CHAPTER 4 - WHERE ARE YOUR PEOPLE?

The next morning Roe gave one third of his earnings to Laureline as payment. She was delighted. This share was nearly double what she usually earned.

"Well Laurel I have enough to no longer trouble you, you've been a wonderful host."

"You are leaving? Um, I mean of course you are leaving. You had important business to attend to when you were waylaid." Laurel replied looking sad and forlorn.

"My business wasn’t that important, I was just on my way to the Mages Tower to register my sigil. Would you like me to stay a bit longer?" He asked.

Laureline blushed all the way down to her throat.

"Not to seem forward, Magister Roe, but it gets quite lonely so far from society."

Sensing an opportunity Roe stepped closer to Laurel and embraced her. In his last life his looks were average at best. The human form he had taken was devilishly handsome and the natural musk Dragons emitted played havoc with opposite sex. Laurel's blush grew from her cheeks to her ears as she leaned in to kiss him. Roe left her breathless and panting. Before his idiot head got in the way of the moment.

"So why are you out here alone, where are your people?"

All the beautiful colour drained from Laureline’s face. Roe was afraid she would pull out of his embrace but she leaned her face on his chest instead.

"I'm a fugitive." She whispered.

"I'm sorry, if you don't wish to talk about it I understand." Roe gently smoothed her hair and replied.

"No, it has been nearly 50 years, almost a full lifetime for a human like you. I've let this tragedy rule me long enough." Laureline stepped out of Roe's embrace and began to pace. Roe sat on a bench and gave her the time she needed to tell her story.

"My father is the head of the Golden Silk Clan. We were at war with the Orb Weaver Clan so a marriage between myself and the son of their leader was arranged as part of a treaty to unite us.

Leading up to the wedding all conflict stopped. Everything was honestly looking up. The ceremony was beautiful, we danced and sang around the volcano pits, truly the Underdark had not seen such festivities for millennia." Laureline had twirled and capered during her retelling, she was totally in the past her current surroundings unseen.

"At the appointed time, my new husband; his name was Tothanon, he and I retired to the bridal chamber. Neither of us were virgins, Elves don't care about things like that, but it was special. I was prepared to spend a lifetime with him." Laureline’s face dropped in horror.

"I would have never guessed my family was slaughtering his as we fornicated down the hall. When my father led my Clan into the bridal chamber to drag him out to be beheaded he went from shock to disbelief to rage in blinks of the eye. He didn't believe my innocence. He died cursing my name and calling me a whore."

Roe schooled his features, though his mind was racing.

'Crap her family is like the ones that killed the Starks at the Red wedding.'

Laureline turned and looked at Roe, finally seeing him again.

"I ran before his blood cooled. Both my Clan and our enemies have come after me from time to time. I actually prefer when I get found by enemies, I can just kill them. When my own Clan finds me I'm forced to run." Roe reached out to Laurel and pulled her into his lap. She came willingly, there were tears in her eyes but she blinked them away.

"Like I said that was almost a lifetime ago. Time to move on." Laureline kissed him again, this time Roe kept his fool questions to himself.

Laureline’s lips were soft and plump, Roe took great pleasure tasting them, he pushed his tongue past her teeth exploring her mouth before retreating and allowing her to explore his own.

Roe demonstrated his dexterity navigating the laces of her dress so she could toss it over her head. It was to his pleasant surprise to find Laurel wasn’t wearing anything underneath, her breasts were naturally perky and her body athletic. After drinking in her figure with his eyes Roe's hand plunged between Laurel's warm thighs, she gently spread her knees as two of his fingers plumbed her depths and a slow low moan escaped her lips as his thumb massaged the bead that was her clitorus peeking out of its hood.

Laurel did away with dexterity in favour of ferocity, ripping Roe's shirt off before tossing him onto the carpeted floor. Laureline admired Roe’s wide shoulders, broad chest and corded muscles.

‘He looks more like a young farm hand rather than a Wizard.’ She thought as she pinned him to the ground.

Roe's baritone laughter filled the room. It made Laurel tingle all over. She undid his breachers and stared gobsmacked at the girth of his turgid member.

"Fuck yes." She growled before taking his full length deep into her throat. It was Roe’s turn to groan with both pleasure and frustration. Laurel’s technique was flawless, every downward bob of her head she would hum, the vibration stimulating the head of this organ. It was only through supreme willpower he lasted through her ministrations. Laurel was impressed, she held his eyes as she straddled him, slowly aligning his throbbing head to her wet lips, preparing to mount him.

With a wicked smirk Roe held Laurel’s hips and thrust upwards, Laurel squeaked and collapsed on him in orgasam. Her body shuddering, vaginal walls tight on his member.

“Don’t try to tease me with a gentle time now woman, your true desires are laid bare. Ride me wild and hard.” Once her first orgasm subsided Laurel propped herself up, flicked her hair out of her face and met Roe’s eyes once again, the hunger there was palatable. Her gyrations accelerated, her voice growing louder, her nails digging into his flesh, her second orgasm being every bit as epic as her first. Once again Laurel found herself laying on Roe’s chest trying to catch her breath. Roe wrapped his arms around her back.

“You’ve worked hard darling. I’ll take it from here.” With that Roe rolled Laurel on her back, his weight on his elbows, their eyes locked together, their lips barely touching, sharing each other’s breath as Roe began to piston in and out of her. Where Laurel’s pace accelerated to a wild crescendo, Roe’s was a steady heartbeat from the beginning. His lips and hands explored her body; her mouth, ears, throat, the base of her skull, her breasts, the length of her spine, even her feet. As Roe discovered Laurel’s erogenous zones he gave them ample attention all while maintaining the steady rhythm of his hips, sending Laurel to Climax after Climax until he himself could take no more and found his release in her warm depths.

With both of them breathless, Roe rolled on to his back and pulled Laurel on top of him.

They had started in the morning and ended well after sunset, the house was pitch black. All the candles and the fire had long died down.

“Should we try to sleep in the bed, the night is going to get pretty cold here on the floor.” Laurel said, although she made no effort to move. Roe waved his hand summoning a blanket from his dimensional space to drape over them.

“I don’t think I could be any more comfortable if I tried.” He said. Laurel smiled at him in the dark and kissed his chest before calling upon the Elemental spirits around them. Small green lights appeared before jumping into a couple of logs of wood, which promptly grew little branch feet, marched themselves over to the fireplace and jumped on the dying embers. The wood spirits fled the logs as the red fire spirits took their place. Soon a roaring fire illuminated the lovers, who promptly fell asleep in each other’s embrace.

Laureline awoke in the small hours of the morning, the fire had once again burned out returning them to darkness, but the room still held some warmth and the blanket Roe had summoned was enchanted to keep them comfortable, no matter the temperature.

She studied his sleeping face, even in total darkness Elves, Dwarves and Trolls could see perfectly, they had infrared vision. Laurel touched Roe’s chest and shoulders, her infrared vision didn’t show the bite marks she left on him but they were there enhancing his sculpted beauty.

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It was too bad Roe had lied to her.

That was spatial magic, one of the four legendary magics, and he used it so casually to call a blanket. A blanket! No one who had that magic ever had to worry about cargo or storage, and no enchanter as talented as Roe needed to travel by ship. His being washed up on that beach was faked.

Laurel began to wonder if she was his target all along, sent by her family to lure her back home or into a trap.

No, someone as powerful and talented as he didn’t have to cater to anyone and besides, an amused smile crossed her lips, someone who could wield a legendary magic but would still spend all day earnestly enchanting for the common people to earn an honest coin. That spoke volumes about Roe’s character.

‘He is lying to me, but I’m lying to him too. I’m terrified how he’ll react when he finds out I’m a…’

“When did I last take it?” In a panic Laureline moved to get up but Roe’s embrace tightened.

“Roe, honey I need to go to the outhouse.” Laurel pleaded. Roe pulled her closer so that their noses were touching before his baritone chuckle preceded his reply.

“No you don’t, you’re just nervous about how I’ll react now your potion has worn off. Don’t worry I’ve known what you were before I bedded you Laurel, go back to sleep.” Laureline held very still, she had to cancel her infrared vision to realize Roe’s eyes were still closed.

‘Was he talking in his sleep?’ She waited a few minutes to allow him to doze deeper then Laurel once again tried to ease out of his grip.

“Laureline!” She stopped moving again. The command in his voice was now unmistakable. One of his eyes slowly opened but instead of the human brown he had before a golden reptilian eye greeted her. A Dragon’s eye.

“Go to sleep Laureline.”

“Y-you are…”

“Shhh. Someone is always listening, and if you draw attention they may start watching. I’ll make a safe place where we can talk freely but that will be well after sunrise. So do you know what I want you to do now?”

“Go to sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Ok.”

“Good.”

Laureline awoke in her bed. The sun was climbing towards mid morning and the smell of breakfast pulled her out of her soft warm dreams. Laurel kicked off the covers and happily hopped out of bed heading to the outhouse, before stopping short in front of her mirror.

Her Jet black skin, alabaster white hair and ruby red eyes stared back at her. It had been such a long time since she had missed taking her potion. Glamours could be seen through by strong enough magic vision so Laureline had invented a potion to physically change the color of her skin, hair and eyes. While her potion was a lot more limited than what a glamour could do since she started using it eight years ago no one had come to find her. Still she avoided living in the town and with other Elves.

Living in the town would increase the chances of exposing herself, fortunately an Elf girl living in a forest didn’t draw the wrong kind of attention. The town folks assumed their Elven Alchemist was part of an Elf village and since her valley was within the Dragon Lands none dared to visit so her secret was safe from them.

Living with other Elves would have been impossible, Wood Elves were very sociable. The word 'nosey' comes to mind, there was no secret that stayed that way for long in a wood elf village.

“He knows.” She said to her reflection.

“He’s a …” She stopped herself short. He had warned her about listening ears. He must have meant the Gods, which means he wasn’t using Dragon Rules.

‘Is he actually living as a Human?’

Laurel threw on a night shirt and left the bedroom. She bypassed the kitchen for the outhouse. Coming back once she was relieved Laurel leaned against the kitchen entrance and watched Roe cooking up a storm using magic so advanced it boggled her mind. He turned around and smiled at her, while laying out a spread on the table. Pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, juice, coffee, toast, jams, butters.

“Eat up.” Roe said, gesturing to the table. Laureline hesitated before she in turn gestured to herself.

“This is me, the real me.”

“And she is beautiful.” Roe replied, holding his hand out to her. Laureline walked into his embrace shyly and Roe kissed her soundly.

“When do I get to meet the real you?”

“Do you want to have that meeting before or after breakfast?” Roe asked.

Laurel's stomach grumbled in angry protest and Roe was delighted to notice that her once red blush was now a purple one.

“After breakfast it is.” He laughed.

After breakfast Laureline checked her flock and Paw, her Griffin mount, to make sure all was well. Fortunately her elemental spirits made sure the flock was looked after and Paw took care of himself. She then weeded her garden and collected the plants needed to make potions before heading back to the house.

It had been a long time since she had been out without the potion masking her skin, it always felt slimy, like residue she couldn't wash off. She felt fresh right now. With a bright smile she headed back to the cabin. Unknown to her beyond the treeline a shadowy figure observed her.

"I can now confirm it's her. She has finally stepped out without whatever she was using to change her appearance. Yes her secret will be a great boon to our Clan."

By the time Laureline returned Roe had cleaned up after their meal and was waiting for her by a strange door in the hallway wall.

"That's new, where does it lead to?" She asked

"Somewhere we can talk." Roe opened the door for her and Laurel walked out into a separate mist filled world. Roe closed the door behind him and Laureline immediately felt the absence of being observed. A feeling that was so ubiquitous she never noticed it was there. With the closing of the door the mist cleared for about 500 meters around them and Laureline gaped at what she saw. There was treasure everywhere: gold and silver coins, magical weapons, armors, a couple of sky skimmer vehicles, shelves of magical books and scrolls. A true hoard.

Dragon Rule 20: 'Realm' - Dragon Lords could create their own pocket dimension where the rules are what they make them. It was very similar to a God’s Heavenly Plane except that Heavenly Planes were part of the Reality System so the Gods didn’t have to put in effort to maintain them. For Dragon Lords the size and complexity of their Realm was proportional to how much energy they poured into creating and maintaining them.

Of course Roeg-Hiam the Midnight, master of Mana knowledge, had a cheat. When he first experimented with the Dragon Rules he had noticed an energy gathering formation would allow him to maintain a Realm with no effort so he created one. Now he could make his Realm anything he wanted and adjust that formation to maintain his creation.

"Is this your Realm?" Laureline asked.

"Yes, I haven't used it as anything more than storage thus far. But I'm thinking of setting it as a fall back safe house, and a way point." Roe told her.

"I thought you were trying to avoid the scrutiny of the Gods, how can they not notice you maintaining a Realm. You must be radiating Mana like a sun." Laureline said, turning to watch him.

Roe chuckled, he loved how quick she was.

"I figured out how to make it self sufficient and we entered using human Spatial Magic not Dragon Rule. Every pocket dimension has a unique frequency. Even as a human I know my dimension's frequency."

"Ok then. I'm ready. Please show me your true self."

"My name is Roeg-Hiam the Midnight ."

Rather than a flash of light there was an implosion of darkness. And where Magister Roe once stood, a large black Dragon now laid.

Laureline stared wide-eyed and began to walk around him. She touched his scales and found them warm. She was amazed by the specks of light twinkling in the depths of his scales, from a distance Roeg-Hiam looked like a patch of the night sky shaped like a Dragon with a name like 'the Midnight’ she shouldn’t have been surprised.

Laureline estimated his length from snout to tail to approximately 70 feet. She finished her circuit and looked up at his golden glowing eyes.

"You are phenomenal." She whispered.

Roe smiled broadly and raised his snout in the air. His tail twitching happily.

"Hell yeah, I am. So, are you interested in joining my harem?"

"I have a choice? In front of true power nothing else really matters. I have heard stories of women a Dragon Lord has taken a liking to just vanishing. We lesser creatures have no recourse. Even Gods wouldn't hear our case."

"Well that's just terrifying. I won't be like that. Being with me is a privilege. If you don't want it, feel free to leave."

"You'd really let me go?"

"Yip."

"Somehow, that's disappointing." Laureline said. Roeg-Hiam looked at her quizzically.

"Explain."

"A female wants to be wanted, to feel as if you couldn't go on without her." Laureline's response caused Roeg-Hiam to chuckle.

"I thought you were more mature than that. It seems our young Drow princess read many romance novels in her youth. The mad love of which you speak is unhealthy."

Laureline shoved against Roeg-Hiam's much larger form, of course he didn’t budge but the act gave her some catharsis.

"Stop teasing me." She complained. Roeg-Hiam had no idea if she was trying to be this adorable. "It's not wrong to crave romance." Laureline continued.

"I'll wine and dine you all you want, I'm the better cook anyway, but the choice of being my lover is yours." This was followed by another shove from Laurel. "That being said, I don't believe in love at first sight. Love is something that grows." Roeg-Hiam finished.

"Humph." Laureline pouted. "I accept your offer to join your harem. You may not be forcing me but just from my circumstances … well, your aid will greatly help."

Roeg-Hiam lowered his head and nuzzled Laureline.

"That's what I like to hear. A simple marriage of convenience." He chuckled.

Laureline stood back and folded her arms.

"So… what number am I. How many females are in your harem. Any monsters?"

Roeg-Hiam looked around sheepishly, avoiding Laureline’s eye as he replied.

"One."

"What was that, you're mumbling."

"One, you are my first." Roeg-Hiam admitted reluctantly.

Laureline covered her mouth in surprise.

"By the Gods, I'm your Matriarch?"

"Yes."

The Matriarch of a Dragon Lord's harem was different from the concubines that followed. While a Dragon Lord would raze a Kingdom for his concubines his Matriarch had the Dragon Lord's ear. Some people considered them to be the one true wife. A Dragon Lord would usually choose a long lived race or an immortal monster for this position since she was to be by their side the longest.

Roeg-Hiam plucked the scale from between his brows, it was known as the 'Crown Scale' Laureline watched fascinated as it regrew immediately. With a pulse of magic the Crown Scale now hung on a golden chain. Although the color changed depending on the Dragon Lord a Crown Scale necklace was the sign of a Matriarch.

"Wear this, it is a sign of my favour. Other Dragons will understand you are spoken for."

Laureline hugged his head and kissed him.

"Thank you ... my husband."