What happened behind the closed doors of Mariana's guest room that night was, strictly speaking, a private matter.
The moaning sounds that carried through the palace walls into the surrounding corridors suggested otherwise.
The dragon maid who had been stationed at the end of the east wing hallway as a matter of routine courtesy took exactly three steps toward the source of the noise before stopping.
She heard the moans and groans from inside.
Her face flushed imagining the handsome young man pounding the human princess wildly.
Then she started withdrawing with professional grace.
She passed Claudia on her way out.
Claudia was standing at the junction of the corridor, arms folded, staring at the ceiling with the expression of someone who had made a considered decision to have absolutely no opinion about anything they were currently hearing.
The dragon maid looked at her.
Claudia looked back.
"No need to say a word," she said.
