Damsels and Dragons

Chapter 5 - Faith vs Delusion

(POV Liv)

I felt bad about leaving Nissa alone. She (or he?) was definitely suffering and it hurt my heart to see her like that. She had called herself a boy but I was having a hard time seeing it. A young maiden trapped in the body of a dragon, yea I could somehow believe that, but her actually being a guy was the part I couldn't believe.

Then again she could be like Daniel. I was surprised when he said he was a guy, but after Millicent helped him it was plain as day being a guy fit him so much better. It could have been why she had a hard time saying her name. Maybe after Millicent helps Nissa get back to normal we can see if she needs a similar fix.

I kind of overstayed my time in the forest. Navigating back after sunset was noticeably more difficult. Unfortunately I had trouble leaving the scared lonely dragon that was actually a person while she was in anguish.

I did manage to make it back to town, unlike most places we didn't need a wall due to the valleys natural lack of monsters and other more human problems.

I walked on in and found my home. I lived in a room above Mille's shop. Daniel and her were waiting for me when I got upstairs to the common space.

"Liv where have you been? Leo got back hours ago raving about a dragon of all things. What happened?" Mille dug in. She was on Daniel's lap as they had apparently been cuddling.

"Well… Look you aren't going to believe me but I need you too. I think I met one of the witches' victims and… It's complicated." God they were never going to believe me.

"Dragon complicated?" Daniel asked. I winced a bit. "Wait for real? You met an actual dragon."

"No but yes? Look its complicated." I ran my hand through my hair and sighed.

Mille spoke up. "Why don't you start from the beginning."

I took a deep breath before rambling about going out hunting with Leo and running across a sleeping dragon. Along with everything that happened after. "Look I know this is like, impossible but she really needs help and you're the only potion expert I know."

Mille gave me a disbelieving look, "Liv you sound crazy. A potion that can turn a person permanently into a dragon doesn't exist. No elixir can retain that sort of power, and even if someone managed to make a temporary one it would run out, rather quickly."

"Liv isn't like Leo, I don't think she's making this up. Besides with how powerful the witch was she might have been able to do it." Daniel commented.

Millicent was having none of it. "I don't care how powerful she is, you'd need a curse to even get close to a sustaining effect, and it'd have to be constantly reapplied for something so complicated and potent."

I groaned. "Look I left her in the forest, and I'm going back out tomorrow. I just need you to join me and look her over."

"I'm coming too, there's no way I'm passing up meeting a freaking dragon." Daniel said excitedly.

"Fine but you have to help pay for food. I have a feeling that one deer didn't fix nearly a week of starvation, since you know, she's a dragon."

"Fine, but if there's no dragon and you just went crazy, you have to pay me back." He bargained.

"Deal."

Mille looked at us like we were both idiots. "You sure she's not like a wyvern? That'd make more sense."

"She had four legs and no stinger, I'm pretty sure she's not a wyvern. Our mentor drilled into our heads common monster lore." I explained.

"Ugh, fine we'll go see your imaginary dragon tomorrow." She got up and dragged Daniel to bed.

I went to my room and laid down. I pinched myself to make sure this wasn't all some really long messed up dream. Nope definitely real. I drifted off to sleep thinking about Nissa, underneath all the scales and aura of primal terror, she was pretty cute. In personality, I-I wasn't a weirdo.

I woke up to Daniel pounding on my door. "I was promised a dragon, and Leo won't believe Mille that you're alive."

I got up and dressed. I was going into the forest so I got my armor and gear ready too. Dan complained once or twice about how long it takes ladies to get ready. His history made those kinds of jokes funny rather than patronizing. That and the obvious joking nature.

I followed him down to find Leo arguing with Millicent in her shop. He looked at me wide eyed. "What?! How did you escape! Also you have to help me convince people, no one's taking me seriously about the fucking dragon near our town."

I groaned, "She's not a problem, or at least not you're problem. Just drop it."

"It's a fucking dragon. It's everyone's problem!" He shouted.

"She's a girl who had an accident with a potion." I saw Mille roll her eyes. "You're being a twat, and a bigoted asshole grow up and treat people with respect."

"I'm not an asshole. Name one time I've ever been a bigot!" The dumb ass could not have chosen a worse way to word that.

I didn't even say anything and just pointed to Daniel.

Leo went wide eyed. "Look she doesn't cou-" He got cut off by Daniel decking him in the face.

Millicent just yelled at him, "Get the fuck out of my shop. If' I see you in here again You'll regret it."

"Whatever you're all insane anyway. I'll go deal with it myself." Leo trudged out with a bloody nose that might also be broken.

I turned to Daniel, "Sorry about that, I didn't know he was still that big of an ass to you."

"I'm not happy about it but that's on him not you. If anything now I know he's just as much of a bastard now as he's always been." He explained.

Millicent was raging. "If that little shit ever comes in MY shop again I'm shoving the nastiest potion I have down his throat. Glass and all." Dan went over to calm her down.

Eventually she closed up the shop, leaving a closed sign in the window. We marched over to the butcher's shop and got some food for Nissa. Daniel was left carrying it as I had my hunting gear and Millicent had packed some of her own equipment.

I really hoped Nissa hadn't wandered off. Then again she apparently had an excellent track record of staying put.

Daniel was practically bouncing with excitement while it was clear Mille was still skeptical. I'd make sure to savor her expression when she found out I was right.

They both noticed Nissa practicing her speech. They were shocked by the fact it didn't sound human but I just found it adorable.

"Nissa I'm back!" I yelled to her before we got within line of sight. "I brought my friends so don't be scared alright?"

"O-Okay," Said the nearby dragon. She didn't even need to yell.

Upon reaching her I looked over to my two friends. Daniel was slack jawed looking up at Nissa, and Mille looked actually terrified.

I introduced them."Nissa, this is Millicent and Daniel. Dan, Mille this is Nissa."