Madyssorth the Golden, Lady of the Deep, Queen Beneath the Mountain, Keeper of the Endless Vault, breathes a huff of flame from her snout.
The Thief is in her vault again. She can smell her. Hear her clinking through piles of treasures, toppling them as if every item in her vast hoard is not meticulously placed.
She rises from her slumber and stretches her great wings, wiggles her toes and rolls her shoulders. It's so hard to get a good nap with the Thief around, every month she insists on intruding.
The Dragon stomps her way toward the intruder, clawed feet sinking deep into piles of coin (It's such a simple system! You can walk on the coins! They're all the same! They aren't organized!) as she goes.
"There's my lady." Says the Thief, wearing (WEARING! AN ANTIQUE!) a pilfered crown plucked from her collection.
Madyssorth lifts the crown off her head, gingerly places it back where it belongs with the other relics from that kingdom. Other relics that are now in disarray from the Thief's perusal.
"You disturb my collection." She grumbles. "I should eat you, pestering thing."
The Thief pouts.
"Come now, don't be grumpy." She says, looking up at her with those stupid eyes. "I brought you a present."
She takes a shard of a shattered amulet from her pocket, and Madyssorth's eyes go wide.
"Is that-?"
"A fragment of Ghax'zis the Quiet's phylactery." The Thief says, relishing in how the Dragon's eyes follow it. "You know, there's only one of these in human possession. Rest have all been snatched up by some dragon, I heard."
Madyssorth picks her up by the back of her shirt with her teeth, carrying her like a scruffed kitten. She practically prances through her hoard, until she reaches a spot piled with regal rugs and pillows and drops the human into it.
"The fragment." She says, holding a claw out expectantly.
"Is that how you ask?" Counters the Thief, lounging in her newfound comfort smugly.
"The fragment or I eat you."
She giggles and hangs it on Madyssorth's claw. The Dragon rushes off through the vault, as if the amulet might vanish if not placed in just the right spot in time. The Ghax'zis exhibit. She takes a human form to place it, not trusting her massive claws with the delicate task. In a glass case, carefully warded, all the fragments of that which held the vile lich's soul. She feels giddy, circles the display over and over, admiring it from every angle so she can be absolutely certain it's just right.
It takes almost an hour for her to return to where she left the Thief- where the Thief demonstrably no longer is. She sniffs her out among the relics of the Children of the Virgin, inspecting the jewels that adorn a silver goblet.
"Put that back." The Dragon whines, picking her up again after she does and returning her to her pile of cushions.
"Do you like your present?" The Thief asks, as the Dragon takes her human form again and lounges with her.
"Yes!" She breathes, heart still fluttering. "It's perfect, Gronarum is going to be so jealous. He'll have to admit that mine is the superior hoard."
"I'm glad." Hums the Thief, and they relax together until something catches her eye and she leaves the pile again.
She smirks and bites her tongue as she's once again scruffed and returned and joined in human form.
"Maddy," she asks, stifling laughter, "what is this?"
"What is what?" Madyssorth asks, brow furrowed. "You've been busy, you should rest."
"Rest right here, where you've made a spot for me?"
"Yes?"
The Thief giggles, sinking into a pillow.
"What??" Asks the Dragon, confused.
"Maddy... You're arranging me." Says the Thief, and Madyssorth flushes.
"I'm- I am not!"
"You aaaarreeee!" Beams the Thief. "You think I'm a treasure!"
"N-No!" The Dragon whines. "I just think that- that you should stay right here, in your spot, when you're in my hoard. So I know where you are."
"Because I'm treasure."
"Because it's comfy and you keep touching things when you wander!"
"Mmm." Hums the Thief, looking at her in a way that makes her feel... things. "And only you get to touch your treasures, right?"
"Right!"
She just keeps looking at her, hungrily.
"W-What?"
