Severus Snape rode fast, ignoring the guard's requests to stop and rest for the night, Severus merely growled at them and said this mission is held in the highest regards to the king, and sleep is an extremely trivial thing at the moment.
Silverdale came into view at dawn, allowing his soldiers some rest he sent them off to the inn for sleep and breakfast, while searching for places Draconis could have gone.
There were several pubs in the area but only one inn, so decided to start there. The man at the front desk was very large, and the chair supporting him actually looked tired.
Walking up to the desk, he looked directly at the man, already spying the name plate, "Mr. Dursley I presume?" asked Severus and the man puffed out his already large chest proudly and arrogantly "I'm looking for a boy that may have passed by, and stayed in your inn, I'm willing to pay generously." He dumped a bag of gold onto the counter, and the fat mans eyes boggled "if you can prove to me with some valuable information."
"Oh of course," said Mr. Dursley his voiced hushed "what type of boy do you seek?"
"One that looks much like this," replied Severus holding out a picture of Draconis, it was simple, and he was dressed in outdoor clothing, and his hair pulled back so the fat man couldn't see its true length.
"Yes, yes the boy came through here early this spring, stayed only two nights though…" replied Mr. Dursley.
"And did he ever say where he was headed?" asked Severus curtly.
"No, I never heard, but the stable boy might of, but I can tell you something else," said Mr. Dursley quickly seeing Severus gather up a majority of the gold, Severus turned "he left in the company of a hunter boy, messy black hair he had, and the most emerald of eyes."
"Your information is most valuable," praised Severus tossing the remainder of the gold bag to him "speak nothing to no one, I was never here."
The fat man nodded, and just smiled his piggy little eyes gazing at the gold.
Hurrying to the stable, Severus summoned the still sleeping stable boy, "boy I have some questions for you."
"I aint got no answers, unless you catch me drift," the boy rubbed his thumb and forefingers together, and Severus graced his palm with a golden coin "what can I do for ya sir?"
"I need to know if you've seen this boy, and where he went off to," smirked Severus making sure the young boy saw the tiny sapphire in his hand.
"Gives me that and I'll tell ya everything you need to know," replied the boy.
"So you do know where he went?" asked Severus.
"Gives it to me first then answers," replied the stable boy.
Severus pocketed the jewel "I gave you a gold, you are required to answer one of my questions, do you know where he went?"
"Yes sir," replied the boy and Severus tossed him the jewel, "he left with a hunter boy, messy black hairs, green, green eyes, and he rode a deep brown horse, they spoke of Tallen forest, and the blond boy could speak to horses."
Severus smirked, this was too easy, he had only arrived less than an hour ago and already he had the information he needed to continue moving, and yet the two guards were sleeping. Deciding to tuck in for a few hours and then a swift meal, he would have them out on the road by mid-day and travel for as long as it took to reach Tallen forest; he just prayed Draconis was alright.
Ron and Hermione were not far behind Lord Severus, they took a different route though, riding through the night, and resting in the brush on the side of the road. Hermione knew where he was thanks to Ron's story, he remembered one of there escape days and talking's of the future. They decided to travel by night so they would be harder to spot by a guard. This was actually Ron's idea, haven snuck out with the prince many times before.
Taking a quick breakfast at an inn in Silverdale called the silver spoon; they were served by a girl with long blond hair.
"Excuse me miss," asked Hermione "but have you by chance seen a boy with messy black hair and green eyes?"
"Hum, uh yes, he came here and caused quite a stir…protected a boy with blond hair," replied the girl.
"Thank you," replied Hermione with a smile and the girl returned it before hurrying away to serve another customer "he did come through here, you were right Ron."
Ron blushed lightly at his friends praise, she had accepted his proposal for marriage but Ron still had to ask her father, so they decided to still use the term friends…for now.
They both got a room at the inn, and fell into deep sleeps; they would be with their friend if all went to plan within the week.
Severus Snape angrily woke both guards, and after a quick meal, they rode off towards the forest. It would take two days to reach the forest from here, and the nearest town if they pressed on swiftly was Sendell and then Lodderville if they decided to stop in each town.
With horses as swift as they had Sendell was reached by nightfall, ignoring the guards whining, he pressed on hoping to be in Lodderville by tomorrow night.
Ron and Hermione rode through the night, and found themselves in a small town by mid-morning; exhausted they decided to rest at the inn before pressing on further.
Both search parties continued like that for a while, and by the forth morning they both entered the great forest in search for their princes.
Harry and Draco woke warm in each others arms, Harry stretched out lightly admiring Draco in the pale morning light, his skin seemed to glow as every beam struck his naked body.
Slipping out of their bed he tossed on a pair on pajama pants and went to let the cubs out like one would do with dogs.
"Harry what are you doing?" asked Draco's voice from behind him.
Harry turned smiling "just letting them out to do their business," his eyes wandered Draco's body, he was wearing an open robe of white silk and it draped almost regally over his lithe body.
"Care to join me in the bath?" asked Draco and was scooped up into his lover's arms, he squeaked happily as Harry placed him in the bath, Draco had already started to draw.
Turning off the taps, he slid into the tub and pulled Draco into his arms, where they washed themselves lovingly.
After a filling breakfast, Draco curled up in Harry's arms in the garden, the cubs with filled bellies, rolled over the lush green grass and chased small prey.
"I love you," said Harry out of the long comfortable silence.
"I love you too," replied Draco tipping his head up.
"No I mean I really do love you, I never felt this way about another person before, and I've given a lot of thought about us…I can't imagine my life without you," said Harry gazing lovingly down at the blond haired boy "which I why I want to ask you something."
"Anything," smiled Draco sitting up to kiss him gently.
"Will you marry me?" asked Harry holding out a ring he had grabbed when filling his treasury bag, it was a thick band, engraved with actual Elvin symbols, for commitment, trust, love, honesty, understanding, encouragement, companionship, compromise, luck, and fertility, and was inlaid with two diamonds on either side with a slightly larger emerald in the center that sparkled in the bright afternoon sun, "I don't have much to offer but love, which you will always have from me."
"Yes, yes I will marry you," Draco hugged him tightly, tears running silently and happily down his cheeks, as Harry slipped the beautiful white gold ring onto his finger.
"When we go to town in the spring, we'll find a priest and get married," promised Harry kissing away the large pearly tears falling from his fiancé's beautiful mercury eyes.
The day was spent in the garden, wrapped in each others loving embrace, neither left each others company for more then a few moments at a time, and for the first time since meeting Draco thought Harry was his dream, his very own guardian sent to take him away from the cruelties of royal life.
Sorry it's so short, I've been working full time and tonight is my only night off in the passed…almost two weeks. I'll write again soon Luvs you all.