Sleeping in a straw bed was surprising comfortable. Once would expect that the straw would poke and stab at their skin and normally that would indeed be the case, however Kon''s scales and fur acted like a barrier. Making the usually uncomfortable bed quite comfortable.


    The light streaming in through the bars that criss-crossed the window however wasn''t quite as comfortable. Kon raised a hand to block out the the light as he groaned. He frowned trying to figure out when he got a window like this in his apartment.


    He pushed himself up and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face as he yawned. He turned to look at a clock he always had on the wall and paused as nothing but stone greeted him. He blinked in confusion and swept his gaze across the room, taking in its cell like state and bare nature.


    The memories slowly tumbled back into his mind and his expression of confusion vanished, he sighed. Feeling sullen as he got up. He walked around the room, taking the chance to look through the window.


    The view that greeted him was the skyline of the city. Houses stretched as far as the eye could see before even those were hidden behind towering buildings and structures. In the far distance he could spy a towering mountain with what appeared to be a palace build upon its slopes.


    His gaze wander, taking in the sight of both a familiar yet alien landscape. A hard and insistent knocking at the door to his cell broke him from his musing.


    Turning to face the door as it swung open. Revealing a maid, the sight of her made Kon''s mind wander to the previous maid''s who''d cleaned him. It make him noticed how he''d never seen any male servants.


    His face scrunched up as he recalled the fat man and joined the dots as to why this place only have female servants.


    Shaking that thought from his mind he pushed off from where he leaned against the wall as the maid gesture at him to come. Once he left the cell the maid pulled out a thin and silver strip of chain. She placed one end upon the collar, the metal seamlessly fused with the collar around his neck.


    The maid check to see if it was working and tugged Kon forward, the movement jerking the chain now attached to his collar. He stumbled forward before falling into place alongside the maid.


    They walked through the plain hallway, on either side was door similar to the one that led to the cell he''d spent the night in. He could hear sound coming from within some, likely their occupants.


    The maid guided him out of that part of the building and into a far more lush and expensive part. It felt like he''d gone from the back end and was now in the front end of this place. A rich and comfortable carpet was soft against his bare feet, the thick threads a pleasing sensation as they shifted around his claws with each step.


    The maid pulled him into a small room. It had dark lighting and no windows. Several couches with a rich red, almost black coloured leather ran along the sides of the room.


    The maid directed him to sit on one of the couches before hooking the other end of the chain to a bracket on the wall. She left shortly after that, leaving him in the room alone.


    The sound of voices slowly filtered in through the other entrance to the room. The the fat man and a person who was dressed in a large feathered coat that screamed I''m rich entered the room.


    They were in the middle of a discussion. Seemingly about him.


    "So I''ve heard you wish to give a gift to our most holy emperor. I''m not sure if my informants were correct but they say you have a-"


    The richly dressed man pauses upon seeing Kon sitting on the couch. He smiled but it wasn''t a pleasing one. It made Kon feel like an object with how interest flared in the man''s eyes.


    "Well, they were not lying. You do have a [GOD MADE] I''ve never seen one so... intact."


    The richly dressed man muttered. The fat man chuckled, his rolls of flesh bouncing as he let out a hearty laugh.


    "Of course! Why did you not believe me? I''m the Great Hisen! I do not claim falsehoods!"


    The fat man said, revealing his name was Hisen, the other man nodded. Giving a warm smile as he clapped Hisen''s shoulder.


    "Indeed, I should have never doubted you friend. Our emperor will be most pleased with this gift. Such a rare creature will surely gain us great influence and allow us to expanse far greater."


    The richly dressed man paused.


    "Perhaps we might be able to finally get a branch on the flying city. It''s docked at the moment but who knows when it will leave, we must act with haste before this chance slips through our fingers."


    Stolen novel; please report.


    The richly dressed man said flicking his fingers as he spoke. A maid answered his call, appearing alongside him and bowing. The richly dressed man nodded and flicked his head toward Kon.


    "Get it ready, we leave for the palace in an hour."


    The maid bowed, lifting her dress slightly as she rose up. The two men left, still engage in discussion about how they would expand.


    The maid once they were out of sight dropped her act and strode with a quite kind of confidence. She deftly pulled the chain from where it was latched to the wall and curtly spoke.


    "Up"


    Kon obeyed, pulling himself off the couch as the maid quickly started to walk away. Dragging him in tow.


    They quickly left the fancy side of the building and returned to the backend of it. The maid pulled him into a dressing area, the first male servant Kon had seen so far was cutting fabrics up and another maid was sowing them. The maid dragging Kon along shoved him onto a chair.


    "The bosses wants this one ready, he''s going to be a gift to the emperor so find something that looks good for it and have it ready quick. You know what happens if you fail."


    The male servant''s hands shook at the mention of punishment and he nodded.


    "Yes of course. I''ll have it ready as soon as possible."


    He said, his voice shaking ever so slightly. He grabbed a measure tape as the first maid left the room. Kon eyed the man as he drew near and started to measure him. After a short silence he spoke to order Kon up.


    "Get up and hold your arms out."


    He did so, getting up and walking a pace from the chair before holding his arms out. The man quickly measure the rest of him before walking back to the table he was cutting cloth on. The other maid had stopped sowing and turn to look at the man.


    She was seemingly waiting for something. That something became clear as the man muttered to himself, he tapped the table slowly. His fingers making a drumming sound as he thought.


    "Its body is awkward, the tail makes most leg clothing difficult... a upper body works... a robe perhaps?"


    The man said, mostly to himself. The maid chimed in.


    "Perhaps we can use this."


    She said, lifting a rich and expensive looking fabric. It was a rich black, with veins of gold scattered throughout. The man shook his head however.


    "No, too difficult to work with, if we had a day more perhaps. The spine-beast''s hide do we still have some of that left over?"


    He asked, the maid rummaged into pile of fabrics behind her, after a bit she pulled a deep mottled black and grey leather. The man nodded.


    "Good we can make a good coat and perhaps some pants with this. The stiffness will aid for an opening for its tail as well."


    They quickly got to work, Kon had sat back down on the chair. He felt out of place, like he wasn''t supposed to be here. Although that feeling slowly left as the minutes passed.


    After what felt like forever the male servant voice cut through his thoughts.


    "Hey, get up."


    He did so, the servant was standing before him, holding a rather expensive set of pants. The leggings were clearly made for him, they had a hole at the back for his tail and an interesting design. They were baggy yet they also narrowed at the ends.


    The man gesture for Kon to undress, he didn''t exactly want to but it didn''t seem like he had a choice. He undid the knot at the front of his shorts and shimmed out of them. The man took the shorts from him and gave him the new pants.


    They were soft, far softer then they had any right to be. They slid silky smooth against the scales of his leg as he pulled them up. Letting the rest comfortably against his waist. The pants fit perfectly but Kon didn''t get a chance to full enjoy it.


    The man shoved another article of clothing into his hands. It was a similarly baggy shirt that seemed almost like a sweater rather then a shirt. He pulled it on regardless, struggling a bit to get it over his collar for a moment. But it fit perfectly as well. Its arms narrowed in a similar manner to the pants. Conforming to his body.


    The man seemed to be proud of his work, although he didn''t get to gloat for long. The door to the dressing area opened and the maid who''d guided Kon to the place returned. They nodded at the sight of him. All dressed up.


    "Good."


    The maid sit, walking to Kon and grabbing the chain hanging off his collar. She tugged on it, getting him to move.


    They exited the dressing room, moving through the hallways. This time they didn''t bring him to the front area of the place. Instead they moved through hallway after hallway until arriving in a small courtyard, a tight road lead out onto the street and in the courtyard sat a carriage.


    The creature dragging the carriage behind it however was something out of a nightmare. It looked like if you took a horse, killed it before scraping its bones clear and then took a lizard, scaled it up to the size of a horse and crudely inserted the horses bones into and along its body. Giving it the image of having its bones on the outside.


    The creature shifted, turning its head to look at the two people who''d showed up. Its eyes, it had four of them. Two large golden eyes that sat where eyes normally should and two more, smaller eyes that sat below its main eyes. The second set had a gold almost red colour and constantly flicked to and from different points all around.


    A voice cut through the stirring curiosity in Kon''s chest.


    "A beauty isn''t she?"


    Turn to find the source of the voice Kon was meet with the sight of an old grizzled man leaning against the wall of the courtyard. He was smoking a pipe, the smoke was a strange purple colour and didn''t seem to follow the soft breeze that gently blew through the yard.


    Kon opened his mouth, almost about to respond but the maid did first.


    "Porter. You know why your here, I assume the boss''s told you?"


    The man huffed. Exhaling another puff of smoke.


    "Yes yes, aren''t you a stickler. Can''t an old man have some fun?"


    The maid stared at him with a bland expression until he huffed and pushed off the wall. Waving her off as he walked over to the creature side and patted it. He grabbed the side of the carriage and lifted himself up to the drivers seat.


    The porter huffed and tapped the carriage behind him.


    "Well get on, they are waiting in the palace."


    Kon turned to the maid who was already dragging him towards the carriage. She pulled open the door and got inside, tugging on the chain to get Kon to get in. The inside of the carriage was opulent. Rich carpet covered the floor and the seats was a soft leather. The space was rather cramped with the two of them inside.


    The maid huffed, and Kon had the feeling she didn''t exactly like him. She rapped her knuckles upon the wall of the carriage and with a jolt it started to move.


    Kon swallow, a nervous pit opening up in his stomach. He didn''t know what was waiting him but it felt impossibly daunting.


    He clenched his fists together, settling in for the long ride.