"Sentimental? No, I meant semi-mental."
~Jamie Hyneman, Mythbusters

After another round of jibes (aimed mostly at Rolith, until Artix started to wonder why it was that I had a dagger there in the first place), Magiya and I ended up talking on the other side of my mare while the guys chatted and caught up on the other side.

"I still need a name for her," I remarked to the Mage, patting the mottled neck. "Any ideas…?"

"You're the painter, don't you have any suggestions?" she wondered dryly. I smiled ruefully.

"I was thinking maybe Contesse?" I suggested hopefully.

"That's great," Magiya said in a caustic tone, "But if you called her from across the Keep or something, how long would it take to say? Do you have a nickname that fits?"

"Tessa," I told her promptly. Mutely, she motioned to my mare, who had angled both ears back to listen to us when I had said the moniker. "Ding ding, do we have a winner?" I asked the beautiful equine, moving so I could hold her huge head and stroke the spiral of hair on her forehead. Magiya kept her distance. "Contesse it is, then," I purred, brushing her forelock back.

"So," the other woman finally said, sounding more serious than I'd yet heard her. Startled by this, I turned my head towards her, and found myself confronted by a pair of brilliantly scintillating dark blue irises. "… You and Rolith."

"Rolith and me?" I echoed, puzzled as I left Tessa's head to face Magiya. Briefly, I admired Artix's nerve for choosing this particular lady to pursue, because at the moment, she looked absolutely lethal. Not mad… just curious and… was that excitement?

"You like him," she stated calmly, her voice not matching the expression I saw.

"What?!" I exclaimed, jerking my head back. My eyes were wide, I could feel them, and I fought as hard as I could against the heat that was threatening to flood my face. "No! I—I mean—I—no—it's not—no!" I finally spluttered out, arms rigid at my sides.

Magiya laughed, and it was a pretty laugh. When she smiled like that, I guess I could see why Artix chased her. Aesthetically, that is. Casting a slightly frantic glance over Tessa's withers to see if the men heard, I saw they still talked and laughed. Biting my lip viciously, I shot a wide-eyed glare that wasn't even close to effective at the Mage. It felt more like a plea than anything. Magiya coughed a quieter laugh, her eyes sparkling.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she chuckled, and I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, pausing when I realized it was exactly the same motion the Captain used. Magiya's eyes glinted again, and I guessed that she had seen it too.

"Look, just—please promise me you won't tell anyone!" I begged quietly, twisting my hands together almost painfully. "It… it won't help him at all to be in a relationship with an—an underling!" I whispered, blurting out the first explanation I could think of as I buried my face in my hands. "We're just friends. We're just friends. Just friends."

"Who are you trying to convince?" Magiya retorted, raising an eyebrow. I sighed as I leaned back against Tessa's shoulder, tipping my head back to stare up at the sky.

"I… we're… it's… just friends…" I mumbled helplessly, despite my failed internal (and external) attempts to convince myself that we were otherwise. "And… promise you won't tell?" I implored in a low tone, holding out my little finger. I know it seems juvenile, but… well, normal promises can be broken. It's a universal rule that you don't break pinkie promises. It's not that you want to, it's just… you don't. That just doesn't happen. Looking amused, Magiya linked her left pinkie finger with mine, and I threw everything else out in a rush.

"I never expected to like him. We are friends, but I think that friends are all he wants to be, he's never even mentioned anything further, so I have no reason to think that he likes me—not like that, I mean, and I don't know if I'm supposed to like him, because we're friends, and if I say that I like him, I could really screw things up, and then I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye ever again, and things would be really awkward whenever I see him again, and I don't want that to happen, and not to mention it won't do his reputation any good if it becomes known that he's gotten involved with a subordinate!"

Directly after finishing this extra-long sentence, I dropped my face into my hands again and pulled in a slightly shuddering breath, my fingertips seeming glued to the roots of my golden-blonde hair. I was ready to hear the judgment in Magiya's voice, all of the disappointment and reprimanding I expected. So it came as a shock to me when I heard a quiet, coughed chuckle that seemed to be her trademark giggle.

"It's about time he found somebody," was all she she murmured, shouldering her dark waves around her neck. I stared silently, caught between a little bit of shock and mild confusion.

"You… you're not upset or anything?" I asked her in a voice that was just shy of a whisper. "I mean… he's your best friend…"

"And he's your friend too," she told me bluntly under her breath, watching me quite seriously. Puzzled, I felt backwards with my hand until I could feel Tessa's warm, dense shoulder muscle. Just the solid feeling of my mare brought me comfort, and I bit my lip.

"But what if I mess up?" I breathed, looking up hopelessly.

"Calliope!"

"Speak of the devil," Magiya sighed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms as Rolith's dark gold head popped up over my saddle.

"It'll take us a little over an hour to get back to the Keep, and the mess hall will be full for dinner by the time we get there. Ready to head back?" I hesitated, true worry overtaking my expression for a minute.

"Well… will we have to take the ferry again..?" I asked uncertainly, frowning. Rolith's eyes dawned in comprehension, and I almost laughed out loud. As it was, it brought a grin back to my face.

"I didn't think about that," he admitted. Magiya scoffed, quickly providing a rejoinder.

"You're a thick-headed knight. You wouldn't."

"I'm a Captain."

"Still a meat head."

"I resent that."

"I know."

The insulting banter made me giggle, and Rolith appeared to gather control of his thoughts again as Artix chuckled, stepping around Contesse to slide an arm around Magiya's waist. For all that they had been arguing earlier, I noticed she didn't protest.

Rolith likely remembered the events from earlier, and while I didn't think he needed any prompting, it's been shown time and time again that what I think and what others think aren't even close to similar. Granted, there were those few times when I was right, but that didn't happen often.

"It's still not a good idea for me to take the ferry," I reminded him anyway, "Not unless you feel like holding my hair back again. Honestly, I'm not in a hurry to go home, why don't we take the long way 'round? There's got to be another bridge somewhere, right?" I asked with just a tad of desperation.

"About a half a day's trip northwards," Rolith told me grimly. "We can't take that long." I bit my lip.

"I really don't want to throw up again," I mumbled, suddenly finding my feet incredibly interesting. I guess I was a little bit weak with that… but it was horrible, really. Your face broke into a cold sweat, and it feels like your stomach is trying to fly out through your mouth while your heart is dropping to your feet. All you can really do is hope that you make it to the edge in time.

"We don't have any other options," Rolith concluded apologetically. "I mean, if you want, we can find something to tie your hair back with… but the only bridge that we could take is out."

Resigning myself to another miserable ten minutes sometime in the future, I stuck next to Rolith and put on a happy smile as we bade Magiya and Artix goodbye. The sun was already starting to disappear behind the Guardian Tower, and the shadows were growing longer. My stomach would have rumbled, but the approaching doom it was to suffer quieted it significantly.

"Let's go," I sighed as we turned back down the street. Most of the people had gone home, but there was still the odd traveler headed for the inn. The little red moglin and Ash had vanished from their posts, but I had the feeling they would be there tomorrow morning. Rolith glanced at me, and I raised my eyebrows.

"You sure you're going to be alright?"

"Don't have much of a choice, do I?" I responded grimly. "Then again, it could be worse…"

"True."

The ferryman was watching me warily as Rolith paid for our pass across the river again, and I eyed him with a similar expression. Using a cord in my pocket, I resignedly tied my honey-blonde hair back in a loose plait, already feeling my stomach start to roll just by watching the fast-flowing water. I chewed on my lip uncomfortably as the ferryman dropped the small walkway onto the dock, and sucked a deep breath in through my mouth as I leaned back against Tessa's shoulder. She stood there resolutely, seeming somehow to know that she was my anchor to consciousness right now… no pun intended.

I had no clue where my seasickness came from. Usually, there's a reason for this stuff, like some kind of childhood disaster… mine stemmed from a love of having my feet solidly on the ground, if I had to guess.

"Calliope?"

"Sir?" I replied before I'd even thought about it. I opened my eyes to see him holding out a hand. His bay was already situated on the small main deck, and watching us curiously. I almost automatically took his hand, before pausing for a heartbeat to consider the possible repercussions.

I shouldn't… even a hint of a relationship between him and a subordinate, and the gossip will spread like wildfire. I don't even think he likes me like that. He shouldn't. I shouldn't like him either. But… he's offering…

With an uneasy smile that wasn't exactly there, I took the proffered hand, and wound up wobbling enough to almost lose my balance—enough to need Rolith's hand to help steady me. As the ferry left the docks and started rocking in the current, I tripped over my own feet in my rush to get to the side of the boat. After throwing up nothing but water again, I felt one of Rolith's armored hands rest on my shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked hesitantly. I thought randomly that it was a stupid question, but I wasn't going to fault him on it—he meant well. Besides, what else was he supposed to ask?

"Good as it gets," I mumbled dejectedly, letting my head hang limply over the edge for a moment before the rocking motion of the boat unsettled it once more. Gripping the wooden railing of the ferry hard enough that my knuckles paled, I used my toes to propel my body forward just enough to hang my head over the side again. Frankly, I was amazed there was even water left in my stomach. My throat and mouth were burning, and I felt horrible. I wasn't going to let that dampen my mood this time around, though.

"That doesn't look fun," Rolith observed helplessly. I allowed a slight smile to tug at the edges of my lips, even though he couldn't see it.

"Would you believe it if I said I haven't had this much fun since a Sneevil stole my clothing back at home, and I had to go break the news to Mum that I needed to rescue my poor underwear from a little green man?" This was perhaps the longest string of words I'd managed to put together while on the boat, and I succeeded in eliciting a low chuckle out of Rolith. "Her reaction was absolutely priceless…"

"We're almost there," he comforted cautiously. "You want to take your mare off, or should I?"

"Tessa," I grunted, spitting over the side of the ferry and trying to keep my stomach in order as I slowly straightened. "Her name's Contesse. And if it's alright with you… I would really appreciate that," I admitted gratefully, offering a strained smile.

"Good name," he complimented as the craft began to make a sort of grinding noise—the kind that meant I was about to be off this roly-poly boat.

I scrambled for the docks, and plopped down against a tree trunk just off the path leading from the docks. Closing my eyes, I let myself absorb the solid feeling of the bark against my back, and the ground that wasn't swaying underneath my feet. I heard the clopping of horse hooves gradually headed my way, but refused to open my eyes, by order of my stomach.

"I'll just be a minute," I remarked in a tone that sounded just a little too tired to be me. Gotta work that back up. Can't have people thinking I'm all depressed and whatnot.

"Take your time," Rolith allowed, and a moment later I heard the heavy clink of armor to my right, and it occurred to me belatedly that Rolith must have sat down as well. A soft muzzle brushed over my cheek and nose, then gently lipped my eyelid. A smile was my response.

"Hey, Tessa," I murmured quietly past a sore throat as I raised my hands to cup her huge head, slowly so I could avoid accidentally poking her in the eye. I kept my own eyes closed, unsure if the ground would still be tilting back and forth or not. "Have I mentioned how incredibly patient with me you are?" I crooned, running a hand lightly along the warm leather that served as her bridle. "You lovely, wonderful, brilliant, patient girl. I don't understand how anybody could have given you up. You're too perfect."

"She's certainly sweet-tempered," Rolith agreed, and I felt a faint blush trying to work its way into my cheeks.

Great. I'm talking to myself again… or to my horse, which is just as bad… I need a mind filter.

"I thought I'd cured myself of talking out loud around you," I admitted, warily peeking sideways. The trees and the springy, leaf-spotted ground stayed where they should. A little more confident, I opened my eyes all the way, and glanced right. The Captain looked amused, as usual. I wonder if that's just his temperament or if it's me…

"Not quite. You do it if you're not paying attention, or if you're heavily focused on something."

"Unintentionally," I retorted playfully.

"I dunno, it's actually kind of fun to hear how you think."

"If you heard how I normally think, you might have thrown me in the crazy house by now."

"Is that so?"

"It's definitely so."

"I see," he chuckled, his (relatively) stoic expression disappearing with every line we traded back and forth. "All good now?"

"Seems to be," I muttered, glaring rebelliously at my midsection. "I just hope that next time, the bridge is in one piece."

"For your sake, so do I," he replied with a grin as he stood, his pewter-colored armor making slight clinks when he moved. I was suddenly reminded of wind chimes.

"Ye of little faith," I said dangerously under my breath, sliding my back up the rough tree trunk until I was standing again. I took the broken-in leather reins that were handed to me, and smiled at Tessa as I stretched my left foot up to reach her stirrup. With a soft grunt of effort, I hauled myself into the saddle with wobbling arms and legs that felt a bit like jelly. It wasn't a very pleasant feeling. Using two fingers from each hand, I held on to Tessa's reins, and the other three I buried in her mane.

"You want to head to the mess hall when we get back?" Rolith questioned when I wiggled my butt into the saddle. I considered it.

"Well… I never got lunch… and by the time we get back, not only will it be dinner time, but I won't have eaten since this morning. Aside from that, what I did eat is absolutely gone now. So assuming my stomach settles enough for me to actually eat something in the next twenty to thirty minutes, yes, I would absolutely love to head to the mess hall," I finished, nodding to myself with a modest grin. Rolith sent me a matching one in response.

"Then let's get there before all the good stuff's gone," he drawled, giving his bay stallion a nudge with his right heel. Either it was harder than it looked, or the bay was sensitive to signals, because the beast quickly spun on his hind feet, taking off down the trail. It narrowed less than a minute's ride down the path, I remembered as I drove Contesse after them, so I stayed firmly behind him, and didn't try to draw level, much as I wanted to.

"Let's show them what a real warhorse is made of, Tess," I whispered into the wind. Her ears flicked, and I felt the faint change in body language that meant she was putting more into her running; the hairsbreadth of a lift in her back end as she ran; the flattening out of the junction between her neck and her ears; the slight rounding off of her back when all four feet were off the ground. I tightened my legs around her barrel and extended my arms, little more than a passenger as Tessa drove herself after Rolith and his stallion.

We came up behind and passed Rolith just as we plunged into the deep part of the forest. My wonderful, one-of-a-kind gray mare was carrying just over half the weight that the bay was, considering the sheer mass of Rolith's armor. As what little light there was in this section of the forest flashed over and past us before it could be fully registered, I shot a sidelong glance at my friend. He was grinning, and I stuck my tongue out at him briefly before urging Tessa to go even faster.

"See you at the Keep!" I tossed playfully over my shoulder over the whistling of the wind in my ears.

We burst out into the lighter area of the forest, and I started laughing as we rocketed down the track to the Keep. Peals of laughter were torn from my lips by the wind created by our passing, and Rolith's low, rumbling laughter reached me over the steady drum of our horses' hooves.

Grinning wolfishly, I decided that I liked that sound, and shifted back a hair on Tessa's back. Ever-attentive to body language, the dappled mare began to slow, finally sliding about a foot when we reached the gates, just as Rolith's bay did. Both horses were blowing hard, and I started Tessa off in a slow trot in large, uneven circles around Rolith to cool her down a bit.

"Ho! Open up!" Rolith bellowed upwards to the men who stood on the wall above the gates, and after a long minute, the grinding sound of pulleys and gears emanated from behind the worn wood. I trailed after Rolith as he nudged his stallion to a walk, and ran the fingers of my right hand through my tangled blonde hair good-naturedly. I was so elated right now that I couldn't even bring myself to be irritated when the digits got stuck, and just shook my hair out over my shoulders again. Rolith gently pulled the thick-necked bay to a halt once we were inside the gates, and when he dismounted, the orange-tinged light of the late afternoon sun faded from the side of his face. I followed suit, wondering if I could mix that color up later for a portrait or something.

"Come on," I said with a cheerful smile as I headed towards the smaller gate with Tessa, "Let's give the horses a good rub down. They deserve it."

"Aren't I the one who's supposed to be giving orders around here?" the Captain retorted pleasantly, and I shot him a purposely incredulous look. His glare was reply enough.

We both chose brushes from a brush box provided in the tack area of the stables, and proceeded to thoroughly clean our horses. I peered owlishly at Rolith over the dappled back of my mare as he swept the dirt off of the reddish brown coat of the bay stallion. The two horses nickered softly and blew into each other's nostrils as way of greeting, and Tessa snuffled gently at the bay's cheek. Rolith glanced up from time to time, but eventually sighed with false vexation and turned his attention to me.

"Yes?"

"Well… I was wondering," I began, resting my chin in my hands while my elbows were balanced on Contesse's back, "How did you get to be Captain?"

"Curious, or jockeying for my position?" he chuckled, grinning.

One side of my lips twitched. "A little of both," was all I admitted to. And that much, at least, was true. "I've always wanted to be one of the ones around the table in the war room, be the one that knights came to for advice… who was sent out to hunt down outlaws for weeks at a time, and be the kind of Warrior who just shot up through the ranks from initiation."

"Like me?" my friend asked with just a hint of a smile.

"I guess. I just want… recognition," I confided quietly, suddenly shy as I rubbed the brush down Tessa's neck with no pressure on it. "I want to be the one everybody looks up to. I want to be great. Like… like a legend. I want to be remembered. I… when I ride through the streets, I want people to know my name!" I finally exclaimed, looking up at him. I didn't know what I'd see there—but I wasn't scared of what his expression might say. I trusted him, enough that I didn't believe there would be any judgment in his eyes.

What I saw there made the hope rise again, stronger than ever. He understood, and he offered me a tired half-smile as he leaned forward over his bay's broad back. The equine gave only a glance to his master before reaching over again to lightly draw his muzzle down Tessa's neck. She turned her head around to nuzzle the hollow of his throat.

"And you're well on your way to it, if you keep going like you are," he told me gently, flicking another spot of dust off the bay's side. "Don't let anybody bring you down, and trust that life will take you in the right course. Now finish up grooming Contesse, and we'll head to the mess hall for dinner, huh?" He reached across both horses to ruffle my head with an armored hand, and I shook it off with a bright grin.

"Yes sir!"

"Don't call me sir."

"Yes ma'am!"

Hey, all!

Hope you liked this chapter… I really enjoyed writing it (even though it took me two months to actually do so). xD Reviews!

Wait a minute... (Time for some shameless pity parties.) Readers, I am hurt. ;A; I thought you loved me...

Now, what might be the best news for those of you who are liking this and Zhi Lao'Hu… This is part of a chain of Dragonfable fanfictions I'm thinking of starting. It will be a long road. It will be a very, very long expedition. But they will all go in a particular order, and our characters will age. Artix and Magiya? At the beginning of their stories, they were 19 and 23. Here, they're 21 and 25.

Four years difference? And at that age? What is Artix thinking?!

He wasn't. (And I don't think I was either…) I think we all know that he doesn't… typically. :) But they're going to get older as these up-and-coming fictions come and go—so will all of the other non-canon characters. (Some of the canon characters will too, actually, now that I think about it.) But my point is, the way I write them into being, they aren't normal RPG characters. They age.

Also! I have some really excellent news for those of you who fell in love with Zhi Lao'Hu! :D I know I told so many of you that there wouldn't be a sequel, but lately, I've come up with some really effin good ideas for possible sequels. Only one made the epic journey to a possible ending across my head. B) There is a 9/10 chance of a ZLH sequel! Do you hear me? ... If you do, you should have your ears checked, because no one said a word. ;D

And on that (incredibly exciting) note, readers, I take my leave. :)

Juliet