Lush green grass swayed in the afternoon breeze, the sun beaming down on the world brightly but without summer's scorching intensity. A few puffy white clouds were gliding carefree along the bright blue sky, and birds chirped endlessly as they hopped from branch to branch on the surrounding trees, hidden among rustling leaves. It was a fine, cool day, indeed--one that was perfect for traveling. A grey-furred snow leopard, her spots glowing blue and violet, halted as she stopped to rest, and admired the world around her. She was clad in worn, tattered rags of pale, sun-bleached blue plaid; her lowers were little more than a soft blue loincloth, and her top was like a shredded shirt with back-clasps that kept it on her shoulders. A longsword, somewhat dull but well-maintained, was strapped to her back, gleaming the midday sun. These things were really all she needed--her thick fur protected her during winter months, and more would simply exhaust her during summer. She could hunt for her food, and water was easy to come by. She had been wandering for months, and more than once she'd lost her patience and considered giving up and going home. The journey was long and perilous, and mostly directionless--she had one ultimate goal though, one thing she wanted to accomplish by any means necessary. She would meet a dragon--and she would learn of the dragons' history. She'd prepared for the journey; the only belongings she'd brought with her were the clothes and sword on her back, a bag of gems to offer to the dragon, and the knowledge within her own mind should the gems not be enough to appease the dragon she met. That was how dragons operated, after all--they were wise, and often they were benevolent, but they would never share their wisdom without gaining something in return. Wisdom was power and currency, not something to be handed out freely. The true difficulty of the journey, however, was actually -finding- a dragon. Here and there, Dame would hear rumors of nearby dragons, which ended up being mere hoaxes or fairy-tales. She'd chased every possible word of dragons, but found none. She had a good feeling this time, however... in the previous town, she'd caught wind of a dragon from the mouth of the town's very priest. In fact, several times, soldiers and brave warriors had been sent to slay the creature, but never returned. According to the priest, only one person had ever returned alive... And as it turned out, the dragon was a Dark Dragon. It was a scary thought; while she had read that dark dragons still abided by the dragonic code, they were far less benevolent and harder to persuade--and far, far more dangerous. It was a hefty risk, but Dame herself saw no other option--she hadn't found a single real dragon in her months of travel, this being her first possible prospect. If she passed up this opportunity, then when would she get her next chance? More months still? Years, perhaps? It was far too long to wait. She had to take this chance; it was her best opportunity to acquire the knowledge she sought. The snow leopard stretched, revelling in another passing breeze, before continuing forward. The dragon was supposedly living in a nearby cavern hidden by wild plant growth. The closest landmark leading to the cave was a sign in the road that marked the midway point between villages; she'd just turned left from there a short while ago, so the cavern was surely nearby. She noted that the ground was much harder here, like there was rock just below the surface. The soil was unusually loose and clumpy underneath her feet; it broke apart as though it was dry and lifeless even though rain occurred regularly in this area. Elsewhere nearby, the earth seemed to retain water very effectively--which led her to believe that the soil was dry for unnatural reasons. *"Magic,"* she whispered. A grin crept across her face. She'd been right--the dragon was almost surely nearby, and its magic was keeping the area dry so that water wouldn't flood its cave. She only took a few more steps forward before her grin broadened and she had to refrain from whooping in delight. Sure enough, the cavern was right under her nose--the ground sloped here, and thick greenery made it seem like merely more grassland, but she could make out the form of the cave entrance behind the tall grass. As much as she wanted to cheer in celebration of her find, she knew better than to startle a creature that'd slain many warriors before her. She took a deep breath, her heart thumping rapidly against her chest. She felt incredibly lightheaded now, with excitement and fear alike tingling through her entire body. The intense mana of the area sent a tingle down her spine, causing her to shiver pleasurably as the fur on the back of her neck bristled. She was tempted to draw her sword in case she was attacked when she entered the cavern, but then considered that perhaps she wouldn't even be attacked if she didn't present herself as a threat. Dark dragon, frost dragon, green dragon, or whatever sort of subspecie this creature was, surely it was reasonable to some extent. She left her sword untouched on her back, taking a deep breath and pushing aside the brush to enter. Even right at the entrance, the brush prevented most light from piercing the darkness of the cavern. The place smelled dusty and dank, making her crinkle her nose in displeasure. She spotted a few glowing mushrooms nearby which probably lent themselves to the odor. Nevertheless, they were likely her best source of light. She cautiously bent over, poking one of them to see if it did anything strange or would be poisonous to the touch; it didn't seem to be a hazard, however, and so she plucked a small number of them, placing them into the bag of gems on her side. She held one up into the air by its stem; it lent a gentle green glow to her surroundings that would allow her to press forward again. The rough cave floor was not pleasant on her feet. Loose rock tried to embed itself into her footpads, the jagged intruders violating her with every step she took. It was enough to make her want to turn back, but she'd already come this far--terrified though she was, she would not allow a mere rocky cavern floor repel her after the journey she'd undertaken! Catching her breath as a particularly sharp rock buried itself in her foot, she tried to take another step, only to catch her smallest toe on a jagged edge. She swore loudly and angrily, her voice echoing through the cavern, and she gasped when she realized she'd probably alerted the cave's denizen to her presence. She waited for a few moments in tense silence, her ears pointing in each direction as she listened for any sign of movement besides herself. Seconds passed, and nothing happened. While she did feel relieved as she realized the silence meant she was likely safe, she also felt somewhat disappointed; the lack of response also meant that the cave's inhabitant may have abandoned the place or was otherwise just simply not in its den at the moment. She sighed, and swore again at this realization out of disappointment rather than anger. But say, perhaps, she was wrong? What if the dragon was asleep and thus hadn't heard her? Or what if it was simply remaining silent in hopes that she would leave rather than continue a seemingly fruitless search? These thoughts revived her determination; with an irritated huff, she continued traversing the darkness, doing her best to ignore the jagged floor underfoot. "*LEAVE THIS PLACE,*" A booming voice echoed through the cave, and she froze in her tracks as her heart seized in her chest. "*MORTALS DO NOT BELONG HERE.*" Her mind went blank with fear. She tried to form words, but while her mouth moved, her voice refused to make itself present. She had no doubts now--there was indeed a dragon in this cave. It was real. The priest of the village hadn't made it up, and this fact made it all the more terrifying to her. Now that she knew a dragon was really there, she realized that part of the reason she'd been brave enough to keep going was because she half-expected the dragon to be an extravigant, half-imagined tale. She took another deep breath, swallowing her fear and pushing herself forward. If she backed down now, she might never get to speak to a dragon. Dangerous though it was, it was the chance of a lifetime--some people hunted for dragons their entire lives and never found one. Here, she was within walking distance of one! It was a dream she'd had for such a long time, to see and meet a dragon, and that dream was within her grasp. She was terrified, yes, but to squander this chance would be the choice of a fool or a coward--or both. She barely noticed the rocks cutting into her feet anymore, adrenaline pumping through her veins and readying her to fight or flee if she needed to. She was again strongly tempted to draw her sword, though again she resisted the temptation under hopes that perhaps the dragon would not attack her on sight if she left it in its scabbard. "*WHY HAVE YOU COME?*" the bellowing voice echoed through the caverns again, deafening to her sensitive ears. "*WHY DO YOU NOT TURN BACK? SPEAK NOW, OR PERISH.*" Her entire body trembled. The excitement she'd felt prior to entering had long since left; she was wracked with little more than fear, and she again found it nearly impossible to form words. It was only for the threat to her life that she was able to form a response. "I-I've come to meet a dragon," she said. Her voice felt hoarse and weak after the roaring volume of the dragon's words. "I've come to acquire the ancient wisdom of dragons, and have brought payment for acquiring such knowledge." She shook the bag at her waist, the gems inside clinking around noisily. There was a pause. Nothing happened for several moments as she waited for a response. With another deep breath, she stepped forward again. Suddenly, the entire cavern lit up--the passageway became blindingly bright, her eyes having adjusted to the meager glow of the shroom she held in her hand. She shielded her face from the intense brightness, waiting for her eyes to adjust again. The light dimmed, and she was able to examine her surroundings again. She noted that there were now torches on the walls; blue-violet flames crackled but gave off no heat, and casting an eerie violet light upon the cavern walls. The passageway itself had widened considerably; a small village could fit inside, and when she realized this, she also noticed that chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting the same blue-violet flame as the torches on the walls. *'It's like he's inviting me in now,'* she realized. She no longer needed the glowing mushroom, placing it in her bag and glancing around in awe. At first examination, she saw nothing remarkable--but, as she gave the corridor another look over, she noticed a huge, metallic door with a single rune plated across it in gold, the rune for the letter D. *'D for darkness? For dragon?'* She wondered. The dragonic denizen of the cavern was almost certainly behind the great door. She drew deep breaths, closing her eyes to drown out the world around her. Like in sword practice, she focused on her breathing and her stance. Her heart slowed. Music echoed through her mind, strumming the strings of her heart. She'd be known as one of the incredibly few men who lived with dragonic knowledge; even incredibly powerful, well-versed druids who held dragonic knowledge were incredibly few, and secretive of the information they'd obtained. This filled her with more determination, and she finally pressed forward again, touching her hand against the smooth, cold metal of the great door. With no effort, it began to creak open; the room on the other side of the door slowly revealed itself to be cloaked in a darkness unpermeated by the light of the torches and chandeliers in the great corridor. "*Enter.*" The incredible voice that'd bellowed through the cavern at her minutes prior had dropped to a bearable, human-scale volume. She still couldn't see the source of the voice, but she knew it was merely on the other side of this dark room. If she was to meet this dragon face-to-face, she would have to brave the pitch black; a single misstep might mean death, as far as she knew. She hesitated; what if this was a trap, a trick? Dark dragons didn't follow the same standards as the others; they would be willing to stoop low where others would not, and do things others would never do. What if she entered, and fell to a horrible death, or if the dragon devoured her before she could say a word? So many terrifying thoughts and possibilities flooded her mind. She couldn't tune them out, even with the skills she'd learned in swordplay. She took a deep breath, and held it tight in her chest as she closed her eyes and stepped forward. *Step. Step. Step.* The steps echoed through the otherwise silent chamber. She didn't open her eyes. She feared if she opened them, the blackness she saw with them closed wouldn't dissipate; that the darkness would blind her and she wouldn't ever see light again. The huge doors slammed shut behind her, deafening and dangerous-sounding, causing her to jump and stifle a startled gasp. She trembled with unsteady breath, trying again to summon the methods she'd learned while training under the sword arts. Silence greeted her ears for what felt like several minutes. When she felt as though she couldn't take it anymore, and was about to simply scream for the dragon to allow her to leave, he finally spoke to her again. "*You claim to desire the knowledge of the ancient dragons. Is this true?*" She nodded slowly, still not opening her eyes. "*Speak. I have no patience for cowards who still their tongues in the presence of mere power.*" She croaked softly as she tried to get her voice to work again. "I-I seek the knowledge of the ancient dragons. I s-seek the power of knowledge unknown to the vast majority of humankind," she stammered. She was greeted with more lingering silence. Her terror was suppressed only by her desire to hear the Dragon's response. "*Then gaze upon me. Open your eyes.*" She allowed her eyes to slowly flicker open, and realized that the chamber had been lit up while they were closed. The blue-violet torches had appeared in this chamber, as well, and the pitch-black had dissipated, falling prey to the flickering light. In front of her, a very large, black-skinned man sat in a carved stone throne. Her eyes widened as she examined him more carefully. Thin, snow-white hair fringed over the bases of sharp ivory horns sprouting from his head. Under his hair, he stared at her with deep violet eyes which were cold with irritation and distrust, and plate scales which gleamed like silver armor bridged his muzzle. The "skin" that she'd noted was actually scale, small and fine like a snake's skin. He leaned his head upon a large, three-digited hand; his arms bulged with thick, smooth muscle that gleamed in the pale blue-violet light. His neck and upper-chest had the same steely-looking scales as his muzzle, and below his chest were rippling abs that held Dame's gaze for several seconds before the dragon spoke again. "*That you have come here without raising your sword tells me that you know well the tales of old, and Dragons' willingness to trade their wisdom,*" he started. He shifted into a leisurely position, crossing one muscular, black-scaled leg over the other, his loincloth shifting with his leg. "*And you also know that this wisdom comes at a price. Tell me your name, feline, and name your offering to me.*" She gulped, licking her lips before speaking, her chest rising and falling quickly though she'd slowed down her breathing substantially. "My name is Dame Fortune," she stated. She lowered her hand to the bag of gems and mushrooms that was attached to her belt. "I have brought valuable jewels as tribute for your knowledge." She kneeled to the floor and opened the bag, spilling its contents upon the blue-tainted stone. Gems of various colors and luminance sparkled blue-violet, drawing the eyes of the dragon in man's form sitting in front of her. He stared for a few seconds, as though considering the gems for the trade. He leaned forward for a second or two as if to get a closer look at them, before leaning back again and sighing, tapping one digit impatiently against an armrest of his throne. "*Your offer of gems does not interest me. I hold no interest in worldly belongings, and I am certain that your mind holds no information that I would deem worthy of ancient knowledge.*" Dame's heart sank. Her offer had failed? But she'd come all this way! She'd come too far to be turned back now... Surely there was something that could be done; she had met a dragon now, yes, but this was her best chance to also acquire the knowledge she sought, if not her *only* chance! "But, dragon! You have allowed me into your lair, and you have heard my request. You have risked your existence by my unhindered approach, and you claim to understand my intentions. If this is the case, then surely there must be some offering that would please you!" He stared her directly in the eyes. Seconds passed, those seconds seemed to become minutes. Moments became eternities as Dame kneeled under the scrutinizing eye of the dragon in front of her. "*You are determined. I admire that. However, you have no belongings which interest me.*" He paused. *"I have one sole offer for you, Dame Fortune. You may not negotiate it, and if you should deny it, you will leave immediately or otherwise perish.*" Dame's determination soared, her heart lifting as the dragon made clear his intention to make an offer despite her lack of bargaining items. "Name your price, dragon, and I will meet it! I will stop at nothing to gain the wisdom of ancients!" "*Then, Dame Fortune, you will call me by my name, Eian Gravenhart. My offer is demanded: if you desire the wisdom of my mind, then you will offer me the pleasures of your body. I will continue to teach you until I am denied those pleasures.*" Dame stared for a few moments, unsure if she'd heard his offer correctly. It was far from the sort of offer she'd expected, and she repeated his demand to him to be certain she hadn't simply misheard to some dire degree. "Dragon," she started, "You state that your name is Eian Gravenhart, and that I shall address you as such... However, I fear I misunderstand the second part of your demand. Do my ears deceive me, or have you asked me that in exchange for your wisdom, I shall offer my own body?" The dragon smirked in response, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward slightly. "*You have heard me correctly, feline. You will lay with me whenever I demand it, until you have learned what you wish to learn regarding the ancient knowledge of dragons.*" Dame froze, unsure of how to respond. She'd made it clear that she intended to stop at nothing for the ancient knowledge--but to offer her very body itself? It was a possibility that never occurred to her; she could never possibly have expected that an ancient and endlessly powerful being would demand pleasures of the flesh as an offering for knowledge! The very thought of it left her simply flabbergasted! However, as she looked onward at the dragon, she certainly admitted that his body was not one she'd be opposed to engaging with. It seemed that he was every bit muscle; his tall, broad stature was indeed a feast for the eyes, and the more she looked him over, the more pleasure she could easily imagine garnering from accepting his demand. She felt her face burn hotter and hotter with each passing moment as she imagined him having his way with her. She'd not had the pleasure of laying with a man for far longer than she liked, and this offer--as sudden as it was--might well be capable of quenching her thirst for knowledge as well as her hunger for more *intimate* satisfaction... "I will..." She breathed. She cleared her throat. "I will accept your offer, Eian Gravenhart. Though I should hope a being of your stature would be able to lay comfortably with a woman of mine." Eian's eyes raised in a very mild surprise for just a split second, before his smirk returned and he spread his legs apart a little more, teasing the front of his loincloth with one three-digited hand. "*I assure you, I've already taken that into account,*" he stated simply. "*I'll begin instructing you as soon as you wish... after you do your part, of course.*" Dame felt her face flush with heat again. It was quite clear that he wanted her to fill her part of the bargain before he did anything even slightly resembling teaching. She stood, and her gaze immediately sought his loincloth; while she'd not noticed anything unusual about it while they spoke, she now saw a bulge building in its front; the meager covering did little to hide his arousal. The snow leopard unbuckled the belts holding her sword to her back and her bag to her waist and allowed them to clatter to the stone floor. She hesitantly stepped forward, her attention centered on the bulge in his cloth, and kneeled down between his legs. He made no response, verbal or otherwise, aside from merely staring down at the snowy-furred feline, awaiting her service. She gulped, again licking her lips even as she pondered the absurdity of the situation. How could she so easily accept such payment? She feared she may be unable to pleasure this beast, and what was more--if his stature said anything for the size of his intimate flesh, she wondered if she would even be able to take his girth and length into herself. Suppressing her doubts, she reached forward with both hands, tugging at the edges of his waistband as he leaned back leisurely. The loincloth came away easily, falling into a small mound on the floor. Fully exposed to her, his penis was just as absurdly long and thick as she'd expected. She stared, analyzing him curiously, stroking its length with one open palm; suddenly she realized that it closely resembled a horse's cock in many ways. Its length and girth, and in fact even its shape, were all reminiscent of what she'd seen when she'd peeked at a stallion and its mare whilst they mated. The realization, while it took her by surprise at first, also intrigued her... She would have never imagined a dragon's sex to have such an appearance; then again, what could she have expected one to look like? "It's not going to pleasure itself, Lady of Fortune," Eian quipped. Though he sounded somewhat impatient, he stroked the top of her head with one hand, in an apparent attempt to encourage her. It worked; though she hesitated at first, she lifted his sex, taking it in both hands. It pulsed with warmth to her touch, slick and moist as she'd expect a horse to be. It was far too large to put in her mouth, and so she instead pressed her lips to his shaft before trailing her tongue gently along its length. He let out a low, rumbling sigh of pleasure; she quickly found herself enjoying the experience as well, entranced by the throbbing warmth and pleasant, salty tingle to her tongue. Her heart raced with excitement, and an aching pulse between her legs began to throb with the desire to be massaged. She lowered one hand between her thighs, slipping them underneath her loincloth and obeying the primal urge; her legs trembled with even the slightest touch, but it did nothing to stifle that empty, aching feeling. She wrapped her free hand around Eian's thick, hard flesh; as she tasted it again and again, her tongue caressing its lengh with more fierce, longing zeal every time, she realized how badly she wanted its warmth to fill her up and satisfy her craving body. She stopped for only a moment to unclasp her shirt. It fell to the floor in a heap atop Eian's loincloth. She pressed herself up to him, massaging his length between her breasts in long, smooth strokes. She traced a finger around the head of his ample flesh, teasing it, examining it with both curiosity and desire. Unable to resist any longer, she grasped firmly around his tip and eagerly took as much of him into her mouth as she was able; he bucked fiercely to this, nearly driving himself further in. His breathing became more rapid and forced, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he would be driven to simply take her and ravage her body like only a real man could. Sure enough, after a few moments of massaging his length and suckling the massive girth that filled her mouth, it seemed that Eian couldn't take it any more. He rose from his throne, his legs wobbling, and gripped the sides of her head with both of his hands; before she realized what he was doing, he bucked. He bucked again, and again, and began thrusting deeper into her mouth; her heart seized with fear at the realization, certain her throat couldn't handle his sheer size, but there wasn't anything she could do. She felt his cock slide smoothly down her throat, pushing deeper with every thrust of his hips--but amazingly, she found it no harder to breathe. Her fear eased, and she found herself enjoying the sensation, wanting him to plunge deeper still, until finally her lips were pressed against the very base of his shaft. After a few moments of him having his way with her mouth, she felt that telltale twitch that signaled he was about to come. Instead of plunging as deep as he could, though, he pulled back, drawing his cock from her throat like a sword from its scabbard. Despite the fact that she hadn't had any trouble breathing, she felt an immense rush of air to her lungs as the obstruction was removed. She let out a weak cough as her throat tightened to normal again. It was clear that this dragon wasn't finished with her, however--and she was actually quite glad for that, as that aching between her legs hadn't yet been appeased... He stared down at her for a moment, dripping pre on the bridge of her muzzle as she waited to see what he would do. He made his intention clear as he pushed her to the ground, pinning her arms to her sides with his massive hands. She stared him in the eyes, and he met her gaze with a hungry growl. She spread her thighs apart, her chest rising with her sharp, shallow breaths as though to close the distance between herself and the dragon pinning her down. He clearly intended to oblige that primal urge that'd built up between her legs. He let go of her arms, before slipping his fingers under the waistband of her loincloth and pulling, tearing it away from her and leaving her fully exposed. Without a pause, she suddenly felt herself being filled as he thrust a finger into her wet, aching crevice. She gasped with pleasure; even just one of his fingers was the size of the last man she'd been with--and he hadn't been a small man in the least. He massaged her inside, stroking and penetrating her without restraint. She rocked her hips in tune with his strokes, and already she was enthralled by waves of pleasure that she hadn't felt in far, far too long of a time. It was then that he locked his lips around her swollen clit, licking vigorously; she felt her face flush with heat as a quiet squeak escaped her lips, cupping a hand over her mouth and gently biting her palm. Gods, it was sheer euphoria--it took all of her effort to avoid whimpering in pleasure at his touch as she drew breaths in ragged gasps. He pulled away, and she started to protest--until he let out a growl more savage than before, and she realized that she wasn't looking at the same human-shaped being anymore. He had changed shape at some point was now on all-fours, wings sprouting from his back. He'd assumed the form of a "drake", as depicted in the old texts--the shape of a dragon, the size of a horse. He was going to fuck her the way only a dragon could. He pinned her arms down again with his front legs, looming over her with imposing strength. Eian lowered his head to her, trailing a long, rough, warm tongue up the middle of her chest. He was clearly savoring every moment--taking utter delight in her taste, her touch, and her warmth. He felt his massive cock resting against her belly, and wished he would simply plunge it into her; the wait for him drove her mad with desire. But he simply held her prone; his tongue, shaped like that of a bull, teased her breasts and whet her sensitive nipples. He gently grasped one nipple between his teeth, tugging her breast with it--she shivered, the teeth making her wince at first and then drawing a sigh of pleasure from deep within her chest. His tongue continued exploring her chest for a few moments before trailing up to the side of her neck. She shivered again, a pleasurable tingle running down her spine. His teeth gently pinched the skin of her neck in the same way he'd teased her nipples; she gasped sharply and struggled to try and press her chest against him; she wanted to wrap her arms and her legs around him and revel in his warmth just as he savored her body, but she could only pin her legs to his sides; when she did, he started grinding against her, his full length sliding repeatedly along her belly and rocking her body with his sheer size. She couldn't take it anymore; she *needed* him inside of her. "Take me," she demanded. He obliged. As she let her legs fall from his sides and spread herself to take him in, he steadied himself and reared back; with a violent thrust, he bottomed out into her, his full length parting her pussy and filing her like nothing she'd ever experienced. A sharp moan escaped her lips; like when she'd pleasured him with her mouth only a minute or so before, it didn't hurt at all despite his massive size. Her pussy tightened around him as she rocked her hips in rhythm with his thrusts, drawing him as deep into her as she could; his pace hastened, and soon he was rocking her entire body with each fierce, rapid stroke. He let go of her arms, his claws digging deep grooves into the rock floor; she took the chance to wrap her arms around his lengthened neck, finally able to fully revel in his warmth both inside and out. Minutes passed as the dragon ravaged her, having his way and pounding her core with more ferocity than she could've possibly imagined. Her breaths became sharp and jagged as she came closer and closer to climaxing; the dragon, as though sensing her state, lowered his face to hers. She felt his hot breath on her lips, and knowing what he sought, leaned up and kissed him; his tongue explored her mouth, hot breath shared with hers... if she hadn't already been completely enraptured, she most certainly was now. As she finally felt herself reach climax, the dragon gave one last incredible thrust, lifting her bottom from the floor and holding her in the air; his legs buckled, his cock twitching inside of her as he released, filling her with his thick seed. He twitched several times, pumping her full with more and more of his cum, letting out a bellowing roar before collapsing. She let go of him, laying on her back in a state of satisfied euphoria as his seed leaked from her dripping crevice. He rolled over onto his side to avoid crushing her and drew a deep sigh of his own, his flared cock resting upon her belly; he leaned forward and licked the side of her neck appreciatively, nuzzling her with surprising gentleness. His deep, rumbling voice met her ears, "Your instruction begins tomorrow." She drew a deep breath and closed her eyes, savoring the moment in satisfaction. She could certainly get used to this--sex unlike what any other mortal had likely ever experienced, and knowledge known only to a chosen few. She had, quite successfully, found a perfect instructor. This was only the beginning.