by Crystal Dawn
“What new assistant? Has George been replaced?”
“No, I think George is right.”
“He’s been his assistant for six months now.”
“Hm, that long? I suppose he slipped my notice.”
“He seems to be good at what he does.” Flint was tempted to say it was a good thing since Forest was not, but he left that off.
“I’m glad to hear it. Maybe this one will stay.” His father commented and it occurred to Flint that George had stayed longer than any of Forest’s assistants and he wondered why. “I guess I’ll let you go now.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Father.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing about this stranger then.”
“Hopefully I’ll know more.” It crossed his mind to hunt down the stranger, but that would just be because he was curious and that didn’t seem like a good enough reason to bother an otherwise innocent traveler. He could wait a few more hours to find out where this man was from and why he had come here.
His kingdom wasn’t unfriendly, but these days with war brewing on the borders, few were brave enough or foolish enough, depending on how things were viewed, to take to the roads near here. Flint just knew this story would be intriguing and he couldn’t wait to find out more.
Chapter 3
Meeting Fate
Serena and Sir slipped out the other side of the veil and it was disappointing. Nothing seemed different. They were in an unpopulated area with a dirt road that that went to the north and the south. The trees looked the same, the grass was just as green, and the sky was blue with white fluffy clouds floating by. She failed to see the big deal about going into the human world if it was so much like their own.
Knowing what humans looked like, she knew they looked much the same. Yes, she had a slight point to her ears, but that was barely noticeable and just a touch of glamour fixed it. If she could make a dragon look like a horse, looking human was an easy task for her.
Sir was walking at a steady pace but it was a shame they couldn’t take to the air. One thing she had learned about humans was they were terrified of dragons. Flying horses would probably scare them to death as well. There would be no shortcuts so it was good that Sir seemed content.
It was halfway through the first day when she felt eyes watching them. Maybe they didn’t fit in as well as she had thought. She didn’t know what the horses in this world looked like, only that they had them. Maybe she had miscalculated. The intense watchful eyes were on them as they made their way deeper into the human territory. They stopped for the night and she and Sir went deep into the woods hunting. Sir got a deer and devoured it whole. Serena got two large birds and had to build a fire the old fashioned way so as not to look suspicious.
She had trained in survival as a teenager and knew all she needed to start a fire even without the flintlock she had packed in her survival gear. It was easy and soon she was feasting on the first bird, cooked to perfection as she watched the second one cook and turned the spit occasionally.
A throat cleared nearby and she looked up, surprised. She’d been too focused on her hunger since she’d not eaten all day. There was an older man standing nearby looking at the roasting bird with a gleam in his eye.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but I noticed you had plenty of food and you look like a stranger in these parts. I thought you might part with some of your feast in return for information about the place you are traveling to.”
“Have a seat and I’ll cut you off a quarter.” Serena cut a leg quarter from the bird and poked it with a stick before handing him the whole thing, stick and all.
“Much obliged. My name is Henri and I do odd jobs. I haven’t found much work lately and I prefer to stay away from the castle.”
“You can call me Sere. I’m a traveler looking to see the world and find adventure.”
“You’re likely to find more than your share. The king’s men are keeping a close eye on you.” He looked at her as he took a bite, chewed, and swallowed hungrily. “Good stuff! Ah, I see you knew you were being watched.”
“Yes, the bird is delicious and I knew they watched me, just not who they were.”
“Your voice is soft, almost feminine.” Henri said as he stared thoughtfully. “Perhaps, you are younger than I first thought. Does your family know where you are?”
Serena fought the desire to laugh. “Most definitely not. My father would be angry. He probably is because I left without his says so.”
“He’s a noble?”
“Yes, he is.”
“You should turn around and go home right away. This place is not safe for you. The fact that they keep such a close eye on you does not bode well.”
“While I thank you for your concern, I can take care of myself. My fighting skills are better than you might think.”
“I’m sure they are if they are like your hunting skills. Could I have another piece?” he asked, as he gestured to the bones he’d tossed to the ground. Serena would be sure to sleep away from the fire since bones would draw in predators.
She cut off a section with breast meat and a wing to give to him, while taking some more for herself. Hard travel took fuel and she could have eaten it all herself but he looked like he needed it more. “So Henri, where do you live?”
“I’m a bit of a hermit and I’ve built a shack in the woods a couple miles from here. It ain’t pretty, but it’s home.”
“I’m sure it suits your needs. The forest is a perfect place to live. Someday, I’ll have a treehouse where I can escape from everything whenever I want to. Now tell me about the town I’m headed to.”
“Cedarvale is an old town, as far as towns go. As the name suggests, before people came, there was a lovely vale filled with cedars. The funny thing is you’d be hard pressed find a single cedar tree now. There’s a river, maybe two miles south of the town where they get their water and it is full of fish. Do you know how to fish?”
“I’ve caught a few fish and I know how to cook them, too.”
“Perhaps I’ll run into you again. The fish are some good eating and I’ve not had any in a good long while.”
“So what about Cedarvale?”
“Oh, yeah. There’s a huge castle that the king lives in fulltime with his queen. They’ve four sons, Damian, the heir, Flint the head general, Ender, who deals with the religious matters, and Forest who is the chief chamberlain. Now Flint and Ender, those boys are good, strong, and serve the people. The other two aren’t worth much and I don’t see how they ever will be.”
“That’s sad to have a future ruler be uncaring of his people.”
“It’s far more than that. He chases whores, drinks, gambles, and has a generally bad attitude. He feels his future is set and he doesn’t have to do anything to ensure it. The people dread the day he takes over.”
“But this Flint, he’s alright?”
“A sight better than alright. No one would worry if he was the heir. It’s a shame.”
“So tell me more about the town itself. Can I find some supplies there? Do they trade or is coin the only way to buy something?”
“It is like most places, gold speaks loudest, even more so than coin. Anything of value will be accepted, but some are fairer than others in their dealings. Caution is always advised in trades of any kind. If you stick around for long and need to make money, fishing and hunting pay better than most things, but only if you’re good.”
Serena gave him the last part of the bird. He had given her the information she needed, at least for now. Two more days would see her and Sir at Cedarvale. Her mate would be there waiting, she could sense his presence growing stronger as they got closer to the town.
“Thank you for the information.”
“Thank you for the food and the company. I wish you well in your endeavors, whatever they may be.” Henri walked away from the fire and disappeared from sight.
Serena and Sir moved far enough away from the fire that its heat was not felt, but it was not necessary
since the temperature was comfortable. Sir lay down and she took her sleeping bag and laid it beside him so she could feel his comforting presence. It had been many years since he had slept beside her and she felt protected as she drifted off to sleep.
It was nearly dawn when noises woke her and she felt Sir stir as well. The sounds came from where the fire had been, although it had long died down to ashes. The moon shone bright and shiny eyes reflecting the moonlight stared at them. Next she heard a roar, and the little creatures scrambled to get away with whatever bones they had managed to grab.
The eyes staring back at her were larger now and she stood pulling her sword. She chanted a protection spell and the creature turned and slowly walked away. Either it didn’t like magic, it recognized her sword for what it was, or Sir’s size and predatory scent had told it that no easy meal would be found here. Serena didn’t care why, she was only glad to see it go.
“Come on, Sir. There’s no need to lie about now. We’re awake and the road calls.” Sir stirred, but he was not a morning dragon. He often lay about until noon when he was at home and then needed large amounts of food and a special juice dragons loved to get him up and around.
Right now, there was no food and they would find water along the way. Once Sir was up, she saddled him and mounted. Ready for another grueling day’s ride under the watchful eyes of the sentries. At least the weather was perfect and the road easy to travel.
Serena knew that she shouldn’t have thought about it being the perfect day to travel as the rain hit her in the face. The mud made it hard for Sir to walk as he sank deep into it and it clung to him making it hard for him to get traction to move forward. Yesterday had been a good day, today was now wretched and she prayed to the gods it would improve. That thought made her wonder who she was praying to which instantly brought Allendra to mind and the fact that all this was her fault for challenging the chosen ones to find their fated mates.
Around midday, the rain slacked off and the sun came out. Now, it was hot and muggy making them even more miserable. At least the mud began to dry off and Sir found it easier to move. They would not make up the time they had lost sliding in the mud, but now they could match the pace they had managed yesterday.
By the time they stopped at twilight, they were both tired and starving. She removed Sir’s saddle and bridle, turning him loose so he could rummage up his own food. This time he got a feral hog in just minutes. Serena loved roasted hog but Sir caught his and ate it whole. As he walked back toward the camp site, spitting out the bones along the way not another hog nearby would show its snout.
She hunted deeper and managed to bag a rabbit and a bird. Well, variety was surely the spice of life. Keeping Henri’s advice in mind, she saved the exotic and colorful feathers of this bird which was unknown to her. The rabbit’s fur was also kept although she didn’t know much about how to prepare it for sale. Maybe someone would buy it that would do the rest before selling it to a merchant.
The rabbit was cooking and nearly done as she prepared the bird to take its place. Rabbit wasn’t her favorite food, probably because she loved the furry little creatures so much. Hunger overrode that love and once she pulled it loose, she bit at the meat, burning her mouth for her trouble. She left it to cool as she put the bird on a spit and returned to eat her rabbit.
“Hello the camp.” A familiar voice called out. It was Henri. “I see I’m just in time for supper.”
Serena pulled off a leg quarter and gifted him with it. “How did you manage to keep up with us?”
“The trails through the woods are so much easier than the road when it’s muddy. My path was also more direct since the road winds around the woods and the hills.”
“It’s amazing how we met up at suppertime.” Serena chuckled. Henri was growing on her.
“It’s certainly to my advantage. You get the choice meats. This rabbit it delightful. Is that bird a peacock? My, that is an exotic dish few ever have the chance to eat. The feathers are quite valuable. I would, however, tell them you found the bird already dead. The king loves peacock and rarely do his huntsmen manage to bring him one. He might be upset if he knew we dined on one this night.” Henri laughed gleefully. He didn’t seem upset at the possibility of the king’s ire.
She liked that even a king didn’t intimidate him. Henri seemed to place good food and good conversation above all other things. He’d lived a hard life, it showed in his eyes and the streaks of grey that were shot throughout his dark hair and beard. The speed that he had traveled was at odds with the slight limp he had and his gnarled hands that had seen too much hard labor.
The rabbit was eaten, so now she pulled the peacock from the fire to cool. She would give him some of that, too. It was a hardship because keeping the glamour in place took a great deal of strength, but never would there come a day she would allow someone to starve when she had food. Once it had cooled a little, she took a third and gave him the rest.
Tomorrow night she hoped to be in Cedarvale, but if not, she would bag three animals to cook so he could have his own. It would not be much extra work and if he didn’t show, Sir could always find room for more food.
“So tell me, what brings you this way?” Serena wondered.
Between bites, Henri spoke. “Talking of Cedarvale made me miss The Elk Horn. That’s the best tavern in town and I’ve not been there in many a year. It’s not just the women and the liquor, you can hear all the best stories and see men make total fools of themselves. Good times!”
“I think we have different definitions of good times.” Serena observed dryly.
“Not the tavern type?”
“I’ve gone a time or two, but it isn’t my cup of soup.”
“Very well said. I go to observe. I sit at the bar eating more than drinking, sip at my drink, and observe the world passing before me. Lonely wives, hardened soldiers looking for respite, young untired youth wondering what it’s all about, and young women checking things out to see if they dare go to the wild side. You can even see parents looking for their children and husbands looking for their wives. Everyone there is looking for something or someone. It’s an amazing place to see the world in a nut shell.”
“You’re a philosopher?”
“Not really, just an observer of the human condition.” He dug into his peacock greedily and they both stopped talking for a time.
Once they were through eating, they sat in an easy silence lost in their thoughts until Henri spoke up. “Be careful. People fear what they don’t know. You dress different from anyone from these parts and your horse stands out. He’s bigger, taller, and shows an intellect beyond any horse I’ve ever seen. Thank you for the food and again, I wish you safe journeys.” With those cautionary words, Henri disappeared from view.
Serena sat for a while letting her food digest and thinking about what Henri had said. Apparently, she had been foolish to think they would fit in among mortals. Her lack of knowledge about other kinds would be her undoing. Her father had never allowed her to leave their world and only a couple times had he let her go to other nearby kingdoms that were ruled by fae.
This whole thing was making her feel ignorant. She, who had had the best education available among her people, was now finding out it was lacking. Sir and she and turned in for the night sleeping cuddled up in a protective bundle. Few creatures had the balls to attack a dragon and regardless of how he looked, animals could smell the dragon he was.
Considering everything, they slept well and were rested when they got up. She saddled him up and away they went on the last leg of their journey. They stopped for water, which was easier to find after the rain, but otherwise kept a steady if tiring pace wishing to reach their end goal.
As they topped the next hill, they saw Cedarvale off in the distance. The air shimmered, giving it an almost magical appearance, but there was no magic here. It was just the steam evaporating yesterday’s rain giving the town an unnatural look from a distance,
“There it is, Sir! Look, ou
r destination is in sight.” Sir only snorted as dragons often do. Luckily, no fire came out.
They headed down the road and she judged the town to be five miles away. The sun was setting as they closed in on their goal and she was worried about where she would put Sir and if he would behave himself. “I’ll find a good stable for you, Sir. You may have to eat grains part of the time, but I’ll bring you meat as soon as I can. Promise me you’ll behave?” His only answer was a snort. That didn’t instill much confidence.
The town grew close enough she could make out individual buildings and details of the castle which stood at the top of the next hill towering over the town beneath it. Her fated mate was there, somewhere. A shiver ran down her back. Was that anticipation or nervousness? She already knew he was handsome and a respected leader. What she didn’t know was how he would react to her.
How did he feel about supernaturals and did he even believe they existed? Had he heard stories about her kind and were they positive ones? So many questions were bringing her so many doubts as the town grew closer and looked larger.
Once they hit the town’s edge, people began to stare. They almost seemed to gather along her path as if she was leading a parade. Humans were odd, after all. First, she found a stable where she left Sir after unsaddling and brushing him. She left instructions to leave him alone because he didn’t like people he didn’t know coming close to him. Paying half the fee upfront in gold, the rest was due when she left. A week would see it done or it might never be done. The young stable hand stared at her awed by her appearance. Hopefully the awe would keep him away from Sir.
Now, she looked for a place to eat. She found an inn that served good food and she ordered the hot plate and two baked hens to go. Those would keep Sir happy until tomorrow. Serena also got a room, a simple one with a cot and access to a toilet. There was a bath house, but men and women were in separate sections and the tubs were lined up in a row. That wouldn’t work for her.