Traveling by Storm by Darque Queen 7
Chapter 3: Ease On Down The Road
After three tedious weeks of planning and healing – more importantly, of modifying her dirt bike to use fuels used in transport vehicles of the O.Z., Valoria was ready to begin her trek towards the Northern Isles to find her mother's – and therefore her, people. Woods People, Raw had called them. Ambrose helped her understand them further by bringing her books on them. Most of the books, however, were written pre-evil Witch of the Dark. So, as far as Valoria was concerned, it was like writing a 21st century current world events paper using reference materials written in the sixties. It didn't quite work.
Ambrose….she mused as she watched him pack another box into the truck they would be using on this journey. He was unlike anyone she had ever met. He was intelligent beyond his years…and, she discovered, just as interesting. She was happy the Queen also approved of Ambrose accompanying her. The last thing she wanted was to put the realm on hold because she was absconding with the Queen's principle advisor. Although she was not afraid of traveling alone; she had traveled all of New Zealand by herself with just a backpack and her thumb for a whole year, it warmed her heart that he was willing to help her find her way to her mother's home.
She smiled as she began packing her equipment – especially her rifles. The Tin Man Wyatt Cain practically drooled when he saw them. She gave him a little demonstration of her marksmanship – and swore later the man was going to propose when she was done. She then gave him a demonstration of her knife handling skills. That was when he really proposed. She giggled at that. Wyatt was still berating himself over that little faux-pas.
The Queen gave Valoria a private audience and her personal thanks for Valoria stepping in and being there for DeeGee when she and her true family could not. Valoria took the praise in stride, thanking the Queen for having the foresight of sending DeeGee to Earth.
"It was your daughter and her family that saved me during my own dark days," she explained. "My father was quite despondent when my mother passed. I was not a child, but I was new to such grief and I really did not know how to deal with it. Aunty Em and Uncle Hank taught me many things. They may have been constructs, but they understood human machinations as well if not better."
The time she spent with Raw, Tutor, Azkadellia and DeeGee helped her discover and hone her own increased Talent – no, wait. In the O.Z. they called it Magic. So long as they don't call me Witch, she mused. She then recalled an incident that occurred while she was still in her sickbed.
She was rather cranky because she had already been in bed for a week – but after being threatened with personal injury by the Tin Man himself if she tried to leave her room, well…she figured she could be in a worse prison. Ambrose had been reading to her a few of the written legends of the Woods People while she had been dozing. The pain from her injuries was not severe; but it was like having a dull toothache. It didn't stop you from eating, but it was an annoyance none the less. She groaned while trying to shift to find a comfortable spot within all the pillows propped up behind her back.
Ambrose got up and attempted to help her by grabbing hold of her hand and shifting her a bit. It was when they took hold of each other's hands that it happened. Valoria's magic jumped through the contact into Ambrose, pulling from him his memories from when he was turned into Glitch...when he met DeeGee. When he became himself again. She felt his pain and terror; his wonder and delight…
Remove his brain slowly… No!...It won't work!...No!...Please! Count backwards from 100…99...98... No!...
Name's Glitch. On account of sometimes my synapses don't fire right… The Road is around here…I-I-I know it! ...DeeGee! This isn't your fight!...Oh! I might have known you were a Tin Man! What with that attitude!
There is something so familiar about this…ah…no…. You know you should really do something about that bitter cynicism of yours, Cain…
She may have taken my brains – but rhythm…that comes directly from the soul… You're a deep well, Glitch…
I'm talking about Fluffy diving into my cranium…invasion of my privacy and all…
Damn thing's an Anti-Sunseeder!... 1066…1418…1485…1666…1789…1208
You…you can put my brain back in, right? I…I'll be me…Ambrose again?...Deej…I'm afraid. What if I don't come back at all?...Az? DeeGee? Hold my hands, please? I…I'm really scared right now…Mr. Regent? Take it easy…Now count backwards from 100…99…98…
NO…Help….
And finally, the connection was broken. Raw had come running into the room with Az, DeeGee and Tutor in tow. He was the one that separated their hands. Valoria turned her wide eyed, tear-stained face towards Ambrose. His eyes and face were equally wide and tear-stained.
"Are…are you all right?" she whispered, her hand going to his face. "I didn't know…something like this would happen."
Ambrose gave her a watery smile as he turned his face away from her hand. "I…It's…don't be sorry. It's not your fault."
Valoria turned to Raw and Tutor. "Am I going to have problems with this? Should I be careful of who and how I touch people now?"
Tutor looked at her, then took her hand in his and closed his eyes.
"No…it was because you were so frustrated at being confined. I guess I'll have to include you in my lesson plans as well," he said, looking towards Az and DeeGee.
DeeGee laughed and clapped her hands. "Now you get to join me in class!"
That was two weeks ago – and Ambrose was still afraid of touching her. She had tried apologizing to him; she knew he was a very private man and this invasion of his self hurt more that if she had run him through with her throwing knives. She figured it would have to be something that would be solved along the way.
Looking at the maps that Wyatt and the Prince Consort Ahamo were able to provide, she figured it should take about a week to make into Northern Isles territory. And maybe another week to actually find these Woods People.
Of course Cain was worried about security for the pair of them; but when he saw how well Valoria could handle weapons and since he knew Ambrose was a very capable fighter – he sent them off with only five Royal Guards instead of an entire battalion. He also made them both swear they would send word back to them by way of carrier bird at least once a day.
It had been more than 15 annuals since any of the lower realms had attempted contact with those of the frozen Northern Isles; they really weren't sure how they'd take to strangers. Valoria was happy they were going during the summer, she didn't fancy hiking through snow drifts. But even then, summer would last only another four to five weeks before fall set in. And she had no intention of freezing her rear off in a tent.
She loaded the last crate onto the back of the truck and climbed into the front. She and Ambrose had flipped a coin to see who got to drive first – and Ambrose won. But Valoria couldn't shake that feeling that the coin was rigged. As they made their last preparations, the entire Royal Family, Wyatt Cain, Raw and Tutor were on the steps of the Summer Palace seeing them off.
"We should be back within six weeks, tops," she assured them. She looked to Wyatt. "We'll use carrier birds to maintain contact." She then turned to Queen Lavender Eyes. "And I'll make sure nothing happens to him, Your Majesty."
Ambrose then turned to Valoria, a small, dimpled smile playing on his face and lips. He then turned to DeeGee. "And I'll make sure nothing happens to her, Your Highness." He then turned back to Valoria – and stuck his tongue out at her.
Her merry laughter wafting out of the truck as it pulled away from the Palace of Finaqua was heard as the began their journey down the Old Brick Route.
