Chapter 18
Lauren followed Gerald and flew higher and higher. She couldn't believe how much fun it would be flying as a dragon and not just on a dragon. She spread her wings wide and then shut them, sending herself higher and higher. She caught up with Gerald who was hovering above her. "Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Yes, this is wonderful. I love being able to fly!"
"You are the only human that has been able to become a dragon. You are beautiful." He moved closer to her and gathered her in his arms wrapping his tail with hers. Then suddenly, he dived headfirst toward the ground. "Trust me." He said in her mind, and she closed her eyes and gave in to the sensation of falling but being secure. He wrapped her tighter and let out a flame that they flew through. The feel of the flame surged through her, exciting her nerves. "This is the beginning of the mating. If we dive like that again, you will end up with an egg. If we do it a time after that, you will have a fertile egg and it will be my heir. You would not have to care for the egg or raise the hatchling, but it would connect us in more ways than the Joining. Are you ready for that?"
Lauren thought about it and couldn't think of anything that would be bad about this feeling she had. She nodded and he took them back high in the sky so they could dive two more times. She was going to have a baby dragon. Before he started his descent she said, "I would want the hatchling with us somehow. I would like to know them."
"That could be arranged. Maybe we can do this twice. The second hatchling could stay with you always. The first would have to be with me. It is your choice. I am willing to please you." Gerald smiled and waited for her answer before he dove. Lauren nodded her head and held up two fingers. Two it would be. To Gerald's heart's desire, she made him so happy. They twisted and dove the rest of the night. Settling in their dragon forms on the end of a cloud bank that was sparkled with stars.
"That was an interesting event. I wasn't sure I could be so free with myself like that." Lauren said, turning shy.
"You or your human form probably wouldn't have so quickly been, as you say, free with yourself. Your dragon, however, recognized my dragon and the passion of finding true love. I will never force myself on you in your human or dragon form. If you had said no, then that would have been it. But I do thank you for the honor of you being with me and gracing me with two eggs. They will hatch on the next full moon, and I will bring you back to see them. We will work the rest out later. You will be a part of their lives and the second will be with you once they come of age to imprint. That's like two weeks after they hatch. My heir will have to be trained to become the next King's advisor."
"He could train at the Keep, couldn't he? Both of them could be at the Keep since we are both going to be there. You could set up an area where they can train, and they could learn from us."
"That sounds practical. I agree." Lauren gave him a hug and pride shot through him. He was happy that he made her happy.
They fell asleep and changed back to their human forms through the night. They woke up holding each other and fully dressed. The eggs, one crystal and the other a mix of reds and yellows fit in the palm of her hands, so she put them in her pockets. Gerald then picked her up and carried her back to the castle in Crystal City. "Will I be able to become a dragon again?" Lauren asked.
"I believe so. As I said, you are the only human to become a dragon. It is a skill that has to be practiced."
"I enjoyed being a dragon," Lauren said with a smile.
"Yes. I could tell." Gerald replied.
When back in her private room, Lauren took the eggs out of her pockets. She changed out of the elaborate gown and crown and back into her uniform. She then put the eggs back in her pockets. Demeatral entered and said, "So did you have fun?"
Lauren blushed. She smiled at Demeatral and gave her a hug. "I turned into a dragon!" She whisper-shouted.
"Yes. You did."
Edmon knocked on the door and entered the room. "Is she alive? Is she alright?"
"She is fine," Demeatral responded.
"Hi Lauren. Are you ready to go back to the Keep? Or do you want to see more of Crystal City, Your Highness?"
"Your Highness?" Lauren asked.
"In Crystal City, you will always be the queen. You turned into a dragon and stayed the night with the King of the dragons. I also believe you have dragon eggs in your pockets as well. You are the Queen mother of the heir."
"Yes, I guess that would be right. I guess we should see more of the city. What is Gerald doing?"
"He is probably checking his Kingly duties and making sure all his realm is taken care of. He has been gone for a while. He will probably be ready to go with us after lunch if you want to wait for him."
"I think that would be the polite thing to do." Lauren agreed.
Later that afternoon, the four of them toured the city with Gerald leading the way. He was proud of his city and all the beauty it beheld. He even showed her what would have been considered the poor side of town, which really wasn't poor. His citizens had everything they needed. This is how he wanted all realms to be.
"This is my dream for the realms. I want there to be no poor, or needy. I want to bring health and wonder." Gerald said.
"We will work together and bring this to being as much as we can. I guess we can start with freeing the pegasuses, helping the harpy and ogres, and creating alicorns."
"Yes, that would be a good start," Gerald said.
They finished their tour of the city and returned to the Keep the next day.