The dragon comes out of the cavern and looks at the human that just came down the stairs. There is usually a cow or some amount of wealth with them. Unless he is there to take some out. He waits patiently for him to speak. As was customary. " You're real!" stated the man.

The dragon raised his head and said, "So are you."

The man takes a step back in surprise to the dragon's response. The dragon looks at him curiously and spots a gold medallion around his neck. " So my liege you came to visit or is there some need that requires my services. I tell this generation now that I do nothing trivial or outside of the kingdom."

The man steps a little closer to the dragon. " I've heard stories of you. Yet they say you're unknown to them. A fairy of the castle. I wish to see you for myself against my fathers our king wishes."

The dragon lays down and puts his claws under his chest and stomach. " I see. A curious one. Likely got it from your mother. Well, prince, I am simply called Dragon. My name has been forgotten for centuries now and I don't mind. Ever since you half-sizers took over the land."

In fact, the dragon currently towered over the man by at least ten feet. " As always I am at the command of the reigning family. However, I won't risk my life beyond reason or sanity."

The prince looks oddly at the dragon as the flame he was caring starts to die. " Blast.. Where are more sticks."

The dragon almost seemed to snicker as it went dark for a moment before brightening up by the stone resonating a golden glow. " What's this?"

The prince said surprised. " Nothing of consequence. Now may I have the reason why you keep me here. I have better things to be doing than entertaining childhood curiosity."

The prince was going to scold the dragon for speaking to him like no lesser should but thought against it. Instead, he said, " My father is ill. He is throwing my inheritance away with wild ventures of entertainment. As small as dice to a full-fledged war. I'm afraid he may have emptied the coffers."

The dragon would have laughed if he could make the noise. Instead, he only made a loud screeching sound then said, " Never in my life have I heard of a hint of a place where a dragon lives run out of gold. Do not fret my liege. If we run out, and that is very doubtful, I'll just grow some more."

The prince's next word was of complete puzzlement, " Grow?"

The dragon screeched again. This time much softer and calmer. Then he said, " How else are we to get it? We can't exactly dig it up as your kind does. However, how I do it I won't tell."

The prince stepped up right up to the dragon and yelled, " Why the hell not?"

The dragon's response was to move his front fangs very close. After a few moments, he moved away and said, " Not a fraction of fear in you. Just like him. Well, my liege imagine what would happen if all you half-sizers knew how to grow it. Then you would and it would become as valuable as a rock. Now to a dragon, we don't care what you value it as but we..." The dragon paused for a bit. " There would be no need for us dragons. A shame because we are almost gone anyways. At least we have a place where your kind can't reach us. I heard it is full of females. Oh! To go there and breed then die is a sweet dream of mine. Too bad the journey is too dangerous for me. Too dangerous and long. Not even the mad ones try that journey anymore."

The place the dragon was referring to was the continent Draconus. With nearly impassible cliffs on three sides and a vast desert on the last. Over three thousand leagues south-west from where they are. Yet it is only about twenty from the now called dragon point. Which is where the dragons grouped to go to their new home away from those who wished to slay them. Most that could not succeed in making the journey and did not try went the opposite direction of north-west and hid in an ancient mountain. During their hiding, they turned mad and gold-hungry. Always drawn to the home they never got to go to. " So is there anything else I can help you with, my liege?"

The dragon's explanation touched his heart. " Your so alone."

If the dragon could sigh he would have. Instead, he let out a slight whistle.

" A bit. In the old days when the walls were still white, there were two who stayed here with me. They had their minds for a time but did not see why I helped you kind as I do. One left for Draconus about a thousand years ago and I have not heard from him since. The other I cared for deeply. She died by my claw when she turned mad. She made me promise to do that. Now here I am. All alone with my gold growing and a few other things."

The dragon laid his head on the ground. " You wish to go, don't you?" the prince asked seeing the dragon-like that for a few minutes.

The dragon raises himself back to his earlier position and said loudly, " What do you know? I am four thousand years old. Half of which I have served your family. No, I don't want to go. I want to leave. Only the knowledge that I will fail to get to Draconus makes me stay. If I had any half of a chance I would take it instantly. Even a hundred-year-old mad one knows that."

The prince backs up and the dragon becomes sorry. " My apologies my liege. I didn't mean to say it like the way I did, but my word holds. Here I am safe all time but I have some happiness still. I could easily overpower any mad female if I desire it and I have a purpose to go on. Even a little longer."

The dragon whistled then said, " If there is nothing else I should attend to the latest batch of gold. It is ready for harvest."

The prince not knowing what to say or do simply left. The dragon simply went back into the cave system.