Ann woke after only a few days. Physically, she recovered quickly. Emotionally, it would be a struggle. Everyone seemed confident she would recover fully. She’d been released from confinement. There were stares, whispers, and even protests. She was insane, they said. She shouldn’t be allowed to be free, others claimed. She ignored them like she had for so long growing up. Emeton made barely veiled threats that her persecution would be tolerated. Thailyn was glad Cari was going to Nim school. Most of the kids there wouldn’t give her much grief and the kids from the home would protect her. She spent a lot of time at his house with Ruzi or Pisha or at the home with Vaila and Bre. She was happy her mom was free. Thailyn and Pisha had a conference with Ruzi’s teachers at the college. Thorgrey was concerned that with everything going on at home, between finding his birth father and Ann’s problems, Ruzi might start having problems with school. So far, none were evident. Thorgrey wanted to be proactive. The boy had been through a lot. There was the possibility that it would prove too much. Thailyn and Pisha agreed they would keep an eye on him. Pisha sighed as they left. “Are you okay?” Thailyn asked. He’d learned that knowing how someone felt was only part of the equation. Knowing how they’d react was just as important. He hadn’t known Pisha that long. “I’m okay. It’s still an adjustment. It’s hard knowing my bad choices are the cause of so many of Ruzi’s problems.” Thailyn put an arm around her. “But they weren’t bad choices. They were rather good ones. You didn’t choose to get pregnant. You chose to give him life rather than let the elders kill him. And you chose to teach him to be strong. He does well thanks to you.” She smiled. “Thanks to both of us.” She kissed his cheek. She’d been willing to do that, though anything more intimate was only done in private. He smiled too. “Your hip isn’t too bad. Let’s walk for a bit,” he suggested. She took his hand and followed. “It’s a nice night. I know you don’t get out as much as you’d like,” he told her. “It’s not bad. I do at least get out on the porch. And I go over to the home frequently.” “We could always sleep out in the hammock,” Thailyn suggested. “Would you mind?” “Before coming to Menthanla, I didn’t have a home. I was traveling so much, that there was no point. If I was in the area, I stayed with my parents, but most times, I slept outside. I did the same here. I slept outside whichever village I finished the day in.” “And you didn’t mind?” “Not normally.” “Just not while you were with Darina,” Pisha guessed. “We lived with her mother. Sometimes that felt awkward. There were a few times while I was up north that it snowed. Frozen wings are not good. But it doesn’t snow this far south, so if you want to sleep outside, we can.” “I’d like to do that some.” A purr escaped Thailyn. He tried to stifle it but failed. “Hey now, we’re doing that.” Pisha’s eyes grew wide. “Dragons purr for any extreme pleasure, not just sex. Do I feel like I’m thinking of that?” “Maybe a little, but mostly what you feel is happiness.” “I am. I’m with you. Tomorrow, I have to go to Illia for a day or two. I have a buyer for my cabin. Will you come with me?” “What about Ruzi?” “We’ll bring him too. I already spoke with Nim about the possibility of him going. He’s doing well in class, so it’s no problem.” Pisha nodded. “We’ll go as a family.” Thailyn smiled. “A real family, if you would.” Pisha frowned, confused. “Pisha, will you become my wife tonight?” Her eyes grew wide as she realized he led her to the elves’ wedding house on campus. “I’d love to, but we can’t.” “Sure you can,” the official on duty assured her. “We can?” He nodded. “As I told this gentleman the other day, there’s no law against it.” “What about the half-breed law?” “The law states that elves can’t produce half breeds, not that they can’t marry other races. Treaty laws forbid bans on marriage. “I’ve been an official here for two centuries and have never forbid anyone based on race. I’ve had a few under aged couples and one person hoping to take advantage of a simpleton that I’ve had to turn away but I’ve allowed entry to humans, dwarves, even an immortal.” “An immortal,” Pisha asked. The official nodded. “She married Master Elos, the tutor at the palace. They came here because he was a cousin to the magistrate at the time. “This will be my first time admitting a dragon. Do you want to marry this fine man?” Pisha smiled grandly. “I do.” “Do you understand if you spend the night here, you’ll be recognized as married? As if you came for any other reason.” Pisha nodded. “We do.” “We do,” Thailyn echoed. He’d asked the official about the ceremony when he looked into getting married here. “Do you both enter this house and your marriage freely and willingly?” “We do,” they both said in unison. “Please state your names for the record.” “I, Thailyn va Shawtila Mishtali, do swear that I agree to be married to Pisha tre Vobro.” “I, Pisha tre Vobro, do swear that I agree to be married to Thailyn va Shawtila Mishtali.” The official nodded. “Congratulations, you may enter.” He opened the door for them. Thailyn led Pisha into the room and took her in his arms. She kissed him. “This is new to me. What do we do now?” He asked. “We’re newlyweds. What do you think we do?” She smiled. He couldn’t help but purr, not just at her suggestion but at the fact that they were married. Most dragons saw mating and marriage the same. Thailyn had lived among humans long enough that he understood its significance and had wanted to get married. “I meant, besides that. Is there anything else we’re supposed to do? Any rituals or traditions?” She smiled. “What we do is up to us.” She kissed him again. It was clear what she wanted. Thailyn stopped trying to suppress his purrs. He wanted that too. The knock on the door made him jump. “Lilla shom tre flu,” a voice called. “Relax, that’s tradition too,” Pisha told him. “What did he say?” “He hopes we have many kids.” “Do you know who that was?” She shook her head. “No idea. The official went and told people. They’ll spread the word. People will give us well wishes all night.” “Will they really?” He frowned. “And how is this worse than every dragon in the city contacting you after your mating cry?” She challenged. Thailyn smiled. “It’s not much.” “A crowd will gather out there too, celebrating. Most of our family will be there in the morning.” Thailyn shook his head. “And you complain about dragon privacy.” He kissed her and picked her up, carrying her to the hammock.