Harnel smiles, remembering what his parents had told him about how they had met. Since getting the wedding inheritance, Harnel had found some measure of closure; talking about them now wouldn't be too difficult.
"My parents were an interesting pair. From what they told me, my father had been charged with defending the surrounding area from a vicious man-eating dragon. Chances are, they weren't too far off the mark, given the way Mother acted sometimes. But when Father entered her cave, he saw her in her human form, and decided, maybe there was a different way to end the problem."
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"Ohh... how romantic!" Well, except that man-eating part. "Then what happened?" The nymph asks curiously while slumping down in the recliner once again. "Did he woe her with romantic gifts or did he prove himself in combat?"
Harnel grins, "well, yes, but not in the way that you're thinking. See, immediately when she saw Father, Mother transformed back into her natural form and charged him. Somehow, he managed to beat her, and when she wasn't able to fight any more, Father told her something she hadn't expected."
"'You're mine now, dragon. I've beaten you in fair combat, and neither of us have a mate. That makes you mine.' After that he told his armsmen to wait outside. I'm told that mother discovered she was pregnant with my clutch not long after."
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"Oh... did you mother ever give her version of what happened?" It didn't really sound as romantic as she had imagined but surely it couldn't be as bad as it sounded right?
Harnel grins wider, "She loved him quite a bit. You have to understand; dragons are attracted to power. They covet power, and mates are seen as a most treasured possession. Even I suffer from that. But the fact that something so small as a human had grown so powerful despite it's size and stature, especially given that he was by no means a mage, meant that she was deeply attracted to him after he bested her. And Father was right. It's a dragon mating ritual to duel and see who comes out on top. The victor can decide what happens to the loser after that."
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"Huh... that's cool." Zelia replies with an thoughtful expression. She had known a few dragons but they had been different. "So... does that mean you had a duel with Cessie before you mated?"
Harnel laughs, "No. In fact, it was pretty awkward. Neither of us knew how to approach the other; I was so weird to her, and I had next to no experience with women."
Harnel himself takes a spot in one of the recliners.
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"So what did you do then? I know my grand daughter had some experience at the very least but she never really wanted to go into details on how you ended up together." Zelia asks, giving Harnel a very intrigued look.
Zelia sigh. "Always so private." She says with a shake of her head. "I didn't just ask just out of curiosity you know? I actually want to help you spice things up a bit. Help you two have some fun. Copying the first date is always a classic, or maybe you could challenge her to a romantic duel." The nymph says with a wink.
Harnel thinks for a moment. That wasn't a bad idea, when it came right down to it, "That last suggestion... I think I'll take it. We can see just how powerful Cessie is. How powerful I am. I wonder who will win?"
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The nymph shrugs, looking rather amused by the idea. "She might not have the same idea of romantic as you do though. Maybe if you did it naked..." Zelia says before bursting into another giggling fit.
Harnel shrugs, "I still think it would be a good idea to see how well we do against one another. If we can't handle one another, then how would we manage to win against others?
Evidently, he's flat ignoring the naked suggestion
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The nymph shrugs, "When it comes to fight I just run away. Never seen the need to fight." She apparently isn't the best person to ask about these sort of things.
Harnel nods, "I'm the sort that fights so that others don't have to, most of the time. To be completely honest, sometimes I do it because my greed gets the better of me, but being a good person comes first and foremost."
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"Even when there is no need to fight? I know my grand daughter isn't a fan of violence either. Fighting each other like that... well, I guess that's your way." It wasn't hers though.
"It was my parent's way more than anything else. I'm just musing on the idea at the moment." Harnel says. Then he scratches the back of his head. There's something he want to ask but... should he?
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"Any other ideas you have? You know her better then me after all. Girl is too shy to really tell me anything." The nymph says with a shake of her head. "What about those apples? Can't you eat them?"
The nymph rolls her eyes, "For a surprise romantic evening silly." She says with a grin. "Or you could take one before the duel. She'll love it even if she got a broomstick stuck in her arse some times."
"That's the point! Loosen up a bit, go crazy, rattle some cages! If you plan to stay together forever you need that sort of stuff. Trust me. The same old get's a bit boring after a time." Zelia tells the half-dragon.
"I've tried that before, and every time I do I need to be myself or I screw it up somehow." Harnel says. Come on Zelia, push! you know he'll cave if you keep pushing!
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The nymph sticks her tongue out and then shakes her head, "How in the world can I help you if you refuse to tell me anything? Just try enough and it will work out, it's sure beats falling back on old cards all the time." She tells him with a faint smile.
Harnel chuckles, "I'll keep that advice in mind, thank you."
By this point, Cora is standing up by using the side of the crib to support her, staring wide-eyed at Zelia. Bastion, on the other hand, has fallen asleep. Don't they both look so cute in their footie jamies?
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Zelia smiles wishfully at the twins as she notices Cora's curiosity. "Mm, no problem. I just wish your family to be happy, it's the least I can do for my grandchildren. I never figured I would have such cute part-dragon babies in my family though."