Her Dragon Lover

Her Dragon Lover - Chapter 9

Emyr knew he had hurt her feelings.

'But it was impossible! The first time I read the manuscript, I was often frustrated because most of the pages were blurred!' he told himself.

He had taken a shower and was unwinding with a glass of whisky in his hand. He was just nursing it. He was busy thinking about the old manuscript and Ara Gray.

'Ara is precious! She can read the manuscript. It seemed divulging its secret to her! Can she find the... gem?' He asked himself the inevitable question. 'She's a virgin. Right?'

She was forbidden territory!

The sound of the gong reverberated through the Viceroy Mansion. It was the signal of dinnertime.

Emyr sighed while he dressed in white shirt and grey pants. His feet worn grey loafers. He was eager to see Ara again yet her new status, the virgin who could help him find the 'gem,' forbade him.

The gem... It had been a legend throughout the history of dragons. Nobody had seen it. Some said it was red. Some pink. Some black... Nobody knew for sure!

Emyr tried to make up with Ara during dinner.

"Good evening, Miss Gray," he greeted her formally.

"Good evening, sir." Ara had a shower, too. The clothes she wore were drab and loose again. Her cotton blouse and baggy slacks were white. She pushed her dainty feet into fluffy slippers.

Thank heavens, they were pink!

"Sir Emyr, the dinner is here," Mrs. Cleeve appeared from the Venice Dining Room. "Miss Gray." Her grin was friendly.

He was surprised to see Ara's wide smile in return. Her face transformed magically when she became animated.

Emyr was fascinated. Ara had a hidden beauty!

Ara caught him staring at her. He recovered his senses and withdrew his gaze.

He guided her by the elbow. Ara gave his hand a glance but he ignored it. He pulled a chair for her.

Like her reaction last night to this gentlemanly gesture, she sat timidly.

"Hmm, it smells delicious! What's yours?"

"An omelet!" she expressed with glee.

"You requested it from Mrs. Cleeve?"

"Yes. I want something light! It smells heavenly!" She was so childlike in her delight.

'Oh, how beautiful she is!' Emyr appreciated her silently.

Ara was a changed woman during the meal. She was cheerful.

"I'm sorry I didn't finish the first chapter," she said sincerely when she was sipping her tea.

"It was just wishful thinking on my part. A chapter consists of twenty pages or more," he murmured as he nursed his whisky. The ice cube had melted but he did not mind. He was not drinking it.

"It was an absorbing story," she continued in a dreamy voice.

Emyr feasted his eyes on her face. She looked the way she was in the waiting room of his personal assistant. Ethereal. Waif-like. Delicate.

But she was tough. When she insisted on something, she could be chewy.

An idea occurred inside his mind.

"I really appreciate your work even though it is your first day. And I'd like to give a gift. I hope you will accept it," Emyr expressed humbly.

"Well... as long as it is functional and it is work-related," Ara said carefully.

"Of course, Miss Gray!" he replied triumphantly.

She yawned after a while. "Goodnight, sir," she muttered sleepily.

"I'll call it a night, too. Goodnight, Miss Gray!" He picked up the bell to summon Mrs. Cleeve. "Kindly guide Miss Gray to her suite," he instructed steadily.

"Okay, sir. Come with me, Miss Gray!" Mrs. Cleeve invited Ara cheerfully.

When he was alone, Emyr contacted several couturiers. He ordered several blouses, pants, and dresses. He played safe when he specified a size larger. Although he requested the estimated size of female undergarments for Ara.

"Yes, they shall be delivered on your doorstep first thing tomorrow morning, Mr. Viceroy!" the couturiers promised him.

The next day, Emyr met Ara during breakfast. She knew her way towards the dining room.

Emyr kept a straight face when he saw her wearing a mismatched blouse and skirt. Both were loose-fitting and dark-colored. The clothes did nothing for Ara's fair skin. She appeared pallid and uninteresting.

"Good morning, Miss Gray!" He pulled the chair for her.

"Good morning, sir," she murmured with composure.

"Coffee?"

"Yes, please," Ara replied calmly.

Emyr felt she had something to tell him. "What is it?" he asked frankly.

"May I start early, sir?"

"Why?"

"I finished work at four yesterday. That's seven-hour work. If I started early today, it's eight-hour work."

"Sounds fair. Okay," he agreed soberly.

She had a pancake and a cup of coffee while listening to him. He was telling an anecdote about one of his businesses abroad.

Ara was a good listener.

"What happened?" she asked when he paused to drink his coffee.

"They left empty-handed. Although they were still wondering how I knew their bad deeds."

"How did you know?"

"I did not. I just bluffed them," Emyr lied smilingly. He could not possibly tell her that his dragons in his offices were actually guards that reported to him whenever unruly things happened.

"I have a feeling that you're telling a lie, sir," she countered with a small smile.

"I am really good at bluffing," he chuckled persuasively.

The alarm of her watch sounded. "Saved by the bell, sir." Ara stood up.

Emyr handed the manuscript to her. He left afterwards with a whispered: "See you later, Miss Gray!"

Ara started her work right away.

Emyr was waiting at the door to receive the packages personally. Five cars were parked at the driveway.

"Sir Emyr, would you like some help to carry those?" Old Ponso asked when he saw Emyr lugging a lot of shopping bags.

"Yes. There are still several bags waiting outside."

There were different kinds of shoes and sandals to go with the clothes. A little bag of cosmetics was found with the shoes. It was labeled 'free.'

Mrs. Cleeve was given the task of arranging the new things at Ara's closet.

"Kindly get all her old things and put them inside the backpack, Mrs. Cleeve," Emyr instructed clearly.

"Okay, sir!" The small and round housekeeper was breathless with excitement.

Emyr had to wait for Ara's reaction later that night.

Would she thank him gracefully or would she shout like a banshee and demand her old clothes back?

He did not know what his counter-reaction would be...