Notes & Disclameir: I own nothing. I'm just having fun with the characters. This is my first fanfiction in English and as it's not my first language, please be kind enough to point me out any mistakes. - R.
1.
The best part about having a Travel Spell was that you could always spend the night in a nice inn - and that's precisely what the troupe always did when they didn't have a dragon at their disposal to travel out and about.
There was something about flying that never did seem to tire them. Well, most of them, anyway. Swaine would always find a way to complain about a thing or another, but since Oliver was the wand bearer and therefore the leader (or at least that's what Swaine always heard from Esther every time they'd argue about it),he had the privilege of choosing the means of transportation. So no Travel spells. Dragon riding was, in a word, fun. For everyone else 'cept Swaine.
It's not my fault that I am no longer a kid., he reminded himself for the third time today. My back is not what it used to be when I was ten and had a princely bed every night.
The old thief gave them a fond look while they were preparing to camp out near a river, in the Bayous. Not best spot to park either, he tought to himself. Mr Drippy said something and everyone laughed out loud. When he noticed, Swaine had a tiny smile on his face. It was not their fault. Oliver was just a kid and well… Esther wasn't technically a kid, but she never got out of the desert so she was enjoying the whole camping-out-while-saving-the-world thing. He couldn't rob them of their joy. At least not tonight. Maybe in a few days, when the novelty of having a dragon had wore out. Oh God, I hope it wears out soon.
He sighed and focused on the brighter side. It could be a prison. It could be that cold forest ground in Yule. He shivered just remembering. Never doing that anymore. Nevermore, I tell you.
- Are you all right, Swaine? – asked Oliver when he finally sat down. Tengri had gone off to sleep in the open grass right next to him.
- Yeah, I s'pose. – he said, sitting down too. He was finished with his tent and was now hungry. – I'm just not used to this whole dragon riding thing.
- I think Swaine is just afraid of flying, Ollie. You know how he's a big coward. – Esther said, in a playful manner sitting down next to him.
- Am not! – he said just indignant. – You were the one who grabbed me when we were flying past the desert!
- That was because it was windy and I didn't want to lose balance, you big jerk. – she said, sniffing and taking out some sandwiches from her bag. – And because of that, you won't be getting any of this tonight. – and she proceeded to hand out sandwiches to Oliver and Mr. Drippy, who just snorted out a laugh at the whole discussion.
Swaine couldn't help thinking about the possible other meanings of that sentece and felt a rush of blood come up through his ears and blush his cheeks. He thought he must have looked a bit foolish because Esther just stared right into his eyes and laughed.
- You didn't really think I wasn't going to give you the sandwich, right? – and she handed him the thing like he just fell on her joke. The others laughed and moved on to other subjects quickly enough: dragon riding was that much of an interesting subject apparently.
Just not to Swaine - thinking about Esther had become a bit of a bad habit lately. He glanced at her furtively, the way the campfire seemed to light her just the right way, her smile full like she was the happiest kid in town. Sighing when thinking of Esther was becoming another bad habit too.
Ever since he met her, the girl had captivated him. It was not only because of her always braided golden hair or the way she would banter with him about mostly everything. He just knew from moment one that she was going to be a very special person in his life and that there was nothing he could do about it.
And it was when they reached Hamelin (not the real one, the one from his past, the one from his memories) that it all became clear. Well, more or less. As clear as these things envolving time travel can be. She was not going to become a very important person in his life – she already was. She was the one who stood up to and for him, who encouraged him. He remembered now the way that she would speak when he was a very bratty, but handsome young prince. As someone who could understand him.
Why he had been so bratty as a kid? Swaine never felt so different from someone as he felt from his ten years old self. And yet he recognized every little one of his traits and somehow that young, bratty little prince turned out to really be him. He asked himself if the others thought less of him because of that.
That's something you'll still have to talk about, you know, his conscience whispered to him. He felt very, very torn about the subject. They all knew, of course, that Prince Gascon and him were one and only, but if, on one hand, he didn't want anything to change at all between the group and him, on the other hand… he maybe wanted more of that look. The one that Esther gave to Gascon just before they knew they were the same person. The one that made his kid self feel tingly and made his older self feel jealous of himself in the most weird way.
Being different from Gascon meant lots of things. Good things, reminded himself. But also that you'll never look like that again. It's not that he couldn't look better: he wasn't underestimating what a good wardrobe could do for him (and also a clean shave. He needed to shave as soon as possible, but with the whole not sleeping in a inn thing it was becoming a nuisance.). At the same time, there were things he learned on the street and scars he got and bags under his eyes that were not going to go away just because he dressed nicely for once. And he didn't really want to do all that (Only the shave, he added), he just wanted… Esther to look at him like she did that one time again. Was that too much to ask?
Yes.
He was about to start another good old mental rant with himself but the outside world seemed to need his attention.
- Swaine? Are you brokenhearted again? – Oliver asked with his shy voice.
- WHAT? What makes you think so? - from the way people were looking at him, he felt he might have grown a second head.
- I don't know, that look of yours, it was so strange. Like you were… somewhere else. – the kid scratched his head and Swaine got red all over again.
- Hah, I reckon not strange at all, mun. Tis just something you won't understand right now. – Mr. Drippy had finally spoken something and Swaine just wish that he didn't. The cheeky so-and-so even gave him a little wink!
- I don't know what's gotten into you guys, but I'll head off to sleep. – Esther announced, having finished her sandwich. The thief noticed he still had half of his in his hands. – If you're not feeling well, jerky, you should tell us right now, because if I wake up in the middle of the night because of you, I'll be pretty mad.
So I can wake up in the middle of the night because of you and you can't do the same about me even if I'm sick?... The thought of it made Swaine a little more depressed than he felt he had the right.
- For your information, I'm fine. I think I'm just a bit… flight sick… because of the whole dragon thing. – He excused himself in a loud manner and gave her a sharp look. – I wouldn't wake up your majesty in the middle of the night, so if I get worse, I'll just be sick somewhere far away, does that work for you, m'lady?
- Yes, thank you very much. – She responded in a crossed way and headed off to her tent. Swaine got up and did a bit of stretching.
- I think I'm not as fond of the whole flying thing as you guys. You can go to sleep, I'll just take a walk and see if I get a bit less sore. – he said and strolled away from the campfire.
- You want some company?
- Leave the ol mun alone, now, Ollie-boy, his problem aint nothing even magic can fix!
Mr. Drippy chuckled and dragged a confused Oliver with him to the tent. Swaine just walked around aimlessly until he felt a little bit better and decided to cut himself some slack. He lost his father and abandoned his brother all over again in the same week. A most certainly unrequited love wasn't in his plans too, but there it was. Nothing to do but man up and… never tell her about this or she'll think I'm a creep and laugh at my face. Easy peasy. He didn't get much sleep that night.
- You know what, being close to Castaway Cove is actually a good thing for us. – said Mr. Drippy the morning after, while everyone was still in the middle of waking up and kind of sleepy. – Y'know what I reckon?
Silence. Mr. Drippy looked around and saw that even Tengri wasn't really awake.
- Y'KNOW WHAT I RECKON? - he shouted a second time.
- You're going to tell us anyway, aren't you? – said Swaine rubbing his eyes. Mr. Drippy gave him a more satisfied look.
- Yes, I am. - the fairy proudly informed him. Youer should be thanking me, old mun. You'll see. - Esther, have you ever bathed in the sea?
With that question, the girl was quickly more than awake.
- No! And last time we haven't had the time to go to the beach, with all that worrying about the boat and a certain thief. – she replied, giving Swaine a mean look.
- What? It wasn't my fault. Not everything at least. Anyway, I was brokenhearted and therefore not responsible for my actions. – he said crossing his arms. She felt the need to stick out her tongue to him and he just sneered.
- AHEM. – they heard the fairy call attention to him. – As I was sayin… we gotta do some business in town today, seems there's couple of stuff people wanna us to do…
- Oh boy, you think we could go to the beach? – said Oliver all excited. – I mean, after we do all these things.
- Yeah, sure, sure. – Mr. Drippy said nonchalantly and the way he said it made Swaine think there was something more to it. – But I was thinking… poer Esther here never gone to the beach! She deserves a whole day to it, don't'cha think?
Esther, who was very excited with the perspective of going swimming, suddenly sobered up.
- But what about you guys? I can't just leave you to do all the things without me, it's unfair. – she said pouting just a little bit. – Maybe we can do this after we've done the errands?
- Oh, but then, it'll be too late! Tis no fun going to the beach at night. – said Mr. Drippy. Oliver seemed to be about to interrupt him but Mr. Drippy made a signal for him to be quiet. – And look, most of the things, Ollie-boy here can handle on its own. I figure leaving you and Swaine to have some fun is something we can afford right now.
And with that the Fairy proceeded to give a big smile to the thief, who was just now catching on his plan. He was about to intercede when Esther said in a sort of surprised manner:
- Swaine is staying too?
That caused him to stop on his track.
- What's with the tone? Don't you think I ought to have some fun too, after helping out you guys and whatnot? – he turned right around to tell her.
- That's not what I said! – she protested, putting her hand on her hip. Then staring right at him, she added – But it's not like you've been that big of a help that you deserve a break…
- OH, like YOU DESERVE? – he responded somewhat harshly, motioning to her.
- Yeah, I think I do. I've been helping Ollie since Al Mamoon, we've even faced the Temple Trials together, while you gave us more trouble than you're worth! – she said and the two of them started to argue loudly.
Mr. Drippy just laughed a little and Oliver looked very concerned with the situation.
- Do you really think we should leave them alone for the day? – he asked, putting his wand in his pocket and searching his horn in the never-ending bag.
- Eh, a little fun can be good for them to unwind all the tension. – Mr. Drippy replied, still watching the couple banter with each other. Esther looked very much like she was going to slap Swaine right in the face. [… YOU RUN OFF IN HAMELIN AND NOT EVEN TELL US…. – EXCUSE ME FOR TRYING TO HELP US…]
- I wanted to go to the beach too. - the kid said somewhat sadly.
- Don't worry, lad, you'll go to the beach sometime. - Mr. Drippy responded and when Oliver still looked sad puppy, he complemented. - I just wanted to travel alone with you a little, like old times.
That seemed to brighten him up. Pooer dab, he's too young to understand the genius of my plan., the fairy thought to himself.
Oliver glanced at his still shouting friends, shook his head and just yelled he would get them later. When the two finally became aware of the situation, Tengri was taking off and away to the sunset and they were alone.
Swaine took a long breath. They were alone. Esther was still looking at the flying dragon disappearing into the sky. Wow. What am I going to do now?
She finally turned to him:
- Castaway Cove is that way, not very far. We might as well put on our swimsuits now.
The thief began to sweat.