Chapter 2

Dracon woke the next morning to the smell of something very good. He got up and left the bedroom to find Karen fixing something. "Karen, I thought you would still be sleeping? And what is that wonderful smell?"

"I woke early and sent grandma to bed. And what smells good is breakfast, of course. Oh that's right you said your mother didn't do that much cooking. Come, sit, you must be hungry and since I know grandma doesn't want to loose any of her sheep[u1], this will have to do." Dracon knew she was playing with him and found he liked it. Some of a tease that his father had used once came into his head.

"What if what you're making isn't what I want to have for breakfast." He stared at her with a silly hungry look on his face, as he looked her up and down and he liked what he saw. It made her giggle and as she moved close to place his plate in front of him; he reached out and took hold of her hand.

Karen's heart jumped as he took her hand. She became very warm and her breathing quickened. But Karen had no intention of pulling away but didn't have a clue what to do next. Dracon in a slow move pulled her closer and onto his lap hoping that it wouldn't scare her. He could feel that she was already trembling. Then again so was he. He knew what this could lead to. He had secretly watched his mother and father together on many different occasions. But he had not been with anyone, dragon or human; he hadn't found anyone that he even felt would understand him or understand what he was.

"This is something we need to talk about I think." Karen said breaking into his thoughts, "We can't rush into what our bodies might want." She leaned down very close to his face and whispered into his ear. "You being here is evidence that humans and dragons can... well you know and produce," she was quite red with embarrassment. Dracon thought it was really cute. "And we don't know how much easier it will be for you to sire children with a human. Not that I wouldn't want to try but there are risks that we need to talk about. But for now." She pulled back just a little and placed her lips to Dracon's, her eyes were closed as she kissed him. Dracon's free hand came up to cup her face and kissed just as tenderly as he could or at least he hoped so. He liked the feel of her lips and could tell there was a fire behind them if she were to let go.

Karen broke the kiss before Dracon wanted to and sat just looking at her. Then she giggled again, "Now eat, before it gets cold." Karen got up and moved to the other side of the table, dished up a second plate, sat down and started eating too. Dracon finished what was given to him and got up and dished himself up a second helping, which there was plenty of. The food was really good and he was really hungry. It was midmorning when one of the elders came with his wife Susan, who had been friends with Marion since they were children, to check on Marion and to tell them that Marten was awake and screaming. After checking on Marion the man came out to talk.

"If it's alright, Susan said she'd sit with Marion for you if you needed to get some rest or take care of other things. I fear your father has lost his mind." The man made a strange face. "Do you know if he has been taking anything or if he hit his head some how that might have caused this change?" the man asked Karen.

"No sir. He hasn't been sick either. That was why I ran away. He raised his hand to strike me. He'd never done that before and I had the feeling that if he started he wasn't going to stop." Karen replied with a fearful shudder.

"You should have gone to your grandmother or even to one of us, my dear. But then you wouldn't have found and married this man. Marion looks to be doing much better this morning. How long will your healer's sleep last?" He looked to Dracon.

"My mother was awake this morning but grandma gave her a tea to help her relax. She was scared Marten would come to get her. She fell asleep again after she had finished drinking it. If Drac hadn't been with us, she could have been..." Karen stopped as the tears started to fall down her face. Dracon got up, moved around the table, sat on the bench and took her into his arms as she wept. Dracon found his anger returning and was very glad Karen's father was not near. The man excused himself with a soft smile on his face, which left Karen and Dracon alone. Finally Karen was able to get the crying stopped.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" Dracon asked.

"Holding me. It feels very good." Karen snuggled into his chest. He tightened his arms around her and laid his cheek to the top of her head.

"And strangely enough you feel very good in my arms. But I fear I need to let you go to take care of some frustrations. My anger is returning from the memories of last night and I need to do something destructive or I might go hunt down your father. The other thing is that... if I don't let you go that other room is going to see some use that I don't think you grandmother would appreciate."

"That's putting it mildly." She chuckled, "Would destructive but helpful work for the other need?"

"It would, if it was strenuous enough. What did you have in mind?" She'd done it again and gotten his curiosity going.

"Chopping wood. Come, I'll show you." He let her go with great effort and followed her outside. She pointed to a small woodpile and an ax. He looked around and saw nothing that needed to be cut so after kissing her on the cheek walked off into the woods but returned shortly after dragging a large tree, which he began to break apart with his bare hands, before going for the axe. After checking on her mother and Susan, who was sitting next to the bed doing some sewing, Karen went off to tend the animals.

Sara awoken and went to check on Marion. To her surprise Susan, elder Parker's wife was sitting there. The two talked for a few minuets about why Susan was there but Sara told her that she didn't have to stay during the day but if she would come back in the evening after dinner to sit with Marion then it would let Karen and Sara have more time to sleep. Susan agreed and left.

Marion woke a short time later and just as her mother was going to leave the room to get some food, there was a sound at the door. Thinking it might be Karen coming to check on things, Sara opened the door and froze. There, standing in front of her, was Marten.

There was an earsplitting scream from the house and Dracon went running. He found a sight so horrifying that he went into a killing rage instantly. Marten was standing at the doorway to Marion's room with sword in hand, but the sword was all the way through Sara. Dracon roared as best as his human throat would let him and grabbed Marten and threw the man head first through the wall of the house. He turned to see Sara hitting the floor; blood flowing freely from the wound the sword had left; the sword having been pulled out of her when Dracon grabbed Marten. Dracon didn't even hesitate as he called his healing energy up and sent it to her. Marion was up out of the bed and took hold of her mother just as Karen got to the door. Then Sara opened her eye.

"What happened?" Karen asked, her voice trembling again.

"Marten got away from the others. He stabbed Sara with a sword. I grabbed him and threw him through the wall." Dracon's voice was cold which made the others look strangely at him. "Sara will be fine." He didn't know if he would have said more but was given no chance as several men with weapons came running into the house. Dracon turned to meet this new threat but was stopped by Karen. She jumped between the men and Dracon. "Dracon Stop! They're here for Marten." She turned to the men. "He's outside." She pointed. Two of the men turned and went back out the door the last man put his weapon away and asked what happened after he looked around the room.

Marion was almost in hysterics and yelled. "He stabbed her! I could see the end of the sword! He ran it all the way threw her! She should be dead. No healer can heal a deathblow like she took."

But before any one could say anything one of the men that went to get Marten came back. "Marten's dead. His neck is broken. Most likely when he went through the wall." All but Karen stared at Dracon.

"Thought you said you were a minor healer, boy. How could you have done all of this?" asked Parker.

"He didn't want the world to know. Son, it's all right. They've seen wizards before." Sara said before any could answer.

"Grandmother Sara. I don't like telling falsehoods. If the people here become troubled by me after knowing the truth then I will simply leave. But the truth is the best way to explain what has happened." Dracon replied still in that detached calm.

"Then please do so before my brain explodes." asked Parker.

"Very well," And he told the full story. "When I came in and saw what he had done I went into a rage. Once I was rid of him, I healed Sara." With that the rage drained away from him and he turned and sat on the bench next to the table.

Sara got up and walked shakily to Dracon, "I have heard many stories of dragons and believe I have even heard a few about you. Those stories told that you were different than all other dragons because of your high moral character. If you weren't here... There is no telling what would have come of this family. And I am very glad that you are now apart of it." She leaned down and took him into her arms and held him. And he welcomed it as he let himself begin to weep over what he had just done. He had never killed another thinking being before and it shook him to the core. He was keenly aware of Karen coming to sit beside him and wrapping her arms around him as well. He couldn't help but let one of his go around her.

After who knew how long Parker found his tongue. "A dragon that weeps for..." Parker shook his head. "He's not a dragon. Dragons can't cry."

"Yes they can. And yes he is a dragon. Couldn't you hear the growl when you came in?" Karen said with conviction. "Dracon, how are you doing? Do you need to go back to you normal form?"

"I can hold out for a little while yet, we have things to get," he stopped and looked at the hole in the wall. "And I guess I get to learn wood craft too because I have a wall to fix." This caused everyone there to start laughing, releasing the tension that had built up in the room.

Karen was holding Dracon and still trying to get herself under control when another man ran to the door. "Parker, He killed him! He killed John!"

"Who? Who killed John?" Asked Parker.

"Marten. Once we saw that Marten was dead, I ran to the other house to check. Marten killed John and young Ben is unconscious but I couldn't find any wounds other than a crack to the head."

"What the hell was wrong with him?" was Parker's only statement.

"I should go check the one that's unconscious and make sure his alright. Head wounds can be bad." Dracon stated calmly to Karen.

The matter was dropped and the two men left to take care of the bodies. Dracon went quickly to the other house and returned a short time later and told the women that the young man would be just fine. He'd have a headache but he would be fine. Parker said nothing more about him being a dragon but Dracon had the feeling that it would get out anyway and he didn't care. Karen was all for leaving without going back to the other house but knew she needed what was there. Then she had an idea. "Dracon, just before we left you took two small pouches from a strong box. May I ask what was in the sacks?"

"Gold, why?"

"That's what I thought it might have been. Most people in town don't deal with raw gold. There is a gold merchant that will exchange it for coin."

"That would be good. It will give the men time to take care of things before we go and get your things from the house. You don't..." He was given no chance to finish the statement because Karen planted a very passionate kiss on him that took his breath and his words away and left him wobbly in the legs.

They broke apart to laughter and someone saying, "He's definitely staying." Karen and Dracon held each other and joined in the laughter.

A short time later Dracon and Karen went into town to exchange the gold he had. The experience for Dracon was in itself an education. Dracon really had never understood the whole money thing. Once they were finished there, Dracon saw someone loading a wagon with some lumber and remembered that he had to fix Sara's wall. Karen was shocked and almost intervened while Dracon was setting up for the repair of the wall. She was very surprised that he had arranged for the man to also check the roof of Sara's house as well as her mother's and make any repairs that were needed. When all was finished he was 25 silver pieces lighter.

"Dracon, had I known you had that little experience with using coin I would have helped you."

"I don't understand?" Dracon really was confused.

"You just paid enough for that man not only to fix the wall but to rebuild that side of the house as well as redoing the roofs of both houses." Karen pointed out.

"Really, then you should have jumped in. And you're right I don't normally use coin, just gold."

"Why don't you let me do the rest of the buying and you just hold the money and watch. It won't take long to see how things work." Karen smiled at him. Dracon was amused as well as curious so he let her do the rest. Karen had been right; Dracon really didn't know what he was doing when it came to buying things. He also realized possibly why his mother's town liked him so much. They were making a fortune off of him. He chuckled to himself; well next time he wasn't going to be such a push over. Not with the education he just got.

It was about two hours later when they returned to Sara's. Karen and Dracon knew they had bought more then Dracon could carry, meaning that they didn't have enough big sacks for him to carry it in, but thought it a good idea to get it now then Dracon could just come back and get it from Sara's cellar later. Dracon had only used one small nugget out of one of the bags of gold but now had a pouch of coins too so Dracon decided to give Sara a small amount of gold to save for future emergencies. Sara was going to refuse until Dracon used his charm and wit to convince her. In the end she took it because he kept calling her child or little one, which is why he did it. Karen in the mean time had stop at her mother's to see what there was of her things and she wasn't surprised when she found most of what she cared about torn and broken. It didn't take long for her to gather what she could and leave.

All was just about ready to be taken out to the field behind the house when Sara, with a funny smile to her face asked. "So are you going to marry my granddaughter?"

Dracon looked at Sara for a moment then looked at Karen. Dracon had never felt anything like he did as he looked at her. He never expected to find someone that even remotely wanted him. Most dragons knew what he was and wanted nothing to do with him except to control him because of the amount of power he had. Even though Karen had told him in more ways than one that she was interested in him as a mate, he knew that she really wanted the stories and the knowledge that he had. Would she want him? He hoped she did.

"In all of my life I have never known anyone that has sparked the feelings I have felt since meeting you. You are the bravest being I have ever met and the most hungry for knowledge that I have ever seen. You know what I am and are not afraid or repulsed by that. I am both man and dragon and if you will have me. I will give you all of me and more." Dracon opened his arms to Karen not knowing what else to do. Karen looked him in the face for a moment and liked what she saw; then a soft smile moved on to hers.

Karen moved into his open arms. "I was in love with you from the first moment my eyes fell on you. And no it's not just for the stories or the knowledge that you hold. Your heart shines like a beacon in the night and it led my heart to you. If you are willing to give me all that you are then how could I not give you the same? I am only one small being but I would give you all, body, mind and soul that I have to give."

It was a surprise to all but Sara as a man's voice was heard, "I now pronounce you man and wife." Dracon and Karen turned to look at the man. Karen knew the man; he was the padre from the church in town. However she didn't let go of Dracon and he held her just as strongly.

"So where you rehearsing your wedding vows or reliving them for Sara?" the man asked.

Dracon shrugged, "So may I kiss the bride?" He had a huge smile on his face.

"Of course, you can." The man said with a chuckle.

Dracon turned back to Karen to see her smiling as big as he was and leaned down and gave her a very passionate kiss that Karen returned with just as much passion. Dracon was very happy, when he and Karen broke the kiss, she made no move to leave his arms and he was reluctant to let her go to but he wanted to go home. "Love, we need to get the rest of the supplies to the field, I want to get us home."

Karen let him go with a quick kiss to the nose and shoved him towards a waiting pile of stuff. "Then you better get the pile outside, dear husband. I want to get home just as much as you." Karen gave him that hungry look and Dracon all but ran out of the house with an armload of things. Sara and the Padre started laughing.

An hour later all the supplies were bagged and waiting in the field. Karen and Dracon were waiting for Sara to come out of her house.

"My love are you sure you want to do this? I know most of these people. They're going to have an enormous shock. What happens if they try something against us?" Karen asked with only a little fear to her voice.

"If they were that ready to do something, they would already be about to do it. By the time they get done screaming and running around like the world is about to come to an end, we will be in the air and heading for home. Don't worry I won't let anything happen to you." Dracon leaned down and kissed Karen quickly. He might have done more but he saw Sara and the padre walking out of the house. He caressed Karen's check then walked away from her to have room to change.

There was some of the screaming and running that he expected but not as much as he feared. Most went to see to their flocks that for some reason didn't react at all. Karen couldn't help it, she sighed when he finished and stood again as his dragon self. Dracon heard this of course and smiled. Karen waved to her grandmother as Dracon took the now three sacks and placed them over his neck. Sara waved back and yelled to them that she would see them next month.