“Of all the days of the year, why Christmas!?” the knight complained to himself as he climbed the cold wet slope up to the cave that loomed ominously over him.  The ground slowly leveled off as he got closer to the cliff.
     “I’ll just put the monster out of its misery and I can be home by supper tomorrow evening,” he planned.  He stood at the mouth of the huge cave.  He was ankle-deep in snow and a cold, hard wind like stone bit and clawed at the knight’s face.
     “I suppose you are here to slay me,” boomed a deep loud voice.  The knight spun around and gawked at the spectacle that stood before him.  The hideous monster stood ready for battle.  The knight could not help but admire its beauty.  Its bulging muscles rippled in sinuous curves beneath its red and gray scales.  Its claws glinted in what little light was remaining from the setting sun.  Its wings cast gargantuan shadows that swallowed the land as the oranges and pinks of the sunset reflected off the dragon’s dark yellow eyes.  The dragon did nothing more than stand and stare the knight down.
     The knight drew his sword and shouted, “Prepare to die!”  Then, he charged.
     The dragon moved to the side in a smooth, calculated motion just as the knight brought his sword down upon the spot where the beast’s forepaws, which were as long as a man was tall, were planted.  The knight gathered himself and made another charge.  Each new assault was met with an equally swift evasion until the dragon found himself cornered against the cliff side with the knight between him and his cave.
     The dragon gave a deep growl.  “Lord, please bring me home safe on Christmas Day,” the knight prayed.  He made another charge and the dragon swung his tail around to meet the charge.  The polished steel blade found its way between two scales and cut deeply.  The dragon’s crimson blood flowed down to the hilt and stained the once lustrous blade with the colors of mortal combat.  The dragon seized his chance and weaved his way between the knight and the cliff, but the knight was faster.  He swung his sword around and once again sliced the tough hide underneath the scales and the dragon collapsed, unable to carry his weight on the severely injured leg.
     The knight prepared his final blow whereupon the dragon spoke again, “Wait!  It’s Christmas!  What about ‘Peace on Earth’ and ‘Good will towards men?’”
     The knight paused and decided to bully the dragon.  “You’re a dragon.  What makes you think about celebrating a human holiday?” he challenged.
     “It is a time of good will,” the dragon argued calmly.
     “Good will towards men,” the knight corrected, putting emphasis on the last word.
     “Peace on Earth makes no distinction between species,” the dragon pleaded stoically.
     The knight looked at him in curiosity.  “What are you insinuating?” he demanded.
     “Please, just for tonight.  I propose a treatise declaring a truce between us.  Please allow me to at least celebrate one more Christmas, and for both of us to do so without the icy hands of death to darken such a bright holiday,” the dragon bargained.
     “Is that all?” the knight asked.  “That is all you want for your last request?”
     The dragon nodded slowly.  The knight considered the demands for a minute.  Then, he sheathed his sword and said, “Then let us declare a truce—for the night of Christmas Eve and the morning of Christmas Day.”
     “Would you care to spend the night with me?” the dragon asked, gesturing towards the cave.
     “Any shelter is better than out here,” the knight commented.  The dragon struggled to his feet and limped over to the cave, and the knight followed.  Inside the cave was an open path strewn with rubble and talus from the walls and ceiling.  The dragon let the knight a little ways into the cave where the light from outside still lit the back, but far enough that the cold bite of winter succumbed to the mono-temperate environment.  The dragon stopped and lit a torch with a short burst of flame.
     The light from the torch lit a large room that had a very smooth floor.  There was no massive hoard of riches greater than any man’s wildest dreams.  There was no nest of eggs waiting to hatch.  There was nothing more than a single emerald, square-cut and finely polished, lying vainly in the middle of the room atop a pile of ashes.
     The dragon gently moved the emerald from the fire pit and piled on a few small logs and lit the fire.  The knight sat down by the fire and proceeded to warm himself.  The dragon curled up so that his massive body reflected the fire’s warmth toward the knight and idly played with the emerald with a claw.
     “I must apologize for your wounds,” the knight said earnestly.
     “Think nothing of it.  It’s in the past,” the dragon reassured.
     “Perhaps if I told you the first time I ever faced a dragon?” the knight suggested.
     At this request, the dragon and knight began exchanging story after story long into the night.  Each one became wilder and more animated until all they could do was act the stories out, and they enjoyed musical performances from each other.  Soon, the stories made way to placid conversation in the fading light of the dying fire.  By well past midnight, the knight was fast asleep in the dragon’s crisscrossed forelegs, and the magnificent creature watched with tired, guarding eyes.  Then he, too, gave in to the heavy blindfold of sleep and slept as if he were a red and gray enameled statue compelled to guard his enemy for eternity.
     When the dragon woke up, a faint shaft of light had found its way deep into the cave and struck a crystal deposit that scattered the light enough to illuminate the darker recesses of the cavern room.  He was on his side and the knight was holding the tip of his sword to the dragon’s heart.  The truce had ended.
     The dragon breathed deeply and looked stoically at the knight.  “I will not resist.  My request has been fulfilled and I have accepted my fate,” he said gently with resolve.
     The knight held his businesslike glare, and just as suddenly as the dragon had awakened, he turned his sword with decision and cradles the blade in his hands and bowed.  “In the spirit of Christmas, I give you your life.  There is no other gift I can think of giving to such a noble beast,” the knight said in a royal tone, “and as token of my respect, please take my sword as I have none to inherit it.”
     The dragon smiled and gently lifted the finely crafted blade from the knight’s hands with his tail.  “Consider your gift given and accepted.  Do you not have family?” the dragon queried.
     “Well, yes, but they’re more than a day’s travel.”
     “Then as my gift to you, I vow to ensure you dine with your family tonight.”  The dragon rose to his feet and started to leave the cave.  The knight stumbled over the scattered talus to keep up with him.  “Which way?” the dragon asked.
     “Uh… Rosford—to the north.”
     The dragon bowed down, fanning his wings.  “Get on.”
     The knight was taken aback.  “What!?”
     “You heard me.  Get on.  Ride your mount as any noble knight would.”
The knight stood indecisively.  Then, he reluctantly climbed up the dragon’s outstretched leg and situated himself just above the dragon’s shoulders at the base of his great neck.
     “Hold on!” the dragon called over the rush of wind his wings created.  Soon, they were flying and racing the very wind that bit at their faces and froze the both of them to the very bone, and then froze that which had already been frozen.  The knight huddles as closely as he could to the dragon’s great neck, but the creature’s massive girth did little to protect the vulnerable human from the cold.
     “I’m f-f-f-freezing!” the knight shouted over the roar of the wind.
     “A-as am I!” the dragon called back.  The knight’s teeth started chattering from the dragon’s own shivering forelegs shaking him.
     Hours later, a small town slowly snaked into view.  The streets were paved with cobblestone and a small fountain resided in the middle of the square.  There were people bustling about in the cold and slogging through the snow-covered streets.  The dragon quickly landed amongst the screams and fearful panic of the villagers.
     The knight shouted above the din, “You have nothing to fear!  He will harm no one!”  He slid off the dragon’s back and into the beast’s waiting paw, whereupon he was gently lowered to the ground.  The panicking villagers stopped whatever they were doing, and a man who was busy roofing a house slipped and fell through the straw-covered roof into the house below, where a woman screamed and chased him out while wearing a bathrobe.
     A small girl shouted “Daddy!” and ran to the knight with her mother trailing behind her.  The knight took her into his arm and lifted her high into the air, and she screamed and laughed.
     “I thought you had none to inherit your weapon,” the dragon said.
     “I don’t have a son,” the knight replied.
     “Ah, but you do have a child to give it to.”
     “Is that a dragon daddy?” the little girl asked.
     “Yes, Elizabeth.  That is a real dragon—just like the ones in the stories I told you.”
     The dragon bowed.  “I have fulfilled my duty to you,” he said as he turned to leave, leaving the knight’s sword on the edge of the fountain.  Then, as he spread his wings to take flight, he called back to the knight, “Fare thee well, great knight.”
     As the dragon was leaving, he peeked down into the hole that was left by the fallen roofer, and the knight drew his sword and called to the dragon, “Wait!”  The dragon stopped and turned to face the knight and hovered in midair.
     “By my power as knight of this kingdom, I hereby extend our truce indefinitely.  Furthermore, I would be honored if you could join my family for Christmas celebrations.  What say ye, Great Dragon?” the knight announced.
     The dragon landed in front of the knight and gave a gentle smile.  “I would be delighted to do so,” he said.