The Queen of Elysium

Chapter 51 - Dancing on air

In the distance, the red stone and burnished copper dome of the Red Palace of Babylon glows like a jewel in the sunlight. The palace sits like an eyrie, built half way up the side of a mountain and accessible only by flight. Jagged snow-capped peaks tower above it, while there is a sheer drop of several hundred feet beneath. 

Elissa's mind drifts back to last year, when she first set eyes upon the place. She had been Kai's prisoner and had only just found out the truth of her heritage. Well, things have certainly changed since then.

Absentmindedly, she places a hand over her belly. "Last time I was here, your goddess branded me with a tattoo and the prospect of eight kids!"

"Baby goats?" Dawn mutters shaking her head and then taps the top of her inner left thigh. "Imagine placing a mating mark on someone. Who would do that, Elissa?" Her voice and eyebrows raise on the final word.

Elissa flushes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't exactly in control that night. It's still all a bit hazy. Are you ever going to forgive me?"

Dawn bumps her shoulder with Elissa's. "I am only teasing. That wild night and day with Cain and Cade was unbelievable. I cannot wait to rekindle things with them tonight."

"Can you see yourself settling down with them?"

"Truly, I do not know. The thought of tying myself to one man has never really appealed to me. I want to be free to sample all that this realm has to offer, yet I have not found a man who can satisfy me like they can. When they both ..."

Elissa hastily holds up a hand to stop her friend. "I'll take your word for it. I really don't need any details. So basically, we have flown hundreds of miles for you to make a booty call!"

"What have boots got to do with anything? You really do say the strangest things. This evening, there will be a gathering of just us women. I thought that you would enjoy a break from having to fight of the advances of your many suitors."

They have almost reached the outer ramparts of the Red Palace and the dragon sentinels nod their scaly heads in greeting. An apricot coloured dragon takes to the air, letting out a chirruping greeting and flies around Amethyst.

Wing tips almost touching, the two dragons swoop down and the immense twin metal gates open up to allow them entrance. They land in the cavernous vaulted courtyard. Elissa and Dawn jump down, while the dragons nuzzle at each other.

At Elissa's puzzled expression Dawn explains, "That is Cain's dragon."

.....

Elissa looks at herself in the mirror and giggles. "I look like a belly dancer."

Dawn snorts. "That belly looks more like a flatbread."

They are both wearing colourful bejewelled bustiers, long flowing skirts set around their hips and a jewel in their exposed navels. Arm in arm, they leave Dawn's room and the Dragonite tries to teach Elissa how to sashay.

They enter Seraphina's private apartments and Elissa blinks, dazzled by the gold glinting off practically every surface.  I guess it's kind of fitting that the Queen of the Dragonite's has a golden lair.

There are perhaps fifty women all in similar dress to them, who are standing around in small groups chatting and laughing, giving a buoyant mood to the room. Their hostess glides over wearing a semi-transparent dress, strategically studded with jewels and kissing Elissa's cheek, envelops her in a cloud of spicy perfume.

"Welcome, queen of queens. What a wonderful surprise."

Seraphina places a hand on Dawn's swollen belly. "Twins I hear. That is wonderful news, for they are so very rare."