Was it her pure heart or simply naïveté that influenced Anya as she heard the dragon’s suggestion of a contract? Whatever it was, it had convinced her to agree.

The dragon’s mouth could not move very well. It could only open and close to some degrees. For a brief moment, though, Anya felt as though she saw a corner of the dragon’s mouth tilt upwards in a smirk.

“Excellent. To form a contract, you must give me a name I accept, and I must give you one of my scales,” the dragon explained.

Anya nodded as though she understood. She thought for a moment, and her eyes widened. “Wait. What kind of dragon are you?”

The dragon rolled its eyes mockingly. “I am one of the few left in the ancient Evening Violet Clan. Our kinsfolk dwindle, but as individuals, we are as fierce as ever! I suppose being a human formerly, you would not recognize our noble distinctive characteristic, our eyes.”

The young girl met the dragon’s eyes, those beautiful, steel eyes, and smiled.

“The Evening Violet Clan? That sounds really cool! What kind of name would suit someone from your clan…” She mulled it over for a moment, then came up with a suggestion. “How about Glen? In human legends, dragons always reside in valleys to protect them.”

“You would give me a name based upon your human lore? Think again, child!” the dragon scoffed, seeming to enjoy itself as it ridiculed the young girl.

She listened and thought. She was not expecting the dragon to accept her first idea, but the dragon had firmly rejected it. She started listing ideas as they came to her mind. “Azraphel… Dominick… Thalt… Thestian… Dithor… Oldrit…”

“Stop. What was that?” It appeared the dragon had heard a name it liked.

“Oldrit?”

“Oldrit? No! I would never accept that sort of name!”

“Was it Dithor then?”

“No! My word, if I had known you were so terrible at coming up with names I would never have suggested forming a contract with you.”

“I thought you stopped me because you heard one that you liked. Was I wrong?”

The dragon rolled its eyes again. “I liked the name Thestian. I thought you would be smart enough to realize that Thestian was the name I liked, but I was clearly wrong. The name is Thestian! Grant it to me!”

Anya pouted. “The one who suggested this contract was you. If you actually want it, I want to be treated as your equal. Otherwise, I will find my way back without your help.”

The dragon snorted in laughter. “I am sure that you will do that, little elf of the human clan Tran.” As it examined the young girl’s serious expression though, it lowered its head. “You are right about us treating one another as equals, dear girl. I will acknowledge you as my equal once you establish the contract.”

Anya grinned. She was satisfied with the dragon’s attitude. She had believed it to be somewhat haughty and pompous, but maybe, just maybe, it was not as arrogant as it appeared.

“Dragon, I grant you the name Thestian. Accept this name, and form the contract between us.”

The small dragon’s body shivered, and bowed its head. “I accept thine name and thine contract, Anya of the Tran, daughter of fairies, kin of humans, and elf primogenitor.”

Anya felt a certain change within her as the dragon- no, Thestian- accepted the contract. She closed her eyes in pain as she felt a searing heat upon the center of her forehead. The pain was intense, but she had suffered even greater agony when she consumed the Siol Draiochta. She was able to endure that, so this was much easier in comparison. She lifted her hands to her forehead and cried out briefly before it quickly subsided.

As she opened her eyes, she looked towards the dragon and blinked in surprise.

It seemed that the dragon had immediately taken humanoid form.

Thestian’s humanoid form was surprising to her, although Anya did not know why. The dragon’s hair was short and clear, like glass. Its eyes were the same silver color, framed with delicate white eyelashes. Its nose was high and thin, but its cheeks were not as sharp. It had a violet scale under its right eye, and another just next to its left ear. Thestian’s lips were thin and pale.

As she subconsciously absorbed the features of Thestian’s humanoid form, she gasped. Thestian was not wearing anything. Some sort of violet-scale armor had formed over their body, but it was clear to her that this was just a natural development and could not be removed!

Her face flushed and she could barely form any words, but she certainly tried. “You are not wearing anything!”

Thestian smirked, and slowly blinked, revealing another small scale on its right eyelid. “I was not wearing anything before, either, Anya Tran.” The dragon took a step towards her and frowned. It looked at its backside, where there was a trail of scales sticking out from its backside. “I am quite happy that I can speak with this human tongue, but I believe that it would be most unpleasant to sit against something in this form. Once I adjust myself to it, it should be much better though.”

“Put some clothes on! People wear clothes!” Anya managed to write in her flustered state.

“I am a dragon, first and foremost. If I am a beast in the form of my birth, but a person in the form of men, then that would be most inconsistent, would you not agree?”

Anya could only sigh in exasperation.

“Besides,” Thestian continued, “there are no clothes to be found in such a place. I cannot wear clothing when I have none.”

“Can you return to your dragon form then, and leave? We can join the queen, and I am certain that Kiridian will provide some clothes for you to wear.”

Thestian smiled strangely, before nodding and returning to its dragon form. In addition, it shrunk itself to the size of her finger and settled itself on the girl’s shoulder.

“Be careful about making promises on behalf of others, dear girl, for people of all races can surprise one another.”