Phaedra sighed contentedly and didn’t move. This. This wasn’t so bad. Sure, it was still way too hot and a bit stuffy, but compared to the alternative it was heavenly. The hot, humid air almost felt nice when she breathed it, now that she wasn’t so miserable.

  “How long do you intend to rest in that?” Yroth asked.

  “Until the water stops being cold,” Phaedra said. “Or we move. Whichever comes first.” She then paused before casting another incantation. A moment later a small ball of ice formed in front of her and fell into the pool of water. “Or they need me to do something.” She let out another content sigh, her wool extending out around her in the water, allowing it to cool every inch of her. Organizing everything had been a lot simpler than she expected, thanks to delegation. Once she had a map of her new territory, she’d just had Yroth pick one of the settlements where it wouldn’t be quite as miserable, then told Xenaris to begin the preparations. Sometimes it was really nice to be the local ruler.

  Nobody had even challenged her yet. Though that was probably because they were afraid she’d sic her dragon on them.

  Granted, she supposed it helped that a lot of work was already done. The territory had been under Carth’s control, so for the time being, most of the demons were probably keeping their heads down and trying to see where the pieces fell. Conquering the territory only to have the dragon return with the Wolf’s daughter had likely been enough to concern even the most troublesome of demons. For now, she’d told Xenaris that if Yroth gave him a command related to the territory, he was to assume it came from her. This had been Yroth’s territory first; if anyone knew how to manage it, it was her.

  Delegation was a wonderful tool that she was sure would bite her in the butt eventually, but for now she was happy to just rest in her bath of cold water and stop being a sweltering mess.

  “You look like a soup,” Yroth said from her position, kneeling by the large tub.

  “I feel more like a bisque,” Phaedra said with yet another content sigh.

  “… What?” Yroth asked.

  “It’s like a creamier soup, I think,” Phaedra said. “Wait, did that word make any sense?”

  Yroth just stared at her.

  “I’m guessing no,” Phaedra said before sighing. “Food is the worst part, you know? Most of those words don’t really have a meaning in my language. Some general things do, like soup. Some berries. Foods named after other things that work in both languages. But even then some of those don’t work. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me whenever someone says a fruit or something I actually know the name of. Oranges. You have ORANGES here. Do you have ANY idea how many oranges I’ve had since I’ve been reborn here?”

  Yroth stared at her before slowly cocking her head to the side.

  “What?” Phaedra asked.

  “I am merely constantly reminded that you… are not of this world,” Yroth said. “We should go ensure everything is going well.”

  “Eh, it’s fine,” Phaedra said dismissively. “I told Xenaris to handle things, you told him who to organize and do that whole… what’s the word? Logistics thing with.”

  Yroth stared at her again.

  “What? What word didn’t translate?” Phaedra asked.

  “They all translated,” Yroth said. “I’m just amazed you know the word ‘logistics’.”

  “I’m smart! I know things!” Phaedra said.

  Yroth just smirked down at her. Her tail moved down, into the water. Slowly, it began to swirl.

  “What are you doing?” Phaedra asked.

  “Stirring the soup,” Yroth said. The tail began to quickly pick up speed.

  Phaedra let out a yelp as she started to get spun around in the tub, an awkward ordeal as, while it was large, it was too thin for her to easily spin around in without hitting the sides. After a few pained rotations she managed to latch onto the tail and hold it. “S-s-s-s-stop!”

  Yroth snickered and stared down at her, but mercifully she stopped. “As amusing as this is, finish up. I wish to see to the safety of my people. Besides, I would like to show you some of the nicer parts of my home.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Phaedra blinked and stared up at her. “Your home? I’ve seen it, though.”

  “No,” Yroth said. “You saw a fake, mocking display of it. I wish for you to see what truly does remain of it. At least, what I can.” She held out a hand to her. “Come with me.”

  Phaedra sighed and shook her head. “I don’t wanna. This is cool,” she whined. “What is there for you to show me here that I can’t see when we go to the cooler parts of your territory?”

  Yroth gave an exasperated sigh. “Does the heat bother you so much? Here I am offering to take you on a tour through my majestic realm, a tour that few would ever be privileged enough to receive from an Ascended Dragon, yet you would rather be soup?” She slowly pulled her hand back.

  Phaedra stared up at her. She didn’t get why she wanted to show her around so much. It was hot and muggy out there; her tub was cold and relaxing. If they went out, then it would mostly just be her hanging on the dragon. She let out a light gasp and stared at her. “W-wait. Are… are you asking me out on a date?”

  The dragon stared at her for a few moments before nodding. “Yes? I suppose I am.”

  Phaedra couldn’t help it. She let out a little squeal and jumped to her hooves, taking Yroth’s hand. “Okay! I’ll come! Eeeee! I’ve never been on a date before!”

  Yroth pulled her out and watched her curiously as she began to dry off as best she could. It was about the time she was trying to de-poof her wool that the dragon spoke up again. “I don’t understand. How have you never gone out on a date before?”

  “Oh, well,” Phaedra said. “Before I was brought here, I just never did it. I kind of didn’t like myself, I thought girls were scary. I had major depression. I was a real mess, let me tell you. Not healthy at all. Sure, I liked girls, but I didn’t know what that really meant. I just figured I wasn’t attractive at all, so how could I ever expect one of them to see me as if I was?” Phaedra asked while she slowly started to get her wool back under control. “But then I finally figured out what I was, but I was so busy I didn’t have the time to even meet anyone, let alone try a relationship. Then I got here and there was no way I was going to try and form a relationship when I didn’t even want to BE Medon, that’d just be lying. Then I became this and let me tell you, Daddy is protective. Any demon that came sniffing around my skirt would probably lose his head if Daddy ever caught him. Even if you hadn’t killed Carth, he’d have likely been heading that way if he’d won. I’ve always wanted to go on one, though! Eeeee!”

  “I don’t get it,” Yroth said. “Wouldn’t you be going on a date every time that you went anywhere?”

  “Huh?” Phaedra asked before turning around. “I don’t--” Finally, it clicked. It was the word issue again. Yroth was hearing date as in the calendar date. Not a romantic event. The smile slowly melted off her lips. “O-oh… oh. Right. I… guess that makes sense… You wouldn’t have… right. S-sorry. I got… excited. I shouldn’t have… sorry.”

  Yroth moved forward and reached out a hand, stroking her hair back. “You are sad now. Tell me, what is a ‘date’? Explain it.”

  “Nothing,” Phaedra said softly, trying to pull back. “I’m sorry. It was dumb. I don’t see why --” She let out a startled bleat when Yroth’s tail grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close.

  “Sheep, tell me,” Yroth said. “It would not make you so sad if it was ‘nothing’.”

  “It’s not important,” Phaedra said weakly. Oh, she both hated and loved it when Yroth got like this. The tub had managed to cool her down, but between the hot air and the dragon holding her so close she was quickly heating up again.

  “Sheep,” Yroth said. “You obviously desire this ‘date’. Explain it so I may understand. Hiding from your desires helps neither of us. If it is something you truly desire, then you must take it.”

  “T-take it?” Phaedra asked softly.

  “Take it,” Yroth said. “So, again. Tell me. What is a date?”

  “It’s like, a uhhhh… getting to know each other thing,” Phaedra said sheepishly, unable to stop herself from giving a tiny little squirmy baa. “Y-you hold hands, talk, maybe k-kiss a-and stuff.” She nervously poked her fingertips together, hoping desperately that it sounded less stupid to the dragon than it did to her.

  Yroth blinked a few times and then nodded. “I see.”

  “So—” Phaedra didn’t get a chance to finish that sentence as it was then that Yroth kissed her on the lips, her tongue invading her mouth in what she likely would have likely called a… she couldn’t really think of what she’d call it as her mind was too busy focusing on the fact there was a very long, reptilian tongue in her mouth and suddenly it was just a little down her throat. She was at least ninety-percent sure that it was NOT supposed to do that. She couldn’t help it, she gagged slightly.

  Yroth pulled back quickly. “Sheep? Are you okay? Is that not what you desired?”

  “I-I-I-I don’t know!” Phaedra shrieked, struggling desperately to suppress her wool from poofing out into a giant ball. “I didn’t expect you to deep-throat me with your TONGUE!”

  “You merely looked so saddened,” Yroth said. “You do not look sad anymore.”

  Phaedra let out a flurry of sounds, none of which made any sense to her anymore, and flailed her arms wildly.

  “Try again?” Yroth asked with a knowing smirk.

  “W-when I said kiss I meant on t-the cheek! And usually at the end! I--”

  “Am a sheep,” Yroth said. “I, on the other hand, am a dragon. When I desire something, I will take it.” Her tail tightened around her slightly. “And now, I desire one of these ‘dates’. And, should I desire it, I will kiss you again. Understand?”

  Phaedra just gave a squeak and nodded. “Y-y-yes’m…”

  “Good,” Yroth said before letting her go with her tail. She reached out, barely catching her before she fell. “Once you can stand again. Oh, Morgana, you truly are such a simple thing.”

  Phaedra just gave an anxiety-riddled bleat.

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