The King's Chambers

[The Smith]

"I did not mind as long as I was part of it. Alone would be another thing all together." He replied.

[Marie]

"I wish I undesrtood," she said truthfully. "I don't want to take a lover though. It hurts me to know that you have other women when I have no ther man but I don't wish to take a lover just to be equal."

[The Smith]

"You do understand, yet once again the restrictions placed on you by your training, and by the lesser beings." Daemon said, "I have shown you the foolishness of some of those views, and soon you will understand them all."

[Marie]

"Well, I don't understand this one. Why should I have to share you when I don't wish to do so? I have given you everyrthing that is in my power to give and yet I am only permitted to have part of you? Is that fair?"

[The Smith]

"You are not sharing me. You alone have my love, and my respect. You are my only equal." Daemon replied. "What does it matter if I sate my lusts with other woman? Some of things I enjoy are degrading, and I do not wish to do that to you."

[Marie]

Joanna glanced at Anni as Daemon said that; she could not imagine her dear friend agreeing to do anything remotely degrading.

"Anni is our brother's wife and was born the daughter of the Lord Paramount of the Vale. As such she is hardly a suitable target for degradation," she said.

[The Smith]

Daemon scoffed, "She is not a dragon which means she is dross."

[Helyn Caron]

Anni gasped at what the king had just called her. She turned and fled the room.

[Marie]

Joanna was equally shocked. She had always held the blood of the dragon to be superior but never would she have said what Daemon just had. There were a fair few people not of their blood that she valued, and Anni was one of them. She looked sorrowfully at Anni before turning back to Daemon.

"How can you say that when poor Anni is still standing here? I did not think you could be so cruel to one of your own former lovers."

[The Smith]

"I would not have, but you brought her here, and I swore never to lie to you Joanna. Do you not remember that?" Daemon asked.

[Marie]

"I do remember, but there are times when saying nothing is beter than speaking the truth, and this is one of those times. Do you not see that, Daemon?" Joanna asked.

[The Smith]

"You should not have brought her then. Perhaps I should have restrained my tongue, but I am far more concerned about your opinions then hers." Daemon replied.

[Marie]

"And I am concerned about Anni, so, if you are concerned about me, you should be concerned about her also," Joanna snapped. "She is one of my dearest friends now and you have upset her, Daemon. I will have to go and talk to her shortly and I've no idea what I can say. As to why I brought her, it was so you could see that we are united, she and I, and that I cannot have her coming to me in distress again, as she did when she told me what happened between you."

[The Smith]

Daemon sighed, "This conversation grows dull, I have already told you I will not visit her again."

[Marie]

Though she was still annoyed, Joanna knew she could not appear to dwell on it. She leaned forwarda nd kissed Daemon on the cheek.

"Thank you. I appreciate it. Perhaps later I will show you better evidence of my gratitude."