Underbelly of the World [MadEmperor]

[DragonSong]

@MadEmperor

[Continued from here]


Even traveling by dragon, it took the better part of two weeks to reach Zantaric. Over that time, River slowly adjusted to the idea that she was pregnant--the start of the morning sickness certainly solidified things--and found herself growing gradually closer to their traveling companions.

As Kahroan had aptly pointed out, despite being grown-ass adults, Thrax and Hana were surprisingly good parenting practice.

"We should set down outside the city," Hana called as Zantaric came into view from the air. "And I'd try to keep your dragon side hidden as much as possible, Kahroan. Gods know there's plenty of poachers who'd be more than happy to harvest some dragon bits in this place."

[MadEmperor]

Thrax nodded his agreement. "Yeah, big guy. I'd rather not see my first dragon friend on some crime lord's trophy wall."

"Then it's a good time to practice my ability to shift into a human, even though I can pass as a half-dragon," Kahroan commented as he circled down to land in a spot outside the city. He didn't want to leave his child without a father, so the more human, the better.

[DragonSong]

"Seconded," River agreed with Thrax dryly.

Once he landed, the group quickly climbed down from Kahroan's back, and River automatically led the other two a few lengths away to give her mate space for his shift.

[MadEmperor]

Once River and the two childish adults were clear, Kah nodded and closed his eyes to focus. The luminous, icy shell formed around him again, and he rapidly shrank. It soon shattered, but this time he was left very nearly perfectly human. His hair was still white, his skin still had a vaguely scaly pattern underneath, he still had short horns, and, never having been without wings, he still had draconic wings.

He looked at human fingers with a broad grin. Feeling himself all over, he started to laugh. "I don't remember having such strong cheekbones before!"

[DragonSong]

Hana giggled, charmed by how pleased he seemed to be every time he completed a successfully shift—since shapechanging came relatively naturally to her, she just found it fascinating.

River grinned at him and stepped up to peck his cheek once the ice had cleared. "It looks good on you," she told him quietly, eyes sparkling.

Hana rolled her eyes theatrically, but she was still smiling. "Uhg. Couples."

[MadEmperor]

Kah touched her face with a full range of sensation for the very first time. He grinned happily and planted a kiss on her lips. "Gods! Human fingers are so much better. I don't have to worry about cutting you either."

Thrax averted his eyes. "Ugh. It's like watching my parents getting all touchy."

[DragonSong]

River giggled—actually giggled, which wasn't a sound she made often—into the kiss and nuzzled her nose briefly against his.

Eyes sparkling with mischief, Hana noted too innocently, "Well, clearly you figured out how to work your way around the whole scales and claws situation, considering River's, ah, delicate condition."

"Oh, fuck you with delicate condition," River responded with a laugh, casually flipping her off.

Hana smirked in Thrax's direction. "I wouldn't know—I only ever had a dad."

[MadEmperor]

"You know we're not that much older than you, right, Thrax?" Kahroan chuckled.

Thrax smirked. "Her maybe. You're, like, fifty percent older than me. That's a lot! Relatively!"

Kah blinked. The gnoll almost had a point, putting it that way. "I'm not even going to bother arguing the point."

Thrax threw up his arms with a whoop. "Yeah! Victory by default!"

"Idiot." The islander chuckled, grinning warmly.

[DragonSong]

Hana laughed and elbowed the bard playfully, and River rolled her eyes again.

"Alright, children, settle down," she said with an arched eyebrow. "We need a plan before we head into the city. Gods know we don't wanna get caught unawares here."

[MadEmperor]

"Alright. Since you two are more in your element here, we'll..." Kah hesitated. "Follow your lead."

Thrax raised a brow. "You sure you want to give us that much power, frosty?"

"Just... try not to get us killed. Deal?"

"Deal." The bard turned to the fox, a question in his eyes that asked, "Well? I sure as hell don't have a plan."

[DragonSong]

Hana sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically. "I suppose, if it's all up to me," she said in a tone of long-suffering, but her expression was playful as ever.

"First, we should deal with the demon blade," she said with a nod toward Thrax's pack. "And hopefully, while we're finding a buyer, or a collector, or whatever, we can pick up some information about who exactly the demon stole that damn music box from."

River nodded slowly. "That makes sense. We don't want to accidentally cross someone here."

[MadEmperor]

"So, ask around carefully, lest they think we're with Validor," Thrax agreed, feeling weird advising caution. He barely understood the concept.

Why not just keep both for yourself? You still can. said a small voice in his head.

He shook off the thought. "Any idea where the black market even is? No, wait, it's Zantaric; the whole place is a black market. That part is easy."

[DragonSong]

Hana snapped, conjuring a brief, blue spark, and pointed at him with a grin. "Precisely."

River frowned in thought. "Do we stick together? Or...is it safer to split up for a bit. No offense intended, but aside from myself, pretty much everyone in this group is...memorable."

She gestured at the gnoll bardbarian, the kitsune with silvery hair, and her own mate--who, though he certainly looked the most human he had since she'd known him, did still have wings.

[MadEmperor]

Kahroan frowned, not liking the idea of letting his pregnant mate do the dangerous job by herself. He knew she could handle herself, but this felt different.  "Even so... it doesn't feel right letting you potentially anger dangerous people without backup."

Thrax just shrugged; River had a point. They did stand out quite a bit.

[DragonSong]

"What if Riv and I go in?" Hana offered. She gave herself a little shake, shimmying out of her halfway form and into her entirely human self. "We'll draw less attention as two human women than the four of us together. And I can be her backup." She gave Kahroan a quick grin. "I won't let anything happen to your mate or pup. Promise."

River quirked an eyebrow. "That mate in question can handle herself just fine, you know."

[MadEmperor]

Kahroan gave her a pleading look. "I know you can. Just humor me, okay Riv? I'd be too distracted worrying about you if you went alone."

"How about we take the box, then? Validor didn't have anyone like us with him anyway. And people tend not to pick fights with me to begin with," Thrax suggested.

[DragonSong]

"That makes sense," Hana said with a brisk nod.

At the same time, River was smiling gently at her mate and reaching up to cup his face in her hands and pull his brow down to hers.

"I know," she told him softly. "And I promise, I'll be careful. But just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I've suddenly turned to glass," she chuckled lightly.

[MadEmperor]

"I'll do my best to tell my male instincts to shut up." Kah smirked and sneaked a quick kiss before they parted.

Thrax reluctantly exchanged magic items with Hana, holding onto the demon sword a bit too long as if it hadn't been his idea.

[DragonSong]

"That's my boy," River chuckled, leaning into the kiss for just a moment before they separated.

Hana chuckled a bit herself when Thrax seemed momentarily reluctant to hand over the sword. "I promise I know how to use one of these," she told him with a wink. "Pointy end goes into the other guy. You be careful with that music box, yeah?"

[MadEmperor]

"Can do." Thrax smirked. "I know my way around a lady's--"

Kah glared at the gnoll. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence."

"Fin." Thrax sulked dramatically. "Let's get moving then."