Chapter 3

The keep was a nice large one. The stables had several horses that took Brad's attention right a way. Tim scooped him up so he couldn't get into trouble.

Little Ally was sound asleep so Seleena took Madeline to where the nursery was.

Little took Riana around. He showed her the library, the kitchen, the main hall, the main dinning room, the stables and the gardens. Then where her little brother and sister's room was as well as her mother's, finally showing her to her room.

"Is this really all for me?"

"For now. Later when I take you to see some other friends who run that school I told you of, you'll have a different one."

"Where's your room?"

"On the next floor up."

"Can ... can I see it?"

"If you want. I'll warn you I didn't clean it up the last time I was here. And mom won't let the helper clean up after me. So..."

"I'll do it. I like cleaning."

"No, I can't have you doing that. That would just be wrong. I just need to clean up before I go some where else."

"Well I can still help. If I'm going to marry you it'll be my job to see that you clean up after yourself."

Little started laughing, then grabbed Riana and spun her around as she squealed and laughed too. Little carried her up the stairs to his room and he had been right. He left the place a mess.

"Ewuuuuuuu, gross. Put me down. I'm going to open the windows. You start getting the garbage picked up." Riana said firmly.

"Yes ma'am!"

About half way through the cleaning Little knew just who was going to be in charge of the family as Riana ordered him around and he was loving every minute of it.

It was a beautiful night. The stars were out; the moon just working it's way up though it was just at about half.

Little held Riana's hand as they walked through the gardens. He pointed out things that he like and Riana just loved everything. They had just reached a nice clearing with a stone pedestal in the center.

"Little this is beautiful. All of it is beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you." Little raised her hand and kissed the top of it. Riana giggled.

"So ... You a ... Are you ready to tell me this big secret?"

"Yes, I think I am but I just hope it's not too much for you."

"There is noting that you could say or do that would make me not love you. It's obvious that you and your mother are ... I think magic folk is a good way to put it. I know there are other names for it. I can't wait to know what I am. Please, tell me I'm ready."

Little Looked at Riana for a moment and decided that she was right and she was ready.

Little scooped Riana up, moved to the podium and placed her there. "This may still scare you and you're so small. I want you to promise to stay on this."

"I promise." Riana said with out hesitation.

Little kissed Riana on the check then the nose but then backed up about 10 steps. "Riana I don't want you to be scared. I will not hurt you. I ... I'm not what I seem. I'm ... I'm not fully human." Little let go of the spell that held his human form and let himself flow back. He was still rather small for a 254-year-old dragon but now he was showing it to someone new. Someone that he loved, really loved.

Riana watched as her beloved dissolved into mist. She watched as the mist expanded and grew. She watched as what could only be wings form, then a tail, and the body. The mist solidified and there stood in all it's glory a dragon.

It was way to much for Riana's legs and she sat down hard.

"Riana, are you ok?" 'That was a stupid question of course she's not.' Little thought to himself as he moved very slowly closer.

"Little..." Riana fell over laughing and Repeating. "Little!"

It was near a full candle mark later before Riana had calmed enough to get passed his name.

"I just can't believe that my husband-to-be is a dragon."

"Well half dragon. I am half human. Mother made changes to me before I was born to look more dragon. I really didn't even need the spell to change but it's easier."

"Your so big. How old are you?"

"254 as of last fall."

"That's young for a dragon. Isn't it?"

"It is. I was considered a sub adult until 4 years ago. Some in the family still consider me so."

"How old will you get?"

"It's hard to say with half breeds. It can be 3-5 thousand years. Mom's 2507 and can get to 9-10 thousand. We can be killed just not very easily, we can get sick, it's ugly when a dragon has a head cold." He chuckled.

Little had moved and had wrapped himself around the podium with his head just at the end of it. Riana had stayed seated but was not scared. She even reached out and touched his face to see what Little felt like. She still thought Little was cute but liked his human form better. Riana continued to asked lots of questions and Little answered them all. All but the one that Riana hadn't asked yet.

"Little, it's not far. Not far at all."

"What's not far, my little love?" He just loved that.

"Love's not far. I only get to be with you for a short time. What happens..."

"We are not going to think about it." Little interrupted. "Not right now. I found you early so we have the extra time. I think once you have your training. You're going to be able to use the spells to make longer your life. Right now it's the beginning of a wonderful time. It's also getting late. Riana I need you to promise not to tell anyone, even your mom. At least until I talk to mine. I want to tell my friend Tim, too. I can tell them at the same time. I think your mother would freak otherwise."

"I think she's going to freak no mater what. Mom likes Tim the same way I like you. I think he's nice. He even likes my brother too. Brad likes him because Tim knows about horses."

"I thing he does too. I've known Tim for about 8 years now. He's a very good man."

"Mom deserves a good man. So why don't you change back so we can go back and get some sleep." Riana giggled.

Little stood, chanted the spell and once again he was human. He picked Riana up and walked back to her room. In passing kissed her mother and Seleena good night. Little waited outside the room so that Riana could change for bed but went to tuck her in when she finished.

Once the blankets were tucked around Riana, Little leaned in and kissed her forehead then her nose. Making her giggle. But they looked at each other for a moment then Little leaned in again and gently kissed Riana on the lips.

To him it felt like kissing a soft rose petal and smelled just as sweet. Riana shivered as she felt his lips on hers for the first time. He smelled like cinnamon and spice. His lips were feather light and she thought then that she knew what true happiness was.

Little left her snuggled in her blankets smiling and went to his room.

Some time during the night a spring storm rolled in. Riana woke to the sound of the thunder booming outside. Riana hated thunderstorms and sleeping alone for the first time only made it worse. She tried to stay in her bed but the second followed by a third booming was too much. If she went to her mom's room. Her mom would only send her back telling her she was being silly. She didn't want to go to her little brother and sister's room. She really hoped Little would understand.

By the time she had decided where to go she was at his door. Riana knocked. There was not answer. Riana took a deep breath and tried the door. It opened.

"Little." She said again, just a little bit louder. She heard little grunt then snort. It made her giggle a little.

"Little, I'm ... I'm scared." The last said softly.

Little heard Riana call his name and at first he thought he was dreaming then he herd it again as well as heard her say she was scared. "Riana ... What?" he was about to asked when a flash of light filled the room followed by a loud boom and a shriek. Little looked around and saw Riana drop to the floor covering her head.

Little jumped, snagging his pants and had them on before going over and taking Riana into his harms. Riana held him with all her strength but it was hard because she was trembling so badly.

"Riana it's all right. It's just a storm. It can't hurt you." Little said as he rubbed her back.

"I know but it still scares me. I'm sorry. I just..."

"It's all right." Little picked her up and put her in his bed. He all but had to fight her when he started to let her go so he could get in on the other side. Riana finally let him go and watched him as he got in on his side. He turned onto his side then reached out and pulled Riana to him, tucking her into his chest.

Riana couldn't believe how warm Little was but all to soon Riana couldn't stay awake and drifted off to sleep. Little wasn't far behind but as he held Riana to him he knew it was going to be very hard to wait those 3 year for her to come of age; because he could get used to her in his arms. With that thought and his check on Riana's head he too drifted off to sleep.

Madeline was up with the baby when Brad came bouncing in followed by Tim. He scooped up the boy and threw him into the air then deposited the squealing boy into a seat at the table.

The staff had been up and had breakfast all ready.

"Madeline, where's the other one, Riana?"

"Sleeping in, I guess. Though that's not like her. When I'm finished I'll go check on her. She and Mr. Lee did get in late after their walk."

"When this little guy is finished. We can go and wake Lee up. He doesn't deserve to sleep in this morning." Tim said as he put a bowl of porridge down in front of Brad, which he inhaled.

Soon Madeline, Tim and Brad were climbing the steps towards Riana and Little's rooms. Madeline patted her son on the head and went for Riana's.

Tim and Brad got to Little's door. Tim had told Brad the plan already; Tim would open the door and Brad would run in and jump on the bed, yelling "Wake Up!"

Brad liked the idea a lot. So when they got to the door he was ready. Tim opened it and in Brad ran. Up on the bed he went yelling, "Wake up!!" The he saw his sister. "Silly Riana. This not your room. This Mr. Lee's room."

This had the immediate affect of bringing Tim into the Room. "Lee, What the hell are you doing!!!? Brad get down and go get your mother."

Brad knew this was not good and ran screaming for his mom.

Little sat up and looked at his friend. "Tim, It's not what you think!"

"It sure as hell better not be or I'll kill you."

Riana was so ashamed that she burst into tears. Little wrapped his arms around her. "It's all right, he won't do anything. Remember he can't hurt me."

"Don't count on it! Now why is she in your bed?"

"Yes Riana why are you up here?" Madeline came into the room.

Riana cried more when she saw her mother so angry.

This got to Little. "IF YOU WOULD ALL STOP YELLING I WILL TELL YOU." Little bellowed over the others. "Riana, love, it's alright, calm down." Little turned back. "Sometime last night a storm came through. It scared Riana so she came to my room. She was trembling so hard she could hardly stand. I wasn't about to send her back to her room. I put her here, tucked us in and we fell asleep."

Riana somehow found he voice. "I'm sorry momma. I was just so scared and Little always makes me feel safe. Please don't be mad at him. He didn't do anything. He just held me till I fell asleep. Please don't be mad." Then the crying started again.

Brad hated seeing his sister cry so he crawled up onto the bed and hugged her too. Even though she was older, he remembered a big storm not long ago when his sister woke him up. He thought it was funny at first but he knew his sister. Then he liked the big boy feeling he got when he made his sister not so scared. "It's okay sissy, storms all gone. Don't be scared any more. It's nice outside. Mr. Tim's going to show me the baby horsies today. You like the baby ones, you come with. You'll feel better."

Tim could see with the way Lee was holding the girl and also the way her brother tried to help that he had over reacted. He turned and looked at Madeline. "Sorry Maddy, I guess I over reacted."

"No more than I would have." Her voice cold and unfeeling. "But I don't think I would have stopped with yelling. Brad, take Riana to her room so she can get dressed, then she'll bring you back to the kitchen. Now Mr. Tell, I would like you to join us there. If you please; I have some questions to ask."