You gear up with sword and shield and ride Russell to the nearest dargon-defended tower, some few blocks away. "Excuse me," you call up to the dragon cricling the skies around the tower, "but is there a princess inside this tower?"
"There certainly is!" the dragon bellows back.
"Great," you answer, "we'd like to slay you and take her if you don't mind."
The dragon descends and lands before you. "Of course," he says, "I get that all the time. Of course, you understand I have to try to kill you too, right?"
You look at Russell, exchange a nod, and say, "Yeah, we know; it's just part of the process."
"Ok, good," the dragon says, sounding relieved. Then he exhales a cone of fire hot enough to turn your sword and shield into puddles of molten steel while turning you and Russeell into even less.