearing the signal for the race to start.
Alone, Vadis stared at his younger brother with rage in his eyes.
"You going to kill this Dragon by yourself, brother?" asked Vincent.
"I don't know how you witched this beast, but you haven't heard the last of this," he said, and left, headed for the castle.