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This is my first time uploading under the new SoFurry banner, so I hope the formatting works. If it doesn't then I'll get to work trying to fix it as soon as possible! If it does work, then ignore this brief message and sally forth!

This is the first part of a small series I've begun to write. As of right now I KNOW there will be at least two chapters. I am not certain about a third part, to be honest. I wont know that until I get to finishing the second chapter. Let's hope for at least three, shall we? And do post comments pointing out things you liked about the story or things you didn't.

The noise from her bedchamber was clear enough to tell him he shouldn't enter until they were done. It was obvious that she had brought someone in to mate with and that they were mating very hard. Her bed was a carved stone circle to one end of the room and it was covered in blankets and pillows she had acquired over the years, and a few of them he had gotten for her himself as gifts for one reason or another. Knowing that that the pounding and slapping sound most certainly wasn't a headboard, but rather just their bodies meeting very fiercely, offered him a good idea of what must have been going on. He blushed at the sudden vivid thought of her been roughly mated. He had seen her mate once before by accident since she often failed to mention to him she was soon to mate with a male. He had nearly walked in on them before rushing back into his own chambers thoroughly embarrassed and shocked. Seeing his closest friend on her back amidst an ocean of cloth and pillows, legs pushed over her chest with a male rutting her from above was not a sight to forget. He pushed the thoughts aside and tried to return to his work.

The painting in front of him was to scale and the frame was roughly ten by twenty feet. He kept it turned so that as he sat to work he was also looking at the doorway of his chambers. He did not want Velena to see his work in progress. It was a painting of her. She let him draw her whenever he asked and so he had an ample collection of studies of her, both in charcoal and in oil. The canvas he was working on now was coming together wonderfully and he knew she would be ecstatic over the gift. She adored his artwork of her. He was glad she was as honest and trustworthy as the sky is blue and dirt is brown. When she asked if she could see what he was working on and he told her it was to be a secret until it was properly finished, she accepted his word without argument. He knew she was disappointed, but she also knew that she'd be the first person to see it when complete.

It wasn't the first time he'd been secretive with a painting, and she knew that sometimes he liked to be the only one to know of something until it was done. And historically speaking she was the first person to see almost every work he ever did, at least ever since he took up residence in her chambers more than a year ago. Though he drew her a great deal the actual bulk of his product was of landscapes and still life from around the mountains in which she, and her dragon kin, lived. It was so beautiful here he couldn't resist a chance to work it into his art on a daily basis.

He needed to run outside and do another study of a red "dragon tail" flower. The flower was called that by the dragon natives because they grew in multiple colors, many of which were colors dragons actually matched with their skin tone, and that the flower was a long slender stem with tiny petals sprouting along its entire length like fuzz on a caterpillar. From a distance they looked like bunches of curved tails, or maybe to a human a worm, wrapped about itself randomly like a coiled, or as the 'kin liked to believe, a tail. Generally speaking they became cylinders in shape by the coiling, and by itself a dragon tail wasn't much to look at, but if you saw a field of them with all the different colors they came in, it was truly a breathtaking sight. You could also take the leaves from the base of the plant and make a brew similar to tea with it, which was quite good. Velena loved the red dragon tails best, as her own body was a crimson hue. Along her back ranging from the top of the neck to across to the tip of her tail was a gold hue. He'd might as well do an oil study then of both red and yellow dragon tails.

In the painting she was sleeping in the only wooden chair she owned, and one he had gotten for her himself as a gift on the day she was supposedly born (the kin seldom maintained a memory of the date they were born since they lived for so very long). It was an expensive one, with a stuffed seat and back covered in crimson red cloth with a gold leaf pattern across it. The wood was a deep brown with a proper stain coat that made it gleam under any lighting. It was a simple and austere chair for the most part, but crafted as elegantly as the craftsman could do. As it turns out she came to love the chair for its cushions. She often used it when posing for him, or when she needed to sit for any other reason inside her chambers. He had painted an ornate flower arrangement all around her using vases she actually owned, and each was one of her favorite vases at that. The vases contained the flowers and plants all chosen for their appearance and by Velena's preference to them. She was fully nude and yet he was able to maintain a tasteful quality to her. He knew it was coming out to be one of his finest paintings, or at least it was a damn fine work of portraiture. His main forte was landscape or still life, which was the reason he even came to the mountains in the first place. The colors were right, the contrast, perspective, anatomy, pose, all executed perfectly. He had ten years of painting to back it up, and now he felt this painting was a test for himself, to put all he had ever learned into one painting. He would finish it by tomorrow sometime. He just needed another set o dragon tail studies to help with the flower arrangements. For man not even thirty he had done quite well as a young master of the art.

He was glad that he often tuned out his surroundings completely when he was deep in thought or working on something for he couldn't recall when exactly the sounds of Velena mating vanished. He set aside his palette and the six brushes he had stuck between nearly every finger. He was truly a sight to behold with his leggings a smattering of color for when he would rub off paint on himself. His shirt was once white, but now it was not so much. A lot of brown and green with a smidge of bright color here and there. His arms were just as bad and he no doubt must have a spot or two on his face from when he would go to chew on the wrong end of the brush when in thought. He had gotten a mouthful of oils more than once and he never did learn his lesson.

With tools set aside he crept to the exit of his chamber and peeked through the thick drapery that gave him and Velena privacy in their respective rooms. Velena was laid out on her back sleeping like a stone in the center of her bedding. It didn't look like a pose a woman would be in who had just got finished having sex. He tried to ignore the evidence of her carnal act and saw the pose as being remarkably tasteful, and extremely beautiful with her lithe and toned figure elegantly curved across her bedding, the pillows even seemed to be placed in the perfect spots by coincidence. The natural form in a natural setting was truly the most powerful of subjects. That was why he always felt his landscapes and still-life were superior to his works based on living models. He had to pose the model or the model would pose themself and that always stole a part of the natural spontaneity from the subject.

Of course he could not gaze at her for long with her legs left slightly ajar and her cloaca still spread from her partner's girth. The skin of her underbelly were the most vibrant crimson he had ever seen on a dragon, and right now Velena's belly and thighs were smeared with a rather copious amount of semen with her bedding underneath her rear and tail soaked. It always shamed him when his thoughts of her drifted to lewd areas. She mated freely with her own kind, as all of them did. Her people were unique to humans in how they looked about sex, conception, birth. Humans never spoke of it aloud or if they did it was in private and in hushed voices. Dragon kin were the opposite. They had no problem admitting that sex was very pleasurable, that you have to mate to have children, and that child birth was a painful and extraordinary thing. He could remember his mother not once mention she was pregnant with his sister no matter how big she got. No one spoke of it aloud. Dragons talked about it all the time. Who was pregnant and by whom? How soon was she due, how many do you think? Will you try again for littlings? These questions were not taboo to them, and since they also knew which plants to ingest to deny the chance of a pregnancy they were free to engage in sexual play as often as they wished.

He also knew it was in part to their longevity. They lived very long lives compared to humans. A human was lucky to live to eighty, though sometimes older than that albeit very rare. A dragon could live several times that, health and injury permitting. The oldest dragon he knew personally was Velena's father who was some seven hundred and forty three years old. Her mother was only four hundred and eighty. The oldest dragon he knew of, but had never met, was one thousand and two, but many spoke ill of his health and worried if he would live much longer.

The point was in the long run, the average dragon kin has lived long enough to know most of the members of their own kind. Everyone pretty much knew everyone else and was on friendly terms. Crime was nonexistent for this reason. No one would steal from their best friend, or their friend's mother, or their friend's friend who was also their friend. Since they all knew one another no conversation seemed taboo. It was just ok. No different than with a pair of humans who were very close and could speak of any secret. Just with the dragon kin it was on a much larger scale.

No doubt Velena would be in a content mood when she roused. She always was when she awoke from after a mating. Well, not always. There were times when she would mate with someone inexperienced and she was left less than satisfied. There was no animosity of course. She took joy in knowing that her partner was able to enjoy himself thoroughly with her body and her skill, but she is also three hundred and twenty. She's been mated with hundreds upon hundreds of times and no doubt a young inexperienced male mating for his first time does not compare to the older more experienced males, much like the one who left moments before. He didn't know who it was. It wasn't Rothland, because he too enjoyed his artwork and had even posed for him a number of times. Whenever he would come to mate with Velena, which was often, he would step into his chambers and look at whatever art was new or changed from before. He enjoyed Rothland's company as much as Velena's, but that did not make it any less awkward to be in the presence of a nude or semi nude dragon that was smeared with his own fluid. The closer a dragon kin was to you the less worried they were about appearances. It was an awkward blessing to be close friends with Rothland and Velena, but he knew he was all the better in the world for having them. Rothland would often tease him by issuing a challenge: Try and draw me and Velena while we mate. He did so ever since he learned of the existence of more risqué artwork in the human world of art. Personally, he did not have any problem with drawing or painting something more risqué, perhaps even vulgar, but with all things he did it had to have a purpose. If he had no reason he wouldn't do it. Painting was a difficult, messy, time consuming affair. He would not go through the motions if he didn't have a good reason, no matter how much he loved painting. It wasn't in his blood.

He cleared his thoughts and wandered away from her bedchamber. All the fabric draperies in the doorways were blue, except for the ones in the outer most rooms. It was common for drapes to be used as doors and a very long time ago, it had been explained to him, the habit of using two different colors became popular, and then almost mandatory for every dragon kin dwelling. In Velena's cave she had blue and orange drapes. It was custom that the outer most rooms in a dwelling were "public" that could be freely entered so long as you were invited into the home by its owner. Those drapes covering doorways were of a single color, and in Velena's case it was orange. Past those doors if you see more orange drapes, you could enter those rooms. But if you see a different color, say blue for Velena, you can't enter unless you are given express permission. These rooms are "private". In a human home it is customary to never enter as a guest into someone's master bedroom or bath, or perhaps the bedroom of a child, unless invited. But a living room or kitchen it more public. A similar concept handled differently.

Once outside he saw that the sun had dipped much lower than he would have liked. He may have only an hour or so to do his studies. No, less, since he had to walk there first. He had remembered to grab his satchel on the way out and his pace along the walkways and terraces was fast enough to let all of his dragon kin neighbors know he was intent on a mission. They all waved and gave greetings, which he politely returned without breaking his stride. Normally they would have been offended but they understood now that as a painter he only has so much time during the day to paint, and the sun wanted to set. It was normal for them to see him rushing from one place to another with his satchel of spare brushes, paper, and paints.

There was a plot of flat land that boasted a large supply of dragon tail flowers just a sort ways away from the cliff face that housed several dozen dragon kin homes. Rothland actually lived near that plot of land and the carved archway that led into his audience chamber (the name for the first room in any dragon kin home, used for greeting guests) overlooked it. As it so happened Rothland had been lounging outside at the time and glided down to join him. All dragon kin could glide with ease, but flapping them to gain height was said by them to be a chore. They had tried to explain the intricacies of flight to him once but it was far beyond his comprehension. At least their terminology was.

Rothland folded his wings behind his back and he came forward for a traditional 'kin greeting, as he always did. There were actually several different ways a 'kin greeted another. Rothland always greeted him (with the male variation) the same way Velena greeted him when outside. His left hand grabbed my right shoulder as he stood square in front of me (and towering over me might I add. I stood five foot three and he six and eight feet. Velena was in between us in height.) while his right hand grabbed at that same arm. We would lock arms then and exchange a verbal greeting. Velena would have placed both hands high on my chest to lean in to touch my forehead with the tip of her snout, then verbal greeting. There was more, but it gets complicated. I only knew a few of the ways, and being human most dragon kin accepted a basic handshake if they didn't know him well.

Rothland refused to stop giving him the private greeting done when indoors and alone (more or less alone, depends on who you're with). Most private greets, as he understood it, always involved licking, or some other form of intimate touch. He wasn't disturbed by having Rothland lick his neck while grabbed each of his shoulders, but it was considerably odd, or awkward. He'd live, he supposed. By this time it had mostly stopped bothering him and most of the time he was glad he had friends like Roth and Velena. Only the most trusted of souls is generally given a private greeting like that. He was grateful they did not expect him to mimic the gesture himself. They were content with a hug and kind words.

"I see you're here again, my young friend." He spoke as we parted arms. He was wearing a garment befitting most males his age, though a little bare since he had been lounging under the sun. A slender loin cloth covered his groin and hung beneath his tail (garments were always made to hang under the tail because anything rest on it and tugging, rubbing, etc for a long period of time could prove to be arousing to the 'kin wearing the garment. It was wisely decided to opt for a under the tail design that led to fewer awkward moments.). Roth generally enjoy long loin cloths that fell to his knees, as the one he wore now did. This evening its all he had, which was not considered inappropriate by 'kin standards. Typically though he would have worn a mantle in some earthy shade of brown or green, as was the color of his loin cloth. He had some metal jewelry, but seldom wore it.

"Aye, I am. But perhaps I won't clutter your view for much longer once I finish the painting tomorrow." Rothland's face lit up at that. He was the only person he permitted to see it thus far. Rothland had even confided in me that he was working more on his archway now (he wanted it to resemble a tree trunk of either side with the arch itself being limbs with leaves) just to give himself an honest reason not to come and mate with Velena. He feared that in the moment of passion he would accidentally say something incriminating about the painting being worked on in secret.

"You've completed that much so soon, William? No wonder you think you'll finish the panel in the great hall in less than a year!"

"It did surprise me, but you assistance was very helpful in making it happen." Rothland had actually, when Velena was away, modeled for him in the very pose Velena was positioned in the painting. It helps to have a live model to act out something, to give the end result a greater life. He bowed to me lightly and said, "It was a pleasure to serve you in your aim to please the Lady Velena."

They both laughed then. Rothland and he continued to talk as the artist worked his vocation. The light was growing too dim after a time and the colors were no longer their vibrant true selves. Once that happened any continued painting would have been fruitless as you would need to redo every color you set down. This would have been fine it he was doing a night painting, but as it stood he was working under the assumption that Velena was seated under daylight. When he stood up from where he sat Rothland followed.

"How is Velena this day?" he asked.

"I cannot say. She does not greet me in the early morning now since I'm working on 'the secret painting'. At some point a male came to her and they mated, but I do not know who it was. I did not wish to intrude-" Rothland rolled his eyes, since Velena would not have cared if he had wandered in or not, and the male couldn't have been bothered since it wasn't his home to begin with, but one must digress, "and so I waited until I thought they were done. She was asleep when I left to come here."

"Hmm, no voices gave them away? Her usual mates are ones both you and I know fairly well." Rothland asked him. Will was glad there were no voices as that would have been much harder to ignore. Velena was generally soft spoken during mating, but with certain 'kin or on unusual...more amorous occasions she was sometimes loud. Rothland, as he knew it, was one of the only ones who could make her loud and vocal every time. Generally they spoke as well, and what they spoke led him to believe that when she finally decided to bare young it would most certainly be Rothland sitting by her as father and husband.

"They were silent as much as I could tell. I could only hear them meeting." Will made the mistake, as he often did, of using his hands as he spoke and Rothland laughed at him and clapped his shoulder when he made claws with his hands and touched his finger tips together a few times in quick succession, to vaguely simulated to objects touching, and rather rapidly at that. It was the most non-sexual way to do it, he thought! "Well, why must you know?"

"Was she content looking when you left?" Roth merely grinned as he ignored Will's question. He did enjoy being a tease with Will when it came to such things. It was in good fun for he was wise enough to know limits and boundaries. He had never once pushed a subject (Velena was just as skilled as he) too far with Will where it became off-putting or upsetting.

"She was sleeping like a rock. She did not look unpleasant."

"I bet you she mated with one of our young adolescents. Remember the one who had taken a fancy to her when she was helping to teach younglings to fly?" Ah, that Will did. That one followed her around non stop and asked questions more than once pretending to not remember.

"The blue and grey one?" he asked.

"Yes, him! He is a bit too young for me to know him myself but I recall his name being Lansell. Now I am most curious, so I believe I will join you in your return to your chambers, if that is where you are heading."

"It is, and I welcome your company, Rothland."

"I thank you, William. I just hope that my loins don't keep me there all night. It has been far too long since I've been with Velena." William rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I really do not understand why you don't simply tell her to birth you some younglings, Rothland."

"William!" he laughed heartily in shock, which elicited a grin from William. He enjoyed surprising both Roth and Velena when he could. "I find myself most surprised! What's next? Will you do a painting of me and my Velena making those younglings you speak of?"

"Perhaps I would even ask you to mate several times for my studies, if you had the courage to actually ask her, hmm?" It was Roth's turn to shrug now.

"It is much easier said than done, friend."

"I know, but I do think you and her are quite well matched. I hear what the two of your say when you're mating at least. Many things are spoken from her that I do not hear at any other time or with any other soul." Now, normal love and lost discussions were more in his comfort zone. He had held many shoulders in many bars for many love sick friends in his day. Advice seemed to be the one thing he knew how to give others, aside from art. He just wasn't any good at giving it to himself, as is the formula for nearly all people who give advice.

"I know, I know. I just think I should wait a spell. She would not be able to teach for many years after she has the little ones. And she would not be able to go to council for the trade commission with humans. Many things she will find herself unable to do."

"Pregnancy and children often do that to a woman, but I trust her not to make a rash decision. Even if you ask and she declines your offer for children I am certain she'll take you as a husband. Kids can come later when both she and you are ready." Roth nodded and laughed.

"You might not be alive for that then William. I've known her to take her sweet time with things, time in the span of decades." I sighed.

"True, but perhaps," I elbowed him, "both of us will get lucky, hmm?"

The return walk to Velena's chambers was well spoken and fun. Rothland had much to say about his work on the archway. The carving he had done was still much too shallow to be seen from afar, which was why William hadn't noticed it, but Rothland had assured him that enough was done for him to "see" the trees and limbs and leaves. They just were not cut deep enough and made detailed enough. William promised to offer assistance whenever needed, and Roth thanked him heartily.

"I welcome you, Roth." William said as they stepped into Velena's audience chamber. It was customary to welcome in a guest even if the act may have been redundant.

"And I thank you, William. Now perhaps we should rouse our friend if she has not already?"

"Ah, I think I shall leave that to you. She was rather sullied when I left." Will tried to laugh as a means to hide the embarrassment. He'd never had to actually wake her up in that state before.

"If she was with whom I think she was with then it can't be very bad."He was correct. To William's memory she had been...worse off before. Much more so, in fact. Because it was because he was too young? "And I was correct, at least partially."

They had just passed through the blue drapery into Velena's bedchamber and she was still snoozing, and more or less in the same position she was in from the beginning. "Beauty isn't she." Roth couldn't help but let his admiration for her slide into his voice.

"Fine enough to capture on paper." Will grinned at him.

"Did you?" Roth asked and turned to face him, quite serious.

"No, I found it...difficult to watch her seeing as how she is in need of a good bath." He chuckled quietly in return.

"There isn't enough seed for her to have been with someone older. It had to be the young male fresh into his prime." I told him he may be correct. He did enjoy puzzles, even odd or awkward ones. "I doubt she would mind, but it would be rude if her guest was the one to wake her." He was trying to nudge my memory.

"Oh, right." Will had forgotten that he was suppose to be the one to wake her in a situation like this, per custom. He had just been lucky all this time. Even though it may be unnecessary or redundant it was just the way of things for the 'kin. Dragons were creatures of habit much the same as humans were. William came to the bed as Rothland took a few steps back toward the drape, but still remained in the room. A respectable distance before being acknowledged. Once again, regardless of whether or not it mattered.

"Velena. Veeeelena." William lightly touched her arm to nudge her gently awake. His eyes never wander down from her face as he tried to rouse her. It did not take more than a few moments to bring her awake. She opened her eyes and smiled at Will once she was both awake and aware of it. She sat upright and hugged him, but he ducked backwards before she could lick him. It shocked her, and then she remembered his skittishness.

"I did not use my mouth, Will." He visible relaxed and smile. He didn't mind it when Velena licked him, so long as she did it with a clean mouth! She nuzzled his neck and gave him a long lick. This was a more intimate form of greeting that she took to doing more often than before. He'd only seen her do this with Rothland before, and some of her siblings who were particularly close.

"I'm glad you are awake, Velena. And we have a guest!" he brought her attention to Rothland, and her face remained as bright as it ever was.

"Roth! It has been much too long! Still carving at your silly arch?" he bowed his head in defeat, but he was smiling.

"Ah, but of course! And now poor Will has vowed to help me with it!" she mocked a look of surprise and shock.

"And whatever will I do when all the men in my life have run off to pick at rocks?" they all laughed lightly at that and she stood, if a little wobbly, which William rectified by offering her his arm so she could steady herself.

"You seem a little worse for wear."Rothland, having been acknowledged strode up to the pair and nuzzled Velena and they each licked the other across the underside of their snouts and their jaw line. Roth turned his head and touched his snout to William's forehead with just enough of his tongue extended to leave a "peck" there. Another form of greeting reserved for intimate moments between loved ones. It was embarrassing to William to be treated so warmly, but it felt good. Human forms of greeting did not have the solid definitions that dragon kin greeting did. It felt good to know that this meant this and always did. Velena and Rothland truly did care for him and that was a good feeling.

"Because I am! I hope my earlier activities did not disturb you from your painting, Will."

"Oh, no, it did not. I heard it at first but once I settled into my routine I tuned it out as I do everything." William assured her less her conscience berate her.

"That's good. I was trying to be quiet. Young Lansell does not quite know his own strength as of yet."

"Ah ha! I knew it was him!" Velena seemed shocked by Roth's outburst.

"When he found out you mated with someone and that I didn't know who it was he was quite curious to figure out who it was. He guessed, correctly might I add." She sighed through a grin. She told him what a little detective he had grown up to be. Roth stepped away for formalities sake and Velena sat down on the edge of the bed with William's help. "Are you well?" she nodded to answer Will's question.

"Yes, I am. Will, had I not kept my mouth shut you would have found yourself worried for me. Lansell needs to learn better control." Roth snickered and he was rewarded a glare from Velena in return. "And what is funny, Rothland?"

"Reminds you of your first time mating, doesn't it?" she rolled her eyes, and William actually laughed. Some things crossed the species barrier as easily as breathing air.

"Well," William recovered. "I do think you should bathe yourself Velena. You're a bit of a mess." She agreed and stood once again, still requiring William's help.

"You will be joining me, William. You are covered in paint." William then realized he was due for a cleaning. He had bathed with Velena before, albeit awkwardly. It bothered him less now that she was so comfortable and friendly. She did nothing that actually bothered him so he was able to grow accustomed to sharing the spring bath in the rear of her home.

"I suppose I must! But can you walk the distance? You weigh more than I and I doubt I have the strength to get you there if you can't help."

"Ha, and you have a second male right here to assist." William was grateful for the offer. Despite Velena being lithe she was still much taller, and a dragon. She just flat out weighed an impressive amount for a creature that could fly. Velena beckoned Roth over and both men had her by the arms and they eased her over into the spring chamber. She said she was simply very sore and it made moving her legs painful. Roth began to comment on ways to teach him better technique, which William decisively tried to mute inside his head since it seemed a topic he wasn't a part of. They reached the spring pool, which was basically a basin cut into the stone. Velena, when making this room for storage, broke into a vein of spring water that had been held at bay under the earth. The water continued to flow as it had before but the water also leaked into the basin forming a nice pool perfect for bathing in. They never needed to worry about cleaning the water since the flow of water constantly renewed the pool with fresh spring water. Roth nodded William away since he was the only one wearing any substantial clothing.

Once Velena was waist deep in the spring she let out a coo of contentment. That sounded good, and William was glad to know he was going to feel that blessed warmth very soon as well. He wasn't sore per se, but one never could say no to a nice hot bath! He was beginning to undress, but he did feel awkward about Roth being present, but he had not been invited to stay and bathe so he would take his leave and depart no doubt.

"If you've been working at your home all day Roth you should take this chance to bathe as well." Velena suggested, and Roth thanked her for the offer and accepted. So much for that, hmm? William finished undressing, put on a pleasant face and stepped into the pool, and thankfully he was not teased or chided in the least. They saw him enter of course, but they knew better than to tease him too much. He was a friend and they never wanted him to dislike their company. They knew full well that teasing wasn't always fun.

"Oh, this feels good." William commented as he found a place to sit where the water went up to his neck. He was content to just let himself soak, to hell with bathing!

"Aye it does. Perhaps I should accidentally cut into a spring in my own home." Roth replied and Velena elbowed him. They sat near each other whereas William was sitting further away. "Mind if I light a few more of the candles though?"

"Of course, go right ahead." Velena shooed him up and out of the water where Rothland thought to remove his now soaked loin cloth. The room was lit only by candles unlike the other chambers, which were lit by lanterns. Once several more candles were lit the room glowed with soft fire light and the reflection of flames flickering on the water. Roth returned to his spot near Velena and offered to assist her in bathing if she were too sore.

"Thank you, Roth, but I have to do this first! Will please sit by me, the paint on your face is driving me mad! I must wipe it off!" she laughed. Roth was used to seeing William covered in paint, but Velena simply could not come to accept it. Roth mentioned once it was her motherly instincts kicking in, trying to tell her to go have babies. She had kicked him then, but still laughed at the joke. Where Roth had decided to sit her and himself down was by a large stone that had been moved into the chamber. It was nothing more than a thick slab sat on its side. It was too heavy to be knocked over and it served perfectly as a back rest with its buffed smooth surface. William took a spot at the stone and Velena went to diligently rubbed at him face, which was a little embarrassing since it reminded him of his mother and grandmother when he was a small child and covered in one form of grim or another.

"I think you've got his face clean, Vel! You're rubbing his face off."

"I agree!" William cried breaking free. Velena laughed at him and let him go without too great a struggle.

"So from before, did you mention anything to him about the proper way to mate or were you letting him find his own rhythm?" William sighed, and they both noticed. Velena wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close.

"Perhaps Will will be of some use in this." Which confused Will to know end. "But I did let him have his own way. Next time I will have him do what I want, so he can learn properly."

"Will will be useful how?" Roth asked chuckling, and Will looked the Velena for an answer with just as much interest.

"I just wanted to include him in the discussion, but I'm sure humans have this problem as well! Isn't that so, Will?"

"I suppose so, yes. Can't say I have a great wealth of experience to draw from, however." He mentioned. He did not count the drunken barmaid who smelled like fish. He ran from that one before anything could happen. Technically he was a virgin, depending on what you thought needed to be done to lose one's virginity. "I would tell him to be gentle until he knows his strength."

"And I would say the same if all I could do was pass along a few words to him." Roth agreed with him and added, "However if I were a female I'd place him underneath so that I play the role of teacher and he of student."

"Well I wanted his first time to be with him being on top, Roth." Roth conceded to her point. "But now that Will's face is spotless you may help me bathe if you like."

Roth smiled and slid around to sit more to her front than her side so he could grab one of her legs and give it a rub down. He was more trying to massage her to help with the soreness than actually clean. "If you stretch her legs it will help alleviate some of the pain there and in her hips." William added, having learned a few things in his day from some healers about tending to sprains and injury.

"That sounds nice, Will." Velena relaxed against the stone and leaned heavily on Will with her arm still around him. She was very much enjoying the company and attention she was receiving. Roth chuckled. "Oh how content our queen has become."

"Indeed she has." William chuckled along with him, and Velena simply agreed with a nod and satisfied smile on her face with her eyes closed as if she were going to snooze yet again. She wasn't going to argue with them on that point! Now William felt much more comfortable. Water was up to his chest and he couldn't see anything incriminating about either Roth or Velena, sexually speaking. He felt at ease and he laid his head back against the stone to join with Velena as he rubbed at his forearms to pick away any stray splashes of paint. He was lucky today and had less than the norm.

"And why am I the only one working?" Roth asked as he took Velena's other leg in hand and began to massage it? He didn't mind it, but he was always one to enjoy conversation, which as of now was dwindling to nothing, or trying to. William certainly wasn't helping much as he was certainly feeling awkward with the entire situation; though Roth and Velena both independently felt it was good for all three of them if Will became more at ease around them. Though admittedly the dragon pair felt a little awkward themselves seeing as how they've never entertained a third person in times like these.

"I suppose I can assist, seeing as how I'm probably as clean now as I will get." William added. He pulled away from Velena's arm and told Roth to go back to her left leg. He did so and William (who was not sure Velena would approve of him cleaning her where she most desperately needed it) took her right leg and lifted it up and guided her through movements he knew what help stretch out the weary muscles and work them back into good speed. She winced as he did it, but he swore to her it was for the better. He told her stretching seldom felt wonderful while you did it. It's after you do it that you feel better. Will told Roth to pay attention to what he was doing so he could do it to her other leg.

"It really is nice having to nice strong men pamper you."

"Don't get too used to it, Vel. We were going to go vanish into Roth's home to carve remember?" William mocked her comment from before.

"Oh, I shall remain ever humble for you both! But now that you've started that stretching it does feel better. Lansell had me pinned with my legs over me for so long I didn't think I'd ever move them right again." Roth chuckled and mentioned that Lansell should be told the virtue of changing positions.

"Will, I think that leg has had enough. If feels so much better now, I thank you." She gave him a lick aimed purposely on the cheek, which she hadn't ever done before, and wasn't sure of the meaning. He told her she was welcome to the help as much as she needed it and let her put her leg down, which she left bent at the knee and draped in his lap giving Roth more room to work her other leg. He wasn't doing as good a job as Will, but it was helping. It took him longer but she finally was able to tell him her legs were now both fine. She gave him a long lick on the snout, which she'd seen her do numerous times to him. It also looked familiar to what she did to himself not too long ago. He blushed. She usually licked Roth that way when he would arrive to mate. That may have been Will's signal to politely excuse himself! He was definitely blushing.

"I think I can mange cleaning myself now, you boys can tend to yourselves." Will knew he was mostly clean, as much as he cared to be at any rate, but he honestly didn't want to leave the spring yet. It did feel good when compared to the mostly cool mountain air.

"Will! Our queen is casting us aside!" Roth exclaimed with mocked shock. Will laughed and agreed with a similar mocked expression and Velena weakly kicked them both and told them to stop it, that they were being awful. The all laughed but Roth had something else to say. "My queen, as the stars and moon watch us from the heavens I swear to you I shall regain your favor!" The joke was old now and Velena just chuckled and rolled her eyes to look at Will and shake her head, but then Roth sucked air into his lungs and dunked himself under the spring, and a moment later Velena gasped out loud and grabbed Will and tugged him close in surprise. Will found himself equally surprised and thought Roth had decided to prod her ribs, as she was ticklish there (admittedly Will also engaged in the guilty pleasure of tormenting poor Velena with a prod on the ribs or two, or three, etc etc).

"Oh! Well, my, dear Will." She was finding it difficult to keep her composure, which was certainly hard when a fiend is trying to prod at your weak point. She was fishing with her left arm so she could grab Roth and pull him up. Roth was known for his ability to hold his breath for a long while. William knew it was longer than any human he'd seen. A few minutes at most. "Will, I do believe Roth is trying to clean me. You don't need to stay! Oh! You may leave if this-!"

Poor William was speechless and before Velena could finish telling him he could leave if he wished she lashed out with her other arm and grabbed him for a tight hug. She was squirming and trying not to spasm. "Ah! Will!" He'd heard her say Roth's name the same way when they mated! His face was now red for a different reason. A part of him wanted to break from her and leave the spring, but he knew that would only leave Velena feeling completely at fault for the situation, which was not true at all. Roth was known for his spontaneity and William certainly knew his affections for Velena have gotten the better of his reason more than once. It was only a matter of time before he got stuck in between the two of them, Will thought. "Will! Ah!" she was clutching at him hard and twitching. He accepted her embrace in what he hoped would "ease" her down, though it was unlikely due to the nature of the "cleaning" Roth was most certainly doing.

William could barely see through the water with the current lighting, but he could see an outline Roth's body under the water with his head between Velena's legs. No doubt he intended to only tease, but his libido got the better of him. He had been away from her for some time and Roth had once confessed he had seldom mated with others for the last few years. Though as embarrassed as William was he knew he couldn't just up and barge out. He kept his arms around Velena and held her close. Roth would eventually have to come up for air. He would remember Will was there when he came up and profusely apologized, as he typically did when he did something markedly dumb.

"It's ok, Vel." Brave William was speaking, which was the little voice inside of Will that told him what the right thing to do was and how to handle tough situations. Will just wished that voice was louder and a more frequent visitor. Will also had become comfortable with calling her Vel in private. He'd tested out the name a few times. He'd only heard Roth call her that. That nickname was her most intimate name. Velena had actually brought it up with him once and gave him permission to use her shortened name, Vel. He had to get her to explain that. He had found it silly that one needed permission to use a person's nickname. He told her she could just call him "Will" if she wanted, and she in turn responded with a great amount of joy and warmth. She called him Will when in private ever since, and so did Roth when Will went ahead and told him. "Roth is just being unreasonable again, hmm?" She actually laughed in between her gasps and noises. He had heard all these noises before, but never from within her arms.

"Thank you, Ah, Will! Good, he's good!" he nodded and continued to hold her as she struggled under Roth's attentions. Moments later he broke through the surface gasping for air. And as Will had expect the following occurred: Roth realized he did something ignorant, spotted Will and Velena clutching each other, began to worry up a thunderstorm, and then profusely apologize like a man kneeling before his executioner.

"Roth. Roth!" Will had to shout to be heard over his friend's incessant pleas. He could see Roth was severely upset with himself at his sudden lack of judgment."I am not angry at you! Surprised and embarrassed, yes, but not angry! I haven't had a woman grab at me like that in years! I should be thanking you!"

Roth eased back into a seated position and breathed in deep to rapidly calm himself down. When he regained his composure he continued.

"That was foolish of me. With me being so busy working I have done nothing to relieve myself of my tensions. I lost myself for a moment there, and I apologize Will, I truly do! I'm rather ashamed of myself."

"Don't be, Roth. Mistakes happen to the best and worst of us, but I for one will not judge you by your mistakes. Now don't make this more awkward for all us by crying."

"Well said, Will." Velena was trying to recover as quickly as she could, and was pulling away from Will, not out of dislike but for the sake of regaining her own composure. Clutching to a man after that was not smart.

"I wasn't going to cry!" Roth exclaimed and stood, almost falling. William laughed and then laughed all the harder when he realized that Roth didn't think about his growing erection when he stood. Velena began to laugh too for the same reason, and then Roth realized and submitted defeat. "Well, I suppose that is how life punishes the wicked."

"Let's not have this past moment ruin our evening. We are all bathed now! We may take our leave of the spring and dry ourselves." Will proclaimed. He was the one Roth and Velena feared they'd wronged, so it needed to be him to be the one to be "ok", which remarkably he was. He'd think differently on it later no doubt, but right now he was in a powerful state of mind and he was milking it. He couldn't let his confidence weaken, at least not yet. He stood, and thanked the heavens he was not erect, which surprised him.

Will goaded them all out of the pool and to a wooden rack where Velena kept dry cloths for drying. Roth was still quite erect and for the first time he seemed shy about it. Will didn't know why. He never had the courage to ask, but Roth was, well, large. Will had seen his erection before in brief passing when he would come to mate with Velena, but Will did not know if he was normal sized for a dragon kin male, small, or large. He'd listened to enough of their lovemaking to know that whatever it was he had it pleased Velena to no end, and right now Will had no trouble noticing that Roth was fully erect and rigid and that Velena was finding it hard to not notice. Bother were being polite and refraining from touching each other during that time.

When they entered Velena's bedchamber Roth looked like he was about to bid his farewell, but Will didn't think that would be a good parting. He had an idea.

"Well, Roth, I believe I will depart for my own chamber. Why don't you and our lady queen enjoy yourselves this night? Hasn't it been a while?" Both dragons were surprised and somewhat grateful for the suggestion. "I can walk away from tonight feeling as fine as I always do, so why don't both of you?" He gave then a genuine smile, and they returned it looking so much relieved. They did not apologize again; they simply accepted his words since they seemed to understand his motive.

"Well said, Will." It was Roth's time to say it. "And of course it would be awkward to fly home with my weapon unsheathed." Velena laughed at him, she found it funnier being a fellow flying creature.

"Then I shall bid the two of you-"

"Will?" Velena stopped him as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes, Vel?"

"When was the last time you mated?" his face flushed.

"Why uh, it was quite some time ago I believe." Never in truth. Nothing he had ever done truly counted if he were being honest with himself. "Why?" It seemed silly to ask because he feared he knew what was coming.

"If it would please the two of you," she looked to Roth, "I would like it for both my handsome men to attend their queen tonight." William blushed, but Roth didn't seem all that changed.

"I do not mind it in the least, Vel." Roth looked at Will and smile kindly. Will knew he had to answer but he felt very awkward and pressured.

"I, I don't know what to say. It's a very sudden request, Vel."

"I won't be hurt if you choose to refuse. I realize it was sudden of me to ask this of you. It just came to me and I was compelled to ask." Will was grateful for the towel as he had wrapped himself up in it. The parts of him that had lain ignored for so long were waking up and it was proving more difficult to ignore them as time passed. Not that it was much time at all as he was thinking very quickly, but it felt like a long time.

"Perhaps. Perhaps I could watch. Roth mentioned earlier that I could draw the two of you while mating. I could use this night to see if you're an interesting enough subject." He grinned weakly, and his friends smiled in return, knowing this was his way of accepting their offer, if only partially. They were certainly thinking, that maybe next time would be full acceptance. They would not push him to it, but they may...make recommendations.

"Then I hope we prove to be very entertaining!" Velena said it as a challenge to herself, and to Roth, who then added, "And feel free to join us if you find the desire." Will certainly doubted that. He was never given the impression the Roth could easily share a female he was mating with.

"I'll keep it under consideration, Roth." Will moved over to find the chair that was Velena's favorite. He guessed he'd just sit off to the side. He felt so odd doing this. He was erect beneath the towel and had feelings of desire he hadn't felt in years. He had put off all those things in favor of his work, and damn he nearly forgot what it felt like! Once he was seated in his chair the three looked to one another, then finally laughed, lightly at first, then harder. "Odd, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes it is, friend of my soul, Will." Roth spoke first, then Velena. "But we three will be better for it, Will, friend of my soul." Will bowed his head deeply as he smiled. Very seldom did he hear a dragon kin speak of the soul. It was done with reverence. He thanked them, and they turned to one another and began. William watched with wide eyes as Roth took Velena roughly and skillfully. As far as Will was concerned Roth was trying desperately to impregnate the woman he loved and Velena was grasping at the dream of carrying his young. Will decided then, in the midst of such passion, that they would be a perfect subject to draw.