Carston and Renault, Con Artists

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there was a Princess who was daughter to a very wealthy King.  One day she met a wandering knight calling himself Sir Carston, who regaled the court with tales of his adventures.  It was fortunate, then, that this stranger had appeared when he did, because no less than a day had passed when a Red Dragon suddenly swooped down from the heavens, set fire to a barn, and plucked the Princess from the castle's courtyard!

The King sent his knights far and wide in search of the beast, but none could figure out where it had gone.  None, that is, except for Sir Carston!  Carston, wasting no time, rode into the hills near the castle and found the Dragon in its cave.  As the terrified Princess looked on, Carston battled the Dragon!  It spit fire, it howled, and was as menacing a creature as the young girl had ever imagined.  But, in the end, all it took was a quick jab to its chest with Sir Carston's sword and with a great roar the Dragon was slain.

"Thank you, Sir Carston..." the Princess said.  "That beast...it was so horrible!  It would've devoured me!"

"Worry no more, Milady!" Carston said, as vailiant and heroic a knight as the Princess had ever laid eyes on.  "The creature is slain."

The deed done, Sir Carston returned the Princess to the castle, where naturally he was hailed a hero.  In gratitude, the King showered him with gold and with land, all Sir Carston humbly accepted after some prodding.  Though the King and the Princess begged him to stay, Carston bid his farewells and moved along.

A day's ride from the castle, far from the prying eyes of any who could recognize him, Carston stopped by a stream to rest when, suddenly, a Red Dragon landed on the other side!  Not just any Red Dragon, though, but the very one he had supposedly slain!

Carston laughed.

"Your performances are getting hammier, Renault!"

"Well," Renault said as he folded his wings.  "You can't have all the fun.  Besides, father always said I was the talented one."

"Pfft!" Carston said.  "Perhaps next time YOU would like to play the Knight, and I the Dragon?"

"Hah!  Could you imagine the looks on the fools' faces as I waltzed up in armor?" Renault said with a toothy grin.  "How was the haul this time?"

Carston untied a burlap strapped to his horse's back, spilling a fortune in gold and silver.

"And land too, this time," Carston said.  "We've nearly enough now to declare OURSELVES Kings!"

The two swindlers had a good laugh at that.  Sure, they could settle and rule...but where was the fun in that?

/ / / /

In case it isn't as clear from the story, Carston and Renault are brothers - their father was a human thief, their mother a dragoness.  It was their father who taught them all the tricks of the thieving trade.  Together, they concocted this "Dragon Slaying" scheme:  Carston would case potential (wealthy) victims, Renault would kidnap someone, Carston would make a show of "slaying" him and "rescuing" the hostage.  Carston would be paid for his "troubles", which of course he splits with his brother afterward.

They've been so successful now they don't need to do it anymore...but, if you're having fun, why stop?  

(Originally posted on Deviantart on August 2, 2015)