Ceremeth Selamputo's Story

Chapter Three

Ceremeth drifted back to their temporary apartments well after sunrise the next morning, yawning hugely. Wisumoth met her just outside the door, looking rather more rested-- but with the same satisfied expression.

::Who can smell the hormones, now?:: he teased. She swatted at him half-heartedly.

::Hush, you. Had a good night?::

::It was nice, yes. I think Kalhati was pleased.::

::Who cares about Kalhati; what about you?:: Ceremeth countered.

Wisumoth looked mildly embarrassed. ::It was nice,:: he repeated, torn between pleasure and awkwardness. ::You?::

Ceremeth smiled. ::Very nice.::

Her nephew snorted. ::You look like you didn't even sleep.::

::Not much,:: she admitted, and couldn't help a bit of smugness in her smile. ::I'm looking forward to a lazy day and a very good night's sleep tonight.::

Wisumoth looked in full agreement as, though he obviously had gotten more sleep than she had, he broke into a wide yawn of his own. Ceremeth clamped her jaws shut to keep from echoing him, and followed him as he pushed open the dragon-sized door to the suite.

The night had been "very nice". Mishuvel had probably already known what was happening and, upon seeing a slightly breathless young woman on her doorstep, had taken her inside without needing an explanation. After a rather busy night, in which she felt she'd learned a lot, Ceremeth was ready to admit she might have been a little too harsh on Peta-mari. Only a little, because enjoying someone's company and seducing a new girl every night were two vastly different things, but still: a little. Bedplay was much nicer than she'd imagined it. She'd liked it even more when she got to the point where she felt like she knew what she was doing, of course, and could give as good as she was getting-- or so she hoped, at least-- but that was hardly surprising. Ceremeth wasn't one who liked not having some control over a situation.

::Uncle, uncle! Thank goodness you're home!:: came Hukiloseth's voice inside. He sounded-- confused, but excited. Whatever for?

Wisumoth stopped short, blocking Ceremeth's view with his furry self. ::What's going on?:: she asked, stepping around his forepaws, and then she stopped short, too.

A pair of dragons were sitting in the middle of the room, one a completely unfamiliar youngster and the other someone Ceremeth hadn't expected to see for a long time, if ever again. ::Thidade??:: she exclaimed, stunned and confused. Hukiloseth and Ziar stood behind them both, looking uncertain.

"Hi, Aunt Ceremeth," Thidade said with a sheepish grin. "Hi, Wisumoth."

::What are you doing here?:: Ceremeth asked, still off-balanced. ::And who's-- that?::

"This is Paxi Rufasilex," Thidade said. "Paxi, this is Ceremeth, she's my aunt, and Wisumoth, he's my cousin."

"Hello," little Paxi said, looking a little overwhelmed.

::Thidade,:: Wisumoth prodded, and she cringed a little. Thidade, Ceremeth remembered, never did like confrontations.

"Ielta's got a bunch of new friends now to keep her company," she began. "And-- and I want to do something more than just hang around in a free apartment on Star City. I want to see different places, do different things, maybe even see my homeworld.... Can I stay with you? Please? Just until you're done traveling-- I'll go back, or find somewhere else to stay, if you don't want me hanging around after that."

Ceremeth only felt more blind-sided. The group was fixed, their plans made and routes charted. Throwing Thidade and whoever Paxi was into the mix-- it wasn't something she'd expected at all. She wasn't even sure she wanted it. And with less than two hours of sleep behind her, she couldn't think to decide what in the world to do about it.

:: ... we don't have room in here,:: she finally said. ::We're crowded enough as it is.::

Thidade's face fell, wings drooping visibly, and Ceremeth felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn't wanted to disappoint the youngling, but it was true, and the selfish part of her really, really wanted the excuse not to let her stay. Things were good the way they were. She kind of liked being the only female; it made things less complicated. No one expected her to act female, no one expected her to be interested in girly things, and no one felt uncomfortable with a girly dragon amongst them. Best of all, no one questioned that she was the authority among the group.

But that selfish bit of her was making Thidade look sad and disappointed, and she felt bad.

Wisumoth picked up where words failed his aunt. ::The bed is large enough for two humans, if Thidade would not mind staying in her human form. Or there is the couch. And finding room for a pup is not difficult.::

At Thidade's hopeful perking of ears and wings-- and at Wisumoth's silent but radiating reproach for suggesting that she turn the kit away-- Ceremeth sighed. Thidade was a sweet child, and it wasn't her fault she'd not felt able to leave until now; she'd been being responsible to her other aunt, the one who actually needed her presence. Or else, she expected, she would have asked to come with them, and then would have been planned for. ::Wisumoth's right. I'd forgotten you could shift. If that's what you really want, Thidade, you and Paxi can stay and travel with us.::

Looking pitifully happy and relieved, bronze dragoness Thidade promptly disappeared, replaced by brown-skinned human Thidade, beaming from ear to ear. "Oh, thank you, Aunt Ceremeth! We won't be any trouble, I promise!"

::You're right you won't,:: Ceremeth said sternly. ::You're still a kit, and you still answer to me when you travel with us.::

"Yes, Aunt," Thidade grinned, looking much like she hadn't even heard her. Ceremeth sighed. Things were going to get interesting around here... and sleep seemed very, very far away now.

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