The Light of Elysium

6 - A New Partnership

(Zane's PoV)

I watch over Elle while Darish just strides on. She is an intriguing girl, facing off against the elf one moment and breaking down the next.

She looks up at me with a shy smile. "Sorry, I'm just having a meltdown."

I easily help her up; she is a delicate little thing compared to Dragonite women and cast my gaze over her. There are no signs of any melting and I hope that she is not touched in the mind.

Now, while I appreciate the female form, her attire is concerning for an innocent. There is an exposed a strip of bare flesh around her midriff where the ends of her shirt are tied up. Worse still, the strange blue material of her trousers clings tightly to her long slender legs and I am trying not to imagine them wrapped around me.

Zane, I hear my dragon chastise in my mind. If she is your ward, then those are inappropriate thoughts.

I scrub my face and wander over to a nearby stall, charming the female owner into giving me a colourful shawl.

"Here." I hand it to Elle. "Cover yourself. You cannot walk around in a state of partial undress, unless you wish to attract the wrong sort of attention."

Rolling her eyes, she wraps the shawl around her waist. "Better?"

Marginally, but I smile and put an arm through hers. "While Darish is sulking, let us get you some attire more suitable for a young woman."

After we have obtained several dresses, she gives an embarrassed little cough. "Er, could you direct me to where I can purchase some new underwear?"

I grin, I know just the stall. Once we get there I purposely embarrass her by holding up a skimpy lacy undergarment. "This is rather fetching."

As I expected, she blushes and insists, "No thanks. I would prefer something with a little more material."

"How about these?" I ask and mischievously hold up a pair of huge bloomers.

"I know that I said more material, but that is ridiculous."

The stall holder covers her mouth to smother a giggle and points Elle to something more sensible. As she is making her selection, I whisper suggestively in the woman's ear, causing a flush to her cheeks.

As we walk away Elle quizzes me, "What did you say to her?"

"I asked her to model her wares for me."

"Seriously?" Her tone is incredulous. "You just walked up to a stranger and said 'show me your underwear'?"

I shrug and smugly respond, "She agreed."

While we are getting her rucksack enchanted so that it can hold all of her new belongings, she touches her hair and grimaces.

"I could really do with a shower." At my confused look she explains, "At home we have this device where water falls from a pipe like warm rain and allows you to wash."

Recalling that the rather lovely elf who I spent last night with, lives just around the corner, I guide her to the terraced house. My lady friend opens the door and purrs out a greeting to me, but then her face falls when she sees the girl with me.

I languidly kiss her hand and whisper across her skin, "I would be ever so very grateful if Darish's ward could use your bathing chamber."

"Well of course. It is next to my bedchamber. You know the way."

Leading Elle upstairs, I open the door to the bathing chamber with a flourish and point to an enclosure, "This is a rain chamber. Water falls like warm rain and you can wash." I smirk, amused to be echoing her own words back to her.