What are my ears hearing? She’s what?

I stared at Mell blank. Unable to process the amount of contradictory information her words carried.

Dragons don’t get pregnant only on some kind of full moon, how is that even possible.

My brows arched, "You’re lying. If you want to have me take responsibility for someone else’s child. It won’t work."

"I don’t tell lies, Walter. You’re special."

Mell crawled to me, her hand reached for mine to embrace. But I pulled away.

"Oh really how?"

"You have superior genes. And yes you’re right, Female dragon can’t conceive a child. Only on the Mahora Full moon. But your seed broke that nature.

Do you know what this means? You’re the cure we’ve been searching for."

Mell was so joyful, a tear of joy trickled on her cheeks.

Which to me felt like she was over reacting. Me, a cure?

I don’t want to jump to conclusions. So I asked further.

"What cure for what?"

"See, even under the Mahora moon. We still suffered to conceive which have lead to absolutely zero birth rate in the last two years for dragons.

Which is bad to sustain our lineage."

"Prove to me you’re really pregnant." I crossed my arms.

Of course, Mell then placed her hand over her womb, and a translucent light penetrated her belly and I could see inside her womb. In negative coloring.

"Is still developing."

An embryo developing in her womb, and yes it confirmed it. I’m officially a father.

Hearing this was telling me a good news I had about it before but. It was said their birthrate was low, not absolute zero.

If they don’t have children, slowly they die, leaving the earth, and we could seize back our lands given to them.

Particular the one I was most concerned about was my father’s land. It was part of the things he left for his family.

But since he was dead, the King gave it to the dragons. Almost half of the dragon kingdom land used to belong to my father.

We lived better with the crops we farmed and cattles we reared. Now it wasn’t that great.

A smile spread up my lips. If I’m the cure, why should I help them? This is a perfect opportunity to leverage my worth.

To get what was supposed to be ours back. I’ll be the one using them, like swinging a carrot before a horse.

"Fine. But on one condition. Take me to your queen."

"Absolutely, I won’t be selfish to hoard you to myself."

Mell wiped her tear as she got to her feet. "Let’s get going."

She reached out to me. I held unto her arm. As we took off, flying. This was my first time doing such.

So naturally I was afraid to look down. Mell flapped her wings aggressively as we shot through the air, heading to the dragon kingdom.

Fifty meters away from the farm I was working in, the huge wall surrounding the kingdom became more visible.

From my village the walls were actually visible but now we were close. Up here I could fully witness the height of the wall.

The air of the dragon kingdom was filled with other dragons gliding through the air. A quick glance down I could see the market with merchants displaying goods using magic.

Customers buying from the stalls, going about their day... In a land they snatched from my family.

No long after, Mell slowed her speed. She lowered to the ground gently till my feet touched the ground.

When we both landed, the first odd thing about the castle was, among the guards on duty, I found some human knights among them.

Though they stood apart. Don’t get me wrong, some few humans stayed in the dragon kingdom without discrimination. But something felt off.

Like I had seen these guards from somewhere. I didn’t move, just stared at the knights. My instincts shrieking.

"Can we step in?" Mell gestured to the grand palace door.

I snapped out of my initial thoughts and followed, not forgetting why I’m here.

When I stepped into the palace room, I was assailed with a lush fragrance, something rare my nose had never smelt.

The room was decorated with gold, scripture arts, with six graceful chairs lined up.

On the left were likely nobles of the dragon kingdom dressed in their traditional attires. While on the right were humans, most men with a single woman present.

They were seated in noble tunics, classic boots. Their fingers decorated with golden rings, necklace of precious stones. Adorned the one woman in their midst.

It was common knowledge the nobles had ties with the dragons involved in their politics. But I wasn’t quite surprised, till my eye landed on Baran.

"Baran?! What are you doing here?"

He didn’t reply. Just turned his face away.

Baran was the local Chief of our village. He was seated among them. That’s when I realized why the guards were recognizable.

Around last week they were the same guards who took Baran into custody. We thought he had angered maybe someone of authority but, maybe we were wrong.

Down to the other end of the room. On an elevated platform, a woman sat, with a crown on her head. The queen. But beside her was an empty throne.

"Mell is this the man?" The queen’s voice was easily carried throughout the large room. With authority, I could feel chills from her words alone.

"Yes ma’am." Mell immediately dropped to a knee bowing her head.

But I stood using this as an opportunity to speak. Seeing the people present here, they already knew I would come and had prepared.

Since it was a matter that could extinct the very race, Mell would have obviously told the queen.

"I have a proposal."

Immediately the words left my lips they all went silent, curious to hear my opinion or shocked I had the audacity to even negotiate as a peasant.

"I’ll help you in keeping the race going. If you return the land you snatched from Lord Avant, my father, back."

Yes, I was aware what I’m agreeing to. Being a breeding bull, just to get my father’s land back.

But to be sincere I was also aware of the dragons’ ill fuck. So it was an easy win-win.

But the queen completely ignored me.

"Baran, the roads your people are requesting for will be granted by my workmen. Tomorrow we will officially inaugurate you as a spokesman.

I still want to thank you for agreeing with this noble cause."

"It’s my pleasure. You guys are more than refugees to us. Why wouldn’t I help."

"Aye! Didn’t you hear what I said?"

"Walter. From now on you’re the property of the Dragon kingdom. You should be grateful for such a noble cause to help keep the dragon race going."

And hearing that from Baran was unreal. This was the same humble village head who had worked with me in the farm with bare hands.

Who seemed very humble. Now his tone carried such arrogance. He sold me for promotion and what road.

Bullshit! I’m not agreeing to this. I backed up slowly. My back then collided with someone behind me. It was solid.

A look over my shoulder. Mell was standing behind me. Her hand was stretched. A wall of light blocked my exit.

"You—"

"Your village head had granted us permission—"

"Cause I’m no one’s slave."

Mell then dissolved the wall. At first I thought she was letting me go. Then she whispered in my ear.

If you resist you’ll be forced to, locked up. But if you’re willing you will have your freedom, choice to explore the dragon kingdom with someone watching you of course.

She then paused letting it settle first. Before adding, "The choice is yours."

Her voice was so calm, unsettling. The threat was clear but also it was still foolish if I resisted.

They’re hundreds of guards around the castle. Escaping is impossible without magic.

If getting the right to choice meant accepting my fate willingly. It was my only option.

But my goal was still fixed. This was just a stage to pass.

And with the right to choice maybe I could learn magic.

"Fine. I’ll accept. In exchange you agree to teach me your way of life, your culture... I’ll be happy to learn. Your rich culture. Including magic. But I’m more about your beautiful culture."

Then I bowed, hiding my grin. Lie, it was all lie. Culture my ass. I only wanted to learn magic. Which will aid my goal.

The council murmured among themselves, mostly the human spokesmen who were skeptical about letting a peasant learn the very tool they used to oppress.

"That’s fine by me. You’ll be granted access to our vast library, with a personal teacher."

"I’ll appreciate that." I bowed once more. Then looked in Baran’s direction. He frowned then turned.

’When I learn magic my first target would be you, Baran.’