My totally, 100% intentional use of social awkwardness to mollify the guards worked a little too well, as instead of calming them down I seemed to achieve some form of mass cognitive dissonance. It was as though my choice of greetings was so incongruous with their concept of dragons that their brains literally could not process what I'd done, resulting in not one of them replying to me. Well, at least the guard on the floor had stopped shaking.

Eventually, a man who seemed to be in charge of the rest took off his helmet and addressed me robotically, "Ahem. Greetings, grand and majestic lord of the land, we welcome you to Dragon's Mortal Sanctuary. I am Berke Owenson, Captain of the Guard, and I apologize for this lacking entourage. The village elder is currently on his way here, to serve your every need and make up for whatever offense this meager welcoming has caused."

He had light brown hair and eyes, a stony face with stubble for facial hair, and moved with surprising ease in his plate mail armor which bore the emblem of a village with a dragon looming over it. The smell of fear, which was so strong in the others, was absent from him. In fact, I got the peculiar sense that he would beat me in a fight if we went at it. Thus, I deduced that his stiff speech was likely from not being used to formalities.

"Whatever lines you've been instructed to recite, please don't. Ass-kissing and ceremonies make me rather uncomfortable. If possible, I'd prefer you behave normally."

His thick eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "Thank you, milord. I'm not particularly good with these sorts of events. Mind if I disciplined my trainee on the ground there?"

"Still a bit formal, but it'll do," I thought in resignation.

Seeing no reason yet to interfere with how they do things, I gave my approval, "Sure, go ahead."

With his steel boot, he kicked the chainmail-guarded ass of the man on the floor. "Get off your behind this instant, Lukas! Protocol was to drop your weapon, not your damned dignity! Get up and apologize to our lord for your embarrassing display."

Yelping, Lukas scrambled to his feet. "Yes sir! Sorry, sir!" He kneeled toward me. "I apologize for my sh-shameful display. I was overwhelmed by your sudden appearance! Please forgive me!"

Embarrassed, I lightly scratched the side of my horns, "Don't worry about it. It's my fault for rushing toward you. I was so excited to get here that I forgot to consider how my visit might affect the village." Seeing him still looking scared as hell, I added, "Is there anything I could do to put you at ease?"

"N-no, milord! I m-mean, I don't know milord! Thank you for your kind consideration!" He rushed, bowing repeatedly.

Berke tsked, shaking his head, and I released a sigh from my snout.

Lukas was sent back into the village after some more reprimanding, and an awkward silence returned. It dawned upon me that nobody dared to address me unnecessarily, so I decided to try a bit of flattery on the brave one, "You seem like the only one here who's at ease in my presence. You have a valiant heart, and your men are lucky to be led by you."

He once again rose his brows, then a smile cracked through his face. He tapped his chestguard and proclaimed, "It's my duty to never know the meaning of fear, milord, and someone had to teach these boys how to stay alive in a fight. That, and I really appreciate what you dragons have done for us, letting us stay here an' all. This may be the only place in all of Bora where you get to enjoy a simple life, free from power struggles and the sufferin' that nobles and their politics bring. Ah, pardon milord, I'm running my mouth."

"Not at all. I like those who speak their mind. What's 'Bora?'"

He coughed then tapped the side of his head and replied, "Whoops, just a slip of the ol' tongue. It's what we humans call the world instead of your 'Angnora.' I immigrated over here years ago, but old habits die hard."

I was surprised he knew about our name for the planet but realized that since the village was in our domain, its people had likely recorded whatever scant information my kind passed down to them over the many years. Before I could ask more about his homeland, my attention was diverted by the sound of clopping, followed by a horse carriage came through the gate. Berke rushed over to help a small elderly man out of it.

"Now, now Captain. No need to fret over this old thing," said the elder.

He looked to be in his 70's, with bright wrinkled eyes, a balding head of white hair that he kept in a ponytail, and an equally long white beard. He wore faded purple linen robes and smelled of magic. He felt more dangerous than Captain Berke, but you'd likely never see it through his gentle expressions.

Seeing them together, I was struck by the realization I was taller than both, and likely between six and seven feet tall while standing on all fours. It was a change I'd have to savor later, as the old man approached me.

Stopping short with a small bow, he spoke, "Greetings, Your Majesty, Prince Amartho'Manadhmedion, to our, or if you prefer, your village. I am Elder Emil Weber, and I will be in charge of making sure your needs are attended to while you stay with us. The good captain informed me that you disliked formalities; would you prefer that I dispensed with them altogether?"

I perked up at his offer, "Yes, definitely. Treating me as you would any newcomer would be great."

"I'm not sure I can think of you as just any newcomer, but I'll do my best," he said with a wink.

Emil then asked me if I'd like to be shown around the village or if I'd rather go directly to the manor they prepared for me. Out of curiosity, I chose the former. I watched him then cast a spell on his carriage which soon revealed itself to have a noise suppression effect. The horses' trotting and the carriage wheels sounded about 80% quieter, allowing us to speak easily while he rode alongside me. As he told me about the way the village's history and operations, I observed my surroundings.

It was, well, disappointing. In stories, you are usually given fantasy villages that are bustling, clean, and full of positive energy. In this reality, things felt a lot more... normal. Most of the buildings and homes were simple and plain, the dirt roads were often uneven, and the smells weren't great. I counted my blessings that they did have a magical sewage system in place or I might have had to leave as soon as I came. The inhabitants weren't much better, staring or gasping upon seeing me, with some even shuttering their windows in retreat.

There weren't any Inns or Taverns full of eccentrics, as everyone here was a permanent resident. My danger-sense tingling did pick out some potential ex-adventurers, but none seemed interested in approaching. Emil tried to reassure me that everyone was just nervous and that in time the village residents would warm up to me, but it was clear that I was intruding on their peace. I couldn't blame them for feeling as such.

My mood's worsening was interrupted by three kobolds running toward us while shouting such things as, "A great dragon has come! I told you smooth skulls, I told you!", "Szalu is here to serve you, sire!", "An adventure has finally found Aark, yippee!" before they kowtowed toward me in the middle of the street.

Emil face-palmed at the sight, so I guessed these three were a bit of a handful. I gave him a look but in response, he merely waved his hand to gesture that I was free to handle them as I pleased.

"Hello, little kobolds. I am Amartho'Manadhmedion. Hmm, let's do it like this: from left to right, tell me who you are and what you're doing here, away from your tribes."

Each rose to a knee, and the brown, middle-sized kobold on the left went first, "I greet your highness! I am known as Rarn, and I came to this village to study cultures from the various races who immigrated here. I want to see if any of their ways are worth adapting to the benefit of my Quietstep tribe."

He wore nothing but a loincloth and had webbed frills coming out of the back of each cheek and running down his spine. He gave me the impression of the modest and level-headed type.

The smallest, yellow-brown kobold in the middle went second, "Szalu is ecstatic to greet you, magnificent and mighty highness. Your blinding radiance and powerful presence humble Szalu! Szalu came here to learn the ways of commerce, to bring greater wealth to himself and his Jewelfeather tribe!"

He wore a simple robe, had snakelike features, and a string of colorful feathers running down the back of his neck as a decorative accessory. He seemed like the conniving, and sneaky type.

The largest, red-brown kobold was the only one who lifted his head to look me in the eye, "Aark left his tribe to seek adventure! Aark will be greatest kobold hero! Aark just doesn't know how yet!"

He was a bit bug-eyed, had numerous small black horns jutting out around his head, and wore simple leather armor. I immediately liked this oddball of the group. Perhaps it was his simple nature or a sense of camaraderie due to his apparent free-spiritedness, but he gave me a good feeling.

"All your goals are worthy, and do your people proud," they shivered in enthusiasm at the praise, "Now tell me, have the humans been treating you well?"

Rarn's head drooped and Szalu answered, "We are moved by, and unworthy of your care, great Amartho'Manadhmedion! It is unfortunate that I must report that the humans give us dirty looks and often speak unkindly of us. They don't know their place!"

"Oh? And was this mistreatment you've been receiving entirely unprovoked?"

Rarn's head lowered even further, while Szalu again replied, "Only minor pranks, sire! To remind them of their position! A tack on a chair, itching herb powder on a laundry line, and other harmless acts! They should be so lucky to only receive-"

"No. No. That's enough of that. You will stop troubling this village's residents, and you will make amends. Hunt a day's worth of game for each person you've offended and aid the village in foraging supplies for the next few months."

Szalu, the obvious mastermind behind their bad behavior, quickly back-pedaled, "Sire, I-, we only meant to"

"Are you questioning my will?"

"No! Never! Szalu just meant-" He groveled at my obvious disapproval.

"I can see that you don't understand, so I'll explain it to you. What is the name of this settlement, Szalu?"

"...Dragon's Mortal Sanctuary, sire."

"That's right, sanctuary. A place of refuge, provided by dragons. By disturbing the peace, are you not moving against our intention?"

Szalu hit his head against the floor, "Szalu has wronged! Szalu begs forgiveness! Szalu will repent! Please, give Szalu a chance!"

"Good. I can tell this all started with you, don't bother saying otherwise. So after you complete the task I've just given you, and you alone, will return to your tribe and inform them to contribute 10% of this village's annual tribute for the next decade."

"Szalu obeys the command of great Amarth-"

"Szalu, look at me."

He nervously met my gaze and trembled.

"Don't be scared. I don't favor punishment for the sake of punishment. I know you're bitter about my decision, though you dare not voice it. What I'm actually giving you is an opportunity. You have a merchant's heart, but you let petty emotions cloud your path. To understand commerce you need to learn to put profit and relationships above all else. Long-term cooperation often pays out more than anything done for immediate satisfaction or gain. By helping the village save resources, you will build a more favorable relationship between them and your tribe. This opens the way to future exchanges of goods and services. Your people will take a loss for now, but the challenge is to turn this punishment into something that will benefit the future of both the Jewelfeather tribe and the village. I believe you have the ability to accomplish this."

His mouth hung agape as the gears turned in his head. His expression slowly improved and he replied, "Your majesty's wisdom is boundless! Szalu will not fail!"

"I know. Now go, back to your regular lives. You've interrupted my tour with Emil here. I'll send for you three if I need anything."

They recited some final honorifics as they left, and Emil said, "Thank you for that. I'd wager that you've granted us at least a few months off from their antics. Who knows, maybe it'll even stick."

"Ha! I just hope it wasn't an imposition to have his tribe collaborate with the village. I'm not going to often be around to oversee their progress and prevent things from going awry."

"Not at all. The help will surely be welcomed by our people, and with the number of old monsters that have retired here, kobolds don't even make the list of potential issues to keep tabs on. Aside from your kind, there are very few creatures roaming these lands that are of any threat."

The mention of powerful veterans raised my sense of caution, which in turn let me pick up on a small detail I overlooked, "By the way, how did you know my name earlier?"

"I'm afraid I don't follow?"

"My name. You greeted me with it at the gate, but I hadn't yet given it out to any of the guards. I don't mean to come off as suspicious, but I am curious."

"Oh that," Emil laughed and took a parchment out of his robe. "Your mother, the honorable Gwaelaraumorainë, sent us a message months before your arrival."

He unfurled the letter so I could read it. It contained beautiful penmanship in silver ink that read,

"My son, Amartho'Manadhmedion, may visit your village soon."

It was signed by her name and 7 of her titles.

The implication was clear: between her reputation, my relation to her, and the status of the village, it went without saying how to handle my arrival. As I weighed whether to be touched or irked that she had long since predicted I'd beeline to the nearest human settlement after hatching, I couldn't help but sigh, "That's just like her. I hope you didn't feel too pressured."

Emil lightly shook his head, "We are truly grateful for all that she does for the world, and her work to keep this continent bountiful in resources. The vast majority of the village is quite happy, or at least content, with our lives and our relationship with your race."

I frowned, bothered by the reminder that my mother, who's known for looking after the weak, still plainly saw herself as above them all. That, and my inability to find fault with her perspective made my heartache. Perhaps it was less about her and more what I feared would become of me in the future.

"Well, thank you for saying that. Not to be abrupt, but I just realized I have many unpleasant topics to consider that I've been putting off for too long, so I'll be cutting the tour short and flying the rest of the way. I appreciate the time you've given me."

Emil gave me a searching look, but finding no answer in my face he said only, "As you wish."

I leaped into the air and soared. Looking down I could see the villagers going about their day, getting smaller and smaller. A few having spotted my ascent, pointed and made exclamations to their companions that I could not hear through the wind and distance.

"This is what all dragons see, visual reinforcement of our identity being above all others. And this is what I am now." I philosophized.

Despite my broody pbservation, I couldn't help but feel better while flying. After enjoying the sky for a while, I landed in front of the manor that was clearly prepared for me. Two maids stood outside the wide double doors, opening them at my arrival.

Sighing for the nth time at the sight of lowered gazes, I entered. Inside were piles of food and heaps of pillows and blankets set up as bedding. I considered that human principles only get one so far, and some things were just meant to be enjoyed.

I dove in.

"Oh, bread, how I've missed you! Seasoned meat, my love, I have returned. They even used butter!" I rejoiced.

For the duration of my meal, my troubles ceased to exist. It may have been hypocritical, but nobody's perfect. After engorging myself, I decided to sleep early. As I wormed, or rather, wyrmed my way into the bedding and began to drift off I thought,

"Coming here was just my way of running away, which never works. I have to face this new life seriously."

For the next week, I spent most of my time flying, eating, grieving and I admit, having the occasional cry. I was mourning the loss of my Earthly relationships, letting it sink in that centuries would pass before I made even a little progress toward my goal of piercing time and space to at least let them know I was alright. By then, in all probability, I would barely resemble who I was with them. We were truly dead in each other's lives.

At the end of that week, I had the sense to request vials to bottle some of my tears. Pretty much all dragon substances were a powerful alchemical reagent that I could later use or sell. Being limited by my claw-hands, I was only able to collect two full vials. I, of course, couldn't have asked for assistance and let others to see my sorry state.

In the second week, I took a page out of my sister's book and tried meditating as she had done after our first meal. Given her restrained and poised personality, I thought I might benefit from the emulation. It was also a lesson I learned from Earth, to try and adapt qualities I appreciated in others into myself. I sat down with my eyes closed, slowed my breathing, and began a calm introspection.

After many hours, I concluded that my personality was altered far more than I realized. For starters, I had been continuously naive in my choices, and my sense of caution and fear seemed to be drastically lowered. Yet another oversight I caught was regarding the life-saving golden wheat item the fairies recently gave me. While it, with near certainty, was what they claimed it to be, it could also double as a means of tracking and surveilling me. The fey may never lie, but they were experts in fooling people through omission of details.

Realizing this, I vowed to use the item the moment I felt even the slightest amount of real threat, as opposed to saving it as a last-ditch resort. Its value was too great to discard on suspicion, and the Fey were friendly enough that even if they were spying on me, it wasn't a problem yet.

From reflecting on all the poor decisions I'd made so far, (which luckily worked out alright) I decided to meditate every morning and night onward to keep my mind sharp and focused. I'd also increase the intensity of my dragon-workout routine in the hope that exerting enough energy would lower my impulsiveness.

The next obvious change was in how I perceived others, which became most apparent through my interaction with the kobolds. The way I so naturally lorded over them was unlike any of my Earthly self's behavior. It seemed that the relation between dragons and kobolds went so deep that it may be ingrained in both races' biology. I was practically compelled to command them.

From that line of thought, I realized that I'd become too comfortable with others pedestalizing me since I left the den. Though I'd encouraged others to be at ease, I was clearly enjoying the preferential treatment on some level. Even coming across multiple mortals that I sensed could defeat me, I instinctively didn't see them as much. In short, I had become arrogant.

How much of this was from being a dragon, vs my new baby brain not being fully developed, vs having gone a bit mad being trapped in egg-jail for a year, was unclear.

"Time will reveal some answers, but I suppose it doesn't matter. What can't be controlled, I should not attempt to control. I am changed. What's important is to keep the changes that are enjoyable and useful, and counter those that will obstruct my path. Speaking of which, what should I do next?" I mused.

I thought back to my mother's many teachings, and a voice from my heart decided,

"I need to acquire greater power, and I'll need minions."

But before I could start working on that, I realized should first repay the village for letting me mooch off them.

I stuck my head through one of the front-facing windows of the manor, and with a deep voice shouted, "Boo!" scaring the daylights out of the two maids positioned outside.

Seeing me roaring with laughter, they calmed down and one said, "You gave me quite the start milord!"

"I thought I was going to faint!" Said the other.

"I should have interacted with you two sooner, but I've had a lot on my mind lately. I hope you'll understand. What are your names?" I asked, resisting my urge to apologize for my social neglect.

"Lin, milord," and "Anna, milord," they answered with a curtsey.

I asked them about themselves and their lives, and following that brief conversation, I requested for one of them to fetch the reddish kobold named Aark for me.

Soon enough, I saw the little lizard scrambling in our direction.

"Aark is coming!" He shouted upon seeing me, panting as he ran.

He stopped in front of me and kowtowed. I let him catch his breath before saying, "Aark, would you like to be my first minion?"

"First.... minion?!" He mouthed with wide eyes. Then he made a bunch of croaking noises I took as overwhelmed kobold sentiment.

"Only if you find the position to be desirable. I have no intention of forcing you. Be honest."

"Aark is... so, so honored, but Aark..." He trailed off, having trouble choosing his words.

"You are worried that serving me would take away time from your goal of adventuring, right?"

He put his head down with a small nod, upset at the idea of disappointing me.

"Do you wish to travel to New lands? Battle strange and mysterious foes? Tangle with powerful magics and artifacts? Perhaps even face down the Gods themselves?"

I could see him imagining the scenarios I described with childlike enthusiasm, and when I was finished he answered, "More than anything! What you saying is Aark's greatest dream! Except part with Gods, Aark not crazy!"

I laughed, "Then I am the perfect dragon for you to follow. My whole life is going to involve moving across the world, pursuing whatever interests I come across. If a task of mine requires too much waiting, I'll give you time to adventure on your own. How about it?" I said with a smile.

He quickly bowed three times in response, shouting, "Aark pledges life to master Amartho'Manadhmedion!"

"If you're going to insist on the whole 'master' thing, please just use 'Lord Amartho.'"

"Yes, Lord Amartho!" I could practically see stars in his eyes.

"Your first assignment is to fetch me the two humans, Elder Emil and Guard Captain Berke, separately and in that order. Be polite to them. Stay and observe my interactions with each after bringing them here. As my first minion, you ought to study my disposition so you can serve me better. Serve me well and you will be my most trusted and closest confidante, and I will see to it that your dreams are fulfilled alongside my own."

"Aark hears and obeys, Lord Amartho!"

I got the impression that some of the words and concepts I used were too big for his little skull, but he seemed to get the gist of it.

As he ran off he shouted, "This is best day of Aark's life!"

It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.