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“This was before monsters and humans had forged so many alliances, of course,” Sigwulf said. His gold pupils contracted, his gaze narrowing as he took in the image on the window. “Quaarkvearn was the first Dragon Caste male to take a human mate. The princess Oleana. Her people were happy with the match – her father wanted political allegiance with the Dragon Caste. But the Dragon Caste would not allow it. They wanted to keep their power and the bloodlines pure within the Dragon Caste. Humans were seen as weak, inferior creatures.”
I chuckled, even as Sigwulf made an uncomfortable face.
“Clearly, times have changed,” he added quickly.
I shook my head at him.
“I’m not offended, don’t worry.” Like he’d said, this was long ago. And besides, I could kind of see how a human would seem tiny and insufficient compared to a towering, glittering Dragon Caste male. “Go on,” I urged. “I’ve never heard this story. I’d like to hear the end.”
“The Dragon Caste tried to dissuade Quaarkvearn from the match. But it was a true love match. Oleana was his mate, not just his wife. When they realized how deep the bond went, they chained Quaarkvearn. They thought that would keep him away from his love.” Sigwulf’s mouth tugged into that subtle, crooked smile once more. “But they didn’t account for human…”
“Stubbornness?” I offered.
He turned that small smile towards me.
“I was going to say ingenuity. Because Oleana was so small compared to the Dragon Caste, she was able to slip through the bars of the window of the castle dungeon that held Quaarkvearn.”
“Wow,” I breathed. “That must have taken incredible courage. How did she get the key?”
“Ah. The key is metaphorical. In reality, at least in the version of the story I was always told, she brought a hammer to break apart the chains. The flames, too, are metaphorical. Quaarkvearn was not happy she’d put herself in danger to free him. He told her he’d burn everything in the castle before he let harm come to her.”
“And what did she say?” I asked breathlessly, spellbound by the dramatic romance of his words.
“She said, ‘So let it burn.’ Then she swung her hammer.”
He paused to look at the window before continuing.
“They were discovered, of course. While the hammer made little progress against the chains, it did make a remarkable racket. Dragon Caste have excellent hearing. The dungeon was swarmed.”
“No!” I cried despite myself. I was entirely wrapped up in the fate of the crystalline lovers. “What happened?”
“Do not worry. This story has a happy ending,” Sigwulf said. “When the Dragon Caste saw that Princess Oleana had risked her own safety to free Quaarkvearn, when they saw the strength in her hammer blows and the steadfastness of her heart, they finally understood that she could be a worthy match for their warrior. The match was blessed, and they lived happily as mates from that day onward.”
He turned his gaze to me once more, taking in my face with intense observation.
“The Dragon Caste find change difficult. They are often referred to as stuck in their ways. However, they also deeply respect evidence. They will change their minds about something if given good reason.” His gaze softened. “They recognize worthiness when it presents itself.”
His words struck an odd chord inside me, making my throat ache and my skin flush.
Giving a shaky laugh, I broke eye contact, facing the window once more.
“I love that story,” I said, smiling so hard it hurt.
Sigwulf’s reply was a quiet reverberation in the still air.
“So do I.”
We stood side by side looking at the window for some time. When I had the absolutely insane urge to tip my head to the side and lean it against the warm bulk of his massive arm, I forced myself to pull away.
A quick tour of the rest of the room presented me with even more luxuries. A proper toilet and a bath the size of a carriage
“Is there… Can I…”
“Hot water? Yes. There is always hot water available. Please make use of the bath any time.”
“You mean like right now? Because that is all I want to do now.”
Probably not the best idea to strip down and get naked in front of my new employer, though…
