Brash and the Schrodinger Snare Ch. 10

Dr. Palladium blinked.

"You know, when I think of it like that..." she said, then grinned. "Barkeep! I want to buy one for the whole bar!"

The bartender nodded and the bar patrons all grunted and looked up - then started to beam. It was only three hours later, when Dr. Palladium transformed into a dragonfly and flew out of the bar and away from the desert oasis, that they realized she had had no money what-so-ever.

Epilogue Four: Drowry

Kira Preen Nashem Vin Lim, the Princess Beneath the Mountains and Heir to the Gemstone Asteroids, daughter of King Logarn Preen Nashen Vin Lor and Queen Beardless Preen Nashen Vin Zin sighed as she sat on the throne and listened to her father stump about the council chambers.

"Preposterous!" he said. "Our daughter is pregnant with an heir. Why would we want to marry anyone - let alone an elf."

"Drow," Beardless said, her voice soft as her hand brushed along her shamefully smooth cheek. Here, in private meeting rooms, she didn't use the veil she often wore in public.

"And after we already got her back from that damned dragon!" Logarn said, stepping over to put his hands on her shoulders. Kira sighed.

"Brash didn't kidnap me," she said. "I went to him to ensure that we'd get the Quantum Hoard."

"And it almost got you killed..." Logarn muttered into his beard. "But it did leave you with an heir. We don't need a husband or a wife for you, especially not one that will offer so little. What do drow make? Garbage. Pure garbage, that turns to dust in the sunlight." He shook his head.

Later, after a few more hours of listening to her father grumble about the marriage contract, Kira finally got to her room. Her hand went to her belly - which swelled ever so slightly. She smiled slightly as she lay there, thinking...and then squeaked with an arrow thudded into the ceiling. The arrow had been fired through the window - which she had left open on this warm night. She ran to the window, and saw that a midnight black rope was connected to the base of the arrow.

She stuck her head out the window and found herself face to nose with a gorgeous drowish man. His slender body was limber and tightly muscled, and he wore a white silk shirt, which showed up deliciously against his midnight black skin. But what impressed her most was his eyes. Not only was one red and the other purple - a fascinatingly exotic eye-color - but also, they were filled with cheerful good humor and a delightful whimsy.

They reminded her a great deal of someone else's eyes.

The drow grinned at her. "Excuse me, Princess."

Kira grinned, offering her hand to the prince - who took it and let himself be dragged into the window.

G282 was not happy when she found them the next morning. But Kira was more than happy to point out that Prince Dezario D'Unn not only had quite the dowry - the tradition being reversed among the matriarchal drow - but he also didn't mind that she had accidentally called him Brash. Twice.

"As a matter of fact," Kira had said, smirking at G282's steaming expression. "He thought it was funny."

"It really kinda was," Dezario said, cheerfully as he lay next to the naked Kira.

G282 remained unhappy.

Epilogue Five: Homecoming

Merton Castrovel Miles and Relix Castrovel Miles stretched and groaned as they walked in through the front door of their house. Merton was dragging the suitcase and Relix was sagging slightly. But both walked with the kind of easy, confident attitude of completing a successful mission. Julie bounced in after them - Merton's girlfriend never looked tired.

"Braaaaaaaaash! We're home!" Merton called out then stopped as he saw Brash and a strange woman sprawled on the kitchen table. Brash was balls deep inside of the gray skinned woman, and her fangs - fangs - were buried in his neck.

Merton, Julia, and Relix all stood there.

Brash jerked his head up and the woman let go of his neck with a quiet gasp. They both looked at the trio.

"H-Hi!" Brash said.

Merton put his hand over his face. "Brash," he said, slowly. "What did I say about vampires?"

"Don't invite them inside without checking if it's okay first?" Brash asked, slowly.

"Yes!" Merton exclaimed.

"Dad!" Brash sat up, then focused, growing clothes over himself. The vampress just dragged the kitchen tablecloth over her body, grinning sheepishly. "I had to invite her, she's my wife-"

"Your WHAT!?" Merton, Relix and Julia cried out at once.

THE END. FOR REAL NOW.

BRASH THE DRAGON will return in...

Brash the Dragon and the Plague of Werebeasts