"SILVA!" A youthful voice shouts, growing louder as the source grows ever closer.

After the eventful day before, everyone had hoped for a relaxing day. But that was clearly not in the cards for the man living in north forest.

The guards who were still stationed around the house instantly went alert. Only a single person was rational enough to determine who could be shouting this early in the morning.

"Misty? You are human? How’d that happen?" Silva asked the purple haired girl who smiled precociously.

"Magic." Misty replies with her lips pressed together smugly. "Aren’t I amazing?"

"Indeed, indeed. Good work. So what are you doing here?"

"The goblins." Misty explains wagging a finger as if the answer were obvious. "I want to watch over them. So I will be staying here for awhile. I’m sure that’s fine right?"

Silva didn’t know how to reply. He hadn’t expected this turn of events. More than that he hadn’t expected his image of her to be so precise. Everyone around recognized her as a rare beauty. They could hardly believe the dragon that nearly made them defecate themselves could be so alluring.

"Yeah. It’s fine. I have spare rooms." Silva grins, though unexpected, by no means was she unwelcome.

"Good. I spent all night figuring out this magic so I’m pooped. I’ll be asleep for awhile." Misty says stepping past Silva and the guards and entering the house. "No, no, no, no, no."

With those words the door swung back open to reveal Misty with fists on her sides.

"Ummm is something…"

"Why is it so dusty in here!"

Hearing the words Silva lightly scowled. "I live in a mill, what can I do? Its inevitable."

"Well keep the door closed."

"I do."

"Well then how does so much…"

Yawning and stepping out of a shut door Philip glances around the scene with a odd look. "It’s very lively. But I can’t help but agree with the young miss about the dust. I found it a bit hard to sleep."

"Hey, you don’t have to sleep here. You seem to have a very nice castle only a few miles away." Silva says with a shrug picking up a glass of water and sipping at it. "And if it’s such a problem you two take care of it then."

Frowning the two exchange a glance. "I’m sorry I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m King Philip Aelwynn. Are you a friend of… uh... Silva’s?"

"Ah, yes. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Misty."

"Misty as in… right." Philip gulps in understanding. Right, nothing is normal about Silva. So this would be commonplace he supposed.

The goblins were just a start then.

Philip shook his head in amazement.

"No! Back to the subject." Philip suddenly shouts raising a fist to the air. "Silva. You need a maid. Right?"

He turns to Misty for some reassurance.

"Mhm, mhm. That’s right. Or strong breath. To blow away all the dust! I could do it... But this weak human body is just…"

"No, no. A maid then. I see. Right. A maid. Definitely." Silva stammers. Doing his very best to protect his new home. The breath of a dragon would surely remove all this dust. Though in the eyes of dragon’s breath I fear the mill stones and foundation might be considered ‘dust’.

"Mhm. A wise choice." Philip nods. "I’ll prepare a selection. You enjoy your new guest."

With that Philip hastily left Silva’s forest home bringing his guards with him. Silva was slightly confused why Philip had been so determined to leave. But he choose to ignore it.

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Noticing Silva’s room was the cleanest, and the only one with a proper bed, Misty choose to sleep there.

Silva felt it was somewhat strange, and it caused him to blush, but he ignored it and focused on the days work. These past few days had been hectic so he had no time to do his chores. His supply of firewood was dwindling and the last of his medicinal cream was used on a wound Bear endured while hunting.

He headed southeast along a game trail to solve both issues with a single trip. The goblins had offered to supply his goods for him but Silva hadn’t allowed it. For him these chores were his daily retreat. It was his daily outing.

He found a fairly dry fallen tree and began chopping at it with the mithril blade. It became logs and then chips in moments. He found this form of wood was best for cooking and it made for easier transportation. Loading a sack full he put it on his back and began carrying it towards the storage shed.

He decided to gather a second load once he noticed his stockpile. Considering he would be cooking for more people from now on he would likely have to double his supplies.

Filling up a second sack and bringing a handful of the medical canes with him he set about grinding the cane.

He had contemplated cutting them up and using the mill but something told him that was a bad idea. Cleaning the mill stones is hard enough as is.

Soon after he started, Misty came and gazed of him in amusement.

"Whatcha doin?" She asks bobbing her head back and forth.

"Making medicine. I rarely need it but it seems to help Bear. And sometimes the goblins hurt themselves with the tools when gardening."

"Hmm? Something that can cure wounds?" Misty says with a puzzled look. "Why not use magic? Surely you can use it right?"

"Magic?? Nah I can’t use that." Silva responds shaking his head without glancing up from the mortar and pestle.

Again Misty looks confused. "I can’t see it now with these stupid human eyes but you were soaked in magic when I first met you."

"Hmm. Weird. Never noticed anything magical." For a fourth time throughout the short talk Silva again empties the small puddle of cream into a clay jar.

Realizing she would get little more from Silva, Misty changed tactics.

"Can I try that?"

"Sure, here." Silva hands both tools to Misty and demonstrates the motion by gripping her hands. "I usually put in about this much."

Dropping a handful of chunks into the opening Misty begins dropping the heavy wooden hammer into the bowl to crush the cane. She hadn’t had much experience using the human body yet so she found it surprisingly fun.

Earlier she had been disappointment that she couldn’t sleep on a whim like she did with her dragon body. She even contemplated returning to her natural form. But this activity knocked those thoughts out completely.

"Hmm…" After a few minutes of pressing, a finger full of liquid had been made. Normally by this point three times as much would have been made though.

Silva too was confused by the lackluster yield. Normally this stuff was lousy with the paste. Perhaps he grabbed a bad handful?

It wasn’t a problem of technique, the fibers were fully broken and appeared no different from how he typically processed them.

"Let’s try it again. It was a weird handful I guess." Silva reasons, Scooping out the paste and dropping another handful into the crucible.

Following his words Misty again begins pummeling the fibers. But again the results are sub-par.

They both frown. This was inexplicable.

To confirm it Silva tried pummeling the thick grass and as a result three fingerfuls, as usual.

"Weird. I guess I got a lucky grab." Silva shrugs, either unwilling or unmotivated to look into it any further.

Misty lightly shakes her head at the words but decides not to pursue it.

With the morning chores done Silva began making lunch. Silva, while preparing the dishes returned the conversation to an earlier topic.

"Can you use magic?"

"Mhm. Of course. All dragons can. Most can only do basic stuff like form changes, fear, or illusions. But I dabble in everything." Misty explains watching the crackling meat hungrily. "But in all my years I’ve never seen someone use your method to overcome my ‘fear’."

"Ah, is it so strange?"

"Mhm, well if I were any other dragon you probably wouldn’t have survived the situation."

"So I should be grateful!" Silva smiles flipping the chunk of meat and lightly powdering it with a salt/roya mix.

"Exactly." Misty nods. "Speaking of magic though. Wouldn’t it be easier if you had eternal flames burning in your cooking-thingy."

"Stove?" Silva interprets before cocking his head. "Whats an eternal flame?"

At the question Misty snaps a finger, emitting a massive wall of heat. Sitting on the palm of her hand was a small blue flame that licked at the air tirelessly. Even when she lowered her palm the flame still sat in mid air growling at the air as it shimmered.

"Coool." Silva says lifting the metal pan and setting it above the blue fire. "It’s a bit hot but it could work."

"I can control it." Misty adds, waving a finger at the flame and converting it to a short yellow-orange flame.

"Perfect." Silva smiles shaking the pan to spread the heat evenly.

With lunch served and the earlier awkwardness vanished from the air the time passed quickly. Silva assisted Misty in cleaning a room and building a small bed from the various pelts and skins brought back by Bear.

A real bed could be purchased tomorrow. Or perhaps Philip has already began preparing one.

Philip wasn’t planning any such thing. He fully expected them to share a bed. Perhaps he misunderstood the relationship.