William woke as any day did. It was a foggy, dreary morning where the sun barely shone. A thick fog clung to everything and ruined the warmth of late spring.

His cart held a plethora of different baskets, each containing a lump of dough waiting to be baked in the oven by his work partner Aimuzjon.

Kicking the rock that kept the cart from rolling away, he gripped the handle on the cart and lifted up, pulling the legs away from the ground and letting him roll it.

With a dry crunch, the handle broke. Dropping the cart with a dull bang on the damp cobblestones.

“Whazzat?” Aimuzjon stuck her head out of a small flap that was used for deliveries. Aimuzjon used it as a dragon door.

Will held the handle up. It had torn right out. The old nails and glue he used to repair it had failed. “Handle broke again. Gonna need to glue it.”

The dragon tasted the air with her forked tongue and rolled her eyes, “Please, you need to burn that and get a new one. I can taste the dry rot from here.”

“Naa it’s fine.” Will reached under and gently lifted the cart to pull it.

This time there was a crack, and the cart fell back onto the cobblestones. The wheel broke free from the axle and rolled away.

“Don’t-” Will growled.

Aimuzjon flicked her tongue. “Told you-” The wheel wobbled and fell over, shattering into pieces. “You need to replace it Will.”

“No.” Will grabbed several dough baskets and walked them into the bakery. Taking several trips instead of what used to be as simple as bringing his cart inside.

Aimuzjon was organizing the baskets based on size, type and baking time. “Will?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

The dragon sighed with a puff of hot air, “I grew up in it Will. I am telling you to get a new cart.”

“No.”

After gathering all the baskets, Will propped the cart up, collected the wayward wheel and shut the door.

Aimuzjon raised an eyebrow as if to speak. Stopped and silently slithered to her oven to prepare for baking.

***

It was just before the morning rush that the door opened and a William’s girlfriend Urial bounded in.

William was in the back prepping dough. “Morning Aimu, you dragonning the counter today?” she asked.

The dragon chuckled, “Yes, Breakfast?” The dragon pulled up some loaf scraps, and a small amount of cooked beans.

Urial had been dating Will a short while, and it made sense for Will to prepare the food, being a baker and all.

She munched dipping the bread into the tasty sludge of beans, “Umm did you know Will’s cart is busted? Maybe he should get a new one.”

The dragon flinched. The scales on Aimu were counter shaded. The outer layers a dull black and the inner layers a vibrant red and orange. She subconsciously moved her scales puffing, her flinch appeared as a wave of red from underneath the jaw to her horn. “He’s a bit sensitive-” Aimu warned.

“No!” Will yelled.

Urial crossed her arms, “Why not?”

“No.”

“Will the wheel broke on the shaft? Even I can tell it’s busted.”

There was a slam as he stormed out the back door.

Urial raised an eyebrow, “He is sensitive about it.” Urial took another bite of food.

Aimuzjon pulled her body up to the top of the counter, sitting around Urial’s food, her tail dangled off the side and waved gently. “Will and I have had that cart a very long time.”

“So? It was a cart, and now it’s garb-”

Aimu’s tail deftly flipped up and she placed the tip onto Urial’s mouth silencing her as the back door opened again. The dragon had puffed up. Every scale stood on end causing her to swell slightly, like a cat.

Will glanced around as if nothing had happened, “Morning.” he sat down on the opposite side of the counter to eat, “What’s the gossip for the day?”

Urial as a laundress always got the juiciest gossip from all the servant’s and bored mothers of the district. While technically a poor area of town, it was a short distance from a wealthier area and supported that district.

Urial smiled, and tactfully changed the topic. The dragon’s tail had smoothly swished away, and Aimuzjon returned to her usual sleek black appearance. “Well according to the guards there is a dragon living in the water fountain.”

Will grunted and nodded along. Munching on stale bread.

“The dragon living in the sewers attacked a granary again. He was defeated by a grandmother with a broom.”

Aimuzjon snorted. “Yaa that sounds right. He’s an idiot.”

“I’m not so sure. People might get annoyed.” Urial offered, “Anyways. In noble news, there is an affair allegedly boiling up. Super juicy gossip though I have no details. Finally a bumper crop in wheat.”

“Good. I should stock up.” Will nodded.

“The weather mages are blaming the fog on dangerous magic in the city.” Urial finished.

“You learned all that!” Aimu’s tail thumped in surprise, “How?”

Urial winked. “I have sources.”

William collected the dishes and walked to the back as Urial left.

The only thing that bothered Aimu. The two didn’t embrace like they usually did. The dragon’s tails swished in irritation.

**CRASH**