Seama snapped her fingers and the door opened. She went in first followed by Quake. An average, voluptuous red haired, green eyed woman approached the two of them. She looked more a like consort than a woman of business. "Aye! 'Ello, Can I help ye? Seama, my dear, who's your friend?"

Seama giggled and bowed before the woman, "Madame Mabel, this is Quake."

Speaking with an Irish accent and with a smile to match Madame Mabel, "Welcome to me establishment and business. What can I do for you?"

"The Lady would said you would know how to get these properly cleaned. The Bronze Man pranked her at the lagoon." Quake said sheepishly.

"The Lady?"

"Alyson has returned to Asylum. She came with her friends!" Seama beamed from ear to ear.

"Oh! I see! Well then, I'll have them cleaned right away." Madame Mabel took notice of Quake's strange features, "What are you...exactly supposed to be, lass?"

"An elemental dragon created by the lady. My first time attempt to polymorph to human didn't exactly go like it was supposed to happen." Quake sighed.

Madame Mabel placed a hand on the elemental's shoulder and winked, "You'll figure it out, lass. I bet the Bronze Man can help you out with that. Come on, this way. You can stay while Alyson's robes and gear get washed and cleaned and I'd like to hear how she's been all these years."

"It's too steamy and hot in here!" Seama waved both arms to fan the mist away.

"The steam doesn't bother me. If you think this is hot, try in a volcano." Quake laughed, "Now that's hot!"

Madame Mabel laughed with the elemental, "I can see a bit of Alyson in you. Makes sense. She was always silly little lass. She had a way of bringing out smiles and laughter to those who didn't have it. Except the one time where she gave the Bronze Man a hard time. That was epic."

"She did?"

"Aye! She didn't want to stay still for a robe fittin,' fought'em every second, and even attempted to get out of the lighthouse one way or another. She was a bit of tom-boy, and hated robes and dresses and such. Made me laugh when I went over to assist him. He said, I wasn't helping the situation. I told him, she's a child. They don't always want to do what you want them to."

"Sounds like the Lady!" The elemental laughed again.

*********

Alyson woke up and stretched. Her skin was dry from swimming in the lagoon and had forgotten how the salt water bothered her. She remembered where the bath house was and got up and left the room. Walking across the hallway, she asked one of the servants for a hot bath. She was told it might be a few minutes for the tub to fill.

The Bronze Man had come back up and saw Alyson awake standing outside the bathing room. "Alysiane? Are you not still tired?"

"A little," she told him leaning against the doorway. "I forgot how the salt water dries my skin out."

Lazheros approached her casually and felt her skin, "Hmmm, I suppose it is."

She looked at him in soft candle light of the hall, "I appreciate you looking out for me. Defending my honor and such. I did almost wake earlier and almost came down to give the swordsman a long over due drink in the bay. And as much I try to get sound sleep, I couldn't but over hear the tantrum of Seama downstairs. Has she really gotten that bad?"

The Bronze Man didn't say anything as he ran his fingers through her hair. ~ She's afraid of the truth. When the Elder of the Ancient Tree speaks with her, she may return to the city. And when your done with your bath, I have a gift for you. ~

The servant came out of the bath house, "My lady, its ready for you."

"Thank you." Alyson didn't feel like correcting the chamber maid about titles now. The hot bath was the only thing on her mind. She walked in, disrobed and slid into the hot bath. It felt so good on her skin.

Ten minutes later, she reemerged and clean wrapped in a large towel. Both of the chamber maids left her alone as Lazheros entered holding a robe. "This is for you, Alysiane."

It was a metallic robe made of bronze scales. Elegant and form fitting. It felt like silk when touched and weightless. Alyson was amazed by the craftsmanship of a such a robe. She looked up at him, her eyes met his.

"You love to swim but ocean is not kind to your body. And so I had this commissioned for you by the Arch Mage, who is a master of Enchantment. It will allow you to swim unhindered, and breathe underwater."

The elementalist slowly stood up with the new robe and walked behind into the changing area. She wasn't yet comfortable in his presence to change in front of him. She pulled the dress up and over her head. It felt almost alive when it hugged her body. The bodice laced up in the back and front. The front part was easy and yet she realized that he had this made intentionally like this. Her attempts to lace up the back were met with difficulty and finally came out and asked for help.

The Bronze Man breathed deeply taking the view of the elementalist. He waited a long time to see her wearing it, and was blown away by how well it fit her form. Without uttering a word, he laced up the back of the bodice. ~ So beautiful...~ He slowly wrapped his arms around her as she leaned into him. ~ This is nice. ~

Alyson turned around whispering, "May I stay with you tonight?"

The Bronze Man led the elementalist out of the bath house, across the hall and to his chambers. They went in and the door shut for the evening.

Alyson sat down on the canopy bed with its silk drapes that hung from the ceiling down to the floor. She remembered waking up on it a few times before she had her own room. The Bronze Man of course, did not sleep with her but slept in a hammock, or in his chair off to the far side of the chamber. He was a gentleman and kept it that way. It was so comfortable to lay down on or jump on when, she tried to that only once and got the sternest look from him not to do that ever. She giggled at the memory.

Lazheros moved his hand down her back and loosened the laces on the bodice enough for comfort. "Remembering?" And sat down next to her.

"The look you gave me the first time you brought me here after my uncle left. Not that I would do that now, I might hit the ceiling," She smiled at him, "from my point of view it was funny."

With the other hand, he reached around her waist and pulled her closer to him. The embrace was intoxicating to him. He waited nearly six hundred years to hold someone like her again. There was another of whom he planned to spend his life with, a female bronze dragon who's life was cut tragically short by a dragon slayer. Thus began his life long devotion as a cleric of Bahamut in the hopes of finding such a soul like him.

He leaned back on the pillows set against the head board with the elementalist wrapped in his arms. "Sleep now...sleep."

Alyson turned on her side and cuddled in his arms. Her head lay upon his chest in comfort. Sleep finally claimed her for the evening.