Private Tales To the City Between the Seas

[Phelaia Hope]

"I guess I understand that, Voe, your eyes are like a pit trap I just keep tumbling into if I don't watch my feet! And I dunno how I'd know, I guess I just would, not that I ever... I mean... I never had to worry much 'bout it before. Everybody I meet's mostly been human or catfolk or bugfolk, or chicken-dragons like the Quill, dragon-folk like the Komodi, or real dragon-dragons like Ketu. And Mr. Jhinn was a lot older, he was mostly interested in telling me 'bout the Tief if he talked at all. None of them are looking for that... this...? -at least, not in a way that wouldn't be awful. But they were headed awful close to Thanasis. I'm scared to take Ketu anywhere close to Thanasis. They hunt dragons to catch 'em to ride with saddles an' armor an' all. And they hate anybody as isn't human too. And me touching a dragon, and riding it? They'd chase us on dragons and try to kill us! I think Jhinn and Ysra might be from that village though, they were kinda headed from that direction it must be in. They were after riding lizards, so maybe they're already back, if they didn't get in trouble near Thanasis."

She turned, falling into the pit trap she just mentioned.

"Wow..." She blinked out of it. "So, how 'bout you, Voe? How do you think you earn a thing like twisting tails together whenever you wanna, and whatever else comes after?"

Voe

 

[Voe]

"I don't know. I suppose, ideally, you meet someone then get to know them and eventually... tail stuff follows but this?"

He was too taken with it all. Perhaps that was what was wrong.

"I think it's best we follow that instinct, to be cautious about, this!"

It was good to hear she didn't just blatantly accept it. Voe would not have been comfortable with that.

"Not that I don't... you know, want to. I just... I don't want to rush anything."

He really was bad at this and when Pelaia looked at him, caught his eyes with her own he stopped for a moment, just stopped and had to remember himself again when Phelaia blinked.

"But umm, yeah about those Thanasis people. They sound like a bunch to avoid."

Phelaia Hope

 

[Phelaia Hope]

Phelaia nodded, looking slightly upward at him. Wait, when did he get so close again?! She stepped backward, sheepishly smiling.

"Yeah, Voe, I think you're right. We oughta slow down until it feels right, well, between our horns, not just... well... everywhere else!"

Her tail was already reaching, trying to find his. She absently slapped at it. This was gonna be tough...

"We're getting pretty close, I think. The towers sure are getting big anyway! Tirnua ain't a properly kept city, you're in this fig jungle one minute, an' then the next it's suddenly streets full o' carters hawking wares and colorful banners."

Voe

 

[Voe]

"Sounds good."

It sounded dreadful. Voe preferred the outdoors, cities had too many corners and shadows. Liars and con artists and predators worse than any the wilds had to offer hunted there.

"So umm."
Wow his tail was really twitching.

"... what will they make of Ketu?"

Otho bugged his leg and got a scratch from his master for his trouble.

Surely a dragon turned heads and not all in awe.

As Phelaia stepped back he almost stepped forward and stumbled into her hands on her shoulders and in his flailing bumped her horns on his with a loud clacking sound.

Phelaia Hope

 

[Phelaia Hope]

Phelaia laughed throatily, and her toothy grin returned.

“They were fine enough with Ketu yesterday! I mean, he’s a dragon, so as long as he doesn’t smash a cart or eat somebody’s donkey, I don’t think people will make too much of a point of objecting. There’s no lord or temple or city watch here, just a bunch of trade cartels. And I’m sure some o’ them ain’t upright and forthwith or whatever, but that sort’re all about risk and reward, right? They say blue dragons can melt just about anything, so that’s a whole buncha risk to weigh, doncha think?”

Her mouth widened again as Voe tumbled into her and they fell backwards in a horn-clonking heap. She busted out laughing, and she waved up at Ketu as he buzzed overhead, blatting at Otho. She wasn’t in too much of a hurry to clamber back up. Their tails had tangled again anyway. She s’posed if that was where it stopped, it was still well in keeping with their slowdown pact, though, wasn’t it?

Voe

 

[Voe]

"I'm sorry"
Voe said, feeling extra foolish after his going on about restraint. Restrained now he was as his tail twisted and tightened about Phelaia's own. Now that it had a strong grip it was reluctant to let them go.

"Haaah!"
Since he handed half atop her Voe raised himself onto his elbows above her.
"So this is how we live I guess." Jesting seemed the best way to cope.

"Fumbling into each other every twenty paces until..."
It was hard to say it out loud and his attempt at tugging free his tail threatened to hurt if he stressed it so he stopped and hoped to relax. Not that it was easy so close to her, on the soft ground... together.

"This is going to be difficult isn't it!"
It wasn't a question and as he spoke he felt the compulsion rise within him again to indulge long ignored passions.
At the last minute he pulled his face away agonizingly close as it was.


Not yet. Not like this.

Phelaia Hope

 

[Phelaia Hope]

Phelaia’s eyes softened, seeing Voe’s embarrassment.

“T’ain’t your fault, Voe. An’ what’s one more curse for folk like us? At least this curse feels nice sometimes. Bein’ held close feels nice. I mean, there might be better times for it an’ all!”

Phelaia laughed softly, then caught herself lightly brushing Voe’s shoulder with her hand and pulled it back with a deep blue blush.

“Might be tough sometimes, yeah.”

Voe

 

[Voe]

"Is that true then? Are we a cursed kind?"

He had heard it all his life with no real knowledge of what it meant, only the shadow of some meaning half obscured.
Attempting to get up again he found his tail had loosened with the turn of his mood.

He got up successfully and while the brief contact of Phelaia's hand helped, it did not quell the question that had bore into him over decades and leagues.

As he sat on his haunches and gathered himself he found his stare at her full of expectant hope and the chill of the soured mood biting at his edges.

Phelaia Hope

 

[Phelaia Hope]

Phelaia snorted as she sat up.

“Everyone in Thagretis sure thought so! ‘Unholy child o’ the Ascendants, let the Elder Holy Dragon’s fire cleanse you!’, they’d say. Lost track of how many times some priest or other decided I needed cleansing with fire. At least I always got new clothes after. But as for what our folk think of us, I don’t totally know. Mister Jhinn talked about the Tief, but I don’t know if it’s an Ascendant blood thing like the priests always said or somethin’ else all its own.”

She grinned toothily.

“At least our little sit down loosened our tails up a bit.”

Voe