Caitlyn inhaled deeply as she heard the heavy thuds of the dragon as it walked out of the cave towards her. She gave the chains binding her to the rock a shake and groaned when all they did was rattle. How was it that she had ended up being the sacrifice to the beast?
A sudden rush of hot wind startled her from her thoughts as she saw the dragon's flames.
She closed her eyes and sent up a silent plea for help as the ground shook under her.
"Away, you beast!" came a deep voice.
Caitlyn's eyes flew open as a huge white horse came galloping into view, carrying a fully armored knight.
The dragon, a beautiful if terrifying creature, flamed in anger, causing the knight's horse to rear back in fear.
"Never fear, milady!" he shouted to her. "I shall slay this monster and rescue you!" Caitlyn gasped as the knight drew his sword and charged the beast. She wanted to look away, but found herself hoping against hope that the knight would defeat the dragon.
The dragon roared and flamed as the knight drew closer and Caitlyn shut her eyes tight, not wanting to see her brave knight fall to the monster.
She could hear clanging, clashing, roaring and shouting as the knight and the dragon battled, and then there was a long and agonizing silence. It stood to reason that if it was silent and she was still alive that the dragon was no longer there, but…
She opened one eye slowly.
"I told you not to fear, milady."
Caitlyn gaped. "I-I-I…you got the dragon?"
The knight nodded. "Now, I'm going to try to get you out of those chains." He held up his sword and jammed it into the cuff's key hole, giving it a twist. It fell to the ground, releasing her wrist. He did the same with her other arm and Caitlyn gingerly lifted up the skirt of her long dress to reveal her ankles so he could unlock the fetters.
Caitlyn sighed in relief as she stumbled. The knight caught her. "You need to sit and rest. Come. Over to the spring," he ordered. He whistled for his horse and when it came to him, he lifted her onto the horse's back. His grip on her was gentle but strong and she could feel herself blushing as she studied him from behind.
When they arrived at the spring and she slid off the horse and into his arms, she frowned. He still hadn't removed his helmet, or even lifted the visor. What if he was a rogue or a highway man, someone who preyed on maids unfortunate enough to be tricked into being held up as an offering to a dragon?
"Yes, milady?" the knight asked, sensing her trepidation. "Are you alright?"
Caitlyn managed a small smile. "If I could ask a favor of my rescuer?" she asked.
"Anything," he said instantly.
"Could I see your face?" she asked.
"As you wish," he said, lifting his visor before looking into her eyes.
She blushed and looked down at the grass. "Thank you." His eyes were a hazel-y brown color and they studied her face intently. "Could I know your name as well?" she asked, looking up at him.
He gave her a small bow. "Jason, milady. Sir Jason Gray of Floren."
Caitlyn smiled. "You're bleeding, Sir Jason," she said, taking his hand as she lead him to the edge of the spring. "I can fix that." She pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve and dampened it in the water before turning back to him. "Take off the helmet," she ordered.
He complied with her request and Caitlyn dropped the handkerchief in his lap as she got her first real look at him. She laughed lightly and picked up the cloth. "Sorry," she said with a blush as she ran the wet corner over the cut above his eyebrow. Sir Jason was a very handsome knight. Even with the cut. It made him look dashing.
He smiled. "And what's your name, milady?"
She dropped her gaze from his. "Caitlyn, milord."
"That's a pretty name."
Caitlyn chuckled and glanced up at him. "I suppose it is," she said before stepping back from him. "There. Cut's clean." She tucked the handkerchief back into her sleeve. "Thank you for saving me," she said. "But I should go."
"Wait," Jason said, standing up. "Let me escort you.
Caitlyn blinked and blushed. "Well, okay. But only because I'm pretty sure you won't take no for an answer."
He smiled. "I am duty-bound to protect those in need of help. And since you were left chained to a rock for a dragon, I believe you need a lot of help."
"I was handling it."
He gave her an amused grin as he picked her up and placed her in the saddle. "If that's the case, I'd be afraid to see what you'd look like with a sword."
She snorted. "You can slay a dragon, but a girl with a sword is cause for fear?"
He looked at her with a smile in his eyes. "A girl like you? Yes."
"JASON!"
Jason jumped and shook his head, looking around the rehearsal cabin before glaring at Shane.
"God, I was in the middle of something. Why do you always interrupt my best thoughts?"
"You have 'best' thoughts?" Shane asked with a smirk.
Jason growled. "I have lots of thoughts," he said. "I just don't always tell them."
Shane frowned at his older brother. "Wait…were you…daydreaming about someone?"
"No!" Jason said loudly.
Shane smirked. "You were. But the question is who were you thinking of?"
Jason rubbed his hands over his cheeks and turned away from Shane. "No one."
"I'm betting it was everyone's favorite music producer/dancer," Shane said. "The one that wears bright colors and has almost as many curls as you, dear brother."
Jason glared. "Just leave me alone. I was just getting to the good part."
Shane grinned. "Kissing?"
Jason's face flushed. "No…I was about to get on the horse—you know what? Never mind."
"Horse?"
"Just shut up and leave me alone."
"Okay, Britney."
"Who's Britney?" Caitlyn asked as she walked in. Jason gulped. Like the daydream Caitlyn, she was wearing a white dress. The only difference was that daydream Caitlyn's dress was a long gown with huge sleeves and real-life Caitlyn was in a strappy sundress with a little bit of lace.
Jason blushed. "No one is Britney."
Caitlyn cocked a brow at him. "Are you okay? You're looking sort of flushed."
"I'm fine," he said.
"Are you sure?" she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He quickly shrugged it off and scooted away from her. "Yes."
Caitlyn blinked a couple of times and bit her lip before shrugging. "Well, okay, if you're sure. I just wanted to know if you'd like to sit on the pier with me for a while. But if you don't want to…" she turned and left without waiting for his response.
(LINE)
Caitlyn huffed as she stomped off towards the piers. She had no idea what was up with Jason. She didn't even want to know. Well, okay, that was a lie. But she didn't want to know if he was going to act like that. With a sigh, she sat down at the end of the dock and leaned against the pillar. Or so she thought.
(LINE)
Jason had followed Caitlyn out of the rehearsal cabin, but she was really fast when she was pissed off. He went towards the pier because he figured that was where she'd gone when he heard a loud scream followed by a big splash.
He ran for the pier and saw Caitlyn struggling in the water, tangled in weeds and algae. He didn't think twice before jumping in after her.
The water was cold and dark, but Jason felt Caitlyn flailing next to him in the water and grabbed the first part of her he could. He yanked her towards him and reached for the edge of the pier before hoisting himself up and onto the pier, pulling Caitlyn with him.
Caitlyn coughed and spluttered before launching herself at Jason and hugging him hard.
Jason chuckled. "Glad to see you're okay," he said, picking a strand of algae out of her hair.
She gave him a shaky smile. "Thank you. Really."
He shrugged. "No problem," he said, picking another piece of algae out of her hair.
Caitlyn put a hand to her hair and squeaked in embarrassment before looking up at Jason. "I look like a drowned rat, don't I?"
"Maybe a mouse."
She glared at him for a moment before sighing and smiling at him. A breeze blew by and she let out an involuntary shiver.
Jason stood up, pulling Caitlyn with him. "Come on, I'm getting you out of those clothes."
She stopped and blinked at him.
"You know what I meant, Caity."
"You're getting out of your clothes too, Bird Boy. I accidentally packed my brother's gym uniform. You're getting stuck in an ugly blue and yellow shorts and shirt set. And you'll deal."
He snorted. "I thought that since I was the one who saved your life, you'd have to do my bidding."
She laughed and shook her head, causing water to fly off the ends of her hair and hit him in the face. "That's not how it works with me. You save my life, you get to put up with me for the rest of yours."
"The rest of my life, huh? No complaints there," he said with a smirk.
Caitlyn stopped suddenly and looked up at him. "What?"
He grinned. "Do you have algae in your ear or something?"
She blushed and looked down at her feet. "I lost a flip flop in the lake."
"I could carry you, you know. Just to add to the whole hero thing."
Caitlyn smiled. "Only if you want to."
He nodded. "I do. I owe it to you for being rude to you earlier."
"It's okay, Jase. Really. Sometimes I want to be left alone too. I should have picked up on it."
"Caity, just get in my arms, okay?" Jason asked, rolling his eyes.
"Fine. But give me your hoodie. My dress is white and wet."
Jason blushed. "I hadn't noticed," he lied.
Caitlyn grinned slightly as she shrugged into Jason's hoodie. "Whatever you say, Pinocchio." She zipped up the hoodie. "Ready to carry the fair lady away, sir knight?"
"What'd you say?" Jason asked with a squeak.
Caitlyn laughed. "Relax Jase, it was a joke."
Jason forced a laugh. "Right." He held out his arms and she grinned as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He couldn't help but notice that Caitlyn managed to smell pretty good in spite of the fact that she was drenched in lake water.
"So, what had you so deep in thought?" Caitlyn asked.
Jason shrugged. "Just a really stupid daydream."
"What kind of daydream?" she asked as he climbed up the steps to her cabin.
He sighed as she slid out of his arms and ran a hand through his hair. "You'll probably think I'm really, really weird."
"Give me a little credit, Gray," Caitlyn said as she dug through her suitcase. She threw him a balled up gym uniform and grabbed herself a pair of khaki shorts and a tank top. "Tell me what you were thinking about."
Jason blushed. "Can I get dressed first?" he asked.
Caitlyn grinned. "Fine. Bathroom's free. I'll change out here. Less awkward if one of the girls comes in."
Jason nodded. "Okay. Be out in a second." He quickly went into the bathroom before looking down at the clothes Caitlyn had given him. He made a face at the bright yellow-gold shorts with blue trim and the blue shirt with a yellow collar and cuffs. What kind of school did Caitlyn go to?
He put them on anyway and opened the bathroom door.
There was a loud shriek and he had to duck an alarm clock that came careening at him.
"JASON! GET BACK IN THE BATHROOM!" Caitlyn shouted from where she had ducked behind her suitcase.
"Okay, okay!" he exclaimed, slamming the door closed.
After a few moments, there was a knock on the door. "You can come out now."
Jason opened the door and smiled at Caitlyn. "You still have algae in your hair."
"Don't remind me," she said with a sigh. "Now. What was the daydream about?"
"You're really pushy, you know that?" Jason said, sitting down on her bed.
"You're really avoiding the question, you know that?"
Jason sighed and flopped backwards across her bed. "Fine. If you must know, I was fantasizing that I was a knight."
Caitlyn let out a small giggle. "A knight?"
"And well…you were sort of like a princess or something, I guess."
Caitlyn blushed. "I was a princess?"
He smiled. "Yes. And there was a dragon."
"A dragon? Sounds dangerous," Caitlyn said, scooting closer to him.
Jason shrugged modestly. "Well, I saved you at any rate."
"What happened after you saved me?" Caitlyn asked.
"You made me take off my helmet and then you cleaned this cut I had and then I put you on my horse and then Shane brought me back to the real world."
"And then you saved me for real," Caitlyn said.
"Um…yes. But I mean, I would have done it anyway. You're worth saving."
Caitlyn bit her lip and looked down at her hands before looking up at him. She smiled shyly at him before suddenly throwing herself into his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You're really fantastic, you know that?" she asked before kissing him.
Jason squeaked in surprise before becoming accustomed to the idea that Caitlyn was kissing him. He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her back before he heard the door creak open.
"OH GOD!" he heard Shane exclaim. "Couldn't you do that somewhere a little more private?"
"This is the girls' cabin, dumbass," Caitlyn said, sliding off of Jason's lap. "You're not even supposed to be here unless you're accompanied by a girl."
"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be making out in the cabins," Shane said.
Jason stood up. "Well how about you just leave us alone? Why are you even here?"
Shane shrugged and leaned against the wall. "Mitchie wanted me to get something."
"Then get it and get out," Jason said. "Caity and I were busy."
"Just don't get busy. Brown wouldn't like that."
"Shane, just get the hell out," Caitlyn said sulkily.
"Nah, I think I'll stay here and make sure you two don't get into trouble," Shane said, picking up an issue of Seventeen Ella had lying around.
Jason let out a low growl and dragged Shane out of the cabin before pushing him down the stairs. "And stay out!" he shouted.
Caitlyn laughed as Jason came back inside. "That was very attractive, Sir Jason."
Jason flushed slightly. "Um. Glad you think so."
Caitlyn pulled him back down to her bed. "I like it when your face gets red, Sir Jason."
"Caity," he said embarrassedly. "Stop doing that."
Caitlyn grinned. "What's the matter, Sir Jason? Can't handle a little courtly love being thrown your way?"
"Shut up, Lady Caity."
Caitlyn smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "I like that nickname. It's cute."
"Cute like you." Jason paused. "Crap, did I say that out loud?"
Caitlyn grinned evilly. "Yes, you did. And I'm never going to let you forget it. You'll be going up to the stage to get your Grammy and I'm going to remind you."
"As long as you're there, you can remind me of whatever you want, Caity."