Dragon Bath by Dee Dreslough, The Circle Gallery, www.Blackdrago.com
This amazing painting has captured my attention for fifteen years. When I wrote my first dragon story, I dug through thousands of dragon pictures on the Internet to find one to capture my fancy. When I stumbled on Dee Drelough's work, I was hooked. So hooked, I bought a T-shirt and sweatshirt with the same image on the front. LOVE her vision. I believe this is the dragon who set my mind to working on the Scandinavian dragons in my first book, Dragon's Among Us.
Sweden
Dagmar and Petra stood gazing at one
another. This moment was too precious to worry about what the Ancient One had
just imparted to everyone.
“Dagmar?” Violet eyes widened.
“Hmmm?”
“I have the strangest sensation we’re
being watched.” Petra rustled her scales.
Dagmar had felt the eyes but hadn’t wanted
to spoil the mood of the moment. He shook his head slightly.
“Well, you do realize we are standing
in the meeting hall. I suspect there are a lot of eyes watching us. After all,
you are the most beautiful shifter here.”
Dagmar watched the lilac cheeks burnish
a deep amethyst.
“You’re just saying that because you
love me.” She looked up at him through thick blond lashes.
“Yes, I am. The fact it is true doesn’t
change it, though. Let’s go into the café. I’d like some hot coffee. How about
you?”
The tiny dragon rewarded him with a shy
smile.
Dagmar pulled a deep breath in his
lungs. He had to be the luckiest being on the planet. This tiny slip of perfection
was willing to spend her life with him. He realized he was being imbued with a
heavy responsibility. I’m up to it.
Gazing at Petra, he reinforced his promise. I have to be, she’s very
precious.
The couple strolled to the Ice Palace
café and located an empty table. The room buzzed with murmured, urgent
conversations, the auras of concern dancing across tables and hanging
diaphanously in the air. The dominant color was a gossamer blue-tinged grey,
the throbbing tempo matching the stress emitted by couples going over the news
the Ancient had relayed in the meeting.
Dagmar spotted Lee, red-tinged scales a
sickly orange, sitting with Olga, the green edges of her scales resembling
week-old mown grass, heads nearly touching as they animatedly whispered. Dagmar
quickly decided he wanted to be alone with Petra and turned his back to the
center of the room effectively shielding them from prying eyes and negative
auras as he steered her to a small table for two tucked into an alcove near the
café’s opening.
He pulled the table from the wall so
she would affect a sitting position on her tail. Once she was comfortable, he
sat himself across from her using his larger form to block prying eyes.
“We’ll stay the night in the dorms. May
I follow you home to ask your parent’s permission for your hand tomorrow?”
Petra cast her eyes to the table. She
drew small circles on the top with her delicate talon.
“I never knew my dad and my mom died
giving birth to me.”
Dagmar felt his cheeks burn. “I… I’m so
sorry.”
Petra gazed up at him and dazzled him
with a brilliant smile. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault and my adopted mom,
Kerttu was mom’s best friend. She’s a really cool shifter who taught me
everything I know about myself. However,” a small line formed across the
perfect brow, “I think I’d better talk to her first before you meet her. Kind
of lay the ground work, you know what I mean?”
Dagmar moved his head in agreement. He
wasn’t going to worry about the impending world catastrophe – too much.
However, starting life with Petra at his side was becoming more urgent by the
moment. The longer the two waited to lifemate, the longer it would take to have
children. Dagmar wanted to see his children before the two-leggeds did
something stupid like blow themselves and everyone around them up or declare
war on dragonkind. They’d tried once before and nearly succeeded but dragons
and shifters were ready this time. More so than the two-leggeds could possibly
suspect.
“You’re right.” He allowed a light sigh
to escape between his lips. “I guess I’m just impatient to start life with
you.” He turned his cobalt eyes to gaze into Petra’s lilac ones. He was lost in
her lavender pools when someone coughed politely behind him.
Dropping his gaze to the table, he
sucked in a deep breath. “This had better be good.”
He turned to glare into the golden eyes
of Lee Svensson. Olga, Petra’s best friend, stood beside him, talons wrapped
possessively around his lithe, muscular bicep.
“I know the two of you would prefer to
be alone, but I really feel the need to speak with you.” Lee’s scales had
returned to their brilliant crimson-edged color as Olga’s had deepened to her
normally forest green edges.
Dagmar darted a glance at Petra who
shrugged her shoulders. He rose and maneuvered closer to the tiny dragon. She
scooted herself into the corner and placed a delicate talon on Dagmar’s thigh
as he sat on his tail next to her. Lee and Olga sat across from the two lovers.
Lee looked into deep cobalt and
startling lilac eyes. The pair would produce interesting offspring. He cleared
his throat.
“We are all aware of the announcement
the Ancient made earlier.”
Agreement was unanimous around the
table.
“What he didn’t say is how desperate
the situation has become.” Lee glanced down at Olga, her scale edges blanching
light green, and moved his talon over hers.
Dagmar raised an eyebrow as he looked
at Petra who was blinking her eyes in shock.
The white scales of Lee’s cheeks began
to blossom orange. He clutched Olga’s talon in his.
“Petra, I know you are Olga’s best
friend, and we’re sorry to have kept this such a secret, but…”
Petra turned a terrified look Dagmar’s
way. He patted her talon on his thigh then wrapped his arm around his lifemate,
pulling her to him. Her body trembled beneath his touch and he gently squeezed
her shoulder.
“…we got married last night.”
Petra’s eyes popped and she gasped.
“I… I… I didn’t know you were even
dating!” She felt anger building in her chest and struggled to contain the
fury. Her eyes narrowed and the lilac orbs colored a deep amethyst.
“Why couldn’t you confide in me Olga?
We’re supposed to be best friends.”
Dagmar watched the normally flip Olga
cower in her seat. He suspected his lifemate could be scathingly dangerous when
aroused. The edges of Olga’s scales blanched so intensely it was hard to tell
they had color at all.
“Petra…” the plea was whispered, a
large tear coursing down her cheek.
Dagmar chanced a glance above Petra’s
head to find her aura spiking yellow bolts of energy in a roiling red cloud.
Lee looked at the couple in front of
him and spoke. “I take the blame for that.”
Petra snapped her head his direction.
“I still haven’t heard why my best friend couldn’t confide in me. From you or
her.”
Lee straightened his back and rigidly
sat on his tail. “What I’m about to say to the two of you goes no further than
this table. Are we clear?”
Petra dug her talon into Dagmar’s
thigh. She barely moved her head in agreement as did Dagmar.
Lee pulled a deep breath in and slowly
released the air, stirring the ice crystals on the tabletop.
The waitress appeared at the table.
“What can I get everyone?”
Dagmar took a quick eye survey. “I
think we’ll all have hot coffee. Would you be able to bring the pot to the
table?”
The white dragon flashed a perfect set
of teeth. “Sure, no problem. Be right back.”
The group waited until she was out of
earshot.
“When my mother’s people visited China
some 350 years ago, she went along at the insistence of her father. What he
hadn’t planned on was her falling in love with one of the emperor’s archers.
They courted in secret and pledged themselves to each other. Before they knew,
a child was on the way – me. It was at that point my father had to set my
mother down and explain that he wasn’t an archer; he was the Western Dragon Ao
Jun. He was able to shift into human form at will.”
The waitress shashayed up to the table
with a tray bearing four cups and a carafe of coffee.
Dagmar signed the slip adding his room
number.
When she was out of earshot, Lee
continued his story.
“Fearing the retribution the dragon
council would inflict on my mother and her family, my father and a trusted
servant secreted her out of China and back to Sweden. As my mother was a
two-legged, she did not live very long but my father had sent his servant to
watch over and train me in the ways of the sapien draconi. I shifted the first
time when I was a year old; terrified my mom and nearly got us burned out of
the village.”
Petra lifted a brow. She’d watched her
friend across the table nodding and gazing at the young dragon speaking with
obvious love. But she still wanted answers, and Lee wasn’t forthcoming with
them.
“This still doesn’t tell me why you
kept me in the dark about getting married.” She pulled her talon from Dagmar’s
leg and crossed her arms in front of her.
Lee cleared his throat. “I’m getting to
that. It wasn’t long after my mom discovered my… ability, the mage wars began.
My father stole out of China as he knew the peoples of China would do what they
had always done when the rest of the world went to war – close the borders and
isolate themselves. He joined the Swedish contingent of warriors, and that’s
where he met, Branstock and Arndis Nelsson.”
Lee watched the color of Dagmar’s eyes
fade. His aura blanched to grey and he wavered on his tail.
“My… my parents.” The words spoken so
quietly that even with dragon hearing the trio had to strain to hear them
spoken.
Lee nodded. “Yes, Dagmar. Your parents.
The reason songs are sung about your father is his fierce spirit and
determination are legendary. He was a magnificent warrior, and your mother had
healing powers not matched since her unfortunate death. Yours is a noble line.”
Dagmar’s eyes had glazed over and he
murmured. “You knew my parents.”
“Actually, my father knew your parents.
They whisked me away to a family cave in the fjords until the wars were over. I
vaguely recall meeting an impressively tall dragon with military bearing and his
lithe companion. I recall she had the most enchanting blue eyes, but it was in
the process of my being trundled up and sent to the caves.”
Petra rolled her lilac eyes and
shrugged her shoulders. “This still isn’t giving me an explanation of why the
two of you have kept your relationship a secret, and now have denied me the
pleasure of helping my best friend plan her wedding.”
Lee pushed out a breath. Olga gave him
a tremulous smile. “Well, it’s complicated…”
Petra pushed up, fisting her talons on
her hips. Her aura blazed red, yellow lightning flashing dangerously.
“STOP! Of course it’s complicated. Tell
me now or I’m leaving, and I promise you, Olga, I’ll never speak to nor see you
again as long as I live!” Her eyes had turned a royal purple. The slight hint
of sulfur tainted the coffee aroma drifting around the table of four.
Olga stood pulling her spine up and
glared at the petite lavender tinted dragon she called her best friend. Olga’s
scale edges had deepened to a forest green tinged with black.
“Don’t ever yell at Lee. He has taken the brunt of your temper
tantrum long enough.” The aura surrounding her roiled as angrily as Petra’s.
The two males looked at each other and,
simultaneously, placed gentling talons on their respective mates.
The two females tried shrugging off the
firm talons but met with resistance. Realizing they could not fight their mates
concern, they sat rigidly glaring at each other.
“The most Ancient dragon of our species
has deigned to start a war against the two-leggeds.”
Petra and Dagmar gasped in unison. Dagmar looked at Lee, raising an
eyebrow.
“Seriously?”
“Unfortunately, yes. The reason Olga
and I kept all of our courting quiet is even in our world of secrecy there are
spying eyes. My father was the last known full-blooded dragon of the west. Many
have no knowledge of my existence. Olga has just discovered her true lineage. It was revealed that her
father is Volsung’s first deputy and her mother was…”
He glanced at Olga and she nodded. She
turned her head sideways and looked out the doorway.
“…Kerttu Heikkinen.”
Petra started to cough. She couldn’t
catch her breath. Kerttu Heikkinen was her mother’s best friend!
“I… I… I… didn’t know. How come we
weren’t raised together?” She slumped on her tail. How could she have doubted
Olga? They’d been best friends all their lives. She put her head in her talons
and allowed tears to slide down her forearms.
Dagmar’s scale edges turned smoky grey.
He slid his arm around his ladylove. He could see her distressed aura and feel
her deep pain, but he really didn’t know what else to do to make her pain go
away.
Olga turned back to the table. Slowly
she stretched a talon across the ice top and laid a talon on her friend’s arm.
Petra shook her head. “I feel like an
idiot.”
Olga allowed a smile to touch her lips.
“You were acting like one.”
Petra looked up, her lilac eyes
brimming with unshed tears.
“I would have told you if I weren’t
afraid you and Dagmar would have been put in danger. Remember last year’s
gathering at the Arctic caves?”
Petra and Dagmar acknowledged by a
quick nod. Petra grabbed a cloth napkin from the table and wiped at her eyes.
“Lee and I have crossed paths for many
years.” Olga’s amber eyes glowed as she looked at her husband. He lifted his
coffee cup to his lips and diplomatically filled his mouth.
Dagmar looked at the couple and saw the
line of royalty in their features, the straight snouts and perfectly spaced,
slender eyes rimmed in black; eyes so golden they glittered in the light. How
could he have missed it before?
Olga stroked her small friend’s forearm
finally grasping her talon lightly.
“I love you Petra but truth be told,
when you were not the center of attention, you didn’t know or care what was
going on around you.”
Petra’s eyes began to fill with tears.
She looked at the tabletop watching small tendrils of steam rising from beneath
the hot cups of coffee.
“I… I…” Petra stuttered.
Olga quieted her with a squeeze of the
arm.
“I’m not laying blame. I’m explaining.”
Petra looked up, a tear escaping down
her cheek.
“Lee and I knew of his lineage. With
the rumors circulating about shifters changing unexpectedly, we knew something
was not right and began to investigate on our own. When we met last year, we
realized the attraction was more than just friendship – that we wanted to
become lifemates but doing so would cause problems. There are still those who
would see Lee’s family line rendered extinct. So we put off any permanent
plans. We emailed and kept in contact on the phone. With the instances of
unexpected shifting increasing, we knew we had to make a move and now. So
without any fanfare or fuss, we met in town before coming up last night and got
married. You two are the only ones that have this knowledge. Oh, and the
magistrate at the town hall.”
Dagmar sat back on his tail. He wasn’t
sure how much he wanted to believe.
Lee leaned in as he put his cup on the
table. He looked directly into Dagmar’s eyes.
“In the two-legged world, I work for…
the military. I’m an officer in a division that keeps tabs on the pulse of our
nation and others. I can’t verify what we’ve said but trust me; things are
getting very precarious in their world.
“I have a pipeline of information to
the Ancient’s inside circle and let me tell you, things are heating up there,
too. What is the saying ‘An ill wind this way blows’? We’re in trouble and we
need to face some facts about what might happen.”
Dagmar and Petra gazed sadly at each
other.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
She asked, a quiver skipping through her voice.
Dagmar pulled her close to him and
looked at Lee.
“Do you still have the name and address of that magistrate?”
