Bedlam was a creature of all things wacky and unconventional. “Normal” was almost a foreign concept to her as she lived outside of the laws of nature and social acceptability. She did what she wanted. Fuck rules and fuck tradition.
 
But sometimes, Bedlam had to play by the rules to get what she wanted. Like now, as she prepared to propose to the dragon of her dreams. For tradition’s sake, she felt obligated to ask all three of Burgeon Flare’s parents for their blessing. Her dads were ridiculously easy to convince, but the real challenge was getting through to the Dragon Lord herself: Burge’s mother.
 
Which was what brought Bedlam before the Dragon Lord Ember, sweating like it was 100 degrees and feeling scared out of her wits. No otherworldly monster from her adventures could make her feel more terrified than the dragoness who would soon become her mother-in-law.
 
“What was it you wanted?” Ember asked, raising an eyebrow.
 
“Well, uh…” Bedlam racked her brain for an icebreaker, “Lemme start by saying you look great today, ma’am, like a million bits…er, gems.”
 
“Just get to the point,” the dragonness barked. “I don’t fall for compliments.”
 
Bedlam’s blood ran cold as she realized she would be a hard one to crack. “Well ma’am, you know how Burge and I have been friends for years, and uh, we really like hanging out together.”
 
“Yes,” Ember crossed her arms. “And?”
 
“The thing is, um…” Bedlam took a deep breath. “Lately we’ve been…more than friends. More like…lovers.”
 
“Mmhm,” Ember nodded for her to go on.
 
“A-and I love her…a lot. She makes me happier than anyone else. My adventures wouldn’t be the same without her. And I want to make her happy, and take her anywhere she wants to go. Safe places, of course, don’t want anything to happen to her!” She added on frantically.
 
“You’re right,” Ember agreed. “I don’t.”
 
Bedlam gulped. “So what I’m saying is…I want to marry her, and I figured I should ask for your blessing. For tradition and stuff. Also ‘cause you’re her mom and all.”
 
“Well,” Ember began, “You’re asking quite a lot of me.”
 
“I-I know…”
 
“You know how I feel about you and your little…antics that you get my daughter into,” she continued. “I’m surprised nothing has happened to her. I worry about her when she’s with you. Not to mention, this is against everything I had planned for her.”
 
Bedlam’s heart began to drop as she prepared for the dragoness to say no.
 
“But she’s her own dragon,” Ember admitted. “She can make her own decisions and she’s responsible for her own safety. I wanted her to have more opportunities than I had and if this is what she chooses…well, I can’t stop her.”
 
Bedlam instantly perked up. “So you’re saying…?”
 
Ember smiled. “I give my blessing…if she says yes.”
 
Bedlam leaped in the air. “Fuck YES!” She immediately noticed Ember’s glare. “I mean…yes. Thank you, ma’am..”
 
Ember smiled good-naturedly. “Now you better take care of her or I’ll change my mind. Don’t give me more reason to worry. You better expect a lot of visits from me. Deal?
 
Bedlam chuckled. “Sure thing, ma’am.”