3

Inn

There was another flash and he found himself standing in a pile of hay with wooden walls on either side of him and an annoyed mare about six inches away from him. The horse swished her tail in his face as he moved carefully to her side out of the way of her back hooves. He stroked her mane trying to calm her and the mare calmed instantly sensing the magic inside him.

This creature was not as he seemed at first, not human surly, for he had the sent of the wild on him.

Eywn left the stall as another horse across the stable neighed a greeting. He smiled at the friendly gelding as he left the stables and spotted the old run down Inn nearby.

"This must be the place. I wonder how long it's been since she wrote that letter." He doubted Cladi would stay here for long but you never know... He circled around and entered through the front door scanning the tavern that met his eyes. He saw an old woman with horns growing out of her head and leathery black wings, a scary looking man with an arm made out of steal and a steel eye that looked rather digital, and a few other out of the ordinary folk, but none that looked like Cladi. Eywn sighed going over and sitting in a corner. Despair was threatening to envelope him but he held it back with thin strings of hope that were fraying with each passing moment. Maybe she just isn't here at the moment, and she'll be back soon? Or maybe she's just in her room or in the kitchens? He spotted a scullery maid scarf tied over her hair and grease and food stains on her brown homespun dress. He got up from the corner and approached her cautiously. Maybe she would know if Cladi was, or had been here.

"Excuse me Miss." He tried to get her attention. She stopped sweeping but didn't look around at him.

"Sorry to interrupt but... You don't happen to know someone named Cladi Falcon do you?" The woman turned to meet his gaze and the broom dropped from her hand. He stood stunned for a moment.

"Cladi? Cladi is it really you?" Same feather shaped scar under her eye, same silvery hair, same young and mischievous Cladi.

"Eywn!" Cladi threw her arms around him almost in tears.

"I missed you so much." Her voice was cracking and she actually did start to cry.

"Me too Cladi. Me too." He tilted her chin up and kissed her. He had forgotten how much he loved to kiss her.

"Aw ge' yar selves a room!" Some drunkard yelled from the bar among that catcalls of the rest.

After a few moments Cladi became aware that they were standing in the middle of the tavern and her boss could walk in at any moment so she broke away and pulled him outside.

"How did you find me?" She asked though it didn't really matter.

"I traced your letter." Eywn wondered how she would react to such a display of how his earthen magic had strengthened, but surprisingly she just took it in stride. They had both changed even though it may not appear so on the outside.

"I'm so glad you did, but Eywn..."

"Yes?" He held her encircled her in his arms smiling down at her upturned face.

"The danger may not have passed yet. They may still come after me."

"Have you ever known me to run from danger? I would have come to you long ago had I known where to find you. Besides that's exactly why I'm taking you back to earth."

"But so many years have passed! What if it's no longer as we remember it? What if Voldemort won and Harry died and all we would be doing was walking out of the frying pan and into the fire. If Voldemort won then earth would just be a hive of evil and a magnet for the demons."

"Its better than staying in the demon's home world. Now lets get some sleep and talk more in the morning." He stifled a yawn as she nodded and led him to the barn where she slept in the loft. They curled up together in the hay ignoring the annoying scratchiness of it just happy to finally be together.