“I’ve never been to Arlisaine,” he said out loud. “They aren’t part of the peace treaty with the tri-kingdoms.” Every now and then tempers would flare and the kingdoms would have confrontations, although they never lasted long. Could Thelton have gone to Arlisaine? It could make for a brilliant place to hide out. Not many people would recognize him there. Sterling decided to trust in the fate of the sword. He headed in the direction of Arlisaine.

  …

  Indy flew for awhile until she came to a meadow of long grass. She dropped down into it and rested. If felt so good to be alone. So much had happened to her and so fast. She had been so comfortable in her life with the dragons. That was what she had known. She had never envisioned anything different. Thelton had completely changed her life. She didn’t know what to think about him. She was really drawn to him and felt like she needed to protect him, and yet many times she was annoyed by him. He was always grabbing her and trying to get her to do what he wanted. Sometimes she had other plans. And he never stopped talking.

  Now that she had met Thelton, could she live without him? The thought frightened her. She liked being with him, and yet she didn’t want to be with him. She immensely missed her family. She just wanted to return home and curl up into her mom’s safe side. She wanted to forget about Thelton and everything that had happened. She wanted her family.

  Indy twisted up in the grass and fell asleep. Her body was exhausted. She slept through the night and in the morning she was awakened by a chicken pecking at her face. The beak pricked a little, but not much. Indy watched it for awhile then she reached out and grabbed it. She brought it to her mouth and started eating it. Sunlight rested on her skin. As she ate, the sun’s warmth relaxed her.

  When her belly was full, she had an idea. She was going to return home. She missed her family and really wanted to be with them. Indy stretched out. She rubbed her bloody feathered hands on her tattered dress. Opening her wings, she took off to the sky.

  Indy flew for awhile until she realized she had no idea where she was. Everything was so different in this part of the world. She flew back and forth and in many circles. She was truly lost as far as home went. She still knew how to get back to Thelton, but she wasn’t ready for that yet.

  Indy flew some more and then decided to rest. She had found a huge meadow of wildflowers. She gathered the flowers and arranged them in designs, and then she hummed and relaxed. She felt at peace and just soaked in her surroundings. She spent the day doing very little. That night, she slept in the meadow.

  The next day, Indy found her thoughts were mostly on Thelton. She missed him. She was also very hungry. She thought about the taverns and how easy the food was to obtain there. Her mind changed. She decided she wanted to go be with Thelton and his world again, at least for a time. Later she would look for her family. Opening her wings, Indy flew up into the sky.

  Chapter 18

  Thelton sat at the waterfall. He was in ill spirits.

  “How could she just leave me? I had sacrificed everything for her. Does she not have any feelings for me? Was she capable of having feelings?” Thelton hated the way he felt. This was the whole reason he had spent his life avoiding women. They had a way of trapping a guy and changing everything they were made up of. He vowed he would never allow that to happen to him, and here he was, it had happened.

  “I just want to leave and move on with my life, but what life is that? I have given it up for Indy. I can’t return to the tri-kingdoms. I probably shouldn’t stay where I am at for long. The best thing for me is to find passage at sea and get as far away from the kingdoms. And yet, I can’t seem to move without her.”

  Thelton screamed, “How did I let myself be trapped by a woman?”

  He kept watching the sky, waiting for Indy to return. He hated her, he loved her. He ached for her, he despised her. How could she just leave him?

  Thelton numbly sat at the waterfall where they had exchanged their magical kiss. He sat next to it and played in the water. The coolness numbed his fingers. As he sat there, he became aware that he could hear wings in the sky. He looked up; there was Indy.

  She landed next to him. Thelton didn’t budge. He was torn on his thoughts. He was so happy to see her and yet he was so angry that she left. He wanted to hug and kiss her, yet he wanted to punish her.

  “Where you’ve been,” he coldly asked.

  Indy sat next to him and put some flowers in his lap. She smiled and grabbed his hand. His hand was limp.

  “Do you care at all what you did to me?”

  Indy looked at the waterfall. She put her free hand in the water. It was so cold.

  “Of course you don’t. You think you can just take off anytime you want and that I am just patiently going to sit her waiting for you. Well you’re wrong.”

  Indy’s eyes squinted as she looked at him. She could tell he was upset, but she wasn’t sure why.

  “You know, I could lecture you, but you don’t understand a thing that I say. I could tell you to never do that again, but you will. I could command you to never leave my side, but what good will that do? You don’t understand a thing I say?” Angrily, Thelton picked up a rock and chucked it into the fountain. The rock splashed water into both their faces. Indy giggled, Thelton became more bothered. He wiped the chilly water off his face.

  “This isn’t going to work. We are from different worlds, you and me. How can I have a woman that can’t obey me? What was I thinking falling for you? I can’t have baggage. This is so wrong.”

  Thelton stood. “That’s it; I know what I will do. I will make passage on sea and start a life anew somewhere else. You, go home to your family that is where you belong.”

  Indy reached up and grabbed Thelton’s arm, she pulled him down next to her.

  “What are you doing?” he said annoyed.

  Indy brought her lips to his and gave him a kiss. She mimicked his kiss from a couple of days ago. The kiss was so sweet and tender.

  Thelton relaxed while his anger promptly evaporated. Indy was smiling up at him.

  “I could never leave you,” he said. Instantly he had changed his mind. He would do everything in his power to protect her. “Please, don’t ever leave me again.”

  …

  Sterling had made his way to Arlisaine. He was starving. The princess had loaded him up with lots of slip coins to help the success of his journey. As he walked down the main street of town, he spotted a large tavern. His stomach growled as he anticipated his very large breakfast. It felt good to have money to burn. For once, he felt important. Sterling went into the tavern. He passed by a table of hard looking men; there were four of them. They had been arguing with the server on their choice for breakfast. Sterling kept his eyes down and found a seat in the back corner. He didn’t want trouble with anyone.

  …

  Thelton stood outside their room as Indy changed. He had bought all the left over dresses from the maidens earlier. The front was opened by the buttons and the back he had cut out. Thelton wasn’t big on fashion, but he didn’t want to take her to breakfast with her threadbare dress. She had really made a mess of it. Thelton paced outside the door. It was sure taking her a long time to get ready. A bearded man passed by him and tipped his hat. Thelton nodded. What was taking Indy so long? The smells from the tavern drifted his way. He scratched his arm. The door creaked open.

  Indy stepped out, she looked flustered. She had battled with the dress for some time. She liked how clothes kept her warm, but they were complicated. She had tried to get Thelton to help, but he had refused. Thelton looked at her and began laughing out loud. She looked stupid because she had it on backwards.

  “Go back in and try again. You look pathetic.” Thelton pointed to the door. Indy looked at him in confusion.

  He grabbed at her dress. “Backwards, look, backwards.”

  Indy stared.

  Thelton shook his head. “Whatever, I really don’t care. You can go in there looking like a fool. I’m starving and in all truth, I really don’t want to wait another second for you to get dressed.” Thelton grabbed Indy’s hand and lead her into the tavern.

  A rush of warm air met them at the tavern door. The smells of breakfast tickled their olfactory. Thelton rubbed his stomach, because he couldn’t wait to eat. The smell seemed to take a hold of Indy. She became fidgety and madly looked around. Letting go of Thelton’s hand she rushed to an occupied table. Thelton was taken back, what had caught her curiosity?

  Around the table sat four burly men. A feast was spread before them. There were mash potatoes, rolls, tander root, farther berries, and a giant wild turkey in the middle. It was the turkey that caught Indy’s attention. She was starving. She had only eaten a small chicken over the last couple of days. Her belly was pretty empty and her natural instinct seemed to take over.

  Indy dived at the turkey, practically crawling over the table to get it. She drove her face in the middle while she ripped pieces off the side. She was stuffing her face. Oil and little scraps of turkey dripped down her chin.

  “What are you doing, woman?” one of the men yelled at her. The others sat in unbelief.

  Thelton rushed to the table, reaching over it, he grabbed Indy’s back. He tried to pull her off the table. He seized a handful of dress. She turned to him and snarled and then went back to eating.

  “Get down,” he yelled. “What are you doing? If you want turkey, we will order it.” Thelton grabbed the back of her arm and tried to remove her from the bird. Indy swung around with her claws and caught the skin on his face. She snarled, and then pushed him to the ground. Once again, she returned to the food.

  Thelton sat on the ground stunned. What had gotten into her? Why did she lash out at him? Indy found nothing unusual about her behavior. She had eaten sort of civil up to this point, but that is not how she was raised. At the lair fights often erupted over food.

  “Get your woman off our food.” One man shouted.

  “I’m not paying for that,” said another.

  The tavern owner hurriedly made his way to the table. He reached down to help pull Thelton up off the floor. Thelton pushed his hand aside and stood on his own.

  “You and your woman need to leave NOW!” The owner said.

  Thelton glared at him. He didn’t know what to do. He brought his hand up to his bleeding cheek. It stung.

  “If you want her out of here, then do it yourself.” Thelton said. He was in shock.

  All the men rose from the table. With the aid of the owner, they tackled Indy. She bit, she clawed, she screamed, and she howled as the fight progressed. She had massive power and it took all the men to pull her from the table. They carried her to the front door. She kicked and screeched and fought all the way there. At the door they heaved her out and tossed her into the street. She stood up and charged back in. When they saw her coming, they blocked the entrance and pushed her out again.

  The men turned and faced Thelton, ready to fight him too, if they had to. He just shrugged.

  “Can I take some food back to my room?” Thelton asked. He was still hungry.

  The owner pointed to the door. “Go!”

  Thelton reached down at the table and grabbed a handful of tander root and farther berries and thought. “I am hungry and now I have to miss breakfast, and I am sure there isn’t a lunch in my future.” As the men pushed him, he shoved the food in his mouth.

  Sterling sat in the corner of the tavern and watched Thelton leave.

  “I can’t believe it. The fates had been good to me. Of all the towns I could have picked, I end up in the one that Thelton and the wild woman are at.” He thought as he poked at his bread. “She is scarier than Thelton. How in the world will I contain her? She almost bested five men. I would rather take my chances on bringing Thelton in; at least he wasn’t as wild.” He shook his head realizing that there was no way that he could bring either in. He thought he was untrained and week compared to their strength and power. He didn’t have the skills to capture them. Did he have the whit to steal her away? Sterling decided he better get outside and see where they went.

  As he walked out of the Tavern, Trevor of Andleburg, First Position Advisor crossed in front of the Tavern. He was surrounded by a group of Arlisaine men. Sterling couldn’t be entirely sure, but he was almost positive it was Trevor. He had met Trevor on the dragon hunt. He wondered what Trevor was doing in Arlisaine. Letting the thought pass, he remembered he was looking for Indy. He had heard that she could fly. If she took to the sky he would lose them. He was so close, this was his only chance. There was a reason the fates brought him to Arlisaine, he best take advantage.

  …

  Outside the tavern, Indy and Thelton were in a fight. The two were rolling around on the ground. A little dust storm kicked up around them. Indy seemed to have the upper hand. Sterling smiled. He loved seeing Thelton get his butt kicked, and even better, it was by a girl. A dozen people had gathered around to watch the fight. The town’s ladies shrieked in horror as they watched a man fight a woman. The men from the tavern cheered Thelton on because they despised Indy.

  Indy gave him a powerful head-butt. He momentarily blacked out. When he came to, he was fuming. His headed pounded. His pride seemed to take a hit as well. The town’s people cat called to him for his loss to a woman. In his anger, he threw Indy off. He kicked dust at her and turned away and then went over to where the horses were. He jumped on a horse and rode off. His mouth foamed as he bit his tongue. He was livid.

  Indy sat on the ground. Her face was scratched up, and her hair flew everywhere. A towns’ man yelled after Thelon, he had just watched him take off with his horse. Indy rubbed at her arms. She panted heavily. One of the towns’ women went over to help her.

  “Stop,” a man shouted. “She is wilder than a beast. Best let her be.” The women listened and quickly backed away.

  Indy spit on her wounds; they burned.

  Sterling realized if he ever had a chance, now was the time. He was so scared, but he made his way to Indy. He stood over her. She looked up wildly at him. He stepped back a bit.

  “Let me, um, let me help you.”

  Indy stared.

  Sterling bent down and offered his hand. She looked at it. He was shaking because she looked like she wanted to devour him. Sterling looked at his other hand; he was still holding the bread. He reached out and offered it to Indy.

  “Eat,” he said.

  “Eat,” Indy replied. She snatched the bread and stuffed it in her mouth. Sterling dropped to his knees next to her. He softly touched her arm near the wounds.

  “Ouch, those look bad.” He knew nothing else to do so he reached his head over and spit on her wounds.

  Indy relaxed a bit.

  “Pain,” Indy said. She had learned a small vocabulary during her time with Thelton.

  “I bet, you are, um, you are in pain. Come with me, and I will help you.” He tenderly grabbed her hand.

  Indy was hesitant, but curious, she accepted his hand.

  Sterling pulled her up, finding her solid weight. He grunted to lift her.

  She looked at Sterling. He had gentleness to his nature that she could sense. She reached over to his short blond hair and rubbed it. Sterling stiffened. He was so scared of her. Was she preening him just before she devoured him?

  “Go. Fly,” she said to Sterling.

  Sterling’s heart leapt. She wanted to fly. He was game. “I have often watched the birds soar the air and have dreamed of joining them. I heard you could fly. Yes, I would love to fly.”

  Indy wrapped her arms around Sterling and with him jumped into the air. Nothing happened. Her wings were trapped behind her dress.

  Sterling shook as he was locked in her embrace. He didn’t trust her, for he really thought she might eat him. She reached her arm around her back and tore open more of the material until she freed her wings. The spectators gasped as they stretched opened, for they were so large. Maybe she was a queen fairy.

  Indy rewrapped her arms around Sterling and set up into the sky. They flew high above the village. The space between them and the ground widened. Sterling’s heart felt like it stayed back on the ground.

  “Ohh, ohh, ohh, I’m flying, I’m FLYING!” Sterling yelled out. Euphoria over took him. He had never experienced something so amazing before. The wind rushed through his hair and tickled his skin. He could see the people down below become smaller and smaller. The air felt so fresh. He could die right now and nothing else would matter. He was flying!

  “I love it, I love it!” He called out. All inhabitations had disappeared. He couldn’t stop his enthusiasm. He felt wonderful.

  Indy loved his response. She had been able to discern when a human was displaying pleasure. Sterling was so excited all he could do was laugh and scream in fear and joy. Indy delighted in his reaction. Sterling was fun to fly with. She tried some tricky maneuvers to see what he would do. With each roll and twirl he would holler louder in joy. She loved his response and the two of them flew for hours.

  They had been having so much fun that they didn’t notice when they flew over Thelton. Thelton, however, did not miss their fly by.

  …

  The doors to the tavern flew open. Thelton stormed in a rage.

  “Where did she go? Who is with her?”

  The tavern owner grabbed a giant club and made his way toward Thelton.

  “I told you to leave.”

  Thelton pulled out his emerald sword. “I’m not here for trouble. I just need to know where my woman went.”

  A couple of men left their meals and circled Thelton.

  “That woman better never return,” the owner said.

  Thelton heard a sword unsheathed next to him. A large man was pointing it in his face.

  “You stole my horse.” He was big and fat with a sweaty face. He was still chomping on his food as he glared at Thelton.

  “I didn’t steal it, its outside.”

  The guy continued pointing the sword in Thelton’s face. “You stole my horse.”

 

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