“Oh how awful, did Aristotle at least die painlessly? To shreds you say. Tsk, tsk. How did your opponent hold up? To shreds you say.”

Princess Nanu waited patiently for her rescuer to finish communicating with his pets and allies. Apparently, things had gone rather well. Only two kobolds died, which was no big deal. Count Vladislav took joy in bragging about his many eggs, and seeing as how he was now deceased, he could not air any grievances about utilizing them to resurrect the kobolds. It would be a cold day in hell before most dragons would waste precious eggs on [Background Character] kobolds, so this would be a most cathartic way to add insult to injury to the late Count’s legacy.

Princess Nanu had already cleaned herself up. Years of filth and grime had not tarnished her beauty, but it didn’t exactly highlight it either. Simple grooming spells removed the physical aspects of her despoilment, but it lacked that cleansing feeling one encountered with the indulgence of a good soak in a hot bath. From her pocket dimension, she drew forth an outfit of loose-fitting wraps of sheer fabrics and silks, the type that revealed much yet left mysteries yet to be discovered. Twenty years had she wasted away in captivity, twenty years bereft of intimate companionship or any sort of positive stimulus. Hopefully, her rescuer would be excited for her to “reward” him for his bravery, otherwise she would cause the local brothels to close business for a few days so the staff may rest and recover from her lust-driven escapades.

And to think, of all the people that could have come to her rescue, it was the very [Dragon Emperor] himself that had replaced her late grandfather. Surely she had pleased a number of gods in her life to be so blessed with the perfect opportunity to extend her existence. Now she just had to play her cards right and ingratiate herself with him, to be seen as indispensable, so that she may come to favorable terms.

“Thank you for your patience, Princess Nanu. I am-”

“No need to introduce yourself, [Dragon Emperor]. I know full well who you are. Count Vladislav, being a mere noble and not royalty, lacked the required Skill to see who you really are, but I, with the peerage of Princess, can see you shining like a beacon. Foolish and arrogant, he would not have dared to resist you had he known who you are.”

Princess Nanu took a knee, head bowed with right arm bent to cover her heart. A gamble to be so impudent as to interrupt the Emperor, but she had to seize the initiative if she were to thrive.

“I am most grateful for your assistance in rescuing me. Please, allow this one to serve you and to be your guide. No doubt, the late Count’s drakes have taken wing and will retreat to the lairs of their relatives where their memories will be scanned. Likewise, the memories of the true dragons will be passed on to their relatives. You have made your debut on the world stage, and all the dragons of the world will know who you are and where you are located. Some will seek to destroy you, others to control you, and very few to be your friend and ally.”

Princess Nanu prostrated herself before the Emperor, and if Fate should smile upon her once again, her new Emperor.

“Please, stand, there is no need for such formality.”

Princess Nanu stood, facing the now uncomfortable and agitated Emperor before her.

“By your command. This one humbly requests that you adopt this one as Princess Nanu into your own flight.”

“I ugh, don’t know what that entails or how to do that,” he responded as he held his hands up towards the Princess to keep distance between them, seemingly uncomfortable with such a burden.

How utterly adorable! The new Emperor is a little shy and not enthralled by the prospect of making her his new slave. Perhaps she could pull this off, but she would need to be careful. Being manipulative to her own benefit would be a sucker’s game, for with how-long lived dragons were, he would eventually wise up to such mistreatment, and that would spell the end of Princess Nanu. Best to be a positive influence, grooming him into a strong and independent Emperor, so that she may ride his coattails to success and be free to pursue her own interests once he becomes established in the world.

“It is a simple enough undertaking, one I would be most delighted to indulge with you,” Princess Nanu whispered sweetly as she leaned in close, giving him an opportunity to sneak a glance at her ample cleavage. All the better to entice him with her womanly charms now, so that he would be more amenable to the adoption ritual. “However, we can save the details for later, perhaps once your allies have returned and you have had a chance to assess the situation. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.”

Boldly, he took her by the hand, and for a moment, Princess Nanu believed he would take her somewhere private and ravish her. Sadly, he only brought her over to the hoard of the late Count, where he opened his own pocket dimension to pull out some chairs, a table, and a few refreshments.

“Please, sit, if it suits you.”

Such a gentleman, but sometimes it was fun when a man could be a little demanding. Graciously accepting his invitation, Princess Nanu took the seat opposite him. Courtesy demanded that she reserve the seats next to him for his favorite lovers, and surely those two women she had seen but briefly earlier were his favorites. The ridiculously high number of Traits each of them held would have attracted them to him and him to them like sharks to blood.

“Gratitude for your hospitality, Emperor,” she greeted as she poured herself a cup of tea and grabbed a few of those delicious-looking pastries. She indulged her hunger, a small squeal of delight escaping her mouth as she all but devoured the most scrumptious of treats.

“Wait, how long has it been since you have had anything to eat or drink?” Concern and slight panic etched his handsome features as he stood ready to do… anything, she supposed, to make her comfortable.

“Probably around 18 years or so. My, these pastries are delicious though.”

More food flooded the table at her reply. Meats, both cold cuts and delectable roasted and fried morsels, were placed right before her. Cheeses, fruits, soups, breads, cookies, cakes, and candies followed, each one looking more scrumptious than the last. Wines, ales, teas, fruit juices, and clean spring water followed to help slake her thirst.

“That’s all the more variety I have on me at the moment. I have more of each dish, should you want more to eat.”

“You are too kind,” Princess Nanu replied as an errant tear dared to streak its way down her cheek. Such compassion had been denied her these past two decades, and thinking back, very few such genuine offers had been made to her in her life without any strings attached. However, the Emperor appeared to have no ulterior motive, his expression one of deep concern and sympathy as he offered her a fine cotton napkin. “Thank you, for doing all this. It is simply wonderful,” she managed to get out before her throat choked up and more pesky tears spewed forth unbidden. Is this what she had come to, a mere stray dog, starving and neglected, brought to heel and made loyal by an offering of food paired with kind words and gestures?

The Emperor graciously sat in quiet restraint, a thousand questions clearly burning to be asked, but otherwise held captive in his mind a while longer as she feasted. Hunger that she had suppressed for so long it was almost maddening welled up within her, and now, free to indulge in that most primal of needs, she loosed herself upon the helpless morsels in front of her. Plate after plate and bowl after bowl, she devoured all, with dishes stacking up as more food was brought forth to appease her.

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So transfixed in the pursuit of her appetite, she lost track of time and manners. Upon realizing that the mountain of dishes before her were all that remained of the food, and that she herself had been the one to eat all of it, Princess Nanu blushed and put down her silverware.

“No need to be shy,” he consoled, a tender hand patting hers as he pushed another plate her way. “Eat as much as you want, but don’t eat just to appease me if you are full. I want you to be comfortable. Besides,” he laughed heartily for a while as if remembering a good joke, a jovial and sincere smile springing naturally to his countenance, “my pet hydra could eat you under the table, so there is no need to be self-conscious about how much you eat. I can afford it just fine.”

“Oh,” she chuckled a bit herself at the image of her trying to out-eat a hydra, “I don’t think anything could eat more than a hydra. I don’t even know if they have a limit.”

“Neither do I. I entered The Boys into a cheese-eating contest once. Pretty sure that is what got them banned from all-you-can-eat buffets and food-eating contests. They ate all the cheese, even going after the carts full of cheese after the contest was over. And they were smaller back then and with one fewer head to feed.”

“I am some 800 years old now, and in all my days, I don’t think I have known anyone who has tried to tame a hydra, much less succeeded,” Princess Nanu stated as she accepted the offered food, but this time, she actually took to the time to taste it and eat at a civilized pace. “How are you not bankrupt trying to feed such a beast?”

“Lots of hunting and work as an Adventurer.”

“An Adventurer! My, that’s not something I have ever heard of a dragon doing either. Usually, we are on the receiving end of Adventurers trying to kill us and take our stuff. I think the last time I had to deal with any, my sister was behind it. She was trying to set me up with a bard that was in that particular party.” Princess Nanu looked slightly away from the Emperor, her eyes still as if thinking back to a particularly fond memory.

“And how did that turn out?” A silly grin crossed his face, one eager to know the outcome.

“Let’s just say her fingers were gifted for far more than plucking the strings of her lute.”

A hearty laugh followed her big reveal, his eyes watering in mirth at the bawdry tale.

“That isn’t even the best part,” she continued with mounting excitement at telling the tale. “While I played it off as the bard seducing me, I seduced the [Divine Knight] in their little party, and he was a stickler for the rules. Quite the good cuddler after you get him off a few times though. The three of us shared a bed while the rest of them had to camp outside my lair.”

More laughter followed at that, the two of them bonding a little over their experience with Adventurers.

“Is that common?” he asked as he managed to regain some semblance of control over his laughter. “Dragons creating contracts for Adventurers to take out other dragons.”

“I see there is much you have yet to learn, my dear Emperor. I would wager that almost all such contracts have a dragon pulling the strings. Show me a dragon-hunting organization that is not secretly funded and managed by another dragon, all the while unbeknownst to the hunters, and I will eat my shoes. It is a lucrative way to take out your rivals and get a chunk of their hoard while mitigating risk and exposure to oneself.”

The Emperor’s expression darkened at the news, looking more sad than angry. “Isn’t that a little evil, an enemy sending murderers to kill you and take your stuff?”

A long sigh escaped Princess Nanu’s mouth as she reached for the Emperor’s hand, taking it gently in hers and squeezing it reassuringly. “I can tell you were raised in the cultures of humanoids, but do not mistake their morals and values to be universal truths. Simply put, no, it is not evil to us dragons. Half the time it is more of a game to keep us entertained, on our toes, and our senses sharp. You came in here not with an army, but a small team of trusted individuals, and challenged the Count for his hoard and won. They were not hirelings, but people you know and trust. In dragon culture, lacking the strength to hold onto your lair and hoard is seen as legitimate and natural grounds for another dragon to challenge you for it.”

She sat up, releasing his hand, continuing the lecture. “Both forces were of relatively equal size and power level, so that will be seen by the dragon community at large as completely fair and not an act of war. Generally, there would not be any retaliation from the Count’s family, but he was part of The Blood Keepers, and they are known to not to respect the outcome of such civilized discord between dragons of different flights. They will undoubtedly send dragon hunters after you, at least to save face, but I doubt a true vendetta or [Blood Feud] will follow. But they will ensure the world knows who and what you are. Your days of being incognito are over, I’m afraid.”

“I guess it is true I know very little about dragon culture. I only know about dragons based on my own person and what I have read in books or heard from other Adventurers,” he responded as he scratched his head and looked less confident than before.

“Much of that is intentional misinformation and propaganda on behalf of dragons to sway public opinion, oust rivals, or otherwise convince dragon hunters to use ineffective weapons and tactics. I would be delighted to educate and guide you, should you find my council worthy, but much of what I have to offer cannot be shared unless you adopt me. As I said earlier, I am of The Secret Keepers, and as the name implies, I don’t divulge secrets to just anyone. Adoption would get around those pesky NDAs and other such oaths of secretary, for I could hardly be expected to keep secrets from my Emperor.”

“I feel like there is a catch here. What’s in it for you, and what’s in it for me? Is this sort of thing normal or common?”

“When an Emperor dies…” Princess Nanu started, taking a moment to collect herself as memories of her beloved grandfather and the rest of her family flooded her. To his credit, the Emperor waited patiently, encouraging her to take as much time as she needed to collect herself, the sweetling.

“When an Emperor dies, the remaining royals lose some of their power, and most importantly, we can no longer resurrect ourselves in any of our remaining eggs or continue to gain Skills. We are left vulnerable, and it becomes open season as other flights hunt us down as trophies or slaves.”

Princess Nanu took a moment to calculate how to phrase the next part. A small voice, familiar yet foreign, encouraged her to offer a full and honest disclosure, and unbeknownst as to why she listened to it, she did as it bid her to do. “The remainder are adopted into existing flights, filling the gaps left by other dead or yet unborn dragons, ultimately strengthening the flight. Such adoptions come with contracts, which are typically just glorified slavery, and they are quite unbreakable, for the gods themselves enforce them. Faced with that or death, many choose to be adopted. This has been the way of things for as far back as I know in the histories of dragons, and my flight was well-versed in the secret and hidden histories of the world. I fall before your mercy, and I will accept whatever terms you offer. You have the full power to take advantage of me in whatever way you choose, and I am not in a position to refuse, for death awaits me should I be without a flight if I choose to return to the world at large.”

Princess Nanu rose from her chair and rounded the table to throw herself at the Emperor’s feet. Something about his kind and gentle soul convinced her that this was the right move to earn his sympathy and reduce the severity of terms. For the first time in a long time, a part of her felt disgusted with how she shamelessly manipulated the kindness shown to her, but she tucked away that resentment for later, or never. Self-preservation won out over morality, that precious luxury of civility so estranged to her now that her life remained in the balance.

Princess Nanu didn’t know what she expected, but what happened next still surprised her. He pulled her to her feet and embraced her in a warm and compassionate hug as he too stood with her. “I have no fondness for slavery, and I would not see you bound again, in chains or in words,” he whispered in her ear as he patted her back reassuringly. “You have more value than what you can provide. Believe in yourself, and believe in me, that we will both treat each other with dignity and respect. I will ask nothing of you that you do not want to do, and none will force themselves upon you, not as long as I am around. Trust, respect, and loyalty flow both ways, and I will not be the first to sunder that bond.”

What years of torment and captivity could not break, his words shattered in but a moment. She wept openly, falling deeper into the comfort of his embrace as she let out two decades of fear, grief, and despair. Hope had seemed to be but a nefarious illusion, one dangled just out of reach the whole time she had struggled impotently against her bonds. Her hate and desire for vengeance had kept her strong this far, but with the Count dead, she felt empty without it to accompany her. And here, this Emperor, fully capable of returning her to that same state, instead offered her unconditional love and support, something she had thought forever lost to her. Not even her own sister, who had sacrificed herself so that Princess Nanu could live when the dragon hunters came in force, had offered her affection and care so freely.

For how long she cried, Princess Nanu didn’t know. Even if he were manipulating her or ensorcelling her with some Skill, she didn’t care in that moment. She would serve her new Emperor, not out of a desire to survive, but because he was worthy. In that instant, she vowed a [Supreme Secret] to herself that she would do all she could to care for and protect him until he could stand on his own, provided all that he promised held true.

The voice had been right, and if she ever met the speaker, she would repay the favor in full.