Rainbow Briefs Volume 2

By Kira Harp

Dragons don't care what gender you are.
A small town may be a refuge, or a trap.
Some younger brothers really do save the planet.
Three people can be the strongest shape.
There's nothing quite like a gorgeous girl on a shape-shifting motorcycle.

This second Kira Harp collection brings together LGBTQ teens in 21 stories of adventure, discovery, and romance, in fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, and SciFi settings. Ranging from a few short pages to 12,000 words, each story was inspired by a prompt picture from the YA LGBTQ Books Group on Goodreads.

(Content warnings for abduction, bullying, self harm, substance abuse, suicidal ideation.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kira Harp
• Release date: Aug 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463469095

Kira Harp

I've been writing since I could put words together. Early stories were about dolls and horses and kids who surmounted the odds and came home with a kitten. Gradually I learned about punctuation and point-of-view and my characters grew up. But real life came along, with forays into psychology and teaching and then a biomedical career and children. Writing happened in my head, for my own amusement, but didn't make it to paper.Then several years ago, my husband gave me a computer. And my two kids were getting older and developing their own interests. So I sat down and typed out a story. Or two. Or three. Now I have adult novels published, and the chance to share some of my YA stories.I currently write constantly, read obsessively, and share my home with my younger son, my amazingly patient husband, and a crazy, omnivorous little white dog. I can be found at my author page on Goodreads, and look forward to sharing many more stories with YA readers in the future.

Book preview

Rainbow Briefs

Volume 2

Kira Harp

Copyright ©Kira Harp 2018

Smashwords Edition

Edited by Sara Winters

Cover art by Karrie Jax – karriejax.com © 2018

License Notes

All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission of the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Content warning: some stories may contain references to abduction, substance abuse, self-harm, or suicidal ideation.

Introduction

These stories were first posted in draft form on the Goodreads Young Adult LGBT Books Group. Every month for years now, the group has voted on a picture prompt as an inspiration for members to create short fiction or poetry.

We have wonderfully creative folk on the group and have accumulated a wide range of pieces, from haiku to 12,000-word stories and all lengths and formats in between. Each story features YA characters with some element of LGBTQ. Many of the best stories aren't mine, but since I write for every prompt and had dozens of stories on the site, Sara Winters convinced me to do a collection of mine, to make them more generally available. With her editing help, the first collection— Rainbow Briefs— was released in 2013, and readers seemed to enjoy it. 

Since then, I've written many more stories. Sara suggested that a second collection could be fun. This volume consists of additional stories from new prompt pictures, with characters across the LGBTQ rainbow. If you like these, do come check out the work of all our members. We also have Book of the Month readings, and keep lists and suggestions for YA LGBTQ fiction. There's a link at the back of this book to make it easy to find us on Goodreads, or you can search with the group name. I've also included at the end of this volume some of the helplines and resources we have posted on the group. If you're looking for a place to chat, or to get information, or a sympathetic ear, check those lists. Life has its ups and downs, but they're easier to get through when you can find people who'll be on your side. 

- Kira Harp 

Aug 2018  

Acknowledgments

Without Sara Winters, these stories would never have left the draft stage on the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. Thank you, Sara, for your encouragement and editing (and pushing, and nudging, and occasionally much-needed nagging), and your unfailing enthusiasm for my writing that got me eager to polish and refine these and made this book possible. Many thanks to Eric, Kate, and K-lee for beta reading and the suggestions about which stories to include and where to make changes. Love and gratitude to Jonathan Penn, who not only did an amazing beta read, but created a spreadsheet with suggestions about order and length. And my gratitude to Aidan Zingler for zir invaluable help and advice on the stories with a gender identity focus. It takes a community to raise a book, and I’m lucky to share an amazing community.

Dedication

For all the young people who are hoping, dreaming, and working to create a world that’s more inclusive, more fair, more compassionate, and more full of rainbows than the one they were born into.

Table of Contents

Rainbow Briefs 2

Copyright

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Dedication

All of Me, With Dragon

ILYA

In the Words of the Bard

Not the Cat’s Meow

My Girl

The Strongest Shape

With Teeth and Blade

Lifeline

Ephemeral

Little Brothers Can Make a Person Crazy…

Dangerous Wishes

Letters from Abroad

Beginnings

The Trap of Songs

Second Chances

Flash of Red

Free Choice

Through a Door, Darkly

Expectations

Recollections

Well-Met by Moonlight

LGBTQ Helplines and Resources

About the Author

Also by Kira Harp

All of Me, With Dragon

photo description: A slender figure stands inside a stone hall, submerged to the waist of her elegant dress in a pool of water. Her long, dark hair is held back from her pointed ears with an elaborate diadem. A gold armband worked in similar curves wraps around her upper arm. All of her attention is focused on the face looking into hers – the narrow muzzle and intent eyes of a scaled, spiny, sinuous, cat-sized dragon, wet and dripping in her hands, its long tail draped across her wrist.

I knew before I opened my eyes that this was a girl day. I felt softer, and my body rested on my down mattress lightly, almost weightlessly. The sheets glided over my skin when I moved my legs. I smiled, opened my eyes, and looked up. Through the skylight above me, the clouds scudded thick and dark across the sky. It was odd, how often a dark and stormy day woke the girl in me. Somehow, I felt stronger to stand against the wind and rain as a girl.

Like being a princess makes me a weather goddess? Hah.

The self-mockery didn’t keep me from leaping dramatically out of bed and laughing up at the brewing storm, from the safe haven of my stone bedroom. I pulled off my sleep-shirt and cleaned up, using a razor to shave myself silky smooth all over. I’m not hairy anyway, but on girl days I want my skin to shine. I combed out my hair and clipped it back loose with a feminine diadem around it, instead of doing the tight braid with the tuck under. My silk dress went on like flowing water over my sensitized skin. I love, love, love the sensual quality of girl days.

My father called to me from the front room, Kana? Are you coming to breakfast?

Just a minute! I did a quick whirl and strike, making sure this new dress didn’t cling too tightly for me to kick and run, because girl does not mean fainting flower. Then I headed down the hallway.

When I entered the eating room, he looked up. As usual, I saw the moment of calculation, when he looked at my dress, my hair, and shifted his expectations for me. I’d been his prince solidly for the last week, so he’d probably seen this coming. Hey, honey, he said. Your mother left early, so we’re fending for ourselves. I made oatcakes.

I glided over and kissed his hair, wound an arm around his neck. Thanks, Father.

He smiled. Sit and eat. You’re too skinny.

Hah, I said under my breath. Every inch of me was honed muscle and he knew it well. But Mother was plump and round, and Father claimed to like that in a girl. I bit into an oatcake with darinberry jam and licked my lips. He slid the pitcher to me. Have some milk.

So, I said, remembering to take smaller bites, What’s the plan for today?

Well, the ambassador from Croyden is presenting Princess Anali to court. I’d thought… He looked me up and down. Well, I guess it’s up to you. You can come and sit through the ceremony, or not, as you please. You’ll have to be there for Betrothal tomorrow, of course.

I’ll come today. I bit the next cake harder. He tries, my father the King. He truly does. Here inside our apartments, with all duties and servants left at the door, he tries to be the perfect father. He works so hard to accept me on all my days, even the ones where I’m remote and not girl or boy, but my cool and unknowable self. But he can’t help wishing, I think. Wishing that I’d make his life just a bit easier as his heir. He’d probably meant to present his son, Prince Kana, to the princess today. Instead he got his daughter.

I almost offered to go and change. I could do it, become the other, even if my heart wasn’t in it. But I hated to wear my selves like a disguise, when they didn’t fit. And if the princess was truly meant to be my consort, she’d have to deal with girl-me soon enough. Better now, before the betrothal, when she could still back out gracefully. I licked the jam off my fingers. You’re a better cook than Mother is.

I should be. He snorted. Your grandfather made his sons care for ourselves on hunting trips, to toughen us up. Your Uncle Ton is a terrible cook, so I learned in self-defense. While your mother’s parents never let her white hands so much as touch a pan.

So she says. I had to smile. My mother had never been the society type. My father likes to tell of their betrothal day, when they wrote their one true concern in the Question Books. His question was, Do you truly want children, or just feel obliged to have them? Hers was, If I marry you, can I study medicine? It turned out to be a match made by the gods, although the only child they got from it was me.

Father stood. I have to go get started. There’s a lot of business on my plate this morning. Princess Anali is due to be presented an hour before the noon bell. I think there’s nothing to catch your interest before then, so there’s no need to arrive earlier. His forehead furrowed, and he seemed to look inward. I wondered what the trouble was.

I’ll be there at late-morn bell then, I said. Good luck with the morning court.

He made a sour face. I’ll need it. If Noble Duran complains once more about Xeres moving boundary markers, I’ll probably…

Patiently send out a squire to measure it off again. I went and kissed him. You’re the best peacemaker ever. That’s why the malcontents like Duran are so unhappy.

Well, I try. He managed a smile. I’ll see you later, daughter.

As he opened the door of our suite, I saw his bodyguard go from parade rest to alert. Father waved, and then closed the door behind him. So. A morning to myself…

I had tasks I could do, including an archive of old books I was happily cataloging. But I had no patience for that today. I decided to go check on the hatchlings and say a word to the Dragonmaster. He was the wisest man I knew, and for some reason my father’s ordinarily calm demeanor had shown a few cracks this morning. I wanted to know why.

I put on sturdy boar-hide boots. Briefly, I considered changing my dress to more practical trews as well, but I liked the feel of the silk, and the contrast with the high black boots. Anyhow, I wasn’t going to be working with the dragons today, just talking to the Master. I buckled on a girdle around my waist, the one with a secret blade concealed on the side. I even reached for my dagger, but in the end I left it. I wasn’t sure why I felt the urge to armor up, but the dagger was overkill within our own castle walls.

When I stepped out of our rooms, Jo was waiting as my guard of the day. She gave me a nod, then fell in at my right, where I wouldn’t block her sword arm. Where to, Your Highness?

The mews, I said.

Very well, Your Highness.

I made a face. Seriously, Jo. Can’t you call me Kana, the way the others do?

She shook her head, shaking the tiny braids of her hair. It’s not fitting.

Not even if I ask it? I gave her my slow smile.

She averted her eyes. No, Your Highness. Her next step opened up a little more space between us.

All right, I wouldn’t push. I’d noticed that Jo was more formal on the days when I was a girl. Whether it was from distaste or attraction, I still hadn’t quite figured out. She was an intense woman, solitary and focused, an amazing fighter. I’d never heard her name paired with anyone, male or female. I trusted Jo with my life, because my father did, but I didn’t really know her.

The mews were reached by way of two long hallways and three flights of stairs. The dragons preferred the deeper reaches of the castle. They needed dark, cool nooks, cut into solid rock, for sleeping, and they loved the bathing pool. They’d pop in and out of sight over the surface, shutting their wings to drop down like living stones into the water. As a child, I’d spent hours watching them at play down there.

I knocked on the outer door. As a Royal, I could, of course, have just walked in. But I’d no more barge into the Master’s domain without permission than walk unannounced into my parents’ bedchamber. There was a pause, then the door opened. A boy’s face appeared, at my shoulder level. Oh, it’s you! The pale face reddened immediately. I mean, Prince Kana, oops, Princess Kana, come in. The boy tugged the door wide.

I smiled at the young page as I entered. He’d only been on mews duty a week. As far as I knew, he’d never seen me in a dress. Is the Master around?

The boy ducked his head. Oh, yes, Your Highness. He’s with the hatchlings. He pointed across the cavern.

When he turned to lead the way, I said, I can find him. You go back to your work. I wanted to talk to the Master alone.

The boy looked unhappy, but ducked his head again and picked up a scraper and bucket, heading across the cavern. Clearly the master had set him to cleaning out the sand pit. No wonder he was looking for a reason to take a break, but for all my sympathy— I’d done that job for one long week, as part of my education— I wasn’t going to let him tag along. In fact, I also told Jo, You wait here, by the door.

She said, His Majesty asked us to be more vigilant this week.

He did? I took a short breath. Why?

It’s not my place to speculate.

It is if it makes me safer, to have some idea where the threat lies.

She hesitated. Perhaps because the delegation from Croyden is staying within the walls? He just told us he had a bad feeling about this week. Even before they arrived, though.

Hm. My father’s hunches were notorious. In fact, some of the staff thought he was god-touched and could see the future. My mother said he was just an excellent observer of people and could see when something was a bit off. Either way, it wasn’t a good sign. Nonetheless, you will wait here. Nothing’s going to harm me around the Master. Not even a dragon.

True. She took a few calculated steps, pausing with her back to the wall, where she was in a position to watch me and the door. I’ll be over here. She eased into parade rest, looking like she could stand there stoically all day.

One of the guardsmen, Ry, had told me being a bodyguard was a very boring job, other than the rare moments when you wished it was more boring instead of terrifying. Thank you, I told her.

I walked toward the hatchling room, circling around the pool. The smooth stone floor of the chamber echoed to the sound of my boot heels. I didn’t bother trying to walk quietly. No one successfully sneaked up on the Master, no matter how silent they were. In the arched doorway I stopped, peering in.

I’d thought this season’s hatch was done, but to my surprise, the Master was bent over one of the nests, the mother dragon perched on the curved edge behind him. A female dragon is the size of a furious cat, but with far more mobility, and better weapons. One scant stone’s weight of scaled full-out predator, if she was angered, against fourteen-stone of man? An ordinary man would be in deep trouble.

I froze, watching, hoping nothing would set off her protective reflexes. The Master would be devastated if he had to hurt her. She chirred anxiously, her head bobbing on her small, slender neck. The Master held still as a lean, dark statue. With eggs hatching, I thought I should go, but he breathed, Kana. Come help. Softly.

Now I did toe off my boots, trying to be silent. I padded across the stone in bare feet and stopped at his side. No wonder he’d called to me. There were three small eggs in this nest rather than one or two. All three showed a fine network of cracks in their translucent shells. The center one rocked slowly. The Master said quietly, The big one on the left is yours. I’ll deal with the other two. He didn’t need to say more. I bent at the knees, slow and whisper-smooth, picked a round joyfruit out of the bowl at his feet, and held it in my fingers. Just as slowly I straightened.

The mother dragon looked at me, her multicolored eyes flashing. She was about the length of one of my arms, whip lean and spiked, thinner than normal now after her vigil at her nest. She raised her crest at me, then lowered it. She was lovely the way a sword is, the way a fighting woman is, all sinew and muscle. For a moment, I almost thought I heard her mindspeech, but of course that was impossible. Only their bond-linked and the Master could hear the dragons.

The Master relaxed slightly beside me, without looking away from the eggs. Focus, Kana. He had one joyfruit in each hand, held steady, waiting.

The eggs cracked, wobbled, split apart. Mine was first, by a fraction of a second, but the other two broke as one. Sharp dragon-beaks emerged, gaping wide. Quick as we could, the Master and I tucked a fruit into each of the gaping, razor edged maws. My dragon snapped for hers, and I dodged quickly. It wasn’t the little cut I was worried about, but the blood. Lose so much as a drop of blood into that hatchling meal, and the dragon would become predator indeed, hunting human flesh ever after. I smooshed the soft fruit into the hatchling’s mouth and she bit down on it.

Following her instincts, the mother dragon arched her long neck over the nest, retching, bringing up her babies’ intended first meal. From the look of the mess, she’d found a rodent of some kind for them. As one, the Master and I deflected the flow, shielding the fruit-gorging babies and catching the meat meal in our hands. I’d vomited myself, the first time I’d done this. The Master, damn him, had laughed. But now I just dunked my hands in the bucket of water he had set ready. He let me go first in the clean water. I was the Princess, after all.

Her duty done, the mother dragon curled back into her pose on the nest edge. If the babies had cried or choked or called out in hunger, she’d have gone for us in a fury of teeth and claws. But they chewed down their fruits, not even snapping toward each other’s tidbits. It looked as though they hadn’t tasted a single trace of the meat. It was good. They’d be mellowed now, far more likely to stay close to the castle and eventually bond, something that rarely happened with a meat-imprinted hatchling.

The Master gave me a nod as he washed his hands. You were very timely. I was afraid I’d lose one to meat eating.

What about that new page-boy of yours?

The Master snorted. The mother would’ve had him for lunch. He’s too jumpy yet. He shook the water off his hands and ran a finger over the crest of the mother dragon, crooning to her. Ah, little one, if you’d told me you were sitting on three eggs, we’d have been better prepared.

She managed somehow to look smug, as she accepted the caress.

I said, I’ve never seen three.

They’re very rare. The Master gave the dragon one more rub and stepped back. Sometimes I have a hint, but she kept her eggs hidden the whole time and didn’t give me so much as a glimpse.

I reached for the towel he’d brought to dry my hands, and noticed a bit more of… something I didn’t want to recognize under one nail. I rubbed my skin vigorously. I still don’t see how the mothers always manage to get some kind of meat meal into their holding-pouch before gestating. She’s fruit raised, isn’t she?

Oh yes, like the rest. He shrugged. A thousand years of evolution. We haven’t gotten around that one yet. Parental instincts are strong.

He gave me an oddly intent look as he said it. I was emboldened to say, Speaking of parents… I let it trail off and saw enough encouragement in his expression to continue. My father’s worried, and the guards are jumpy.

Yes. He gestured with his head. Come away. We walked over to the side of the hatchling room. From there we could see the new mother, still keeping her vigil on the side of the nest. There were a dozen other nests around the room, several of them still holding singletons or pairs of babies. All the other mothers had moved on, though, as soon as the babies had matured enough to stand up. The little ones snored or rustled around in their nests, sleeping the day away.

It would be weeks yet before any were ready to try to bond. I wondered how many would find a human to link. The Master had raised his success rate with each generation. His skill with the little drakes was legendary, and there were dozens of people now around the castle who had a dragon familiar acting as guard, message bearer and companion. But still most of the little dragonets would scorn us and fly off to the wild. It was foolish, but I hoped the triplet baby I’d fed would be one to stay.

The Master said, All I know is that your father also sent me word to be alert for trouble.

Just that? Nothing specific?

No.

Could it just be a general precaution, with strangers in the castle?

It could. But His Majesty is a very astute man. Watch your back, my princess.

I have Jo for that, I quipped.

Foolish of me, because a second later I felt a small blade prick the back of my neck under my hair. Watch your own back, my princess. I stood still as stone, and a moment later the sharp tip vanished.

I had to wait for my heart rate to return to normal, even though I knew I had nothing to fear from the Master. Yes, sir, I muttered.

I think that His Majesty’s feeling of danger has been around longer than the new delegation, he said, as calmly as if he hadn’t just held a deadly weapon on a member of his royal family. He asked me two weeks ago to present you to the next batch of bond-ready hatchlings, as soon as possible.

Maybe just so I’d have something to impress the coming princess, I suggested. I’d been presented twice now. The first batch had all refused to bond, one by one popping out of the room and away. The more recent hatch had chosen not one but two women from the assembled candidates, but passed me by. Maybe he thinks I’ll look more desirable with a dragon on my shoulder.

Foolishness. You don’t need a dragon for that.

I flushed, but said, I don’t know. I’m strange. Who would want to partner with someone like me? Unless they’re in it for my link to the throne, in which case I don’t want them. My father wouldn’t force me to a horrid match, but while he and Mother had the good fortune to marry in love, I’d probably have to settle for tolerance. A wedding wasn’t optional, and allegiances mattered.

Many would want you, The Master murmured. If you don’t know that, you’re not watching the people around you closely enough.

If you mean Troy… The Master’s last assistant had been reassigned, after some rather obvious drooling over me in my boy form.

The Master snorted. Troy didn’t take any watching at all. No, Your Highness. I’ve seen half a dozen other men, and two women, who are more than interested.

I blinked, trying to think who they might be. Jo? Maybe, but six men…

Unfortunately, none suitable for Consort, he said. But whether as girl or boy, you attract notice. And desire.

Oh.

My warm cheer was cooled when he said, reflectively, Although not always in both guises to the same person.

And there it was. Even the Master knew I was strange. As I stood there, wondering who among the men I knew wanted me, and how, there was a loud croon from the mother dragon. She shook herself and stretched.

There. The babies are settled now. The Master locked gaze with the mother for a long minute. I knew they were speaking mind to mind. It was his gift. He turned to me eventually. She says she would like to bathe, but she is feeling weak. Would you carry her to the pool?

I… Dragons usually only wanted to be handled by their bond-link if they had one. Yes.

Slowly.

I went back to the nest and reached my hands toward the edge. The mother dragon got up and shifted over into my arms. She was compact and solid, feeling heavier than I knew her to be. She wrapped her long, sleek tail around my wrist. The barbed tip tapped my forearm gently.

Take her to the pool. The Master’s tones were gentle, and calm, whether for me or the dragon I wasn’t sure.

I glanced down in the nest where the hatchlings slept, curled together, the birth fluid dried, a fleck or two of joyfruit around their tiny beaks. The mother turned to look with me, and then she flicked her gaze up to meet mine. Something warm buzzed in the back of my mind. Warm. Cool water would be good.

I carried her through the archway into the main room. When Jo saw what I held she straightened, but didn’t move a step. I’d meant to set the mother, Malena, into the water at the edge of the pool, but she preferred the cooler depths. And when I hesitated, looking at my dress, I saw there was a fleck or two of, oh, yuck, something, on the skirt. Since I was barefoot, I just waded into the pool, still carrying her.

The water was silk-smooth on my bare legs. The fabric of the skirt clung, like gentle hands on my thighs. The stone floor gave way to sand, firm and stable, resilient beneath my feet. I waded in until the water reached my hips, soaking the stained parts of my dress.

Malena wanted to be lowered there, so I let my hands drift slowly down under the surface a few inches. She wriggled in my grasp, enjoying the feel of moisture on her parched skin. She lowered her beak to drink, and the wash of cold liquid down her throat was a taste of pleasure after two weeks of gestating without eating or drinking. Every pore in my little dragon’s body seemed to open up to take in water.

She looked up at me. Good, good, good.

Yes. I thought.

Eat next? She was hungry enough to snatch a joyfruit from her own hatchling’s jaws now.

Greedy, I chastised her. Those are your growing babies.

I’ll get my own. She suddenly disappeared from my hands, the water frothing and air popping and crackling between my fingers. I was left standing in the deep pool, my empty hands out in front of me. I turned to stare at the Master. By all that’s holy, what…?

He grinned. I don’t think I’d ever seen the Master grin. It lit his face like a young boy’s joy. It would appear, Your Highness, that you have a dragon.

I… Just like that? I’d seen bonding ceremonies, attended them. There was food to tempt the dragonets with, candlelight and soothing music, hatchlings flying around, popping in and out, most of them drifting off to the wilds but a few returning, returning, drawn to one man or woman, until they came to rest on the chosen one’s shoulder. Then the sharing of fruit and wine from the bond-link’s mouth to the dragon’s. Slow words spoken by the human, while the dragonets hummed and chirrred. It was like a dance, and Malena and I had skipped all the steps.

The Master shrugged. You don’t think the first bond-links in times past all happened to have joyfruit and sloe wine handy, and all that lovely poetry to recite? I imagine what you just did is the classic version.

Well. I managed to get out of the water before sitting down hard. Oh.

The Master said, I’ll send word to your father. He’ll be delighted.

Should I wait here? Till she…till Malena comes back?

He smiled gently. She’s your dragon now. She can find you wherever you are. You should probably go change out of your wet things.

Oh, yes. I stood, as gracefully as I could manage in the clinging wet skirt. Jo?

She came toward me, a slight flush on her high, dark cheekbones, not quite meeting my eyes. Yes, Your Highness?

Home, I guess. And, don’t tell anyone, right?

That took care of the blush. She raised her chin. I never gossip about you, Your Highness.