Chapter Three

The next morning the children awoke to find Targus no where in sight. Patience had gotten up slowly and stretched her arms and legs before looking over to Alex, who had done the same. When their eyes met, they had the same question in them.

"Maybe he went for breakfast." Alex tried to look upon their situation as a positive one. As he saw the concern in his sister's face he stood up and gathered a few of the berries he had picked the previous night and handed a handful to his sister. She graciously took them and ate. It was his turn for nature's call and he told her he was just going to be around one of the trees if she needed him.

Patience was alone again and couldn't help but let her mind be filled with uncertain questions. How she hated being by herself. After about a moment, Alex had rejoined his sister in the clearing and they both waited for Targus to show his face.

When a few moments passed, both children began to get nervous for Targus still hadn't shown himself. Alex stood up and motioned for his sister to do the same.

"We should head for the boat. If something happened to Targus, he told us the way to Cair Paravel. There is nothing we can do if he is in trouble so I think the best option we have is to continue to Cair Paravel." Alex said firmly.

Patience couldn't believe her ears, "Are you saying we give up on him? I will not. I say we wait at least five more minutes before deciding anything."

"Pache, if he is in trouble you know there isn't anything that we can do." He tried to sound as brave as he could for his sister.

"Maybe you feel that way Al, but I know I may be able to do something. I cannot just leave him for he saved my life." Patience couldn't give up on Targus for she felt too responsible for him.

"What can you do Pache? Unless you are skilled with a weapon or can fight with your bare hands I don't know what you can do." Patience thought about it for a moment. True, she had no skills with a weapon and she resented fighting with her hands or feet for that matter. She knew, though, if she needed to do something to protect Targus or even her brother, she could.

"I don't know what I can do Al, but I'll be damned if I don't do something." Alex was silent for he had lost again to his sister.

"Well neither of you have to do anything, but I am glad you thought of me." Targus said as he came out of the bushes carrying a white stag.

"Don't scare us like that Targus! I thought something might've happened." Patience yelled as she ran to Targus's side. Alex stood feeling deeply ashamed of himself. He would have left to save himself rather than stay to help. Patience saw that and rushed to her brother to comfort him.



"Alex, don't think badly of yourself. You were thinking reasonably, there is no shame in that." She reassured.

"She is right you know. I absolutely forbid either of you to come after me if there is trouble. You are to do as son of Adam had suggested, go to the boat and continue to Cair Paravel. They need you two more than I.

"Oh, you don't know Pache do you?" Alex chuckled finally forgiving himself, "She would do anything to protect those she cares for. Even if she's only known them for two days." Alex finished as he looked at his sister with a stern look.

"Oh I do wish you would stop calling us 'Son of Adam' and 'Daughter of Eve'. As we have said earlier, we do have names." Patience groaned

Targus chuckled, "Very well, Patience, Alex. Shall we move on then? It's about another day till we reach the end of the river. Then we have to cross some more woodland. When we reach the end of the woodland, Cair Paravel shall be in sight. All in all, I'd say about three more days."

"That's not so bad, though I have never traveled so far in my life." Patience said excitedly.

"I have." Alex piped in.

After they settled the plans for when they reached the end of the river, they headed to the small boat and placed the white stag inside. That might have been a silly move considering they had to deal with the stench for half that day, but the meal was well worth it.

Most of the day, Patience and Alex talked like they had the previous day. They both found conversation easy and they both talked about what futures they had.

Alex had offered, when he got married, that Patience come and live with him. She had been deeply pleased, but didn't know if that was what she wanted. Sure she would've been comfortable and with someone who cared about her, but living with her brother meant she would be too dependent on him and, in her mind, it was supposed to be the other way around. He had told her to think about it anyway and she did whole heartedly.

Their next conversation topic was that of Helen. Patience was surprised to see how much her brother truly cared about her. The sparkle in his eye proved that he was deeply in love with her. She had gotten to know Helen and approved of her brother's marriage to her because she knew she, Helen, could take care and love her brother.

He had gone on and on in detail about how beautiful she was and how happy she had made him. He had asked the artistic view of how the most beautiful way to propose to her would be. Patience had been more than happy to help, for she had her ideas of how she would like to get proposed. She loved watching her brother's smile grow and grow as she gave him the most romantic ideas, and the one he chose was the most beautiful she had ever thought of.



Valentines Day, he would take her out onto a nice rowboat, like the one they were riding in, and go under her father's weeping willow tree. There it was private, secure, and very romantic. The temperature under a willow was usually the perfect temperature for it tended to keep the heat out and cold in on a hot day and the opposite on a cold day. He would have stashed a bouquet of roses as well as an adorable hand made meal. After they had finished with the meal, he would move onto dessert and offer the most exquisite whine he knew of. Before hand, he would have placed the ring inside the glass. After he poured the wine into the glass, he would offer a toast. When she went to drink, she would notice the ring inside, and then he, Alex, would propose. It was truly romantic and if Helen would not like it, she would not know what true love would mean.

With all the talking of love and marriage, Patience started to feel sad. Her brother was adopted to get married, and even though it was wrong, he still managed what she could not even dream; falling in love. Of course she had not been given many options of love, but she had never even thought of it. When she had finally thought of it there was nothing she wanted more; though she thought it impossible.

"There! It's the shore, finally." Patience yelled and her brother turned around to see for himself. Targus was standing on the shore waiting for the two children and Patience smiled to him. Alex threw Targus the rope and let Targus pull them in. Alex had gotten out first along with the stag. He then helped his sister out, for the last time, of the small boat.

"Alright you two, you made it here pretty quickly. With the sun still not set I'd say we could start our journey through the wood. I have scouted the woods before you arrived, there is no danger that I sense." Targus offered his information and Patience seemed practically thrilled to travel by foot instead of boat.

"How are we to carry this?" Alex asked as he dropped the stag to the ground.

"Well I had presumed that you had gutted it already. You can wrap the meat in fresh leaves and carry the meat in your pockets." Targus said.

"Gut it? What do you mean?" Patience asked clearly confused.

"Oh, don't tell me you two don't know how to gut an animal?" Targus asked shocked.

"I think I know what me means Pache and it's not something that you will wish to see." Alex warned his sister. When she still looked confused he motioned his hand across his neck then down his gut. She finally saw the picture.

"Well that's obscured! Of course we wouldn't know how to gut an animal." Patience exclaimed.

"I guess I'll have another lesson to teach." Targus sighed as he walked to Alex.

"You want me to do it?" He asked slightly nervous.



"You're the 'guy' remember?" Targus laughed and he started motioning for him to pay attention. Patience couldn't stand to stay and watch, so she headed as far from the sight while staying within sight of the two.

As she watched the water, she soon realized that she was very thirsty. She had forgotten in all of the excitement that she hadn't had a drink for almost three days. She bent down and put her hands in the cool, shore waters and slowly brought it to her lips. She had been amazed at the incredible freshness of the water and the sweetness that she had taken another sip, and another, and another, till her lips were to the water and she was taking as much as she allowed herself without choking.

"Patience, Stop!" she heard Targus scream at her. She reluctantly stopped and when she slowly rose to her knees, she saw a spear in front of her face.

Yes another cliffy, but I am just too tired, at the moment, to continue. I hope that you are enjoying it none-the-less!

Constructive criticism is nice, flaming is laughed at, and comments are love!