he found the boat and the lady at anchor half a days walk down river he bathed and washed in pots of boiling water scalding his skin under his scales but making sure he was safe to be near he scrubbed and she helped him with a long handled brush "what is this we are using on you?" he smiled and laughed
" it's antibacterial soap from my home ..the buck god brought this id bet " " his name is bruvalis" " i pitty him for being avarellis mate.." scrubbing his hands for the tenth time he rubbed soap over his head and worked it under his scales " he loves her for the fact they must work together for children to be ..." bill nodded and rinced off again his loin cloth was being boiled his sword burnt from the fires
that night he was sore and tired he was sleeping very hard when a hand touched his he looked and found himself faceing the buck 'bruvalis'
" i apoligize for the timing william but it was necessary " he sat up still very tired " hmm?" he smiled " i spoke to a few of the other gods they too were very worryed that this would have gone beyond what it did ..they wished to add to my payment to you for the service you provided "
" add to? be nice to know what ya gona pay me in the first place " he smiled and sat down on the ground near the dieing fire " what is it you desire about the lady bill?" he thought deep for a few moments and reached for the flute playing only a portion of the melody it was the part that spoke of such incredible longing that nothing but that would satisfy it " he realized for the first time he had played not the flutes magic

" avarelis wants to touch the createor and thinks by holding one of the wanderers souls that she will gain the knowlege she so desires... you are a wanderer bill your soul has traveled many lives through this existance and each time you have failed to find that which would answer that longing that has no name and no clue to what it is ..only your heart knows ..avarellis belives the moment you find it he will be there to celebrate your joy with you "
" and she said this is where my life finaly comes to an end ..thus finds the key " he nodded smileing " bill my gift to you was this" gestureing at him a bright ray moonlight slamed into his eyes he flinched and cringed from it then it was gone leaving him ..cold  he reached for his blanket and near to screamed as a human hand reached out " to be human for one day but the others each gave you a day also so for nineteen days you can be human " " nineteen? avarellis bowing out of this of course?" " of course ..but she told me to tell you her gift is not takng this away from you"
bill laughed " so how do i " " you must touch that which is dragon still in you" he looked down and found he still had the bluegreen belly scales and a few along his arms " you have become dragon in spirt bill..thus it is impossible to ..change you completely back " "i understand " concentrateing he felt the regrowth of his body and felt much better looking from his normal hight the buck smiled " this could save your life when you need it most bill..take care not to use it all at once" ' only nineteen days? never any more?" the buck smiled " think of it as incentive to help us when we need your..skills.."
and he leaped changeing into his stag form he danced away into a beam of moonlight disapearing from view

bill nodded and layed back down to sleep
the next village they came to he leaped to the dock to the villagers shock and terror tieing the boat up he imeadiately cought the sent of one lady he walked over to her standing looking on with a questioning expression " lady " bowing his head " the male who you enjoyed your moon with ..will never come again this way he sought the dragonesses treasures and now serves her needs ..his first mate wishes to talk to you" gently puting his palm onto her back he guided her to the boat where she was waiting looking on " come up dear ..we have much to discuss" he turned to the villagers " i am william the dragon the ladys guardian i need to speak to the elders" they complyed and he was soon sitting at a table of food with two ladies children enjoying such a meal the ladies on either side the new one gently tuged his arm to the aproaching elders he simply smiled
" ahh elders greetings " " what is it you want dragon" " yes were very busy" he lost his smile " what i want is the folowing for one of the kings guardians
my sword repaired the boat provisoned and a little respect for the ladys guardian ..is that to much sirs?" glareing at them they backed up a little
" not at all sir dragon!" " good ..the king will repay you for the service ..now go away" he tryed the blade and nodded the elders were now more than helpfull one walked up with a scroll " a mesage was delivered for you sir dragon by mage gate" he took it sheithing his sword he broke the seal and took a second to get the magic understanding of the message

it's text wasent one he could read but it became english to his eyes "william the lady has sent me word of what you did to help her i hope this finds you quickly vagrin has gathered his forces and done something quite rash he claims to be prepairing to invade an anchent city once home to the gods
saying there is a way from that city to a world with even greater power ..enough that he could concour this one and thousands of others ..i could only think of your home the lady spoke of this earth in her messages and the many things you told her of ...could they be used for war? ..please rejoin the lady soon as possible and come to the castle together vagrin wishes to speak to you before launching his attack... he has stipulated i have till the next full moons to retrive you from the wilds or he will destroy my castle and procede to the gods home.. could i ask for your help william ?
you said i owe you ..now i say to you name your price if it is my crown you wish ..then so be it i just want to save the lives of those who have no power of there own reply if possible ..ursatll your debtor and friend " he tryed to open a gate and couldent " ladies we must go now " the supplies were loaded and they set sail they quickly made way down river stopping only to gather the ladies and there things each agreeing to come all to willingly they came out in the last of the moonlight before they all went dark as the new moons.  to see the dragon brooding on the stern of the ship his blue eyes casting an erie glow over the deck each looked at the others and smiled " his heart is someone elses dears and his mind is now filled with the worries of a mad king invadeing his home him traped here becouse of the lack of magic " " he is ..quite handsome in his own way " they all agreed

he tied up to the dock at the next port and was greeted by a familiar smell "zisa"  he turned and surged through the gathering crowd to scoop her up she was giggleing profusely as he spun her around "zisa!!" she huged him " how are you now ?" " im fine...found a special friend " gesturing to a young male skunk who smiled and walked over to hold her close " i did not belive zisa when she said you were a dragon sir " bill nodded smileing " snifing lightly he cought the change in her sent he brought a glowing smile up from deep inside she blinked as he set his hand on her belly " a true sorcerceress makes her own magics ehh zisa " she laughed and nodded  " the lady has waited for quite awile for you to return " he stood proud spreading his wings high she was surprised  as he bugled loud as he could and leaped into the air " i am william the dragon!! and i am the ladys guardian !! "
four ladies walked up to zisa  who was stunned at the beutey and the fact each had been touched by great magics so strong they nearly glowed from it
" william has found her then ?" " you must be zisa " she nodded to both questions " he destroyed the plauges that were spreading behind your journeys "
" not so far behind im afraid the lady is quite Ill .no magic has helped shes been locked away to keep it from spreading " they all became very somber
a few let tears flow

he found the inn baracaded by the kings warriors the badger standing there arms crossed he held his hand out to stop him " move" " you dont know what your doing william " " she is sick with the plauge william" looking to galer " gerin died  careing for her she forbade zisa from helping becouse of the baby to come " " then i can help her " " how drake there is no magic here ..not enough to cure that which wont be cured " bill glared " back away badger or i will send you to the dragoness " he did bill walked in finding a shalow grave with gerins shelid set against his sword ..he put his hand there and sighed
he looked into the window and could see her there shivering concentrateing he knew what had to be done only one thing could help now ..when magic was certain to fail  he closed his eyes and reached deep inside he gestureed and a crack of thunder racked the inn as he opened a gateway to the earth
he changed into a human his armor shrunk to fit his form! he smiled and ran up to her room she was delerious as he picked her up he smiled as she looked at him " hello my lady.. fear not im here now and always " "w-w-illiam? you mustent" " lady dragons are immune to the sickness..sleep now "
he wraped her up in the blankets walking to the courtyard  she was there head hung low he glared at the kitsuni tears making both there cheeks wet
"william ..please dont take her " he shoved his face into hers his eyes flared blue fire " your game is over kitsuni..never speak to me again " " i have every right !! to ask you not to take her!! " " what RIGHT DO YOU HAVE!?!?" ....." im her mother "