text: Osoth spread his wings. "And now that that is accomplished, I beg of you, O my stygian fiancée, to impel your courtesan to deliver us unto the divers disportments procurable in the vicinity!"
  
  "He said 'yes'," said Nrararn.
  
  "Well. I certainly didn't say 'no'," Osoth affirmed, or, at least, did not deny.
  
  I turned into my usual hoven shape. "Right! Let's go!"
  
  The other dragons stared at me, tails curled in distaste.
  
  "We'll have a much better time in hoven shape," I said. In Grand Draconic, out of embarrassment.
  
  The other dragons glanced at each other, not speaking, not changing.
  
  "Really. Everything's arranged for hovens here. Because, well, they've never had visitors who weren't hoven before," I said. "So, if you want a comfortable seat at a show, say, or a ride on the big wheel, or anything, you'll need to be in hoven shape. And we'll scare them less that way."
  
  The other dragons eyed each other.
  
  After a moment, Csirnis put on his most diplomatic voice. "I wouldn't say I'd never take a hoven shape on this part of the trip, but on the whole if I'm around other dragons, I'd rather look my best. It may be somewhat of a drake's foible, or even shortcoming, and I freely admit that it is not a matter of dire rational necessity, but... forgive me. I shall assume, I have assumed, a smaller size for the sake of the natives. But the situation has not yet arisen in which I wish to give up my claws and teeth in front of my worthy adversaries Osoth and Nrararn."
  
  Osoth and Nrararn smirked a bit at each other to get called 'worthy adversaries'. Nrararn said, "You know I'm not entirely averse to shapeshifting in the pursuit of tourism — I was once the gaudiest duck on all of Hove, if you recall — but for more than an hour or two, I'd rather be myself."
  
  "To say nothing of the risk of cyoziworms," said Arilash. "You and Llredh both got menaced by them in a matter of days. Our drakes and you would probably be safe enough, but I don't have any more dangersense than Llredh."
  
  "And no more ability to keep away from whores, too?" I snapped. In Grand Draconic, which Tarcuna never will understand. "That's how Llredh got caught."
  
  "Right. Here's your fiancée point. I think you're still keeping score," she said. "Though, for those who care, I haven't mated with anyone but my fiancés since the mating flight started." She glanced at the drakes as if challenging them to care. They did not meet her glance, though. "Or maybe I'm just as vain as a drake."
  
  I turned back into a hoven-sized dragon, and hissed, "And I guess there's your fiancée point back."
  
  Arilash dipped her head. "Thank you. For not fighting, I mean. I've had too much fighting lately."