Myrena took Smaug's advice and planned to visit the town next to the mountain. After dressing more appropriately, she dared to sneak plentiful of coins from the dragon's horde into her pocket. When the mountain didn't collapse and she knew there would be no punishment, Myrena left the mountain.

The Watchman took off his hat in curtsey and welcomed her into Bellemore. The main street was filled with stalls and people; a market. First, Myrena strolled to the end of the street, greeting people in her way and eyeing what the stalls had to offer.

Her first stop was at the vegetable stand, and she asked the vendor for whatever would be good till the end of the week. She went to the fruit stall the same, but got plenty of good spices that would last a while. She even went to the butcher's.

"Never seen you before, milady." The butcher acknowledged the same as everyone else had.

"I haven't been here before. I just moved to the castle in the mountain. Name's Myrena."

''Callum, at your service. I'd be careful up there in the mountain, miss. A dragon nests there."

Myrena found herself feeling offended somehow.

"If he were a threat, I'm sure this town would not be here," she argued.

Callum thought over her words. "That's certainly true." He finished wrapping up Myrena's meats. "Anything I can get for you, m'lady?"

"Is there any way I could get horses around here. A mare, and a stallion."

"I suppose. Best be asking Gordon at the dairy stall, he's got a farm"

"I will see him next. Thank you for your help, Mr. Callum. Have a good day, sir."

"Day, miss." The butcher tipped his head.

Myrena left the butcher's and ran into the baker, being convinced to buy some cakes before she finally went to see the dairyman.

Gordon also offered her a warm welcome and asked how he could help. Myrena told him what she wanted and what she preferences she had. Gordon attend her a lowered price but Myrena refused, paying full price and a little extra. He offered to take her to the barn, but they were stalled by an old man in blue robes.

"Lady Myrena, I would rather wish you'd wait inside my shoppe. We have some things to discuss."

The old man waved Gordon on his way and lead Myrena to his Shoppe. His knowledge of her name convinced her to follow.

"How do you know my name?!"

"I know a lot about you, ghost bride."

He kindly smiled at her shock.

"Please, come in." He ushered her in at the door. "My name is Morinehtar, and I am the blue wizard."

Myrena looked around in awe as she stepped in. The place wasn't too eccentric; more like a chaotic library. There were roof high stacks of books, and candles here and there, with bottles and scrolls and artifacts scattered about. Morinehtar took a seat at a clean table and motioned for her to sit across.

The ghost bride had never been less sure as she was when sitting across from this wizard. These past few days had been life changing for her.

"You have questions, my dear." He stated, reading her mind.

"You have the answers."

"Indeed I do, but I am not at liberty to tell until you ask. What do you wish to seek?"

Myrena twiddled her fingers.

"I have been proposed to... by.... by a dragon."

"Smaug, yes. He has been cursed to be human, long ago."

"Long ago... I was married to a landlord." Myrena spoke to he desk.

Morinehtar pitied her. 

"Yes. But it was not consummated. And, I'm not so sure a dragon conforms to human traditions."

Myrena jolted her head up, looking at the wizard.

"We can be mates, without breaking any laws."

"Well, not that anyone here cares for."

The ghost bride thought over the wizard's statement.

"Anything I can answer for you, my dear?" The look on his face expected her to ask her most private question yet.

"I don't know how to do it." The ghost bride shyly said.

The blue wizard softly laughed.

"You will know all you need to know by the day's end."

"Oh? Well, okay then. If that's that." She picked up her grocery bags. "I should be getting back."

Myrena stood up first and the wizard followed.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, dear."

Myrena curtseyed. "The honor was mine, sir wizard."

She was half way to the door before Morinehtar stopped her.

"Here," he offered her a bottle of cream. "You'll know when you need it."

The wizard grabbed Myrena's head and kissed her forehead for a long minute before he let her go.

"Don't be a stranger now." He smiled at her and finally she took her leave.

Myrena smiled at the old man and left his shoppe, finding two horses tied at the post. The ghost bride gave a relaxed smile. This town, living in the shadows of a dragon, was much kinder than her home town, where dragons and wizards were the stuff of legends. She got on the black mare, and took the reigns of the chestnut horse, finally trotting on home.

At the castle, Myrena took the horse to the old stable. Of course, the dragon hadn't kept it in shape, but it would have to do for tonight. She tied them in one spacious stall with all the hay she could gather, and fed one an apple and the other a carrot before she finally went up into the castle.

"Smaug! Are you there?" Myrena called out into the castle, letting him know she was back. He had been in a sour mood before she left, Myrena hoped he was alright by now. She took the groceries to a room she decided would be the kitchen and placed her bags on the counters. Gosh, she was tired from all the walking and the riding. And her wounds needed new bandages.

"I'm back!" Myrena called out again as she left the room for the main area. "Are you there, Sma..." She was fainted in his arms before she could finish calling out his name.

Smaug growled. He could sense the touch on her forehead; it reminded him of his own past with a-

"Wizards. Pesky little things. Let's get you to bed."

He carried her to her room and redid her bandages before leaving her in the room to sleep. Smaug had retired in his own chamber, one where he kept his nest out on the balcony should he choose to rest there. He was so far away from his mate, yet her heat reached him through all the walls between them.

Smaug's eyes turned serpentine and his skin itched; he had to touch her, feel her under him. He wanted to take her; claim her; but he could never win her as his mate if she didn't trust him. In his frustration, he blew out a current of fire, scorching everything in the vicinity. It wasn't the first time his room had felt his wrath. 

Myrena was sweating in her room, the heat of her visions burning her skin. Her skin tingled with every touch the woman felt, her breath stopped where hers did. She bit her lip to bind her cries. Her legs crossed when she felt a torrent in her stomach. The woman called out some other name, but Myrena called out her own mate's.

Myrena woke up with a snap, breathless. Surely the wizard didn't lie; everything she needed to know, she knew now. She regained her senses, drawing a hand over her new bandages. Suddenly, her mind wandered to the cream Morinehtar had given her and she fetched it from the pocket of her old dress.

She took the cream over to the mirror in her room and took off her dress. Bravely, she undid her bandages, letting them discard on the floor. Taking a breath to believe in the wizard, Myrena tentatively applied the cream on a bruise. It felt cool against her skin as she rubbed it in circles but when the lotion dissolved, the bruise and the ache were gone.

Excitedly, she applied the ointment to all her injuries, watching in amusement as her pains went away. Smiling, she put on her dress again just so it loosely covered her frame, and took a solidifying breath to prepare herself for what would happen next.

"Smaug," Myrena called out, her voice an inviting tone. She knew he could hear her.

Minutes passed and nothing happened, but just as she was about to call again, she noticed him standing in the doorway. Myrena snapped to turn toward him and walked forward, meeting him infront of the bed. She noticed his flushed cheeks and heaving breath, and any other night she would have credited it to his nature. But not tonight, she knew.

Not tonight.