The Accidental Firestarter

 

Once upon a time, in a distant land called Goldbridge, there was a dragon named Glavenoth. But he was no ordinary dragon; he had a deep passion for books and a vast knowledge of ancient scrolls and tomes. He was appointed as the guardian of the Royal Library, a grand structure that housed the most precious and extensive collection of books in the entire kingdom.

He took his role as the librarian dragon very seriously. He would spend hours arranging books, dusting shelves, and preserving the delicate manuscripts. He loved being surrounded by the stories and knowledge contained within the library's walls.

One day, while rearranging some scrolls, Glavenoth sneezed. His fiery breath accidentally grazed a shelf, igniting a small fire. Panicked, he tried to put it out with a gust of wind, but the fire spread faster than he could manage. Soon, the flames engulfed the entire shelf, and the fire quickly spread to nearby books.

Glavenoth was horrified. He tried desperately to extinguish the flames, but his efforts only made matters worse. The once peaceful and serene library was now a blazing inferno. Smoke billowed out of the windows, and the heat was unbearable.  Glavenoth knew he had to act fast. With great sorrow, he spread his wings and flew out of the library, alerting the kingdom's knights and villagers. They rushed to the scene, armed with buckets of water and fire extinguishers, but the fire had already consumed a significant portion of the library.

The king and queen arrived, devastated to see their beloved library in ruins. The citizens of Goldbridge gathered around, their faces filled with sadness and anger. They blamed Glavenoth for the disaster, not understanding that it was an accident.  Feeling immense guilt and remorse, Glavenoth approached the king and queen, tears streaming down his scaly cheeks. He apologised profusely and took full responsibility for the fire. He offered to use his own body to help rebuild the library, as penance for his mistake.  The king and queen, recognising his sincere regret and love for books, forgave him. They also realised that blaming Glavenoth alone would not fix the library or restore the lost knowledge. The entire kingdom rallied together, and soon a massive effort was underway to rebuild the library.

Glavenoth worked tirelessly, using his strength and size to carry heavy stones and beams for the new library. The residents of Goldbridge, including the knights and villagers, also volunteered their time and resources to help. With their combined efforts, the new library rose from the ashes, even grander and more beautiful than before.

Months later, the library was finally completed, and the people of Goldbridge gathered for a grand reopening ceremony. Glavenoth stood in front of the gathered crowd, feeling a mixture of relief and gratitude.  The king and queen praised him for his hard work and dedication, acknowledging that it was his love for books that had led to the accident in the first place. He thanked them humbly, expressing his deep remorse and appreciation for their forgiveness.

As the library doors were opened, villagers entered one by one, marveling at the beautifully restored library. Glavenoth watched with pride as children and adults alike poured in, eager to immerse themselves in the world of books once again.

From that day on, he continued to serve as the guardian of the Royal Library, but he was much more cautious with his fiery breath. He had learned that even the most well-intentioned actions could have unintended consequences. And as the books in the library continued to share their stories and wisdom with the people of Goldbridge, Glavenoth found solace