The Dragon Keeper

by Jessie Pinkham

  “Of course, I have no personal experience, but according to Melletic, author of this volume, they are only ‘more impervious to fire than other beasts’.” Aldric brought the book to the table and flipped towards the back, obviously familiar with the contents.

  “This much I can believe,” Lito said.

  “Too many people believe everything they hear.”

  “A bit of skepticism serves a man well. Otherwise I should believe that trolls can be kept away by sprig of dried herbs, and likely have gotten myself killed trying to observe them for painting.”

  Aldric laughed, a deep and beautiful sound. “In that case, I’m glad you are skeptical.”

  Lito had to agree that his continued existence was good. In fact, for a traitor and an exile, his life was remarkably good.

  Chapter Five

  All the clan’s dragons returned in the morning, and it did not escape Aldric’s notice that Lito was nearly as pleased as he himself and Esan. Once again, the artist positioned himself outside the fence to sketch and accustom the dragons to his presence.

  “How long does he intend to sit there?” asked Esan as they set about repairing the portion of fence one of the juveniles had damaged in its excitement the previous day. “I hadn’t realized artists required so much research.”

  Aldric answered, “He will remain until the dragons permit him to move inside the fence.”

  “You’re allowing that?”

  “He earned the right.” Aldric didn’t want just anyone inside the dragons’ fence, as the results could be disastrous if the clan didn’t like an individual or the person failed to respect the dragons’ boundaries. He felt that Lito had a good chance of successfully integrating himself into the dragons’ world, and a man who betrayed his own king to save dragons ought to be allowed the attempt.

  “He did earn it,” agreed Esan. “And he is staying with you?”

  “Until other arrangements can be made. I believe His Majesty’s reward will allow Lito to live where he chooses.”

  “Undoubtedly. I don’t think he informed you for the reward, however. He seems truly enamored of dragons.”

  “He is.” The artist knew more about dragons now, having spent the previous evening asking Aldric questions about them and perusing Melletic’s book. He was an intelligent man. Aldric had always been of the opinion that flowery language disguised poor intelligence, but Lito forced him to reconsider. It didn’t seem the case that the artist used many words to conceal how little he knew.

  “How is his company?”

  Aldric knew where this was going. Esan’s wife fancied herself a matchmaker and her sway was clear. “I’ll thank you to concern yourself less with the company I keep.”

  He had been too strident, which his assistant correctly interpreted. “So you do enjoy his company.”

  The answer was yes. Lito was pleasant company, but it was none of Esan’s business. Esan’s wife was a bad influence on him in matters of other people’s personal affairs. Aldric did not say this because he believed that nothing good resulted from criticizing a man’s wife.

  Instead he said, “I must attend a meeting with the steward. You will receive and pay for the sheep.”

  Esan respected the change of subject. “Your plan worked well. I hope the troops have had comparable success in finding the conspirators.”

  “I will know more after meeting with the steward.”

  “The dragons will be pleased to eat sheep indefinitely.”

  That was true, but dragons didn’t concern themselves with matters of finance. “The treasury will not be pleased to pay for sheep indefinitely. The longer we must provide sheep for the dragons, the more we will be forced to pay for them.”

  “Sending the price of mutton up.”

  “It could also increase the price of wool.”

  Esan frowned. “How long do you think we will need to feed the dragons sheep?”

  “At least three days more.” That long would not damage the economy according to the steward.

  “It would suit well if the troll ate poisoned swine.”

  Esan had not thought the idea out. Aldric corrected, “It would not. We do not want any poisoned swine to be available as prey.”

  “It would suit if the troll ate the only poisoned swine.”

  “Yes. Unlikely, however. I’d prefer the patrols first eliminate the swine and then deal with the troll.”

  “I like the idea of Marnachins attempting to kill our dragons and only assisting us with a bothersome troll,” said Esan. “It would be a good turnabout.”

  Aldric was not one for such fanciful notions as turnabouts. He had more practical matters with which to concern himself.

  ****

  For the second day in a row the dragons feasted on sheep with predictable enthusiasm. Since it was raining most of them didn’t bother flying away, preferring to return to their dry houses and admire their treasures.

  When Aldric returned home he found Lito sketching on a wooden panel. The artist looked up to ask, “More success, I hope?”

  “Yes. Most of the dragons promptly returned to their houses after they ate their fill of sheep.”

  “Do they sleep more during the rain?”

  “Dragons can spend a great deal of time admiring their treasures.”

  Lito was once again intrigued. “What kinds of treasures?”

  “They’re fond of shiny objects: flotsam and jetsam mostly, and their favorite, silver ingots.”

  “So the stories of dragons with a hoard of silver and gold is not entirely without basis in fact.”

  Where Aldric had at first been irked by Lito’s questions, he now considered them a sign of the man’s great appreciation for dragons and he answered them gladly. “There are no great piles of treasure in the dragon houses. They are not indiscriminate collectors, and humans seek the same valuable items. I doubt each dragon has more than half a dozen items.”

  Lito looked disappointed and went back to his panel. Aldric peered at it silently before the artist explained, “I am preparing for my first attempt at painting dragons.”

  “You draw the scene first.” It made sense, but Aldric had never seen an artist at work before and therefore did not know what to expect.

  “It produces much better results.”

  Aldric dragged a chair to sit beside Lito and watch the process of creation. It was entirely foreign to him and quite interesting to watch as the merest outline grew to be a detailed picture. Lito drew with quick, sure strokes of his pen. Aldric appreciated men with nimble hands.

  At that thought he forced his attention back on the panel. He didn’t require experience with houseguests to know one wasn’t supposed to ogle them.

  He must not have been subtle because Lito remarked, “You’re welcome to appreciate the artist as well as the art. Don’t stop on my account.”

  That was unexpected and welcome, though he didn’t know how to respond. He settled for silently continuing his admiration for several more minutes, which seemed to suit Lito.

  Some minutes later, once the artist set down his pen, Aldric ventured to ask, “Does it take many years of training to be an artist?”

  “To be a good one, yes. Particularly when it comes to the details of preparing materials and paints. However, at the risk of being outrageously bold, after the way you were looking at me I’ll be more than a touch disappointed if you are thinking only of my craft.”

  It was very bold indeed, but Aldric found he liked that. “Not only, no.” He glanced down at Lito’s hands. “Your hands are nimble, and you have such control.”

  Lito smiled. “Perhaps you’re wondering what else I can do with them?”

  Aldric felt himself blush. “You are outrageously bold.”

  “And you need not hold yourself back so much. Certainly not after I established that you aren’t the only one interested. Is everyone in the north so restrained?”

  “No. I spend more time with dragons than with people.”

  “We oug
ht to do something about that,” said Lito. He reached out, placing one hand on the side of Aldric’s face. “I see no reason you can’t enjoy human company when your workday is completed.”

  Aldric did not enjoy the company of just any human. Lito’s was among those he did enjoy. “I don’t know the custom for seducing a houseguest,” he confessed. “Am I supposed to offer you supper first, or take you to bed straightaway?”

  Lito laughed. “I believe I’m the one seducing you. In either case, bed, please.”

  Aldric took Lito to his bedroom, glad that his bedding was recently returned from the laundress. It would not do to appear slovenly.

  Not that Lito paid heed to the room, as his attention was reserved for Aldric. Specifically, removing Aldric’s clothing. He made short work of it all, followed quickly by his own. Naked, they admired each other.

  Aldric was not one to admire for very long when he could be touching. He ran his hand down Lito’s neck and traced the muscles on the artist’s chest, enjoying not just the feel of muscle but the way Lito reacted with quickened breath and shivering skin.

  He sat on his bed and pulled Lito down so the other man was straddling his lap. This was an excellent position, which allowed for roaming hands and the thrill of their cocks bumping together. Lito also took this as time for kissing. Aldric was not always fond of the activity, but he found with Lito he quite liked it. All the more so when Lito arranged himself so their chests were together and his hands traced a roving pattern on Aldric’s back at the same time his tongue explored Aldric’s mouth.

  It had been some time since Aldric last enjoyed the company of another man, and he forcibly quelled his impatience. He found it was always better to take one’s time in matters of sexual pleasure, so he focused on individual sensations: the feel of Lito’s weight on his lap, the sound of their kisses and Lito’s barely audible whimpers, the heady scent of aroused men, and the shocks of pleasure when their cocks touched.

  Lito dragged his fingernails along Aldric’s spine and pulled his mouth away. “You see, it pays handsomely to be outrageously bold.”

  Such was not Aldric’s style, but he appreciated it in Lito. “Indeed, it does.” Then he put his mouth to work pressing kisses along his lover’s neck, which earned him a series of delightful moans. He enjoyed a vocal lover. Each noise served as a reward for his efforts and told him what his partner especially liked.

  He leaned to lie flat on his back, taking Lito down with him. The weight of another man’s body atop his own excited him, as did Lito’s next enthusiastic round of kissing and rubbing.

  When the artist next stopped kissing he said, “I do believe I spoke of what else I can do with my hands. I ought to demonstrate.”

  “By all means.”

  His fingers were as nimble as earlier, only now the quick motions danced around Aldric’s sac. “You are very talented,” said Aldric.

  “I always endeavor for the best possible results.”

  How fortunate for Aldric. He gasped as Lito took his cock in one hand while the other continued its tantalizing massage of his balls.

  “It’s a benefit to bedding an artist.” Lito smiled, clearly pleased with Aldric’s reaction to his ministrations. “Well-trained hands combined with ceaseless striving for perfection.”

  If one considered an orgasm perfection, Aldric was fast approaching it until Lito suddenly stopped and said, “I want to undo you, Aldric.”

  He was about to remark that letting go of his cock was not a good way to achieve that goal, when Lito did something remarkable. He lowered himself down Aldric’s body and took Aldric’s cock in his mouth.

  The sensation was so overwhelmingly wonderful that it took Aldric a moment to ask, “What are you doing?”

  Lito paused, which was a great loss and made Aldric regret his question. “You don’t mean to tell me you’ve never done this?”

  “I’ve never heard of taking a cock in my mouth.”

  The artist’s eyes widened in surprise. “How dreadful. I must show you what you’ve been missing.”

  Aldric decided he’d been missing a great deal. Having learned that mouths could be the source of such pleasure, he was sure to view them differently for the rest of his life. Lito’s mouth was warm and wet, with a delightfully nimble tongue, which he used to swirl around Aldric’s cock. His tongue created a sensation unlike anything Aldric had previously known. At intervals Lito would let the cock fall out of his mouth so he could lick its entire length, or dance his tongue across Aldric’s sac.

  The best moments, though, occurred when he used his entire mouth and tongue simultaneously with a bit of sucking. Having recovered from his initial state of being overwhelmed, Aldric gathered his wits enough to realize he ought to take in the visual.

  He wasn’t disappointed. The view of his cock sliding in and out of Lito’s mouth was one of the most arousing sights of his life. There was an added thrill from the knowledge that this was a new sexual practice, one that most Corancians would find degenerate. It certainly sounded degenerate—who would want a cock in his mouth?—but it felt divine. The head of his cock plunged down Lito’s throat while the artist’s tongue massaged his shaft, combining in a feeling far too good to last.

  Aldric gave himself over to pure pleasure as he spurted his released into Lito’s mouth. Theologians could debate about perfection in the afterlife, but so far as Aldric was concerned an orgasm was perfection in his present life, and this was a particularly excellent one.

  “That was magnificent,” he said when he was able to speak once more.

  He was rewarded with Lito’s laugh. “I’m glad you think so.”

  “Was it very difficult to do? I’d like to try.”

  “Yes, please. Only remember not to use your teeth.”

  He’d not thought of that, but it certainly didn’t sound enjoyable. He arranged himself so that he was lying between Lito’s legs and picked up his cock.

  The first thing he noticed, when he’d only taken a bit of Lito in his mouth, was saltiness on his tongue and a strong musky scent. Next, he realized that keeping his teeth off the other man’s cock was going to require more effort than he’d planned. It was enjoyable nevertheless, because he could feel Lito harden further in his mouth, indicating what movements the artist particularly enjoyed.

  He tried to push Lito’s cock further down his throat, only to gag and spit the entire thing out.

  “That takes practice,” said Lito. “Don’t concern yourself with it.”

  Aldric hoped Lito would be amenable to further practice. He attempted to use his tongue the way Lito had, and was rewarded with a breathy moan while the cock in his mouth leapt.

  Yes, Aldric liked this Marnachin sex very well. It wasn’t nearly as easy as Lito made it seem, however. In short order Aldric’s mouth and neck began to tire as he bobbed his head around Lito’s cock. He supposed the activity, like any other, would require building stamina.

  Lito tensed and began a warning. “If you don’t want me to finish in your mouth…”

  Aldric wasn’t about to stop and deliberately quickened his pace as much as he was able until Lito moaned. His release was hot, salty, and copious. Unlike Lito, who swallowed with evident ease, Aldric wasn’t able to coordinate himself and ended up with a mess dripping down his chin. He didn’t care, overwhelmed with the heady feeling of knowing he was the one who gave Lito this glimpse of perfection.

  Any future houseguests were going to pale in comparison to him.

  Chapter Six

  The following afternoon brought Lito two shadows in the form of Fred and Boden, Aldric’s nephews. One boy stood on either side to watch as he sketched out another panel. They’d already asked him to explain the entire process required to complete a panel painting and were observing him draw when a messenger approached.

  “Lito of Marnachi?” asked the messenger.

  “I am he.”

  “I was commissioned to deliver this.” He handed Lito a rolled paper. “May I report that m
y duty is completed?”

  “You may.”

  The messenger nodded and turned back towards the city. Lito untied the string and opened the scroll. There, written in neat Marnachin script, was the official notice of his exile. Should he return to Marnachi, his life was forfeit.

  He’d expected it, if not quite so soon. Word traveled quickly when traitors were involved, he supposed.

  “What’s that?” asked Fred.

  “The notice of my exile.” Despite his best attempt, Lito could not hide his sadness.

  Boden peered at the scroll before Lito put it away. “They hate you very much for saving our dragons, don’t they?”

  “I’m afraid they do.”

  Lito had been quite small the first time his father told him, “A man makes his choice and then must live with the consequences, whatever they may be.” It was advice that guided Lito’s decision making his entire life, so he was quite prepared to be exiled. He was not, however, prepared for just how final it felt.

  “You ought to stay here,” said Boden. “It’s a good place to live, and I’m sure everyone will like you because without you we wouldn’t have saved the dragons.”

  Exile was not so simple, involving as it did the pain of never again seeing his homeland. Lito appreciated Boden’s comment nevertheless and hoped that it would prove true. At the very least he would have ample opportunities to observe and paint dragons, and he could always console himself with the thought of the lives he’d saved.

  Boden evidently felt there was nothing more to be said on the subject, because he asked, “Did you apprentice like a tradesman?”

  Lito was happy to change the topic of conversation to something more cheerful. “I did indeed. How old are you?”

  “Eleven next month.”

  “I’m twelve,” said Fred.

  “I began learning under an accomplished artist when I was your age, Fred, which is late. It was ten years before he had nothing more to teach me.”

  Fred was unimpressed. “Ten years to learn how to paint?”