Chapter 8: The Dragon

Virlane stood outside his lair, he spread his wings and stretched, his neck arching, he flexed his talons and sighed with pleasure, he turned to watch Trink heading down the mountain path muttering about donkeys and his most treasured assets. Virlane entered his lair, prowling around, looking, touching, smelling, it was all there, just as he had left it, not that there had been any doubt, Dragons are just rather possessive about their hoards. He went into his study, touching his books that had taught him so much, that had allowed him to become the man Collin. Something shiny caught his eye, he went to his desk and touched the tiny crystals, fairy tears. I will set things straight with Bitsy later, but not now. He walked further back into his lair and entered a chamber, it was misty and very warm, he slipped into the hot pool of water with a deep sigh, after washing himself he climbed out of the pool and went to another, this pool he carefully slipped into, it was filled with warm oil, he felt the oil on his scales, on his wings, he rubbed it into his neck and over his snout. He lay in the oil, growling with pleasure, humans didn't know how to pamper their bodies, bathing in small cramped tubs. He stepped out of the oil pool and stood on a special pad, that absorbed the dripping oil, he used another special absorbent cloth to wipe the excess oil from his body and stretched again. He padded into his sleeping chamber, physically and emotionally worn out. Virlane slept for a full 24 hours, waking feeling refreshed and with a sense of well being, after breakfasting on fruits, bread and cheese, he really wasn't overly fond of meats and felt the light fare was much healthier. He went to his study and started to read, he heard her come in but didn't stop reading or look up from his book. She flittered here and there, touching, this and that, looking at Virlane, waiting for him to yell at her, she bumped into a candle and grabbed it, trying to set it up right. With a sigh Virlane set the candlestick back, still not taking his eyes off his book "sit down Bitsy, before you hurt yourself." She fluttered to the edge of the desk and sat down, wringing her tiny hands, "I'm so sorry, Virlane, I know you can't ever forgive me, but ... but ... well I just wanted you to know I didn't do it on purpose, well, not at first, I didn't know you two were there, really I didn't." She reached out towards Virlane, lost her balance and fell off the desk. He looked over the side of the desk and seeing that she hadn't hurt herself went back to his reading. A very dejected Bitsy left Virlane's lair, "sometimes the harshest kind of punishment is silence" he firmly believed. When he was ready he would talk with her, not before.

He spent the day reading, working on some of his magic experiments and napping, then after eating he left his lair, unfurling his wings and took to the skies, he soared, higher and higher, then with a sweep of his wings, dove towards the earth, spreading his wings and swooping up just before he smashed into the ground, he laughed with the pleasure of it. He threw back his head and roared with the delight of being a dragon, with the feel of the wind rushing over his wings. Through out the land the forest folk heard the roar of the dragon and slept peacefully, their dragon had returned to them. Virlane flew through the skies till dawn, then returned to his lair and slept long and deeply. Virlane managed to stay away from the glen for almost a week. He knew she had been there, he could sense her presence, feel her, feel her sadness and loneliness. He thought long and hard over what he was going to do, then went to the glen. He watched her sit at the edge of the creek, her bare feet playing in the water, she pulled her skirts up to her thighs and splashed water on them. Standing up she slipped off her dress and stood in the water in her undergarments. Virlane stood several feet behind her and made a small rumbling noise "its very warm today, is it not, my dear" she whirled around at the voice, staring at the dragon, she gasped "You, you're the dragon in my dreams, the dragon that was in my tower room." He lay down and curled his tail about his large body "don't let me interfere with your play." MiLady sat back down and put her feet into the water, watching the dragon, she felt safe in his company, remembering her dreams, she didn't think the dragon would hurt her. She chattered quietly as she played in the water "My name is Katrina, what are you called?" she asked. "I am Virlane, and I will call you, Kat, if it pleases me, or perhaps simply, wench" he said with a smile that showed his fangs. She gave him a startled look "do you think me a wench then?" He leaned forward and nuzzled her neck just behind her ear, purring softly "you tell me, are you a hot wench, or one of those cold icy Ladies of the manor?" She shivered at his touch, shocked at how quickly her heart started to beat and the sudden ache between her thighs. With a regal toss of her head, she stood "I am neither, sire, but I am a lady and not some wench to be tumbled at will." He slipped his talon in the front of her chemise, so sharp was it she didn't even hear her clothes being cut, he flicked his talon and her undergarments dropped from her body "shall we put that to the test" his deep voice rumbled.

His long tail suddenly wrapped around her waist and he lifted her up bring her towards him, she wiggled and hit at his tail trying to get loose "let me go, how dare you do this, why are you doing this, I've never hurt you" she wailed. He smiled another toothy smile, "I want you, I desire you" then still using his tail, he lifted her above his snout, his paws slide between her thighs, spreading them "wiggle all you want, wench, it will make it all the better for both of us." He nuzzled between her thighs, then his forked, slightly rough tongue started to flick back and forth over her most private parts, she squirmed harder slapping at his tail but his tail held her tight and his paws spread her thighs wider. He carefully rubbed his teeth over her clit and smiled as he heard her moan, he spread her nether lips careful that his talons not cut her and quickly thrust his tongue deep inside her, he flicked the tip of his tongue and felt the sides of her womb clinch grabbing at his tongue, his tongue thrust in and out of her. He smiled in satisfaction as he saw and felt her hands no longer slapping at him but clutching his tail, her back arched and her head thrown back, she moaned deeply over and over again. He pulled his tongue from her and licked across her nether lips, then started to flick his tongue over her clit, as he felt her thighs start to quiver, he thrust his tongue deep inside her again as her orgasm shuddered through her body, he drank deeply of her juices. He felt her go limp and smiled, then lowered her until her face was in front of his, his paws slide up her back, he nuzzled her lips then thrust his tongue into her mouth, her eye's flew open, startled, she stared at him, he licked her lips then smiled "taste yourself on my tongue, your juices are sweet as wine." Laying her down on the soft grass, he watched her taking deep breaths her breasts heaving, dragon satisfaction coursed through his veins, he smiled to himself. He curled his body around hers and waited for her to recover, he licked her lips once again "are you lady or wench?' he asked watching her closely. She suddenly pushed at him and rose on trembling legs, she grabbed her dress and put it on with shaking hands "I am a lady, sire!" and ran from the glen to the rumbling of dragon laughter.

Virlane relaxed from his bath, curled up on is bed, he fell asleep with a smile of satisfaction on his face. Hours later he woke and once again flew out into the skies, his roar to the universe was rich and full and carried the full weight of the dragon. In her bed MiLady tossed and turned, her dreams filled with the dragon, her body once again responded to the dragons touch and she moaned in her sleep, then her dreams turned to Collin, his face, his body, his loving and she moaned again. For a full week Virlane did not return to the glen, he busied himself in his study and smiled, he knew she had returned to the glen twice. He heard a tiny knock at his study door and without turning around "come in, Bitsy" she went and stood in the middle of his desk, not daring to move for fear of knocking something over, or breaking something. She placed a tiny scroll on the desk, then with a sob flew out of the study and Virlane's lair. He walked over to the desk and carefully picked up the scroll, with a touch of magic it grew until it was large enough for Virlane to read. "Please forgive me Virlane, I know you don't want to talk to me or ever see me again, so I wrote this so you would understand. I went to the glen to watch the lady, I found her so fascinating, she moved with such grace, she never knocked anything over, or fell down, or tripped over her own feet, all I wanted to do was watch her and see why that was. Everyone is always laughing at me and making fun of my clumsiness. Then when you and the lady started touching, even though I knew I should have left, I didn't because honestly Virlane, I wanted to know how humans had sex, even though at the time I wasn't real sure exactly what that was. I hope you can forgive me one day, no matter how many hundreds of years it takes. Goodbye my very best friend in the whole world, I hope everything works out well for you and your lady. I love you. Bitsy" Virlane charged out of his lair, everyone heard his roar "BITSY!" and wondered what she had done now. They looked for her for many days, but no one could find her, using his magic Virlane tried to find her but nothing worked. Marluxion let them worry for a short while, he wanted them to learn the lesson that even the most faulty among them was to be loved and cherished. Then he sent her parents word that she was safe and sent word to Trink of where Bitsy could be found and that he was to bring her to him. Trink left muttering about chores. Virlane heard about Bitsy and felt a great relief, he had felt that his treatment of her had lead to her running off and it had and still was a burden he must deal with.

Mary watched MiLady carefully, she looked tired and worn out. She tried to reassure her mistress that Collin would be returning in no time at all. MiLady staring out the window seemed distracted and turned to Mary "I think I will take a picnic to the forest this afternoon, Mary, will you please tell Harriett, please make sure it something light, I haven't been feeling all that well and things don't seem to be staying in my stomach. It must be the worry over Collin" Mary gave MiLady a startled look then asked several very pointed questions. MiLady went out the door wondering why Mary would ask such embarrassing questions, but she answered them knowing Mary would just keep asking until she got an answer. Mary stood in the middle of the room and watched MiLady leave "ohh lordy, lordy" and she went flying down to the kitchen.

Virlane watched her sitting on the blanket munching on a pear and grinned, then stepped into the glen "you look as tasty as that pear, wench" his deep voice rumbled. She bristled and he chuckled as she snapped out "My name is Katrina! or you may call me MiLady" He simply smiled at her and sat down next to the blanket. He stabbed the pear with his talon and licked it, with long sensual movements of his tongue, knowing she was watching every motion. He took a small bite, then leaned down and put it in her mouth, she ate the piece not saying a word, her eyes wide watching him. Again he licked the pear and offered it back to her. "would you care to take a taste wench, dragons can be very tasty." Without realizing it her eyes went down his body, her breathing came faster. He laughed as he saw her lick her lips, her eye's flew up to his face and she blushed scarlet. He touched her bodice with his talon "You might want to remove your clothing, I wouldn't want to have to ruin another article of cloths" She shook her head back away slightly, he noticed that she was still staring at his lower body, turning slightly he lay down and stretched out his body and flicked his tail slightly. She jumped seeing the motion of his tail.

She licked her lips again, staring at him, then her eyes widened as she saw his cock slip from his body, he leaned over and picked up another pear and started licking it, she looked from his mouth to his cock, her breath coming faster and more uneven. Her trembling hands quickly removed her dress and undergarments she fell to her knee's next to his waist, her hands reached out and grasped his large, slick, hard cock, she started to stroke it, her mouth slightly open she licked her lips again, she felt his paw at the back of her head slowly pushing her towards him. She shyly reached out with her tongue, touching him, remembering the motions of his tongue on the pear she started to lick him, first with small little stokes of her tongue, then longer licks. She heard him groan "take me into your mouth, wench, suck until my juices flow, as I drank yours." She opened her mouth, wondering for a moment if she could even fit the tip of his large cock into her mouth, her mouth closed over the tip, her tongue licked at him, her hot breath on him as she panted. His tail curled around and the tip of his tail slipped between her thighs, she moaned around his cock as his tailtip started to caress her nether lips, then entered her slightly, moving to match the motions of her mouth. He groaned deeply and clawed the ground as his cock started to throb deeply, her hands stroked him harder, his paw at the back of her head gently urged her to move faster, she sucked harder and faster, her hips rocking against his tailtip, she clinched her thighs tightly and moaned again. He knew he should warn her but couldn't get the words out in time, his orgasm rocked his body and he came into her mouth. She jerked back shocked as his cum filled her mouth and then splattered her face and chest. She swallowed finding the taste erotic and not at all unpleasant. Virlane reached out and scooped some cum off one of her breasts and put his talon in her mouth, he smiled at her as he took his tailtip and sucked on it. He stretched as his cock slipped back into its sheath "You're very good with your mouth, wench." Gasping, she jumped up and ran to the brook and splashed water on her face, she washed her chest off, glaring at him, she started to dress "you, you, you bastard!" she cried at him. He laughed out loud, the sound rumbling through the forest. She started to toss things in the picnic basket then grabbed it up. Virlane held out the pear "You forgot this" she glared at him again "keep it to remember me by, I won't be back" he grinned at her "yes you will, you find me very fascinating and you love what I do to your body." She ran from the glen, he swiftly got up and was standing before her "no need to run, I thought Ladies walked sedately, if you fall down and hurt yourself, then you won't be able to come back and enjoy my body and wit," she tossed her head and slowly walked away. He sighed as he watched her go, he didn't want her to do anything rash that might hurt their child, he should have thought of that before he pushed her to the point that she felt she needed to run from him.

As Virlane flew high in the night sky, he thought about what he was doing and why he was doing it, he wanted her to love Collin, she already thought she knew Collin, his gentleness, his kindness, his masculinity. He also wanted her to not just see the physical difference, but the emotional differences between the man and the dragon. Virlane wanted to see if she could come to love him, the dragon, even after pushing her to dislike him, almost hate him for his treatment of her. He didn't want a timid mate, he wanted a mate who spoke her mind, who could be just as sexually aggressive as he was, if not more so. But most of all he wanted her to realize no matter how angry she got at him, he wouldn't hurt her Virlane set down on a high lonely mountain path and waited. It wasn't long before Trink, muttering the whole time and Bitsy trailing along appeared. Trink didn't especially surprised to see him, Bitsy on the other hand, looked as if she wanted to be anywhere but there and flew behind Trink. He smiled "Trink take a short walk up the path, Bitsy will catch up to you when we are done talking." Trink nodded and headed up the path, he had known Virlane would make things right for the small little fairy. Bitsy stood wringing her little hands and shuffling her feet, then promptly got them tangled together and fell on her bottom. She sat in the dirt and looked so dejected, Virlane stifled his laughter and gently picked her up and set her on a rock near his shoulder, he brushed the dirt off her then tipped her chin up with his talon. "Bitsy, no matter how angry and hurt friends get at each other, they don't stop being friends, they just try harder to understand and forgive. Friends don't stop loving each other, just because one or both of them made a mistake. Yes, I was angry with you, not because you stayed in the glen, but because I saw a little bit of your carefree innocence lost that day." Chuckling he touched her tiny pert little nose "your clumsiness is one of your most endearing qualities, your zest for life will take you on many adventures. Just remember that you have friends if you ever need us. Listen and learn well from Marluxion, you will find no better teacher. Now off with you, Trink is probably muttering up a storm waiting for you." He gave her a gentle nuzzle, and smiling for the first time in many days, she hugged him and gave his cheek a tiny fairy kiss then tumbling down from the rock, she started up the path. "Oh and Bitsy" she turned and looked at Virlane "the grace is all ready there inside you, you just have to find it and learn what it really means" then he was gone once again into the night skies.

He sat waiting in the glen and watched her slowly carry up a basket and set it down, she looked at him, a brooding, angry look. MiLady spread out the blanket and sat down staring at the dragon, suddenly she put her face in her hands and burst into tears, the dragon curled his large body around her and in a soothing voice purred "tell me why you cry?" All the anguish came pouring out, her love for Collin, his leaving, the waiting for his return, "and you, I can't seem to stay away, I keep coming back again and again. You make me feel things I never thought possible but, so did Collin, you make me feel wicked and wanton, and it frightens me. Each time I leave you, I'm so angry I can barely speak and spend the rest of the day stomping about." He licked the tears from her face and looked at her debating what and how to say it. "while your being angry at me, you aren't thinking of how much you missed Collin, when your busy stomping around your exercising and moving about the keep, not sitting in your tower room wasting away waiting for Collin. Your body was first awakened sexually by Collin, I'm teaching you there are many ways to express your sexuality, a woman can be as wicked and wanton as she desires, or she can be shy and temptingly innocent enjoying making the male work to bring out the wanton desires he knows are there waiting for him. This teaches you to be a better lover, a woman who knows she is pleasing to her mate." MiLady looked at the dragon "you aren't as cruel as I thought, I felt so disappointed, thinking you were only a cruel beast taunting me and my fears" she touched his snout softly, "I'm so glad you really are the dragon from my dreams and from my room that night so long ago." He nuzzled her hand "I can be as cruel as needed, I can strike out viciously to protect myself or those I love, never doubt it for one moment." He saw the exhaustion in her eyes "now rest, I will watch over you and keep you safe, as I always have" he saw that she wanted to say more and made soft soothing sounds "shhhhhh, now Katrina, sleep." She fell asleep to the comforting sounds of his deep purrs. MiLady woke to Virlane's gentle nudge "it's late, you must return to the keep now, before they come looking for you, return tomorrow and we will talk again." With a start MiLady realized she had slept most of the afternoon away. She stood and gathered the blanket and basket, only nodding in agreement she didn't understand why she was feeling suddenly shy before the dragon. Virlane chuckled and tenderly licked her lips, "yes, wench, I still greatly desire you" she blushed smiling feeling for a moment reassured. Once again he watched her leave the glen.

Later that night MiLady sat eating her supper in the dining hall, she smiled and listened to the room buzz with conversation, Mary and Harriett watched her carefully. They both had agreed it was best not to even hint to MiLady that she might be with child, she had enough to worry about with Collin gone, no need to add to her worries. They were pleased to see that she had eaten well and not just picked at her meal like she had been doing lately. After the meal, Henry and Marcus would join MiLady each evening as she sat in her chair in front of the big fireplace and fill her in on how the day gone, any changes they thought needed to be made. She always listened attentively and offered her advice or suggestion. She didn't realize it but all the others did, MiLady was finally coming into her own as the Lady of the Keep. Over the next few weeks MiLady and Virlane met often in the forest glen. They talked and played, he wouldn't allow her to be shy in her questions, he pushed her to express her needs and desires. He would laugh at her blushes while instructing her how to please him. Often they spoke of the Keep and Collin, his carefully asked questions and her honest answers, told him that her love and need for Collin had not dimmed during his absence. This pleased Virlane greatly. One afternoon as she dressed, trying her hand at teasing him as she put her cloths back on, he laughed at her attempt at seduction "perhaps you would like to try that in reverse on the morrow, wench" he laughed, then with a serious look on his face "tomorrow I would like to show you where I live, you might find it interesting, meet me here and I will take you there." She smiled and finished dressing, "I would enjoy seeing it, I've often wondered where you go when I leave." He nuzzled her goodbye and watched her part. That night Virlane flew, beating his wings fiercely against the winds, he flew until he was exhausted and flew even more, higher and faster. Time had gone to quickly, tomorrow he had to tell her, tomorrow he would keep or loose her. Tomorrow he would see joy or hate on her face, he was actually scared, the great dragon Virlane was frightened and he didn't like the feeling one bit. Hours later as he slept, a restless, exhausted sleep he heard Marluxion's voice "even in your loneliest hour, you are never alone." Virlane paced waiting for her to join him, with a sigh of relief, he heard her approach. Seeing him, she smiled and ran forward to kiss him, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, passionately. Whispering "close your eyes" he watched her, when next she opened her eyes she was standing inside the entrance to his lair. She looked around in wonder "explore all you want, any questions you have, just ask" he told her. They went from room to room, entering the pool room she looked with interest at the pool of oils, she bent down to put her hand into it. "one moment, let me change the heat level, I keep it very hot." When he nodded at her, she touched the oil, rubbed it on her fingers and hands, smiling "perhaps later you can help me rub some oil on my back" she said, enjoying the thought. She loved his bed chamber, the huge inviting bed, with covers of black silk, candles every where, it was a very romantic, seductive room. The last room they entered was his study, she looked around in awe, books, thousands and thousands of books, she could tell they were very old. She wandered over to his work bench, seeing things she didn't understand, odd instruments and jars and jars filled with she didn't know what. "This is where I spend most of my time" he indicated the work bench, "I dabble with my magic there" he smiled slightly at the look on her face. "Do you practice magic often? Virlane" "quite often, magic can benefit or hurt, one just has to know the difference and be careful not to release forces that could be destructive." Soon the moment he had been dreading came, he couldn't put it off any longer "Katrina, I have something to say, I would only ask that you listen to what I have to say, before you pass judgment and that you would weight your decision with great care." She heard the tone of his voice and felt frightened, she sat in the chair he indicated, folding her hands in her lap she nodded, preparing herself for whatever this serious business was he wanted to speak to her about. He sat and looked at her for what seemed a very long time, "Virlane?" she spoke softly. He proceeded to tell her of how he had watched her grow up, of the years leading up to that day in the glen when she had taken a bath, cooling off from the days heat, about the scarf she had dropped as she left. He spoke of Trink coming to the fairies and elves, asking for their aid in helping her. He told her of the night he had appeared in her room, of returning Bitsy to her family. She watched him closely as he started to pace the study, she said softly "go on, Virlane, what else did you do?" he took a deep breath and turned to look at her "I could not use my magic to stop Kurlew, and Dame Agnes, it would have caused to much comment and brought your Uncle and cousin to the keep. Knowing your Uncle and the cruel, ambitious man that he is I could not chance them arriving to take up where Kurlew or Dame Agnes left off. He looked into her eyes and spoke quietly, "I became Collin, I rode into your keep and your life, I used my magic to become a mortal man, I have always loved you, Katrina, and my only thought was to save you from the cruelties of Kurlew. As the days went by, I loved you more and more, I also knew that the spell would only last 2 moon risings. Had I not spoken certain words then, I would never again be the dragon Virlane, the dragon you see before you now, I left knowing I had one month to make a decision, to become Collin till the day I died a mortal man, or stay the dragon I was hatched and have been for many centuries." Whispering she asked "and what have you decided?" She heard the pride in his voice "I'm a dragon Katrina, first and last I am the dragon, Virlane. As a mortal man I can not fly to the heavens, I can not spread my wings and feel the night air rushing over them. As a mortal man I can not practice the magic I love, as a mortal man my life span is short and would be filled with disease's and strife." His paw swept the room "I can offer you all this Katrina, my vast wealth, my knowledge, my love that would last an eternity. We could soar the skies together, there is so much I could show you, teach you. You would be my dragoness." She started to speak, tears streaming down her face, he held up a paw, "there is one last thing I must tell you, before you make your choice." He reached out and placed a gentle paw on her stomach, he listened to her body "you are carrying my child, Collins child, even now a son grows and thrives in your belly." With a gasp she placed her hands over his paw, the look of wonder and joy on her face made him want to roar with happiness but he knew there was more to come and slowly pulled his paw from under her hands.