Well, Vrack and his azure-scaled hen did find a private room, but their discussion, although it began as harmless philosophy, quickly became awkward, as discussions between lovers often do.
The two had found a room where grain was stored, which would not be intruded upon until the miller needed to send his boy and his mule to fetch either one of the heavy burlap sacks or two, as demand required. The amorphous sacks were firm but wont to conform to the force impressed upon them, and they could be stacked indefinitely. As they realized their luck to find this room, they began to settle in.
“I am curious,” Vrack asked Anija, “what you meant by hate being an expression of love. How can such opposite forces be like each other at all?”
Anija had gotten her knowledge about the Goddess from a vaguely written scroll only hours earlier, but she was a little bit Grangeresque, being an almost perfectly astute student and a fast learner. “They are very close twins,” she insisted, “and one can even feel both at one time...or one because of the other. One way is for a sworn enmity to lead to reconciliation and therefore to affection that might have never been without the enmity that preceded it. Many powerful alliances have been forged between ancient enemies who, confronted with a common foe, recognized a sense of brotherhood among their animosity. Likewise, unrequited love can lead to a dark, brooding hate. For instance, there were times I hated you, Vrack. I hated you for the thousands of nightmares I had, where I had confessed my love to you, and you called me a stupid, misguided hatchling as you gloated and towered above me. There were times I snapped at you, and I am sorry for that.”
“Well, that explains the incident in Marseille, where—” Vrack began.
“Yes,” Anija interrupted. “I relived that enough times. We behaved like pigs. I did, especially.”
Not to be outdone, Vrack reminded her, “Well, how many times did I tell you, my dear, that you were a heartless ice queen? After all the times I envisioned you spurning me, I had made you out, in my mind, to be all but a monster.”
Anija smiled and cuffed him on the shoulder. “You got in some good ones, along that vein,” she said amusedly. “I appropriated some of those.”
They giggled together for a few more moments as they reminisced. They had already been quarreling like a couple that had been together for a lifetime, and they just had not seen it.
After a while, though, the subject matter inevitably drifted into sexuality. It started thusly. “So what made you suddenly decide to come out, you silly drake? Got yourself enough courage, or did you get tired of waiting?”
Vrack blushed, and he began recounting his experience with Karyu, Astrid, and Hilda. “When Karyu was hilted in me, I cannot deny that it was pleasurable, but I had Astrid and Hilda under my wings and experiencing it with me, as if our minds were linked. I felt what those two had between each other, Anija. They are so perfect for each other, one ancient brass like moss-covered rock, the other soft gold like ripe wheat. As Karyu rutted me, it felt incredible, probably the most sublime sex I have ever gotten, but it was savage domination. Astrid and Hilda are life partners, though. While less intense on the surface, it had roots as deep as an old tree. I realized how empty I felt, just not knowing if you and I could be the same.”
“So you like being rutted?” Anija asked tentatively. “I could become a drake if you wish. I spent a while as such while in the cities, although always receiving. Drakes with both sorts of inclinations seemed to like clinging to my hips.” She really just seemed anxious to make it work in any way that she could.
Vrack blinked a few times, not having thought about that. Yes, dragons could shift their sexes once every five years, although there was a mana expense that would inhibit spell-casting for a few days. “I had not thought about that,” he admitted. “Come to think of it, though, we could serve the kingdom better if we both could bear clutches by a dragon as strong as Karyu. I guess, if we are going to be together for life, we might as well try every combination, at some point.”
Anija grasped Vrack’s forepaw in hers and bent her head. “We will try them all,” she agreed, “together.”
Of many combinations, they decided their first mating and first five years together should be as...