The Dragon’s Mage

“Rhune!  Come out of there at once!”

Rhune breathed a deep aggrieved sigh.  Then bounced once down to his butt and then off the bed.  “I don’t see why you can yell when you tell me I have to be quiet.”  Then Melly was making some wordless panicked sound and dragging him out the door.

For a long time there was silence.  “Please tell me that did not just happen?”

“You mean the part where your brother and sister walked in on you in bed with two men or the part where we’re all going to sleep together in the big bed tonight?”  Ladon asked, spooning her from behind, his face pressed into her hair.  “Because I’m going to have to say it was the second that concerns me.”

She reached back and slapped his shoulder, then had to laugh.  “It’s not funny.”

Lying across Ebens chest as she was with his arms around her she felt when it started to shake.  “It’s not funny.”  She tried again as she covered her face with her hand and tried to burrow into his body, laughing and embarrassed all at the same time.  “Good Lord.  Poor Melly.”

That made Ladon chuckle too.

“It seems I need to make a few adjustments to our home.”

“You mean like bolts on the doors?”  She asked through the hand still covering her face.

“At the very least we’re going to need a cook.”  Ladon offered, snuggling his morning erection against Morgan’s soft ass.

“Not to mention a kitchen.”  Eben added dryly.  That made Morgan laugh again.

“In the mean time we will have to see to feeding the hatchlings before your brother decides to come back and bounce upon the bed some more.”

That had Morgan up like a shot hopping over Eben while he grunted at the impact and leaving Ladon floundering against the pillows.

“Morgan.”  Ladon growled, even as she was disappearing into the bath.

“Don’t just lay there.  Get up!”  She yelled.  “He could be back any minute.”

Ladon growled again and Eben sighed.  “Perhaps a small misdirection spell on the stairs to our chamber?”

“And a three headed dog on the landing.”  Ladon added shortly.

* * *

After taking care of her morning routine as quickly as possible Morgan left the bath to find the men already cleaned and dressed.  Eben was in his customary black tunic trousers with knee boots and Ladon in a brown tunic with gold edgings and some kind of supple leather pants in knee boots.  They looked like pure fantasy come to life.

Morgan shook her head at the sight they made.  When she was dressed in another simple day dress, this time with embroidery on the scoop collar and slippers that matched; they headed downstairs.

Her young siblings were in the great room.  Melly admonishing them not to beak anything as they explored.

They all stopped moving completely when Eben began to conjure a dining room table and chairs.  Then a feast was added of breakfast meats and porridge.  Soft fragrant breads and fruit of all varieties.  In under a minute there was enough food there to supply a village feast.

“That was amazing!”  Rhune whooped heading for the table at a run.  “Do something else.”

“Rhune!”  Morgan admonished as soon as she could speak over her own wonder.  “Attempt to be a gentleman.”

“But did you see…”

“Rhune.”

“Very well.”  He said will ill grace.  “Thank you for breakfast Lord Dragon.”

It made Ladon laugh, and had Morgan rolling her eyes.

“You are welcome, Lord Mage.”  Was all Eben said.  It made Rhune giggle.  They all sat down.  Clare and Melly both looked at the food as if they had never seen it before.  At least they had never seen so much at one time.  Morgan thought.  Though they had never truly starved, they had gone hungry a time or two.  It made her both sad to remember and anxious that their new good fortune wouldn't last.

While the blood mages had been defeated, there were still so many things to deal with to keep everyone safe.  The council.  The prejudice against humans here and they still did not know who wanted Ladon dead or why.

Shameaa.  You are not alone with your worries any longer.  The hatchlings will be safe.

She blew out a calming breath.  I can’t seem to help myself.

“Perhaps after we eat you would accompany me on a tour of my lands.”  Eben invited everyone.  “It would be good if you knew the boundaries and the dangers.”

Dangers?  Morgan thought, even as the others agreed to the outing with enthusiasm.  What’s dangerous to dragons?  She wondered picturing wild beasts and bottomless pits.

Nothing so scary as all of that.  Eben assured her, even as she felt his humor.

I know you’re laughing at me.  She warned.  How come you can hear my every random thought and I just hear what you want me too.

You project very loudly, Shameaa.  Eventually you will learn to keep me out, but for now, I am enjoying the advantage it gives me. 

And we definitely need every advantage we can find to keep up with you.  Ladon interjected.

“I’m done.”  Rhune suddenly bellowed, making everyone but Eben jump.  “Can we go now?”

“Rhune!”  Three female voices sounded at the same time in the same exasperated tone.

Perhaps we can try that misdirection spell on the front doors while we’re outside exploring.  Ladon joked in an aside to Eben.  Or the three headed dog.

I suspect that we would only turn to find Rhune riding him up the castle walls.

Just because I can’t hear the conversation you both are having doesn’t mean I don’t know you’re having one.  Morgan interjected.

I was just remarking how good it is that I built this castle with dragons in mind.  Eben said drily.  Your brother would have a normal dwelling crashing down around our ears within days.

Morgan sighed long and loud.  That's the honest truth.

“Can we go yet?”  Rhune asked, bouncing up and down in his seat.  “I want to see the dangers.”

Eventually they went.

* * *

They spent a good part of the morning flying the boundaries of Ebens territory.  Ladon in his dragon form road herd on Clare and Rhune in their flying forms.  Clare as a gos hawk and Rhune a baby dragon.  Melly rode with Morgan on Eben and they all laughed at the antics the other three got into.

Eventually there was a messenger who showed up looking for Eben and they were forced to land.  He chose a valley beside a flowing brook.  As soon as the women disembarked, he changed so that he could read the missive and speak to them all at once.

“I have been called to council.”  Eben shared, motioning to the young dragon knight who had landed and watched them all so curiously, still in his dragon form.

“This is Balin.  He is messenger for the council.  Balin.  My mate Morgan, and her sisters Melisande and the hawk is Clare.  Her brother is the small dragon who keeps spitting at you.  Though I think he is just attempting to speak in his altered form and means no true insult.”  Eben turned back to Balin.  “Please inform the council I will be there momentarily.”

Balin the dragon bowed and then turned and launched himself back to the sky.

“Balin.”  Ladon said shaking his head.  “For a messenger he never seems to have very much to say.”

Eben hugged Morgan, understanding she was worried without her having to say it.  “Stay here and enjoy