Damsels and Dragons

Chapter 11 - Talking is a Free Action

(POV Liv)

"Alright, we'll be back here tomorrow to help you figure things out okay?" I said.

I led my friends back home. The trail back was rather well defined, at least until we got back to where we found Nissa.

"So, who was right about a dragon being in the woods?" I gloated to my formerly doubtful roommates.

"Okay you were right Liv. I guess I'm not getting reimbursed on all that meat." Of course Daniel was more bothered by the fact he wasn't getting the coin he spent back.

Millicent sighed in defeat, "Yea there was a dragon, and somehow despite looking like a giant murder machine that makes me want to piss myself and run, she actually turned out to be a sweet cinnamon roll of a person."

"You wanted to piss yourself?" I was holding back laughter.

"She's a fucking dragon, of course I was terrified. If you hadn't told me about her beforehand, and if you weren't standing there all nonchalant I would have ran screaming." Millie admitted.

"I for one trusted Liv wouldn't have lead us to our deaths. But yea she is kind of terrifying even when you know she's just a shy innocent girl." Daniel replied.

"I mean I sort of saw that when I first met her, but I don't really see it anymore. She's just a cute girl in a dragon's body." I explained.

That got me a look from both. Millie got a sinister grin. "Liv no. Do you have a crush on a Nissa?!"

My cheeks flushed, "N-No. She's just really nice and adorable and stuff."

Daniel just wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we were walking. "It's okay we won't judge." He patted me on the back.

"Speak for yourself Dan. Liv you can't date a dragon, how would that even work in bed? Maybe if you-"

I broke free of Daniel to cover her mouth. "I said I don't, and I do not want to hear your weird ideas on sex with a dragon."

Daniel just chuckled to himself. "Keep telling yourself that Liv." He rubbed his chin. "Do we even know how old she is?"

A look at Millicent already told me she was lost in fantasy land. She was such a weird little nerd sometimes. Correction, most of the time.

I thought back to the tower. "I don't know, but judging by her old clothes she had to be at least through puberty."

He just looked at me, "How are you so observant all the time? You somehow notice everything."

"Part of the job, half of hunting is just noticing clues and piecing them together."

"I guess the other part is shooting a bow?" He asks cheekily.

"Pretty much, it helps to have a talent for it all." I was pretty proud of how I managed to actually develop my skills into one.

"Yea yea, you and your fancy magical talent." Right, he didn't have one like me and Millicent. I guess that would suck, but it's not like most people have one.

"It is pretty nice, super human senses do help when leading you two home through a forest at night." I didn't exactly have night vision but I could see a bit better in the dark than I used to, plus my hearing gave me a strange sense of location even without sight. It also helped that I've been exploring the forest for years and knew it pretty well.

Millie snapped out of her weird rabbit hole of thought. "So it might work, but you'd need a really big strap on."

Daniel laughed while I groaned. "Millie don't ever say that again."

I didn't need to look at her to notice the eyeroll.

I eventually had to focus more as we got past the trail where we met Nissa and night had fallen. I got out a torch and we finished the last bit of our journey. We passed some guards on night patrol. They had a rather easy job considering the lack of anything dangerous near town. Littlerock was far too peaceful to need a standing guard, but the reeve insisted on spending tax money on them.

Upon making it back to the shop we saw a man standing outside the door waiting. It only took a second to realize it wasn't Leo. The grizzled older man was leaning arms crossed against the front of the place. A dark green cloak blending him into the night. Streaks of grey in his black hair and beard. His familiar cold green eyes bore their way into me.

"H-Hey, Tristan." My mentor being here certainly raised some warning flags. I finished my apprenticeship and didn't see him much, so him waiting outside the front door at night was not good.

"Olivia, I wanted to have a word with you. Oddly enough you and your friends disappeared all day so I was left waiting." He didn't sound happy about it.

"W-Well you know, it's part of the job and all. Please tell me you're not here because of Leo." The look he gave made it clear Leo was in fact responsible for the visit.

Daniel and Millie had noped out and went inside leaving me all alone with him. Sure I wasn't in danger, but I'd at least like the support.

"Would you prefer to talk here in your home, or do we need to go back to mine?" He asked.

"Here." I said deflated. What a fun way to end the night.

Millie and Dan went to their room for the night and left me to talk with Tristan in the living room.

"Alright, just tell me what this is about." I hated this whole waiting game he liked to do. He was just a dramatic bitch sometimes.

"Leo claims the two of you found something rather dangerous in the forest. I wanted to hear from you whether there was any merit to the claim." He eyed me. I knew he'd see right through my lies, not that it'd stop me from trying. Fortunately he worded the question just right to avoid needing to lie.

"Other than a bear we spotted a few days ago, we haven't encountered anything dangerous in the forest." Sure Nissa was clumsy and could uproot trees on accident, but she was scared of deer for gods' sake. It was clear she knew she could accidently hurt us and gave us space to avoid that.

He scrutinized my face. "Interesting, about as interesting as seeing flocks of birds constantly scared off from the western woods. Something was disturbing the wildlife. Do you know what did?" He was really dancing around the subject.

So I could lie and he'd call me on it or I could tell the truth which would lead to the question of what it is. As much as I don't want to get him involved, he was going to find out one way or another.

"Yes." I just stared him right in the eye.

He leaned back. "Explain." The word loaded with authority.

"We stumbled across… A girl in the forest. We mistook her for a monster, but I realized the mistake. Nissa's not a danger to anyone despite her appearance."

He considered my words carefully. "You know if the reeve thinks differently there will be problems. It's our job to keep the forests clear of dangers."

"It's also our job to help people. The only one in danger is her." I had raised my voice towards the end there. I took a deep breath to get my emotions in check.

"Leo seems to think she's a dragon." He knew the moment my face gave away the answer. "So he was telling the truth."

"Leo's a judgmental asswipe who'd have a helpless young woman killed for what she looks like." I spat the words out.

It got an eyebrow raise out of him. "You say she's not a danger but how much do you even know about dragons? Even a young one could destroy the town. Ancient ones have destroyed entire kingdoms in ages past."

"Not much but I know her. She's scared of her own shadow, can't even feed herself. I had to hunt for her so she wouldn't starve. Until yesterday she had lived her entire life as a timid human afraid of deer. She's not a danger, she's in danger."

I finally managed to surprise him. "You know that’s an even more outlandish claim than even Leo's."

"Millicent and Daniel have met her and they'll back me up on this. Hells I can take you to meet her tomorrow if you don't believe me. But don't think for a second I'll let you or anyone else around here hurt her."

His lip quivered before forming into a smile. "Those are bold words, but fine. I'll meet with the dragon you so deeply care for." He stood up. "Have a pleasant night Olivia."

He finally got out of my hair. He was the same cryptic bastard as always but at least he was reasonable. I doubted he'd be bold enough to hurt her without being ordered to by the reeve. He also taught me everything I knew about observational skills with both nature and people. He'd know the second he laid eyes on her she's no threat.

Now if only he'd deal with Leo. I doubted it but a girl can dream.