by Jen Pretty
I started to shimmy down the tree. "Stop right there!" Roman commanded.
"You aren't the boss of me. I'm bored. I'll run, he can chase me, and you guys can make a break for it. I'll catch up." I gave Roman a toothy grin.
"Nope. I'm the one with speed; I'll run, you guys head towards Kingsville." Roman was such a buzz kill.
"Alright fine. Steal my fun. I'd probably upset Daisy, anyway. He seems to be just as afraid of the stupid Unicorn as Aldridge," I said with a laugh. Aldridge gave me a glare, but I was immune to his indignation.
Roman leaped out of his tree and turned and disappeared with a Unicorn hot on his tail.
"Let's go, Al!" I hollered.
Aldridge was half way down his tree but paused to mutter "don't call me Al." Then we were flying through the forest. The trail was winding and had thick underbrush, so many turns were blind, but we didn't come across any more unicorns and finally came out to a clearing with a stream. Aldridge slowed to a walk, so I figured we were safe here.
"That was a good run," I smiled. "It would have been more fun if a freaking Unicorn was chasing me." I laughed. Daisy pushed his way out of my coat. I'd forgotten he was in there. Oops. Shaken duck syndrome. He landed on the grass and waddled a bit drunkenly before making his way to the stream and having a nice bath in the shallow water on the edge.
I tossed my pack and my heavier coat on the grass, since I was more than warm enough now, and caught up to Daisy. I dunked my heard in the shallow pool and washed my face. The water was fresh and so clean, I could see the bottom in the middle. I stood up wringing the water out of my hair and realized I had soaked my white t-shirt.
"If I had known there would be a show, I would have let Aldridge run off the unicorn and stuck around," Roman smirked like he was the wittiest pervert to walk the land.
"You're disgusting," I said, but I smiled a bit, despite myself.
Daisy started flapping and quaking like a lunatic, apparently enjoying his bath. I looked at him and giggled. Best pet ever.
"I lost it about 10 miles north so we should be fine. Unless they can track by scent?" Roman looked at Aldridge who just shook his head.
Excellent. Hopefully, we wouldn't meet any other murderous fairy tale creatures on this cross-country adventure.
"Are there any other creatures we should know about?" I asked, realizing I should have asked that sooner.
"That's the worst, for sure. The rest of the animals are harmless. Some plants are poisonous, but there shouldn't be any along our route and just don't eat things if you don’t know what they are," Aldridge said looking at me. As if I just randomly put stuff in my mouth.
We started out again on the path. Daisy flew for a while just above my head and finally landed on top of my backpack. He nestled down, and we carried on. By the time it was starting to get dark I could see a small shack like the one we had slept in the village.
"Here we are," Aldridge said. He opened the door, and it was id indeed identical to the shack from the village.
"Cozy," Roman commented helpfully as we squished in. Fuck it; I didn't care. I was exhausted.
Roman started a fire in the small ring of rocks in front of the shack and pulled out some food from his pack. It turned out to be some grains mixed with vegetables, and once it was warming over the fire in the pot that had been hanging in the shack, it started to smell good, and my stomach started grumbling.
Aldridge took out some bowls and spoons, and we sat around the fire as the sun set chatting about their customs and history.
"The stories say that before the witch came, we had many different magic beings. The people could change to wolves. The birds and fish often had different forms too. Our people lived all over the land and thrived everywhere. Once the witch came, everything changed. She sucked up all our magic and tried to use it to get back to your land."
"Wait, the witch came from earth?" I asked.
"Yes. The witch said she had two kings, but they were not strong enough."
"Holy fucking hell!" I shouted. "That is the woman who started the war between Fae and vampires centuries ago! Now she has stolen Armond!"
Roman had a shocked expression on his face. His mouth was open, but no words came out.
I just looked back and forth between him and Aldridge for a while, literally dumbstruck.
"This is too weird," I finally decided. "How is this possible? There is no way my life could be this fucked up." I stood up and walked a short ways away from the fire. This woman was the cause of so much pain and suffering for so many people. She is the reason I lost my family, if you thought about it. If it weren’t for her meddling on earth, there would have been no war.
I sat down against a tree. The moon was bright enough in the sky that I could see fairly well. Daisy waddled over and hopped on to my leg then nestled down. I pet his soft feathers until he reached around and bit my hand. Little brat. Then he tucked his head under his wing and had a nap while I kept staring at the sky wondering what Armond was doing. I felt lost. Like a ship at sea just drifting on the waters. I closed my eyes for a moment and then I was asleep and dreaming of unicorns and ducks and vampires.
I woke up cradled in someone's arms. It was warm and comfortable, so I just kept my eyes closed and let my mind wander until I remembered where I was and that this probably wasn't Armond's arms. My eyes slammed open, and I jerked up.
"Fuck!" Roman exclaimed as my forehead connected with his nose. That will teach him.
"Why were you holding me?" I asked rubbing my forehead.
"Because I don't sleep but Aldridge was in bed, and I didn't want to put you down next to him. You don’t know him."
"He doesn't drink blood," I said. I caught a hurt look cross Romans face for a second before it returned to his usual expression – mischievous and impish.
"I would never drink your blood," he said "Fae are gamey." He tried to say it with a straight face, but then he lost it and laughed.
I laughed too. Roman was an idiot.
"Besides, you are so tiny and delicate but wild and fierce," he said. "It's a strange feeling to hold you while you sleep."
I sobered. "Armond said I'm like a puma once."
Roman laughed. "I can see that."
"I need him back, Roman."
He sobered too at that. "I know. We will find him. The elders didn't say what would happen, just that he would leave."
A tear escaped. "This could have been prevented if someone, anyone had told me. I wouldn't have come. Armond is important to me."
"You know how these things go. Mess with stuff too much, and horrible things happen. It was meant to happen this way."
I scoffed "Ya. Ya. That's what they always say when bad shit happens to me. I'm sure I'm due for a little fucking happiness. Fate isn't this big a bitch to any one person."
"Maybe fate is helping you out, and you just can't tell yet." He suggested.
I rolled my eyes at him then sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "You know my whole family was killed?" I asked him quietly. He nodded I continued, "I have two cousins left, and I have Armond. That's all. I can't afford to let fate clear the way for anything. After spending six months alone, I won't do it ever again. I can't."
He looked at me and took a deep breath then let it out slowly. "Alright. We will get him. We can't just ignore the witch and hope she doesn't come back to earth and cause havoc anyway. She has to be dealt with."
I smiled. Roman could be kind of scary, but having him on my side made me feel stronger.
"Alright, let's wake sleeping beauty and get this show on the road," I said.
Once we had all eaten a bit of breakfast and Daisy had his hilarious morning splash, we got moving again. Some of the birds had caught up to us overnight, and we had a decent following as we marched through the woods. Daisy liked his perch on my backpack and spent most of the walk there. It was warmer today, so we had dressed lightly and moved more easily.
Roman and I mostly talked about history since he was
around for a lot of the past I had heard of in class at school. Roman had spent most of his life in Europe apart from the fifties when American culture intrigued him enough to bring him across the ocean.
"You would have suited that era," he told me. "The women were a bit wild but still classy and beautiful, like you."
"I'm not classy," I laughed. "Did you not see me dirty dancing with Daisy two nights ago?"
He smiled and looked at me for a moment before he turned his eyes back to the path and said "It was a sight I won't forget. Watching you dance was the most captivating thing I have ever seen."
Oh. Well. I bit my lip and kept walking.
I was lost in thought when Aldridge cleared his throat. I looked up to find we were at the top of a hill and at the bottom was a city. It was quite large from this perspective with houses spread all around the valley and a castle sitting right in the middle. A high stone wall surrounded the whole city. The houses were much more significant than the shacks that Aldridge and Mac and their people lived in, but none more than one story tall except for the castle which was at least three stories high, made of fieldstone and large enough for house several dozen people. The land was clear around the exterior of the wall, and there were animals all over the place. Cows and dogs and something that looked like a pig but had curled horns like a goat and shaggy fur like it belonged in a cold climate.
We made our way down into the valley, and some men met us at the gates of the city. "Aldridge, who is this you have brought to Kingsville?" one of the guards asked.
"These are the people who came through the door the witch made. They are the ones who have set free our magic, and they wish to speak with the king."
"Welcome!” he spoke loudly to us like we might be hard of hearing, “Our King will be glad to see you here. Our city has been celebrating since the moment our magic returned."
“You don’t need to yell, they can hear and understand you just fine,” Aldridge said with a grin.
He opened the gate, and the guards all bowed as we entered. Aldridge led us through town, past shops and homes. People were all moving around the city and chatting animatedly. Daisy hopped off the pack and did a little fly around as we approached the castle. Then he dove into a large fountain and started splashing around like a maniac. I laughed at him as did some other passersby who noticed his antics.
Aldridge knocked on the massive wooden door at the front of the castle, and a small man with grey hair opened the door.
"Hello, Aldridge. It's good to see you," the man smiled. "Have you come to see your mother?"
"No, Larry, Thank you. I have brought the travelers from beyond the door to meet the king."
"Oh, my!" he exclaimed as his eyes fell on Roman and I. "Of course, come in! The King is out of the city today, but he should return in a few days. He has gone on a hunting celebration."
"Of course, that is no problem; we will keep ourselves busy in the city until he returns." Aldridge smiled. "Perhaps you can find a room for our friends, and I will go say hello to my mother, quickly."
"Certainly," Larry said with a bow. "Come with me; I will show you an excellent room with a fabulous view of our city." The older man smiled and headed up the stairs. Roman and I merely followed behind him. I was mesmerized by the colorful paintings and tapestries on the walls. Everything was sparkling clean and vibrant, almost like a different world from Mac and Aldridge's dirty little shack town.
"Does Aldridge’s mother work here?" I asked Larry as we made it to the top of the second set of stairs.
He laughed, "Oh heaven's no, his mother is the queen."
"What? Why does he live in a shack then? Doesn't that make him a Prince or something?"
"He is just a man until he becomes a king. For now, he makes his way and learns to lead people as any other."
"Hmm. That's an excellent system," I said.
Larry smiled at me as he opened a door and allowed us to enter. The room was huge, and the whole back wall was glass with a door set in the middle. Beyond the glass and entry was a balcony set in the stone wall of the castle and beyond that was city and then a wall of the forest beyond the city. To the left was an open door leading to a bedroom and to the right an open door leading to a small bathroom.
I looked out the enormous windows. "That's quite a view," I said as I walked towards the door.
"This is the best view from the castle. I hope you will be comfortable here," the man grinned when I looked back at him and nodded then he left the room and shut the door.
I opened the door to the balcony and stepped out. The city was beautiful in a rustic sort of way. The paths were all stone, and most of the houses were made entirely of wood, giving the town such a contrast of hard and soft. I leaned out over the balcony and saw a group of children playing.
"Do you feel the magic here?" Roman asked from behind me.
I pulled some magic from the ground, and it flooded me so fast it made my bones vibrate. "Whoa."
"Exactly. This place has so much magic - it's alive with it. No wonder the witch wanted the magic. This place has more magic than any I've been to before."
"Well even in Homeland the animals don't have magic. This place is special, and I'm not sure earth's influence would be a good thing for these people,” I pointed out.
Roman snorted. "You could say that again. This place is like what earth could be if humans weren't so destructive."
I tried to let go of the magic, but it clung to me like static. I laughed and gave up. It was energizing but made me feel restless.
"I'd like to see the city if we aren't going to meet the King today," I said to Roman.
"That's a good idea. The elders will want to know more about this land and its people."
First thing was first though; I needed a shower. I walked through the door to the bathroom, but there was only a small sink with cold water, so I just washed my face and called it fine. Perhaps I could swim in the river or something to get clean later.
When I came back out in clean clothes, Aldridge was in the room with Roman. "Roman said you wanted to go see the city. Unfortunately, I have some business to attend to, but you are more than welcome to go and tour. Our city is not so big that you can't see the castle from anywhere. When you get back, there are hot springs running under the castle that can be accessed through the lowest level if you wish the bathe."
"Sounds good Aldridge, thanks," I replied. Hot springs sounded awesome, but might as well explore first.
Aldridge turned and left, so I looked at Roman. "Let's go. I require shenanigans, so if you spot somewhere that sells blue liquid fun, head that way." He just shook his head and smiled.
Daisy nestled into the pillow at the top of the bed. "Are you coming lazy?" he quacked and tucked his head under his wing. Guess that's a no.
chapter FIVE
Roman and I wandered until we found our way out of the castle. The city was still busy with people pushing carts and carrying things. It felt like a city street market, and I supposed that's what it was. This city was not as bright and shiny as most on earth. The houses and small shops were all made of grey, weathered wood with signs painted in dark colors, but the people all seemed so full of life. The magic was buzzing through me. I started to wonder if this place was even real. They all seemed to work in harmony.
I heard some music and followed it to a small shop that turned out to be a tavern. Perfect. I heard Roman sigh loudly behind me, but I didn't care, I had the whole night to have a bit of fun and get to know some of the locals. Apart from coffee shops, clubs were my favorite place to hang out and meet new people.
As we walked through the door, the dark atmosphere, upbeat music and the smell of alcohol felt like home. I hadn't been to my favorite club back home since all this with the Fae began.
I walked up to the bar and plopped down on a stool. As Roman sat down beside me, the bartender walked over with a friendly look on his face. He was kind of dreamy looking with a chiseled jaw and square frame. "You must be the tra
velers," he said looking directly at me and barely glancing at Roman.
"Ya, I'm Lex, this is Roman. We came through the door three days ago, spent two days getting here. Time for a bit of fun," I said returning his smile.
"Well, you can call me Grant, and I assure you, you have come to the right place for fun," he said "Marty, turn it up," he yelled over to the man by the stage who then indicated to the musicians, and they turned it up all right. The music was fast and loud and perfect.
Grant handed me a drink that looked similar to the blue alcohol, but it smelled fruitier. I raised my glass to him and downed it quickly. He winked at me, and went to serve some other customers.
I grabbed Romans hand and dragged him out to the dance floor. I put his hands on my waist, and we danced for a long time. Vampires don't get tired, but I'm not a vampire, and eventually, I had to go sit down again. Grant handed me another drink. It's perfectly reasonable to hug your bartender and tell him you love him, right?
My second drink went down faster than my first and I abandoned Roman when he started playing a game like darts with some locals. Several good-looking young men were out dancing when I made my way back towards the stage so I was not forced to dance alone. Although, after two drinks, I wouldn't have cared that much.
One of the men I danced with got me another drink, and I drank it. I knew better than that on earth, but right now I had lost all common sense. So when I started to feel dizzy, and the man I was dancing with started leading me to the back of the building, I mentally kicked myself in the brain. I tried to push my magic to stop time, but all I managed was to slow it a tiny bit. That was apparently enough to get the attention of Roman though because he looked like the wrath of hell itself when he picked up the man who had drugged me and tossed him across the room. The music stopped, and grant rushed over, but he froze when he saw Romans glowing eyes.
"Someone had better tell me what that asshole put in her drink, or I will suck dry every person in this room." His teeth flashed in the dim light.