A Dragon’s Tale

Beth felt like she had been walking forever. 

She didn’t tire on the astral plane, though she still needed to sleep, but the constant walking became tedious long days ago.  Equally monotonous was the fact that literally everything -- except Gabriella -- was some shade of purple.

The one good thing was she didn’t need to avoid obstacles.  Gabriella had led her through the city walls and various buildings to shorten their travel time.  It occurred to her she might need to be careful when she was alive again not to walk into walls because she was getting used to walking through things; not around them.

”We’re here.”  Gabriella announced as they crested the ridge of a small and shallow ravine.  Down below, Ethan was lying on his side sleeping soundly with--

”Who’s that?”  Beth asked, eyeing the young woman curled up against his side.  She had a pleasant smile on her face, long honey-blonde hair, and wings on her back.  Perhaps one of the Fey?

”That is Taloni.”  Gabriella said.  ”A thoroughly delightful Fey who’s made the best of a very hard situation in life.”

Beth’s eyes narrowed.  ”Why is she snuggled up to my husband?”

”A dragon forced Ethan to surrender the gold in his gullet and he was slowly dying without gold nearby.  Taloni saved his life by bonding with him.” 

Two very conflicting emotions warred within Beth.  On the one hand, she hated the idea of sharing Ethan with yet another woman.  To think of Ethan taking another wife made her mad... almost.  She wanted to be mad -- or even upset -- but was having trouble summoning up the emotion. 

On the other hand, the Fey was rather attractive.  A perfect mother for some of Ethan’s brood.

What?

Beth shook her head trying to clear the thought, but it didn’t want to go.  The more she thought about it, the better it sounded.  She remembered the first time Ethan had taken her to bed.  He was so strong, masculine, and virile; of course she wasn’t enough to satisfy a powerful dragon like that.  Of course he would need other women.  It just made sense.

Or at least, it made sense to a tiny part of her brain.  The rest protested strongly, especially the part that wanted to be present when he was bedding these other women.

”Copper for your thoughts.” Gabriella said with a knowing smile.

”I... Uh...”

The luminous woman laughed.  ”It’s okay, those feelings are perfectly normal after bonding with a dragon.”

”But I don’t... those feelings aren’t... they aren’t me...  Are they?”

Gabriella chuckled.  ”You might be surprised to know that Alana is going through the same thing, and Taloni will be shortly.”

”Really?”

”Yes.  Though Taloni will be much quicker to adjust.”

Beth frowned.  ”But, but you’re one of Illuminar’s servants, right?  How could He possibly be okay with that?”

”You’ve read the Book of Light.  What does it say about it?”

She racked her brain and couldn’t think of anything in the Book of Light that even mentioned women being attracted to one another.  Nothing.  Not even a single verse.

”It doesn’t say anything about it, does it?”

Gabriella shook her head.  ”No, but it does say the following: ”I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, Illuminar will add to him the plagues described in this book.”

Beth grimaced.

Gabriella continued.  ”Beth, be careful about adding to the commands of God.  Be especially careful about condemning as wrong something that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- hasn’t condemned as wrong.  Has He condemned it as wrong?” 

”I mean, I can’t think of a place where the Book of Light does.”  She frowned.  ”So, He’s okay with it...?”

”Consider; you know the Book of Light allows men to take multiple wives.  What if a man wanted to bed two of his wives at the same time?  Would it make sense to forbid that?”

”I guess not.”

”So then, why forbid the wives from pleasuring each other as well as their husband?”

Beth had no answer.  It made sense, but given her upbringing and her father’s insistence on monogamy only, it went against everything she’d been taught.

What she felt on the other hand...

She was definitely feeling more than mild arousal at the thought.  If she still had a body, she would be quite wet between the legs right now.

”Beth, Illuminar created sex.”  The luminous women said kindly.  ”He made it so the existence of the human race -- and every other race too -- depends entirely on them having sex.  He isn’t ashamed of his creation.  God wants men and women to enjoy sex, preferably lots of sex.” 

”Really?” 

”Absolutely.”  Gabriella replied nodding her head.  ”Why would God make sex vital to the survival of every race and make it the most pleasurable thing you can experience if He didn’t want you to enjoy it?” 

”Um, I guess I never thought about it that way.” Beth was trying to reconcile what Gabriella -- who was almost certainly an angel -- was saying about sex with the way she was taught growing up.  

They didn’t mesh well.

”To be sure, Illuminar -- blessed be He -- wants you to enjoy it only inside of marriage.  But inside of marriage, He’d prefer you have as much sex as you can handle.” Then she added with a wink.  ”The world won’t populate itself you know.”

Beth laughed, then thought for a moment.  ”So, it’s really okay that I think another woman is attractive?”

”Absolutely, and your husband won’t mind you thinking that either.  But we’ve tarried long enough on this topic, pleasurable though you find it.”  Gabriella said. With a twinkle in her eye.  ”Right now, your husband needs your help. 

”Right.” 

Beth half climbed, half slid down the shallow side of the ravine then walked to Ethan’s side. The dark halo around his head had grown even larger and stronger since she’d last seen it.  It was now thicker than her arm and much more solid.  It seemed less like a wispy, shadowy halo and more like a solid torus, or a large version of those ”doughnut” things that Ethan had described.

”He’s getting worse, isn’t he?” she asked Gabriella, who had appeared at her side.

”He is, and he will need you to help him.”

Beth had spent the last few days trying to remember everything she could about dispelling enchantments. It wasn’t much.  She reached a hand forward toward the dark halo, only to have Gabriella’s hand clamp onto her wrist with an iron grip.

”Don’t touch it.”  She said fervently.  ”This spell was created by Saidow’s minions, and the effects it can have on you are... unpleasant.”

Beth nodded and Gabriella released her hand.  Now that was another pickle.  How in the world do you remove something without touching it?

* * *

Ethan drifted back to consciousness slowly and against his will.  It felt like he’d woken up from a nap and his groggy, brain-fogged feeling of exhaustion was hanging on like a leech.  He managed to drift to sleep again but not for long.  Something bright was in his eyes and wouldn’t let him stay asleep.  He moved his hand to cover his face, then opened one of his eyes.

It was just after sunrise.  The sun was shining onto his face through the trees, the birds were singing, and the sky was cloudless blue.  It was a little slice of heaven on earth.  He would’ve enjoyed it more if he wasn’t so tired. 

As he woke up, he noticed something warm cuddled up against his side.  He could hear the sound of relaxed breathing and the scent that filled his nostrils was heavenly.  Adjusting his head, he could see Taloni had curled up next to him and snuggled against his body. 

Dear God in heaven she was gorgeous. 

Ethan had noticed she was attractive when he’d first seen her, but he’d somehow missed her true beauty.  Her skin was absolutely flawless, without a blemish in sight.  Her long honey-blonde hair looked like a professional stylist had made it look ’bedhead messy’ because it looked perfect in its chaos.

Coming from her back between her shoulder blades were two sets of wings.  They looked like a cross between a dragonfly and a butterfly and somehow gave her an ethereal, almost otherworldly beauty. 

Her figure was absolutely perfect.  She was so petite, Ethan thought he could wrap his -- admittedly long -- hands around her waist if she sucked in her gut.  Her perfect waist flared into wide, sensual hips.  Her breasts weren’t very large, but they were full and shapely.  But more than that, he found the look on her face irresistible.  She looked so peaceful and serene laying there against him.  She had a subtle smile and looked contented with the world. 

Ethan -- despite his exhaustion -- felt the blood rush to his loins.  He wasn’t sure what it was, but suddenly Taloni looked like a succulent morsel he wanted to sample. 

Wait, what?

He shook his head and stood up, being careful not to disturb her too much. 

He looked at her again and was struck by how innocent she looked.  She was a vision of young beauty.  Ethan literally felt his mouth water.  With that perfect figure, he couldn’t wait to put his brood in her and--

”What the hell.”  Ethan said trying to clear his mind again. 

His brain wouldn’t let go of the image of Taloni pregnant with his--  Ethan closed his eyes and tried to think about something else; anything else.  What in God’s green earth had prompted such a dramatic change in how he saw her?  The only other time that happened was when he bonded with Beth. 

Bonded...

”Uh, Oh.” 

He looked down.  His cock and balls were out and the former was semi-hard.  A quick glance confirmed he was back up to four testicles again.  His fourth had previously disappeared without a trace when Beth died.  But he had a fourth one again, and one that felt like it belonged to Taloni.  Oddly, it hadn’t taken the spot that Beth’s testicle had occupied, but instead occupied the spot after that.

”God damn mother fu--” Ethan started to say loudly, but stopped when he saw Taloni stirring. 

”Whu, huh?”  She mumbled as she yawned and rubbed her eyes. 

She was a vision of feminine perfection in Ethan’s eyes, though previously he considered her merely cute.  She yawned again and looked around bleary-eyed.  Ethan had just enough presence of mind to position himself so his cock and balls were out of sight before she turned his way.

”You’re okay?”  She beamed when she saw Ethan, and a smile appeared on her lush, full lips.

”Well, ’okay’ is a relative term.”  He replied while stifling a yawn.  He still felt a like a mile of bad road and he was exhausted... and very horny.  He tried to push the visions of pinning this lovely young woman to the ground and taking her forcefully.  He wasn’t sure he had the energy anyway.

The young Fey stared at him for several seconds. ”How are you so awake?  Your mana was so depleted yesterday night.”

 ”Uh, this may sound strange, but I think we bonded.” 

”I know.”  Taloni blinked a few times, stifled a yawn, and then continued.  ”But, why would that matter?”

”When a dragon is near someone they’re bonded to, they can regenerate their mana like they’re near gold.”

”So, I’m like gold to you now?”

”Since we bonded, pretty much.”  Ethan replied.  ”I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to, and I don’t even know how it happened.”

”You’re sorry you bonded?”  Her expression didn’t change much, but there was a subtle difference in her body language.  Ethan had enough experience with women to know he had just stepped into a minefield.  Rather than traverse it, he tried going around. 

”Do you know how we bonded?”  He asked. 

She nodded.  ”You were going to die and I was out of regular mana so...”

”Wait, you did it on purpose?”  He cocked his head to one side; that didn’t make any sense.  ”Why would you do that?” 

”I couldn’t let you die.”

Ethan didn’t know what to say.  He was truly at a loss for words.  He had just met her a couple of days ago.  What could possibly have made her willing to share something so profoundly intimate as her deep mana?

”Why?”  Ethan asked after several seconds.  ”I don’t understand.”

”I know you don’t, but that’s okay.”  She said.  ”I got a glimpse of who you really are when we bonded.  You really don’t think you’re anything special, but you’re wrong.”

”No offense, but you have no idea what I’ve done.”  Ethan said, and he could feel the dark cloud creeping over his thoughts again. 

”No offense, but you have no idea who you are.”  She replied.  ”You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”

”I appreciated the compliment, but I’m just a normal guy.  I’m not who you think I am.” 

”Actually, you are.”  Taloni said with absolute conviction.  ”I thought you felt the same way about me, that’s why I let your deep mana...  But if you aren’t...  I mean if you don’t want...” 

”It’s not you Taloni.”  Ethan said quickly.  ”You’re wonderful, but I live a dangerous life.  I have a powerful and deadly lord after me and I don’t want to put you in harm’s way because you might get hurt...”  His mind went to Beth.  ”Or worse.”

”What do you mean?” 

”Of the two women I bonded to since I arrived--” He started to say.

”Wait.”  Taloni interrupted.  ”You’re bonded to two other women?” she covered her mouth, and tears began to form at the corners of her eyes.

”Only one right now.  The other... didn’t make it.  I’m sorry Taloni, but yes I’m bonded to another woman.”

She sniffled and wiped away a tear that was about to fall before speaking.  ”I didn’t think my husband would be...  I’m sorry I didn’t realize.”

”Husband?  But we’re not married.” 

”In the Fey language, the word for bonded and the word for spouse are the same word.”  Taloni said.  ”To a Fey, there’s no difference between bonding and marriage.  I think it’s the same for the elves.”

Ethan nodded, recalling what Alana had said on the topic all those weeks ago.  ”But where I come from, things are different.  I come from a world without magic.  Where I come from, people exchange vows to get married.  The whole concept of bonding is really new to me.”

”You’re a dragon and come from a world without magic?”  Taloni looked curious despite her obvious emotional pain.  ”What do you mean?”

Ethan gave Taloni a short version of how he had arrived.  ”Where I’m from, it’s the vows that make a marriage because we don’t have bonding.”

”So it’s like the humans.”  Taloni said.  ”I never really understood how you can have a marriage without a bond.”

”That’s how I grew up.  I don’t dislike you or anything, but bonding means something different to me.” 

”Is that why you married -- I mean bonded with -- two women?”  Taloni asked.

”Well, my bond with Alana wasn’t quite on purpose either.”  Ethan admitted, then explained how he and Alana had become bonded. 

”I just don’t understand.”  Taloni said.  ”You obviously cared enough for each other that you both risked your lives to save the other.  You shared deep mana, but you won’t call yourself married.  How can you be bonded but not married?” 

”Well, there were no vows.” 

”And do vows bind people together more strongly than sharing deep mana?”  She countered.  ”You know they call deep mana the seat of the soul, right?  Are you saying that sharing your soul with someone isn’t as binding as vows?  How does that even make sense?”

There was something about the simplicity of Taloni’s explanation that made an impression on Ethan.  Her guileless explanation cut through the complication and made everything seem simpler.

”I guess you’re right.”  He admitted.  ”That doesn’t make sense.”

”So, we’re married then?”  Taloni asked. 

”I mean, maybe?  Please remember where I come from; it just wouldn’t feel right to me without vows.” 

”Oh.”  Taloni replied.  ”I guess I kind of understand that.  I mean, elves often include vows in their weddings so I suppose it makes sense.” 

The Fey bit her lip and looked at the ground.  Ethan just shook his head and remembered that Alana had once said they were ’semi-married’.   How in the world did he end up semi-married to two women? 

Again.

”What now?”  Taloni asked still examining the ground. 

”I have no idea.”  Ethan replied.  ”If I’m married to you, then I’m certainly married to Alana.” 

”Oh.”  Taloni said.  She didn’t look up.

”I’m really sorry Taloni.”  Ethan said.  ”I would never hurt you on purpose.” 

”Do you love her?”  Taloni asked. 

”Who?” 

”Your other wife, I mean your other bonded.”  Taloni replied. 

”Yes, I do.”

”And she loves you?”  Taloni asked.  She glanced up but then looked down again.  Ethan thought he saw her eyes getting watery again. 

Ethan took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  ”Yeah, she does.” 

”Then I shouldn’t get in the way.”  Taloni said.  ”The Book of Light says that loving someone means doing what’s best for them, regardless of what it costs you.”  She looked Ethan in the eye.  ”I’m going to do what’s best for you, regardless of what it costs me.”

”Taloni, I...”  Ethan said, but voice caught in his throat as he realized the full implication of her words.  It didn’t make sense to him; how could she care for him that much after only meeting him a couple of days ago?

”It’s okay.”  Taloni sniffled and wiped away the tears that had started forming again at the corners of her eyes.  ”I’m a slave anyway and my master would never let me go.”

”Maybe I could buy your freedom?” he offered. 

”I want that more than anything.”  Taloni said.  ”But I doubt you have the gold and a dragon would never give up gold for me.”  Taloni stood up and looked toward the direction she’d come from the first time Ethan saw her. 

”Is there anything I can do?”  he asked.

She shook her head, then turned and walked out of the ravine.  He almost called after her, but didn’t know what to say.  He could hear her soft sobs, but he couldn’t think of anything he could do to fix it. 

Ethan flopped to the ground exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally.  He could tell the physical exhaustion was because his deep mana was still low.  Not dangerously low, but low.  He dropped to the ground and let out a huge sigh.

Why did life keep getting more complicated?