Wyvern's Trim and other stories

Wyvern’s Trim
and other
stories

Wyvern Chronicles

Nix Whittaker

Reshwity Publishers

www.reshwity.wix.com/reshwity-publishing

© 2016
by Nicola Pike

This book is a
work of fiction and, except in the case of historical facts, any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely
coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the
author

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1. Wyvern’s Trim
   

2. Out,
   On a Limb
   

3. Hidden Treasure
   

At that moment
Patience had completely run out of patience as her eyes landed on
the neat envelope which had been slipped under her door. She had no
idea how Andre had found her. She had left no forwarding address at
her last boarding house. Despite that she wasn’t surprised that he
had found her.

Patience had
worked with Andre long enough to know that he was annoyingly
persistent.

She picked up
the envelope and almost threw away the letter before she had even
opened it. Andre though would continue sending letters if she
didn’t read this one and reply.

Exasperated, she
opened the letter. It was an invitation to dinner. The foolish man,
well he wasn’t really a man, so her complaint really didn’t have
any validity. This would never have happened if it hadn’t been for
that damn Colonel.

It had been a
normal work day, well a normal work day when you were a personal
assistant to a dragon.

Patience had
graduated top of her class from a very prestigious woman’s college.
With both of her parents dead she used most of her inheritance to
gain her qualifications only to find out that no one wanted to hire
a woman for what they deemed was a man’s job.

She had soon
discovered that the only people who would hire an educated woman
were the dragons.

Dragons held a
strange position in their society. For generations, they had been
the enemy of every country until William, a half dragon half human,
had taken over most of the known world and created the Wyvern
Empire.

The dragons had
revealed that they could take human shape and had promptly created
a niche for themselves amongst the nobility of the human
race.

Patience had
been grateful to get the job as Andre’s assistant only to discover
the reason why dragons hired women was because they were collectors
of rare things including people.

Dragons were
well known for their treasure, but they also saw human beings as
part of their treasure. As they could no longer keep slaves, with
the treaty between the dragons and humans forbidding it, they
considered employing people in the same vein as owning
them.

Educated women
were considered a novelty and worth collecting among the dragons.
After six years she had gotten used to this idea.

Andre saw her as
part of his collection and it meant he took particular attention to
how she was dressed.

That was why
they were in the Modiste.

Andre held up a
gold gown that was cut deeply at the front. She wasn’t surprised he
had picked it as dragons really did enjoy gold.

It would be good
for her coloring as she had dark brown hair and an olive complexion
thanks to her Italian mother. But if she wore the gown she wouldn’t
be able to move, let alone bend down without completely coming
undone.

Patience waved
it off, “I can’t wear that. My…. Well, my bosom would fall
out.”

Andre eyed her
for a moment. Glancing backwards and forwards between the dress and
her bosom.

Eventually, he
passed the dress back to one of the servants and said, “You are
correct, you have a rather large chest.”

Patience blushed
as the Modiste’s assistants all struggled to keep in their giggles.
They would all assume Patience was Andre’s mistress and not just an
employee.

It wouldn’t be
the first time people had made this assumption. Despite Andre’s
predilections he had always been a complete gentleman with her. She
was about to explain to Andre once again why he couldn’t say things
like that when a young assistant approached.

The assistant
had her hands tucked in close to her body as she said politely, “It
would not do in any case. Besides the gold doesn’t go with your
complexion, my lord.”

Andre turned his
gaze on the woman. Patience didn’t envy the woman. Many had swooned
at the glare of a dragon. Andre might seem human, but when you
looked into his eyes there was no denying that he was completely
alien. And yet the woman remained calm.

The Modiste
assistant waved at Patience and said, “She is a beautiful woman,
well worthy of your collection, but she would be best showcased if
she was in harmony with you as well.”

Patience was
actually grateful. This was a woman who had dealt with dragons
before.

“
You
are of a darker complexion than…” the Modiste assistant glanced at
her and Patience offered her name.

This woman did
really understand dragons. Andre might see Patience as part of his
collection, but he was fiercely protective of her as well. In his
mind, she belonged to him and he looked after his
belongings.

The assistant
continued, “Well, Patience, she is also of a dark complexion, but
there is a lighter quality to her.”

She motioned to
Patience’s hair as she spoke. Andre had black hair and golden eyes
while Patience had mahogany hair and brown eyes.

The assistant
Modiste brought over a bronze dress that would appeal to Andre as
it shimmered like the gold dress hadn’t. It was also modest and
practical. Patience wouldn’t have to worry about dipping the
sleeves into the ink as she wrote either. Or worry about her bosom
falling out.

Patience eyed
the assistant and asked, “What is your name?”

The woman
smiled. “Lucy. Ask for me next time and I will make sure you are
served well.”

Patience would
as it was difficult to find quality workmen when it came to
providing for a dragon.

Andre was still
inspecting the gown when he said, “Do you have matching
undergarments?”

There was actual
giggling from one of the girls who quickly stifled it when Patience
glared at her. Andre of course was oblivious.

Lucy wasn’t
affected as she casually answered, “I’m sure we can arrange
something.”

Patience glared
at Andre but he didn’t take heed of her look so she asked him,
“Why? I mean, seriously Andre, who is going to see if my
undergarments are matching?”

Andre frowned.
“Do you not have a special man?”

Patience rolled
her eyes. She worked for Andre twelve hours out of the day. There
was no time for men. She already had one demanding man in her life
she wasn’t planning to add another.

His eyes
narrowed and he shocked her by asking, “How many more years of
childbearing do you have?”

She wasn’t
surprised by the rude question as dragons were always
blunt.

In a bland tone
she answered, “Another dozen or so.”

He tilted his
head to the side as he took this all in. “And how long have you
worked for me?”

“
Half a dozen.” She answered with a shrug. She hadn’t really
thought about it.

Andre frowned as
he thought. He eventually turned to Lucy and said, “Get
them.”

Patience sighed
and decided she would change the subject. “We have that meeting
with Colonel Miles Sinclair.”

Andre clapped
his hands together as he took in her words. “Oh, yes. Pack this all
up and send them to my home.”

He bustled them
out of the Modiste’s store and to the tavern where they were to
meet the Colonel.

Andre had his
fingers in many business pies so dealt with a range of people. The
Colonel was helping Andre move his goods from one part of the
country to another without it disappearing.

It didn’t take
long for them to iron out the details and they were still
eating.

Patience wasn’t
surprised that Andre had been thinking of what had been discussed
in the Modiste. It did take her by surprise when he brought it up
with the Colonel.

Andre asked in a
voice that was too casual, “Would you marry Patience?”

Patience almost
choked on her meal. The Colonel didn’t fare any better. He was a
young man and had only been dealing with dragons for a short while.
He wasn’t very confident in dealing with the blunt musing of
dragons.

The Colonel
stammered for a long moment and turned an interesting shade of red
before he said, “Well, she is a fine woman.”

Andre nodded in
agreement. “And yet she tells me she has no special man. Her child
bearing years are running out fast and she has no man. This seems
wrong to me.”

Patience reached
out and lightly touched Andre’s hand. He turned to look at her and
she said, “I don’t intend to marry.”

Andre wouldn’t
let it settle. “Nonsense, what kind of woman would want to be alone
for the rest of her life?”

She focused on
her food as she wasn’t comfortable with this conversation, but if
she showed that to Andre he would pick at it until she had revealed
everything.

Choosing her
words carefully Patience said, “It isn’t really a choice. You see I
would be considered a spinster by most. I’m not really what most
men would want to marry. Even if I decided I wished to marry, no
man would want me. I do not need a man in any case.”

Andre looked
confused and turned back to the Colonel. “What does she mean by
that? I know from experience she thinks she makes complete
sense.”

The Colonel
coughed before he said, “Most men would be well… I suppose they
would feel inferior as she is very well educated.”

Andre asked,
confused, “Is this not a sought after trait, after all intelligence
is hereditary?”

The Colonel
flushed. “It might be the job. While a woman is working she
focusses more on her employment than on a man and a man might
become jealous.”

Andre frowned
and then turned to her. “Fine, we can solve that. You are
fired.”

That damn
Colonel
. If only he had kept his mouth shut. Not that he was
wrong. If Patience had to choose she would have chosen to love and
have a career. Unfortunately, men didn’t see that as a possibility
and would have forced her to give up her work in order to have
children.

She would have
liked children, but she didn’t see why she couldn’t have children
and work in any capacity. She had known that it wouldn’t work while
she was employed by Andre but she was willing to find other
work.