Bertrand

Bertrand and his brother Rupert run a tailor shop in the capital city of Fleuyer. While they are not generally considered the best tailors in the kingdom, they are a well-respected little business and are widely regarded as respectable and trustworthy dragons. Bertrand specialises in accessories that are favoured by female dragons, like gloves and bonnets.

The kingdom of Fleuyer was a peace-loving clan, and still is in many respects, but after King Hilbert took the throne, the idea of each citizen being able to fend for themselves came to be regarded as the norm. Combat training is available on the castle grounds for all dragons, regardless of whether or not they desire to become soldiers. Bertrand chose to join a training session once a week in order to better himself and learn a new skill. That is how Bertrand met Lady Ragnhild, sister to King Hilbert.

Their friendship started innocently enough, with Bertrand offering to repair one of Ragnhild's gloves after it became torn during training. As thanks, Ragnhild offered to spar with him - an honour that normally only senior soldiers are able to receive, due to the fact that Ragnhild is one of the strongest soldiers in the land, and thus only tutors those most committed to the cause. Though feeling himself neither able nor worthy, Bertrand accepted the challenge humbly. Naturally, he lasted only a few moments. Afterwards, however, Ragnhild found herself drawn to his mild manners and simple-mindedness, while Bertrand naturally admired Ragnhild's beauty and strength (as so many dragons have before him).

With time, Bertrand came to realise something about Ragnhild that few dragons knew: she greatly desired companionship but was almost deathly afraid of it.

Bertrand didn't understand why. As far as he could see from his limited interactions with Ragnhild (whenever he came for training), she was surrounded by friends, and the king and queen loved her deeply. It was well known throughout the land - and further - that King Hilbert would do anything for his sister, and would not have hesitated to unleash the full might of his army on anyone who wronged her. But it was true, Bertrand realised, that Ragnhild kept a distance between herself and people outside her family. As he and Ragnhild became closer, the desire to fill the empty space in her heart grew ever larger within him.

It was a warm spring morning on the day that Bertrand asked for an audience with the king. King Hilbert already knew what he was going to ask; indeed, he had been making inquiries of Bertrand for the past few days, having suspected that there was something between Bertrand and Ragnhild. Hilbert had discovered nothing objectionable about Bertrand, and on hearing Bertrand's gentle and heartfelt request for Ragnhild's hand, was ready to agree.

'I know that, as a man, you must wish to make your proposal to Ragnhild in private and on your own terms,' Hilbert said. 'But there are circumstances which make me ask you if you would allow me to summon Ragnhild so that you may make your proposal before me.'

It seemed a small stipulation and Bertrand agreed. He had no idea in his mind whether or not Ragnhild would agree. It was only his wish to offer. When Ragnhild arrived and asked her brother and her friend why she had been summoned, Bertrand said to her:

'Dear Ragnhild, thank you for the friendship you have shown me ere now. There is nothing in the world dearer to me. I have little in the way of material wealth to give you, but - I will love thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry - and so I must ask you, with no hope, with only love, if you will do me the tremendous honour of being my wife.'

Ragnhild refused. Bertrand smiled in rueful resignation. Then Ragnhild explained.

She was once in a relationship with a dragon from another clan. That dragon, like Queen Solange, was royalty in her clan, and was indeed one of Queen Solange's closest friends. They kept their relationship a secret, however - to Ragnhild, they did so out of mischief, but to the other dragon, it was because she had no intention of staying loyal to Ragnhild. A year after their relationship began, Ragnhild ceased to receive correspondence from her, and a little while later, discovered that this was because she had become engaged to another dragon.

'I cannot trust anyone outside my family who claims to love me. Though I hate to lose your friendship, I am sorry to tell you that, from today, there can be nothing between us. Not even friendliness,' said Ragnhild.

Bertrand protested in shock. As much as he loved Ragnhild now, he had not become her friend with the sole view of marrying her. She was a dear friend to him, a fact which his love did not change. But Ragnhild refused point blank. Bertrand had no choice but to accept the fact that they would never speak again.

Greatly disheartened by the loss of Ragnhild's friendship, it was a few days before Bertrand recovered enough to be able to return to training. Unbeknownst to him at the time, however, the person who felt his loss the most was Ragnhild herself. Initially, she felt herself to be hurt by Bertrand's proposal, for she was being truthful when she said that she could not trust anyone who claimed to love her. But in her heart, she felt the injustice of her actions in not only rejecting Bertrand but in terminating their friendship. Yet still she was unable to overcome the pain, doubt, and uncertainty that the idea of love gave to her.

Bertrand and Ragnhild saw each other very little for some time. They had little reason to meet in the regular course of things, so this was natural even without either of them consciously avoiding the other. It was several months later, during the All Hallow's Eve Feast, that they met again when Bertrand was attempting to find a quiet place to eat his food.

The All Hallow's Eve Feast was a day when an enormous spread of food was laid out on tables that stretched as far as the eye could see on the kingdom's main street. The buffet table began at the entrance to the castle and ended at a small hill where the royal family made announcements and proclamations to the kingdom. Today, the hill was being used by performers: actors, dancers, musicians, poets, and everything in between paraded over the hills, providing entertainment to all as they partook in the feast.

It was great fun, to be sure, but for an enjoyer of the quieter pleasures in life, it was a little overwhelming. Bertrand couldn't take his food home because a band of dragons were having a rowdy argument outside his door. So he found his way into a small alley where he bumped into none other than Ragnhild.

To Bertrand, the coincidence seemed too great, but in truth, it was no coincidence, for Ragnhild had taken to watching from a distance of late. But Ragnhild had never been one to take to embarrassment, and merely gave Bertrand an inquisitive look, as if he was the one intruding on her. Naturally, it was only some initial awkwardness before they were once again speaking like old friends. Their friendship was never broken afterwards. Ragnhild made it clear that she had no intention of reciprocating his feelings, but this was no deterrent to Bertrand, who was simply happy to have her friendship once more.

Yet it was clear to King Hilbert and Queen Solange, the two people who knew her best, that Ragnhild had already fallen in love with Bertrand. Only her fear of being betrayed again held her back. Hilbert fretted for her, but Solange comforted him by assuring him that Ragnhild needed time to heal, and the assurance of a friend who would wait for her.

Indeed, Bertrand was patient - not for the expectation that Ragnhild would return his feelings, for he had no idea or anticipation of that, but of the fact that his love for Ragnhild grew though he was unable to express it to her. His brother Rupert made the occasional comment about wishing for him to settle down with a wife, but Bertrand paid him no mind. Eventually, his forbearance was rewarded, but not without one more trial.

All throughout the year, King Hilbert and Queen Solange entertained guests from all over Sornieth: allies of the kingdom, Hilbert's personal friends from his travels, and Solange's personal friends from growing up amongst the high society of Dragonhome. That year, they were visited by a small clan which had briefly joined Hilbert's travels, lead by a dragon named Audagar. Audagar was Hilbert's self-proclaimed rival and believed himself capable of someday amassing power greater than Hilbert's - although it was not his time yet, clearly. He also had a personal history with Ragnhild because he had once proposed to her.

Ragnhild had refused him with the excuse that he was not strong enough to marry her; indeed, Audagar had completely failed to best her in a one-on-one fight the last time they met despite being significantly larger than her in size. Now, Audagar said to her, he had become much stronger, and hoped that Ragnhild would finally agree to marry him when he proved himself to her.

'I have a better idea,' Ragnhild said with a secret smile. 'I have been training the dragons of this kingdom to be soldiers and there are now many of them who are just as strong as any Rasfuran.'

'You wish me to fight one of your students?' Audagar said.

She called out to Bertrand, who was attending a training session that day, and introduced him to Audagar.

'Bertrand, will you fight Audagar for me?' Ragnhild said, to his surprise. 'Audagar is one of my old suitors. The outcome of the battle will decide who marries me.'

Although he attended his training sessions faithfully, Bertrand was by no means one of Fleuyer's greatest fighters, nor did he hope to be. Audagar, on the other hand, had roamed Sornieth all his life, living on his wits, fighting against anyone who opposed him, and was one of the largest Imperials Bertrand had ever seen to boot. There was no question of who would win. Yet it never occurred to Bertrand to refuse. His dearest friend in the world had asked something of him and the thought of refusing did not enter his head for a moment. He agreed without hesitation.

Audagar was impressed by his fearlessness, at least. Compared to Audagar's skill and experience, Bertrand was a slow and clumsy fighter, although he held Audagar off for a few moments longer than might be expected from looking at him. But all Audagar needed was a single opening to catch Bertrand unaware and send him flying to the ground.

'You fought well,' Audagar said, helping him to his feet.

Bertrand thanked him, but he was disappointed with himself. He had not really thought he stood a chance, yet now felt that he had lost the chance to marry Ragnhild forever.

Ragnhild ran up to them and startled Bertrand by nuzzling him affectionately. She had never done that before.

'Well, Ragnhild?' Audagar said loudly. 'I have defeated your champion, so now you will marry me!'

'You have defeated him, but I didn't say that whoever defeats the other wins my hand,' Ragnhild said.

'What? Yes you did!' Audagar roared. 'You are a dragon of honour, Ragnhild. You wouldn't go back on your word!'

'I said that the outcome of the battle would determine who I marry, but I did not say the condition was to defeat the other. I have seen your fight and I believe the person most suited to me is Bertrand.'

Bertrand stared at her with his mouth hanging open. Audagar faltered and protested, but he was as much a dragon of honour as Ragnhild. He knew that Ragnhild had not made the promise he thought she had made. He sighed and conceded that Bertrand had something which he did not.

'But you lied to me before,' he said, 'because you said you would only marry a man stronger than yourself.'

'Bertrand is stronger than I am. You have misunderstood the type of strength I seek in a man,' Ragnhild replied.

Being a noble dragon, having recognised defeat, Audagar held no resentment towards Bertrand. Bertrand, on the other hand, was baffled by the turn of events. He was happy, to be sure, that Ragnhild appeared to have agreed to marry him, but he wasn't sure what had just happened. After Audagar left, Ragnhild apologised to Bertrand for making him fight him. Bertrand politely declined her apology. He was not badly hurt after all.

An awkward silence fell between them for several seconds before Bertrand blurted out, 'Do you really want to marry me?'

Ragnhild nodded. Bertrand was hugely relieved and strangely embarrassed. Then she invited him to stay at the castle for the day as one of Hilbert's guests, if he had no pressing business at his shop.

King Hilbert and Queen Solange reacted with joy at the news of their engagement, accepting Bertrand into their family fold without hesitation. Bertrand felt awkward amongst them, having been a common peasant all his life, awed by the graceful and commanding presence of the king and queen and the grandeur of the castle. But Solange in particular did her best to put him at ease. On hearing how they had become engaged, Solange further alleviated his anxieties by saying to him, 'Ragnhild must have been feeling shy to ask you directly, after she rejected your proposal, and made it so clear for so long that she did not return your feelings.'

Indeed, with a little more time, Bertrand became increasingly sure of Ragnhild's feelings for him. He came to understand just how deeply she had been affected by her previous relationship, and that in agreeing to marry Bertrand, she was taking a huge leap of faith. Bertrand was determined to assure her that she had made the right decision. Though in material wealth, he had nothing to offer her, he could love her with all his heart, so that she would never fear betrayal again.