#admittedly this is a sfw edit o.o

[voices-in-dark-violets-head]

On stormy days and rain-soaked nights, where songs are sung, a maiden's plights, a little town of woe and fear, a sacrifice of one most dear.

They must appease the one above, they say, and tie the one they love to stake and stay her on the hill: For beast to find, do what he will.

When they returned in morning's light, the maiden was no more in sight. They sighed and sang a song most dire, the stake thrown on the fun'ral pyre

The town was right, the beast was cruel; over the land, he wished to rule. With iron tail and glinting teeth and icy winds he gave them grief.

Mere pleasure was the maiden's fate, his hunger she would never sate. An appetizer, she would be; the land would fade from history.

But she was not to be his vice. Her wisdom great, she rolled the dice, appealed did she with beast so fierce; her words, so pure, his heart did pierce.

She saw in him a fire so deep, and she knew that she could keep it locked away, and tempered dim; she could save the world from him.

Is he still the beast so cruel? Our maiden just a death-scared fool? Our questions, they will never quell, but this is what this tale will tell...

The maiden pure, the land's great bane; the world has ne'er seen both again. While up above, twixt skin and scale- ...My friend, that's for another tale.

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Yet anout Smaugust post! Today, @pencilcat's prompts say 'Long', and I couldn't choose any different from this piece from 2022. I really wanted to get the vibe of those classic pieces in new age shops of dragons and maidens, and I'm really pleased with how it came out in the end!