Here There Be Dragons (Rhiannon)

[Rhiannon Dragonet]

Rhiannon smiled down at the table, pleased with Anactoria's comment. She looked up at the princess, smiling still. "If all goes well, indeed... And I should never think you dull, my princess. You are merely curious, as I am, too. Tell me, what does this fine city have to offer to a dragon like me? I hear there is to be an Equinox festival...."

She looked down at the table again, this time to hide the blush that would accompany her next sentence: "If I may be so bold.... Would you like to attend the festival... with me?"

The dragonet held her breath as she waited for the Princess' response. Bold hardly began to cover it, but Rhiannon was never one for holding back. She only hoped she would not be disappointed this time.

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria didn't even have to think about it. As soon as the question was asked, her face lit up and she opened her mouth and took in a breath to reply with an enthusiastic yes. Perhaps too enthusiastic, but she didn't care. It felt good to be asked. yes all these women where there for her and yes there would be functions and times set aside to meet and spend time with each of them, but to be askedone on one with someone she clearly had a connection with --!

Before she could say yes, however Dulcia cleared her throat politely. "Your - ah - imperial highness," she said, so as to better differentiate between the pair of princesses. "Before you give your word, I would be remiss if I did not remind you that there will be other demands on your time on that day."

It was like someone had taken a screwdriver to several key points on Anactoria face at the same time, and loosened the joints there about a half turn. Her shinning expression sagged all at once, almost seeming to crumple in on itself. "Yes, I had forgotten in my excitement," she said quietly. "Thank you, Dulcia."

She looked up at Rhiannon. She tried to smile, but the expression felt painted on. "I cannot think of anyone I would rather attend it with, but my maid is right. There will be much expected of me that day, and I'm afraid that I would not be able to pay you the attention you deserve."

Then, a glimmer of wistful hope shone in her eye. "It is a shame that the city of Alonia is so far to the north of Venus. They will be having a River Festival in just a few days time. They are supposed to be lovely and my attention could be... undivided. But it would be days of travel by carriage, and my father... well he has understandably restricted my freedom of late."

[Rhiannon Dragonet]

"Ah, I understand only too well," Rhiannon said, clearly disappointed herself. "Alonia... it could not be too far for a dragon to fly... though I am certain the sudden appearance of a dragon would have the citizens in an uproar." Seeing Anactoria's confused look the dragonet explained, "Members of the royal Dragonet family have the ability to transform into a small full dragon. It was how I traveled here, in fact. I arrived in the middle of the night to avoid panic."

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria's eyes widened at this new bit of information. She looked up at Dulcia and the two serving maids. "Please leave us for a moment," she said. Her words were soft, but the tone was unmistakeably one of command.

Dulcia and the two maids bowed and retreated off the pavilion, well out of earshot but close enough to see if their princess summoned them back for with a wave or gesture.

Not taking any chances, Anactoria leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper. "First and foremost, Rhiannon, I want to say that sounds wondrous, the ability to change one's shape like that. You simply must tell me more about your fascinating people... but I suggest that wait for now. I have another, more pressing question to ask."

She chanced a glanced back at her maids, then focused on Rhiannon again. "How large a dragon?" asked carefully. "And if it is not a cultural faux pas to ask... would you be able to carry me in such a form?" Anactoria took a deep breath, the proceeded. "Perhaps... you and I could attend the River Festival in Alonia for at least one night... if we had a mind to and planned it very carefully..."

[Rhiannon Dragonet]

Rhiannon smiled at Anactoria, "Those were my thoughts exactly, my princess. I am indeed a very small dragon, but 12 feet from nose to the base of the tail, though I am sure I would be able to carry you."

The dragonet princess could barely hide her excitement which colored her voice as she said, "You would have to carry a map and guide me on which way to go, but I think-- no, I am certain-- it could be done."

"As for a faux pas, I have never heard of one princess carrying another, though it is not remiss for one friend to carry another," Rhiannon told the Princess. "So surely we would be within the bounds of propriety."

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then leaned forward and asked Anactoria, "Shall we go as ourselves and risk exposure, or shall we try to blend in with the rest of the crowd? Though that may be harder for me than for you."

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria leaned closer still to Rhiannon. "We should try to blend in," she said quietly, her voice excited, eyes shining. "How successful we will be is anyone's guess. Alonia is till part of the empire and, my face is known there. Still..."

Anactoria reached with one hand, hesitated, then completed the motion, placing her hand over Rhiannon's. "Still, we should try. To attend a festival as just two friends, and not be the center of attention for one evening and just enjoy ourselves... it has a certain allure. And... I would be lying if I were to claim I had no desire to see this dragon form of yours."

She grew thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps if we dressed as commoners, we would slip beneath notice..." she mused.

Unconsciously, she tried laced the fingers of her hand with those of Rhiannon, frowning slightly when they didn't quite fit right, then looked down. "Oh!" she said softly, noticing the three fingers on the Dragonet princess' hand. Since lacing fingers together would be awkward, she took the and in both of hers instead, and brought them up near her lips. "Have you the courage and will to kidnap the imperial princess for one night, Princess Rhiannon?" she asked. "I can promise you she will not put up much fight."

[Rhiannon Dragonet]

Rhiannon smiled, showing her fangs, "I believe I have, my princess." She pulled her hand back, bringing Anactoria's hands with it, and brought them to her lips. Kissing the imperial princess's hand, she said, "I have some plain clothes I use for swordplay practice I could wear, but what of my wings, and horns?"

"I could wear a kerchief on my head, over my horns," Rhiannon said thoughtfully. "And we could bind my wings to my back, but that would require me to bind my breasts as well." Rhiannon seemed unaware of her blasé comment about her breasts, and continued, unconcerned, "But I suppose that could be a good thing. We would appear to be a normal couple, just a man and a woman together. We would attract less attention that way, I think."

She smiled flirtatiously at Anactoria, "I will be the envy of every man in Alonia-- I will be with, truly, the most beautiful woman in the city!"

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria's face went from pink to crimson as Rhiannon kissed her her hand and causally mentioned the binding of her breasts.

She moved one hand from Rhiannon's, hesitantly reaching up towards the dragonet's hair line and the row of horns there. "That would be a terrible shame..." she said, and her fingers froze before she could touch the crown of horns. "To hide the horns and wings," she finished. With a sigh she lowered her hand. "But I suppose that is wise. I should take similar measures... in addition to dressing down, perhaps a hooded cloak to hide my face? Or would that appear as though I am truing to go unnoticed, which would only draw still more eyes to me?"

Anactoria shook her head. "Perhaps a wig? Are you adverse to spending your time with someone more...fair haired?" she asked with a small smile.

[Rhiannon Dragonet]

Rhiannon smiled at the younger girl, "I like you just the way you are, though I see the wisdom in a wig." She sat back in her chair with a thoughful expression on her face. "What day shall we go to this festival? And at what time should we depart? ... When you would be able to get away from your duties, of course, but when would we attract the least attention? I do not know."

Rhiannon's thumb stroked the back of Anactoria's hand in an absent-minded manner. "Perhaps dusk would be the ideal time to depart. One would blame the changing light for anything strange they might see in the sky." She smiled again, saying, "You are not afraid of dragons, but are you afraid of the dark, my princess?"

[Anactoria IV]

The excitement of what there were discussing, coupled with the idle, but warm feeling of Rhiannon's thumb caressing the back of her hand gave the princess goosebumps. "If I am with a dragon, why would I ever fear the dark?" Anactoria asked in response.

The princess tried to focus less on the flock of butterflies that had apparently decided to take up residence in her stomach, and more on the plan itself.

"Dusk would be ideal," Anactoria confirmed. " I can come up with any number of reasons to make myself unavailable for an evening from sunset on. We would have to be back by sunrise though..."

Anactoira eyes grew distant as she planned things out in her head. Her eyes finally focused back on Rhiannon's after a few moments, and they were shinning with excitement. "Meet me at place garden three days from now, just before sunset. There's a hedge maze there, I'll be at the center. We can depart from there, and the north tower will hide our accent from the castle and most of the city."

Her excitement faded a little, and a pink flush retruned to her cheeks. "I... ah... assume that we will have to don our disguises once we reach our destination. Am I correct in suspecting that... your attire will have to be...ah... removed... for the transformation?"

[Rhiannon Dragonet]

"You would be correct, Anactoria," Rhiannon said. "If I were to wear any clothes during the transformation they would be destroyed...."

She looked at the Princess seriously. "If you are uncomfortable with nudity you could always look away. In fact, I would suggest that, for the transformation can be rather.... graphic. I will not lie and tell you it is painless for me. For one's body to change shape and grow in a short period of time-- it is not an easy process. Indeed, I would prefer it if you would not watch the transformation itself. I am told I am quite unattractive mid-transformation," Rhiannon joked, trying to keep the mood light.

She saw the look on the Princess' face and sighed, "You can watch if you want, but I am serious in my warning. I have watched my own father transform and even for me it was... disturbing." She looked down at the table, then back up to Anactoria, "But, the palace garden, three days from today... I will be there."

She spared a glance over her shoulder at Dulcia and the other maids, "Perhaps it is the ideal time to call them back. They look as if they are afraid I will eat you if left alone much longer."

[Anactoria IV]

Anactoria tried to wipe the look of unease from her face, and was mostly successful. "Its not the nudity that I--" she tried, but allowed her words to trail off. Lying had never been her forte. What did it say about her, really, if she was more concerned with seeing this admittedly amazing woman in the nude than about the fact that the transformation would cause her physical pain. All so they could gallivant around Alonia as a pair of commoners.

And yet is was so much more than that, really. It was chance to get away from the castle, to learn more about Rhiannon, to...to.. well have fun. To date , the way most people did it without worrying about royal duties or Emperor daddy's watching eyes.

"I will take your advice," she said finally. "Watching might be too much for a.. a..." she hesitated, then blurted out: "First Date!"

Face burning, Anactoria nevertheless managed to regain her composure as she waved Dulcia and the other maids back over. "I will take care of everything," she whispered as they approached. "Just bring your disguise, and yourself." She gave Rhiannon's hand one final squeeze, then released it as Dulcia arrived. She exchanged some meaningless pleasantries for a few more minutes before graciously taking her leave.

She smiled as she bid farewell to Rhiannon, her mind spinning. She had things to do.