The Male Queen

**The Male Queen** is a story about a young dragon who's given her own male-only tribe to rule over, but they become conflicted on how to treat her when she reveals to be a hermaphrodite; and equally so a man.

It plays off in a world where humanoid dragons of different colours/races inhabit the Earth.

The story was conceived in August of 2020, but it and the characters have made no official appearance.

## Story

> A  pink dragon, Aphremesu, is one day asked by her mother to start her own tribe and help their struggling race populate faster. As female births are a rarity and she's the only daughter she conceived after the death of the father, who was revealed too late to possess the special gene that allows for female births, the queen feels the time has come to show herself to the world.
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> But Aphremesu reminds her she can't be queen, since her own brothers always rejected her as a woman because of her male genitalia, and she fears things won't be different with her future tribe. Her mother promises her hermaphroditism won't matter, as her female half is too valuable to discard.
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> With this, Aphremesu is assigned males from other tribes as to keep the bloodline clean, and sent on her way. Her new underlings are kind, obedient, and noticeably trying to have her consider any one of them as a partner.
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> Aphremesu is happy to have this fresh start, but knows she'll scare her future partner(s) and the word will be spread anyway if she doesn't inform everyone of her biology. After finding a spot to settle down, she introduces herself to the men -and includes the info that changes everyone's demeanour.
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> Some don't know what her condition entails for them, while others believe a man can't be their leader; and Aphremesu doesn't qualify as a real woman. They contemplate moving to other tribes with more conventional queens, and the comments are hurtful, but Aphremesu insists to be fertile and of use to them. The men eventually agree they can't leave her if she possesses the ability to lay eggs, nevertheless, they lose that earlier eagerness to approach and all take on the role of obedient worker bees opposed to romantic pursuers.
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> *(Click "Expand" to read more)>*
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> Aphremesu proves to be a born leader, efficient and alert, and builds up a secure town for herself and her men within a short period of time, but as no one wants to get to know her outside of her position as their boss, she feels lonely and worries for the future.
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> Unthinkable for a queen; she goes out to play the role of pursuer herself, but her advances are ignored. Desperation sets in and she tries her best to establish a simple friendship with at least one other person, but as casual behaviour towards a leader figure is inappropriate, this just makes the men nervous and not know how to respond. Aphremesu has to accept she's unapproachable and undesired, even months later.
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> While being groomed by her servants, she's had enough and can only think of using her power as queen to force a relationship. She points at one of the servants with sternness in her voice and demands him to become her lover. When the giant Aphremesu then follows around the fleeing boy with anger, the others can only judge the situation by sensing the growing aggression coming from her and are convinced she's about to go on a murderous rampage. Her behaviour and increased scent of testosterone isn't normal for a docile queen to have, and their instincts don't give them a clue on how to deal with it. They all fall down and whimper in fear.
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> Aphremesu quickly releases her target from her grip, leaving his wrist crushed and dangling, and apologizes for her temper, but the servants don't dare to raise their heads.
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> She takes in her own scent and learns she no longer has the familiar smell of a common queen, but a regular male pink dragon. In combination with her size and ingrained strength, she realizes she's being perceived as an unbeatable threat.
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> She apologizes again and leaves her tent to calm down, but outside, those unfamiliar with what just happened act the same and instinctively respond to her changed state with grovelling submissiveness. She wonders if it's the right moment to repeat her earlier strategy of forcing a partner, but knows her tribe won't be successful if everyone is immobilized with fear for their own queen.
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> She leaves the village, giving them time and space to calm down.
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> Aphremesu flies around the area for a while, but can't muster the courage to go back for as long she doesn't have an encouraging speech ready. Her trip of postponement makes her thirsty and she follows a waterfall down into a gorge, where she makes use of the lake below. The cold water soothes her tensed up body and mind, and she decides to bathe in it.
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> She's soon found by a human woman, who she greets with animalistic hostility, but she won't flee and can't keep her eyes off of the giant dragon. Since the existence of dragons are not a secret to humans, Aphremesu doesn't understand why she's this interested in her, nor wants to engage in conversation. She suggests the woman to leave and tries to scare her away by claiming she eats the likes of her.
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> She disappears, but then shows up with jewelry, which she places down and offers in exchange for her life, while taking a bow. Aphremesu doesn't care to play this game with some simple-minded human and flies off without another word.
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> Back at her settlement, the men are indeed up and about, but become antsy upon her return. She says there to be no excuse for her approach and promises to behave more like a queen. They show understanding, but time passes, and things stay as they started. Aphremesu sets up sturdy homes and ensures everyone is comfortable, but her talents and care doesn't raise romantic interest in her.
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> The loneliness becomes unbearable and she feels worthless, despite her accomplishments and the general satisfaction of the men.
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> Her sadness translates into desperation and the desperation into anger. Aphremesu feels to need a time-out and the sparkling waterfall from last time again catches her eye. She returns to the lake for a drink and stays there for a while with her thoughts.
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> The woman from last time shows up, this time with questions about her divinity and details about her body that she couldn't properly see. Aphremesu is disgusted by the idea she was being inspected like that, but tells her she's a normal pink dragon and two-gendered, which doesn't erase the awe from her face. She asks if all gods are dragons, exhausting Aphremesu.
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> She gets up, but the woman wants her to wait and accept more gifts from her. Aphremesu comments there's no point, as a human can't give someone like her what she desires most. The woman wants to take on the challenge, but Aphremesu is annoyed and the exchange doesn't help calm her already bad mood. She repeats not to be a god and hastes herself back home.
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> A week passes and Aphremesu ends up returning to the gorge's lake for its fish, of which there is less in her domain, but is immediately greeted by the same enthusiastic human. Like the leader of a welcome committee, she asks what she came to visit their lake for this time and clumsily tries to catch fish for her, but seemingly can't swim and makes a fool out of herself.
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> Aphremesu picks her out of the water and calls her annoyingly persistent, and the stalking creepy, instantly changing her smile and making her retreat.
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> In hindsight, Aphremesu wonders if this is how her own followers perceive her to be like, but her stressed mind leaves little room to stay concerned over it and she resumes collecting her snacks.
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> The oily comfort food somewhat distracts her from her worries and she decides to get more the next day. This time she's greeted by a basket of random foods she can't digest and flowers. She doesn't take them, which earns her a shouting from nearby bushes.
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> A familiar face jumps out and calls her rude for turning away "such heartfelt gifts". Aphremesu scoffs at the useless items and the woman makes an unceremoniously exit involving alot of tripping over her own feet.
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> While peace can't be expected, Aphremesu visits the lake every time she's at her lowest and soon starts visiting just to hear the next odd thing coming from the mouth of the clumsy townswoman, Danielle. The two start playing off of each other and develop a friendship, curing Aphremesu's loneliness.
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> After some reluctance, she agrees to visit her nearby town, where its residents greet her not unlike Danielle used to. They're all impressed by the foreign creature and Danielle tells her how their entrapment in the small gorge keeps them clueless of many things in the world above; and dragons have no meaning to them.
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> The villagers always have offerings ready for her when she comes to visit Danielle, though the presents have more in common with that of a grandmother's to her grandchild. Aphremesu feels more wanted than within her own community and starts to disappear for long periods of time to be with Danielle. The other pink dragons don't know the reason for her absence and start to worry.
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> One day, Danielle asks her where her home is or if she's an adventurous wanderer; a title Aphremesu decides to adapt, since she no longer cares to get involved with her tribe. She then asks if she could take her along to see the world with her, but Aphremesu worries about them being seen together and replies she's done travelling and wishes to settle down.
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> Danielle takes it as a hint and confesses the feelings she's had for her since they met. Aphremesu saw it coming, but asks if she isn't disturbed by her biology. Her indifference makes her swell with joy and eagerness.
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> Though her female half wants to instinctively reject Danielle, as she can't give her offspring, her male half starts to dominate and answers to Aphremesu's many years of emotional hurt. Her voice instantly drops and her body takes on more rectangular shapes, spooking Danielle, but she decides to take it for what it is and continues to engage.
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> Aphremesu wishes to live with her and they prepare her small home to take in a second resident of giant proportions the best they can without having to rebuild.
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> Her disappearance becomes undeniable to the pink dragons, who can't deny they're to blame. They try to pick up her scent to track down, but nothing comes up, worrying them more. Nevertheless, one of them claims to have sensed a male pink dragon nearby a human village and wonders if it's one of theirs -betraying their kind with a forbidden relationship. Considering their predicament, this angers the men and they head over to the gorge to check.
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> Upon approaching their target, fear starts to strike them and they can only conclude there's a dragon they couldn't restrain if they wanted to. One wonders if it's their hermaphroditic queen.
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> As they can be sensed as well, the men retreat and hire a dragon of a different race to spy on the village. The description they receive of the male living there matches that of Aphremesu.
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> They start to discuss among themselves on what should be done, as a queen has the right to choose her partner, though only if they can give her offspring, while "cheating males" in general are de-ranked. They conclude they don't have the authority or strength to take her on, but agree that her lover and the village need to be taken care of if they ever want her back.
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> The moment they sense Aphremesu leaving the village, they take the opportunity to approach and distract her, while others head over. She refuses to tell them what she's been doing for the past weeks, but also finds their sudden interest in her and their refusal to let her leave suspicious. They can't hold her back any longer and Aphremesu returns to find her new home littered with bodies, mauled beyond recognition, and a few pink dragons still on sight. The caught perpetrators insist they did it for her and beg for their lives.
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> She ignores them and hastens to Danielle's home, which is empty, then the lake, where she finds only her head intact. Aphremesu loudly grieves her girlfriend and is unresponsive to the men urging her to come back.
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> Their continuous mistreatment of her feeling makes her grow with rage, but as murdering your own is against a pink dragon's nature, she has no outlet.
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> They promise to acknowledge their femininity, but Aphremesu announces her resignation as queen and never wants to see them again. They're shocked and don't know how to handle something this unheard of. Their grovelling and promises don't reach her and their panic is starting to give them more extreme ideas.
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> Aphremesu begins to feel the heat when they talk about taking her captive, and immediately flies off. The men follow right after her, but can't keep up and disappear out of sight. Aphremesu knows her scent is easily trackable and keeps flying, until hunger and exhaustion forces her down. She collapses on an unknown island.
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> She wakes up surrounded by  orange dragons and lashes out in surprise. She hits a boy in the stomach, flooring him in his own blood. The dragons immediately turn around to come to his aid, giving Aphremesu time to get her bearings. As they're a large race and seemingly inhabit the entire island, she considers making an escape while they're occupied, until she spots the face of her victim.
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> She approaches him, but the largest members in the group block the way and demand her to go. Aphremesu says to want to see the boy up close, but receives no trust after her action. Nevertheless, the boy assumes she wishes to make amends and argues not to be in lethal danger or to mind. With some hesitance, they let her start over, but they don't get much of an introduction or an apology. She just stares at his face, then asks for his name. He says it to be Daniu.
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> The bleeding won't stop and they take him to their medical post. Aphremesu is allowed to follow, but closely watched by everyone. She stops at the border of their village, though, and sits down to watch Daniu being taken care of from a distance.
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> The orange dragons find her fixation on him strange, but decide there's no malicious intent by the fact she won't approach.
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> She stays on their island, but makes no good use of her time and only seems to follow Daniu from afar. The others ask him if she's tried to apologize yet and think she needs a push. Daniu goes over to her.
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> Before he can speak, Aphremesu asks the question if "he's two-gendered as well", a term he doesn't understand. She explains, but he answers just to be a less sturdy, male orange dragon.
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> He returns the question if she's what she just described, but she's unsure on how to answer, as she doesn't know his race or how tolerant his culture. Daniu takes it for a yes and finds it an interesting trait, but has little else to say about it. He sheepishly admits to still not understand.
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> Since they've started interacting, he invites her over to properly meet the villagers, but she declines and says not to plan on staying. Daniu asks if she's leaving today, but that she cannot answer. He insists she should come and eat with them, but Aphremesu says to not deserve the invitation.
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> He doesn't know how else to coax her and has to leave her standing as he goes back inside the village.
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> Time keeps passing, and during a campfire dinner gathering, Daniu's neighbours -still anxious to have the pink stranger around and watching- ask if they perhaps met before, but Daniu thinks she's merely showing interest in him because she thinks he's two-gendered. The neighbours don't know what is meant by that and Daniu gives the misunderstood clarification that he's a man that looks like a girl. The statement and term confuses everyone.
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> Aphremesu's unblinking eyes on Daniu are hard to ignore and he feels strange to be talking about her while leaving her to sit in the darkness again. He asks the others if she may eat with them, which they hesitantly agree to. When he walks over to invite her to the campfire, she departs.
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> Unoffended by her escape attempt, Daniu follows her to shore. Aphremesu repeats not to be interested in getting to know his people, since she's not planning on staying. He remarks she's been on the island too long for it to still qualify as a pit stop, so tauntingly asks where she's going. She doesn't care to answer. He continues if there's a home waiting for her or she's just an adventurous wanderer; a conversation that gives her an unpleasant deja vu.
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> The boy repeats Danielle's talking points step by step and also dreams of leaving his secluded home, while lamenting he doesn't have wings to fly with or knows how to swim. Aphremesu has no response to give to his excited chatter.
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> He then remarks to be cold and wanting to sit in the campfire, a sentence she has no idea how to interpret, and asks if they can move the conversation over there. Aphremesu sees that the other dragons have left, slightly upsetting Daniu, but making her more willing to accept.
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> As said, Daniu throws himself onto the fire and asks her to join in. Aphremesu says sitting in fire is not a practise of her kind, and while it wouldn't necessarily hurt her, it has no benefit and would only burn her clothes off. The comment spawns a bashful expression on his face, but the conversation continues to be about their respective races.
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> Aphremesu learns orange dragons thrive off heat and their clothes are made of their own hair, making it fire resistant, while Daniu learns she had the role of a "queen bee" and used to lead a tribe of males -though it was not her intention to share this.
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> He asks if she has children waiting for her out there, but she says no one in her tribe wanted her as a partner. The daft Daniu needs a reminder of why, yet still doesn't understand the aversion if she's "also a girl" and able to have children. Aphremesu decides to let the subject slide once again, but appreciates his harmless, comedic ignorance.
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> The two meet up in person more often and his shenanigans teaches her to enjoy life again, though feels all too familiar and sadness just as often washes over her. Daniu always wants to know what ails her and this and his face keep reminding her of what she's lost. She's waiting for her flawed long-term memory, a trait of pink dragons, to help make her forget and the heartache stop, but she can't get herself to leave his side and the two become close friends, though with some emotional distance directed by Aphremesu, making Daniu believe she wants to stay platonic, unlike him.
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> While at his side, she proves herself not to be a danger and of use to the community, and is allowed to become a resident of the island and build her own house. Against better judgement, she decides to settle down in a foreign village once again and becomes Daniu's neighbour, hoping her heartbreak will mend itself and the salty sea surrounding them mask her presence from her old tribe.
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> Things only seem to improve and the horrors of the past haunt her less frequently. She doesn't hide to be protective of Daniu, and many think she sees him as a son, not pleasing him much. As he now has a woman in his life he desperately wants to impress, any comments concerning his boyish looks and behaviour eat away his confidence and leave him humiliated. He tries act more masculine, but his attempts are laughable.
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> Aphremesu isn't blind for it, and unlike the spectators unlucky enough to witness his spiels, is charmed by it and glad to be this desired. Her fondness for him is hard to contain, but whenever she thinks of answering to his advances, she's reminded he's not Danielle.
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> One midnight hour, the island is awakened by strangers vandalizing their home. Aphremesu exits her house and sees the men she had long abandoned arguing with the still drowsy islanders. Upon showing her face, they flock towards her like hungry dogs, making the orange dragons think they mean her harm and jump to her aid. The once simple village turns into a battleground.
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> While the orange dragons are strong and benefit from their size, many still aren't washed up to the pinks, drugged up on desperation to get their queen back.
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> Aphremesu sees no other option but to say her new home goodbye and lead her men away from her defenders, but Daniu, late to the party, then shows up to be her hero. He is snatched by a group of pinks before he can come close to her.
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> The dragons try to rip him to shreds, but he proves to be an agile flailer and boldly tries to headbutt his many assaulters with his large horns. In mere seconds, they gnaw and break them off, but before they can do anything more, Aphremesu has reached them and swipes the lot off of him.
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> More approach her and the boy in her arms, asking her to stop settling down with creatures not of her race and fulfill her responsibility as queen. She refuses and reminds them of the neglect she suffered and death of Danielle; issues they think not to be relevant now that they've accepted her.
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> Daniu doesn't know the context of it all, but still wishes to say his piece, something the males don't appreciate and answer with violence. Not wanting to lose a valued friend again, Aphremesu's mouth dislocates itself into a monstrous jaw and she sinks her teeth into those unfortunate to be at the front. The crunch stops everyone in their tracks. With Daniu still pressed to her chest, she lifts off into the dark of the night.
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> In the distance she hears her men calling for a retreat and going after her.
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> Aphremesu and Daniu rest in an unknown forest after an unknown amount of time. He inspects his missing horns in the reflection of the lake and washes the blood off his forehead. Feeling guilty, Aphremesu stays hidden in a tree and silently watches him. He then approaches and asks if she thinks the others are okey. She reassures him her men are after her and won't bother killing people they can't easily take on.
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> Daniu can't stop brushing his hands over his broken horns, and she asks if it hurts. He responds optimistic and says it eventually won't, but expresses disappointment in himself in how easy it was to get floored and lose them. She says a group of pink dragons is for many impossible to deal with, but he points her to the fact the other orange dragons stood their ground and their horns are unbreakable.
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> Daniu begins to wonder if he's even an orange dragon, but Aphremesu cheers him up by saying he has the scent and fighting spirit of a pure-blood.
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> She drops down her branch and takes a close look at his head, worrying Daniu that despite her words, she's freaked out by his stubs. But he is lovingly caressed and receives a statement of relief for his safety. Nevertheless, Aphremesu's face doesn't shed its sad expression and she apologizes for her selfishness that put everyone in danger. Daniu disagrees with her way of thinking and insists everyone deserves a home and happiness. He's assured that none of the islanders regret having her.
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> She tells him that fleeing has become her only option, regardless, and will have to fly him back to the island and leave him there. He becomes alarmed by the announcement.
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> Aphremesu sees it as the only way to give him a safe and peaceful life, but Daniu reminds her he wished to see more of the world and wants to stay with her. She clarifies it won't be a holiday and they'll have to be on the run forever, but he doesn't see how it affects his wish.
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> She fears she'll expose him to danger by keeping him close, but the hopeful eyes locked on hers don't help her think straight. Ever so closely, her large back arches towards him and her face touches his, whereafter she carries the small dragon towards their uncertain future.
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## Characters

### Aphremesu

Aphremesu (*pronounced: "Ah-frem-meh-sue"*) is a two-gendered  pink dragon.

She is the first dragon in history to possess both genitals and also be fully functional male and female. Whether this is a birth defect because of the unavoidable inbreeding within the pink dragon community or their next step in evolution is not certain.

She has an androgynous appearance, even though pink males are quite delicate themselves, and her voice is also hard to decipher. Like pink females, though, she is larger than the males and has the instincts of a leader.

While Aphremesu is both genders, attracted to both genders, and palpably feels like two different halves of a person, she also says to consider herself a woman. She doesn't know how to explain it to others and the lack of support made her grow up uncertain, though honesty is a value she finds important and she never pretended to be someone she's not.

Depending on the gender attraction of a reciprocating love interest, her body will produce more oestrogen or testosterone. If they prefer men, she'll take on a more angular shape and her voice will lower to sound undoubtedly male, and if women, her body will round itself and give her a higher voice.

At the same time, performing actions that are only reserved to a specific gender in the instinct-driven pink dragon race will also affect her hormone production. Because of this, she doesn't have a consistent scent for her fellow dragons to pick up on.

Aphremesu is large and more than 8 feet (244 cm) tall, as is the case with all female pink dragons/queens. She has a double set of yellow, pink-spotted horns, of which the larger ones bend back down in the shape of a heart, and has a pink heart-shaped mark on her forehead as well. This is also a trait of queens.

She has thick eyebrows, long pink hair, often in a braid, large wings, and she wears a toga with an open middle. At the end of her tail rests what looks like a pink rhombus-shaped gemstone.

### Danielle

Danielle is a woman in her early 20s.

She's direct, laughably clumsy, and optimism in human form. Her sheltered existence made her instantly fall for the mysterious Aphremesu upon seeing her.

The two became friends, then lovers, which cost Danielle's life and that of her entire village. She originally perceived Aphremesu to be a man, and thus, this is what Aphremesu started mimicking more over time.

Danielle has half-long, orange-blonde hair, light-brown eyes, and wears a blue headscarf and a grey blouse with a blue skirt under a white overdress.

### Daniu

Daniu is a male  orange dragon.

He is the odd one out in his community for being slender, weak, and overall feminine-looking, but has never received mistreatment for it. Upon meeting him, Aphremesu was hopeful he was also two-gendered.

He looks and acts very much like her slaughtered girlfriend, which was hard for her to deal with the first weeks on the island. Daniu falls for her, but has little confidence in himself because of his size and little strength, especially compared to Aphremesu's.

As he always perceived her to be a woman, her body-shape and voice slowly revert to one when their attraction towards each other starts to become undeniable, even when her sorrow for Danielle hasn't ended.

Daniu has half-long orange hair, orange eyes, large curled horns, and a stubby tail that glitters in the sun. On his face sit freckles that do so too, but are otherwise invisible.

## Trivia

* The name "Aphremesu" is a combination of those of the Greek gods Aphrodite and Hermes, just like the name of their original two-gendered child, Hermaphroditus, but the order switched around.

## See also

* God's Colour Palette Dragons
* Flames of Love