In the days that followed, Weima arranged accommodations for Bruce and spent considerable time with him under the guise of seeking advice on the powers of the rules. However, her true motive was simply the desire to be near him. She felt no need to justify her longing to spend time with him; after all, when it came to matters of the heart, reasons were often superfluous.
Bruce, perceptive yet feigning ignorance, understood her intentions. As a young dragon, formerly human, he was not eager to plunge into romantic entanglements. Yet, as a friend, he felt a profound duty to shield Weima from the draconian customs that threatened her autonomy, to ensure she wasn't coerced into any unwanted commitments.
To Bruce, who still harbored human sensibilities, the draconic practice of enforced lineage continuation was distressingly akin to the barbaric mating rituals of orcs, both were ceremonies he couldn't condone.
