Inside Kiraz’s cave, Gissandra needed to adjust her vision to the dim lighting within. Faintly glowing torches illuminated small patches of the cave, revealing a catacomb structure of rooms, and obscure, thin passageways.
“Stay on my head, princess. I’ll tour you around the rooms.” Gissandra, not really having much choice, agreed. Her eyes sought out dust, or treasure, and a twinge of disappointment resided when she noticed the dragon’s caves actually looked like normal human quarters. There was a kitchen with a cauldron raised over a fire, already bubbling with greenish colored water. A smell of roasted meat permeated the room. The kitchen work surface appeared too small for a dragon to use as four-legged and thumb lacking creatures respectively. Quietly, Kiraz introduced her to a living area with grandiose sofas, again too small for a dragon, a washroom linked to a lake reservoir nearby, and several living chambers, all furnished with wardrobes, beds and mirrors. Giss blinked in confusion. Once they had passed the miniature library collection and the locked treasure room, and Giss was finally able to slide off Kiraz, she put hands on hips and raised an eyebrow.
“Um, Kiraz. If I was to say anything, I would think these chambers were more designed for humans – even with the ceiling space.”
“You think correct, princess.” The orange dragon snorted, wisps of smoke curling from his nostrils. “Stand back a little, and I’ll show you why.”
Intrigued, Gissandra did as bid, wrinkling her face as a small cloud of dust kicked up from her feet. Kiraz wasn’t kidding about the fact his cave needed dusting.
The dragon abruptly vanished. A human stood in front of her. Without any ceremony, mysterious flickering or some sort of magical purple cloud which you normally expected with dramatic transformations, a human had taken the place of where a dragon once stood. The human wore simple clothes, a cream tunic with jute pants, and nothing on his feet. A tuft of white fur rolled away from him, settling into a corner.
He gave an elaborate bow. “I’m Kiraz. Still. I found learning to shapeshift into a human is quite useful for living space, amongst other things.” He then grimaced. “Though it takes a while to get used to the limb coordination and the spectrum of colors you see.”
Giss blinked, speechless. The dragon-turned-human gave off a gruff, unshaven appearance, with visible hairs on his arms, chin, and cheeks. Amber eyes shone out of his face, matching with his auburn hair and beard. She saw the resemblance in his expression to the dragon that lay there before. She also noticed he stood a little taller than her.
Interesting.
Recovering slightly, Giss folded her arms. “Nothing I’ve ever read indicates dragons can shift into humans.”
Kiraz nodded. “Not all the dragons can. They prefer to study other things instead, like lightning magic, or turning people into chickens. I could probably count on one hand the number of dragons in these mountains who learned human transformation. There’s probably others in different regions, but we’re a small group.” He grinned. Fascination gripped Giss. She hadn’t expected this.
She also hadn’t expected to find the human form more attractive than it should be. She found herself feasting over his appearance, lingering over the odd orange glow of his eyes. He met her scrutiny without objection, and walked over, indicating her bag.
“I’ll put the jewels in the treasury later. Since you’re my captive, I’m supposed to keep you locked up and treated as near as you want to be treated, since you are paying for my services.” He halted in front of her, a teasing smile on his lips. “But, I think a princess that volunteers is one who is unlikely to be running away anytime soon, if she likes her new home.”
Home. The word bounced around, sending Giss off-kilter. In the idea of being taken captive, she hadn’t thought far enough ahead to think maybe she would like it, or to even consider the concept of home.
She recalled what he had mentioned about the princess, captured by trolls. “Did you treat your last one badly, then?”
Kiraz shook his head. “Only as required by her stepmother. They wanted her to wear servant’s clothes and scrub the floor, and insisted on having me inform them once I had defeated twenty knights or princes.”
“Ah. The classic,” Gissandra nodded. “Humbling the princess and having a dangerous dragon who has conquered many heroes.”
“Her escaping disappointed them greatly. Apparently humility was a little too humiliating for her, I suppose.”
“Ha.” Gissandra wasn’t surprised. If one of her spoiled sisters had ended up in a place like this and got forced to clean, they would likely treat it as a massive trauma and then harp on about it for the rest of their lives. Even the tiniest speck of dirt sent them running away screaming.
“It’s not easy, being a monster. But we get by, with or without you humans.”
Gissandra matched Kiraz’s grin. “So, what’s the plan with me as your captive, anyway? I do house chores, or what?”
Kiraz reached out to pat her on one bare shoulder with a warm hand. “We’ll build it up. Start with basic chores, and if it works out well, maybe we can get to sorting out the library and the treasury. As you might know, dragons guard their hoards zealously. I recommend you start with cleaning the kitchen. Tools are in there. If you want to learn to cook, you should ask the troll when she comes back.”
“There’s a troll?” Giss stared at him, not sure if she had heard right.
“You can think of her as the dragon’s resident cook. Sometimes a slab of meat isn’t enough, and she’s always coming up with the most wonderful dishes…”
“Careful. You’re drooling a bit at the corner, there.”
Kiraz raised a sleeve to his mouth, only to catch Giss in her lies. “Ah! To be fair, it is drool-worthy food. You see the narrow passageway, there? That links up to other caves, and to the troll’s home.” Kiraz gestured towards a tunnel entrance between two purple tapestries.
Giss examined it suspiciously. “I think it might take a while to adjust to living with monsters. Do you have trolls and such dropping in regularly, then?”
“Oh, yes. Giants, ogres, witches and wizards. I’m godfather to a werebunny’s ten thousand children as well. It’s quite interesting when he comes to visit.”
Gissandra bit her tongue, deciding she didn’t want to ask for details. “I think I’ll prefer to change out of my dress, though. And do you have any balm for feet? Mine are a little sore.”
“Go ahead. Clothes are in the chambers over there, abandoned by the last princess. There’s a soothing ointment on the dresser table. She used to trip over her own brooms a lot since she insisted on wearing ball gowns.”
“Nice.”
“Oh, and Gissandra.”
This was the first time Kiraz had used Giss’s name. it made her alert, focusing on the dragon.
“Yes?”
Kiraz stepped close to her. When he spoke, his breath caressed her neck, sending peculiar shivers through the princess. “Let me give you some fair warning. In my human form, I am perfectly capable of interacting with your kind, in more ways than one.” Very gently, he took a few unruly strands of Giss’s dark hair, tucking them behind her ear. The touch of his skin on her ear delivered a series of small, electric shocks.
“Oh. Wow.” Gissandra felt her cheeks beginning to burn. She stepped away and turned to him, the flush vanishing as quickly as it appeared. “I enjoyed that way more than expected. Which is to say, I wasn’t expecting that at all.”
At this, Kiraz let out a low chuckle. “You’re certainly a calm one. I was hoping to rattle your brain a little there.”
“You did, don’t worry.” Gissandra examined him thoughtfully. Yes. I can see it. I can envision myself with him. “Though now you got me curious. I don’t find dragons attractive. No offense. They look really magnificent, with the wings and the claws and the breathing fire and various other factors. A human dragon, however? I’m not complaining, for sure. So what is it like as a dragon regarding humans?”
“Wow. You’re blunt.”
“People tell me that.”
“Okay.” Kiraz narrowed his eyes, finger stroking his chin in contemplation. “As a dragon… humans tend to look the same to me. In my human form… I have all the human hormones and said ability to appreciate human forms. So it depends on my shape, really.” A mischievous smile stole over his face. “Want to know anything else? Like how big I am down there?”
“Ah. We can save that talk for later. I think I have enough to go by for now.”
“Oh? ‘Later?’ I will look forward to that.”
Good God, I’m actually flirting with a dragon. Barely ten minutes in. My parents are going to kill me. Gissandra fought to keep her face straight. “Sure. I bet it can get pretty boring in these caves otherwise. Now if you excuse me, I’ve got to go and scrub things.”
Kiraz gave her a bow. “Thank you, princess. I have an errand to run now, with the Old God of the Swamp. Nice chap, misunderstood because of all the tentacles. I’ll see if I can bring anything back as well. Monsters can be quite imaginative with their gifts.”
Giss nodded. She watched Kiraz saunter out of the room. He turned to give her one last wave, before instantly enlarging into a dragon, and ambling out of sight.
A big part of Giss hoped Kiraz was up for dealing with the troubles and knights that might come their way.
Chapter Four: Too many Knights
Giss wiped her brow, leaning against the broomstick she had just used to sweep the floor. Brendag the troll cook worked over the cauldron, tossing odd pinches of spices into the pot, creating flashes and different combinations of smells. Giss wrinkled her nose as the troll flung in what looked like very mysterious meat, tinged blue at the corners.
“Come on, dearie!” The troll gestured to her with a warty green hand. Tufts of shocking pink hair stuck out from her head in the traditional don’t give a damn troll style. “If you want to learn to cook, you need to be following what I do!”
“No offense, but I’m certain anything you do, I can’t imitate. We humans are just not as… magical as you. If I toss a bunch of things into a pot, it’s either going to explode or poison me.”
Brendag tsked to herself. “Nonsense. I’m sure anyone, even the most magically devoid of creatures, can learn. It just takes a little bit of intuition, and… oof!” The cauldron fizzed a violent red, spitting out bubbles. Then, a loud, disgusting burp emitted from it, leaving the room with a stench like burned skin.
“There! Perfect.” She dipped a ladle into the mixture, took out some of the concoction, and sipped it, smacking her lips in appreciation. “Mm! Have a taste, dearie.”
Giss resigned herself to the tasting, preferring not to offend Kiraz’s favored cook. The ominous, red tinged liquid in the ladle made her feel sick. Obligingly, she took a tiny sip – and as ever, was surprised.
“You’re right! This is excellent.” Giss finished off the rest of the ladle. “Kind of sweet, I guess. I have no idea what kind of spices I’m tasting.”
Brendag’s mouth split into an ugly smile. “Still got it. Tell you what, child. If you’re free tomorrow, I’ll give you a lesson in breakfast foods. Kiraz loves them, but I’m not always up in the mornings to make ‘em. I have most of the pots and pans in my cave.”
“Thank you.” Giss placed the broom back in the kitchen cupboard, and took out two plates for her and Brendag. Brendag gave a generous helping for both plates, and they both sat around a stone breakfast bar. Giss dusted down her plain linen clothes, wiping a sheen of sweat from her forehead.
“You keep this place looking good. I approve,” Brendag sniffed, examining the neatly organized kitchen, which had previously been a clutter of unused plates, bowls, and kitchen utensils. Brendag only did the dishes if Kiraz gave her gold. “Not so dusty. A woman who can take care of the home can rule a kingdom, in my honest opinion.”
At this, Giss laughed. “Try telling that to my family. We have servants to do everything, and execute them on the smallest of whims. Still, thanks for the sentiment.”
Brendag nodded, taking a quiet bite of her food. “You got a good attitude, child. Most princesses I’ve seen around these caves are delicate creatures, all lamenting their great misfortunes. You’re the first who is actually doing chores and enjoying them. Kiraz seems to like you.”
“He should.” Giss took several chews of the mystery meat, delighting at the flavor, and feeling morally conflicted for liking it at the same time. “I haven’t tried to run away yet, so I suppose that’s something.”
“Aye.” Brendag patted Giss on the shoulder. “Best attitude. I like that you get on so well with Kiraz. He’s a wonderful dragon, but he gets a little lonely up here.”
“I can agree with that.” Giss ate more of the concoction, taking a proud look around the caves, seeing the results of her efforts in tidying them up. “Being here alone with a few dragons who are never here because they’re always doing something probably gets to you after a while.”
“Indeed. That’s part of the reason why dragons love having princesses around. Otherwise, they forge connections with all the other creatures of the realm. You and Kiraz though, you get on well.”
“A little.”
Brendag put her plate down. “Very well. He’s giving you gifts practically every time he returns, and doesn’t avoid your company. He’s fond of you, princess.” She emphasized, winking.
“I’m fond of him, too.”
“Is that so.” The troll examined Gissandra speculatively.
Both Giss and Brendag winced, however, when a deep, masculine voice bellowed from outside the caves, “Dragon! Dragon! I demand you come out and face me in open combat for the hand of the princess you have stolen away! Face me, you coward! Face me!”
Brendag cackled, rubbing her palms together. “Ah! So it begins. That didn’t take long. A week – that’s practically a record. Most don’t start their challenges until a month or so in.”
Giss sighed. “Well. I better go see who it is.” She got up, gulping down the last of the food, before making herself a little more presentable, and striding out to the source of the noise.
Outside the network of caves, a knight dressed in full, shining armor was hollering. When Giss stepped out in sight, he immediately stopped, and took off his plumed helmet.
“Princess! You’re alright! Quick, the dragon doesn’t seem to be here, we must leave before they come back!” With a noble, insufferable expression on his handsome features, he reached out with a mailed gauntlet for Giss to step forward and take. Instead, Giss folded her arms.
“And why should I do that?”
The knight stared at her, baffled. “I’m here to rescue you from the clutches of the evil dragon.”
“But I don’t want to be rescued,” Giss said sweetly, giving the knight a smile. “I want to stay here. A troll’s going to teach me how to cook, and Kiraz is such a gentle-dragon. He brings me back gifts from the places he visits.” She discreetly chose to not mention what sort of gifts they were.
The knight opened and closed his mouth, speechless with incomprehension. His blonde fringe flopped over one eye. “But – What –”
“You can tell this to the other knights as well if you want. I like being here. I don’t want to be rescued. So you can just walk off now and not come back.”
The knight blushed. “But princesses want to be rescued.”
“Not this one. Didn’t you hear about my behaviors back in court? I wasn’t exactly a, hmm, princessy princess, even then.”
The knight scratched his head, armor joints creaking. “Well, yes, I had heard about that, but, I didn’t think – I never thought you would refuse to be rescued.”
Gissandra gave her best oh well shrug. “A few tips for you as well. Don’t stand around shouting like that. There’s a lot of dragons here, and you’re going to risk annoying all of them by being rude with your challenge.”
At the mention of dragons, the knight appeared increasingly anxious, eyes darting around.
“You als
o shouldn’t try and be one of the first to rescue me. It looks bad for dragons if they can be defeated on the first try, so they notoriously fight their hardest at all times. You’re just dragon meat at this point. What’s the reward for my rescue, anyway?”
The knight swallowed, obviously distressed. “One hundred thousand crowns. And your hand in marriage.”
Giss whistled. That was a lot of money. “That’s insane. My parents would never put that much of a price on my head. The average reward is ten thousand.”
When the knight refused to contradict her, she huffed. “What are they thinking?”
The knight sighed, mournfully. “I tried so hard to be one of the first here. This was going to be my biggest quest.”
“Sorry.” Giss thought fast. She was lucky to have this knight. She knew with that much of a reward, it would eventually get to the point where the knights or princes that eventually came would refuse her protests, and just haul her down the mountain anyway. Brendag emerged from the shadows of the cave, giving the knight a scare.
“Oh, don’t be like that,” she waved her pinched green hand at him. “I was listening to the whole thing. You seem like a nice but simple lad. Why don’t you try the cave down there? There’s a princess who has been waiting for months to be rescued. She’s called Princess Rhiannon.”
The knight cocked his head. “Ma’am?”
Giss also turned to face Brendag. “We can do that?”
“Certainly. I’m tired of listening to that girl’s whining every time I pass her. Go and rescue her, instead. Her dragon isn’t in – you can get away with it. We’ll ignore the fact it’s dodging fighting etiquette. I’ll even show you.”
Brendag led a very bemused knight to the cave entrance with a sexy female dragon and an abnormal number of cats drawn on. The knight disappeared into the cave. Mere minutes later, with Giss watching, he came out with a blonde princess in tow, who was clinging to his waist and sobbing hysterically in relief.
Giss watched them both disappear out of sight, with the knight awkwardly thanking the troll.
Romance: The College Bad Boy: A Young Adult Romance Page 71