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Ch 3A great dragon's head floated in the shadows beyond the door. Its snout was large and its fur was thegrey of week-old snow. Its eyes were blacker than the eyes of blind and groping cave-creatures, and hissmile tipped upwards in the middle like the cunning smile of griffins. “Welcome, Artie,” he crooned,stepping aside with huge shaggy footpaws. He was two heads taller than Artemiateis and therefore atleast twice as high as the door. Artemiateis ducked down in order to enter the house and stood up besidethe dragon Leciam, I’yannah following close behind. Their eyes adjusted to the dark as Leciam reachedout to grasp the door handle and pull it closed with a reluctant click.The only source of light in the room was a clear vase of glowing stones, some orange, some blue.Artemiateis had always thought it something of a mystery, but she never asked, not wanting to spoil thesecret. The room’s features were swathed in smoky outlines. The form of a woman appeared in thedoorway off to the right.She was dressed in an ankle-length skirt and a long and wide but very thin scarf, which wound itsway around her body as ivy winds her way around branches. It hung over her shoulder and dangledsoftly there, swaying slightly in the small wake of her movement. The cloth itself was plain and lookedcolorless in the perpetual dark, but her wrists and forearms clinked with bangles and bracelets. Her hair,tied into a dragontail, was draped over her right shoulder, shimmering light grey. She gracefully madeher way across the room to embrace her friend.“Artemiateis,” she breathed happily, kissing her on both cheeks. Her breath was cool and wet onArtemiateis’s neck and face and smelled pleasantly of drink. The woman’s ringed hands beckonedI’yannah into their arms, and she jumped into them willingly. They curled around her protectively.I’yannah closed her eyes and went limp.The woman gestured to an empty chair with her head. “Please, sit,” she asked, smiling graciously. “Iwill be right back, if you will just hold your dragon for me?” She extended I’yannah to her like a gift.Artemiateis rolled her eyes and held out her arms to receive the six pounds of sleeping dragon-hidethat was I’yannah. “She can hold herself,” she grumbled, but coddled her dragon with gentle handsnonetheless. I’yannah did not smile but loved Artemiateis with nuzzles beneath her jaw.The woman tittered softly under her breath as she left the room.Leciam took his traditional seat on the worn rug before the fireplace, breathing his smoky laughter.“How have you been, Artemiateis?” he asked cordially, looking politely into her eyes as he spoke. “Ithasn’t been even a full day since I last saw your shining face…” Artemiateis blushed. “But I miss yourpresence nonetheless.”Artemiateis cradled I’yannah’s small body in one arm and tucked her hair behind one ear, thinking ofwhat to say. “Actually, things’ve been alright. It snowed,” she added rather sheepishly, desperate forsomething interesting to say.“Yes, it did,” Leciam said, sounding rather amused. “I’d say we’re due for a wonderful Midwintercelebration at the temple this year.”
 
Artemiateis nodded, laughing. “Tell me, how many delightful young girls have come to ask abouttheir evenings at the dance so far?”“Six,” Leciam replied matter-of-factly. “But it doesn’t take a prophetess to see how they will end up,shrill little nightmares that they are. It’s so funny that, what with all the questions they are asked abouttheir situation when they come, that they still do not see that common sense is the basis of Elxo’s answer,and not prophecy.” He scoffed this last word with great emphasis.“It might as well be prophecy,” Artemiateis said rather seriously. “Elxo’s so smart. She must have beenthrough a lot in life to know everything she does.”“She’s had her trials,” Leciam nodded somberly.In the other room, a small candle was lit, and an effeminate shadow swayed on the wall. A long, thinstrip of orange light stretched itself out on the floor, illuminating a small section of plain carpet. Thetinkering of tea things could be heard, and a wonderful warm smell of old spices filled the room.Artemiateis sat up straight, anticipating the drink.Elxo entered the room bearing a tea tray, an ornate teakettle upon it. Steam unfurled enthusiasticallyfrom the spout. She placed it on the low table between Artemiateis and Leciam, sitting herself down onher dragon’s side of the table, and she was just about to pour cups of tea for everyone when there was aloud, rhythmic tap upon the window.They all faced the source of the sound, curious. Elxo stood and made her way towards the window,weaving her way between chairs, small statues, and, ironically enough, candelabras. She drew the darkcurtains open and the room was exposed to the bright light of the sun reflected off of fresh snow.Previously unseen was a beautifully decorated hearth, above which was a dusty shelf positively coveredwith meaningless trinkets. Upon a tall round table nearby was the clichéd crystal ball. Strewn about theroom were various statues, candles, staves, and insignificant bits of clothing, like shawls and scarves.Waiting behind the glass was a blue and purple griffin the size of a fist, who chirruped loudly andslammed his little beak against the glass of the window, looking surprisingly fierce. Elxo lifted up thewindowpane, letting him in. He settled on a wrist that she held out for him, and began to emit a rapidsuccession of squeaks, each with a slightly different tone and pitch. It sounded oddly like rubber solesscuffing rhythmically against a tile floor. When he was finished, he looked up at her expectantly, the thicktufts of feathers above his eyes making him look rather severe, though his black eyes betrayed no hostilitytowards her. She sighed and drew a miniature flute from a pouch at her hip, putting it to her lips. Asound of a very slightly different quality filled the room when she played, although it could not beunderstood by any but her and the little creature listening upon her hand. She finished and tucked theminiscule instrument away and the little griffin, all finished here, flew off.Elxo closed the window but kindly left the curtains open so her guests could see. "Myria's a bit ill andwants to know if it's a bad omen or a good one," she sighed, settling back down into her place and beginning to pour the tea.Artemiateis laughed. "Well? What did you tell her? That not every little thing has to be an omen?"Elxo chuckled and shook her head slowly, offering Leciam the first cup. "Evi, no. That's bad for
 
 business. I told her that it's a good omen as long as it goes away before four days. If it doesn't, it meansthat she's doing something wrong, and she needs to re-examine her values in life."I'yannah raised an eyebrow. "You got all that from a little sickness?" she asked skeptically.Elxo shook her head again. "No. But I know that she won't get rid of it before four days, because she'ssmall and weak and everyone knows she's apt to become ill for weeks at a time in Winter. I also knowthat she needs to re-examine her values. She's a shallow little wart," she spat affectionately, smirking. Shepassed a small saucer full of tea to I'yannah, who proceeded to lap it up noisily. A crimson stain stuck tothe fur around her mouth, dripping.The dragon Leciam smiled benevolently down at Artemiateis, speaking to her like a daughter. “So,Artie,” he began kindly as he sipped his own rather large cup of tea, “tell us more about this mysteryman of your desire.”Artie blushed and shook her head violently.“Maybe the reason why she’s so reluctant is because he’s not a man at all,” Elxo interjecteddelightedly, clapping her hands. “Maybe it’s a foxy lady!”I’yannah chuckled to herself, and although Artemiateis shot her a deathly sharp gaze the words wereout of her mouth before she even had time to think them: “He is rather
 foxy
 , at least.”Elxo appeared a bit taken aback. “Dordlan?” she asked quietly, incredulously; but the shame onArtie’s face was far too much even for Elxo to provoke, so she hastily added, “It’s okay dear, don’t worryabout it,” and Artemiateis nodded and sat silently for a while, simply waiting for the redness to subsidefrom her cheeks and refusing to meet the pathetically sorry gaze of her dragon companion.“Artemiateis,” Elxo asked, after a few minutes of unbearable silence. Artie looked up from hersteaming cup of tea. “I’d love to have you for lunch but I don’t think I have any meat,” she explained. Theword “meat” rolled around in Artie’s head for a moment, and she remembered her pitiful breakfast, andrealized how hungry she was. Elxo extended a handful of currency to the girl. “Do you think youcould….”“Yes, definitely,” Artie said hurriedly, nodding eagerly. She giggled a little as Elxo looked up at her, bemused.“Just remember your little bundle of trouble,” she said gracefully with a little sigh, and lifted I’yannahup into the air mid-drink. The dragon licked her chops in a rather undignified manner, and did notcomment at all when she was transferred into Artie’s arms; she was too busy sucking the crimson teafrom the fur on her paws, and rubbing her jaw and chin vigorously.Artemiateis held her dragon close to her body as she bid Elxo and the dragon Leciam a brief goodbye,hurrying out the door.Upon stepping outside, Artemiateis promptly let I’yannah fall to the snowy ground, wiping her handswith no trace of a smirk on her face. I’yannah ignored this display of general grumpiness and merelytrotted on ahead with her nose in the air; Artie followed with a slightly heavier step, her attempt to begin
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