Prologue: Friendship and Love

Story by Seros Nym on SoFurry

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#1 of Echoes of a Dragon

This is my earliest stuff and so might look a tad rough. Includes the first sex scene I have ever written, does it look good? You tell me, because I lack proper perspective and an objective opinion! Also never start writing in notepad, I had to clear out like a hundred random double-spaces that I blame it for.

Feedback would be fantastic, though this story is old enough that I hope I've grown past any mistakes I made writing it.


I hold my sword in front of me with a single hand, point of the blade angled towards the ground. I shift my feet slightly, keeping my stance loose. My opponent, a rough-looking ruby dragon, holds his sword above his head, his free hand extending outwards towards me. We slowly edge towards each other, sizing each other up as I begin formulating a strategy. His aggressive stance means he will likely attempt to overpower me in a standoff and break through my guard. I could attempt to overwhelm him in turn, but judging by his size he might have the edge in strength. Simply avoiding his blows would be difficult, and would leave me no room for offense.

I glance to my side, seeing the line of knelt students. The instructor, a large ruby dragon with a thin beard of fine silver hair jutting from his chin, watches from his standing position off to the side. I spot Rel in the lineup. He stares at me, his face wearing an expression of tense confidence. He knows I can win.

"Erragh!" my crimson opponent shouts, bursting into a dash towards me with sword held high.

Time seems to slow as I swiftly search for a weakness in his attack. He has left his guard completely open, but he will strike me long before I can wind up a slash. A slash... An idea forms. Confidently, I step forward to meet his charge, my right leg tensed behind me. A split second before he reaches me, I lunge forward, dodging through his overhead slash, bringing my right leg up and driving my knee into his gut.

I hear a pained heave as I knock the wind out of my opponent, releasing his grip on his sword sending it clattering across the wooden floor. I draw aside, stepping away from him as he falls to the ground, clutching his stomach and gasping for air. The instructor strides forward.

"Well countered Zuro'ki." he says. "Zy'kun, let this be a lesson. Aggression may be perfectly viable against some, but not against a smart opponent."

The instructor turns to face the sitting students. After a moment of scanning them, he points at Rel.

"Rel'zeo, come. You will be the next opponent."

"Yes, Master Suji'jho"

My former opponent staggers away as Rel scrambles up, pausing for a moment at the weapon rack. Picking a staff, he rushes over to his starting position as I return to mine. We exchange glances. I can practically tell what he's thinking: Don't hold back. With a whirl of his staff, Rel drops into his fighting stance: legs apart, right hand gripping the staff and holding it horizontal, placing it lightly between his left thumb and forefinger, the end pointed at me. I flourish into my own stance in kind.

"Go." The instructor signals.

Rel begins steadily walking towards me, maintaining his stance with a quiet determination. I edge to my right and attempt to circle him. He will likely try to use his range to his advantage, I have to prevent him from-

Rel unexpectedly lunges at me from his position a couple meters away, disrupting my analysis. Shifting his grip on the staff, he grabs the farthest end with his right hand and thrusts the nearest towards me. I raise my sword and deflect the thrust inches away from my face. Not missing a beat, Rel uses the momentum of my parry to swing the staff around, twisting his body and aiming a sweeping strike at my legs. His spin gives me a split second to predict the trajectory and I hop into the air as the staff grazes across the wooden floor. Wheeling the staff around, Rel braces it on his shoulder and thrusts the tip at me once more. I weave aside and catch the weapon with my free hand, but the moment I do, Rel uses my hold to pull himself towards me, aiming a thrusting kick at my torso. I release my grip and attempt to twist aside, but the kick lands solidly on my abdomen, sending me stumbling back.

Rel follows through with a horizontal swipe of his staff aimed at my shoulders. I recover my balance with enough time to duck underneath it, lunging forward with a stab of my sword pointed at his chest. Pushing the other end of his staff in front of the blow, Rel deflects my stab, spinning his weapon around and raising it for a vertical strike. I whirl into the deflection, crouching down and using the momentum to fling my leg out in an arc, sweeping his feet out from under him.

Our strikes hit in the same instant. I feel a hard slap of wood on my back as I send Rel tumbling to the ground with a thump. I slump onto my side, pain erupting in my spine as I wince in pain. Rel lies face-up next to me with a dazed look on his face.

"Heh heh, impressive, you two." the instructor says as he approaches us. "A well executed, if short, spar. Rel'zeo, you held the advantage, but student Zuro'ki held his own magnificently against your staff technique."

"Thank you, Master." we groan in unison as we stagger to our feet.

"You may both be seated."

The other students look at us with mixtures of awe, jealousy, and indifference. A few make comments such as 'Nice parry Zuro!' or 'Neat kick you did there Rel!' but soon another spar begins and they leave us to our own discussion.

"Sorry Zu," Rel apologizes. "I picked a staff to keep things interesting, I know I've always used a sword up until now."

"It's alright." I say, rubbing my back with a grimace. "I never knew you were so good with one."

"It's my fathers weapon of choice." Rel says, beaming. "He taught me everything himself."

Rel hesitates for a moment, and then quickly adds "You were pretty good too, I was worried I would have to hold back." I note the hint of regret in his voice.

"Heh, you may be spoiled rotten, but I could still beat you up if I wanted."

"Oh yeah?" he says, laughing and dragging me onto the floor, where we wrestle playfully. The instructor soon notices our horseplay.

"You two, save that energy for training!"

We obediently sit up, panting heavily. We watch the other students spar while we chat idly between ourselves.

--

I sit at my desk, watching out the nearby window. I had just finished penning a report - mostly boring stuff regarding the imports and exports of the Western Prefecture - when I fell into a daydream.

It has only been one year since I was appointed the advisor of the West, nominated and thereby chosen by the current west Prefect and close friend, Rel'zeo. He succeeded his father, and has put his structured upbringing to good use in the position. Lord Tsu'zeo, his father, was famous for his foresight, and had led the Western Prefecture into an age of prosperity. Rel simply wishes not to disappoint his fathers former subjects, and has taken to the task in earnest.

Sometimes I worry about him..., he's still young, barely out of adolescence, as am I. I fear the rest of the governing council views us as inexperienced and unsuited for our positions. I hear the whispers about me in particular, how I am favored due to my ancestry and my long-standing friendship with Rel.

I am Zuro'ki, and I am one of the lucky few born as a white dragonkin, also known as a Moonborn. It is said that the Moonborn hold the closest connection with the Divine Dragon, our pearl-scaled patron god and shared ancestor. We are revered by the other dragonkin colors due to this, and are typically favoured as diplomats or representatives among ourselves.

However, I've never felt as though I have been given special treatment. My father whom I inherited the color from had left the Empire before I was born to pursue his own goals. I know little of what he sought, I rarely saw him as a hatchling, traditionally raised by the nurse-maidens of our clutch.

I am an only child, which is rare. Most males will sire many children in an effort to spread their family name and gain renown and status, and also ensuring their succession. My lack of an active sire meant I was introduced to the palace society just like any other noble: once I came of age I left our nursing caves and began my formal schooling in the palace, learning of things such as our history, former emperors, prefects, advisors, our method of government, and other mundane things like natural disasters and wars that we overcame.

My status as a Moonborn merely meant I was unsuited for being a soldier; after all, I was a precious rarity. Thus I learned more scholarly pursuits. I saw many fellow students moved to more military-minded training, whilst I moved on to governmental education and etiquette. I still received instruction in martial arts and weapons training as is our tradition, but the ingrained training to follow orders was omitted.

--

"Sorcery, or, magic, to use its more common name," The instructor begins. "is our gift and our birthright."

Holding his arm in front of him, palm upward, the instructor conjures a small sphere of flame hovering above his hand. After holding it for a moment, he extinguishes it and continues.

"As the progeny of the Divine Dragon, we are blessed with the mental capacity to alter the world around us."

Pacing slowly in front of the students knelt on the floor before him, the instructor, an aged azure dragon, pauses to survey the young ones he is teaching.

I shift slightly in my kneeling position, watching the instructor as his eyes wander from one student to the next. Our eyes lock briefly and I swiftly avert my gaze. Glancing back, I see he has begun his pacing anew.

"To manipulate the elements requires only the willpower to do so." as he says this, he taps his head for emphasis. "Do not mistake this for a trivial task. To bend reality to our will is not as simple as wishing for it to happen, you must KNOW that it will happen, you must wield confidence, cast aside all doubt."

Having reached the western end of the room, the instructor turns, drawing his stance back, holding his hand aloft. In a smooth, practiced motion, he thrusts his body forwards, channeling fire through his outward palm. A streak of red flame blasts forward, striking a wooden training dummy standing at the opposite side of the room. The dummy alights in flame, and the smell of charred wood fills my nostrils.

"It is much easier for our minds to comprehend wielding our power through physical means, such as our bodies, or through implements such as staves or scepters." the instructor notes as he strides towards the burning dummy.

"The ability to wield magic with only a thought is very difficult, only a small handful of dragonkin have mastered such an art." with a wave of his hand, the instructor creates a spray of water and douses the fire.

After a few more demonstrations, the students are ordered to stand up and begin practicing conjuring a small flame. The method is simply to hold your hand outwards, and envision yourself holding fire.

I stand in the corner of the room, palm outstretched, attempting to do as instructed. I try to imagine how it would feel to hold fire in my bare hand, the warmth of the flame, the light shining on my face. After several minutes, I close my eyes and focus on the image of my hand in front of me, with a sphere of flame burning between my fingers. After a moment, I feel a tingling in my palm. Opening my eyes with a start, I see that I am now holding a small, spherical gout of flame, no wider than an inch. It hovers above my hand, seemingly guided by my motion. After the initial shock, I notice that I am being observed.

A young emerald dragon, no older than I, had watched me as I conjured my first flame. His shining, golden yellow eyes look on with intrigue and curiosity. I find myself staring into them, at a loss for words.

"That was fast, most of the others are still trying." he says as he gestures at the rest of the students. Sure enough, most are either standing still with empty hands, or have resorted to various waving and gestures to will their desire into being.

"I... it was nothing, I guess I was lucky." I stammer, flustered that I did not notice him earlier.

He simply grins at me.

"Have you finished as well?" I ask, attempting to deflect attention away from me.

"Well, yes..." he murmurs. He holds out his palm, wills a sphere of fire into being, and quickly extinguishes it. I stand agape at the ease he displays, but he interjects.

"I've done this before - received sorcery instruction, that is." he glances around quickly, and leans in closer to me.

"My father is the Western Prefect. I think he called it 'grooming' me. I'm supposed to take over for him when I get old enough, I'm gonna work hard and make him proud!" he smiles and looks at me as he says this, his snout curling up, displaying a row of pearly white teeth.

The instructor ends the session after a few more minutes of practice, and dismisses the class for the day. The emerald dragon introduces himself as Rel'zeo. We decide not to return to our lodgings right away, instead going on a walk around the outer courtyard. We talk about many things, our hobbies, thoughts on the teachers, the classes, our plans for the future, and our parents.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know..." Rel mutters, a somber tone in his voice.

"What? Oh, my father." I reply nonchalantly, "Please don't concern yourself about him. I cannot miss who I never knew." I maintain a front of neutrality, but in the back of my mind, I think I envy Rel for having the privilege of a caring father.

Rel looks at me with a faint expression of sadness. We continue walking in silence for a while. Stopping at a garden pond, we sit at the edge of the water and soak our feet. Absently splashing the water, I cannot help but notice I feel comfortable around Rel. His compassionate and caring personality, tempered with intellect and education. And his striking golden eyes... I feel something for him that I don't understand; I know I just want to be around him.

--

I snap out of my daydreaming, rising from my seat and shuffling the papers on my desk. Gathering my report, I bind the pages with a ribbon of silk bearing the seal of the western prefecture, tucking them under my arm. Trudging across the room towards the doorway, I glance around to ensure I have not forgotten anything.

My office is somewhat small, but cozy. The northern wall holds a large window, filigreed with a lattice of gold with the imperial seal in the center. The window is nearly the dimensions of the wall itself, which makes the room bright during the day, but very drafty. The shimmering white curtains do little to suppress the breeze. The trees immediately outside of the window help shield against inclement weather, but it can get downright chilly during winter nights. My mind wanders as I open the door and walk into the hallway, closing it behind me. Absently, I take the familiar path from my advisors office to the quarters of the western Prefect.

Rel has an office too, but he prefers to work in the comfort of his own room. He finds the formality of the administration offices not to his liking and spends most of his time in the palace cooped up in his room by himself, reading reports or writing letters. Letters to and from various subjects, business owners, concerned citizens, and everything in between.

Rel believes that an intimate relationship between subject and ruler is crucial; it fosters trust and helps discourage selfishness and dishonesty. So far such a philosophy has worked, western unrest is almost nonexistent, and Rel addresses any issues that would spark anger with a fair and even-handed approach. It is to his credit as a prefect that he can always see both sides of an argument. His compassion is something I find charming about him...

--

I sprint down the hallway, my bare claws tapping on the hard wood. Turning right down another hall, I reach a doorway and struggle to catch my breath.

"This one?" I think to myself as I knock on the door.

A gruff, unfamiliar voice answers. "Who is it?"

"Zuro'ki, please let me in."

"Who? Bego-" the voice begins, but is interrupted by a familiar one.

"No! Let him in, Yul'ori."

Without prompting, I open the door and step inside. The room is dark, dimly lit by only a few candles placed around the bed. Arrayed around the bed are three emerald dragons and a single azure one, all looking my way, their faces shadowy from the limited light. The occupant of the bed is an old, wizened looking emerald dragon, his long grey mustache drooping from the tip of his snout onto the bed, his golden eyes unfocused, gazing my way in an attempt to recognize my face. Rel turns to me, and turns back to face the bed-ridden dragon.

"Father, this is Zu..."

"Ah... so this is..." the old dragon rasps. "Please step closer."

I approach the side of the bed, getting a much better look at the old dragon. He is definitely over a century old, but his features almost seem... withered, as if he aged faster than he should have. Most dragons live to be at least a full century, but tend to live well into their second century before succumbing to old age. I see Rel's face in the candlelight, shining with tears and wearing an expression of deep remorse.

"Come... let me get a good look at you."

I step towards the top of the bed. The old dragon reaches out his hand, placing it on my head. It is large but thin, it obscures my sight. I close my eyes and listen.

"You are the friend my son so eagerly talks about." the dragon coughs mightily before continuing. "I apologize for not making time for us to meet. My son tells me you are his only equal... and a Moonborn no less"

The dragon strains his eyes to see me, and leans his head closer, whispering to me.

"Rel sees you as a true friend, so I will ask you this. Be true to him."

I am startled as the dragon suddenly enters a coughing fit once more, pausing to regain his composure before continuing.

"I pass sooner than expected, little Rel will have to run the west soon, and he will need a loyal friend at his side. Love him, aid him, and you will surmount every obstacle."

The old dragon looks at Rel for a long moment, his raspy breathing the only sound in the room. He turns his head back towards me, a ponderous expression on his face.

"Ki... I knew your father, Shiro. He was a noble soul. Do not be ashamed of him."

I open my mouth to speak, but the words catch in my throat. The old dragon removes his hand and I step back, blinking. I feel... tears? Rel gazes at me, sorrow in his eyes, and steps towards me, gripping me in a tight embrace as he sobs into my shoulder. Though those were the only words Tsu'zeo spoke to me, I am overwhelmed by the sensation that I am losing someone dear to me, and tears begin to flow. Seeking solace in each others arms, Rel and I stand there for some time, drying our tears on one another in quiet sobs.

I would later learn that the other emeralds in the room were sisters to Rel, summoned from their duties in the nursery for Tsu'zeo's last moments. The azure one was the western adviser, Yul'ori. I didn't get a good look at him at the time. It was his terse voice that answered my knock. I was the only visitor in the room whom Rel considered a friend...

--

I reach the gold-filigreed door proudly displaying the mark of the western prefect. There are few guards in the hallways, and none guarding the door. Security is not a big issue in the palace, being the heart of the empire, and most of the riff raff are filtered out by the outer gate garrison.

I tap on the door.

"It's me, Rel, I have that report for you."

A short pause. I hear the sound of shuffling. A quiet voice echoes from behind the door.

"Come in, Zu."

I slowly push the door aside, gingerly stepping into the room. I glance around and see Rel at his desk with his head resting on his hands. His natural charisma does not stem purely from personality, he is quite handsome. His emerald green scales shine in the window-light, a line of golden hair extending from the top of his head and tracing a path down his back, ending at the fluffy tip of his tail. The scales around his chest fade from emerald to a green-tinted white, extending down his underbelly and returning to emerald halfway down his inner thighs. His figure is lithe and toned, which is expected with the amount of physical training we endure during our upbringing. He wears the robes of his office, as I do; flowing crimson cloth trimmed with gold, the western seal proudly displayed on the breast.

He casts a sideways glance at me and sniffs.

"Ah, I didn't expect you to be done so quickly..." he says, with a nearly imperceptible quiver in his voice.

I see the expression on his face as he turns to look at me. Misty eyes and a lightly reddened face mar his features. Has he been... crying? I place the report on a nearby table, looking straight at him.

"Is something wrong? What has happened?" I inquire, making no attempt to conceal my concern.

"Ah... I..." Rel begins, but hesitates.

I step closer and place a hand on his shoulder, in an attempt to help him relax.

"Please, I rarely see you this upset, tell me what has happened."

After a moment, Rel composes himself and looks up at me, golden eyes still glistening with suppressed tears.

"We have been summoned before the council, you and I." Rel states, his vocal quiver gone, replaced by an almost apologetic tone. "I'm sorry Zu, it's my fault, I think I upset the eastern prefect. You know how Lord Tero is, his damned inferiority complex."

Tero'rui, the Eastern Prefect. Like Rel, he inherited the position from his late father, though long before Rel took office. Unlike Rel, Lord Tero had little instruction and preparation for government, and the East has suffered as a result.

It's typical for Prefect positions to be hereditary, unless the inheritor is proven unworthy in some way. It is a difficult thing to oust the current Prefect, there must be strong evidence of misrule or abuse of privilege and it must be voted on by the other Prefects and Advisors, with the Emperor making the final decision. While unfortunate for the East, these rules are likely to play in Rel's favor.

I have not had much interaction much with Lord Tero during my short year as advisor. The prefectures tend to keep to themselves, answering only to the Emperor and no one else, offering aid only in times of need and uniting when an outside threat places us all in danger. It is imperative the nation not be viewed as fractured into four spheres of leadership, instead it must be seen as a united country underneath the direction of the Emperor.

"He had appealed to the council for aid," Rel says "mentioning that the drought in the East has led his people to starvation."

It's true that the east has suffered through droughts before, but they've usually endured under their own power.

"He asked for food and supplies from each other Prefect." Rel continues "I offered to fulfill his food needs using only western resources, as we had a bountiful harvest this year and have more than enough surplus. I think he took offense to it, he likely thought I was trying to upstage him."

Rel takes a deep breath, his face a mixture of worry and irritation. "He called an investigation, citing corruption as the reason. How else would I have such a surplus, and for what other reason would I use it than to make him look bad?"

Such accusations are rarely given lightly, the council has to take it seriously. I am confident that they will find nothing dishonorable in Rel's rule. My faith in him as a prefect is strong, but it seems his insecurities have erupted in the wake of his rule being put into question.

He buries his head in his hands. "Argh, what would my father do? I wish he was here..." The longing in his voice is pronounced.

"I see..." I say, looking away thoughtfully. This must have been an informal request, as I was not summoned to council. "You were just trying to help, this council investigation will undoubtedly go nowhere. The elder members are always looking for a weakness in our rule, fearing our inexperience will lead our prefecture to ruin. Perhaps being proven wrong will put Tero in his place for a while."

"I'm sorry, I just... what if they find something wrong that I missed?" Rel says, a hint of fear in his voice "They are right, I AM young, it's exhausting running the prefecture... Maybe someone older and wiser would be a better choice for the West... I do not wish to bring shame to my father."

His insecurities laid bare before me, I shake my head, reaching down to grasp his hand with my own. He looks at me.

"Rel, this isn't like you. You can't let this worry you. In just a short year you have earned the love of your people. Your work is your passion is it not? The council would risk a western uprising if they were to throw you out. I have faith in you, as your father did, now please have faith in yourself." As I say this, a sincere smile forms on my face.

Rel pauses, inspecting me for a moment, his eyes scanning my expression. His look of frustration and anxiety slowly fades, and he turns his mouth up into a smile.

"You... you're right.' Rel says as he rises out of his seat. "I am very glad to have an advisor... a friend, like you. You always know what to say... I..."

We stand facing each other, eyes locked on one another, my hand still firmly grasping his. I notice his face redden. His hand grips mine, pulling me closer. I begin to flush, thinking how much I truly care for Rel. I want to comfort him. I never want to see him upset like that again.

"I... I'm very happy you're here..." he says softly, his eyes peering into my own. I am bombarded by desire, my face burning red, betraying my feelings.

In a moment, the world blurs. Our lips meet as we pull each other into an embrace. I glance around in disbelief as the world swirls around me, my eyes falling onto his.

My mind swims as I match his gaze. Deep pools of gold, shining with compassion and intelligence. Our tongues dance as our passion alights. Has he always felt this way about me? What would the others think? The council? My doubts fade as quickly as they appear, banished by Rel's gentle caress. I embrace him tightly, inhaling deeply to savor his scent. My mind reels with the reality before me, realization dawning that I have always longed for this moment.

I slide my hands beneath his robes, his scaly chest warm to my touch. I begin unraveling his clothes as he loosens my own. With trembling hands we disrobe each other, our excitement apparent in our urgent but clumsy fumbling.

We slowly, awkwardly make our way to his bed, muzzles still locked together. We cast our official attire aside as I am gently laid down onto my back atop the silken sheets, our kiss finally broken. He stands at the edge of the bed fully exposed; pink dragon-hood peeking halfway out of the slit between his legs, the black-mottled head a contrast to the green-white scales of his underbelly. He looks down at me with a leering smile as I get comfortable, my mind racing with the thought of our impending intimacy.

I glance down and notice my own member nearly fully erect, its ebony color an even starker contrast to my pale yellow belly scales. Rel kneels down, placing a hand on it, causing me to wince from the sensation. Rel notes my reaction and grins, lowering his face down until I can feel his hot breath on my nethers. Before I can brace myself, he extends his tongue and traces a slow lick up the length of my shaft.

"Ah!" I gasp out, my muscles tensing from the pleasure, breath catching in my throat. Typical of Rel, he looks to others needs before his own. I beam happily at him.

Still grinning, he grasps my dragon-hood with his hand and leisurely takes the entire length into his muzzle, causing my body to recoil with pleasure.

"Ah! Haa... haa..." I pant, fearing that I will lose control too soon.

Rel looks up at me. The image of him, nose pressing against my bare scales, my shaft thrust deeply into his muzzle, him wearing a grin of what I can only describe as candid amusement, sends a wave of pleasure and happiness up my body. After a moment of suckling, he begins moving his head back and forth, pumping my member with slow, even strokes of his lips and tongue.

I feel my orgasm rapidly building up inside me as I struggle in vain to suppress it. Closing my eyes tight, I am carried away by the feelings of ecstasy whirling through my body. The wet, measured motion of Rel's warm muzzle massaging my cock. His other hand slowly stroking my inner thigh. I let out a low moan as Rel begins to speed up his pace.

Barely holding on as it was, this hastened motion pushes me over the edge. My long-suppressed sexual urges are released in one moment of ecstasy. I feel my entire body tense up and I grip the crimson silk bedsheets, letting out an involuntary moan of pleasure as I pump my seed into my companions soft mouth in pulse after pulse of pure bliss. Rel looks startled for a moment, but he lets out a low purr at receiving my orgasm.

Having drained most of my load, Rel releases my member from his warm muzzle, causing cold air to waft over my moist, softening dragon-hood.

Wasting no time and fully erect, Rel spits the remainder of my semen onto his hands, unceremoniously slathering it on his raging member and onto his fingers. Lowering his hand to my tailhole, he gingerly inserts one finger, careful to avoid causing damage with his claws. I wince at the invasive presence, but pain does not follow. Rel observes my reaction with care, and I return his gaze with an almost pleading expression. After moving the lone finger around for a moment, he inserts a second, and then a third, stretching me wider with each motion.

Withdrawing his digits, he edges closer. Leaning down towards me, nose inches from mine, he slides his arms underneath me, wrapping me in a warm embrace. We gaze into each others eyes, our breath intermingling in the air.

"Ready?" Rel asks softly.

I nod, feeling my heartbeat quicken in anticipation. Rel shifts his position slightly and I feel the hot tip of his member poking at my entrance. Feeling it begin to slide into me, I tense involuntarily. Rel grunts.

"Relax, Zu..." he whispers, his face half grinning, half cringing.

Flushing red with embarrassment, I attempt to loosen myself. Seeing my discomposure, Rel simply smiles at me and leans down, pulling my muzzle up and renewing our kiss. I close my eyes, lost in the moment, his taste now tinged with my own essence. He slides further and further into me, his hips are pressed against mine, dragon-cock hilted deep inside my rump. I feel his heartbeat pulsing through me, his breath through my lips, an exhale of elation escaping from our passionately entwined muzzles. Our tails twist around one another as if to mimic our kiss.

He begins rocking his hips back and forth, slowly at first, building in length and speed. His member gradually pumps further in and out of my sensitive tailhole, every thrust hitting an undiscovered nerve of pleasure inside me, waves of bliss coursing throughout my body. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. Rel pulls away from the kiss, his breath coming in shorter gasps now, soft grunts of exertion punctuating his heavy breathing.

Now slamming his shaft into my tender rear, Rel groans with delight as his scaly hips slap against my own. I cry out in time with each thrust, his pounding setting off fireworks in both body and mind. My own penis once again erect, I grip it and begin pushing myself towards a second orgasm. My heartbeat pounds in my ears, the rhythmic slapping of our mating punctuated by our collective gasps and groans of pleasure. Increasing his pace, I see Rel close his eyes tight, gritting his teeth as he teeters on the brink. I respond in kind, hastening the speed of my own stroking.

"Here it comes, Zu! Nnngh!" Rel grunts, his face a rictus of intensity as he reaches his climax.

"Rel!" I moan in response.

He plows into me, hilting me deeply as we cry out in unison. I squeeze my eyes shut and feel the throes of my second orgasm shooting sticky drops of semen onto my hands and belly, warmth blossoming within me. Rel inhales sharply, holding his breath as he fills me with his seed, his hips quivering, my innards milking every drop. With a final exhausted exhale, he collapses onto me, our embrace unbroken, our bellies slick with my cum.

We stay there for some time catching our breath, smiling and gazing at each other in silence, his softening member still embedded inside me. Our bodies are intertwined as we idly caress one another, relishing the afterglow of our passionate love-making. Bathing in comfort, I find myself wishing this moment would never end, surrounded by the warmth of my best friend turned lover. The stress of the world temporarily forgotten. Nothing but the rhythmic breathing of one another, as a light breeze wafts through the window.

After a time, Rel's flaccid member slips out from inside me, his essence seeping out of my used tailhole. He shifts position, rolling beside me, his formerly erect organ now retracted, the tip still barely peeking out of his genital slit. My own member had receded a moment earlier, leaving my nethers bare except for my own faintly visible slit. We lie sideways on the bed, watching each other.

"You... are so beautiful." Rel whispers absently, raising an arm to gently stroke my head. "I always thought you were so beautiful..."

I smile brightly at him.

"Your scales, the way they shine in the light... I..." Rel says with a pause, his eyes distant, reliving an old familiar memory. "I was entranced with you from the very beginning."

"And I, you. From the very first time I gazed upon your radiant eyes."

Rel returns my smile, and we pull each other into a soft embrace. We doze for some time, our naked bodies laid upon the silken sheets, arms wrapped around each other.