It was Friday. The sky was shining bright blue, a few ships were sailing out of the docks. Children were playing in the streets before being told to come back inside. For most, it was a peaceful day, unlike the hustle and bustle coming from the Lord’s castle. As is tradition, the bell would ring from the palace every Friday at noon, and every Friday it did.
 

          Grumble opened its eyes, knowing full well what the toll of the bell meant. Grumble heard the familiar steps of the two palace guards coming down to its cell in the dungeons and recognized the orange hue of the torch the small guard carries.
 

          “Hey there big guy. You know what day it is today?” the taller guard asked, shuffling his hands in his pocket. Grumble could hear another familiar sound through his pocket, the jingling of the keys to his cell. Its stomach growled. “It’s Friday!” The guard declared joyfully, as if talking to a child.
 

          “It still can’t understand you; you know that.” Said the other guard.
 

          “Of course it does, look at its eyes! You’re just jealous because he likes me.” He replied with a grin.
 

          “Right, sure.” The other said, rolling his eyes.
 

          The guard who opened the door then walked in Grumble’s cell and searched for the chain connected to its collar, which seemed to be under its tail. He lifted its heavy tail without any fear, knowing he would not be harmed. He found it and led Grumble out of its cell, pulling casually on the chain. Grumble seemed eager to follow.
 

          “Is it getting fatter? I can never tell.” The smaller one said.
 

          “Seems to me it was always that fat.”
 

          Grumble’s belly was sluggishly sliding on the floor, as it slowly moved its front legs forward, Grumble only moved its hind legs on the rare occasions it needed to lift its body. The guards took Grumble along the ramparts, as the creature’s scale could not allow it to fit through the hallways of the castle. They traveled through the ramparts going up and arrived on the balcony of the palace’s main hall. Even though Grumble’s body seemed stuck to the floor, its neck made it appear much taller than it appeared in its cell giving off an intimidating aura that appeared absent before.
 

          The light shining from the glass dome above the main hall embellished its draconic features: its jade-colored scales gleamed as it moved; small spikes covered its back, from its tail all the way to its head; four straight ivory horns stood on the back of its head, and its bright yellow eyes focused itself on Lord Lupo, the king of this realm, as if Grumble was waiting for him to say something. The skinny lord was sitting in what seemed a throne too big for him.
 

          “Come Grumble! Sit by my side.” Said Lupo, waiving his hand, signaling the dragon to come over to him. Grumble slowly walked towards the throne and sat left of Lupo, facing the same way as him. It seemed an audience was already waiting for them, not looking as eager as the Grumble and the little lord. In front of them stood a group of people, young and old, all chained, with bruises, cuts, and dirt, all of them had their eyes locked on the famished dragon, just as Grumble has its eyes locked on them. The dragon’s stomach growled one last time. A though popped up in Grumble’s head. Dinner Time!