18

Her mane flowed around Ianto, almost like it was embracing him… cocooning him… shielding him and then it became flames… flowing… moving and flickering… wings. Wings.

The Dragone roared with anger and those on the trial looked around with confusion as Alice was the first to glance up.

"MYFANWY!" Alice screamed as she struggled against her bindings and then she looked at the men now looking up with horror "Well now… you are all in big trouble!"

The Dragone swooped down over them casting a shadow that shows she had grown in size considerably. Cleary… the little girl was not just being a cow. She was right. They were well and proper fucked.

The Dragone landed and blocked their path, her long snakelike neck swinging back and forth as she growled, a low and deep sound that resonated. Behind them, Jack and the others finally arrived and it was John who called for them to halt a good half mile back from the action. Jack was about to demand why he had ordered that without his royal nod when she did it. She breathed on the nearest man. His screams were horrible to hear as he died and the stench started to invade their nostrils.

"Holy fuck, she's fully transformed. Holy hell … look at that" one of the men seemed to be in shock spluttering as the Dragone turned to another child snatcher with open malice.

Alice took the chance to kick her horse and it swung to escape the fearsome monster with pleasure, racing back to the familiar mounts behind her. Jack reached out to pluck his daughter from the horse as it raced past, she squealed and struggled to twist in his arms to watch as the Dragone breathed again.

Finally the man who wore the royal colours turned tail and ran straight into Rhys's fist.

Ianto was to of breath as he yelled at them all to run, he could not stop her now that she was in the frenzy. Once the path between Ianto and Jack was clear the Dragone stopped, finally accepting that she had won and she seemed to shake like a wet dog shaking off the raindrops, shaking back into the smaller creature of a still larger than life bad arse Fire Mount.

Ianto sat high in the saddle of his Mount and started to laugh. Huge braying gawfs that filled the air with joy as his head fell back and he oared with mirth. Jack found himself joining in as he hugged his daughter.

They were OK.

.

.

"And then… and then the huge red fire horse turned into a dragon and it flew down and breathed fire on them all" Alice was telling her grandparents about her adventure with wide eyes, hand hands flapping around her face and Jack was giggling as he backed her up that it was real.

Ianto stood back watching and he felt a little more uneasy as he knew sooner or later the little one was going to ask where her Mama was. Unless... she knew. She saw her die… knew her mama was gone and had died so … so… and was trying to pretend it had not happened. If you don't talk about it then maybe it didn't happen. Ok.

"Alice my love… will you dine with me and Daddy tonight in my chambers?" Ianto asked gently.

"Yes Darling" she said as she reached for some fruit and Ianto blushed softly at the endearment.

"Now… if you will excuse me… I think my Mont deserves an extra apple for that?" Ianto smiled, Alice rising too.

"I wanna squish her again" she explained calmy "One day I want one of my own! I wanna fire a fire horsie."

"Well, you ride like you stole one… I think that would be a great idea. I will as Rhys to talk to my people in the Elvish Royal Stable about a youngling so you might both grow up together. A bond is important with your Fire Mount. They can send one our way, yes sweetheart?" Ianto was talking gently as he lifted her effortlessly to his hip and wandered from the room, leaving those at the table staring after them.

"Well… to say he has settled in is an understatement there, son. He is…"

"He is of High Royal Blood and will not only enhance my life-force but my life… and he lightens the entire world" Jack said happily as he rose as well, surprising his mother with a kiss to her cheek "Now excuse me Mummy… I need a squish as well and I don't mean from a horse… but I can say that being with him is the wildest ride of my life… and I will ride it like I stole it as apparently that is how it is done."

Jack ran after his family and the queen turned to her husband "Well, your majesty. What say you?"

Franklin looked at his wife and chuckled softly "I say… hurrah."