Reader
Open on Literotica

Δράκος, or A Story of Dragons

His nostrils flared, watching the movements in the main village of Larkinshire, his brute mass hidden away in the Forest of Ne'er Returns, where no villagers dared to go. It could hardly be called a village, at that; it was the capital city of the entire country, and a place he did not frequent often. The King and his beloved Queen lived here, along with their only daughter, much to the king's distress.

Although dragons were typically not drawn to humans except to devour them if prey was scarce, he found that he delighted in watching the girl every day as she wondered about the kingdom, often riding a pure white stallion which he fancied would make an excellent dessert. Her hair was golden, pure gold as the treasures he hoarded, and her eyes were the deepest lightest blue he'd ever witnessed. His exceptional sight told him all this, his senses relaying the daily report of what all she had done while he was away hunting. She often ventured too close to the forest, staring into its darkness, and he could see a stubborn, obstinate streak in her eyes.

She is fighting a battle of wills, she longs to enter the forbidden...he thought to himself, still as a cat prepared to pounce on its delicious treat. They sat that way for long moments, the princess unaware of his existence, the dragon stealthy and patiently waiting. Finally, she turned and continued on her ride across the meadow that bordered the forbidden land, and he let out a snort that disintegrated the tree he sat facing. With a long cat-like stretch, he spread his ebony wings and lifted himself into the sky, blocking out the sun's light for a moment with the mass of his great form, and began a slow, patient purveyance for that day's lunch.

*****

Layra bathed in the cool lake, swimming about in the water in naught but her skin. The horse she often chose was grazing off to the side, as was his routine every day. She loved the warm summer air that permitted her to take advantage of the kingdom's hidden springs, and she doubted she'd be found by anyone, all of the villagers were busy working, toiling away at their chores. She had no idea what that was like, she didn't even dress herself in the morning. She'd heard stories lately, about a dark, evil magic in the Forest of Ne'er Returns that bordered her father's kingdom, and she was particularly anxious to find out just what that might be. Foolhardy and conceited, if she had truly known what was best for herself, she would've stayed away, but as it was, she was just an exceptionally spoiled princess who was used to getting her own way and never being in danger.

She swam idly, thinking over what her father had most recently said to her. She was about to come of age, of marrying age, and her body was already on its way to full development. Suitors would begin to call, princes and lords wanting the kingdom that was to be hers, and she would have to choose one of them. She snorted, startling the horse, and closed her eyes. All the men she'd ever met at court had been pompous and, to put it plainly, big balding babies. Not one of them could ever really face a man in battle. Though she was pampered, she longed for a knight courageous, tough, and rugged, whose ferocity in battle was matched only by his ferocity in bed. She giggled to herself at the thought and began to swim over to the bank, opening her eyes. She gasped and backpedaled quickly at what she saw. A man was standing on the bank, staring at her, his eyebrows raised quizzically. She looked around for her horse- it was gone. She drew her courage up, though kept her body underwater, and tried to retain her most royally imposing demeanor.

"Sir, don't you know who I am?" she asked, feigning power.

He laughed, and she could feel the power of such a laugh shaking the water she swam in, it seemed to make the whole world shudder for a moment. She stared at him, her eyes wide, wondering who this man was. He was tall, taller than any man she'd ever seen, and lean, like a wildcat that was in perfect condition. His hair was jet black and hung long down his back, though braided to keep it out of the way, and his eyes were an unsettling gold. Not yellow or orange, but gold as golden as her hair. He moved almost snake-like, graceful and coiled, and crouched at the edge of the lake, looking as an animal ready to spring on its prey. She found herself suddenly very afraid, but incredibly aroused, by this dark man. When he spoke, his voice was deep and it reverberated the entire clearing, but she thought maybe she was imagining that vibration.

"To me, you look like a young, helpless woman in a clearing whose screams wouldn't be heard by a single person," he spoke very clearly, as if he was foreign and had been trained in English too skillfully. It is a generalized fact that foreigners speak another's language much more clearly than the natives. She shook at his words, feeling suddenly very cold, and very alone, but was too foolhardy to realize what danger she was in.

"Sir, I am the Princess of this entire wood, my father is the King. If you leave this glade at once, I will not demand your beheading when I return home," she sniffed at him. His golden eyes swirled darker and darker, and she found herself staring into the depths.

"Who says you are returning home, Princess?" He smiled wickedly as he saw his words register on her face. "A princess is extremely valuable...and from what I understand, extremely...delicious." His eyes turned to her, a feral grin on his face, as she choked on the air she had sucked in so quickly.

"You're going...you want....you want to eat me?!" she cried, her terror escalating. All pretenses of power were now gone, as the thought of her impending death settled more clearly in her mind.

"I'm sure you're nice and soft, you've probably never worked a day of your life. I can just imagine how tender you are," he grinned, now leaning back on the bank, idly stretching.

"How dare you!! How dare you say such things to me, you loathsome pig!! I WILL have your head for your insolence!" Layra spat, rage filling her.

The man sat up swiftly, and suddenly, she realized she was right against the bank, not a foot from where he was. She didn't remember drifting so close. The next moment, she was on the bank, her naked form pressed against the long wispy grass, her captor holding both of her wrists easily in one hand while he ran a hand along her belly with the other. How he had hauled her out of the water so quickly was something she couldn't explain, but she was furious and humiliated to be naked before this stranger, and to have his hands running over her body as if she was a possession. She writhed and went to scream, but suddenly, she couldn't find the air to do so, it was like it had evaporated. She looked up at the man's eyes, that were dangerously cold, and she froze when she saw the pupils were in cat-like slits, not the normal round shape of a human. He growled and she saw his nostrils flare with some kind of light, scaring her further into holding still, lest he kill her right there.


"You insolent little girl! You will not speak to me that way! If you ever speak to me that way again, I shall cut out your tongue!" His voice was deeper, throatier, and Layra got the sense that his temper was hardly restrained. His grip did not soften, but his eyes slowly swirled less and less, until the colors were back to a normal gold. She realized he was still holding her down, and his hands were still roaming over her. She went to twist, but the memory of his lit nostrils made her think twice. If she could just hold still, maybe he would change his mind and let her go. That did not seem to be what he had in mind, for he stopped suddenly, and looked down at her.

"Still a virgin, are we?" Her eyes widened, and in shock she nodded docilely. How could he have known that, just from touching her stomach?

He moved his hands down between her thighs, and gently-she almost thought tenderly, if she had known what that felt like-felt her innermost secrets against his hand. He stopped for a moment, and pulled his hand back to his face, staring at the glistening she had left on his fingers. He showed her also, and she turned her head away in shame, humiliated that she was getting turned on by such brutal handling. He laughed softly and put his fingers to his lips, and to her shock and horror, sucked each of his fingers dry. Still crouching over her, he pulled her wrists so that she was half-sitting.

"You are so beautiful...maybe a little bit of a shrew, but I will change that in time," he murmured, reaching for her clothes. She shuddered at the delightful tremors his voice brought to her, furious to be so controlled, yet delighting in such an unknown.

"I am going to dress you now, myself. If you so much as think of running, I'll tear both of your legs off," he said, matter-of-factly, and she knew his voice allowed no disobedience. She was shocked that he was dressing her, instead of raping her, but she obeyed, not doubting for a second that he was capable of such an amputation. She lay where he instructed, and raised her arms as he pulled her white cotton dress on that she always wore on her rides. He delicately tied it in all its places, lingering along her throat and the curves of her waist, and then took her golden hair that she had left down and braided it.

"I want you to keep your hair in this braid at all times. You may take it down to wash it, but you must put it back when you are done. If you do, I will bring a great present for you. If you do not, I will not bring anything," he said to her, finishing her braid quickly.

She suddenly realized how quiet it was and whirled around, but no one was there. She went to undo the braid immediately, telling herself she did not want to ever see this man again, but as she reached for it, she stopped, smiling softly to herself. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to see him again, she thought to herself. After all, he hadn't hurt her, and he was so different from the other men at court. She looked at the sky, the sun was sinking. Suddenly desperate, and realizing her horse was still gone, she whirled around, towards the path they had come here on. Walking towards her was her white horse. Her eyebrows rose and she quickly tried to figure out how that had happened, but not wanting to waste time, Layra resolved to figure it out when she arrived back at home. She mounted up and urged the horse into a gallop, her eyes glued to the glowing castle lights ahead of her. It was not wise to be out after dark in the outskirts of the kingdom, she had been told. Dragons lurked out there.

*****

Layra was awoken by screaming in the castle. She shot up and looked around, confused. Two lady's maids bustled in, as if to awake her, but seeing her already coherent, they grabbed her hands and pulled her down the hall, one putting her robe on as they went.

"Oh Princess Layra, it's your mother! She is in the throes of labor and no one can pacify her! She calls for you!" One of the maids gushed to her. Layra closed her eyes for a moment as she was pulled along, trying to get her wits about her. Though her mother was satisfied with their one child, her father continuously demanded to have a male heir. So they had kept trying, though every attempt had ended in a stillbirth or a miscarriage. Layra hated her father for continuously forcing her mother; she knew it would be the death of her. She burst into the room, and was shocked at what she saw. Her mother lay in the bed, weak and frail, with a mid-wife holding her hand. Her father was nowhere to be seen. A lady's maid was holding something that was making a terrible racket, and she realized it was a baby. She couldn't help her elation at finally having a sibling. The lady's maid exclaimed loudly, "It's a boy! The king has an heir!" Everyone laughed and cheered but her mother, who beckoned her over with a weak gesture. She pulled her closer, until her ear was even with her mother's mouth. She tensed, wondering what the queen wanted to say so privately, but only one word was uttered.

"Run."

Layra pulled back, startled, and went to ask her mother what she meant, but the lady's maid pushed her aside.

"The Queen!!! She is dead!! Run, hurry, and fetch the doctor! Wake the king!"

Layra stumbled out into the hallway, still staring at her mother's lifeless form as she was pushed aside. She turned and fled, running down to the stables and leaping onto her white steed, kicking him to run as fast as he could. Without direction, the horse took off, away from the bells in the town, away from the screaming and wailing, towards the meadows, and without her knowledge, towards the pool where they always went. The horse was only a creature of habit after all, and without a word from its mistress, it simply took off in the direction she had most often requested of it. They made it to the glade and she slumped off the animal's back and onto the ground, curling into a fetal position and crying herself to sleep.

*****

Layra awoke again sometime in the night, not knowing where she was. Her bed was cold and hard, her clothes were torn, and all around her it was pouring down rain. She could see it clearly outside of the shelter she was in. She started, suddenly...she hadn't found a shelter last night. She had taken off into the night when her mother had slipped from this world...thanks to her father's doings!! She was furious, and leaned back against the wall of the shelter, surprised at the intense heat emanating from it. The wall was hard and yet soft, and when she turned to look, she realized it was not a wall, at all. It was...scaly. And the blackest ebony she had ever seen. She tensed as she followed the wall up to the ceiling, where she saw a black membrane stretched out over here, longer than she knew how to measure. This wasn't a shelter at all...it was...

She stretched her neck around, craning to see past the "wall" in front of her. She looked down beside her and gasped, backpedaling quickly until she tripped and fell. Lying in front of her, its head larger than her entire body, was the blackest dragon she had ever seen.

She tried to regain her composure and looked around, trying to find a place to hide. The dragon had them both securely wrapped up and dry, and she couldn't help her curiosity as she moved a little closer to it. She reached up, touching the animal's cheek gently, and smiled at the feeling of the cold scales but fiery skin. She continued to explore the animal, trying to be careful not to wake it, lest it be keeping her only for a snack. She'd heard stories about dragons, but never seen one up close. From what'd she been told, they were evil, dark creatures that gobbled humans up faster than you could blink, and if you were to be caught by one, it'd be better to stab yourself with your dagger first, because it would torture you if you were still alive. She'd been told they looked like snakes and had eyes that pierced your soul, but this animal before her looked like a giant kitten curled up after a bowl of milk.

She ran her hand down between its eyes slowly, but jumped and yelped with one orb opened and stared at her, unblinking. The dragon's eyes were larger than her head, and they were the purest gold she could remember. Almost exactly like the knight's eyes yesterday, she thought to herself, trying to hold still, hoping it wouldn't see her. The animal did not move any other part of its body, but kept its eyes open, and spoke in a voice that made her body feel like butter dripping down.

"I see you are awake now, my little one," he murmured, and she was sure he was speaking gently because his regular volume would've shattered her ears. She looked at him, still terrified, too scared for her stubborn streak.

"Yes....where did...what are...how....are you going to eat me?" She finally spat out.

He laughed, a deep laugh that reverbe- wait, hadn't she thought that before? About someone else?

"No little darling, dragons do not eat people, especially beautiful little princesses like you. That's just a story nannies tell their little children to keep them out of trouble," he said. "Do not worry...I will not harm you. Go to sleep now, wait until the rain passes."

She shook her head, curling up against his cheek, warmed by the fire in his skin and the gentleness in his voice. "I cannot sleep, I am overcome with sadness. My mother passed away giving birth to my baby brother, and he will inherit the kingdom. The last word she said was to me, and it was "run". Dragon, what does that mean?"

Layra had never had a friend. The ladies of court despised her, and the peasant girls feared her. She had truly been alone most of her life. She might have found it odd to take comfort in a dragon, even if it was a dragon that was protecting her from the rain and cold, but at this point, why not?

The dragon looked at her, his cat-slit eyes thoughtful. "I am sorry you have had such a night, little darling. I knew this would be a difficult time for you. Yes, I knew what would happen," he answered the surprised look on her face. "I believe your mother fears for your life. With her gone and a new heir to the throne, a male at that, what use are you to your father? He might kill you, or keep you as one of his consorts."

Layra sat straight up, shocked at what the dragon was saying. "My father would never! He loves me and would never inflict harm on me, by death or rape! You know nothing, dragon!" And with that statement, she hit him on the scaly cheek she had been using as a pillow, so enraged she was.

The dragon growled and lifted its head, though still not removing it from the cover of its wing. Layra saw its nostrils flare with a light of fire and she dropped her head, ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Dragon, I did not mean to hurt you! I'm sorry, you have been so...."She paused here, not sure what to say. Nice? Comforting? Loving? Could dragons be any of those things? Without realizing it, she kneeled before the animal, trembling with some fear and grief. The dragon lowered its head, and she was shocked as its tongue dipped out over her hand, wiping away the blood dripping down from her cracked knuckles. A couple more licks, and her fist was healed completely.

"You will do well to remember to never hit a dragon," he answered in a deep voice. "And also to never speak to me that way. I will let it pass without punishment this time, because I know you are overwhelmed with grief. Sleep now, little darling, you have had a wearisome night and require the rest. I will keep watch."

She settled against his cheek once more, sighing in contentment. She doubted anyone was foolish enough to take on a dragon, especially one larger than any she had ever heard of. She drifted off into peaceful, happy dreams of soaring.

*****

Layra awoke in the clearing, feeling safer and warmer than she had in many nights. She stretched languidly, looking around, but seeing no sign of the dragon from the night before. It must've been a dream. Remembering the events from the night before, she felt no urging to return, so she moved towards the pool, dropping her white covering onto the bank and stepping in. Remembering the knight's words, she removed her braid and cleaned her hair, washing the feeling of sweat and tears off, and then rebraided it swiftly, though for what reason, she didn't know. She continued swimming around the little spring, dog-paddling, when she heard an approach. Hoping it was the dragon, or maybe even the knight from the day before, she swam towards the embankment.

"Hello, Dragon!" She called out, hopping out of the water and moving towards where she heard him. She backpedaled quickly as three large, burly brutes came into the clearing, leering grins on their faces. She made to grab for her dress, but the closest man reached for it and ripped it away. She gasped and went to scream, but a dagger was lifted to her throat, and she immediately clapped her mouth shut. Where was the dragon? Why did he leave me here? She thought. Unless it really was just a dream...
She snapped back to reality by a voice from the man in the middle, who she thought might be a ringleader. His voice was just as slimy as his looks.

"What have we here, mates? Looks like the princess gone and got herself lost in the clearing, with no one around to hear her. Naked too..." He snarled at this last part, moving towards her menacingly. She narrowed her eyes at him and growled, as if that would do much good.

"You better release me, or the King will have three new rats in the pit by mid-morning," she said haughtily, confident in her statement.

"Oh, I doubt that Your Highness, since it was the King who sent us to find you and bring you back to him. Probably won't notice if you're a little rough for wear, though..." Ringleader and his two cronies sniggered at this, and he reached for her breast, taking her nipple roughly between his fingers. She yelped and slapped him across the face, hard. He advanced quickly onto her and backhanded her, knocking her to the ground. When she opened her eyes, he hit her again, and this time she saw red and tasted blood, bile rising up in her throat. He grabbed her breasts again and forced her legs open, and she heard him rustling around with his pants. She realized what he was doing and tried again to escape, but that just got her another hit, and she felt like the ground was rushing up to meet her, even though she already lay on it. She felt something, painful, at her entrance, and just as she thought she was about to be taken, she heard a scream. And not coming from her.

There was a dark shadow over her body and the two cronies were laying behind her, both ripped in half, the upper body of one hanging from the dragon's jaws as he turned, staring at the Ringleader. The man sat still in shock before grabbing for his sword, but it was too late. Jumping quicker than any animal she had seen, the dragon took the man's body and positioned himself where she could not see what happened. She saw intestines spill to the ground and realized the man had been disemboweled, his screaming giving testament to that. She saw his penis and testicles fall to the ground next, then his eyes, then his tongue, and finally the dragon quartered him before dropping him completely, not giving the man the mercy of an instant death. He turned to face her and she scooted backwards quickly, suddenly terribly afraid. The dragon's eyes were a deep, swirling red, its black scales glittered with hot fire, and he moved over to her gracefully and picked her up into one of his talons, spreading his great black wings and taking flight. Her heart jumped as the ground dropped from the below them, and the dragon released a great roar and bellowed fire, lighting Ringleader's quartered body on fire. She passed out of consciousness at the sight.

*****

Layra awoke, feeling distant and groggy. The last 24 hours had taken a great toll on her mind, and she felt terrible, angry, sad, and grateful. She looked around the great room and saw it was designed grander than any castle she had seen, though it was carved out of a cave. There were great paintings on the walls of huge dragons, beautiful sculptures of smaller, more delicate dragons, and even a mural of incredible seashells and pearls of what resembled water serpents. The dragon must've taken her to his lair, she realized. She wondered throughout the room, finding different things to delight in, and then moved over to the door, curious as to how large this cave castle really was. As she went out into what seemed like a grand hallway, she heard a noise and saw a fluttering of clothing as she whirled around. The dragon stood before her, as large and imposing as ever, but his eyes were golden again. She moved towards him, slowly, and kneeled again, feeling fear and a great deal of gratitude.

"Dragon, you saved my life. Thank you. I can never repay this great favor you have paid me," she looked up at him, as the creature moved over to her, and lowered his head to run one long claw across her face. He slowly lowered his head until his tongue was even with her face, and licked her until the pain from the mauling subsided, and no bruises were left. He then rested his cheek against her head for a moment, before moving off.

"You are welcome, my little darling."

*****

Layra did not see the dragon again for a long time, though she did not leave the cave. What home did she have to go back to? Besides, she wasn't entirely sure what the dragon wanted with her anyways. She found her meals delivered to her by no one, but at a certain spot every day. She found many fine dresses in her wardrobe that fit her perfectly, and although she now had to dress herself, she enjoyed getting to pick her clothes. She had found a rather impressive "study" type of room in the cave, and she poured over books day after day, trying to learn as much about dragons as possible.

Always, she kept her hair in the golden braid, though for what reason now she didn't know, except perhaps the ease of it. She wondered if she would ever see that knight again. She began to find she truly missed the dragon, though they had little interaction, he was comforting and protecting. She began to wonder from room to room, and one day, when she happened upon a room she had not seen before, she went in. The furnishings in the room were all black and golden, and she saw a large bed in the middle. Not sure why the dragon even had bedrooms-she hadn't even considered why she had one here-she moved towards it, shocked to see someone there. She studied the man, she could tell it was a male, but wasn't close enough to really see. She finally gave up and moved even closer, recoiling quickly when his eyes opened.

A very familiar gold stared at her with cat-like slits, and the dark hair and lithe body couldn't be denied. It was the knight! He was here! Was the dragon his pet, or something? He stood up and walked over to her, grasping her wrists and shoving her down onto the bed before she could escape. He straddled her hips, keeping her effectively pinned, and smiled down at her, wolfishly.

"My my my, little Miss Princess. I see you have come looking for me," he purred.

She struggled against him, infuriated. "I have not come looking for you! I was brought here! I wouldn't look for you for all the kingdoms in the world," she spat.

His eyes swirled gold and he flipped her over quickly, onto her belly, grabbing her braid with his hand.

"Then why is your hair still braided? Do you not wonder what that great gift is that I promised you?" he murmured, running his hands up her legs and under her dress.

"I don't do it for you and I don't want any gifts you have for me!" she growled back at him, and then cried out as his hand swiftly slapped her bottom. "You pig, do not lay a hand on me!" she screamed.

He hit her again, harder this time. "I will continue to spank you as long as you continue to be insolent and not admit what you really want."

She did not answer, so he hit her again, and again, and again. After 5 spankings to her now red bottom, he left her on the bed, and came back with a servant's dress.

"Because you refuse to learn your lesson, you will wear this and see to all the chores in this place. You will do as you're told and you will mind. You will not be given anything to eat nor anywhere to sleep unless you ask, politely. You will call me Jareth, because that is my real name."

She refused to put the dress on, so he gave her ten more whippings, and she grudgingly did as she was told. For the rest of the day, Layra learned what it was like to be a scullery maid. She cooked under Jareth's direction, she scrubbed the floors, and she disposed of the waste. All the while, she wondered where the dragon was, and if he would come and help her. She hadn't seen him in so long, she didn't know if he'd left her for good.

At the end of the night, she was starving and exhausted. She had refused to ask for food and refused to ask for a bed, so she lay sleeping in the hallway outside of Jareth's room, like a common dog. Her belly ached and her body hurt, but exhausted as she was, she quickly found sleep. Her dreams were of dark and tempting illusions, and she yearned for what she did not understand.

*****

Jareth watched her while she slept, so temptingly close, but he forced himself to stay away, she would submit to him on her own free will. When she slept she looked so peaceful, but he knew what a little demon was in there. She would be so beautiful afterwards, the perfect example... She stirred, moving him from his thoughts, and he looked down at her from the chair where he sat, as her groggy eyes slowly registered where they were. He held up her dress and she sat up and took it grudgingly, but he noted with much less defiance than before. Without a word, she stood and began to go into the kitchen, but he stopped her.

"Layra, you have forgotten something." She turned to look back at him, her eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. "What have I forgotten?" she said, in a voice heady with exhaustion.

"You are supposed to dress me as well, remember?" Her eyebrows shot up and she looked as if she would refuse, but she nodded and waited for him to open the door to his room. He let her in and she went over to where his wardrobe was, no doubt unsure as to what he wanted to wear. She looked at him questioningly.

"I think a white linen shirt and dark pants will do for today," he said, watching her. As she walked over, she laid the clothing on his bed and looked at him. "Please remove your clothes, Jareth, so I may dress you." He shook his head and her eyes widened further when he leaned back for her to remove his night drawers. "You will remove these, and then dress me," he patiently instructed. He noticed the fury in her eyes right before she lunged for him, her small hands circling around his neck and attempting to strangle him. She took him down to the bed and tried to throttle him, her body atop his, but she quickly realized he wasn't even struggling.

He was just looking at her, his eyes swirling, but he did not look angry. Instead, his face held something else. Like there was something he wanted but couldn't have. Yet. He swatted her hands away deftly, and when she began to claw at his chest, he flipped her onto her back and pinned her down with one knee, his hands ripping her dress open and exposing her. She struggled all the harder, screaming and crying, but when at last she had exhausted herself, she lay still. He scooped her into his arms and held her there while she cried, feeling the bitterness and pride leaving her body as she wept. He looked down at her and she looked up at him as a child lost, and he was surprised by her next words.

"May I please have some food, Jareth?" He nodded and set her back down, bringing her a new dress and putting it on her with ease. She had already started to lose weight under the stress and lack of sustenance, and she could certainly use the meal. He still required her to dress him, which she did with no further argument, though she turned bright red when she lowered his undergarments, and he followed her into the kitchen, where she made breakfast under his instruction.

She took a plate for herself, but he took it away, instructing her to sit at the table. She looked outraged but too hungry to argue, and he fed the meal to her, forcing her to eat like a child, and also to recognize that this grace of food came from his allowance. After breakfast, she did her ordinary chores, and after lunch, where she again asked for food and was again fed as a child, Jareth took her into the library and had her read to him, about the history of dragons for some reason.

The book made her remember her hero in the glade, and she began to wonder if it had all been a dream, after all. She eyed Jareth as he took a turn reading, as she was having trouble with some of the words, and she noted again how much like the dragon he looked. But their manners were totally different, she decided. He was cold and unfeeling, a heartless wretch, while the dragon was comforting and safe. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, the single golden braid still intact. She wasn't sure why she'd kept it that way; Jareth had certainly not given her the gift for it. She moved to let it loose without really thinking, and in the flash of an eye, a hand was around her wrist. She looked into Jareth's eyes, only inches from her own blue, and felt afraid.

"Why are you letting your hair down, when I have not yet told you to?" His voice was dangerously low, and she felt the familiar rumbling as it shook her.

"You said you would give me a gift if I kept it that way, and I did, and you have not made good on your part. Why should I continue to uphold what you have asked?" She said, more carefully than her arguments in the past.

He nodded slowly, and released her wrist. "You are right, I have not. Not yet. Have some patience, and you will see the true gift that I will give you if you continue to submit yourself to me."

She made as if to continue to undo it, and then sighed, letting it fall back over her shoulder. It was easier to keep out of the way, anyhow, when it was braided. No point in letting it down. She couldn't bear the thought of any more whippings.

Jareth looked at the clock and nodded, "Yes, it is time for dinner. Go on ahead now, and make something."

Layra stood up and nodded, then went into the kitchen. She pondered there as she boiled the water, why was it that she had not yet tried to escape? Surely she couldn't, the cave was immense, but if she did make it out, someone would help her, wouldn't they? Or would she just end up in the same mess as before, when the dragon had saved her? She sighed to herself. Where was the dragon? Why had he abandoned her here? Sure, she was safer than she was in the glade, but this man that the dragon had left her with had turned her into a slave.

She heard something scuffle, and she peeked out of the kitchen, she thought she could hear someone in Jareth's bedroom, although he rarely went in there except to sleep. She crept across the corridor and over into the open room, and saw a long opening that she hadn't noticed before. Creeping across his room, she followed the tunnel, and was led to a pool. A clear, crystal blue pool that was filled with jewels of all kinds. She admired the stones for a moment, before turning to continue her exploration. She saw Jareth just ahead, who had somehow not seen her yet, and she hid behind a rock, watching carefully. He was stretching out, his muscles working against themselves, and she blushed as he dropped his robe. Layra moved to creep closer, when suddenly, there was a great burst of flame, and Jareth disappeared. In his place, though she couldn't believe it, was a huge, black dragon, with golden eyes.

She screamed, drawing attention to her hiding place, and the dragon, or Jareth, as the case suddenly was, whirled around, his snakelike head whizzing past the rocks and grabbing her before she could run. He dropped her to the ground and put one enormous paw over her, keeping her effectively pinned.

"What are you doing down here?!" He roared, the fire in his nostrils glowing red hot. She could feel the heat from where she was.

"I'm, I'm so sorry, I was curious, I heard something...I didn't...I wouldn't...it's you!!" She sputtered, unable to get out anything coherent. The dragon looked at her, the red slowly leaving his eyes, but he did not let her up.

"Yes, my little darling, it's me." She wriggled out from his claws as he looked away, but what she did next surprised him completely. She ran to his enormous head and threw her arms around him, not even encircling half. He purred into her touch, she could feel the vibrations from him.

"I've missed you so! Where have you been?" She said between sobs of relief, and he laughed as he pulled his head from her hands.

"What do you mean, where have I been?" She backed away from him quickly and he transformed back to his human form, wriggling some to get used to the constraint of a smaller body. "I've been beside you every day and every night, for your whole life. I've never left your side." She looked at him with complete distrust in her eyes.

"You're a dragon?!?! You're my dragon that saved me?! That's you?!" She growled and slapped him hard, across the face. Then, registering what she'd done, she took off across the tunnel, running back to the room. Jareth roared and gave chase, his eyes swirling to red. He easily caught her before his room and hoisted her over his shoulder, throwing her onto the bed. She squirmed and writhed, but he did not release her.

"You love me as a dragon and hate me as a man? Don't you think that's backward?" He asked, ripping her dress off of her once again, this seemed to be happening quite often lately.

"I hate you! I hate hate hate you! I want my dragon back, not you!!" She shook and struggled, crying and screaming.

"But I am your dragon, little darling. All dragons can transform, that's how we stay alive." He laid down beside her and let her cry into his shoulder. "I would've told you sooner, but I didn't see that it was really necessary. You must submit of your own free will, I will not force you for anything."

She looked up at him, carefully studying his features, and stopped struggling. She reached for him slowly, resting her face against his cheek, and felt the heat emanating, just like before. She stared into those golden cat-slit eyes and saw thousands of years in them, and the dark hair on his head the same fierce ebony as his scales. He sat patiently through her examination.

"Why did you save me and bring me here?" He knew that question was coming. He looked down into her pale blue eyes.

"I have visions. I knew one day the King would have a male heir and try to kill you. I've known since before you were born. I have followed you every day of your life to keep you from that end." He did not tell her the other half of that vision, she would find out soon enough.

She looked at him suspiciously. "You have watched me all these years?" He nodded. Layra's mind reeled with the implications of his words. A dragon, who was also a man, had watched her since the day she was born to make sure she would be safe. She suddenly felt so less alone, and very safe. She snuggled up against his side, much as she had against the dragon in the glade. Jareth closed his arms around her, and she looked up at him, just as she was drifting off.

"Jareth, may I sleep in a bed tonight?" She felt him nod, and within seconds, she was fast, fast asleep.

She woke in the night, stretching leisurely as she slowly came to. The bed in Jareth's room was perhaps the most comfortable one she'd ever slept on. She reached out for him and felt...nothing. He wasn't there. She looked around quickly, but even her adjusted eyes saw nothing in the room. She lay back on the bed, thinking about the fact that she was in a strange man's cave, who could transform into a dragon at will, and had been stalking her for her whole life. She looked around again, and saw the door to the cave tunnel was open. She wondered if he had gone back down there. Wanting to sit up and find out, but not overly anxious to do so, she laid back down. Very faintly, she heard a noise, and a rustling as a body crawled back into the bed. Jareth pulled her back into his arms, and she felt his naked form press against her, his length hard and stiff. She shivered, but the heat that radiated from his body quickly warmed her, and she fell back into a dreamless sleep, tucked away at his side.

Layra woke in a pleasant, hazy stupor, and then jolted with a start when she realized she was in Jareth's bed, asleep. He was wide awake and watching her, looking like a starved cat that saw a mouse. She backed up a little as he came towards her, and shuddered as he pinned her hands above her head, holding her wrists easily while his hand slid down her side, loving the feel of her bare skin and her perfect curves. She surprised him by reaching for him, surprised herself too, but it was only with Jareth that she felt completely safe. She let out a soft noise as his body covered hers completely, and he kissed her, deeply, passionately. She'd been kissed before, by suitors, but Jareth kissed her 'til she was breathless and panting. She jumped as his tongue slid against her lips; she hadn't ever noticed before that it was forked, just like his dragon form.
She hesitantly opened her lips to let his tongue dip against hers, and she shuddered at the way her body openly responded. She could feel the barely restrained passion in his body, feel his tightness against her, positioned over her entrance, but he held himself back, instead trailing lingering kisses down her throat and to her chest, taking each nipple one at a time and licking it until she rose against him in desire, arching her back to get closer. He nipped and bit, then licked the spot to soothe the pain, and Layra found herself unbelievably aroused by the slow torture.

He went down to her center, lowering his head between her legs, and kissing her inner thighs until she was thrusting against him, asking for more than just the teasing stimulation he was giving her. He smiled and pressed his forked tongue against her, and she cried out in ecstasy at the first lick, never having been touched that way. He continued to lick her over and over, getting her close, then finally, when she thought she couldn't take it any longer, he dipped his tongue inside of her and swirled it around, letting her finally come to that crest of release. Her body shuddered and she cried out, arching her back even higher, her hips gyrating, and the flush of passion spread across her chest. He sat back and let her body subside, her cries becoming gentle whimpers, until at last she opened her eyes and looked at him. He smiled at her and she smiled shyly back, and he moved back to her, kissing her, letting her taste herself on his tongue, and teasing her breasts to arousal, until she was flushed again and her breathing heavy.

He positioned himself before her, watching her face, and though she looked terrified, she did not move away. In one swift motion, he thrust inside of her, feeling the tear of her innocence and the pain of her screams as she was taken. He tried to let her adjust to his thickness and length, let her get used to her body being invaded, and when she lifted her hips a little, shifting some, he let out a heavy groan, thrusting inside of her gently. As she continued to respond, somewhat awkwardly, he smiled down at her, and was rewarded with a shy smile in return. Soon, his thrusts reached his full length, and he pulled her body up tight against his, teasing her with short shallow strokes and then deep ones that had her cumming on him again and again. He delighted in the tension of her body, the feeling of her breasts, her enthusiasm as she got more and more into it, asking for more and more of him, and the way she cried out when she neared orgasm.

He looked into her blue eyes, watching her carefully, and stopped, pulling them both up into a sitting position, staying buried inside of her. She leaned against his chest as he reached around took her hair, gently beginning to unbraid it. She looked at him questioningly as he did.

"Do you fully submit yourself to me?" He asked her gently. She nodded, slowly at first, then more enthusiastically. He smiled back at her and finished taking her hair down, letting the long golden locks flow more freely. He lowered her back onto the bed, and continued to thrust into her, growing more and more intense at the friction between them and the cries and moans that she emitted. He felt that familiar tightening and thrust into her hard, farther than he had before. She cried out as she orgasmed around him, and they fell together into a heap. He watched as she fell asleep.

*****

Layra woke up and stretched, and knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. She looked around for Jareth and saw he was a ways off. They were by the pool at the end of the tunnel in his cave, but everything looked so small, even him. She peered at him, trying to figure out why everything was different. She went to brush her hair back and felt something scrape what should've been her scalp...but...it wasn't. There was no hair, just...scales? She looked down and saw long, beautiful golden legs, a broad, strong chest, and sharp, pointed talons. She quickly flexed and felt giant wings come out beside her. She tried to run over to the pool to look at her reflection, but on all fours, she more or less waddled over. When she did look in, she saw staring back at her the most beautiful golden dragon with clear, blue eyes. She stared at herself, shocked. She'd become....a dragon?

She looked around for Jareth again, and saw him watching her. She snaked her head over to him as if to grab him, but something about his face warned her. She glared at him, furious and terrified. "What did you do to me?!"

He looked at her surprised. "I did nothing to you, per se. You chose it for yourself. In your submission comes complete freedom."

She looked at him, not fully understanding.

"You became a dragon because I am a dragon. We are a bonded pair now, we are mates. You became that way so we could be together in every form. Though I think you may be a water dragon, instead of a fire one, like me." He smiled, nodding towards her. "And just as I suspected, you are the most beautiful dragon I have ever seen."

A ball of fire filled the room for a moment and he morphed himself, the large black dragon still larger than her slender golden form. "You can morph back and forth as you choose, I'll help teach you. Of course all your readings in my library will have given you some education." He watched her, carefully, and she felt herself melting at the fire in his eyes. He rubbed his nuzzle against hers, and though she still felt fear, she suddenly felt the freedom he had said. The skies were hers, she had no one to answer to, she was a free creature. She looked back at Jareth, and smiled a toothy grin. Well, maybe one person to answer to.

He smiled back at her, and morphed into his human form, and at a word he said, she did, too. Feeling suddenly very small, but not too uncomfortable, she fell into his arms as he closed them around her.

"I told you, my little darling. I would give you the greatest gift."

THE END
Log in or Sign up to continue reading!