Title: A Big Night for a Dragon
Fandom: Original Work
Rating: G
Length: 935
Summary: A Princess is looking for a brave knight.

The kingdom had been terrorised by the dragon for months.

“Father,” said the Princess one Sunday. “You can’t just keep sending our maidenly subjects off as sacrifices to the beast. It has to stop!”

“Yes, sweetheart…” said the King vaguely. He furrowed his brow over his list. “What about Miss Hetherington? I know she’s 73 but it still counts, doesn’t it?”

The Princess squared her shoulders.

“I mean it, Father! Before I let you send any more sacrifices, well—you’ll have to send me first!”

The King looked up and beamed.

“Excellent idea, my angel! That would be marvellous PR.”

He wrote her name at the top of the list.

“That wasn’t quite what I…”

The Princess shook her head.

“Look, before you send me off to my certain death, why don’t I try advertising for a knight to come and save us from the dragon?”



And so the next day a herald was sent out with a proclamation, in the hope a brave knight would hear it and come and save the kingdom.

Eagerly, the Princess waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Until at last Friday brought a candidate!

He was brought through to the throne room, where he bowed before the Princess.

“Your Highness,” he said. “I will save you from the dragon! For I am the one you have been calling for.”

He struck a dramatic pose.

“It is I—brave Friday night!”

There was a pause.

“Er,” said the Princess.

“Yes?” said Friday night.

“This is what happens when you send out a proclamation instead of putting up posters,” muttered the Princess.

She smiled brightly.

“I think there may have been some homophonous confusion here. You see, when the herald said we were looking for a ‘night’, we were in fact looking for a…”

Her voice trailed away.

Friday night nodded politely. “Looking for a...?”

The Princess stared at him and then threw up her hands.

“Oh, what the heck! No-one else has shown up—you’ve got the job.”

“Hurrah!” cried Friday night.



The Princess escorted him to the knightly outfitters, where the armourer took one look at the night and sucked his teeth.

“I don’t think I can give him something off the peg, Your Highness.” The armourer studied the night critically. “He’s such a long night.”

“Well, it is December,” said Friday night, a little defensively.

The armourer nodded at the Princess. “Leave him with me, ma’am. I’ll get him kitted out.”



Friday night reappeared in the throne room in his new armour, his sword by his side.

“Oh, you look splendid!” declared the Princess.

She gazed upon the night.

“Really very, very splendid.”

She fanned herself in some confusion.

“Is it getting warm in here or..?”

The Princess pulled herself together.

“Well, then! Go forth, brave night! Free us from this dragon!”

“I will!” cried the night. “I will!”

He went out and mounted the steed that had been provided for him, and set off in the direction of the dragon’s lair.



On reaching the dragon’s cave, he called out to the beast.

“Come and face me, dragon! For I am Friday night—come to free the populace from your tyranny!”

The dragon lumbered out and stared at the night on his horse.

He sneered.

“And just what can you do to stop me?”

Friday night raised his sword and the dragon snorted with laughter. “Do you truly think I’ll let you get close enough to use that?”

Friday night shrugged. “You never know, I might have a secret weapon besides the sword…”

He leant a little to the left in his saddle.

The dragon stared in bemusement.

“Just hang on a minute…” Friday night leant over further and further.

“Um,” said the dragon. “Is this going to take long or..?”

“Not much longer,” said Friday night, as he continued his slow progress.

The dragon tapped a clawed foot.

“Look, I don’t mean to be rude,” he said. “It’s just, I’ve got to maidens to consume… Countryside to lay waste to…”

“Nearly there!” said Friday night. “Ah, there we go.”

He toppled out of the saddle.

And night fell.

“What’s going on?!” cried the dragon in the darkness. “Where are you?”

“I’m right in front of you,” said the night.

He smiled grimly.

“And of course—behind you as well…”

The night raised his sword.



And so Friday night returned in triumph to the palace. As he dismounted from his steed, the Princess ran out to greet him and he tossed the dragon’s head down at her feet.

“Your Highness.”

He bowed low.

“I have completed my quest. Your people are safe.”

“Oh, brave night!”

The Princess rushed forwards and embraced him. “You have my eternal gratitude!” She smiled a little shyly. “I was wondering as a reward… if you might do me the honour of accepting my hand in marriage.”

Friday night looked somewhat taken aback. “That is a great honour, Your Highness, but…”

“But?” said the Princess, her eyes wide.

“I’m afraid I must decline,” said Friday night. He smiled awkwardly. “I’m already... kind of involved with the weekend. Nothing official but…”

“Oh,” said the Princess. She looked at her feet. “How very modern.”

She looked up again.

“My gentle night…” Tears formed in her eyes. “When will I ever see you again?”

Friday night came forward and brushed the tears from her eyes. “My dear Princess…” He shrugged a little. “‘Bout a week?”

The night remounted his steed and he departed, the princess waving her handkerchief in farewell.



And thereafter, wherever the night went, all the king’s subjects would joyfully cry:

“Thank God—it’s Friday night!”