Captured

"I will definitely keep you," purred the dragon.

He released a silver chain, which looked almost dainty in his enormous paws, from the joint of his left front paw, around which he had wrapped it. It had four metal clasps, which he snapped almost gently around Katharina's wrists and ankles. Then he pulled the prisoner to her feet by the chain. Katharina swayed like a puppet, less from physical exhaustion than from the shameful feeling of having failed.

The few steps to the stake became **** for her as she realized that the girl who was tied to it must have heard and seen everything. Despite her shame, she tried to make eye contact with the maiden to comfort her. But the girl just hung her head in depression and sobbed quietly.

With a slight twist of his wrist, the dragon tore the chain from the wood to which his victim was bound. Then he led the two women, one in each paw, into the crevice like two pets.

In the growing darkness, Katharina noticed that the dragon not only radiated heat, but also light. The grey cave walls reflected the red of its scales, and once her eyes adjusted to this half-light, she could see where they were being taken.

She had never imagined what a dragon's lair would be like. But she certainly hadn't expected this sight. The corridor ended in a round grotto whose walls and ceiling were completely polished so that they were almost reflective. In its center lay a huge pile of furs and precious cloths, obviously the dragon's bedstead. In its simplicity, the dwelling looked almost elegant.

He pushed Katharina to the far wall, where he motioned her to sit down. Then he lay down on the furs and slowly pulled the girl towards him by her chain. She was paralyzed with fear and seemed unable to make any movements of her own.

Katharina had been testing the strength of her shackles all this time and had come to the conclusion that she couldn't possibly break them. Escape was also out of the question, as her legs were tied so tightly together that she would not be able to run. So, she decided to keep a close eye on what the dragon was doing, perhaps to identify a weakness that she could use to save herself and the maiden.