That's how long it had been since Cardonna, the Knightfall, had known a real challenge. Percival St. Harran had been a great knight, and his mirrored shield had reflected Cardonna's flames well. And now?
Now the knights they sent were nothing compared to Percival. They were...weak. Little more than canned meals. Cardonna could barely contain her boredom with each new challenger. Last dynasty she hadn't even bothered to kidnap the princess! It had been largely a formality that she'd kidnapped this one, a strong willed slip of a young woman who was currently picking the lock to her cell.
Maybe next century Cardonna could switch it up. Kidnap the knights and let the princesses rescue them. At least the princess had spirit!
"You're doomed, you big lizard," the princess muttered to herself. What was her name? Vivian, that was it. Vivian the ninth. Cardonna had eaten the sixth Vivian. Or had it been the fifth? She'd eaten one of the Vivians, that was certain.
"Why am I doomed?" Cardonna rumbled.
Vivian the - no, she was the twelfth! Cardonna had eaten the nineth, that was it - froze at the sound of her voice. "No reason," she said.
"Child. I've heard your species lie since your ancestors had assembled three huts and called it a castle. Answer my question."
"Did you notice when the second moon appeared for a night?" Vivian asked.
Cardonna snorted. "Every being on this world saw it. What of it?" It had been two weeks ago. Cardonna remembered well.
"It wasn't a moon," Vivian said, going back to picking the lock. "It was a transdimensional hyperdrive misfire."
Those three words came together in a rush, clearly words the princess had heard but didn't understand. Cardonna didn't want to admit to her own ignorance. "Oh?"
"Yes," Vivian said firmly. "And a knight came from it. Lady Dex of the Order of the Seventh Star. And she will defeat you."
That caught Cardonna's interest. "A knight from a temporary moon?" That sounded like the thing of legends.
"Yes!" Vivian said firmly. "And she has a suit of armor as big as you."
Cardonna sighed. "I'm impressed, child. You honestly had me believing you. Unfortunately, there is no such-"
The ground outside Cardonna's lair rumbled as something slammed into the ground. She whipped her head towards the entrance.
There stood a knight. A proper knight, in a suit of armor as tall as Cardonna. She raised her arm, aiming some sort of massive, hollow wand at Cardonna. "Release the princess or I will reduce this entire mountain to rubble," a firm, feminine voice intoned.
"Oh," Cardonna said, readying herself for battle. "So. This is was humans mean by love at first sight."
Then she let loose her flame, and battle had begun. She would slay this knight.
Or she would wed her.
