Chris,

That’s great! Consider that instead of pressing into the castle, which might feel invasive, “wider moat, stronger dragon”, just sit outside, looking, and sing of beauty. The castle, the moats, the dragon, the princess, all beautiful, all loved, her whole kingdom, awesome. How safe that moat has kept her heart, how perfectly it keeps her tenderness from scratching! How that dragon has kept others, perhaps less noble knights, from stealing her away.

When your song is heard throughout the castle, perhaps she’ll feel safe enough to come out of it, and/or invite you in, sneak you in past the sleeping dragon, giggling. The quest, patience, seeing, singing. Not swimming and climbing and vanquishing. 🙂

With warmth,
Matt