The Dragon's Treasure

[Karo]

Columns of smooth marble, floors inlaid with precious stones and gold, walls adorned with fine silk tapestries, all fineries worthy of royalty. Priceless treasures and ancient artifacts were stacked neatly in various rooms, each organized and categorized with great care, never tarnished or dusty despite their lack of use. These treasures didn't belong to royalty or an aristocrat, but were stowed carefully in a cave, in the home of a powerful dragon.

She had taken great care to make sure the cave was more than just a hole in the side of some mountain. Hidden carefully, the entrance was only accessable via an underwater entrance under a remote lake, visited infrequently by anyone other than local wildlife. While the tunnel into the cavern was plain, dark, and dank, once past the first few twists and turns, it opened up into the first elaborate chamber.

The dragoness had made her home in this cave nearly a century prior, and had spent nearly as much time carving it out exactly to her specifications. Dragons were particular creatures, especially when it came to their living quarters. The floor had been carefully polished smooth, a mosaic pattern adorned with gold, rubies, emeralds, and other precious stones, all polished down to an almost glass-like smooth surface.

No wall was left bare, silken tapestries that draped sometimes from ceiling to floor, beautifully carved sconces holding torches and lanterns, few identical but none that seemed out of place. They burned with a heatless flame that never extinguished, shining enough light to brighten the entire interior of the expansive caverns to a warm glow.

She had collected these treasures for her entire life, as dragons instinctively do. Even by the standards of her elders, her hoard was impressive.

A relatively young dragon, Tahlia prided herself on her accomplishments. She had a long life ahead of her, and instead of amassing more treasures for herself, she could focus on poring over the rooms filled with books and other writings. Not to say that she wouldn't be trying to add more, but there was no need to. Her collection was large enough to be passable for decades to come.

She, herself, was quite the sight to see. Standing nearly the height of a single-story house with all four legs planted on the ground, she still managed to move gracefully, hardly making a sound on the stone floors as she moved through the expansive halls. Bronze-colored scales, always kept rigorously clean, caught the flickering firelight. As was the style of her kind, she often wore the larger pieces of jewlery as adornments, and had crafted some pieces of her own to fit her size, as most of what she had collected was designed for human-sized owners.

Still, with all of the gold and silver, coins and gems, artifacts and riches she had collected, there was one treasure that she valued above all else, and her most recent addition. Priceless and irreplaceable, and quite the accomplishment for any dragon to obtain: a mortal girl. Her talons made a light tapping cadence on the stone floors as she walked, the occasional scraping of her scales on the wall as she fit through a slightly smaller corridor. She had given the girl a room to herself, as elaborate as the rest of the cavern, to which she was heading. There was nothing lacking, a bed, wardrobe with a store of clothing, and she had already presented the girl with gifts of jewlery and other such trinkets.

 

[Velvet Stars]

Not many places could claim to have a floor that was, taken by itself, a work of art. Each seamless block of stone held subtle patterns and shades, and the surface possessed a gloss so flawless that everything else was reflected within it. One of the things mirrored thus was a large bed that sat in the center of the space. Covered by fine linen sheets and a fluffed spread decorated with delicate embroidery, the arrangement of pillows on its surface created the impression of a cloud fallen to earth and shaped just right for a person to rest upon. A roaring fire crackled in the hearth on the other side of the room, not far from where a woven rug lay; its material formed elegant curls and twists in regal colors. Every part of the furnishing, from plush armchairs to grand wardrobe, down to the frame around the vanity's mirror and the smallest footstool, were either wood stained a rich brown or soft yet expertly woven fabric. If one did not know of what lay outside, the room would feel like the master suite in a mansion.

Yet the sight of this finery only made the girl release a heavy sigh. A gust of air rushed out of the bedding as she flopped onto her back; remaining face down had kept her from looking around very much, but it didn't remove her knowledge of the situation. How long had it been? More than a week, certainly...but how much more? She had counted the days at first. On each day, she had searched for a way out of this place. The main exit would have been the easiest way out. There was one problem with it, one that she had yet to overcome: the lake. On a good day, she could swim short distances; on others, a doggy-paddle was about the limit of her ability. With a body of water that deep and wide in the way, she was as likely to get out through that entrance as she was to sprout wings and fly.

With the primary exit out of the question, she then searched for alternatives. Breaks in the walls, secret passages, underground routes...and she had located not a single one. The ceilings were far too high for her to reach without a massive ladder of some kind, and even if she had, the space overhead seemed as flawless as the stone beneath her feet. Trying to find a crack between them that she could lift, like a loose tile, had just resulted in aching fingers and breaking her last ballpoint pen. No matter how many corners she peered into or bits of the floor she poked at, escape seemed out of her reach. Resigned to her position now, but no less unhappy about it, she...

Well, if Angelique was honest with herself, she was moping. The idea of it brought a frown to the otherwise pretty face of the young lady. She had no idea what time it was, or how long she had been awake, but laying in one place all day would get her no closer to home. Slightly cooler air chilled her legs as she slid off of the bed; it was a small drop from there to the cool, smooth floor. Her bare feet padded quietly across to a small opening in the far wall. Considering that this place was inside of a cave, it was a relief that there was a bathroom connected to the room she slept in. Similar to the space it was linked to, the bathing area was fully supplied and elegantly designed. If she stretched to her full length of 5 feet and 6 inches, there would still be space enough for another person to sit in the bath. Warm towels hung on brass racks beside it. The basin, like the tub itself, appeared to be carved out of the same marble that lined the walls. Where the water came from to fill them was a mystery to her, but she shrugged a shoulder and went about her daily routine without worrying over it.

If not for the change in location, said routine would have been identical to what she had done in the days before her arrival. Wake up, wash and brush her teeth, then get dressed. Having reached the step in question, she moved to the wardrobe and gazed at the contents. Every hook, hanger, drawer, and shelf was full of clothing, and each garment fit her exactly right. Some were classy tops and bottoms of timeless styles, others were gowns fit for royalty...but none of them were hers. Not really. Her clothes were tucked in the back of a drawer, and stood out only due to the difference in craftsmanship and materials. Simple jeans, a casual t-shirt, cotton socks, scuffed sneakers; they were nothing special, but she missed wearing them. They were the last things she had from home. Wearing them daily had caused them to fade and fray, though, and she wouldn't risk having them fall apart completely.

Instead, she pulled out one of the many dresses and held it up. Colored a soft shade of rose pink, it draped downward after a form-fitting torso and a shallow scoop of ruffles at the neck. The skirt, with its multiple wide tiers, would sit well below the knee when worn. There was an creamy toned blouse that went with it; though long sleeves weren't needed in such warm surroundings, the weight of it was light, and she doubted it would get too hot. She set the clothes to one side and pulled open another drawer, revealing a number of colorful and modernly styled undergarments. Next to the regal dresses and silken nightgowns, they looked out of place, but it was the one thing she insisted that the dragon buy or find for her right away.

That thought pulled a quiet groan from her. A dragon...I still can't believe it! Dragons aren't supposed to be real. Especially not human-kidnapping ones! She tried very, very, very hard not to think of what her captor was most of the time. This wasn't the middle ages, where people commonly accepted the existence of monsters or devils. She was the child of a modern age and a resident of a first-world country, the sort of person that took electricity, long-distance communication, refrigeration, and the printing press for granted. Dragons were a scientific impossibility, a myth, not something real. That's what she would have thought as well...but that day in the woods had changed all that. She had only been there to relax, maybe find inspiration for a new song, but her captor had other ideas. Even surrounded by riches that she could never have afforded at home, she missed her old lifestyle, her friends, and her family. Even having to deal with annoying coworkers would have been a welcome change. Putting aside the clothing, she reached underneath her old jeans and rummaged about a moment before finding it. It was a small thing, but it was full of the music she had recorded before her life changed so dramatically.

"I guess I won't get to know if I could have made it..." The words dropped into the air, laden heavily with regret, and she looked at the item longingly before returning it to its hiding place. Back turned to the space that separated the room from the rest of the caves, she resumed dressing. Once that was done, she would need to take care of her hair; it was long enough to brush against the light skin of her lower back, so that would take some time. Eventually she would need to go out and find something to eat, which would mean interacting with Tahlia again...but for the time being, she tried not to think about it.

There was no doubt in Angelique's mind that she resented the dragon from taking her away from her home and her life...yet much of her anger was dull, not boiling under the surface as it had originally. At this point, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel about the bronze-toned creature. "How long have I been here, anyway? I never should have stopped counting..." It must have been long enough to start going crazy, because that was the only logical explanation for not despising the being that kept her away from the outside world. Not that such thoughts would keep her from doing what she did every day: trying to find some way out, even if she had to talk the dragon into it. Somehow.

 

[Karo]

Humans were such strange creatures. Tahlia never really had understood them, not centuries ago, and not now. If anything, they had grown even more foreign to her. When she was younger, it was considered an honor to be chosen by a dragon as a companion! .She had heard little but complaints from Angelique since bringing her to her home, despite going well out of her way to make sure she was comfortable. The nerve of some people.

She was still adamant that she would make the best of the situation eventually, though, and perhaps someday even come to enjoy living in the service of a dragon.

Well, service wasn't quite the word for it. She expected little from the girl, no chores or errands, and the only request she had made was an attempt at conversation. Despite her frustration, though, she had done her best to keep her temper, and had never once as much raised her voice to the human girl. She had the feeling it would only make matters worse, anything more than a gentle tone from the dragoness coming out as more of an intimidating roar.

She knew that deep down this was another fruitless trip, all of her attempts to win the girl's favor had ended the same, but it didn't stop her from trying. Afterall, Angelique's companionship was what she was after.

A lot had changed since her younger days, and even though she was far from old aged for a dragon, she felt much, much older than she should. It was hard to wake up in the mornings, and she often felt far heavier than she should, her movements sluggish and her mind dulled.

Though she often tried to ignore the fact, she knew deep down what it was: the constant fear of being among the last of her kind. She had tried to convince herself that there were others out there who had survived as she had, but it had been centuries since she had laid eyes on another dragon.

Her scales scraped lightly against the stone walls as she made her way down the hall, a light, rhythmic scratching as her tail swung lazily behind her massive form. Once again, she was going to attempt to lure Angelique from her room.

Though the corridor was quite large, she had trouble maneuvering her bulk through some of the spaces, her wings becoming more cumbersome than anything. At last, she arrived at the door at the end of the hallway, settling herself down in the space outside. She swung her tail forward, gently rapping on the bedroom door.

"Angelique." She called, her voice soft, but still noble and demanding, with a lilting air common in more archaic speech. "I've brought you a gift."

It was always a gift. She could think of no better way to win a human's favor; they were always clammoring on about money and taxes and things she didn't quite understand, but if parting with a small bit of her extensive horde would perhaps make this girl happy, then that's what she would do.

However, this wasn't her usual gift; instead of the gold and jewels she often attempted to lavish her with, she carried a bag filled with clothing, and though some of it was indeed outdated, there were at least more modern choices; blue jeans, t-shirts, and a few sweatshirts. She had noticed how out-of-place Angelique had seemed with the clothing she had provided for her. She had no idea how human fashion had changed in such a short amount of time; she had been living in a cave, afterall.

 

[Velvet Stars]

The solid series of taps against the door caused the girl to jerk slightly in surprise, but she managed not to drop the brush that was in her hand. "Oh great...already?" She had expected to encounter the dragon eventually, but not this soon. For several moments, she stood in the center of the room, searching for some way to cover herself; there wasn't anything close at hand that she could also put on quickly...and as much as she disliked her situation, she knew better than to ignore her only food source.

Eventually she grabbed one of the sleeping gowns in the room: a lightweight item that tied shut in the front, with sweeping sleeves that reached a point near mid-forearm. The cloth was nearly transparent - enough where the outline of her undergarments was visible, as well as her own form. She had a fairly subtle curvature due to a full bust and hip while lacking the sort of waistline that would make it an hourglass frame. Though the item she put on left her feeling rather exposed still, it was better than going out in nothing.

The mention of a gift caught her attention, yet didn't stir up any excitement in her. Most of the gifts she received had been items that she might have been interested in...but only under other conditions. The idea that she could be lured away from the world she knew by gems and finery had angered her, and some of that probably came through in her dealings with the dragon. On realizing that she was unlikely to get out on her own, she tried not to be so harsh. Happy? That was something she couldn't quite fake. Civil...it was a bit easier.

"Yes?" Her voice held none of the regal tone that the dragoness possessed, but her posture as she opened the door was straight and tall. "What is..." her words trailed off before she finished as her gaze landed on the objects the figure carried. "Oh!" For the first time in more days than she could recall, a genuine smile lit her features. The sight of it brought the idea of clothing that didn't involve complicated ties, expensive fabric that she had to worry about ruining, or an aggravating lack of zippers. It improved her mood immensely, to the point where she didn't even mind her current lack of dress. The stone chilled her feet, but that alone didn't trouble her at the moment.

Of course, she couldn't solely view the items without noticing the one carrying them, and the sparkle in her eyes dimmed. How was she supposed to talk to this being? It would be normal to show her appreciation for the gift; she had thanked Tahlia before, but this time was different, as it was something she actually wanted. Holding a conversation about even something this simple was a challenge. "Um..." she began hesitantly. "Thank you for bringing those. Where did you...?" She paused then. Would it even be a good idea to ask a dragon where the modern clothing had come from, or why she would have it in the first place?

 

[Karo]

"I had noticed how uncomfortable you seemed in the clothes I had provided for you.' The dragon replied simply, stretching her massive form out along the long corridor as she spoke. Even being such a massive creature, her voice was surprisingly light. She had never so much as raised her voice around the human girl.

"I was...unaware how much your clothing has changed so quickly!" She marveled. "I'd been holed up in this cave for so long I never even thought to check to see how things had changed for you."

As she spoke, she seemed to either ignore or be unaware of the question at hand; the bag she had been carrying them in was a simple cloth sack, no labels, no markings of any kind of it, and the clothes themselves were in various states of wear, some still with their tags on and others slightly more worn, a few of the jeans with holes in the knees or a missing belt loop. However, she moved on without giving Angelique a chance to press further.

"If there is anything else that you need, please, don't hesitate to let me know, and I'll do my best to accomodate." The dragon said as she rose to her full height again, craning her neck down to keep her gaze almost level with the human girl's.

There was only one request she had outright refused to comply with since Angelique's arrival, and that was her freedom. She had kept her reasoning secret, but the topic was not up for discussion. PUshing it only seemed to anger the giant reptile. Angelique was part of the dragon's treasure now, and that was all the information she had offered.

 

[Velvet Stars]

Despite having seen it many a time before, an instinctive shiver of trepidation - not fear, she told herself, just a reasonable sense of concern for her own health - moved through her at the sight of the dragon's languid stretch. She didn't budge from where she stood, however, her expressions cycling through surprise and disbelief before settling into something far more neutral.

"Well, I suppose that's understandable..." That wasn't what she wanted to say, but getting angry and indignant with the dragon hadn't resulted in her release in the past, so she was trying to be nicer than she had been in the past. "Someone like you, though...can't you discover whatever you like about humanity without being seen? In that case, gaining knowledge of modern humans shouldn't be too hard."

She eyed the sack as she spoke. It was strange...even if the clothing were someone else's discards, it would likely come in a plastic bag. As much as she didn't want to be stuck in the clothes another tossed in the trash, it was better than the unfamiliar garb she had to force herself into. But that didn't answer the question of where in the world anyone would have thrown the items into a cloth sack, rather than a standard garbage bag. There was little to be gained by asking the dragon, though; she had learned that Tahlia was very good at not answering her questions when the other didn't want to.

"Anything? I can think of one." Frustration at the thought, and the reminder that she had such little say over her fate, made her tone sharpen - a contrast to the musical sound that had slipped in when she was pleased. "If you won't let me go home, can I at least go out?" Her hands rose in a gesture that took in her strange company as well as the surroundings. "I know of a lot of things I need, but that's the most important. This place is..."

She hesitated then, not wanting to make a compliment, but still seeing the need for it. "...nice. Much nicer than I would have guessed. But it's not home! And I could have my home and everything inside it brought here, but that won't replace the people, the life I had. I don't see how you could take that from me and expect me to be okay with it...!"

Again, it came back to that. Even when she tried not to mention it, it slipped out: she would stay if she could find no way out, but what she truly wanted was to be released. "But then," she added with a lower voice, the sound slowly flooded by the sense of loss that lingered beneath her anger and acceptance alike. "you've never worried about something like that, huh?" It wasn't as if the dragon had a good reason for doing this, at least no reason that she had ever heard. Part of a hoard? She was a living thing with a mind of her own, not a plant or decoration, and certainly not a pet of some kind.

What puzzled her was simple but complex. If she was none of those things, yet she didn't have the option of doing things her own way, then where did she fit in? "Let me ask this...if you're okay with doing whatever I need, then what do you want? What do I do here?"

 

[Karo]

(Haha, oops. I thought I'd replied to this. I've totally had a post written up saved on my computer for about a week now)

"I've told you before, it's forbidden." she said, the dragon's voice taking a sudden, frigid tone that had been absent before. It was the only time she seemed to be anything other than calm and collected, when Angelique mentioned wanting to leave.

"Some day, perhaps." She said, scales scraping on stone as she heaved the bulk of her body back up off the ground. "But until I see it fit, you will remain here. This is your home now. I'm giving you everything you could want, everything you could need, and I'm asking for very little in return."

Her tone picked up a bit of fire it had been lacking, words spilling out past that forked tongue in a strangely fervent manner.

"You humans are such confusing creatures. I am giving you a life many of your kind dream of; no need to work, no worries for money, more riches and treasures than you could possibly imagine, and you want to leave me." She replied.

"You already have your answer." she said, forcing her normally calm demeanor back into her voice. "Anything else I can bring for you, I will do my best to comply, but you cannot leave my lair." she said.

What nerve. Tahlia was still fuming internally. All she asked from the mortal girl was a little companionship, for everything that she had given her. She wasn't asking for much, even going well out of her way to accomodate the girl's desires.

 

[Velvet Stars]

(No problem; things like that happen to me too sometimes. )

It was risky...Angelique knew that. Angering the dragon could bring a swift end to life in general; their meeting had simply upended life as she knew it, but she was still alive at least. Even so, what was she supposed to do? Lie? Pretend that everything was fine? She wouldn't do so if held against her will by other humans, so why should she do that for anyone else? Her gaze shifted away from the massive array of bronze scales as she thought on this; if she had been kidnapped by a human, her situation would be far worse in every way. Here, she had not been harmed; the surroundings were luxurious, the food was surprisingly good, and her captor was...strange, but not cruel. It was as if she had been abducted by an eccentric millionaire. Who just happened to be a giant winged creature that could crush her flat with one taloned foot.

In the privacy of her own mind, the girl had to admit that her protesting wasn't the wisest or most sensible thing she could do in the situation. Still, a mix of pride and bewilderment made it impossible for her to simply go along with the dragon quietly. It was Tahlia's comment about dreams that ruffled her proverbial feathers, and the girl found herself trying to catch the taller form's eyes with her own. Her back was straight, her chin raised; fear might have been more prudent but it wasn't what she displayed.

"I appreciate you giving me so much, I mean it...but there's more to life than this. I've got dreams of my own, and people I care about who are probably worried about me, and I can't do anything about any of that while I'm in here. And if you expect me to lie about how I feel, then you're going to wait a long time." Her arms were crossed over her chest, a frown stretched across her face. "If you won't let me leave, fine, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop wanting to go home. You can give me all the stuff in the world, but stuff's not a replacement for my family or my friends or any of the other things I wanted to do with my life. That's why I'm not happy about this, because my dream was never to live in a place like this. It wasn't to be poor, either, but all the wealth in the world can't buy the things I want most. And they aren't things you can bring me, either."

That having been said, she sighed quietly, letting her arms drop to her sides. "But if you can't understand what it's like to spend most of your life chasing your dreams, only to have it snatched away from you by someone who doesn't even care, then that's that. You wouldn't let me leave even if I was miserable...so I'll just have to make the best out of it." There was a hint of pain in her eyes as she went on; to ask this was, for her, almost like she was admitting defeat to a certain degree. Making plans for how to be more comfortable in her imprisonment meant she wasn't making progress towards getting out...and she didn't want to feel at home here. It wasn't home.

"Listen...there's a whole world outside, and if I can't go see it, then can you at least go see it for me? I should at least be able to hear about it from someone else. And I want some way to pass the time while you're gone, so could you bring me some books or movies? If not, get some music? A radio, a CD player, a computer with MP3s, something I can listen to. Or maybe a recorder, so I can send my songs to someone..." The girl's words dropped to a mutter even as her head finally drooped town, gaze falling solidly to the floor. "...not that anything's going to come of that, now."

 

[Karo]

Tahlia stared down at the girl, her chest puffed out and her wings flared. Even the frills along her jawline stood out slightly, an instinctive attempt to make herself look larger to intimidate Angelique. Not that she needed to, already having an obvious size advantage over the human. She could crush her with a swing of her tail if she had so desired.

However, she seemed to calm suddenly, slowly lowering herself back onto the ground. She mulled over her requests for a long while, her gaze never once leaving Angelique. She seemed to be deep in thought for some time, then slowly rose to her feet once more.

"Stay here." She commanded, as if Angelique had an option. "I may be gone for a few days this time. I've shown you where the food is stored; you may help yourself to anything, as usual." she said to her, then started off down the corridor.

She said nothing else to her, no hint as to where she was going, her bulk slowly weaving its way through the, to her, at least, narrow hallway.

(bit of a shorter post. )

 

[Velvet Stars]

There was silence, and in that long moment of quiet, the small-statured girl raised her head to be greeted by an unexpected sight. The attempt at intimidation was more than successful; for several moments, she wondered if she had managed to exasperate the dragon a bit too much. It would be wonderful if said annoyance would result in her freedom...but not if said 'freedom' involved being smashed into the rock. A little corner of Angelique's mind piped up then: If she was that willing to crush you, just to shut you up, wouldn't it have happened already? Annoying her will probably just mean getting some of that stuff taken away. But that's no problem, since you don't care about stuff...if you're really okay with being nude all the time? Great idea to just talk without thinking.

It was easy to ignore that little voice when there was a very large, very aggravated being of muscle, scale, and talon looming high overhead. While she didn't back away, a tenseness in her posture and the widening of her eyes made it clear that she was nervous - and that was without the swift clenching of her hands or the faint trembling in her form. On the inside, she knew that her outer courage was just a mask...but at least it made it possible for her to see the puffed-up dragon without losing all strength in her legs.

After that, the last thing she imagined was for the anger to fade without further action. Finding herself stared at, the girl looked back; it wasn't as if she could fit past the dragon, and it didn't feel right to retreat into her room just yet. When the response finally came, it wasn't what she expected...not that she had known what to expect in the first place. "O...kay...?" It wasn't as if there were much else she could say, not with Tahlia's tail disappearing into the rest of the cave system. What had been said was no different from the usual, except for the 'few days' mention. Her eyebrows were quirked in confusion, but also in some curiosity, as the dragon departed.

"...what was that all about?" The empty air held no answers for her, however, so after several moments she simply walked back into the room with the armful of new clothing. At least she could change into something more comfortable! An honest smile curved her lips as she pushed the door open. If this place wasn't normal, at least she could feel a bit normal.

 

[Karo]

After she changed, the cave fell into a peaceful silence, as it often did after Tahlia left, though, it wasn't much different than when she was there.

Tahlia had done her best to be sure that Angelique was entertained in her absences, which seemed to be more common than her time spent at the cave. Even when she was around, her actual visits with the human girl consisted of a curt conversation and perhaps a few new gifts. She had allowed her access to her extensive library, and a few more primitive toys, wind-up dolls and music boxes and the like. Beautifully crafted, but simple.

There was a sudden, subtle shift in the air. Something dark, heavy, and laced with the unmistakable scent of smoke and brimstone.

"It's a shame, isn't it?" Came a sudden, unfamiliar voice from the far corner of the room.

There was a strange woman lounging on one of the chairs. She appeared to be human, save for her unusually bright red hair, and matching crimson feathered wings sprawled out from her back. She glanced up to Angelique, a smirk on her lips and a glint in her burning red eyes.

"Relax, I'm not here to hurt you; quite the opposite.' she said, perhaps even before Angelique had a chance to respond to her sudden presence. "I've been waiting for that dragon to be gone. I'm here to help you. I can help you get out of here, maybe more." she said. "You want to be famous, right?"

 

[Velvet Stars]

Clad in a t-shirt that was a bit too large and a pair of jeans that would have been stylish five years ago, Angelique was relatively pleased. It was no replacement for her own clothes, her own bedroom, and the company of other humans...but it was a small improvement. To think such a small change could improve her spirits! She had even attempted to style her hair a bit, sweeping the loose strands into a high ponytail...but then she remembered that her supply of hair accessories were all back in her room at home. The burst of cheer popped like a fragile, short-lived bubble as the full weight of the situation settled upon her shoulders again. It was unlikely that she'd run out of food while Tahlia was gone, and there was plenty of water. Her physical needs were more than well taken care of, though it was lucky for her that she knew how to cook and take care of her own laundry.

Still...the lack of fresh air, the unchanging scenery, the total absence of anyone of her own species to talk to...it was hard to deal with. She could only play with the same old toys so many times, and she had never been the type to collect trinkets unless they held personal meaning for her. So it wasn't long before the music boxes and traditional children's toys went back to collecting dust. There were plenty of books, but the ones that caught her interest were difficult to find or - to the best of her knowledge - outdated. Sure, she could go through them again, learn some new things, but that wouldn't last long before she wanted something else to do or see.

Almost in unison with her exasperated groan, a strange scent reached her. "Ugh, forget about being crushed! I'm going to die of boredom at this...rate...? Is something burning?" She frowned and glanced about the room, but her gaze had not reached the other side of the room before the voice spoke. "Wha?!" The girl whirled around; it had been so long since she heard another voice that she knew it wasn't the dragon - and she would have knocked, Angelique noted silently. Though she expected it to be a stranger, what she saw was far from anything she would have guessed at. Before she had the opportunity to ask who the strange woman was or what she wanted, the odd speaker continued.

While confusion was written clearly upon her face as she listened, as well as puzzlement, there was a hint of skepticism upon her features too. "Why would you want to help me?" was her first response, born from that doubt in the other's intentions. "We've never met. I would know it if we had." That last was said with a note of pride; if she could claim anything, it was that she rarely forgot a voice...and that she paid enough attention to clothing trends and fashion-related items to tell a costume when she saw it. It seemed highly unlikely that anyone she knew would be wearing scarlet wings with contact lenses and hair dyed bright red. Even if it was someone normal, why would they have known anything about the dragon?

"So, if you can just appear in here just like that," she added, punctuating the statement with a snap of her fingers, "then why would you need to wait until the dragon was gone?" The question about what she wanted was strange...it wasn't as if she made any secret out of her dreams to make her mark in the music world. Oh, she had sung background for a few small bands before, but she wanted to do more than just that. It had been just days before she might have her shot...if not at getting famous, then at having someone hear her work for real. Of course, that hadn't happened, because that was when she 'met' Tahlia. But that wasn't as important as one thing: how would someone she never met know about any of that?

 

[Karo]

The woman smirked and shifted on the chair, and gave a stretch. As she did, her wings flared out behind her, feathers fluttering lightly in a way far too natural. This woman, whoever she was, didn't appear to be human. It seemed the longer Angelique was involved with Tahlia, with the life of a beast long thought to be nonexistent, the stranger the world appeared to be.

"I have my reasons.' She said simply. "We haven't met, no, but I know a lot about you." she said with a smirk, crossing her legs at the ankle as she continued to lounge on the chair easily. There was something slightly unsettling about her presence, perhaps the lingering smell of smoke in the air, or just how much she seemed to know about what was going on.

"Do you think I'd try my luck against that beast?" she asked. "I may have some magic, but dragons are dangerous beasties if you're not prepared to handle them properly, and I find this way is so much eaiser." She said. "Besides, I don't think you want that overgrown lizard hurt, do you? You resent her, but you don't hate her, am I right?" she asked.

"I have my own reasons to be helping." she said, something akin to a soft purr slipping into her voice. "You want to be a star, yes? A singer? To write songs and make music?" She asked her. "What would you be willing to offer if I said I could give you all of that; fame, fortune, and an escape from this wretched little cave?"

She turned to look Angelique in the eye, her gaze burning like fire as she looked to her. The woman stood slowly, and her wings folded up at her back as she did so. From her appearance, a strange beauty, power, and of course, the wings, she appeared to almost be an angel of sorts, but something about the slight smirk on her lips, and even just a twist in the air around her, hinted at something more sinister.