Where Dragons Rule
By  Sonny Dae
© 2019, Sonny Dae, All Rights Reserved

 Chapter 7: Dragoness's Day Out

Aeris eased open the door to her
room and peered outside. Technically, she didn't have to be so
secretive; she was allowed out of her room and could roam the estate
grounds as she pleased. But she didn't plan on staying around the
estate, so it was vital that no one saw her sneak off.

Master Aaron forbade it and
Maggie wasn't too happy with the idea either, but Aeris had to see
Aubrey again. More questions swam in the depths of her mind, ready to
break for the surface. No one else would answer them for her and she
was tired of not knowing anything about herself.

The grounds were quiet and empty.
It was now or never. Lilith promised to keep Master Aaron busy. The
only person to hide from was Maggie. After making sure no one was
around to spot her, she crept outside, crouched down, and spread her
wings wide, ready to take off.

“And just where do you think
you're going?" Maggie asked.

Aeris' wings snapped to her
sides. She slowly turned her head to see the red-haired woman who
cared for her leaning against the wall, tapping her foot on the
ground and looking very upset.

“Hello, Maggie," Aeris said
with a sheepish grin. The guilt of having to lie to her was almost
unbearable. “I was just going to fly around the estate for a bit if
that's okay."

“You're lying," Maggie said
flatly. “You're going to see Aubrey again, aren't you?"

Aeris dropped her head, feeling
ashamed. Margret laughed and patted the side of Aeris' neck. “I'm
not angry, but please don't make a habit of lying to me. The world
can be very dangerous, and I would like to at least know where you
plan on going. What if something had happened to you?"

That thought hadn't crossed her
mind when she had agreed to become more independent. She dropped her
head even lower. “I'm sorry, Maggie. I just…I wanted to see
Aubrey again, and…" she couldn't finish the sentence, so many
conflicting emotions were bubbling up within her. She wanted answers,
but she also didn't want to upset anyone. Maggie, Lilith, Charles,
not even Master Aaron understood what she was going through. The
others cared for her. She didn't want them to think she was
ungrateful. There was so much more she wanted—needed out of life.
Something she couldn't get here.

Maggie gently took Aeris's face
in her hands. “Aeris, I want you to be honest, is this that
important to you?"

Aeris nodded. Maggie sighed and
whispered “Meet around back" before going into Aeris' room.

Not really understanding the
woman's intentions, she did as she was told. A few moments later
Maggie reappeared carrying the black cloak Master Aaron had given
Aeris as a birthday present. Like many of the things her master gave
her, there had been no reason to wear it became more for decoration
than anything. “It won't make you invisible, but at least you
won't stand out as much," Maggie said. The cloak fit perfectly,
covering just enough of Aeris' body without restricting her
movement though her wings were covered so flying was out of the
question. But it made little difference. At first glance, no one
would even recognize her. It even had a hood to hide her face.

Aeris was ecstatic. “Thank you
so much, Maggie."

“Yes, well, I don't like
Aubrey, but she knows far more about dragons than I. And more than
anything, I want you to be happy. Just remember to be careful. I'll
make sure Lord Strauss doesn't notice you're gone. Be sure to
return home by dinner, understand?"

“Of course, Maggie. I'll make
sure to back by then."

“And, Aeris?"

“Hm?"

“It's easier to go unnoticed
if you head west before looping around through the trees. You're
less likely to be spotted."

****

Getting to Aubrey's mansion the
second time was much easier than the first. She had only been there
once, but she found her way as if it were her home. The closer she
got, the more her excitement grew. How did a true dragon live? What
was Aubrey going to show her? Aeris's mind swarmed with questions.
And the answers were just moments away.

Just as she approached the door,
it swung open and Aubrey and Helen stepped outside. “Aeris?"
Aubrey said. “This is unexpected. I see you didn't bring your
caretaker with you. I assume you're here to learn more about our
kind?" When Aeris nodded, Aubrey added, “I would love to tell you
everything I know about our kind. But I'm afraid we must do this
another time. Helen and I were about to go shopping."

“Can I go?" Aeris asked,
hopeful. “I've never really been shopping except for that one
time…" She stopped talking and shuddered as the image of a
vicious wild-born dragon standing over her filled her mind. It still
didn't diminish her curiosity.

“You are more than welcome to
come along," Aubrey replied with a small smile.

The walk to the commercial
district was shorter than Aeris expected. With Helen riding on
Aubrey's back, they were able to move at a much faster pace. Seeing
a human riding atop a dragon was new to Aeris. Her master had not
ridden her since he was a boy and even then, he used a bridle and
saddle to ensure he never fell off and was injured.

Aubrey didn't wear either of
those things. Helen rode bareback and she remained perfectly
balanced. Along the way, Aubrey explained how in the old days, humans
used to ride on the backs of dragons. It was once considered a great
honor and privilege reserved only for humans who proved themselves.
After the Great Rebellion, it was considered demeaning and a sign of
submission to carry a human and the humans saw riding a dragon as the
ultimate form of dominance.

“I carry Helen because I
believe in the old ways, and Helen is someone I deeply care for,"
Aubrey explained. “She also doesn't walk at the same pace as
other humans. It would take far too long if she were to walk
herself."

“You know a lot about history,"
Aeris said. “None of the books ever mentioned that."

“Humans wouldn't keep records
of the times they actually respected dragon," Aubrey replied
stiffly. She relaxed and continued. “All the same, I find history
to be a fascinating subject. I study everything I can about it.
There's so much to learn from those who came before. Dragons were
once proud beings. We ruled over this world." Her expression turned
sour and her voice bitter. “But now we are either content to live
as human playthings, or stubbornly close ourselves off from the world
pretending the humans can be ignored. So much of our culture was lost
during the Great Rebellion and no one—human nor dragon, seems to
care. Did you know there are ruins not far from the city that has
never been explored?"

“Really?" Aeris asked
excitedly. The possibility of an adventure was too good to pass up.
“Maybe we could be the first!"

“Perhaps we should. I was going
to hire a team to explore for me, but I think whatever secrets that
place may hold I would rather see with my own eyes. Now come, we are
actually behind schedule and I would like to make up the time."
Aubrey began walking at a brisk pace. Aeris was still a little tired
from running all the way there, but she managed to keep up.

The commercial district was just
as Aeris remembered it the last time she visited. The overlapping
sounds and smells were just as mesmerizing now as they were back
then. The streets were more crowded than last time. More dragons
roamed the streets this time as well. None of them paid any attention
to Aeris, but she still shivered and huddled closer to Aubrey.

“Calm yourself, my dear,"
Aubrey said, her tone commanding yet gentle like a parent speaking to
a child. “You must never let others see your fear. Our kind has
never been one to be beaten into submission. We bow only when we
choose to. Besides, as long as you are in my company no dragon
will dare harm you, domesticate or not."

Hearing those words set Aeris'
mind at ease, but she still kept her head down. Even if no one
intended to harm her, she couldn't risk being seen and recognized.
Why did she let her curiosity get the better of her? What was going
to happen when her master returned her to buy something and a
shopkeeper mentioned seeing her?

Aeris' fears were forgotten
once the shopping went underway. Dragons were allowed in most of the
stores they visited. Helen pointed out they never shopped at places
that didn't allow dragons. The places they visited were so
different from the places Aeris had been to with Master Aaron. The
stores were modeled a lot like Aubrey's home with the more delicate
items placed higher up out of the reach of any wandering tails.

The shopkeepers were very polite.
Aubrey knew many of the shopkeepers, and they even had set aside some
of the things she had come to purchase. The cloak worked wonders; for
once Aeris wasn't the center of attention and bombarded with
questions about her origins. It felt nice being no one for a day. The
longer they walked, the more curious Aeris became. There was so much
to learn and see. Turned out there were tons of tools and utensils to
make it easier for dragons to use human implements such as windows
and doors. Aeris wished she had some of these things for herself, but
she also had no coin.

Aubrey and Helen taught Aeris how
to shop. The proper way to haggle without offending, what not to do
when browsing, and how to avoid scams and pressured into buying
things she didn't want or need.

Aeris quickly learned she loved
shopping and was very good at it. Her knowledge of math allowed her
to plan how much things would likely cost and avoid overspending. It
didn't bother her at all she couldn't afford anything at the
moment. Even knowing she would likely never be able to show off her
new skills didn't dampen her spirits.

It wasn't until they were
looking for the last item on their list, more thread and needles to
repair the cushion as the fabric wasn't very claw resistant, that
Aeris was brought crashing back into reality.

“Do you have rocks in your
ears? I know you understand me, so cut the bullshit!"

“Maybe I would understand you
if you spoke plain!"

The voices belonged to a human
and dragon arguing at a fruit stand. The dragon was a Ravager like
Aubrey, but he was closer to Aeris' size. His scales were a darker
shade of red, bordering on brown.

The human on the other hand was
quite large. His large frame overshadowed the dragon glaring at him
and he had the thickest arms Aeris had ever seen.

Despite the size difference, the
Ravager showed no signs of backing down. He slapped his tail against
the ground and glared the human. “You told me to come back
tomorrow, and now you're charging me more than what we agreed on,"
he said. “I only have enough for the old price."

“Well, the price changed,"
the human retorted, “So either pay up or fuck off."

The Ravager stamped and growled,
“That's not what we agreed."

The human reached under the
counter and pulled out a small beat-up sign. Written on the sign were
the words “Sold Out" in very sloppy handwriting. He slammed it on
the counter in front of the dragon and pointed to its weathered
surface. “You see this? It says you pay the price for that day. If
you want yesterday's prices, you should've gotten here
yesterday."

“Lady Aubrey?" Helen asked.

Aubrey was silent for a moment as
she watched the pair argue. She soon replied, “This is a simple
business disagreement. It doesn't require our attention. Let's
go."

“That human is lying," Aeris
whispered.

Aubrey stopped and turned back to
her. “What? How do you know?"

“The sign doesn't say that.
It says 'Sold Out.' "

“You can read human writing?
Never mind, follow me, dear."

Aeris noticed Helen looked very
nervous as they approached the pair at the stand. Neither the human
nor the dragon arguing noticed them approaching.

Aubrey loudly cleared her throat
slapped her tail on the ground, getting the pair's attention. “I
can understand standing by your business practices, but I never
thought outright swindling your customers was a smart business
practice."

The human turned to her with a
venomous stare. “And just who the fuck are you? And where do you
get off calling me a liar?"

Aubrey straightened up. Her
blood-red scales seemed to almost glow as she narrowed her eyes.

Helen quickly spoke up. “We
know you're lying about that sign. It doesn't say anything about
you setting your own prices."

The male Ravager turned back to
the human. “What?"

The human appeared flustered, but
then he reached behind the counter and pulled out a large rifle. “If
you think for one second that you and your friend can scare me, you
got another thing coming."

The male Ravager shrank away from
the counter, but Aubrey continued to stare the human down. Aeris felt
the sudden urge to run away; her muscles even began to tense up in
preparation to bolt at any moment. She regretted ever mentioning
anything about the human lying. There was no explaining a gunshot
injury assuming she survived.

A gentle touch to the back from
Helen chased away the feelings of anxiety and fear. “It's all
right," she whispered. “Lady Aubrey said she would protect you
and no dragon dares go back on their word."

“I suggest you drop your weapon
before I'm forced to do something unpleasant," Aubrey said, a
deep growl making her words difficult to understand.

Now other humans were beginning
to stop and stare. Aeris wished they wouldn't. It reminded her of
the time she had been attacked by the Genial and people stared and
whispered. No one bothered to help then either. The human holding the
rifle began to shake, his resolved wavering. Aeris didn't envy him
one bit. If he killed one dragon the other would surely go after him.

“Lady Aubrey, perhaps we should
go before things get out of hand," Helen whispered.

Aubrey refused to take her eyes
off the man. “And let this human continue to take advantage of his
customers? I think not."

“You dragons are so quick to
tear a man's head off if he threatens your 'precious' honor,
yet you don't hesitate to do the same. If you're calling me a
liar you better have some damn good proof backing it," the human
threatened. He was bluffing. Aeris wasn't sure how she knew. The
man's voice lacked any sort of confidence or conviction. Master
Aaron always said in a business deal it was how one used their
words that mattered.

Aeris cleared her throat and
stepped forward. She didn't know what she was doing or why, but she
felt the need to do something. She straightened up to her full height
but still had to crane her neck a bit to look larger the human in the
eye. “I'm sorry, but are you sure you want things to end this
way? My mas—uh, caretaker always says a business lives or dies by
its reputation."

The human turned his glare to
Aeris. A pitiful display of aggression as she could see there was
more trepidation than aggression in his eyes. “What do I care if I
lose a few customers?"

“You're going to lose a lot
more than a few customers," Aeris said, her confidence growing with
every word. Her voice carried authority and it shocked even her. It
was if nothing could challenge her. Not even the rifle in the human's
hands scared her anymore. “If word gets around that you lie to your
customers, or threaten them when they get upset, how many do you
think will come back? Or are you thinking no one will care about a
couple of dragons?"

“I would imagine dragons are
his biggest customers," Aubrey said. “We can easily eat twice as
much as any human, so we must always buy large quantities of food."

“So even losing just one dragon
would be a large blow to your profits. Then once the dragons leave,
those who support them are going next. Even those who don't support
dragons will be hesitant to do business with you after so many
customers refuse to do business with you. How long before you start
cheating humans next?"

The man's resolve shattered as
he lowered his rifle. “L-Look, maybe we can work something out?"

“As if I would stoop so low as
to do business with a man who would point a gun at me knowing he
lied," Aubrey spat. She turned to the other Ravager. “And what of
you? Will you do business with this man?"

“I don't think I will," the
Ravager said. “There's other places where I can buy fruit."

Aeris cast one last look over at
the human before he vanished behind a veil of people.

He looked very confused by the
recent events. It felt good putting him in his place. Just like with
the Everfields, only she liked this outcome. The human was the one
receiving the strange looks.

“That was quite excellent how
you handled that," Aubrey said. “I suspect he'll be much
friendlier to any dragons who pass his stall now."

“Yes, thank you so much for
your help," the other Ravager said, bowing low to the ground. “I
shopped there for almost three years." A terse growl escaped him.
“And all that time he was lying to me."

“Well, thank Aeris," Aubrey
said. “She's the one who pointed out that human was lying. I was
going to kill that man for daring to threaten me, but Aeris found a
solution that doesn't make us look like mindless beasts. I will
have to remember that. I never imagined I would learn something from
you."

“Oh! Please forgive my
rudeness, my matriarch." He bowed again, his snout almost touching
the ground. “My name is Windor."

Aubrey returned the bow although
she did not bend as far. “Well met, Windor. My name is Aubrey."

Aeris bowed as well. “And I am
Aeris."

“My name is Helen. It is a
pleasure to meet you, Windor."

“Thank you again for your help,
Aubrey, Helen, and Aeris. There's this great bakery that serves
dragon not far from here," Windor said. “It isn't much, but I
would love to buy you a treat as thanks for helping me."

As they walked to the bakery,
Aeris felt some of her uneasiness return. She hadn't had may
pleasant experiences with dragons besides Aubrey. What if Windor was
the same way? Sure he was friendly now, but what if he learned she
was a domesticate?

Helen leaned over to Aeris and
whispered, “Everything will be fine. Even if he doesn't like
domesticates, dragons have a strong sense of honor they strictly
abide by—especially clan-borns. You have done him a great service.
If nothing else, he must repay that debt."

Her words helped Aeris calm down
a bit, but the fear didn't leave entirely.

Upon entering the bakery, a
cornucopia of sweet smells filled her nose and her fears were
forgotten. Her neck hurt she was moving it so much trying to take in
everything, the smells of the various cakes and pastries filling her
nose and making her mouth water.

“Aeris, you're drooling,"
Aubrey said.

Aeris snapped her mouth closed
and wiped it with her foreleg. Thankfully they were the only ones in
the bakery. Drooling in public was so unseemly. “Sorry," she
mumbled. She also noticed Aubrey's tail twitching in anticipation
as she stared hungrily at the sweets.

Aubrey laughed. “It's all
right, my dear. I take it you've never been in a place like this
before."

“Well, no. I've had sweets
before, but I never been to a place like this. I asked Master Aaron
if we visit one, but he said—"

“Well, he's not here,"
Aubrey interjected quickly.

At that moment, a tall, lean
human with the thickest head of brown hair Aeris had ever seen,
walked into the room. He smiled warmly at his customers as he
approached the counter. “Hello there. You are just in time; I have
a fresh batch of cakes ready to come out of the oven."

“Great! I'll take one for
each of my friends," Windor said. Turning to the others, he added,
“It's my treat, so please order whatever you like."

Aeris squealed with delight.
“Really? I can order whatever I want?" Happy as she was for the
invitation, she also knew not to be greedy. She ordered only a single
strawberry shortcake, something she had never tasted before. Aubrey
and Helen explained this was more Aeris' reward and so purchased
their treats themselves. They agreed to eat there so they could have
a chance to rest their legs. It wasn't until they sat down that
they realized how sore they were from walking most of the day. Aeris
tried to take her time eating the cake, but it proved very difficult
given how tasty it was. When she got home, she was definitely going
to ask Maggie about getting her another one.

While they ate, they talked.
Turned out Windor didn't have a caretaker in the usual sense. He
lived alone in a special section of the city called the dragon's
district where any dragon not under the direct care of a human lived.
The district was “managed" by a human, but each dragon was in
charge of caring for themselves.

It sounded like a very scary life
to Aeris. Sure, there were things about her life she wished were
different, but she also didn't want to know what it would be like
to not have her master watching over her.

“Aeris, perhaps we should visit
there next," Aubrey said. “It will be a great way to introduce
you to how a dragon should live."

Aeris nearly choked on a piece of
cake. “I-Is that really a good idea? But you said domesticates
aren't liked much, and—"

“Indeed, a domesticate wouldn't
be safe going to the dragon's district alone," Aubrey pointed
out. “But you won't be alone. And as I said before, no dragon
will dare try to harm you in my presence."

What about when I'm not in
your presence? Aeris thought. Back at the party, Reks and the
other dragons were so quick to turn on her the moment they weren't
being watched.

As if sensing her thoughts,
Windor added, “Aeris, I can promise you that many dragons don't
care that much about domesticates. Yes, seeing one pissing us off,
but it's usually out of sight, out of mind. And if that doesn't
reassure you then once they learn a matriarch vouches for you, they
will ignore you."

Aeris nodded in agreement but
still wasn't convinced.

“I hope this isn't rude,
Aeris, but would you taking off your hood so I can see your face?"
Windor asked. “We've been talking this entire time and I still
have no idea what you look like."

Before Aeris could object, Aubrey
pulled the hood back. Aeris squealed in terror and fought the urge to
hide her head under the table. Only her fear of embarrassing Aubrey
kept Aeris upright.

Windor stared, wide-eyed. Aeris
looked away and noticed the bakery owner staring at her as well.
Their staring left her disheartened. Did any dragon know what she
was? “I had no idea you were so beautiful," Windor said. Aeris
ducked under the table.

“Aeris, be proud of yourself,"
Aubrey said, a hint of annoyance lacing her voice. “Your appearance
makes you stand out in ways no other dragon could rival. Do not hide
from it."

Not wanting to upset Aubrey or
make Windor regret meeting her, Aeris came out from under the table
but kept her head down. “So, could you tell me more about the
dragon's district?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

“There's at least one in
every large human city," Aubrey explained. “It's almost a
separate city in a way. The dragons there often police themselves and
look after one another. Crimes committed there are handled by the
dragons and as such, very few humans go there."

“But because dragon laws are so
different from humans, dragon districts are often seen as lawless,"
Helen added. “For example, only under very specific circumstances
is murder considered a crime."

“And humans are very content to
look the other way until another human is killed," Aubrey said with
an exasperated huff. “Their definition of murder seems to only
apply to them."

“To get things back on track,"
Windor said nervously. “Each dragon district is 'ruled' by a
matriarch. She keeps the other dragons in line and communicates with
the humans on our behalf."

“And before you ask, Aeris, I
am not the matriarch of the dragon district," Aubrey said. Aeris
closed her mouth and nodded. “That title belongs to another: a
rambunctious short-snout who goes by the name Cutter. I suggest
avoiding her if you can. Her temper is legendary."

“She's right," Windor
added, shuddering at an unknown thought. “I hear even humans are
afraid of her."

If this Cutter was anything like
the Genial who attacked Aeris in the commercial district, she planned
to stay as far away from her as possible. Aubrey began discussing the
history of dragon districts and how they came to be, but Aeris wasn't
listening. She was distracted by Windor staring.

It was strange she didn't mind
it when she caught him looking at her. Whenever the humans stared it
made her uncomfortable. It was their eyes. They carried a look that
they wanted something from her. Nothing more than an object of their
desire. But Windor was different. He looked at her instead of
through her.

The attention almost made her
forget the reason for being there in the first place. She liked
Windor's company and wanted to spend more time with him. Not
wanting to ruin things, Aeris kept quiet and didn't ask many
questions. Aubrey took charge of the conversation and answered
anything Aeris wanted to know. She also steered the conversation
toward a different subject whenever Windor asked questions about
Aeris' life.

Once everyone finished their
treats, they left the bakery in high spirits. Aeris wanted to ask so
many more questions, but Aubrey said, “In time. There is a lot to
tell you and it would not do to overwhelm you all at once."

“I guess this is where we part
ways," Windor said, bowing again. “I will never forget what you
did for me. Thank you."

“Actually, Aeris, how about you
and Windor meet again?" Helen offered. “The two of you have been
very quiet, but you seem to enjoy each other's company."

Aeris turned to the woman so
fast, her neck hurt. “What? I couldn't do that. My master—"

“Does not get to tell you who
can and cannot see," Aubrey growled. “But I also do not agree
with this. It's too soon for her, Helen."

Helen said, “Lady Aubrey, you
said yourself Aeris needs to meet other dragons. How else will she
know how a true dragon lives?"

Aubrey thought on her response
for a moment. “Very well. But only if Aeris wishes it."

Aeris wanted to hide under her
wing and avoid the subject entirely. Of course, she wanted to see
Windor again, but the thought of being alone with him gave her
feelings she couldn't describe. Windor didn't appear very
comfortable with the subject either. “I-I guess that would be
fine," she said.

“Then it's settled. How about
the two of you meet here at the bakery?" Helen offered. “You both
already know exactly where it is, so it'll be easy to find."

“That's a great idea,"
Windor said. “Aeris, is that okay?"

Unable to speak, Aeris settled
for nodding. Was this happening right now? It sounded like the human
had just arranged a date for her.

“Excellent. Then the two of you
can meet back here tomorrow," Helen said.

Aeris found her voice. “I have
to go to another gathering my master tomorrow. But I can go the day
after." Windor and Aubrey cringed at the word master, but neither
spoke on it.

“Then the day after tomorrow it
is," Windor said.

“Very well. Now it is getting
late, and we need to be going," Aubrey said, as she steered Aeris
down the street, leaving Windor behind.

No one spoke until Windor was out
of sight. Aubrey quickly turned to Helen. “What was that about,
Helen?"

Helen quickly bowed. “Forgive
me, Lady Aubrey, but I noticed the way they were staring at each
other. It's clear he likes Aeris, and I think she likes him."

“That is not the point,"
Aubrey shot back. “Have you forgotten Aeris' relationship with
her caretaker? Regardless of my reservations about the man, we have
no right to push Aeris into cheating on him."

That snapped Aeris out of her
stupor. “Aubrey, Master Aaron and I are not a couple."

Aubrey slowly turned to Aeris.
“What?"

Aeris shrank away. Something in
Aubrey's eyes and voice showed she had said the wrong thing.

“Lady Aubrey, remember Aeris
doesn't know about dragon customs," Helen said quickly. To Aeris,
she added, “Dragons take sexual acts very seriously. To them, it's
not something you do with just anyone. As you can guess, they are
very proud so of course, they are very selective in their partners."

“But then why are you pushing
me to see Windor?" Aeris asked.

“We said to see him, not
fuck him," Aubrey growled. “Aeris, you do realize that both
humans and dragons frown on interspecies relationships. Why would you
put yourself through such hardship when you don't truly want him?"

“He's my master."

The look in Aubrey's eyes made
even Helen step back. Aeris quickly stared at the ground. No one
spoke or moved as if the slightest move would set Aubrey off.

Eventually, Aubrey broke the
silence, her voice flat and cold. “Let's go."

The walk back to Aubrey's
mansion was silent and awkward. Aeris didn't understand why Aubrey
was so upset, and her fear of upsetting the Ravager further kept her
from asking. Once, she gathered the courage to ask, but Helen quickly
touched her shoulder preventing the conversation.

Once they reached the mansion,
Aubrey turned to Helen and asked, “Could you give us a moment?

Aeris knew Aubrey was unlikely to
harm her, but she still gave a pleading look not to leave them alone.
Helen bowed and took her leave without hesitation. To Aeris'
surprise, the proud Ravager kicked timidly at the ground, avoiding
her gaze. “This is difficult for me to say. First, I want to
apologize for getting upset with you. It seems your ignorance extends
to more than your experience with dragons. I truly dislike your
relationship with that man. If you want, you could live with me.
There is plenty of room here and I promise you will want for
nothing."

That was not at all what Aeris
expected. She stared at Aubrey, mouth agape. Until now, she never
thought about leaving Master Aaron. Should she leave her master
alone? What about Maggie?

As if sensing her thoughts,
Aubrey added, “You do not need to answer now. Think about it. It is
not what I wished to discuss with you." She looked away and sighed.
It was odd seeing someone so proud and sure of herself behaving this
way, but Aeris remained quiet. “I was impressed by your ability to
read. Embarrassing as it is to admit, I never considered the
usefulness of learning the humans' written language. I spent 80
years among humans and I never realized my ignorance."

Aeris tilted her head. Did she
hear Aubrey say she had been around humans for 80 years? “Aubrey,
how old are you?" A rude question and she chided her curiosity for
making it.

“Why I'm 114, Aeris. And
that's considered quite young among dragons."

“Over a hundred?! How long do
we live for?"

“That is a question even we do
not know the answer to," Aubrey replied with a solemn shake of her
head. “Dragons don't typically die of old age. Our kind lives to
prove our strength over one another, so our life-expectancy is quite
short. Though I once met a dragon who claimed to be over 500 years
old.

“But that is a conversation for
another time. Back to my original question: Aeris, would you be
willing to teach me to read?"

Aeris answered without
hesitation. “Of course. I would be honored to."

Aubrey straightened up, and she
was back to the regal, proud dragon Aeris admired. “Thank you. I'll
be ready to begin our lessons whenever you are ready."

“How about the next time we see
each other? There's still a lot I need to learn about dragons, so I
want to come back as soon as I can."

“Very well. My door is always
open to you so return whenever you wish. We'll begin the lessons
the next time we meet. Now you likely already know this, but you
should be careful not to let other humans know you can read or that
you're instructing me. Many humans wouldn't take kindly to it."

Aeris nodded again. This was a
speech she had already heard from Maggie. She bade Aubrey good night
and started the walk back home.

Of all the things that happened
today, what was going to happen the day after tomorrow occupied
Aeris's mind. It was too much too soon. She didn't know the first
thing about Windor, but she was supposed to go out with him, alone?
And what did it mean? Was it a date? An outing between friends? Did
Windor consider her a friend? Did he want to be something more? The
questions fought for dominance of her mind making it impossible to
think about anything else.

It wasn't until she made it
back to her room that she calmed down. Aubrey and Helen would never
have suggested it if they thought Windor would do anything to harm
her. It was just a matter of not doing anything to embarrass herself.

“You're certainly in high
spirits today," Lilith said.

Aeris jolted in surprise at her
sudden voice. She didn't even hear the woman come in.

“I was waiting here patiently
for you to return," Lilith explained. She motioned to the cloak
Aeris wore. “I take it you had fun today."

“I had a great deal of fun, and
I learned so much! But, Lilith, I have to go out again soon. Would
you mind—?"

“Of course, Aeris, I would be
honored to cover for you. As I said before, we're a team, and I
want to help you."

“Thank you. And…could
you…teach me about dating?" This was her only hope. She wasn't
sure Maggie or Master Aaron would approve, so Lilith was her best bet
if she were to make this work. Going into this without any idea what
to do would not end well.

Lilith smiled. “I would love
to."

Thanks for reading.

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