29- Into the dragon's lair

“{I Welcome thee, to my lair, oh brave adventurer.}”

I found myself gasping at the visage in front of me. The sudden realization left me speechless as well as having trouble taking my mind of the apparently dire situation I found myself in.

In front of me, laid a fine example of a dragon’s lair, the dragon sitting on top his golden hoard, a princess held captive, a plethora of kobolds excited to serve their master. In front of the dragon, laid a defeated knight, unable to muster the strength to move stand up and fight again.

Which might be my fault, but alas. Upon coming to a new world I have decided I shall be a better version of myself, for which I shall evade a negative thoughts, such as one in which I focus on pointing fingers about problems. Yes, better to be a problem solver than a problem accuser. A proactive mentality is known to be very important for an adventurer.

But it was indeed your fault, Master. Shush you, no finger pointing!

Behind the fallen hero, intruding my very thoughts and gazing intently at me stands a fearsome, magnificent, gallant, brilliant, handsom- Ok that’s enough, this is not even my own train of thought.

Since I had realized this is a different world than the one I was once born in, I had come to realize that my link with Feugan was very much real. Often finding my thoughts shared with Feugan, getting feedback and even comments on matters regarding opinions or ideas. Very much like how it was suposed to be in the original settings for a dragon companion with an spiritual link, something for which I had put in a lot of work into. Somehow it came very naturally, which was both disconcerting and soothing at the same time. With me being… well, me. I had developed certain bad habits with my trains of thought, more than once I had come to realize that certain self-doubts and negative ideas would be immediately shoved aside, I could feel Feugans presence in such moments, maybe it was his dragon pride, but in his eyes there was no doubt or buts regarding his self-worth and therefore mine.

Focusing again at the situation at hand, inside of my dragon’s companion room, as he remains sitting on top of his golden hoard with the captive princess at his side… Well... She is a little more closer to comfort to just say she is at his side, isn’t she?

The princess… Kara, was it? Wasn’t she supposed to be a barmaid?

Taking a look around, I came to realize that almost everyone else in the room seems overly intent on ignoring the fact that Kara is cuddling with Feugan. It is a weird visage to say the least. While Feugan is laying on the most cliché position for a dragon to await within his “lair” as to far to be sitting on top of a pile of gold. The “captive” princess Kara is, quite obviously a prisoner of the dragon known as Feugan, in the same manner someone is prisioner of a very warm embrace. And for all manner and purposes, it does seems like an embrace of sorts. Sitting almost on top of him, accommodated as if she was a model sitting sideways on a fancy psychiatrist's -chaise longue- sofa, leaning on Feugan’s forelegs as a resting point, with her head nestled against his neck, his tail coiling around her as if not only pull her closer but rather claim her too, just as she remains caressing him under his chin.

Now. Coming to the decision that I have seen enough of what is happening there. It somehow feels like I am witnessing a moment that is much more private than what the obviously flirting couple should be exposing to friends and family.

Oh goodness I think I saw some ruffling under her skirt. Nope! Not looking at them anymore!

Panicking a little, I found myself looking around trying to make sure my daughter isn’t looking at such a mature display of affection, at least not without the mention on how it shouldn’t be so openly shown in public. Bewildering now, frantically wondering just where did Feugan get such an aspect of personality. My mind quickly filled with tidbits of all the lore I had written for him.

Goodness, is this because is is suposed to like "human companionship"?! Because, this is most certainly not what i meant.

Now also trying to remember all the adventures we had gone along before and even the people we had gone with, It was a most worrisome concern that my daughter might develop such a licentious personality just because I had been too lax on which friends she had interacted with or what she might have overheard me say.

I felt a great amount of relief when I realized that my daughter was sitting at the table, eating snacks and merrily talking with Mimiru and... a kobold? Now, paying more attention to my surroundings, at least the less embarrassing surroundings within the huge stone walled room. I came to notice that in fact there were a few kobolds in the room. As a matter of fact, there was one right in front of me. Maybe? I am not entirely sure because all I can see from my point of view is a big round platter with some dried fruits and cuts of cured meat on it. Upon peering under it, I find indeed a kobold, a small kobold struggling to stand on his tiptoes, trying his best for the platter to reach even higher, most likely. The small creature is wearing some sort of loose tunic and a cloth satchel. A vastly different look from what I had come to expect from a kobold due to my D&D knowledge, but aside from the more civilized look the garments gave to it, it was most definitely a kobold.

Snout, claws, scales, tail, little horns and a platter with snacks. Ok, it is a kobold, but they are certainly different to a degree.

Upon noticing how I was looking at him, the now startled scaled humanoid yipped in surprise, almost loosing balance and dropping the platter. For a moment it seemed like he wanted to bring it down to offer the snacks to her, now that he had my attention, but upon realizing that bringing such a big platter in front of him,  without dropping all the food in the process, was but a futile endeavor, he looked intently at me and made a soft chirping sound.

“Ah! Mom- er! Mistress! He is asking if you would like some snacks while we wait for the guildmaster to arrive!” Zoey merrily informed me. Waving at me, from the table, gesturing for me to join them.

“Oh! Ok, yeah that seems like a good idea”

Walking to the one side of the room, where my daughter, Mimiru and a kobold were looking at me, with plenty of snacks available, merry faces and a fierce intent to ignore what was happening on the other side of the room.

“Aanh!~ No!~ Master Feugan, there are-”

“SOO!! Zoey! Mimiru! What’s with the kobolds here?! Are they part of the guild? How come you can understand them?!”

My goodness, Feugan! Your little sister is in the same room!

“Ah yes! The kobolds!! Yes very good distra- er, question, Miss Ayi!!” Mimiru was swift to take onto the much-needed conversational distraction, and quite happy to be able to have an engaging conversation that could provide her guest with meaningful information. And a maintain a modicum of mental health for everyone.

“You see, within the nearby Dungeon forest south of the kingdom, we found a friendly tribe of Kobolds, some researchers were already there and had managed to translate their language and had started some sort of trade with them. So, they sometimes come back along with the researchers and visit Feugan. With him being a dragon, they would naturally worship him, I think? But he was also present for the -hallowing- of their new settlement.

As for being able to understand them, I am a beastmaster, my skill ‘Monster Talk’ allows me to talk with living creatures, such as the kobolds and even Feugan.”

“And Im also a beastmaster!!” Zoey jumped brimming with joy, as she made her statement. Being able to show some of her good sides was most definitely the reason that made her so happy on delivering that statement. The comment didn’t escape me though. Putting aside all the queries that had popped into my mind due to Mimiru's continuous deliverance of information bombs. 

Because, really, "Dungeon forest"? Kobold trade? Hallowing a settlement? Kobolds worshipping Feugan? Mimiru, you just shoved aside enough plot devices to make a novel writter feel blessed with inspiration.

I focused on Zoey, thought. About that little detail she mentioned. Her class. I had prepared a lot of groundwork to assist onto Zoey’s growth, as part of a roleplay in which she could have assisted me in battle, with a lower risk than most other classes. Such was the purpose of her being a beastmaster. The idea now made me a little anxious, but within a realm filled with monsters and magic, it was better to have means of protection available.

Mimiru had mentioned something along the lines of the guild being able to provide protection and housing for Zoey for now. Right now, that idea seems very reasonable and I find myself being quite grateful for such insight.

My cute little daughter.

Reaching out to Zoey, I gently stroke her head, she giggles softly as she smiles at me. Ah… there is really no turning back is it? I want to protect this smile of hers.