Ink Forged

~Grin and Bear It~

Maevus woke to early morning sunlight through sheer curtains. She stretched, rolling in the silk sheets until she was on her back, staring up at a ceiling edged in scrollwork. Her stomach grumbled for breakfast, but she wasn't quite ready to get up from the ridiculously soft feather bed.

Loathe as she was to admit it, working under the Queen's order certainly had some perks. Namely, she and Volt could send all their expenses to the Royal Treasury, along with getting paid.

Thus, the fancy hotel Volt had checked them into and the several fancy meals Maevus had indulged in since their arrival in Fresi yesterday. Maevus hadn't left her room since, sleeping for most of the day and ordering food up to her room in an effort to regain her magical strength. 

Volt hadn't so much as knocked on her door. Which...had given her a lot of alone time to think.

She rolled onto her side and hugged one of the many pillows to her chest. The memory of those ink wings he had drawn floated up to the surface, making her groan in frustration. In response, there was a sharp tug on one of the strings.

A sharp popping sound announced Lox before he landed on her shoulder. Chirring with concern, he pawed at the loose hair covering her face.

After so many days without her dragons, Maevus couldn't help but smile. Sitting up, she caught Lox before he could jump in the air and cuddled him to her chest. Lox grumbled—a compulsory show of cat-like disdain—then gave up and burrowed his head beneath her chin, purring.

Lox's warm breath on her neck was comforting, and she stroked the velvety skin of his wings. Which...just made her think of Volt's wings again.

"It's just a stupid drawing," she muttered. Lox pulled back, blinking his big, round eyes. He chirped a question before resting his forepaws on her cheeks. Maevus sighed. "He doesn't want to be here either. And now I feel like a big baby, complaining so much."

Lox just sneezed and dropped down to all fours.

"Thank you," Maevus said, wiping dragon spit off her face. "Did you come here just for that?"

All that earned her was a slow blink, and then Lox began licking his paws. Maevus stuck her tongue out at him and flung her blankets back. She smiled when he yowled in protest as the heavy comforter flipped over him. As Lox fought with his enemy, Maevus stood and stretched, straightening the loose sleeping pants Korie had packed. Somehow, they'd been twisted sideways around her waist.

A sudden ripping sound made her tense. It was followed by a cough and a crackling sound. Maevus whirled with a cry to find the bed on fire, Lox happily playing with the flames as they burned. With a sigh, Maevus raised her hands, palms facing the floor, then lowered them.

The flames resisted her and she gave Lox a hard look. The little dragon snorted and let her extinguish the fire, but not before a scorch mark roughly the size of a wagon wheel had been burned onto the ivory comforter.

Maevus sighed and rubbed her forehead, wondering how much this would cost. Then, she remembered it hardly mattered. A small laugh escaped her and she turned toward the bathroom. Lox joined her in the steaming hot water in the gigantic tub, using his flexible tail to rudder around as she bathed. 

Refreshed by the hot water and reeking of lilac-scented soap, Maevus finally got out of the tub and dressed. Lox steamed her hair dry until it fell in silky waves around her face. By the time she was dressed in black trousers and a plain, grey linen shirt, her stomach was beginning to stage a serious revolt.

Lox hopped onto her shoulder, burrowing under her hair until his small body was mostly hidden. She bit her lip as she went to the bell-pull near the door. Her dragons tended to make people nervous, especially non-gifted people.