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Huh.
He hadn’t been joking about the price.
I processed the payment, returned my card to my wallet and my wallet to my pocket, and moved out of the way so my parents could bicker over the goods for sale. I sat on the ground with Garnet’s new stone, placed it on my lap, and patted my leg in invitation. “Just be gentle with it and your paws,” I told her.
With an affirmative squeak, she climbed up as requested and settled in to admire her latest treasure while we waited for my parents to finish posturing and shopping. I could only hope they would show mercy on us sooner than later.
THIRTEEN
“Dragons are unreasonable.”
Friday, April 24, 2167
The Gray Ward
Dragon Heights, Wyoming
As I lacked proper storage boxes for Garnet’s collection, I made use of a bookshelf, stashing everything at the bottom so she could access them. I sat on the floor with her, explained how she could look at her prizes whenever she wanted, but I warned her that some were fragile and needed to be handled with care. Once everything was put into their place, the kitten stretched out beside her prizes, purred, and admired her treasures.
My apartment wasn’t large enough for three dragons and a dragon-kin, but the lot of them took over anyway. Fortunately for my sanity, Cedrick and his father set up a habitat for the hummingbird, including a feeder with nectar, a nest he could sleep in, and a few things the dragon and his son promised my bird would appreciate.
My father sat on the other side of my kitten, placed his goods beside him, and began sorting out his acquisitions. He made three different piles, and I assumed the one with loose gemstones and crystals would expand my carbunclo’s empire.
“Excessive,” my mother complained.
My father petted Garnet, and without any fanfare, began adding stones to the lower shelf. “Carbunclo need things that sparkle, and one shelf filled with things that sparkle is a very good start. There, little girl. Enjoy your new stones.”
Once he’d successfully charmed my kitten, he gathered up the pile exclusively of bracelets and necklaces, got up, set them on the table, and attempted to stare my mother into submission. “You can try these on, or I can chase you, capture you, and make you try these on.”
While she rolled her eyes, my mother joined my father. “I was unaware I needed jewelry from every shrine today.”
“You do.” My father spread out his presents for my mother, picked one made with red stones, and secured it around her throat. “There. Now you’re extra pretty for dinner tonight.” He secured the matching bracelet to her wrist before eyeing me and saying, “Girl, pick something from the other pile so you aren’t a complete embarrassment tonight.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“It is necessary. If you don’t pick one, I will pick for you. You will wear the matching earrings and the bracelet. Ideally, you will wear a dress if you have one.”
I did have a dress, and it was venue appropriate. I petted Garnet, praised her, and got up, heading into my bedroom. It took me thirty minutes to get changed, but the black dress still fit, and while I didn’t view myself as a beauty, I would not humiliate myself with my attire. I returned and glared down at the pile of jewelry, wondering which one would work best with my dress.
Rather than make me get on the floor, my father gathered the selection and placed them onto the table. After some thought, he picked up a necklace he’d acquired from the red shrine, considering the stones through narrowed eyes. “I suppose this one will suffice.”
My mother joined my father in examining the necklace. “That’s better than the diamonds. The diamonds are boring, and the rubies aren’t garnets, but they match her carbunclo sufficiently. I’ll allow it.”
“Just go with their flow,” Cedrick suggested. “Dragons are unreasonable, they have no respect for money, and they overly care about appearances.”
“Cedrick,” the titanium dragon warned.
“It’s true, Dad.”
“While it is true, perhaps you should be respectful when we are guests.”
“Cedrick is fine,” my mother said with a smile. “It’s nice to see the little dragon-kin having the courage to get mouthy. But as a punishment, you should begin initiating him, bringing him to the clan meetings. He can take notes to start learning the ropes. He may as well demonstrate he has courage. When he’s ready to petition, then the clan leaders will be better familiar with him and may wisely offer their strength to his elevation.”
Cedrick spluttered while his father appeared rather pleased with my mother’s commentary. “We thank you for the honor.”
“It is only the truth. And don’t mind the baubles. The kitten will adjust better to life here with her starting collection as robust as it is. It will give her the sense of permanency and welcome. Perhaps spread word that the clans would do well to offer a stone of their color to the little one. It is, after all, the fault of us all that she had such a difficult time finding a companion.” My mother smiled, went through her pile, and picked up a bracelet with red stones. “Garnet, darling. While it won’t fit you for long, you can wear this as a collar tonight, and it will be your first piece of jewelry.”
The kitten zoomed back and forth in her general excitement, and it took my mother a few minutes to tame the carbunclo long enough to secure the bracelet around her throat. It was loose enough to not choke her but not so loose I worried about her getting tangled in it. After petting Garnet, my mother rose to her feet and said, “There. Now she has a memento from her big day getting her collection started. Dinner will be exciting as well, and then she’ll sleep well for you tonight.”