A/N: A rather short update... but I figured you guys deserved one nonetheless. :P Sorry for the long wait. I made the mistake of doing the easy prompts first, so I'm getting to some more difficult ones now.
A BIG thank you to my reviewers! :D If it weren't for you, I'm sure this story would be dead by now. Knowing that I make you smile or laugh or cry or whatever gives me motivation to keep on going.
Enjoy, as always!
~Penelope
"We came from down that way, Elliot."
"No we didn't! It was this way; now, come on! We'll be late for supper." Elliot spurred Aztec down the path that disappeared around a bend to the left. Leo, astride Elliot's old gelding Shadow, sighed, giving his head a shake.
"We'll be late for supper anyway…" he muttered, just quiet enough that his master wouldn't notice.
Elliot could be pig-headed sometimes. When he got an idea in his head, he didn't let it go, and he was going to do it his way no matter what. Forget common sense. In Elliot's mind, he was always right.
Until he was proven wrong. Then he'd see reason. Usually.
With a roll of his eyes, Leo urged Shadow to follow the scion down the left path. There were times when he had to grab his friend by the ear and force him this way or that. There were others when he figured Elliot could use a good dose of humility. This was one of those times.
As the horses plodded along, neither boy said anything. They'd fallen back into companionable silence, listening to the birds chirp away and the wind whistling through the trees. A lovely summer day, it was. And not long before Elliot's sixteenth birthday.
Oh, goodness… Elliot would have a full two months to rub it in Leo's face that he was older than him. Leo stifled a groan and successfully avoided being heard.
"Did you read the article on the new Holy Knight installment?" Elliot asked over his shoulder.
Leo glanced ahead. "No, I haven't gotten the chance yet. Why? Interesting?"
"Short. I think Edwin's finally going to have to pick between Madame Bellerose and the troll."
The troll – Elliot's less than elegant nickname for Edgar. Leo snorted. "I don't have to guess what you're hoping."
"Bellerose is annoying as heck, but anybody's better than him. I honestly think that the author should just ditch them both and get Edwin a new, better companion."
"You know, imagine when we're middle-aged men with families and homes of our own, still reading this series and wondering if Edwin ever ages. Has he had a single birthday since the start of the series?"
Elliot shook his head. "Nope. Hopefully, the author has more tact than that. Maybe it'll move on from Edwin to the next generation or something. That'd be interesting."
"Or it could just suck. Immensely."
"True."
"You're sure this was the right way?" Leo glanced at the trees surrounding them, knowing full well what the answer was already. He just wanted to give Elliot another chance to turn around now before they went too far.
"Yes, Leo, I'm sure! Have a little more faith in my sense of direction; sheesh."
"Sure, sense of direction. Coming from the guy who thought it was a good idea to go riding before one of the biggest storms of the year*."
"Hey!" Elliot twisted around in the saddle to give Leo a glare just for him. "It wasn't storming when I went out!"
Leo raised an eyebrow. "It sure was when you headed back in. And you never even made it. I had to come rescue you."
"Oh, shut up…" Elliot turned back around, hunching his shoulders like a pouting child. Leo smirked.
"I still haven't seen that old willow yet. Shouldn't we have passed it by now?"
Elliot glanced around, but didn't answer. Leo knew what he was thinking.
"Should we turn around yet?"
"…I hate you."
"Sure you do. But remember that if I weren't here, you'd have gotten yourself lost in a hail storm and died of hypothermia by now."
"…Shut up."
With that, Leo led the way back to the fork in the road. Elliot didn't say a word the rest of the trip back, setting a new record for 'length of time of voluntary silence'. Of course, as soon as Leo brought Holy Knight up again, Elliot started talking. And then he wouldn't shut up for the rest of the evening.
