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_ Whispering Haven Inn _

_ L _aughter echoed through the old tavern. Adding to the boisterous noise was the clank of several tankards filled to the brim with mead. Voices carried in the promise of a new tale, an adventure from some far away place that they had heard in passing.

From somewhere in the back of the tavern a chorus of deep, garbled voices from a trio of dwarves emerged, striking up some old song that rose above the various other sounds. A pair of elves drew harps from within their delicate robes. The beautiful melody of the instrument pierced through the tidal wave of voices.

Farmers filled in from outside to listen to the often angelic tone of the elves, only to grimace when the dwarves in their guttural tone cut through like a blade through bread; sharp, piercing, and with tremendous ease. After a while they found their tune.

Nestled into a small booth in the back corner of the tavern was a lone figure. His form was illuminated by a single wax candle that hung on a hook above his table. The flame flickered in the chill air that rushed in behind the latest patrons. He was garbed in a long black cloak, the hood pulled over his head to conceal his features from the general populace. Smoke drifted from beneath the brim.

Topaz eyes peered out, darting from one person to the next, alert for the slightest hint of danger. His right hand gripped the pommel of his dagger concealed at his waist. Each person that drew closer towards him caused him to tighten his grip until his knuckles turned white. Only when they would sit at a nearby table would he allow himself to relax.

Erected in the center of the tavern around two solid oak support beams was a finely carved oak bar, circular in design that wrapped around a central storage room. Shelves jutted out from the sides, each one housing a small barrel of mead, broken only by the outward facing door-frame that used a silk rug to serve as a door. He knew from experience that it led down to the cellar below, where large casks of mead were stored, and where illegal games of chance were played hourly.

Despite the legality of what transpired in the tavern's cellar, not even the king's own guards could enforce his rule this far out away from the main city, much less when they themselves profited from the illegal activities. There was always a price to pay for a blind eye, and the tavern could always deliver.

Roaming from table-to-table were various kobolds and dragons. Each of them were garbed in different attire. The most common was a tight fitting cloth chest binding that only served to protect the modesty of their breasts, while leaving their naval exposed. Wrapped around their wastes they bore nothing more than a simple loincloth. Circlets of silver were wrapped around the base of their throats, four gemstones wrought intricately throughout at set spaces.

Valkaria was a prosperous nation built up by the long line of humans that had crossed the deadly Barik Desert to the East. Over the years they had grown to accept the likes of dwarves, elves, orcs, and to a degree, kobolds and dragons. Unlike the other races however, any kobold or dragon caught within the land was immediately subject to immediate death or a life of slavery.

Each slave was forced to wear a collar of either silver or gold, indicating not only their value, but also their status within society. Silver served for those that were sold or traded to the peasants, while gold was reserved for the highly valuable slaves.

The gemstones served to identify their function. Sapphire indicated work; farming, server, or general aid, topaz was for couriers, probably the highest honor for a slave, ruby was for those who served as maids, while amethyst was for the sex-workers. Slaves tended to be used for whatever their master sought them out for, but the gemstones helped to indicate where their skills lie. No one ever got to pick their skill, only told it was what they would specialize in.

Often he felt an internal struggle witnessing the carnal savagery of humans and other races subjecting both scaled races to a life of servitude, and yet, on some level, he understood it was their fear that guided them. Dragons were by far the most powerful in the world in regards to raw strength and magic. Kobolds however, were cunning in their use of magic, making them just as dangerous as dragons in the eyes of the king.

A commotion erupted between two men, drawing his attention. Several armed guards of the King's Commission were busily throwing out the men. Their armor shone brilliantly in the fading light of the sun, casting them in an almost glorious image. His hatred for the symbol that was crested over their left breast prevented him from truly admiring them. Instead, he drew his hood further down over his face. He still watched them with a keen interest.

"Another drink sir?" A young kobold barmaid asked. The figure simply held out his tankard to her.

Eight guards in total strolled into the tavern. Their eyes scanned over the crowd, never lingering for more than a few seconds. At first, he thought they were looking for him. Sweat began to gather in his palm. Instead, they cleared out a booth near the entrance.

A shallow breath escaped his clenched jaw. Another wisp of smoke drifted out from nose, his heart hammering while he fought the surge of adrenaline that triggered his fighting response. _Causing a commotion now would not be wise,_he thought.

A man shouted triumphantly, drawing the attention of both the guards and the cloaked figure. A young, almost innocent looking kobold girl held her hand clenched firmly within the grasp of a the man. He led her towards the back of the tavern. There, a set of oak stairs with a crude banister led up to the second floor, where several rooms were available to rent, or use.

There was a look of despair written across the kobold's face as she obediently followed the fat, foul smelling man up the stairs. He wasn't exactly against the trade of sexual favors for coin, after all, every race had done so for eons. Most of them however had a choice in who to serve.

He felt that they should at least have a say in if they wanted that life or not. Even in the tavern there were several others who would jump at the chance to have sex with anyone who flashed some coin their way, it was a life that some absolutely adored.

Another kobold soon arrived at his table. Strands of sticky, gooey white cum dripped down the sides of her face and chin, yet she bore a smile all the same. The collar around her neck was her only article of clothing aside from a tattered and torn leather strap around her shoulders that held up her breasts, making them perkier than they should have been. More cum dripped from between her legs, leaving a thin, clear trail down both of her thighs.

"Good evening my lord." She said. She held her hands behind her back, legs spread so that he could soak in the sight. "Would ya care fer me ta relieve some of yur st'ess from the da's work?" Her accent was thick, the common human dialect easily not her first language.

"No thank you." He dismissed in his gruff, deep voice. "I'm waiting for someone."

"Ah, yur da dra'on lovur." She responded with glee. "There are p'enty of 'em around. Shall I fetch'em fer ya sir?"

"No." He spoke softly. Sometimes he debated on the merit of slavery. He was guilty of often reaping in its benefits for a quick lay. On more than one occasion he'd paid for the services of a dragoness, though it was always one who enjoyed her task rather than one who dreaded offering. During frequent visits over the past four years he had grown a reputation for his fondness of dragons, the lone stranger who had no name but enjoyed the company of dragons over any other race.

"Farewell then my lord." She said, leaving hastily. He watched as she ventured from one table to the next, until she eventually made her way to the guards. They didn't waste any time engaging her services, and no sooner had they laid some coins on the table did she dive underneath to begin her work.

Guess that takes care of the guards for a while, he mused.

"Would you care for a meal tonight my lord?" Ignoring the tankard of mead placed on the table, his eyes instead were drawn to the beautiful scarlet scales that adorned the arm of the dragoness standing beside his table.

All across her body they traversed, each one shaped like a beautiful teardrop. Her voluptuous breasts were put on full display by the leather straps that wound around her shoulders. They hugged snugly around the base, lifting them only slightly. Beautiful crimson colored nipples were only accentuated by the smooth, almost creamy light orange scales that adorned her stomach and chest, leading down her shapely hips to the soft, luscious lips of her crimson red vagina. Leather wrapped tightly around her legs and ass, hugging her delicious curves.

A small smile crept across his mouth as he drank in her sight from head to toe. His heart began to beat rapidly, his cock growing in the constrictive confines of his leather pants. "Katre." He failed to hide his joy at seeing her again.

"My lord." Her voice was like the sweetest song to his ears. From the way she stood she projected an air of confidence. For just over a year now she had been a slave, adapting to it faster than most dragons did. Over that span of time he had been the only person in Whispering Haven that engaged her services.

"It's wonderful to see you again Katre." His voice was but a faint whisper. A warm, inviting smile graced the soft lips of her maw. "I uh..." He paused, unable to speak. He downed a tankard of mead, feeling foolish. This wasn't the first time he'd been with her. "Same price?" He finally managed.

"Why don't we call the first orgasm free my lord." Another, beautiful voice beset by the grace of a goddess spoke up from behind Katre. Emerging from the shadow of the scarlet beauty was a dragoness who was just as beautiful as her companion. Deep, rich, cyan blue scales adorned her own body, with an almost creamy light azure blue down her torso, dressed in similar fashion to her companion, and yet, her cyan nipples and matching luscious pussy lips beckoned his gaze. The joy he felt was mirrored in their own eyes.

"You want his cock Tria?"

"Of course Katre, you know how much I love sucking it." Their smiles never faltered.

Katre brushed aside his empty tankard to sit on the edge of the table, facing him. She placed her scaled feet firmly in the leather-backed seat on either side of his hips. His vantage gave him the perfect view of her succulent crimson lips. In the soft glow of candlelight he glimpsed the glossy fluids that oozed out of her slit.

Beneath the table he felt Tria move on to her knees. She threw his cloak over her head, her warm fingers curling around the hem of his trouser, easing them down until his achingly hard cock sprang free of its prison. A gentle gasp echoed in his ears, her fingers passing over the smooth skin of his hard appendage.

All alone with his cock now, he felt the moisture of her tongue begin to trail its way from the base towards the tip. Not a second was wasted, her lips parting to draw in his length. Each inch that sank deeper into the familiar warmth of her maw drew out a moan. A hiss of pleasure passed from his throat when he felt her lips press against the soft flesh of his groin, the tip just barely worming its way down the entrance of her throat. Her maw was, in his opinion, a perfect fit, a sentiment that he knew she shared.

Topaz eyes drank in the sight of the glorious body of Katre. He shifted forward slightly, his mouth opening so that his long, thick, agile tongue could push aside the folds of her labia to slither into her depths. His lips gently closed around the width of her delicious pussy, refusing to let one drop of her slimy fluids go anywhere but into his hungry throat.

A sweet, tangy liquid trickled down along his tongue, coating his taste buds with the delicious concoction. It swam through his mind, only adding to his desire for more of the liquid that he craved regularly. Even though he had done this for both of them plenty of times before, he loved starting with her.

Muffled moans filled his ears, though whether they were from him or Tria he couldn't tell. His hands grasped the soft meat of her ass, drawing her in closer. She let out her own moan. A smooth, scaled hand moved to his scalp, her fingers passing through the thick hair beneath his hood, careful not to push it back too far. She knew he had to hide his identity from the general public. Here though, she could help with that task.

Katre began to rock her hips against his face, grinding his nose against her clit with practiced precision. Her alluring scent filled his nasal passage with the prospect of what the past several months away had been for. The strong aroma of sweet, juicy berries clung to her nethers like she had been crushing them between her thighs, it was intoxicating in all the right ways.

His heart yearned for the two dragons.

The scarlet dragoness moaned louder now, her hips moving faster against him. Her head rolled back, hair hanging loosely by gravity, eyes rolling back into her skull. She truly enjoyed the tender love he put into eating her pussy, almost as if it was a form of art. Each swipe of his tongue, each twist and pull, each pass along her deepest walls designed not only to heighten her own pleasure, but to draw out more of her fluids.

Strands of her slick, sticky juices coated his cheeks. As was true of all dragons, her fluids weren't clear like that of the more human races, instead, they sported a a hint of the same color of their genitals. In her case, a hint of crimson that when seen by light, made it appear as blood.

Fire burned within his groin. His cock, enveloped in the warm, hot maw of Tria was beyond anything anyone else. Her head twisted at just the right angle, her tongue knew just where to glide, and her throat drew him in with an eager gusto. While it was true that she did enjoy nursing on a cock, she preferred his, or so she had often told him over the past year. Her hands, just as skilled at easily taking a life with her sharp claws, softly caressed his balls, the smooth, leathery sack being shown just as much love as his cock. Each movement into her throat let him feel her swallowing the strands of pre-cum that escaped the almost non-human tip of his cock.

Every few seconds she would let him out to wrap her lips around the base, her tongue fervently working over his appendage, only to abandon it for a moment to coat his balls in her saliva. Her tongue drawing both in easily, suckling hard on them, wanting their contents to be spilled into her starving throat.

Lost was he in the passion of the moment. Nothing, not even the patrons that sent him a sideways glance mattered to him. The guards would be too occupied with the kobold to bother with him, and as far as they knew anyway, he was just a normal, average human who had a taste for dragons.

No one cared what they were doing.

For several long minutes he managed to stem the tide of his orgasm. He didn't have to, but he wanted to. Seeing the two amazingly beautiful dragonesses again had awakened his more primal, lustful side, and he couldn't ignore it. When they were so ready, so eager, so willing to let him indulge in a mixture of his and their fantasies, he couldn't help but give in. All night he'd been wondering how to tell them about his news, dreading it. He was grateful neither of them could see his face too clearly, otherwise they would have seen the tear pass down his cheek.

A half-hour passed in their throes. By now, he could feel his own climax impending, signaling an end to their union. Already he had made the glorious scarlet beauty coat his throat with two massive orgasms. Not once had she asked him to stop, nor did she want to. He knew she could never make him stop, not only because he wanted to spend countless hours with his tongue buried inside of her, but she loved the attention as well.

Her third roar of the night resonated higher than the musicians, a sweet, sorrowful song that nearly made another tear escape just as much as it brought joy to his heart. There was nothing he loved hearing more than that roar, it was, he thought, symbolic of their plight. Just as much as she didn't want to be a slave, and she longed for freedom, so to did he want her to be free.

Beneath the table, his own legs closed tightly around the head of Tria as he grunted, his cock twitching violently inside her maw. Her hands softly caressed his thighs, her throat undulating as rope after sticky rope of his cum spewed into her inviting maw. As with Katre, he knew how much Tria loved making him cum, bringing him to heights of pleasure by any means imaginable.

There was only one drawback to spending their time down in the tavern's main hall. Alone, in a bedroom, they could talk, share their visions of the future, and embrace openly the feelings that had developed between them.

In the glow that followed their mutual orgasms, Katre and he shared a longing look. It was the same look he'd been growing all to fond of. Again he felt the torture of his news burden him. They deserved to hear it, yet he was afraid of what it would mean for them.

Katre gently lifted herself off the edge of the table with shaky legs, taking a seat beside him. Tria, for her part, gave his cock one last long suckle before tucking it away into his pants. She too joined them in the seat. There was a line of cum that streaked down her chin, having a hint of topaz.

As usual, both dragons swung their legs across his lap, smiles adorning their faces while they both took an arm and brought it around their shoulder.

For his part, he leaned back into the soft, worn leather of the seat. The tension he had been feeling all night finally abated, if only for a moment. The judging looks cast by his fellow tavern dwellers didn't faze him. The thought of it all ending did however. As much as he wanted this moment to last forever, he knew that all things great and evil had to end at some point.

Sighing deeply, he reached for the coin pouch at his waist. There was a loud clunk as it struck the wooden table. Deep in his chest he felt a siring pain beginning to gnaw at him. "Katre, Tria." His words faltered. He had to force back his tears.

Life had never been easy for him. Growing up alone, lost in a world that wanted him dead, becoming a capable warrior, a hunter, and then a ranger. Facing death everyday seemed so much easier than this. Dying never left a lingering pain, and yet, he wanted to do what was right. Two people who had showed him so much kindness, allowing him to delve into his carnal desires with them, allowing them to do the same, fear could only consume his mind.

"What is it my lord?" Katre asked, her own crimson red eyes searching for an answer in his topaz ones. Glancing at the sapphire eyes of Tria found the exact same search.

"This gold is for you. I've..." Why is this so damn hard!_He berated himself. _Because you love them. It was because of his love that he had to be selfless, give them the life that they deserved. "I've spent the last few months away because... I was trying to earn enough gold to buy your freedom." His voice was low, only the two dragons able to hear his words. His usual unwavering demeanor shifted, leaving him sounding broken. Nothing in his life had ever been so hard. "You both deserve to live a happy life in the greatest adventure of all, life. You can go home." Both dragon's gasped.

In the silence that followed he felt his heart shattering piece by piece, each shard inflicting a wound so deep he doubted it would ever fully heal.

"We have no home." Katre said sullenly. "Tria and I were driven from our village." His gaze drifted towards her, seeing her looking at the table as if lost in a daze. Her hand slowly moved to his, wrapping her fingers tightly with his. "You've done more for us than anyone ever has. You care."

"Neither of us wants a life that's away from you." Tria's voice sounded so sure, something that he'd never heard from her before.

Now it was his turn to gasp. "What?" He could barely utter the word.

Katre said firmly, "We have both grown fond of you. At first we were happy to be able to have sex with someone, but it became more than that. Every moment with you has been a moment of freedom, never ordering us unless we asked, always wanting to do things that we do. Freedom was what we both desired, but now we desire that freedom with the man we've both fallen in love with."

Tria, ever so gently, drew his head over with her hand. She pressed their lips firmly together, the residue of his cum in her mouth, the lingering traces of Katre's fluids, neither one mattered. Tongues danced between maws, hands grasping together beneath the table not in lust, put in the passion of a lover.

The one kiss alone told him everything. They saw him not as a client, but as a friend, nay, a lover. His arm tightened its hold around her naked body, almost drawing her into his lap.

"It seems you three have created quite the commotion over here." A loud, firm voice said. It was feminine, but carried with it all the authority of a thousand soldiers. "Always a pleasure to see you again my lord."

"Buy us, please." Tria pleaded into his ear when they broke apart. Her conviction was present. Her love, the love of both, was undeniable.

"Buy us." Katre cooed into his other ear. Katre's and Tria's free hands, which had now come together, where residing over his heart. The pain he felt began to ebb away, the hope he'd had when he had arrived earlier that evening restored.

"The pleasure is all mine Lady Natallia." His tone was courteous.

"Another night of passion for you my lord?"

"Perhaps." He mused, casting a glance between the two dragons. "It has been a few months."

"If it might ask my lord, what took you away?" Lady Natallia, always searching for information, often enjoyed any news from outside the kingdom. She knew that he frequently ventured into what many had come to call the Dead Lands. "Another call for adventure perhaps?"

Adopting a blank expression, he said, "I understand that since my departure no one else has sought the services of these two dragons. Perhaps you'd prefer some fresh stock? I'd be happy to pay handsomely for them." Each word was a painful task of ensuring that his tone didn't reflect his feelings. If he showed any hint of excitement their price would double in an instant.

"My, my, you do seem to enjoy dragons. These two have proved rather profitable.... Been a number of years since I sold any of my slaves." She mused, eyeing the sack of coins with a ravenous hunger akin to a hunter eyeing her next meal. "Dragons, despite how ugly they are, are quite rare to find, and they do make excellent workers for labor. Been thinking making them serve the finer lust of men was a mistake. Kobolds are much better suited to that end." It was no great secret that Lady Natallia had a disdain for dragons despite the fact that she owned several.

"Name your price Lady Natallia."

Her eyes never left the sizable stack of coins hidden in the leather sack on the table. "Eight hundred gold crowns." She bore a rather smug look, thinking that she had struck the deal of a lifetime.

"How about five hundred." He offered. He reached a hand out to the sack. "Perhaps I could interest you in another bargain." He gestured to the seat across from him. "I have a few rare treasures I'd be willing to part with."

"You know I only take coin."

"What about gems. I'd still pay five hundred coins of course, but I'd also add in five pristine emeralds as well." Emeralds were far from the richest gemstones available, while not as common as sapphire or topaz, they were more used for decoration than holding any real value in regards to currency outside of the Dead Lands.

"I have little use for gems." Lady Natallia said. She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "I'd settle for eight hundred gold crowns. I won't haggle with my slaves. Replacing them is going to be hard enough, and the only reason I am even entertaining this notion is because their both pretty much useless for anything besides manual labor." She gave each of them a look of utter disgust.

He wasn't surprised. It wasn't often that slaves were sold outside of the usual slavers who wandered the country seeking their next big payday. Dragons weren't as common as kobolds were after all, most being aware of what happens when they cross into the human realm.

Silence fell across the booth. Tension swirled in the air around them. It was obvious to him that by trying to haggle with the aged woman that he had struck a raw nerve with her. Slaves were considered very valuable, he knew that as well as anyone. Most people would rather lose an arm than part with a slave, between the cost and time to find a replacement, plus the loss of coin from their departure, they hardly tended to trade hands often outside of the nobles.

He'd risked too much however to walk away without them. The look of fear he saw in their eyes nearly made him want to hug them closer, but decided against it. His resolve was set in stone, nothing was going to chisel it away.

Lady Natallia chewed on the inside of her cheek. He could see the flesh contorting between her teeth. Tria and Katre shared a worried look between them. Their joined hands never left his chest however, if anything, he felt them starting to dig their claws into his soft flesh. The man turned his head to look between them, staring directly into their eyes, kissing both of their noses. He hoped it would comfort them.

"I'll part with them for one platinum piece each." Katre nearly gagged on her own spit, while Tria dug her claws harder into his chest, drawing blood. The pain wasn't as deep as his fear of losing them.

"I have a better idea." The woman raised a brow. "Say I give you four platinum pieces, and you fetch me their crystals." Now it was her turn to look shocked. Her eyes darted from him to his coin-purse, then back again.

"Deal!" She nearly shouted. In less than a second she slid out of the booth and hurried towards the bar.

"What are you doing?" Both dragons asked in unison. Their voices were kept low to avoid anyone eavesdropping. The look of utter disbelief was almost comical to him.

"No treasure in the world is worth more to me than you two are." He said sternly. "I told you, these past few months I've been away was for you. Besides, it was the only way to make sure she would hand over your crystals."

"You mean that?" Tria asked with trepidation. Between the two females she was always the more emotional one. Where Katre was stoic and hid her emotions behind her strength, Tria was softer, kinder, and wanted everyone to see her emotions.

"Would I ever lie to you?" It was a simple question, yet it held more weight than anything he had said before. "I would die for you."

Tria gasped. Katre merely leaned further into him, pressing her lips against the soft flesh of his neck. Her tongue danced across the flesh with a hunger that he'd never experienced from her before. "Never again will we be parted from you." She whispered softly into his ear. "Death will come to anyone who does." It was not a threat, but a promise.

In the time that he had gotten to know the two dragons he'd learned a lot about them. Where Tria was more prone to giving in to her emotions, Katre was more reserved. She only let people she trusted to glimpse what lied beyond her immense strength. There was a look in her eye that told him where her loyalty lied.

Katre drew his lips into hers. The kiss felt real, natural, passionate. He wanted, needed more. Once more he found himself wondering if waiting for safety was worth it, having her, them, here and now would be poetic; meeting through their shared pleasure, spending their last moments bound to the tavern should end the same way.

Lady Natallia returned shortly after the kiss had ended. There was a sour look upon her face, and for a moment he thought she was going to back out of their deal. Anger broiled beneath the surface of his calm, relaxed expression. Neither one spoke.

The woman gradually brought a hand up for him to inspect. Clasped firmly within were two of the purest amethyst crystal that he had ever seen in his entire life. Each gave off a faint glow. "Four platinum pieces." Her sour expression slowly turned into a sinister smile. She believed that she played along thinking it was a game, and now she was going to use her own ploy to call his bluff.

"Arik." Tria whimpered.

Arik pulled his hand away from Katre, his other hand squeezing Tria's with all the love he could muster. They all knew what was at stake, and everyone besides him thought he had been bluffing. He felt Katre shift, could almost feel her legs tensing into action. Not that way, not tonight. He was keenly aware of the attention that they had seemed to draw from the guards.

As slowly as he could manage, a smirk growing across his lips as he did, he pulled the string to his coin-purse, letting its contents be revealed. There was a collective gasp from the gathered women, but it soon extended to the nearby patrons who had been curious as to their dealings.

What everyone had thought was a purse filled with gold coins was actually filled with platinum. Compared to the nobles it wasn't much, but here, among the peasants that made up Whispering Haven, he might as well have been royalty.

Adventurers passing through with a handful of platinum coins wasn't all too uncommon, but nearly twenty pieces was unheard of. Once more he saw the woman's face contort into a sour grimace, her hand tightening around the crystals.

By now, nearly everyone in the tavern had grown silent. Not even the drunkards lost in their songs uttered a note. From somewhere within the crowd he could hear a few slurping sounds, but even the dragons and kobolds, who were supposed to be performing their tasks, were drawn by the allure of the coins.

Several of the guards rose from their booth, the hard clanking of their armored boots echoing in the stillness. Drawing the four coins from the pouch, he slid them across the table towards the woman, holding out his hand to her. She cast a glance back towards the approaching guards, then to the coins. Finally, her gaze fell on his topaz eyes. Their was a flicker of recognition, and when he saw a smirk start to cross her lips, he knew his time was growing short.

After several tense minutes, the woman finally placed the crystals into his hand, her other hand snatching up the coins.

"Where did you get all of those coins son?" The lead guard asked upon their arrival. He was a tall man, a scar across his left cheek, sporting a curled mustache upon his upper lip.

"Did a job for the king a few months back." He tilted his head down.

"More likely you robbed some noble. Haven't gotten any reports, but a street rat like you could never come across such a small fortune. The king would never hire your services, you have nothing of value."

"Not unless he expected me to die."

"Pull back your hood. Let me see your face son." He snarled. He glimpsed the guards wrapping their hands around their swords.

Arik wrapped an arm around Katre, bringing her ear close to his lips. "Keep Tria safe." He placed a gentle kiss upon her cheek.

The man reached out and flung his bag across the room, the clattering of platinum coins drawing everyone's attention. In an instant, the whole tavern erupted in a frenzy, everyone clambering over each other to get their hands on the discarded treasure.

Arik pulled his other hand away from Tria, drawing his own sword from its sheathe, the pale blade of topaz glittering in the dying candlelight. Flames danced across its surface.

He kicked over the table, Katre moving towards the nearest guard with her claws at the ready. The young soldier didn't stand a chance, for in all but a second, there came the sound of his dying, gargled breath from where she had ripped out his throat.

A sharp metallic clang filled the air where he parried a slash from the lead guard. Sidestepping his next three slashes, he twisted around and drew his dagger just in time to catch the blow from another guard.

In a series of seconds the trio continued to trade blows, though for Arik he was just trying to defend until he saw an opening. He had turned them around now, able to see both Tria and Katre trading blows with the third guard, he was smart to avoid letting them get too close.

There was a slight hitch to the lead guards step. It was so small that he almost missed it, but it was still a weakness he could exploit. Arik reeled back from his sword, the edge of the blade just barely missing his throat. Twisting around around, he swept aside the blade with his own, then closed the distance, swinging up with his dagger and catching the man in the chin beneath his helmet. Warm, crimson blood began to coat his hand, some leaking from the man's lips.

Twirling around to avoid another blow from the second guard, he parried once, twice, then slashed at the man's hand. His blade, which the man thought would merely bounce off of his gauntlet, sliced straight through the metal like flesh. An ear shattering scream erupted from the man, clutching at the stump where only a moment ago his hand had been. Bringing the sword around, he lopped off the man's head, silencing him.

Arik turned to see Katre holding onto the blade of the third guard's sword, while Tria moved around his side. With a fierce snarl, she leaped onto the man, knocking him to the ground. He tried to bring around his sword, but it was fruitless, she was too strong. Her maw opened wide, her teeth quickly latched onto his throat. His screams were short lived, as with a yank of her head, she pulled away most of the man's neck. Blood spurted from the wound, his body twitching violently for a few seconds, then was still.

"Come on!" Katre shouted. Her arm slid underneath Tria's, the pair heading towards the tavern door. By now, the tavern had dissolved into an all out brawl, one giant mass of bodies that shifted and swayed like ocean waves. Arik had already sheathed his sword, by the time the dragons reached him.

Katre and Tria were used to being in the nude most of the day, but that was always inside the warmth of the tavern. The biting chill of night winter air stung their bodies like daggers. Arik hurriedly slipped off his cloak, placing it around Tria, fixing it around her collar with a small leaf-shaped clasp.

Katre gazed upon the face of Arik with fascination. Smooth, tan skin covered his face, broken only by the small patch of topaz orange, teardrop scaled scales beneath his eyes. His hair was shaved on both sides, the top swept over to lay across his right ear. His ears were not that of a human, but those of a dragon.

Arik swept off his coat to reveal a tight fitting leather jerkin, exposing the scales of his shoulders to the outside world. Katre gratefully accepted the article of clothing. He quickly swept the leather straps of his quiver back across his chest, drawing out the bow to notch two arrows. "Follow me!" He said louder than he had intended.

Tria stuck close to him, while Katre gave them a foot of distance. The trio cautiously followed the main road leading away from the tavern. Soon, the sounds of the brawl grew quiet, the crunch of gravel beneath his leather boots the only sound he could hear.

Where most humans could not see in the darkness of night, he was unaffected by such a weakness. Everywhere he looked was coated in a warm amber hue, a trait which his topaz eyes reflected by the soft glow they gave off. He could see as clearly as if the sun had been out.

Their pace quickened when they reached the outskirts of the village. All of them were on alert for the slightest hint of unease. Each step gradually became faster, until by the time they reached the first outcropping of buildings they were sprinting at break-neck speed. Children that were playing in the street stopped to gawk at how fast they traversed, beggars cast them a side long glance, but no one stopped them.

Ahead of them was a gate that stood nearly ten feet tall, two grand oak doors fastened with wrought iron hinges and secured by a thick beam barred their way. A lone guard crossed their path, a lantern hung off a pole held over his shoulder. "Katre, Tria!" Arik shouted.

Each of the dragons grabbed one of his arms, then, together, they began to flap their wings. It took them a few tries to get their synchronization down, in which time they grew ever closer to the guard. So far he hadn't noticed them, but if they didn't hurry he would.

Every so slowly, his feet began to drift away from the ground, his legs still moving for a moment on instinct. A sigh of relief passed from his lips as they rose above the gate, his heart still hammering away in his chest, adrenaline still surging rapidly.

Behind them he heard the bellow of a horn. Two more followed behind. Flickering flames began to brighten the buildings. He heard people starting to rapidly grab whatever weapons they could. Being roused from their slumber gave them a few seconds. It wouldn't matter though if they couldn't get by the gate.

By the time he heard the clamber of hooves from the guard's horses, they had already cleared the edge of the gate.

Katre and Tria flew a few more yards before he felt his feet touch the soft Earth again. Both dragons were breathing heavily, their bodies sore from their recent flight. It had been over a year since they'd gotten the chance to fly, and they were out of shape. "We did it." Katre said.

Arik could only laugh when he felt Tria wrap her arms around his neck, her lips pressing firmly against the soft flesh there. His tail, which had now been free of the confines of his pants, swept around her own tightly. Katre soon joined their embrace, one of his arms moving to encompass her as well.

Their celebration was broken by the sound of the heavy oak beam being dragged back across the gate. Its echo brought another wave of adrenaline. "This way." Taking their hands, he led them into the nearby tree line. Like him, they could easily see in the darkness, which meant that they could easily outmaneuver their enemy, and yet, he also knew that they had a much larger force. It was both a strength, and a weakness.

"Stick together, I know a place where they won't be able to find us." Neither of the dragons said a word, just stuck close by his side. Every so often he could feel their tails brush his own, almost as if telling him to focus on the road ahead, that he didn't have to worry about losing them. Despite the situation, it was comforting.

Nearly an hour passed in their flight, having to slow their pace only to wade through a shallow river. The cold didn't bother him too much, but he knew that with Katre and Tria wearing practically nothing, it had to be worse. If they had any discomfort they didn't voice it.

By now they had stopped to rest at the edge of a clearing, both dragons sitting on his legs while he sat on the smooth surface of a rock. He had offered them the seat at first, but when they opened their clothes to reveal their bodies, he realized that it was wiser for them to sit on him instead. They shared a quick drink from his wineskin.

"Think we lost them?" Tria asked when she had caught her breath.

"Maybe." Katre said, her eyes scanning the forest behind them.

"They might be lost for a while at the river, but eventually they'll pick up our trail."

"How far are we from this hiding place?" Katre shuddered in the cold. Dragons of old could easily survive in any kind of weather, but with their attempts to appear more human, it had taken its toll. Her body was still warm to the touch, and he knew he was more in danger of freezing than they were, but he didn't want them to be uncomfortable for too much longer.

"Not far. About another mile North."

"Let's get moving." Katre said sternly. The trio set off again.

Arik pulled several pieces of cooked meat from a pouch on his belt, passing most of it to them. They thanked him before hungrily devouring the morsels of food. "Lady Natallia never fed you much did she?"

"No." Katre said between mouthfuls. "She also would have never given up her treasure for two dragons."

"Are we worth it?" Tria asked.

Arik stepped closer to her. "There is no amount of treasure in this world that could ever be worth more to me than the both of you. Fortune comes and goes, what we share it far more rare. Besides, I only had the four platinum pieces."

"What!" Katre shouted, howling with laughter. Even Tria giggled.

"It's true. I knew she was never going to part with you easily. Four platinum pieces was all I needed, no way she was going to turn that down."

"So that was your plan all along?" Tria asked.

"Not exactly. Everything was going to work out fine until the guards got involved. I wanted to be ready in case we needed a quick exit."

Tria bumped her hip against his playfully. "So what are your plans for us now?" There was a hunger in her eyes, and he could smell the sweet aroma of her arousal wafting into his nose.

"Easy Tria." Katre warned. Now her arousal was mixing in with the cyan beauty.

Tria only giggled. "Its going to be nice spending our lives with you." She grabbed his arm, leaning her head against it.

Katre moved in on his other side. She joined her friend. "I love you both." He said softly, an affecionate smile crossing his lips.

"I love you too." They both said in unison.