Lessons with Janus had once been her favorite part of the day. That place had been usurped by Galen when Serali began seeing him on a regular basis. But now her times with Cervus were beginning to be the best. Magic lessons were fun, but she was at a point in her learning where a great deal of tedious ceremony was necessary for the least little spell. Fighting lessons, on the other hand, were exciting and fun, after she got over the soreness of the first few. While she had been with Janus, she had gotten soft. As a child she had run wild over the hills and valleys near Land's End, but magic more often required one to sit in one place for long periods of time.

Exercising was enjoyable, and she took confidence in her quick mastery of the subject matter. Cervus himself, who was always sparing with praise had told her gruffly that she was "not half bad, for a skinny mage girl."

Her time with Galen was another matter. She still enjoyed being with him, but there was always the nagging guilt at how she was keeping him in the dark. She had promised Janus that she would tell Galen her secret, but the knowledge that it might drive them apart kept her procrastinating. And when she wasn't busy thinking about her own problems, she sensed that something was troubling him as well. Admittedly, she couldn't be sure. She had never been close like this to anyone before, so she didn't know how accurate her perceptions were.

It was only a few days later that she found out that they were all too accurate.

Galen had come later than usual, arriving long after Serali's magic lessons had ended. His expression was serious, almost sad, as he asked her if she would like to go riding. Serali agreed, and the two mounted up and headed off. Galen led the way, not out to the country as he usually did, but in toward the center of the city. Serali asked where they were going, but he didn't answer. He just shook his head and continued on. The ended up at a tiny square of park-land that sat on a gentle hill not far from the palace. the whole city was visible below them, the only thing higher the palace itself. Serali looked out over the scene, with the sun setting in the west, near where she could dimly make out Janus' tower. To the east, the great river flowed on its way to the distant sea.

For a long time they stood, still mounted on their horses, looking off into the distance. Then Galen spoke.

"Serali, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. I didn't want to because I wasn't sure how you'd react, but I've been lying to you for a long time, and I can't keep it up anymore."

"Galen, I..."

"No, let me finish. If I don't say this now, I don't know when I'll be able to work up the courage again." he paused, as if uncertain of what to say next. then he turned to where the palace towers loomed above the city. "There, can you see that northernmost tower, the short one with the balcony half way up?"

Serali nodded. "Yes, I see it." A short tower at the edge of the palace grounds, square rather than round like the tall central spires, and with a railed balcony on the third floor.

"The room with the balcony is where I live."

"I don't understand, you live in the palace? I thought that only the royal family and their retainers actually lived there."

"Yes. That's the truth."

"But you always said you were a noble, not a servant."

He sighed. "I am a noble, the most noble of all. You see, my name isn't really Galen Marten. It's Galen, though. Galen D'Trevius."

"Wait a minute, you don't mean Prince Galen?"

He nodded.

"The second son of King Valor?"

"Yes."

"But what is there to be ashamed of in that? I was afraid that you were hiding something awful!"

"I'm not shamed to be a prince, but I was ashamed of lying to you. You've trusted me so much and I wasn't telling you the truth."

Serali shook her head. "Don't be so eager to put me on a pedestal, I'm not perfect either. In fact, I've been hiding something from you as well. Something a lot worse than your secret, I'm afraid."

"I can hardly believe that. You're practically perfect." He smiled.

"No I'm not. But why did you hide who you were in the first place?"

"I didn't really intend to hide anything, I assumed that everyone would know who I was, so I never bothered to introduce myself as 'Prince Galen.' And when I realized that you had no idea who I was, but you had danced with me anyway, and seemed to like me, I couldn't bear to tell you for fear that you would turn out to be just like all the silly girls that chase me for money and power. I decided that I would get to know you, find out if somebody could really love me for myself instead of for my title. And you have, you've been perfect and wonderful."

"No." Serali interrupted. "I haven't been perfect. Didn't you hear, I've been hiding something too."

"What horrid secret could you have?"

"I... It's not something that you'll believe if I just tell you, I need to show you. Follow me."

With that she turned her horse and headed to the city wall. Galen followed, keeping his curiosity contained. They rode under the wall, the gateman pausing as he closed the gate at sunset to let them through. They continued on, past Janus' tower, past the outlying homes of the nobles, past even the shacks that huddled at the edges of the city, until they were far into the country. Serali stopped her horse at a field, the same place she and Janus had come last year when she showed Janus her true form. Now, in the little field, protected from the road by a small hill and form other prying eyes by a few scraps of woodland, she dismounted and walked to the center of the open space.

She turned back to where Galen was dismounting. "Stay there and hold onto the horses, they might bolt."

Galen nodded, mystified by Serali's strange behavior, but willing to go along with her.

"You weren't who you said you were, I know. I don't mind, price or peasant, you're still the same person. but I've been lying to you about what I am."

Galen couldn't hold his silence any longer. "What you are? What do you mean by that? You're Serali, the innkeeper's daughter, Janus' apprentice. And even if you aren't those things, you're no more a different person for that than I am for being a prince."

"Yes, those things are true, but they aren't the whole truth. You see, I've left out one thing. I'm the innkeeper's adopted daughter.

"And that means anything?"

"I'm not finished. Yes, that means something. Because I'm not human."

"What?"

"I'm not human." She repeated.

"Serali, that isn't funny."

"I'm not joking. But I don't expect you to believe me just because I say so, I'll show you. Hold on tight to your horse, he'll most likely try to bolt."

Then she closed her eyes and began the change. She heard a startled whinny and thunder of hooves. When she opened her eyes, she saw Galen's horse disappearing between the trees, Galen having dropped the reins in surprise. Galen looked at her, fear and disbelief battling on his face. Serali lowered her head until it was level with his and looked him in the eye.

Galen stared at her. Her eyes were different, slit like a cat's and as large as his outspread hand, but they were the same leaf green shade, and held the same gentle expression as Serali's always had.

"Serali?"

"Yes, it's me."

He moved forward tentatively. Slowly he reached out a hand and touched Serali's face. The scales were warm and smooth beneath his hand.

"It is you."

Serali nodded slightly.

Galen shook his head in wonder. She's huge, he thought. Actually Serali was rather small for a dragon, a mere thirty feet, counting tail. But to a six-foot man, thirty feet, even when a third of it is tail, is very big. She wasn't joking, she really isn't human. Then the consequences of that thought occoured to him Oh no!

He sank to the ground.

"Galen? What's wrong?"

He struggled to hold back the tears the were suddenly gathering in the corners of his eyes. "I can't... My family..."

Serali put one rather large arm around him protectively. "It's all right, take your time."

Galne got a hold of himself. "I'm a prince. Because I'm not the crown prince, I can marry for love. I don't need to have a political match. Of course marrying a mage would have been a bit of a scandal, but I could have done it. But now, now..." He trailed off again.

"You can't marry a dragon, is that it?"

He nodded mutely, his misery showing clearly.

Serali felt a pang of loss shoot through her. This particular prince charming wouldn't give her a happily ever after, it seemed. With an inner sigh she tucked her loss away to be dealt with later. right now Galen needed her to be cheerful so that he would be able to get on with life.

Galen looked up at her again. "Please understand, it isn't that I don't love you, or that I don't want you because of what you are, I would never leave you for that. But my whole life I've been raised with my royal duty, and I can't just throw it away. I just can't"

"I understand." Serali said sadly. "No matter what the songs say, there are things more important than love."

"That's what I'm trying to tell myself, but I don't think I believe it."

"It is true. Listen Galen, there is no such thing as a 'one true love.' I do love you, never think otherwise, and if I could I'd be with you all my life. Someday you'll find a fair maiden that you can give you heart to without giving up your duty. And someday I'll find some dashing dragon who'll give me the children that I doubt you and I could ever have. And maybe that is for the best. I think we could have been blissfully happy together, but a dragon lives forever, Galen, and humans don't. You would have grown old and died while I stayed young. Perhaps I could have lived with that, but it would break my heart worse to lose you after having you for years than it will right now."

"Maybe you're right, but right now I don't feel like I could love anyone else." He was struggling not to cry.

Serali put her arms around him, holding him carefully. "That's all right too. There's nothing wrong with feelings. And crying isn't just for girls."

With a soft "Thank you," Galen put his arms around her neck and cried. Serali lay down so that she wouldn't have to be bending over and curled herself around him, tucking her tail up by her head like the great serpent that surrounded the world. She stayed still while the dusk deepened into night, her own tears dropping to the ground as the full extent of what she was giving up hit her. At last, when she was all cried out, she looked down at Galen. He had fallen asleep, his emotional release draining him out.

With the utmost care she stood up, cradling Galen's still from in her arms. She walked to the end of the field and got a running start. Somewhat awkwardly because of Galen's extra weight she launched herself into the air. With strong steady beasts of her wings she gained altitude until she could see the city stretched below her. Circling high above it, unseen against the dark moonless sky she finally located her destination and launched into a shallow dive. Pulling up expertly, she extended her feet at just the right second and landed with a soft thump on the balcony of the tower that Galen had pointed out to her. The wide glass paned doors that led into the room were just wide enough for her to squeeze through. She eased her way into the spacious room. There was a big four posted bed against one wall. She gently put Galen down on it. Then, reluctant to leave, she shifted back to human form.

She looked down at Galen, memorizing his already familiar features. His handsome face was peaceful in repose, a lock of his unruly hair straggling down over his forehead. Serali brushed it back. She thought of the old childhood story. Beauty and the best, she thought with some irony. Only this time there's no spell to break and make everything work out happily ever after. She sighed. There was no use delaying any longer.

She kissed him on the forehead and then turned back to the balcony. With a thought she shifted back to dragon form and turned to go.

She halted suddenly, hearing a soft sound of surprise from the other end of the room

Standing in the doorway, dressed in a white nightgown and clutching a teddy bear was a little girl. She was probably no more than six or seven years old.

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

Serali stood speechless, unable to think of a thing to say.

"How did you turn into a dragon? Can I do it? Could you teach me?"

"Shhh, don't wake him." The girl put a finger over her lips and continued in a whisper. "Why did you kiss my brother? Are you in love?"

Serali finally managed an answer. "I can turn into a dragon because I am a dragon. I don't think I could teach you how."

"Oh. That's why you're saying goodbye then. I've already been told about marrying for state. Mother says that since I'm a princess I have to marry a prince, or at least a duke or an earl or something. So he can't marry you either because dragons can't be princesses or duchesses or things like that."

Serali sighed again. "Yes, that's all too true." Then she shook her head. "I have to go. Tell your brother farewell for me. I don't think I'll be seeing him again."

She turned to leave again but stopped. Running her claws over her scales she found one that was loose. She worked at it until it came free. Then she turned back to the little girl. "Here, give this to Galen when he wakes up. He'll know who it's from."

The girl took the scale from Serali's huge taloned hand. "I will."

Then she turned back to the door one last time and, spreading her wings, she leaped off the balcony and flew away into the night.

The girl stood on the balcony and waved goodbye until the dragon disappeared into the darkness.

She didn't attempt to dress stunningly, she wore a simple dress and no jewlery. She didn't try to be seen with the prince as so many of the otehr nobles were. She merely watched. And when, after the first dance, Galen and his new bride split up as was traditional and danced with others in oreder to bring good luck, Serali came forward. Other girls clamored for Galen's attention, but once hi glimpsed Serali he ingnored them.

They spun around to the music, looking into each other's eyes and thinking about might have beens. At last Galen spoke.

"Can you forgive me?"

"What is there to forgive? Getting married is hardly a sin."

"I married her even though all my family and most of the nobles in the kingdom were against it. I shoudl have done as much for you."

"No, you shouldn't have. She may be a scandal, but she will eventually be a political asset. And I think you love her very much."

"I... I do. Three years ago I would have said I could never love again, but I think I actually love her more than I did you."

Serali smiled. "That's all I needed to hear. I hope you will be happy with her, and I hope she appriciates what she's getting."

"Waht about you? Have you found that dashing young dragon?"

"No. I've been spending most of my time in the tower. I'm a journeyman twice over. I'll be leaving tomorrow, in fact. I only stayed to say good-bye to you."

Then the music was over. Serali curtsyed and said"Good-bye prince charming. I wish you and your princess well." Then she was gone.

Galen took a step after her as if to call her back, but his bride came up out of the crowd so instead he took her arm and led her out to the next dance. It seemed to him as he spun her around on the floor that all of his might have beens and dusty dreams were being swept away by the music, leaving him with only the happy present.

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