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XXXII

Ronald enjoyed being the blacksmiths apprentice. It gave him status, good muscles and a certain amount of respect around the keep. He tried to be a good apprentice too and was appreciated by Desmond for his hard work and diligent attitude. He was also blissfully unaware that this cozy little arrangement was about to be turned upside down in a matter of moments.

Turning the corner into his master's smithy he was stunned to see a swarthy, well muscled man with spiky hair and small goatee dressed in a smudged white shirt and brown breeches being shown how to use a hammer properly! He felt a sudden surge of alarm. Had he been demoted? What had he done wrong? His fists clenched tightly at his sides as he looked at the pair.

Desmond looked up and smiled at Ronald, taking in his stance "Ah lad, there you are. I'd like you to meet Tomako. He's going to be joining us as a junior apprentice for a while".

Ronald relaxed a little. This was more like it! A junior and someone he could boss around in preparation for being master of his own smithy. His chest swelled with anticipation.

Tomako held out his hand in greeting and spoke "Hello Ronald, pleased to meet you"

His voice was odd thought Ronald, thick and hoarse as if he hadn't used it much recently. "Likewise Tomako" he replied, testing the others grip with his own heavy grasp.

Smiling Tomako returned the grip, perhaps a little more strongly than he intended as Ronald's eyes bulged when his finger bones ground together. He relaxed his own fingers, trying to recover them before he lost all feeling in them. By God! The man was incredibly strong!

Desmond watched the interchange with good humor; it was only natural for them to size each other up after all.

"Tomako has some - natural talents that will be of great help for us here, especially since we've been low on coal lately" he stated slowly as Ronald tried surreptitiously to massage some life back into his cold, crushed fingers.

"And in return, I shall be teaching him the trade so he can learn how to make armor and tools" Desmond continued slowly. "And I want you to help him as much as you can"

Ronald fought down a surge of resentment at this inequitable treatment "Yes master" he said sullenly.

Tomako could pick up the general undertones of anger and hastened to reassure the apprentice "I am a fast learner and only wish to create a few items at first and will try not to get underfoot. I am a friend of James and am only able to visit a few days a week"

Ronald snorted "James? That guy is weird. He gives me the creeps walking round with that beast all the time" he missed the frown that crossed Tomako's brow at these words "Cill is a kind and considerate dragoness, have you spoken to her at all?"

Ronald gave a short bark of a laugh "Talk to it? Since when can beasts talk?"

Desmond sighed and shook his head before reaching down and picking up a steel ingot. "Ronald lad, sometimes I forget that all your muscles seem to be in your head" he handed the ingot to Tomako "Why not show him what you can do?"

Not taking his eyes off Ronald, Tomako took the ingot and weighed it in his hand. "Dragons can do many things Ronald. Sometimes we take forms that are more deceptive" Taking a breath he sent a hot blue flame licking over the surface of the steel until it glowed cherry red in his hands.

Ronald stood frozen to the spot, unable to move through terror and awe. "B-but..."

Dropping the ingot onto the anvil where it cooled slowly with little pinging noises Tomako grinned at him.

"Master Desmond thinks we can make the finest swords in as I can get the steel so pure it can be folded more finely than any other"

Ronald's eyes rolled up into his head and he slowly keeled backwards onto the sand-covered floor as the shock that he would have to be working with a dragon sank into his brain.

Desmond shook his head sadly "just goes to show muscles don't go with courage", nudging his unconscious apprentice with a foot before reaching for a bucket of cold water.

Tomako looked apprehensive as Desmond emptied the pail over the supine form of his apprentice who awoke spluttering and waving his arms violently in a panic.

Still sitting on the ground Ronald scooted back on his rump until he ran into the back wall of the smithy "how did you do that?" he gasped, hands scrabbling for a weapon of any sort.

Tomako shrugged "I'm a dragon like Cill and we breathe fire. I thought all humans knew that"

Desmond folded his massive arms and stood looking down at Ronald "I'll not be having any fighting in my smithy boy. Now you apologize and get it through your head that Tomako here will be working alongside us for some time now".

Scrambling to his feet Ronald nodded at his master, "Yes master, I was a little startled is all" then nervously bowing to Tomako "I apologize Tomako; I've just never seen a man breathe fire before"

Tomako nodded "Apology accepted, I took this form as it would be hard for me to hold the tools in my natural form and also to allay fears about me. I'm not going to be burning people up nor eating them" he extended his hand once more. "I'm here under an oath of peace and would not hurt anyone as this would harm Cill"

Ronald gingerly took the hand and shook it carefully this time "Very well Tomako. I'm sorry for my rudeness and hope I can help"

Smiling broadly Tomako nodded "I know very little about metals and I want to learn all I can. I may even be able to persuade my father to part with some of his raw gold if we are lucky"

Desmond's eyes lit up at this revelation and he clapped Tomako hard on the back "And we shall make you the finest armor in all Christendom lad. I feel this is going to be a good partnership"

Tomako imagined himself in his own armor and the admiring stares of the dragonesses and how grand he would look. Not to mention the advantage it would give him in a fight.

"And if you do get good at making armor, you could become a very rich dragon indeed" Desmond added, totally derailing Tomako's musings.

"What?" his natural instincts flaring up rapidly.

"Light, strong armor is in heavy demand, especially with the fighting against the thistles and frogs" Desmond added "Err...the Scots and the French" he amended quickly realizing a dragon may not know derogatory terms for other humans.

"Why do you want armor against frogs?" Tomako asked hesitantly, unsure if he was being teased or not.

"We just call them that" Desmond said "Cos' they eat frogs legs...disgusting"

Tomako nodded slowly, he surely had a lot to learn. "And they would pay for it?"

"Our knights would!" exclaimed Desmond. "In good gold coin too"

Tomako rubbed his chin interestedly "Let us see how well I can make the steel and work it first. Then we can see about increasing our respective hoards"

Desmond picked up the hammer once more and handed it to the human-dragon "then start learning the strokes lad, the sooner you can shape metal the sooner you can make gold"

Tomako took the hammer and grinned toothily, the forgelight sparkling off his eyes eerily "I think I am going to enjoy this"

In the meantime Shalla was making her way through the bailey. So many humans! Who would have thought? And none of them seemed too terrified of her though they seemed to give her a wide berth and a few hasty respectful bows. Her head twitched from side to side as she looked around in curiosity at the sights, sounds and smells of the markets and stalls.

Mysterious aromas filled her nostrils as she padded past spice merchants and tailors. She was beginning to understand Cill's attraction to these humans even though she was sure she would never sink so far as to choose one as a mate. The mere thought of it was unspeakable! However she couldn't deny the surge of pleasure she felt when she saw Tommy running along the wall with a lance over his head alongside Cill's mate, the pair talking as they ran.

"So do you like her?" puffed James as he tried to keep up with Tommy.

"Who? Shalla?" replied Tommy, trying not to wheeze too loudly, "She is nice for a dragon I guess. But I don't think she likes me the way Cill loves you" he finished doubtfully.

"I think Cill and I were a special case" chuckled James "We had a little time to get to know one another before I even knew what she was. Then it seemed to get a little crazy. I think Shalla is interested though. Cill says she's painted her talons for you - so make sure you compliment her on them"

Tommy went even pinker as they rounded the corner towards the training ground "She did? But..." he broke off as he saw the large shape of Shalla animatedly talking to Joe. "I wouldn't know what to say to a dragoness" he continued.

"Just be yourself" said James as he also spotted the dragoness nodding to whatever Joe was telling her. "It's not as if you should hurry into anything like we did, though I admit I wouldn't change it for the world now"

Joe was also feeling a little out of his depth, Shalla had cornered him and wanted to know about Tommy but there was little he could tell her. He suspected he was about to lose another novice to the depredations of a dragoness but there was nothing he could do about it!

"Well Lass, See...Tommy is what we call an indentured boy. Talented but poor...his family could never afford to send him 'ere so his grandfather petitioned their lord into sponsorin' him 'ere for trainin'."

Shalla nodded as a similar arrangement was often made for hoardless dragons. "So he is here as a kind of apprentice?" she asked carefully

Joe shrugged "tha' about sums it up. He will have to go and serve the lord in his army for a period afterwards to pay back the cost of his trainin'. But it generally tis a lot better than not havin' an income and starvin' - especially as he was an orphan, his parents dyin' from the plague when he was young and his grandparents bringin' him up"

Shalla felt a surge of emotion at this, nothing was worse to a dragon than having your parents die. Hatchlings were closely bonded with their parents and the mental shock of losing that bond could easily kill a young dragon. It wasn't common but not unknown.

"Poor Tommy" she said quietly, lifting her head to gaze at the runners as they slowed down and dropped their lances into the pile beside the track before collapsing into panting heaps while they regained their breath.

"Aye" murmured Joe "But he's done well 'ere and will make a good warrior." He narrowed his gaze "Ya, err ...like him don't ya?" he asked the suddenly flustered dragoness who took refuge in the haughtiness that had served her so well in the past.

"Oh I find him interesting to talk to. But if you think it goes any further than that then you are sadly mistaken" she said, looking down at the impudent human with her nostrils.

Joe shook his head ruefully 'damn...another bloody dragoness fancies one of my boys' he thought to himself. But nodding to Shalla he didn't let this through to her "Oh I didn' mean to suggest anythin' I just want to see ya both happy is all" he said and strode over to where the pair were huffing on their backs.

"I hope he hasn' hurt himself by tryin' to impress ya" he said with a smirk to Shalla who was at Tommy's side in a flash "Is he hurt?" she asked in concern, leaning down to peer at the suddenly embarrassed novice.

"I-I'm fine Shalla" stammered Tommy as he tried to focus, his gaze shifting from her muzzle to her talons that were inches from his side "Um...That's a nice shade of blue on your talons" he said lamely, remembering James advice and feeling foolish.

"Oh thank you" Shalla said, pleased he had noticed "It was a new color recommended to me. Do you really think it suits me?"

Tommy rolled himself over into a sitting position and nodded "Oh yes it goes well with your scales and eyes"

James lay still on his back and hid a grin with his arm, biting it to keep from laughing.

Shalla perked up and sat on her haunches "Would you like to come for a walk and recover a little?" she asked him before turning to Joe "you won't mind if I get him to show me round will you?" sweetly put but with a hint of a threat in the comment.

"Nay Lass, just brin' him back in one piece" said Joe, giving in to the veiled threat and waving his hands at her in surrender.

Tommy struggled to stand up and felt a shock of surprise as Shalla reached out and took his hand in her paw, helping him upright until he was standing in front of her muzzle.

"Um - thanks" he said meeting her gaze and finding himself captivated by the brilliant yellow eyes. "Id love to show you round"

Shalla shyly offered her paw and grasping it firmly Tommy led her off towards the main portion of the keep leaving a bemused James and Joe watching them as they departed

Nervously perched upon a corner of a crumbling battlement, the pair of fairies looked cautiously over the bustling keep in search of their objective. The young male fairy was determined to keep up a brave front before the confident female hunter-fairy who had volunteered as well.

They found that they could see well and there wasn't enough iron in the walls to cause them pain .The area consecrated to the Christian god was only a small area attached to one building so there was little preventing them from flying in except their natural caution.

"Well go on then" he hissed to her, a firm finger prodding her in the back "are you going to fly over and see?"

She batted his finger away "shush, you...what is your name anyway?" she asked curiously while not taking her eyes off the humans below.

"Ploom" he muttered - eyes downcast as he waited for the inevitable laughter.

He wasn't disappointed. "Ploom?" she giggled quietly "That's a funny name"

Ploom nodded "Riotously so" he mumbled morosely "So what's your name then?"

"Jasmina" she said proudly. Ploom nodded his head glumly; of course she would be named after a flower. "That's a nice name" he said and peeped carefully over the top of the battlement though in truth they were so high that few human eyes would have been able to make them out.

Jasmina shook her greenish hair in agitation "Too many humans! We shall have to make our way around the wall to that wide area at the back. I think I see a dragon there"

Fluttering their way carefully around the lip of the wall, dodging the crenellations and finally succeeding in finding a spot overlooking the bailey the pair was astonished to see a dragoness slowly walking past hand in paw with a human!

The fairies sank down behind the rock in shock and stared at one another, both too appalled to speak until Jasmina cleared her throat and coughed "Is that the dragon you saw last night?"

Risking another peek Ploom poked his head over the top once more "No, This ones a bit smaller..." he trailed off as he saw the human stroke the dragon's neck and the dragon leaned in against him affectionately!

Jasmina said quietly "So there must be another female dragon around then...and where is the male?" she chewed on a frond of her hair irritably.

There was another shock to come. A large storehouse below them opened its doors and another dragoness wandered out into the bailey heading towards the rear of the enclosed area.

"I think that's her" murmured Ploom "She's the right size to be the one I saw"

The pair watched in disbelief as the dragoness loped gently down towards a bunch of humans, embracing one tightly and licking his face!

The two fairies exchanged glances of mixed shock and bafflement. What was going on?

"The King needs to be told "said Jasmina firmly and Ploom nodded "The king"

The two bemused fairies flitted off the battlements and headed for the forest, each deep in thought.

Cill purred quietly as James scratched beneath her chin. He had largely recovered from his running and exercises with Joe. Waving farewell to the man-at-arms the two prepared to leave for Marre's instruction in magic. Cill was excited as she would finally be able to try out the Anifornum spell and also be bound to James's locater amulet.

They walked slowly past the smithy to look in on Tomako and found him eagerly hammering a chunk of steel with all the enthusiasm he had shown whilst hammering on drums. James did a brief double take at Tomako's human form and smiled, he had stolen certain looks from other humans to make up his disguise and James tried to figure out who had added to it. He thought his nose had been used as well as Tommy's mouth. He was unable to work out where the muscles came from but reasoned that a muscular dragon would be a muscular human as well.

All in all it was a convincing disguise and James congratulated Tomako on the achievement. "I'm sure you'll be able to eat in the mess without others even knowing!" he exclaimed. "And with those muscles Joe will want to train you up as a knight"

Tomako grinned "Master Desmond is going to be keeping me busy with making steel and swords" he picked up the huge hammer with one hand "though once I learn properly how to shape the steel I can make my own armor and he'll even teach me how to enamel!" his eyes glowed happily as he waved the heavy hammer back and forth easily.

"That sounds great!" James agreed, wary of the hammer "Cill and I are off to Marres's for some lessons of our own. Cill says she's going to try out the shape shift spell for herself"

Tomako nodded "It's not fun the first few times as it takes awhile to get used to the idea and shape. It took me days before I was confident enough to try it on my own and even then I was scared"

James rubbed his chin "Well I'm sure Marre knows what he's up to" he leaned closer with a conspiratorial smirk "Make sure Shalla and Tommy don't get into trouble. I know Tommy likes her a lot but I'm not sure if Shalla feels the same way"

Tomako grinned back "I wouldn't worry too much on that score. I've never seen her so confused before so I know she is thinking about him a lot"

James gave Tomako a clap on the shoulder "That's good to hear though I don't know how your parents will react"

"Mother will resist but she is cleverer than my father who thinks humans should be exterminated "Tomako sighed and shook his head "If he knew she was seeing a human..."

"Then we shall just have to make sure he doesn't find out then" James said then jumped as Cill gave him a prod to remind him not to be late. "We will be back in a couple of hours. Feel free to chat and look round"

The pair waved and walked up to the travel portal where they stood and shimmered briefly before disappearing.

Shalla sat on her haunches next to Tommy as they watched the life of the keep beneath them. He had taken her up one of the inner walls that ran around the entire keep so she could see the bustling life that went on within from high up.

She was quietly fascinated as she had always envisioned humans as armor-wrapped killers that lived for nothing but destruction. But here she could see their lives and work as the merchants traded and visitors drove carts in and out slowly feeding the keep its vital supplies.

"I don't see any hatchlings...young humans?" she murmured to Tommy as he sat close beside her.

"There are a few children around" he replied, giving her paw a pat "they aren't common here though as this is mainly a training castle but some of the staff do have young ones that come and watch us train sometimes"

Shalla nodded and let her gaze rest on a pair of merchants shouting into one another's faces much to the amusement of their neighbors. Some of whom were trying to remember some of the choicer insults.

"They do that every day" Tommy chuckled "Its part of a game I think"

Shalla giggled "they look like a mated couple on a bad day. Reminds me of my parents" her muzzle tightened and she changed the subject quickly.

"So do you have any ...children Tommy?" she asked the suddenly blushing human

"Oh no "he stammered "I mean...I would like some someday but I could not afford to bring them up now." Lowering his gaze he continued "I'm not the best looking man around so the girls don't really look at me that much" He rubbed his face self-consciously "None of the ones here anyway"

Shalla nodded as she gained a little more understanding "So females can choose their mates here?" she asked curiously. "Tomako was saying that he didn't like any of the females in our clan so he was thinking of going and visiting other clans. I think that's what this armor thing is about"

Tommy nodded "If the female doesn't like you, it's all over" he sighed "though most don't look past the scars and bother to get to know me"

Shalla laid a comforting paw on his shoulder "well, Tomako and I like you and Eriga and Gergid did too though I've told them to stay away till the keep gets used to more dragons around"

Tommy grinned up at her "thanks for that, seeing how Cill and James get on I think having a dragoness like me is good luck."

Shalla felt her ruffs flood and flush "Did I hear aright that Cill was going to fly around with James on her back?" she asked to hide the sudden embarrassment she felt surging through her.

Tommy nodded "I heard Cill was thinking of having a saddle made up so he could ride on her back more easily"

Shalla hummed and spread her wings slowly "See if you can reach my shoulders" she asked. Tommy stood up slowly and walked behind her, reaching up he found he could clasp the point where her wing muscles joined her back quite easily.

"I can reach it, but it would be hard to hold onto" he murmured, his hands slowly kneading the muscles he felt tensed under the finely scaled hide.

Shalla let out a soft groan of pleasure and shivered under the kneading, feeling some of the nervous tension she had accumulated slip away. "Mmmm.....Keep doing that"

A suddenly sweaty Tommy complied and ran his hands along the heavy muscles, stroking and kneading the knots from them. He felt his arms grow tired but kept pinching and rolling strongly as the dragoness slowly melted under him.

Shalla half-lidded her eyes and enjoyed the attention, if this what was humans could do for dragons they liked then no wonder Cill had taken up with one and even mated...her mind suddenly shocked itself back to reality and she tried to act nonchalant once more.

"Th-that was nice" she said and tucked her wings back into their folded position. She licked her muzzle and decided to take a chance "Let me try that on you" she murmured shyly and flexed her paws.

Tommy sat down in front of her and grinned "I don't have wings though..."

"Oh hush" Shalla murmured and let her paws rest gently on his shoulders, not wanting to hurt him inadvertently "how's that?"

Tommy leaned back against her "Mm..Harder..." he urged as he enjoyed the soft hide of her paws through his shirt.

Shalla tried to emulate what he had done with her but her paws were too big to be precise, Tommy wasn't complaining though as he closed his eyes "That's nice"

Her eyes looked over the humans body closely, this was the first time she had really taken the time to explore it both with her paws and her other senses. She could feel neither threat from him nor any hint of fear or revulsion. Truly humans were odd.

Paws gripping lightly she let them slide down his sides, feeling the ribs and flat stomach then the strong thighs. Tommy let her explore as she wished and smiled up at her.

"Curious about us humans?" he asked quietly. Shalla gave a quiet affirmative and kept looking and touching him through his clothing.

"What else do you want to know?" wriggling a little as her gentle touch lifted his shirt and ran across the muscles of his belly making them twitch, fascinated she did it again and gave a giggle.

"You seem so vulnerable yet you trust me to touch you" she murmured as she slowly withdrew her paws so he could turn and face her.

"I know you wouldn't hurt me. I've seen how gentle Cill is round James and I know he would never hurt her as well" reaching up to stroke her muzzle with a warm hand "I feel anger and fear in you though." He tapped his head with the other hand "It leaks through sometimes and I want to help you make it go away"

Shalla wrestled with herself and looked away "I wish you could..." she murmured feeling her emotions surge once more. "I -I wish I could be more like Cill for you but my family wouldn't let me even be near a human. My father hates your kind with a passion"

She suddenly realized she was holding onto her tail tip and wringing it like a hatchling caught raiding the pantry as tears started from her eyes.

Tommy stood up and catching her muzzle in his hands gave it a gentle kiss "That's alright Shalla. You come when you want to and I will be here for you" he grinned and added a teasing lick "perhaps we can borrow Cill's saddle and go for a fly sometime"

Shalla returned the lick with interest, wetting him from chin to temple in her enthusiasm.

"that would be fun!"

Tommy leaned back against her and rubbed her neck slowly "I wonder where Cill and James are?"