So, several of us were sitting around the doorsteps of Phoenix, as we usually do late on Feastday morning. I'm not sure what the others had been up to that morning, but Clunk had been in the forge, pondering all the lore he had heard of dragons. This was still on his mind when he went over for his regular stop at Phoenix.

*****

House Phoenix, Entry Court]
Between Wisraith Lane and the house, a quiet courtyard is situated. Several gold and wrought iron benches are nestled amid the roses and ivy of the courtyard, and a garden swing sits just off a gated modwir archway. You also see a bronze plaque, a heavy slate blackboard, the House Phoenix doorkeeper, a massive entryway with a gold phoenix-carved bell on it and some armored Wehnimer's town guards.
Also here: Chairman Shirkon, Grand Lady Aurla who is sitting
Obvious paths: west
Aurla sighs.
Speaking deeply to Aurla, you say, "Tell me a dragon story."
You sit down.
Shirkon rubs Aurla.
Aurla softly asks, "Really?"
Aurla softly says, "Ok."
You rub your drake armband.
>You tap a ruby-eyed drake armband that you are wearing.
You deeply ask, "Which'n had red eyes?"

*********

Aurla softly says, "A young miss was on her way to market with an oxen yoked to a cart filled with a load of wool and woven items she and her family had produced."

You nod.

Aurla softly says, "It was a long trek. Though she left early in the morning before the birds even woke, she just barely made it to market before the customers actually started arriving."

You deeply say, "Work, work, work."

You grunt happily.

Aurla softly says, "She unhitched and staked out the oxen and got her things unloaded and set up for sale before the first Customers arrived."

Aurla softly says, "She had a great morning of selling and received a good amount of coin, more than enough to tide her family over the winter."

Aurla softly says, "She started packing things and found 1 very fine bolt of cloth that she had woven and had forgotten under a tarp, and brought that out."

Aurla softly says, "A clothing merchant stopped by as she was bringing it out and admired it. He
fingered the fineness of it."

Aurla softly says, "I don’t have any coin left having spent it all on other cloth this morning."

(Aurla describes: he pulled out a ruby, the likes the girl had NEVER seen before.... it sparkled like a blood red sun! Flashing and gleaming: “but ill trade you this ruby for the whole bolt.")

Aurla softly asks, "The girl stared at the ruby, and then at the merchant. Really? You would wish to trade that for my cloth?"

Aurla softly asks, "The merchant said you the creator of this fine cloth and are you able to accept the price?"

Aurla softly says, "The girl said: Yes, yes I can I am the weaver of this bolt and able to accept what ever price I deem worthy."

Aurla softly says, "The girl looked at the merchant: “but it seems a high price for mere fabric."

Aurla softly says, "The merchant replied: “Perhaps, but I have looked for something like this for a royal princess who wished a ball gown. This will fit perfectly. It will be well worth it to me."

Aurla softly says, "So the bargain was struck and the girl received her ruby."

Aurla softly says, "It was getting towards afternoon and the girl really needed to start heading back home. Or she will get caught out on the road at night with bandits and other vicious beasts."

Aurla softly says, "So she yoked up the oxen and got them hitched up and set out. She hid the money in a hidden compartment in the wagon and the ruby in her small neck pouch."

Aurla softly says, "She was passing though a wooded glen when she heard a tear jerking sob."

Aurla softly says, "Many of the trees had been broken. She stopped the oxen and quietly searched where the sound was coming from."

Aurla softly says, "The oxen seemed skittish. But as oxen are, they settled down after a bit."

Aurla softly says, "The girl parted some branches and there beside a small pool that had turned red - was a dragon – crying - his front claws clutching his face."

Aurla softly says, "Now the girl had always heard dragons were evil mean creatures that will destroy and kill everything that crossed their path, so she was just about to leave when she thought better of it. Quietly she whispered."

Aurla softly asks, "Excuse me? I don’t mean you any harm. Do you understand me? Maybe I can help you?"

Aurla softly asks, "What is the matter Lord Dragon?"

Aurla softly says, "The sob quieted and the mighty head turned so he could see with the other eye. "I was feasting on a deer when four knights attacked. One of their lances took my eye"
Aurla softly says, "And the dragon started crying again."

Aurla softly says, "I was able to fly to here and hide from them. But my eye, my beautiful eye"

Aurla sighs.

Aurla softly asks, "The girl asked can I approach you? And you will not harm me?? Maybe I can help?"

Aurla softly says, "The dragon nodded its head ' I will not harm you. I so swear it’"

Aurla softly says, "The girl approached and the dragon lowered his head. The girl tore off strips of cloth and started to clean the grievous wound."

Aurla softly says, "Frowning the girl told the dragon. I am afraid you are correct. The eye is gone."

Aurla softly says, "The dragon wailed “What will I do?? Only one eye! I will never be able to hold my head up in the dragon realms again....."

Aurla softly says, "The girl thought for a while and said. 'Lord Dragon. I have something that might help."
Aurla softly says, "Maybe."
Aurla softly says, "And she pulled out the ruby."

Aurla softly says, "How about a ruby eye?"

Aurla softly says, "The dragon stared at the girl then the ruby with his one good eye."

Aurla softly asks, "You would give that to me?? at what price?"
Aurla softly says, "The girl said: ‘no price’"
Aurla softly asks, "The dragon said you would give it freely?"
Aurla softly says, "The girl nodded to the dragon. ‘It is yours my friend.’"

Aurla softly says, "The girl placed the ruby in the spot the eye should have been and gently laid a hand on the snout of the dragon.. There you are my friend.. You may not be able to see though it but at least its now the most beautiful eye ANY dragon ever had."

Aurla softly says, "The dragon carefully hugged the girl thanking her, and as the girl and her oxen moved out of sight, the dragon on great wings flew out of sight."

Aurla softly says, "The girl when she got home told her parents this tale and no one believed her - they all laughed at her and teased her for they figured she lost the ruby."

You deeply say, "Mebbe never belleef she got ruby for cloth anyway."

Aurla softly says, "Some weeks or months later bandits came to the girls home........."

Aurla softly says, "There was a lot of fighting. Then all of a sudden great shadows flowed over the homestead. The beating of massive wings, and the blaring cry of angry dragons."

Aurla softly says, "Not one, but the whole army of dragons descended upon the bandits driving them away, led by a great dragon with one ruby eye. Then they were gone."

Aurla grins at you.
You applaud.
Aurla softly says, "There is your dragon story, clunk."
Aurla smooches you on the cheek.

You deeply say, "It got moral too."

You nod at Aurla.
Shirkon smiles.
Aurla softly says, "Of course it does."

Shirkon deeply says, "All good stories gots morals."

You deeply say, "Aint how much coin ye gots, it be what ye do with it that matter."

Aurla softly says, "And you never know the heart of someone till you test it - give it a chance."

Shirkon deeply says, "Well, time ta close ups fer terday."

Aurla softly says, "Kindness can go along way."


*************

Clunk

(Buy your swords at CBD weapons in Zul Logoth.)