There once was a faraway kingdom. This kingdom had rolling hills, dense woods, and was on the edge of a great mountain range. There was a little village in the wooded hills, and in that village lived a young girl named Angus. Angus's father had died when she was very young, and her mother remarried. But shortly after that her mother died, which caused her stepfather to decide that he needed to get another wife. And so that wife came, and with her she brought two daughters and a son.

Now this new stepmother disliked Angus, because she loved roaming outside and playing with the village boys. So the Stepmother kept Angus inside, and tried to teach her how to be like her stepsisters.

So Angus grew up, hearing things like:

"No, the sewing needle is that way!" or "You can't wear pants!!!" Angus's new Stepsisters were even worse, teasing Angus for her strange thoughts and her wonderment at the outside world.

"No man would marry you," they said, laughing as she tripped once again, falling down the stairs.

"Good," she would always reply.

"I don't want to," and she would stalk off.

Surprisingly, Angus found kindness in her Stepbrother Aaron. He taught her how to use a bow, sword fight, and would let her out of her endless hours of sewing and cooking lessons to let her climb trees with him.

On the eve of Angus's 18th birthday, Aaron came into Angus's room and gave her three things; a new pair of boots, a whistle and a bridle. When she reminded him that she wasn't permitted to ride a horse, he replied, saying:

"Ah, but this is no ordinary bridle. A old woman gave this to me in the street, and she told me to give it to you and tell you that this bridle is not made for any normal horse, nor any normal steed you could find. It is made of gold, and meant only for the creature that is balanced in all four elements."

Angus nodded, although she was still confused and hid the objects below her bed. The next day she simply got a dress and a necklace that was way to fancy for her tastes.

"And of course you will be attending the prince's ball tomorrow, although why he'd choose you is a wonder." Angus simply lowered her eyes and sighed. In the village that afternoon as she was collecting fruit, she heard whispers, both about the ball and a dragon that had supposedly taken up residence in the mountains.

"And whoever makes it leave will not only get the hand of the princess but also a cabin in the woods and part of the king's treasury!" At this Angus stopped. She turned to the person speaking, and asked, in the most pretty voice she could muster.

"Is this true?" the speaker nodded, and Angus smiled inwardly. Finally, real adventure just next door! She hurried home and packed her best pants and tunic into a bag, and pinned up her hair into a knot, under her brothers sun-hat, and grabbed her cloak. She also took the sword her brother had made her. After a moment's hesitation, she also put on her new boots and took the bridle, and the whistle.

She ran out the door before her stepmother could call her back and leapt down the steps. She walked more carefully through the village, and then walked along a well-run path. It split, and she took the lesser run road. She traveled up into the mountains, until she was braving snow and wind and ice, and then she found a small group of men huddled around a fire.

"Come, sit with us. Are you here to kill the dragon?" Angus nodded. "Can't do much without a sword," the man said.

"I know," Angus said. She pointed at the hilt of her sword and she sat down by the fire and warmed her hands and feet on it.

"Where is the dragon's cave?" she asked.

"Go along this path until the third cave. But be careful, the dragon's awake and not happy."

"Thanks for the warning," Angus walked along the path and then reached the third cave, where she peered in. "Hello?" She said. A large roar came back out. Angus walked in through darkness until she reached a cave where torches lit the walls, and a dark blue dragon sat in the middle of the cave. A small blue-green dragon sat behind it, shaking slightly.

Angus jumped a little bit as the creature roared, coming after Angus. Angus slashed and dodged, and then stabbed the dragon in its soft belly. It roared again, and then collapsed. Angus stepped around it, sheathed her sword. She stepped towards the other dragon.

"Ah, but you are just a wee creature! Why are you here?" the dragon stared at her with its dark green eyes. She seemed to relax, if only a little bit, and Angus approached, singing softly.

"You are pretty..." She patted the dragon gently on the nose, and it made a pleasant noise. It opened its mouth and spoke in a small voice, just a little louder than a whisper really.

"Thank you. Older dragon hated me. Ate Knights. I like plants. I like fruit. I like sheep. I no like older dragon." Angus patted her again, and leaned into her back.

"You can't stay here. The knights will kill you. You could leave..." Angus said kindly.

"I'm too young to be on my own, and more knights would find me! Scary Scary!" Angus nodded. Then she remembered something, and took out the bridle from her bag. The dragon shook, but let her put it on her. It was a perfect fit.

"There. Not many would harm a bridled dragon!" Angus said. "And you can always stay with me, once I have a place of my own..." the dragon nodded.

"But how will I know where you are!!!!" Angus tried to calm the dragon again, when she remembered something. From her pocket she took out the whistle and blew. It made no noise, but the little dragon nodded.

"I can hear that!" She said. Angus smiled.

"Then go, little one. But wait! First, what is your name?" The dragon turned and bowed. "Aurora, at your service," and then she flew out of the cave.

Shouts could be heard from the knights, so Angus hurried and left. But she slipped on a rock, and one of her shoes came off. Angus ran out of the cave and down the mountain, going home. Her Stepmother was furious that she was late for the ball, but dressed Angus in green and blue and took her with her. And underneath her dress, Angus wore her dusty trousers and shirt.

In the middle of the dance, the king came to make an announcement.

"The terror is over, people!" He gestured backwards, were the group of young men who had been on the mountain came forward. "These brave young men have killed the dragon! They showed me its head!" One of the men looked uneasy.

"Sire, It wasn't us... Twas a young man from a little village nearby who killed the beast. He left, afterwards, and we didn't get a good look..." The other men tried to silence him, but he continued.

"He left one of his boots in the cave, though," and he held up the matching pair to the one Angus was wearing. She had hastily put on a different shoe on her right, but she still had her boot on her left.

"So, I urge you, anyone who knows the whereabouts of this young man, please come forward and tell me in my throne room," And the king left. Immediately the dance floor was filled with murmuring and yelling. In the commotion, Angus slipped off to the throne room. Several people were already there, claiming that they knew the young man. When Angus stepped foreword, the king gestured the others to be quiet.

"I killed that dragon," Angus said. The room was suddenly was completely quiet, and then the king laughed.

"How could you? You're just a runt of a girl," The rest of the room burst out laughing, and so Angus lifted up her skirts, showing the matching boot on the one side, and her trousers underneath. The king stopped laughing, but still looked disbelieving.

"Try on the shoe then." Angus took the shoe, and slipped off her dress shoe, putting the other one on. By know the room was almost full, people trying to get a look. A woman knelt down and looked at the shoes.

"It's a perfect fit. And a perfect match between the shoes."

"Well....Well..." The king said. And then he looked angry, and turned to Angus.

"So. I guess you'll want the prince's hand in marriage, huh?" Angus shook her head.

"I don't. What I do want is a cottage up in the hills and a pouch of coins. That is all," the king gaped at her.

"Is the prince so inadequate that you do not want to be his wife?" The king asked.

"No." Angus responded. "However, I do not wish to marry anyone, least of all become part of a royal family. How would I have the time to practice hunting or Swordfighting?" The king looked startled, as did the crowd, but Angus left, and walked outside into the gardens.

But Angus got what she wanted, a little house in the woods and a pouch of coins. She called the dragon back, and they live together in the house. And Angus never married.