Dragons Are Demanding (Book 1)Complete

61.) Failure to Thrive

"You have to eat something." He said from outside the cocoon of bedding. The smell of meat was nauseating, I wrapped the blankets around tighter to block out the smell. The idea of eating was unappealing, and the food unappetizing.

"I'm not hungry." I replied, huddling down into the indention of the bed.

"Its been days, you need to eat, and bathe." He said quietly. He patted the outside of the blankets.

"I'm not going." I said smashing my face into the bed. My face already becoming streaked with tears.

"You dont have to, I'll bring a cloth and some water in little while." He said getting off the bed.

...

Cerastes sat exhausted at his uncles desk. He dipped one of his claw like nails into the inkwell and let the ink drip back down into the glass container. He wore the dark half breeches that came to his knee, to show some respect since this area was not part of his domain. 

A few of the other items on the desk were a glass of wine hed been sipping for the better part of an hour, a jar, and the book in which he had been keeping meticulous record of the mother and fetal development.

He read what he had written but it didnt seem to be enough.

{First attempt has ended in failure. Subject awoke in a high state of stress, followed by vomiting and stomach pain. Egg released in bath. Non viable.
Subject has lost appetite, and has taken to staying in bed for several days. Subject refuses food but continues to drink water. It is possible that the female has entered a semi hibernation period to recover, bleeding continues.

~Further examination of nonviable egg indicates that while the egg did release within the correct amount of time, the specimens constitution was mammalian in nature rather than reptilian. Egg comprised of tissue did not contain a body. Incompatibility is the expected reason for failure to thrive. Nessicary corrective actions to be tested in second brooding phase }

He wrote in the same style as his uncle had in his previous studies, keeping to the facts setting aside personal attachments.
Yet, the experience could not be expressed on parchment, ink didnt render the incident well enough. The drained feeling that continues to pulse through his arm was disorienting. She couldnt subdue her emotions, he found that a small amount of distance allowed him to maintain his mental clarity. Dull the overpowering ache she radiated.

While he was dejected over the loss, she was devastated. It took everything in him not to claw off his own arm. What bothered him the most was that Cerastes didnt know what to do to fix her. In agitation, his white scaled tail flicked back and forth in the low light.

What do humans like?
Not dying. Wealth. Power. Not entirely disimiliar to the desires of a dragonkin. Taking her hunting wasnt an option. While dante might be out chasing down rebels, he and the others still had many eyes in the mountain.

Cerastes tapped his claw against the inkwell. The sound was a soft repetitive clinking of glass.

A horde?
Collecting treasures, lying among them when you feel disheartened or before a hibernation was a nessicary comfort.

What did she collect before ..sheep? That wouldnt do. She was oddly attached to that blanket from his uncles villiage. If she liked them it would be simple to provide her with more blankets, it was an easy commodity to procure. Much cheaper than the items his family treasured.

He remembered how he left her in bed this evening. Blankets and furs coiled around her, probably her subconscious trying to create a small den. Another sign of hording.
He nodded agreeing to himself.
And on the first night he had favored her, hadnt she been fond of a towel?

He distinctly remembered her carrying it about even after leaving the bath. She even wore it to dinner. He smiled to himself. He should have brought it but it was such an odd thing to collect, the idea of it being something to treasure hadn't even registered in his mind. The spare cloth hed given her from his formal clothes had also been made into a blanket for the hatchling.

The more he thought about it, the more sure he became in his reasoning. Talon collected women, alcohol, anything fun. His uncle books, equipment, artifacts. The high lord Kavern was traditional when it came to his horde.
He was relieved that what she desired was relatively easy to bring in without anyone noticing. Cerastes thoughts returned to Dante.

Dante hadnt wasted anytime begining his hunt. The delegates in the city should be suffering right now. Dealing with the oldest son was a heavy burden, catering to him for the first time would be even more difficult.
Cerastes hoped Dante wouldnt kill off any of the delegates, It would be a hassle to deal with tax collecting if all of his subordinates were killed for incompetence.
Cerastes sighed loudly.

The accommodations should be adequate enough for him to be content but since this will be the first time Dante has needed to occupy them there was no guarantee.

When Cerastes had city hall built, the plans included an accommodation luxurious enough to house Talon. Talon was content to spend all his time with his collection but not every tax harvest brought in females of high quality. If what he wanted wasnt brought to him he would find it himself. To him life was a game, best played at others expense.

Untill his uncle lost his patience, with Talon entering his dwelling, Cerastes had been on the brunt end of his pranks. He would return home from his duties to find the scent of Talon and one of his pets escapades in his den. If Cerastes favored one of the servants shed either be added to Talons harem or the men would find bits and pieces of what was left of her in the stables. Bothering Cerastes had become a favorite past time of Talons until one of his jokes had gone to far. 

The second brother was a walking natural disaster, only curbed by those in the house with status higher than his. It's been nearly a century since he was banned entry to Pyros's wing of the mountain.

Cerastes looked across the desk to the jar at the corner. Filled with a blue tinted liquid, the fragmented tissue from the bathing pool amassed at the bottom of the jar. Next time it will work he thought resolutely.

He picked up the glass hed been drinking from and with a swift slice cut the back of his forearm. He let blood drip into the glass. When he was satisfied with the amount he licked the cut and it slowly began to close. He picked the wine glass up of the desk and left the study, afterall his woman needed her medicine.