“I’ll show you a rock,” Groth said. “Stay there while I find one.”
“Grologroth!” Celesia cried. Although she had mixed feelings for this particular fairy, she ignored the pain she once felt and trained herself to think of the creature on a kinder note. It was time for her to show the others that she was the kind-hearted person they professed her to be. “You’ll do no such thing to her. Taika, you are more than welcome to stay with us, if you wish.”
Hilander protested. “But they threatened to keep us underground, in small cages!”
“Celesia is right,” Flint said, with a new smile on the arch of his mouth. “This fairy may be more useful if she joins us. Well said, Celesia. I stand by you.”
The blue hue of Groth’s face turned red. “See you in the morning, then.”
The ogre turned his back and positioned himself on the grassy hillock where he slept before the disturbance. Celesia couldn’t decipher the look on Hilander’s long face. He said goodnight, and returned to the large rock where he decided to sleep. Watching her friends end the evening like this made Celesia dreary in spirit. Her act of showing unreserved charity resulted in her own friends resenting her. Taika hovered by her ear, and landed on her left shoulder. Celesia peered down at the fairy. Taika had a penitent glance shining from her emerald eyes.
“Why is it, when I’m sincere, it’s thrown in my face?” Celesia whispered, her voice crestfallen. “I never meant to hurt anyone. Is it a part of my enchantment?”
“They will mend,” Flint spoke like a still wind. “It’s been years since I’ve seen them riled up like this. I never anticipated fairy help, but I welcome it. Are you willing to do as Celesia asks, Taika?”
“Aye,” said the fairy. “I wish to keep the Dragon’s Heart safe. Nothing else matters to me. I can deal with the prejudices and grudges of your companions.”
“Fair enough,” Flint said, bowing with his wings out-stretched. “Bundle up, you two. The night is young. I will leave for a moment, but not for long.” The dragon leapt. His wings blanketed the clear sky above them.
Hurry back, Flint. I like getting to know you ...
“I’m happy you’re with us now, Taika,” Celesia said to the fairy. “We will be great friends.”
“I’ll decide that.” Taika slid down Celesia’s back. She glided onto a plant stem with her transparent wings. “I have no intention of being friends with a human.”
“Oh?” Celesia tried her best to understand the fairy’s sudden discourtesy when the cold reminded her of her cloak on the white boulder. “Well, if you need us, please wake us.” She placed the garment over her shoulders and sat on a slope. Unsure if the fairy was completely trustworthy, she held her fingers around the gemstone, and pretended to be asleep for a few minutes. She was finally about to drift into a dream when the prodding of a tiny finger tapped her elbow. “Something wrong?”
“I, that is to say,” sputtered the fairy. “It’s rather cold above the ground, and the fire is thin. Is there a shred of fabric that I can use to keep myself warm?”
“You can use the skirt of my cloak, if you’d like.”
Taika darted for Celesia’s feet, and she gathered the draping hem around her small figure. The fairy shivered, but stopped in a minute, and laid her head on a leaf.
Taika thanked her and stirred no more.
The little creature had to be exhausted, following them for so long without being detected. This thought made Celesia a little anxious. If fairies could fly with such stealth, could Alkivar do the same? Celesia placed one hand over her heart and the other on the hilt of her silver dagger, all while staring at the stars. A full moon rose over the horizon with a bright, calming light.
Taika fell asleep before Celesia closed her eyes.
Chapter 16
Quaffing the Flagon
Gorgeous rays of sunlight stretched across the land the next morning. Taika was still asleep when Celesia stirred awake and examined the camp. The Dragon’s Heart felt heavier around her neck, than it had on previous days.
Groth was awake also, packing fresh water in a flask from a nearby stream. Celesia awakened the fairy and approached the ogre with a courteous greeting. He didn’t say much, except for an almost inaudible—
“Morning ...”
Is he still in such a foul mood from last night?
Nevertheless, she was more than thrilled to see Flint with them. He had his back turned, his attention fixed toward the northeast. Celesia made her way to him, and noticed a look of disappointment etched in his eyes.
“Good Morning, Flint,” she said with elevated cheer. “Any luck hunting last night?”
He sighed. “I’m glad you’re still with us.”
“What do you mean?” She turned to the frowning ogre. “You and Groth seem so down today.”
Flint turned to her. “Hilander has deserted us.”
“What? No he hasn’t!”
Celesia spun around to survey the camp—and didn’t see the white stallion anywhere. Puzzled by his absence, she ran up to the larger rocks to make sure he wasn’t behind them. She stopped by her cloak after another minute of useless searching. Groth raised his eyes for a second, frowned, and returned to his packing. The fairy landed on the princess’s shoulder as Celesia shed a tear.
“Why did he leave? This isn’t like him.”
“Pride is what riled him,” Groth hissed. He fastened his vest and collected his leather pouch with the acorn button. “The horses of the plain and the fair folk have been forced to share the same land. It would be beneath him to travel with the likes of devils with wings.”
“Good morning to you as well.” Taika yawned as she hopped into the air. “One less companion will make our journey less conspicuous, not that a dragon and a giant hasn’t already made it so.”
“Ogre!” Groth snarled as he swung the last of his bags over his shoulder. “Don’t have me confused with the likes of giants. Have you never met a giant?”
“Enough!” The wind from Flint’s wings blew like a small hurricane. “If we’re to have any success in finding the fragments, we must place aside our differences and work together. Hilander left us for reasons known only to him—and I respect his choice, as I would respect your choice if either of you decided to follow him.”
Celesia knew the dragon was right, but she couldn’t stop the pang of abandonment that welled inside her—as if she were standing in front of her mother’s portrait again. Now she’d lost a friend whom she had come to love and trust, a companionship with a horse like no other. How could he leave her without saying goodbye?
With or without him, whatever it took, Celesia was still devoted to revealing the quaternary and the Dragon’s Heart. Wiping her eyes dry, she stood up and slipped on her cloak before she turned to face the breeze.
“I’ll continue on foot. I hope he’s safe.”
“Don’t worry, Princess,” Groth said. “I’d never leave you, even if you think my cooking leaves something to be desired. Lucky you haven’t gotten sick by now.”
Celesia nudged his elbow. “Don’t be silly. I would’ve starved to death months ago without your cooking, but I must admit, I do long for something less exotic.”
“You’re in luck if you desire human food,” Flint said. “We’ll reach Caperholm within a week. It’s a sea village by the ports of Glydatha. Many humans populate that area, about where Clariön stopped the Warmongers.”
Celesia smiled. “Another story I can’t wait to hear.”
“Wait,” Taika piped in, flying up to the dragon’s face. “While I too am committed to this quest—to protect the Dragon’s Heart, mind you—why would we want to go where humans are? The girl can slip by unnoticed, but how do you expect to hide yourself, the ogre, or I?”
“You already know that another part of the Dragon’s Heart is in Glydatha.” Flint eyed the fairy like a hungry bird to a nosy bee. “The next fragment may be there, but who knows where? Under the many waters, or the island fortress? With Celesia as
our guide, we’ll find the fragment in due time. Let’s worry more about blending in later, when we reach Glydatha’s border.”
The plan was set, and Celesia was ready—but it was a small comfort compared to Hilander’s departure. Why would he go with no explanation? Or farewell? It made no sense. Hadn’t she thanked him enough for letting her ride on his slick back? If not, she was truly sorry. As much as she wanted to know why he left the company, the others couldn’t wait. Flint and Groth were on the move, and Taika flew close to the stone. Celesia hoped to see Hilander again—that he might change his mind.
˙ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˙
Groth’s carefree nature seemed to improve along the path to Caperholm, and he was more accepting of Taika as the hours rolled on. Flint’s behavior didn’t change.
Each night seemed to get darker, as the moon rose later and later each night. The stars shined bright. The constellations seemed endless, as vast as her emotions. Every night, Celesia missed Hilander. Flint never left their camp—awake as always. He thought it best to fly out of sight during the day, as their paths required them to cross over endless plains. He would be mistaken as a hawk by most, leaving the others less noticable. Groth and Celesia walked while Taika sat on her shoulders.
On the fifth day, with over a hundred miles behind them, Celesia smelled a sweet and salty scent in the air. The sea was close now, the air calming to her lungs. By Flint’s estimate, they would reach it by early afternoon the next day. The anticipation helped Celesia stomach the roasted prairie dog Groth had made that night. He even whipped up a salad of clovers and sweet grass.
An endless horizon of water would greet them soon. Celesia could hardly wait. She’d never seen the sea.
˙ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˙
There was nothing left among Groth’s provisions to make an adequate breakfast with, except for a few jars of old spices. His proposition of having a bite of fish as a last resort was impossible without a river. Bad luck. They would have to wade through the tall brown grass on empty stomachs until they reached Caperholm.
Before the afternoon sun dangled over them, the land reached an incline. They mounted the summit, and saw a bustling community on the edge of a vast sea. The waters stirred with endless ripples and waves, lapping in pools of green coral. The ocean was far more beautiful than Celesia had imagined—hard to believe Dálcort had come from beyond. She saw massive ships and smaller vessels floating in a harbor, anchored to docks. Taverns, inns, and storage buildings lined the shore. Something was roasting out there, making Celesia’s stomach growl.
“Don’t stand so tall,” Flint warned the ogre. “They have lookouts.”
Groth lowered his pouches, careful not to knock the fairy off his shoulder. “May I ask something, Master Flint? We’ve reached the sea, so now’s the time to think about how we’ll fit in with these humans. There’re so many of them here. Even if you made yourself invisible, and if Celesia loaned me her cloak, and if Taika hid in one of my pockets, a young girl without escorts would look suspicious. Who wouldn’t take one look at Celesia and try to claim her?”
Celesia gripped her dagger. “Let them try.”
“However brave and resourceful you are, Groth has a point,” Flint said. “Seaports are known for dangerous sorts. You’d be outnumbered, a risk we want to avoid.”
“So what else can we do?” Taika piped in.
“I have two ideas,” Flint said. “I could carry each of you to the island over the cover of night. I know the island fortress is abandoned. We’ll be safe there.”
“Uh, Flint,” Celesia said. “I don’t mean to complain, but I’ve been looking forward to a hearty meal. Can’t I just go on my own? I’ll buy provisions there, too.”
“I have some human money,” Groth said, shaking one of his bags. Coins jingled inside of it. “But, how will you buy provisions without looking like a ... well, you know, a princess?”
Flint revealed his sly smile again. “Do you still have those beans, Grologroth?”
Celesia furrowed her brow. “You don’t mean magic beans, do you? When I said I was hungry, I didn’t mean we should grow a beanstalk and raid a giant’s kitchen.”
Groth stilled his gut as he laughed. “I love that story. There’s a few beans left. Should we use them?”
Flint nodded. “I think our situation permits it. Go ahead and retrieve them.”
Celesia watched as the ogre shuffled through his acorn pouch again, and found what he was looking for, a small jar with three colorful beans. They looked more like small candies than real beans. Groth opened the jar, selected a purple one, and handed it to her. She stared at the bean with no idea what Flint planned to do.
“What you hold in your hand is a piece of ancient magic,” Flint appraised. “Groth and I came across them near the castle of Trisontia before you were born, and we’ve used them from time to time. If you eat that bean and make a wish, it will be granted for two hours.”
“So, this is a wishing bean?” Celesia almost dropped hers. The notion was ludicrous. “Why don’t I just wish for the fragments and the messages to appear?”
“Doesn’t work that way,” Flint said. “What you may hear or see or eat will last beyond your wish, but after two hours, you’ll be as you were before it was made.”
“No sense asking for riches or artifacts,” Groth said. “They just disappear when the time runs out. That and you can only make one specific wish at a time.”
“Why not use them to get the dagger?”
“Tried, but we always ran out of time.”
Celesia looked at her bean. “What do I wish for?”
“Be ugly,” Taika said. “No man will look at you.”
“Maybe, but that won’t help if we want to learn what the humans know about Bëdoustram’s gathering army,” Flint said, discarding Taika’s rude proposal. “For this to work, you have to make the wish without reference from us. You will just eat a piece of jelly otherwise.”
“Let me think.” Celesia moved for the hilltop.
She looked again at the village. What could she wish for that would let her walk without being noticed? If the town was full of men, maybe she could wish herself to be like them—wish to be a man. She couldn’t believe that she was considering it! The only question remaining was whom she would choose to turn into. Not one person came to mind. She could choose to look like Tuke, but there was a chance that he had visited the town with Mavarco. She thought of another boy from Bëdoustram, whom she knew had never visited this place. She put the bean in her mouth and chewed.
“I wish to look like Lyell, the stablehand!”
In a flash, she turned into the young man.
Taika doubled over with laughter while the ogre’s mouth hung open. Flint seemed a little displeased at first, but then smiled as he blinked at her. “Interesting choice,” he uttered. “Not only do you look like a man, but other men may be more willing to speak to you.”
“I can hardly wait!” Celesia cried. She covered her mouth, surprised to hear Lyell’s voice fly from her lips. “So strange, and I feel even hungrier than before.”
Groth laughed. “Now she’s thinking like a man.” He pulled out another bean and ate it. “I wish to be a mare, like the one I ate when I first met Celesia—err—before it fell to its death.”
The same magic light flowed through Groth’s body, transforming the ogre into a handsome brown horse, in perfect likeness of the one Dálcort had loaned to her for the hunt. The young mare whinnied and neighed. Apparently, just as Celesia spoke with Lyell’s voice, Groth could only speak like a normal horse. This would make communication between them somewhat hard.
Flint beamed. “Good wish, Grologroth.”
Celesia stuffed her gemstone under her shirt, seeing that she was also wearing a vest and a pair of pants instead of her mother’s old country dress. She placed Groth’s pouches around his neck and jumped onto his back, preparing to ride the horse without a saddle.
“While you’re in the village,” Flint divulged more of his plan
, “have a decent meal and collect provisions. Most importantly, find access to a boat and be sure to row for the island before your time expires. You can’t reappear as your true selves within the village.”
“Rent a boat before time runs out,” Celesia replied as if her assignment was no more difficult than throwing a dog a bone. “I can do this, Flint. I’m not helpless.”
“But in case there is trouble, I’ll be near,” said Taika, leaping into one of the leathery sacks dangling around Groth’s neck. “I meant it when I said I would keep a very close eye on the Dragon’s Heart.”
Celesia smiled as she turned for the village. “You’ll wait for us at the abandoned fortress, Flint?”
“I will.” The dragon unfurled his wings. A great wind blew as he ascended into the air, and went invisible.
˙ ˚ ˚ ˚ ˙
Groth walked for the village at a brisk pace, and they soon reached the outer wall. Two dim looking men guarded the gates of Caperholm, each holding a large spear at their side. They paid no attention to her as she approached and entered the village. A busy swarm of people meandered through the streets and shops along the main road. A few men standing by a blacksmith’s hut glanced at her suspiciously. She tried not to stare back. The last thing she wanted was to cause trouble.
Groth guided Celesia through an avenue lined with buildings and shops. Some of them had dwellings above their businesses. The village colors weren’t exceptionally pleasing to the eye. Old wooden posts supported most buildings. Gray plaster coated their walls, matted with a plissé finish. Celesia placed a hand on her stomach. The gnawing hunger was stabbing at her from the inside, worsened by the smell of fresh bread and rotisseries.
Ahead she saw a sign carved with the figure of a woman, only she had a fish-like torso, and a fin instead of legs. Engraved in bold red letters beneath the figure read: The Missing Mermaid. Curious name. The alluring scent of fine cooking wafted into the air from within.
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