Free Wyvern's Trim and other stories by Nix Whittaker

had even spent almost an
hour brushing her hair out one night and just trailing his fingers
through her tresses. She was no longer afraid of the touch and she
could actually enjoy it. The plain pleasure of touch was something
that she was afraid of but she knew that all he would do was smooth
his fingers through her hair. He would even stop if she asked. That
gave her confidence and the fear had slowly disappeared.
    She had even started to think what would
happen if she didn’t stop him. But she hadn’t gone further than thinking about
it.

    Sebastian asked,
“Where are you taking me?”
    Ash tugged on his arm and said, “You will know
when we get there. Now just have a bit of patience.”
    He growled but
she wasn’t afraid of the sound. She was a little puffed with the
stairs they were climbing. When they reached the door at the top
she took out a key she had borrowed from the
housekeeper.
    It had been tricky to distract Sebastian
long enough to talk with
the woman to lend Ash the key. This room was mostly forbidden
because a few people had flung themselves from the large windows in
despair. Being an orphan wasn’t an easy thing. But the housekeeper
had only needed to look at the dragon to know what Ash
intended.
    Ash pushed the door open and motioned for him to
enter first. Sebastian must have trusted her as he didn’t hesitate.
Once he was inside he went very still.
    She said, “You
haven’t gone flying yet. I thought…” she let her voice trail
off.
    The room at the
top of the stairs was really a look out. It was open to the
elements and that windows were mostly large arches which circled
the entire room.
    Sebastian was
moving to the windows. He turned to her and offered his hand. She
took it and he asked, “Do you trust me?”
    She smiled, “Of course.” She answered.
    She asked, “How
did they keep you there in that cave by the way? Why didn’t you
change into a dragon and break out of your chains?”
    His eyes were dark as he answered, “The cave
itself has special properties that make it difficult for me to
change. The old Dragon hunters used to use the same trick on other
dragons to hunt them down and kill them.” His tone changed as he
added, “But that is the past.”
    He stepped onto the open windowsill and
tugged her up to stand up with him. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and said,
“Close your eyes.”
    She did. A flash
of light and then she was suddenly falling. Something caught her
and she opened her eyes. A dark blue dragon was holding her close
against his chest.
    Sebastian was
stunning as a dragon. She studied him for the longest time before
she turned her attention to the view. They were circling the
basilica which was built into the side of a mountain deep in the
Wyvern Empire.
    Ash had never seen the basilica like this and it
was stunning. It was set into the side of the mountain. Seamless
from where it was natural rock to man-made construction. People
seemed so small on the ground below. They flew for a little while
before Sebastian brought her back to the basilica.
    He changed back into his human
shape in a flash of
light. Ash grinned at him and said, “That was
amazing.”
    He grunted. She doubted he would ever be a
man of many words. She
caught up his hand and said, “I love you.”
    He was still for
the longest while and she wondered if he would say anything in
return.
    He didn’t but he
tugged her against him and pressed his lips to the side of her
neck. She could feel him murmur something against her skin but she
couldn’t make out the words.

    Ash lay in bed
thinking. She loved Sebastian. No concerns or reserves. Did there
need to be anything else?
    Sebastian placed his hands on her
shoulders and kissed the side of her neck before he asked, “Love are you
alright?”
    She bit her lip then slowly turned and
said , “Sebastian will
you stop if I ask you?”
    He frowned. “Have I not before?”
    She nodded bowing her head against her chest as she
gathered herself. She knew