The one thing I couldn’t compete with would be the more than a thousand years of experience the white would have. Of course, much of that would have been spent sleeping, but it still counted for something. With a white’s tendency to be shortsighted, it might not be as bad as with some of the craftier types of dragon.

  Suddenly, I heard my name being called. “So, what do you think of our proposal, Lord Sandumas, hero of the wall and savior of Forlay? It would certainly be just compensation, don’t you think?”

  I looked up from where I’d been lost in thought. Was he talking about my reward?

  Everyone in the room was staring at me. Each with their own looks. Galbrecht kept looking from me to Cami and back again. Cami’s face looked like it had been drained of all color. Liam was grinning while Serius examined me like I was something to study. The officers all had varying degrees of shock on their faces.

  Lisella’s father looked rather pleased while my mentor shifted back and forth in her seat nervously. It was as though she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. I didn’t want to appear foolish for not having listened—though humans did tend to prattle on—so I said, “My mentor doesn’t seem sure that this is appropriate.”

  The King laughed. “Lisella is my heir and her father has already given his blessing to my idea. A young unlanded mage, no matter how powerful or gifted would not be a suitable match for my niece, since whoever wed her would go on to become the King of Forlay after she ascends to the throne.

  “Now, though, the Emperor has made you a nobleman and assures me that your lands to the north are prosperous and growing. He seemed to think very highly of you. So while it may seem impulsive, will you accept my proposal that you wed Lisella and become the crown prince of Forlay? Your might will be sorely needed here in the future, I fear.”

  My mouth went dry. That was not the type of reward I’d had in mind. For just a second, I wondered two things: exactly how much gold did the King of Forlay have access to, and how long would Lisella live, anyway?

  Chapter 42 - Matching

  An awkward silence hung in the room for a minute. Finally, Lisella’s sire said, “Perhaps that is too much, too quickly. I know my daughter thinks you have a bright future, but this might not have been the best setting to make such a proposal.”

  King Forlay grimaced and said, “Sorry brother, I know we talked about doing it later, I just got carried away.”

  I watched the two of them. One was a king and the other an important noble in their country, yet they had some sort of familial bond which I couldn’t quite place my claw on. It was something that had been missing in my reunion with Sheraleigh. Was it perhaps that family connections was the basis of human strength? I would have to ponder that more.

  The King quickly moved on, announcing a banquet that would be held to honor me and the other heroes who came to the rescue of the kingdom. It wasn’t lost on me that only the team Lisella was a part of had stayed. The Emperor’s bodyguards and the other high level adventuring team had left before I even got to learn much about them.

  Cami and I were dismissed and told there would be food in the guest chambers they had prepared for each of us, and that the banquet would commence in a few hours.

  As we walked out, Cami sent a telepathic message to me, “You could have told them you weren’t interested in marrying Lisella.”

  “I know that you know that Lisella knows it. What does it matter what others think? Besides, if thinking that would get us more treasure, it would have been rude to disabuse her uncle the king of his misunderstanding. Dragons may not lie, but we can certainly let fools assume things that are not true if there’s gold to be made.”

  Cami still seemed upset, but relaxed when I clasped her hand.

  I figured that perhaps she drew comfort from physical contact with me. Maybe that was part of why she liked riding on my back. She was my bonded companion, but also still only human; I could only expect a certain level of logic from her.

  A couple of hours later, I changed into the clothing some servants had provided me. It seemed so silly to change clothing for different situations. I understood it was just human insecurity about their lack of scales, so tried not to complain.

  What had been most frustrating had been the fact that I’d had to stand in one place for nearly ten minutes while they pinned this bit in here and marked that bit there. Then, I had to take everything off again while they adjusted it to fit better.

  If they’d told me that was what they were doing, I’d have sent them away and adjusted the fit myself. It would have taken me all of ten seconds with Fabricate. But I supposed if this was their job for the king, it was best to let them do it. I tried not to be perturbed, but I was getting hangry.

  Now that was a proper word. Modessa had used it around me more than once back on my island, intimating that I was angry because I was hungry. She hadn’t been wrong at the time, and the word summed things up for me now, too. The spread of food they had served me in my room was enough to take the edge off, but I found that my hunger was growing.

  This growing hunger tickled my memory. I seemed to remember something about this in the Dragon Dream, but was having trouble recalling the specifics. Maybe it had something to do with how much I’d grown recently.

  I heard a knock on my door. Hopefully, it was servants coming with more food. Instead, when the door opened, Lisella entered. She had what I’d come to learn was a forced smile on her face.

  “I wanted to apologize for my father and my uncle. They still don’t know who you are. It was so frustrating. Serius practically laughed about it all because General Westin had reported a giant blue dragon on the battlefield, yet he also reported you were the hero, and still none of them connected the dots.”

  “It’s your goddess’ doing. If anyone should understand it, shouldn’t you?”

  Lisella looked at the floor but didn’t answer. After a few seconds of silence, she continued, “You need to be aware of two things. First off, my uncle isn’t going to let this go. He wants to marry me off. He has been told that you are an up and coming noble with your own island and that you are a powerful mage. He knows that I respect you but mistakes that for a willingness to marry you…”

  “Wait, are you no longer willing? You were practically throwing yourself at me before I revealed my true nature to you and even then, you still seemed like you were in heat. Do human females go into heat? I can’t seem to recall.”

  She groaned. “I already explained to you, that was a political ploy to keep from having to marry any of the suitors my uncle was sending.”

  I stared at her. “Whatever you have to tell yourself. I’ve come to realize there is no harm in you being attracted to me. I am a dragon, after all.”

  Lisella buried her head in her hands.

  My increased perception was coming in handy. She must be ashamed of her desire. Humans really were slaves to their impulses, but she was still useful to me, so I’d have to let her down gently. “You know it can never be, though.”

  “Yes, you’re a dragon and I’m a human.”

  Hmm… maybe she really didn’t understand. I’d have to be a bit more blunt. “No, that isn’t why. It is possible with shapeshifting magic for dragons to mate with other races. It is simply that I don’t find you attractive.”

  Her face was suddenly bright red.

  “No… don’t take it badly. You can’t help what you were born as. You can still be useful. If you weren’t a priestess, I might even take you as a minion. For now, we can continue to be allies. You still need to make amends for your people’s crimes against dragons.”

  She shook her head. “Yes. I haven’t forgotten. Well, I should probably leave. I need to get ready for the banquet.”

  “Ah, yes… dressing to attract a mate. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll find a suitable mate someday. I recommend making it known that they must first demonstrate their worth and power somehow. I will admit I was briefly tempted to take your uncle up on his offer—but only because you have demonstrated you are a powerful adventurer, and I’m sure the King of Forlay has access to plenty of gold.”

  For some reason, that seemed to upset her further and she left my room in a rush. I was confused for a moment, but then decided that with my increased perception, I had hit upon exactly the right plan for her. She had probably rushed out to tell her uncle of her new demands.

  Speaking of dressing to attract a mate… I suddenly worried about what Cami would wear to the ball. I remembered how that foolish hairy ape of a pseudo-rider had acted around her and how it made me feel. I needed to ensure my bonded companion looked appropriately regal—only fitting for someone I treasured like part of my hoard.

  I also needed to ensure they understood she was there with me. Given that I was certain she would be wearing the amulet and ring I had loaned her from my hoard, she would actually be a reflection of what I valued most. It wouldn’t do for her not to shine—and I had to ensure that we matched. It was my hoard, after all.

  With that in mind, I took a closer look at what the servants had brought me to wear. It had enough blue in it for it to be appropriate, though the color was a bit too pale for my tastes. Taking off the clothes they had brought, I held out my arm and changed into my dragon warrior form. In moments, I was over ten feet tall and covered with scales from my head to my toes.

  It was such a pity I couldn’t go to the ball in this form. This might hurt a little, but it was for a good cause. I held my left arm out and raked the claws of my right hand down my arm. Shaving my claws down my arm I produced a pile of several dozen scales.

  Though my left forearm now had ugly bare splotches on it, I figured I would heal before this silly ball had even started. I hoped Cami appreciated what I was willing to go through to ensure my hoard was properly appreciated. I sighed as I returned to my human form, frowning at my left arm that now had several scratches running the length of my forearm.

  Holding a stack of a dozen thick blue scales that were nearly four inches in diameter in one hand and my jacket in the other, I called up the system description for Fabricate to ensure this would work.

  Fabricate — Take base materials and create a new product from them. May affect up to 2 cubic feet of material at current level. End product will be of standard quality. Quality may be improved by mastering the relevant mundane skills required to craft the desired item.

  Cast Time: 1 minute

  Mana Cost: 15

  Using my scales as the appropriate base material, I changed the light blue of the jacket to something a bit more appropriate. Turning the shoulders of my jacket the same vibrant blue as my scales, I made a concession to our hosts and lightened the color in a gradient so that the end of the sleeves of my jacket and the end of my coat matched Forlay’s lighter blue. The whole jacket now appeared to be made of overlapping, shimmering scales. Pleased with my work, I pulled my shirt and jacket back on before heading out to ensure Cami’s dress matched my jacket.

  It only took me staring down three different servants for them to give me directions to my bonded companion’s room. I was tempted to use a touch of dragon fear on them when they didn’t answer me promptly, but I made allowances for how awed they seemed to be by my coat. When I finally found Cami’s room, I knocked on the door, remembering how important Cami had said it was to be polite in the King’s lair.

  When the door was opened by a woman with dozens of pins stuck in her sleeve, I realized they must be doing this silly ‘fitting’ ritual that the servants who called themselves the king’s personal tailors had insisted upon. It seems I could save Cami and these ladies a waste of time. Though they might complain that I wasn’t letting them do their job, I’m sure Cami would thank me for it.

  The woman looked scandalized when I stepped into the room. Cami stood on a box in the center of the room with her arms out. She was decked in several layers of fabric that overlapped from her left shoulder down to her right hip in alternating swatches of Forlay blue and silver. Though I knew these were the kingdom’s colors, seeing my companion wearing silver made me shudder. Why would I seek to display my bonded companion in the same color as second-rate metal?

  “Ladies,” I declared, “thank you for your efforts so far. Rest assured that I will handle things from here. Cami is my dragon knight, and I will ensure she has appropriate attire for the ball.”

  Several of the women gasped, though one looked confused and I saw her mouth the words ‘dragon knight?’, while one woman in particular seemed to puff up, like one of those ridiculous birds… what had Liam called them? Oh, yes, a pheasant.

  “Young man,” she strutted forward, making her look even more like one of those ridiculous birds when challenged, “you are not allowed to be here and are interfering with Princess Forlay’s personal instructions to ensure Miss Westfork is appropriately attired for the ball. I don’t have time as it is to make a proper dress on such short notice, so I certainly don’t have time for your foolishness.”

  Who was this pheasant to demand that I leave? And what right had she to determine what I intended to do was foolishness?

  Cami’s eyes, which had lit up when I arrived, and which had glittered when I’d said I would save her from these women and handle things myself, suddenly went wide. “Nico don’t!” she sent telepathically. “I will get rid of them.”

  I froze, already prepared to unleash my Dragon Fear upon these pheasants. Relaxing, I arched an eyebrow at Cami—at least I think that was the appropriate human facial movement to display impatience—and leaned against the wall. I gave her a small nod to let her know I was waiting.

  In a moment, her eyes went from wide and concerned to furious as they cut down the foolish women in the room. “If my Lord Sandumas has asked you to leave, I expect you to do exactly as my Lord wishes,” she thundered at the now shocked women standing around her.

  Though the box she stood on made her only slightly taller than the older women in the room, she now seemed to loom much larger. “I suggest you leave… now!” Cami all but hissed at them.

  I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the women vacated the room. If I didn’t know better, I’d have sworn Cami had used Dragon Fear on them. “That was well done,” I said to her as I pushed myself off the wall and took a closer look at her dress.

  Cami beamed at my praise. “What did you mean, that you would take care of my dress?” she asked.

  I didn’t bother answering what seemed like an obvious question and approached my bonded companion. Frowning at the layers of fabric, I think I sensed what the seamstress was trying to create. The problem was that she did so using silver, of all colors. I sighed. I suppose those were probably her instructions, given that silver and blue were the colors of the kingdom. I could do much better than that, though.

  With one hand I pulled out two dozen large blue scales from my hoard. My left arm had started to itch as it healed, but I paid it no heed. I hoped Cami appreciated what I was doing for us, here.

  Holding the scales in one hand, I fingered the cloth of her half-made dress with the other. Closing my eyes, I pictured what I wanted and then used Fabricate. Like my coat, I turned the blue in her dress a proper royal blue at her right shoulder and transitioned the color until it matched Forlay’s lighter blue halfway down the skirt of her dress. As silver just wouldn’t do, I sacrificed four gold coins from my hoard with a wince, creating overlapping scales of blue and gold in a sash that took advantage of what the seamstress had attempted with her overlapping swatches of fabric.

  In a minute, I was done. I opened my eyes to check out my handiwork.

  The dress now clung to Cami’s human form, though it so closely looked like she was covered in beautiful blue and gold scales that I had to admit I had done a good job—if I did say so myself. With the gold instead of silver, though, something seemed to be missing.

  Oh, yes… taking a deep breath and grinding my teeth a bit, I pulled two more gold coins from my hoard and added them to my jacket to create a matching sash from my left shoulder down to my right hip. There, that should create the effect I was hoping for. We matched, as bonded companions should, and now Cami was an appropriate reflection of my hoard.

  Cami stood on the box, eyes wide, looking down at the dress I had created for her. When she looked up, her eyes filled with tears, though I sensed nothing but joy and elation over our Bond.

  “Oh, Nico,” she said, her breath catching, “it’s beautiful.” Her eyes darted from the dress to my jacket and back again. “And we match!” Another spike of joy surged across the Bond.

  I tapped one finger against my chin. In for a copper, in for a pound of gold I supposed. Summoning two more gold coins from my hoard I used Fabricate and one last scale on her shoes, ensuring they matched her dress. There, that should do it.

  Cami beamed at me, wiping her eyes. “This means so much, Nico… I know you don’t use gold from your hoard without reason. And that this dress is made from your scales… I don’t have the words.”