Matty blinked, stunned. Wordlessly, she dropped back to sit on her feet in the chair, unable to comprehend for a moment. Her brown eyes were wider than she thought possible, her face a shade paler.
"My goodness..." she finally, managed. "You weren't kidding..."
She gathered her wits in determination, not wanting Mikal to think she was afraid even for a moment. She stood and practically tiptoed across the room until she was within an arm's length. "Is it still you?"

The regal head lifted, eyes that were once deep blue now a rich green in their regard for her. The voice that responded was not aloud, but in her mind, as before, and it was very much Mikal's.
"No...I wasn't, and I'm always me, Matty. The change in form is absolute..."

She tilted her head back and smiled up at him brightly. "You're in my head, Mikal! Like before!"

She could have sworn that the dragon grinned. "So it would seem...but only on the surface, Matty..." Even in dragon form, his voice took on the teaching tone.

Matty wobbled, dizzy from having to look so far up for an extended period of time. "How can you be in my mind on the surface?" Confusion and lightheadedness were apparent in her voice.

"There are many levels of the mind, Matty...to go beyond what is known as the public mind is considered to be the height of rudeness..."

She smiled and took a step backwards, hoping to ease up on her neck and the blood flow. "You mean you're a gentlemanly dragon? How very thoughtful..."

"Matty, sit down. You'll pass out craning your neck like that..." The dragon seemed to chuckle.

"No, no, I'm fine," she scoffed. "Did you know that you're very tall?" She grabbed for the nearest chair to steady her balance, trying to keep the room from spinning about her. Keep talking, girl, keep talking. "Wait, so when you're in my mind, there are doors you can't see behind?"

The dragon stretched and seemed to grin again, rearing up slightly and half spreading his wings. "Yes, dear, I am very tall...I can't show off in here as much as I'd like to, but at last measure I had a wing span of 140 feet and my body is nearly a third of that. And yes, Matty, there are places in your mind that I cannot, or will not go...unless asked for whatever reason."

Matty tilted her head back further and blinked away the spots flooding her vision. "Mikal..." Her voice was far woozier than she would have liked, but her mind told her to keep talking, not ot let him know she was straining. "I can't see your eyes..."
She couldn't take it anymore. Her body simply gave out on her, stumbling dizziliy as she slumped to the floor. The great blue dragon coiled back down faster than she though possible, it's tail swirling about her waist.
"I'm sorry...here..." The dragon was the man once again, and she felt very strong, very human arms about her. Matty shook her head out, trying to clear it as she clung to him. Goddess, but he felt so safe. She silently prayed that he would never let go.
"Sorry...I wanted to see your eyes...I'm afraid I got a bit dizzy," she managed even she squeezed her own shut tightly. She had to stop the spinning before she got sick on him. She knew without a doubt that no matter how charming she could be, if she threw up on this man he would toss her aside and walk out. Any man with a lick of sense would.

Mikal sighed and hugged her gently, the panic that his filled his heart and flowed through his blood for her safety only moments ago finally ebbing. Gods, but he thought she would fall and strike her head on a table or something, and it would be all his fault.
"I'm sorry, Matty...goddess, forgive me...I...I really wasn't thinking at all." His voice was very quiet and Matty could hear the worry in it. She blinked, leaning back in his arms and lulling her head back weakly to smile up at him.
"What do you mean? I thought that you were a beautiful dragon. I'm glad I got to see that..."

He returned her smile, relief evident in his eyes. "You really wanted to see my eyes, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. You worry too much, Mikal. Now I know where you get your knots from," she teased, smiling up at the face so close to hers. She felt her heartbeat quicken slightly and held her breath.

He smiled slightly down at her. "Perhaps so, Matty...look and I can show you the eyes that you wanted to see. If you're sure you really want to, that is..." His tone was so quiet, so solomn. He was so afraid that he'd lost her trust when he'd caused her to fall. Lords, he couldn't lose her trust. It mattered so much to him, though he couldn't explain why.

She bit her lower lip and nodded, smiling gently, as if to reassure him. "I do."

"Then look..." His deep blue eyes lowered to hers for a moment, then they slowly shifted and changed into the rich green ones that were the dragon's. There was not a hint of humanity in them, instead a wild seriousness, almost a reptillion look.

She straightened up a bit in his arms, regarding those eyes with the same seriousness, then to both their surprises, she smiled. "They're beautiful, too. Just as I thought."
A faint smile crossed his lips, and she couldn't help but notice that it didn't quite reach those eyes. She lowered her voice, murmurming almost to herself.
"And very, very honest....those eyes don't lie, Mikal."

He slowly closed his eyes, opening them again with a faint shudder to reveal his beautiful blue ones. "No...no, they don't." His voice was a bare whisper against her cheek, and Matty was suddenly very aware how close they were. And how sad he looked.

She furrowed her brow, looking up at him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, Matty...had you said something wrong, I woud have told you, believe me," he replied, but his arms dropped from about her all the same. He took a half step back, just to put a bit of distance between them. She watched him and shuddered, suddenly feeling the chill of the room without his presence surrounding her so safely, so warm. She watched him, curling up into her chair again in a feeble attempt to gain back a bit of that warmth.
"Then what is it?" She motioned him to sit before her again so she could finish her massage. She needed to touch him again, needed that warmth back that she didn't even know she was lacking until it was gone.

He sighed, scrubbing at his face with his hands for a moment before walking back to her and sitting on the footstool again, his back to her. She pulled him back gently by the shoulders, letting him rest against her knees. Her hands began to work at his temples again.
"What's troubling you? Someone so kind should never have so many worries," she murmured in a soothing tone, her hands attempting to add to the reassurance of safety and comfort. He finally leaned back into her, not fully relaxing as before though.

"Not worried..." She fought not to roll her eyes, pressing with her thumbs gently, moving her fingers to the back of his neck.
"What then?"

He didn't answer, sighing instead. For the first time, she noticed that where her knees pressed against his back felt oddly warmer than the rest of his body. Without warning, he reached up, capturing one of her hands in his own. Matty knew for sure that he could feel her pulse racing under his gentle fingers.
"Yes?" She managed to squeak the word out, smiling shakily down at him.

She felt him shiver slightly and he remained silent for a long moment. Finally, he brought her hand to his mouth, dropping a light yet electrifying kiss on her palm before releasing it. Saints above, if she could have flown, she would have at that moment. His voice was a soft whisper in the suddenly warm room.
"Thank you, dear Matty."

She shivered at the kiss and the whispered words and smiled, blushing softly. "I didn't do anything, hon. Don't thank me."

"You have indeed done much...for one, letting this tired old dragon snooze here for the night..." A quiet chuckle escaped his lips and she could feel it clear to her toes as his shoulders shook against her knees. She was so very aware of every part of him, every breath and glance and smile. What was wrong with her?
She dropped her hands to his shoulders, squeezing gently with a smile. "There's nothing tired or old about you, Mikal...and it's nothing, really. You need your rest, now. I shouldn't be keeping you up."

Suddenly, as if on cue, the door to the tavern that had up until now only held herself and Mikal flew open, letting in a strong gust of winter wind. A small man wandered in and nodded to the both of them.
Mikal returned his nod, turning to smile at Matty. "I should get some semblence of sleep before tackling all the guild paperwork...besides, you have another customer."

She smiled and pushed his shoulders up and away from her knees, dropping her feet to the ground. "Mikal, in all honesty, this isn't my inn. I just run it for a very good friend at times."

He sat up, grabbing for his shirt. "Well...you're here now, aren't you?" He flashed her a rare, tired, but almost playful grin.
She smirked back, delighted. "I suppose I am, and an old wench like me can't stop to rest...would you like me to show you your room or do you want to find it yourself?" Another patron entered and Matty fought to hide her exasperation. She had been hoping to say goodnight to Mikal in private.

He glanced at the shirt in his hand as if debating whether or not to put it on or not, then decided against it, grinning over at her. "Matty...one, you're not old, and two, I think that if pointed in the general direction, I can find my way." He paused, giving her a quick once over. "And if I ever hear you refer to yourself as a wench again, I'll turn you over my knee and swat that well defined ass of yours until you can't sit."

Matty laughed, flushing at his brutal honesty as she shoved him out of her way so she could get the key to his room. "Up the stairs, second door to the left..." She paused, glancing at him for a long moment, before blurting out, "I didn't think you had noticed...or were going to say anything about that..." She shoved the key into his hand, blushing deeply.

"Neither did I," he grinned, plucking the key from her hand.

She laughed and pushed him towards the stairs. "Goodnight, bully."

"Second door on the left, you said..?" He laughed, allowing her to push him. Gods, how he didn't want to go up those stairs alone. He wanted to stay and sit and talk all night, or to allow her to come up and sit on the edge of his bed and soothe the nightmares away... He shook his head out, frowning inwardly at himself. Her voice broke through his reverie.

"Yes, second door to the left...your old age must be affecting your hearing," she grinned.

He started up the stairs, turning at the landing to deliberately stick his tongue out at her before bounding up the rest of the way, taking the rest of the stairs two at a time. She beamed as she watched him, hands clasped behind her back, taking such delight in the light, playful step and the new hope shining in his eyes.
"Goodnight, Mikal."

He laughed, calling back to her over his shoulder. "Heartless wench!"

She heard the door open and shut, waiting only a moment longer before she whirled happily about the tavern gathering her things. Several more patrons had wandered into the tavern, but she noticed not a one of them. Music--the Blue Danube, to be specific--filled her ears until it was practically roaring in her head. Her heart swelled almost to the bursting point, her feet light, barely touching the floor as she danced about, scooping towels and clothing up into her arms.
Gods, but that man affected her! After she'd cleaned up sufficiently, she disappeared into the spare room behind the kitchens to get some sleep herself, knowing well that the tavern was secure for the night even with the patrons in the main room.

Mikal leaned against the door after it had closed. Sleep? How am I supposed to sleep? His thoughts raced nearly as fast as his pulse as he sank onto the bed, shedding his clothes. God's breath, she was so enchanting, almost like a little fairy. Maybe she wasn't real, maybe this was all a dream...
One painful pinch set that thought aside. He sighed, lying back, folding his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. No, this couldn't go on any longer, something had to change. She had healed him, that was plain enough to see...but for all she knew about him, he knew little of her. That, he decided, would change on the morrow. He would know all about his heartless wench, one way or another.