ADVENTURE

The travel was a long one, a good three or four days at least, of long riding. None of it was all too pleasant for any of the travelers and the Alligator Lady was crankier than ever. So it was a great relief when after the third day they stopped for the night at a town's inn.

"You two lock up the trunks. I'm going inside to bed." As she had done for the last two nights the woman left the two children to unpack the carriage.

"She doesn't lift a finger for anything! All she does is sit there and complain! If she doesn't help reload this cart tomorrow morning-"

"August," Adela heaved out a particular heavy trunk and winced slightly, "she's older. And she's worried about her baby. This isn't easy for her. Traveling with us."

"You sound like father." He handed a trunk to a boy to carry the luggage up to the room.

A small smile touched her lips. "Good. How else can I keep you in line?" Mischievously she dipped her hands into the water bucket the horses had long since abandoned in favor of grazing. Stepping closer she shook her hands in front of his face, sending drops of water flying onto him.

"Hey! Proper young ladies aren't supposed to do that!" Moving to the water bucket he cupped his hands underwater then tossed the small pool in his grasp at her.

Squealing she jogged backwards trying to escape the water with little success. "Really? And who says I want to be a proper young lady?" Carefully she took steps closer to him and warily tried to make her way around him to get to the other water bucket without getting soaked along the way.

Unbeknownst to Adela and August upstairs already clothed in her nightgown and robe, the Alligator Lady watched the brother and sister from her window. She loathed them both with a passion. And seeing them laughing and having fun tossing water at each other did little to help.

How dare they be able to see her parents before her own child? And how dare they be welcomed into the family after how horrible they both were towards her? And how dare they be well fed and dressed with her parent's money? They didn't deserve it.

Unable to gather much water in her hands, Adela finally gave up and simply grabbed the whole bucket.

"Adela, no. Don't you dare! No, Adela. No!" Taking a few steps away, finally the young man turned and started to run with his sister hot on his trail.

Laughing with playful glee she tossed the entire contents of the bucket at him. All of the water hit the young man, fully drenching his entire back.

"Uh! Adeeela! How could you!" Stopping, he shook his arms trying to wring the water out. Turning he looked at his laughing sister in disgust. "You're no angel…that was just plain…evil…ugh." Shaking his head he started running at her.

"August, what are you-" She quickly turned and started running, but her laughter didn't stop.

Grabbing his bucket as he ran past, he tossed at her and succeeded in giving her the same punishment she had given him. Completely dousing her.

There had to be something she could do to get rid of them.

Startled by her own thoughts the woman turned from the window. Get rid of them? Was that what it had come to? Killing them off? No. Not killing. Even she couldn't sink that low. But there were other ways to get rid of someone, but how?

There was suddenly not a doubt in her mind. She had to get rid of her stepson and daughter. And she had to make it appear as if it hadn't been her fault.

The next morning only came too soon and sure enough Adela and August were the only ones repacking the carriage. The Alligator Lady was nowhere to be seen, claiming she had to pick up supplies from the market. August spared no breath muttering his disdain for the woman's actions.

And sure enough, not long after they had departed from the town she was complaining vocally once more about how uncomfortable she was. Adela heard her brother mumble once or twice something about the woman walking, but the woman either didn't hear or for once choose to ignore something that August had said.

"Why don't we stop for lunch?" Adela said, quite chipper, despite the bumpy ride, and a smile on her lips. Perhaps that would calm the woman down a bit.

It was barely after noon, but all the same August stopped the carriage and started digging for the food while the woman and his sister laid out a blanket to eat on.

"Oh! Here I'll get the basket. Just go sit down." Pushing her stepson out of the way. August looked stunned for a brief moment that the lady was doing something for a change, but didn't complain. Instead he, for once, did as he was told and sat down next to a smiling Adela.

It wasn't a sudden change of heart that spurred the change of antics from the Alligator Lady, much rather this was simply part of her plan to rid herself of the two brats.

Withdrawing the food she carefully turned her back towards the children, shielding from view as she drew a small vial from her pocket that she had gotten from the village earlier than morning.

She had complained to a local medicine man of her sleeping troubles and he had given her a simple sleeping vial. All she had to do was give them each enough to fall into a deep sleep and then simply leave them in the forest. They were both far from home and the village. They'd never make it back. And she'd never see them again. How brilliant was that?

Emptying the vital into a pitcher she had filled with water they had packed, she then returned to the blanket and set down a food platter. The young man and woman started to help themselves to food as the woman started filling cups with the tainted water.

Not much was said during the mean, but both Adela and August noticed the Alligator Lady's lack of thirst. The woman claimed she just was not parched, but seeing nothing too terribly wrong with her actions, the pair continued to drink their own water.

The woman's strange antics continued even after the meal when the same woman who doted on appearance and was disgusted by even the smallest amount of dirt suggested they do something completely out of the ordinary. She suggested they go for a little walk in the woods…to stretch.

"I don't see what the big problem is. I grew up in a heavily wooded area. I know my way around a forest. We won't get lost." She explained innocently as she was putting away the items they had used during lunch.

"But what about the carriage and all of our stuff? It'll be left unguarded!" August was having none of the foolish idea, in truth he was itching to get traveling again.

Adela was silent as her brother and stepmother continued to debate over the issue for a few moments longer. "Well, I think it is a good idea. Just for a little while?" Being the peacekeeper was not easy work with a stubborn brother, but she really wanted to walk around and he saw that.

August hesitated.

"We've seen no one all morning. There's no one around to steal from us." The Alligator Lady reasoned.

A sharp look was thrown at both women. "Very well." He sighed. "But if we're robbed while we are gone I don't want to hear any complaining."

"Thank you, August." There was a happy grin on Adela's lovely face that sent a pang of jealously through a certain woman. That just sealed the deal and her decision.

As the trio hiked into the dense forest, Adela held onto her brother's hand, blue eyes darting around looking at everything. Ever since her mother had died, the woman had never let her go in the woods back home.

"Remember when we use to take hikes in the woods with papa and mama?" A small gasp was released from the young woman; causing a startled August to turn to her suddenly, tense with worry.

"What's the matter!"

"Look! The black bird over there…see it?" A pale finger pointed into a tree not so far away where a black raven sat with a somewhat regal air to it. "Doesn't it seem like it's watching us? Oh, it's so sleek and pretty too."

"It's a bird, Adela. They watch everything." The young man went back to staring back at the trail, memorizing markings, and what turns they took. He didn't trust the Alligator Lady not to get lost.

It also didn't take long before that sleeping potion started having an effect on the two children. Slowly their yawns became more frequent and slowly August started losing track of the twists and turns and all too soon gave up completely on trying to track their way.

Adela's slim, light form leaned heavily against her brother, eyelids drooping dangerously low. "Shouldn't we start heading-" over come with a yawn she paused, "-back now? I'm so tired…"

"Soon enough, dear. Just a little farther." With a twisted smile the woman led them deeper and deeper into maze of trees, waiting to make sure there would be no chance they'd be able to find their way back out on their own. "All right. Let's stop here to rest." Sitting her self down on a nearby boulder, the pair just sat themselves right down on the dirt trail.

"Oh-" Adela yawned, "-I am…so tired." Rested her head against August's shoulder she finally completely closed her eyes. "I'm just going to…sleep for a bit…"

Fighting to stay awake, August's head kept falling forward as he fell asleep only to jerk awake once again. Emerald eyes caught the twin cold one's of his stepmother just before his head fell softly to his chest for the final time, gaze closed and in a deep sleep.

((I'm thinking there's going to be about three more chapters after this one before it's done ))