Chapter 1: The Waiting Game

Aeris sat quietly in her room, staring longingly at the sky through her window as the clouds skated past across the deep blue canvas. A cool breeze flew through the open window, carrying with it a slight yet pleasant scent of grass. She shifted in her seat, her tail swinging back and forth in agitation. She had never felt so restless in her life. She stood up and stretched, bending almost into a capital L-shape, sliding her forelimbs along the dirt floor and pointing her flank high into the air. She held that position as she stretched her wings and flapped them slowly and gently to avoid creating a large gust and blowing dirt everywhere. When she finished, she dropped her rump to the floor.

Stretching like that only loosened her up and made the need to go outside all the more unbearable. She let out a heavy sigh, coughing slightly from the miniature dirt cloud caused by her breath. It wasn’t fair. It was a beautiful day outside and she had to spend it indoors to “stay out of trouble.” She wanted so badly to feel the breeze on her scales and to bask in the warm glow of the sun. But she was told to stay inside, so inside she had to stay.

The dragon lifted her head to better look around her room, hoping to find something to alleviate her boredom. The “room” was nothing more than an old shed that had been expanded and turned into her living space. The shed had been refitted for her the moment she hatched, but it wasn’t until she became too big to move about the main house that she moved into it. Granted, she could still fit inside the main house, but her tail had a mind of its own, and things tended to break whenever she walked past. The original shed contained no windows and the door was only large enough for humans to use. Now two windows adorned the walls and the door had been changed to a much wider, two-level door. The racks for tools now held her bags and harnesses, most of which she had never even used. The bookshelf was another new addition, but it was covered in miscellaneous items and old pictures. Only the top shelf contained the books Maggie read to her regularly.

Aeris approached the bookshelf and read the spines of the near two dozen paperbacks lining the top shelf. She could read, but she had read all of these books so many times, she could almost recite them by heart. She could “borrow” a book from her master’s library, but that would require going outside.

Turning away from the bookshelf, she took a few gulps of water from the trough. Looking at the rippling clear water made her want to swim in the lake a half-mile from the estate grounds. Today was a great day to splash around in the cool water.

Aeris grumbled under her breath and turned away from the trough, splashing the water with her tail. Her eyes settled on the old mattress on the far side of the room. Years of her claws and scales left it a gouged shadow of its former self, but it was still comfortable to sleep on. She could take a quick nap, although napping on the grass under the shade of a tree would be far more preferable.

Huffing loudly and forcing the thoughts of lazing about under the afternoon sun out of her mind, she craned her neck to look at the old chest in the opposite corner. Perhaps there was something inside she could play with. But it would be better if she could take it outside rather than stay in this stuffy—

A low, terse growl left her throat. Why did everything she thought of have to remind her how badly she wanted to go outside?

Her stomach growled, making her anger vanish. She had no idea what time it was, but if her stomach was growling it meant that she had missed lunch. If she had known she was going to be stuck inside, she would’ve saved some of her breakfast for later. She made a mental note to ask Maggie for something to eat once she saw her again.

The squeaking hinges of the door alerted her to someone entering the room. Aeris quickly climbed to her feet and bounded over to the door. Even without looking at the door, she knew who it was. It was her savior. She couldn’t even begin to explain how relieved she was to see the red-haired woman enter. Hidden behind the flaming red locks were a pair of deep-set green eyes that looked very pleased to see Aeris. Her face held very few wrinkles, but a few streaks of grey along her temple betrayed the truth behind her youthful appearance.

“Hello, Maggie,” Aeris said, smiling sweetly as the red-haired woman entered the room, her tail thrashing against the floor.

“Oh, there you are, Aeris. I’ve been looking all over for you,” Maggie replied, “Have you been in here this whole time?”

Aeris tilted her head, her tail becoming still behind her. “You told me to stay put, remember?”

Maggie slapped herself on the forehead. “Oh my goodness, I forgot. I’m so sorry.” She gently steered Aeris outside. “You mean to tell me you’ve been sitting in here this whole time?”

“You said you were coming right back.”

Maggie chuckled. “Which I said over two hours ago. I’m sorry, Aeris. I had some other things to take care of, and I guess I lost track of time. Well, come on. Let’s not waste any more of it.”

Aeris almost rushed outside in her excitement, nearly bowling over Maggie in the process. She didn’t mean to, but it felt as if it had been so long since she set foot outside. The weather was just as beautiful as she had imagined it: the warm glow of the afternoon sun, the gentle caress of the wind across her scales, the earthy scent of nature.

Her mind was overflowing with thoughts of how she could spend the rest of her afternoon when she was steered across the yard to a pair of large basins filled with steaming water. As she drew closer, she noticed one of the basins was filled with soapy water.

“Ugh. I don’t want another bath,” Aeris whined. “I just had one yesterday.”

“Lord Strauss’ orders,” Margret admonished, grabbing the sponge within the soapy water. “This is happening, one way or another, so you might as well make peace with it.”

Aeris grumbled under her breath. Aaron Strauss was Aeris’ legal owner and Margret’s boss. While Maggie made most of the decisions, her master’s orders were absolute. If he said she was getting a bath, then arguing was pointless. Aeris tried to remain as still as possible while Margret scrubbed her neck and chest. It wasn’t that she hated baths—it was that she usually couldn’t do much afterward without getting scolded for getting dirty again. On top of that, Maggie always used scented soaps that made her nose itch and smelled awful.

“It wasn’t that long ago I had a bath. Do I really need another one?” Aeris asked.

“Yes, you do. Leg.” Margret patted Aeris’ right foreleg which she quickly lifted. The woman began scrubbing the extended limb, taking extra time to carefully clean each claw. “Now I’m pretty sure this gathering is very important, so he needs you to be clean and not smelling like…well, dragon. Other one.”

“But I am a dragon, Maggie,” Aeris explained, lowering her right foreleg and lifting her left. “And what’s wrong with smelling like a dragon? I like my scent. Actually, I think all of those perfumes you make me wear stink.”

“Aeris, I told you, humans and dragons have a very different sense of what a pleasant smell is. Your nose is far more sensitive to these things, so I understand why it would bother you,” Margret said calmly. She rinsed the sponge in the soapy basin before walking around to Aeris’ side and began scrubbing the dragon’s back. “Spread your wings for me. Now I know you don’t like it, but Lord Strauss needs you to make a good impression. Unfortunately, that means putting up with a bad smell for a few hours. You can do that, can’t you?”

Aeris said nothing in response. Of course she wanted to make her master happy. She would do anything Master Aaron asked of her. It was just the perfumes made her scales itch, and the smell made her want to sneeze. And as much she loved gatherings, the idea of going to one left a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Maggie sighed. “Okay, I can tell something’s bothering you. What is it?”

“I don’t want to go to the party,” Aeris mumbled. “I love going, but sometimes I feel like a prop. I’m always the only dragon there. And I don’t like having the humans stare at me all night. At first, it feels nice, but after a while, it feels…creepy. Then everyone’s always telling me how beautiful I am.” She dropped her gaze and she spoke quickly upon realizing how ungrateful she sounded. “Not that I mind—I really enjoy the compliments. It’s just...some of the other things they say…They think I can’t hear them, but I always hear them,” she added under her breath.

Dragons were not exotic creatures. According to Master Aaron, one couldn’t walk more than a few feet without seeing one and a great number of people had dragons as pets. But Aeris wasn’t like other dragons. Most dragons were usually one of a variety of colors: red, blue, black, green, or silver. Aeris on the other hand had sky-blue scales, something no other dragon possessed not even the cross-breeds.

She was told the color was called celeste, and for years she had listened to random strangers praising her for her unique appearance. Her master often called her his “little celestial.” Many claimed she looked like an ice sculpture, while others said her scales shimmered when the light struck it at just the right angle, giving her a luminescent appearance. While Aeris enjoyed the praise, there was always something in their eyes she didn’t like. The way they discussed her appearance made her uneasy. They looked at her as if she had something they wanted, and she had no idea what that something was.

“Oh, Aeris. I had no idea you felt that way,” Maggie said, her face and her tone sincere. “But I’m sorry. I don’t decide if you get to go to these parties or not. I’m afraid that decision is up to Lord Strauss.”

“Can you ask him for me?” Aeris said, hopeful. “Please? I don’t want to wear perfume and I don’t like being stared at.”

“Aeris, if you feel that way, why don’t you say anything to Lord Strauss?”

Aeris dropped her head. Master Aaron was always nice to her, but she never felt comfortable asking him for anything. Whenever she did, she always felt awful as if she had done something wrong. Of course, Master Aaron was always fair to her; he gave her anything she asked for, within reason.

“Tell you what, I’ll talk to Lord Strauss for you. And if he says no, then after the party, I’ll give you another bath and wash the perfume off, okay?”

Aeris grumbled under her breath. Two baths in one day hardly sounded like a reward.

Margret dropped to her knees and began scrubbing Aeris’ underbelly. The young dragoness couldn’t help but giggle as the woman scrubbed her belly scales.

“Aeris, can you keep still? I’m worried you’re going to fall on me and you know my old bones can’t handle your weight.”

“Oh, sorry, Maggie. But it tickles when you do that,” Aeris said, looking between her legs at the red-haired woman. To her, Maggie could easily pass for a woman ten years younger, even with the gray in her temples. “Besides, you’re not that old. And you really don’t look it.”

“Well, thank you for saying that.” Margret stood up and walked back to the basins. She dropped the sponge in the soapy basin and picked up the jug on the ground. She dipped the jug in the other basin and began pouring the water on Aeris to rinse away the suds. “But I still have no intention of being flattened. Imagine what my headstone would say: ‘Here lies Margret Hayes. Killed giving a dragon a bath.’ People would be laughing at my funeral,” she said with a slight smile.

Aeris glanced at her own body. According to Master Aaron, she was roughly the size of a miniature pony. Although she had never seen a pony to know exactly how she compared in size, she did know she was barely large enough for a grown human to ride her. And while she had almost no experience with other dragons, the few she had seen were larger and wider than her. But not once had anyone, not even Master Aaron, ever complained about her weight.

“You’re thicker than I am,” she mumbled. Although Maggie was a little… plump, Aeris had more than enough experience with humans to know Margret was a good weight for her size. But there was still a very good chance Aeris weighed more than she did.

“I heard that,” Maggie said.

“You called me fat.”

“I didn’t say you were fat. I implied that you were heavy.” Margret went and refilled the jug again. “Most dragons are naturally heavier than people. I didn’t mean it as an insult. I think you’re very petite.”

“So now I’m too small?” Aeris asked in mock annoyance.

Maggie sat the jug on the grass and placed her hands on her hips, an exasperated huff escaping her lips.“Oh for the love of—what will it take to satisfy you?”

“You know dragons are very vain creatures,” said a voice behind Aeris and Maggie, “They are very easily insulted.”

Aeris quickly turned to the voice. She cried out happily to the tall thin man standing before her. His youth was apparent in his face and demeanor despite years of etiquette training. Her master smiled, the look in his brown eyes filling her with warmth, “Master Aaron! What are you doing here?”

Aaron looked around wearing a look of confusion, “You mean I don’t live here? I didn’t know that.”

Aeris chuckled softly, “I meant that you’re home early.”

“Oh. Yes, I finished things a little earlier than usual, so I figured I would come home and make sure everything was okay here.”

“Everything is perfectly fine, Lord Strauss,” Maggie replied, picking up the jug and dumping the last of the water on Aeris. “There you go, all clean. Wait, don’t—!"

Aeris shook her body sending water flying in all directions. She turned and looked at Maggie who was now covered in water. Master Aaron peeked from behind Maggie having used her as a shield and chuckled at the now wet maid.

Aeris hid behind her wing, stifling a laugh. “Oops.”

“You did that on purpose,” Maggie said, wiping water from her face.

“You called me fat, remember?” Aeris knew it was petty, but while she loved Margret, she had to do something after being called fat.

Master Aaron laughed as he stepped between the two females. “Okay, Aeris, that wasn’t nice. You should apologize to Margret. After all, she is doing this as a favor to me, if you’re going to be cross with anyone, it should be me.”

Aeris dropped her head in shame. Although his playful tone suggested he wasn’t angry, Aeris couldn’t help but feel she had done something wrong and offended her master. “Sorry, Maggie.”

“It’s only water, Aeris, it’ll dry,” Maggie replied. “Besides, I can’t waste any time scolding you when I should be getting you ready for tonight. Speaking of which, Lord Strauss, Aeris wanted to know if she truly had to attend tonight’s gathering.”

Aeris cringed. She had done nothing wrong. She knew this, yet she hoped Maggie would’ve been more subtle.

Master Aaron’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, Aeris, but tonight is very important and it’s vital that you attend; I need you if I’m ever going to close this deal.”

Aeris nodded solemnly, knowing the conversation was over. But she wasn’t going to let it get to her. Master Aaron was counting on her.

“Now I have a few more things I need to work on before tonight, so, Margret, I trust you to handle things here,” Master Aaron said. As he headed back toward the estate, he called over his shoulder, “And, Aeris, I plan to leave the moment I get back. Make sure you are ready to go by then.”

Maggie turned to Aeris, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, Aeris. It was worth a shot. Now come. I will get you inside, polish your scales, pick you out a lovely outfit, and spray on a little perfume—I said a little perfume,” Margret said emphatically, noticing the look of disgust on Aeris’ face. “I know not to put too much because I know how much it bothers you; don’t worry.”

“And afterward, we can get something to eat, right?” Aeris asked, hopeful. She had missed lunch because she spent so much time waiting for Maggie to come back. Even now she felt like she was starving.

Maggie looked sympathetically at the young dragon. “I’m so sorry, Aeris, we may not have time, and even then, if you spill anything on you we’re going to have to start over. Then we’ll be late, and Master Aaron will be very cross with me.”

Aeris dropped her head but said nothing. No lunch and she was going to spend the afternoon reeking of perfume.

This was going to be a fun party.

****

Aeris looked around at all the people attending the garden party, her chest swelling with excitement. Her stomach wouldn’t stop growling and the smell of her perfume made her nose itch, but there was still nowhere else she would rather be. She loved everything about social gatherings. The sight of all the people and the way they dressed fascinated her; there were so many different colors and styles. She looked down at the white vest she wore. Of all the fabrics she had tried, velvet was her favorite. The way it felt against her scales was heavenly. The vest she wore now was beautiful. It was ivory like her belly scales and lined along the edges with small gemstones so it glittered with the rest of her scales. She was grateful to Master Aaron for buying it for her.

But she was jealous of the human noblewomen who wore beautiful dresses and colorful headpieces. A dragon could never wear those things. For one, Aeris was told dragons didn’t make a habit of wearing clothes. Second, there were no designers who made clothing for dragons. Even the vest Aeris wore was meant for humans and Master Aaron had to hire a professional tailor to modify it to fit her body.

When she wasn’t staring at the humans in their outfits, she was checking out the décor. The only time she was allowed off the estate grounds was when Master Aaron took her to gatherings such as these, but they always visited such beautiful places. It was like walking into a massive painting. The polished floors and lush carpets. The beautifully carved statues standing watch over the guests fascinated her. She longed to learn what theses statues signified. She pretended they were monuments to great heroes or ancestors. But she dared not express her fascination out loud and risk embarrassing her master. The humans often got nervous around a curious dragon. But it was okay she didn’t know. There were so many other things to focus on.

Such as music. Aeris envied humans’ ability to play instruments. Sometimes she would just stand close to the band and listen to them play. The heavenly tones would transport her to faraway places that only a book could lead her. The piano was her favorite. Its slow somber tones could switch into jubilant notes with the flick of the fingers.

When she wasn’t listening to music, she was listening to the other guests. Often these gatherings felt like a living breathing thing, pulsing with heat and anticipation. The air tingled with tension and gossip. Here everyone shared secrets, scandals, fears, and promises. As a dragon, she was never privy to these talks, but she didn’t need to be. With her hearing, she overheard much, and over the years, she learned to read the lips of the nobles when they whispered and their body language when they were silent. Since no one paid much attention to a noble’s pet dragon, very little escaped her notice.

Finally were the smells. The various perfumes and colognes humans wore were nauseating (it took everything Aeris had to hide her disgust whenever someone walked by), but the intoxicating scent of the various foods more than made up for it. The various combinations of herbs and spices in every dish made her mouth water. She could take a deep breath and feel full and satisfied, but what she really wanted was the desserts.

She was told all dragons have a strong infatuation with sweets, and Aeris was no exception. If she could do nothing else but stare at the creamy colorful icing blanketing the fluffy cakes and pastries sitting on the far table, the night was worth it. But it would be better if she could taste even one. She sighed heavily. What she wouldn’t give for a cupcake right now.

“Enjoying yourself, my lady?”

Aeris nearly jumped out of her vest. “M-Master Aaron!” she quickly took a deep bow. “I didn’t notice you.”

Aaron chuckled softly, “It would kind of defeat the purpose of sneaking up on you if you did. You seem very distracted today, Aeris. Is everything all right?”

Aeris shook her head. She wanted to say something about how hungry she was, but she didn’t want Master Aaron feeling sorry for her. She would just have to bear it. He needed her to make a good impression on the other human nobles. It was why he brought her after all. She could always ask Maggie to sneak her something from the kitchen when they returned home. Just before she could say everything was fine, her stomach began growling. Aeris dropped her head in embarrassment. Luckily, dragons couldn’t blush, or else her entire face would be red.

Master Aaron began laughing, making her tuck her head even further. “Aw, Aeris, you weren’t going to tell me you were hungry were you?”

Aeris stared at the floor. She couldn’t bring herself to look Master Aaron in the eye. It was clear now what her silence had gotten her. What if he had brought someone with him and they heard her stomach growl like that? They would think he starved her and develop a negative opinion of him.

Aeris felt a hand gently rubbing the top of her head, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Aeris, you don’t have to hide these things. You are very important to me.”

Aeris opened her mouth to explain, but Aaron quickly cut her off, “Now I understand you don’t want to feel like a burden, and you feel the need to hide things from me to show your independence. But trust me, I will never see you as a burden. Ever. Now since Margret was kind enough to inform me that you haven’t had your lunch today and for sitting here so patiently, I brought you a little snack.” He brought his hand from behind his back, revealing a large cupcake topped with pink icing sitting on a plate.

She squealed with delight and nearly swallowed the cupcake whole but quickly corrected herself; she didn’t want to appear too eager and embarrass her master. “Thank you, Master. That was very kind of you.” She slowly scooped the cupcake into her mouth, doing her best to hide her pleasure as the flavors of the pastry danced on her palette. She chewed as slowly as possible to enjoy every piece of the baked pastry and every dollop of its sweet icing.

Aaron laughed again and patted Aeris on the head. “You’re welcome. I’ll try to bring you something else a little later, and there’ll be more waiting for you at home so please try to be patient.”

“Ah, Lord Strauss, there you are.”

Aeris and Aaron turned to see a large woman, accompanied by an equally large man, approaching them. Aeris was fascinated by the beautiful green dress and matching feathered hat that the woman wore. As the pair drew closer, the dragon noticed the woman wore far too much makeup. The man, on the other hand, had most of his face buried under well-groomed facial hair. The man’s suit, which seemed to fit him quite snugly, was the same dark shade of green as the woman’s dress.

“Mr. and Mrs. Everfield,” Aaron said politely as he held out his hand to Mr. Everfield. Aeris bowed deeply when they approached. “How are you?”

“We’re just fine, Lord Strauss,” answered Mr. Everfield in a gruff voice.

“Oh, this must be the dragon I heard so much about. It is just gorgeous.” Mrs. Everfield exclaimed as she grabbed Aeris’ face and roughly turned her head back and forth to admire her scales. Aeris dug her claws into the floor, creating a light scraping noise, which thankfully was drowned out by the music. “These scales are magnificent. It reminds me of an ice sculpture. She is simply beautiful. I’ve never seen a dragon like this before. I would love to have one.”

“Thank you Mrs. Everfield, that is very kind of you,” Aaron replied, gently taking the woman’s hands (much to Aeris’ relief).

“Which reminds me, Lord Strauss, I would like to talk to you about that proposition we discussed yesterday,” Mr. Everfield said.

Aaron quickly waved away the request. “No, no. Forgive me, but I didn’t come here to talk business. Why don’t you come by my office tomorrow and we can discuss the deal then?”

“Come now, dear, we should be enjoying ourselves. You spend far too much time doing business,” said Mrs. Everfield.

Mr. Everfield smiled at his wife, making Aeris grimace slightly. When he smiled, the man’s face reminded her of a clay mask.

“I’m sorry, dear. It won’t happen again. But, Lord Strauss, I know we can’t discuss business, but I must know: what species is this dragon?”

“Well I’m not really sure wh—“ Aeris began.

“I don’t believe I was talking to you, dragon,” Mr. Everfield said snidely.

“It’s in their nature to be rude, dear,” Mrs. Strauss said. “You can’t expect too much from them.” She leaned in close to Aaron and said: “Even the most well-trained dragon slips up from time to time. I guess there’s no fighting their savage natures.”

Aeris lowered her head. Master Aaron often spoke of wanting to do business with the Everfields and how much it would help his business. And she was making things difficult.

Master Aaron quickly responded: “Well, my parents rescued Aeris as an egg from some dragon poachers trying to sell her. I’m afraid I have been unsuccessful in discovering her origins, and her unique coloration makes things somewhat difficult.”

Aeris turned to her master. That wasn’t the story she heard. Master Aaron always told her she was found abandoned on the street. He informed her it was common for dragons to abandon eggs they didn’t want.

“Well, I guess that explains it then,” Mr. Everfield said. Turning to his wife, he added: “I told you, my dear, she looks like a half-breed.”

Aeris frowned at the couple. She may not know much about her origins, but that was no reason to insult her, or at least not do it in front of her.

“Mr. Everfield,” Aaron said, gently nudging Aeris in the side. She quickly changed her expression. “I can assure you, Aeris is a full-blooded—“

“I’m sorry Lord Strauss, but if you don’t have any papers proving her lineage, then all I have is your word,” Mr. Everfield interrupted in a haughty tone. “I do not think you would purposely lie to me, but what you believe and what is can often be two different things. How do you know Aero isn’t some half-bred southern Highwind?”

“Um, Mr. Everfield, my name is Aeris,” she said politely.

Mr. Everfield rounded on Aeris so quickly, she nearly cried out in surprise. His bared teeth were visible beneath his beard and his face was a deep shade of purple. “The day I’m corrected by a dragon—“

“Mrs. Everfield, that is a lovely purse you have,” Master Aaron interjected.

“Why thank you,” Mrs. Everfield replied, proudly holding up the green handbag. “You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to find. I’m told it’s made of the finest dragon scales.”

Before Aeris could stop herself, she snorted in disgust. She noticed everyone looking at her, their eyes wide in shock. She tucked her head and quickly began coughing to cover up her outburst. “E-Excuse me. I-I think I need a drink of water.” Aeris began to turn away from the humans, hoping to get as far away as possible.

“No, no. Don’t go anywhere,” Mr. Everfield said sternly, making Aeris stop in her tracks. “It’s obvious there is something on your mind, so please, share it.”

“Dear, she’s a dragon,” chimed in Mrs. Everfield, “They don’t have much of a mind to begin with.” She chuckled at her little joke.

Aeris couldn’t explain it, but Mrs. Everfield’s words triggered something deep within her. She had enough of their insults. She tried to be nice and bite her tongue, but her emotions had suddenly risen within her like a pot about to boil over. Her nose itched from Mrs. Everfield’s perfume. The cupcake, tasty as it was, did nothing to satisfy her hunger. And now she had to put up with this.

“Aeris, maybe you should—” Master Aaron began.

It felt as if someone had seized control of her brain and forced the words out of her mouth. She stood to her full height but still needing to stretch a bit to look Mr. Everfield in the eye as her words echoed throughout the hall, “Actually I do have something I wish to say: You are the most obnoxious, inconsiderate, disgusting excuse of a human I ever met. I can’t decide which is more deplorable—your total disregard for manners, that tacky suit, or your lack of proper hygiene. Why don’t you do everyone here a favor and go back to stuffing your abnormally fat face? At least then we’ll all be spared the irritating drivel that pours forth from your gaping maw as we’re all forced to put up with your pungent odor!”

Mr. Everfield’s face turned a deep shade of purple. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.

Master Aaron gently pushed Aeris away from the couple. Aeris shook off her master and turned on Mrs. Everfield.

“And your wife has the audacity to waltz through the streets, swinging that unseemly handbag, bragging about how dragons were sacrificed to create that hideous object. Quite frankly it’s shocking no one has decided to use her to make something to parade around in and show her how it feels.”

It felt like she was out of her own body and watching some other dragon that looked and sounded exactly like her yell at a pair of humans. No matter how much she willed herself to stop, the words continued to fly out of her, and she continued to use that vengeful glare. Part of her was horrified, but part of her was also proud. She stood there, staring defiantly at the Everfields. It felt good. Putting those people in their place filled her with pride. It was if a weight had been taken off of her and she felt lighter than air.

The Everfields stood there; mouths wide open, wearing horrified expressions. It was then Aeris realized the entire room had gotten quiet; even the band had stopped playing. Everyone within sight was staring in her direction. Even Master Aaron stared at her as if she were something he had never seen before.

The feelings of joy and accomplishment dissipated quickly. Her ears flattened against her head and her tail curled defensively around her legs as she looked around at the stupefied crowd. Instead of feeling weightless, the air felt thick and heavy as if a heavy blanket had fallen over the room. She felt the need to hide in the deepest, darkest hole she could find and never come out again.

Master Aaron was the first to speak, his sudden voice caused several people to jump in surprise, “Please excuse my dragon, Mr. and Mrs. Everfield, she has had a very trying day, and she is very tired. Excuse us.” He gripped the back of Aeris’ neck and steered her towards the exit. Everyone parted as they moved through the crowd as though they were contaminated with an infectious disease.

People whispered amongst themselves and their surprised expressions changed to anger or disappointment. Aeris cast her gaze to the floor, opting to stare at her shameful reflection in its polished surface. She didn’t look up again until they were outside and away from any watchful eyes.

As soon as they were outside, Aaron immediately turned on her, his face red with fury. “What in name of all things divine was that, Aeris? What has gotten into you—you have never acted that way before. Are you trying to embarrass me? Do you want to ruin my business?”

She dropped her head and didn’t respond; she knew he wasn’t expecting an answer. He told her he needed her and instead she possibly ruined any hope Master Aaron had of closing a very important business deal. “M-Master, I…I’m so—”

“I don’t want to hear it! Right now, the only thing I want you to do is stay here and think about what you’ve done until I come for you. I’m going back inside and see if I can at least try to repair some of the damage.”

He turned and stormed back inside, leaving Aeris standing outside alone.