FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

To Paint A Dragon

As it turned out the granite walls were ideal for his indoor painting work. William had been initially skeptical about trying to paint indoors when he discovered what his living arrangements were to be like. The dragons with which he was staying were of the mountain clans and all of their members lived in caves carved directly into the mountainside. The village was large and connected by a stone pathway that wove down the mountainside to link together the many levels of homesteads. Some time after William arrived he had found the pleasure of taking a long walk to the highest spot of the village where he could look down at the many tiers of the village below. The stone path he'd taken looked much like the slithering track of a snake as it wound back and forth through sand.

It had been a pleasant view. Every cave dwelling had its front door faced out to the far plains from where William hailed. The land he called home seemed like a solid sheet of green in the spring and summer and mottled shades of brown and gold in the fall before drawing close to a reflective white when the snows hit in winter. William always enjoyed painting studies from the cliff side of the path. The views always made for excellent landscapes. He'd painted so many new things here on the mountain that every week he found new reasons to feel blessed for the generosity he'd been afforded by his gracious host.

In the four corners of his bedchamber he had four lanterns hanging and each was glowing with white and yellow hues much like the sun's own natural rays. They were his only source of lighting as no cave dwelling he'd seen thus far had any windows. The lanterns did not burn oil, but rather they glowed powerfully using a carved crystal a dragon had “breathed" into. With a careful breath a dragon could push a dollop of their inner fire into a crystal, and the mineral would cling to that power and glow like sunlight for however long the power lasted. Velena, his host, had given the crystals their light. Those lanterns cast their light onto the white granite walls, which was then reflected off the light grey surface to leave the room brighter and more cheerful. William had never imagined a cave could be so well lit!

Not that any of that mattered for the moment. He was currently feeling very distressed. The painting he was working on was currently at a complete standstill. It didn't seem to be possible to work any more on it at this point, and he had a few more days worth of work left on it before he could even hope to call it finished. His painter's mind simply couldn't be focused on the task at hand. He had to stand and step away from his stool to pace the room. It was a miracle he had the state of mind to stop himself from running his fingers through his hair nervously. With his hands being as soiled with oil paint as they were he'd have been covered in oils had he allowed himself the luxury of his nervous gesture.

His furnishings were simple, as he had hoped they'd be. William did not wish to be a lazy layabout when he'd traveled such a great distance to practice his trade. When he was first brought into Velena's home the kindly dragon had been gracious enough to offer to assist him in moving whatever he needed into his room. He had to politely and graciously in turn decline her excessive offers of kindness. All he needed was room for his painting materials and tools, most notably his easl. A simple bed sat to one side of the room, which was oddly oval in its shape. His clothing and personal effects were tucked neatly away in a chest he kept at the foot of his bed. Velena often complained that he lived too austerely to be comfortable, but he always told her he was living just fine by his needs, and would thank her for offering the kindness of thinking of him.

He looked again at his painting and frowned. William wanted to break free of his distress and reseat himself to work, but alas he was finding himself in far too much disarray to achieve any such thing as that.

The painting was a portrait he was working on from memory and with the aid of several studies he had done of the subject previously. It was a full bodied portrait of his host, Velena. William intended it to be a gift to her as a thank you for the generosity she'd shown him. He'd been working on it for so long already that Velena was now forbidden from entering his room without his permission, as he'd told her he was working on a “secret" painting that no eyes could see but his own. Until it was finished, of course. To the best of his knowledge she had no idea he was working on a rendition of her.

He had lived in her dwelling now for almost six months, and he felt rather at home in this strange place. William never would have suspected a cave could be home, but with Velena's generosity and kindness it felt warm here. There was always a chill outside that required him to wear heavier wool and the occasional coat. Come winter he'd need to better prepared if he stepped outside, but indoors Velena kept the cave full of warmth that was surely unnatural. The dragons did not keep fireplaces and chimneys like he was accustomed to in the plains. Rather, they molded the stone of their 'visiting chamber' to host a metal brazier that they filled with stones and crystals. With a dragon breathing life into the brazier the crystals would glow and produce light while the stones would cook and give off warmth for many long hours. The heat bled throughout Velena's dwelling and every room always felt warm. Her kindness helped it feel warmer, too. He regretted that he now knew how cold it could be to live alone, as he had been before since leaving his childhood behind him.

The noise outside of his room was still ongoing, and was the primary source of his distress. It was not yet anything too severe but it was audible still nevertheless. None of the rooms in Velena's home had proper wooden doors like William was accustomed to as a human. Instead, each room was separated by heavy cloth curtains in different shades. A heavy curtain does not stop sound from traveling to one's ears. No it did not. Conversations weren't private inside a dwelling such as this. The walls helped carry noise and the curtains did not hinder their flight to yonder ears.

William had learned a great deal about the culture of the dragons. These folk were far different in good and bad ways. To his relief the traditional idea of a door was maintained at the cave's entrance, but with a circular wooden door as opposed to a rectangular one. It worked the same, and Velena had told him it needed no key. Those who were meant to enter or were expected could open it at any time. He did not understand the nature of the door, but he didn't understand the nature of how dragons could breath life into crystals and stones either, so he left the questions unanswered in his mind and simply accepted that these things were as they were and that they would continue to be as they were for the foreseeable future. As it stood presently Velena's front door always opened for him.

Judging by the noise he knew Velena was being friendly with the young guest that had come to greet her earlier. The young male he'd seen with her was younger than William. Most of the dragons he saw were many decades older than himself and he was only now approaching thirty. This dragon lad was perhaps nearing his fifteenth year but he was not completely certain. It was difficult to judge the age of a dragon by their appearance, but by the attitude and manner of this one he was reasonably sure that the dragon was indeed a youth, a teenager.

The curtain to his room was shut tight and was a dark navy hue of blue. Velena had produced it for him after he had settled in with her. She chose blue for him because it matched his eyes. Of course his eyes were not so dark a shade of blue, but that didn't seem to matter. Velena had told him that his eyes were as 'bright as the sky', but that curtains for one's bedchambers were always made of darker colors. The other curtains in Velena's dwelling were bright reds, except for the one that led to her bedchamber, which was a dark crimson shade closer to her own skin tone.

The noise was quietly echoing just at the limit of his perception. He'd heard her sing before as she walked about her home as well as heard her make humming and carrying tunes while cooking and cleaning her home. His ear was sharp enough to let him know that she and her guest were afar from his bedchamber. William decided that it would be best if he took up his sketchbook and pencils and left to do studies abroad in the village. In this way he could find himself free of his distress and still find some time to work even if it wasn't on his painting.

It was not that he so disliked Velena that he had to consider fleeing her dwelling while she had a guest. He looked upon the unfinished painting and saw an imperfection on the side of her face. With a careful thumb he pressed against the bright red paint across her cheek and he smudged it gently. Pulling his thumb back he smiled. The errant brushstroke that he'd noticed and disapproved of had now been smoothed clean. It still needed work, but he'd made at least one stroke with his thumb. There would be many more to come, just not right this moment.

Still, the Velena within the painting glowed brilliantly with the bright reds and golds that made up her colors. The crimson of her body wrapped about her from head to toe and from wing to tail. All of her carried that same even coat of red except for the region of her stomach and chest. Right from her chin down the front until it stopped at her crotch and thighs was a solid hue of golden yellow. She was a walking body of warm colors and shades. William had painted Velena so she was reclining nude on a stone throne cut from the same granite that made up her home. Surrounding her throne and piled at her feet were many dozens of marigolds. Most had yet to be painted completely, but the gesture of their presence was there. The flowers reminded him of Velena and he was fortunate to have a few old studies of the flower in his sketchbooks as well as a fine memory of their color. Marigolds did not grow on this mountain and so William hoped that she had never seen the flower before as to make it more of a delight for her to see.

Unlike William, Velena would not be distressed at all by her being painted nude, which is how he chose to depict her. Dragons lacked the modesty of man and the only thing he saw the dragons wear regularly were belts, loincloths, and other such scant things. He'd gotten accustomed to that strangeness after a couple of months. He knew he had to capture Velena's body perfectly as she was nude in the painting and anyone looking at it would catch any poorly rendered detail. He had studies of her, but they were modest studies of her face or wings. William knew he would have to lure her into posing for him again in such a manner that he could do studies of the more difficult to render parts of her anatomy. He hoped she would not suspect she was the subject of his 'secret' painting. William would have to think of something clever to maintain the deception. To the best of his knowledge he had her fooled into thinking he was working on a master work of the mountain she and her kin called home.

He gathered his drawing things and peeked through the heavy curtain. The living chamber was well lit by the metal brazier in its center, but empty of any living souls. He stepped out and the noise was becoming louder, but he was paying more attention with his eyes. The room was full of red carpets and hanging tapestries that all fit closely to the shades of Velena's skin. She patterned her home around her own body's rich hues. That seemed to be the habit for most dragons from what he'd noticed over the last few months. To the one side of the chamber where Velena kept her guest chairs William saw a foreign item hanging off the edge of one chair. It was a simple belt with a pouch suspended off its leather band. Her guest's belt he had no doubt.

Seeing the belt drew his focus from his sight to his hearing, and he felt himself go flush. The dragons were of a different sort and Velena was no exception to their rules. Today would not be the first day that Velena had taken in a visitor who would then in turn take her. They seldom took her modestly, but he was surprised to learn that the taking would be more restrained, at least as far as his sense of hearing was telling him. He tried to avoid picking up on words. WIlliam did not want to pry onto the private thoughts of lovers. Not lovers, he corrected himself. The dragons dealt with love differently than man did.

But, what worried him now was the lack of warm bodies in the living chamber and the curious lack of noise emanating from her bed chamber. The voice instead was drifting from the front of her dwelling. Velena's home was only a few rooms in size. He took up her only spare bed chamber for himself while she had her own. Besides the two bed chambers and the living area she only had a small foyer and greeting room and her kitchen and bath.

William crept patiently to the archway that exited the living chamber and opened into the foyer that held the wooden door he sought for his escape. The noises were coming from the small greeting room nestled to the side of the foyer. It was a small room was a tiny wooden table and surrounded by pillows and cushions for guests to sit on while they awaited to be brought deeper inside.

“Keep as you are, there." Velena's voice rang true to his ears, but he wished he wasn't hearing her. He debated returning to his room now, but he was already out of sorts mentally and no work would ever get done now. He was frustrated and his anxiety only swelled as the noise hovered in the background from the small room just beyond.

WIlliam had the option to rush past the open archway of the greeting room to make it to the door, but he would hate to be seen doing so. It would surprise Velena's young guest and no doubt make her feel guilty for imposing her activities onto his senses. She did try to be as subdued as possible, at least so she claimed in private to him. His sensibilities were that of man's and therefore lacking the fortitude required for sharing a dwelling with one of the kin. Despite living among the dragons for as long as he had it was still a trial to adapt to their ways. All William could do was test the waters of his host's perception, and perhaps he could sneak by unnoticed.

“Yes…" He could hear her say, almost in a whisper. He swallowed involuntarily and stepped close to the edge of the arch that led straight into the greeting room. He could hear the moving of bodies over fabric and he felt himself burning bright red like a tomato ripe from the garden. If he could only check to see what they were doing he could discover if it was possible to sneak past them.

“OH!" Velena practically yelped and WIlliam could only stagger back, having been startled, and press himself against the stone wall. His heart was suddenly racing like a spooked stallion's. He clutched the satchel he carried to his chest. The sketchbook and pencils poked into his chest through the burlap and cotton.

Her feminine cries and yelps were not abating and WIlliam knew his timing was most certainly the most poor. He was arriving at the moment where her taking was at its crest. The point at which their love making would reach its peak and he was sweating cold drops across his exposed flesh. He tried to creep to the edge of the archway again. He knew he was left with no choice but to peek at Velena during her most intimate moment, but he had only the choice to sit awkwardly in his room while she made love loudly, or to make an escape.

“So! This, like this!" Velena proclaimed in between the loud and ragged breathing of her younger lover. The male was clearly exerting himself and William hesitated again and again even though he was but a simple twist of the torso away from peeking a single eye into the small greeting room where Velena lay with her lover.

William swallowed and held his breath and peeked. The interior of the room opened up to his gaze one inch at a time as he leaned out to peer within it. He caught the glimpse of what he both sought and dreaded at once and jerked himself back away and against the wall. He let free his held breath, a noise overtaken by the now fervent lovemaking just around the corner. William inhaled once more and peeked a second time. He saw the forbidden and with face beet red he tip toed like a cat hastily across the archway of the greeting room and his hands touched the wood of the door.

The door opened for him silently and he squeezed through like a cat and shut it behind him in a swift motion. He had moved like a blur and the deed was done in a single motion like water flowing from a pitcher. He let free his breath. It sounded ragged, and he was still burning red almost with shame. WIlliam was a man raised to not dwell on such carnal things, but here he was living in a culture where such things were commonplace like bar fights and children's laughter.

The wind hit him and it was somewhat chilly, which helped him cool. His sweat, now chilled, tickled him. He brushed himself off and convinced himself he was presentable before leaving the front door of Velena's home. He did not see any of her nearest neighbors at first glance, but William noticed others drifting through the sky or mingling in the distance on foot.

He had to simply rest his nerves. He'd gotten through it. Now that William was free of it he had to consider where he'd wander for the next couple of hours to get his practice in. To clear his mind, as well. He didn't know right off the bat. He was so concerned before with exiting the dwelling he had not thought too much on his ultimate destination.

William rubbed at the bridge of his nose where his glasses left their footprint. The mental images were staining his mind's eye so much so that he was angry about it. Dozens upon dozens of times he'd seen so much of life that he wished he could have captured it in his mind to be drawn and painted later, but often times those visions were lost no sooner than he had turned away. Yet, now, WIlliam's inner eye was staring at the backsides of Velena and her young lover every time his eyes shut to blink.

The yellow backside of a youth, like the shade of a dandelion, rising and falling like a blur over a prostrate crimson form. There was an elegance to Velena's posture even as she was ravaged by her young charge. The charge, youthful and vibrant, was just a rampaging oaf burying himself within Velena's sculpted figure with abandon. WIlliam gripped the bride of his nose harder and tried to shake aside the scene of the young male's member violating her backside. He'd never imagined love making of that manner, at least not until he'd made himself a guest to dragons.

He couldn't shake it. It was right there. He had the sight etched into his eyelids. His focus kept returning to the young male's thick shaft opening up Velena's poor... backside. The veins of his member, the wrinkles on the flesh of his scrotum, as it slapped and slammed into her willing frame. He'd never seen Velena in her love making that way. It was always noise from afar or in the edge of his periphery. He'd always been able to look away or avoid it. Now he knew how her tail would squirm as the male stretched her rump wide. He had to shake his head again to try and clear his thoughts.

William would go to Rothland's dwelling. Yes, he would go there. Stepping further away from the door he placed his mind away from the thoughts within and aimed at his new destination. Rothland's private dwelling was a walking distance away of some several minutes, but his home sat at the corner of the pathway as it turned around on itself to continue on up the mountain side. There was a good view from there and he could sketch out the landscape below in the plains.

He passed by some of dragons as he made his journey and was offered casual greetings, which he returned in kind. All the dragons were friendly, with the adults ever respectful and the children ever playful and curious. All the children seemed to be out and away from their homes now, and perhaps for good reason as today was a day of schooling. He'd met the teacher before. A seemingly fine and noble dragoness by the name of Riche. She was pleasant to speak with. Riche was formal and pure, by his measure, with a body of ivory and a underbelly of silver. If caught in the right lighting she would have surely been a stunning sight to behold.

William thought to knock on Rothland's door when he'd arrived. His intention wasn't to visit, and he knew if he did, assuming Rothland was home, that he'd end up talking a great deal more than he would end up sketching. Rothland was a box full of words that could spill out at any moment and little could be done to stem the flow. One had to keep the dragon focused if you were to speak briefly with him, and then politely but firmly break away. Like most of the dragons William had met Rothland was both pleasant but also possessing his own quirks. William considered Rothland more pleasant than most. He had managed to feel more comfortable around him at least. The dragon was also a quiet favorite of Velena's. William was not in full understanding of dragon ways, but he was certainly wise enough to tell that Velena was smitten with Rothland and that Rothland did not seem wholly aware of it. That, or perhaps he was aware but unable to reciprocate.

He chose not to knock. William wanted to draw a few things first so he could say he did something if asked why he'd left. Velena would likely be worried that she'd run him off with her activities. Her guilt might could be avoided if he could show some drawings and if he spoke with Rothland afterwards he could forward that conversation along to Velena. Talking about the apple of her eye would likely uplift her spirits if it was needed.

Now he was hungry for apples. He'd not thought to bring with him anything to eat of course. Velena was surely planning a meal for the evening but he had no thought to what it might be. He'd endure the hunger and continue. Whatever comes of the evening he would surely have the appetite for it. William found himself a fine place to sit in front of Rothland's.

The stone upon which he now sat was at the edge of a modest cliff. It was not a cliff overlooking a deadly fall, as below it was simply the door to another dragon's dwelling, but William would still avoid such a drop if he didn't want to have a broken arm. However, from where he sat with legs crossed he could see a view of the plains that lied beyond by several hundreds of miles. The village's elevation gave it great advantage over the realm beyond in all directions of the compass. The great roadways that his fellow man had crafted were like the wrinkles of an elder's face from this height and distance. It was interesting to draw those curious lines that were roads.

His pencil danced across his page quickly and confidently. He'd left his awkwardness and troubles behind him and was now only living in the moment of the pencil and page. Across the plains at the horizon where the sun dipped lower there were the western mountains where other villages of dragons made their homes. He drew a single fine line to capture their many peaks and turns. Crosshatching and shading with the point and sides of his lead gave the mountains depth and texture. With a pencil he was truly skilled, but alas, few would pay him to work a pencil. Craftsmanship with a brush and a pallet of oils was what the elites and wealthy sought.

The plains were a challenge as he could not reasonably add detail to something so vast with features so small. The spiderweb of roads were drawn as single lines, the elder's wrinkles, and the great expanses of plains and fields were of delicate shades blending together. Cross hatches of faint lines and tones given with the side of his lead were his tricks to capture it.

“Friend, William!" A voice boomed from behind him causing him to jump in his seat so hard he almost threw his pencil and sketchbook. “Were you hoping to catch me for a visit?"

“No, not quite, Rothland." WIll replied whilst trying to cover up his loss of composure. His heart was returning quickly to a state of calm. He'd be caught unawares, being so lost in his work, that Rothland had given him a rather sudden fright.

“Should I be offended, perhaps?" The dragon asked with a hint of sarcasm. William stood up from his seat to face the dragon. Before him was the impressive sight of Rothland, a dragon older than he but younger than his host, Velena. He was an attractive shade of rosy orange with a chest and belly of light pale blue, almost a ghostly color.

“No, no, of course not." William insisted. “I found myself unable to paint so I went walking and here is where my feet chose to take me. You have a fine view of the world from your doorstep."

“I should be flattered that your feet think so highly of me!" The dragon proclaimed. Rothland, being a dragon of course, was far taller than WIlliam and as such loomed over him with an extra foot and a half of height to his stature. The dragon made a graceful approach and offered a hand which William accepted. Many of the dragons, or the ones of age at least, understood the customs of man well enough to know the customary human greeting was that of a handshake. This, of course, did not stop Rothland from squeezing William's hand so tightly that the human could not break free when the dragon decided to pull him in for an embrace that left William winded from the sudden hug.

It was an overwhelming experience to say the least, being hugged by a dragon. Rothland, being both an adult, and a dragon no less, was a powerful figure with a toned body. The slight amount cushion afforded by Rothland's skin wasn't enough to hide the muscle that lay beneath. William appreciated that he was at least dressed in his loin cloth this time. Dragons didn't much care if they were nude or clothed when greeting friends. Rothland's loincloth didn't stop William to feeling the noticeable lump that it was hiding, however, but that was just one more thing he would have to politely ignore whilst living amongst dragons.

Rothland allowed the hug to subside and the dragon bumped his snout against William's forehead, which was the customary greeting between dragons whom were closer than just mere acquaintances. “So now that I have arrived will you join me indoors or will you continue to work?"

“I could join you. No need for me to sit outside your door while you sit alone within it." William replied after a moment's thought. He looked down at his sketchbook and knew he'd only done one honest sketch, but it was a decent one that he could be proud of. It could use more work but he felt satisfied that he'd at least done something before being interrupted. At least his work on the painting in the early morning had gotten him some progress. William may simply have to accept that that is all he'd manage to accomplish today.

“Excellent, William!" Rothland said while beckoned WIlliam along and opening the door for the both of them. Rothland's home was not too unlike Velena's, but most dragon's homes weren't too dramatically different from one to another. The number and placement of rooms, as well as their sizes, all varied, but the overall idea was the same. Not too much unlike the homes mankind built for themselves.

Rothland's home was austere and simple whereas Velena's was rich with warm decor. Their styles were dramatically different where Velena desired a home that would embrace her and where Rothland wished a home that served his needs, which appeared to be few. This wasn't to say his home was unpleasant. Rothland did, after all, hand make a frame for the portrait William had done of him in oils. The painting hung on the wall of his living chamber where all his visitors could see it. Rothland was rather smitten by it, but fortunately not in a vain manner. The dragon seemed more taken by the fact he had a painting of himself, like it was a sign of status. In some ways William knew he was right. Usually only wealthier folk could afford a painting of themselves, as such a thing was purely a luxury that a farmer or simple tradesman could scarcely afford. Regardless, the dragon had indeed taken well to the gift, a simple painted bust William had done as practice for larger more complete works, and he was glad to have an admirer all the same.

“So, what in this great world could keep our resident painter from painting?" Rothland asked him as he took up a seat in the wooden chair that he kept near to the hearth. Rothland was a tradesman in the village that worked with primarily with wood. Most of the village had at least one or two items that Rothland had crafted himself. William would have called him a carpenter, but seeing as how Rothland had ways of… making wood do things he wasn't sure should be possible, he hesitated on using carpentry as his trade's label. Only once had William seen Rothland work but when he had he couldn't find words to describe just how Rothland had managed to draw designs into the wood with nothing but a fingernail. Like a knife carving raw meat the strokes had been effortless and clean only leaving in their wake a trail or trench exactly as Rothland had intended them to be.

“Well, Velena had herself a guest, and it was proving to be somewhat distracting to me. Therefore it seemed best if I took to the outdoors to do studies." He explained. William did not feel so awkward with confessing such things with Rothland, at least not anymore. The open and friendly way that Rothland conversed with him was a salve that could seemingly ease any worry William might have had. This wouldn't stop a hint of blush from creeping into his cheeks, but never the less it made topics more easily broached and handled. Rothland gave him a laugh.

“Who was it?" The dragon asked. William took a seat opposite to Rothland. He hadn't been invited to sit because once long ago the invitation had already been offered, and once given it would remain until such time as it was revoked by the master of the dwelling.

“I honestly don't know. I did not get a good look at him as I was in my chambers trying to work. He seemed young, to my senses at least." William replied. He was omitting the glimpse he'd gotten as he'd rushed out the front door. He was certain that the guest was a youth having come of age within the last year or so, but he knew none of their names well enough to say off hand who Velena's lover was. He knew many of the dragons by name, but they were mostly adults and only a handful of children.

“Hmm. Cold?" Rothland asked him. William waved off his question. The hearth was not burning and the only heat filling the room was coming from each other and the lanterns scattered about his home. The weather the past few weeks was thankfully cool but not cold. He had yet to need a coat regularly, but give it another month and he may start to need one if he traveled for long outdoors.

“But I will say this, Roth. Can't say I've ever heard you with her yet." William admitted. Rothland exhaled and did not immediately have anything to say. It was this way each time the subject was brought up. For once William, the lone human, had a way to make a dragon flush with blood. It was a nice change of pace, but he didn't do it out of spite or vengeance. There comes a moment when a man knows his fellow man is smitten, but too cowardly to do anything about it.

“This is as true today as it was last week." Rothland replied. Last week was the last time it came up, but that time had been Rothland's doing even if it was unintentional.

“Just... Can you not just breath deeply and ask her? I sincerely doubt any bad will come of it, as I always tell you!" Rothland didn't squirm so much as sink into the wooden frame. With the dragon's slouch it seemed like he might slink and slither out from his chair. It was almost pitiful, or would have been had he not been a dragon.

“My reservations hold me back." Rothland replied. When he volunteered no more William himself shrugged and the two men sat in relative silence.

“Well. If you pursued her she would do the opposite of flee. That's all I can say." William added and Rothland gave a single nod that was noticeable. The air in the room was getting too warm for his liking, but that was likely unrelated to the temperature and more to do with the atmosphere.

It was not unusual to see Rothland avoid allowing for any intimacy with Velena, which was the strangest thing indeed. To William it was plainly evident that Rothland had a passion for Velena that certainly others could see as well. If William, who has only known the dragon for barely six months, could tell it then absolutely all the dragons in the villagers saw it as well if they ever cared to look. It was obvious, one could say, but out of respect or politeness both few ever mentioned it. Except William.

William was never a man to chase after women, but he did understand that when facing down the woman of your dreams the tiniest challenges may seem like the most deadly of foes. Besting those challenges would sometimes seem impossible and giving up or avoiding it altogether could seem like a sweeter, if lonelier, option. Painful, too. William had faced the pain of losing a woman to another due to his own inaction. There were moments where he'd wonder how differently things could have been, but all that was all in the past and he was now firmly seated in the present.

Well, it's not like that much time had passed since he'd left Velena behind him. He'd traveled to Rothland's home, tried to sketch, and now he was awkwardly pressuring a dragon as to why he wasn't trying to bed a dragoness. His life certainly as full of strangeness now, wasn't it?

“I wonder if I should return less Velena worry over me?" William finally broke the silence. It had been enough time for her lover to have departed and she would have likely noticed his absence. It would not have been the first time he'd escaped her home while she was being bedded by a lover and it probably wouldn't be the last either.

“It's likely that she is already worrying herself to cinders." Rothland spoke up from his slouch. “Humans are so easily offended and embarrassed, after all."

“That they are, Roth, that they are. I should go and quell her nerves, shouldn't I?" William replied. “Better that than to bother you, wouldn't you say?"

The dragon didn't laugh, but instead stood. As expected Rothland strode over to William with the few steps it required and William put out both hands. The dragon placed his palms over William's and touched his snout on William's forehead. It was a formal parting gesture he'd only seen done a handful of times. It did not seem to be a common gesture but he was not fully aware of the reasons for its use or lack thereof. He just knew that Rothland and Velena had both used it with him. Velena was the one that taught it to him.

“I will speak with you again, dear Will." Rothland told him. “I will sort out my feelings in time. Just do not share my thoughts with Velena just yet."

William took hold of Rothland's hand with his right and gently shook it. The human gesture was more familiar to him.

“Always. Till next time, Roth." William said, and made his departure. There was a dollop of guilt in his heart for bringing up the issue of Velena again. He did not do it often, mind, but it was an issue spoken about from time to time. Little ground had been gained since he'd first brought it up months prior. It was not William's intention to be matchmaker and yet there he was thinking more and more of the two of them. He was now so closely tied to the two of them that seeing them apart when they should have so clearly been together made him feel… off. There was a wrongness in not seeing them together.

Of course if they ever did get together William was certain he'd regret it quickly. As newlyweds he was sure they'd be a nuisance to his peace of mind and to his work. That thought was quickly forgotten as he stepped back out into the chilly weather. The wind had picked up and was bringing with it additional chill. That along with the coming dark he knew that tonight was likely to be a cold one. Even within Velena's warm home an especially cold night could creep in as the brazier waned in his output of heat. There were mornings where William would find the stone floor freezing cold when he'd escape his bed. Fortunately Velena was an early riser most mornings and rekindled all the crystals for light and the brazier for warmth.

He could see that life was meandering along as it always did in the village after he left Rothland's abode. The sun had well passed its noon position and he knew there were but a few hours until nightfall. William's stomach was reminding him that he'd not eaten since early morning. It hadn't occurred to him until now. Hopefully Velena would produce more than apples for them both, he smiled to himself.

Too preoccupied with others thoughts, he'd been, to think much of food. As he made his return to Velena's dwelling William was still concerned by the Rothland and Velena situation. He'd never spoken directly to Velena about it, but she had voiced little details and concerns of hers to him over the many months he'd lived with her. Rothland had asked him to say nothing, but doing nothing would result in no change. William didn't think this issue could be resolved by human hands, no. If Velena had a little more knowledge then perhaps it could be her that tips the relationship forward into the unknown future. Perhaps not so dramatic as that, true, but she could certainly push herself and her reluctant suitor in the proper direction.

Too often had Rothland expressed his feelings toward Velena in William's presence. It was an honor to be given such confidence by a dragon, as best as William could surmise. He wished to honor that trust himself but in this one case he felt that it would not be right to keep things hidden. Of course, William always had the option to be more sly and let slip little details without giving away too much. A gentle nudge, if it were.

But it would also be wrong to lie or be coy with the both of them. Velena, with all her kindness toward him, was deserving of as much honesty as could be given by him. William saw the path wind around a rocky corner and he knew her doorway was not too far beyond. Velena was surely cooking. Today's lunch had been a light meal of bread and cheese. It wasn't much, but Velena had been expecting a guest and was in a fit of nervous hurry so he hadn't minded the austerity of their lunch. He'd gotten a nice plate of eggs and toast that morning so he couldn't complain.

William decided he would speak with her seriously about Rothland, but with care to not betray Rothland's trust in him too greatly. Just enough to let Velena know that she needs to take greater charge in their courtship. William really wanted them to stop beating around the bush of it and just collide. Not in a physical sense, mind you, no. They would do that regardless at at rate. William just wanted them to be together as lovers as it was clear to him that that was what they were even if the two kept to their strange distances.

The door openly quietly and painlessly for him as it always did. He shut it tightly behind him and found Velena's friendly lair warmly kept and lit just as he'd left it. There was noise coming from the hearth. Stepping into the living chamber he found that Velena was, per the norm for any day when she'd been with a lover, bare of any clothing.

“Will! I welcome your fated return!" She proclaimed with a smile. With incredible grace she spun on a heel and neither her tail nor her wings collided or struck the hearth or any of the cushions and seats arrayed around the chamber as she made her way over to greet him.

It was always a minor struggle to avoid giving her a blush when she caressed him in her embrace. The dragoness was taller than he, and often half dressed or in full nude, as she was now. Almost all dragons in the village wore little to nothing. A simple loin cloth that fell over the front of the crotch was the most you could expect for casual attire. Even the women would often tend to go topless at times, but in the case of females like Velena they would sometimes wear cloth about their chest for support or modesty depending on their needs. The only time he saw either the men or women with more than that was when they worked and needed the protection. There was a blacksmith in the village and all the dragons that worked the fire and coal of the ovens wore heavy leather aprons and gloves. William had been surprised that they wore protective items to guard against fire, but he'd been later told that the ovens were made of molded stone by dragons and that the fires they burned were of dragonic origins. William was never allowed to enter the space where the ovens were. The dragons did not wish him to be harmed by the heat.

Velena released him from her affectionate clutches and licked him slowly from the tip of his nose up to his forehead. The act made his glasses slip across the bridge of his nose, but with a quick nip of her teeth she put his spectacles back into their proper place. With her face so near to his he had no trouble avoiding the region below her neck. Just being hugged by her and getting crushed by her bust was enough to shatter a lesser man, or any manchild yet to reach maturity, but William felt he was of sterner stuff. Provided that he could keep his eyes averted from her assets and mind distracted.

“I have prepared stew for us." She told him, and he could now begin to smell it. The aroma told tales of beef swimming in something equally savory.

“I can smell it, Vel. Are you well?" He asked. She'd not pulled herself too far away from him so she answered him with a second embrace. Her chin rested over the top of his head as her hands found resting places over the small of his back. William returned the gesture and wrapped his arms about her so his hands rested over her tail just where it met her back. He knew she enjoyed the intimacy of being held that way so he often found himself doing it. He enjoyed it, too. Weird as it was to hug a creature with a tail and wings.

“I am indeed, dear one. Young Mythl was eager and sweet. It was an honor." She replied. He felt a gentle sway in her body as she clung to him. He rested his head against her collarbone and tried to ignore the cushion of her breasts pressing against him just below.

“I don't believe I recognise his name, Vel." He told her.

“You should remember his name, Will. Today he became a man." She replied and sounded proud of it. Now he understood. This Mythl was a young dragon coming of age and he'd asked Velena to… 'take' him on the journey to manhood. To William's limited understanding it was a traditional every dragon and dragoness did when he reached a certain age. Young men and women would seek the company of a trusted and admired elder and they would be bedded by them. It surprised him that he hadn't heard of this sooner from Velena.

“I'm surprised you didn't tell me, dear." He told her. William chose to call her dear. It was something he was finding strangely difficult to do. Speaking with her intimately was not a chore, but it was strange. William would still catch himself overusing her name and he'd have to ameliorate it by also calling her dear. It was a special kind intimacy they shared with them being… whatever they were together. That was the source of the strangeness. No woman had ever been so kind and gentle with him. Not since being a young boy had he received such love and tenderness from a woman that was not his mother.

“I told you. Oh, I bet you were listening while painting again, my dearest painter." She chuckled down at him. If he'd been very focused on painting at the time then it was indeed possible she did tell him and he just didn't remember it.

“Ah." He said.

“Mhm, Ah." She answered him.

Velena slid free of him and took him by the arms as she stepped backwards. With her customary grace she guided him to the seat he enjoyed most and he was beckoned to sit. The chamber floor was made of smooth granite no differently than any other part of the cave. The hearth was cooking with heat several feet in front of him and his seat, along with several others, were arrayed around it. The seats were thick heavy weight cushions that could easily support the weight of a dragon and even more so a human like himself. They were sewn from orange and red fabrics and he very much enjoyed the one upon which he now sat. It was the most broken in of the lot and he found it the softest. He'd become distressed when he first realized he'd stolen Velena's favorite chair, which explained why it was so well broken in, but she'd forced him to accept it as his own. One of the first gems of kindness she'd offered to him, as small as it may have been.

The dragoness busied herself by retreating to the far wall where she had cubby holes and shelves. Arrayed in and about them were knick knacks and items of a variety of sorts. Velena produced two bowls and utensils from the cluster of cookware she'd collected over the years. William waited awkwardly while he was served a bowl of stew from the hearth. Shortly thereafter he was joined by her. Velena pulled her new favorite chair up next to his own and they ate.

“He was unskilled, but quick to learn. I believe his eagerness had him hanging on my every word." She volunteered without any prompting. William could only nod as she spoke. She grinned as she gave him little details of her encounter. He knew that she knew he was becoming embarrassed.

“I also noticed that you were absent when Mythl left." She said to him. “When did you leave, dear one?"

“I cannot recall the time, Vel." He claimed, which was honest, but likely not the answer she was seeking. He had a feeling he knew the exact nature of her question and felt himself flush. The sweet and savory flavor of the stew was not enough to distract him from the dragoness and her mischief.

“Was it before Mythl began to bed me? Or was it during. I didn't see you leave out the door." She said. William shrugged into the cushion and ate. “Will, dear?"

“During." He said with a sigh. William wasn't looking at her, but in the corner of his eye he could see that she was patiently smiling. He gave her a sideways glance and saw she was indeed smiling, grinning really. Mischievous.

“Was it before… or after I reached climax?" She could barely contain her amusement. He laid down his spoon in the half emptied bowl and looked at her. He had intended to scowl, but he was more than certain that whatever his expression looked like it was surely pitiful in its appearance. She returned his look with a gentle smile of her own before leaning over to peck a kiss on his forehead. “You likely left before I urged Mythl to do as he pleased. Otherwise you'd be much redder in the face."

William blushed and looked back down at his bowl. In response Velena draped her tail over his legs and let it flick like the tail of a pampered cat.

“I'm sure you enjoyed yourself." He finally added. She flexed her tail and drew it deeper into his lap while he continued to eat. He preoccupied himself with the scent and flavor of the stew Velena had prepared. It was indeed savory and hearty. She'd likely gotten the meat from Brau. Brau, his siblings, and a few others were hunters that would glide down the mountainside to where the brush was thickest and trees became more numerous. Each day they'd seek out prey and return with it for the village.

“I did indeed, dear. It's been years since I had a young one ask me to be their first. It's always a delight to experience someone's first." Velena replied. The stew was not beef like William was accustomed. He was sure it was probably rabbit, which was perfectly fine. He'd feasted on a wide array of animals before and rabbit was just as good as any other when prepared by a veteran cook. Velena was truly a fine chef. The stew was thick and heavy with meat and accompanied by tender chunks of potato, carrot, and beans. Most of their food stock was anything that could grow in the earth or be hunted. They weren't much for foods to be picked, but preferred foods that could be yanked from the soil. Likely due to the to fact that they lived higher in the mountains, but William was not a farmer by trade so he knew too little about how to grow anything to be sure of much.

“Better than when others visit you?" He asked. She sat her empty bowl on the floor in front of her and pushed her cushion closer until she could lean across it and land her shoulder onto William's seat. Laying on her side she chuckled.

“Mythl was more of an emotional journey. It was a delight to be the one who made him into a man. Knowing that memories I was making with Mythl would stay with him for all his years is like a dream. It's a wonderful feeling. Others, like Jona or Tath, are more like physical journeys, Will." She explained to him as he finished the last of his own stew. Jona and Tath were other fellows that would occasional meet with Velena for a few hours or an evening of pleasure. “They aren't memories that are meant to last. Just moments in time to be enjoyed in the present, then allowed to fade to be replaced by others."

“That doesn't sound pleasant." He told her. Leaning forward he dropped his bowl and spoon into her own before reclining once more. Velena, in response, shifted again until half of her was on his cushion and the other resting next to him on her own.

“Jona and Tath are always pleasant, dear! More than pleasant. They are seasoned males that have come to know me well. You've heard me!" She accused him then, and gave his arm a light tap with her hand. He had indeed heard her with Jona and Tath. More than once. He was not a musician but he understood singing when he heard it. Velena had a way of singing when she was at the peak of her pleasure. It was the most carnal of wordless songs.

“You have a lovely voice. Though I prefer it when I hear it speak words." He told her. She rubbed her snout into his neck gently whilst letting a chuckle pass her lips.

“Shy male. Some things need not be words to be understood." She told him.

“Perhaps." He replied. Velena was often close and affectionate with him like this. Her sweetness was truly unrivaled in his life and it left him feeling very comfortable around her even if she often played at being a little bit mischievous with his reservations regarding sex and taboos. She was never mean about it. Velena often left him smiling and feeling… good about himself. It was nice to be near her.

He needed to broach the topic of Rothland. It would also keep her from cuddling too closely with him. He enjoyed her company, but often far too much so. It was a strange thing to be attracted to her so strongly and if she cuddled and caressed him for too long he would find himself drifting away with thoughts that were unbecoming of him. Velena would likely be delighted to know he was not always pure of mind and heart regarding her, but for William, he needed to keep his composure. He was not going to allow himself make a fool of himself.

“Vel?" He said. He felt uncomfortable now with the topic at the tip of his tongue.

“Yes, my dear Will?" she answered him, and he shrugged. He hadn't meant to but his body reacted faster than he he could keep up with. “I haven't made you uncomfortable, have I?"

“No!" He told her. Now he felt worse. She was under the misapprehension that she was the cause of his distress when it was anything but. “I just have something to speak with you about that is of a more serious nature."

“Must I worry?" She asked him, and he reached and found her wrist. She pulled her wrist free and slipped her hand into his instead.

“I spoke with Roth today when I was out sketching." He told her. She smiled and sat up a little more before scooting closer. Velena seemed to be shining a bit brighter now that he'd brought up Rothland's name.

“Perhaps I should worry! What has he gotten himself into?" She asked playfully.

“I doubt he's gotten himself into anything, dear Vel. But that's what worries me." He said. She bumped her snout into his cheek and looked at him curiously. “I mean. I've noticed he's not gotten himself into you."

She exhaled and looked away. William knew the look of dejection. He squeezed her hand and did his best to bump his nose into her forehead. It was awkward and poorly achieved, but in this instance the thought was what mattered and Velena accepted his gesture and returned it graciously with a press of her cheek against his.

“This is true." She finally said.

“I've spoken more than once with him where your name came up." He began, and she watched him. He noted her eyes seemed to fix on him like it was finally her turn to blush. “I cannot read minds, dearest. Well..."

He stopped his line of thought. He backed up.

“You talk about Rothland a great deal in little details and idle comments. Always fondly. He's the only guest to your home that you invite for food and conversation." He told her. Of her many guests almost all of them came, bedded her, and left. Rothland was the one she cooked for, doted on, and talked about in private. “Do you love him?"

“Yes." She answered without any hesitation. William had his turn to exhale.

“Well. I suspected that. I've tried to… encourage him to be more forward with you. I'd like to one day see you two together." he told her.

“Together?" She asked, then he saw her grin and look up at him with brighter looking eyes. “I never thought you would want to watch us, Will!"

William blushed and looked away. He'd slipped up and given her a way to tease him. She hugged herself closer to him silently and she had to laugh quietly at him. He'd slipped indeed.

“You know what I meant, Vel." He said.

“I know." Velena replied.

“I don't think there is anything more I can do. I've spoken with him and I do not know his reasons. I wanted to tell you so that maybe you could push. You know Roth better than I." He told her. He'd lived in the village for almost six months and they'd known each other for more than a decade. Perhaps longer than that, but he'd never asked.

“I never spoken to him about it." She said. He felt her allow her head to slip lower so her cheek was pressed against his chest. He reached up and touched her along her neck and followed the contour up her spine until one of her horns bumped his hand at the wrist.

“You should." He told her. William felt her stiffen. She pulled away with a breath and sat up to pick up their discarded bowls. There was a clear change in her demeanor as she stood up to take the items to the wash basin. He watched her for a moment, saying nothing, but stood once he'd made up his mind.

Her back was beautiful, but often hidden by her wings. The wash basin was dry so he knew she was not washing anything. She was just standing there looking at the empty basin as he stepped up behind her. There was no opening through her folded wings for his arms to slip in so instead he simply touched his fingertips over the webbing. The golden skin that held her aloft when she glided felt soft and fragile like silk. It was of course stronger than that to be able to take her aloft and to hold her in the sky, but it was deceptive when looking and feeling it up close.

“Vel." He whispered to her. William was no shaman or seer, but he could clearly feel her distress like it was the warmth coming off flame.

“What do you think I should do, Will?" She asked him. “I wish to…"

She sighed and allowed herself to shrug. The dragoness stepped away in distress. Will stepped closer and took her shoulder in a hand to turn her back to him. She looked at him and then away but Will countered her by placing his other hand on her other shoulder. With nowhere to turn she looked him in the eyes.

“I believe you and Roth will be fine. He's, well… I think he is nervous around you." He told her. There was no way for him to know if his word was true, but it was all he had to comfort her with. She had a pained expression on her face and William almost fell backwards when she surprised him by leaning forward. Her superior height did not deter her from cradling her head in the crook of his neck whist wrapping her arms about his waist. “Vel, it will be fine. You will be both be fine."

“Why is he nervous? What have I done wrong?" She said, pleading with him. She rubbed her face against his and took up another shared gaze with him. It was so strong he resisted the urge to look away from the intensity.

“I cannot speak for him, but he has always… spoken very highly of you. More than that I think he may be doing that to a fault. I do not know him as well as you, but from my many conversations with him I feel he's built you up so highly in his mind that I believe he's made you unreachable." Will tried to explain. He saw the muscles in her jaw tighten in frustration.

“Coming from one that can fly!" She cried. Velena turned away from the wall but did not choose to face him. “Is he a fool? He can come and go as he pleases, Will. I invite him into my home more than any other male! Must I strike him in the heart for him to know it?"

“Vel, please." William stepped up and took her by one of her arms, but she broke free with ease and swept her wings across the ground. He had to step back to avoid her gesture. “Anger won't solve it."

He watched her pace the living chamber. She said nothing as her hands rubbed her face nervously. It was awkward to watch another's pain and William was torn between saying something or nothing. He could speak, and heal the wound, or be just as likely to ignite a stronger flame. The women of man were fickle, but at least they weren't dragons.

“Will." She said weakly, and stopped her pacing.

“Yes, Vel?" He asked. Better to let her talk.

“Come. Let us find comfort." She replied. Pulling her hands away from her face Will could see the glint of moisture in her eyes. She took then to her bed chamber and he could only but follow. To 'find comfort' was not a lecherous act by her definition. It was merely a way of saying to keep one company during pain. William was sure he could handle that at least.

Her chamber was neat and orderly for once, he noticed as he entered. Velena collapsed onto her knees as soon as she reached her bedding and Will watched her flop onto the cushions belly down. With wings spread out and tail limp she was like a child's ragdoll, thrown down and forgotten. In a way, perhaps she was feeling emotions similar to that of the doll, had it the mind to think and wonder.

Will joined her by sitting at the edge of her bedding. He crossed his legs under him and felt awkward in the idleness. Thinking a bit, he then knew there was something nice he could do for her at least.

“Let me have your tail." He told her. Velena didn't speak, but she did respond with a slow flip of her tail. Her delicate but strong appendage landed against his legs, and he picked it up and held it in his lap like he would a cat. William even began to stroke it as he would have a cat.

He'd learned by accident that dragons loved having their tails played with and that it was something very intimate that adults did. Children often would play and fool about, and the touching of tails was usually a gag to tease or to flirt. Upon maturation they would be scolded and told not to be playing with each others tails unless they were planning on mating, which would, as he had been told, lead to mating or no more tail touching.

Once, William, in his ignorance, had been sitting with Velena for a meal in the earlier days of his stay with her, and he'd chanced a moment to touch her tail. To him, or to any human for that matter, tails were a strange and odd thing. Sure, cattle, dogs, and other manner of animals had tails, but there was something so curious about a being as intelligent as a man that had one. Will had already been given permission to touch her wings previously, and there was nothing wrong with it by her description. He'd made the mistake of assuming the same would be true for her tail.

Velena had been left blushing after several moments of his hand running his fingers across a length of her tail. Only afterwards did she reveal that he'd been the first person outside an unruly or adventurous child, to touch her tail in years. She'd been forbidding it with her casual lovers since her heart had begun to slip into the pocket of one certain particular dragon.

William was not certain of the why or how, but Vel, in all her kindness, continued to offer him the privilege of touching her tail. Often, it was when they sat together or near to one another in her living chamber or during meals. Perhaps it helped her feel less lonely, as if she was using him as a surrogate for Rothland. He didn't mind. Touch was a powerful thing, and he had been feeling lonely, too. They both benefitted from it.

“You should strike him in the heart." He finally said, speaking up from his revery. Her tail twitched in his lap and he held it more firmly. She liked it most when he applied pressure with his grip and slid his hand down until it slipped off the end of her tail only for him to repeat the process again. Will figured it felt like a massage to her, and she was fond of those, as she often asked for them from her lovers, from Rothland, and even from Will. If it wasn't for his painting and Velena's respectful nature in allowing him unfettered time to work, he was certain she would have had him massage her daily. He wasn't sure if his hands would have been up to the task.

“Do your women attack your men in the human lands?" Velena asked him incredulously. He chuckled.

“Only if we've misbehaved." He replied.

“So who has misbehaved, dear Will. Is it Rothland, or is it I?" She spoke. He took a moment to collect his thoughts.

“I don't know, dearest Vel. I cannot answer that, but, I can tell you what I meant by striking him in the heart." He replied and her tail flexed and caressed him in response. He took that to mean she was open to listening. “I do hope you won't embarrass me."

“I never do, Will, not on purpose." She admitted, and he knew that was true enough. He heard her wings shift and when he turned she was beginning to stir. Rising off her belly she crawled closer to him until she was curled onto her side with her stomach pressed at his back. Just like her tail, she was now like a cat curled about him with wings neatly folded behind her and her head rested upon the cushions.

“Rothland needs to be pushed. Sometimes, where I'm from, it takes a nudge to make a man take the first step to something important. Fear and uncertainty can sometimes cause us males to hesitate. We worry about the future." He said. It felt wrong giving advice to a woman much older than him, but she was listening all the same with no attention paid to his lack of confidence.

“We all have those worries, not just the males." Velena said, then. In a show of affection she put a hand over one of his own as he continued to rub her tail. She was not looking at him, but out into the room, or perhaps somewhere beyond. A place only she could see.

“True." He replied. “But, be that as it may, you should find a way to give him that nudge he needs. That I am certain of, Vel."

“A nudge." She repeated after him. He watched her sigh. “What sort of nudge must I do if all else has failed?"

“Well," Will began, and he braced himself for her worst. “I do believe you should impose yourself upon him and, how should I say, please him via, an uh, oral means."

Before he even finished speaking Velena had already seen the end of his sentence and was shifted around him. Sitting upright he found her cradled next to him with her torso pressed against his with her chin propped over his head. He patted her on the arm when she wrapped them about him for an embrace.

“You are learning." She said after a few moments. He could tell she was being mindful not to say too much less she make him blush.

“As you say, I am bright and charming. I disagree with both points, but it does seem something has been taught to me about dragons." He tried to reply.

“Why this, my Will?" She asked. The dragoness was clinging to him now more tightly. Her affection was running far deeper into him than he felt comfortable with. Velena had a way of being that touched him not just on the outside but within him as well. It made him very nervous, like when he was a young lad trying to hold hands with Tiffany Tanners on the church pew that one Sunday. It made his heart waver and flutter to have a woman so near and dear to him be so unabashedly affectionate toward him.

“He longs for you. Give him some of yourself and I think that will goad him to make his own decision to confront you with his affections. Maybe not right then, but he will come around. I say this after having spoken with him a number of times about you." He said, and she squeezed him tightly enough to make him feel a little winded from the pressure.

“I have a love for you, my dearest Will. Unlikely friend who fell into my home." She said, and he blushed.

“I thought you would try not to embarrass me, Vel?" He tried to scold her, but to his ears it didn't sound much like a scold. Her body moved like liquid then, smoothly and gracefully like the neck of a swan. Around him she flowed until he found her dropping a knee to his side so that she may settle herself into his lap like a rider in a saddle. “Velena!"

“My Will, never call me Velena in my home, please. You may always call me Vel if I am precious to you." She whispered to him, and leaned so closely her uncovered chest was pressing at his own with his chin caught at her cleavage. With crimson arms behind him he could not lean away.

“You are so precious, Vel." He voice wavered as much as his heart. She was embracing him so forcibly. He couldn't move, and his heart raced.

“I should nudge you, too." She said and he felt hot and cold, a heart beat missing its step. Panic. “You are worse than Rothland, you know, and I've known him for far longer."

“Vel, I," he began, but her stopped him with a hand behind his head and a press of his face into the valley of her mounds. There was no way that she could not feel his heartbeat thumping from his chest into the flesh of her breast.

“If you will allow it, my dearest Will, I will take your advice and use it on you." She whispered over him. “It is in this way that I will discover if the advice is sound."

“You will be the first." He whispered back to her. William felt her shiver then, from the bottom of her groin resting atop his lap and up through her spine to the tip of her snout. Her grip was strong about him, but her limbs felt fragile with their own measure of nervousness. He'd struck a chord within her with his confession.

“Only if you ask it of me, Will. I will not take what is not mine." Velena said. He could hear in her voice a trembling, the tremor of excitement. Her entire body was becoming tense against him like her muscles were alit with fire. Even her fingertips were shaking.

At this point he had been consumed by her fire. All there was to see was the crimson of her skin before his eyes and the strong warmth of the body caressing and pressing against his own. This was not the awkward and timid embrace of a hand holding his on a cold church pew. He was no longer a young boy blushing at the giggles of little girls. A woman sat upon his lap with the eagerness to have him that he'd not ever experienced. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was suddenly dry.

He could feel Velena's momentary distress at his silence. He hesitated with his right hand, but willed it to move up her body until it rested against her neck. It was a slow journey, but it had calmed the dragoness down from her unspoken fears. She held tight to him still, and continued to cling to him even as his hand traveled further to brush his fingertips at her lips.

The dragoness was older than he, and she knew. She removed her hand from his back and cupped it around his own before dipping her head to press her lips against his. Her tongue danced with his own talentless digit. When she pulled free his throat didn't feel as dry.

“Nudge me, Vel." He whispered, and with both hands she shoved him down into the bedding.