Chapter 5: A new village
Celeste looked down the hill at the village. "This is the village?" She asked critically.
Connor reached up to help her slide off the horse. "Yeah. This is the village with the best doctor ever. Dr. J. He took care of Mom when she had me here 2 weeks early. He'll know if you broke your foot." He told her.
Celeste grimaced in pain. "I can't walk." She reminded her companion. "Why'd you get me off the horse?"
"Because if we walk in with nothing, that's what we're charged. Nothing. And we can't afford to surrender a horse with that foot so sore. Come on, put all your weight on me. Tiny as you are, I think I can support you." Connor said. He expertly slipped an arm around her waist; Celeste looked down so her long blonde hair would cover her flushed face.
The couple staggered into the village, Celeste grimacing in pain every step of the way.
Finally Connor kicked a door down--and stared at the empty room. It was abandoned, without doubt or question.
Connor frowned. "But--the doctor lived here. I know he did. He wouldn't have moved--not so suddenly." He whispered, letting his arm drop from around her waist.
Celeste leaned against a wall. "And he was how old when you were born?" She asked softly. Now that she no longer had his arm to lean against or distract her, her foot hurt.
Connor glanced back at her. "I guess around 60--oh. So you think he's dead." He said flatly.
"Well, he would have been 80 this year. That's too long for him to be a doctor. Besides, this is a great place for us to stay. Look, there's even a nice bush that's growing in here." Celeste said, limping over to it. She grabbed a handful of the small, plain red berries and swallowed them.
Connor turned and looked at her with horror. "Celeste--don't tell me you ate those!" He said tensly.
Celeste frowned down at her hand, stained red with juice. "Well, yeah. Why? They're good. Elrin and I eat them all the time at home. Here, have some." She offered.
Connor shook his head. "No, I'm allergic to that type of berry. Come lay down. We can grab a few hours of sleep." He said, walking over to the old bed and checking it for rodents or dust.
Celeste limped over to him, and scrambled in the bed. "This bed is nice and comfy. Connor, where are you going to sleep?" She added meaningfully.
Connor winked at her. "Same bed, on top of the blankets you sleep under. Relax, brat. The thought you're freaked out about never crossed my mind." He teased. Liar. You did think about it and probably would have shared the bed if she hadn't asked. He thought grimly.
Celeste fell asleep quickly, and Connor drew the curtains around the bed closed. Then he quietly tiptoed out of bed, grabbed a few handfuls of berries from the bush, and walked out of town, dropping them steadily. When he returned, he rubbed some berries in his hands to get some juice and rubbed it on himself and Celeste.
Around midnight, a large snake-person slithered into the village. It quietly checked every house for something, then smelled the berries and grabbed a handful of berries from the doctor's house before following Connor's trail.
Connor let out a sigh of relief. Dad was right. Snake people love those snake berries. We'll have to be careful from now on--he's looking for her. He thought.
Celeste half sat up, still dozing. "What smells like berries?" She asked sleepily. Then she yawned. "Oh, is Elrin here?" She mumbled. "Tell him I'll find Father."
Connor wrapped her back up and looked out the window. "I think he knows who your father is, Celeste. We're leaving first thing in the morning." He vowed.
Elyon stood on the edge of the empty well in the dungeon. "She's looking for you." She said softly.
"And I should care...why?" A deep voice grumbled. "She's your daughter."
"And yours, though you never can claim her." Elyon cried softly. "Will you do nothing to help her?"
The voice laughed. "Oh, I'll help her, alright. I'll help her right into a grave."
Elyon gazed down. "I was hoping...you had changed. But you haven't, have you?" She asked.
A dry laugh floated up. "Why change when you have no chance of freedom?" The voice asked. "But I can tell you this much, my queen. She's more like me then you can understand. And she won't return until she understands why she smell things so much better than everyone else, eat foods that no one else can, and knows exactly who her father is."
Elyon bit her lower lip. "I did tell you that if you talked to me, I'd give you a treat. I keep my word." She shoved a snake berry bush into the pit.
There was a moment of silence, and then a chuckle. "Elyon...my people loves these. So do your children. Teach them to change into their true forms." The voice mocked her again.
Elyon glared down into the pit. "They are in their true forms." She said, walking off.
A low hiss filled the air as she left. "Only you think so, little queen. Only you think so."
