Laughter erupted through the chamber.
"You-you-a father?!" Herald the Great Archmage wheezed, clutching his ribs as he doubled over. "Oh, stars above, I haven't laughed like this since the elf summoned a chicken instead of a Phoenix"
The knight said nothing.
He stood still in the middle of the chamber, the newborn dragon curled against his chestplate, softly puffing smoke from its tiny nostrils.
His burning eyes stared silently from behind his helm.
"If you don't stop laughing, Herald… I'll kill you."
The archmage froze mid-chuckle, swallowing hard. "Right. Serious. Of course."
He wiped a tear from his eye, composed himself, and stepped forward. "May I see it?"
The knight tilted his head. "What will you do to it?"
Herald's smile curved, just a little too sharp. "Only what any mage would. A fresh hatchling is rare. Powerful. Magical. I'd extract its blood, carefully. For research, of course."
A sound like a thunderclap echoed through the room the knight's sword sliding an inch from its sheath.
The tip hovered inches from Herald's face.
"Okay. Okay!" Herald backed up with both hands raised. "You have my word. I won't touch it. You're my friend, after all. Mr. Knight."
The dragon let out a sleepy chirp, curling tighter against the knight's chest.
"But," Herald continued, "you can't just leave it here. A baby dragon is... well, let's say very high on every people shopping list here in the tower. I won't harm it but the others might."
The knight looked up, scanning the chamber.
Eyes watched from every corner. Assistants. Scholars. Mages. All staring at the tiny creature in his arms like it was the key to immortality.
He exhaled through his nose.
Then turned, cape swaying behind him, and stormed out of the office, boots heavy against marble, smoke trailing in his wake.
•••Moments Later•••
One of Herald's younger assistants lingered by the edge of the room, voice hesitant.
"Master... why send him to slay the Dragon King? You could've done it yourself. And why now? Just when the next dragon King was about to hatch?"
Herald didn't respond at first.
He turned back to his desk, brushing dust from a photo encased beneath the glass. It showed the knight-not alone-but standing proudly among a group of companions. A woman with a warhammer slung across her back. A grinning rogue flashing two fingers behind someone's head. A younger Herald himself, robes unburnt, laughing with his arm around the knight's shoulder.
They were still alive. Scattered. Busy. Changed.
But not gone.
"Because," Herald finally said, eyes still on the photo, "sometimes the strongest people forget what it feels like to be surrounded by life. He paused "And the Knight is the strongest person I know"
He smiled, soft and tired.
"Maybe it wasn't about researching anything. Maybe it was just a small gift… for a man who's been quiet too long."
He paused, listening to the echo of armored footsteps fading down the tower.
"Something small. Something loud. Something warm."
He chuckled to himself.
"Something that bites his armor and sets his bed on fire."
(Give me a dragon roar)