The human poked his head around the bookcase, and Alex tilted her head, caught off guard. He wasn’t the first human to find their way into her lair - far from it, which is why she had a second, larger chamber that was completely empty just beyond this one, where she typically spent her time destroying the roving bands of knights who thought they could come in and leave with her scales and heart and a story to tell. But this human - he came without armor, without weapons, and didn’t even leave the same lightning striking just out of sight feeling that magic users did. An unarmed, completely human male, in the middle of her lair- Alex was intrigued. At least, intrigued enough not to snap when he touched the sword again, and, worst of all, put it back a half inch off from where it went, muscle twitching in her jaw as her eyes narrowed. “Good. Thieves and Knights are a dragons worst enemies” She responded, before standing, staring down at him writing with her head tilted quizzically. “What are you writing?” She asked, before an idea came to her, and she snapped out “A guide on dragons weaknesses?” At his question, however, she stopped dead, staring at him, absolutely motionless in a way no human could ever get.
Meet with her. Or rather, the dragon, who he had no idea was her, because no dragon had ever let knowledge of their human form escape from beyond their species. He thought she was a prisoner here, most likely, and yet he still wanted to what - talk to her? Or to what he thought was holding her, rather? Oh dear. Was he asking to get killed? “Why?” Alex couldn’t help but ask, dropping back down into a crouch to peer at him. “Most people come with knights, looking to kill a dragon. Or with magic users, wanting to take them apart for spell ingredients. No one ever wants to meet the dragon. What favor could you possibly ask?” She questioned him, suspicious. He might want to have a dragon attack an enemy kingdom, that was the sort of things humans got up to, right? Or perhaps try and take the most precious or powerful part of her hoard for himself? He’d find himself a smear on the wall if it was either of those options, Alex knew that much.
“Oh yeah, no, do not want to be an enemy for a dragon.” he would rather stay alive, thank you very much. It would be hard to keep doing his research if he laid dead in a cave, right? Maybe even became the food of a huge dragon… what did dragons even eat? Maybe lambs and cows? Some had disappeared from the nearby kingdoms, that was for sure. But they hadn’t been enough to feed such an enormous beast, right? Uh, now, that was an interesting question that he really should ask the dragon when he met them. Nate was going to write that question down when her words stopped him “Wait, dragon weaknesses? Well, uh, I feel like saying no would be the safer thing here, but if I want to be honest and everything that would be part of it? But I wouldn’t call it weaknesses per se.” he turned his papers around so she could see what he had written before he remembered that she was far away and probably wouldn’t be able to hear his scrawly handwriting. “It’s like when you’re writing about any other being, you know? Like…” he made a waving gesture with his hands “Like you want to know everything about them?”
He frowned, trying to get his scrambled thoughts back into place so he could explain to her what he had come there to do. “I’m a scholar and I have noticed that there isn’t anything written down about dragons? They’re this huge mystery and it’s no wonder, really. They’re beings that like living in seclusion, only coming out for food and to get more treasures. And don’t you think that’s a shame?” he looked back at the woman “I mean you work with one, right?” which just left such a slew of questions in its awake that he would have to ask both of them. “They seem to be magnificent creatures, and I just want to know more about them? Study their habits, ask some questions.” Nate paused “So, uh… Can I see them? And uh, are you able to communicate well with them? Because that is like, something I really need to do to actually do a good research and everything.”
Throughout his entire rant, Alex just stared, her head cocked to the side as she watched the human fumble with his papers. “What is there to know?” She asked, curious in spite of herself. “You all seem to have a pretty good grasp on things. Dragons are vicious, mindless beasts, with no families or language or society, monsters who live in the hills and take things for fun, best dealt with by killing them as quickly as possible if they take a liking to any sort of land near your kingdom.” The words were sneered down at him, voice caustic and sarcastic, and the brunette stared down at him as she spoke. Most of the ones who managed to find their way here were either looking to kill her, or sent as some kind of fucked up gift, that she was more than happy to pretend to sneak out and into another town far away when the situation called for it. This was - new. Completely, and unexpectedly, and dangerously, new.
But - Well. Alex knew her weaknesses, and knew that right there on the top of the list was one that nearly every dragon shared - she was vain, and she was prideful. And someone, anyone, coming and calling her - or rather, “the dragon” - magnificent - well. Maybe she shouldn’t eat this one, after all. “You know, you’re the first person to ever even ask me if a dragon can speak.” She commented, arms still crossed, staring down at him. True, she’d have to play things carefully - if he found out too much, it would put her entire species in danger - but hell, why not. She was bored, and this seemed more entertaining than going and moving things around in Noahs hoard again. “You know, dragons dont actually like having people in their space.” She responded, before sighing. “Stay right there, I’ll come down. Dont set off any booby traps. I guess theres no harm in you staying the night at least, theres a spare bed around here somewhere.” and, if he did try and kill her during the night, she could have a lovely midnight snack.