The dragon's harem

STAB! Merlin took a sharp branch and stabbed a chunk of tentacle meat from one side to the other. SIZZLE! She then put it beside the fire to roast.

"No salt, but it will do," She smiled.

"I'm not sure it will," Amber sighed, roasting a chunk of meat on her own. "I tried seafood before, and it's disgusting. I don't like the smell." She looked back at her, "And without salt, it's just going to be a fishy mess,"

"Better than nothing, isn't it?" Merlin stared at her.

"I wish I at least had some beer," She sighed, "But we can't ask for more in a labyrinth."

The two looked at Arad, "What do you...What the hell are you doing!" Amber cried her lugs out, seeing Arad eating the tentacles raw.

"Eating," He replied.

Thud! She rushed, snatching the meat from his hand. "Roast it! Those things usually have poison or parasites. That's why we cook them."

"That would make it taste bad...AHH!" Arad cried, seeing her chuck his meat into the fire.

Merlin giggled, "Arad, let her cook,"

Thud! Arad sat down, "Fine, it doesn't matter anyway,"

Amber stared at him, "For someone who doesn't care about pain, you're really particular about food."

"Not really," Arad looked at the fire. "Do you call not needing any preparation particular or picky?"

"I don't think so," Merlin stared at him, "Being picky is wanting to eat a specific food or refusing to eat it. You on the other hand eat everything, and not even cook. I would call it convenient."

"That's just gross," Amber stared at her, "Cooking is an art,"

"Hmmm," Merlin poked her meat, "Dragons eat everything. Their magical organs can digest it. But, we documented brass dragons licking the morning dew off plants each day to survive and preserve the desert."

"I know that," Amber flipped her meat and took a look at Arad's. It still needs some time. "But why are we talking about dragons here?"

Merlin smiled, looking at Arad, "You don't really need to eat, do you?"

"I eat a lot," Arad replied, snatching his meat from the fire.

"It's not done yet,"

"Half cooked is good for me," Arad took a big bite, "Cook it too much, and it loses its taste," He finished it with the second bite.

"Do what you like," Amber sighed, "Aella is the one to care for you when you get sick. Not me,"

"She won't need to do that," Arad replied, "Hopefully, I hate being a burden," Eating a second chunk of meat.

"Arad," Merlin said with a smile, looking at him, "You know that isn't a problem, do you?"

"What isn't a problem?" He stared at her sneaking around to take another chunk of meat and eat it raw.

"Being a burden," She pointed at him with her meat, "I'm sure Aella won't hate having to take care of you every now and then."

Arad scratched his head, "But I'm too big and too heavy," He looked at Merlin, "But, I do let them massage my back,"

"HOO!" She stared at him, "Can I do it for you?"

"Why are you two even talking about that?" Amber stared at them, "If you want to massage his back, then go and do it. Or should I do it?"

"You've awuflly excited for this," Merlin replied.

"I don't want our frontliner getting sluggish," Amber looked at Arad, "If he needs it to perform at his best, I will do it,"

"Hitting me with what I said earlier," Arad smiled, twisting his torso. CRACK! CRACK! His entire back and shoulder cracked, "I don't really need help with that," With them distracted by his action, he managed to take another chunk of meat.

"What you did won't help," She stared at him with a disappointed face.

"Even if you two tried," He looked at them, "Mira couldn't do it even with a sledgehammer," Not even hiding it, Arad stood and headed toward an uncut tentacle, cutting a large piece of it and dragging it to the fireside.

"With the what?" Amber gasped, "A sledgehammer?"

"You're getting pretty rough, aren't you?" Merlin giggled.

Amber stared at her, "How could you even use that for massage?"

Merlin looked at Arad, "Out of them, who's the best at massage?" She giggled, "I do want to beat them at it,"

Arad thought about it for a second, "If I have to choose the best..." Eating as he tried to remember.

"It's Rey and Ray," He said, swallowing half of the tentacle he brought.

"Who in the nine hells are those?" Both Merlin and Amber stared at him.

"Isdis's twin maids." Arad smiled, putting more meat beside the fire, "They have this massage method where they step on your back using their whole weight. They don't create an instant annoying shock as with a sledgehammer, and aren't as weak as doing it by hand." He already started eating before it got cooked.

"Royal maids...you're really a baron now," Amber sighed. ^What a waste. Should have joined earlier.^ She thought, staring at Arad swallowing even more meat as if it was nothing. ^Where is he putting all of that meat?^

"Stepping on your back? Ashiatsu, and eastern methods if I remember correctly." Merlin looked at him.

"I don't know," Arad replied, still eating, "They learned it, but I only know they work best for me."

"Want me to step on your back?" Merlin looked at him with a smile.

"Probably not before learning it from them," Arad replied, "Let's have them show you how to do it when we get back,"

"I'm not letting your maids step on me," She stared at him with a smile.

"How about I step on you then?" He stared at her.

"I would love that," She giggled, "But I would probably die," She tilted her head, "How about you lay on my back instead of stepping on it?"

"You wizard!" Amber glared at her.

"That isn't a massage," Arad sighed.

"Well, can I get a hug at least?" Merlin looked at him with a grin.

"Why not?" Arad replied, opening his arms with a large half-cooked tentacle dangling from his mouth.

"Finish eating first," Merlin replied, "But, it's been on my mind, but how are you eating his much?"

"I always eat a lot," He replied.

"You eat a lot? Here?" She stared at him...

"AH!" Arad paused, "You're right!!"

He opened his palm, focusing on it but nothing appeared. ^I still don't have access to my stomach, but I can eat a lot so the food is making its way there.^

Arad giggled, sticking two fingers down his throat.

"What are you doing," Amber screamed, "Are you insane?"

"GA! GA! GAHHHH!!" Arad gagged, puking a small chunk of metal. The two of them flinched, staring at the thing with crazed smiles on their faces. "What's that?" Amber asked.

Arad giggled, lifting the knife, "As long as it fits in my throat, even without magic I can puke what I stored out."

"The exploding nipple knife," Merlin smiled, "An artifact,"