“She’s a growing dragon?” I shrugged as he rolled his eyes, glancing at the wood oven.
“So what do we make her for breakfast? Is she picky?” He looked around, frantic.
“Maybe bread or something baked?” I suggested.
“We’ve got quite a few dozen eggs and a few pounds of flour.”
Myrtle’s got this whole thing with Aria and the church and it’s all a complicated mess. Meanwhile, my brother’s panicking just trying to feed her.
“Let’s pull out all the pot and pans and see what we can do.” He rallied as I nodded in agreement.
By the time Myrtle sheepishly emerged from her den, it had turned into a full cooking operation. My brother and I juggled four pots and pans, and an absolutely monstrous pot of batter as we made pancakes. Butter and sweets filled the air as I watched her rub her eyes, trying to wake up.
“Hey, honey. Sorry I fell asleep in my study again, but I said I’d make food for Charlotte’s girlfriend. And pancakes don’t go with stew, you silly.” She chuckled as my brother gave her a very concerned stare.
“There’s no stew left. She ate it all,” he said in a defeated tone as he rushed another plate of pancakes, stacked at least ten high. There were four such plates on the large dining table, and more were coming.
“No, there’s no way.” Myrtle yawned. “That pot had three days of food, if you count the flatcrisps. She’s tiny.” She giggled before she came face to fact with the massive stew pot, now repurposed to pancake batter storage.
“She ate them all. She’s a dragon.” Kennith laid it out in no uncertain terms.
Soon enough Myrtle was helping us with the pancake operation, with a terrified look in her eyes. The reality of Aria’s draconic nature was beginning to sink in.
The good news was that Aria liked pancakes. Well, we all like pancakes, but she treated pancakes the rest of us treat bite sized desserts. Two bites, and they were gone.
* * * *
Aria stuffed another pancake into her mouth.
“These are really good! They’re soft and fluffy and melt in my mouth.” We had lost track after the first thirty as Myrtle looked like she had committed some kind of horrific murder and Aria was the detective.
“Did you make all of these?” Aria didn’t chew on them. Instead she cut them in half, and then threw them into her mouth. They seemed to dissolve in seconds as she proceeded with the other half, as if she was eating delicious air.
“I had some help! Yes, help!” Myrtle hadn’t eaten anything for a while now as Aria proceeded onto her fourth plate. Luckily an entire stack of pancakes prevented Aria from making eye contact with her.
“I think this is my last plate, but it was really delicious! I don’t get the softer tastes a lot, but I can taste the hint of sweetness and spice in these! You should make more!” Aria chirped as she grabbed the top-most pancake, rolled it up, and devoured it in two bites.
“Y-Ya. I can try.”
Between the three of us we had maybe one plate, with Myrtle losing her appetite in a few pancakes out of sheer terror. Congratulations Aria. You’ve managed to convince my brother’s family that you’re a dragon, no words required. I’d almost be impressed, if I didn’t already know that you were doing it by complete accident. It’s why I had a stupid grin the entire morning.
Myrtle excused herself from breakfast to get ready. She wanted to check a few things with her writer colleagues, something which amused me. I’ve never heard her call anyone her friend, but she seemed to be willing to use any other word.
Regardless, she rushed upstairs as quickly as possible. Aria was wrapped around me, lightly napping by my side from the meal as my brother cleaned up. I could tell from her slumbering smile that for the first time in a long time, there were no looming thoughts in her mind. She was content.
“Charlotte.” She nuzzled me as I grabbed one of my sister’s old books. “I like it here.”
“I do too, but I’m surprised you aren’t overthinking everything as usual,” I snickered, but she didn’t reply back. Instead, I felt a nuzzle on my right shoulder.
“I don’t need to here.” She was right about that. She’d transferred all the overthinking duties to Myrtle. I watched as my sister-in-law scrambled downstairs in barely contained panic.
“Mari. Don’t rush. You might trip.” Aria yawned as my sister-in-law frantically slapped her boots on, letting out a quick quiff before dashing out the door.
“Ya, okay thanks, Aria. Bye!” Her voice was already cut off by the slam of the door as I shook my head with a worried but knowing smile. That was desperation energy.
Soon enough Bishop Buryan came knocking. Kennith took to the door for some friendly banter while I poked Aria out of her morning nap. The tiny dragon could be surprisingly stubborn when it came to sleep, but at least she was all dressed and ready to go.
Buryan had cleared the plan with us beforehand. He would vouch for her as she made her case to the King Lazarus, her half-brother and fellow dragon. While Aria was still a little sleepy, she knew how important this was. She left with a parting kiss on the cheek, and told me to await the good news. I waved her off as Kennith gave a tired sigh.
As I closed the door, I watched my brother glance at me with a ‘sister, please,’ frown.
“You know, you could’ve told me that she was a dragon from the beginning?” I’ve never heard his voice crack like that before, but it brought a bashful smile to my face.
“Oh yes, because you’ll totally believe me! You always trust whatever I say, isn’t that right?” I giggled as he shook his head, one hand on his forehead.
“So she’s a dragon. I…I have so many questions! How is your girlfriend a dragon! She’s going to be the third ruling dragon of Mithil, the only princess, and she’s your girlfriend?” He continued to shake his head in disbelief as I watched him freak out. He at least saved it for when Aria wasn’t here. “Give me something to work with! What am I supposed to do with a dragon walking around my house! And eating all my food!”
I gave him a dismissive wave. “Relax! Aria’s mostly a sweet bean. She’s just very protective. Too protective sometimes. And very clingy. Also very hungry.” I chuckled as my brother gave me a doubtful, withering glare. I guess having a dragon eat multiple days’ worth of food will do that to you.
“She wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth, so to speak, so she’s got no problems kicking doors down like the rest of us. I also don’t know if she can cook…” Kennith stopped me right there.
“As endearing as it would be for a dragon to cook for us, I’m not sure I trust her palate. Also I’m pretty sure she’s the entirety of the food problem.” He paused for a moment, tapping his chin.
He posed an important question. “I can give her advice and tell her I don’t like something, right?” I nodded in confirmation, as I went inside to boil some tea.
“Don’t tell her you don’t approve of our relationship or something. Then she will actually murder you, but barring that she’s really a sweet girl! I’m pretty sure she’s happy to hear what you have to say, since you’re my brother and all.” My brother’s eyes widened for a moment, before nodding a concession.
“Share embarrassing baby stories. Got it.” He grinned as I felt the blood rush to my face. This must be what Aria feels like.
