Chapter 24
"Hello," Dean spoke cautiously to the Sphinx not sure how to address her. "I have come to answer the three riddles and be given a pearl."
"Is that so," she cooed to him in a silky voice. "So, you think you're intelligent enough to answer three riddles correctly?"
"I'm pretty smart," Dean shrugged wanting to get this over with and prayed he did know the answers.
"I'm impressed, a human creature with confidence in himself. That's a site few and far between. Shall we begin?" she asked moving across the raised platform to a large hourglass. "I will say the riddle only once, so you need to listen closely. You will have until the sand runs out of the top of the glass to answer or you forfeit your life and will be mine forever."
"Not ominous at all," Dean mumbled under his breath. He could feel Titus beside him as he moved a step closer.
"Are you ready to begin hunter?" the Sphinx questioned; her voice almost hypnotic.
"Yes, let's begin," Dean told her as he stood taller and squared his shoulders and focused all his attention on the Sphinx.
"Your first riddle: I have two legs in the morning, one leg at noon, and two legs in the afternoon. What am I?" She turned the hourglass to let the sand fall from the top to the bottom to time Dean.
"That's easy, a shadow," Dean told her with confidence.
"Very good. Shall we move to the next one," the Sphinx said. Once the hourglass was repositioned, she looked back at Dean with her sultry, smothering eyes. "What can run but never walk, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?"
Dean stood there as he fidgeted from foot to foot and silently repeated the riddle to himself. He was sure he had heard that one before as he racked his brain and watched the sand slowly begin to run out.
"I know!" he exclaimed suddenly as his eyes brightened. "A river, stream, creek, whatever you want to call a flowing body of water."
"One to go hunter, let me see, what shall I ask?" the Sphinx spoke as she walked along the platform and back to the hourglass before posing the last question. "Some try to hide, some try to cheat, but time will show we always will meet. Try as you might to guess my name."
"Name, try to hide," Dean mumbled to himself trying to find the hint in the riddle. He kept an eye on the hourglass and repeated the riddle in his mind knowing it was there. 'Cheat, cheat what? What do you cheat?' Dean thought as he watched the sand run faster. "Death, you can't cheat death," he suddenly said just as the last of the sand ran into the bottom.
"Very good hunter, you are correct," the sphinx praised him.
"Great, may I have my pearl now?" Dean asked, anxious to leave the cave and go back to the castle.
"But we're not done," she said coyly looking to Titus. "There are three more riddles to be answered since we have another person."
"Shit," Dean cussed under his breath. He never thought bringing Titus in to see the Sphinx would include him in this task too and he would have to answer riddles. "I wish to answer for him," Dean quickly told her. "This is my task not his."
The Sphinx eyed Dean with curious eyes as she contemplated his request. She had never had one be so brave as to do the test twice in a row. This hunter intrigued her because she couldn't figure him out. She could tell he was a brave, honorable, confident, human, and wondered how he ended up here in the Dark Hunt.
"Alright, shall we start, again," she finally told Dean. "Your first riddle: I hear with no ears, speak with no mouth. I do not have a body, but I am alive when the wind blows. What am I?"
"My brother asked me that one when he was young, it's an echo," Dean replied quickly, thinking one down two to go. He hoped Lady Luck was on his side with the other two riddles.
"The next two will be harder, of course. Number two: I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will and yet I am the confidence of all who live and breathe on the Earth's ball. What am I?"
Dean pinched his lips together as he stared at the sand flowing faster than he liked. He walked back and forth in front of the Sphinx mulling over the riddle. He had to get it right for Titus' sake. No way would he let him stay here. He would take his place first.
"Tomorrow, is it tomorrow?" Dean asked warily as he waited to see if he got it right.
"My, my, luck is shining down on you hunter. You are correct and now you only need to answer one more riddle, do you think your luck will hold out? Would you like to make a bargain instead of a riddle?"
"No, I'll take the riddle," Dean replied knowing better than to bargain with her. Bargaining with a supernatural creature never ended well; he wasn't falling into that trap.
"Very well then…If you get this wrong…Both of you will become mine. Here it is, the last riddle," the Sphinx spoke slowly as she decided on what to ask. "What can bring back the dead, make you cry, make you laugh, make you young, is born in an instant, yet last a lifetime. What am I?"
"Cry, laugh, young…" Dean whispered as he combed his memory for the answer. "Last a lifetime," he spoke to himself scanning his memory for the answer. The sand continued to run out and if he didn't figure the answer, they would both the lost. Just before the last of sand ran into the bottom of the hourglass, he quickly answered, "It must be your memory. A memory; is that correct?" he asked looking at the Sphinx and seeing a look of disappointment on her face.
"You are right Hunter. Never have I had someone so intelligent and knowledgeable come before me. You shall have your pearl times two." She walked to a bowl behind her and picked up two pearls the size of a robin's egg that sparkled and shone a mixture of colors in the torch light. She held out her hand to Dean to take the gifts.
"Thank you," Dean bowed to her removing the two pearls and slipping them into an inner pocket of his jacket. He was going to give one to the Queen and one to Titus, thinking it could be sold to give him some money.
"Thank you," Titus spoke shyly as he bowed too. He knew if it hadn't been for Dean, he wouldn't be leaving this place. He did not know any of the answers to the riddles asked and breathed a sigh of relief that Dean got them all right.
They walked back to the cave opening and got their horses leading them outside into the sunlight that filtered through the clouds. Dean took a few deep breaths and let the tension drain from him. The task was done, and he was still in the game. He was suddenly nearly knocked down when Titus threw his arms around Dean's waist and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you for what you did," Titus whispered in a sincere voice as he looked up into Dean's eyes with respect and admiration in his own eyes. "No one has ever done anything like that for me. You're my hero."
"It was nothing Ty," Dean assured him pulling Titus into his side and hugging him back. Memories of a younger Sam flashed through his mind making him miss his brother that much more. "You're a special young man and I'm proud to be your friend. And thank you for all the help you are giving me with these tasks. I honestly don't think I would have made it this far without you."
"Me too, I'm happy you picked me to be your guide," Titus nodded before wiping tears from his face and letting Dean wrap an arm around his shoulders as they walked to their horses.
"Why don't we stop at that stream we passed coming here and grab a bite to eat?" Dean asked Titus. "I think we both could use a short break after that encounter."
"Yes, I would like that," Titus agreed eagerly. Dean helped him onto his mound, and he waited as Dean mounded his steed.
They headed back the way they had come at a steady trot wanting to put some space between them and the cave. About an hour later they came to the bubbling stream and found a place to stop. Titus got the bag of food out and settled in the moss at the bank of the stream.
"What have we got to eat Ty?" Dean grunted as he dropped to the ground beside him.
"Bread, cheese, smoked ham, and apples."
"A sandwich it is," Dean decided pulling out a knife and slicing a thick piece of bread into two slices so he could assemble his sandwich. The only thing missing was mayo and mustard.
"Sandwich," Titus slowly said. He watched Dean with interest and let him slice his bread the same way. He put together his own sandwich and began to eat thinking this was amazing.
Dean chuckled to himself as he watched Titus copy him and wondered what he was going to do with him when this damn hunt was over. He would take him back with him but knew the boy wouldn't fit in there. It wouldn't be fair to Titus and could put him in danger. He thought about it and an idea began to form in his head that he would follow up on when they got back.
When they were done and quenched their thirst, the companions mounded and started back to the castle. After they got back on the road, they let the horses gallop for a while to let them stretch their legs. It was getting dark when the village came into view, and they went to the stable to drop the horses off before going to their bedroom. One of the pearls was taken by a guard and the other Dean hid in their room until this hunt was over. He told Titus they should rest for a bit before going to dinner.
A/N: Another task completed with a twist. Did you know the answers to the riddles? Dean is one step closer to going home now. What will he be facing in the next task? What is Dean going to do about Titus? All will be answered soon. Thanks for coming along for the ride. I do like reviews/comments. NC