Guinevere walked forward, firm legs taking long strides. She walked more gracefully than she flew, something that was really very interesting to her. There was nothing to see around her, not even a single person or creature of some sort. Then she came to the outskirts of the town. There happened to be nobody there when she arrived. While it calmed her for a moment, Guinevere knew she would encounter a human sooner rather than later. “Be strong,” she muttered under her breath. She felt the energy of her Elder course through her and she walked forward.
The first human she passed was walking with a child and the two of them stared at her. The child looked at her with big, inquisitive eyes. The woman with him, whom Guinevere presumed to be the mother, looked at her with curiosity. Then she passed a group of people, all of whom stopped their chatter in favor of looking at her with awe. Every person or group of people she walked by stopped to look at her. There were admiration and curiosity in the eyes of everyone but not a single person approached her. She doubted there was anything threatening about her appearance; if anything, she must have appeared ethereal to the humans. It was perhaps for that reason that everyone stared but nobody spoke. Truthfully, Guinevere had always felt beautiful as a dragon and even in her rarely adopted human form. But as she continued to walk through the town garnering so much attention, she became concerned. She wondered if all the attention could potentially open up the doors to them discovering her secret.
Guinevere gulped and stopped walking in a circular clearing between buildings. There were a good few people gathered around, all of whom had been going about their day until she appeared in their midst. She felt singled out but knew if she looked afraid or uncertain, that could make her a target. Her head turned slowly from left to right, keenly observing her surroundings. Her eyes took in every detail of the buildings around her and the way every person there looked. Even then nobody moved nearer to her. Some had turned away from her but others were still openly staring, although there was only awe or curiosity in their eyes and nothing threatening. Despite that, a rush of questions came to Guinevere’s mind. What would she do if her secret, her true identity, were to be discovered? Would it be possible for the humans to overpower her in human form? What if it happened before she found what she needed to take back to Althaeda? It was that onslaught of questions that sent her walking quickly away from where she stood. She walked faster and faster until she found a lonely alleyway that was far from the center of town.
She leaned back against a tall wall and shut her eyes for just a second. She placed her hand on her breast and drew in a deep breath. Her plan had never been to run away from the town center but it was all she could think to do at the moment. All Guinevere hoped was that her walk appeared as one of determination and not unease. She closed her eyes once more, wanting just a moment of tranquility in this strange land. That was when she heard the heavy footfalls moving slowly in her direction.
Chapter Five
Guinevere opened her eyes at once and turned to look at where they came from. That was when a young man approached her. Despite the shock she’d felt at his sudden arrival, she did notice he was the most gorgeous human she had ever laid eyes on. The humans she had seen before from afar looked nothing like him. Not even the images shown to her as a young dragon were a match to him. Not a single townsperson she had walked by looked as stunning as the young man walking toward her. Momentarily stricken by his beauty, it was enough time for the young man to get very close to her. She jumped back when his tall figure towered over her. She was shocked to find he was taller than her, especially when every human she had walked past in the town had either been shorter or a match to her height. She looked into his deep brown eyes that stared at her intensely and she instantly worried about what might happen next.
“Why are you out here alone?”
His voice was husky and when he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbed attractively in his throat. Guinevere was unsure what it was he was causing within her but she was quite certain it could lead to a dangerous situation for her. Despite that, she looked at him carefully. She recalled her Elder’s advice to take help from a kind human as long as she did so with caution. He seemed harmless as of now and with an open field in front of her, there was an easy escape plan should things turn sour.
“May I at least know your name?”
He softened the tone of his voice when he asked the second question. There was a certain type of warmth he emitted that drew Guinevere to him but even that was not enough for her to let her guard down. She debated on whether or not to give her name to this stranger. She was too unsure to speak and not used to forming words in her human form. She worried if it would be a strange sound or if her face would contort in an odd way. So Guinevere remained silent once again.
The young man took a step back away from her before asking, “Miss, do you need help?”
Help. The word registered strongly with Guinevere and she finally gave him an answer in the form of a nod. She thought that perhaps having a human like him at her side would help her more easily navigate the streets of the town. He might even serve as a form of protection for her even if he was not necessarily aware of it. Although based on his behavior now, she thought it even possible for him to knowingly come to her rescue while she was in town. Guinevere did not want to expect too much from the young man, however, so she put a stop to her thoughts and decided to take things one step at a time.
“How can I help you?”
Guinevere took a deep breath and cast her gaze out to the field. She did not know what to say to him yet. There had to be a period of them together during which it could be decided if he could be trusted or not. She looked back into his deep brown eyes and then over in the direction of the town. She gave a single nod in that direction and then looked back at him.
“Do you want to walk through town with me? Is that what you are saying?”
Guinevere nodded silently. He motioned for her to follow him and she soon fell into step right beside him. The two of them walked in silence toward the center of town. As they moved along the streets, people turning to look at her just like before, a strange feeling crept down her back. Unsure of what the strange feeling might be, she turned to look at the young man. He looked straight ahead even when she was looking at him and she marveled at his handsome side-profile. He looked like he could have been carved out of stone, a work of such beauty that it could adorn a whole town. How did they look walking down the streets of the town, side by side– she, the ethereal beauty and he, the breathtakingly handsome young man? She turned away from him briefly but soon found she wanted to take in his appearance again. Perhaps it was not safe or smart but she gazed at him again. She glanced over at him from time to time, and each time an entirely new feeling washed over her. It is one she did not recognize but knew she did not want to lose it.
When they reached the heart of the town, where there were more people making much more noise, he finally slowed to a stop. He turned to look at Guinevere and she held her breath, wondering what he was going to say or do. She was just as nervous as when she had first stepped into town but there was something new there. It was a new source of nervousness had mixed with the old and it left her feeling quite confused.
“Miss, what exactly is it you are looking for?”
Guinevere’s was hesitant to tell him everything. Even though he had been perfectly kind and respectable thus far, she was still a bit skeptical. She looked up at the sky’s orange glow; the sun was setting and she would need a place to stay. That was yet another thing that had not been taken into consideration about this undertaking. She drew in a deep breath and turned her gaze back upon the young man.
“I need help,” she said in a near whisper.
“What do you need help with?”
“I need… I need to find a place to stay,” she told him. Nightfall was nearly upon them and she knew she could not sleep out under the stars like she was used to doing deep in the forest as a dragon. Although she would not have foun
d it uncomfortable, it posed a danger to her. Someone could easily try to harm her or, at the very least, ask too many questions. Guinevere needed to blend in with the humans as much as possible.
“Very well,” the man said. He looked around and then mindfully said, “I can help you with that if you just follow me.”
Guinevere walked just behind him, off to the side, as he continued walking in the same direction they were heading in. They walked and walked until they reached another outskirt of town. There was a small cottage surrounded by open land on two sides. In front of it was the town and behind it, somewhat far off, was a very large house with more land surrounding it. The two of them stopped right in front of the cottage and the young man turned to look at her. She eyed the front door and then turned back to look at him unsurely. This place was so far removed from other houses in town that it felt isolated.
“Is this your house?”
The young man leaned in and Guinevere felt her breath catch in her throat. She felt nearly trapped between the door and the tall figure of the young man. Even though it was a situation that should have elicited more fear from her, she was more taken aback than anything else. She felt her chest tighten and she did not know why. She gulped.
“I own this cottage,” he informed her. At once, Guinevere readied herself to reject his offer but he spoke before she had a chance to. “I own it but I do not live here. It is merely a small cottage on the land I own. If you see the large house behind it in the distance,” he gave a single nod in its direction, “That is my home.”
“Oh,” Guinevere breathed out.
“I promise you privacy during your stay here but I ask only one thing in return.”
Guinevere eyed him carefully and asked, “What is it you ask of me?”
“I ask only that you share with me what you truly need help with.”
Before Guinevere could respond, he moved his arm around her to reach for the door. He opened it up and motioned for her to enter before walking off toward the large house. She ran to the back of the cottage and peered through the window. She could see the young man walking quickly toward the large house. Even from this distance and in the low light of the setting sun, Guinevere could see it was much more elegant than any of the houses she had seen during her walk through the town.
“That must he is of a higher status than that of most townspeople,” she muttered.
She placed her hand flat on the wall beside the window and exhaled onto the glass, causing it to fog up. He was nearly at the front door of his home. He looked stately at his tall height with such broad shoulders standing beside such a grand house. Guinevere watched him turn to look back at the cottage for one last look before he stepped inside and disappeared from her sight.
Chapter Six
Guinevere sat by the fireplace, which had no wood in it and thus she could not use it and rested her head back against the armchair. Despite her eyes being shut, she was not resting. There was too much on her mind for that. Her body slowly gave way to exhaustion and she felt it weighing her down. Her first day amongst the humans had gone well overall but it had certainly been a taxing ordeal for her. A sudden knock on her door made her jump out of her chair with a start.
“Who…” Her voice trailed off and she placed her hand delicately over her mouth. Maybe it was better if she did not let her presence be known. After all, there was not a single person in town whom she was acquainted with aside from the young man and he was too far to come to her aid should she need it. She walked quietly closer to the door and peered cautiously out the window.
Guinevere sighed in relief. It was the young man standing on the other side of the door. He was holding something she could not make out in the low light of the early evening and through the sheer fabric of the curtains. She unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“Good evening,” the young man greeted politely, “I thought you perhaps did not have dinner or a means to acquire food so I am here to drop off a plate.”
He extended his hand and offered her a covered plate. She took it and softly said, “Thank you.” She looked into his deep brown eyes and felt warmth well up in her chest once again. It was something only he caused and it made her very curious.
“Very well then, if there is nothing else you need…”
“I think I am well, thanks to your kindness.”
He looked over her shoulder and gave a nod toward the fireplace, “Would you like me to get that going for you? Nights in the cottage can get pretty chilly.”
“Oh, sure. If it is not a bother.”
“None at all,” the young man said. He walked inside and opened a door near the restroom where there was neatly stacked firewood. He carried over a few logs and arranged them in the fireplace before getting the fire started. After he dusted off his hands, he stood up and turned to look at Guinevere with a kind smile.
The reflection of the fire danced in his intense eyes and the warmth Guinevere had felt not only intensified, it spread through her. She felt it drop to the pit of her stomach and move as if it were stirring. She squeezed her legs and shifted; that was yet another new feeling he brought out in her that she had no clue what to make of.
“I am very grateful for your hospitality, sir.”
“Sir?” The young man looked at her quizzically and then something dawned on him. He opened his mouth and chuckled as he said, “I haven’t even told you my name. I’m Doran.” The young man looked at her, still smiling, and then a second look of realization crossed his face. “Come to think of it,” he said, “You never told me your name either.”
Guinevere felt her face flush and she looked over to the fire, crackling pleasantly and filling the small cottage with comforting warmth. She thought of her Elder and whether or not she would be advised to reveal her name to this young man, Doran. She reasoned that if she accepted to stay in his cottage and took his help, he could at least be trusted with that basic piece of information. Guinevere cleared her throat and turned to meet his gaze.
“I am Guinevere,” she told him.
“Guinevere,” he repeated, a smile curling up the corners of his lips. “Well, Guinevere, it has been lovely to make your acquaintance. Now I will give you the privacy I’ve promised. Sleep soundly.” He turned and walked out the door, closing it carefully behind him.
Guinevere ran to the door and locked it at once before dashing back to the window from which she could watch him walk back up to his large house. This time he walked faster than he had earlier, perhaps because it was darker out. She watched with her hand pressed flat against the window until he stepped inside and closed the door. She wondered what it was he would do now. Did he live alone? How was it that he came to own such a sizable piece of land with a cottage and a large house on it? These were the sorts of questions that filled her mind as she lay in bed for her first night of sleep since she’d gone to fetch Althaeda.
The following morning filled the small bedroom with bright sunlight and the sounds of birds chirping could be heard from outside the window. It was very different than what Guinevere was used to and when she awoke, she was quite shocked to have spent the night so comfortably. She walked back out into the main room and spotted the covered plate of food atop the small table where she assumed humans ate. Stomach grumbling, she walked over to see what was underneath but when she peeled back the covering, she saw only spoiled fruits and a small, cold piece of meat.
“Ugh,” she muttered in disgust. She quickly dumped the food into the covering, wrapped it up, and threw it into a small bin tucked away in the corner.
Guinevere placed her hand on her stomach. The discomfort soon turned to pain and she knew she would need to eat sooner rather than later. She looked longingly out the window. If she were home, it would only take going out for a hunt. But now amongst the humans in their territory, Guinevere was unsure what to do for food.
As if she’d called out to him and he heard, there was a knock at the door. She dashed over and opened it, smiling when she took in t
he Doran’s face. His long, black hair reached just past his shoulders sleekly, tucked behind his ears. His manly looks truly drew her to him even if she did not understand why or how. She felt her face flush just as it had the previous night and it was all because they were making eye contact early in the morning.
“Are you hungry?” Guinevere nodded emphatically and he smiled as he said, “There is a woman nearby who serves breakfast on her patio. Many people go daily.”
He was about to turn to head out when he paused and looked her up and down. Guinevere shifted her weight from one foot to the other and crossed her arms shyly. It felt like she was on display and he was admiring the sight. But when he moved his eyes back up to hers there was a different look in them that made her nervous.
“Guinevere, pardon me for asking, but do you have only this to wear?”
She looked down at the body coverings her wings and scales had provided and nodded. It was not until that moment it really crossed her mind how differently she was dressed than all the other women she’d seen in town. But she had nothing else to wear or any means to acquire something new. As luck would have it, Doran had a small wardrobe of dresses left behind by a cousin of his.
“Are you sure? You have done so much for me already.”
“Please, wear any as you need them,” he paused and then asked, “How long will you be in town?”
“Oh! I do not know but I can find another place–”
“No, no! I do not mind you staying here as long as you need. I was merely curious.” He looked at her for a moment and she could tell he had many more questions on his mind but, much to her relief, he held back from asking.
Romance: The Campus Player: A College Romance Page 79