Sacrifice

He sees her from the forest, near a clearing
she's trembling, but what is she fearing?
There's just the sound of creatures small:
a squirrel, a bird with feathers like a ball.
So why does she squirm and shake
as she is till miles from the lake!
What does she do alone here, anyway?
Why from the small village did she stray?

He moves from his spot, too soft to be heard
to get a look, to see what she feared.
But there's nothing there to see
except - the Lady is not really free!
With leather ropes she is restrained
the smell of fear comes somewhat faint.

Closer still he tries to get
now his jaw is firmly set.
He wonders, what do humans think?
to do such an awful, dangerous thing.
And now through moonlight's shine
he moves into her sighting's line.

She stops dead and looks at him
she stares transfixed, though lights are dim
The she bows her head in quite surrender
there's no hero here, no strong defender
But he just moves in - to see her close
she seems as beautiful as any rose!
And while she waits as sacrifice
she's most surprised that he looks nice.

While he still contemplates his action
she expects from him a hard reaction.
But all he does, is free her binds
and probe, just softly, in her mind.
Still she's scared but also fascinated
His interest rises - almost uninvited

She lifts her hand to touch his face
it's tender - almost an embrace

In softest words she tells him of her fate:
to the Dragon she was meant as mate!
He shakes his head and smiles at that
for the Dragon would not even harm a rat.
He tells her, he should really know
and to prove his words, now he will show
that the Dragon is no evil, is no danger
with this to another form the stranger
changes without effort in a heartbeat
to change right back and give a smile sweet..

For she o longer seemed to fear
in fact, she almost called him "dear".

So in the end, this sacrifice has come
as a blessing to this lonely one.
And finally they walk just side by side
together from the humans now they'll hide.