Brand New Day

She came across two cows in the garden, who were debating whether or not they should eat from it.

"I'm not sure." One of them said. "You know the rules - eat from the garden, you're tonight's dinner."

"Well, considering we've got two new dragons here, it might be best to enjoy ourselves while we can." the other said. "I'm willing to bet that alot more of us will be dying in a shorter timeframe than usual."

"Yeah, well if we eat from here, we'll just be guaranteeing it."

"Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with you. But think of it this way - you know Lord Dragon's appetite? He eats a lot sometimes."

"Yeah..."

"Well, now we have three of them. We're bound to get eaten sooner or later. I think it's only smart that we enjoy ourselves while we can. Cutting our losses."

"Well, we do just get reborn again."

"Yeah, but if we want to eat in the garden, better to do it now than to die, get reborn as a calf, and then wait for another time you're comfortable dying..."

Reyna didn't really wait for there conversation to be finished. They were planing on eating the garden was good enough reason. She clamped one down with her claw and gobbled down the other before she ate the other. Better be safe then sorry.

With the red tinting of her vision gone she curled up on her back and lay in the sun a while.

All done. Would you like to go flying for a while? I need excersize or else I'll get fat, a mental giggle followed to show that she was joking.

"Oof!" the cow said, pinned to the ground as Reyna ate the other. "If he wasn't so hesitant, we might've gotten in a bite to eat..." he said in an annoyed tone before he, too, was eaten.

Oh, I'd love to go flying, Eonoe said. We've been so busy with this stuff we haven't had much time to relax. I trust we'll have more time after the wedding, as well.

He shifted into his dragon form and took off into the air, flying over the gardens. He looked down. From above it looked like a colorful forest.

Maybe, it might not be safe to stay too long, Reyna twisted her body and then flew up in to the sky. She gracefully wound her self around clouds, If you would like we can fly with Pernas as well. You probably haven't for sometime now?

True. Eonoe said. Pernas never really liked flying much. Not with others. If he does enjoy it, he likes doing it by himself. He likes being alone with his thoughts, whatever they may be.

He saw a streak of gold sailing up into the clouds, and he followed. There you are! he said, catching up with her.

There you are, Reyna said back and hit him with a ball of white cloud. She laugh softly and then moved to weaver her self through the clouds.

It's probably best that he has thinking space though. He can be pretty dense at times so it gives him a chance to actualy think things through. At least that's what I would think, another mental laugh.

Eonoe coughed a little as the cloud hit him in the face. Didn't know that was possible. He considered the possibility of making the clouds a big more solid, by way of magic. Then he flew through one of them and decided that was just as much fun.

Yes, I agree. Eonoe said. For whatever he thinks about. I used to consider looking at his thoughts while he just sat or walked. But I didn't. I only looked at certain points, like when he was engrossed in a picture he was painting, or when I removed his memories a long time ago. Memories I've since restored.

What happened to him? Where did you take him from? Reyna's mind was running wild with all the ideas of why Eonoe would take him in and she had a suspicion that it was pretty darn close to what she was thinking of.

Well... Eonoe said. I stole him from other dragons that were going to kill him. I was traveling, and I came across a world where the dragons had basically enslaved the humans, using them as livestock. he sighed. I had to steal him. What else could I do?

Reyna curled her body through his, mid flight before she was back in the air on her own, I'm glad you saved him. Humans should not be used as livestock and this is coming from someone who used to chow down on a few now and then. Though I guess you don't want to hear that.

She passed a small laugh and then followed it with a feeling of love that she was sure to cut short as she didn't want to scare him. Even if he was about to marry her. Her hunger combined with her own feelings made her feelings a bit staggering.

Eonoe chuckled a bit as they glided through the air, lazily catching an updraft. I think I could perhaps do without mention of any past wrongdoings. He said. Sometimes I feel guilty about only saving Pernas and not doing more there. Maybe we can go back there someday and set it right, if it's still wrong... his thoughts trailed off as she showed that emotion. She really was in love with him. It shouldn't have been surprising, but her just showing that was something else. But he smiled, sharing an emotion of warmth with her.

A light happieness edged in to her emotions and she soared up higher and higher and reached out for the sky with her claws. She felt as if she could tear straight through it but she slowed and began a long circeling decent, I wish we could fly more but I think my parents are here.

She seemed disgruntled by this fact even though she tried to hide it.

Oh? Eonoe thought, seeing her enthusiasm wane slightly. I think we'd best find a safe spot to change back to humans before greeting them. They haven't seen us as dragons before, so it might frighten them.

He wondered to himself if it might have been a mistake to invite them. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much a problem, he thought as he made his descent.

It's just my mother is what I'm worried about. Not really father, Reyna assured him, I'm glad you invited them, regardless.

She looked about at the growned, They are in the caves currently so we can land just about any where.

"Good." Eonoe said, landing and transforming. "Well, guess I'll have to meet the in-laws, again." he laughed.

"On the upside, even if mom's upset, it'll be very entertaining," Nerrak said. "For me, at least."

"I really hope you stay out of it." Eonoe said, deadpan again.

Reyna landed and changed. Her fingers were in Eonoe's at once, "I don't know if you'll get much intertainment if they actually showed up, Nerrak." She pointed out, though not unkindly, "Besides what if she started trouble for Pernas? Trying to turn him against me. It might upset him."

"What?" Eonoe asked, looking at her with a concerned expression. "You think she'd do that? Try to manipulate Pernas?"

Eonoe took out the crystal. It wasn't glowing. "Good. Sethos didn't get through, either because of the magic, or because they're just that good at hiding. I wonder how surprised they'll be." he said as he turned to the cave, his hand in hers, thinking about what he'd say to them. Probably something to the effect of 'I'm sorry we left on a bad note last time. How are you? Have you been receiving all of our letters? How would you like dinner?' etc.

"No, I think she would tell him that I was going to eat you and then him," Reyna said which wasn't completely not the truth. She did eat off of Eonoe but she was careful, or at least she tried really hard to not take more, "Maybe I should tell him first then? Just so he's not as freaked out if she brings it down on him."

"Hmm..." Eonoe said, in thought. "I think it might be best to warn Pernas that the in-laws might be a little leery about the whole affair, yes. Specifics, I'm not sure of. If we make very specific warnings, it might make him suspicious. The last thing we need is suspicion."

Nerrak laughed. "I can just imagine him being frightened you were going to eat him. That'd be so adorable."

"Were it not for his traumatic past in precisely that area." Eonoe added.

"I wouldn't eat him though. I wouldn't ever even dare," Reyna stopped him and sighed, "There are some things they are going to tell you as well. I can't have kids. I've forgotten part of my life when I was little because I was a mouse for a very long time because that's all they would feed me when I was a baby and I forgot I was human for a while." She shrugged feeling bad about keeping it but hoped he would understand. Her fingers tightened slightly.

Eonoe was silent for a moment. That was a bit of surprising information there that he hadn't expected.

He put his arms around her. "It'll be alright." Eonoe said. "There's nothing anyone can say that would make me stop loving you."

It sent shivvers down her spine and then she pressed her face in to his welcoming robes and let him hold her for a while, "Thank you."

She paused and looked up at him. At first she felt as if she could never say enough but finaly she blurted out, "I love you."

Eonoe smiled. "I know." he said softly. "And I love you, too." He looked up at the sky. "It'll be evening, soon. We should go see them before it gets too late."

"Okay," Reyna squeezed his hand and turned towards the caves. Even though she didn't really like them in the first place it felt even more oppressive with the fact she was facing her mom. She felt as if she might try to jump her but that might freak both Eonoe and Pernas out. So, it probably wasn't the best idea.

They eventually came to a room where a phonograph was playing Puccini.

"A phonograph?" Eonoe asked, puzzled. "Nerrak, did I give Pernas a phonograph?"

"Yeah, I think so." Nerrak said. "Several."

"Huh." Eonoe said.

"It'd be nice if we had some way to keep in contact aside from the one-way supply of letters." A voice said, from a man standing next to a chair in the room. It was Reyna's father. "May I sit down?" he asked cordially.

"Oh, yes, by all means." Eonoe said. Her father sat down.