"A break! Please!" Lalasa begged after 4 hours of hard riding.
"Alright. The horses need rest as well." Kris agreed, pointing to a cave nearby. "We'll rest there. I'll magic our tracks away and I'll hide the cave as well."
"I'll stay with you." Neal said, allowing Kel to lead his horse into the cave. Kris threw her hands up and quickly, plants began to move and grow, covering up the tracks the horses had made as far as the eye could see.
"Into the cave now, Neal." She said, retreating to the cave. She threw her hands up again to have the rocks move and the plants grow over them, concealing the cave from view.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You've magic I've never seen before!" Neal exclaimed as Kris brought fire and light into the cavern with her magic.
"I know. I've magic from Emlean. My mother has magic. She's a duchess in Emlean. Her uncle is the Duke, which I suppose is equal to the King in Tortall. I've magic many places in my family. My cousin, Sandry is one of the Four Mages of Discipline."
"But you can do so many things!" He answered, pulling her into his arms.
"My magic is different for everyone's in Emlean. See my mother had healer's magic, Sandry has thread, and her friends Briar, Tris and Daja have plant, weather and metal magic. I, on the other hand, have magic in all places. I have plant and weather and healer and metal and stone and thread and…"
"And Seductress." Neal quieted her by passionately kissing her.
"Hey! There are other people in here!" Kel teased. "If we ride hard tomorrow, we'll be at the Lioness's by afternoon. I'll give you 4 hours of sleep. If we're ready to go by midmorning, we'll be fine."
"Goodnight, then!" Roald cried, rolling over to sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Almost there!" Kel called as they rode their speed double of what a normal horse could run. But Kris had wild magic as well and had coaxed the horses to allow her to extend the ground they could cover in a day.
"I can see the town!" Suddenly, Roald stopped, and it was no easy task.
"Why did you stop?" Neal demanded.
"How will a Prince, a Princess, a female page, an eighteen year old page, and a frightened serving maid get through the town without being stopped? Not to mention that they're all riding fine horses that cost a fortune." Roald asked.
"Magic!" Lalasa suddenly exclaimed. "We disgust ourselves with magic!"
"Yes! We can alter the horses' appearances to make them seem like old beat packhorses and I can change our appearances to look different!" Kris agreed, already deep in conversation with the horses. Suddenly, she through her hands up and the fine horse became fewer breeds and grayed. Two carts appeared and 4 of the horses were harnessed and Peachblossom was ties to the back of one.
"I can put my hair down and grease and gray it with ashes and lard. And I can wear my scrubbing outfit." Lalasa said, pulling out her work clothes. "Perhaps we can have an old man as well?" She asked, glancing mischievously at Roald.
"Good. And I think Kel can serve as a daughter and Neal would do well as a new husband and I'll be a pregnant wife." Kris said, setting herself to work.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"My Lady Lioness, there are peasants who wish to speak to you." The butler announced. Alanna looked up from where she and George were playing chess.
"Bring them in and some refreshments too." She ordered.
"Well…" George exclaimed as the funny group entered the room. "It seems the eloping couples have arrived.
"How did you know?" Kris asked, pulling her magic from everyone's clothing.
"Stefan informed me by means of pigeon carriers." He told them.
"I've taken the liberty to arrange for you to ride as messengers to Emlean. From there, you will have to find your way." Alanna told them. "I hope you can all tolerate ships because that is your way across the sea to Emlean."
"Emlean?" Kris whispered.
"Yes. I understand that you have relations there who can help you. To bed now. Your boat leaves early this evening."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"How long will we be on this God-cursed ship?" Lalasa moaned, learning that she was sea-sick.
"Another day at the longest, Lalasa." Kris whispered, still in her melancholy mood.
"Something bothers you, Kris. What?" Neal asked.
"Just a mistake that I made 4 years ago."
"And what could you have done at the age of 14 that is still on your mind?"
"Nothing." She answered, leaving the cabin.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"We're here!" Kel shouted in delight. "Welcome to SummerSea!"
"To Winding Circle we go!" Roald cried, as excited as she was.
"Alright. The horses need rest as well." Kris agreed, pointing to a cave nearby. "We'll rest there. I'll magic our tracks away and I'll hide the cave as well."
"I'll stay with you." Neal said, allowing Kel to lead his horse into the cave. Kris threw her hands up and quickly, plants began to move and grow, covering up the tracks the horses had made as far as the eye could see.
"Into the cave now, Neal." She said, retreating to the cave. She threw her hands up again to have the rocks move and the plants grow over them, concealing the cave from view.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You've magic I've never seen before!" Neal exclaimed as Kris brought fire and light into the cavern with her magic.
"I know. I've magic from Emlean. My mother has magic. She's a duchess in Emlean. Her uncle is the Duke, which I suppose is equal to the King in Tortall. I've magic many places in my family. My cousin, Sandry is one of the Four Mages of Discipline."
"But you can do so many things!" He answered, pulling her into his arms.
"My magic is different for everyone's in Emlean. See my mother had healer's magic, Sandry has thread, and her friends Briar, Tris and Daja have plant, weather and metal magic. I, on the other hand, have magic in all places. I have plant and weather and healer and metal and stone and thread and…"
"And Seductress." Neal quieted her by passionately kissing her.
"Hey! There are other people in here!" Kel teased. "If we ride hard tomorrow, we'll be at the Lioness's by afternoon. I'll give you 4 hours of sleep. If we're ready to go by midmorning, we'll be fine."
"Goodnight, then!" Roald cried, rolling over to sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Almost there!" Kel called as they rode their speed double of what a normal horse could run. But Kris had wild magic as well and had coaxed the horses to allow her to extend the ground they could cover in a day.
"I can see the town!" Suddenly, Roald stopped, and it was no easy task.
"Why did you stop?" Neal demanded.
"How will a Prince, a Princess, a female page, an eighteen year old page, and a frightened serving maid get through the town without being stopped? Not to mention that they're all riding fine horses that cost a fortune." Roald asked.
"Magic!" Lalasa suddenly exclaimed. "We disgust ourselves with magic!"
"Yes! We can alter the horses' appearances to make them seem like old beat packhorses and I can change our appearances to look different!" Kris agreed, already deep in conversation with the horses. Suddenly, she through her hands up and the fine horse became fewer breeds and grayed. Two carts appeared and 4 of the horses were harnessed and Peachblossom was ties to the back of one.
"I can put my hair down and grease and gray it with ashes and lard. And I can wear my scrubbing outfit." Lalasa said, pulling out her work clothes. "Perhaps we can have an old man as well?" She asked, glancing mischievously at Roald.
"Good. And I think Kel can serve as a daughter and Neal would do well as a new husband and I'll be a pregnant wife." Kris said, setting herself to work.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"My Lady Lioness, there are peasants who wish to speak to you." The butler announced. Alanna looked up from where she and George were playing chess.
"Bring them in and some refreshments too." She ordered.
"Well…" George exclaimed as the funny group entered the room. "It seems the eloping couples have arrived.
"How did you know?" Kris asked, pulling her magic from everyone's clothing.
"Stefan informed me by means of pigeon carriers." He told them.
"I've taken the liberty to arrange for you to ride as messengers to Emlean. From there, you will have to find your way." Alanna told them. "I hope you can all tolerate ships because that is your way across the sea to Emlean."
"Emlean?" Kris whispered.
"Yes. I understand that you have relations there who can help you. To bed now. Your boat leaves early this evening."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"How long will we be on this God-cursed ship?" Lalasa moaned, learning that she was sea-sick.
"Another day at the longest, Lalasa." Kris whispered, still in her melancholy mood.
"Something bothers you, Kris. What?" Neal asked.
"Just a mistake that I made 4 years ago."
"And what could you have done at the age of 14 that is still on your mind?"
"Nothing." She answered, leaving the cabin.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"We're here!" Kel shouted in delight. "Welcome to SummerSea!"
"To Winding Circle we go!" Roald cried, as excited as she was.