The Reborn Witch had a nice 'Tea Time' with the Dragon Queen today-Chapter 29: Behind The Runes Lies A Tiny Giant (4)

"What's with this half-assed scribble?" The witch looked up from the parchment with a raised eyebrow. The smell of fresh ink filled the room, and Adil's scribbled seal looked like it had been done in a hurry.

"Incomplete, I know. It is a seal crafted specifically to strengthen all of the citizens within the town for a brief moment, should demons or vampires breach our walls. It's a precautionary measure, but it will be recognized by the Church." The old hag smirked, as she stood up with a wooden scepter in hand, her movements surprisingly agile for her age. "This is your payment, Witch Demond. Finish the seal and give it to Selene. She'll know what to do. The ceremony can wait until after we deal with this crisis. For now, I must prepare my knights and wardens. The safety of Rouen comes first."

The dragon nodded in understanding, her eyes filled with a mix of admiration and respect for the hag's decisiveness. The witch slipped the parchment into her robe's pocket with a sigh, knowing that the marriage would have to be put on hold once again. The smell of ink was strong in the room, a reminder of the seriousness of the situation at hand.

"Adrei."

"...yes, my love?"

"A cigarette please."

Adrei looked surprised for a moment before reaching into the folds of her robe and producing a fresh cigarette, before offering it to the witch with a small smile, the warmth of their earlier interaction not quite forgotten.

"Hey, smoke outside, old man. This place is an office, not a tavern for your smoking habits." Lady Adil's voice was stern despite the smirk playing on her lips as she shooed them out of her study, as the smell of the cigarette already permeating the sacred room.

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Under the requests of Lady Adil, the witch and the dragon, instead of continuing the marriage talks, found themselves back in the hallways of the mansion. The dragon's tail swished as she followed the witch and a servant of the mansion to the courtyard where the smoking was permitted. The witch's eyes scanned the area, spotting a bench that looked as if it hadn't seen the sun in years, covered in moss and dust. She sat down heavily, the wood groaning in protest beneath her, and lit the cigarette with a flick of her thumb.

"Well, that went easier than expected." The witch blew out a puff of smoke, watching it mingle with the cool air of the courtyard. The dragon sat beside her, her scales glinting in the sun.

"Miss Adil was quite efficient, wasn't she?" Adrei said, her hand setting on the thigh of the witch, the sensation of her touch sending a chilling sensation up the witch's spine.

"Well...the old hag has always been good at cutting through the pep talk, that's for sure." The witch took another drag from her cigarette, the smoke curling around her sharp features. "So, you want to stay in the mansion instead? Adil gave us the permission for a room."

Adrei's expression was thoughtful, her tail flicking slightly as she considered. "If it is your wish, my love. But the promise with the tavern..."

"Yes I know..." The witch smirks, taking another drag from her cigarette. "But we're on a mission here, darling. Plus, I'd rather not have the whole town gossiping about our love life before we even start the marriage ceremony. A low profile, please."

"My wife is being more and more cunning, isn't she?" Adil's words echoed in Demond's mind as she took a long drag of her cigarette, watching the plume of smoke dissipate into the air. "I guess we'll have to be content with the promise of a tavern visit once this mess is sorted out."

"And our marriage done, preferably without the town burning to the ground before it happens, yeah?" The witch said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips despite such a grave situation.

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"Right, but a little taste won't hurt, will it?" The dragon's voice was a purr, a hint of mischief playing in her eyes as she leaned closer to the witch, her warm breath tickling Demond's ear.

"Grr...wait wait wait." The witch's cheeks flushed as she pushed Adrei away gently, her cigarette waving in the air. "We have to keep our heads in the game, Adrei. Besides, I need to keep my wits about me if we're going to deal with whatever's stirring in this town. And uh..."

"Of course, we're in this courtyard now, but the kind Lady Adril has promised us a room, didn't she?" Adrei's eyes gleamed with hope, and the witch couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.

"Uh-yeah...right. The room. We should get some rest and maybe get cleaned up before we go back out. And you should really start practicing that whole 'fingery majery' thing, Adrei, after our marriage." The witch pushed away the dragon's advance with a gentle laugh, trying to keep her mind on the task at hand. The dragon narrowed her eyes in amusement, as she stood up from the bench.

"Then, I'll start preparing in our room. I'll make sure it's safe for us to be...alone." Adrei winked, her mischief not lost on the witch, who couldn't help but roll her eyes again.

"Yeah yeah, go ahead... but remember to wash yourself first from the journey." The witch called after Adrei, her eyes never leaving the cigarette between her fingers.

After the dragon left for the washroom, the witch's breath hitched as she took one last drag of her cigarette and stubbed it out on the bench. The courtyard was peaceful, the only sounds were the distant clanking of armor from the training knights and the occasional flutter of a bird's wings. It was a stark contrast to the chaos of the caravans and battle she'd been through. The quiet was almost unnerving, but she knew it was temporary.

The sun atop of her head, the witch felt the warmth seep into her skin, a stark contrast to the coldness of her mana. She took a deep breath, before touching her own buldges in the chest. Adrei's warmth had been...more than she ever felt before, more than the times she had fought for her life, and she felt a pang of sadness again for that something missing under her. The cigarette burned her finger and she jolted, the sting bringing her back to reality.

"Jeez...this old man got a little sentimental again. Yeah, nothing's wrong with being a girl with a hot dragon...husband, am I right?" The witch murmured to herself, her thoughts racing through her past battles, the lost comrades, and the current mess they found themselves in. She stood up from the bench and brushed off the dust from her robes.

It has only been afternoon, yet the anticipation for the night's events had turned the air thick with tension. The witch took a moment to appreciate the serenity of the courtyard before heading back into the mansion, her mind racing with the tasks ahead.