A Tale of the Shapeshifters

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑿𝑿𝑿𝑽 - 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆

Wrapping his black cloak around her bare body, Sir Claudius ushered Heart of the Flame onward.

"You're too kind," she said, covering up her chest with it, although leaving the slightest notion of cleavage.

He nodded, then marched in front of her. She followed.

"So, Sir Claudius," Heart of the Flame cooed, "what do you say, when we get back to the castle in a few minutes, and you turn into a dragon, how about you and I have a little talk in our native tongue. Shall we?" She batted her eyelashes, her orbs flashing back-and-forth between blue and pink.

"No," he replied, curt, without emotion.

She was taken aback. "Pardon? Why not?"

"I don't like my native tongue. I much prefer human language." He didn't even turn back to acknowledge her.

Heart of the Flame huffed and threw her arms in the air. "I can't believe it. A dragon who doesn't like his own native tongue? Surely not." Swift on her feet, she slithered up toward him until she was right at his shoulder. "Tell me why. I'm genuinely curious."

"Fine, if you're so interested." Claudius turned around, faced her, hands on his hips, and frowned. "Human language gets more across. You can say more. Express abstract concepts never even conceived by dragons. Discuss emotions never even felt by dragons...." He faltered, and a shooting star twinkled in his eye. "It's so beautiful, almost like music coming out of my mouth every time I speak. But dragons can't even comprehend music. See what I mean? There's so much more to human speech. So much beauty and heart." His face lifted and his eyes gushed with wonder before he caught himself and cleared his throat. "Excuse me." The man pressed onward, cutting through thick underbrush as he made headway back toward the castle.

Heart of the Flame squinted her eyes, skeptical. "Hmm... it seems you've forgotten something, Sir." She poked his shoulder.

Claudius batted her finger away. "What?"

"The beauty of dragon tongue."

"Hah! I laugh. How can something so primitive obtain any trace of beauty?" He grunted and his greasy black locks fell over his bright blue eyes, like the black of night cascading the last blue of twilight.

"I'm serious, Sir! Yes, human language can express concepts dragons can't conceive of. I know that. I'm fluent in human language, for God's sake! But," she pulled at his undershirt in an aggressive, hasty way—unlike Athena's gentle and unassuming touch, "what about certain... primitive, primal feelings that humans have? Humans are animals too, you know."

Sir Claudius rolled his eyes.

"Haven't you been reading lately? I bet you haven't even read Origin of Species yet. What a shame...." She clucked her tongue. "A worldly man, my foot!"

"Is that a new scientific novel?" he asked.

"Relatively new. It's been almost forty years," Heart of the Flame replied.

"I haven't bought a new novel in a long time." Sir Claudius shook his head. "Please, madam, your point?"

"Ah, yes." She continued walking, this time in front of him, and swayed her barely-existent hips. "Humans may be highly-evolved, but they have rawness and realness in them. And human language cannot express those feelings. It's too flowery, too posh." She stuck her tongue out. "Dragon language is to the point. We say what we mean and mean what we say."

"Don't forget you're speaking with a native," Claudius said, crossing his arms and frowning.

"A native who's forgotten. You've forgotten the raw and real beauty of dragon tongue."