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Chapter 8...

"You know, I am still pissed off and riled up..." Rena muttered to Dante as she dressed in the false light of the following day's dawn.

"I don't blame you, but there is literally nothing we can do about whoever attacked us, is there?" Dante replied.

"No...but I feel the need to just kill someone or something!" Rena declared, getting a sideways glance from Captain Aspenall who was saddling Fellericksy.

"Shh...You don't want to let your Princess guise slip in front of the troops," Dante replied, looking around the clearing as the camp was being broken.

"Captain!" Rena shouted, ignoring him.

"Yes Ma'am?" the otter responded, walking over.

"What do you feel about leaving possible enemies behind that could cause you harm in the future?" she asked.

"I am not sure that I catch your meaning, Ma'am," Aspenall replied.

"My meaning Captain, is Polomavit. Would he be likely to throw his hat in with someone else in the future, in an attempt at revenge against us?"

"Possible, but short of returning to the town whose remaining guards have no doubt been alerted to execute you both, and probably us soldiers on sight as well, you cannot get to him without mass murder from above...and you ruled that out."

"I most certainly did," Dante replied firmly, "Blood tie or not, I will not kill innocents Rena."

"That was before...I have another way now. Would the crown come looking for me if Polomavit was to suddenly expire?" Rena asked.

Aspenall scratched his chin, "Technically the crown is already looking for you for all your other jobs...adding another will not complicate things. They are still looking for someone a lot older than you Ma'am. Polomavit is a lesser noble than some you have already killed."

Rena grinned, "Don't I know it...Then I think that Polomavit will not wake this morning from his slumber. I just hope that his bed will be empty, or some poor female will get the blame for his death."

Aspenall looked up sharply, "He rarely sleeps alone Ma'am,"

"That figures...but are those that lie with him innocent?" Rena asked coldly.

The otter looked away, "They are usually paid or desperate...or forced."

Rena grinned, "Then if not the latter, they will know how to duck and cover. He will die by his own dagger!" She turned to the other soldiers, "Wealdon! Report!" she shouted.

Aspenall looked up desperately to Dante, who just shook his head, "Better than me burning whole place to the ground Captain...and she needs to lose some of her anger and take some herbs or she will be insufferable."

"I heard that you black oaf!" Rena returned, turning and kicking his leg, "And if you don't watch your mouth I will have the greatest of pleasures in seeing if I can succeed in killing you instead!"

Aspenall covered his mouth in humour, as Dante just shrugged and mantled his wings, "Yes Princess, of course Princess..." he simpered, pouring on the scorn and sarcasm with such force that her façade cracked, and she started giggling.

"And I do not need to take any herbs...Yet!" she added, through the giggles.

"You wanted me Ma'am," Wealdon said, saluting as she turned to face him.

"Yes Private. Give me Polomavit's dagger...this morning he dies," her demeanour turning cold again in an instant.

Wealdon glanced at Aspenall, who just nodded. He swallowed hard and withdrew it from the scabbard on his belt.

"Thank you Private, you may continue breaking camp now."

"Yes Ma'am," he answered and headed back over the tents, but Rena watched as every set of eyes turned to face her as they completed their assigned tasks.

"What do you intend to do?" Aspenall asked.

"Seek spell...Similar to the one on every one of your daggers, but this is externally guided, not a sleeping one," Rena replied, placing the ornate dagger on a left over log, "If the idiot has a competent Mage in his employ, it will be blocked. If not, well the town will need a new ruler in about a quartermark."

She closed her eyes tightly and allowed some of her power to gather from within, "Vos es carus ut vestri erus pectus pectoris. EGO instill is super vos ut vado peto is, pro is mos nam celebrate vestri reverto per a vox super vestri reverto! Vado!" The steel glowed for a second, and then lifted off the log under its own volition, hovering momentarily, before whooshing off in a miniature clap of thunder in the direction of the town. "Done," Rena declared, standing again, "Now to Gilensia we ride, I want to be there by tomorrow's nightfall at the latest!"

The soldiers all turned back to their tasks quickly, and also a little more nervously at the show of her power again, "Erm, how will you know if it gets though?" Aspenall asked quietly.

Rena just turned to face him, a half smile on her face, "I will know..." was all she replied.

****

The stablehands all looked up as a high pitched whine followed by the breaking of glass sounded above their heads, and they dashed out into the courtyard as bits of window rained down upon them. There was silence, followed by a single gasped out scream from the topmost tower, and then the voice of hysterical female echoed around the streets of the town, calling between vapours for the guards.

To give Frendrick his due, it took less than a quartermark for the big bear to get dressed, run across the town, and climb the stairs to the tower suite from the moment a panicked messenger awoke him. He just stood and stared at the body in the bed and scratched at his chin, "Better send to the Capital with the news, and announce it to the people. We will have to elect a new leader, unless the King has anyone else who deserves a backwater town like this," he said, turning to Horsthwock, "Shame Aspenall isn't here, as he would no doubt win an election. Any idea who killed him?"

"He certainly had enough enemies, Sir," Horsthwock replied, "It is his own blade, the armourers have confirmed that. The whore he was sleeping with last night says that she was awoken by that window over there smashing, and then a thud. He only let out a single scream, and he was dead."

Frendrick walked over to the bed, the naked corpse of his deceased commander was sprawled in a death rictus on the top of the sheets, his face a frozen mask of pain. The hilt of the ornate dagger was all that could been seen of it, the rest of the blade was buried deep into the fox's chest, just below his left nipple. The bear glanced over at the smashed window, noting that most of the glass was here on the inside of the room, "Your thoughts Horsthwock?" he asked.

"Mage sending...He had no protections, believing himself to be invincible..."

"I concur. It couldn't have been thrown at this height. Let the tart go, she is obviously nothing to do with it. Just search her for the two rings that usually reside on his fingers, they have been yanked off from the torn skin. Shame the bastard didn't suffer, but some have all the luck eh," the bear remarked, turning to the door again.

"Yes'Sir," Horsthwock responded, saluting before heading downstairs again.

"Bag him up and take him to the chapel...I suppose some will want to give their respects, but put some clothes on him first. It seems that our fiery Princess was right in her supposition, though how he kept the whores quiet I don't know...My pet cat has bigger balls than him!" The Captain said, addressing the priest and a few of the castle staff who were in the room, much to their amusement, before he placed his helmet back on and trundled down the stairs again, to begin the paperwork, "Just don't come back here Princess, or I will be duty bound to arrest you..." he muttered under his breath.

****

Rena mounted Charles, and gave the signal to move out, a shiver running through her body for just a few seconds before a smile lit her face as the sun finally crept over the horizon, "He had no protections," she announced aloud with a chuckle, "Your Duke is no more gentlemen."

Aspenall glanced across at her, "Cleanly?"

Rena nodded, "I always kill cleanly...Captain," she replied coldly, before reigning Charles in a tight circle, and setting off at a trot, causing the rest of the troop to scramble and form a line behind her as Grillion bolted for the point position again.

Dante just shook his head in silence, and flapped his wings hard, rising into the cool morning air as soon as the now dead clearing was free of horses.

~~~~

"So how do we make our approach?" Rena asked, staying mounted on Charles, as Aspenall and Dante lined up on the ridge top next to her, looking down upon the port city of Gilensia below them.

It was certainly an interesting city from this view point. The huge stone walls extended out into the river valley for around a league, before curving inwards towards the river which entered at the apex of the flat arch. Two huge stone groins penetrated the ocean by at least half a league, cradling and protecting the busy harbour from the worst of the storms, while various huge clipper ships, both loading and unloading mixed with lighter pleasure yachts on the docks in the protected waters of the river's mouth.

"What do you mean, Ma'am?" Aspenall replied.

"What I mean is, do we just walk down the ridge on the road and approach the gate, as I did with Dante at Polomavit town, or will we all end up like pincushions? They have rather a lot more guards on the wall and gates than he did!" Rena pointed out.

Aspenall chuckled, "I think you may have a point. I will send Flaughten down to give good warning. We will stay here on the ridge top, the officers are likely to have far scopes. In fact I would be surprised if we have not already been observed, Dante does cast a rather large silhouette." He turned to face the troops, "Flaughten, ride out ahead and inform the gate guard of the Princess's intentions. We come in peace, to trade and to hire. Dante is blood bound, and we will offer a suitable bond for good behaviour. We are likely to be in residence for no more than three days."

"Yes'Sir," Flaughten responded, trotting out on his horse and heading down the switchback road towards the city.

"Will that be enough?" Rena asked.

"The Lord who runs the city has a good reputation, and so therefore do the guard. Despite this being the biggest trading post for gemstones and rare metals in the world, there is no crime. Or should I say, there are no criminals. The jail is for brawlers and public nuisances only. Steal anything, defraud anyone, cheat on the gaming tables...and you will not live a day. The Lord has at least two truth seeker Mages in his constant employ. There are no mistakes made, and the criminal fraternity know it well. Once you leave the province though, well the roads that lead away from here are all sewn with brigands who hunt the caravans. I am actually surprised we have not been attacked on route."

Dante grinned, "Are you really?" he asked, letting a wisp of smoke emerge from a nostril.

The otter laughed, "Well come to think of it, we are travelling with an asset no one-else has! And the road has been remarkably quiet!"

Rena and Dante both burst out laughing, "Let's break for rations then until Flaughten returns," Rena declared, "Wealdon, keep your hands where everyone can see them, I will not bust you out of trouble if you get into it."

"Yes Ma'am," Wealdon replied, saluting as the rest of the troop dismounted and broke out some jerky, clearly in view on the ridge top.

***

"They will take a bond, we are free to enter," Flaughten declared as he re-entered the temporary camp as the sun dipped beneath the horizon, "Sorry it took so long, but they insisting on using a truth Mage on me. As compensation, the guard Captain has cleared a large suite for you and Dante at the Castle Inn, Princess, for making you wait out here."

Rena grinned, "Very well, let's ride out then before the gates are closed for the night. They didn't extract any more information from you, did they Flaughten?"

"They got the purpose of the quest, and everything you have told us about concerning it. They also know that we are former troops of the crown, and what has gone down in Polomavit town."

Aspenall looked up sharply, "So she will arrested as we enter the town then?" he asked.

Flaughten shook his head, "I was asked what troop station we came from, and our past movements. News has not yet reached them of the Duke's demise, so they did not ask me about him. I of course did not reveal anything except what I was quizzed over." The tiger replied with a grin, making Aspenall smile and Rena stifle a giggle.

"I suggest we make our business here as fleeting as possible then," Aspenall declared, "Before said news catches us up."

Rena nodded, "I have no intention of lingering Captain. The sooner we move on, the sooner Kalaw dies, and the sooner you all get to go and find something or one to spend your monies on. What I will do after, I have no idea." She turned and trotted out, Aspenall tapping Fel with his heels in order to catch up.

"Ma'am, please allow us to take point!" Aspenall declared as Grillion trotted past quickly, "Point gets the first arrow in an attack!"

Rena looked sideways at him, "Not this close to a city...and besides, I told you I ain't playing mother hen to be protected by a bunch of strutting cocks."

Aspenall sighed, "Speaking of protection...Anyone down in the city likely to recognize you? The guard will have the same trouble I did, your general description adds over ten years to you in age."

Rena thought for a second, "I have never been here before, though I obviously know of it which is why I chose to divert via it. Penniless assassins are not granted entrance through the gates of trading posts like this one. I may have 'visited' one or two of the caravans that pass in and out of it though in the past, but aside from that, I have not had any dealings with the lords or merchants that call this place home...that I know of."

Aspenall nodded, "Whoever accompanies you on your shopping expeditions will keep an eye out for signs of recognition then. Unless it is the guard, no one will try and kill you within the walls though, for the reasons already stated."

"You will not be accompanying Dante and I?" Rena asked.

Aspenall shook his head, "I will be calling in favours, as I agreed to do. Plus I need to recruit at the Merc's barracks. Flaughten, Hrruther and Wealdon will accompany you and Dante around the shops and dealers."

"Wealdon?" Dante queried, "Is that wise?"

Aspenall grinned, "I would hazard a guess that you will not fit into most of the dealer's shops, Sir. We both know that Rena hasn't exactly got a lot of knowledge about gems..." Rena glanced sharply at him, but nodded with a frown, "Wealdon knows fakes from the real things, his parents were also thieves...very successful ones actually before they were caught on a job and hung. He is the best in the squad, and will ensure you are not cheated."

Rena tilted her head on one side in acquiescence, "Point made, but I thought you said that cheating was punishable by death in the city..."

The otter smirked, "I believe I said defrauding...If those who approach the dealer's tables are hoist by their own ignorance, well that is not being defrauded, it is just trade...Which some would call being cheated by the dealer."

"Something tells me that the Lord of Gilensia is rather wise, and is probably from the same dealer's tables himself," Dante pointed out as they approached the gates.

Aspenall nodded, "Elected every two years by all the residents within the walls. The King transfers the title to whoever holds the position at the time. As long as the taxes continue to roll in, the Capital allows a certain degree of autonomy. System works well, as 80% of the shit that applies outside the walls, doesn't within. Play by Gilensia's laws, and you get along fine...break them and you lose your neck."

"Remind me never to take a job in this city then," Rena remarked quietly as the guards on the gate halted them.

She dismounted from Charles, walking back to the pack horse that held the saddlebags with the gems in them. She carefully opened the top of one, and pulled out a couple of medium sized diamonds, plus ten platinum coins, and a few pearls for good measure, slipping them into a small leather purse. "To whom will I place the bond with?" she asked, addressing a sharply armoured and uniformed lion who displayed the Captain's badge.

"With me...Princess."

Rena glanced up, eyes opening slightly in awe as an eagle headed griffin dropped from a perch just behind the gate. Landing with a slight displacement of road dust, he shook his feathers flat and approached on all fours, a single platinum and gold badge pinned to the jerkin that protected his chest. He stopped about three feet away from her, his head a good two feet above hers as he gazed balefully down on her with eyes as large as the dinner plates she had eaten off in Polomavit town.

"Cresentstar...not a name I am familiar with...and trust me, I have been around," he stated, holding out his front left paw, "Your bond please."

Rena handed over the purse without a word as Dante bridled a little, "Treat her with the respect she deserves, or you will answer to me," he threatened.

The griffin turned his head slightly, "I respect only those that deserve respect, dragon. I have killed four of your kind in single combat, do not make me make it a fifth."

Aspenall pushed Fellericksy forward then, his head level with the griffin's from his mounted position, "So this is how you get your kicks now Miles...? I thought I taught you better than that!" he stated, "You agreed to take a bond of good behaviour from my employees... I would have thought that would have included common courtesy too."

"The bond was agreed with Captain Salem there," the griffin indicated the lion, "Without my knowledge, I might add. And I am no longer your student Aspenall; I left the guard eight years ago."

"Then what the hell are you doing here then?" the otter asked.

The griffin turned his cere up in the closest expression he could imitate a smile by, "I became a merchant trader...Captain, introduce me please."

The lion saluted, "Yes' Sir. May I introduce Lord Miles Leohartelsson, current Lord of Gilensia."

"Thank you Captain," the griffin stated, never letting his eyes off Dante, "So you see Aspenall, all it would take is for me to nod my head, and none of you would get out from under this arch alive..."

The otter nodded, "Agreed, but unless you have turned into a total arse in the ten years since I last saw you, Fledgling...you will take that bond and let us pass." He stared the griffin down until the huge hybrid broke first with a chuckle.

"Not changed at all, have you, you battered old water rat!?" he threw the purse at Captain Salem who caught it neatly in one hand, "Let them through. If this old fraud vouches for them, then who am I to argue? After all, he rescued me, and taught me everything I know. Forget the Castle Inn though, you are to guest at my table in the Castle for your stay here. I will take the taxes on your trade as my fee."

Aspenall grinned, "Nice to see you again, Miles. I am sure the Princess and Dante will accept your hospitality."

"Of course we will," Rena replied, a smile creeping onto her face, "Nice to make your acquaintance, Lord Leohartelsson...You are I believe the first of your kind I have ever set eyes upon..."

"Miles, please Princess, and you outrank me. It is only fair that you take a suite as my guest, and as you say, my kind are somewhat rare on this side of the Great Ocean. Maybe at my table, I will explain how I came to be here in this land, or Captain Aspenall will. Your escort can be housed in the Castle's barracks, and your pet in the stables..."

Dante growled, but Rena drew her dagger and placed the tip under the griffin's beak before another word could slip from it, "Dante is my partner on this quest, and he is as much responsible for it as I am. He stays in my suite with me, or we lodge in the Inn...Fledgling..." Rena responded coldly, "Insult him again, and Lord or not, it is you that will not get out from under this archway. Unless you are airborne, you are at a proven disadvantage I believe... And I am sure that your truth Mage's quizzing of Flaughten revealed that I am not 'just' a Princess..."

The wolf bitch and the griffin stared at each other for a second as steel began to slip from everyone else's scabbards in readiness...

"I assure you I am house trained...Lord," Dante said, a smile gracing his muzzle, "I have no intention of killing anyone...The bond that Salem holds comes from my horde. The monies and gems that will be exchanged and traded here in this city, also comes from my horde. A dragon does not give his horde's content up for a frivolity...As I am sure that you know."

Miles snorted, "Apologies..." he said as Rena lowered her blade. He shook his head, allowing his feathers to fall back into place, "At ease gentlemen. Princess, Dante...welcome to Gilensia." He cocked his head to one side, "You must understand that old habits die hard..."

"Oh I understand...Miles," Dante stated, "After all, Aspenall wanted to kill me too when I tried to take his table at an Inn...I find it best not to judge on first appearances though..." he grinned, and the griffin burst out laughing.

"Touché...well come on then. The night has fallen, and I am sure you are all hungry. Am I right in assuming you have adapted to conventional, two legged fair?" he asked, nudging Dante with his wing, before turning, the guard troops parting in front of him.

"If by that, I assume you mean that I do not require my food raw and alive? Then yes. I appreciate good cooking as well as the next citizen," Dante replied.

"Good...The serving staff dislike it when the cloths go to laundry covered in blood." The griffin turned to Salem, "Don't close up this gate yet; we have been holding peoples up for over a mark...let them in and then lock up."

"Yes' Sir," the lion replied with a salute, before turning and indicating that the several furs who were not part of Rena's group, and still outside, could begin queuing for processing.

****

"So what do you think of him?" Dante asked, stretching himself from snout to tail as Rena tested the softness of the huge four poster bed in the tower suite they had been allocated. They had a private, plumbed bathing room with copper boiler and a tub big enough to fit even him, with his tail tucked around of course. They had both used it earlier before the meal, though not together as it was not quite that big. It had been nice though the way she had carefully polished his back scales with some of the new grooming products she had picked up in Polomavit town.

"Hot head...but boy is he a looker when he is out of that stupid chest plate. If I were more inclined, I would have accepted his offer of a spot in his suite tonight..." Rena declared. Dante stared at her, until a grin split her muzzle, "Well you must admit he does carry himself well when he is not threatening people."

"Popinjay...You would think that with the way he believes in his own importance, he would have sent an invite out to his home land for an escort or mate," Dante scoffed, "Maybe those of his own kind think he is worth nothing, as he was stupid enough to be taken as a slave exhibit when he was a fledgling."

Rena shrugged, "He is certainly bright enough...look where he is now. Interesting story he has though. I would have dismissed it as fantasy, had not Aspenall backed him up. Good luck to him, because one day he will not be so lucky when he insults someone he shouldn't."

"We have no idea if he is bright or not for his species Rena...he is the first one I have ever seen...or at least I think he is."

Rena started undressing, gently laying her dress out over the screen on one side of the room. Dante had to admit she had looked gorgeous in the shoulder to ankle, red silk affair that she had chosen from her new wardrobe, it hugged her lean body in all the right places, "You are certainly easier to hold a conversation with though," she commented as she brushed through her hair in front of the mirror, dressed only in a skimpy red bra and pants, slim daggers tucked into a matching garters on each thigh.

Dante smiled as the candle light cast interesting shadows across her fur, "Do you want to call the maid he offered you in again?"

She glanced over her shoulder at him, "No need...You can give me a hand if I need it. I am not used to this luxury at all..." she mused.

He walked over to behind her, and took the brush from hands, setting it down on the dressing table before continuing to gently comb through her fur with his talons, "The question 'Princess', is do you need me?"

Rena tilted her head back to look up at him, "Maybe...Or is it if you need me?" she asked, her eyes half closed as his talons crept lower down off her scalp and onto her neck and shoulders, gently continuing to massage where her fur was shorter.

"I think we complement each other...You have the temper, I have the calmness to diffuse situations with humour. You are the warrior, I am the pacifist. You have the youth, I have the wisdom..." Her eyes were by now wide open, and she was reaching for one of the gartered daggers, "You have the beauty though to turn any male's eyes...Whereas I am an ugly mug, even for one of my kind."

Her hands dropped and she spun to face him, her small breasts rounding out her bra as she stayed his paws with hers, "I am not beautiful, and you are not ugly..." she whispered gently.

Dante shrugged, laying his paws on her shoulders again, and dipping his head to her upturned one, "You are when you let your mask slip...Rena. My looks could only be corrected if I could lose my scar...at least in the eyes of a dragoness."

Rena stood on her tip toes and planted a gentle kiss on the end of lips, "I personally find it adds character," she whispered as Dante froze. Taking advantage of the moment, she pulled the front tie on her bra, and let it drop to the floor, "You can continue your massage if you want, I will not say no..."

Dante swallowed hard, his lips burning from her velvety touch, "We must get you some of your herbs tomorrow," he replied eventually, as she turned and lay belly down on the bed, his knuckles slowly beginning to need the knots out of her taught back, little sub-vocalisations of pleasure slipping from her lips as each one was dealt with in their own fashion.

She glanced over her shoulder at him, "What herbs?" she asked, "I will be getting my poisons of course..." She paused as his left paw cupped her buttock briefly before continuing back up her spine.

"Your need is clouding your judgement again...you are teasing me Rena..." he gently turned her over so she was facing him fully, "First you joke that you would jump into bed with Miles..." his talons traced a pattern in her fur around her breasts as she held her breath for a second, "And now you kiss me..." he leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips himself, his warm breath stilling hers as his tongue slipped between her slightly parted lips to caress her inexperienced one that still carried the taint of the meal's wine, "And you are not used to the fine wine you have consumed either. I do not want to ruin our relationship with the impossible..." he stated as he broke the kiss, working his talons across her eight ridges of abdominal muscles, before standing up straight again.

"Are you saying that my impending heat and a little wine is clouding my judgement?" she asked, sitting up straight and pressing her hands against his chest, her claws tracing the line of the scar down to his belly.

Dante turned his head away, "I am saying that if we take the step that I am now fighting my urges not to, then yes, there is no going back for you. Your first is meant to be your most..." he was silenced as she stood and took him into a kiss again, her flat tongue diving deeply through his lips in search of his forked.

"What is more special than a blood oath, Dante?" She gestured down at the bulge that was showing in the scales at the base of his belly, "You know through our link that what I am feeling is genuine..."

"I know that you could just be feeling my own barely controlled lust for you, leaching back along that same link," he declared, trying to turn away, but she stilled him, not letting her hand of his foreleg as she pulled the knot on her last remaining piece of clothing and let the pants drop to the floor.

"Then let us find out..." she whispered, lying back onto the bed, her thighs parted as her scent filled his nostrils, "Better here than surrounded by our hired company out on the trail..."

Dante forced his eyes to turn away from the view he was being granted... "What you are asking for is the impossible..." he whimpered, the lure of her slightly swollen and puffy lips drawing him in like a hypnotist's jewel.

"Are you saying that you assumed you would be having a lasting relationship with every female you have tupped before?" she asked, running her own fingers down towards her sweet and glistening spot... "We have nigh on two years ahead of us together...is that not a long enough relationship for you? Especially as we know that we cannot seek others out while we are still blood bound...because of that very blood binding that is driving us both now..."

Dante's scales began to part between his legs as his instinct began to override his decency, "Rena please...please...you are only..." he begged, before he was silenced again this time with her lips brushing across the tip of his embarrassment as she'd knelt before him in an instant.

"I will take my suppressant herbs tomorrow Dante...If you are so sure that it is my body or wine, and not my mind talking, then do not take my virginity tonight..." she kissed his still growing length as it swelled within her hands, "But I insist that we must sate each other before we rest, or the night will be a long one..." Dante grunted as she licked at the beads of pre that were forming on the tip of his maleness, "You taste sweeter than I'd imagined. The books I read never mentioned that...I may have no practice in this field, but I certainly have the research base..."

His breathing was getting deeper as his heart rate speeded up, his internal balls clenching as his member was hugged to her chest, her breasts rubbing along each side of the shaft as she never let up from her kissing... "Enough!" he declared as he almost lost control, picking her up and throwing her back on to the bed, "I will not remember this! I will pass out if you bring me to peak! What if I hurt you?!" he protested, turning to pace the length of the suite.

Rena looked back up at him though tousled hair, "I am willing to take that risk...you are twice my size, stronger than me, and I am unarmed. I am at my most vulnerable here in front of you, and yet still you hang back...Were the dragoness' actually dragons?" she teased, her fingers creeping back down to her sex again.

"What...no...Arrrgh! It is just not possible...look at me! Look at me in my glory now you have brought me to this!" He gestured at his thick eighteen inches, "I cannot have a relationship with someone your size, I am as big as Charles out there in the stables!" Dante protested.

Rena grinned, "Different in shape though...that tapered tip should spread me slowly..."

"No!" Dante turned to face her, "I cannot hurt you! Don't you see little bitch...The very blood oath that I cast with you, stops this from happening! Dracos, I wish it was otherwise, truly I do. I want nothing more than to flip you over and drive you into the bed sheets now... but if I do, you will die..." he bowed his head in frustration, "No amount of healing flame can heal you internally."

Rena sat up again, sliding forward to the edge of the bed, "I didn't know dragons could cry," she murmured, standing and walking over to where he was shaking, hugging his head into her belly and gently comforting his nose for a few minutes.

"Rena...I...I...I'm sorry...But you must understand that the only female around here that can possibly accommodate me is Fellericksy...and I have no wish to be castrated by a stray hoof if I try it on with her..." He pulled his head free of her arms, allowing the last stray tears to drop onto her head.

Rena stifled a giggle, "Ever the one to turn the situation into a farce...aren't you?"

He allowed a smile to creep up his muzzle, "Well it is true..." he shrugged.

"You know Dante, as I mentioned before, and when I teased Grillion out there by the camp fire...I am totally unschooled in the bedroom arts, as you will find out for yourself. I was, as I mentioned just a quarter mark ago, an avid scholar. Now maybe my Master had secret hankerings and needs. Maybe when he considered me of age, he would have switched my training from the Dojo to the bedroom...but I found the books he thought he had hidden. I read them and learned from them everything that you possibly could do without actual implementation." She knelt again, crawling under his belly to reach for her prize, "And I know that we do not have to have sex in order to get each other off..." Her hands closed around him again as he took a deep breath.

"The tub then..." he gasped.

"What?" she queried, her lips damp with his need.

"We do this in the tub...Or there will be a hell of a mess to explain to the maids in the morning..."

Rena giggled, "Come then...let us go and make a mess my domesticated dragon..." she shrieked as he bent and picked her up, carrying her, her paws beating fruitlessly on his shoulders into the bathing room, her giggling sucking all the fight out of her as he dumped her on the shelf containing all the lotions and potions with a clatter.

Dante jumped into the tub, pinning her to the wall as she squirmed in his grip, gently easing her legs apart, "Haptic feedback Rena...haptic feedback...You cum, I cum...and trust me...I do have the experience!" He dipped his head between her thighs, long tongue snaking out to taste what he had denied himself so far. She groaned above him, body going limp as her hands closed around his horns and their heart rates quickened as his tongue ran up against her sign of chasteness. "Just do one favour for me Rena...revive me with your blood and do not let me sleep in the tub when I pass out...It will give me one hell of a bad back!"

Rena snickered, happier than she had been in her living memory, riding Dante's tongue as it drove her to her peak against the cool tiles pressing on her back, and his bracelet began to glow green...

~~~~

Kalaw looked up and screamed his defiance for the second time in as many dawns, his loins pumping into the helpless dragoness under him again as his body was over-ridden with lust. "Make the most of it brother, for soon you will die!" His eyes wandered over to the medium sized pile of gems and gold he had recovered from his captive's horde, "Soon your power will come to me!"