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Zarah squinted at Ferdinand, giving him her best scolding look, before speaking in her most authoritative voice.
"Ferdinand!" She bellowed. "Put Mr Smith's cow down! Now!"
Ferdinand lowered his head sheepishly, but did not let go of the scruff of Bessie's neck immediately.
"Ferdinaaaaand..." She warned now utilizing her menacing voice. Scrunching her face into a scowl to further show him her displeasure she then said "Naughty Dragon!"
Ferdinand lowered Bessie to the ground; setting her on her feet. Bessie turned to look up at the oaf of a reptile, snorting with disdain before ambling to the other side of the pasture.
"I am so sorry, Mr Smith," Zarah said. "It won't happen again."
"Quite alright, your Majesty," he responded. "We all know Ferdinand just wants to play – I just wish he could find a playmate his own size!"
"As do I," Zarah responded before glaring back at Ferdinand; gesturing with two fingers to let him know she was still watching him.
Ferdinand bared his teeth in a silly grin and wagged his tail like a dog; taking out Dolores – another one of Mr Smith's milk cows.
Dolores scrambled back to her feet and scurried as far out of harm's way as she could.
Zarah squeezed the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes, and sighed.
"Come on, boy. Time to go home."
Home for Zarah and Ferdinand was a sizeable castle on a picturesque hill a few miles away. Zarah decided it was a good a day as any to take a stroll, so instead of climbing onto Lady Licorice – her noble dapple steed – she held the reigns and walked beside her while Ferdinand plodded along the path behind them.
Ferdinand was too large to walk side by side with Zarah anymore. Zarah glanced back at him, remembering him as a pup. He used to be small enough to live inside the castle with her. Sadly, as Ferdinand grew he became too big not only for his frilly pink canopied four-post bed, but also to sit on Zarah's lap – much to his chagrin.
The day that he took a running leap onto Zarah – as she sat in her arm chair reading the Sunday funnies in front of the fireplace – was the day she commissioned a dragon-sized kennel outside of the building; after she caught her breath of course. She commissioned frilly pink curtains as well, to be made out of his old canopy to help ease his transition to his new 'room.'
Turning back to face forward, she walked a few moments in silence before glancing over at Lady Licorice with a sly grin.
"How about another adventure, Lady?"
Lady Licorice whinnied in approval.
"Good, it's settled – we'll set out in a couple of days! It's been too long since we've had a quest! A good three weeks at least!"
Zarah was starting to get excited now; she had a wanderlust and thrived when there were adventures to be had, mysteries to be solved, and experiences to be made.
"Ferdinand needs a friend his own size," Zarah stated. "And WE are going to find him one!"
Lady Licorice snorted and glanced at her sideways.
"Don't worry, Lady," said Zarah. "King Eric won't object. I'll speak to him as soon as we get home. Daddy is a reasonable person – he'll see this is a noble – and necessary – venture!"
