This is an excerpt of what I hope one day becomes a world on its own. It focuses on the story of a young princess and her guardian dragon and the last effects their actions had upon the very fabric of creation. I have brought this short story into creation now for one reason. I wanted to write a story that began with “Once upon a time.†There will always be countless ways for stories to be experienced and expressed. Yet in those moments when we find ourselves in places we would rather not be, I can’t help but think we all find a very uniquely special comfort in the presumption those four simple words can create in our hearts and minds.