For those of you who have not noticed the note in the synopsis, this fiction is currently on Hiatus. That does not mean it has stopped updating, it means that updates are not happening regularly -if at all- for extended periods of time. I’m currently working towards finishing my other fiction, The Garden, and when that ends I’ll devote my full attention to The Tempered again. I hope to post a few chapters now and then, though, to help ease a few of the hardcore fans through this dry spell.
Tldr: This is on hiatus. I will post chapter sporadically -if at all- whenever I feel like it. I will work on this when my other story ends.
Now onto the chapter and thanks for reading~
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After squeezing the life out of Huggs, I set the poor dragon down to let him rest for a bit. He looked at me with his big lizard eyes and it took all my resolve not to wrap him up in another bear hug.
“Okay, Mr. Hugglesworth,” I said in a lecturing tone, “Now that you’re officially my pet I think it’s time I introduce you to your brothers and sisters.” The little dragon gave me his rapt attention, probably certain that I’d hug the information into him if he didn’t listen.
“Now there’s only one rule, okay,” I said as my eyes narrowed, “No biting. Your tamed brothers and sisters don’t have nearly my strength or stamina. They’ll actually be in danger if you bite any of them.”
Mr. Hugglesworth looked me straight in the eyes and gave a small nod. Without hesitation I let Sandy and the three Desert Razer Hawks out of my storage. The bird brains didn’t seem to care much about my bonding plan (and they weren’t very huggable), so I told them to go hunt for a bit. They complied with glee. Sandy -on the other hand- eyed the baby dragon with strange eyes.
The Omega Hound and the tiny Lime Dragon sat facing one another, their eyes locked. Then, with the grace of a flailing elephant, Sandy jumped onto Huggs and started nuzzling him. The poor dragon freaked out and tried to squirm to freedom.
“Sandy, this is Mr. Hugglesworth,” I said, stifling a laugh. “Huggs, this is Sandy. I can tell we’re all going to be the best of friends.”
And then I jumped into the pile of fur and scales, intent on out-hugging both.
Fifteen minutes, twelve attempted bites, and one very happy Omega Hound later the Desert Hawks returned carrying the desiccated corpses of their catch. I thanked each one, letting them eat, before putting them back into storage.
Sandy and Huggs were given their share of meat as well. Huggs seemed to forget the snuggle hell the second he saw food. He turned into a chirping adorable begging monster, and my heart melted.
I played with the two for a bit longer, but the sun was getting high in the sky. It would be noon soon. I promised Lily and RED I’d be back in time to eat lunch with them, and I was certain RED wouldn’t be happy if I skipped out on him.
With a heavy heart, I had both Sandy and Huggs placed in the storage and I started heading back.
The Capital of the Gransus Kingdom never ceased to amaze me. The city seemed so vibrant and full of life. I didn’t bother with the main gate and simply jumped the wall. Without having to be careful for Huggs’ well being, I could move at a much faster speed. None of the guards even noticed my passing.
People everywhere were shopping, working, and smiling. You couldn’t even tell a coup had taken place here just a month prior. Human beings were hardy creatures, after all. Searching all the memories stored in my soul, the adaptability and hardiness of people always shined brightly. As the saying goes: tough times don’t last, tough people do.
It took a bit, when I entered the main square, to pick out Lily in the crowd. Numerous people were gathered around her, each enamored with the famous princess who lost her legs fighting in the coup. She was basically a celebrity. RED was, like usual, hiding off to the side. He couldn’t hide from me, though.
“Calliope!” Lily called out, her expression shifting to a smile. “You made it just in time. How’d training Mr. Hugglesworth go?”
I returned her smile and slithered through the crowd and her guards, “It went well. I’ve officially tamed him and introduced him to Sandy and my Desert Hawks.”
The guards looked bewildered at my sudden appearance, but upon recognizing me they relaxed. One of the maids fainted, though.
“Do you really need this many people with you?” I asked, a bit annoyed with the circumstance.
“Of course. I’m a disabled princess, do you expect me to run around a city without an entourage? Or working legs?” Lily asked, indignation in her tone.
“Yes,” I replied, trying to make myself sound completely serious. I failed and couldn’t stifle my giggling.
“That’s not funny,” she replied curtly, puffing out her cheeks a bit.
“Okay okay, I’m sorry,” I apologized. “So how did cart hunting go?”
“It went well,” said Lily, her normal expression returning. “I bought a three-wide.”
I wasn’t certain which soul the memories came from, but one of them understood that ‘three-wide’ meant the cart could be pulled by three horses at a time. It was rather large, all things considered.
“I thought the point was to not attract attention while in Barbory?” I asked.
“Exactly. No one simply rides into Barbory. Only nobles or the rich do. If we rode in on a dinky carriage they’d suspect us of being spies immediately, and they’d try to execute us.”
“Oh,” I said, my voice a bit pensive. “So human nobles are fine, it’s only non-humans they discriminate against?”
“Oh they discriminate against the poor just as much as they do demons, Calliope,” Lily replied. “But this discussion should probably be continued in private. Come, RED’s prepared a small feast for us.”
One of Lily’s maids pushed her wheelchair and I followed behind. We came to a large restaurant without a single patron inside.
“Where are the other customers?” I asked, looking around.
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“I rented out the whole place,” Lily replied as RED walked out of a back room, pushing a cart filled to the brim with food. The aroma alone nearly collapsed my stomach. Nostalgia filled me. I had eaten the teriyaki-flavored dragon meat among other things. Despite the strange and interesting flavors of this world, they lacked in one of the staple American foods that I craved: French Fries.
“RED, do you have ketchup too?” I asked, eyes focused on the food. RED’s mouth twisted into a sly grin.
“I found both potatoes and tomatoes, Calliope,” he said as he pulled out a small jar filled with red stuff. I could immediately tell it was ketchup. I almost cried at such a beautiful sight. Lily looked confused off to the side, but I was having an emotional moment. I would have to explain it to her later.
The meal was as extravagant as I expected, and by extravagant I mean we ate a ton of cheap American specialty junk foods. Hamburgers, french fries, and somehow RED even managed to recreate that one soda Bebsi.
Lily -on the other hand- didn’t seem to enjoy the medley of foods very much. She thought most of them tasted too sweet or too salty. I assured her there was no such thing, but she wasn’t convinced.
At the dinner table I pulled Huggs out from my inventory, hoping to parade my successful taming about. Instantly all of Lily’s guards went into a panic and tried to attack Huggs, Huggs went into a panic at seeing all the food and being unsure he could eat it all, and I went into a panic because we ran out of french fries. Somehow alcohol got involved somewhere along the way and the afternoon meal quickly turned into an evening party.
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I woke very early the next morning -in the twilight hours- with a mild headache. Looking around I noticed I wasn’t in my own room… I was in Lily’s. Despite the expected cliche, there was no one sleeping next to me and I was fully dressed. Though, to be fair, with the Heaven’s Demon Garb it was almost impossible for me not to be fully dressed whenever I wanted.
I walked through the castle halls, nursing my pounding head. I could hear music from down the hallway. It was quiet, but as I neared the source it quickly grew into a grand crescendo. In the main dining hall to the castle I found Red, Alec, Huggs, and several of Lily’s guards dancing and singing, each drunk off their ass. I wasn’t even certain Lime Dragons could get drunk, considering their poison attribute.
Oddly, in the room, numerous monsters were scattered about all also drunk off their asses, and three skeletons in one corner were dancing the macarena. I wasn't sure how skeletons got drunk, much less how they even managed to consume alcohol.
I grabbed Huggs by the scruff of his neck, and the party stopped for a moment. RED looked at me confused, as if he had forgotten something important. Alec, however, seemed overjoyed.
“Oh Calliope, I forgot that you were asleep in Lily’s room!” Alec exclaimed, his voice varying in volume at random. “I planned on coming to sleep with you, but I forgot!”
At this RED turned towards him, indignation rife on his flushed face. “You dare!” He slurred. Huggs started spitting and hissing at both men.
“I don’t have time for this,” I said, rubbing my temples. “Where’s Lily?”
“Lily?” Repeated Alec. “My sister passed out hours ago. We put her in her head maid’s bed and drew dicks on her face with charcoal!” He laughed.
“It was my idea!” RED cried out, laughing as well, losing his train of thought.
“Is that so,” I muttered, anger flashing in my eyes. Suddenly RED seemed to sober up as a terrible realization crossed his visage.
“Oh sh…” I flicked him before he even finished saying it. His body flew like a ragdoll into the wall behind him, embedding him into the stone.
“...Shit.” He whispered, pain in his tone.
Alec looked at me, then at RED, and he laughed. I dashed forward and flicked him in the gut. His body crumpled to the floor instantly. I held back, but he would certainly be feeling it for the next week at least.
“Sleeping with unconscious women is rape, Alec,” I said with anger in my voice. “The fact that you would even utter such words disgusts me. If you actually tried anything I’d have killed you.” He looked up at me from the ground, barely holding onto his consciousness, but the fear in his eyes pulled me back. “If I ever hear about you sleeping with a woman against her will, King or not, I will castrate you.”
With that said I left the ‘King’ collapsed on the floor, a look of terror frozen on his visage.
It took me a few moments to clean up the monsters in the castle. I tamed those that would listen and simply tossed the ones that wouldn’t out of the city. By ‘tossed’ I mean that literally, I threw them over the walls like skeleton and devil hound missiles.
Upon finishing the clean up, I found Lily fast asleep and washed the terrible graffiti off her. Gently I carried her to her own bed. She curled up in my arms and hugged me a bit, making my heart tremble for her adorableness… And it reminded me of her injuries. My convictions redoubled, seeing her peaceful sleeping face. I would heal her, then I’d banish the runes on this world letting their souls reenter the reincarnation cycle, and lastly I would kill Nox.
“Sleep well, Lily,” I whispered as I tucked her in and kissed her forehead.
I walked back to my own apartment, Huggs still in tow. The cool night air felt good on my skin. I transformed the Heaven Demon Garb into a light silk dress.
“Huggs,” I said looking down at the little dragon in my arms. He looked back at me, his scales a bit flushed from the alcohol. “You can’t go back into storage. You need to sleep off the alcohol in your system. Thus, you’re going to be my teddy bear tonight.”
I’m certain Huggs didn’t know what a teddy bear was, but he could tell my intentions due to the bond in our souls. He started struggling like crazy, but my grip on him was iron.
“Come now, Huggs, it’s only another six hours till daylight~”