Character Art Preview: Celia, the Brat (Patreon)

You tuck in your wings, bringing all your weight and momentum to bear on the narrow window. The grate smashes inward, sending a spray of stained glass fragments into the room within - followed by your own speeding form. A heavy curtain clips your side, and you bring down your claws to slow your dive to a scraping halt.

Sitting opposite you is a slender woman in a dark pink dress, one leg kicked over the other. Her delicate form is shrouded in cascading ash blonde hair, and fine tailored silks. It looks like she was doing her makeup - a stick of kohl sits in her hand, and has drawn a decidedly uneven line next to one of her eyes.

“Finally!”

She rises to her feet, throwing her kohl to one side.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been cooped up here? Wasting away? Losing my youth and beauty and wonderful personality?"

As she talks, she removes some of the glass shards from her hair.

"What kind of dragon are you, anyway, if you can’t even kidnap a-”

There’s a thunderous hammering on the door. A deep voice, sharp with urgency, echoes through.

“Princess? Princess Celia?”

She glances between you and the door, then takes in a deep breath.

“Shut up! I’m trying to wank, for Goddess’s sake. Leave me alone!”

She looks back to you - and over you. A grin creeps across her face. Her eyes glint. They’re a deep shade of fuchsia, you realise, similar to...

“Come on then, dragon. Let’s see what you can do.”