"And what," a voice said, "do you think you're doing?"

Gray looks up in shock. They just want to go to the stables to check on Finnen, but they know that their mother doesn't want that.

"Eh. I just wanted to… go to the twins room?" They say with a smile. Their mother just looks down.

"We both know that Nix' and Nox' rooms are not that way. You wanted to go to that dragon again, didn't you?"

"What? No! I wouldn't dream of it, mother dearest!" Gray chuckles nervously.

When their mother looks them in the eye again, Ray lets out a breath. "So what if I did go there? It won't hurt anyone, and besides, he's so sweet!"

"No lady should go to the stables, leave that to the men."

"Mom! I told you before, I'm not a lady!" Ray huffs. They abruptly turn on their heels, and walk in the direction of the twins' room. They hear their mom call after them once, but Gray decides not to respond, since it isn't even their right name.

"Come in!" Came the chipper voice of Nix as Gray knocks on the door. They carefully close the door behind them, and look around the room briefly. It never ceases to amaze Gray how much the twins shove into the room without making a complete mess out of it. Everything is neatly arranged. They look at the twins, and they beam back at them. The twins are twelve years old, while Gray is nearly entering their twenties.

Gray falls down on the bed, and Nox jumps on top of them.

"What's wrong?" He giggles.

"Mom called me a girl again." Gray huffs.

"But you told her that you're not, right?" Nix asks thoughtfully.

"Yup. But she doesn't want to accept it. And it all happened just because I wanted to check on Finnen."

"Should I go get him?" Nox asks with a big grin on his face.

"Yes please." Gray chuckles.

Nox sprints out of the room in a sudden hurry. Gray watches him leave with a small smile on their face.

Nix looks at them.

"So what are you planning to do?" She asks in a serious tone.

"Eh?"

"I've seen the look in your eyes, Gray. I know that you're planning on leaving. You're nearly twenty. You're getting old."

"Hey! It's not that old! And I'm eighteen, thank you. But, you are right. I am planning to leave. Probably in a week or so. Ruven, Asra and I have made plans. We're going to take our horses, and run. We're going to try our hands at bounty hunting, or whatever they have available on jobs right now."

"So you and Ruven, eh?" Nix playfully raises her eyebrows.

"Nix! It's not like that, and you know it. Ruven and I have known each other for nearly fifteen years now." Gray says in feigned despair. They stand up from the bed, and stand at the door,

Nox comes jogging back, and Gray can see the tip of Finnen's tail sticking out of Nox' sleeve.

Gray walks towards Nox, and takes over the little dragon. Once back in the arms of Gray, the tiny thing starts cooing. He'd imprinted on Gray, because they were at the stable by accident when he hatched. Gray had taken an immediate liking to the small creature, and dubbed it Finnen.

They had wanted to take care of him since the beginning, but their mom had prohibited it because 'ladies shouldn't handle such beasts'.

Gray had scoffed at that, and continued to take care of Finnen, with the help of Nox, since he was allowed in the stables.

Gray sighs, and walks back into the twins' room.

"Do you two have any plans?" They ask their younger siblings. The twins smile and shake their heads.

"We don't really. We're probably just going to study, and see from there." Nix says.

"I see. Hey guys, would it be okay if I went to my room for a little while?" Gray asks. They've decided that they want to be alone for a bit.

"Oh sure. Should I come by in a bit to bring Finnen back?" Nox asks.

"That's okay. I can sneak him back myself." Gray says with a smile, happy to know that their little siblings are so helpful.

Gray stands up, and puts Finnen under their shirt. "Sorry, little one. It'll be for a just a little bit, I promise", they say as Finnen lets out a small squeak of protest.

They walk through the halls of the castle quickly, only noticed by one of the maids. "Good morning." Gray smiles as they walk by.

They finally turn the final corner, and close the door to their room behind them.

Finnen crawls out of their shirt, and sits happily on their shoulder.

Gray smiles at this, and looks in the mirror.

They look at their reflection, and see the person with brown, nearly black eyes staring back at them.

The nose with a small crook, from a playfight gone wrong once.

The short curly brown black hair, bouncing in just the ways they shouldn't, with the singular pale curl bouncing in front of their eyes.

The broader shoulders, and overall muscular build.

They chuckle at that. As a child they'd always hated their build, thinking it wasn't close enough to the build of their peers. But as they had gotten older, and explored their gender, they were happier with their body. There were still days that weren't as good, but it got better and better.

Gray stares at Finnen for a bit, and have a soft smile on their face. They are secretly so happy that the little dragon had imprinted on them. Growing up they'd always wanted a dragon, but their parents didn't let them, saying they're dangerous.

Finnen cooed happily, and tried to balance himself in such a way that he could lay down on Gray's shoulder. After nearly falling three times, he decided to leave it alone, and sat down again.

Right now the dragon was about as big as a common housecat, but it'd grow big enough to carry two grown men in a couple of years.