FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

By Royal Decree

Chapter 1

Zheradra folded her wings to dive, aiming for the landing strip that led to the border between the nation of Untheria - her homeland - and the nation of Arrenthen - her destination. Normally she would keep to the skies for the entire duration of her trip but after the war ended there were agreements set in place that kept the skies clear. Saurossins were requested to remain grounded while in Arrenthen and oairans were expected to remain grounded in Untheria. She was a dragon, a member of the saurossin race, and therefore expected to make the rest of her trip to the capitol castle on foot.

This wasn't a problem for her since she was as capable on the ground as she was in the air. As a high ranking member of the military and a member of Untherian nobility, she knew that she not only had the skills to protect herself but also that any attack on her would be met with swift retribution. Still, she wasn't the type to want to stir up any sort of conflict if she could avoid it. She had just gone through nearly a decade of stress over some minerals deep in the mines of the mountains that served as a border between their nations, she didn't want to reignite that.

When she landed, she was greeted by more than a dozen handlers of both avian and dragon persuasion. This was the border, and both nations were working together to ensure that the treaties were upheld; as such, both Untherians and Arrenthians were guarding the border still.

The first of many of the avians walked up to her with a clipboard in hand, scribbling some notes down on the paper. "Good afternoon. You travelling to Arrenthen today?" The black and white bird barely looked up from his papers as he asked his questions.

"Yes. Of course." Zheradra replied, her voice blunt as she displayed her annoyance. Where else would she be going? She literally landed at the border on a designated landing strip meant to serve as customs, of course she was heading to Arrenthen.

The avian continued while others circled around her, checking her for hidden weapons. This would have been quite unnerving, but she knew and understood the rules set in place for border crossing after the war. She respected the regulations but that didn't stop her from getting frustrated and annoyed almost immediately. The dragoness remained in place while the one with the note pad inquired further. "Species, dragon. Male or female?"

"Excuse me?" Zheradra shot back with a snort.

He leaned to the side to try and get a good look under her tail to see more. "You're a dragon, not a wolf or a human. Can't tell your gender just by lookin'. So, I ask again, male or female?"

She narrowed her gaze and huffed. "Female, if you couldn't tell from my voice."

"Rightly couldn't, my lady. Name?" He went right back to his note pad, slightly embarrassed at his inquiry about her gender. It was clear he could feel the scorn she sent his way.

"Zheradra." She continued to give only the simplest of answers, content to prod at him.

The avian was about to say something else when a rather small kobold leapt out from the pavilion with his hands waving about. "Alright, stop questioning her!" He called, stopping the avian before he could say another word. He had scales of a light gray with red highlights and black spots. "She's coming with us, no need to bother her any longer!"

Behind him, another much larger dragon stepped out from the pavilion as well, this one twice as tall as the others and better equipped; he had a huge sword hanging down off his waist and had green fur with black and orange spots. "Sorry about that, my lady. We have orders to assist you in any way we can, and we are not supposed to be harassing you about your gender or anything." He hissed at the avian to emphasize the 'not' part of his statement.

Zheradra paused to sit back on her haunches, keeping an eye on him. "Who exactly are you and why does the princess feel the need to escort me to the castle?"

The kobold leapt forth with his claw out to shake her paw. "I'm Syrus and this here's Cocamo. We're ambassadors to the Prince, actually. Not the Princess. Princess Talba said that there was no need to badger you with nonsense like this."

She took his tiny, delicate hand in hers and shook it, feeling awkward all the while. She saw no reason to do such a thing, for that's what dogs did with their owners. "So, if the princess felt it frivilous to have you here, then why are you here? She's right, you know, I don't need an escort."

Cocamo - the larger one - stepped forward to interject. "We agree, but the Prince is worried that some may still be hostile towards dragons not bearing the gold and red of our symbol." He pointed to a tri-pointed crest tagged to his chest. "Without it, some of the locals may not take kindly to you walking your way through their villages. The war may be behind us and both dragon and avian kind may be living in harmony now, but there are still dissenters. Plus, we all agreed that it would be a good idea to brief you on stuff like this. Better safe than sorry."

"Brief me? I'm not here on a military mission, I'm here for pleasure. My intention upon visiting this vast jungle nation is to see the sights and be treated to the finest of culture, not be hushed about like a military grunt. I'd really rather just go forth and follow the path."

Syrus chirped up to speak. "Well, we can totally appreciate that, but it's still best we go with you. Without the crest, you won't get through the outer walls of the castle, and seeing as how I didn't recognize you at first I doubt the guardsmen there would either. You've got a lot less gold on you than the reports indicated."

Zheradra glanced down at her body, confused as to how the ratio of gold to red could have been important. How many other gold and red dragons were there planning to cross the border this day? "Very well, if you insist. However, I fully expect you to keep up. You bipeds are versatile, but I've yet to see one who can keep up with my walking pace." She shook off her wings and pointed her snout towards the gate that led to the Arrenthen side of the border crossing. "So let's go."

Both Syrus and Cocamo offered her a nod of respect before Cocamo instructed the other border guards to stand down and get back to work. Once the tension had been resolved, the three of them headed north past the gate en route to the capital.

Chapter 2

The first leg of their journey started mostly in silence, as Zheradra had little to no interest in conversing and the two dragons were both having a hard time keeping up. In fact, most of the afternoon was spent with her pushing forward through the jungle path.

Luckily, the roadways were well kept even in the midst of the wilds of Arrenthen, for the nation possessed one of the most intricate and well documented road systems in all the land. There were lamp posts and signs at every intersection and major turn. She always knew exactly where to go and what paths to take because there were always signs pointing her towards the capital; there was no need for Syrus or Cocamo to escort her.

However, even she eventually found herself needing to rest before reaching her destination. The castle was over two hundred and fifty kilometers away from the border crossing, and though she was fast she couldn't do it all in one afternoon. If she were flying, she'd have arrived within hours and would be enjoying the company of the Arrenthen Nobles already. But she wasn't flying, so she had to take a break at about the halfway point by setting up camp just off the beaten path by the river.

"So you're finally stopping, are ya?" Syrus commented as he slumped down next to a nearby tree. "I know you're a warrior and all that, but you really don't have to prove yourself to us."

Cocamo was having an easier time keeping up so he didn't need to relax or rest in the clearing. Rather than engage in conversation, he started to make a fire in the pit; they had found an approved camp site for travelers, a location endorsed by the crown to be used by those going between the castle and the border. He had guided them to this location as an alternative to clawing out a clearing in the surrounding jungles. "I have some jerky, if anyone wants something to eat." He said as he reached into his satchel and pulled out a few sticks of the dried meat.

Syrus scrabbled over to get some, hungrily yanking it out of the larger dragon's hands and chewing on it. "Thanks!" He said in between audible chews. "Is this that Ulokar stuff? Oh, spicy!"

"Yeah, Got it from the merchant in town by the bridge. He has the best stuff." Cocamo took a strip for himself and offered some to Zheradra. "Trust me, you gotta try some. It's good stuff."

She recoiled a bit at the leathery chunks of meat offered to her. "What in the world did you do to that meat? It looks like it's been out in the sun for weeks!" Still, she daintily extended a thumb and forefinger talon to take a slice, not wanting to be rude while failing miserably to act gracious.

Cocamo seemed confused. "It's jerky. Ulokar jerky. Do dragons from your lands not enjoy meat done this way?" He took a bite and tore a strip of meat from the chunk, chewing it to rehydrate it and release the flavors. "It's just cured meat with salt, spices, and seasonings. Have some, then judge it."

Zheradra narrowed her eyes as she held the tiny piece of meat up to her face to get a better look. She could see red and orange peppercorns dotting its surface as well as a faint orange dust covering it. "I know what jerky is. I'm familiar with the process, I just prefer my meat to be thick and juicy. This seems like an insult to the creature that died for it." Despite her crass words, she tossed the chunk of jerky in her maw and chewed. As her saliva mixed with the dried meat and seasonings, the flavor burst from it onto her tongue, making her step back in shock. "Th-this is actually quite tasty!"

"Told ya." Syrus said with a smug grin highlighted by bits of meat sticking out from his teeth.

Zheradra just shook her head and walked to the bank of the river, dipping her tail in the water as she chewed. The jerky was good, but she didn't want to praise it too much, for it wasn't as good as fresh meat or even as good as a thick, juicy steak that was overdone. The flavors were nice, but her struggles with meat came from the hunt, not the chewing.

Both Syrus and Cocamo could see that she was avoiding them and decided to stay over by the fire, leaving her be. They remained apart from her for nearly an hour of silent contemplation before Cocamo decided to go and relieve himself, leaving just Syrus and Zheradra alone in the camp ground.

Given their relative solitude, Syrus found himself quickly growing bashful and reserved. He was alone with a rather gorgeous and regal-looking dragon scaled in the colors of his Queen's emblem; the little guy had no idea how to act. With a friend around he could feign confidence and bravado but alone with her he felt like anything he said or did could be misconstrued. She was noble, after all.

In his infinite wisdom, he rolled to his feet and made his way next to her, sitting on the shores of the river as the water cascaded over the rocks along the bed. "So, long day, Lots of walking." Before she could respond, he reached out and grabbed her front paw, pulling it into his lap where he started to massage her digits and squeeze so that her claws curled out.

She recoiled again, the frill down her neck standing on end, pulling her paw away from him. "What are you doing? Did I give you permission to handle me in such a way?" Sensing she may have reacted a bit too abruptly, Zheradra immediately shook her discomfort off and apologized before he could respond. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so crude, but I am still curious what prompted you to such an action. I did not ask for your affection, nor did I need your hands."

Syrus shrugged, reaching out to grab her front paw a second time. "No, but I sensed you'd appreciate it. You're a dragon and you've been forced to walk all afternoon; I figured you would enjoy a bit of a massage. Everyone likes a massage and I'd be happy to do it! These tiny hands of mine are quite experienced, and if you give me the chance I'd be happy to show you what they can do." He was struggling to keep confident, but her little outburst had certainly shaken him.

Zheradra gradually relaxed, allowing herself to give in to the offer of her kobold companion. "If you insist, I'm happy to let you try your hand at such a pleasant gift, but if you insist on it may I suggest my hind paws?" She rolled onto her side and spread the toes on her hindpaw wide, curling them. "I can usually handle my front paws just fine, but the back end is a bit more of a pain to reach and work."

"For sure!" Syrus concurred as he let go of her front paw and scooted along back to her hindquarters, nestling in the crook behind her thigh. From that vantage he could see under her tail and the slit of her vent, an irresistible sight he had to struggle to pry his eyes from as he started working on her hind paws with his dexterous hands.

Mere moments into his supple caress, Zheradra started to rumble in satisfaction and curl her toes against his touch. "Mmh, yeah, that's actually pretty nice." She confessed as her digits curled around his palm, claw tips digging into his scales while her toes parted to show the fleshy webbing between them. This started off relatively slow, with her pushing back into his massage and tensing up her leg muscles the longer and harder he worked, only to have her realize she was getting a bit too into it so she relaxed as best she could in order to better maintain her dignity. She didn't want to come across as some harlot.

Yet, despite that desire for poise, the caress of his hands on her paws was divine. She definitely needed a massage even if she was too proud to ask for it and even felt self-conscious about enjoying it. Regardless of this sense of reservation, she just couldn't help herself and was once again finding herself curling her toes, arching her back, and lightly rumbling against his touch. The passion he offered her brought her to a light, reserved level of arousal that found her slit growing moist and dripping. She tried to lower her tail so that he didn't see, but then relaxed long enough to internally convince herself that it wouldn't be a bad thing if the little guy got any lewd ideas.

Syrus, on the other hand, was almost completely focused on the task before him. He was here by decree of the princess to ensure that Zheradra was content and well cared-for en route to the castle, and this was the best way he could think to offer himself to her. Others might have found giving a paw massage to be demeaning, but he loved every second of it and was delighted every time she made a sound or curled her toes around his wrist; He lived to please, especially if a dragoness was involved.

He used the heel of his palm and each of his fingertips to knead and caress every part of her toes in sequence, pausing to check and see what areas she liked having played with the most. The kobold was especially careful to not tickle her, for he knew that his dextrous fingertips could trigger a kick or a tug from her hind legs that could result in him getting clawed. To tickle was not his plan, and he took special care to avoid it at all costs, even if it did end up leading him to glance under her tail.

Though it was getting late and the sun was setting, he could clearly see a patch of glistening scales near her slit, showing him that he was doing something remarkably right. She was more than just pleased with his work, she was actively turned on and seemed to desire his touch. This was further accentuated when he caught a wisp of her scent billowing out from under her tail, a thick fog of arousal that enveloped him and invaded his mind to the point he didn't even realize that he was growing hard underneath his loincloth.

Zheradra may have been preoccupied with the pleasures that came with such a deep and sensual massage, but even she was able to see the visible bulge forming between his legs and the way he actively shifted in place to ensure it didn't touch her paw pads. It was sweet and cute in the sort of way that made her feel she almost owed him something for his discrepancy.

While she did pause to let him have his way with her hind paws a bit longer - he was doing such a great job she didn't want him to stop - she did eventually curl her toes in such a way that she gripped his wrist to get his attention. When he glanced up to her, wondering what happened, she smiled back at him. "You know, I'm curious if you've ever been with a dragoness such as myself."

"Been with?" He asked, tentatively curious about what she meant by that. He was reasonably certain he knew what she was getting at but didn't wish to presume or risk making a fool of himself.

So she clarified. "Intimately. Have you ever been with a female of my size before?"

He gulped and kept rubbing. "Yeah, a few times. It's not something I get much of an opportunity to experience, but I have in the past and hope to again; I love pleasing dragons in any way I can, be it with a sensual massage or something more intimate." His heart began to race as he knew exactly where this line of questioning was heading but didn't want to presume. He was not the presumptuous type.

"Curious. I've never been with an anthro either, but I am not opposed to it." She shifted in place so that she pulled her hind paw off his lap while exposing her moist slit. "Since your seed cannot take hold inside me, I suppose each of us can sample this new experience without any worries. Are you interested?"

Syrus was taken aback by her forward offer and was unsure how to respond for the better part of half a minute. The awkward silence was broken up by the sound of a nearby frog croaking and leaping into the river, drawing him from his silence. "I'd be happy to do that, if you feel I'd be enough for you. I am but a kobold, I highly doubt I have what it takes to give you a fulfilling experience. In a way, I feel far more valuable working on your paws, giving you pleasure that way."

"Nonsense." She interjected. "I'm happy to share myself with those who are kind, be they biped or quadruped. You're small, but I've learned in my many years in this land that it truly is less about what you have and more about what you do with it. Come, come; have some fun with me. I'd be happy to offer myself to you." She winked and curled her tail around his waist to tug him into place next to her hindquarters, leaving him resting there between her thighs and her slit while she remained on her side.

While left there beyond her haunches, the sweet scent of her arousal attacked his nostrils and invaded his sensibilities so thoroughly that he could taste her on the back of his tongue. He gulped heavily as he nervously reached under his loincloth to tug his member out from its place, revealing the tapered length of it as it drooled and leaked precum down onto her thigh. "Are you sure?" He asked, confirming one last time before he made his move.

She only nodded and smiled, eyes telling him all he needed to know about her willingness.

With her consent, he nodded and grabbed his length while resting his other hand on her hips, teasing her scales as he aimed himself at her slit. The sensation of her secretions on his member made him tense up as he came to realize just how much warmer she was than he, her flesh feeling hot to the touch. His tension did made his cock tip slide out of her to rub against her tail hole, so he used his free hand to feel around again, daintily tapping at her scales before slipping a single finger into her.

Zheradra arched her back and pushed into him, tensing her loins and squeezing out some of her fluids into his palm. He hadn't entered her fully yet, and still she seemed to be enjoying herself.

He used his finger to guide himself back in, sliding the tip of his digits between her ventral scales as he leaned into her. In one fluid motion he buried himself to the hilt in her sex, the heat of her depths enveloping him with ease. She was large and roomy, yet her walls were soft like velvet while also being soaked through. Her body heat was quite intense compared to his own, amplifying the sensation of her flesh squeezing and tugging as the steady throb of her heartbeat pulsed around him.

The pleasure was almost too much too quick, and Syrus felt like he needed to pull out to give himself some air in order to hold himself off from a quick climax. Despite how large she was and how clear it felt she could have handled far more than he had to offer her, she felt tight and snug, her walls clenching tight and expertly shifting in waves to give him the sensation of thrust despite staying still.

Just as he went to pull out, her tail wrapped around his rump to hold him in place, pinning him between the base of it and her rump end as her loins tensed up and squeezed, forcing lubricant out.

With a grunt and a curl of his toes, Syrus fell over her haunches and grabbed at her thigh as he bucked, his actions somewhat beyond his control due to the quickly peaking pleasure that built up inside him. He wanted to please her, but she had taken to him so quick and her depths were so sensual that he could barely hold himself back! With a grunt and a hiss, he bucked into her with the aid of her tail to bury himself as deep as he could go, member throbbing and pulsating to shoot his seed into her.

Zheradra could see what was going on and couldn't help but smile. She tensed up her tail a bit tighter to help him feel as much of her flesh as he could while she did all she could to keep him inside amidst the mess he made. The dragoness could feel every jet of his cum tickling her tender flesh, despite his rather diminutive stature and relatively insignificant seed.

Though he was quickly caught up in the passion of depositing his essence within her, Syrus quickly came to the realization of what had happened and how fast the moment passed. He had cum in only a few minutes, a dishonor of the highest order. He blushed and tried to pull away, limiting his exposure to her judging gaze only to feel her tail holding him in place and her visage displayed a smile. "S-sorry about that, I-"

"Sorry for what?" She asked with a tone mixed between genuine curiosity and a hit of sly wit.

"For that! For finishing so soon! You deserve to be-" He lowered his gaze as his now-soft member was squeezed out of her, a drip of his creamy essence dribbling out of her. "-you deserve better from me. You deserve better, as do all dragon kind. My sincerest apologies."

Zheradra shook her head and smiled, a deep yet pleasant growl emanating from deep in her chest. "You have nothing to apologize for, my kobold friend. I'm not sure what sort of dragon education you get up here, but where I come from it's more important that the seed be deposited than the length of time it takes to deposit it. Did you finish? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"No buts. That's where the concern ends. You enjoyed yourself, I enjoyed myself, and you finished quite wonderfully." Zheradra paused to flex her fingers and toes, emphasizing them. "And you have brought me many pleasures on my paws, so I'd say our encounter has thus far been a success."

Still embarrassed, Syrus slid out from under her tail to brush himself off, his member withering and sliding back up into him. "I guess you can see it that way, but I honestly feel like I should offer you more than that. It's important to me that my female companions - dragons, especially - are pleased."

Zheradra nodded and turned back to the river before her. "I'm glad to hear that. However, you've already finished and I doubt you have the energy to go another round tonight, so relax and come sit." She patted the ground next to her on the riverbank. "If you care about making me happy, then converse with me. I'm sure we have lots to talk about on the way to the castle."

Syrus tried his best to put on a strong face as he nodded and accepted her guidance. He sat next to the river next to her as Cocamo came through the bushes, buckling up his belt and tightening the straps of his jacket.

"So, what did I miss?" The furred dragon asked as he came and stood next to them.

Zheradra smiled as she motioned with her snout for him to join them. "Not much, just getting to know each other a bit better, since it'll be a day or two more before we get to the castle. Come, sit. I can get to know you better, too."

He nodded back and crouched down next to Syrus, one arm up on his leg as the three of them gazed out over the rippling water, the reflection of the evening sun reflecting off its surface.

Chapter 3

The next morning, after the three of them slept in tight proximity to one another, they packed up their bags and continued heading northwest on the path through the jungles en route to the castle. Both Syrus and Zheradra continued chatting the whole time, having bonded over the prior night's festivities, as Cocamo held point, listening to their conversation all the while.

The larger dragon was very curious about what might have happened to make her change her mind about the two of them so thoroughly and so quickly, but he didn't want to pry. All he could think about was how much easier it was to keep up with her on the second day of their trip. She was certainly walking with a more reasonable gait as opposed to the brisk pace she'd kept on her first day of travels.

Much of their day went by in what seemed like a manner of hours, with breakfast and lunch both passing them by with haste. Zheradra shared a bit about her past as a warrior in the noble ranks and indulged the relief she felt when she heard the war was over. Sure, she was good at combat, but she did enjoy what the jungle lands of Arrenthen had to offer and it was nice to be able to visit again.

It was then that she also confessed her long lost friendship with the drake who was now set to become the next King of Arrenthen. She and Vaulix knew each other and had a budding friendship before the war started, a friendship that had to be put on hold when the two were separated to different fronts and put in charge of different regiments. She knew firsthand the kindness of his touch and hoped she would be able to, at the very least, rekindle that flame. There was no romance between them, but that didn't devalue what they had before the war and his budding love with Princess Talba.

This did take Cocamo by surprise as nothing she had done up to this point had indicated there was any deeper purpose for her visit before this midday conversation. Still, this made him curious enough to prod a little bit deeper, asking more about her past and history with Vaulix, only to be politely refused, as she felt she had shared enough with him and didn't want to ruin her mystique.

Cocamo felt this was fair, and carried on as point for the three of them as they continued.

On the way to the castle they crossed many other groups including caravans of merchants, roving bands of kobolds all eager to fawn over her, and normal people transporting fruits and flowers from one city to the next. The route was quite active and made its way through many cities and villages, each with their own major intersections that led to other cities, lakes, and valleys within the Arrenthen basin. Their trip afforded them many opportunities to stop and eat or see the sights.

In fact, it seemed rather peculiar to Cocamo that she had undergone a near complete shift of mood and attitude towards them overnight. When they met her at the border she seemed aggressive and hostile towards them, continuing to try to lose them by walking beyond their pace from the border to the camp site. She seemed to have her mind focused on getting to the castle and wanted nothing to do with them, yet now she was stopping every chance she got to take in culture, meet new people, and relax. She had gone from blunt and abrasive to agreeable overnight, and he wanted to know why.

At the final stop before the castle, the three of them stopped for a light snack in a small village. There, Syrus took some time to make plans with Zheradra for later in the night before zipping off to go meet up with some local friends for some fun. Cocamo took this time to prod a bit deeper into her.

She was standing in line, waiting to get some beef and pork kebabs when he sidled up next to her, standing tall beside the dragoness. Syrus was tiny and barely touched her belly with the top of his head when she was on all fours, but Cocamo was taller than she was at over three meters tall.

"So, nice day, isn't it?" He started, making idle conversation.

"Quite nice, I'd agree. Got something on your mind?" She responded, easily catching on.

He nodded. "Yeah, I can't help but notice your distinct change in demeanor today. Perhaps it's none of my business. Perhaps it's exactly my business. Syrus and I are allies of the crown, and are responsible for ensuring the comfort of honored guests such as yourself; we are also tasked with protecting the crown from outside dangers. Now, before you respond, I don't assume you to be a threat. I can tell already by how you're looking at me that you're on the defensive side, but I assure you that I am not here for an inquisition. However, something has changed since yesterday and I'd like to know."

Her expression softened a bit as he explained himself. When he finished, she ruffled her wings and the frill down her spine. "Nothing changed, really. I just got more comfortable." She explained as briskly as she could. The conversation didn't upset her, nor was she uncomfortable, but she wasn't fond of the implications he was putting forth. "I assure you it's not a big deal."

The line went forward and the two stepped up to keep their place.

"I'm glad to hear it, but I'm still curious. You say nothing changed, but I am perceptive enough to know that's not entirely true. Something happened last night or this morning that completely changed your demeanor. Now, it appears your mood has improved, so it's a good change! That said, if a good thing happened to you or Syrus did something to make your stay better, I'd like to know what it is so I can emulate it, perhaps offer you the same thing. Remember, it's my job to keep you happy for the duration of your stay, so if you need some custom food or an ear to talk to, I'm here." He kept his gaze forward, aimed at the merchant selling the kebabs so he didn't have to make eye contact.

In response, Zheradra huffed at him and used her wing to push him. "Are you going to make me say it out loud, here?" She was not the shy type, but still wasn't keen on blurting certain things out while in line with dozens of strangers. It seemed uncouth to discuss her mating habits in public.

"Say what?" He seemed genuinely confused as to what she discussed. Perceptive or not, he hadn't considered the possibility that she'd be physically interested in Syrus given his stature.

Zheradra leaned in close so that she could whisper in his ear. "That he gave me a massage and we had a brisk bit of fun while you were out." She then turned to look forward at the merchant, avoiding eye contact in much the same manner he had.

This actually shocked Cocamo. He wasn't surprised by the fact that Syrus had tried, but that she had actually taken him up on his offer. Syrus wasn't exactly the most reserved kobold, and his kind were known for being adventurous in many ways, yet that didn't mean they were always successful in their quest to conquer foes far larger than them. "Really?" Was all he could say.

"Yeah, I don't know why you're surprised. He's a sweet guy." She countered.

"Of course, he's sweet. He's just small. Tiny. Did you even feel anything?" He felt sorry for her, knowing that her first encounter with a local Arrenthen must certainly have been a disappointment.

She laughed, then clamped her maw shut since she was in public. "Yes, dear. I may be big, but I'm not cavernous. Plus, he did a lot of work on my paws and that was wonderful. His hands are quite nice, you know. He really knew how to hit all the right points." She paused to remember the lovely massage before turning back to Cocamo. "Trust me, size isn't everything."

"No, you're right. It's not, but it certainly helps. But wait a second, I was only gone like fifteen minutes; he couldn't possibly have done that great a job given such a time constraint." He then paused to think about the implications of such a brisk session. "I'd like to apologize for such a quick event. If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to make up for it, show you what a proper sized dragon can do."

At that point, the last person in line in front of them got his kebab and headed off, giving them a sidelong glance before leaving. Zheradra then took her food and paid the gentleman merchant before she and Cocamo decided to disappear from the food court. Together, they went beyond the edge of the market district and into the surrounding jungle to eat the kebab and continue their conversation.

"I think you misunderstand." Zheradra said as she grabbed the kebab and plucked one of the large chunks of meat off with her tongue, letting the juices pour over her paw. She continued her thought with the food in her mouth. "I don't feel like you or him owe me anything, I just love that you bipeds love to make me happy. Whether it's by order from the crown or just because you like us, I find that people are willing to go overboard in their desire to please me."

Cocamo watched as her paws got covered in the juices from the kebab as an idea washed over him, barely putting much thought towards what she was actually saying. He had pride to consider and wouldn't dare let Syrus' poor performance sully the name of Arrenthen dragons. "Let me make things better, I am sure I can prove to you that we're not all insignificant in size." He waited until she finished her kebab before gently taking her hand and pulling it in close to his chest, where he used his tongue to sensually lick up as much of the juices as he could.

Zheradra was taken aback for only a moment before she realized what he was doing. She let him have his way with her, as she loved it when people paid attention to her paws and his tongue felt quite nice to her. A small part did wish to pull away or otherwise tell him he didn't need to go to these lengths for her, but then she thought about how much she enjoyed what the smaller, weaker Syrus did for her and imagined just how much more intense a bigger, stronger dragon could be with her.

"This is how dragons should be treated." He assured her as he gave her front paw a gentle rub with the sides of his thumbs, parting the flesh and kneading her muscles through her scales. He resisted the clench of her claws around his wrist and pushed back into her by also caressing up her foreleg with one hand while the other kept at her toes and his tongue lapped up as much of the meat juices as it could, his saliva making for a stunningly good massage oil.

She rolled over onto her back so that all of her paws were up in the air and her slit was exposed, offering him a clear invitation if he so chose to take it. Zheradra wasn't going to outright demand he mount her, but she was amicable to such attention if he was willing to put in the work to please her. She was eager to see what sort of equipment he possessed given his size; still, as a biped he wasn't likely to be as well endowed as quadruped drakes - the need wasn't there for a two-legger to hang to the ground.

Regardless of her subtle desires, she was pleased to see that he wasn't giving up on her. As she got comfortable on her back, he migrated to her hind legs and offered her the same level of care to her hind paws as he did her fore paws, combining the use of his tongue and fingers to properly massage her flesh both on the surface and deep into the muscle. Like before, she couldn't help but curl those claws again and again as her tail swayed out behind the both of them, her desires growing with each moment.

Despite Cocamo pledging himself to her pleasure and focusing on her above all else, he couldn't help but feel that familiar swell in his loins as he got a good long look at the soft scales of her belly and the glistening patch of moisture that emanated from her slit. He could tell by the subtle sensations that she was as aroused as he, and based on how she felt to the touch he imagined she was quite warm inside. All of this conspired to create an uncomfortable bit of pressure in his loins as his cock emerged to press against the inside of his pants.

When she glanced over her body to see this, she couldn't help but act cheeky about it. From her position on her back, she reached out with the hindpaw that he wasn't massaging to press and pluck at his groin, tugging on the fabric of his pants. This caused him to stop moving entirely as he came to see what it was she was doing.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" He asked with a seductive inflection.

"I'm sure you can figure it out." She retorted with a grin that flashed her teeth.

There was a brief pause as he wondered if it was the best idea to make any active moves on her, but after a mere few seconds he came to find that it was in his best interest to let the situation take him where it may. The sensation of her hind paw on his groin was plenty, but that image of a prone dragoness on her back with her slit exposed to him drove him over the edge. He quickly stripped of his pants and kicked them to the side before grabbing his knotted cock, squeezing at the base to help the knot inflate in his palm; he wished to have her feel the maximum girth of his impressive member.

At least that's what he had originally planned. As he was getting in position to mount her, he got the brilliant idea to make her wait for his cock, to buld anticipation. Before he touched his member to her slit, he shuffled back and smiled up at her, pressing his snout between her legs and burying his tongue in her, hands on her inner thighs to part her lips and expose the pink within.

She tensed up at his touch, pleasantly surprised by his sudden shift in desire. As she bent her hind legs, she curled her toes around his shoulders and dug her talons into his fur, getting a proper grip while moving her hips and spine in waves against him. "Well I must say! Good to see you're as vigorous as you are enthusiastic." She urged as she twisted her neck and nuzzled into the ferns next to her, lost in her pleasure.

He rumbled and growled into her, bobbing his head and pressing his lips to hers as he slid his tongue up and down her slit, prodding at her depths and plucking out much of the liquid arousal that her folds leaked. She tasted wonderful, almost sweet but also sort of tangy like a citrus fruit. Cocamo silently joked to himself about how ironic it was that he was tasting meat that reminded him of fruit.

However, his oral attention was doing far more for Zheradra than he expected, and she gripped his shoulders with even more firmness to force him to press his lips tighter to hers while her tail curled up between his hind legs and tugged on him to force his member to glide along her soft ventral scales along her underside, the lubricant on his member allowing him to slide with ease. Even through her thick belly scales he could feel the warmth of her flesh underneath, and he wanted more of it despite working hard to offer her his tongue.

His natural resistance and desire didn't hold him back for very long. The more he rubbed his member against her scales, the more he wanted to feel that warmth swallowing his length and the thicker and more sensitive he grew. When he glanced up at her to see the dragoness' vibrant golden eyes staring back at him, he knew it was time to mate with her the proper way.

While staring up at her, he crawled forth until his hips were lined up with hers, his cock tip resting lightly on her moist slit and her hind paws still curled up around his shoulders for some control. The look on her face told him it was time to go forward so he went ahead and grabbed himself, slipping into her with ease. He wasn't sure if maybe it was just do to his size or that she was just really great with her pelvic control, but she felt quite tight to him, a shock given her quadruped form.

Her flesh slid over his cock, smothering him quickly with her ventral scales closing tight around the base of his knot with little care for the girth of his bulges that threatened to stop her. The heat of her walls enveloped him, warming him to his core as her walls squeezed and tugged at his length, coaxing stream after stream of precum deep into her. Despite her being so much larger than he, she clenched with the strength needed to keep him from thrusting very much, instead opting to hold him in a tie.

That didn't stop him from pulling against the firm grip of her loins, the pressure making his cock feel hypersensitive while his loins tingled in delight. He was actually quite shocked at how strong she was and how tight she felt, so much so that he was quickly being brought to the verge of climax. Sensing this, he stopped tugging to relieve the pressure on his knot - the surefire way to extend his mating session with her - only to have her squeeze harder and tug him in deeper.

Through deep breathing and immeasurable quantities of self control, he was able to continue thrusting and tugging his knot to further pleasure her without finishing too early, his every move adding to the pleasure that was building in his loins. He was able to keep this up for only a few minutes of intense attempts at thrusting due in part to the fact that the harder he went and the more passionate he grew, the tighter her hind paws curled around his shoulder and dug her claws into his fur and flesh.

Then, as she tensed up and curled her tail up under his while arching her back into him, he felt that familiar burst of pleasure coax a shot of thick and gooey strand of his seed deep into her, the pressure of it causing their combined fluids to sputter out around her lips and onto his lower belly and thighs. He threw his head back and bared his teeth as he grunted, restraining himself from letting out a deep roar that would have been heard in the nearby market.

He growled and jerked his hips forth, each one forcing another strand of his essence to erupt deep inside his dragoness partner; all was well and he was enjoying himself until she rolled to the side with him still inside her and pinned him to the ground, sitting on him and attached groin to groin.

"H-hey!" He protested, miffed at her carefree distraction. He didn't appreciate being taken out of the moment.

She leaned down and nuzzled at his neck, licking him once before pinning him to the ground with one hind leg and pushing away from him with the other, yanking his knot out of her with a gooey splash that barely missed him and made a puddle in the dirt next to him. Without saying a word, she winked seductively at him, rubbed her vent off on a rather large fern, and turned to head back into town without him. Zheradra noticed the look of surprise that Cocamo gave her, so she paused for only a moment to ask why. "Sorry, were you not done? I did feel you finish, and it was quite potent if I'm not mistaken."

He remained baffled at her sudden change of heart and shift in tone. "I just, you know, like to properly cater to my partner before we part ways." It was the most eloquent thing he could think to say, at least before offering a bit more of an explanation. "Usually dragons of my kind stay tied together, hence the bulbs, the knot. Usually there's mandatory cuddling after, something I enjoy and thought you would, as well."

Zheradra nodded in a sort of bow - not one of submission but of respect - before stepping past him. "It's fine, you did your part. Not sure why you'd need to cuddle, but I appreciate your concern. For now, we have things to do and some ground to cover before we get to the castle!" She then bounded past him, leaving him alone and naked in the jungle clearing just outside of town, wondering what he may have done wrong.

Cocamo didn't do anything wrong, in truth. He had been quite the passionate lover and Zheradra was happy to have enjoyed the company of a rather large biped, but it still wasn't quite enough to truly satisfy her. He was thick and had a wonderful knot, but quadrupeds tended to have longer members that got much deeper and had a bunch of extra features that tickled her flesh just right. She wanted him to know that there was no hard feelings, that he had done a great job despite her getting him off much quicker than he was clearly used to, but her mind had drifted the second she felt his orgasm and she wanted to return to the task at hand.

With any luck, he'd not hold it against her and he'd be able to bask in the afterglow of an intense orgasm in the jungle clearing as she returned to the marketplace to find Syrus.

Soon thereafter, the two of them met up with Cocamo returning from his bliss with a soft smile on his face. No words were spoken of either of their encounters up to that point - Zheradra wasn't planning on bolstering any sort of friendly rivalry between them - but there was an overarching sense of weight hammering down on them. Syrus smelled the mess Cocamo left on her, and Cocamo felt like he hadn't done enough to please her despite her having quite enjoyed his company.

Despite the dread of awkwardness that plagued their time in the village, it wasn't long at all before the three of them packed their stuff up and made the last leg of their trip to Castle Arrenthen in the nation's capitol, all cool and content despite both males wishing they could have done more for her.

Chapter 4

At last, Zheradra and her escorts made their way to the capital city of Arrenthen, a vast, flat open city built atop a rather featureless plain. The castle itself was right in the middle, surrounded by the eight districts on all sides with only a moat and fortified octagonal wall and a door on each of the sides to lead to each district. Upon arriving at the gates to the castle, they were stopped by an equine member of the Royal Guard who called down to them from atop the turret next to the drawbridge on the wall.

"Halt! Who goes there?" She asked with a commanding voice.

Syrus flashed a finger symbol up at the mare. "Really? Who goes there? This isn't a tale of trolls or wizards, Abethine, we're just bringing Zheradra of Untheria to see the Prince and Princess. We even have the decree to prove it." He dug into his satchel and pulled out a scroll that was still sealed by the prince's emblem. "So quit dicking around with your power fantasies and lower the bridge."

The Royal Guards-mare huffed at him and tossed her mane while she gripped her spear, miffed at Syrus's retort. "Just you come up with the declaration. I don't trust the big ones." She was of course referring to Cocamo and Zheradra, the dragons who were both far, far larger than the kobold Syrus.

"Abethine, I don't have time for your jokes today. It's been a long trip and I know you can see who it is." Syrus shot back. He was trying to be patient, but it was clear he was growing frustrated with the Guard's strict demands. Evidently Syrus knew her, but she either didn't recognize him or was playing a joke. Either way, it was annoying to all parties involved.

Both Zheradra and Cocamo paused to glance at each other, unsure of how to respond.

Another voice called out from above the wall with a sultry yet sexually ambiguous tone; they couldn't see the source of it, but they could tell that whoever it was commanded power. "Cut it out, Abethine. It's Syrus and Cocamo; the royal family are waiting for them and their guest."

"Sorry, sir. Was just messin' with them is all. Turns out my humour isn't as funny as I thought." The mare conceded, then turned to signal towards a stallion in equally shiny armor on the other side of the draw bridge to pull the two levers in unison. With a clunk and a series of clicks, the bridge itself lowered across the moat to land perfectly in the grooves set for it in the opposite side.

Once it was fully down, a small autumn-colored chimera hopped out from the stairs to reveal himself to the three guests. "Sorry about that, she does this all the time." He said to Zheradra, ignoring The attempt to interrupt by Syrus. "My name is Chiryn Amaet, I'm the hospitality officer for Castle Arrenthen and I'll be taking you from here. Syrus, Cocamo, you are dismissed." He gave a salute to each of them and waited for the escorts to both leave.

Syrus gave Zheradra a hug on her leg and Cocamo shook her paw with respect before the two of them turned and went back to the city, presumably to wait further instruction or a followup task.

"Chiryn?" Zheradra asked the chimera, sounding out the name to ensure it was right.

"That's me! Yep! Sorry about the Royal Guards-mare up there. There was a scare earlier about some crazy folks throwing a fit in the castle when the king refused to give a handout and the Guard are all on high alert. Something about the man expecting compensation for his wife's hand being chopped off by Princess Talba in the final days of the war-"

"What?" Zheradra gasped. "Why was her arm chopped off? Why ask for compensation from the king and queen?" She was shocked about this, visibly upset that the princess would do that.

But Chiryn dismissed her concern, motioning for her to calm down. "It's not as bad as it sounds. The woman was being aggressive about demanding some poor beggar have his hand cut off for stealing a loaf of moldy bread. Talba didn't appreciate the idea of the rich punishing the poor for the crime of not wanting to starve, so she had the Royal Guard chop the woman's hand off to teach her a lesson in humility." What he said still didn't sound reasonable.

Zheradra was trying to follow his logic, unable to piece together how it 'wasn't that bad', or how a civilized leader could resort to such violence. Not even The Mad Emperor of Untheria stooped so low as to sever limbs just to prove a point. Usually just started wars over silly superstitions.

"I see you're not convinced. Not sure if you know this about the prince, but he has immaculate healing abilities and was able to reattach the hand a few days later. Wait, aren't you an old friend of Vaulix from before his defection to Arrenthen? I seem to recall he was the one most eager to see you due to being familiar with you and your family."

"Oh, right. Yeah. I forgot about that." She failed to consider Vaulix's ability to heal nearly any wound. The Prince of Arrenthen was once a general in the Untherian army, serving both as a tactical leader as well as a healer. The soldiers would march into any battle knowing that if they survived - injured or not - they would be restored to full strength once Vaulix healed them. This fostered the most devout faith in him, which was why when he was lost to the Princess the entire army suffered a loss in morale that eventually led to the Emperor conceding defeat.

Well, not defeat. A truce. But in the eyes of a dragon lord, a truce is as disgraceful as defeat. Anything short of remaining the apex predator was akin to being prey, as the old dragon proverb went.

After a moment's contemplation, Zheradra laughed to assure Chiryn she wasn't taken aback by that. "Sorry, I keep forgetting he likes to use his insurmountable healing skills for stuff like that. Does shock me that he ended up marrying someone who sounds kind of psychotic."

"Oh skies above, no. She's not psychotic at all, just fed up with that family's apparent desire to punish the poor and fully understanding that Vaulix could heal the wound. She'd have never done such a thing if not for such a dire need for it." He turned and walked backwards, guiding Zheradra through the courtyard between the walls of the castle and the castle itself. "Honestly, if you knew this family you'd probably just eat them. For years, they'd been campaigning to change laws to enforce stricter punishment on thieves, beggars, and dragonkin of all races. Very old-fashioned mentality in them that wished for the rich to get richer and the poor to toil away in the mud or fear the wrath of those above."

"I still don't think that's a good enough reason to chop someone's arm off, is it?"

Chiryn shrugged and looked like he was struggling with a response. "Well, I don't think so personally, but I can assure you it was the exception to her usually positive and loving personality cut from the fact that she was here alone and was dealing with some of this administrative nonsense for the first time. You know, just testing to see how far it went. She's been far more reserved since the return of the Prince and the end of the war. I promise, she's an absolute doll."

Zheradra nodded. "I'm glad to hear it. Honestly, I'd hate to be put off by someone like that. I don't mind a bit of corporal punishment for those who deserve it, that just sounds unpleasant."

"It is, yeah. Anyway, if I am to understand the Princess's demands, I'm to take you into the buffet hall to share with her a meal. The entire royal family will be there as well as a few other nobles and some Royal Guard. Come with me." He pushed open the front doors to the castle's main hall, beckoning her to follow. "Just past here and second door to the right. That's the buffet hall."

The main hall was absolutely massive, fit for even the largest of dragons; it also appeared to serve as the castle's throne room. The overall layout was rectangular, with the red-wood twin doors at one and and the thrones at the other with a stained-glass portrait of King Aurelia and Queen Otille behind them. There was also a carpet of red and gold going from the thrones to the door.

Along either wall there were a half dozen pillars going from the floor to the ceiling, built right into the balcony that wrapped around three walls of the second floor five meters above the first floor. All of the walls were made of an ebony stone foundation and accented by gold chandeliers and torches as well as red banners with gold and black trim. In between each pillar on both floors was stationed a member of the Royal Guard, each an equine or hippogryph protected by ornate looking ebony and steel plated armor. The place was well guarded, that was for sure.

"Hey, I didn't think about it, but you're the same colors as the nation's emblem!" Chiryn chirped at her as she passed him through the front doors. "I bet I'm the first to ever mention that."

She couldn't help but laugh a bit. "You are not, but I wasn't unaware. I've seen your nation's emblem flying high upon a flag across the battlefield."

His face twisted in a grimace. "Right, I try to forget about all that."

"Forget? Didn't the war end just a few months ago?"

"Something like that, but the sooner we put it behind us the better we'll all be. Anyway, I'll meet you in the banquet hall soon; I have some paperwork to do and the royal family is waiting." With that said, he gently took her paw in his hand and gave the back of it a kiss! She expected a cordial shake, but he was being far more respectful. "Until then, adieu!" He bowed and briskly left her alone in the grand hall, tail swaying out behind him as he passed the thrones and disappeared into a door on the second floor balcony.

She huffed to herself, smiling against her will. Chiryn seemed to be quite the pleasant type and that was a nice way to introduce her to the castle. This did leave her alone, though, and she felt a little awkward entering the banquet hall on her own; should she knock or just walk right in? Given the fact that this was a castle, she figured it best to just head on in and see what awaited her.

Zheradra used her snout to push through the twin doors, revealing nearly a dozen people all sitting around a gorgeously ornate looking dinner table with King Aurelia and Queen Otille at one end. The crowd all erupted in pleasant chatter as they welcomed Zheradra to the table, with the King standing tall and offering her a spot next to them by the end of the table. Before she could sit, however, Prince Vaulix and Princess Talba both came around the table to greet her, shaking paws and hugging.

"Finally!" Prince Vaulix exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed. Zheradra noticed he'd gotten quite a bit larger than when she had last seen him, as he was nearly three meters tall now compared to the two from before. He was quite a bit larger than the average biped, putting him just a bit shorter than Cocamo and Princess Talba - the largest one in the room.

In fact, Zheradra was shocked at how large all members of the royal family were. Talba was a hippogryph and the largest at about twice the height of a normal biped, her parents Otille and Aurelia - hippogryph and pure equine, respectively - despite the pair of them also being quite large. Cocamo was also there sitting next to Syrus and a small shark hybrid of orange, black, gray, and white. She'd later come to learn his name was Rick. Beyond that, there were some more generic bipeds including an orange chimera, a white canine female, and a canine hybrid with blue highlights on her hair and body.

Lots of people, which would have been overwhelming for anyone other than Zheradra. Rather than act meek, she stepped up to the place designated to her by the king and queen, smiling and waving to the others in the room before settling down. Only then did she realize that there was an empty chair next to her spot, so she asked about it. "Who sits here?"

Vaulix returned to his seat and helped Talba with her chair before answering. "Oh, that's a spot for Chiryn! He's just handling something quick and he'll be right with us."

"I'm glad to hear it! He seems like a sweet little guy." Zheradra said with a smile.

Talba nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, we know. Very sweet, very pleasant. Indomitable spirit, too. I've never seen him in a negative mood in the years we've known him. Very fun to have around." Her grin was broad, a beaky gape with raised ears and fluffed feathers. Pleasant, for sure. Maybe the tale of her with the noble woman wasn't as bad as Zheradra had thought.

Before she could say any more, however, Vaulix raised a glass. "But enough of all of that, I propose a toast to the symbolic sharing of a meal between Arrenthen and Untherian nobility! The war is over, we can put that silly conflict to rest, and our nations can pick up as allies as we did before all the fighting. Moreover, I can rekindle my friendship with an old friend." He looked directly at Zheradra as he said his last words. "And here's to a decade of peace and prosperity."

Everyone raised their glasses and offered cheers before setting the glasses down.

King Aurelia tossed his mane and motioned towards Zheradra. "And to our guest, a heartfelt apology on behalf of the shoddy reception she got upon arrival in our great nation. We heard about how those border crossing guards gave you a hard time, and would like to offer a sincere apology for it."

"Oh, it was fine. I was grumpy at the time, but I got over it pretty quickly. Your escorts fixed things up rather quickly and showed that Arrenthen Hospitality is far greater than I expected. I was expecting some sort of resistance at first and was already upset about the no-fly laws that had been implemented, I think that grumpiness on my part was inevitable. Didn't take long for me to loosen up, though." She grabbed her glass and drank; it wasn't wine, but just juice.

"We're glad to hear it, darling." Queen Otille chirped at Zheradra. "And we strive to ensure that your time will continue to be as enjoyable as it can be. Now that we've got you at the castle, we have a great many things planned for your visit, including trips to the valley, a detour to the Joraken province to the north where you can meet Chief Storm, and even some time in Port Araliptian to the east. That last one will probably be your last stop before returning home, since it's so close to the border."

Vaulix cut the Queen off from saying any more. "My Queen, I can't speak for our guest, but from what I remember she is not the type to be guided and corralled into pre-existing plans. She's very much so the type to want to play things by ear, and adjust accordingly. Am I right?"

Zheradra nodded and stared down at her empty plate. "Yeah, more or less. If I'm the recipient of your hospitality, I can appreciate your offers and suggestions, but I also like to play it by ear." She looked around, curious as to where all the food was. "But when do we eat? I had some kebabs for lunch but the trip here was taxing and I could eat."

"We're just waiting for Chiryn; he'll be here any moment." Vaulix assured her. "Once he arrives, we'll be calling for Chef Kitnip to bring out the feast one course at a time. We've got some simple appetizers prepared, mostly soups, salads, and canapes, but the main course is a whole Ulokar roast, carved for ya custom! After that, there's cake but I'm not sure if you're interested in that or would prefer to just eat the meats."

Just then, the doors from the grand hall opened once again to reveal Chiryn, the tiny chimera that had guided her to the castle from the gates. He didn't waste time with chatter before jauntily hopping over to the chair next to Zheradra and plopping his rump down. "Alright, I'm here and hungry, let's get this feast going!" He grabbed a fork in one hand and a knife in the other as he glanced over at Zheradra. "I bet you're hungry, aren't ya? Can you smell it? I can, and it's delicious."

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry." Zheradra confessed, already enamored with his enthusiasm.

"Perfect. Let's get the chefs out here!" He clapped and called out towards the door behind him that led to the kitchen, mimicking the same motions King Aurelia made but beating the stallion to the command. It was actually quite comical to see how the King reacted to being jovially usurped, even if it was clear he wasn't actually angry about it. Mock rage would be the best way to describe his reaction.

Seconds later the twin doors to the kitchen swung open to reveal an entire string of chefs, cooks, and various helpers all bringing out a series of platters each with tiny little appetizers, salads, soups, and bits of food on crackers. Very delicious looking, but Zheradra internally hoped the main course was far larger than that; as a properly structured dragoness she needed her sustenance and crackers weren't doing it.

Once the food had been fully delivered, Chiryn stood up on his chair and bowed to everyone. "Alright, time to eat! This is a celebration, so have some fun! Oh, and please give me the sushi rolls. Love me some sushi." He then turned to Zheradra. "Do you like sushi?"

"What's sushi?" She asked; in truth she had heard the term but was not familiar with it.

"What's sushi? What's Sushi?!" Chiryn mocked with faux, abstract terror. "Someone shock my heart back, I've lost all will to live! How could you not know what sushi is?"

Talba grabbed some chopsticks to hold up a nice boltfish roll. "She's from a dragon region, Chiryn, I highly doubt they eat sushi there. I imagine her diet mostly consists of steaks, roasts, chops, or in some cases just whole grilled beasts. Am I right about that?" She ate the sushi roll and swallowed.

Zheradra nodded. "Yeah, mostly meat, some veggies and grains here and there. No dairy or anything." She sniffed. "Is sushi fish? We do eat fish, sometimes raw."

"Yeah, sushi is fish. Often raw fish, sometimes cooked. Well, not just fish, but all types of seafood. Could be eel, could be shark, could be calamari. I liked the calamari stuff the most because it means the roll is covered in batter and deep fried. Absolutely delicious. Here, let me offer you some." He used some chopsticks to pick up one of the aforementioned battered calamari rolls, extending it towards her. "Have a taste!"

She recoiled a bit, not appreciating him shoving the food in her face. "I can eat with my paw-"

"I'm sure you can, but trust me, it feels much more regal to have someone else feed it to you." He gave her a bit of a wink and nodded in a way that was clearly urging her to accept his offer.

After a moment of nervous hesitation, she reached forward and took a bite from his chopsticks, her teeth nearly breaking them in half. After chewing and swallowing, she flicked the frills of her ears and ruffled her wings. "I like it! The green stuff that it's wrapped in tastes like the sea, which is where we get our fish in the first place. What is that?"

Chiryn got another roll between the chop sticks and offered it to her. "That's seaweed. Kinda salty, right? Very good though. Bit of rice, some cucumber, uriel seeds, and of course the calamari inside that gives us a good excuse to deep fry it. Some people consider this to be disrespectful, but I think it's delicious. Tell ya what, I'll collect a bunch of different kinds of calamari, and I'll feed each one to you and you can tell me what ones you like. Deal?" His eyes were wide, eager to please.

She paused to consider his request. At first she was reluctant, as she didn't much care for the idea of someone else feeding her or having others 'serve' her in a traditional sense. It all felt so haughty, and as a dragon she wasn't all that keen on such things. Where she came from, you just dove into your food, chewing and ripping and tearing until all that was left was bones or gristle; in some cases, not even that. But here, in the royal castle of Arrenthen, everyone was eating with tiny little bamboo sticks, daintily sticking tiny pieces of food in their maw. It almost seemed like a waste of time, yet she felt if she just grabbed her plate and dumped it in her open maw, that would have been quite uncouth.

Zheradra was grateful to be here and was enjoying the company of Chiryn, so she opted to try her best to fit in, even if it did make her uncomfortable.

"Sure, I guess we can try that." She conceded, her voice wavering.

Queen Otille had a bit of a light chuckle at Zheradra's expense. "Oh dear, you'll get used to it. Chiryn just doesn't quit until he's given all he can to the castle guests. Been like that since the day he showed up and hasn't let up. Trust me, it's better to just give in." She then leaned over and elbowed King Aurelia. "It's not like this lazy bloke can be bothered to feed me!"

The King whinnied and tossed his mane. "Can you blame me? I love having a wife nice and slim! Why would I want to feed you more? You do plenty yourself!" He got a light backhand from that.

For the most part, the others didn't really speak much. The helpers were mostly silent, chatting among themselves while the six at the head of the table joked about modern noble life. This was better for Zheradra, as she was getting to know the King and Queen personally as well as rekindling a bit of an old flame with Vaulix. She was also quite pleasantly surprised to see that Talba was all around pleasant, and that Chiryn was just the cutest little chimera she may have ever seen!

For the duration of the meal, Chiryn insisted on feeding her, giving her paws massages to keep them clean - he didn't think it right to make a mess of a meal with her paws, worried it might be less than comfortable to walk on greasy paws. He was a little overbearing at times, for sure, but it was also endearing beyond belief. Zheradra had never been served like this, and his indentured servitude went far beyond just offering to feed her or give massages. When she wanted something, he'd go out of his way to get it for her or would even try anticipating things she wanted.

In truth, a small part of it made Zheradra very uncomfortable. This was so unlike how she often acted and it felt wrong to take advantage of someone else. In her culture, people mostly took care of themselves and only asked for help when it was absolutely necessary. Even nobility couldn't be less concerned with posh daintiness or haughty arrogance. All dragons ate with their paws or claws or talons and the very idea of having servants seemed almost demeaning.

When she brought this up as a topic of conversation when discussing the differences in culture between Untheria and Arrenthen, Chiryn went to great lengths to assure her that it wasn't Arrenthen culture that dictated such servitude, but that he absolutely loved doing it. The King, Queeen, Princess, and Prince all had their own anecdotes about how they also tried to resist his offers but eventually gave in when it became clear that he not only didn't mind serving others, but actively enjoyed it.

Even the other servants and the members of the mercenary group - that was the team that Cocamo, Syrus, and the shark hybrid known as Rick all worked for - said the same thing. Chiryn just wouldn't quit, and he would do anything for anyone if it meant that he could bring happiness to others.

This seemed quite peculiar to Zheradra, but she decided to keep further inquiries to herself. She had so many questions concerning his mental health, but felt it rude to ask such questions at the dinner table with an entire banquet hall's worth of food laid out before them.

She was crass, but not that crass.

Chapter 5

The rest of the meal was shockingly pleasant and wonderfully prepared. The main course was a set of two whole ulokar roast - not the one she was promised, but two - and the group of them had quite the conversation about administrative faults, international relations, and the importance of looking strong in front of one's subjects. The topic of Talba chopping that woman's arm came up thanks to King Aurelia wanting to tell a tale of Vaulix's compassion, which made everyone a little uncomfortable. Talba did make it clear she regretted it, but related the tale back to the idea of being strong and showing her people that all Arrenthen citizens mattered, not just the rich.

As it turned out, this greatly helped the image of the royal family in the eyes of the middle and lower class. Other than the general unrest in the wake of the war, the people of Arrenthen had never been more content or confident in the ability of their leaders. Still, there were many steps left to fully embracing the people in all their form and Talba was keen on maintaining that pathway.

Dessert was actually ice cream, something Zheradra couldn't eat in large quantities. Her body wasn't made for dairy, but she did get a taste of it and found it quite pleasant.

By the time the great feast was done, she was happily stuffed with various foods and ready to pack it in for the night. She had 'enjoyed' enough royal life for the day and was prepared to retire to her roost. Or room, as it turned out. She figured given her size she'd be expected to sleep outside or in one of the stables but was surprised to find that the castle was big enough to house even the largest of dragon types and they had a guest room just for her. Chiryn escorted her there while trying his best to make her happy along the way.

"So how was dinner?" He asked, walking backwards and using his long, thick tail as a third leg.

"Pretty good, actually! I'm not sure if I'd want food like that all the time, but it was a nice treat. Not sure how you eat like that all the time; I'd have my bank emptied in a month! All of that looked so expensive!" She fell behind him a bit and let him lead the way down the halls.

Chiryn shrugged and continued using his tail as a third leg, twisting himself around to talk to er while still walking. "It's not as expensive as you might think. Mostly, the food we eat just takes a lot of time to make and requires someone who knows what they're doing to prepare it. Chef Kitnip loves what he does, and while he's pretty expensive, he's worth it. Anyone can make a roast, though." He then motioned towards a thick, studded red door. "This is your personal quarters. There's an aerie inside in case you're more the type to perch."

Her brows went up as she heard that. Not often she got to find places to perch, especially indoors. However, her mind quickly turned back to her concerns for the chimera. "Care to join me while I settle in? Could use some company." She was trying to be nonchalant about it, but still found her tone shifting in such a way that she had some dire thoughts on her mind.

"Sure, not a problem!" He didn't seem to notice her tone as he slipped into the room first, opening the door for her like a concierge and waiting for her to enter.

When she slipped in past him, she used her tail to close the door behind her, eyes angling up to see the many platforms and perches above her. This would have been heaven if her mind wasn't focused elsewhere. Rather than faff about, she turned and stared him directly in the eyes as she made her inquiry. "Everything alright here?"

He seemed confused. "Yes? I mean, I think so. There's some strife regarding the royal family's treatment of dragons and the fact that some locals don't approve, but-"

"No, I mean with you. Are you being held here against your will? Is someone using a spell on you to make you act the way you do?" She kept her distance to avoid potentially triggering defenses.

"What? No. Not at all. What makes you say that?" His tail flicked out behind him then curled up in a ball around one of his ankles. "Is it because I like to serve?"

Zheradra nodded. "Exactly. Nobody actively wants to serve others. It's unnatural. There has to be some element of brainwashing in you; do you want my help trying to find your true self?"

Chiryn burst out laughing as he fell to his rump, hands on his belly to brace himself. "Oh, that's rich! You're a sweetheart, Zheradra! No, not at all, there's no brainwashing with me, this is just how I am and I'm happy with that."

She was more than a little upset with his rude dismissal of her concerns but had to inquire further. "So why devote yourself to others? I mean, I understand the concept of mutual benefits and the good that can come from helping others, but pleasing others almost exclusively and at the cost of your own freedom? That sounds like slavery to me. You're a slave. I can help you not be a slave."

"Alright, I'm gonna have to cut you off, my friend." He rolled to his feet again and stepped up to her, gently caressing her muzzle. "I know you're concerned and I've heard it all before, but I assure you I love who I am and what I do. I've been like this as long as I can remember and I know for a fact I made my own decision to serve the royal family. I was not purchased from a slave ship, I wasn't struggling for money, and I wasn't in debt or anything. When I woke for the first time, all I knew was that I was happy to be alive and that I wanted to share that with others. I actually get pleasure from offering myself to others in any way possible. If that means feeding someone who deserves to be pampered, then I'm happy to do it. If it means lifting my tail to a friend, I'll do that, too."

She blushed a bit. "You think I deserve to be pampered?" She crooned at him.

With a confident nod, he confirmed. "A little off topic, but of course! The fact that it made you uncomfortable told me that you've never felt the emotional warmth of another. I am a one of Arrenthen, but I know enough about Untheria to know that folks south of the border tend to be very self-reliant, and I figured you'd appreciate some pampering if I offered it to you. Am I right to say you did?"

After some consideration, she nodded. "Yeah, okay, it was nice and all, but I still can't imagine doing anything like that on a regular basis. Felt awkward, like I was taking advantage of you."

"Trust me, you couldn't take advantage of me if you tried."

"I'm not so sure about that. I mean, how do you know? Some of those potions can twist your mind and make you lose all sense of self-awareness. For all you know, they drugged you and forced you into complacency. What was the last thing you remember before pledging yourself to the crown?"

He raised a finger to talk, then halted and chuckled. Actually, bit of a story behind that. I don't remember anything from before that."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Think back, go back weeks if you must; any hints help."

"No, I mean I literally don't remember anything from before my first awakening. I literally don't have any memories beyond a few years back when I first washed up on the shores near Araliptian Port. For all intents and purposes, I'm like five years old; perhaps that's why I have such an indomitable spirit and refuse to let things get to me. I still have that childlike wonder and optimism that has yet to be crushed by inevitable maturity and cynicism. When I have no memory of what terrible past was erased from my mind, I have no pessimism and my time here has been nothing but pleasant."

Zheradra narrowed her gaze, suspicious. "See, that's what I'm talking about. How could you be so sure that the royal family wasn't the one to drug you or erase your memories. They seem to like throwing their coin around freely, so I have no doubt in my mind they could afford potions like that."

With a nod of agreement, Chiryn offered a counter-argument. "You're not wrong, but if they did do this to me just to convince me to be an unwitting slave, then they're going about it the wrong way."

"What makes you say that?" She slumped down on her haunches, curious to hear more.

He opened his maw to start what appeared to be a long-winded explanation, but then stopped himself before leaning in. "I'll tell you, but I'd really like to have your word that you'll keep it to yourself." His tone shifted from jovial to serious in an instant.

Sensing he was about to drop a bomb on her, she zipped her lips and nodded, eyes narrowed. "I swear by my wings and tail, it won't leave this room." She was certain she was making progress.

"Well, it sort of has to leave this room. I'd recommend perhaps leaving the castle to discuss it. Some of the other servants and maids and castle-hands might not like what I have to say."

A wash of relief swept over her. "Sounds good. I need to get out of these stuffy halls. They're big and suitable for a dragon, but we're all a little claustrophobic and would prefer to be outdoors. What do you suppose I should do?"

"Follow me to the courtyard, we'll go for a flight." He beckoned her and slipped back out of the room. She followed while acting somewhat conspicuous by crouching down and keeping her wings flat to her body. When he noticed this, he laughed. "There's no reason to be sneaky, everyone knows me."

"Sorry, I didn't realize." She paused a bit, stopping in place behind him. "Wait, how are we going to fly? Isn't that against the rules?" It was the crux of the whole reason she had to walk to the castle and the underlying annoyance that led to her meeting both Cocamo and Syrus.

He nodded back at her. "In a way, yes. Just trust me. Come, come." He continued guiding her to the courtyard, a path that took them through the stables and out into the large area between the castle and the walls that separated castle from the surrounding city. When they got there, he grabbed a long flag with gold and red tassels to wrap around the end of her tail. "If you have this, anyone watching the skies can see you've been cleared by the crown to be in the air."

She glared and huffed at him. "Any reason you didn't just give me one of these when I hit the border? The Prince knows me and knows I'm not a threat."

"Yeah, but nobody else does and we needed to make sure you were fine. Cocamo and Syrus filled out a report on your behaviour and demeanor before sharing it with the royal family. That's why they were at the banquet with us."

"It did seem odd that they were there despite us parting ways at the gates. I thought they went back into town, so it surprised me to see them there, waiting. Creepy, even."

Chiryn grinned. "Well, they did go into town. Secret tunnels and all that."

"Oooh, that sounds interesting, you'll have to tell me more some time." She started, only to be cut off mid-thought when Chiryn hopped up onto her shoulders and straddled her spine. "Uh, do you mind asking first?" She protested.

He lightly patted her shoulder. "I told you we were going for a fly, I assumed that was consent. Sorry about that, should I hop off and ask before trying again?"

She huffed again and growled a bit before calming herself. "No, it's fine. Where are we going?"

"South. Get into the air and you'll see the mountain range that separates your nation from ours. Perhaps a half hour flight from here. There are some observational caves on the north facing walls that we can go to; unofficial planning stages from the war that are no longer in use. Do you take guidance from your rider? Like, do you know the heel commands and how to feel my motions?"

"Never had a rider." She confessed. "Dragons in the land of dragons are usually solo warriors; no need for a mount when I'm plenty deadly on my own. A rider is just another target.

Once again, he patted her shoulder. "Fair enough; I trust you to find the spot. Let's go!"

Zheradra kicked off the soil and leapt into the air with her wings wide and a tiny chimera on her back. She flapped hard and caught a thermal billowing up off the black stone of the castle to get as much air as she could muster before angling her wings and gliding southbound towards the mountains with the red and gold tassels whipping in the wind behind her.

Chapter 6

To her shock, she was surprised to see that these observational plateaus and caves were actually remarkably easy to see to the naked eye. There was an outcropping of mountain jutting north with a series of patchwork holes and hive-like passages leading from one cliff face to the other, so she headed towards the biggest one she could find. Part of her wanted to reach back and ask him for confirmation but the wind was so strong in her ears that she doubted he'd hear and knew she wouldn't hear his response even if he gave one.

After only about half an hour of flight, she found herself close enough to the mountains to flare out her wings and land delicately upon the outcropping. This allowed Chiryn to hop off her back almost immediately as she was shaking her wings off and regaining her composure.

Not wanting to waste any time at all, she turned and laid down on her belly with her front paws crossed over one another, tail wrapped around herself. "Alright, so tell me more about what it is that's so secret that you don't want the others to know and how you're sure you're not brainwashed."

He stretched out a bit and extended each limb before sitting cross legged in front of her. Once he was sure they were both comfortable, he started his tale. "Well, I can think of probably dozens of little reasons and anecdotes that make it clear that the Queen isn't using me, but I'll give you a few of the bigger ones and go from there. First and foremost, I washed up on the shores of Araliptian, a port city way to the east of here. If the royal family wanted me, to be their slave, I'm sure they'd not have let me go there. Makes no sense, too much of a risk."

"What if that's what they wanted you to think and hoped you'd still find your way to the capital? I'm pretty sure virtually every road in Arrenthen leads to the castle, does it not?"

"They do, this is correct, but there's a whole lot more to why I'm sure that I'm not being used." He shifted and got comfortable despite the fact that it was clear he wasn't entirely comfortable with the details he was sharing. "Well, after I made my way to the castle, the first thing I did was volunteer to be a servant in the castle. I met Mikhail and Arnika both, then was later introduced to Febii - you met all three of them in the banquet opposite Cocamo, Syrus, and Rick."

She nodded in understanding, putting together the details bit by bit.

Chiryn continued. "I didn't need a job, I didn't need money, and I didn't need protection, but I sought companionship regardless. When I woke on those shores, I had five satchels of gold and jade coins strapped around my waist, enough money to buy land and live the rest of my life."

"Weren't you robbed? That's a lot of coin!" Zheradra inquired as she leaned in.

"Indeed, many tried."

"And they succeeded, evidently. Why else would you submit yourself?" She felt smart.

But Chiryn dashed her self-assurance. "Actually, that's one of the reasons I'm sure I'm not being used. I'm basically invincible. Not invulnerable, but invincible. I cannot be harmed in any dire way and that includes being robbed."

Her gaze went blank as she tried to conceptualize what that meant. "What?"

"Hear me out." He continued, shuffling in closer so his thighs were nearly touching her front paws. "I don't know what it is, but there seems to be a force living inside me. I'm not sure if it's magic or biological or it's the trapped soul of my past self, but there's something inside me that protects me from any and all harm. If someone tries to hit me, it emits a counter force that ensures I don't feel a thing. If someone tries to grab me, it expands and knocks them back. If anyone tries to stab or cut me, the blades bounce off me, harmless. I can't even go to the doctors and potions don't work on me."

"Really? That seems a little farfetched, don't you think?" She narrowed her gaze, wondering if he was yanking her tail or pulling a prank.

Despite her skepticism, he seemed completely committed to his story. "I thought the same thing, at first. After I woke up on that beach, I made it all the way to the capital by foot and had dozens of roving bands of bandits try to take my money only to end up with broken limbs and burnt fur. I didn't want to hurt any of them - in fact most of the time I just curled up in a ball to avoid conflict - yet I always ended up on top. Then, once I arrived at the castle, I met the Prince and Princess and nearly fell in love. Both shared my desire for peace, my hunt for honor, and my passion for, well, compassion."

"But that still doesn't explain about this force inside you."

"I know, I'm getting there." He laid his tail tip on her one hand, wrapping around the tip of her tail to pull the tassels off them while he continued his story. "At first, I was just another charity case for them. They take in the unfortunate, the slaves, and the abused to give them work in the castle while paying them well enough to get them back on their feet to release them back into the real world. But once Prince Vaulix found out I was quite wealthy and yet acting as a servant regardless, he insisted I leave. Their program gets people money then sets them on their way; I already had money so they felt that my role would be better suited to someone who needed the coin."

Zheradra found herself growing increasingly interested, so she kept silent and listened.

Chiryn continued. "But I didn't want to go anywhere else. In what had felt like my very short life of less than half a year to that point, the only friends or family I knew were in that castle. I had quickly learned the value of helping others and found it to be the greatest path to self-fulfillment and happiness. I had plenty of money, I had security and safety, and it seemed like I had everything I needed in life. Yet, despite that, I never felt fulfilled unless I was making someone else happy."

"So you stuck around?"

"Precisely. I convinced them to let me stay despite their protests. They loved having me around since I helped with the morale of the other castle servants, but they still felt that they could be helping people who needed it more. Then, Talba and Vaulix took me aside to confide in me and inform me that-" He paused and composed himself. "That they had been spying on me to find out if I was a spy."

Zheradra gulped, entranced but not wanting to interrupt too much. "And?"

"Well, of course I wasn't. So in order to prove it I let them into my head. Turns out both of them learned some pretty powerful telepathic spells from a friend of theirs and they could - with permission - delve into my soul to discover if I was lying or not. They found nothing. No history, no backstory, no ulterior motives. Despite their skills apparently being so far beyond what I'd heard of being possible, they said that they still couldn't see beyond that day I washed up on shore and woke for the first time."

"Wait a moment, you're saying that Princess Talba and Prince Vaulix are telepathic?"

Chiryn nodded and shuffled in more so that they were nearly touching snouts. "Yeah, there's a lot more to the both of them than you might expect. I'm sure you've heard of Vaulix's immeasurable healing ability, right? You used to share a battlefield with him so I don't need confirmation. Turns out that's only one facet of his personality and skills; he is far more than you think, as is Talba. Anyway, when they tried to dig even deeper, my inner force exploded, destroying the lab wing of the castle!"

"Oh come on, now I know you're making things up." She countered, catching him in a lie.

But he wasn't lying. "Seriously, I watched the castle walls expand around me and shatter into hundreds of bricks only to be held in place by an invisible force and reconstructed, almost like time itself was rewinding. After that, they insisted upon getting their scientists, mages, and potion masters to test various theories on me to see if they could figure me out and they got nothing. Four years of tests and all they know about me or my past is that I'm more than a quarter century old, that I'm a hybrid of biped ulokar and dragon, and that everything before that day I washed up on the beach might as well be erased from history itself."

"I'm not entirely sure I believe you." She confessed. "That all seems a bit farfetched."

He shrugged and gave her paw a gentle caress. "I understand, but I assure you it's all true. If you don't believe me, try to slash me with your claws, see what happens." He paused a moment. "Actually, don't. I really don't want this inner force to go haywire and overreact. Last thing I need is to hurt someone who isn't actually trying to hurt me. The thing inside me can't seem to differentiate between hostility and passion." He gave a seductive wink as he sidled up so close that her paws were literally rubbing against his calves.

"So if this is all true, then what does it mean? How can you be certain this isn't all a ruse?"

"I can't for sure, but the years I've spent here have given me no reason to believe it's a ruse. If it is, then it's the most persistent ruse in all of history given the amount of time, money, and effort they've put forth to try to help me unlock my past. They've tried giving me land, offering me a farm or a castle all my own, and even went so far as to 'fire' me in an effort to leave just to prove they didn't want to abuse my kindness, but I refused to leave. They didn't want me gone, but felt they should insist."

"What does that mean for now? You appear to be a rather high-ranking individual at the castle and can even go so far as to approve me for flight without consultation from a superior. You're clearly not just some servant now, are you?" Slowly but surely, Zheradra was piecing things together but still wanted to hear more from him before assuming anything.

A grin slowly formed on his face, one that showed his teeth. "Well, in time I came to prove that I was loyal and that I loved what I did. Through a series of, how shall I put this, intimate meetings with Vaulix and Talba I was able to show them my intentions and desire to please others. They saw it fit to trust me and eventually promote me. Now I'm the director of hospitality! In fact, that role was created for me! Before I got the role, there was no such thing as a director of hospitality, that's how good I am at what I do." He then leaned in closer to caress both of her cheeks. "And I wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't try my best to take care of your every need."

The tone had quickly shifted and Zheradra knew precisely where he was headed with his train of thought, yet she didn't want to give in and immediately turn tail to him. "What exactly did you have in mind?" She was flushing a bit, her loins tingling in anticipation of what he planned. That tail of his was thick and lined with nubs that looked like they could have felt quite good; an appropriate substitute for his cock if that was what he had in mind.

To her surprise, he took her front paw in his hand in much the same way that Syrus had before touching his snout to hers. "That force within me, the uncontrolled presence of energy that resides in my body, it helps me with empathy in many ways. When you arrived, I could tell you were pent up even if you weren't acting as such. Something happened en route to the castle that excited you but didn't satisfy you the way you needed. How close to the truth am I?"

"Pretty close." She admitted. "Though I felt content, to be honest. I could have had more, but I was satisfied enough I feel. They did their job, as a male is meant to."

He raised an eyebrow and offered a half smirk while still idly tugging and squeezing her digits in his palms. "You're lying." He said simply without breaking eye contact.

"Excuse me?" She shot back, not appreciating the blunt accusation.

"You're lying. Maybe not on purpose, but you're not telling the truth even to yourself. You wanted more and needed more but have been so deeply trained to accept whatever you're given that you convinced yourself that such a brisk and ineffectual bit of fun was enough for you. It was enough for them, sure, but you want more. You need more. I can give you more."

Zheradra's expression shifted as she felt the passion he conveyed through his paw massage as well as the promise he was in the midst of making. He seemed so insistent he could do better but she wanted to hear more, for she was not yet convinced. "Are you sure about that? You're not much larger than Syrus and Cocamo was far larger than you; what makes you think you have what it takes to succeed where they failed? Well, not failed, but...never mind."

He pulled her paw into his lap and continued to caress her forearm before grabbing her second paw and doing the same. "Hun, Cocamo and Syrus are soldiers. Mercenaries. Hunters. They specialize in killing and fucking and all sorts of other nasty and aggressive things. My entire life for as long as I remember has been dedicated to pleasing others. If you have a trigger point, I will find it. If you have a weakness, I will exploit it. One way or another, I will find a way to turn you into a sloppy mess."

"Seems rather vulgar, if I do say so myself. I like it." She cooed at him with a pleasant hiss. "I accept your challenge. Feel free to find my weak spot, I would be happy to test your skills." With her offer in place, she gave him a seductive wink and stretched out, widening her wings and splaying out her hind legs to grant him access to every limb and joint in her body from tail tip to snout.

He rolled so that he was on his knees with each of her front paws resting on his thighs. "You won't be disappointed." He assured her.

Chapter 7

From there, he kept mostly silent as he moved from one part of her body to the next, giving her a shockingly deep and powerful massage over every scale of her. He started with her front paws - which she let him massage unlike Syrus because he had already started there when he promised her pleasure - before moving on. After ensuring every digit, every joint, and every muscle in her front legs was properly caressed and squeezed, he slid up her neck to hit each and every pressure point there starting with her shoulders and making his way up to the back of her jaw.

He straddled her shoulders and went up the back of her neck, careful to not damage her frills as he caressed the muscles on either side of her spine. His grip was far stronger than she expected and he managed to surprise her repeatedly with how perfectly he found the spots that she was most sore, eventually culminating with him wrapped around the back of her head with his palms cradling her cheeks to massage her there.

Once he was done with her front paws, neck, and shoulders, he turned to focus almost entirely on her torso with a special emphasis on the muscles that anchored and controlled her wings. Much like her neck and arms, he continued to offer far stronger caresses than his tiny frame would have suggested given the circumstances. He remained especially diligent when focusing at her wing bases and down her wing arms, knowing full well that the flight from the castle to the cavern in the mountains must have been taxing for her.

The longer he worked on her, the more she melted and relaxed which in turn allowed him even better access to her deep tissue muscles. Before long, she felt like she could have turned into a puddle of pure pleasure and that was before he made it past her hips to her more sensitive regions.

After he finished with her wings and torso, he slid down her spine to start working on her tail. However, he wasn't just content to knead down her spine like he did to her back between her wings or her neck. No, instead he wrapped his arms around the girth of the base of her tail and cradled the soft, pink belly scales between her vent and tail tip without actually touching her slit. He did notice how she instinctively lifted her tail when he got close, which told him he must have hit a weak spot or a trigger point near her loins. Sensing this, he continued to knead and tease her in that region without ever actually touching her slit; he wanted to excite her without actually giving her that release, not yet.

The longer he went, the more of her arousal could be seen trickling out from her slit to dribble down each of her inner thighs. He was doing something right and opted to continue doing it without distraction. From his Vantage under her tail, he took note of the moisture that was cascading down her inner thighs and continued his work all the way down her tail to the tip before reversing and returning back to the base near her hips, coaxing subtle little motions from her every time his hands or fingertips touched her scales.

The very last thing he did was massage her hind legs starting with her hind paws. He pulled each one out behind her like a farrier to knead at her digits and the heel of each of her feet, tugging and squeezing like an expert while his long, thick tail reached back to coil around hers. There, his face was pretty much exactly at her slit's height and he could not only see but smell the arousal flowing from deep within her. In fact, the aura of her scent was so thick he could practically taste it, a blast to his nares so thick and so encompassing that he couldn't help but feel that bulge in his pants.

Still, he remained dedicated to her pleasure and actively tried his best to hold off and not indulge himself until he was sure she was as satisfied as she could possibly be. His empathy-rich inner force was telling him she was receptive, but he knew that holding off would make her inevitable climax even more intense, so he continued on his path.

While there behind her, he gently slid each of his hands up her calf and past her thigh, his palm smeared the slick fluid that was leaking from her slit to use it as a substitute for massage oil on her inner thigh. As he caressed her and squeezed the muscles there, she got up to all fours and widened her stance with her tail arched overhead, her pink ventral scales throbbing in delight and anticipation.

Zheradra was deeply growling at him, begging the chimera to go ahead and make his move. It was so very clear that he was preparing to do something with her drooling slit, but every time he got close he diverted the path of his hands to just miss her most sensitive region and instead slide between her thigh and belly. This was both infuriating and enticing in equal measure, for she knew he was just teasing her and wasn't too shy to make a move. Everything about his personality screamed brash and forthright, so it was frustrating to have him not make a move when he was so clearly working towards something so very lewd.

From his perspective, he was just warming her up. His years of learning various methods of massage had taught him that some loved it most when they were made to wait; from his experience and perception, she was exactly that type. The longer he held off on slipping any part of him into her, the greater the payoff when the time finally came. Furthermore, everything about her personality told him that she was not being treated right at home or in Arrenthen, so he had a lot of pleasure to bestow upon her before he dove in. She needed to feel a proper sensual massage on the outside before he explored her depths in any way.

Of course, she didn't know this and lacked the same sort of empathy he possessed; she grew increasingly frustrated with him for making her wait. Treated right or not, she was used to being mounted quickly and often filled with seed within minutes. The massage was pleasant, but it was so foreign to her and she was aching for some more attention, so much so that she was considering just commanding him to stop dancing around her sex and give her the attention she needed. He lived to please, so she knew deep in her soul that he'd comply without hesitation.

But she wasn't interested in taking advantage of his kindness that way. She could tell by the way he spent more and more time with his hands hovering on either side of her belly and against her inner thighs that he was circling nearer and nearer; it wouldn't be long before he made a move on her sex and she was growing in anticipation with each passing second.

Finally, after what seemed like an age of teasing, Chiryn brought his hands together so that his thumbs pressed against either side of her slit, squeezing out some of her fluids to run down his wrists. The very touch of her most sensitive scales made her quiver in delight as a visible squirt of her arousal shot out from between her lips to land right on Chiryn's muzzle.

Had she been the bashful type, she'd have paused to recoil in horror at her lack of control. She wasn't the bashful type, though, and instead grinned at him while her spine ridge raised and she hissed at him to continue, daring him to pull away and tease her any longer.

Chiryn sensed this and could practically feel her command in his chest as her scales tensed up against his touch and her tail muscles coiled it over his shoulder to pull him in closer. It was very clear what she wanted from him, but he was so small he was worried he wouldn't know what was best to cater to her needs. His muzzle would have made for a wonderful and passionate kiss as his lips touched hers and his tongue prodded her depths, yet he had something else in mind.

Finally eager to take that step - sensing if he didn't he'd disappoint her - he kicked off his pants and peeled off his shirt to be nude behind her, tail resting on his shoulder. His purple-fleshed member throbbed and drooled his precum as his anticipation for some fun mounted within him.

After a quick internal calculation to decide his next move, he leaned into her and slid all four of his fingers up and down her slit, spreading her fluids all over the pink belly scales on either side as well as soaking him to the wrist. She quivered against his touch and pushed back as her folds loosened in anticipation of what was next to come. Then, as she arched her back and spread her legs, he brought all four fingertips and his thumb to one point and eased his entire fist into her, hand popping past her lips with ease as she swallowed him nearly to the elbow!

Zheradra was shocked at this as she was not expecting him to use that part of his body to please her. She whipped her head around to question his decision but stopped as she felt the delicate touch of his fingers curling into a ball inside her, caressing her walls in just the right places. The sudden yet pleasant sensation of his balled up fist curling and pressing against her anterior wall made her halt and wait to see what happened next. Despite the big game he spoke, she was still surprised.

In that very instance, Chiryn knew that he had hit one of her buttons and had her in the palm of his hand. With one hand deep inside her, he used his other hand to press against the underside of her tail for added leverage, forcing his fist deeper into her until her supple lips passed over his bicep and squeezed near his shoulder. Once he was that deep, he decided to start feeling around inside her with his fingers testing her flesh and sliding over her inner folds to coax more and more of her liquid arousal from her walls.

He pumped in and out, alternatively clenching and releasing his balled up fist to see what areas made her quiver in the most delight. When he realized that she was most sensitive on her anterior wall just beyond her ventral scales, he slid his hand into position and started bending his wrist while rocking his arm side to side and rolling his knuckles over that engorged spot. Every motion coaxed yet another juicy squelch from her depths as more and more fluid was secreted by her flesh and drooled down his forearm while also soaking both of her inner thighs.

She was getting so excited that he could actually see the flow of liquid arousal emerging and cascading over her scales with every pump and grind of his balled up fist.

Chiryn glanced around her haunches to see that she was still staring back at him, or would have been if her eyes weren't glazed over in delight. As promised, he had found her trigger point and was assaulting it with all he had, punching his fist in and out while grinding and rolling his wrist to get maximum pressure against her most sensitive spots. Then, as he leaned in as deep as he could go to emulate the thrust of a feral drake, her loins exploded with a sudden onslaught of her viscous ejaculate, an audible squirt that soaked him from muzzle to erect cock in one juicy explosion.

At the same time, her walls clenched shut and quivered with enough force to nearly push him out; he knew that if he let his arm slip from her depths that would be the end of it so he pushed back in and resisted, clenching his fist and making his forearm firm as her depths pummeled him and tried their best to resist his thrust.

Back and forth they went, her orgasmic bliss clenching down as tight as it could go while he pushed against the underside of her tail for leverage to ensure she didn't squeeze him out. The tighter she got, the more sensitive she grew and the harder he had to push, yet the harder he resisted the more intense the sensations grew.

Then, in a body-shaking orgasmic climax, Zheradra clenched with all her might and fell forward, tail up and chest to the ground as she pulled away from his sopping wet arm, forcing his limb to pop out of her with an audible squelch. Her tail knocked him on the shoulder and caused him to stumble forth, landing face first against her slit with enough pressure to part her lips and get a taste of her.

The sensation of his muzzle on her opening made her lift her tail even higher in an instinctive response, but she quickly relaxed once more as her eyes glazed over and she struggled to pull her front paws up to the ground in front of her.

Chiryn used the copious layer of her lubricant on his hand and arm to soak his cock, stroking gently as he leaned into her, nuzzling at the underside of her tail. "So, do I win?" He joked.

"Win what?" She retorted, mind scrambled from the bliss that had overtaken her. The dragon's loins were tingling with waves of pleasure that built in her torso and shot out to each of her limbs before focusing at the base of her skull and trailing back down her spine to explode a second time in her pussy. The flow of her arousal had slowed, yet was still squeezing bits of fluid out her slit.

"Never mind." Chiryn joked as he stumbled to his feet, hand still on his cock and using her juices to stroke himself. "I don't suppose you'd be okay with me having a go, would you?"

She grunted and snorted a bit, chin still on the ground and maw barely able to open. "Sure." Was all she was able to get out as her tail remained up and the pink of her belly scales flushed.

Though Chiryn was all about offering himself to please others, he did feel he had earned a bit of pleasure of his own; he knew that his cock stood no chance of being enough for her, but after hitting her every sensitive spot inside her, he felt that it was his turn and she seemed to agree. Or at least she didn't care and couldn't be bothered to resist.

He hopped up on her calves for extra leverage while wrapping his hands around the base of her tail for balance as his cock throbbed and pulsated, spewing bits of his precum up against her slit. He brought one hand around to aim himself at her opening as he leaned in and buried himself to the hilt, eyes rolling back as he felt her walls constrict around him in much the same way they had been trying to force his arm out; she was still experiencing the afterglow and the orgasmic throbs of bliss.

Chiryn quickly found that the heat and pressure of her tender walls were almost immediately too much for him. She squeezed and throbbed against him while he slowly pumped in and out, his horse-like member percolating her fluids inside with a satisfying squelch only to have more of her juices trickle down the underside of his shaft and soak his inner thighs.

Just like the other two bipeds, he didn't last long at all as he gently caressed her insides with every thrust. The thing that coaxed him to his own climax wasn't the tenderness of heat of her flesh, but the subtle sensation of her heartbeat felt in her walls constricting him intermittently. Then, like he was matching her beat for beat, he tossed his head back and released the dragon inside her, his own member twitching and ejaculating in tiny spurts in tune with her heartbeat.

Once he was done, he collapsed over her back with his hands still wrapped around the base of her tail and his cock still resting comfortably inside her.

The two of them remained in place with him panting and heaving and her trembling alongside each deep, meaningful breath. He clenched his loins one last time to squeeze the last of his seed into her as his softening member was squeezed out of her with a glorious cream pie following.

As was his duty, he got down onto his knee and caressed her loins on either side of her slit, parting her lips and burying his snout in her as he gingerly lapped at her folds, cleaning up his mess.

Zheradra pulled away in shock. "Wh-what are you doing?"

Chiryn seemed confused. "What do you mean? I'm cleaning you up and ensuring I don't leave a mess. Is that a problem?"

She swept her tail around to cover her loins, protecting their hypersensitive flesh as another trickle of his essence dribbled out. "Cleaning me? Why?"

"Because you're a noble dragon and I imagine you don't want to be walking around with my seed crusted to your slit?" He posited. The concept of someone rejecting a post session clean seemed foreign to him, yet most of her personality was foreign to him so that shouldn't have been a surprise.

After a moment of self-reflection, Zheradra came to realize where the disconnect came from. "Sorry, I'm not used to people still interested in giving me attention once they're done. Usually once a male is finished, that's that. It's my job to clean myself up and, uh, stuff." She had a real hard time putting her thoughts to words, but the point she was trying to make was that she wasn't used to extended attention after the fact.

Chiryn squeezed at his cock to tug and pull all the remaining mess off his length, licking it off the crook between forefinger and thumb. "My lady, you have got to find yourself some better partners. There's no reason not to give your lover a bit of extra love once you're done; it shows you care about them more than just for the sex or the seed." He wiped the last of his mess on his thigh as he stepped up to her. "But if you don't want me to clean you up, that's fine. I respect your wishes."

She narrowed her eyes and huffed at him, lightly growling in pleasure. "Alright, you can finish what you started, but under one condition."

"Condition? Where are you going with this?"

"Yeah, a condition. If I expose myself to you one more time, you gotta keep it to yourself. I don't want anyone knowing I collapsed in bliss, especially not to a biped." She winked at him, showing a jovial nature. "Last thing I need is for word to get out that hands and fists are as good - if not better - than drake cock."

Chiryn nodded. "Deal! Now hike that tail of yours, I've got work to do!" He slipped off to the side and hoisted her tail up for her, once again exposing her slit.

Zheradra churred at him and turned so that she was facing out from the cliff to see the nation of Arrenthen spread out before her, eyes glazing as she felt his dainty fingers, tongue, and muzzle all taking turns at her tender slit.

Perhaps it would be wise for her to reconsider her mating habits. Chiryn was making quite the case for an update in her opinions on the matter.