WINSTON WEDNESDAY ~ CHAPTER X - HIC!!!

The dragon, unable to control his hiccups began to HIC HIC HIC Up all the china. Flying saucers, cups and goblets began cascading towards the cook, Winston and Roxxanne.

Poor dragon, it seemed unable to control itself! The three friends did their best to avoid being hit by the broken pieces of china.
So much china! Winston wondered to himself, "Is there a huge golden bowl in there somewhere?"

"AH," That is a distinct possibility!" came a voice from the other side of the large room........

Winston Wednesday ~ Chapter IX - What now?

Once inside and face to face with the dragon, Winston began to notice something a bit strange. The dragon looked almost as scared as the Cook, Roxxanne and Winston did.

Winston approached slowly with his head lowered, and the dragon did the same. As they touched snouts, a little spark was generated. Possibly some left over sooty fire from the dragon, but nevertheless it caused them both to jump back a bit and then they each advanced once more. At this point Winston noticed something else. The dragon was beginning to look a little 'sick' to him.

Maybe it was all that crunchy china the dragon had been eating...or maybe it was just the fear of actually meeting up with the three strangers so suddenly. The dragon began to shake a bit, and quiver a little and then it happened.

The dragon, who had been burping all the way down into the caves, HICCUPED! And with the hiccup a dish came flying out of his huge jaws. But that wasn't the only surprise......
Stay tuned.....

WINSTON WEDNESDAY ~ Chapter VIII - Inside

Once the door was opened the three adventurers peered inside. A huge room within the cave was flooded with torchlight.
Beyond the torches stood a carefully carved bookstand with an enormous book resting upon it. And beyond that was a cabinet which seemed to be hiding something inside.
Something with at least one BIG eye.

In the blink of an eye the cabinet popped open and to their surprise they were now once again face to face with the DRAGON!

Winston Wednesday ~ Chapter VII- Into the Caves

Winston, the Cook and Roxxanne entered the darkness of the caves below the castle. Hearing the dragon ahead of them bellow occasionally and burp loudly a few times, they knew they were heading in the right direction.
Far ahead they heard a scratching and then a door slammed shut. As they advanced in the half light of the cave, they found themselves standing in front of a huge wooden door.

Now it was time to find out what it was that the cook had in her pocket besides little Roxxanne.

And there it was.... A KEY!

Will it open this door?

Winston WEDNESDAY ~ Chapter VI

The chase was on. Not one to let her fears take over, the cook popped Roxxanne into her apron pocket and followed Winston who was following the dragon. As they might have noticed if they had looked out the window.....night was beginning to fall.

The dragon led the trio on a merry chase and disappeared into the caves below the castle.

In the caves it was even darker. Dampness and cobwebs surrounded the cook, Roxxanne and Winston.
Ahead of them they could hear the dragon's heavy footsteps. It bellowed loudly from time to time, as if to scare them away.
There was possibly only one other thing that was more fearsome. The Queen's anger. So they kept on the trail.

Winston the Wonderhound ran on ahead with the cook and Roxxanne close behind.

Does the cook have anything in her pocket that can help them now.
Anything at all? Anything besides Roxxanne?

WINSTON WEDNESDAY ~ Chapter V

So, what was it that caused the giant commotion and unearthly roaring.

OF COURSE IT WAS THE DRAGON!!!

"If you are back for more china, you are too late," Winston tried to explain.

But before those words were barely out of his mouth the huge beast roared a smelly, hot, smoky roar right at Winston and Roxxanne.

"I don't know what you could want now...." the cook began, but before she could finish, the dragon roared again...and then began to hiccup so loudly that the castle walls began to shake.

With another ROARRRRR at the three astounded individuals the dragon turned and vanished down the stairs to the cellars and caves below the castle.

"Should we follow it?" Winston wondered aloud.

"You can't be serious, " said the cook.

But Winston was serious and he chased after the dragon as fast as his little beagle/bassett legs would allow.

Be sure to stayed tuned each Wednesday for more. And here is a side note: Is it just me, or does that dragon look like it was laughing?

WINSTON WEDNESDAY ~ Chapter IV

Upon entering the castle the cook took Winston and Roxxanne directly to the huge kitchen...the scene of the crime.
Pieces of golden china and fragile crystal were strewn across the marbled floor.
"Oh how terrible," Roxxanne was shaken by the horrible destruction.

"Yes," added Winston, "terrible indeed!"

"TERRIBLE YOU SAY!!!!! TERRIBLE INDEED~" a shrill yet booming voice echoed through the great expanse of the kitchen.


There in front of the tragic trio stood the Queen. Queen Mellameen, to be exact, and she was not in a good mood.
"What in the BIG WIDE WORLD of my PERSONAL QUEENDOM happened here?" she demanded.

"Oh, your majesty, " stammered the cook, " I am so sorry about all this mess." She took a deep breath and began to explain to the queen how the huge beast (dragon) had burst into the kitchen while she was preparing the Queen's birthday dinner, and had gobbled up all the fine china and crystal.

"And, your Majesty, I am sorry to say he has also eaten your beautiful soup tureen, ladle and all."

"What???? YOU'VE LOST MY ROYAL GOLDEN BOWL? Surely for this your head will roll!"

As you can see the queen did not take the news lightly and as Winston and Roxxanne and the cook stood shuddering at this last exclamation from the angry monarch, another more terrifying noise was heard.

©Ginger Nielson- all rights reserved

WINSTON WEDNESDAYS ~ Chapter III

On the way to the castle... a rather long walk, the cook began to retell her sad story.

"I was working on the Queen's birthday dinner and had all the fine golden china ready to place on the great table in the great hall for the great dinner."

Here, she stopped for a minute, shed a tear or two and then continued. " There was a sudden crash as the kitchen door was smashed in and there right in front of me was a huge creature with HUNGRY eyes and teeth as big as I have ever seen. This creature seemed not to be interested in the fine food I was preparing, but in the golden china and glittering crystal."

Winston and Roxxanne had stopped too, to listen and comfort the cook as she told them how the dragon had not only gobbled up all the fine china, but succeeded in swallowing the Queen's golden soup tureen WHOLE!

As the trio continued up the hill to the castle, the cook recounted what happened next...... ( ah tune in NEXT Wednesday as we enter the castle and find out what the cook's fate will be if she can't rescue the Queen's china!)