*******************

CHAPTER 14

*******************

Lothinar looked over at Ardwynn and found her eyes open. She was looking at him.

”You’re not intending to get rid of me like that as well?” She asked. “Am I going to be carried off by a dragon? Is that how I ended up on that mountaintop?”

“You're awake!”

”How could I miss Michelle falling out of that tree? And don’t think I didn’t hear what she said.”

”You know that you don’t need to be jealous. You must have heard what I was told the both of them earlier, while you were coming in.”

”But it took me to actually get them to leave. Honestly! You can be really indecisive sometimes Lothinar. Besides, you are avoiding my question."

"Yes, the mountain top question." He paused as if considering. "I had nothing to do with it. Vanquish just took you."

"But you did nothing to stop her."

"Yes, I mean, no I didn't. And I am feeling bad about that."

"That's disappointing to hear. I would expect someone who claims to be my husband and the father of my child to stand up for me. For all you know she could have been meaning to end my life."

That was, actually, almost exactly what I expected. For what it's worth, I'm very glad she didn't." He tried to smile. It didn't work. At least she didn't smile back. She just looked at him.

"It was a very complicated situation." he said.

"Then we talk about it. We work it out. We decide how to deal with things together. That's how a couple deals with things!”

She looked disappointed. Then it was almost as if she decided to let it go. Her frown faded. She got a thoughtful look.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I wonder if that's why I didn't believe her when Vanquish said we were friends."

"You do seem to have some sort of built in lie detector thing going for you. That's new." he said.

"I wouldn't think that I would need it with you! This doesn't bode well for our relationship you know!"

"Wait a minute. I haven't lied to you. I did tell you earlier that Vanquish wasn't really a friend of yours."

"You did. But leaving out other important details is almost lying." she said with a pout. "I'm in a very vulnerable position here. My memories can't help me. I was hoping you would help me figure this out!"

”Are you actually criticizing me right now?” He asked with surprise.

She sat up in the bed, pulling the sheet around herself.

"I'm asking you legitimate questions. Don't be so easily offended." she said snippily.

'No, No, It's not that at all. You made a fair point. I'm just trying to figure something out."

"I assume it is something about me." she said.

"Yes, it is. An hour ago you were single-minded about just one thing.”

She blushed a little.

”I kind of was. Well, we both know what came over me. “

”I thought I did,” said Lothinar. “Now I’m not so sure.”

”Look, I know that my memory is a wreck but I can’t believe that I could get turned on that fast without some sort of chemical influence. I know your handsome, but give me credit for at least a normal amount of self control!”

”But I’m still right here! Thanks to our.... activities, I'm probably even more sweaty than before. You don't seem the least bit affected!"

“You are so funny. If you want to know if I’m still feeling amorous then why don't you just ask me?" said Ardwynn. "I don't bite.”

"The point is that I can usually tell. An amorous Ardwynn can be pretty overwhelming."

Suddenly the beautiful elf got a pained look on her face.

"What did I say?"

“Speaking of overwhelming! Hold that thought.“ she said with a troubled look on her face.

The naked elf slipped out of bed and quickly ran across the floor to the door of the master bathroom. She slammed the door abruptly. Lothinar tried not to, but he heard strange noises. Ardwynn had gas. Terrible gas. He had lived with this woman before but this was unbelievable. He had never heard anything like this!

It was some time later before she reappeared. She had found, and slipped into his robe. It must have been hanging on a hook in the bathroom. It almost dragged the floor with her wearing it.

"Well that was awful." she said. "I'm so sorry."

"Think nothing of it." said Lothinar, trying to be gallant. The odor was strong. It had escaped from behind the bathroom door several minutes before she emerged.

Ardwynn began walking around the room picking up the articles of clothing that she had so rapidly torn off just a few hours before. She wrinkled her nose and then went over to open the window.

"My goodness Lothinar," she said. "You just laid here in the bed through all that? Don't we have a candle around here or something.?"

"We do" he said. "But honestly I was so fascinated that I was more or less frozen in shock while you were making those sounds. Honestly, the sounds were almost worse than the smell."

"That's only because you hang around with dragons. Anyone else would have run for their lives." she said. Then they both began to laugh. Then they coughed.

"Ugh. Leave the window open and let's go downstairs." said Ardwynn.

"You're wearing my robe."

"Oh right. Hold on." She ducked back into the bathroom and emerged a minute or two later with her clothes back on. She started to hand him the robe then gave it a sniff. "Nope" she said. "We are burning this. Get your clothes off the floor like I did."

Ardwynn ran down stairs with the robe in hand. Lothinar picked up the clothes from the floor and put them in the laundry hamper in the bathroom. He quickly dressed from his standing chest of drawers. When he finally caught up with her downstairs she was off to the side talking with the cook. Firestorm was quietly sitting across the room watching them both. She threw an inquisitive look at Lothinar.

”Well, did you figure out anything? Are we dragons in any danger?

”I don’t think so, but something has really changed about her personality. I really need to ask her some more questions.”

”I thought you had been asking her questions! I could hear her yelling ‘Yes, yes yes!” from all the way down here an hour ago. It made me a little bit nervous I have to admit.”

Lothinar blushed. Ardwynn walked up to him and smiled.

"What were you and the cook discussing?" he asked.

"We were late for dinner, for obvious reasons" said Ardwynn. "But the cook kept our plates warm for us. We can eat now if you like."

"Sure". Lothinar moved toward the dining room table. Fresh fruit made up an elegant centerpiece. He grabbed a couple of strawberries and sat down at the head of the long table. Ardwynn sat in the chair at the other end, instead of next to him. That surprised him. She usually tried to stay as close as possible.

The cook came out with two plates. It smelled like a green bean casserole. He sat a plate if front of each of them.

"This was quite a bit better an hour or so ago" he said with a slight grimace. "But it will suffice."

"Thank you" said Lothinar. "I didn't mean to break routine or keep you late. I appreciate so much that you are cooking for us at all!"

"My services come with the house." he said. "It was only a minor inconvenience, and you're welcome. Enjoy your meal."

He then excused himself and walked back through the door into the kitchen area.

"Well this looks good." said Ardwynn. "Perhaps this will not disagree with me as much as those mung-beans seemed to."

”Is that more of what you were discussing with the cook?”

”Well, not the details of the horrible after affects, obviously. But I did tell him that they were delicious.”

”Is he planning to serve them again soon?” Asked Lothinar with some concern.

”No, he’s completely out. Apparently someone’s pet dragon managed to eat the whole crop of them this morning. We will only have other kinds of beans for the foreseeable future.”

She picked up her fork and took a bite.

"Delicious." she said.

She began to eat. Lothinar did likewise. The green beans were only slightly soggy but the sauce was quite good.

"How are you feeling now?" asked Lothinar.

"I seem to be fine now," said Ardwynn. "Thanks. You were about to ask me a question?"

"You know, it doesn't really matter right now. Lets just eat and enjoy this time together."

Ardwynn smiled. "That sounds very kind but I don’t mind talking while we eat. It could possibly help me fill in some gaps. This is a very strange situation. I seem to know so much about you but all the images and memories are scrambled around,"

"I'm pretty sure Vanquish did something to you. You came back very different than when you.... left." said Lothinar.

"I really don't remember it. Just the conversation afterwards."

"The one where she exploded."

"That's right. I didn't finish telling you about that." she said.

"You told me you were talking to Vanquish."

"Yes, but there was something strange going on with my eyes. It was like glowing letters were written on the back of my eyelids. They looked like a spell. The words were in old elvish."

"Do you remember what the words said?" he asked.

"No, I'm afraid I don't." She closed her eyes. "And they are not there now. I could also see the face of an angry old grey haired elf. Ha! I was worried it might be you Lothinar. I really didn't remember you or how old you were at that point. I wasn't looking forward to being married to that old guy. Then when I met you with that dragon face on.... Well you can imagine my shock. The old guy's face might have been preferable!"

"Hold on a second."

Lothinar got up from the table and ran to get his traveling bag. He returned with a large coin.

"Is this the face of the person you saw?"

Ardwynn peered at it.

"Yep, that''s him. Old guy. You can't really see the white hair on the gold coin but that's definitely him. Who is he anyway?"

"It's Argent." said Lothinar. "He was the Emperor when this coin was made. He's dead now. He was also your uncle."

"Why are you frowning?" asked Ardwynn. "Did you not like him or something?"

”Or something. He was probably the slimiest, most evil psychopathic elf that ever lived!”

---------------------------

Michelle looked at the manacle that connected her slim wrist to the metal bedpost. Her father wasn't messing around this time. He had not been happy when Candasar had brought her back shrieking and screaming from the ambassador's estate. He had one of the maids strip and bathe her. They had brought her new clothes and she was currently chained not in her own room but a guest bedroom while the staff exchanged out her entire bedroom set. None of that mattered. She had managed to smuggle a bar of soap out of the bathroom with her and was currently rubbing it all over her arm and hand to make them slippery. She grunted and yanked, somehow finally pulling her hand free. She opened the window and began climbing down the drain pipe. Once down, she stole a horse from the barn and began riding furiously towards the Ambassadors mansion.

"If I can just get him away from his pregnant elf wife, I bet I can convince him of my obvious charms" she thought to herself.

It was unfortunate that when she finally arrived at the gate that it was locked. That made her leave the horse behind as she climbed the ornate ironwork. Dropping to the ground she jogged up the drive to the house.

"He has to be here somewhere." she thought.

----

Up in the guest bedroom Regent Courtney groaned as he observed the empty handcuff hanging from the bedpost. He had heard various reports of trouble with other girls that had danced with the elf. He had found it necessary to meet with their parents to give them the information that he had received about the pheromone exposure. He had also told them about the ways to reduce the symptoms. When he had explained the situation, the girl's parents had been furious. They had let him know their displeasure.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

"My poor girl! We may have to quarantine the whole island! What was that elf thinking, going to a party?"

"And here I thought it would be the dragon that caused the trouble. It was the elf instead."

"My daughter also claimed that she had slept with him! I almost believed her!"

The complaints just kept on coming as he had met with the families that were recorded as being at the party in his report.

Finally had been able to return home only to find his own daughter once again gone. So was one of his horses.

"I guess I don't have to wonder where she went!" he thought to himself.

He returned to the barn, stopped the groom from brushing down his mare and re saddled her. Muttering to himself he started to ride back out to the Ambassadors estate.

-----------------------------------------------

"He was probably the slimiest, most evil psychopathic elf that ever lived!” said Lothinar.

”My goodness! I hope you don’t feel that I am anything like him. Is that where this problem started? Is that why things seem so strange between us?” she replied.

Lothinar looked at her.

”You really don’t remember anything? You don’t know what you did?”

She set down her fork.

”Honestly I don’t. It’s like parts of me died up on that mountain top and I was somehow born again. That’s not a possibility is it? Could the dragon have done something like that?”

Lothinar felt Candasar’s thoughts.

”You know, that is one possibility.” said Candasar through the bond. “It would have been a very tricky and difficult thing to try but I could see Vanquish thinking it might be a solution to our problems. It could also explain things like why Ardwynn suddenly doesn’t hate mung beans.anymore.”

Ardwynn seemed to be waiting for his answer. She arched an eyebrow.

”The only real answer to that question probably died with Vanquish.” He said. “But Candasar tells me that it might be possible.”

”Maybe we should save time and just go outside to speak with her directly about this.”

”No hold on! I’m worried that whatever happened to Vanquish might happen to Candasar!”

”You’re afraid that I’m going to somehow burn her up? I didn’t do that to Firestorm did I?”

”No you didn’t.” He admitted.

”It’s going to have to see her in person eventually Lothinar. Go ahead and bring her outside. I’m near the gazebo.”

"Ok Candy. But I think it's going to be best if we try to be as honest with her as possible."

"I'm definitely not her biggest fan you know.. That might just make her mad."

"Angry Ardwynn I can deal with. Just don't lie to her. Somehow she can tell."

"It seems to me that both elves and dragons tend to lie quite a lot Lothinar. That's going to make her life very difficult if you allow her be around people."

"I don't know. Somehow I kind of find the whole honesty thing refreshing." he said.

"Seeing Vanquish's burned body was not refreshing Lothinar! I would kill her for that if I thought that she did it deliberately."

"We don't even know if she did it, or how it happened."

"I hope that we don't find out the hard way." said Candasar.

Ardwynn was looking at him.

"Did you get your other dragon prepared for my interview?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When you zone out like that I know that you are talking to a dragon."

"Your right," he said. "I was telling Candasar to be honest with you."

"Well that might be a good start." she said. "Lets go."

----------------------------------

"Wait a minute Lothinar. That girl Michelle is back." said Candasar. "She just ran up to the house."

"This is ridiculous! I guess I had better go out and talk to her." said Lothinar. "No means no!”

"If Ronni is any indication we should probably prepare for a kidnapping." said Candasar. "Maybe you should let Ardwynn deal with this again. You've always been too nice."

"Actually, We should do this together. I think that's what Ardwynn has been trying to tell me all evening."

Something in his expression must have caught Ardwynn's eye.

"Michelle is back" he said out loud.

"I was afraid she might be." said Ardwynn. "Especially once I fully felt the effects."

"What do you suggest we do about it?"

"I appreciate you asking me. I think we are going to have to kill her."

"WHAT?"

"That was a joke Lothinar."

"Oh wow. I believed you."

"See, that tells me something. It tells me what you think I'm capable of doing. I must have been a pretty terrible person before."

Lothinar just looked at her. He didn't know what to say. Finally he spoke.

"Killing you would have solved a lot of problems for everyone. No one would have blamed me."

"I see." she said. "Well, let's hope that whatever Vanquish did has made me a better person then."

He nodded.

"I'm trying to be optimistic."

"Ok I get it. Old Ardwynn was a bitch. Let's go talk to the girl before she breaks a window." said Ardwynn.

---------------------

Michelle watched Lothinar and Ardwynn, his pregnant wife walk out the front door. That was actually a relief. The large blue dragon had been maneuvering herself to block her access to the house. She was big enough to easily carry her off and had done so before. Now the red dragon was outside too. Michelle had thought that she was about to be carried off again.

How was a girl supposed to make some time with all these dragons around" she thought.

She tried to read the female elf's facial expressions as she walked up to her. Michelle really wished it would have been Lothinar that approached her. She wanted another chance to make him understand how desperately she needed him.

Ardwynn looked at the pitiful human girl's eyes.

"You know, Lothinar, You are probably living every male's fantasy. You manage to make every girl you meet throw themselves at you."

"It's not a fantasy. It's a nightmare." Michelle heard him say. That hurt a little. Michelle shrugged it off. She kept her eyes on the prize.

"I have to give you credit for your perseverance." said Ardwynn. "The other girls never made it this far and you've made it here three times now."

"But it's not going to do me any good!" Michelle said angrily. "You are going to send me away again."

"Come in the house" said Ardwynn. "We've got a great green bean casserole and there is plenty of it. Let's get to know you better"

Lothinar's jaw dropped.

"You are not thinking of including her in our lives are you?"

"I'm not ruling anything out" she snapped. It probably won't happen, but I feel sorry for her. She's obviously being tortured by this."

"Yes, I'm being tortured! Feel sorry for me! Feed me green beans. I actually don't really care for them, but I'll pretend. Anything to not immediately be sent away again." said Michelle.

Ardwynn actually smiled.

"You can come in. But you are gong to be on your best behavior. You are not going to get sex with Lothinar."

"I'll take it. I'll be good. Just don't send me away. I'll just look at him.... But you can't stop me from fantasizing!"

"No I can't" said Ardwynn. "But do it quietly."

-------------------------

Surprisingly Michelle was actually eating the green beans. The poor girl probably hadn't eaten anything since before the party last night. She would take a bite, then look at Lothinar, just to make sure he hadn't moved. Then she would take another bite. She licked her lips a lot.

Lothinar had returned to his chair at the head of the table. He looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know if this is a good idea." he said. "What if Courtney comes looking for her?"

"There is still more green bean casserole." Ardwynn said. "The cook told me so. He is leaving to do some shopping for tomorrow soon so he put another full plate aside.”

”Feeding these people green bean casserole is not going to solve this problem”

”People seem to think more clearly on a full stomach” she said. “Well except for me apparently. I did kind of go crazy after I ate those mung beans.”

”It was the pheromones my warm hand transferred to the mung bean bowl. That’s how it’s always worked before.”

”But what if it wasn’t? You have been wondering why I'm not behaving like her. What if it wasn’t a reaction to you, but a reaction to the mung beans?

He blinked.

“But that can’t be right! Some of them would still be in your system.”

”You can’t possibly have forgotten that scene of extreme mung bean expulsion upstairs?” she said, looking away awkwardly.

"We’d have to run a test. A potentially unpleasant one for you. Unfortunately we are all out of mung beans at the moment.”

”That’s fine, I’m not that eager to repeat that performance.” Said Ardwynn. “Why don’t we wait for a few days?”

"Michelle didn’t eat the mung beans.” He said.

"Well, your pheromones are probably still working on others. Michelle here is proof of that. Your body still secretes a chemical that gives females a single minded purpose to want to mate with you. We could probably get rich bottling that if it wasn't so wrong. It just doesn’t seem to be working on me. Maybe it’s one of those changes that Vanquish did.

“Well you really disliked mung beans before. You wouldn't even eat them. Something has definitely changed in the way your body reacts to them.”

”If this turns out to be true then I’m going to have to be very careful Lothinar. What if strange men find out they can slip me some mung bean juice in a drink and have their way with me?”

”It might be a shock to them when the after effects begin to kick in.”

She shot him a dirty look.

"You do know that by then it would probably be too late!"

"Yes. It would probably be worth it for them. I know it was for me."

She smiled and patted his arm.

"I enjoyed myself too." she said.

Michelle coughed. They both looked at her.

“We must keep this information a closely guarded secret.” Said Michelle “That’s why you need to keep me around and on the team.”

"Is she blackmailing us?" Asked Lothinar.

”She has made an excellent point, Lothinar. Unless we want to reconsider my first suggestion about what to do with her.”

"I thought that was a joke!"

"It was, but she's right. We need to keep her close by for now."

Michelle gave Lothinar a sultry look and started licking the green bean bowl in a very sexy way.

Ardwynn took the empty bowl away from Michelle and set it down on the table.

Michelle went back to sit at the table and picked up the plate containing the beans that Lothinar hadn't finished. She started eating them with a sultry look on her face.

Lothinar rolled his eyes.

"You do have to admit that she gets excellent marks for effort." said Ardwynn. "She is obviously incredibly smart."

"I think that you are starting to like her." he said.

"What's not to like?" asked Michelle from the table. "You're going to love me! You just don't know it yet."

-----------------------

Courtney found his abandoned horse at the gate. He was a good horse. He hadn't run off. He spotted a man walking out. He was carrying a small basket. The man waved and spoke to him.

"Regent Courtney. Back again I see."

"Who are you again?"

”I'm the cook. My name is Alton. You hired me yourself several years back. Of course the house was unoccupied at that time. Now that was a great job.”

”What do you mean?”

'Being on retainer as house cook. Being paid without actually having to actually prepare meals. It was a great time to experiment with my recipes. You know, a nice cushy government job.”

”Well you never know when a foreign diplomat is going to show up.” Said Courtney. “A nation must be prepared for such eventualities. This case in point”

”Yes, and I’m definitely working now. It’s a great chance to try things out on elves. Very few humans get the chance to actually cook for them. It’s fascinating. Do you know that I've recently gotten Lothinar to start eating meat?"

"I thought that elves were strict vegetarians."

"He hangs around with those dragons. Perhaps their feeding habits have affected him. I'm monitoring the situation. I'll send you a report."

"I'm sure it's fascinating." said Courtney distractedly. "Would you mind unlocking the gate? I'm afraid I still have business with the elves tonight."

"No I don't mind. I was just headed out to pick up a few things." He reached in his pocket and produced a key. "Lothinar doesn't usually ask us to lock the gate, but a lot of uninvited guests have been trying to stop by. You're not one of them are you?" he asked suspiciously. Then he laughed.

"I’m glad you recognized me.” said Courtney.

"I hope you have an uneventful evening Regent" the cook said. "But somehow I don't think you will. Your missing daughter is inside.” He began whistling as he walked away.

"What an odd man." Thought the Regent.

As the gate swung open Courtney collected the reins of both horses and walked them up to the front door of the house. Tying his horses to the bannister, he knocked.

The door swung open. A red dragon was standing there. She had pulled the door latch down with her mouth.

"We've been expecting you" Firestorm said.

Courtney looked across the large room and saw his daughter seated at a table licking a plate. Lothinar and Ardwynn were talking about something. They looked at him with apprehension.

Michelle saw her father and quickly got up and ran around the table. She jumped up into Lothinar's arms. He reflexively caught her.

"It's too late daddy! I've already joined their family!" she said loudly.

Lothinar looked stunned.

"Hello Regent" said Ardwynn. "How would you like a little serving of green bean casserole? We've got plenty".

"No thanks. He said. Green beans give me gas."

"I think it might be affecting your daughter the same way" said Lothinar wrinkling his nose. He seemed disturbed by something going on under or around Michelle's dress. Then Courtney smelled something. Michelle was actually passing gas! This could make the newspapers. If Lothinar complained then it could even turn into an international incident!

"Oops" said Michelle. In all the excitement I forgot about how green beans affect me!"

"Well that's something else we have in common dear. A different bean but the same outcome." said Ardwynn.

"Are all elves lunatics?" asked Courtney.

"Only the ones that hang out with dragons." said Ardwynn. "We need to have a talk about your daughter."

"Can we at least open the window?" Asked Lothinar. "My eyes are burning."

He continued to stand there holding Michelle. She was just looking at him. She didn't seem the slightest bit embarrassed.

Firestorm went over and re-opened the front door.

"You must believe me. I raised her with more manners than this." said Courtney. "We did lose her mother when she was young. I've been doing my best but with Enderline gone, the responsibilities have just kept piling up. While I was out dealing with that she managed to slip away from her room. I thought that I could keep her there."

"By chaining me to the bedpost?"

"I obviously should have posted a guard." said Courtney.

"I'm actually quite impressed with her." said Ardwynn. "She has a lot of tenacity and she's very intelligent, even if she seems preoccupied at the moment."

"That's kind of you to say." said Courtney. "Is there nothing you can do to mitigate her obsession with your husband?"

"Not a thing, at least tonight" said Ardwynn. "We were just discussing some possible solutions before you came in. All of them surprisingly have something to do with bean allergies. There may be a connection."

"It's getting late. We need to go Michelle." said Courtney. Don't make me drag you back."

"I'm not going with you." said Michelle. "I'm staying with Lothinar. If you try to take me then I'll make a scene!"

"This just will not do at all!" said Courtney.

"She can stay in our guest bedroom, just for tonight." said Ardwynn. "I'll ask Firestorm to guard her. She is very good at that sort of thing. I will personally guarantee that nothing will happen to your daughter's virtue."

"What little seems to remain." said Courtney somewhat bitterly. "Michelle, I will be back first thing in the morning with whatever means that I may need to take you back home quietly."

Without further discussion he walked out of the room.

"I'm calling that a win." said Michelle.

Lothinar set her down.

"You may feel that way tonight, but I'm sure that you will feel differently about it eventually." he said.

-----------------------

With Firestorm firmly ensconced as Michelle's guard, Ardwynn and Lothinar finally had time to speak with Candasar.

The two elves had met the dragon near the gazebo. There were some quiet anxious moments before Ardwynn finally spoke.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry that you lost your friend."

"Vanquish was more than my friend. She was a repository of dragon culture and magic. It's a loss to dragons everywhere. She's irreplaceable!"

"I'm trying to figure out the timeline here." said Ardwynn. "You two had just flown in from across the water before she decided to grab me?"

"She actually grabbed Michelle first. It was dark" said Candasar.

"Michelle seemed to have survived the process without losing her memory."

"I've been thinking about it a lot while you were dealing with the Michelle situation" said Candasar. "I want to be clear about something."

"Go ahead." said Ardwynn.

"I didn't at all know what Vanquish was going to do. I left the final decision up to her. We talked about ending you. That's what I wanted to do."

"I see" said Ardwynn. "Thanks for telling me. At least I know where I stand with you."

"Vanquish obviously must have tried something different. I think that she edited you. Probably your unborn child as well."

"Could. you perhaps tell me what the hell that means?"

"Vanquish was a very old dragon. She had vast and powerful magic. I had the privilege of working with her when we were bringing the Queen back from the dead and changing Lothinar."

"You brought the Queen back from actual death?"

"Yes"

"Whew. I suppose after hearing that anything is possible."

"For Vanquish it was."

"You did help, Candasar." Lothinar interrupted. "I felt you. I think it was your access to me through the bond that gave Vanquish the ability to do that."

"She did say something to that effect." said Candasar..

"Vanquish probably had to bond with you to do what she was trying to do."

"Hmm. Nope."

"She didn't bond with you?"

"Oh, it's possible. I just don't remember anything like that."

"Maybe the part of you that she edited had those memories." suggested Lothinar.

"Ok, Lets say that I go along with all of this as a working theory." said Ardwynn. "She killed parts of me that I inherited from being related to what's his name? The guy on the coin."

"Argent" said Lothinar.

"But what did she replace them with?" I would have been like a puzzle with missing pieces."

"Whatever she had on hand." said Candasar. "She may have used herself. You probably have dragon parts now. Just like Lothinar."

"It seems like my body pretty much looks the same. I even still have my hair." she said smirking at Lothinar.

"The parts that she replaced were probably the things that affect your chemical makeup and your brain."

"I have part of a dragon brain now?" That's just too strange to believe."

"Is it?" asked Candasar. "The two races, dragon and elf, are obviously very physically different, but we both can use magic. We understand each other. Being bonded to Lothinar, I have observed that his mind works much like mine does. We are not that fundamentally different."

"So what happened? What went wrong? Burning up couldn't have been part of her plan." asked Ardwynn.

"I think everyone that could have answered that question is now dead." said Candasar. "Perhaps it was the old Ardwynn's final defiance. A parting shot to kill the dragon that killed her."

"That would explain a lot of things." said Lothinar. "The whole thing is still a great tragedy"

"It gives me a great deal to think about." agreed Ardwynn. "Dragon parts... Hmm.. I wonder if that's why I've been craving meat?"

"You should try it." said Candasar. "It's much better than mung beans. And it doesn't give you gas!"

"Did those mung beans you ate give you gas Candasar?" Asked Lothinar with surprise.

"Gosh yes. Why do you think that I've been hanging out here by the gazebo?"

"Candasar?" said Ardwynn.

"What is it?" asked the dragon.

"If you don't mind, I very much would like to try to start over and be your friend."

The dragon seemed conflicted. She came over and sniffed her. She didn't say anything for quite a long time.

"You sniffed me" said Ardwynn. "What was that for?"

"I was seeing if you smelled like Argent. Tundor said that you did."

"But I don't?"

"No. you don't."

"Friends then?"

"I would be willing to give it a try." she finally said. "But how would you feel about heading home, back to the mainland as soon as possible?"

"I'm all for it!" said Lothinar. There is nothing really holding us here anymore.

"WHAT ABOUT MEEEE?!" came Michelle's shout from the open window overlooking the garden.

Firestorm poked her head out the next window over.

"It's no problem. Lothinar, I can probably carry her with a little magical help. She's not nearly as fat as Ardwynn."

-------------------------