“Eleonor said what? And why does that have any bearing here? All the dragons are dead, except for that one that bitch of a queen across the ocean married.” Bern said sternly. “Dragons have been dead since the war ended. I’ve never even heard of a dragon looking like a human. So unless Dragons developed a magic that humans haven’t come up wi-”

“Bern, still your tongue before I rip it off. Eleonor t-”

“You dare threaten me not once, but twice in my own home? I will have you castrated and hung from the gallows, you incorrigible fool!” He yelled, slamming the table, causing Eleonor to flinch back as it jumped up. Bern was very short-tempered.

Victor stared blankly at the man across from him, leaving Bern even more infuriated. “I am a nobleman of the Sinensian Empire! My family has stood for generations on this land! And you come in here, in my home, and insult me and threaten m-”

Victor stood up and reached across the table to grab Bern by the chin and pushed his head back hard enough he fell to the ground. As Bern looked aghast into the air, Victor walked around the table to stand over him, crouching down and pinning Bern to the floor with his knee, locked over his stomach.

“I could easily make your life end very shortly, Bern. I have done jobs for you for an unknown amount of time. I have done your dirty work. I have requested nothing but payment. And you insult me, you threaten me twice. The same crimes you think I am committing to you are nothing but void at this moment. Your words, to me, are empty.” Victor lifted a finger, the blue sheet-clothing Eleonor sewed for him draping around his upper arm. He poked Bern’s forehead, keeping it to the floor as he slowly continued to push down.

“Threaten me once more, Bern. Insult me. Make a demand. I would see your forehead crushed whilst you scream. Your title means nothing to me. I gave you an offer. Since you no longer want your daughter, I would take her with me, whatever guilt you would have would be unwarranted. But you…”

Victor paused for a moment, feeling a tug from the girl behind him, Eleonor.

“Could… could you not? He’s not a bad person, Victor. He’s my father…” He curled an eyebrow, more out of confusion than anything else, but turned to Bern.

“You will give me compensation for the work I’ve done for you. For taking your daughter as… we’ll say a student, that is more money. You will allow me access to your library until the next moon. And you will allow Eleonor to take any book she wishes from your library, lest your line end here.”

His eyes glowed a fiery golden sheen, as he stared down into Bern’s eyes. The man was a mountain, yet Victor seemed to reach even higher, making Eleonor’s father look like a pebble in comparison. Without another word, a flourish, nor hesitation, Victor stood up. He didn’t push down to get himself upright, which was something Bern didn’t expect. However, what none of the three in the room expected was that Bern was currently sitting in his urine. Thankfully, it hadn’t touched Victor's clothing. It was comfortable. He… enjoyed wearing it.

Several minutes later, Victor and Eleonor were sitting in her room, as she sat on her bed, confused and contemplating something.

“That happened… a lot faster than I expected…” She’d mused aloud. “I… thought he would sell me off into a marriage first, before disowning me. I guess I have you to th-ANK?! Victor! For Farias’ sake! WHY Do you do this all the time?!” Eleonor screeched, averting her eyes and doing a complete turn-around.

While Eleonor was screeching, Victor was simply getting rid of the overcoat she had sewn for him.

“I was going to sleep.”

“Please don’t do that…”

“Go to sle--”

“Strip out of nowhere!”

“No. I will do as I please, when I please.”

Eleonor sighed in exhaustion. She couldn’t win. They knew that if she continued to prolong the argument that she would end up annoyed and give up. There wasn't a chance in hell that Victor would allow her to win. Speaking of Victor, with her face still red, she leaned against her bedpost.

"Why are you intent on taking me with you?" She asked a single-arm crossed over to hold her bicep. A frail bicep, but one nonetheless. "I get that you're a dragon, at least I think I do -- but the point is that I just don't get it. I'm not useful t--"

"You can provide information."

"Okay, so I know a few things, I can't do anyth--"

"You sewed this outfit for me."

"So I sewed an overcoat, I don't have tale--"

"I can--"

"VICTOR!" She yelled, interrupting him. "Just... let me sulk. Father disowned me, Jurrian swore his loyalty to father, and he's still unconscious, I've lost everything."

Victor squinted at her back before he began getting closer to her. Eleonor wasn't listening to his steps, she was focusing on the door at the far end of her room, hoping her father would come in and tell her he was sorry. But, she was knocked out of that when Victor suddenly interrupted her point of view with his... existence. She squeaked and turned away, but before she could get away, Victor grabbed her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. Her own grass-coloured eyes stared into his molten golden globes.

"I see talent in your eyes, Eleonor. I see power. Untapped potential. I see many things you don't because of these eyes of mine." As Victor spoke, his other hand poked her collar. "However, if you sulk, cry, whine, bitch and moan, I will not just abandon you like your father did, I will also k-"

"I get it..." She said, teary-eyed. "I get it, okay? Fine... you win... I'll come with you. Whatever you decide I guess. I'd rather not live on the streets so I guess you're my best bet either way. And... please let go of my face, I can see your... your member."

"And?"

"And I would like to not see it. I would like... VERY much to sleep without lewd thoughts and or dreams."

"What is a dream?"

Eleonor gawked, before shutting her mouth and removing Victors hand from her chin until she climbed into her bed. "I'll tell you in the... morning... right... this isn't my room anymore. Uhm." She paused. "Do you know where I can rest for the night? I'd rather not risk Father throwing me out in my nightwear."

Victor sighed internally before nodding. Gazing down at Eleonor, he walked to her door and waited. She was his student, now. He believed he at least aught to do this much.

After yet another couple minutes of Eleonor packing her things into a bag, which was surprisingly very little, merely a coin purse, a red bow for her hair, and some casual, boyish clothing. Victor nodded and they began walking back into the city. Victor hadn't been wearing his overcoat, which meant that Eleonor was a red mess all over her face, and yet she never once spoke up about it again, already knowing it was pointless. Eventually, they made their way to the inn Victor stayed at. He entered from the right, through the reception, and down the hall, all the way to his room. It was cosy, now that he'd taken a glance around.

A shame he'd be leaving it soon enough. Eleonor planted herself on the bed, the blanket crumpled at the foot of it both thin yet warm.

"So this is where you've been staying?" She asked. Victor nodded as he took his shirt off, again. This time, however, Eleonor didn't scream, or shout, or yell and whine. She merely looked at his back. She hadn't gotten a good look at the river, but now that it was right in front of her, it was hard not to notice.

There was a scale-like pattern across his back, marred in both bruises and cuts alike. Nothing would allow such a permanent mark on their body except for magical brands or injuries. Eleonor mused to herself if he truly was a dragon, the markings -- or rather the repetitive pattern spreading over his back didn't seem fake. It seemed like it was as if Victor was wearing human skin to cover himself.

But he wasn't...

"You're really a dragon?" Eleonor thought aloud. Victor sighed.

"Yes. Get to the point."

"It's just that, well, I'd thought you would be scarier. When you stared at me at the river was pretty scary, but that was because I didn't know you. I just, well I -- I thought that... I don't know."

"Not like the stories, then?" Victor asked.

"Not like the stories." Eleonor responded.

Victor paused. He'd heard bards sing, but their words were often long, and pointlessly complicated.

"What are these stories. I would hear them."