Forest Keep 21
#23 of Forest Keep
(edited 12/10/08 for font correction and version update)
The crisp response from the dragoness at the other end was all Moona had come to expect.
"Well that's a nice greeting" Shalla huffed in his mind "I was just going to ask how you were and what Marre was up to"
Moona snorted to himself "You only ever call me when you want something. I haven't forgotten the last time you 'just wanted to say hello'. I'm busy on a mission anyway", he added importantly.
Shalla jumped on this last comment "Oh? How exciting!" she cooed.
You could have spread her voice on toast. "Surely it must be something dangerous for a brave elf to be needed!"
Moona did have several weak spots and Shalla knew them all "So what are you doing?"
Moona's chest inflated with pride "I'm helping Nokala sort out some humans' so Cill's new mate can keep training here" He lowered his mental voice to a quiet whisper "And he's going to be Marre's new famulus as well!"
Shalla was stunned. A human as a dragon elders apprentice? It was unheard of! She decided to probe a little more.
"So tell me about Cill and her human!" she gushed "Is he tame? There are all sorts of rumors about what happened. Where did they meet?"
Moona unwisely told her what he knew, including the location of the Keep and what he had heard from Nokala and Marre when an ear at the door went unnoticed.
Shalla grew wide-eyed with awe and secret glee, now she knew where to find human males though she would have to wait until things calmed down it seemed.
"And what is Nokala going to do now?" she asked the elf.
"I think he's going to head back home to collect James and bring him back here to recover a little more, Cill will be coming too"
Shalla cursed to herself quietly. She did not want to get in the way of a newly mated dragoness. Especially an overly protective one - mate stealing was not unheard of amongst dragons.
"They are going to Ridgemount for the clanship ceremony in three days though" Moona added "I hope they manage to get him in. He needs all the help he can get"
Shalla nodded silently and thought about it ... three days and she and the others could have a closer look at humans to see what all the fuss was about.
"Thanks Moona!" she purred to the proud elf. "Keep up the good work"
Moona grinned; said farewell to her then jumped a little as the mare beside him stuck her tongue in his ear.
James stood up and stretched himself with a groan. Despite the travails of the past days he felt good, so good in fact he decided to look round the lair to see what was important to dragons.
Cill was gently snoring as he lifted her paws off him carefully, not wanting to wake her from a well deserved rest.
The room was huge and it needed to be, there were other passages and rooms leading off the central chamber and he hesitated to go down any without permission. He did not want to upset his future parents in law after all. He chuckled at the thought of really being able to call his mother-in-law a Dragon.
Wandering round the room, he saw rolls of scrolls neatly stacked in racks on the walls. A library of some kind? Peering into another room, he saw what appeared to be a pantry and kitchen of some sort. Huge cauldrons and pans along with other mysterious implements lined the walls.
Eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he wandered a little further down one hallway as he thought he heard the sound of water rushing and splashing. Turning the corner he stopped and gaped at the sight in front of him .There was an indoor waterfall that fell a good twenty feet from a gap in the wall into a large steaming pool that smelt oddly of sulphur.
Walking closer he dipped his hands in the water and smiled at the pleasant heat he felt. On an impulse, he stepped off the edge into the pool where he found there was a slow incline to the deeper water.
This allowed him to get used to the heat until he was happily splashing around and enjoying himself amidst the clouds of steam. The surreal sense of his situation came home to him as he swam around naked in a dragon's hot pool.
He floated on his back and stared at the rocky ceiling deep in thought as the steam swirled around him, the sound of the water lapping at the shore broken by the slow click of talons as Cill followed the mental trail of her mate into the poolroom.
She grinned to herself as she saw him idly kicking round the pool and slowly slithered alligator-like into the warm water, not making a ripple as she did so.
A mysterious stroking along his back suddenly interrupted James' musings. He suddenly realized how foolish it was to go swimming in an unknown pool, where who knew what else was swimming as well!
Looking round frantically he could not see anything through the steam and relaxed, perhaps it had been his imagination.
Cill looked up from the bottom of the pool and grinned. She swam up and gave his foot a tug before diving back down and watching him thrash round in frantic circles as he tried to make it back to the shallows.
James splashed towards the incline and found his footing but just as he started to get out of the pool, he felt a sinuous tentacle wrapping around his leg, pulling him back in.
He let out a yell and fell back into the water as Cill erupted giggling from behind him, her tail releasing his leg.
"Going off and having fun without me again?" she murred, wrapping her arms around him and pushing off into the pool.
"Well you were asleep and I was just looking round", he grinned and stroked her muzzle. "I don't know what you'd do if I shook you awake. Probably rip my arm off"
Cill growled huskily and dunked him before rolling onto her back and spreading her wings in the water.
"You'll have to try it sometime then" she murmured, enjoying the bubbles against the soft hide of her wings. "I might rip a leg off to prove you wrong,"
She pulled the naked human up and propped him on her belly. "You're all pink" she giggled
James rested on top of her and kissed her muzzle as they slowly swam around enjoying one another's company as the steam rose around them. James felt a surge of happiness and kissed each of her breasts as he stroked her belly "mmmm... We are definitely getting one of these for our lair...a good idea don't you think?"
Cill leaned forward and licked his neck tenderly "But where shall we put it? It's a little large for mine" her paws adjusted his position a little lower on her belly, hoping he would take the hint.
James gave it some thought but became distracted by the warm cleft he found his loins fitting neatly into, his relaxed body suddenly waking up and taking notice.
"Mmm... I think we need somewhere a little larger," he murmured as his shaft swiftly grew and pressed at his mates vent "Definitely larger... close to the main room but away from the nursery", he smirked as Cill's eyes widened "What?"
Cill was about to say something but it cut off as James slid into her warm folds. She let out a whimper of pleasure and gave a shudder before stammering
"N-nursery?" Her paws moved to cup his rump and help him move with her against the water, her walls clasping him tightly.
"Mmhmm" he breathed, "You know...where the children sleep. Your mother seems to think we could have some"
The pair had floated onto the shallow incline once more and Cill arched upwards as her desire grew more urgent "She did? W-why?"
James buried himself deep inside her and grinned at her before raising a hand and wiggling his fingers 'Maaaagic' shivering he felt himself twitch within her and started moving urgently once more.
Cill whimpered and moaned as she felt her loins burning, hips jerking in rhythm with her mates as they both pleasured one another.
James listened to the loving murmurs and gasps as his dragoness suddenly shivered and thrust herself up moaning for his seed. He groaned aloud as well as mentally and answered with long delicious spasms of his own deep within her as his shaft pulsed, the mental link allowing them to share their joy together.
Carlina pulled her head back from the entrance of the poolroom and stifled a whimper of her own before striding back to the main room just in time to see Nokala arrive.
She pulled her mate close and growled lustfully "get those two out of here and back to the keep...Then get your scaly ass back here as we are going to have a swim"
Duncan was pacing again in his office as he waited for Nokala to return with James and his Dragoness. How did one address a Dragoness? Or a novice with magical powers?
He felt out of his depth and worse still, he had given his word to keep quiet about it. He could not ask the Bishop or the Prince for help, as they would think he had lost his mind, a point Joe had made quite graphically.
"Well Sir, Ya goes up to the Bishop and sez 'help me ya grace, I got a sudden attack of dragons' and he sez 'oh really? Come an' tell me all 'bout it' an' then ya find ya'self tied to a bed in a bedlam with all the other mad folk goin' on about pixies an' li'l devils that made 'em kill their wives"
Duncan shuddered and realized this would be the case as he had proven by sending James to be tortured. "So what do we do? Just sit here and let this happen? You heard him, he wants James and his daughter married in the chapel!"
Joe winced at the man's tone "Don't make it sound like a bad thing sir. A dragon would look good on the keeps banner after all and think what we could learn"
Nokala, Cill and James appeared in the forest just outside the gates of the keep and stared up at the walls. Cill leant against James and he stroked her neck gently to comfort her. "Why don't you turn invisible love", he murmured to her "that way you can keep an eye on things until we are sure they are going to keep their word"
Cill nodded and flicked out of sight though James could still feel her beside him.
Nokala nodded approvingly and the trio walked in through the gates. These were guarded by a couple of novices from James's class who obviously hadn't missed out on the gossip as they paled and shrank back, their pikes lowering to bar his way.
"F-friend or foe" stammered Terry who was the oldest while George looked as if he was about to be sick.
"What do you prefer," said Nokala staring at the pair before turning to look at James with a wink. "We could be friends if you move that silly little stick of yours"
James came to the aid of the trembling novices and put his hand on Nokala's shoulder "I think the correct answer is friend", he chuckled "unless you want to eat them, they don't look appetizing to me though"
Nokala hummed to himself and nodded "No, they don't, do they ...very well 'Friend'" he stated, folding his arms and waiting to see the reaction.
Terry and George stared at one another. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
"Uh... but how do we know you're a friend?"
James saw Nokala stiffen and grow flushed so leaned in once more "He's with me and I will vouch for him" he fixed the pair with a stare. "I'll make him promise not to eat anyone ok?"
The pair looked relieved but Terry looked at James with concern "Yeah but we hear you hurt the priest and did some other weird stuff"
James nodded "I had to, he had me tied down and was going to cut my manhood off"
The two novices winced and George went even greener "Oh...alright then" deciding not to probe any further he withdrew his pike and tried to pull himself together "Er... pass friends"
Nokala, James and the invisible Cill walked past the sweating guards who didn't notice the slight swirl of dust as they turned around and faced the forest again.
Cill was tempted to flatten the pair but resisted, as it wouldn't do any good. She kept close to James, her eyes flicking eagerly as she saw the inside of the keep for the first time in daylight.
The outer walls were easily forty feet high with high battlements and the barbican enabled close control of entry into the main courtyard and bailey.
Walking down the pathway, she could see the stables and storehouses and lifting her nose, she could smell the bakeries at work. She saw the main keep tower attached to the mess hall and giggled as she remembered hanging from James's windowsill that night.
James felt himself flush as they walked up to the lord's solar and office and knocked quietly.
He hadn't meant to cause all this trouble - it had just settled on him and stuck, like wet snow.
Duncan opened the door at the knock and smiled at the pair "Ah, young James" he stood aside "come in, come in both of you" he held the door open until they were inside the spacious office and tried to close it behind them. He paled as it bumped into apparent nothingness and then closed smoothly as Cill sneaked in as well.
Duncan moved to his desk and sat down. "James, I'd like to apologize for the little misunderstanding with Father Champlain the other day" He steepled his fingers in front of his face and looked at them both.
"I can't say it won't be easy but we have decided to let you stay on and train here as Sir Nokala requested. I'm sure we shall have a more in-depth discussion regarding your... ah... skills soon but we are also offering your mate a home here as well"
James looked surprised, just what had Nokala said to the lord to make him concede so much?
"Th-thank you Lord Duncan, Let me say I am grateful to you for helping me and I didn't mean to hurt the priest and I would love to keep training with Joe and the others" he looked down at the floor "though I don't think they trust or like me much any more"
He felt the comforting presence of Cill next to him and thought to her "Would you like to stay here with me love? Or would you rather have me at your lair?"
Cill pondered to herself, while she liked her home she also liked the fact of the high walls and ready cooked food nearby, "Let's wait and see what he has to offer first," she purred back at him.
James nodded and leaned over Duncan's desk "Would you like to meet her sir?"
Duncan paled as he looked around "Here? But how big? ..." He trailed off as there was a misty swirl in the air and he found himself looking at a large smirking silver dragoness, her paws resting possessively on James's shoulders as she peered over him.
"Ah" the Lord murmured as he looked over the scene, his gaze flicking to Nokala who also had a smirk on his face and back to James.
James grinned at Duncan "Sir, I'd like you to meet Cill. My fiancé" reaching up he stroked her throat and made her purr. "She is Nokala's Daughter and we love one another"
Duncan sat back in his chair and nodded "So I hear" he murmured, agog at the sight. It was one thing to hear about it and quite another to have it thrust in your face.
Cill sent a silvery mental tendril of greeting to the human sitting at the desk and smiled as she made contact "Hello Sir... thank you for letting James and I stay together"
Duncan jumped at the voice but controlled himself admirably "Oh... that's alright Cill" he said out loud "It's a pleasure to meet you finally. I don't want to seem rude but how did you just...appear?"
Cill smiled and waved her claws at him "Magic" Duncan looked curiously at Nokala "Is James able to do that too?" Nokala shrugged and grinned, "We don't know yet, he has to be tested for ability but that will be later as the clanship ceremony is coming"
Duncan nodded "This is the dragon er... marriage ceremony?" he stroked his beard slowly as he looked over the pair.
"Yes, James will be presented to the other clan members to press his claim for Cill, there is a small ceremony and exchange of gifts as well as other rituals" for some reason Nokala did not go into details.
"It sounds similar to our ceremony, though we are usually not required to press our claims" he chuckled and stood up.
"Your future father-in-law has requested you also marry Cill in our chapel too James... This may be awkward to arrange but now that Father Champlain has awoken and seems lucid. It should be possible though he may still harbor some feelings of resentment. I shall endeavor to explain to him that you are not possessed...well...at least not by demons or devils" He grinned at this last sally, the lad was obviously well under the claw of this female.
James blinked at the man "Marry Cill here? In the chapel? That would be great, I mean..."
Duncan nodded "As to the rest of the keep. I must admit to being somewhat cautious about telling them the truth. Some would run away and tell everyone and anyone what they had seen and risk your secret. One or two may be laughed away but if twenty people rant about a dragon at the keep it will arouse interest"
Nokala raised a calming hand "I can modify memories if required to", he said quietly "Tell your people the truth and those that leave can be gently requested to forget and continue their lives in ignorance"
Duncan looked at Nokala "There were only a few in the courtyard that night when I first saw you and they have all elected to stay. I think Joe rather enjoyed it to be honest though Martin seemed a little upset"
Nokala grinned, "We were all upset that night" Cill nodded and let a little of her anger trickle through the link so the man could feel it.
"Please Cill, don't hurt Father Champlain" Duncan pleaded "He is a holy man and was certain he was doing the right and proper this and I'm sure he has learnt from this experience and once he meets you will realize his error further"
Cill gave a snort- once she got her claws on him she would make him realize his error all right.
Duncan sighed, "As to living quarters, given the odd circumstances we have made available a former large storehouse. It is comfortable and clean. We have put James's equipment and furniture from his old room in it already. It has a fireplace and should be strong enough for whatever goes on ", he chuckled at the image of the two suddenly conjured up in his head.
Cill grinned as she picked up the amusement "A nice big strong bed?" she asked innocently and watched the red line of blush rise up his face.
"I'm sure we can arrange something larger than usual," he said trying to ignore the heat on his face as the dragoness smirked at him. He shouldn't have to put up with this!
James held up a hand "Er...Sir... About food supplies? Cill usually does her own hunting but in the Keep that might not be too easy"
Duncan nodded "What does she like to eat?" trying to keep images of screaming humans out of his head as he asked the question.
Cill rested her head atop James as she thought, "Well I like Ducks and Geese, well cooked of course, Lamb, Beef and the occasional Deer also" her tail twitched at the thought and she tried not to drool.
Duncan looked surprised at the request "Well... I don't know how much you eat so it's a little early to tell. I think we shall just have to wait and see. I'm sure that the kitchens would be able to provide you with regular meals and drink" He leaned back in his chair and grinned at her "But there is one important thing we still need to know..."
Cill cocked her head at him and smiled "And that is?"
Duncan put his hands behind his head "What can you do for the keep?"