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Torches were set around the edge of the clearing, providing their flickering light. A table with a blue and gray tablecloth draped over it sat in the center with blue and gray colored roses as flower arrangements. Festive ribbons had been hung at the dyes and dragons in their bipedal forms rushed about, making sure that everything was ready and in place.

Ryan had been judged well enough by Athena to endure a dinner in his honor. The guest list was small, only people and dragons that Ryan knew, mostly. He still found himself to be nervous, nervous and excited. He looked around the clearing with interest at all the dragons in their bipedal forms. He shifted forms to match, glancing over at his parents, hoping they were not intimated by the presence of all the dragons. His mother smiled at him and he gave her a quiet chirp in return.

They took their seats, the wind ruffling the hair of the humans present. There were clouds in the sky, but no expectation of rain. Ryan watched as everyone took their seats, talking amongst themselves about nothing terribly important. His mother leaned over and stroked his arm.

"Easy, son."

"I am not so very nervous!"

"Oh no, your tail is only going a million miles an hour!"

He rumbled at her and made a valiant effort to stop his tail from twitching. It failed, of course. He glared at his mother and sighed. "I am not used to all this attention."

"Just think of it as your birthday."

"But it is not my birthday!" he cocked his head. "Or would that being hatch day?"

"I don't know, but just act as if it were, either way."

"I guess," he said with a sigh.

"Oh bother, Ryan. All these people are happy to see you."

"I know not why."

"You're the prince."

He sighed and went back to watching the dragons bring out food and drinks. If nothing else, he thought, at least he would be well fed. He caught Tanner's eyes from where he sat across the table and Tanner grinned at him. For some reason that made him feel better, though he was a little annoyed that Tanner was so far away.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and it took all he had not to flinch, reminding himself that he knew most everyone here and, hopefully, they were all friendly to him. He looked up to see Sulvius smiling at him, his ears perked. "How are you doing, Ryan?"

"It is odd having so very many people so very happy to just have dinner for me."

Sulvius laughed. "Let them have their little amusements, Ryan. It makes them happy and costs you nothing."

Ryan cocked his head, "That is true."

Sulvius pet him a few times, something else that seemed to make everyone happy, though he certainly hoped that no one else expected to be able to pet him. Cladden stood up and everyone quieted.

"In honor of Ryan, I have composed a lengthy speech, detailing how pleased we are to have him safe with us, and just how wonderful a little dragon he is!" Ryan ducked in embarrassment and there was both laughter and groans. Cladden laughed. "Alright, so I didn't really. They tell me the food is now ready so let us eat!"

Kheros stood and applauded loudly which set everyone to laughing. Even Ryan grinned at him as the food was brought to the table. There was a little of everything: beef, chicken, ham, vegetables (that Ryan avoided), fruit (from which he took the pears), and all sorts of other things that Ryan wasn't keen on trying, save that his mother put them on his plate and gave him that look. He sighed. If he was the prince, didn't that mean he could eat what he wanted?

He decided, in a surge of princely wisdom, not to mention that idea to his mother.

He noticed the various waiters and waitresses looking at him as they brought out plates or took them away. He tired to ignore their stares but it was not easy. His mother recognized his fidgeting for what it was and put a hand on his arm. "Easy son. They mean nothing by it. Remember they are happy to see you."

"I feel as if I am on display," he muttered.

"You are, in a way. Remember reading about Queen Elizabeth? She said much the same thing, as you recall."

"I suppose," Ryan said and went back to eating.

Tanner watched the young dragon as he ate, wishing that they weren't making things so hard on him. Didn't they understand how awkward Ryan was, how nervous this all made him? Dragons were slaves to their instincts sometimes, he thought, sighing. They wanted so badly to treat him as their prince that it was overriding their good sense. At least they didn't throw a huge gala for the poor boy. Ryan looked up at him and he smiled reassuringly at him. Ryan's gold eyes caught the torchlight, gleaming all the brighter for a moment, and Tanner grinned. Ryan grinned in return and went back to his food.

Tanner looked around to see what everyone else was doing. At least they were not staring at the boy too much.

Ryan glanced at Kith. She was so beautiful, he thought, and then promptly told himself he was loosing his mind. There was no possible way any girl was pretty.

But then she was a dragoness.

Okay.

Ryan told his thoughts where they could get off and his thoughts just laughed at him. He deliberately focused on his food, but every so often Kith would move and he would look over at her, almost startled. Once she caught him looking and smiled at him. He about ducked under the table, but managed to smile back at her and go back to eating without choking.

The dinner progressed as all such dinners do. Course upon course, drink upon drink, until the diners are so stuffed they cannot take another bite. At which point they serve out dessert. Ryan was about to take a bite of a wonderfully rich coconut cream pie when there was a sudden rumble of thunder. All of the dragons heads snapped up in unison. "Thunderstorm!" Cladden yelled and everyone got up and either moved towards the pavilion or towards Athena who was pulling inhibitor out of her kit to hand out.

Unfortunately, they didn't remember Ryan.

It may have been the wounds he suffered, or perhaps all the stress he was under, either day the mating instinct hit him fast and hard. He staggered away from the table, shaking his head violently. He looked around and his eyes zeroed in on Kith. She was waiting for Athena to hand Kheros a dose of inhibitor. Ryan lifted his head and called out to her and she looked over at him, startled. He called again, sweetly, seductively and she shuddered, putting her hands to hear ears.

"Someone get him inhibitor!" Cladden yelled.

Kheros injected himself and turned to Ryan and Ryan hissed at him warningly. He turned to Kith and called to her again, and she groaned, trying to ignore his cries. Ryan took several steps forwards, shifting to his full form, calling again.

Suddenly two large arms reached around him and picked him up. He cried out and hissed, squirming, trying to get away. "I don't think so, little man," Kheros said, holding him all the tighter. Ryan struggled to get loose and twisted his head, and closed his jaws on Kheros arm, biting hard. Kheros roared in pain and released him and he chirped in pain as he hit the ground, but the mating urge drove him on and he got to his feet.

Kith had the inhibitor in hand and was trembling, trying to inject herself, while Athena was busy with the others. Ryan trilled to her, sharply, and she dropped the inhibitor, looking at him, eyes wide. He trilled again, low and sweet, and started making gravely noises deep in his throat, swaying his head. She shifted to her small form and was over to him in a blur, rubbing her muzzle against him, thrumming. Her scent was intoxicating.

He pushed her down, trying to work his way around to mount when Kheros broadsided him. He snarled at Kheros, who lifted him up and roared in his face point blank. Ryan recoiled, shuddering in fear. "Inject him!" Kheros roared.

He felt the needle bite once, twice, as Tanner plunged it into his hip. He snarled, trying to pull free, but drowsiness overcame him. As he was fading out he thought he heard someone say, "Kith? Kith, are you all right?"

Ryan lifted his head, whimpering, pawing at his eyes as if to clear away the cobwebs of sleep. "M-mother?" he mumbled.

"I'm here, Ryan," he heard her say. "Just stay down." He could hear the worry in her voice as he faded out.

Time passed. Minutes, hours, who knew? He forced his eyes open again and saw his mother sitting next to him. His father was sitting on the couch, watching TV. "Mother?" he said, his voice hardly a whisper.

She put down the book she was reading. "Ryan? Are you awake again?"

"Barely," he mumbled. "What happened to me?"

"You're awake, that's all that matters right now," she told him. She looked over at Allen. "Call Athena."

"I do not need a healer!" Ryan protested.

"Perhaps not, but I would rather be safe than sorry."

He sighed and laid his head back down and she pet him, singing softly to him. After awhile there was a knock on the door and Allen let Athena into the room with Sulvius close behind her.

"Ah, you're awake at last," she said warmly. "How is my young prince?"

"I am not! Go away!" he protested weakly.

"Now, now, no need to be grumpy just because you are not feeling so very well." She ignored his fussing and looked him over anyway. She looked at Beth, "You may wish to hold him."

"Why?" she asked, opening her arms to Ryan. He climbed into them, looking at Athena suspiciously.

"I need to get to his belly."

"No!" Ryan roared and his mother winced at the volume.

"Easy, easy, Ryan. I need to hear your heart and I cannot do that if you are not on your back. I know that you don't want to be on your back so I am having your mother hold you. She is not going to allow me to hurt you."

"She is human!"

"Alright then, Sulvius will not allow me to hurt you. He is more than big enough to break little old me in half."

Ryan started at her and the laughed. She smiled. "And that is a wonderful sound, my prince."

"I won't let her hurt you, Ryan," Beth said, kissing him. Ryan shuddered and allowed himself to be turned in her arms. Athena quickly listened to his heart and lungs and signaled to his mother to let him back up. Ryan flipped, trilling softly in relief and Beth hugged him closer. Ryan had never liked being on his back.

"You're fine, my prince. A bit dizzy I'm sure but that's nothing a few hours won't cure. Make sure you get plenty of fluids," she said as she put away her instruments. She smiled at him. "You need to stop making a habit of getting hurt or sick just to see me, however. You are perfectly welcome to come down without being sick."

"You're sure he's fine?" Beth asked worriedly.

She rolled heroes. "No, he has the creeping crud! Yes, he's just fine!"

"Sorry. I just worry..."

"And that is perfectly reasonable; I would think you neglectful if you did not."

"I'm going to escort Athena back to her rooms; I'll be right back up," Sulvius said.

"An escort! How romantic!" Athena said and Sulvius lowered his ears and rumbled at her.

The two walked out the door and Ryan sat up, shaking his head, trying to clear the dizziness. He looked up at his mother who watched him with a slightly worried expression. He sighed. "I am so very sorry to have worried you, mother."

"Worry is part of being a parent. You'll find out someday."

"I hope not," Ryan grumbled and she laughed at him.

"Would you like some food?"

The thought of food made his stomach flip. "No, please, I am not so very hungry."

"Let me know when you are."

Ryan's father came over to him and he lowered his ears and ducked his head in deference. Allen smiled at him. "So how is my little dragon?"

"Dizzy, father, but Athena said it would go away."

"I'm sure she knows what she's talking about."

Ryan cocked his head. "What happened to me?"

"You don't remember?" Allen asked carefully.

Ryan shook his head and instantly regretted it as the room rocked in time with it. "No, father."

Allen looked at Beth and she shrugged. Ryan watched them, wondering what was going on, then sighed. "You are not going to tell me, are you?"

Beth sighed. "You're certain you don't remember?"

"No mother, I said not," Ryan said as he curled his tail around himself. She watched him for a moment then sat down next to him, petting him slowly. Ryan thrummed, wondering what they were not saying. Was their an accident of some sort?

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Going to dinner."

Beth looked at Allen who nodded. "There was a thunderstorm, Ryan. You came into season."

Ryan chirped in alarm and sat bolt upright. "I did not!"

Beth made soothing noises. "Easy, Ryan. You did; it's all right."

The young dragon started to tremble. "Did...did anything happen?"

"You tried to...entice Kith," she said quietly. "Kheros stopped you and Tanner injected you with the inhibitor."

"No!" Ryan said, scrambling back, whimpering in fear. "I did not! I would not!" Kith! Oh god, what would she think of him?

"Easy, Ryan, no one is angry."

He looked at his father, whimpering, who nodded. "Please, father, I would never do such a thing!"

"It was instinctive, Ryan. No one blames you for it," Allen said.

Ryan whimpered again and curled tight on himself and Beth stood to gather him into her arms. The little dragon cried out in fear as she held him tighter. "Ryan, you need to calm down. Nothing happened; Kheros got to you in time. You just need to let all of this go. The dragons understand what happened."

"What...what about Kith?"

"She had to take a double dosage of inhibitor as well. She was out of it, like you are."

"She must hate me," he whispered.

"No, she doesn't. Cladden assured us that these things happen once in awhile and nobody blames anyone."

Ryan lay his head against her chest, trembling, and Beth looked over at Allen with a helpless look on her face. He shrugged, looking uncomfortable, having no idea what to tell him. There was a knock at the door and Allen went to answer it. He opened the door to find Tanner standing there.

"I heard that Ryan was awake?" he asked.

Allen bit back a sharp retort. "Yes."

"May I see him?" Tanner asked hesitantly.

"He's still not feeling very well and--"

"Tanner! Please! I wish to see Tanner!" Ryan cried out, squirming in this mother's arms. Allen gave Tanner a hard look who shrugged uncomfortably. He stepped back to allow Tanner into the room and Ryan squirmed hard in his mother's arms, wanting to be let down, and she let him go on the bed. Tanner quickly walked over and Ryan nearly barreled into him. "Tanner!" he cried.

Tanner went to pet the little dragon but Ryan swarmed up into his arms, nearly knocking him back. "Easy, easy, Ryan," he said, stroking his neck, trying to calm him. Beth looked at Tanner with a helpless expression and he nodded to her sadly. "Ryan, what's wrong little dragon?"

"I tried to mate with Kith!" he said miserably.

"It happens, Ryan; there's nothing to be ashamed of."

"She must hate me," he whispered.

"No, I'm sure she doesn't. It's part of being a dragon and no one is going to blame you for following your instincts."

"But I trilled, I made her come over to me," Ryan said uncertainly.

Tanner sighed. "Don't worry about it, Ryan." Ryan looked at him and he smiled and rubbed his nose along Ryan's muzzle. Ryan drew back and his ears perked. "Easy, Ryan. It'll be fine; I promise."

Beth watched the whole thing with a surge of jealously welling up in her. Tanner glanced at her and closed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked suddenly.

"Nothing, Ryan," Tanner said and Beth stood to pet her son.

"Everything's fine, Ryan," she said, "however I think you need to lie down and rest of a bit; Tanner can come see you later."

"But I do not wish for him to go!"

"Ryan," his mother said, looking uncertain.

"He has his own room to stay in, Ryan, and it's not fair to ask him to stay here," Allen said. "This is our place for our family."

Ryan looked at his father with a bewildered expression and Tanner sighed. "I do have things I need to get done, Ryan, but I promise to come back tomorrow."

"Alright, Tanner," Ryan said, looking at his father with some misgiving.

Tanner set him down with a brief kiss on the forehead. "Behave, Ryan."

"Yes, Tanner," Ryan said, curling his tail around himself and looking up at him with sad eyes. Tanner turned away, not liking the sight. He nodded to Ryan's parents and went out the door with Allen following closely behind him.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing to my son?" Allen said after closing the door.

Tanner sighed and turned to face him. "What do you mean?"

"Kissing him! Rubbing your nose along his muzzle!"

"It's no different than petting a dog or a cat, really."

"Are you saying my son is a pet here for you amusement?"

"No, I'm saying that it's perfectly normal to treat dragons that way. It's a typical display of affection, just like hugging a friend or shaking hands."

Allen narrowed his gaze. "Don't do it again."

"Fine," Tanner said and walked off down the hallway, leaving Allen speechless.

Allen stopped Sulvius as he came down the hall before he entered the room. "Sulvius, I would like a word with you."

"Alright," Sulvius said. "What's the problem?"

"Tanner."

"What about him?" Sulvius asked, looking curious.

"He kissed Ryan on the forehead and rubbed his nose along his muzzle. I think that's too much affection."

Sulvius sighed. "Not really. Ryan is a young dragon and Tanner is a respected dragon friend. It is what I would expect him to do."

That was not the response Allen was hoping for and he frowned. "I don't like it."

"Then you don't have to allow it, I suppose," Sulvius said. "But I wonder what Ryan would think if Tanner suddenly seemed distant?"

"I doubt he even knows what all those gestures mean!"

"Instinct. He knows on a deep level, just like a cat knows to purr when it's happy or likes having it's ears scratched."

Allen looked flustered. "I--"

Sulvius held up a hand. "You're jealous. I understand that. But you need to think of Ryan and what's good for him as a dragon, not just what's good for you. He's a dragon, not a human with wings and a tail. I know you've tried to protect him up tot his point but you're going to have to let him spread his wings and fly, so to speak. You can't keep treating him like he's a human little boy."

"Don't tell me how to manage my son!"

Sulvius started down at him for a moment. "Manage. What a fascinating choice of words," he said, and walked into the room, leaving Allen standing in the hall.

Tanner stared at the phone for a long while, drank down the last of his rum and coke, and decided to make the phone call he had been avoiding for far too long. He cleared it with Cladden who assured him that they would set it up where it was practically untraceable.

Now if only it would stop Susan from screaming at him.

He picked up the phone, dialed, and the phone rang and rang. He was about to give up when she answered. "Hello?"

"Susan, it's Tanner."

Silence. "Are you okay?" she finally said.

"Yes. It's been rough."

"Rough? My fiancé vanishes with hardly a word and you call that rough?" she said, her voice starting to wind up.

"Please, I don't want an argument. Just listen," he said tiredly.

"Fine. Fine, you have thirty seconds. If I don't like it consider the engagement off."

Tanner's heart started to pound. "You know the business you said was probably dragon only?"

"Oh bloody hell Tanner you didn't!"

"It was too late; they had to move me for my safety."

"Great! And what about me?"

"Norian said you were perfectly safe. If he felt you were in danger, he would have moved you as well."

"Great! Just fucking great!" Susan said, causing Tanner to wince.

"Please, I'm sorry Susan--"

"Just leave me the hell alone!" She fumed and slammed down the receiver.

Tanner quietly hung up the phone, wondering if he should be upset, happy, or just very confused at the fact that both emotions vied for his attention.

He decided that a walk would be the best thing for him and headed out to the gardens. He made his way thorough the blooming flowers, scarcely taking notice of any of them, glad that there was no one else out with him. There was something to be said for solitude. He sat down on a bench and sighed, putting his face in his hands. Susan. What in the world was he to do about her? While things had not been going very well lately he certainly didn't wish her any harm and still felt affection for her. The fact that he had barely thought about her in the last few weeks really weighed on him. What kind of man forgot about his fiancée?

The type who was utterly entranced by dragons. More specifically a certain young prince.

Dear Lord! That wasn't possible! What kind of churl was he? Forgetting about his human companion, one that he had up to this point planned on spending the rest of his life with, over a dragon? No. That was not like him, not at all. He was an honorable man, a man of his word, and he had sworn to marry Susan.

It was no wonder Beth's concerns about him being sexually interested in Ryan. He wasn't, for one he was heterosexual, for two he had no interest in a mate outside his species. Such things were not precisely forbidden but they were certainly very rare and frowned upon. There had been a dragoness he had flirted with frequently at one point, but his father and Norian told him firmly to stop it and explained the problems with such a relationship.

They explained that it was not fair for him to fall in love with her or to have her fall in love with him simply because of their lifespans. It was hard on human couples when one partner died. In this case , there would be no question that she would outlive him by many of his lifetimes. Would that be fair to her?

He had never thought about it and found it upsetting. Norian picked up him at that point as if he were a young child and told him just how hard it had been on him to loose Tanner's grandfather. Then to realize that Tanner's father would pass away all to quickly in his eyes. The loss in Norian's voice brought him to tears and Norian comforted him, telling him that he had not done wrong, but that he really needed to consider the consequences of his actions.

Tanner wondered at the consequences he could be generating here.

Damn, damn, and damn.

"What's the problem?" Kheros asked conversationally as he walked into the clearing.

Tanner looked up at him guiltily. "Ah, nothing. Just had a bad call with my fiancée, probably ex fiancée by now."

"Sorry to hear that."

Tanner shrugged. "What could I expect, really? I up and leave the country on very short notice and don't call for weeks. I'd say she has the right to be angry."

Kheros snorted. "My parents do not see each other for months, even years at a time and are quite happy that way. Of course, my breed tends to be very solitary."

Tanner grind. "But they do love each other?"

"Oh yes, very much. They talk frequently, it is just their jobs tend to take them from place to place and, as I said, my breed tends towards that sort of life. It's normal. I've not seen either in about three or four years now."

Tanner shook his head. "Amazing."

"Different from most humans from what I understand. Everyone is different, I suppose."

"Very true."

"You are worried about her?"

"A little. Norian said that he figured that she should be safe but I'm still concerned."

Kheros nodded. "If the evil ones were tot inure out the link between the two of you they could try to move in and hold her hostage to try to get a the prince."

"Oh, I really needed to hear that!"

"Sorry," Kheros said. "I doubt that they would; dragons do not generally do such things."

"I'll take your and Norian's word on that."

"I am sure of it."

Tanner sighed and looked at the small fountain. "I worry for Ryan's safety."

"All of us do."

"I suppose that he's safer here amongst dragons than anywhere else."

"True," Kheros said, looking at him for a long moment. "Have you seen the prince lately?"

"Yes. He's very upset by what happened."

Kheros looked puzzled. "Why? It was just instinct."

"He was raised as a human, remember. Things like that don't happen to humans."

"That is true. I hope that it does not worry him too much. I am certain that Kith is not upset with him."

"Have you spoken with her?"

Kheros hesitated. "No."

"You're not sure she's not upset, are you?"

"I am sure she is not. She is a wise dragoness."

"She's also quite young, isn't she?" Tanner asked shrewdly.

"There is that. I am still not so very worried."

"But you've not seen her?"

Kheros rumbled. "No. She has not been out of her rooms."

"Ah, pardon me for saying, but that sounds upset to me."

Kheros eyed him. "It is not your worry."

Tanner held up his hands. "Easy. I'm not going to get into dragon business."

"Sorry. I tend to get a bit carried away at times," Kheros said. "Bad habit."

"Is...Kith yours?" Tanner asked tentatively.

He shook his head. "No, not at all."

"I certainly hope she's not upset or that if she is, she will be very careful around Ryan. He's terrified of her right now and worries that she'll hate him or even worse."

Kheros shook his head. "No. She is far to wise for that."

"Glad to hear it."

Kheros cocked his head. "You care for the young prince very much."

Tanner nodded. "Yes, as I said before."

"Hmm," Kheros said speculatively.

Tanner tensed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Tanner. Just an observation."

Tanner looked confused. "You didn't say anything?"

"I did not think I had to," Kheros said. He cocked his head, and then quietly walked off, leaving Tanner staring after him.