Author's note: This story takes place in the same kingdom as my last story, 'Emeton and Tylan'. It starts about 2 years before that story, before Tylan and Emeton meet and over laps it some. You do not need to have read that story to follow this one, but you might want to. Thailyn sat in the tavern, drinking. He had come to Thager to meet a merchant who was willing to sell him the ingredients he needed for a potion. He wasn't supposed to be making potions. He wasn't licensed. He used to be. But he had let that expire centuries ago. He was, after all, supposed to be dead. This merchant didn't check licenses too closely. Thailyn again contemplated the potential consequences of applying for a new license. As he was thinking, he sensed someone trying to pick his pocket, going after his vial. He grabbed the wrist of the potential thief and turned to face her. It was the same woman that had tried to pick his pocket the other night. “If you're going to practice picking pockets, you might try a victim who can't sense your presence.” He told her. Then he realized her presence was all he felt. He wasn't reading her. That surprised him. In twelve hundred years he had never met an unreadable before. On impulse, he pulled her close and kissed her. For a moment she kissed him back, then pulled away and slapped him. Well, she would have slapped him but he caught her wrist again. He smiled. “You're trying to steal my vial, the least you could do is allow me to steal a kiss.” He told her. “Allow you to? Allow you to? Why in the world would I allow you to kiss me?” She seemed angry, but not as much as he would've expected. “Well, like I said, you did try to steal my vial. I'm sorry. You surprised me. I've never met an unreadable before.” He explained. “An unreadable?” She had obviously never heard that term before. That was not a surprise. “Sit down; let me buy you a drink.” He offered. “I'll explain.” She sat down and he called over the barmaid. He ordered another ale and she requested a whiskey. “An unreadable is someone who is resistant to being read by a healer. When a healer touches most people, they read at least some of the person's health, how much depends on how strong of a healer they are. Only strong healers can read an unreadable and they have to put forth effort to that.” “You’re a healer?” She guessed. “Is that how you knew I was picking your pocket?” Thailyn nodded. “Tonight, at least. The other night you actually bumped me.” “A friend is trying to teach me. I'm not really a thief.” She admitted. Thailyn laughed. “Good thing. You'd starve.” The woman feigned offense. “Hey! I'm actually not bad.” “If you say so.” “I'm not as good as my friend, but, like I said I'm just learning for fun. My friends call me Star. What's your name?” “Thailyn.” He didn't know why he told her his real name. He hadn't gone by in centuries. “Thailyn? Thailyn the healer. Wait, Thailyn THE healer?” She asked surprised. Shades, he thought. She knew of him? Most people had forgotten about him, humans at least had. He wondered if he should admit the truth. “Yes, Thailyn the healer.” He confirmed. “Son of Mishtali, the Black Dragon.” “Aren't you supposed to be dead?” That wasn’t quite the response he had expected, though to be truthful, he didn't know what he did expect. “Do I look like I'm dead? Though, some days I think it might've been easier if I had died.” He admitted. It was the truth, but he didn't know why he told her. “Why?” She asked, suddenly concerned. He shook his head. “Don't mind me. It's the ale talking.” “I’ve found, most times, the ale tells the truth. Is it because of what happened to your dad and your sister?” She guessed. Again, she surprised him. Most people had heard of Mishtali. Few remembered his sister or what had happened to her. “In part, I guess.” He admitted. “If you miss her, why don't you go visit her? She spends half her time in Sen-gan.” How did she know? He wondered. “I can't. I know she's as good as can be expected. Her mate is taking good care of her. I can't ask for more than that.” “What else is bothering you?” She asked. Her directness with him, a virtual stranger, took him off guard. “What do you mean?” He asked. “You said your family was only part of the problem.” He sighed. “It's crazy. You wouldn't understand.” “I thought dragons didn't do crazy. Try me. Sometimes, it helps to talk.” “Like I said, I'm a healer. Healers read people. The stronger the healer, the more you read in even just a brief touch. Do you know what it's like, every time you try to hug someone, or shake their hand, even bump someone to know every ache and pain and ailment, every illness and injury they've ever had?” “No. I don't. I would imagine you want to avoid touching as much as possible.” She said softly. He nodded. “Do you know how lonely that is?” He asked. “I can't imagine.” She shook her head. “In twelve hundred years, I've never met anyone I wanted to touch.” “What about as a child? What about your parents?” She asked. He shook his head. “My healing ability started shortly after I was born. Before I learned to control it, every touch was painful. My parents had a special blanket that blocked some of the ability. They'd wrapped me up in that to hold me. But, it wasn't long before I outgrew even that.” “You do realize that you're still holding my hand right?” That startled him. He hadn't realized it. “Like I said, you're an unreadable. You're the only one I've ever met.” “So you don't mind touching me?” She asked. “No. When I hold your hand, all I feel is your hand. I could read you if I tried, but I would have to make an effort.” “So you wouldn't mind if I did this?” She leaned in and kissed him. He kissed her back. She smiled. “I didn't think so. You've never been kissed before?” “I have. I had a chosen once, back home. We were trying to bond. She wasn't an unreadable though. She had just never had any serious injury or illness. I didn't read anything from her because there was nothing to read. But prolonged touching was still uncomfortable. We tried to make it work, but I don't know that it would have had I stayed on Tricon.” She kissed him again, more passionately. “Why don't we get a room upstairs and we can touch each other all you want.” She offered. His thoughts were, great he'd been bearing his soul to a hooker. His words, however, were; “if that's what you'd like.” She went to the elf tending the bar and paid for a room. He followed her upstairs. He'd have to make sure she understood in advance that he was still limited in what he could do since he was a dragon. In the room, she turned to him. “Where should we start?” She thought a moment. “Sit in a chair.” She instructed him. He did as she told him. She started massaging his shoulders. He hadn't realized his muscles were so tense. “Take your shirt off,” she said. He complied. The touch of her hands on his shoulders felt wonderful. He hadn't negotiated a price with her, but he didn't care. Her touch was worth anything she asked. “This would be easier if you lay on the bed.” He moved to the bed. She sat on her knees straddling his backside. She massaged his back for several minutes. “Trade places with me.” He requested. “Let me massage you.” She did as he suggested. After a few minutes, she removed her own shirt. He massaged her shoulders and back thoroughly. “You've done this before.” She observed. He nodded and then realized she couldn't see him. “I have. It's part of healer training. Most times, I need to wear special gloves and I don't ask a woman to remove her shirt.” “You didn't ask me this time either.” She pointed out. She pulled him to her for another kiss. He kissed her back for several minutes. Then he sat up. “I have to ask, how much is this costing me?” Suddenly, she slapped him. “Cost you? You think I'm a hooker?” “You're not? Why in the world would you get a room with a strange man?” “I was trying to be nice. You're not the only one who needs to be touched sometimes. And I know enough about you to know you're not going to hurt me.” “What do you know?” He challenged. “I know you're a dragon. Dragons don't do that.” “What you know about dragons?” Most people didn't know anything about them. Most people didn't even realize he was one. “You're not the first dragon I've met. I've known others. I know dragons don't rape women. I know they don't sleep around. They choose one mate for life. I wasn't planning to sleep with you. You're lonely, so am I. You want to be touched, so do I. I just thought we could keep each other company for a little while.” “I'm sorry. I spend most of my time alone. Sometimes, I'm not sure how to interact with others.” He started to get up. She pulled him back to her. “Don't go.” “I just insulted you and you still want me here?” This woman was full of surprises. “We all make mistakes. Like I said, I don't want to be alone either.” She kissed him again. This time, he let out a purr. She smiled at that. **** Kithmar almost ordered another rum. He refrained and ordered food instead. He did need to eat and he didn’t want to get drunk tonight. He was waiting for Star. Slippurse was going to be away on a job and he wanted to talk to Star alone. He wanted to ask her to be his chosen. She knew what that meant. He thought he was falling in love with her. He was definitely attracted to her. He had come to the conclusion that no woman in Baj-tisk would trust a man from the western clan, even if he had grown up in Baj-tisk. So, he’d left the city of dragons to live in Thager. He’d developed an appreciation for the human figure. He enjoyed elf women too, but there were laws against elves having relations with other races. But, Star was human and very beautiful and also so kind. He decided he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. So, he waited for her. He saw her come in but she didn’t head to the bar where he sat but towards a table where a man sat alone instead. It was the same man she’d tried to pick pocket the other night. It looked like she was going to try again. It was risky. He hadn’t made a fuss the other night, but a second attempt might get her arrested. Kith started to look around for distraction. He saw the man grabbed her wrist and say something to her. Then he kissed her. At first, Kith thought Star was kissing the man back, but then she pulled away and tried to slap him. The man caught her wrist. His reactions were almost as fast as Kith’s friend, Nim who spent every day hunting. Then, she sat and talked with him, holding his hand. The other night, she had said she didn’t know him. It seemed otherwise now. Then, she leaned in and kissed him. Kith nearly choked. The man said something to her and they kissed again. This time, Kith looked away. That kind of kiss people usually did in private. Then, Star went and talked to Vor who was attending bar. She headed upstairs and the man followed. “Vor, you know that man Star went upstairs with?” He asked. “She went up with a man?” Voramini looked surprised. “I figured she just wanted a night away from her mother.” Kith growled. He hadn't seen his own parents in over a century. “Hey, no offense. I think it's great she takes care of her. We just all need a break once in a while.” Kith relented. Vor didn't get back to Erilu to see his family much either. “So, do you know him? It was that guy sitting at the table with the wobbly leg; he came in wearing gloves and a dragon skin cloak.” Vor shook his head. “He was in two nights ago. That was the first time I'd seen him. I didn't work last night. I think he has a room upstairs.” “If he has a room, why did they need a second?” “Maybe they didn't go upstairs together.” Vor suggested. “Do you want me to go up and check on her, in case she had wanted to be alone?” Kith shook his head. “She wasn't wanting to be alone.” Vor poured him a glass of rum he hadn't ordered. “On the house.” Vor knew Kith's feelings for Star. “How's that pump coming?” Vor asked, changing the subject. “Getting tired of having to haul water.” “It's cooling. If I installed it tonight, it would start the counter on fire. I'll bring it by in the morning.” He drank the glass of rum. Vor did his best to keep Kith distracted, his mind off Star. But, it was difficult. His friend's eyes kept straying to the stairs. Finally, several hours and several drinks later Kith left for home. **** Thailyn would have said he woke up, if he had truly been asleep. Star still lay in his arms. They had stayed up enjoying each other’s company and then had drifted off sometime late last night. He had sort of slept, but his healing abilities kept him semi-conscious with the continuous contact with her. He realized she had told him almost nothing about herself, except that she was called Star and wasn't a thief or a hooker. He had no idea what she did do, if she was married, had a family, or even what her real name was. He did know something, what she felt. They had started to bond during the night. That surprised him. It was awfully fast. Could they be falling in love already? She was starting to wake up. Suddenly, she was awake and quite upset. Quickly, she got up and got dressed. He didn't move, pretending to be asleep. He wondered if possibly she was a thief and had planned on robbing him and leaving once he was asleep. He wanted to see what she would do. **** Star woke slowly, enjoying the feel of the arms around her. Suddenly, she realized that wasn't right. She shouldn't have stayed the whole night. She hadn't planned on it. She had acted impulsively, helping the man she had met the night before, while helping herself. But, she had planned on leaving after a time. She needed to get home. Her mother shouldn't have been left alone all night. She had to check on her. Quickly, she got dressed. She was about to leave when she looked back at the man lying in the bed. She couldn't leave without saying goodbye. She went back to the bed and woke him, although, she had a suspicion he might have already been awake. “I need to go.” She whispered. “I shouldn't have stayed so long. I enjoyed last night.” She started to leave, but he gripped her hand. “Can you at least tell me your real name?” He asked. That surprised her. Nobody asked her real name. Few people cared. “It's Darina.” She told him and then hurried off. She hurried home to check on her mother before she had to be at work. Fortunately, her mother was okay, although irritated. “Where have you been?” The woman asked, crossly.