Chapter 3: On the road again
Celeste stopped her horse near a babbling brook and lifted her skirt to look down at her ankle. It looked almost as painful as it felt--swollen, misshapen, and an odd purple-blue-red color. She knelt to rinse her ankle in the icy water, but a deep voice stopped her.
"I wouldn't try that." Connor walked up from the shadows and knelt beside her. "That's the Water of Infinity. My father told me about it. If you wash that ankle in there, it'll never heal."
"What do you know?" Celeste demanded. She reached for the water again, but then she hesitated.
Connor smiled at her. "Scared, aren't you?" He asked softly. Celeste looked away. He knelt beside her gently. "Here, let me." He ripped a bit of cloth from her housecoat and used it to tie up her ankle. "There. It's just a sprain. Give it a few days and you'll be good as new--better, if you wash your healed ankle in this water. Maybe."
"This isn't called the Water of Infinity, is it?" Celeste demanded. "You lied."
Connor winked at her. "So sue me." He grinned. "Besides, you shouldn't wash that leg in murky water. There might be a snake or poisonous bug in there, and then what would I do with your body?"
Celeste glared at him. "Once I find my father, he'll kill you." She threatened him as she used his arm as leverage to stand up. Then she straightened her coat and smiled proudly. "Go back to the palace--see if I care. I don't need you or anyone! My father and I will get along just fine." She stated. But the ground was slippery and as she hopped back to her horse, she slipped and fell.
Connor walked over and pulled her up. "You think I want to miss out on this historic event? No way. Princess makes total fool of herself while trying to find imaginary biological father--Now that's my idea of a good time. Come on, brat." He lifted her onto her horse. "I'll lead this horse for now, and save my horse's strength. But on the return journey, you're carrying me."
"On the road again! I can't wait to get on the road again!" Connor sang. Admittedly he could sing rather good, but now he was singing offkey just to get that brat mad at him. Sure enough, her nose wrinkled in a familiar way, and her hands clenched into fists. If she knew just how cute she looked doing that, Celeste would stop instantly. He thought, grinning. Of course he knew that their parents were playing matchmaker--what with him having saved her when she fell into a pond at 4 years of age, they had pictured a tidy wedding and several kids by now, no doubt.
But Connor didn't fool himself. Celeste hated him. The only reason she let him come along now was because she saw him as a crutch. But Connor also knew the reason Celeste hated him was because she felt emotions towards him that she thought would weaken her.
Connor looked back at her. With God as my witness, by the time I get her back to her family she will admit that she loves me. He vowed. Or I won't come back with her.
"Hey, did you finally decide to quit singing?" Celeste asked hopefully.
She should know better than to ask me. Connor thought, grinning. "Nope! I just decided on my new song. Rubber ducky, you're the one! You make bath-time lots of fun! Rubber ducky, I'm awfully fond of you...!" He shouted.
Celeste rested her head in her hands and groaned. "This is going to be a loooooong trip." But no one could see the smile that crept across her face.
