Blood-Bound
Yes, you may have seen this story before, segmented into 7 chapters, you may also notice that I am not the same poster. That is because this story is from my old account, and I figured there may be some people who wanted to read it on my new one.
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Ch.1
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The entrance is grand. A tall set of oaken doors that would tower above even some of the larger, feral, dragon-kind. Not that one saw many of the ferals in the cities.
The opulent walls shone with silver inlays, ebony carvings, and thin gold leaf arranged in ancient, unreadable glyphs, enchanted to repel fire and disease. Idle chatter made the room seem comfortable, restaurant patrons relaxing at their secluded tables. A warm breeze poured through the open entrance, sending chills along the line of working slaves hidden behind a drape next to the far door.
I stood, taking it all in for what seemed to be the thousandth time, but was most likely closer to the millionth. Next to me stood a restaurant worker, holding the whip and long, forked, dagger of a slave leader. My long crimson loincloth brushed past my knees in the breeze, the chill hitting my bare skin.
Crimson was the color of the blood-bound slaves, the main economy and backbone of the country. Although the material looked thick and luxurious, the color creating a wonderful contrast to the surroundings, it was actually thin and worn. I had worn this particular cloth for the six years at my current station.
I worked in The Je'weel, a prestigious restaurant where the only non-slaves were the owner, his three hired guards, and, of course, the customers. I let my gaze drift over the tables, enjoying my days out of the kitchen.
The last week had been laborious, three kitchen slaves down with the Retin Flu. Many liked the kitchen because they could eat extra food, gorging themselves on the left overs and refused dishes from the customers. I hated it.
The kitchens held heat and steam that pressed against the skin of those inside, and making the thin loincloths uncomfortable and sticky. Washing and preparing food always held the danger of cutting one's self in the rush of a restaurant. Kitchen hours were long and never ending, taking any energy one had and then squeezing out some more. In fact, the only reason that I had been pulled into it was that I was replacing the chef in charge of vegetarian dishes, my own culinary skill being very near his own in that category of food. But I held no like for the majority of the food.
The Je'weel catered mainly to the meat eaters of society, many customers being dragons, lions, and other large predators. Of course, most anything outsized a short statured human.
My short brown hair blew to the side as a particularly strong gust of wind gushed into the building, My lightly tanned skin getting goosebumps from the sea's salty air. I gazed at a far window, one that overlooked the small port of the city. A large galleon had docked yesterday, its large wooden form taking up much of the small cove-like area. I wondered what it would be like to be a slave on a ship, maybe working in the immeasurably less busy kitchen. Able to prepare meatless meals that prevented the crew from getting scurvy, and rot-eye in a mer-fur's case.
I jumped imperceptibly, two sharp points pressing into my back, urging me forward. I took my immediate surroundings in again, and realized that there was a new customer. He was a foot and a half taller than me (most likely 6'6"), and was gazing around the room in wonderment.
But that wasn't why I now drew in a silent gasp. He looked humanoid overall, but he was covered in feathers.
The feathers were a light golden brown, speckled with black in the chest and head. His tail feathers ended in a nice chocolate brown that reminded me of the color of my eyes. My eyes darted to his limbs. Each had feathers reaching past the joint, then turning into what looked to be hard, deep yellow, clawed talons. Each digit ended in a sharp black claw.
His face seemed to be smiling at the surroundings. Though the beak mad it hard to tell, it was expressed through the deep golden eyes.
The forked knife in my back twisted, cutting two arcs into me. The blood dripped down my back as I removed the grimace of pain from my face and walked forward to greet the new guest.
"Welcome, Freeman, to The Je'weel, I will be your server today." I said in the politest tone I have.
He glanced to me and gave one of his smiles, conveying warmth through the gesture. Glancing over at Jame, the guard/employee, then back to me, he held out his hand.
I took the hand and held it in a polite grip. Whilst he firmly shook it, the claw at the end of one of his fingers sank into my palm to start another drip of blood. Keeping my straight face, I bowed to him after he had released me.
"Follow me Freeman, we have an open table by one of the windows." I turned my back and walked slowly, making sure he was following me through the lush interior. I approached a table in a back corner, lifting the drapes around it and bowing the bird-man through. As he passed I was surprised to see carefully folded wings resting against his back, yet invisible from his front. They were the same color as his tail feathers, and blended nicely with the sand colored vest he wore, as his tail feathers did with the light cream colored shorts.
"Are you waiting for more members of your party, or are you dining alone today?" I asked as he stared out the window. He looked back towards me, an unreadable look on his face, as he settled himself on the plush cushions near the table, settling his wings and feathers comfortably.
"I am dining by my self today." he stated. His voice was rich and musical, the tone lilting back and forth on the simple words, dazing me so much that I let out a smile and nodded. I could listen to that voice all day I thought to myself before snapping back and returning my face to its polite expression.
"Very good, Freeman." Handing him a menu I had brought with from the front of the restaurant, I felt a claw running over my skin, but this time not cutting. I held my arms behind my back loosely, keeping them out of the blood dripping down, and gently wiping the small trickle from my hand onto the scarlet fabric of my loincloth. I then traced over where his claw had been, enjoying the near electric tingle.
As I wiped away the blood on my hand again, the hawk, for that is what he resembled, looked up to me and said, "Please don't call me free-man." and after a pause, "Is there anything without meat on this menu?"
I had almost lost myself in his voice again, but made myself hold on his question.
"Yes, Fr-Sir," I stuttered, catching myself before I could finish my mistake. "All vegetarian meals are on the back cover."
The menu was the only sound the came from the table we were at. Outside the wind blew, whilst loud voices resounded from the other tables. I glanced back at the hawk and saw a slightly confused expression on his face. I immediately knew that it was the vegetarian section of the menu.
There were no pictures of what the food looked like, and the names were all obscure, most not hinting at what the dish was. Most customers never ordered again from that section, sticking with the more thought out meat section. I had only ever heard of a few repeat vegetarian customers, and had never served any of them.
I cleared my throat. "If you would, Sir?" I questioned, catching his attention almost immediately. "The Feta Wheels are an excellent appetizer, whilst I recommend South Bake as a main course. Although I would recommend getting it without the corn, as the supply is a little old, and we aren't getting more for another week."
I instantly paled at my own words, wishing I could clamp a hand over my mouth. I kept my face stoic and polite, listening closely to see if anyone had overheard my outburst. It wasn't proper for a slave to initiate in unneeded conversation with one who was free, and if I was heard, I might be punished... severely...
I brought my eyes back into focus and saw that the hawk-man in front of me was grinning, though there seemed to be something else in the expression as well, something I couldn't place.
"That sounds delightful!" he stated happily, either ignoring the fact that I had initiated the conversation as a slave, or completely oblivious of the proper etiquette concerning the blood-bound. "And what do you recommend for a dessert?"
=<><><><><>=
Tiran, the hawk-man, finished his meal and leaned back, puffing out his chest feathers. I relaxed myself, the food having been relaxing, if not up to the standards I held for myself. The cobbler had been spiced to near perfection, allowing my taste buds to sigh at the never tasted before dish. I had never eaten so well.
Then I froze, the thought repeating itself over and over in my head. I had never eaten so well, because I was blood-bound, not fit for this food. Only fit for the rejects and mis-makes of the kitchen. Only fit for the ingredients that were so close to expiration that they would ruin a dish if used. My face paled even more as I realized I wouldn't be able to hide it from the others.
My breath smelled of the sweat delicacies, and my stomach bulged slightly from so much food. Another blood-bound would spot me in an instant, and whether from jealousy or obedience, would immediately take the information to the owner. I had seen the punishment Drak Grash handed to those who broke the rules. I would be past all of those, beaten worse than all of them put together.
All of my happiness from the meal and spending time with the hawk-man washed away. I stood slowly and quietly, as not to alarm Tiran. Grash would find out within the hour, and as such, this was the last bit of my time that I would be able to stand, not weak and chained, for the foreseeable future.
"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to speak to the owner." came Tiran's now quiet voice.
I started terribly, wondering if all this had been a set-up, and now he was going to report to Grash. It had happened to others before, but I had never experienced it myself.
"Yes, Freeman." I stated politely as I exited the curtained area, not even noticing the slip of words. I was now walking to my doom, and Tiran had sent me to it. All of the happy conversation he had shared with me trickled out like a streamer of smoke from a dying flame. He had seemed to care, but now that I truly thought about it I couldn't remember what had passed between us. None of the words connected to each other the way they should. Something prevented me from recalling what even the subject of discussion was.
I kept my polite pace and disposition with me as I walked to the Drak's built in apartment. I passed the kitchen doors and blanched at the strong smell of meat and blood. Continuing on I came into the section of tables reserved for families. Most were comprised of the upper-class dragons, though it looked like some had lower classes with them as guests.
Each table had one human blood-bound next to it, ready for any orders that came from the group. A few looked in my direction, their eyes narrowing, but keeping polite smiles and stances.
Finally I could put it off no longer and approached the large curtain that disguised a hallway. I stepped past the thick cloth and approached the door.
I hesitantly raised my hand then knocked.
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_ BTW, Drak is a title, similar in meaning to 'master'. _
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Ch.2
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I held the cloth barrier aside and bowed low as Grash passed me to approach Tiran. Grash cut a clean figure, his large, scaled body, hugged by form fitting clothes. His scales gleamed in the light from the window, deep blue reflections coming off of them. His head was graced by two rear facing horns, coming to a sharp point just behind his head.
The clothes he wore shifted in the light, seeming to be every complimentary color to his scales at once. I watched the woven pattern switch lazily between a gold thread rune to a rust colored dragon. The main color shifted whenever I blinked, changing from light gray to a dull gold.
I eased myself in and stood to the side, being as unobtrusive as possible. Drak seemed curious as to what the customer required, and this time I made certain that I would not open my mouth to offer an opinion.
Tiran stood, extending his wings slightly in a stretch as he let out a light sigh. He easily moved forward and extended his hand in greeting, applying the same pressure that he had to me earlier. Drak kept a polite look on his face as his eyes filled with disdain, obviously judging the man before him based on clothing and mannerisms.
"I would like to thank the owner personally for the wonderful meal I have had today." Tiran said in his wonderfully lilting voice, giving a slight bow to Drak. "Your staff is wonderfully trained, and this young man has a wonderful opinion of food. I would not have been able to enjoy my meal as fully if he had not offered a suggestion while I was looking at the menu."
At these words I paled immediately, wishing I could run, or fade into the wall. Drak's eyes caught mine as I held my polite expression, and I could see a wicked gleam in them telling of a light punishment for what he had heard. My mind ran through all the scenarios of how Drak would find out about me eating with Tiran. Maybe a blood-bound would tell him as I was receiving my current punishment, or it would spread through the entire staff, working its way up to Drak in a few days. Either way I was doomed.
"And tell me, were there any other suggestions? How did the meal go?" Drak asked, making my stomach drop to my feet. He would not need another to tell him rumors or suspicions, the hawk-man would tell him exactly what had happened, no assumptions to cover what I had done.
"The meal was wonderful, we talked as we ate the food." Tiran stated. Then, looking thoughtful, he added, "He has some wonderful ideas that would most likely make this restaurant one of the best in the world." I remembered only small bits and pieces of the conversation we had had, but in none of those memories had I shared the deeply buried ideas with the hawk-man. I paled further, panicking more than before. Not only was I going to be punished, I had no memory of doing the crime.
Expressing ideas to a Freeman was like signing a death warrant. Blood-bound were only allowed to express ideas directly to their masters, and only when asked. And most masters frowned on that!
"I would like greatly to meet with... Oh, my. I haven't gotten your name!" said Tiran's musical voice as he looked straight at me, obviously waiting for an answer.
"I-I am N-numb-ber Thirty Th-three." I stated politely, my voice trembling as my hidden shaking came into the open. My face paled further, and silent tears ran down my cheeks. There was no way I was going to come out of this alive. If Drak Grash did not order my execution immediately I would die from the torture.
Rumors went around the blood-bound that Drak had a thing for torture. He was said to have a whole sound proofed room in his apartments. Inside he would torture the human blood-bound that had crossed him mercilessly, sometimes sealing himself in for days at a time.
I had seen it happen once, five years ago. The man had come out, but barely. His eyes were dead and he didn't eat or drink. It's not that he refused, it's that he just didn't. There was nothing inside of him.
He had died a week later.
"Number Thirty-Three?" the hawk-man questioned, "That's not a name. Please, tell me what your name is."
It all made sense now. Tiran had not reacted negatively to me expressing my opinion earlier because he was oblivious. He knew nothing of the blood-bound. He had no idea what would happen to me, or what could happen to me, just for letting a little bit of unprompted speech slip from my mouth. He had no idea that talking to Drak was going to get me into the worst trouble of my life. Not even when I had worked at the bath house had I gotten into this much trouble.
"I a-am a slave." I spat out, my eyes filled with tears, "A blood-bound. I am nothing, therf-fore I have no name. I am N-number Thirty-Three." By now my whole body was shaking, silent sobs wracking me as my legs let out from under me. My knees hit the tile hard, one cracking and probably broken. But it was nothing. Nothing compared to the pain I was going to face. Nothing compared to the endless torture that would crush my soul.
My legs were splayed out behind me as I stood on my knees, keeping myself straight and my face polite from the years of practice. The loincloth folded on the floor beneath me, the long tatters not having broken my fall in the least. My face was wet, and then there was a sharp feeling on my neck. My eyes cleared and I looked at Drak. He had a small silver knife in his hand.
It slid down my skin gently, not yet parting it until he reached my chest. The pain was excruciating, more painful than it had any right to be, but I kept my face straight and polite, stilling my shaking. Crying would only make the situation worse, but I knew nothing could make it better. He started on my left side, about four or five inches above the nipple.
"Now," Drak said to the stunned hawk-man, "If you will excuse me I have to get along with the punishment." The blade dragged into my skin deeper, curving around coming to a point before he dragged it over the same pattern. Blood dripped down and my sobs started again, I was going to die.
"Wait!" Tiran yelled out, finally breaking from his trance. "He is a slave, correct? I will buy him from you."
At this Drak smirked. "And how much would you offer for this well trained blood-bound slave."
"Five gold." Tiran stated confidently. The knife in me stopped moving as Drak stared. I stared at the hawk-man also, disbelieving. Five gold was a small fortune in itself. I was worth nowhere near that much, maybe close to one gold, maybe! Five gold would buy Drak ten replacements for me, each needing only a little training. It was an outrageous amount, but I knew Drak would not take it at that.
"Well..." Drak stated calmly, resuming the knife dragging through the same pattern on my chest and extending another point that cut my nipple down the middle. "I might be persuaded to sell him for six."
"Deal, but only if you stop with the knife right now."
The knife halted in its tracks, then pulled slowly out. Blood poured down, but I didn't feel it. I was lost in thought. This hawk-man had only known of me for an hour and he was paying six gold. I resolved that I would not let him down if he believed in me that much. I would be there for him, and serve him to the the best of my abilities. Drak took a chain of blood coins from around his neck and carefully selected mine. A large copper one with a chaste mark engraved into it, like the rest of the coins.
He pressed the coin into the stream of blood that had already reached my waist, then placed it into his own palm. He made a quick incision with a gold plated knife that he had pulled from a coat pocket then offered the blade to Tiran. Tiran looked at the blade, then made a quick incision on his upper arm with a sharp talon. Drak pressed the coin and his own bleeding palm to the hawk's arm, covering the bright glow that showed the trade had been completed.
I looked at my new Master, my eyes tearing up at thoughts of what he had saved me from. Then I looked at Drak... No, not Drak anymore. Now he was simply Grash, no longer Drak, no longer Master. He looked back down at me and smirked, then walked away.
Master bent down next to me and tore off a bit of the loincloth, pressing it to my chest to stop the bleeding from the almost feather shaped gouge. I ached in many places, but my heart was no longer one of them. I would do everything and anything for Master to thank him, for my life was his. It would not exist without him
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Ch3
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"Master?" I asked, hoping I would not be reprimanded for talking out of turn. I was still kneeling on the ground in the restaurant, my new Master next to me, trying to stop the bleeding, but having little luck. "The blade was magicked."
"How do you know?" Tiran asked, genuinely curious. I looked toward him and my polite expression faded a little into an actual smile.
"It hurt more than it should when he used the blade, and there were runes engraved on it." Runes meant old magic, and magic that couldn't be remade. The only magic now was simple protection and healing, nothing near the spells of old that could wreak havoc and destruction upon nations. Those spells were all gone, the only ones remaining being small enchanted blades or armor.
Tiran lifted me, standing me up so we could leave. As soon as his rough claws released my weight, though, my knee made a snapping noise. Pain rushed to my head and I swayed on the spot, feeling sick. Master Tiran jumped at the crack, and once realizing what it was he lifted my small frame into his arms, rushing to get into the outer world.
My consciousness started to fade as we left, but I kept it long enough to finally see what the city looked like.
=<><><><><>=
I woke with a start, my heart racing in the dim room. Underneath me was a simple cot, supporting my weight as I sat up and took in my surroundings. An ornate rug covered the floor, the edges revealing a highly polished wood floor. The walls were what seemed to be glass, rippled for privacy, yet letting in the evening light from outside. One entire wall was taken up with an open air balcony, the view stunningly high up.
From here I saw rooftops and the high flags of the castle in the distance. To the right was the wharf, waves reflecting the sun on their crests. I shivered as the wind blew in through the open walls, my bedding stirring slightly beneath me. Fall was fast approaching, and the colder winds ran over my heat-tempered body.
I looked around more and saw, to my astonishment, that Tarin was sitting in a chair next to me. His head slumped and light breaths coming from the curved beak. His wings were unsettled, resting strangely against the back of his chair. In his hand claws were two disks. The copper one was my blood coin, but next to it was a fine silver circle inlayed with runes and twirling patterns. A faint light shone from the silver and I raised a hand to my chest.
A faint scar now resided where before had only been a bloody mess. I ran my hand over the scar and was amazed that now not only did it look like a feather, but it felt like a feather. I reached down to my knee and felt carefully along it, making sure that it was fully healed.
I rose from the bed and stretched, my body having been repaired. I took a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around Master Tiran's shoulders, tucking his wings for him the best that I could whilst I decided that I would explore the house, and familiarize myself better for Master. As an afterthought, I removed the two discs from his talons.
I walked to the wall and ran my hands along the rippled form, looking for a door to the inner part of the house. Finding none I walked to the balcony, and from there walked into another room. The view was stunning from this high up, and now I realized that I was in a tower near the top of the cliff on the outskirts of the city. Below I could see many small figures, wearing colors from bright green to a mottled gray.
From here I could tell that none wore crimson like I did. I ran my hand across my waist where the loincloth was usually bound and I realized for the first time that I wasn't wearing anything anymore. My body was fully exposed to winds up here, causing goosebumps to ripple down my thighs. At least at this height no one below would be able to tell that I was nude.
I turned quickly and walked into the next room, my face flushed from my realization. This room was more filled than the last. A low table rested in the center, surrounded by plush cushions and looking remarkably like the table that I had shown Master Tiran to in the restaurant. A bookcase took up a side wall, the glass behind it dark from being pressed into the cliff.
A door led from this room into the main building and was latched with a small metal clasp. I reached toward it and grabbed on only to be shocked by what felt like a fire blast of pain that traveled up my arm, spreading over my body as I yelped. The last trace of the fire lingered in my new scar, and I lifted my hand to feel it.
The first thing I felt was cool metal pressing against the skin. I realized that I still had the two metal discs in my hand and pulled them away. The burning feeling surged after the metal left my skin, burning deeper than it had when I had touched the latch.
I quickly brought the metal back and soothed the pain, sighing when the burning faded. A blast of energy flowed from my hand and a blinding light poured from between my fingers. The metal faded from my hands and I panicked, dropping to the floor to find the fallen tokens. As the light faded and the spots left my eyes I looked around in confusion.
The coins were nowhere to be found, but instead I found what seemed to be a lump of scarlet covered metal. I gasped as realization hit me. Sitting on the floor before me was my blood-bond, separated from my being.
Somehow the bond had broken, leaving any need for obedience and being fully subservient to fade. I immediately felt bad about it. Master Tiran had wasted a small fortune on me, and now I wasn't bound to him. I ran a hand over my smooth skin, which would now start growing hair. I was unbound from the bond and the chaste mark. My body would start maturing to my nineteen years, and I was free.
I crouched looking at the metal lump, not daring to touch it. Its scarlet color had faded a bit, leaving a slightly coppery looking substance. The floor beneath it picked up the scarlet color, but blended well with the cherry wood.
I was so deep in thought that I did not hear Master... No, just Tiran... Come around the corner. A claw on my shoulder startled me and I stood up straight, bowing slightly to the hawk-man. He looked calm and collected, his wings folded behind him as he tilted his head slightly, implying confusion.
"I broke the blood-bond, I'm sorry."
He just looked at me for a second. "Well, one less thing I have to do!" Tiran's melodic voice informed me, assuaging my fears. "And I like the copper-gold feather."
I looked at him, confused by the last comment until he poked my chest. I looked down to see that the scar tissue had been replaced a multi metaled feather. I stroked it and was amazed that, even though it appeared to be metal, it was as soft as the chest plumage on Tiran. I smiled, the first real smile in a long time, and hugged Tiran.
"Whoa there!" he said in a nice tone. "You are still nude."
"I don't care!"
I slowly released Tiran and smiled happily as he walked over to the door, unlatching it without a problem. He lead me inside to a large kitchen/formal dining area. The walls were decorated with inlays and the floor was all covered in carpet, the lush fabric of it feeling good against my bare feet. The dining table was carved ivory plating, a mosaic taking up the middle. The kitchen itself was better equipped than the kitchen at The Je'weel, fresh produce sitting in baskets along the counter.
Knives hung along the wall in small stands, a section taken up by pots and pans. The multitude of metal instruments gleaming in the light from the rippled windows. Away from all the hanging items was a small food prep area, which looked well maintained. A hall at the other end lead down from this room and deeper into the cliff, two doors at the end across from each other.
"One is my bedroom, and the other is the bathe." Tiran said, standing close behind me as I took in my new surroundings.
"I am truly sorry that I broke the blood-bond." I stated, "And after you spent so much."
Tiran looked abashed by my comment. "I would not have kept you as a slave, I would have freed you immediately anyways. I believe that all should be free, able to gather their own way in life. Make their own mistakes, pay their own debts." Tiran's eyes looked far off, staring through the open door as the sun started to dip below the horizon.
"I don't know how to live on my own though, and I don't want to leave you after all you have done for me." I admitted quietly, my face reddening from embarrassment. I truly feared that he would force me to leave, have me go on my own into the world.
"Well, from what I saw at the restaurant, you are a brilliant cook. What if you stayed with me, and cook for me?"
I just hugged him in response, his arms wrapping around me as well. Having the large bird hold me was comforting, and I relaxed into it, breathing in the woodsy smell of the hawk. His soft plumage rubbed against me nicely.
"Now," Tiran stated, pulling back, "Let's get you some clothes!"
I giggled lightly and nodded in response. Tiran started toward the hall and led me to what had to be his room. It was dark compared to the rest of the house, and was warm, comforting. A large bed filled the center of the room. The only other furniture was a wardrobe, which Tarin was rooting through. He turned back to me and tossed me a garment that was a cross between the loincloth I had always worn and the shorts that he wore himself.
It was gold colored and had a silver rope belt, a long gold flap coming down from both the front and the back. I slipped it on, noticing it was a little loose at the back, most likely designed for Avians. As I tied the rope belt tight Tarin came up behind me and lifted me easily. He quickly jumped both of us into the bed, putting us smack dab in the middle of the plush mattress.
He held me close to him, wrapping his arms around me as he murmured goodnight in my ear.
/
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Ch4
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I hummed lightly, warmness covering me as I woke up. For a second I started, the strange feeling of feathers unnatural, but then I relaxed. I lifted my hand and rubbed it along Tiran's, only to feel a scraping sensation. It was light and felt good, but it was scraping, unlike the feeling of his hands last night.
I opened my eyes and immediately adjusted to the warm orange glow that was in the room, small mirrors angling and diffusing the light around from outside. I looked down at Tiran's hands and gasped, waking the hawk-man from his light slumber.
My fingers were narrower and now ended in tiny claws, my skin having turned a shiny gray. It was rough looking and small ridges played over my knuckles. I sat up quickly, jerking out of Tiran's arms, and getting a grunt from him as a response. Half way up my forearms, the gray skin ended, blue pin feathers sprouting along the backs of my arms, while a light green speckled the insides.
The feathers were longer the farther they went up my arms, and by my shoulders were full grown. I looked at my chest, light green feathers covering my front, all the way down past my knees, the outer color of cerulean contrasting nicely against the shade. I ran my new hands through the feathers on my front, the soft velvety feeling consuming my thoughts.
On the left part of my chest, the feathers were discolored, a silver pattern resting where my injury had been yesterday. It still held the feather shape, though if my feathers themselves were not straight it resembled a spiraling rune.
I ran my hands down my legs, rubbing past where my genitals had been yesterday, but now what remained was a slit. I didn't panic at that, knowing well from my enslaved childhood years at the bathhouse that dragon males had slits, and assuming it was the same for birds.
Further down my feathers shrank again, giving way to the same shining gray/black complexion that now covered my arms and hands. My lower legs were thinner than before, the hard skin truly looking similar to what Tiran had.
My feet were changed entirely, three fully formed toe claws coming from the front, while one came from the back, giving me a raptorial look. I teased the toes, feeling the roughness from the skins rubbing against each other and appreciating the new sensation.
Tiran's hands settled on me from behind and he rubbed against my shoulders, eliciting a moan from me. My voice and tone was now higher pitched, almost musical in what I heard. He moved his hands down to my back and leaned forward, inhaling against my shoulder.
"You are one beautiful bird. You know that?" Tiran lifted his head from my shoulder and moved his hands to my chest, stroking through the feathers and twirling the silver pattern into spirals. "You look so good like this."
I hummed happily, letting Tiran's hands drift to my stomach and back. "You're a tease." I murmured. "Why am I a bird?" I questioned, my now musical voice raising and lowering, almost hypnotizing myself.
"It started when I took the blood coin." Tiran stated. "A little twist of magic started its unraveling, and when I brought you back and healed you, the silver coin started the change... Are you mad at me for changing you?"
I paused at this question, tensing lightly. Was I mad? I was forced out of my weak human form, released from my blood-bond, and now had what seemed to be a very loving hawk-man holding me close as I sat on his bed.
I was now free to make my own choices, and if when I was done changing I looked anything like Tiran, I would be a beautiful flying creature. So was I mad?
"I could never be mad at you." I whispered. "You saved my life, and now I will be even further from my past. I love you."
My words seemed to make Tiran freeze, and I wondered if I was wrong to admit my feelings for him so fast. I felt my face grow hot and I lifted my hand to rub against it. Instead of meeting a nearly flat, humanistic face, I was surprised to feel a hard bulge where my mouth was. I ran a claw over the protrusion, realizing it was the start of a beak, yet still soft and fleshy like my lips had been.
Tiran started moving again, wrapping his arms tighter around me, and nuzzling into my neck, his beak rubbing perfectly into the crook. "I love you, too." he whispered back, "I loved you since I first laid eyes on you. It's why I made you talk to me, and why I had you eat with me at the restaurant. It's why I wanted to give you praise in front of your boss and why I was going to ask you to go out with me after you were finished with work.
I'm sorry that I didn't know you were a slave and that you would be hurt by what I was doing, but I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted to move slowly, going to dinner with you and getting to know you more. I love you." Tiran's words cracked on the last sentence, as he started crying into my neck.
"It's okay." I stated, rubbing a newly clawed had across the top of his head. "You really wanted to ask me out?"
"Yes," he sniffled, regaining composure. "I'm sorry I changed you without asking. You looked so handsome as a human though, that I couldn't resist seeing you as a bird." Tiran took a deep shuddering breath before continuing. "You are the most beautiful male I have ever seen. You shine even in this small amount of light, and your skin reminds me of one of my happiest memories..."
"Can you tell me the memory?" I asked, lost in his voice and praise for me.
"It was a long time ago. After it rained I went to fly, and got lost." embarrassment creeping into his voice. "I flew a long way and the forest opened into a large clearing. The ground was completely black, but shone in the sun. Water droplets covered the stone and reflected the lights different ways as I walked past it. I brought a piece of the stone home with me, and was informed that it was slate."
"Slate. My skin looks like slate." I mused aloud, trying the word in my new beak. "It sounds wonderful. And... if y-you agree, I think that I would like it as a n-name."
I blushed at asking him this, and leaned back, feeling my face burn. He would never agree to it. Tiran had probably already thought of something, or would find my request laughable compared to all the other names out there. I liked it though, and waited for his response, hoping beyond hope that he would think it a good name.
He paused his response, building my worry that he would break down laughing at me when I wanted so badly to please him. "It's wonderful." he said finally. My face broke into a smile as he said this. Tiran had not thought me childish or dull. He truly thought it was wonderful. I leaned further back and turned my head to him.
I had my lips/beak against his, locked into the wonderful golden mas that was behind me. He froze as I kissed him, then recovered and pushed back, slipping his agile tongue into my mouth. I twined my slightly thicker tongue against his and let my body go lax, only held up by Tiran's arms. His beak was stiff, but gave some and locked the edges completely, sealing the kiss.
We eventually broke the kiss and sighed in mutual happiness. My feathers were now slightly slick from sweat, the somewhat sweet odor hanging in the room.
"Did you really want to go on a date?" I asked, shyness creeping up on me.
"Yes, I do. How about we go to your old place of work for dinner tonight and torture your ex-boss?"
All I could do was smile in return. "How about a bath first?"
=<><><><><>=
The bathing area was huge. Bare rock walls held a sheen of moisture as the natural hot spring filled a large area in the middle of the room, steam coming from its bubbling surface. Tiran led me further in, having shucked his clothes in the bedroom and grabbed a towel for each of us.
He was beautiful, the chocolate brown on his tail tip fading seamlessly into his golden rump. Now that he no longer wore his vest I could see that his chest feathers were a shade lighter than the rest on his body, even with the mixed in speckles. His front was wonderful and sleek, the feathers covering all of his skin better than any clothing.
I confirmed my theory about slits when he had taken off his own clothes, and had noticed that he had some how undressed me in the night. To my right was a full length mirror, not steamed up in this humid room.
I looked closely, examining myself fully for the first time. I had a crest of blue feathers near the back of my head that looked nice. All of my exposed 'skin' was the dark gray, almost blak, including my forming beak. My eyes had grown and turned color, now a wonderfully chilling ice blue. Black marks traced from the top of my beak and stretched under my eyes. They trailed down the sides of my face and circled back, closing in near the base of my neck, the inside of the circle a slightly darker green than the rest..
My chest and stomach were light green,the color not too obnoxious, and was pleasing to the eyes. The green also formed patches along the underside of my arms and lined my crotch down to the inside of my legs.
My back was blue with the exception of my wing bulges and tail feathers. So far my back had only bulged slightly, Tiran assuring me that after another rest my wings would be full grown, the green moving mostly to the underside. My tail feathers were half the length of Tiran's and had the same green as my neck running through the feathers on the underside, continuing from my ass.
Tiran walked up behind me, wrapping me in a hug as I examined myself, barely six inches taller.
I blinked at the mirror and compared heights again. "Am I taller?" I asked, disbelieving that I was now what seemed to be a foot taller than before.
"Yep," Tiran replied cheekily, "I'd say six one or so. It seems that when I changed you, the magic didn't like your height."
I chuckled at the comment. No matter how strange the height difference was, it was nice to still be smaller than Tiran.
"So, does my beautiful little bluejay need a lift to the tub?"
"I'm a bluejay?" I questioned, thinking back to the many times I had seen the small blue and white birds. I did look very similar to them, the head crest and black markings on the chest exactly the same, as well as the nice shade of blue. "Then why am I green on the front?"
"To answer your questions little jay," Tiran said, running a hand through my crest, "Yes you are a bluejay, but it seems you have a little bit of tropical in you too. It's nice, isn't it?"
I nodded then let out a half squeal, half yell, my bird vocal chords making the noise sound nice, as Tiran slung me over his shoulder, walking the five feet to the tub. I was tossed in head first and came up gasping for breath only to get splashed as Tiran jumped in.
I giggled as he came up and splashed him in the face, getting one back myself before I leaned back into my love, wrapping my hand around his and wondering if I would lose a finger to have the same amount as Tiran.
I sighed in content as he rubbed my back bulge, relieving the pressure there and then reaching around to twirl my chest mark again. I truly liked the swirled pattern and tried to get it locked into my head. The silver line reminded me of letters. An upside down u at the top, an x in the middle and a u on the bottom, though only the left sides of the u's connected with the x. I decided that from now on that's how I wanted it to look.
A burst of light flashed from my chest and when I looked again my feathers were flat, the swirl now the main pattern. I smiled and looked at Tiran, who still seemed light dazed. I leaned in for a kiss and drove my fears of dinner to the back of my mind, relaxing here and now with the one I love.
/
/
Ch5
/
I tugged quickly, my last tooth coming out painlessly. Setting it aside I sighed and leaned back in the chair. A small pile of teeth sat on the table in front of me, having been steadily falling out for the last hour.
My beak was now longer and reached into my peripheral vision. It retained very little flexibility from this morning, but was still more so than Tiran's. I looked over at him, watching as he collected my teeth and put them in a small box.
I wrapped myself in my lengthening wings, enjoying the break from the wind in the outdoor dining room. So far they were four feet across when I spread them, only a third of what their final length would be.
"Tiran?" I asked quietly, trying to get his attention without startling him. "Are you sure you want to go to The Je'weel?"
"Are you only asking because you don't want to glide down?" he responded, bringing me a small drinking glass designed for beaks. He always seemed to know what was on my mind. I smiled nervously and nodded. Even though Tiran assured me that my wings were now large enough to glide down the cliff, I was still nervous. I had never been a fan of heights, but now that I had wings I had to face it.
I leaned into Tiran, snuggling into the feathers on his side as I sipped at the small fruity drink. He placed an arm around me and pulled me closer, wrapping his wings around us both. I leaned up and kissed him, moving my now elongated tongue into his mouth and receiving the same from him.
"Hmm... If your still scared about it, I could carry you down. Or if your just a little nervous, I could catch you." Tiran suggested. It was a brilliant idea and I leaned against his neck.
"If you would catch me, I'll do it."
=<><><><><>=
The sun pressed closer to the horizon and we stood at the edge of the balcony, peering down on the city below. Tiran gave my hand a squeeze and dove off the edge, his form rising immediately after and spiraling back. He waited nearby as I climbed onto the rail, trying not to think of falling, only flying. I mean, flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss, right?
I stretched my small wings and looked down again. Vertigo hit me hard, and instead of diving, as Tiran had advised, I fell. My body twisted around, the ground and sky changing positions quickly. I flailed my arms and stretched my wings once again, trying to straighten out.
My fall turned suddenly, my stomach still dropping as the rest of my body stopped. Wind brushed by under my wings and I let out a cry of joy. Tiran swooped down near me and signaled down, displaying how to tilt my wings to go in the direction I want to go.
I followed his example and glided behind him as we headed to the restaurant. The city below was beautiful, the sun casting its setting colors across the roofs. I watched as people walked on the streets, many coming back from their shopping. A small cart piled with sacks was leaving the town, obviously having sold all of its wares for the day.
I watched as small birds darted between the window sills, chirping at each other happily. Curving, I followed Tiran into a steeper dive as we prepared to land. Then something crossed my mind. Tiran hadn't told me how to land.
A dozen feet ahead of me Tiran pulled back, his wings flapping to slow down. He gently landed and turned to where I was heading in. I tried to copy his motions, but my wings gave against the stiffer wind, effectively throwing me into free fall. I yelled out as the wind whistled by, my panic resurfacing and taking over my thoughts.
Then, suddenly, I wasn't falling anymore. Tiran held me in his arms, gently lowering me to the ground as I regained my balance. I sighed in relief and hugged him.
I folded my wings behind my back and smiled up at my wonderful hawk-man. "I guess I didn't have to worry. You kept your promise."
"I am a man of my word!" Tiran said, his voice at a deep gruff as he mock saluted. We both burst out laughing and he pulled me to his side, moving us through the front doors of the restaurant we had met in yesterday.
It was amazing that it was only yesterday. I felt like a year had passed since I left, and it was surprising that everything was the same here. A blood-bound greeted us politely and led us into the restaurant, going to a table near the middle. The atmosphere was nice, most large families having already eaten and left. Most tables were occupied by couples or single people, all quiet or engaged in soft conversation.
Taking our menus as we were seated, both of us immediately flipped to the back cover. I looked over the list of items, giving quiet remarks to Tiran on what each meal was and how good it was. After deciding on our meal, I leaned into Tiran, kissing the tip of his beak gently.
"Why is kissing so fun?" I asked, half serious, half mock. "It seems like a waste of time till you actually do it."
"You know, there are things better than kissing..." Tiran trailed off, his face turning red and his breathing speeding up a little. My own face flushed as I realized what he was talking about. Clearing my throat slightly, I decided to change the subject.
"What do you think Grash would do if he saw me. Blow a blood vessel, or pee himself?"
"Why do you think his reaction would be that drastic?" Tiran questioned, his voice smoothing more with his confusion on the subject.
I sighed happily, loving Tiran's voice. "He is a lover of the old magics, and if i'm not mistaken, a form change is pretty big."
"Well, you are right about that. I found the coin in an old cave, but I hear there are those that pay out the nose and then some for the things."
"I'm sorry that you had to waste so much on me." I said, definitely feeling that I wasn't worth it. He had gave so much, and gotten so little.
"Believe me," he whispered in my ear, sensing my sadness. "You are worth more than I can say. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. I love you."
"I love you, too."
=<><><><><>=
Very little of the food remained, and we were both stuffed. I had my head laying on Tiran's lap as I ran my hand over his lower leg. Tiran had one hand running over my chest, as the other played with my crest. I sighed happily, gently letting out a whistling hum.
The table was near enough, so I lifted an arm and retrieved a small dish of sherbert. I filled a spoon and held it against Tiran's beak, slipping it in as he opened his mouth.
"You know," I whispered quietly, embarrassed by the thought. "When we get back, do you want to... um... try some of those things that are better than kissing?" My face burned bright and hot, my position in Tiran's lap doing nothing to ease the discomfort that came with saying the words out loud.
Tiran lifted me into a sitting position and kissed me, depositing some of the sherbert into my mouth. Our tongues wrapped around one another's and I felt as he swallowed the sweet dessert left in his mouth. I followed suit, swallowing the small bit he had gotten in my mouth and drawing his tongue in further with the same move.
He moaned softly as we broke the kiss, both of us panting slightly. "Thant sounds absolutely wonderful!" Tiran gasped out, his face holding a happy smile.
I hugged myself against him once more, rubbing my hand over the green vest he had worn today while he rubbed my thigh through the gold and silver shorts he had given me last night. As I was leaning in for another kiss, the curtain around our table opened, the blood-bound bowing low.
Grash walked in, his eyes piercing me and Tiran. His scales were as polished as ever, the suit ending at his wrists today. I eyed him warily, wondering what had brought him out. It was completely unlike him to come to a customer's table. Something else was off too, it seemed as if he was giving off pure rage.
"So you left the worthless shit wherever you came from and brought your boyfriend, eh?" Grash spat out, his anger apparent. "I want to see that slave again, now. He took something that belongs to me!"
I ran this over in my head as Grash stared daggers at Tiran. I had never taken anything from the old dragon, and even if I had, he was not able, by law, to force another's slave to do anything. Not that I was a slave anymore, but he didn't know that.
"And what, pray tell, did he take?" Tiran asked, a polite tone covering his usually wonderful voice. It seemed that he realized something was wrong, too.
"He took an ancient medallion that I was wearing yesterday. There's no use denying it, I know he has it, and I will see him punished for it!" The dragon was losing his usual calm. Something about the medallion had upset him, but then it could all be a trick. This dragon in front of us seemed half crazed, and definitely not all there.
"Well," Tiran stated calmly. "If you want to make false accusations to his face,at least have the decency to take back your meaningless lies."
"To his face?" the dragon questioned angrily. "What do you mean!?"
"I mean that it is very rude to both make false accusations and ignore the person you're accusing when he is right here."
I paled as Grash turned his attention to me. I squeezed against Tiran tightly, wishing he had not let out the fact that I was here. A gleam entered the dragon's eye as he reached into his pocket.
"So, you have been turned into a bird, eh? All the better. You will give me my medallion, or I will be forced to retrieve it from you." he snarled, the glint in his eye showing that he wasn't telling the truth.
"I do not have a medallion." I said politely. "Perhaps you have misplaced it."
As soon as I finished, Grash bellowed, his blue scales turning scarlet as he lost his temper. I backed against Tiran and hoped for the best. The Grash imposter launched himself across the table, and I launched myself backwards, trying to avoid his grasp. Tiran was struck across the side of the face, letting out a grunt as he sprawled across the floor.
I squawked, the sound harsh to the ears, and jumped to Tiran's form. I placed a hand on him and he moaned, regaining consciousness quickly. His eyes fluttered open just as a hand closed on my wing. I turned, panicked, and tried to pull out of the scarlet dragon's too tight grip.
I couldn't escape. I turned my claws out, trying to gauge my attacker, but the scales protected him. A pop resounded from my wing. The pain was unbelievable, worse than any pain I had felt before. My breathing became shallow and my muscles loosened. The grip released and I fell to the floor.
The scarlet dragon towered above me, looking confused for a second. A small silver point stuck out from his chest, and he toppled backwards. Standing in the now empty space was Grash, the real one.
"Hello Thirty-Three."
I turned away and crawled to Tiran, my dislocated wing dragging behind me. He had his eyes open, but the were unfocused. I moved in and kissed him on the forehead, tears of pain slipping into my feathers.
"I guess we'll have to wait for the stuff better than kissing." Tiran said, chuckling as I lay in his arms.
/
/
Ch6
/
I ran my hands over my toes nervously, my legs crossed so I could sit comfortably on the large chair. I looked over to Tiran's sleeping form then moved back to playing with my toes.
I had few left now, three toes to each foot. One extending backwards and the other two forwards. My hands had gone through a similar change in my sleep, each hand now down to four fingers, my pinkies having faded away. Each finger come to a point, not sharp, but pointed enough to cut if I tried.
Sighing, I turned back to Tiran, hoping that he would wake soon so we could leave the small hospital. The building smelled of cleaning products and sickness. Many of the doctors had assured me that avians were very healthy, and caught almost nothing, but I still worried. The small room was oppressing, the sterile white seeming to suck any happiness from its surroundings.
I wrapped my fully grown wings around myself, repelling the nearing nights chill. Soon we would almost have been here a day. My injuries had healed quickly, the transformation mending the small amount of damage. Tiran wasn't as lucky.
He had received minor head trauma, the doctors telling me that when he woke he would be fine. Unwrapping myself, I moved to the bed, wrapping my arms around Tiran as I lay next to him, sliding a hand up to his forehead and rubbing across it. I hummed lightly, the musical tones flowing seamlessly from my throat.
After a bit of time I quieted, just holding my love and listening to his breath. From outside I could hear waves crashing against the distant shore. I could see the cliff rising around the city, small passes carved from the stone for the traveling merchants that passed through. Slowly I grew tired, sleep over-taking me as the sun set.
=<><><><><>=
"Morning sleepy." came a lilting voice as I opened my eyes. Tiran stared at me, his eyes sparkling in the early morning light that came in through the hospital window.
"Tiran!" I squeaked, wrapping my arms around the beautiful hawk. "You didn't wake up yesterday."
He just chuckled. "Yes. I hear that people with head trauma like that tend to sleep more, their brains healing themselves and what-not."
I slipped my beak forward and gave a him a soft kiss. We both stood from the bed and I was pleased to see that I hadn't grown anymore along with the rest of my overnight changes. Tiran stretched his arms and wings, the feather tips brushing along opposite walls. I copied the move, my own light bones creaking out the stiffness.
"Well, well." Tiran said, smiling down at me. "My little jay is fully changed now is he?" I blushed and held up my hands for his inspection. He reached forward and interlaced our fingers. Slowly he released my hands, and rubbed across my full beak. Then reaching out and rubbing against my wings, stretching them in ways that felt pleasurable.
I moaned out at the feeling and Tiran grinned. "So, do you still want to go home and get to know each other better?"
I blushed hard, feeling as if even my feathers had turned red. "Yes."
Tiran took my hand, pulling me past the entrance to the building and spreading his wings as we reached the outside. "Just follow my lead."
I stretched my wings, holding them the same that Tiran held his. He turned and smiled at me, before flapping them hard, the stiff breeze causing me to stumble as he lifted straight into the air. I gawked at him, hanging low above the buildings, his wings flapping steadily as he waited for me to follow suit. To me it hadn't looked like his wings had lifted him, it looked as if he had jumped ten feet up before raising himself with his wings alone.
I pushed my wings up, the muscles nice and loose, ready for the flight ahead. I tensed my legs and jumped as my wings came down. My body rocketing into the air, my wings working steadily through the shock. It seemed like I was light as a feather. Or at least lighter than a human. My wings beat powerfully as I took to the air, going in circle as as I followed Tiran up the air drafts.
Soon I could see the whole city. The small building looked like toys, the people walking the streets, ants. I turned into the breeze, letting it fill my wings as I turned toward Tiran.
"It's perfect!" I yelled, trying to be heard above our wings and the wind. He nodded and gave a thumbs up before signaling toward the cliff. I followed close behind, allowing my wings to rest by riding on Tiran's back draft.
All too soon we were back at the balcony, light reflecting from the glass walls. I landed on my own, my larger wings able to preform the actions that my smaller wings had failed at a few days ago. Launching myself at Tiran I caught him off guard, almost toppling him as he tried to unlatch the door. I laughed as he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head, holding me still as he finished opening the door to go inside.
We immediately moved to the bedroom, kissing each other all the way there. The room was illuminated a calm yellow, the sun still approaching its noon peak. Tiran ran his hands over my chest, moving his fingers through my feathers and rubbing against the skin underneath. Slowly he moved down, rubbing across the feathers down to my waist.
I followed suit, stripping his vest off and resting my hands against his firm stomach. Tiran reached the rope that held my shorts and unsecured it, allowing them to fall to the floor. I was hard, my erection a shining black pole of meat. I blushed slightly, returning the favor and seeing Tiran's erection for the first time.
He looked the same as me, except color, a slight bulge at the base and a steady thickness till the tip, where it tapered to a point. A small drop of pre ran down his length, the light pink flesh glistening in its path. I licked my beak as I gazed at the length.
I lowered myself to the floor as Tiran sat on the bed, his legs spread out for me. I leaned in and licked tentatively at the tip, eliciting a moan from the hawk above me as a spurt of pre came out and landed on my tongue. I pulled the liquid in and held it there, enjoying the slightly sweet taste.
I leaned back in and licked across the underside, my tongue taking in the taste of maleness. Lowering my head, I opened my beak wide, taking in the thick girth and wrapping my tongue around it. I kept going down until it hit the back of my throat, causing me to gag slightly. Tiran moaned above me, obviously enjoying a warm beak around his cock.
I lifted back up, then lowered again, starting a bobbing rhythm as I tried to get the last few inches into my maw. Slowly I got my throat to open, the length slipping all the way in as Tiran bucked, my gag reflex not reacting.
Starting to swallow, I held still, stimulating my lovely hawk with my throat as I slipped my tongue down further, entering his slit and rubbing against the inside, getting another moan and buck from Tiran. He started panting, sweat rolling down his feathers, and I could tell he was getting close.
I pulled my head off, getting a large burst of pre and a whimper from my love. I locked our beaks and swirled my tongue into Tiran's mouth, sharing the sweet pre with him before pulling away, a thick line of saliva connecting our beaks.
"I want you in me." I stated, staring into Tiran's eyes to see his reaction. A smile spread across his face and he leaned forward, nuzzling against my beak. "Of course Slate. Lay up here and lift your legs."
I complied, laying on the soft mattress and lifting my knees to my chest, my bird self being highly flexible compared to before. Tiran moved between my legs and I leaned my head back, waiting for his hot shaft to press against my tail hole. I gasped in surprise as I instead felt a hot slimy tongue lapping against my ass.
I moaned out as Tiran lubed me with his tongue, the length of it running across the feathers on my bottom, the saliva slipping to my, as yet, untouched hole. The licking stopped and I felt Tiran shift, his head moving into my view as I finally felt his slickened length push against me.
"Tell me if it hurts." Tiran whispered, licking across my beak and along the side of my face. I nodded and relaxed, hoping it would go in nice and easy.
The pressure at my ass lasted only a little until there was a wet slurping sound, Tiran's head slipping into my virgin hole. I gasped, pain being the first sensation as my body clenched hard, preventing him from moving any further. My claws dug into the bedding as I gasped and tried to relax, knowing that the pain would go away eventually, but eventually was not soon enough.
I pulled Tiran's head to mine, kissing him deeply to distract myself from the pain. Our tongues entwined and I felt myself loosen, a small amount of pleasure traveling up my spine as a large spurt of pre heated my insides. I nodded into the kiss, our tongues still entwined, letting Tiran know that I was ready for more.
He leaned forward, more slipping in as he rested against my body. I broke the kiss, bringing in a deep breath to replenish my oxygen. My shaft throbbed, hitting Tiran's chest as he hilted in me, stopping and letting me adjust. I relaxed, my body covered by my lovely hawk, his erection filling my insides. I felt Tiran's heart beat, his pulsing member bumping lightly against my prostate making my own jump in time.
A hand wrapped around my throbbing length, jerking it lightly a few times as we regained our breath. Tiran slowly pulled out, only leaving his tip in me as I whimpered at the emptiness. He quickly filled me again, his shaft sliding easily into my bowels as he started a rhythm, stroking me in time.
Before long I felt that I was getting close. The pressure in my ass and the thrusts against my prostate building quickly for my first time. "I-I'm gonna cum!" I said, my voice going high with the strain. Tiran gave no verbal response, but sped up.
The hand on my cock became a blur, stroking me quickly as he humped against my ass. A muffled feathery smack resounding from my ass. I moaned long and deep, my body clenching tightly as I swelled up, the first shot shooting into the air and landing on Tiran's beak, the white streak contrasting nicely with the yellow.
Tiran humped against me a few more times as my seed shot across my chest. He then moaned deeply, the sound reverberating in my clenching ass as his cock swelled inside me, filling the space and finally shooting Tiran's load deep into my ass.
A minute later we were both coming down from our peaks. I rubbed against my stomach, the area bulging lightly from all of the warm cum in me while my feathers squished against my hands, my own cum covering my front. Tiran collapsed against me, worn out from the sexual high. I licked across his beak, tasting my sweet and salty cum. He fell asleep, his cock still in me and his weight laying comfortably across my own form.
I rubbed our stomachs together, my cum squelching between us. I sighed and laid my head back, rubbing a hand against Tiran's ass.
"Good night, my lovely hawk."
/
/
Ch7 (conclusion)
/
=One Month Later=
Steam rose as I submerged the hot pan in the sink, rinsing the surface to remove small bits of caramelized fruit. A door down the hall opened, the sound echoing quietly through the home. The morning sun rose in the distance, the light diffused by the glass walls, sounds entering through the open wall that led to a small new patio.
I breathed deeply and sighed, the day's warm wind rolling across my feathers. Winter was approaching, but it was never cold in this part of the continent. Those who lived here their whole life may have thought so, but after three weeks to the far north, I now enjoyed the late fall heat.
"How is my little jay this morning." came that wonderful, musical, voice. "I see you made breakfast. What wonderful fruit dish have you made today?"
I turned and took in the lovely hawk before me. After being together for over a month we had become engaged, erring to the side of dragon customs. Soon we would be life mates, sworn to each other for the rest of both our lives. We would preform the ceremony in two months, but until then we had free time to go anywhere we wanted.
"They are similar to dumplings, my lovely hawk." I said, using my own pet name for him. "I felt inspired by the beautiful sunrise of the southern continent to make something new."
"So," Tiran said, wrapping his arms around me and nuzzling against my beak. "Does that mean you did not appreciate our trip to meet my family?"
He ran his hand through my crest, making it stand up higher, the tips having gained a slight green tint, making them appear teal. "It was wonderful, and so was your family. It was nice to meet them all, and to know that they accept me. I don't think those three weeks could have been more wonderful. Next time, though, they are coming here."
"B-but, how? Where would we put them all?" Tiran stuttered out, eliciting a soft giggle from me.
"We'll renovate. Add another hall that goes to the other side of the baths, put four or five rooms in, and another door to the baths themselves. Unless my lovely hawk doesn't enjoy spending time with his family as much as I thought?" I said, putting a sad tone in my voice as I asked the question. "We already turned that useless balcony area into a nice patio. I'm sure we could finish the rooms by the time of the ceremony so they can be here for it."
Tiran just sighed in defeat, he knew when he was beat. He took the large platter in his hands and led me out onto the patio in question. The dining room furniture from inside had been moved out here, giving it a nice sophisticated feeling. We still had yet to decide what to make of the large amount of space inside, but I knew we would come up with something creative.
Tiran sat himself in a chair, popping a dumpling into his mouth. He smiled and closed his eyes, tilting his head back. Giggling, I slipped myself into his lap, resting into his chest as he placed a dumpling in front of my face. I took it gingerly, running my tongue across his fingers before he moved his hand away.
"You truly are a great cook." Tiran said, happily enjoying the food I had made.
"And I'm you little cook. As long as I don't have to cook meat, I will be fine." I said, shuddering in revulsion at the thought of raw meat being cooked till it gave off that disgustingly bloody smell. Becoming a bird had made it even more revolting, the smell being stronger. I couldn't even eat it anymore.
Many avians were either carnivores or herbivores. Most being unable to stand the taste of one, yet loving the other. Tiran was just as repulsed from meat as me, taking after his mother. She was a beautiful parakeet, her bright plumage cheering any area that she entered. She had been the most welcoming of me, treating me as if I were her own son. Although, technically I would be soon.
Tiran's father was a hawk, the same as him. The only feature that Tiran hadn't gotten from his father being his golden eyes. He had been the least accepting, though had given no outright comment against it, and had grown to like me the time that I had been there.
Tiran's many siblings were spread across a long range of age, the youngest was five while the oldest had been thirty-seven. All welcomed me with open arms.
"I don't think your father would be happy if he couldn't eat his meat, but I don't think there is any way I could stand having the smell of it in here."
"Don't worry about him." Tiran said, feeding me another dumpling. "He'll take my two brothers out to dinner every night they're here. They have been in houses before that didn't cater to the love of the stuff."
"Not to change the subject or anything," I said, truly wishing to change the subject, my tone completely agreeing. "But I think the next place we go to should have some furs."
Most of the world was separated marginally by species. The southern continent wasn't as bad as others, there being a wide range of furred, scaled, and skinned people, but in the north where Tiran's parents were, it was almost all birds.
At first the views had been amazing, but I had started to miss the sight of other species roaming the areas where only birds could reach. My wings had ached constantly the first week, but had grown stronger than they probably would have otherwise.
The rest of the food was finished off in a comfortable silence as we watched the sun rise higher, its heat beating into our feathers. I sat watching the city come to life below. All sorts of people were walking the streets, going to work or just out to enjoy the wonderful day.
To the far left was the castle. It was magnificent, the structure being carved centuries ago from the cliff. A small royal family resided there, the King and Queen having helped the economy and livelihood of the inhabitants tremendously. Starting from the base of the castle, tall mansions rose, the wealthy of society living close.
Straight out from us was the shops and restaurants, catering to all of society. Near the end of the city turning into wharves and warehouses. Large ships resided in the cove, bringing passengers and goods to and from the sprawling landmass.
I could still see the ship that had docked the day before I had met Tiran floating gently in the waves. Its high masts held a variety of flags, the colors and symbols meaning nothing to me. I gazed out to the sea, wishing that I could fly over it and see nothing but blue in any direction. My stamina for flying wasn't that high though.
To the right were the good sized homes of the middle class. Each had a small rocky yard, most grasses and plants being unable to grow in the city. A few, though, had lush green yards that sprawled to their neighbors.
I sighed happily and leaned further back into Tiran, enjoying the moment and our love for each other. My hands ran back over his sides and along the shorts that he wore. I had convinced him to give up the vests he had worn, enjoying the view of his bare chest whenever we were together, which was mostly all the time. Near his knees I found a rather large feather that was gold near the base, the very top of it darkening a little. I secured it between my fingers and pulled it out, getting a yelp from my love.
"What was that for?" Tiran asked, rubbing the side of his leg and looking at me, hurt. I felt bad that I had done it now, his expression making me sad.
"I did it for this." I said, a little bit of my sadness going into my voice as I tucked the feather into my crest, most likely having it contrast nicely against the blue and faint teal highlight.
Tiran's expression immediately changed, a smile turning up on the corners of his beak. He leaned forward and ran a hand across my face, then kissed me. I opened my beak and let his tongue in, placing my own in his mouth. I caressed his back as I turned in his lap, facing my lovely hawk. Our beaks were held together tightly, no air getting past as we breathed through our nose holes.
I moved my hands up, wrapping them around the back of his head and pulling him in as far as I could. Small musical moans reverberated in the backs of both of our throats.
After nearly ten minutes I broke the kiss, no longer able to get enough oxygen into my lungs through my nose alone. We cuddled close and wrapped our arms and wings around one another. Tiran released one of his hands and reached into his pocket.
I backed a little ways away to see what he had gotten and saw two somewhat shiny slips of paper. They were gray and blank on the side I saw. Tiran slowly turned them over, building suspense at the slow movement.
Gasping, I hugged him tight. He had two boat tickets in his hand, and not just any boat, the boat. The boat I had seen for the first time an hour before I had seen Tiran. I felt tears of happiness running down my face. It would be the perfect trip, the tickets being for a month long cruise.
"We leave tomorrow." my lovely hawk whispered in my ear.
I backed up again and smiled, wiping the tears from my eyes. "We will have to start the remodeling after we get back, and it will be close, but this trip is going to be perfect. Just you and me and the open sea!"
He laughed and hugged me close. "Don't forget all of the other passengers and the crew."
"With you there, when will I have time to notice them? I love you, my lovely hawk."
"I love you, too, my little jay."
Life is good.
/