Dragon Boyfriend: Deiphobos 2 (rough draft)

Deiphobos’ keep wasn’t just made for him, it was made for the island to share. While his chambers were at the very peak of it all, the lower levels were made to serve as an epicenter to the activities of what had formerly been the gem Malachite. It was a place for gathering, learning, sharing, as well as housing the dragons that once lived there.

All your life you had assumed it was a mountain or volcano, no one ever went near it anymore, so the paths that once led inside had become overgrown and impassible. They had been marked off as dangerous so they were left alone for ages.

Just below Deiphobos’ chamber there was an archive filled with books, scrolls, and maps. Below it a room filled with chairs and seats with a stage at the front. It went on like that, layer after layer, until there was a kitchen. There were several stoves there lined up along the walls. They were old and needed desperate cleaning, but the stoves and equipment were still in working order, and were entirely cast iron.

“I remember when there were people coming through here at all times,” Deiphobos waxes on nostalgically.

The knives on the wall were rusted, which was such a shame as they looked like they had been very beautiful pieces. “I had always assumed dragons were inhospitable.”

“There are some who were, who wanted more power and more of the gem isles to add to their collection, but there were more dragons who simply wanted a place to roost considering how we grew on Grattertock.” Deiphobos comes up behind you, blowing onto the stoves to warm them and blow away the dirt and debris.

“Rough place?”

“From what I remember.” He steps back as you start to clean. “It has been so long and I have slept since then.”

You smooth oil over the cast iron to clean it, rubbing away the rust that has built up over the surface. You take the ash inside, dumping it out  and then stocking it full of fresh new coals. Once you get the stove clean, you start setting up your work station with all the spices brought from home, as well as the cookware your family sent along with you.

“I have to get used to this new stove, so I’m going to start off by making some bread.” You turn to look back at Deiphobos. “Once I understand it, I’ll be able to better cook my family’s recipes.”

He tilts his head to the side. “This is much more in depth than I expected.”

“My family have all been chefs since you were awake,” you say proudly. “Considering how my cooking was so familiar to you, I am almost certain it was the same recipes. Although, I have never had to make enough to feed a dragon.”

Deiphobos chuckles. “You do not need to worry about feeding me, as long as there is heat, I do not not need to eat like you would assume. I eat simply because I enjoy it.”

“How lucky.” You take out the ingredients you were able to bring. At most, you have worked in very few kitchens, all of them you know intimately. You had gotten used to that feeling, of being able to work without thought, knowing the ins and outs of where you were. This was different, wholly new. You half expected some trial and error getting used to this new kitchen. Instead, it almost felt like home. The layout felt almost second nature.

Eventually you had the bread rising, covered with a cloth solely meant for that purpose and dusting flour. As you step back from the counter to allow it to rise you look back at Deiphobos watching.

“It’ll be some time now. I like it let it rest as long as possible so the bread won’t be so dense when it is baked.”

Deiphobos lifts his head. “You’re free to do as you please here. I just ask you don’t go below the ground level.”

“Why? Some dark secret I should be seeing?”

“No, it is cavernous and dangerous. Not to mention you could be trapped by the current of the water and get trapped underground.” He says this all so seriously it actually makes you nervous.

“That would be trouble,” you murmur.

Deiphobos rises. “My home is your home, use it as you see fit. Find your own comfort here.”

This was a strange notion to you. Having worked with the same family for a decade and never being allowed into most of the house, you were used to having limitations. Being able to wander and call a place home felt forgein, almost taboo.

“I wouldn’t know where to begin,” you chuckle. “It’s almost overwhelming.”

Deiphobos nods up. “In the archive there are records of old recipes I’m sure. It might be worth your while to see what history is up there. You may find something familiar to you. I’ll be going to begin clearing the pathway.”

“I would like some rabbit for stew tonight,” you tell him. “If you happen upon any and remember.”

Deiphobos nods. “I’ll bring some back for you.” He leaves through the fireplace again and you go back upstairs to the archive.

You’re not sure where to begin, there’s so much and you don’t know if there is an order to anything. The first book you pick up is written in a language you don’t know. The second one has recipes, but they aren’t the cooking sort. In fact, you’re pretty sure it was all about poisons and potions. It felt like a good place to start to find the recipes Deiphobos mentioned.

There’s a lot of dust, so after you begin to suffer a sneezing fit, you go back down into the kitchen. You check on the bread, finding it exactly as you like. You take it out, kneading it again and stretching it to form long cords which your braid together. Funnily enough, this was a bread that had been named ‘the dragon’s tail’.

As it baked, you went back up to the archive to hunt again. You were curious just as much as you were bored. You were used to working in a kitchen that was always busy from morning to night. You hadn’t had moments of rest between meals since you were a child. You didn’t know how to keep yourself busy until Deiphobos returned with some rabbits.

You searched the shelves, finally finding a book that showed some promise. It was a diary, but throughout the pages were recipes. The woman in the diary detailed her daily life, talking about her daily routine of getting up early in the morning to make breakfast for her younger siblings and parents. She discussed the best way to find the perfect eggs and just the right way to prepare them to everyone’s liking. She detailed rabbit traps, knives, the best pots in her kitchen. She was so descriptive about everything, it felt as though you had lived her life.

You left the book where you could find it again when you went back to the kitchen to check the bread. Deiphobos returned with rabbits in his claws, and dust covering his scales.

“Something smells good,” he murmurs.

You take the rabbits and hang them up so you could skin them later. “The bread should be done soon.”

Deiphobos lays down, sitting himself near the fireplace.. “Did you find anything in the archive?”

“I did.” You begin sharpening your knife. “It’s a diary by this woman, she’s so detailed with everything she does around cooking, I almost feel like I am doing what she says.”

Deiphobos bows his head. “Good. I’m glad you found something.”

You place pots under the rabbits and begin skinning them. It's a gruesome process, but one you’re all too used to. By the time you’re done, you can take the bread out of the oven. The crust is perfectly golden and crackles when you touch it. The scent is heavenly, wafting through the entire kitchen until only the scent of fresh baked bread exists.

You slice it, smearing honey over a still steaming piece then hand it up towards Deiphobos. “See what you think.”

Deiphobos eats directly from your hand, which tickles slightly. He chews it up slowly and his eyes become brighter, glowing even in the light. “That was wonderful.” Tears come to his eyes again. “It’s just as I remember.”

“My grandmother called this recipe the dragon’s tail,” you confess. “That’s partly why I made it.”

His tears fall down his cheeks, splashing to the floor where they cool and make mounds. “Thank you.”

“Hey now.” You come up beside him and stroke the side of his neck. “No need to cry. Would you like some more?”

He nods his head and sniffles. “Please.”

“It’s almost refreshing to see someone cry over my food.” You turn back to slice another piece.

“There’s something to it,” he murmurs. “Something special.”

Honey drips onto your fingers as you look at him, ignoring what you’re doing. “What do you mean? That’s how I always make it.”

“I can’t exactly say what it is, or describe what it feels like, I just know there’s something to this bread that makes it special.” Deiphobos looks down at you. “It’s better than I remember.”

Something about his words makes you excited about cooking, even more than ever before. You smile at him and nod. “I’m glad you like it so much. I’ll try to keep up the good work, I promise.”

You grow more and more at home in this kitchen. You’ve even cleaned the other stoves to make different recipes at the same time. Deiphobos goes out everyday to clear out what has overgrown around the keep, and you work happily making recipes that you hadn’t been able to in years. There were dishes you loved that your family made just for special occasions, ones the family you worked for didn’t care for. There were also recipes in the diary that you wanted to try. You hadn’t felt this joyful about cooking since your great-grandmother was alive and teaching you what she knew.

Deiphobos was good company as well, although he was still coping from his deep sleep. He sometimes drifted off or seemed lost, he was still trying to shift through his memories to recall the days before his sleep. He loved your cooking though, and every day you wanted to impress him more and more.

“I will be done clearing soon,” he says one evening. “Then you can come and go as you wish. You don’t have to stay here.”

“I might be here often. I love the kitchen and I would enjoy continuing working for you.”

“Is it working?” He asks.

You stop for a moment. “No, I suppose it’s not exactly the work my family is accustomed to. But wouldn’t you be upset if I went and cooked for someone else?”

Deiphobos reaches out and pats the top of your head. “Why would I be? I believe you should share your gifts with the world.”

You frown and shrug. “Most people, when they can hire a cook, usually don’t want to share. The families my mother and grandmother have worked for have assured they never leave them.”

“That is why this is here, and the festivals of old were created. So people could share their gifts and work together. So if you do decide to stay here, I only ask that when you cook you invite others to come and partake of the meal.”

His words feel your heart and make you feel even more proud of your cooking. “It would be my honor, Deiphobos.”

He smiles and nuzzles to your cheek. “I am glad that you are here and willing to share this gift.”

One the path is opened back up, your family is the first to visit. It is hard to get others to come as well, as they are afraid of the keep and Deiphobos himself. Bit by bit, people begin to trickle in just to look around and snoop. Soon, once the food becomes a draw, more and more start coming. Deiphobos is hesitant to show himself at first, so he remains in his chambers at the top where no one but you can find him.

“You should come and visit with the people one day,” you tell him.

“They are afraid. I am afraid,” he says simply. “It will take time for both of us to be accepted. You know this.”

You pet his scales, rubbing his head between your hands. “But I want you there.”

Deiphobos lays his head in your lap. “And I wish to be with you,” he whispers. “This time we have shared, the kindness you have shown me, I do not know if I can express the breadth of my gratitude. I would give you all that I owned. I would give you the fire in my veins.”

You lay over, resting on his head. “You do not need to give me anything. I have all that I could ever ask for.”

“Thank you again,” he whispers. “That is what I will give you for now.”

One afternoon, you notice some younger kids playing around near the entrance to the caverns under the keep.

“I wouldn’t go down there,” you warn them. “It’s very dangerous.”

“Who told you that? The dragon?” One mocks.

“There’s a river that flows underground,” you say sternly. “It’ll pull you underground if you are not careful. Please keep away from there!” You march away from them, angry that they thought of Deiphobos as something dangerous.

Later that evening, you hear screams coming from below. The screams are coming from the caverns underground so you rush down to see what was happening. You see those same kids from before in the rushing waters. They’re trying to save a girl who is holding on to a stone, caught in a very strong current. The girl looks tired and weak, she’s struggling hard to keep ahold.

You rush in, forcing the kids to get back on land and to go find help. You make your way towards the girl, fighting against the strong current yourself. You wedge yourself against a rock and offer your hand out to her.

“Take it! Hurry!”

“I can’t hold on!” She cries.

You stretch further, trying to reach her so she won’t have to let go. You manage to grab her and pull her into your arms, but as you do, your footing slips and you’re pulled into the current. You and the girl scream as you’re pulled under water, dragged along the harsh rock floor. You lose sight of the girl and then everything goes dark.

You’ve been swept underground.

The water is so cold that your limbs begin to feel numb. It’s so dark, you’ve never seen such darkness. You’re pulled under water several times, forced back up and hit against stones. You manage to grab hold of something and you wait there, shivering.

It’s hopeless. You know it is. You cling to the rock, but you know it is useless. You have no escape, no way out. This was your grave now. There was no sense in holding on. Your breath shudders, and you begin convincing yourself to let go, to allow the current to take you, and to flow to your resting place.

Your toes begin to feel warm, as do your legs. You close your eyes and sink, letting yourself fall down, down, down into the endless cold depths. Something feels warm against your back, it grows through you, warming your core, your hands, your face. You open your eyes and see your hair glowing around you. Your lashes, your lips, your limbs, they all have a radiance wrapped around them.

Deiphobos floats above you, holding out his hands for you to take. You grab hold of him, hoping this is the last thing you see before you die.

You wake to softness all around you. Your body feels weak, but it is surrounded by comfort. You open your eyes to green, to the malachite veins running along the ceiling and walls. You take a breath but it rattles. Stretching out your arms you hands find purchase upon warm scales.

“I am glad you are awake,” Deiphobos whispers. “I am so-” his voice chokes as he lays his head upon you, letting you wrap your arms around him.

“Am I dead?” You croak. “Is this all a dream?”

“You are alive!” He cries. “And very much awake.” He touches your face and nuzzles back against you. “I was so afraid.”

“Then under the water,” you murmur, “I wasn’t seeing things. You saved me.” You hug him as tight as you can despite the fatigue in your body. “I thought I was gone for sure!” You weep. “I was ready, and when I saw you I had hope-” You look into his golden eyes then place a soft kiss to his scales. “But how?”

Deiphobos smiles at you, tears lingering in his eyes. “I did whatever I had to. I burned into the earth to save you, because I knew if I didn’t, my heart would break and after waking, I would not have survived.” He breathes deep and sighs.

“I told you I would give you the fire in my veins,” he whispers into your ear.

You look at your palms, seeing that same glowing radiance from before. “To save me?”

Deiphobos nods. “Half my life is yours now.”

Tears rush to your eyes. “That’s so much.”

“Then stay with me if you wish.” He licks your cheek and nuzzles to your hair.

You wrap your arms tight around him. “I never wanted to go to begin with!” You catch your breath. “I wanted to stay regardless.” Your tears slip down your face freely. “If your life is mine, then half my life is yours.”

Deiphobos embraces you. “As long as your grandmother allows it,” he laughs.