Confession

The two of them manage to slip out of the city without incident. Kael donning a hooded cloak helped matters, though Petra drew a few glances as always. Mostly though, the sun dipping low in the sky helped; most people have gone home for the evening. Once out of the city, they walk into the forest, with Petra seemingly having a destination in mind. Neither of them speak along the way, Petra being clearly deep in thought, and Kael not wanting to intrude upon those thoughts. Finally, though, they reach a clearing, where Petra stops.

“Here, my king. Petra will explain.”

She hesitates, but then speaks again. “Petra want to explain before…before Petra is officially king’s guardian. Petra have…secret.”

Kael nods. “So you’ve said. And your little incident with Evie the other day gave it away, though she wouldn’t say anything about it.”

Petra sighs. “My king’s mate is good person. Petra was scared. But Petra can not keep secret. Not right. So now Petra tell everything. Petra show everything.”

She takes a deep breath. “Is hard. Petra still not speak well. But try. This not Petra natural body.”

Kael looks at her quizzically. “That’s not your body? What do you mean?”

Petra looks down at herself. “Petra transform. Petra natural form…different.”

She sighs. “Easier to show. Petra scared. Petra not want to upset my king. But no more secret.”

As she talks, she begins to undress. Without hesitation she pulls off her top, and then her shorts. Not that her clothing left much to the imagination, but her naked figure is beautiful, muscular but still extremely feminine. Petra shows no shame in her sudden nudity, and walks out to the center of the clearing, gesturing for Kael to stay where he is. Kael, forcing himself not to stare at her body, simply nods.

Petra closes her eyes, and Kael can hear her speaking in a language he can’t understand. Her form seems to shimmer, and then grow. Her limbs lengthen and thicken, as does her body. Scales and fur cover the bare skin, her tail growing to match the size of her body as she drops to all fours. Her body is now long and sinuous, blue scaled and white furred, with an elongated, almost reptilian head. The eyes though, are familiar. Piercing blue, and shining with intelligence as the creature that Petra has become coils up, massive and powerful. Those eyes transfix Kael, as silence falls in the dim twilight.

A voice fills Kael’s mind, unmistakably Petra, but different, more powerful.

This is me. I am a dragon, my king. In this form, I can speak, mind to mind, without the stumbling speech of my humanoid form. Can you understand me? I have never spoken this way with a human before.

Kael nods, at a loss for words.

Good. I have much to say. Firstly, an apology, for keeping this from you. I feared your reaction. I still do, because of my other secret.

Petra’s draconic form uncoils, her massive head dropping down to Kael’s level. Kael is surprised to see fear in those blue eyes.

There is too much to explain, so I’ll skip ahead. I took on humanoid form to witness your speech. But in truth, I remember little, because something happened that day. A bond was formed.

Kael starts to speak, but Petra lifts a massive, clawed paw to stop him.

Please, my king, let me finish. My kind have always been rare. I know of no other dragons, though I am yet young. But I know the lore of my kind, and I had heard of this bond. The mate-bond, the life-bond. It is a mystical thing, but it is unbreakable.

Those blue eyes fix upon Kael again.

And I felt it that day. I feel it now. I am yours, my king. I would be your guardian , and more than that. But…if I repulse you, if my true self is too horrible…I understand. Most humans are terrified by the true form of dragons. That is why I had to show you. I can not lie to you, my king.

She takes a deep breath, the warmth washing over Kael. Petra’s eyes hold both hope and fear as her voice echoes in his mind.

So I ask you, my king. Will you accept me? My bond? My…my heart?