22

Kaz awakens later that night to the sound of his door being opened, he leans over to light a candle but a rough, rugged hand pushes it away. "What I want you to do, Kaz?” Saphana pauses, “Do to me what you did to that snake." Loud banging and thrashing echoed from their room and all of a sudden a blinding light filled Kaz's bedroom. Minutes later the light died down. Kaz lay on his bed exhausted, Saphana whispers in his ear., "That caught us both off guard, I guess your spell wore off." Saphana huffed, nearly out of breath. She then laid beside him back in her original form with her head beside his, Kaz wrapped his arms around her neck and gave her a lengthy kiss on her scaly lips before they both fell asleep.

The sun began to shine through the curtains, the door to Kaz’s room opened slowly and Lucia walked in to wake him. Lucia looks over and sees Saphana, who had returned to her normal size laying with her head on his lap, the room is in complete disarray, clothes in tatters covered the floor, various furnishings dotting the ground. She throws her hands up and walks back out of the room, “I am so done with this!” she yells in a flustered tone as she walks back downstairs. Kaz rubs his eyes and pokes Saphana’s head until she wakes up. She raises her head off of his lap and gets up to stretch, “It is odd, being back on all fours again.” she says to Kaz in between yawns. Kaz gets out of bed and opens the door, he gets halfway down the stairs before he hears, “Kaz. I believe you’re forgetting something.” Saphana grumbles from back in his room. Kaz turns around and walks back up and sees Saphana glaring at him through the doorway; the realization hits him, she won’t fit through the door.

Kaz slaps his palm onto his face and tells Saphana to hold on, he runs downstairs and outside. Saphana peers down at him in the yard through the window, Kaz looks up and sees her sticking her long neck out the window. As he looks up at her, she begins to fumble, a loud tearing noise can be heard as Saphana falls onto her stomach. The bedroom wall begins to splinter and crack, Kaz dives to the side and rolls out of the way just in time as Saphana comes tumbling down from the second floor along with the wooden wall. Kaz is showered with splinters and chunks of wood as Saphana climbs out of the rubble.

His frown turns into a smile as he sees Saphana standing on all fours with the broken window frame hanging around her neck like a collar. Kaz falls over on his backside shrieking out in laughter at the sight. Tasi and Lucia come rushing outside and behold the same sight, they chuckle and try their hardest to keep their voices contained. Kaz gets back up and wipes the tears from his eyes and walks over to Saphana, “Alright, fun’s over. Hold still Saph.” he cackles as he pries the wooden frame apart, freeing the dragon’s neck. He turns to the other two, “Okay, okay. Now help me clean this mess up you two.” Kaz yells across the yard.

Hours pass and the rubble is cleared from their home, Kaz sits on his bed and looks out of the dragon-sized hole in his wall. He can clearly see out over the entirety of the marketplace, Kaz decided he’d construct a balcony from the hole in his wall. He spots Roarke coming up the road with the cart in tow, before long Kaz hears the front door swing open. A loud "I'm home!" Can be heard from downstairs, Kaz heads down the stairs to greet him. Roarke turns to face him, "Finally awake, are we?" He prods. Roarke calls everyone down and brings in several sacks. Saphana, Lucia, and Tasi all gathered around him as he handed them out. Lucia was handed hers first, inside she found new cooking utensils. She squealed with joy as she pulled out each one. She then hops over and hugs Roarke and lifts him up off the floor slightly before setting him back down. Next, Tasi opens hers up next and finds lots of meat, meat of all kinds, she inhales the aroma wafting out of the bag. "Thanks Roarke!" She hisses happily and quickly slithers off back to her room, Tasi had been awfully quiet lately. She hadn't been out or left her room much lately.

Saphana looked down at the floor with a sad expression, Roarke bends over and looks up at her, "Follow me Miss Saphana. I couldn't quite carry yours in by myself." He smiles giddily up at her as he points towards the door. Kaz follows the two out into the yard, they gaze upon a beautifully crafted silver plate armor set for Saphana. Roarke turns to Kaz, "You should put it on her." He suggests. Kaz nods and first takes a small note off the pile of armor. "Kaz, sorry it took so darn long. I hope you two like it. It's the finest thing I've ever crafted, so don't go bangin' it up. Signed, yer buddy Ferron." Kaz reads aloud before picking up the first piece and fitting it snugly on Saphana's hind leg.

Before long Saphana was clad in silver plate and mail, Kaz had to move just to get a decent view as he was blinded by the sun reflecting off the plate. It fit like a glove, not too tight, just enough room to run around in. Saphana pranced around happily in her new armor as if it were a dress. "It looks good on you Saph!" Kaz shouts. Kaz removes the armor after Saphana had finished her happy dance and they all headed back inside for dinner. Lucia had cooked up a feast yet again with her new utensils, she hugged Roarke from behind as he sat down and thanked him for the utensils once again. Supper continued as usual, Kaz decided to try his hand at writing afterwards. His current goal was to write a guide to speak in the dragon tongue, but he tired quickly and decided to go to bed.

After returning from the washroom Kaz jumped when he saw Saphana lying next to his bed. She had crawled up through the hole in the wall, "I guess we better find a way to build around the hole in the wall." He laughs jokingly as he picks up his pillow and blanket and throws them on the floor beside the dragon. Kaz lies down next to her, "Uh huh." She grunts as she steals him away into her grasp, she rolls over on her back and lays him atop her belly. Kaz squeals as he's grabbed, then he shimmies up her stomach to tickle under her chin, he then gives her a kiss before wrapping himself in the blanket and getting ready to sleep. Just as he finishes getting adjusted, "I love you Kaz." Saphana whispers up to him. Kaz turns his head to face hers, "I… I love you too, Saph." He replied, his stomach felt all tingly as he said it, but he meant every word of it. The two then slowly drifted comfortably off to sleep.