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“Come, please. The archives are this way." Gar'ohta the kobold said as he led Arh and I down into the depths of the palace. The same kobold whom had performed the role of master of ceremonies from last night, and the queen's top attendant.

We were on our way to the archives so that I could be given a basic education of what to expect both from the ritual, and as a soon-to-be resident of this world.

“I must apologize, William. It has been centuries since we have had a hyoom among us, let alone one that went through the joining ritual." Gar said with a bashful smile. “In times past, when the bridge between worlds connected your realm with ours, the scholars guild decided that keeping our collected knowledge safe was paramount." The way he moved was as graceful as his words, especially with how smoothly he reached into his pocket to produce a large brass key as if he had done it a thousand times to spin it on his finger. “A decision was made to protect our knowledge after learning how troublesome hyooms can be."

A regard I shared, having experienced just how brutal we could be to one another.

“Ah, here we are." He said as the stone walls bounced his words into my ear as if he were speaking directly into them.

Slipping the key into the lock with a swift motion, he turned it smoothly until it produced a dull clink. Then he pushed the door open gracefully, despite the groaning of the hinges as if protesting our intrusion.

He walked through and with a slight bow and a smile. “Welcome to the palace archives."

The smell that wafted out was stale, but warm. I had been in enough libraries and book-stores to be intimately familiar with the scent; gentle, earthy, and filled with possibility.

It was mostly made of the same stone as the rest of the palace, but the shelves all appeared to be made out of wood, and were spaced farther apart than a typical library… certainly to allow space for larger dragons to walk between them with ease.

What light there was came from floating lanterns tethered to the shelves. The light they gave off was warm, but without any smoke or flickering to betray the presence of fire.

While most of the shelves were in rows, there was an arrangement nearby where they radiated outward, and the hub they sprawled out from was well lit and furnished with tables and chairs to sit and read at.

scattered about the library were various dragons. Most were reading, but the rest were cleaning and arranging books with a reverent care that betrayed a deep devotion to knowledge.

“If you would kindly have a seat." He gestured to a chair when we reached the center. “I feel like I owe the two of you an apology for stealing your time, especially on the cusp of your joining. But I do have the duty, as a member of the guild of scholars, to ensure you are prepared for what you are about to embark upon."

I sat where I was directed and Arh, close behind me, chose a space near me so he could lay with his head at my side… but he insisted on stealing a sniff of my hair before settling in.

I looked around to take in the sight, trying to find some measure of comfort in a familiar-enough setting. The shelves were vast, and stretched far enough away that I was unable to discern where they truly ended. Though what shelves I did see weren't full, as there were many vacant spots available.

“How many books are here anyway?" I asked.

“Oh, not as many as exist in the domain. We only keep here the tomes and scrolls that warrant protection, and preservation." Gar said as he went to another desk which was stacked with books. “And for the rest that are not here? Well, some dragons do hoard books."

“I noticed." I remarked while recalling how Duul reacted when I presented the book to him.

When he came back he was carrying a massive tome that took both of his arms to carry, and placed it down with a loud thump on the table that elicited stern glances from the dragons reading nearby.

“It is one of our most strident principles to avoid forcing a dragon to give up their hoard, even if it is only one item. And to encourage them to donate, we offer them a position here in the archives so that they can be spared the anxiety of being deprived of their treasure." Gar looked at me with his finger raised. “The best security one could hope for for anything would be to have a dragon to protect it. And as you can see, that arrangement has been beneficial."

He then opened the book to a marked page. “Which brings me to the first lesson: Never steal from the hoard of another dragon."

“What happens if a dragon's hoard is stolen?" I asked as he returned to place the books on the desk before me.

Then he looked at me with fascination. “Certainly a good question. What do you suspect you would do were it your hoard that was stolen from?"

I wasn't asked that before. I knew dragons liked to hoard things, but I never gave much thought to what I would do were I in a similar position.

“I…" I hesitated. What did my instincts say? “I'd probably move mountains to get it back."

When Gar heard my response, he grinned. “I see you do understand, even if only on an intuitive level. However, our laws are structured not to prevent our natural inclinations, but to ensure that those of us that behave poorly can be reprimanded fairly, and to the benefit of all dragon society."

He turned his attention to the book in front of me. The letters were alien to me but that didn't deter him from telling me the gist of what they said. “If you were to steal from a dragon, the penalty… as listed here… would be that you must return it. This is to prevent hostility or vendetta from taking hold in their heart."

It was a reasonable law, but he wasn't finished.

“However, on top of returning the stolen item, if that be possible, you could see yourself confined… or otherwise restrained for some time… depending on the severity of the offense." He tapped the page in front of me, pointing to another cryptic passage. “But you will be given a fuller understanding of our laws during your education, after the ritual." He smiled as he cast his gaze towards Arh who was still behind me, and still high on the previous day's events. “And I am certain that one of the lessons you will learn is one of the most intimate a dragon can share with their keo'vah."

Gar winked to Arh, and Arh responded by ramping up the soft rumble that never seemed to be completely absent.

But that wasn't much of a comfort because when he said that, I was reminded that it had been quite some time since I had had a chance to experience intimacy with my keo'vah.

“After I've become a dragon." I sullenly remarked.

Gar stood upright, looking bewildered. “You have not shared bodies yet?"

“No." I responded, then a small jolt of panic set in. “Well, not like… that." I said, trying to imply intercourse. But when I said it, I felt a brief sting of shame cross my mind as I felt like I was being a whore for allowing my libido to speak on my behalf. “It's not that I need it. I didn't want to push myself on him, and he didn't seem ready at the time, and… it just hasn't happened."

“Hmm. A pity. Knowing the touch of your keo'vah is truly a gift. Though did you wish to know what that would be like like this?" he gestured to my naked body.

I nodded. As much as I have felt Arh's body next to mine, that didn't do much to quench my thirst. It actuality served to stir my loins even further, and planted a craving in me to want more than what I had already experienced. But I felt like it would have been selfish to insist, and could have risked souring what was growing between Arh and I.

Gar, being rather perceptive, picked up on my fretting. “If it helps your mind be at ease, the ritual does not need to be performed immediately after the anointing." He said as he cast a look towards Arh, whom was watching the two of us intently. “However, it would behoove me to make sure you are aware that there is a limit to how much time you have before the anointing fades."

“It's okay. I'm sure we'll have more times… more time after the ritual." I cursed myself in my head for appearing single-minded. “I guess I can wait."

While it wasn't a lie, I was certainly of two minds on that subject.

“Maybe so." Gar trailed off as he went to the table beside us to grab another book.

When he placed it on top of the other book, he opened it and moved the pages to a bookmarked page. The words were in the same mysterious script as the others but these appeared to have lines that branched out in pairs with brief entries, and numbers I could read.

With the thrill of familiarity driving me, I looked and noticed that the numbers followed a structure like dates, and with each entry being in pairs with lines connecting others, I knew what this was before Gar told me.

“These are all our records on the ancestry of those that joined." Gar placed a finger in the center, showing two names with branches extending outward. He then traced his finger along one of the lines to tap a name near the edge of this particular chart. “Even I have blood of the joined coursing through my veins. She came from your world to join in…" squinting at the digits beneath the name in the center “… in the seventh century of the rein of our queen."

“Why do you keep records like this?"

“You would have to ask the queen. But I imagine there could be many reasons why this information is important." He turned and leaned against the table, arms resting folded against his chest. “I have always thought it was to ensure the health of the various bloodlines, and to ensure any treatment their offspring may need can be met." He leaned forward to look me in the eye. “But I assume the two of you will not be bringing a clutch of whelplings into this world, yes?"

The way he smiled when saying that told me he was aware of the glaringly obvious.

The few moments of silence that followed felt awkward, until he piped up as he stood. “But you do not have to worry about that." Gar said as he began blurting out in a semi-hurried pace. “We do not judge what the heart sincerely desires. That, and there is no need to obligate you, nor Arh'eoban, to extend your lineage."

“Has it always been this way? I mean, have dragons always been at ease with homosexuality?" When I said it, I couldn't deny that I was nervous. It was more of a conditioned response at growing up during a time when being openly gay was inviting violence from the hard-hearted and intolerant.

But Gar appeared befuddled by the term and gave me a quizzical look.

“Gay?" I asked, but was met with another awkward silence. This time his look was strangely confused, but curious. I had to find the words to describe it without using the slang I had grown accustomed to. “One who is attracted to, and desires to be intimate with, those that share the same sex as them?"

It felt clunky saying it like that but my attempt to clear it up elicited a nod as his faced relaxed into amusement.

“You can ease your mind, William. While it is rare, it is not unheard of for a dragon to desire a… gay… partner. We simply did not have a specific word for it." Gar said with a reserved look.

Arh, for all his patience, stole an affectionate nuzzle as he slipped his nose under my arm, coaxing me to drape it over his head. His rumbling intensified when I stroked the side of his head tenderly.

Gar then went on to direct my attention to more passages. I understood none of them, but he did try to explain what I would need to know.

After this brief lesson, he went on to teach me a bit about their history, and then turned to biology. The book that he presented showed many diagrams of the inner anatomy of a dragon. Though as much as the text was fascinating, what with the various illustrations, the most interesting bit was that I would be able to digest metal.

“Though do not assume that metal holds nutrition. Most of the reasons dragons would consume it would be so they can have scales that glimmer like gold or silver." Gar said.

“Like the queen's scales?" I asked, remembering the way her scales were flecked with gold.

“No. Our queen is naturally radiant, but there are some dragons that consume metal." Gar said, scratching his neck idly. “I never truly understood why. Though I did know of a dragon that insisted on consuming iron."

“Why?" I had an idea why some would eat gold, or silver. But iron? Iron wasn't as flashy as gold or silver so I was confused as to their reasons.

“He seemed to be running under the belief that doing so would render him immune to the touch of the first-ones." His smile slipped as he stared off into the distance.

“I'm guessing it didn't work?" I asked.

“No." He touched his forehead reverently. “Sadly, he was an exceptionally skilled blacksmith."

“If I eat metal, will it stay in my body?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation on to a less depressing topic.

“No, it will gradually leave your body when you shed your skin." He pointed to a spot on his back where there was a patch of skin that appeared shiner, and brighter than the surrounding scales. “Truthfully, it is one of the least pleasant aspects of being a dragon as it can itch fiercely if you allow your skin to become too dry." He shrugged. “It is why I do not understand why some dragons prefer to live in arid regions."

“I guess that's why bathing is important?"

Gar looked at me slyly. “Well, that is one factor. The other is it feels wonderful to soak in a hot-spring." He cast his eyes to Arh with a grin, then turned to look me in the eye. “Especially if you have someone special to share it with."

“I hate to interrupt your lesson." Arh piped up. “But I need to relieve myself."

“Oh, yes." Gar said with a wave of his hand. “The closest facility to do so is at the top of the stairs, down a hall, and the first passage to your right."

“Thank you." Arh said as he stood, taking a moment to sniff at my hair with a smile. “I will return shortly, keo'vah."

The way he walked to the door was still as languid as before. Clearly he was still under the influence of a full belly and an emotional high from last night. Regardless of that, I found myself staring as he walked away, admiring him and the way his tail swayed gracefully with every step.

“Far be it from me to question your appetites." Gar interrupted my gazing. “But have you always found yourself attracted to greater dragons?" Gar asked when he noticed me staring.

I sputtered unintelligibly, feeling a cold stab of shame lodge itself in my chest.

“I did not mean any disrespect." Gar quickly retracted. “And it certainly is not my place to question the will of the gods."

“I… I never really thought about it much. I guess I've always liked dragons and other monsters."

“Monsters?!" Gar scoffed. “Goodness, what has your world been saying about us in these last two centuries?"

I had no response.

“May the seventh son protect us should our worlds ever reconnect." Gar whispered.

“… seventh son?"

“My apologies. It is not my place to proselytize, at least not while I have a duty to perform."

“Please indulge me. What is the seventh son?" I looked at him as his almost permanent smile dropped.

“It is unimportant. Merely a prophesy nearly forgotten." He started to wring his hands. “You may call it a religion if you prefer."

“Ahh. Religion. Well, if this is about gods, then I can't say I believed in them. But I only recently learned that they are real."

“Yes, they are real. Though the thing about belief is that it implies you are placing faith in the unknown. How can you have a belief in something if you know it is real?" He looked at me and the way his eyes glinted with the teeth he flashed from his smile made me think he was trying to be clever, but the regard did make sense. “Make no mistake, the gods are quite real. However they prefer to remain aloof nowadays. Besides, the prophesy of the seventh son does not concern deities, it is a portent of a dragon that will be found; the first of their kind whom is believed will lead all dragons into a glorious new era."

Having read as much as I have, I knew how those kinds of stories generally tended to play out. “Please don't tell me you think I could be this chosen one." I said, looking at him in exasperation.

Gar couldn't fight the bellow that took hold of him; a bellow that drew irate glances from a few of the dragons around. “Now that is quite hilarious. The seventh son a hyoom?" He whispered as his mirth trickled out in a chuckle. “No. Besides, were you hatched in this realm?"

I shook my head.

“Then there is nothing to fear." Gar said.

Gar stole a glance around the room before leaning in to whisper in my ear while tracing a seven pointed star on the page in front of me with a finger. “The seventh son offers hope to the faithful whom prize respect and love between all dragons. But this is neither the time, nor the place, for such a conversation."

“Fair enough." I said.

“But should you ever decide you would like to know more, come find me."

After that, Gar finished the lesson. Most of what was left focused on the various tribes, and then magic.

“When it comes to what magic you will discover within yourself, that may be difficult to answer." Gar said. “You may have powers like your keo'vah. But you may have a different set of magic inside you altogether."

“Abilities?"

“Yes. Abilities. Plural." He went off on a tangent. “Dragon magic is sometimes fickle. And to be honest, there is the possibility that you may not even have any. Not every dragon does. Though that is rare in its own right."

“So, what sorts of magic is there?" I asked as I saw Arh returning. Settling behind me and in the same position and taking in the scent of my hair, as he did before. I welcomed him back with a rub to the cheek when he winnowed his snout under my arm. His purr crested, and perhaps a bit too loudly as an urgent “shh" slithered out in protest to earn a hushed apology from Arh.

“The most common is fire-breath, as it comes from the body." He nodded and gestured towards Arh, and some others in the room. “And there are abilities from the mind, and from nature… I have even heard tell of a dragon could create thunderstorms, and the rains they carried. But I did hear of it in a tavern so…" he trailed off.

Lost in thought, he stroked his chin for a brief moment, and then went to fetch another tome older than the rest.

“Here. This may be of interest to you."

This appeared to be a kind of census, but in the same strange lettering. I didn't know if it would come naturally, but Gar seemed to believe part of it should by the way his eyes drooped after seeing my blank face. He knew to recognize this kind of bewilderment.

The script was elegant, however.

“Is every dragon named here?"

He didn't look back at me when he spoke, his voice returned to that oddly rehearsed tone while his finger grazed among the names. “No. Not every dragon. A small percentage, actually. We keep track, in this book, the dragons that come seeking help with their magic. The rest are unaccounted for." He ran a finger down to the corner and flipped the pages to another section. “This is a similar list, but of dragons that came by way of the joining."

The way he spoke made me think that he had rehearsed this. “What you should know at this point is that the process a natural dragon undergoes to discover their magic is slightly different than a joined dragon. Normally, when a natural dragon matures, he or she comes into their magic gradually." He twirled his hands around gently. “Some dragons discover their magic late, but in most cases they show signs as to what magic they are to manifest around the time they mature sexually."

When he next looked at me, his eyes appeared wider, and more energetic. “For the ritual, however, and since you come from a world without magic, the process will be different. You may have visions that hint towards the magic you will grow within but how it manifests will be a wager none would dare take.

“And it may be frightening. You may wake one day and discover that you have taken on a different shape in your sleep. Or you may, one day, become invisible… Or…" He tried to stifle a snicker “You may find yourself belching fire uncontrollably.

“I digress. No dragon has ever known what magic they were capable of until it manifested. This is why we can not say what your abilities, if any, will be. Though there is a saying that my father told me. It is from an old tale passed down through the generations so I was not sure that I should take it at face value. But…" He then cleared his throat and spoke something in the old tongue. It was a throaty, and somewhat guttural language, but there was a poetic cadence undulating through it.

“Roughly translated, the saying goes 'when hearts are joined, the magic of love blends.'" He sighed. “But that is a saying from a time long lost to us." And with that he closed the book. “But regardless, there is one more that I need to teach you and time is fleeting."

“When it comes to the joining ritual itself, it is simple; All you need do is consummate your bond after reciting the invocation. From there the magic will take over. Since you are keo'vah, there is no need to worry about whether it will work."

“So, wait. Are you telling me that if the bond between Arh and I weren't there, the joining could fail?" This stoked the doubts within me.

“Oh, certainly. The joining ritual requires that there be a connection. This is not something that comes easily. When a dragon joins with another in this ritual, the two must have a connection. Usually one of love, but it can mean a different kind… of the mind, the soul, anything that tells the gods that their magic will not be wasted." He then closed the book in front of me. “However, considering the intimate nature of the joining, love is usually what drives it."

“So, if there wasn't a connection, and we still…" I paused, trying to make an appropriate gesture with my hands. “What would happen?"

“You would die. I doubt your body has the ability to accommodate consummation with a greater dragon of his size." When he said that, he looked to be blushing. “The specifics of the ritual itself, however, is that the process takes seven cycles of the sun."

“Seven days." I almost gasped. I'd had flings where I've spent hours upon hours entwined with another, but seven days felt it would be maddening.

“Yes, seven days. Your entire body will be completely changed. Magic may be powerful, but even magic has limits." His breathing was wavering slightly. It was barely noticeable, but sitting so close to him made it readily apparent to me. “The magic will flow from him into you. And during the ritual you will be unable to separate. So, if you are holding on to any lingering doubts." When he paused, I felt some anxiety well up inside. “Then it is in your best interests to shed them before you join."

“Will it hurt?" I asked.

“No. The magic will dull any pain."

“What if I get hungry or have to… Um…" Pausing to find the right words “Relieve myself?"

“Your body will be sustained by the magic. So you will not feel hunger, nor the need to defecate or void your bladder… but past that there are gaps in our knowledge." We stared at one another for a few seconds. Then he blushed deeper as he turned to look at Arh, then myself. “Regardless, I am certain it will be a memorable experience. While I have no experience sharing bodies, Arh'eoban is a fine example of a male greater dragon." It was Arh's time to blush, and I stroked his muzzle when I felt the heat from his cheek next to me.

And with that, the lessons were over. I half-expected there would be a test to prove I remembered what was taught, but in the end he only offered his company should I ever want to know more, and told me that the best chances of finding him were to come to the palace archives.

He did mention that the scholars guild would be very interested in knowing how my world had grown since the connection between our worlds was severed, and even said I would likely be compensated for it.

Barely a week in this new world and already I had a job lined up. Well, at least it was something I could do because I didn't want to stay cooped up in Arh's cave for my entire life here.

When we made our way out of the library, the only light in the palace halls were from the braziers casting their warm light. I didn't know what time it was, but it was late enough that the only activity aside from the three of us were guards roaming the halls in idle conversation.

“We have prepared a room for the two of you for tonight, and have provided some food for you. I may not know much about hyooms, but I do know that you do require more frequent meals." Gar said as he ushered us to our room. “And it would be quite rude to shoo the two of you away so late at night, especially after stealing the day from you."

The room wasn't vast, but it was big enough for the two of us. There was a large mattress made of layered quilts and furs, and off to the side there was an alcove, and near that a tray piled with fruits, meats, cheeses, and a few large bottles of what looked like wine.

“I hope this is sufficient. If you need anything, there will be a guard posted beyond your door. They will be able to help." He bowed at the waist, and a smile. “I hope this serves as an adequate place to share in the tender delights of your union… However, I must insist that you do not invoke the joining here. This room will be needed on the morrow." He smiled, then slipped out the door closing it softly behind him.

Our first night together as keo'vah. My mind would have been racing with ideas, but my hunger demanded I sate that before thinking of anything else.

Though Arh didn't eat much, he did have some of the meat, and some of the wine.

When we were finished, as much as we could have tried something more intimate, the exhaustion of the day as well as the intoxicating effects of the wine (which was potent) took over and we were both sleeping soundly together.