Dragon's Choice

It's hard to wake up first thing in the morning... Let alone with a fuzzy head and a hangover. I rolled over and looked for my glasses, they weren't there. Grumbling, and with a very full bladder, I sat up and looked around.. Got to find them damn glasses I thought, as the world came into focus. While this wasn't the first time I'd lost my glasses, I was sure that this was the first time I had seen this room.

The only light came from a fireplace on the other side... Well, it looked like a fireplace, I think. Several large stones surrounded burning coals, and a few lit logs. A tripod and cauldron were set up and good food smells were coming from within.

Uh oh, I'm in trouble. I was in a very large room, looked like stone for the most part... Nothing modern in sight, and above all no glasses. The bed I was in was on the floor, and still quite warm from my body heat. I covered back up, as I could see my breath in the air. Good thing I did because I was barefoot all the way up.

Huge alarms went off in my head, which did not help the hangover I was feeling. I tried, very hard to remember the night before. Beltane, firelight, dancing with the others... then nothing. I was here. Gods that be, I may be in trouble.

A noise sat me back up in a hurry, as a male walked in the room with firewood. "Lady, you are awake, I'm glad to see you. Are you well?" He asked and approached me. On the way, he put the firewood on the fire and brushed off his hands.

I sized him up and down. About fifty, silvering long brown hair. Brown eyes, a mustache, about 6' or so tall. Great body, clad in leather, possibilities and more possibilities run through my head. However, nothing is making sense yet.

I gather the furs closer to my skin, and cover the best I can. While I as yet, do not quite know this man, it seems the best option at point. I reply, "I am all right, pardon me, but where am I and how did I get here?"

A warm smile came from him, and he knelt down beside me. "My Lady, you are in my home, and, and as for the rest, you are my wife."

"Wife?" The word alone, almost made me lose bladder control... "Home?" I stammered at best...

"Yes, we wed last night at the Beltane fires, you are now my bride. Come now, you must want to freshen up, I have some clothes and things provided by your friend before He left you with me." Gently, he took my hand, kissed it, and led me to an alcove hidden by a curtain. Ah Blessed Gods! A place to at least empty my bladder and wash up. However, again nothing modern in sight.

My husband parted the curtain, and handed me "my clothes" a long green frock as well as leather boots of some sort. They looked well worn. He looked me directly in the eyes, and frowned. "You have no memory of our union then, do you..."

"None." My one word reply brought tears to my eyes. Never in my life had I dreamed of this. Where am I? And more importantly, how did I end up in this fix? Who is this man? Lord and Lady, what's going on?

A warm smile again, from the man, and a gentle touch on the shoulder... "Dress, please Lady, and we'll talk. I will wait outside and we'll break our fast. Please, ease those tears, I will explain soon." He kissed my forehead, and left.

His kiss burned through me, and I felt it all the way to my toes. As quickly as I could, I washed and dressed... In the reflection of a polished metal disk that served as a disk I took a long hard look. My hair was quite long, deep red now, and I hurriedly braided it. Another mystery, I guess, I found a leather thong in the clothes and tied my braid with that.

Tidying up the best I could before I left, I then opened the curtain. My husband was waiting there for me, stirring the pot, and then slicing bread. He pointed to a log near the fire, and asked me to sit. He served me a hot bowl of food, and the bread as well.

He sat beside me, and we ate. It was some sort of meat stew, with roots and vegetable in it. There was barley, but not much else. Delicious, though, and filling. While we ate, he asked me what exactly I did remember.

"The Beltane, and the fire, for the most part." was my reply. "I'd joined my friends and we danced, I had some grogg but then I must have passed out."

"Lady," he said, "more than that happened last night. While you danced, you called the dragon. You asked him to help you find a mate. He brought you to me."

I sat, dumfounded, and put my bowl down. "The dragon, my totem? I called him? I don't remember..." Searching my mind, and my heart, I looked through my relationship with the Dragon.

He first came to me as a child, to protect me from my step-mother... Over the years, he trained me in magick, and was there at my initiation into the craft. He protected me still, however this man for a mate? The dragon obviously chose him. He seemed kind, however, where was I? More important, when?

My husband said, "My name is Thomas. I am a simple man for the most part, and I hope that you understand a little about what has happened. The dragon wed us last night. I too called the dragon at the Beltane fires, and asked for a mate. He brought me you."

To be continued...