For this one, you must pressure a dragon into seeking out a mate.
RISE (any gender, mid-teens through late forties)
I don't know what happened. Was it something I did? Mother thought you would like the sanctuary. "Like"? I thought it would be life changing. Half the Kingdom's land is now yours to stomp around, breathe fire, eat as many forrest animals as you like...
There are other reasons to get up. The people of the kingdom are losing heart. They see their natural treasure in decline.
"Look, it does not move."
"Look it lies, hunched all day."
"This does not portend good for us."
People are beginning to depart. The kingdom could become empty. Then crops WILL perish. Then foreign armies WILL invade and my mother will have no defense except for YOU and YOU are just languishing!
I... I have one other offer for you. Would you like a companion?
Is that what it is? Wouldn't cheer you up? Yes, yes. I will have mother enlist our entire army to... well, how does one actually catch a creature of your size? Perhaps you could join us? Fly off to the dragon territories?
I know you haven't been there since you were in the egg. But our zoologists could give you tips. They've studied just about everything about dragons, including proper behavior for mating-- Oh! I don't mean to embarrass you. I mean a "Mate" in a platonic-- well, unless you really want to have some-- but-- yes, yes, yes, enough jibber-jabber from me. The knights will be enlisted. The sanctuary will expand to three quarters of the kingdom.
Will you not rise?
Copyright 2016 by Matt Haynes.
If you would like to use this piece, please credit: "Courtesy of Matt Haynes and The Pulp Stage"