Once Kadrid had been awake more than twenty minutes, she told her warlock farewell and  flew off to get Pandora. It was a long and grueling flight but she really liked Pandora and would do anything for a friend, no matter the inconvenience. She was a good natured soul, always had been. She flew quickly, hoping to get to her friends village a little faster than last time.

As soon as Kadrid left the dungeon, Salem immediately began racing around, fidgeting and picking up around the dungeon. He wanted it to look exquisite before Pandora arrived. He made more coffee for when she arrived, and then he grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. He set them down on his work table centering it just right. He even stepped outside and picked wildflowers just beyond the waterfall there were several growing in a soft patch of sunlight across the grassland.

 It was occasionally accented with fairy dust. For the life of him, Salem couldn't figure out why he was acting like a love sick teenager. For all he knew maybe she just wanted to be friends. He was over analyzing everything again, he mentally scolded himself. He stopped and took a deep breath, then forced himself to stop rearranging half the dungeon. He needed to sit down for a moment. Then he wondered how long it would take his dragon to return with Pandora, a few hours?

  He thought it best to meditate. He crossed the room to grab supplies. He lit a few of his preferred candles. It took him several attempts to relax his mind and body at the same time. After a good long altered state of mind, Salem got up and began rearranging his potion bottles and tinkering around the library.

He was simply killing time until Kadrid returned with Pandora. Salem knew he was acting little nuts, he just didn't understand why. He was very curious about the witch and couldn't wait to talk to her, to get to know more about this enchanting sorceress. When he met her only a few days prior, he had a wonderful time with her. He was anxious to do it again. He was trying to keep his thoughts occupied with other things. First he made another cup of coffee, and then as he drank it looked over a few of his rituals, studying up on some of the more difficult incantations from his family's ancient spell book.

 After researching over the ancient text, he stretched for a long moment and gave up on the coffee. He was already a little nervous and jittery. He didn't need the coffee to do it too. He began to pace the library back and forth then lit a few more black and red candles arranging them around the library. He stood back three paces to see how it looked. 

The candles made a very dramatic difference. It was a nice change. As time ticked away, he started arranging some of his books, dusting the shelves off and more pacing through the library he heard an all too familiar thud not far from his dungeon. He knew it had to be his beloved dragon coming home with the sorceress. He walked over with speed to his favored chair to sit and make he appear calm before they came inside.

He hoped to have a nice visit with her, she seemed really nice, and he could tell she was a good  soul. Some reason or another he was intrigued by her. He couldn't help the need to learn more about her. He hadn't really cared to know anything about another person before, it was strange to him but a good kind of strange. It was new and different to him. His heart began racing as he heard her with Kadrid entering the dungeon. He stood up as she rounded the corner.

Pandora was also interested in getting to know the warlock. He seemed to fit somehow. She didn't understand it, as if she knew him but couldn't. She planned on finding out one way or another. She was almost as nervous as the warlock, messing with her hair and smoothing out her dress before entering the library to find Salem standing there waiting for her.

"Pandora I'm so glad you came back for a visit. How are you?" Salem asked

"I have been just fine, how about yourself?" Pandora greeted the warlock that had been sparking her curious nature. She walked a little closer to him.

"I have been the same. Would you care for coffee or wine? I have prepared both." Salem told her in a gentle tone.

"I'd love some wine that sounds great." Pandora accepted the offer.

Salem walked over to the table and poured two glasses for them. He handed the first on to her, then sat across from her in front of the fireplace. They both took a sip of wine at the same time getting comfortable.

"How was the flight with Kadrid?" Salem asked her in between sips of the dark blue wine.

"It was good, she really is a wonderful dragon." Pandora admitted, shifting forward in her chair to be closer to him.

"Yes she is, a great soul that one." The warlock responded.

He looked and noticed both of their wine glasses had been depleating, so he filled them again and sat across from her.

"Thank you. I must admit it, I do love the vibes of the dungeon, almost like I was here in another time or place." Pandora stated in a far off tone.

"This place has an affect on magical beings." Salem told her, taking another sip and another.

"It must, but it has a good feel here." Pandora stated.

"I love it here, that's why I rarely leave unless I have to." Salem admitted and she smiled at him.

'I can understand that. It's a perfect atmosphere for conjuring as well as potions and spells." Pandora stated before taking a sip of her wine. She knew potions were a passionate interest with him.

"Yes, it has the best conditions for deep thought meditation but for even more advanced magical techniques." Salem informed her, noticing he had her full attention he cocked a smirk across his thin lined gentle face.

"I really love it here. Kadrid said I would like it." Pandora told him.

"Speaking of the dragon where is she?" Salem asked in a soft tone.

"She went to rest near the waterfall." Pandora answered while he poured more wine.

"That sounds like her." Salem chuckled.

"She is very protective of you." Pandora told him.

"Yes and i look after her as well."

"I think that's great, like a family." Pandora stated.

Salem took a sip of wine then filled their glasses again. Soon they had gone through two bottles.  They had all but forgotten about Kadrid and were lost in a conversation on potion making difficulties , spells and some of the more estranged hybrids of the forest.

"What's the strangest hybrid you've seen?' Pandora asked him

"I'd have to say goblin fairy, by far." Salem answered her.

Pandora giggled like a small child. The two of them went on like that for hours, sipping wine and talking about magic, their home lives and people they knew. They were so lost in their own world together that neither of them noticed Kadrid entering the dungeon's library. After the tail end of a conversation on runes, Salem looked up.

"Kadrid there you are." Salem smiled at her.

"It is late do you wish I fly our guest home? I'm exhausted."

"Pandora would you like to stay here? I have a couple of guest rooms." Salem offered and she nodded in agreement.

"Now that it's settled, you have fun but I need to sleep. There were too many others by the waterfall." Kadrid announced.

The warlock and sorceress said goodnight to the dragon before getting back to the wine and good company. The two of them stayed up late past the witching hour, and then Salem happened to look at the old grandfather clock in the corner it was after three in the morning. They had so much fun they hadn't noticed how late it had gotten. Salem escorted her to a guestroom, before going to his chambers as well.