As they reached the gates splitting the lower and upper districts William quickly realized a problem with this plan. It was how he was dressed, and the fact he was drunk. “I think we will have a problem.” William hissed, “The guards are arse-”

A guard immediately picked on William. “You sir. What is your purpose!” His spear lowered menecing the intoxicated baker.

William sputtered before Urial intervened, “He is a Domestic Dragon Matchmaker, he is looking to find a partner to the Domestic Dragons in the upper districts.” She flashed her silver citizenship medallion. Wisely on a thick cord around her neck, “Is there a problem?”

The guard backed away from her confidence and left to find something else to do.

“You have a silver citizenship?” William was intimidated. This woman might be upper class.

She shrugged, “I used to work up here but I wanted my own store, couldn’t afford a place up here.”

She lead the way, taking William to her prior workplace. The door chimed and she walked in, a man’s voice called out, “Urial you are back already? Your pathetic shop couldn’t have failed that quickly!”

She bumped fists with a flamboyantly dressed man, “No! Still scraping along, even had my first customer. I’m here for love! Is Heif still here?”

He laughed, “He is. What do you want?”

Urial gestured “My friend’s dragon is lonely and looking for a mate.”

The flamboyant man lifted the hinged section of the counter and waved the duo into the back. “Oh Heif you have a guest!”

Hief was a bright fiery red. Unlike Aimuzjon who’s black and charred scales looked like coals and embers. Heif looked like a flame itself. “What do you want-” he froze and sniffed William, “Why does this man smell so pretty?”

“My assistant Aimuzjon is looking for a partner and mate, are you interested.”

“Does she want kids?” The dragon curiously sniffed William’s leg. Tongue lashing the air rapidly.

William paused slightly uncomfortable speaking on behalf of his friend, “I believe so.”

“Sorry. No.”

Williams shoulders sagged, “Thank you” William reached and took the tip of Heif’s offered tail. He gently shook it, before turning and leaving.

Urial ran after William, “But I know a couple more!”

William kept a smile on, “Great lets go seem them!”

The duo quickly exhausted all of Urial’s contacts. Urial’s dogged optimism was wearing thin, “Last one, maybe we will get lucky!”

William eyed a very fancy house, possibly a nobleman’s city home. “Where does this dragon live?”

“Oh he keeps the furnace hot for the rich people in this house.”

They walked to the back servant entrance and Urial knocked.

An immaculately dressed butler opened the door, “Urial, the laundry isn’t until tomorrow. Who is the baker.” The man was a very observant butler. Though Will was lightly dusted with flour.

“This is my friend William, he’s trying to find a mate for his Domestic dragon.”

The man raised a hand to stop her, “Excellent.” he stepped out, and lead to them to a basement access. They descended the stairs to a furnace room. Far larger then William’s.

A dragon, similar in appearance to Aimuzjon stuck it’s head out of a hatch. Aimuzjon was black with red highlight. In contrast this dragon had blue highlights, giving the appearance of being hotter.

“Urial, who’s big guy?”

William extended a hand, then dropped it as the dragon obviously didn’t return a shake. “The domestic dragon which lives in my oven is looking for a partner.”

“Really, as am I” the dragon’s voice reverberated through the piping, “it will be a bit of a long distance relationship I suppose. Tell me. I wish to hatch a clutch of eggs. Does this dragon?”

William sighed in relief, “actually yes. A number of suitors said no.”

The dragon continued to pull its impressive bulk from the furnace. It looked bigger, but oddly not older then Aimuzjon. “That is expected youth aren’t ready to settle down with a clutch. They likely want a quick fling. I am very interested.”

“Oh good, I can’t wait to tell her, her name is Aimuzjon.”

There was a silence that filled the hot basement, “That would be challenging…” the dragon started.

The butler broke the silence with laughter, “Um Urial... Glen is female...”

Urial turned bright scarlet, “I’m so sorry I didn’t- Sorry I’m overheating. Going to take a breath of fresh air.” She turned and fled the basement.

William smiled, “Sorry for the mix up. Dragon gender isn’t obvious.”

“Better now then the bedroom I suppose” The dragon chuckled, “Still would like to get to know her.”

The butler nodded and escorted William back to Urial. William thanked the butler and turned to leave, but he felt a gloved hand on his shoulder stopping him, “If you please. May we have your address? I am certain Glen may wish to visit.” the butler asked.

William recited his bakery’s address and the butler took it down, “- Oh! I am preparing butter pastries tomorrow make sure you come by and get a dozen!” Will tried for the upsell.

William returned to Urial. She was pacing and muttering to herself. She stopped on sight of him, and grabbed Williams hands, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even know Glen was a female!”

William chuckled at that mixup, “Ya you can’t trust voice with domestic dragons. It’s more the size then then the gender.” He patted her back and she seemed to instantly relax.

“where did you learn that?”

“Oh I took a book from the library” William offered.

“That’s neat I might want to read that. Sounds useful for me.”

Urial escorted William out of the upper district then the duo split ways. He entered his bakery staring down a furious dragon. “So while you were out rubbing elbow with the rich, I’m sitting here getting hit on by every lowbrow idiot!”

“Hey! I wasn’t rubbing elbows! I talked to a dozen different dragons.”

Aimuzjon, posture changed. The arch on her spine changed from ready to strike, to curiosity and interest, “Oh did you?”

“Found one, name was Glen. The butler asked for pastries tomorrow! Anyways it turned out she was a she and in the same boat as you. Single.” William flopped into his only chair, “I’m sorry. None of the males wanted to an egg. Though she did say she wanted to visit during the summer”

“Oh. Thank you, Will,” Aimuzjon slowly curled a large portion of her body into William’s lap. She hadn’t fit in his lap for years. “I’m sorry I snapped, I didn’t think it would be this hard.” William started to doze off before feeling the prick of a claw on his leg, “Hey William?”

“ya?”

“The Pastries…”

“fuuu-” William bolted from the chair, he had a lot of work to do.