Phaedra stumbled slightly when she stepped out into the main courtyard. A small table was in the middle, where Carth was sitting. A chair was pulled out across from him which she presumed was for her.

  Aside from that, the courtyard appeared to be empty. No guards. No crowd. Even her escort was leaving now.

  She glanced back at Yroth, who merely shrugged. It was good to know the dragon had no more idea than her. She motioned for Yroth to wait behind before she slowly walked forward, glancing around nervously. It wasn’t often a demon wanted to hide such a ritual. Most demons she knew loved putting on a big show. “So you’ve made your decision? What you desire?”

  “Indeed,” Carth said. “You desire my territory; what I desire is quite simple. If you’ll take a seat?”

  Phaedra sat down and cringed. The chair was wooden and, to her embarrassment, her fleece made a little squishy sound when she sat. She hated this place. She was so, so tired of being sweaty and sticky and feeling overheated.

  “Please, help yourself,” Carth said, motioning to the food.

  “I’m not very hungry,” Phaedra said. All of it was meat of some kind. It was too hot for spicy, savory things. She wanted something cold and gentle on her tongue.

  “Ah, right, I do suppose you are still a sheep, meat must be unpleasant. Aside from the hearts of your enemies, of course,” Carth said before glancing up at her again. “I do hope you don’t mind if I enjoy my meal?”

  “Uhhhh… go ahead,” Phaedra said, deciding to not correct him on the reason for her denial. “But what does this have to do with the Rite of Conquest?”

  “There are many ways to start one,” Carth said. “How often do I get an opportunity to host one for the daughter of his lordship? Besides, I’ve always been partial to the sharing of wine at twilight. Very symbolic.”

  Phaedra sighed before nodding. He really seemed to be taking this a bit too simply. Did he think she was really that harmless? “Very well? I guess? So, what is it you desire, should you win?”

  “Now now,” Carth said before grinning at her and flashing his fangs. “Before that I would like to make a small… proposition. To make it more interesting.”

  “Proposition?” Phaedra asked, narrowing her eyes on him.

  “Indeed,” Carth said before motioning towards Yroth. “After all… this is the Ascended Dragon’s home, is it not? Why not allow her to participate as well?”

  “W-what?” Phaedra asked before glancing back. “You want to fight her? Instead of me?”

  “Oh, no no,” Carth said, shaking his head and drawing her focus once more. “You call her your… pet, do you not? So why do we not allow both of our pets to aid us in this encounter?”

  “You have a pet?” Phaedra asked.

  “Indeed,” Carth said before snapping his fingers.

  Phaedra only barely managed to suppress the urge to squeal when she saw his ‘pet’. A mouse demon. She was so CUTE! While mouse demons tended to be incredibly small, this one was likely a runt even amongst them. The tiny little mouse crawled up onto the table, hidden from view before, and then took a small bow. “Your ladyship,” the girl said.

  Phaedra had to dig her fingers into her knees to suppress the desire to snag the tiny thing up and hug her. Her voice was so cute and tiny and the little maid outfit she had was so precious. She even had a little pink bow in her hair. Where had they FOUND a bow that small? Even standing on two feet the mouse likely wouldn’t have come up to her waist. “You want to fight me and a dragon, with a mouse? Are you sure?” Phaedra asked.

  “Entirely,” Carth said. “It may sound insane, but I assure you it isn’t. After all, your pet only serves you due to the chains she wears, while mine merely… knows better.”

  Phaedra dug her nails into her knee when the little mouse girl cringed at that point. She didn’t know what he had done to frighten her like that, but every instinct she had told her to grab the mouse and hug her tight before tearing the Carth in half. “Very well, I see no reason to object,” Phaedra said.

  A moment later the mouse was gone. It took her a moment to realize the mouse had run off, now sitting back under the table. She was fast. Incredibly fast. Was this why Carth wanted her?

  “Now then, I believe a battle until one yields is permissible?” Carth asked with a small smirk.

  “That seems fine,” Phaedra said.

  “Then, finally, the reward for my victory,” Carth said before slowly swirling his drink in his cup. He glanced up for a moment, before drinking from it. Only after he had taken a long drink did he speak. “I desire one thing.”

  “Yessssss?” Phaedra asked, lightly tapping her fingers on the table in aggravation. She wished he would just hurry and get on with it.

  “You,” Carth said before grinning up at her. “All of you. Everything you have. Everything you are.”

  “W-what?” Phaedra asked, staring at him.

  “You,” Carth said. “You desire my territory. You have none of your own. So I desire… you. If I defeat you, you will become my wi-- no. I suppose that would be too strong a word. You will be my pet. Is that not fitting? What better role for one such as I than the owner of the Demon Lord’s daughter?”

  Phaedra’s eyes narrowed and she let out a low growl. Once again she saw the world begin to turn red and she struggled to suppress it. “I see. Very… well. I accept your challenge.”

  “Of course,” Carth said before picking up a small golden goblet. He poured wine into it for a moment and then dug one of his claws into his thumb, drawing blood. He dripped a few drops of his blood into it before offering it to her.

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  Fortunately, Phaedra had dug her nails so deeply into her legs she had managed to draw blood. She took the goblet, dripped the blood in and swirled it around, before taking a single drink from it. A moment later she felt the magic washing over her. She held the goblet out to him.

  Carth chuckled and took it. “You really are a naive little thing, aren’t you?” he asked. “I just want you to know you’ve played into my desires from the beginning.” She heard a heavy thump behind her a moment before he drank from it.

  Phaedra glanced behind herself to see Yroth was unbound, the collar and bindings on the ground. The mouse demon on her shoulder, a small lockpick in hand.

  What?

  “Oh dear, would you look at that,” Carth said with a light chuckle. “It seems your own pet isn’t quite as tamed as you believed.”

  “Huh?” Phaedra asked.

  “You are still the Wolf’s daughter,” Carth said, flashing an amused smirk at her. “Even if you are just a sheep, I’m certain you’re a lot more powerful than you let on. But you really were so foolish to think I’d wish to fight you AND an Ascended Dragon?”

  “… What?” Phaedra asked.

  “The terms were simple, little sheep,” Carth said before returning to his meal. “You may surrender if you want, but there’s nobody coming to save you and help you win. My own forces have been directed to ensure we are not disturbed until a victor is decided, no matter what they hear or see. Your guards will not be coming. I will admit, I was… unsure if you’d take the bait. But devouring her son’s heart? Oh, it was perfect. You played your role well. And now? You’ll play a new role. My… why are you laughing?”

  Phaedra couldn’t help it. She tried to suppress it, but she couldn’t. She covered her mouth with her hand, shaking her head. “N-no, please. Go on.”

  “What’s so funny?” Carth asked before standing up, his tails beginning to glow. “You think I am a joke? That I--”

  “She’s not really my pet,” Phaedra said. “Seriously? That was your plan? Make her mad enough and then unchain her?” She glanced back at Yroth. “You can come up now, you’re part of the Rite. Looks like you got your wish.”

  “Am I now?” Yroth asked. Before the mouse could pull away, she reached out and snatched her by her neck.

  “Don’t hurt her!” Phaedra said quickly.

  “W-what?” Carth and Yroth said at the same time.

  “She’s adorable,” Phaedra said sheepishly

  Carth stared at her with confusion and fear. Yroth stared at her like she was an idiot.

  “Sorry,” Phaedra said. “But please?”

  Yroth sighed before dropping the mouse demon in her lap. Before the poor thing could run off, she gave her a tight little hug. “Awww. You’re a widdle fuzzy thing, aren’t ya?” Phaedra asked.

  “I-impossible,” Carth said before jumping to his feet, his chair tumbling to the ground. “Y-you’re an Ascended Dragon. H-how can you be her… her willing… s-she ate your child’s heart! You--”

  “How long have you directed your soldiers against my people?” Yroth asked, a low growl coming from her. Slowly she began to grow, leaning forward and going down to all fours as her body began to take its more draconic form. “How many of my children have met their end against your forces? Did you truly believe I would forget all you have done in a single display of mocking ‘kindness’ towards my people? Are you truly that stupid, or just that arrogant?”

  Carth gulped, backing away ever further while the dragon towered over him. “I-I offer you your freedom, I--”

  “I already have it,” Yroth said, baring her teeth at him and embers rising from her maw.

  Carth gulped before he started to grow as well. Phaedra almost felt bad for him when he rose up. As fox demons went, he was fairly large. Nearly two stories tall, with half his body made of glowing red stone, the other half seemingly of flame. From the stone lava leaked down, dripping on the ground. With his three tails behind him, swaying lightly in the night, he would have looked quite intimidating.

  If not for the fact Yroth was already nearly twice his size, Phaedra would have worried. As it was, she quickly turned her back to what she was certain would be a grisly display and focused on the mouse. “So what’s your name?”

  “I don’t… have one,” the mouse said before cringing when a pained yowl filled the air.

  “Awwww,” Phaedra said. “How’d you get this cute widdle maid outfit?”

  “I… I made it,” the mouse said before cringing again at the sound of crunching stone.

  “Ohhhhh, you can sew? It’s so cute! I can call you… Maid Mouse! Okay, no, that’s silly. MM? Noooo… Oh! Emma! I can call you Emma! Like M from the mouse and maid!” Phaedra said happily.

  “W-what?” Emma asked.

  “Oh, right. That probably… don’t worry. I’ll call you Emma. So, how did you end up working with Carth?” Phaedra asked.

  “He was going to kill me and devour my--” A scream tore through the air and she gave a soft squeak. “That, if I didn’t do as he said, Lady Phaedra.”

  “Oh,” Phaedra said, the smile falling off her face. “I… I see. I ummm… wow. This is… err… well. I can assure you, he won’t be… doing that… to you… ever. Uhhhh… oh. Right.” She glanced back and cringed at the sight of scattered ash, blood, magma and stone. She then looked back down at Emma. “Do you yield? Cause I think you’re in this too.”

  “I-I yield,” the mouse said with a light squeak that made her want to hug the little thing even more.

  “Yay! I win! I guess this means you’re mine now. I… should… probably go get ready for whoever’s going to come bother us,” Phaedra said before glancing at the table. “Are… you hungry, Emma?”

  “Uhhhh… a… little,” Emma said nervously.

  “Help yourself, we’ll be going soon,” Phaedra said before lightly placing the mouse on the table. Honestly, she doubted she could eat anyway. She then glanced towards Yroth. She supposed that was the biggest issue with Ascended Dragons. They didn’t really… do subtlety. She walked back to pick up the bindings that had been removed from her before turning to walk in front of the dragon. “I’m going to the throne room. Can you keep an eye on Emma until she’s done, then bring her to me?”

  Yroth stared down at her, eyes narrowed to slits. “Who?”

  “The mouse,” Phaedra said.

  “You’re kidding,” the dragon said before lowering her head down to hers.

  “Nope,” Phaedra said before reaching out and lightly poking her snout. “It shouldn’t take too long, just a lot of puffing and yelling. Also, next time can you try a little smaller? Everyone within five miles likely knows what you just did.”

  Yroth just gave a light snort.

  “Don’t you even try acting like you don’t care,” Phaedra snapped. “If my father comes here you know we’re both in trouble.”

  Yroth gave a low growl before beginning to shrink back down. “Very well.” She didn’t shrink down to her kobold form, however, instead remaining a full, albeit smaller, dragon. She grudgingly allowed her to put the bindings back on.

  Phaedra sighed before turning to walk out from the courtyard. Cringing when she passed one of the tails, still wreathed in flames. Well, her dad would at least be proud. So long as he didn’t find out why Yroth had done the fighting for her. Now all she had to do was convince everyone she, still, somehow had Yroth under control.

  Also, she needed to find out how that mouse knew how to make a cute lil’ maid outfit. She’d never even seen a maid outfit like that in this world! Maybe she could get one. Maybe she could get Yroth one, too!

  On second thought, Yroth might kill her if she suggested it. So maybe just one for her.

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