Charity the mouse awoke that morning with a pit in her stomach. She knew that she would be fitted for her dress today, that her wedding was to be held on the summer solstice just three days later... and that the man she was to marry couldn't care less about her. 
The two had met just a week ago at a gala hosted by her parents. They had invited everyone of higher status than them, as they always did, and insisted that Charity be on her very best behavior, wearing her finest dress and jewels. Charity was not terribly interested in any of this, of course, but shortly after her forced meeting with the Durant nobles' only son, Lawrence, she overheard him say some cruel things about her. 
He mocked her physical appearance, saying she was too plain, and that her spots were unattractive. He scoffed at her manner of clothing and finery, calling her 'a country bumpkin playing dress-up', and then reassured the tart he was sitting with that it would be a marriage purely of status, to which she giggled coquettishly before they took the conversation somewhere more private. 

Remembering the event all over again made the young woman wince and hug her pillow. She felt as if she was in a nightmare, and wanted desperately to wake up. 
Everyone around her wanted this marriage, even that boy Lawrence wanted it to some extent-- despite his cutting remarks she easily noticed the way his eyes wandered over her in that shimmering, shifting dress she had worn--, yet there was nothing but dread in Charity's heart. Not only would she be shackled to this man for the rest of her life, she would almost certainly be expected to bear his children, too!! She cringed with revulsion at the mere thought. 
Then... what was there to do? Feign an illness? It would only hold off the proceedings until she recovered, at best. But maybe she just needed the time to figure out a plan. 
"No," she mumbled to herself, sitting up and kicking off the blanket that had become uncomfortably warm sometime during the night. "No... strike while the iron is hot! I can't afford to be timid anymore. ... They can't run my life forever, can they?" 
Pensively, she chewed the claw of her thumb. She could run away, perhaps, but to where would she run? Charity had spent little time outside the safe confines of this town, and while she was very naive to the ways of the world, she understood nontheless that she was unprepared to live out there. 
Without running away, what options were there? Perhaps she could fake her own death... but then what? She would probably need help in order to pull off something like that, and Charity had few friends to begin with; the number who would willingly participate in such a plot was certainly near-to-zero.
Charity's mind briefly flashed on the possibility of a real suicide, but she quickly dismissed it; she didn't want to die, she only wanted to escape her life here. 
Talking with her parents, seemingly the most reasonable option, was out of the question. Charity had been groomed for most of her life to take on the role of dutiful wife to a high-status nobleman, and while she figured out a long time ago that this was almost purely for their benefit, she knew better than to try negotiating with them. 
This marriage was simply to be her fate, end of. 
Abruptly, Charity threw her pillow aside. It didn't matter anymore. She simply had to escape. Searching her possessions, the mouse wondered what, if anything, was worth taking. Would she leave right now? It would be best, perhaps-- the bride running away at the altar was far from unheard of, but who would predict her disappearing before her dress was even fitted? 
Donning her most comfortable clothing, Charity headed for the window. She knew there was no time to waste. Any moment now, her maid would knock on the door and---
RAP. RAP. RAP.
"M'lady, it's time to get ready for your appointment at the tailor's."

With her unbrushed hair whirling about her face in the midsummer breeze and one leg already hiked up on the windowsill, Charity froze. 
What was she to do? 
"I'm opening the door," declared the maid, and that got the mouse to act. She brought her leg down and quickly seated herself on the bed, trying to look natural. Perhaps she could bide her time, and find a better opportunity to slip away later. 
Charity went through all the motions of making herself ready; bath, brush hair, a light breakfast of porridge with berries (needed to keep her waistline trim for the upcoming wedding, after all), and even allowed her mother to escort her to the tailor. She walked with careful, measured steps, taking great care not to betray her inner turmoil. 
Her mother babbled about all kinds of sappy nonsense concerning the young couple; how they were an ideal match, and that she was certain they'd build a beautiful family together and live very prosperous lives. Charity managed to tune her out halfway through, and focused solely on calming the butterflies in her stomach. By the time she was down to her underwear and stepping into the overly large white dress, the mouse had honed her thoughts down to two simple sentences.
"Do it. Just go. Do it. Just go." 
"Um, e-excuse me," Charity squeaked. The tailor, an older male fox, peered up at her through his spectacles. 
"Sorry, um, can I just..." she wordlessly tried to disengage his hands from the seam on her bodice that he was busily pinning up. Bewildered, he obliged and took a step back.
Charity slowly, deliberately stepped down from the tailor's stool. She kept her eyes on the door; the feeling of her mother, and future mother-in-law watching her, made her face feel hot and sweaty. 
The backdoor to this little room was open, letting in the fine afternoon breeze, and Charity breathed deeply of it. Relishing the breath as if it was her very first, she gathered her skirts into her hands...
And she fled.

Perhaps her mother was more aware than she gave her credit for; almost immediately, Charity heard her cry out and presumably jump from her seat, but she knew that the woman had no chance of outrunning her. Even as her overly frilly and ornamented skirt billowed and swished crazily around her,  Charity picked up speed as the path through town wound its way downward; she knew this way would take her to the woods, where she might hopefully hide for a day or two, perhaps even convince any search parties that she had surely moved on from here, making the area no longer worth searching. And then... 
Well, what after that?
No, no time to think. Just run! 
Much like the guards who stood there, the wicker gate that they flanked was more a formality than anything else; the stone wall which might be called 'charming' or 'rustic' by some was little more than a mossy, crumbling mess, as it had been since Charity was a small girl. Whenever she'd had the opportunity, she loved to steal away to the quiet corners of this oft-forgotten gateway, enjoying the feel of the moss between her bare toes and the cool stone on her back. 
The guardsmen, unsure of what to do, simply stepped aside when they realized that the mouse had no intention of stopping. They flung the gate open in the nick of time, and Charity barreled through with little thought to the possibility of them giving chase. 
The mouse was never much of a runner, and her heart felt as if it would pound right out of her chest, but she didn't dare to stop. Twigs snapped beneath her bare feet as they pounded the disused trail. Fallen tree needles and decaying leaves scattered in every direction as she pressed on, stopping just outside of a clearing to catch her breath... and disentangle the rather sizable branch that had wrapped itself into a particularly lacy bit some way back.
Bent double and gasping for oxygen, Charity allowed herself a moment to appreciate her surroundings. The forest air was cool and sweet, a soothing balm for her burning lungs.
 The tranquility of the moment was absolute... until the voice of what Charity presumed to be one of the guards shattered it. 
"Hold on now, Miss! Get back here at once!!" 
Lurching a few steps in the opposite direction of her pursuers, Charity managed to regain some of her lost momentum... but it wasn't enough. By the time she reached a large fallen log in the clearing, the guardsmens' lumbering bootfalls were closing in on her. Gathering the filthy tatters of her skirt, Charity fought back tears. Oh, how foolish she felt now! In this single defiant act, she had somehow managed to make her situation even worse... 
"Don't move a muscle," one of the guards instructed. He was a paunchy middle-aged black bear, and Charity wagered that she could outrun him-- the stitch in her side cautioned her against such an act, though.
"Please," she gasped, her chest heaving, "I don't... want to... go... back!"
"Wait," said the other, an equally paunchy and middle-aged wolf. "You're that girl who's marryin' the Durant boy, what are you doing running away for? You're about to have the happiest day of your life, y'know!" 
"Hah!!" Charity scoffed, though it came out more like a wheeze. "I would never... hah... never be happy... like that." She made an effort to straighten herself, leaning on the fallen giant of the forest. Its solidity, even in repose, reassured her somehow.
"That doesn't matter, what matters is that you've gotten yourself in a lot of trouble. Now just come with us and..."
As the bear moved forward to grab Charity's arm,  a terrible roaring sound rang out through the tranquil woods. 
Fear's icy hand grasped Charity deep within the hollow of her chest; the breath caught in her pained lungs. Acting purely on instinct, she huddled down into the end of the log, heedless of the guards nearby. 
The beastly cry proved itself as long as it was fearsome, and it was some time before the aftershocks ceased to ring through the trees. 
From the treeline directly beside Charity there sprang a large, orange mass; it moved so quickly as to be a blur, and she watched in awe as, standing between the mouse and her pursuers, it towered a full head over even the black bear who had tried to grab her arm. 
Focusing her vision, Charity realized it was... a dragon?! Though she'd heard of them, she had never seen such a creature in all her life, and was just as shocked by its very arrival as she was to discover that it appeared to be... a female.
The dragon didn't speak; she merely moved forward, squaring her shoulders and lowering her head. Her broad, powerful skull was adorned with a pair of horns that reminded Charity of a ram. The body was muscular and thick, scantly adorned with some basic cloth which had been fashioned to conceal all the proper places. 
"We don't want no trouble," the black bear was insisting as he took a few steps backward from the menacing beast. "We only came to get the girl and bring her back--" 
He found himself interrupted by a long, low growl. Charity had to admit, it was a far more compelling argument for her freedom than anything she could have mustered herself. 
Apparently the men seemed to think so, too; they exchanged uneasy looks while the dragoness stood her ground. Charity wondered what could possibly have motivated this savage beast to make such a stand on her behalf; she certainly had never met it before.
Her, she corrected herself, I've never met her before. 

Exchanging another look, the guards backed off. The dragoness continued to stand guard over Charity until they reluctantly turned and started back up the road. She kept firm until they had finally disappeared into the distance, at which point she turned and leaned down, holding out her hand.
Charity shrank back instinctively. 
"No, no, it's alright," she said in a surprisingly smooth, feminine voice. "I don't mean to hurt you at all. See? My claws are put away and everything." 
The mouse was taken aback, but the dragoness' kindness managed to quell her fears and, with some assistance, she stood.
"I'm sure you have quite the story to tell," she remarked, eying the mouse up and down. "Are you headed somewhere in particular? I could make sure you get there safely, if you need."
"N-no, I... I hadn't quite figured out where I was headed yet," Charity admitted quietly. "I just needed to get away... I guess that sounds silly."
"Not at all," the dragoness said with utter sincerity. Charity was caught off-guard. "You can tell me the story if you like, once we're back at my place... if that's alright with you? My little act may have scared them off for the moment, but I don't doubt they'll be back as soon as they can call some reinforcements." 
Charity nodded slowly. The status to be gained from this marriage was immense for both concerned parties; she was sure that this was little more than an unforeseen setback to their agenda.
"Then... I'll go with you," she said. The dragoness nodded, and took Charity's hand once more, leading her onto a well-concealed path behind the log where she had just cowered. 
The larger woman took care to match her pace with Charity's; not only was the girl rather shaken up, but the path itself was a little difficult to navigate without help. 
"So," she said, holding back a branch for the mouse, "My name is Qestri. What's yours?"
"Charity," Charity said, ducking beneath Qestri's arm. "By the way... I wanted to thank you for what you did back there. You even had me convinced!" 
Qestri gave a short, barking laugh... then covered her mouth as if she could take it back. "Ah, you were absolutely terrified! I feel a little bad about scaring you, but it had to be done.
"So, you're getting married?" Qestri continued as they rounded a bend in the path, contoured to the shape of a venerable boulder covered in moss and lichens. 
"Ah, well... I was, yes. I guess since you live here, you know about the town nearby."
"I do." 
"There's a noble family there... they are very high status, and my parents have always longed to be part of a high status family. I guess it's the one thing that unites the two of them, really. Anyway... they wanted to marry me off to some boy in this other noble family."
"What's wrong with the boy?" Qestri inquired. 
After a time the two had stopped walking; they were outside a thicket of berry bushes that ringed a very well concealed root cave. 
"Well..." Charity bit her lip, remembering what she had heard. "He said some really nasty things about me and my appearance. I didn't want to marry him anyway, but hearing him say those things, I couldn't bear the idea of just letting it happen." 
"That's rough," Qestri said, frowning. "I would never marry someone like that. I think you did the right thing."
"I think so, too," Charity said, "but I never really had a plan. I just... ran away. Now I don't know what to do." 
"Well, I can't help you with that, but I can help you by letting you rest your tired feet a spell, maybe fixing you something to eat... and getting you into some more comfortable clothes." Qestri pushed aside one of the bushes and made a welcoming gesture to Charity, who was all too eager to satisfy her curiosity about the dragoness' home.

Following the quaint little path made of flagstones and flanked by beds of wildflowers, Charity was surprised to find a stone staircase which led directly down between two roots. 
"It isn't much," Qestri said, following the mouse downstairs, "but it's safe." 
The root cave turned out to be little more than an antechamber, containing another stone staircase which led upward to another small clearing, this space filled largely by a natural stone cave. 
"This is wonderful!" Charity declared, following the dragoness into her lair. 
"Ha, you're too kind. The root cave was my own doing, but I have to admit that I have a bit of pride for it." 
The stone cave turned out to be extremely spacious, if rather dim. Most important of all: it was cool!! Charity breathed deeply of the surprisingly refreshing air. As she looked around, she noticed several cleverly-carved holes which vented spent air and let in fresh. The twisting shape of the air vents meant this place was nearly devoid of lighting, but as they rounded a bend (Charity holding tight to Qestri's hand, her unaccustomed eyes straining in the darkness), they came into a much larger room filled with beautiful, brightly-glowing blue-white crystals.
Their seemingly random placement was surely by nature's hand, yet the way the light spilled across the room suggested, paradoxically, that they were laid with purpose. Charity stood agape, enchanted by the sight; never had she ever even dreamed such lovely things existed in the world. 
"Wow," she breathed. In her awe she forgot that she still clasped Qestri's hand, but the dragoness seemed not to mind. "Is this..."
"Natural? Yes, when I found the place it was just like this. All I changed was adding some vents, which you probably have noticed by now. And... the kitchen." Qestri gestured to the far corner of the room where a nook had been carved out of the wall, providing a space for a small kitchen, complete with a clay stove and a chimney-pipe that looked to be made from a hodgepodge of salvaged parts. 
Beside the countertop there was a window, within which hung simple, sheer curtains that provided a charming view of a nearby meadow, and a doorway with a wooden door that had surely been custom made for that spot. 
Remembering her manners, Charity turned to the larger woman. "Qestri, may I..." she looked down, noticing their hands intertwined. She blushed and quickly released her grip. "M-may I take a look around?" 
"Go ahead, I'll be in my workspace looking for something you can wear." Qestri pointed the way, smiled, and left the room. 

Charity took full advantage of this opportunity to be alone with her thoughts; even as she admired and touched the natural light fixtures, as she marveled at the immense size and comfort of what she assumed to be Qestri's favorite armchair, she pondered her current situation and where she might go from here. 
Letting herself out of the kitchen door, the mouse spotted a pump and squatted beside it. A few forceful cranks of the handle and cold, sweet water splashed her face. She drank deeply, then washed her face with the excess. It was definitely getting hot outside, and she was grateful to have someplace so well-sheltered to spend the night. 
At length Charity went back inside and sat on what turned out to be a very comfortable sofa, running fingers through her wind-tousled hair. 
The very idea that she was free now; no more etiquette lessons, no more dance practice nor tedious lectures from her mother, no more worry about the wedding that was never to happen, overwhelmed her a bit. Charity's relief was total, and yet some part of her still didn't entirely grasp the situation. 
She could trust Qestri... right? 
Charity mulled this over for a moment, then shook her head. Qestri could behave quite ferociously, but she could tell that there was no substance to it. She wondered how such a kind and selfless soul could be living alone like this, with no husband or family to speak of. Sure, she had an aura of strength, and she was a large creature... but there was appeal there, too, a slightly rough beauty that the dragoness seemed to exude without effort. 
The more she considered the dragoness, the more Charity came to admire her... for what admittedly little she knew about her. Someone like Qestri deserved love, not fear. Charity decided then and there that though her time with this dragon would undoubtedly be brief, the mouse would do all that she could to let her know how grateful she was, and that she held no fear at all. 
"Ah, I see you've found a good spot." Qestri smiled at Charity from the doorway, bearing a small bundle of cloth in her arms. 
"I have to apologize, it may be a bit large on you... you're more on the petite side, I don't get many customers like you." She handed over the garment-- a beautiful dress made of thin, soft material that had been dyed with a most masterful touch, the ends of the sleeves and the slightly ruffled skirt having been dipped in a beautiful lavender hue. 
"You're really giving this to me? I... thank you, it's so beautiful," Charity said, completely taken aback. "If I had any money on me, I'd pay you for it..." 
Qestri put her hands up, looking a bit embarrassed. "No, no," she said. "You're my guest, I want to make sure you're comfortable while you're here. I would feel worse if you walked around wearing that thing for the rest of your time, if I'm being honest." At 'that thing', she gestured somewhat distastefully at the loose, tattered, and filthy dress which still hung limply upon Charity's petite frame.
"I can't believe they were going to marry you off in that," Qestri confided.
Charity laughed, staring down at the ruined garment and plucking at it a bit. "Well, supposedly it was my mother's." Looking up at Qestri, she leaned in confidentially. "I hate it too," she said with a mischievous grin. 
"Then please, go and change! I would love to see how you look in the dress I picked out for you." 
Charity felt a bit of warmth prickling her cheeks at that, and she slipped into the narrow hall that led to Qestri's workspace. She was quite surprised to find that this woman, so large, so sturdy and strong, was a tailor as well! Upon a dressmaker's dummy hung a half-finished garment which had been dyed similarly to the dress she was now slipping on, and after changing she took some time to admire it. 

Unsure of what to do with the other dress, Charity simply bundled it up into her arms and carried it back out into the den. 
"Ooh, I'll take that," Qestri said of the old dress. "I have an idea for it..." she winked playfully and said nothing more on the matter. 
At the dragoness' behest, Charity did a turn-around, unconsciously performing the carefully practiced motions that her mother had worked tirelessly to teach her. 
She was not an unattractive young woman, and the mouse was all too accustomed to the feeling of wandering eyes finding their way to her body; yet when Qestri stared, it felt different somehow. There was no doubt in her mind that the dragoness felt lust for her, but despite the slight confusion (and... excitement?) Charity felt at the idea of a woman longing for another woman, she was reassured in a way. 
This gaze did not seem to covet-- her longing was not that of a man who regarded women like Charity as things to obtain, to have power over. It was the longing of someone who wished to know, to share. This distinction, and the fact that she recognized it on such an instinctual level, startled the mouse. She wondered what she would do with this understanding, if anything; for the moment it sat there quietly within her heart, a precious little secret within a porcelain box. 
Despite being so carefully trained to demur to anyone who showed such interest, Charity found herself instead meeting Qestri's curious eyes. Her face felt unbearably hot, and her toes curled against the dirt-and-stone floor, but she found herself unable to look away. There was something there in her eyes, something the mouse knew so very little of... something which Qestri would surely love to teach her about. 
Abruptly the dragoness cleared her throat and turned away, and the moment which had felt like a small eternity was suddenly gone. Charity felt a peculiar mixture of disappointment and relief, the latter seeming to win out when Qestri spoke up. 
"You look lovely... So, er, are you hungry at all?" 
"Y-yes!" Charity blurted, another wave of relief washing over her. The truth was, she was actually ravenous; her half-sized breakfast portion combined with her earlier athletics had left the mouse's reserves utterly empty. 
"I feel I should apologize," Qestri was saying as she rummaged through the hewn stone shelf that served as her pantry, "I haven't much that I can share with you. I'm sure meat is out of the question, so... the most I have is some cheese and bread. The cheese is from a customer of mine, but I made the bread myself; I kind of consider it my specialty." Qestri insisted on procuring the food herself, and presented the mouse with some of each, arranged as artfully as she could manage on a wooden plate. 
The cheese was mild and nutty, the bread sumptuously rich and very fluffy. Charity eagerly devoured the meal as Qestri ducked outside with a pitcher and returned, filling a glass of water for each of them. The dragoness had bread and cheese for herself as well, supplemented with some smoked meat.
"So, do you hunt often?" Charity inquired, nibbling on a crust. Her family being mice, she was largely unfamiliar with the ways of meat-eating creatures. She knew that fodder-animals existed and were considered acceptable sources of protein for those who required it, and furthermore that there was a slight distinction between captive and wild fodder animals, but not much else. 
"Ah, not especially. I tend to scavenge more than actually hunting, myself. My father always loved the hunt, and so did my siblings, but he could never quite convince me." Qestri smiled a little as she contemplated her childhood for a moment. "I'm assuming your family must not eat a lot of meat, then?"
"Not at all," Charity confirmed. "I know that some mouse families do, but mine never did... at least as far as I know." She wiped water from her lips with the back of her hand, and added, "Your bread is delicious, by the way." 
Qestri seemed genuinely pleased by this, and she smiled into her own water. "If you're so concerned with repaying me somehow, maybe you'd like to help me make a loaf tonight." She paused, taking a sip and swallowing before continuing. "I have one rising in the windowsill right now, it should be ready to bake in an hour or two." 
"Ooh, I'd love to!" Charity declared. Somehow, in talking with Qestri, her inner turmoil had begun to settle. It almost felt as if she was simply walking away, leaving it behind for good. She still didn't have any idea as to where she would go after tonight, but somehow, this no longer concerned her.

The leisurely conversation continued at length. Charity learned that Qestri was very passionate about her craft, but that she struggled to find many willing customers as her appearance was often seen as off-putting. While those who saw past her looks were few and far between, she seemed to treasure them dearly. Oftentimes they were unable to pay with money, she said, and so they bartered with her for her wares; much of Qestri's food and sewing materials as well as soap, and even some of her furniture, had been garnered from such exchanges. 
As they baked bread, with Charity kneading and Qestri instructing her, the mouse spoke about her life, though she felt it conspicuously lacking when compared to the dragoness. Qestri seemed to enjoy hearing her stories nonetheless (and was quite sympathetic to the restrictive manner in which she had been raised), and so they continued to converse amicably until the dough began sticking to the wooden countertop. 
"Here, let me help with that," Qestri offered. Charity thought she heard her take a quick breath, as if gathering her courage, and then she felt the dragoness' large, looming presence behind her. As she leaned over, scattering flour across the work surface, Charity felt the larger woman's ample bosom against the back of her head and shoulders. A strange feeling began to bloom within her, and she felt her face grow hot. 
Qestri's hands intertwined with her own, and she gently helped Charity knead the flour into the dough. The mouse was petrified, unsure what to say or do. She was getting all kinds of feelings and notions that she had little to no experience with, and wasn't sure of whether or not to act on them. 
Qestri sensed her stiffness and straightened at once. "Have I offended you?" she asked, sounding a little hurt even through her genuine concern.
"N... no," Charity managed. Her heart was fluttering in her chest; what was this strange, yet wonderful feeling? "Actually, I... think I liked that." 
"Heh, well, for now I think we ought to heat the oven," Qestri replied, unsure of what else to say. 
Charity scooped the dough into the pan and set it atop the stove as instructed, while the dragoness sparked a small flame within the oven. "It needs to rise again, but it'll be done when it's ready to bake." Charity nodded, trying her best to pay attention despite her feelings. She was a reasonably adept cook, but the art of breadmaking in particular had always escaped her. 
"Would you like to go outside? It ought to have cooled down now... and the meadow looks lovely at night." The dragoness moved to the door, holding it open in invitation.
Charity tried to speak, but could not. Something was certainly about to happen, but she was unsure as to what exactly it would be. Instead she nodded her assent and headed outside, with Qestri close behind. 

The mouse licked her lips; suddenly they felt dry. She stooped momentarily beside the pump and got a drink, all too conscious of the dragoness' eyes on her. It was that look again, the one that she could feel deep down inside. 
"Sorry about... back there, in the kitchen," she apologized, suddenly feeling even smaller than she actually was. "I, I don't know what came over me. I'm..." she bit her finger, uncertain of how to continue. 
"No, please don't be sorry." Qestri's hand cupped her shoulder in a comforting gesture. Her mind raced again; she found herself wanting that hand in other places, too, and the idea thrilled her as much as it surprised her. "But... you really liked it? My body, next to yours?" The dragoness seemed to subtly press on her shoulder, compelling her to turn. She did. 
"I... I think I did. This is all rather new to me, but..." Charity trailed off, unsure of what she wanted to say. 
"I understand." Qestri smiled gently, the hand on Charity's shoulder moving rather easily to the small of her back. She gasped softly, loving the way her skin buzzed and tingled beneath the sheer fabric of her dress. Qestri's other hand moved, to curl a finger beneath the mouse's chin. Their eyes met again, speaking a language she was only just beginning to understand, and before she knew what was happening, they kissed. 
Charity had of course fantasized about her first kiss before, but as it happened to her, she began to realize in real time that her understanding of it was that of a child's... this was so much more, so much bigger, than anything her innocent mind could have fathomed. She melted into the dragoness' arms, and for those few perfect moments their difference in size seemed not to matter at all. 

After a short eternity they broke apart, and Charity's lips buzzed faintly with lingering sensation. Qestri leaned in and their noses touched, and they shared another moment looking into each others' eyes.
"Charity, there's... so much that I'd like to do," the dragoness confessed, her voice heavy with emotion. "But I won't do anything that you don't want... I promise we can take this at your pace." 
Feeling daring, Charity smiled and pecked Qestri's lips once before replying.
"I want you," she said softly. The bewilderment on the dragoness' face changed swiftly to a smile, and as she gazed at Charity through half-lidded eyes they kissed again. The mouse felt Qestri's strong hands pick her up quite suddenly and deftly, and it thrilled her. 
Keeping their lips locked, the dragoness carried her into the meadow. Eventually the two broke away; for a moment they simply sat together. A gentle breeze swept through, and they listened to the rustling of grass and leaves. 
"It's so lovely here," Charity sighed.  
"Is it?" Qestri smiled at the mouse, stroking her hair. "I suppose I'm used to it... but I was just thinking, how much nicer it is to share this place with you."
"Oh..." she said softly, her hand clasping over her heart as she looked up at the dragoness beside her. As they gazed into each other's eyes, Charity felt a single questing digit begin to stroke along the edge of her ear. Her jaw dropped and her body stiffened; a shiver ran through her. 
"Is that nice for you?" the dragoness wondered aloud, continuing in slow, purposeful motions. Charity nodded mutely, her breath beginning to quicken. She sat completely rapt, quivering, in silent awe of Qestri's delicate touch.  This continued on for a time, and eventually she acclimated to the sensation. Her voice trembled as she spoke, but she couldn't let anything happen without first telling Qestri the truth.
"Qestri, I... I'm... well, I've never... done anything with anyone."  
The larger woman's hand dropped away, and for a moment Charity feared the worst, that her lack of experience had repelled the dragoness! But instead she felt her own hands being picked up, being guided to rest on Qestri's shoulders. 
"I promise I'll make it good for you," she whispered, her lips brushing against Charity's sensitive ear. The mouse gasped before her breath left her in a low, trembling moan. Slowly, gently, Qestri pushed Charity to the ground.
The moon bathed them both in its soft glow, and though she knew how obvious this would be, the mouse let her eyes wander down Qestri's body as it loomed above her. It was everything that hers was not; strong, large, curving, sumptuous. She wondered if Qestri regarded her in the same way, if the dragoness loved her small waist, her petite breasts, her shapely legs...  
"Go on," Qestri encouraged her, breaking the reverie. "... Touch me." 
Charity lacked the experience, but with Qestri's reassurance she found that she had no shortage of confidence. Her left hand, feeling comically small to her, formed itself to the curve of the dragoness' breast. Charity caressed it gently, her inner thoughts racing as she wondered what to do next. What did Qestri like? Come to think of it, what did she like? It had felt good when the dragoness touched her ears, but... what else? 
Perhaps more by luck than discernment, Charity's thumb grazed Qestri's nipple through the fabric of her chest-wrapping. The dragoness gave a low, appreciative moan, and she felt it beginning to harden under her thumb. Charity continued to touch it, rubbing in slow circles, concealing her amazement that such a simple gesture had rendered the dragoness so  vulnerable to her. 
After a time she brought her other hand up to give similar attentions to the other breast; Qestri slumped a little lower, seemingly to give better access. Her chest loomed large in Charity's vision, the moon's steady glow hugging every curve in a most mesmerizing way. 
Suddenly she felt a warmth against one ear, and cried out softly. Qestri was tickling the nerves with nothing but her breath, and it felt so incredible that Charity nearly forgot the task at hand... but not quite. She spread her hands, taking as much into them as she could, and gave two firm squeezes. The sensation was incredible, and the mouse found herself wishing that she could see and feel them properly without any cloth in the way.
Biting her lip, her body still stiff and quivering with the dragoness' every exhalation, Charity boldly hooked her fingers into the top of Qestri's chest-wrapping and began to tug it downward. Its tightness caused difficulty, but she seemed to face no opposition from the dragoness herself.
"My," Qestri whispered, setting Charity's nerves alight with each breath. "I hadn't expected you to be so... forward." But rather than discourage the mouse, she brought herself a little lower, making it easier on her arms. 
With a final decisive yank, Charity exposed the dragoness to her hungry eyes. The way her breasts bounced from the momentum was very entrancing; she felt as if she could watch them for hours. Instead she contented herself to resume circling the nipples with her thumbs, occasionally grazing over the tips as well. Qestri seemed to love this; her body shook as she began to pant slightly. 
As fixated as she was on her task, Charity noticed that Qestri's hips had begun to rock rather subtly... the mouse wondered if the dragoness was feeling that same warmth between her thighs that she had been experiencing herself ever since her ears were touched. 
"... mouth," Qestri moaned. 
"Eh?" Charity replied, unsure if she had heard correctly.
"P-please... use your mouth," she implored her smaller partner. 
Bewildered, but intoxicated with the spirit of exploration, Charity wriggled down a little lower, firmly planted her lips on one of Qestri's nipples, and started to lick it.
The reaction was instantaneous. The larger woman cried out, her hips bucking violently. To her surprise, Charity saw one of the dragoness' hands move from supporting herself to instead press between her thighs; she rubbed at herself roughly through the material of her garment. 
Curious though she was, Charity continued dutifully licking and even sucking at the rock-hard nub, but her hand wandered down to join Qestri's. She wasn't entirely sure of what she was doing, but the dragoness had liked everything that she did so far...
"Aah... are you t-trying to help me?" she stammered, and Charity was taken aback at how flustered the larger woman had become. 
She released Qestri's nipple with a soft smacking sound. "Do you not want my help?" 
"H-hah, I never said that," the dragoness asserted. To Charity's surprise, she pulled herself up into a kneeling position. The smaller woman watched her undress in quiet fascination. Qestri's body was truly a beautiful sight, and the irrational urge came over Charity to put her lips everywhere, to touch every curve, every contour, every scale, with her hands.
"Are you going to keep that on?" Qestri smirked, indicating Charity's dress. The mouse blinked, then sat up and started to lift the skirt... but she paused.
"Um..." she looked down shyly. How strange, she had been so content to explore Qestri's body just moments ago, yet when it came to baring her own, she hesitated! 
"It's alright," Qestri told her. Her hand cupped the mouse's chin for a moment, and Charity looked up from herself. She was completely nude now, and the mouse couldn't help her eyes being momentarily drawn to the (at this angle) barely-visible cleft between her powerful thighs. 
"If you aren't comfortable, you don't have to--"
"No," Charity declared. 
"No?" 
The mouse stood up and, with a deep breath, she pulled her dress up and over her head, tossing it aside in a heap. She made similarly with her undergarments, moving as quickly as possible not to lose her courage midway through. Charity didn't have much, but all that she had, she now bared to the dragoness. Qestri's appreciative eyes made her skin tingle and her fur prickle. 
"You're beautiful," Qestri told her. Warm relief washed over Charity's whole body, and with conscious effort she managed to stop herself from moving to conceal her delicate bits. 
"Th-thank you," she stuttered, so caught up in the moment that she was unsure of what to do next. 
Qestri scooted closer and wrapped her hands around the mouse's waist; they were so large that her fingertips met easily on the small of her back. She allowed the dragoness to pull her down, and they tumbled on the grass together, fur to flesh. After some time they disentangled, with Qestri positioning herself above Charity once more. She held her own weight but kept their bodies close, a refuge of warmth in the chilled night.

Locking eyes with Charity, the dragoness raised her hand, tickling the edge of the mouse's ear before moving lower; she caressed her cheek, then her delicate neck, lingering for a moment with a touch that left the smaller woman's skin tingling. Qestri continued lower, her palm eclipsing Charity's breast entirely. Nonetheless she gently teased her for a few moments, her delicate and finessed touch making the smaller woman shiver with delight. 
Her own hands shaking a bit, Charity watched Qestri begin to draw even lower before she responded in kind. She trailed her fingertips down the dragoness' neck, paying special attention to the stripe of underbelly that traveled the length of her body. Qestri rewarded this with a soft gasp and a little shiver of her own, still moving lower, slow but with purpose. 
Upon reaching her goal, Qestri trailed off to one side for a time, stroking one of Charity's thighs. The way her thumb fit in the gap between them was exciting to her in a way she couldn't quite articulate, and with effort she brought her focus back to her own progress. 
A single hand felt woefully inadequate to deal with Qestri's broad body, and so Charity reached up with her other; together they drew loving patterns across her scales and underbelly, fingertips curling as she deeply drank in the feel of her. Charity would have been a liar if she claimed not to have any particular favorite places, but Qestri's body as a whole was truly exciting both in sight and in touch. She contemplated this, her hands lazily moving downward, until something shocked her out of her thoughts. 
Massive hand resting across Charity's lower abdomen, the dragoness pressed a single thumb between her lips. The mouse yelped softly, her stomach fluttering beneath Qestri's fingertips. Though her mind raced yet again with this new sensation, she willed herself to keep moving, too. 
Qestri shifted above her, making the move a bit easier. Eventually Charity found that succulent cleft between her thighs; it felt full, and heavy... and quite wet. 
Though the angle meant that Charity would be operating on touch alone, she didn't let it stop her, and as the dragoness' probing digit began to stroke her in a place no one else ever had, she responded in kind. Charity moaned tremulously, feeling the dragoness finally began to pay attention to the place on her which had been so needy for so long. If it felt so good for her... then she had to return the favor. 
Upon immersing herself in Qestri's hot slickness, Charity found something smooth and round, something which made the dragoness stop and arch her back quite suddenly when she touched it.
Qestri groaned deeply. "Charity..." 
Encouraged by this, the mouse curved three fingers to better stroke the slick contour of Qestri's engorged clit; it felt absolutely enormous compared to her own, but that just made it all the more appealing. 
Now Qestri began to struggle to keep the pace, but the soft little moans and gasps Charity made helped to spur her onward; the dragoness' thumb simultaneously cradling and caressing the smaller woman's delicate nub. 

They went on like this for a time, their breaths quickening, filling the peaceful night with increasingly desperate cries as they each drove the other to dizzying heights. Charity seemed to reach her limit first; having given as good as she'd gotten up to this point, her breath suddenly caught in her chest. Her entire focus suddenly centered on the growing heat between her own thighs, and after a few more careful and calculated strokes from Qestri (followed by a much quicker repetitive motion), Charity went over the edge. Had she not known better the dragoness might have wondered if the experience was painful for her, but as she gazed into her partner's face she saw pure, unadulterated bliss, her unending wordless screams a desperate cry for more. 
After what felt like a surprisingly long time, Charity's climax finally subsided. Her once wildly bucking hips lay still, and her ragged gasps for breath began to even out. Her head lolled back, eyes still shut, and she mumbled something in Qestri's direction. 
"What was that?" The dragoness asked, leaning in. She was still rather worked up herself, and quietly hoped Charity would remember to relieve her, too. 
"I need... a moment," Charity breathed. "That... was incredible." The hand not currently between Qestri's legs reached up, fumbling, finally coming to rest on back of her neck. She pulled the larger woman in, and they kissed passionately. Hungrily, Qestri forced her tongue into the mix, and was half surprised to find that Charity responded in kind. The enthusiasm was definitely there... even if the skill was not. 
After a moment the mouse sat up, looking up at Qestri with starry eyes. "Was I... doing it right?" She asked shyly. "Or is there something else I should have been doing instead?" 
"You were perfect," Qestri assured her. "I don't mean to rush you, but I do hope you'll try it again..." She shifted uncomfortably, her clit still throbbing with desire. Seeing Charity give herself over to the moment so fully had made her more excited, if such a thing was even possible. 
"Um, my hand is a bit tired, actually... is there another way?" Charity asked. She hurriedly added, "I can still use it, but, I want to make sure it's as good for you as it was for me." 
"Well," Qestri began, "there is..." She shifted onto her knees. "Lie back again, and I'll teach you." 
Charity did as she was told, watching Qestri crawl forward on all fours before positioning herself over the mouse's face. She was intrigued by this new angle, eagerly taking in every last detail of the dragoness' formidable mound. 
"What you did with your hand... you can do it with your tongue, too," Qestri told her. "It's my favorite, actually... I would love if you did it for me." 
Charity blushed, not at the idea of pleasuring Qestri with her tongue, but at the loving way the dragoness regarded her from above. She quickly shifted her gaze back to Qestri's slit, reaching up to part her lower lips before planting a long, deliberate lick from the base of her clitoris up to the top. 
"Mmngh," Qestri groaned from far away. "Use your whole tongue... start off kind of slow," she instructed, managing only through sheer force of will  not to shove herself directly in Charity's face. 
The mouse diligently did as she was told, finding that the underside seemed to yield the strongest results; she concentrated her efforts there, spreading her tongue wide to cover as much surface area as possible. 
The taste of the dragoness was unforgettable; slightly sweet, slightly earthy, with a musky undertone. Charity thought she could learn to like it very much, and idly wondered how she might taste to Qestri. 
Even as her mind wandered, Charity's tongue stayed on target. Qestri's hips bucked wildly despite her best efforts to restrain herself, and the mouse had to move her head this way and that in order to maintain her position. 
The smaller woman gradually began to experiment a little with her tongue placement; after a few different exercises she darted its tip against the base of Qestri's clit repeatedly while the width of her tongue simply rested against its curve, undulating gently. 
"T-th-that!!" She cried. "Like that!! Oh, Charity..." 
It was a matter of moments doing this before Qestri hit her peak, bearing down a bit forcefully onto Charity's mouth as wave after wave of pleasure wracked her body. The mouse started to lick her a bit more broadly now, trying to match with the dragoness' quick, shallow breaths as her hips rolled again and again, grinding herself against Charity's warm and supple tongue. Even as she finished riding out the feeling, Qestri still savored the smaller woman's attentions; Charity's slowing tongue still drew a few gasps out of her before the dragoness was finally through. 
With great effort, Qestri lifted a leg and rolled off to the side, sprawling on her back beside her lover, taking care to keep folded the wing nearest Charity. For a time they simply lay there, saying nothing, thinking of everything. A few stars winked out at them from behind lavender clouds, and directly above their heads the moon was beginning to reach its zenith. 
Charity could scarcely believe that a day which had begun so horribly was ending so beautifully. She reached over and grasped Qestri's forearm, as if to reassure herself that it was all true. The dragoness smiled blissfully at her. 
"So... have you decided where you're heading tomorrow?" Qestri asked. 
"Mm... to be honest, I... was kind of hoping that maybe I could stay with you," Charity admitted, surprising herself with how easily she said it. 
"Me? Really?" The dragoness' scaly brows rose on her forehead. 
"Unless you have an objection, anyway," the mouse replied, tracing shapes on the scales of Qestri's hand. 
"I don't have any objections, but..." the dragoness trailed off, sitting up slowly.
"W-what is it?" Charity asked in hushed tones. She didn't think that the search party, if there was one, would know where to find her... but she had been very loud, and very recently at that.
"The bread! I forgot to put the bread in the oven. I'll be back, alright?" Qestri stood up and ambled back inside the house. Well, Charity thought, maybe that's all the answer I really need.

The search party was small; times of peace and plenty had made the men complacent, and they lacked the skill and confidence of their forebears. The six of them had put on a brave face for the girl's family, but secretly they all hoped that weight of numbers would be enough to give them the advantage. Among them were the two that had tried unsuccessfully to stop her, and after the encounter with that fearsome dragon, they did not have high hopes for the girl's survival. 
One of them snapped a twig; they all froze in place, lanterns swinging wildly.
"It was me!" Hissed the culprit at the back of the procession, exasperated. They had been searching, with no real success, for some possible hidden path or trail that might lead to the dragon's cave.  
The wolf, the one who had stood back uncertainly while his comrade nearly met an untimely doom, caught scent of the girl beside that log where she had been hiding. The trail led on into seemingly endless undergrowth; he notified his comrades, and they began filing onto the hidden path one-by-one. As the last man joined them, they were stopped in their tracks by a bloodcurdling scream made no less terrifying by its apparent distance.
Another.
Another.
Another, still! 
There were several more, intensifying, then a last, weaker than the others, followed by... silence.
The men exchanged glances; some were despondent, some were confused. All were terrified. 
"That's the girl," the older black bear said sadly. "I recognize that voice. We were too late..." 
The men removed their helmets, bowing their heads for a moment in solemn acknowledgment of her senseless death. 
"We'll try and bring back some proof tomorrow," he continued, noting a tatter from Charity's dress that clung to a tangle of blackberry. He turned to the others, donning his helmet once more. "So, who's going to tell her folks?" 

They had dressed again. They were inside now, staying up late to enjoy bread fresh from the oven. It was utterly delicious, and Charity moaned luxuriantly at the flavor of it. 
"Best I've ever had," the mouse declared, before taking another (large, and undignified) mouthful. Qestri grinned, demolishing her own slice in three modest chomps. 
"So, d'you think they'll find us here?" She asked after a comfortable silence. The mouse was nestled against one of Qestri's arms, her head lolling to the side as she contemplated her situation. 
"Maybe. But I don't think they'll be too keen on asking me for your whereabouts when they see this." From the floor beside the armchair she produced the dress, tattered and torn, now stained with what looked very much like blood.
Charity clapped her hands to her face, momentarily horrified... and when she realized the truth, she laughed. "Oh, your dyes! How clever!!" 
"Mm, you flatter me," the dragoness purred, kissing the top of Charity's head. 
"Where are you going to leave it?" She wondered aloud. 
"Ah, I don't know... someplace off the trail, I think. So they have to really get into the underbrush just to grab it... then they'll be in a big hurry to leave, and hopefully they never come back." Qestri waited until Charity had finished her bread before pulling the mouse into a full-on hug from behind, using her body to cradle the smaller woman. 
"And Charity?"
"Yes? What is it?"
"I would absolutely love... to have you stay with me. For as long as you feel comfortable." 
And so she did. Little gestures of affection, exultations of fondness, long nights of passion, and meaningful conversations helped their initial connection bloom into something much greater than either of them could ever have hoped for. By the time the leaves had turned and fallen, coloring the forest floor, they knew that this would be the first of many years spent together. 

EPILOGUE

Back in town, Charity's parents each moved on from their daughter's passing in their own way; her father felt an awakening within himself and left her mother to pursue a life of frugality and minimalism, traveling the countryside with no more than the clothes on his back. 

Her mother remarried, raising her new husband's young daughter with the love and kindness she had often failed to show Charity. Her social climbing became a distant memory, one which she gladly left behind for the betterment of her new family.

Lawrence ran off with a woman of ill repute; nobody knew where they went nor how they fared. He was not missed, not even by his parents. 

Working together, Charity and Qestri devised a plan, and in spring they opened a tailor's shop at the far end of the woods. Charity plied the goods, whilst Qestri produced them. Her old customers remained loyal even as new ones flocked to the little shop which was known as much for its quality as it was its fair prices. 
For their part, the women found they had little need of such money; they redistributed it to needy families as they saw fit, sneaking a coin or two into the pocket of some well-worn pants in for their third round of repairs here, or a child's winter coat there.
After some years, Qestri revealed her identity to the customers; their support for her grew, rather than wavering, and her reputation along with the actions of some others began to shift society's perception of dragons into a more positive light... 
But that is another story, and shall be told another time.