A few minutes later, she started to feel calmer - they hadn't crashed and she was still firmly attached to his back. The wind was whipping all around her."You can open your eyes now," Seth said loudly so she could hear him over the wind.She didn't."Ale, try to feel my emotions through our bond. It might help you relax a little."It took a few moments for her to find him in her mind. He was elated. His heart was joyous and free and she knew it was from the flying. There was only a tiny bit of concern, and she knew it was for her.
Mathilda Delmar was in a truly foul mood. She was pacing back and forth near the bonfire in the center of the camp and throwing murderous glares at anyone who got too close. Not that many did get close because it was the middle of the night and they were all on lookout duty.
He started on all fours, but his head was at about the level of her butt, and he found himself staring at it a little too often - although in his defense she did have a perfect bubble butt. Thereafter, he reverted to walking on two legs.Ale set a fast pace, but he was able to keep up with her without difficulty. After an hour, she slowed. Through the trees just ahead, he could see a bonfire burning. It looked like it was set on the peak of a small rise in the ground. The area around it had been cleared of trees and several tents had been set up.Seth and Ale crept closer. There was a woman pacing beside the fire, wearing a long cloak and what looked like black leather pants. Her hair was brownish red at the top, but slowly fading down to almost blond at the tips. The overall effect made her hair resemble fire and was quite striking; even beautiful.
"How dare you speak to me like that," she said, though it would've sounded a lot more impressive if her voice hadn't wavered as she took a step back from him.He laughed. "Without that fire you're just a piddling lightweight. I just have to skin me a dragon and take care of that juicy little wood elf. It'll be a good day for us - not so much for you. What do you say?"He took a single step toward Mathilda.She took several steps backwards. She was now within a few feet of Ale and Seth.Seth glanced at Ale. Through their bond, Seth could feel her concern and he didn't think it was just for them and the captives. An unspoken conversation passed between them. Seth wasn't su
"And the award for most delightful person of the year goes to..." Seth said. Ale laughed, and sheer relief made Seth and the blond woman join in. He took a sword from the ground and walked over to cut the ropes still hobbling the captives' feet."What's your name?" he asked the blond woman as he carefully sliced through the ropes."Elizabeth, Beth," she replied, rubbing her ankles. There was rope burn on her wrists and hands, but otherwise she seemed unharmed. "Thank you for rescuing us.""No problem. Thanks for pointing out the warhammer. You probably saved our skins."She smiled. "Well, then that makes us almost even."Seth moved to cut the ropes on the boy's feet, but the boy shrank away. The dragon crouched down to his level and looked him in the eye. "If I was going to hurt you, I wouldn't have had to fight those m
"It'll stop hurting or fall off; either way I'm good.""Okay, I'm about to fly Beth to that field near Gralden," Seth said. It was getting near evening and would probably be dark within the hour. "I just need you to watch the boy while I'm gone.""Of course," Ale said, handing her weight reduction necklace to Seth, then turning to the blonde . "Beth, you'll want to braid your hair or it'll be a rat's nest when you arrive."The young blonde quickly braided her hair, tied it with a thin leather strap, and put on the necklace Seth handed her. He dropped to all fours and she climbed up awkwardly onto his back."I'll be back soon," Seth said, then leapt into to the air, flapped his wings and was gone.Ale spent the next two hours watching over Charles. He didn't get up to too much trouble, which gave her a lot of time to thi
Ale groaned as she was ripped from her dream world and back into reality. She opened her eyes to see Seth's face not far above her. It wore an odd expression, so Ale checked their bond. He was feeling amusement, concern, even shock and... something else."Are you okay? You seemed upset and were talking in your sleep."
"Not even for the banker's daughter?" Beth called back in a loud voice. There was a pause, and then a scramble at the top of the wall and several guards craned their necks over the battlements to get a good look.
"Lord Delmar often attacks the heart to weaken the body," Lord Borden replied. "It's despicable, but effective. By killing your fiancé or wife, he would hope to make you easier to kill. Either through rage or despair, it matters not to him."