“Brother?” Ryan asked curiously.

Sulvius sighed. “Twin brother, actually. I only acknowledge the relationship to stay in mother’s good graces.”

“He hatched first,” Tenerous pointed out. “That makes it all his fault.”

Sulvius shook his head and sighed again and Tenerous just laughed, then bowed. “Welcome to Cochise, my prince, we are so very honored to have you.”

Ryan nodded. “Thank you.”

“You two hatched from the same egg?” Beth asked, suddenly curious.

“No, two eggs,” Tenerous said, “otherwise  we would have killed each other before we hatched.”

“We didn’t quarrel that badly!”

Tenerous eyed his brother, ears dipping back a little, his tail twitching. “Oh? As I recall you tricked me into small form then managed to somehow get me into the dryer, then turned it on.”

Ryan looked over at Sulvius, startled, and older dragon looked embarassed. Ryan suddenly burst into hysterical laughter and Tenerous grinned at him.

“Oh yes! I was squalling like you wouldn’t believe, flipping over and over with him on the ground laughing so hard he couldn’t stand up. Well, that was until father came in, then he did not think it so very funny. What was it? Human form for two weeks and I do not think you could sit down for three days or so.”

“Like you were an innocent little angel,” Sulvius muttered.

“Of course not! I was just more subtle.”

Sulvius yawned. “As much fun as it is hashing out our misspent youth we are all so very tired, ever so slightly stressed, and would appreciate some sleep before you serve us all a nice big breakfast.”

Tenerous snorted in amusement. “Right this way if you please,” he said in a deep theatrical voice. Ryan grinned at him, taking a liking to him instantly. 

Tenerous lead them along rather spartan looking halls and it became quite clear that Cochise was built as a military installation. They took a small flight of stairs down a level into a hall lined with doors.

“I am sorry that we do not have nice rooms prepared for you as yet; your visit was rather unexpected. You will have to make due with these old barracks quarters until we can arrange something more suitable.”

“I am so very certain it will be fine,” Ryan assured him.

“Thank you, my prince,” Tenerous said. “This is yours, the one next to it is for your parents; they connect so there is no worry about that. This one is for my brother and it even has running water! The one further down the hall is for the human, Tanner.”

Ryan tensed. “I would rather him room with me.”

Tenerous looked puzzled. “Why ever for?”

“Because I wish it!” Ryan snapped.

Tenerous looked surprised, wings flaring out slightly, then uncertain. “My prince, your safety—”

“Will be assured with Tanner! He means me no harm!”

Sulvius sighed. “Ryan, you will be close enough to him; he is just across the hall and your parents are next door besides. Tenerous is only following his directives and it is not fair of you, even as the prince, to disrupt the way things work here.

“We will all be together in the morning so there is no reason to fuss over it. Okay, my prince?”

Ryan glared at Sulvius, then looked at Tanner and his features softened slightly. Tanner smiled reassuringly. “You will be fine, Ryan.”

“I do not like it!”

“I know, but you will be fine. Go on.”

Ryan nodded and went into his room with his parents following behind. Tenerous looked at Sulvius with a worried expression and Sulvius shook his head. “Later, Tenerous.”

“As you wish… he is perfectly safe with that human?”

“Yes. Very. There is nothing to be concerned for.”

Tenerous nodded. “I will trust you with this. As you know humans are most never allowed here.”

“I understand.”

He hesitated. “They know that they cannot leave now that they have been here?”

“No, and do not tell them; we can deal with that later.”

“The prince seems likely to become upset.”

“He will do far more than that,” Sulvius said with a sigh.

 “I would have warned Adamas about the issue but there was no time and I doubt he would have listened. No one seems to understand how important these ‘humans’ are to the prince,” he said with a slight emphasis on humans. 

“They seem to think he is going to be perfectly happy to abandon them and go off and be a dragon and their piece forever and yet he was raised by them, loves them and…” he trailed off and shook his head. “Tanner will present a special problem.”

Tenerous shrugged. “I am sure we will work it out.”

“I hope you are right,” Sulvius said, then yawned hugely. “Now if you will excuse me I would really like to get some sleep.”

“Oh if I must!” Tenerous said, clasping his brother’s forearm affectionately. Sulvius nodded to him and went to his room to try to sleep before the real excitement began.

“Come along, dragon, lets’ get some sleep,” Beth said, patting the spot on the bed next to her, not giving Ryan a chance to get comfortable elsewhere. 

She felt a little bad for trying to manipulate him like this but she didn’t want him sleeping by himself no matter how safe it was supposed to be here[ This is a good plot idea for another story about a dragon and it’s keeper. The keeper does not want to let the dragon out of his or her sight and others want to get the dragon separated from him or her]

There was something they were not telling them about this whole situation, something about the bond with Tanner, and she felt much better having her son where she could have a hand on him.

Fortunately the little dragon climbed up into the bed and laid beside her with no complaints. 

She pet him as Allan lay next to her, putting his arms around her which always made her feel better even when she knew there was little he could do to fix the situation.

She continued to stroke his neck, smiling at the feel of his warm hide under her hand. Ryan lifted his head and cocked it, considering her.

“You are worried.”

“Maybe a little!”

He snorted. “More like a lot!”

She sighed and smiled at him. “Well, I think I have good reason.”

“These dragons are good; they will protect us and Tanner.”

“I’m sure.”

Ryan hesitated. “You do not like Tanner. I saw how you kept looking at him on the helicopter and here.”

She sighed again and was quiet a moment. “It’s not that I don’t like Tanner, Ryan, it’s just…” she trailed off.

“You are so very jealous!” Ryan said, startled.

“I suppose that I am, yes.”

Allen propped himself up on his elbow and looked at Ryan who dropped his ears slightly and ducked a little. “Tanner isn’t family, Ryan, and he’s getting awful close to you. That makes for jealousy and he’s acting strangely to us.”

“But he is not bad!”

“We’re not saying that he is, Ryan! What I am saying is that until now we’ve been the only people that knew you were a dragon. We were the only people that you were a dragon for.

“You would cuddle up to us, let us hold you, even feed you, let us pet you, thrum and do all the wonderful little things you do Ryan.

“Now there’s Tanner who is getting all of this affection as well and you’ve only known him a short amount of time and willingly at that. 

“He knows more about dragons that we do, understands your instincts and how you act far better that we do as far as being a dragon goes, so yes there’s jealousy there.

“That aside, we’re worried about how he acts towards you and how you’re acting as well as this whole ‘bond’ thing which they have said nothing about until now.”

“You will no make him leave!” Ryan said, voice rising in panic.

“No! Ryan, no, we won’t do that,” Allen said. “But we need to be careful.”

Ryan was silent awhile. “What is this bond they keep talking about?”

“We don’t know any more than you do, Ryan,” Beth said. “It’s the first we’ve heard of it, the first we knew that something like that was even possible. 

“It…attaches you to Tanner some how, some instinct and we just don’t know what that means or what it could do to you.”

“Does it worry you?” Allen asked.

Ryan lifted his wings a little. “A little. I know not what it is or what it could do to me, as you said, so it scares me a little. 

“But I trust Tanner to never hurt me! I trust the dragons would never allow me to be hurt or harmed.”

“And they don’t like it!”

“I know,” Ryan said, worry clouding his voice. “And I fear they will try to take Tanner away from me and I will have none of it! Tanner will stay!”

“Yes, Ryan, yes,” Beth said soothingly, petting him. “Now lets get some sleep. I’m sure they have a lot planned for tomorrow.”

Ryan yawned and blinked. “More like today.”

“Probably right, little dragon. So lets get some sleep.”

They lay quietly a long time and Ryan finally said. “Mother? Father?”

“Yes, Ryan?” Beth asked.

“I hope you are not too jealous of Tanner. I will always love you and care about you and father. I will never leave you and Tanner could never replace you,” he said a little nervously.

She pet him. “We know, Ryan, we know. Now be a good dragon and get to sleep.”

She pet him and rubbed the slight ridges over his eyes until he heard his breathing relax. She rolled over on her back and looked up at the celling for a long time, wondering how much she really believed what Ryan had just said, wondering just how long they would remain first in their son’s affections.

“Breakfast, Ryan,” Beth whispered into he small dragon’s ear and he sat up, yawning, his stomach rumbling.

“I am so very hungry!” he said, bright eyed.

“I know, you’ve been rumbling for the last hour,” Beth said fondly as she stroked his muzzle. “They’re here to take us to breakfast so lets go.”

Ryan stretched again and crawled out of bed, yawning and stretching again when he got down. His father was already waiting and had that look on his face he got when he was confronted with things draconic. Ryan winced slightly and padded over to him, rubbing his cheek against his leg, marking him and Allen reached down to pet him a few times.

They went out the door to find a dragoness standing there waiting for them. She seemed shorter than most dragons in their bipedal form and Ryan was surprised to note that she was a little chubby, something he had never before seen on a dragon.

Ryan couldn’t help but watch her as she moved, admiring her curves despite himself. She wore the loincloth that most dragons wore when in their bipedal forms and humans were about. Female dragons didn’t have exposed breasts in their bipedal form which sent Ryan to blushing as he thought of it. 

She was a lovely seafoam green color with nearly purplish use along her belly and back. Her wings seemed a little short, her tail very thick, small horns, and a very nice smile, her cheeks slightly rounded. 

She waddled a little as she walked and Ryan started, wondering if she was carrying eggs, the thought of which made him feel quite odd.

Beth smacked him lightly  on the back of the head as they walked. He looked at her in surprise and she muttered, “Don’t stare!”

“I was not!” he protested back in a whisper.

Beth arched an eyebrow at him and he ducked his head, embarrassed.

The dragons need the mot a huge hall ned with benches and tables. There were heaping plates of eggs, sausage, bacon, french toast, steaks, ham, some sort of pudding, breads, rolls, and most anything else breakfast related that you could think of.

Ryan tongue darted out instantly, tasting the air, knowing it was rude but unable to help it. It was nearly like running into a wall, the scents were so powerful, so overwhelming, and so very wonderful! His stomach near flipped over at the scent.

The dragoness turned to them. “Take all you would like, my prince and friends,” her voice rather fuzzy sounding. Ryan smiled at her and she smiled back at him until Allen noticed an flicked his ear, glaring at him.

He sighed and moved towards the table to get some food, looking out the corner of his eye and the dragoness. She was laughing softly and he sighed. No respect for the prince, it seemed.

He took as much food as he dared and went to sit across from Tanner, his face lighting up at the sight of his friend. Tanner was reading a newspaper and eating at the same time. He looked up, feeling Ryan’s eyes on him and smiled. “Good morning, Ryan!”

“Tanner!” Ryan chirped at him happily.

“Eat your food, Ryan,” Beth said and Ryan nodded and dug in.

Ryan glanced around the table, watching everyone. Tenerous seemed at ease, talking with his brother. His parents were eating, trying to ignore the dragons eating or standing about talking to each other.

For once most of the conversation was in draconic, not english. Ryan figured that it was due to the fact that there were very few humans allowed here. He hoped he would understand enough if someone spoke to him in draconic.

Every so often he would glance at the dragoness who escorted them, still fascinated by her. He probably stared for too long as Sulvius nudged him, laughing quietly. Ryan started and looked up at Sulvius with a guilty expression.

“You find Myst attractive, do you?” he asked with a grin and Ryan ducked his head, saying nothing, ears drooping. Sulvius laughed again and rubbed the young dragon’s back. “Well, to let you know she’s happily mated and is also aquatic!”

Ryan blinked and looked at her. “Aquatic?”

“Certainly! Look closely at her neck.”

Ryan stared and noticed there seemed to be small slits there. “She has gills!” Ryan said, in amazement. “Is that why her cheeks so very rounded?”

“She’s venomous. Very venomous in fact. Her toxin is one of the most lethal toxins ever found. She’s a bit pudgy to protect her from the coldness of the water.”

Ryan stared at her, totally entranced by what he had just learned. She looked at him and smiled and he looked away quickly, embarrassed to have been caught looking, and tried to ignore her but she made that very hard by walking over to where he was sitting. He slowly looked up at her uncertainly, unsure of what to say or do.

“I wish to thank you for you admiration, my prince,” she said her in almost fuzzy voice. “I heard Sulvius telling you about me and yes, I do find it to be amusing.” She laughed at his expression. “We were all there once, my prince, being utterly fascinated by the opposite sex. Of course having never seen the likes of me before makes that even more interesting I am certain!”

“Thank you,” Ryan murmured, still looking embarrassed.

She chuckled warmly. “Perhaps you can go swimming with me sometime.”

“You can really breath under water?” Ryan asked then winced at the foolishness of the question.

“Oh yes, quite!” she said. She held out her hand and spread her fingers and he could see the webbing that spanned them. “I am most assuredly a water dragon; more built for the water than the land or sky.”

“Can you fly?” 

She nodded. “Yes, but I am a bit awkward in the air.”

“Well I am certain you do just fine!”

“Why thank you, my prince!” she said and Ryan ducked his head once more.

He looked over at Tanner and saw him staring at Myst in rapt fasciation, totally ignoring his paper and food. “Yes, I will answer any questions you have about me and let you get a good look at me later, if you wish,” she said to him.

Tanner about choked and Allan thumped him on the back. “Thanks!”

She smiled warmly. “We knew you would be interested! You may take notes even.”

Tanner blushed hard. “Thanks!”

Ryan looked at Tanner then burst out laughing at the blush on his face. Tanner looked up at the sky and said “Dragons!” in the voice of the utterly put upon