How To Win A Draconid's Heart (IC, Closed)

[Dyste]

It was a normal day in in Pansapient Empire, or at least by their definition of 'normal'. But today, they would be host to a group that in most nations would be considered out of the ordinary.

In the skies over Ganosia, several shadows could be seen, flying in the direction of the capital, Olyan. They were far too large to be birds, but their shapes were not those of airplanes, either. Dragons, perhaps?

Within the capital, one of these fliers suddenly flew straight down, landing in an area on the streets lined within a circle - was it made for them to land? - with an impact that caused a small tremor. One by one, the other fliers landed in this circle.

They clearly had resemblance to dragons, with scales of various colours, horns, tails, and wings, though after they landed, they stood upright like a human. They were all quite large, though one of them stood even taller than the rest. This one, who seemed to be the leader, was the first to speak.

"GHA HA HA! Now that is what I call an arrival! It seems they listened to our request for a place to land, but I think they might have misheard us when we told then we were flying here! Ah, but it seems that we caused more damage to the road than it did to us. No matter, we can fix it for them. Now, where is that person who was supposed to meet us... come to think of it, who was it? Come on, does anyone else know?! I cannot be responsible for everything on this trip!"

One of the other dragonlike individuals spoke up, "Your Majesty, please do not worry. I am positive that they are to meet us here shortly."

"Well, I hope so. I am honestly quite hungry after that long trip. A Draconid of my size especially needs to eat lots of food."

The other 'Draconid' spoke up, "If anything, Sire, you could stand to lose a bit of weight. In think more of the damage to the road was caused by you than the rest of us put together..."

"... I will pretend I did not hear that. Besides, it is nothing a little bit of magic cannot fix... hm, do these people even use magic? Ah, no matter. This is a very important day for Dyste, and I hope you all show the proper respect to our hosts."

All of these Draconids took a deep bow to their leader, except for one that appeared to share his black and gold scale pattern. They then sat cross-legged on the ground, waiting patiently for the one meant to meet them.

(OoC: My first RP, yay! This is one with me and The Pansapient Empire of Ganosia, or 'Ganos Lao'. Hope you enjoy it!)

[Ganos Lao]

Once the Draconids had touched Ganosian ground, they were swarmed - politely and respectfully - by their hosts. Due to the unfortunate lack of transportation, the Draconids had to walk the entire way to the Imperial Palace while under significant security protection. The Draconids became as peculiar a sight to those who watched them walk by as a circus sideshow would be, but in the sense of wonder that such beings existed rather then derision. Ganosians were tolerant towards non-humans, and the Draconids were no exception. They would be tolerated and welcomed just like any other non-humans would be.

Eventually it came to pass that they arrived at their destination, greeted yet again by swarms of polite hosts. The Ganosians figured that they would have to go to the drawing board sometime after all this to plan accordingly for future Draconid visitations.

The Empress, having been told that her guests were rather peculiar in terms of girth, decided to hold the reception in the Imperial Gardens where she - and Lilith, Princess and Governor of Yuri Island - were standing with some other people like more security guards around the lovely flowers. Cherry blossoms and roses were all so very nice when put together - of course, the Ganosian Empress had mentioned this when she first met her guests, welcoming them to Ganosia with a smile - she sat upon a rather posh chair while she expected the Draconids would sit on the ground since, unfortunately, she had no chairs that could support them.

"You must be the King of Dyste," the Empress told the head Draconid. "It is a pleasure to meet you. We were told that you walked all the way here! That's awful, but unfortunately we didn't really have any transportation big enough to accomodate you. No matter - you will be cared for in the future whenever you visit again when it comes to transportation if you choose to visit us again."

While Quinn talked to them, Vorelah, if she bothered to notice, could notice Princess Lilith intently studying her every detail. There was something interesting apparently about a fully grown Draconid woman. Lilith would try - she decided - to seduce Vorelah and see how climbing aboard a Dragon would really feel, but until then she would keep her distance and merely watch. After all, she didn't want to hit on her openly until the time was right and until they were preferably - somehow, by the grace of Fortune - alone in a secluded location. So until she could get Vorelah to that point, she bade her time and decided to observe the dealings of the Draconids with her sister.

[Dyste]

The King sat down first, directly across from Empress Quinn. Even while sitting down, he had to bend over a bit to look at her at eye level.

''Please, Your Imperial Majesty, it is perfectly alright. I am used to traversing my lands on foot all the time, and I enjoyed seeing your people's reactions to us. Ah, but I should introduce myself and my people, correct? I am King Tyroth Dyste, Grand Monarchy of Dyste and Lord of the Draconids. I have ruled the Draconid Monarchy of Dyste since its founding so long ago...''

At that point, Tyroth raised his hand and beckoned three other Draconids to his side. A green-scaled Draconid with odd markings on his body sat to his left, his eyes closed as if he was meditating. ''This is Zihark Jemson, the Sage of Truth and my personal assistant for this visit.''

A muscular red-scaled Draconid wearing a blue cloak and holding a large axe sat to his right. She noticed Princess Lilith looking at her, but decided to pay it no notice for now - she figured that she was simply curious about her race. ''Dame Vorelah Firewing of my Royal Knights, who will be serving as a bodyguard - not for me, I can take care of myself - but rather, for...''

Between Tyroth and Vorelah sat the Draconid who shared Tyroth's black and gold scales; they were the only two of the visiting Draconids who had this colouration. ''My dearest daughter, Princess Fyrah. She has come to learn about your lovely Empire while we do business.''

The other Draconids sat down, many of them admiring the beauty of the flowers and scenery. Having people make such a big deal about them was rather overwhelming for a lot of them; many of them have never set foot outside of Dyste before now. After making sure his people were comfortable, Tyroth spoke again.

''Before we continue, I would like to thank you for meeting with us. Dyste has not had much contact with the outside world until recently; indeed, the whole nation of an Empire with so many species living in equality is something many of us felt was not possible. You have been most gracious with your hospitality toward us, and I hope that once we are done, I can prove to my people that there nations out there that we can consider our friends, and that they can open their hearts to you. We may look huge and powerful, and we are. But just because of our appearance, it does not mean we are to be feared; my people are among the most compassionate in the word, and I am sure that spending time with them will prove this to you.''

[Ganos Lao]

The King sat down first, directly across from Empress Quinn. Even while sitting down, he had to bend over a bit to look at her at eye level.

''Please, Your Imperial Majesty, it is perfectly alright. I am used to traversing my lands on foot all the time, and I enjoyed seeing your people's reactions to us. Ah, but I should introduce myself and my people, correct? I am King Tyroth Dyste, Grand Monarchy of Dyste and Lord of the Draconids. I have ruled the Draconid Monarchy of Dyste since its founding so long ago...''

"Ganosians are quite tolerant of non-humans, but We suppose you are a peculiar sort," said Empress Quinn. "But it is of no matter to Us - you will find that We are quite happy to welcome you into our home like this."

At that point, Tyroth raised his hand and beckoned three other Draconids to his side. A green-scaled Draconid with odd markings on his body sat to his left, his eyes closed as if he was meditating. ''This is Zihark Jemson, the Sage of Truth and my personal assistant for this visit.''

A muscular red-scaled Draconid wearing a blue cloak and holding a large axe sat to his right. She noticed Princess Lilith looking at her, but decided to pay it no notice for now - she figured that she was simply curious about her race. ''Dame Vorelah Firewing of my Royal Knights, who will be serving as a bodyguard - not for me, I can take care of myself - but rather, for...''

Between Tyroth and Vorelah sat the Draconid who shared Tyroth's black and gold scales; they were the only two of the visiting Draconids who had this colouration. ''My dearest daughter, Princess Fyrah. She has come to learn about your lovely Empire while we do business.''

The Empress nodded her head approvingly. "Welcome, all of you, to Our nation. Might We suggest, though, that Princess Fyrah go upon a tour of Our home? We can provide her with a suitable tour guide who can keep her posted on every little detail. You and your other companions can go on your own tour after we have completed our talks - We are just merely sure that Her Highness would rather like to enrich her mind about Our Empire beginning with where the magic happens, so to speak."

''Before we continue, I would like to thank you for meeting with us. Dyste has not had much contact with the outside world until recently; indeed, the whole nation of an Empire with so many species living in equality is something many of us felt was not possible. You have been most gracious with your hospitality toward us, and I hope that once we are done, I can prove to my people that there nations out there that we can consider our friends, and that they can open their hearts to you. We may look huge and powerful, and we are. But just because of our appearance, it does not mean we are to be feared; my people are among the most compassionate in the word, and I am sure that spending time with them will prove this to you.''

The Empress nodded approvingly.

"In Ganosia, all non-humans are tolerated much like you yourself have noticed. Perhaps after a string of diplomatic successes, we can enable your fellow Draconids to live and work within Ganosia. We are not suggesting that you have to necessarily earn this, though, but one must take into account that right now your people do not, well, know of Ganosia. They wouldn't bother to even visit us. But We intend to lead the way in showing them why they ought to do just that, and more beyond that."

Quinn smiled at Tyroth. She thought he was a pretty nice guy.

"You don't need to worry about proving anything to Ganosia. Just be yourselves. Now - what shall we discuss first?"

[Dyste]

"Ganosians are quite tolerant of non-humans, but We suppose you are a peculiar sort," said Empress Quinn. "But it is of no matter to Us - you will find that We are quite happy to welcome you into our home like this."

Tyroth let out a laugh, "GAH HA HA! I suppose to you we are peculiar, but to us, humans are a strange breed. I suppose it is all a matter of perception. But regardless, I do appreciate your hospitality, your Imperial Majesty. I enjoy talking to other species, but until recently, I rarely had the chance to do so."

The Empress nodded her head approvingly. "Welcome, all of you, to Our nation. Might We suggest, though, that Princess Fyrah go upon a tour of Our home? We can provide her with a suitable tour guide who can keep her posted on every little detail. You and your other companions can go on your own tour after we have completed our talks - We are just merely sure that Her Highness would rather like to enrich her mind about Our Empire beginning with where the magic happens, so to speak."

"Ah, but does she really want to? I would think that she-"

"Father," Princess Fyrah spoke up for the first time, "I am capable of making my own decisions. Your Imperial Majesty, I would love to take you up on your offer."

"Oh, so you can talk, my dear. I thought maybe the flight caused you to lose your voice." Tyroth put his arm on his daughter's head. "I expect that my dearest daughter will be treated with care and respect on her trip. I will make sure that my guards accompany her-"

"FATHER!" Fyrah stood up, looking frustrated, "I am more than capable of handling myself! I may not be a warrior, but I am still a mighty Draconid, and I do not need to be watched over like some injured Wind Drake! I will be fine with just the tour guide. Your Imperial Majesty, I will be waiting at the castle gates for the guide. Good day to you." Fyrah left the room without looking at her father.

Tyroth sighed, "Sorry, my daughter can have a stubborn streak to her. I believe she got it from her mother. You would think I would be used to raising children after how long I have lived and how many I have, but sometimes with all the experience one has, one can still say something to upset them."

The Empress nodded approvingly.

"In Ganosia, all non-humans are tolerated much like you yourself have noticed. Perhaps after a string of diplomatic successes, we can enable your fellow Draconids to live and work within Ganosia. We are not suggesting that you have to necessarily earn this, though, but one must take into account that right now your people do not, well, know of Ganosia. They wouldn't bother to even visit us. But We intend to lead the way in showing them why they ought to do just that, and more beyond that."

Quinn smiled at Tyroth. She thought he was a pretty nice guy.

"You don't need to worry about proving anything to Ganosia. Just be yourselves. Now - what shall we discuss first?"

Tyroth seemed to get over Fyrah's outburst by this point, and was smiling once more. "I suppose we should learn more about the customs and history of Ganosia, and why my people should visit here. And if you do not mind, I am feeling a bit hungry; we have had a long trip and could use some nourishment."

Tyroth always loved eating foreign foods; he found that he could learn a lot about people and culture by sharing a meal. He considered going to see Fyrah, but decided to let her have some space for a while; he would go and talk to her later.

Vorelah noticed that Princess Lilith was still staring at her. What is with this human? I am used to getting looks from them, but never like this... and yet, I do not mind this one. She seems different from other humans, but I cannot place what it is about this one...

[Ganos Lao]

Tyroth let out a laugh, "GAH HA HA! I suppose to you we are peculiar, but to us, humans are a strange breed. I suppose it is all a matter of perception. But regardless, I do appreciate your hospitality, your Imperial Majesty. I enjoy talking to other species, but until recently, I rarely had the chance to do so."

The Empress nodded approvingly. "You are free to talk to other species should you run into them during your stay in the Empire. We are no stranger to reptilian races; one of Our cousins, in fact, has a father who is reptilian. Her mother is human, though. Ganosians are the mixture of humans and non-humans into a collective populace spread out throughout Our empire - Draconids in our midst, regardless of your unique form of transportation, isn't exactly going to be seen as uncommon."

"Ah, but does she really want to? I would think that she-"

"Father," Princess Fyrah spoke up for the first time, "I am capable of making my own decisions. Your Imperial Majesty, I would love to take you up on your offer."

"Oh, so you can talk, my dear. I thought maybe the flight caused you to lose your voice." Tyroth put his arm on his daughter's head. "I expect that my dearest daughter will be treated with care and respect on her trip. I will make sure that my guards accompany her-"

"FATHER!" Fyrah stood up, looking frustrated, "I am more than capable of handling myself! I may not be a warrior, but I am still a mighty Draconid, and I do not need to be watched over like some injured Wind Drake! I will be fine with just the tour guide. Your Imperial Majesty, I will be waiting at the castle gates for the guide. Good day to you." Fyrah left the room without looking at her father.

Tyroth sighed, "Sorry, my daughter can have a stubborn streak to her. I believe she got it from her mother. You would think I would be used to raising children after how long I have lived and how many I have, but sometimes with all the experience one has, one can still say something to upset them."

The Empress chuckled slightly.

"Being the mother of quintuplets, We know fully well how raising children can be - it is not easy a task at all, and often We find ourselves striving to spend more time with them amidst all the politics that We have to go through. The colonies have become Our surrogate children, and they compete for Our attention against Our own flesh and blood. But We will spare you further details, so you can organize your stay with Our aid. Miss Fyrah shall have someone to escort her around in order to better explain what she may come across during her stay in our capital. Fear not about her security - she will have the eyes of the Enclave always watching to make sure she is alright."

Tyroth seemed to get over Fyrah's outburst by this point, and was smiling once more. "I suppose we should learn more about the customs and history of Ganosia, and why my people should visit here. And if you do not mind, I am feeling a bit hungry; we have had a long trip and could use some nourishment."

Tyroth always loved eating foreign foods; he found that he could learn a lot about people and culture by sharing a meal. He considered going to see Fyrah, but decided to let her have some space for a while; he would go and talk to her later.

The Empress snapped her fingers to summon Steffy - the Nekomini maid who many Ganosians had seen as the confidant of the Empress since the end of the Second Ganosian Revolution. Quinn imparted unto Steffy the desire of the Draconids to have nourishment, so Steffy ran off to alert the Imperial Kitchens to produce some food and beverages for the visitors. The Empress nodded her head, and proceeded to explain what made the Ganosian Empire tick in relation to the Draconids while Tyroth awaited his nourishment.

"It would be best to describe Our domain as a mosaic - of cultures, religions, cuisines. Olyan, Our capital, is merely a microcosm - the penultimate point where every single one of these can be found for the perusal of any tourist, human or non-human, who wishes to visit and snoop through them. Your people - once we handle how to deal with the issue of Draconid transportation on a mass scale - would be free to visit any part of our Empire, although some regulations would be applied to your people in the interests of Ganosian security. Any Draconids, for example, who practice any religion we deem a cult would be barred from entering our Empire's borders. Ganosians are not anti-religious, but we have little love for fundamentalism and cults, both of which oppressed our people - We bearing the burden of such oppression."

Quinn decided not to shower Tyroth with the details of her personal involvement in the days before the Revolution.

"All you need to know is that your people would be able to live, work, and learn in our Empire's borders. The Draconids would be welcomed into the homes of many tolerant Ganosians, into their businesses, maybe even their families if you catch my drift. We do not intend to do any harm upon any Draconid man, woman or child who visits Ganosia. My brother's non-human rights advocacy group would start protests if we did just that."

Vorelah noticed that Princess Lilith was still staring at her. What is with this human? I am used to getting looks from them, but never like this... and yet, I do not mind this one. She seems different from other humans, but I cannot place what it is about this one...

While Tyroth was distracted by Quinn, Lilith decided to leave the vicinity while subtly beckoning over to Vorelah to follow her....

[Dyste]

Fyrah was still angry as she exited the castle. When will Father stop treating me like a child? I am 288 years old! I deserve more respect! ... What is the matter with me? I am a princess; I am supposed to be setting a good example for our people... She sighed; perhaps this would be a good time to look around the city, but she was worried about getting lost; Valitora was a fraction of the size of Olyan. Perhaps I should wait for my guide, she thought as she sat outside the castle gates.

The Empress chuckled slightly.

"Being the mother of quintuplets, We know fully well how raising children can be - it is not easy a task at all, and often We find ourselves striving to spend more time with them amidst all the politics that We have to go through. The colonies have become Our surrogate children, and they compete for Our attention against Our own flesh and blood. But We will spare you further details, so you can organize your stay with Our aid. Miss Fyrah shall have someone to escort her around in order to better explain what she may come across during her stay in our capital. Fear not about her security - she will have the eyes of the Enclave always watching to make sure she is alright."

Hm, is this how human royals talk? I suppose that I am hardly the average monarch, but this 'We' and 'Our' talk is rather odd, Tyroth thought to himself.

Zihark, who was still seemingly meditating, spoke up, "Sire, this I believe would be the best choice of action. Her Highness has a strong will much like yourself, and would likely resist any direct help. Asking for their assistance may be the best way to keep an eye on her."

Tyroth laughed, "Ha! You can talk after all! Fine, that is what I will do. Your Imperial Majesty, I accept your assistance, and request that her that her guide meet up with her; I do not think a 10-foot black reptile is exactly easy to miss. Vorelah, you are considered off-duty for now; do as you please until I request your assistance."

Vorelah looked relieved at this; while she did care about the princess's safety, she had other business to attend to. "Very well, Your Majesty. I shall excuse myself for now." Vorelah stood up and left the hall. I should see what that human wants from me. Now, where did she go off to?

"It would be best to describe Our domain as a mosaic - of cultures, religions, cuisines. Olyan, Our capital, is merely a microcosm - the penultimate point where every single one of these can be found for the perusal of any tourist, human or non-human, who wishes to visit and snoop through them. Your people - once we handle how to deal with the issue of Draconid transportation on a mass scale - would be free to visit any part of our Empire, although some regulations would be applied to your people in the interests of Ganosian security. Any Draconids, for example, who practice any religion we deem a cult would be barred from entering our Empire's borders. Ganosians are not anti-religious, but we have little love for fundamentalism and cults, both of which oppressed our people - We bearing the burden of such oppression.

"All you need to know is that your people would be able to live, work, and learn in our Empire's borders. The Draconids would be welcomed into the homes of many tolerant Ganosians, into their businesses, maybe even their families if you catch my drift. We do not intend to do any harm upon any Draconid man, woman or child who visits Ganosia. My brother's non-human rights advocacy group would start protests if we did just that."

Tyroth listened intently to her description of the Pansapient Empire. "It sounds like a fine place, Your Imperial Majesty. I think my our people would be only too happy to visit your beautiful empire. On the subject of religion, the primary faith of our country is known as the Order of Bahamut, based off the teaching of the God-King of Good Dragons. Now, we believe that Bahamut cares more about one's actions rather than being worshiped, and as such, many follow the values of benevolence, compassion, and valuing the lives of ourselves and others, and avoiding cruelty and oppression. It is of course not mandatory, though over eighty per cent of our population follows this faith..."

By this point, Tyroth's wings were drooping, and he was rubbing his belly; his concentration was waning. "Heh... I am not used to going this long without food. As you can imagine, someone like me needs much nourishment to stay at my best. Do not worry about cooking too little; we have ways to feed our population." This will be an excellent time to show off an exhibition of our skills. I hope they are ready to see what we are capable of doing...

[Ganos Lao]

Prince Scott of Ganosia had always been the ladies' man.

As a little boy they'd always say he was pure cuteness.

But as a young man, they'd always say he was pure hotness.

Neither had bothered him. At least he understood the latter - less patronizing 'baby' babble and more understandable - albeit sometimes a bit annoying - teen girl squeeeing that seemed to echo throughout the Empire.

He had cross-species appeal, which didn't really bother him, and he certainly didn't think about it when he saw Fyrah sitting there on the ground. He was moreso confused about why she'd sit on the bare ground like that instead of stand, and why she was alone like that anyways. Figuring she needed someone to guide her around the city and that she was another visitor to the Ganosian Empress, his cousin, Scott walked up to Fyrah and welcomed her to Ganosia.

"The name's Scott. No need for formalities, Miss. I assume your father must be talking to my cousin and that you've been sent away or something?"

Running with assumptions, Scott smiled at Fyrah and prepared mentally a big lecture about the city.

---

Fyrah was still angry as she exited the castle. When will Father stop treating me like a child? I am 288 years old! I deserve more respect! ... What is the matter with me? I am a princess; I am supposed to be setting a good example for our people... She sighed; perhaps this would be a good time to look around the city, but she was worried about getting lost; Valitora was a fraction of the size of Olyan. Perhaps I should wait for my guide, she thought as she sat outside the castle gates.

Vorelah looked relieved at this; while she did care about the princess's safety, she had other business to attend to. "Very well, Your Majesty. I shall excuse myself for now." Vorelah stood up and left the hall. I should see what that human wants from me. Now, where did she go off to?

When Vorelah was far away from the others, Lilith decided to manifest herself immediately in front of the Draconid guardswoman, leaning seductively upon a nearby wall while - basically - checking Vorelah out, although a bit of her mind was devoted to trying to understand Draconid anatomy - especially in light of what her ultimate desire was.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing on guard duty?"

---

Tyroth listened intently to her description of the Pansapient Empire. "It sounds like a fine place, Your Imperial Majesty. I think my our people would be only too happy to visit your beautiful empire. On the subject of religion, the primary faith of our country is known as the Order of Bahamut, based off the teaching of the God-King of Good Dragons. Now, we believe that Bahamut cares more about one's actions rather than being worshiped, and as such, many follow the values of benevolence, compassion, and valuing the lives of ourselves and others, and avoiding cruelty and oppression. It is of course not mandatory, though over eight per cent of our population follows this faith..."

By this point, Tyroth's wings were drooping, and he was rubbing his belly; his concentration was waning. "Heh... I am not used to going this long without food. As you can imagine, someone like me needs much nourishment to stay at my best. Do not worry about cooking too little; we have ways to feed our population." This will be an excellent time to show off an exhibition of our skills. I hope they are ready to see what we are capable of doing...

"If you'd like to follow me to the dining room, we can eat somewhere far more fitting," Quinn said. "Please do tell my attendants about any health concerns as well. We wouldn't want you to have an allergic reaction to anything...."

[Dyste]

Fyrah was contemplating her decision to leave the castle when she noticed a human male standing next to her. This startled her, causing her to not notice the smoke coming from her nostrils. When she attempted to speak, a stream of fire emerged from her jaws. In a panic, she tilted her head upwards to not cause harm to the human.

"M-my deepest apologies, little one. I was not being careful, and let my emotions get the better of me. ... ah, you are related to the Empress? You may simply call me Fyrah. I am a Draconid from Dyste... I serve as a teacher of my people's history."

Standing up, she offered a scaly black hand to Scott. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Scott. I must say, I am not used to dealing with humans, much less ones from the royalty of such a large empire. I must admit, being here makes me overwhelmed; Dyste is such a small country by comparison. Frankly, I am not even sure why cousin has such an keen interest in us."
---
Vorelah could not help but laugh at Lilith's words. It had been a long time since anyone had ever called her 'pretty'; her name did mean Beautiful One in their old language, but that was centuries ago, before she became a warrior; she had always been judged since then for her power, not her looks. Lying on her side, she stretched her muscular red arms around the female human and gazed at her.

"Little princess, I am impressed with your courage. Few people have the sheer audacity to address a Royal Knight with such words. If I merely felt like doing so, I could set you ablaze, or break your frail little body. I would think twice over simple flattery to try and appease Dame Vorelah the Firehearted," she said while running a finger over Lilith's body, "So, are you going to cower in fear, like so many of your kind do, or do you feel like you can be worthy of my attention, human?"
---
Tyroth's tongue was hanging out at the thought of food, causing him a drool a bit. He seemed to be unable to respond to Quinn's question.

Zihark sighed at the sight of his king acting in such an undignified manner. "My apologies on behalf of our king, Your Imperial Majesty. He tends to act out a bit when hungry. Do not worry; it does not take much to get him out of it."

The Sage held his hand up, glowing faintly. A tiny tornado began to form above it, having an odd green tint. Flicking his fingers, the tiny gust of wind, within a fraction of a second, flew from Zihark's hand and hit his king in the snout. Tyroth snapped out of his trance and snarled at Zihark,

"GRRRR... what sort of... ah, my apologies, Your Imperial Majesty, that was undignified of me. Anyways, Zihark and I shall accompany you to this dining hall. If there is room for some of the others, that is fine, but we are not picky on where to dine, and they will be content with eating with one another. And you need not worry about allergies, I never never met a Draconid that has any. The main thing that I am concerned about is that there is meat involved; I once went to this nation of these insufferable elves that rarely ate meat, and I did not feel at my full strength for most of the trip. It actually was not as bad as I claim, they were actually quite generous and accommodating to me. And I must say, I have been most grateful for your hospitality, Your- hm, may I call you something... less formal, I suppose? I personally prefer simply being called Tyroth, not Your Majesty or the like, but I suppose when my name means 'Mighty Lord', even referring me to my first name is not disrespectful, hah..."

[Ganos Lao]

Fyrah was contemplating her decision to leave the castle when she noticed a human male standing next to her. This startled her, causing her to not notice the smoke coming from her nostrils. When she attempted to speak, a stream of fire emerged from her jaws. In a panic, she tilted her head upwards to not cause harm to the human.

"M-my deepest apologies, little one. I was not being careful, and let my emotions get the better of me. ... ah, you are related to the Empress? You may simply call me Fyrah. I am a Draconid from Dyste... I serve as a teacher of my people's history."

"A teacher? Interesting. Perhaps you would tell me about your people? I must say I have not come across a person such as yourself." Scott said, seemingly unbothered by Fyrah's outburst.

Standing up, she offered a scaly black hand to Scott. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Scott. I must say, I am not used to dealing with humans, much less ones from the royalty of such a large empire. I must admit, being here makes me overwhelmed; Dyste is such a small country by comparison. Frankly, I am not even sure why cousin has such an keen interest in us."

"You are just lucky it is this sort of interest, and not the interest where she'll smother you with makeup and fashion tips," Scott chuckled, "but in all seriousness, I'm sure she'd just like to make our nations friends. I don't think there's anything you need to worry about when it comes to that. Anywho, Fyrah, would you like to me to show you around? Perhaps it'll help you get adjusted to things around here."

---

Vorelah could not help but laugh at Lilith's words. It had been a long time since anyone had ever called her 'pretty'; her name did mean Beautiful One in their old language, but that was centuries ago, before she became a warrior; she had always been judged since then for her power, not her looks. Lying on her side, she stretched her muscular red arms around the female human and gazed at her.

"Little princess, I am impressed with your courage. Few people have the sheer audacity to address a Royal Knight with such words. If I merely felt like doing so, I could set you ablaze, or break your frail little body. I would think twice over simple flattery to try and appease Dame Vorelah the Firehearted," she said while running a finger over Lilith's body, "So, are you going to cower in fear, like so many of your kind do, or do you feel like you can be worthy of my attention, human?"

Lilith smirked. This Vorelah character seemed to be quite interesting. But not that new to her. She spoke to the dragon while essentially checking her out.

"What can I say? I like 'em with such strong legs and shapely tails." Lilith giggled.

She walked around Vorelah while talking, letting her fingers go over Vorelah's scaly skin, trying to generate some tingles that would pacify the woman.

"I like the way you think, dragon. You sound just like the guards I often have hanging around my palace back on Yuri Island. Besides, if you did try to break me or immolate me, you'd see yourself arrested by the multitude of guards around this place. The worst case scenario is the Ganosian invasion of Dyste and its subsequent colonization, but that won't benefit me unless I get some local tail - no pun intended - out of my sisters' antics."

Lilith let her eyes lock into Vorelah's and leaned in a bit too close. "Why are you so hostile, Vorelah? Perhaps we can come to some sort of...deal? I am Princess Lilith, the Governor of Yuri Island. There are many things I could do for you. You would be surprised, Vorelah, for not all humans are truly frail like you seem to believe. I myself can do many things. Many...pleasurable things. Don't worry. Your superiors wouldn't have to know. Unless they're into that sort of stuff, of course. I wouldn't be surprised. The scenario is, indeed, something rather appealing to a lot of people out there."

---

"GRRRR... what sort of... ah, my apologies, Your Imperial Majesty, that was undignified of me. Anyways, Zihark and I shall accompany you to this dining hall. If there is room for some of the others, that is fine, but we are not picky on where to dine, and they will be content with eating with one another. And you need not worry about allergies, I never never met a Draconid that has any. The main thing that I am concerned about is that there is meat involved; I once went to this nation of these insufferable elves that rarely ate meat, and I did not feel at my full strength for most of the trip. It actually was not as bad as I claim, they were actually quite generous and accommodating to me. And I must say, I have been most grateful for your hospitality, Your- hm, may I call you something... less formal, I suppose? I personally prefer simply being called Tyroth, not Your Majesty or the like, but I suppose when my name means 'Mighty Lord', even referring me to my first name is not disrespectful, hah..."

The Ganosian Empress led her guests to the dining hall, where the Nekomini maid, Steffy, was awaiting them. She tugged at her collar slightly out of concern that the seating arrangements were insufficient for the girth of the Draconids to be properly dealt with. While the Empress was ordering in the various foods and beverages that would be served, Steffy approached the Draconid monarch, curtseyed graciously in her cute maid's outfit, and proceeded to ask about how he would like to be seated, since she confided in him that the chairs here probably wouldn't hold him.

"I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty. We simply aren't accustomed to guests of...your size," Steffy explained. "We'll try to get something set up accordingly for you. You can ask me for anything you'll need till then. I am Steffy, a maid and good friend of Her Majesty the Empress. You must be King Tyroth. I hope you and your daughter have had a good time so far."

[Dyste]

"A teacher? Interesting. Perhaps you would tell me about your people? I must say I have not come across a person such as yourself." Scott said, seemingly unbothered by Fyrah's outburst.

Fyrah was relieved to see her that Scott was not put off by the fire breath. She was only too happy to explain to him about her people; one of her duties as a history teacher was to teach new ambassadors to Dyste about her people's history.

"Well, our people are known as 'Draconids', from our old language's words for 'dragon descended'. As you can see, we resemble dragons, and we believe ourselves to be a mix of reptilian and mammalian ancestry. Our bodies are made out of elemental power, and we have immense physical and magical abilities. Because of our appearance and power, many people believed us to be dangerous monsters, and so we were forced to live in isolated tribes. My father united our people and founded Dyste, an island nation where we can live freely and peacefully. Despite what those people thought, our people have no love for war and would rather live in peace and happiness. That is the brief version, though I am willing to answer any other questions if you have them."

"You are just lucky it is this sort of interest, and not the interest where she'll smother you with makeup and fashion tips," Scott chuckled, "but in all seriousness, I'm sure she'd just like to make our nations friends. I don't think there's anything you need to worry about when it comes to that. Anywho, Fyrah, would you like to me to show you around? Perhaps it'll help you get adjusted to things around here."

Fyrah nodded, her tail swishing from side to side. She was hoping for this; she knew the true way to experience a nation's culture was to explore their cities, not sitting around in a castle or palace; it was true of Valitora, and Olyan should be no different. And yet, the city seemed so large; even Valitora was not this big.

"Scott, I would be honoured to have you as my guide. Your Empire seems so vast and powerful, and it would be best for both of us; I do not know much of your world and would probably get lost, and you seem a bit weak; having a two-ton lizard to protect you seems like a good idea," said the Dystan princess letting out a loud, roaring laugh not unlike her father's.

---

Lilith smirked. This Vorelah character seemed to be quite interesting. But not that new to her. She spoke to the dragon while essentially checking her out.

"What can I say? I like 'em with such strong legs and shapely tails." Lilith giggled.

She walked around Vorelah while talking, letting her fingers go over Vorelah's scaly skin, trying to generate some tingles that would pacify the woman.

"I like the way you think, dragon. You sound just like the guards I often have hanging around my palace back on Yuri Island. Besides, if you did try to break me or immolate me, you'd see yourself arrested by the multitude of guards around this place. The worst case scenario is the Ganosian invasion of Dyste and its subsequent colonization, but that won't benefit me unless I get some local tail - no pun intended - out of my sisters' antics."

Lilith let her eyes lock into Vorelah's and leaned in a bit too close. "Why are you so hostile, Vorelah? Perhaps we can come to some sort of...deal? I am Princess Lilith, the Governor of Yuri Island. There are many things I could do for you. You would be surprised, Vorelah, for not all humans are truly frail like you seem to believe. I myself can do many things. Many...pleasurable things. Don't worry. Your superiors wouldn't have to know. Unless they're into that sort of stuff, of course. I wouldn't be surprised. The scenario is, indeed, something rather appealing to a lot of people out there."

Vorelah was unsure what to make of Lilith at first; what was she doing with her fingers? And yet, she was rather enjoying it; most humans would not know how to deal with a member of her species, but this was rather pleasant. She let out a soft growl, sounding almost like a cat purring.

"Ah, my apologies, Your Highness. I... am not used to humans having an interest in me like this. Most are fearful of me, or possibly some mix of fear and respect. For almost six centuries, I have defended my nation's borders from humans wishing to slay us, so my view on humanity can be a bit biased."

Her large blue eyes gazed into the princess, who was leaning in rather close to her. She ran one of her fingers over Lilith's body; she was surprisingly gentle for one so strong.

"I am used to protecting and taking care of others. Having someone paying attention to me is rather... refreshing. I am intrigued by your offer, Your Highness; I accept your proposal, though I will leave if you are not enough to satisfy me. Do you think you can make this old warrior happy?"

---

The Ganosian Empress led her guests to the dining hall, where the Nekomini maid, Steffy, was awaiting them. She tugged at her collar slightly out of concern that the seating arrangements were insufficient for the girth of the Draconids to be properly dealt with. While the Empress was ordering in the various foods and beverages that would be served, Steffy approached the Draconid monarch, curtseyed graciously in her cute maid's outfit, and proceeded to ask about how he would like to be seated, since she confided in him that the chairs here probably wouldn't hold him.

"I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty. We simply aren't accustomed to guests of...your size," Steffy explained. "We'll try to get something set up accordingly for you. You can ask me for anything you'll need till then. I am Steffy, a maid and good friend of Her Majesty the Empress. You must be King Tyroth. I hope you and your daughter have had a good time so far."

Tyroth looked over the maid; he was actually familiar with catlike humanoids, though he was not expecting to see one here. On the other hand, Quinn did say that many species lived in the Pansapient Empire, so he supposed this was not usual here. He rather enjoyed conversing with castle servants; he felt that they were the best way to see what a monarch or empress was truly like.

"I am happy to meet you, Steffy. Yes, I am King Tyroth, and I am fine with just Tyroth; the formal titles are for my subjects. As far as seating goes, my subjects and I shall sit on the ground, as we have normally; we are aware of how large we are, and even in Dyste we often simply sit cross-legged on the floor. I doubt any sort of seating you have will be able to support me," Tyroth patted his huge belly, which was larger than Steffy herself was, "but I do hope that you can join us when you are able to. I usually eat my meals with the castle servants, and you deserve a good meal yourself. As far as food goes, make whatever you feel would be suitable for us."

[Ganos Lao]

Fyrah was relieved to see her that Scott was not put off by the fire breath. She was only too happy to explain to him about her people; one of her duties as a history teacher was to teach new ambassadors to Dyste about her people's history.

"Well, our people are known as 'Draconids', from our old language's words for 'dragon descended'. As you can see, we resemble dragons, and we believe ourselves to be a mix of reptilian and mammalian ancestry. Our bodies are made out of elemental power, and we have immense physical and magical abilities. Because of our appearance and power, many people believed us to be dangerous monsters, and so we were forced to live in isolated tribes. My father united our people and founded Dyste, an island nation where we can live freely and peacefully. Despite what those people thought, our people have no love for war and would rather live in peace and happiness. That is the brief version, though I am willing to answer any other questions if you have them."

"A mix of reptilian and mammalian history? You sound just like my cousin, Irikah. Her father was reptilian, and her mother was human. You'll find that such things aren't really uncommon around here - so don't expect anyone in Ganosia to hate you like those people who made you go to Dyste did. I for one find your people rather interesting - not every day you see something of this sort."

Fyrah nodded, her tail swishing from side to side. She was hoping for this; she knew the true way to experience a nation's culture was to explore their cities, not sitting around in a castle or palace; it was true of Valitora, and Olyan should be no different. And yet, the city seemed so large; even Valitora was not this big.

"Scott, I would be honoured to have you as my guide. Your Empire seems so vast and powerful, and it would be best for both of us; I do not know much of your world and would probably get lost, and you seem a bit weak; having a two-ton lizard to protect you seems like a good idea," said the Dystan princess letting out a loud, roaring laugh not unlike her father's.

"A bit weak? I think I could handle myself if the need arose - I've undergone tremendous amounts of training. Having Irikah around as a sparring partner also helps. But, since you're so...big, I'm at a loss as to how I would get you to fit inside my limosuine. I suppose we could simply walk through the city - you'd not need to worry about being attacked or anything like that because security would be tight as all hell. The HMSS don't mess around."

Scott offered his hand. "Shall we? I hope you don't mind a long walk, because this is a very big city we're about to explore."

---

Vorelah was unsure what to make of Lilith at first; what was she doing with her fingers? And yet, she was rather enjoying it; most humans would not know how to deal with a member of her species, but this was rather pleasant. She let out a soft growl, sounding almost like a cat purring.

"Ah, my apologies, Your Highness. I... am not used to humans having an interest in me like this. Most are fearful of me, or possibly some mix of fear and respect. For almost six centuries, I have defended my nation's borders from humans wishing to slay us, so my view on humanity can be a bit biased."

Her large blue eyes gazed into the princess, who was leaning in rather close to her. She ran one of her fingers over Lilith's body; she was surprisingly gentle for one so strong.

"I am used to protecting and taking care of others. Having someone paying attention to me is rather... refreshing. I am intrigued by your offer, Your Highness; I accept your proposal, though I will leave if you are not enough to satisfy me. Do you think you can make this old warrior happy?"

Lilith smirked. She anointed Vorelah's head, and lips, with a succession of quick kisses, and then pondered momentarily on where to make the magic happen. Lilith was unaccustomed to someone of Vorelah's size and she figured that her hotel room wouldn't be able to give way to someone of Vorelah's girth, but she'd try it anyways, remembering that the hotel, like others in Ganosia, had tried to be accomodating to plus-sized visitors. While leading Vorelah along, she would occassionally pinch Vorelah's backside or sensually squeeze Vorelah's tail, hopeful to excite the Draconid and make her more suspectible to her whims.

The drive there (somehow Lilith's companion didn't totally destroy her sportscar but she intended to get it checked out regardless) was full of innuendo, of Lilith keeping up the charms upon Vorelah, and of explaining that Vorelah would have no need to leave, for Lilith knew what she was doing when it came to satisfying others, satisfying women. Lilith had even let her hand's fingers dance, whilst driving, upon Vorelah's scaly thigh, trying to verse herself in the zones of the Draconids.

But what was most surprising was that the hotel that they'd be staying at seemed to be able to fit Vorelah through its doors. Lilith locked the door to the lavish suite that they had entered, and led Vorelah into the bedroom. Locking that door as well, she leaned Vorelah up against a wall and began to work her own brand of magic upon the old warrior in a ritual that would last for many hours. If you know of the Dysteans, reader, then try to imagine this for yourself, for the details are not appropriate for revelation.

---

"I am happy to meet you, Steffy. Yes, I am King Tyroth, and I am fine with just Tyroth; the formal titles are for my subjects. As far as seating goes, my subjects and I shall sit on the ground, as we have normally; we are aware of how large we are, and even in Dyste we often simply sit cross-legged on the floor. I doubt any sort of seating you have will be able to support me," Tyroth patted his huge belly, which was larger than Steffy herself was, "but I do hope that you can join us when you are able to. I usually eat my meals with the castle servants, and you deserve a good meal yourself. As far as food goes, make whatever you feel would be suitable for us."

"Sitting on the ground? I suppose that'd work - as I said, not terribly acquainted with Dysteans. No matter, though. Take your seats and the food will come shortly."

Steffy's words rang true - the food did, indeed, come out rather shortly after Tyroth and company took their seats. Quinn, who sat upon the chair seemed to think that the Dysteans' habits were clashing with her sense of high culture, but she accepted it in the name of necessity. The food that was brought out seemed to be a multitude of meats, fish, fruits and vegetables from all over Ganosia, let alone its many colonies. As Quinn began to eat her food, she looked over to the Dysteans and smiled, nodding her head in an approving fashion.

"Well," she said, "dig in. Hopefully it is all to your liking - if something's the matter, though, don't hesitate to update us on it. We wouldn't want an allergic reaction or anything serious like that to happen."

[Dyste]

As Vorelah and Lilith set off to the hotel, and Tyroth and Quinn shared their meal, Fyrah was looking over the odd human. She was still rather surprised how this one did not seemed to be fazed by her appearance.

"Ah, your cousin is half-reptilian? Actually... there are Draconids in Dyste with a human parent. They do not appear any different than those of us whose parents are both Draconids. I would not mind meeting her at some point."

Listening to Scott, she took some time to look over her new companion. She was no judge of human beauty, but knowing what she did of them, he seemed to be attractive by their standards. If only he would get rid of the clothing humans seemed so obsessed about wearing. A lack of a tail was a shame as well, but she supposed that could not be helped.

"Ha... indeed, I doubt your... limousine, it is called? But as far as I can tell, your transports are not large enough to support us. But why bother with them anyways? You humans always seem to be so concerned with making machines that can do your tasks for you. I think some walking would do you good," she said as she ran her finger across Scott's chest, "If you are as fit as you say, a little walk should do no harm. Regardless, I would love to take a stroll with you through your city. I am quite intrigued to learn more about you- er, I mean, your empire."

Fyrah took his hand; it seemed so small compared to her own. Regardless, she rather enjoyed this human's generosity, and gave a slight grin. If nothing else, she would enjoy her time with the Ganosian prince.

[Ganos Lao]

"Ah, your cousin is half-reptilian? Actually... there are Draconids in Dyste with a human parent. They do not appear any different than those of us whose parents are both Draconids. I would not mind meeting her at some point."

"She's a colonel in the Armed Forces, my cousin. I'm sure she wouldn't mind meeting you, but she's not around the city right now," Scott said. "I often exercise with her at the gym. We always keep in shape and strive to look our best, but I think she intends to settle down soon, so soon enough she's going to be busy with that. I intend to support her regardless. She's been a good friend to me so it's the least I could do."

"Ha... indeed, I doubt your... limousine, it is called? But as far as I can tell, your transports are not large enough to support us. But why bother with them anyways? You humans always seem to be so concerned with making machines that can do your tasks for you. I think some walking would do you good," she said as she ran her finger across Scott's chest, "If you are as fit as you say, a little walk should do no harm. Regardless, I would love to take a stroll with you through your city. I am quite intrigued to learn more about you- er, I mean, your empire."

"You could always learn about both," Scott said, winking at Fyrah happily. He had to admit that she was quite the nice girl, far different from the sort he was accustomed to being with, or being paired up with in those silly magazines and even sillier daydreams.

"Well," Scott eventually began, after a moment or two of delicate silence between them, "what about the Empire would you like to know? I'm sure I can still remember my history lessons and the stuff I've learned from whenever I've bothered to check out the news. Also, don't be afraid to explore as we walk around the city - if there's something you want to see, we can go see it. Want to buy something? You can do that too. After all, this isn't some stuffy museum tour we're going on."

[Dyste]

As the pair of royals began to set off, Fyrah listened to the human prince, considering what to ask him. She held his hand; much like before, she made sure to be as gentle as possible, "Ah... so, I was wondering what types of people you have in this Pansapient Empire besides humans. I mean.. I heard your cousin talking about this, but she never went into details. I suppose there are not many like us, but certainly there must be some that share some similarities to us?"

Letting out a low growl, she continued, "Hmm, I feel like getting something to eat, if you do not mind. But I do wish to still continue walking with you; I heard that humans often get food without going to a restaurant or dining table... I believe a 'stand', it is called. I have never been to one of those; it would be an interesting experience."

---

In the hotel suite, Vorelah woke up with a loud, roaring yawn; that was an... unusual experience for her. Usually, she only got this sensation after fighting a strong opponent. But then again, was this really any different? She enjoyed a challenge, whether on the battlefield or not. She stretched out on the massive bed; she was surprised that there was even one in the hotel large enough for her. Indeed, she was rather impressed with the amount of care they had given her; even in Dyste, where she was a highly respected Royal Knight, she did not such privilege.

Looking around, she did not notice Lilith; she had hoped that she did not scare the human away. "Princess? Where are you, Your Highness?"

[Ganos Lao]

As the pair of royals began to set off, Fyrah listened to the human prince, considering what to ask him. She held his hand; much like before, she made sure to be as gentle as possible, "Ah... so, I was wondering what types of people you have in this Pansapient Empire besides humans. I mean.. I heard your cousin talking about this, but she never went into details. I suppose there are not many like us, but certainly there must be some that share some similarities to us?"

"We are called the Pansapient Empire for a reason. Many groups of all kinds live in our nation - if you look around on these streets here while we're walking, you'll see plenty of them. I have several non-human relatives and friends alike that I keep in touch with. I don't think any Dysteans live around these parts, but generally 'scaly' people do and we're bound to meet some of them. I don't think Dysteans would really be seen any different from other 'scaly' people, though, to be honest. It's most likely you'd just happen to be a bunch of everyday generic non-humans of reptilian design who happen to be from a country not many know about. But with my cousin the Empress supporting it, everyone will end up knowing about Dyste very soon. News gets around, and when the Empress likes something, it becomes instantaneously popular."

Letting out a low growl, she continued, "Hmm, I feel like getting something to eat, if you do not mind. But I do wish to still continue walking with you; I heard that humans often get food without going to a restaurant or dining table... I believe a 'stand', it is called. I have never been to one of those; it would be an interesting experience."

"Of course. There's plenty of stands in the city - but I often don't use them. When you're a member of the Imperial Family, food and drinks often just happen to fall right into your lap without you doing anything about it. Besides, I don't even live in this city - I only came to visit friends and relatives. Most of us 'Imperials' are scattered throughout the nation. We only come together en masse when there's a reunion. But, back to the whole 'stands' issue. Well, if you want to go to one, we can. But it depends on what sort of food you'd want to try since each stand in this city most likely serves a different food. I think we can find a good Khlav Kalash stand. Nothing like a good ball of spiced meats and such all rolled together into a delicious convenience."

---

In the hotel suite, Vorelah woke up with a loud, roaring yawn; that was an... unusual experience for her. Usually, she only got this sensation after fighting a strong opponent. But then again, was this really any different? She enjoyed a challenge, whether on the battlefield or not. She stretched out on the massive bed; she was surprised that there was even one in the hotel large enough for her. Indeed, she was rather impressed with the amount of care they had given her; even in Dyste, where she was a highly respected Royal Knight, she did not such privilege.

Looking around, she did not notice Lilith; she had hoped that she did not scare the human away. "Princess? Where are you, Your Highness?"[/quote]

"I must admit that that was a rather unique experience," a sultrily pleased voice said in the corner of the room. "We ought to do that again. We should keep in touch."

Lilith had already gotten dressed again, and grinned happily. "You were quite good for a big, bulky Draconid, Vorelah. Perhaps one time you would like to visit me in Yuri Island? There's a lot to do there and a lot of people to meet. There is, as the saying goes, more where that came from."

She winked at her and sat down beside Vorelah on the bed. Lilith was quite pleased, and she let her contentment show itself so Vorelah would feel happy that she had done well in the eyes of this eccentric woman. Perhaps, Lilith thought, she could conscript Vorelah into her harem. She could serve as both a bodyguard and as a fling - just the thought of some naughty roleplaying with such roles had made Lilith shiver slightly in trepidation.

[Dyste]

Fyrah took in what said about the different types of species; indeed, as she looked around, she say many types of people walking around. She was relieved to learn that she was not seen as particularly different; being from a country where she would be considered normal, she was nervous to be in a foreign country, but at least it was not an entirely human one.

As they went to the stands, Fyrah looked over the types of food offered. "Hmm... I shall have one of everything here." She stood by, expecting them to make it, and was confused when they asked for payment. "O-oh... right! You... pay for food here, correct? I keep on assuming it is like Dyste, where having food is a right. I am sorry, but I do not have any of your money. Scott, I hate to impose, but can you please pay for me?"

---

Vorelah was happy to see the little princess again. She let out another yawn, then covered her mouth with her hands, "Ah, my apologies for that; I do not want to think you are boring me, Your Highness..."

Something Lilith said intrigued her, and without considering the question, her natural curiosity got the better of her, "Yuri Island? I apologize, but I am not familiar with the place. Can you tell me more about this place?"

[Ganos Lao]

As they went to the stands, Fyrah looked over the types of food offered. "Hmm... I shall have one of everything here." She stood by, expecting them to make it, and was confused when they asked for payment. "O-oh... right! You... pay for food here, correct? I keep on assuming it is like Dyste, where having food is a right. I am sorry, but I do not have any of your money. Scott, I hate to impose, but can you please pay for me?"

They had ended up at the all too well known Khlav Kalash stand. For those who were unaware of this epitome of Ganosian cuisine, Khlav Kalash is a recipe of mutton, lamb, tomatoes, carnations, onions, water, oil, and salt & pepper. It's all ground into a thick ball of meat and often served on sticks and skewers. You could often see this delicacy either homemade - since it was pretty cheap to make - or at stands, among many other places. Even soldiers had their own variety of the stuff.

When Fyrah had lamented the lack of an ability to pay for the items, the man who manned the stand - obviously knowing that His Imperial Highness had been standing right there along this Draconid lady - had offered to absolve the both of them of any responsibility to pay him for the meals. After all, Scott was royalty! And this woman he was with was probably royalty too or something. But Scott, being the honorable individual, had decided to pay the man. Scott smiled, saying to Fyrah that it was no real problem for him. When they had recieved their food, they went away to eat their meal, and digging into his share of the food, Scott chuckled.

"Everything requires money here, but you don't need to worry about it, Fyrah. All you should worry about is having fun. Leave the money stuff to me. Besides, once we're done eating, we can explore the rest of the city. Unless you want to eat while we walk around - gotta hand it to the convenience of skewers, eh?"

---

Vorelah was happy to see the little princess again. She let out another yawn, then covered her mouth with her hands, "Ah, my apologies for that; I do not want to think you are boring me, Your Highness..."

Something Lilith said intrigued her, and without considering the question, her natural curiosity got the better of her, "Yuri Island? I apologize, but I am not familiar with the place. Can you tell me more about this place?"

"It is a colony of ours that I govern. I live there with many 'friends' - if you want to put it like that. It's very beautiful, when it comes to the environment. The art world there thrives largely because I am quite the artist - perhaps you would like me to draw you like one of those French girls? I wouldn't mind it, and I think you have quite the phyisque that should be captured in such a way. In Yuri Island, many artists flock there to exhibit their wares, to show off their talents, to meet new friends and share concepts and styles."

Lilith decided to forgo telling Vorelah about the more seedier aspects of Yuri Island. For now, she would merely focus on the more assumingly palatable aspects.

[Dyste]

Fyrah chose to sit down and eat; she had a rather large amount of food, and she did not wish to risk dropping any. She brought Scott over to her with her tail.

"Thank you for this, Scott; I admit that parts of your culture are quite foreign to me. As I mentioned, in Dyste, food is a right, as is shelter, education, and healing. We do pay for preparation, but the food itself is considered something we should all have access to, regardless of wealth. I suppose when you have a species like us around, measures must be taken so we do not get angry and dangerous. Oh, but please do not think the wrong way about us; we are a very docile and friendly race most of the time! Actually... I was wondering something. As you are showing me your lands, I feel that I should show you the same courtesy. Would you like to visit Dyste at some point?"

Fyrah suddenly stopped; it was rare for her people to invite others onto their lands, and that was often left to her parents and the Ministry.

"E-er, I suppose we would need permission from my father and all, and I know being around hundreds of people like myself would be different than just me... but what do you think?"

---

Vorelah's eyes lit up at the notion of art, "Ah, this sounds fascinating. I have always had an interest in art; it is just that I was always too busy with defending Dyste in order to involve myself in anything like that. I would love to have you draw me... oh, wait..."

Looking herself over, she suddenly headed in the direction of the bathroom. "My apologies, Princess, but my scales are looking rather dirty. It would not be right to portray me in such a fashion. I suppose a cleaning-up is in order; perhaps a shower?" Smiling at the princess, the large reptilian went into the bathroom and stepped into the shower; even for a warrior like herself, she needed to keep herself clean; presentation was important, after all.

[Ganos Lao]

While Lilith snuck into the bathroom after Vorelah had left the room, trying to continue her tryst with the Draconid bodyguard - all she said, with a sultry and obviously suggestive wink, was that she just wanted to help clean her up - Scott was busy enjoying himself in Fyrah's company.

He had enjoyed the company of many women over the past few years due to being this venerated bastion of masculinity and good looks all too familiar in the universal mythology of women. Fyrah wasn't any different, it seemed, but at least she was more restrained then some of the other women he had been with, and thank God she wasn't like the more rabid fangirls who'd have smothered him by now with kisses and cries for eternal love - she seemed quite modest.

She also seemed very hungry with getting a whole lot of food - in fact, she had asked for so much that the man at the stand eventually had to tell her that she had nearly emptied him out, but that she didn't need to worry about it and that he could wait for more supplies. Scott merely chuckled, thanking the man for his kindness.

He then looked over to listen to Fyrah. Her discourses on how the Dystean people lived differently from the people in Ganosia were quite interesting and only made him quite happy to accept her offer to visit her country. "I would not mind visiting Dyste if your father gave permission, Fyrah, and you don't need to worry about my reaction to your fellow Draconids. Ganosia is full of non-humans, so I'm not frightened by the prospect of meeting even more of them. Some of them have made themselves quite known to me by joining that silly fanclub that a couple of human girls formed around me. Plus, one of my cousins, John Henry, married a non-human, a kitsune woman from Xiscapia. She was the first non-human member of the Imperial Family. John Henry leads a non-human rights advocacy group here in Ganosia, even if he often says it never seems to be needed since people are quite tolerant. If a bunch of your people were to be walking around these parts, I'm sure you'd not get anything but the usual hi and good day, sir/ma'am."

Scott patted Fyrah on the back warmly and chuckled again.

"Just have fun, Fyrah," he said. "You can't have fun if you worry so much about things."

[Dyste]

Fyrah was feeling more at ease with Scott with each passing minute; in Dyste, her status as a princess led to anyone she had an interest in to be reverent and praise her family, rather than try to learn who she was as a person. This human seemed to care more about her own feelings, which she rather enjoyed. She was a bit embarrassed over taking our the entire food stand's inventory, but it could not be helped; Draconids were famous for their massive appetites among their allies.

With her large hands, she brought Scott closer to her, to the point that she was practically carrying him; if they were of the same species, it would seem like their were mother and child. She proceeded to nuzzle Scott with her snout.

"I am very glad to hear that, Scott. Actually, we in Dyste are getting more used to seeing other species in our land. Humans and Elves are seen, as are Dinosaurs from our neighbouring countries. Other types of Beastkin are also becoming more prominent as well... regardless, the idea of having different species is not unheard of in our lands, though it is not quite as varied as it is here. Yes, I feel that once we are done in the city, we should ask Father about the possibility of us going to Dyste together..."

Despite her excitement over the prospect of having Scott meet her family, there was something she knew about humans that she had to discuss with the prince; "From what I know of your species, you live for about 80 years, is that right? You do understand that, well... I have a longer lifespan than a human does, right? If you are intending on having a relation with one of my kind, well... what may seem like a lifetime to you is not for a Draconid like myself..." If Fyrah had the capability to blush, her black scaly face would turn bright red, "Or, er, you know... for a member of my species..."

[Ganos Lao]

Fyrah was feeling more at ease with Scott with each passing minute; in Dyste, her status as a princess led to anyone she had an interest in to be reverent and praise her family, rather than try to learn who she was as a person. This human seemed to care more about her own feelings, which she rather enjoyed. She was a bit embarrassed over taking our the entire food stand's inventory, but it could not be helped; Draconids were famous for their massive appetites among their allies.

With her large hands, she brought Scott closer to her, to the point that she was practically carrying him; if they were of the same species, it would seem like their were mother and child. She proceeded to nuzzle Scott with her snout.

"Normally I would say something about being carried about by a woman, but when you're as popular as I am, among women, such behaviour ends up becoming expected at this point," Scott said. He was, after all, a local idol. Women would clamour over him, human and non-human women. He had the looks, the ethics, the skills. He had everything that could possibly be desired in a man. Fyrah's antics were nothing new to him, and he had no problem with her showing that she must have been enamoured with him. The guards who were secretly watching them did not seem to consider it a problem either - it was, to them, typical behaviour from a woman in the presence of His Imperial Highness. Yet they were ever vigilant, and would have had no problem taking Fyrah down had her affections became afflictions.

"I am very glad to hear that, Scott. Actually, we in Dyste are getting more used to seeing other species in our land. Humans and Elves are seen, as are Dinosaurs from our neighbouring countries. Other types of Beastkin are also becoming more prominent as well... regardless, the idea of having different species is not unheard of in our lands, though it is not quite as varied as it is here. Yes, I feel that once we are done in the city, we should ask Father about the possibility of us going to Dyste together..."

"It's rather ironic that our tolerance for non-humans was crafted by my father for the sole purpose of having more women to sleep with," Scott said. Like any other Ganosian royal, he was the child of Ian Brandon Anderson, the notorious cult leader who had usurped the Ganosian throne only to spend more time chasing skirts than actually ruling the nation. Scott knew from his history lessons that not even the Dysteans would be exempt from Ian's libido - poor Fyrah would've already been demanded for his harem, and even Vorelah would've been eventually "courted" - courtship, to Ian, being essentially a vulgar litany of sexual propositions. Scott decided not to spoil the day with history lessons about his father's antics, though. Fyrah could've easily asked one of the widowed, raped Ganosian women that his father had left behind for that.

Despite her excitement over the prospect of having Scott meet her family, there was something she knew about humans that she had to discuss with the prince; "From what I know of your species, you live for about 80 years, is that right? You do understand that, well... I have a longer lifespan than a human does, right? If you are intending on having a relation with one of my kind, well... what may seem like a lifetime to you is not for a Draconid like myself..." If Fyrah had the capability to blush, her black scaly face would turn bright red, "Or, er, you know... for a member of my species..."

Scott smirked. "It would seem that the only one here considering a romantic relationship would be you, Fyrah. Are you trying to suggest something in particular?"

He smiled, in that way that said "I know what you want, and you're free to talk about it openly with me," and looked into Fyrah's eyes. Admittedly not at that time interested in this Draconid woman, he did think that he would be willing to see if anything would work out between them. He figured, as well, that it wouldn't be long before Lilith caught wind of Fyrah's presence in Ganosia, and proceeded to 'court' her herself in the hopes of adding a new experience to her long litany of sexual encounters.

[Dyste]

Fyrah took in what Scott explained; so this is what is considered popular to these humans. She was no judge of human beauty; Draconids viewed large wings and thick tails as a measure of physical attraction, but she never saw physical appearance as all that important. Like many of her species, personality was the more important factor.

She was shocked, however, to learn exactly why the laws around non-humans were made, "I do not understand, Scott; why would sleeping with multiple partners be considered a good thing? It seems to me that it leaves less time to spend time with them." Wrapping part of her tail around Scott's legs, she continued, "I do not know how it is for humans, but we Draconids prefer to give our hearts to just one person; not that we do not care about others around us, but it seems that sharing love with more than one diminishes the significance of the relationship."

The Dystan princess was happy to find out that Scott already knew what she was feeling; normally she had no interest in people, but the openness of the Ganosian prince was rather nice to see; she knew many royals in foreign countries were rather detached and out-of-touch with the people, but these ones seemed to be more in touch with their subjects, much like her own family. "W-well... I cannot say that I understand the courtship of humans, but from what I can gather, you share meals with one another and enjoy forms of entertainment together. It does not seem to be all that different than what we do, though we are known to share all our time together unless for the purposes of work. If you would be willing, I would like to see what this is all about... I mean, it would be interesting to learn more about courtship of humans... I-i, er... what I mean is... would you like to go on a... what is that word... 'date'?"

---

Vorelah came out of the bathtub looking even happier than before; Lilith was certainly forward with her desires. "Princess, you never cease to amaze me; I am a Fire Draconid, but I believe you might have a larger desire burning in you then my fires. That said, I rather did enjoy that..."

The Royal Knight gazed over the princess, and offered her a towel before drying herself off; there was something that she almost felt embarrassed to ask, though she was certain she would agree, "Your Highness, if you do not mind... when we are alone in here... do you need to cover yourself in garments? I understand that your culture may have some problems with it in public, but the whole notion of clothing rather does bother me; why mar one's natural beauty?" While one may interpret it differently, Draconids were not known for wearing much clothing, if at all; their scale protected them against cold weather, and their 'organs' were mostly internalized. The idea of a nudity taboo was alien to most of them, so Vorelah thought nothing of asking; at worst, she could just say no...

[Ganos Lao]

She was shocked, however, to learn exactly why the laws around non-humans were made, "I do not understand, Scott; why would sleeping with multiple partners be considered a good thing? It seems to me that it leaves less time to spend time with them." Wrapping part of her tail around Scott's legs, she continued, "I do not know how it is for humans, but we Draconids prefer to give our hearts to just one person; not that we do not care about others around us, but it seems that sharing love with more than one diminishes the significance of the relationship."

"When it comes to anything concerning my father," Scott said, "it's generally impossible to understand, and to be honest, I'd rather not sully the day bringing his antics to light. But what I can say is that, in general, not everyone here in Ganosia is like that. It all depends on the individual in question. No one is entirely the same when it comes to loving one another like that. With all the multiculturalism in the Empire, there's bound to be tons of traditions around for you to learn about. Maybe we'll check out a local library and do some reading together - it helps when every city, town and village has some sort of local library system. Education, they'll say, the backbone of a prosperous society."

The Dystan princess was happy to find out that Scott already knew what she was feeling; normally she had no interest in people, but the openness of the Ganosian prince was rather nice to see; she knew many royals in foreign countries were rather detached and out-of-touch with the people, but these ones seemed to be more in touch with their subjects, much like her own family. "W-well... I cannot say that I understand the courtship of humans, but from what I can gather, you share meals with one another and enjoy forms of entertainment together. It does not seem to be all that different than what we do, though we are known to share all our time together unless for the purposes of work. If you would be willing, I would like to see what this is all about... I mean, it would be interesting to learn more about courtship of humans... I-i, er... what I mean is... would you like to go on a... what is that word... 'date'?"

Scott laughed, but it was a friendly and sympathetic laugh. He didn't mind her ignorance on how things worked in Ganosia - after all, he'd be the same way if he ended up in Dyste around a bunch of Draconids. He smiled, and patted her on the back then.

"Fyrah, such customs are practiced by all species in Ganosia. You could go to a theatre or a restaurant and see a kitsune or elven couple acting just like that, sharing meals and enjoying entertainment together - it's hardly something we humans alone do. You should speak to my cousin, John Henry's, wife, Mui. She's a kitsune from Xiscapia, and she can help you understand how it's like for non-humans here in Ganosia. Her husband runs Ganosia's non-human rights advocacy group - it's not like we have problems with non-human rights here or anything, but John Henry likes to make sure that non-humans and humans get along and don't have to end up fighting one another."

Scott nodded, then, and chuckled. "We can go on a date, sure. You're a nice girl, Fyrah. I'd say you've got yourself a deal. But you don't need to act so nervous. Just be yourself - don't worry, we Ganosians - humans - won't bite. Unless you are Lilith. Hmmmm...."

---

Vorelah came out of the bathtub looking even happier than before; Lilith was certainly forward with her desires. "Princess, you never cease to amaze me; I am a Fire Draconid, but I believe you might have a larger desire burning in you then my fires. That said, I rather did enjoy that..."

"There's more where that came from," Lilith teased. "Far more. I've already mapped out how to adapt it all to your frame of body, Vorelah."

The Royal Knight gazed over the princess, and offered her a towel before drying herself off; there was something that she almost felt embarrassed to ask, though she was certain she would agree, "Your Highness, if you do not mind... when we are alone in here... do you need to cover yourself in garments? I understand that your culture may have some problems with it in public, but the whole notion of clothing rather does bother me; why mar one's natural beauty?" While one may interpret it differently, Draconids were not known for wearing much clothing, if at all; their scale protected them against cold weather, and their 'organs' were mostly internalized. The idea of a nudity taboo was alien to most of them, so Vorelah thought nothing of asking; at worst, she could just say no...

"I'd love it if you walked around without garments. Around me, anyways. But you'll want to wear something when you're in public. Unless we're on a nudist-friendly beach, you'll end up either embarassing yourself or getting the ire of a local cop on patrol if you walk around nude in the public. We're not Edomites, after all."

[Dyste]

Fyrah seemed to calm down after Scott accepted her offer for a date, standing up and giving the prince a brief nuzzle with her snout. While she was not sure Scott knew, this was a notable sign of affection among Draconids; their mouths were not shaped for kissing, and licking their face, while also rather affectionate, could bring the wrong idea in a place like this.

"Wonderful! I would like to see a cinematic movie. We are used to having stage plays in Dyste, and movies have recently arrived in our country, but I am not so familiar with them as of yet. For the record, I do enjoy a wide variety of movies, except for horror... I do not think it would be safe in your theaters if I got too frightened!" At this, she let out a loud, roaring laugh; while she was rather subdued and soft-spoken unlike her father's, her laugh was nearly identical to the mighty king's.

"Scott, I will be happy with any movie, though perhaps something made in your Empire would be for the best; I suppose I still am here for Ganosian culture, after all."

---

Smiling, the Royal Knight took off her cloak and lay down on the bed; she was still impressed that they even had beds for her size at this hotel. The whole concept of modesty was still rather alien to her, and it was not like there was much visible considering her red scales, but rules are rules; if the host nation had problems, it would not be proper as a representative of Dyste to force the issue.

"Ah, Princess, this is how you wanted me to pose, correct? You know... I do find your... lifestyle... intriguing. It is not often for a human to be interested in one of us like this. Perhaps you should visit Dyste one of these days; I am certain many would be interested in meeting you. From what I gather, some humans have the problem with those of you who, er, have intimate relations with those of the same sex as yourself. Know that in Dyste, this is no issue; we Draconids are, I think you call it, 'pansexual'. It seems to make far more sense that way, I find; the most important factor in a relationship is a physical and emotional attraction, is it not? But regardless, there are even other species besides just us; Elves, for instance. I do not think Kobolds would be interested even in one as beautiful as you, but I am certain that you will not feel lonely in my homeland."

Considering her past history with humans, Vorerlah was surprised to find herself so attracted to one of them. She supposed she was an oddity among her kind, but seeing a human with no prejudices towards other species, even sexually, was a rather fresh perspective. Even most Draconids were still unwilling to mate with humans. Perhaps she would help her species change their ways; it might even help them become more comfortable with the outside