It had been over two weeks since Kazul had been crowned King of the Dragons. Despite the title, it was a gender-neutral position. Kazul herself had not changed much since her ascension. Then again, a dragon wasn't expected to change in personality once they became king. She did indeed have an extra set of responsibilities, and her new throne of course brought authorities. But of course, it changed nothing about the relationship between her and Cimorene. The dragoness still treated her princess fairly, and their relationship was still considered friendly.

Cimorene went about her day, fulfilling her chores and duties when she suddenly heard a voice outside.

"Hello! Anyone home?"

Kazul let out a weary sigh. She figured it was another knight or prince, some would-be rescuer her to "save" her. Or worse yet, it may have been a salesman.

She supposed she had to get it over with.

"I'm perfectly fine where I am so-" she started, but as soon as she reached the mouth of the cave, she could see it certainly wasn't a knight.

Standing before her was a dragon. A male from what she could tell, with lime-green colored scales. What she could noticed was he was wearing a bright red bow tie around his neck. Next to him was what appeared to be a suitcase of sorts, though molded and modified for dragon size and standards.

The dragon looked at Cimorene in surprise, "Oh, excuse me madam, but this is the cave of Kazul right?"

"Yes, it is," Cimorene answered, "Are you a friend of hers?"

The dragon appeared to consider what he was about to say next, "You could say that."

"Cimorene? Who is it?" Kazul's voice came from down the cave.

The dragoness herself showed up, and the minute she did, the male dragon just lit up.

"Mother!" He exclaimed.

Kazul herself brightened up and she replied, "Ignis!"

The dragon known as Ignis immediately embraced Kazul in a hug. One she returned.

"Oh Ignis, what a pleasant surprise," Kazul said.

"The very same to you mother dear! My you look as lovely as always," Ignis replied, breaking away he addressed his attention to Cimorene, "And who is this stunning vision?"

Cimorene was a little taken aback by the dragon's display of charm.

"This is my princess, Cimorene," Kazul answered, "Cimorene this is my son Ignis."

"Hello there," Cimorene greeted, "I'm also chief cook and librarian."

Ignis flashed a grin. Taking his claw, he grabbed Cimorene's hand gently and kissed it, "My mother what a certainly lovely peach you've chosen as your princess. I can tell she has a strong lineage."

Cimorene wasn't sure if the dragon was being genuine, or simply giving an empty compliment? Either way, she smiled. Of course, she had to, as apparently, this dragon was Kazul's son.

"So, what brings you here son?" Kazul asked.

Ignis immediately became downcast, and the consideration of words appeared upon his face once more. Though now it seemed to hold more of a hesitation flavor.

"I'm rather embarrassed to say, Mother. It appears one of my deals went sour and needless to say it's left a rather bad taste in people's mouths," Ignis admitted.

Kazul granted her son a humored smile, "So you need a place to lay low for a couple of days yes?"

"Well I wouldn't put it that way mother, but yes," He admitted somewhat embarrassed.

"Excuse me? But you have a business?" Cimorene asked.

Ignis suddenly looked very proud, "Actually, I'm a salesman!"

"Salesman?" Cimorene repeated.

"Yes! The first and best dragon salesman in the land!" Ignis replied proudly.

Cimorene was quite taken aback, as she had never considered the possibility of a dragon salesperson before.

"Why don't we head inside? We can talk more there," Kazul suggested.

"Capital idea Mother!" Ignis said brightly.

Grabbing hold of his bag, the two dragons and the princess headed inside. The minute they did, Ignis let out a marveled gasp at his surroundings.

"Well, I can certainly see why you chose this girl as your princess Mother! The cave looks positively stunning!" Ignis remarked.

Though Cimorene wanted to correct the dragon on the true reason Kazul chose her as a princess, she kept silent, still somewhat awed by the sheer surprise of the situation of Kazul being a mother.

Immediately, Ignis took a seat in an armchair, settling himself as if he were home, "Oh this chair is just like I remember. Father would always sit and read in it," He remarked.

That comment alone caught Cimorene by surprise. By the mention of the word "father" and the familiarity of it, that would mean Kazul was-, those thoughts were put on hold as Cimorene noticed Ignis pulled out a long cylindrical brown object. Taking it Ignis set the tip ablaze with his fire. Immediately, a strong pungent smell wafted from it as Ignis began to puff upon it, smoke rising as he did.

It became readily apparent it was a cigar, dragon-sized just like Ignis's bag. Cimorene was especially certain as Ignis blew out a stream of smoke into the air.

"Still enjoying those things son?" Kazul chuckled.

"But of course mother dear! The finest son of the finest mother only enjoys the finer things in life!" Ignis boasted.

Kazul chuckled and shook her head, "I suppose so."

"Why don't I prepare something?" Cimorene suggested.

"Ah yes!" Ignis brightened, "Tea perhaps? I do so enjoy a good cup of tea with a smoke," He remarked taking another puff of his cigar, blowing another cloud to the air.

A few fragments struck against Cimorene's face causing her to cough.

"Ignis!" Kazul said in alarm.

"Oh my! So sorry dear! I often forget others aren't accustomed to my tastes," Ignis's apology sounded genuine, and to further demonstrate, he reclined back in the chair and blew out a trail of smoke rings.

"It's fine," Cimorene accepted his apology as she fanned away traces of the smoke. She figured the more manageable smoke rings were a compromise of sorts.

Cimorene hurried into the kitchen and began working on the tea, all the while she heard snippets of the conversation the mother and son pair were having.

"So have you traveled far recently?" Kazul asked.

"Oh mother you would not believe the places I've been," Ignis answered, "East, west, north, south, every which way you can imagine."

"Well I did teach you to aim far in life," Kazul's voice held a hint of pride within it.

"And far I did reach Mother Dear, though that is regrettably what brought me to my current state," Ignis admitted.

"Oh?"

"My hottest selling product has most certainly been the Troll Repellant," Ignis said rather proudly, "But sadly it only works on mountain trolls, not cave ones, and needless to say that did not boil over well with a certain lord of great influence."

"You'll bound back dear, you always do," Kazul confidently remarked.

Letting out a triumphant chuckle, Ignis replied, "Quite, true mother, quite true!"

XXX

The rest of the day passed by quite quickly. Cimorene prepared a lovely dinner for Ignis and Kazul, and before long the former retired. Funny enough he retired to a room Cimorene had assumed was merely a guest room, but it turned out to be Ignis's childhood room.

Kazul lay at the room's entrance, eying her slumbering son with a smile.

"Forgive me for saying this Kazul, but I never imagined you had a son," Cimorene remarked.

"Well two sons, and a daughter," Kazul revealed, "And quite many grandchildren. Though sadly none from Ignis yet."

That was another surprise, Kazul was a grandmother.

"Whatever you may think of my son, he is a good boy," Said Kazul, "Though he may be using my cave as a safe house, he never has me bail him out financially, I merely let him gather his bearings, and then nudge him in the right direction."

That certainly sounded like Kazul. She didn't seem the type to coddle her child, but at the same time, she wasn't unloving towards him. It was quite clear Kazul cared for her child, any good mother would. As irritating as Cimorene could tell Ignis was, she knew Kazul was the kind of dragon who would pass on good morals to her children.

Yet one question lay within Cimorene's mind.

"What about your children's father?" She asked.

That was another fact that was implied. She had just learned Kazul was a mother and a grandmother, so those children logically had a father, and their children had a grandfather.

Kazul cast a very somber look, "That's a story for another time. Goodnight."

The dragon quickly excused herself to her chambers, while Cimorene silently went to hers. As the dragon lay alone, she fished through her belongings and pulled out a peculiar object: a heart-shaped rock.

"Goodnight my dear Carat. I hope wherever you are, you know that I am thinking of you," Kazul remarked sadly.

As Kazul drifted off to sleep, she found herself dreaming of her husband.

But as she told Cimorene, that was a story for another time.