So, I had chapter 12 written for quite some time, but all of the sudden, I didn't like where I went with it. Haha, so brand new direction! :D But you wouldn't know the difference anyway.
Dears, I present you with officially my longest chapter ever. It's kind of slow, and not very good. But hey, I did my research. Anyways... read on! (haha does anyone get that refrence?)
"So. This...is your room?" Tristan beat on the door.
"Oh yes. My... room." Jane gestured in little loops to her shabby tower. Tristan raised his nose and sniffed.
"Ewgh. What is that god-awful smell?"
"Oh, that. Um... that is Dragon's er- excrement pile."
Tristan looked confused. It smelled slightly pleasant when I was a dragon. Now it is just plain revolting. "Did it always smell this bad?"
Jane guffawed. "Of course! It is dung!"
"Right. Did you ever complain to him about it?" He knew she did not. Jane would never complain about him, no matter the cause.
"No. It is easy access for Rake and I am used to it. Well, it was the least I could do seeing as though I did not keep my promise."
"Yes you did." Oh dung beetles. Watch your mouth Dragon...
"What?"
"I have no doubt that you keep your promises. You are a sweet, loyal, trustworthy, funny, courageous, beautiful young lady."
"Really? You believe I am beautiful?"
"Definitely. I would even go as far as to say, breath-taking."
"Dear kind Tristan, why are you saying all these things? We hardly even know each other."
He took her calloused hands in his. "I feel as if I have known you forever. I truly mean every single one of them."
Jane wanted to cry. He was so wonderful, it was almost to good to be true. And here he was saying all these fine things about her, it made him all the more better. Jester had said all of this to her before, yet it never meant more than a friend complimenting another. It meant so much coming from him. It made her want to...
Standing on her tip-toes to reach, she pecked him softly on the cheek. Tristan shook his head disbelievingly. He felt his face flush. He brought his fingers to where she kissed him and lightly brushed it. He felt warmth and a tiny bit of moisture. It was really there, her lips really had been there. He eased out of his daze in time to see her close her door. He started to block it, but thought against it. He supported himself against the heavy wood and slid down to the rocky ground.
It is improving. A kiss on the cheek has to mean something. You are getting there.
The glow of Jane's candle seeping out of the cracks in the door went dark. Tristan stood and turned to leave. He continued down the stairs feeling lighter then air. He curved around the stairs and walked past the swings. As he passed them, a single low note strummed on a lute. Tristan jumped up. He stared into the black shadows of Jane's tower. His eyes adjusted and made out the shapes of the cherry tree, the swings and an odd shaped figure sitting on one of the swings. It had a funny hat.
"Jester! It is you! Haha you scared me!"
"Did I? Oh how foolish of me. Terribly sorry." Jester plucked a few strings.
"Quite alright." Tristan found this sort of creepy and started to walk away.
Jester rested his lute on the base of the cherry tree and got to his feet. He folded his arms and braced himself. "But, I thought you were not scared of anything... Dragon." Tristan stopped dead in his tracks. A chill raced down his spine at the sound of his name and his mind went into panic.
He quickly turned to face Jester. "Uh... is that a new nickname for me? Haha very clever."
"No, no. No nickname. Just your real name." Jester slowly put his left foot forward and brought his right foot in front. Gradually getting closer.
Tristan's adam's apple bobbed nervously. "No, you must have me mistaken with Jane's other best friend, who actually was a dragon. I am a man, named Tristan." He stammered.
"I see no man here. Just a cowardly dragon who has been lying and deceiving everyone close to him."
If Tristan had his fire, smoke would be spewing out his nostrils. How DARE he call me a coward? He stepped closer. "I do not know what you are talking about."
Jester took a couple of large lightning-fast steps closer to Tristan, till there was about a foots distance between them. "You know exactly what I am talking about!" Jester's blood boiled whereas Tristan's cooled and flowed slowly.
He was at a total loss for words. "No!"
"Yes!"
Dragon could do nothing but shake his head. His heart beat at an alarming rate and his breath was speeding up. Jester placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Why... Dragon? Why?"
"Because I love her!" He bit his lip.
"You love her?" Jester choked out and took his hand away.
He nodded. "More than anything."
"And this is what you choose to do?"
"What other choice did I have? I could never have been with her as a Dragon. She would never have loved me like I wanted her to."
"Oh but she did Dragon!" Jester breathed rapid angry breaths and slowed. "The night you left I listened to her cry herself to sleep. It did not matter that charming Tristan had come into the picture. All she wanted that night was you! And you took yourself away!" His hands balled into fists.
"...What? I- she cried?"
"Yes! You broke her heart! She is different now. Have you not noticed at all?"
"But, I did not mean- I thought that-" Dragon could not think. What have I done?
"What? What did you think? You thought you could lie to me, to your friends, to Jane!"
"Stop it." Dragons deep sadness was turning into a burning anger.
"Stop what! Showing you the truth? Showing you how low you can really-" Jester was cut short by the impact of Dragon's fist to his lower jaw. He stumbled backwards then realized what just happened. He punched Dragon back smack in the nose. Dragon responded by tackling him to the ground. Adrenaline pulsed through Jester's veins, and with a sudden burst of strength he shoved Dragon off of him and kicked him in the thigh. Dragon grabbed his ankle and yanked, sending Jester back to the hard earth.
"You do not understand Jester! I love her! I would do anything to be with her forever!" He grunted. Using all the force in his legs, Jester kicked him off.
"I love her too! She was beginning to love me and you took her away!" He hovered over Dragons face and punched him in the eye.
Dragon kneed Jester in the gut. "If she went with me-" Dragon punched him in the arm. "So easily-" He hit again. "Then she must not!"
Jester let out a raging shout and started to blindly swing at Dragon. "At least I never lied to her!"
Dragon grabbed his wrists and shoved them away. The two stood a few yards apart and heaved with exhaustion. Jester's lip was swollen and cut. Dragon's eye was swollen and his cheek was bleeding. Dragon sighed.
"Jester... I am sorry."
He scoffed. "No you are not."
"Yes I am. I am sorry. I let my anger get the better of me. I am sorry."
Jester rested his fists on his hips. "I too apologize. I said some awful things I did not mean."
"Me too. She loved you Jester. And she might still."
"No, it does not matter. She loves you. Not Tristan. You." Jester walked closer to Dragon. "She really does."
"You will not tell her will you? I beg of you..."
"It depends. I may have been wrong about your motives, but I was not wrong about one thing. You ARE lying to her. And I swear Dragon... if you hurt her again..." Jester looked Dragon square in the eye. "But no. I shall give this a chance." Dragon exhaled with relief and was ready to hug him. "But YOU will tell her. She deserves to know the truth." Dragon backed away slightly.
"I cannot."
"You can and you bloody will. Or I shall tell her." Dragon nodded understandingly. Jester then welcomed the anticipated hug. Jester backed away and looked at Dragon laughing.
"Do not let Pepper see you like this, or she will throw a fit."
"Nor you."
"Now Dragon." He beckoned for Dragon to follow. He sat on one of the swings and Dragon on the other. "How did you actually become a human anyway?" He swung his legs back and forth gaining height. Dragon twisted himself around.
"The gypsy Vanessa gave me a potion that-"
"Vanessa?" Jester skidded to a stop.
"You know her?"
"My sister spoke of her. Not very highly."
"Oh."
"In fact, she said "that woman is not to be trusted.""
"Really?" Dragon felt nervous. He always had a bad feeling about her.
"Yes, well anyway." Jester started swinging again.
"Anyway, the potion will last me one full week. Come Saturday, I will be a dragon again. And I will lose Jane forever."
"We shall figure out something. What was your payment?"
"There was none."
Jester again skidded to a stop. "None? No, Dragon, gypsies always demand payment. Even the good ones."
"Well she did not."
"Something is wrong. And we will find out what before Saturday."
Dragon's jaw dropped slightly. "You will help me?"
"Of course. I have always been your friend, whether you have been mine or not."
"You too Jingle-head."
"And besides. I cannot have Jane's true love getting himself hurt."
"Ha. Ha."
"Well this has been a truly interesting development. I am glad all of our... er- feelings, are up on the surface."
"Oh yes."
Jester stood and reached his hand out for Dragon to shake it. "Good night...Tristan." He winked and started walking away, then walking backwards he spoke, "By the way, there is a rag and a bucket of water over by Smithy's forge. You can use that to clean up your face!"
"Good night Jester!"
"Haha, good night."
Tristan awoke the next morning with the first cock crow. He got out of bed and stared in the mirror. You may look like a man... ha, a real man now. You have battle scars and everything. He poked his black eye and winced in pain. He shimmied into his shirt and pulled on his boots, then left his room.Actually do your job today. Right, what does hammer-boy normally do? Well he... Tristan made a mental list in his mind. He decided that he would muck out the stables first before it got too hot. Then he would tend to the horses...
"Morning Tristan!" Smithy called.
"Oh morning Smithy." He looked up at Smithy and the forge. He did not realize he had been walking that fast.
"Tristan!" Smithy set down his hammer and strode up next to Tristan. "What happened to you?"
"What do you mean what happened?"
"Your face!"
"Oh... that." He completely forgot. "I uh- I fell down the stairs last night."
"Really? And it did this much damage? Better have Pepper look at that."
"I will. I was just going to muck out the stables first."
"Before breakfast?"
"Well I definitely do not want to after." Tristan stuck out his tongue.
"Ah, I see. Good idea. Let me know if you need any help."
"Yes. Thank you Smithy." Tristan continued to walk. He pushed the barrow to the first stall and grabbed the shovel. He gagged just a little from the stench but remembered. He is doing this for Jane. He breathed deeply and started shoveling.
Tristan loaded the very last glob into the barrow. He threw the shovel down and wiped his sweaty brow with his dirt covered hand. "Done. Finally." He picked up the handles of the barrow and pushed forward. He wheeled it into the garden, looking for Rake. Rake though, was nowhere to be found. Tristan left the barrow in the garden and decided to check the kitchen. He was about to trudge past the table, then noticed that everyone was there.
"Oh Tristan. Come sit." Smithy scooted over and patted the seat next to him.
"Thank you. You know, you could have told me breakfast was ready." He joked.
"Well, you seemed so... driven to finish, I did not want to bother you. Besides, you were nearly done."
"Goodness, you stink." Rake waved his hand past his nose. "Why you look positively awful."
"Thank you for the kind greeting Rake." Tristan laughed.
"Seriously though, what happened?"
"I fell down the stairs." Pepper placed a plate in front of him with poached eggs and a piece of bread. She took her spot beside Rake. "Thank you."
"You are wel-" Pepper looked up at Tristan and immediately saw his black eye and cut.
"You too?" She sighed exasperated. "Come along." She took Tristan by his wrist and led him down to the kitchen. "Sit." She gestured to the stool beside Jester, who was sitting on another stool awkwardly. He showed his hands which were covered in tiny cuts. Tristan looked down at his. They too were covered. He had hardly noticed. Jester also had two large, but shallow cuts on his face. Pepper brought a pot of a greenish clear liquid over to them and set it down. She also brought a jug of another liquid. She reached under her counters and pulled out four rags.
"Pepper, what is all this for?" Tristan stuttered.
"To clean your wounds. To make sure they do not get infected." She dampened two of the rags with the liquid in the jug. It was clear and smelled awful. Tristan looked at Jester quizzically.
"Vinegar."
Pepper handed both of the boys a vinegar soaked rag.
"Gently wipe your faces and hands, while you tell me what happened."
"I fell down the stairs." The two said in unison.
"Oh rubbish! Try again. The truth now." Pepper folded her arms and glared. "Jester?"
"Oh Pepper. Everything is fine. Trust me." He handed her the vinegar rag and she replaced it with the myrrh soaked rag. She pressed it up against the cuts.
"Ah!" Jester sharply inhaled from the slight burning that came from the myrrh.
"Speak." Pepper said as she dabbed the wounds.
"Tristan and I got into a little scuffle last night. That is all."
"What?"
"We are fine. Just a couple of boys messing around. No harm done." Pepper moved over to Tristan and rubbed his wounds clean.
"No harm done? What then, pray tell, do you call these cuts and bruises?"
"Natural." Tristan winced.
Pepper finished up and put away her supplies. "It is none of my business as to why you both fought in the first place. But shame on you both. Really. I do not want to have either of you down here for this again. Is that clear?"
"Yes Pepper." The boys said ashamed. The three emerged from the kitchen and sat at the breakfast table.
"Poor Tristan. Now he smells like he rolled in Rakes garden, soaked in vinegar and bathed in horse dung." Smithy said. The table chuckled. "Ah, you will get used to it."
"What? You mean I will smell like this everyday?"
Rake laughed. "I certainly hope not."
"Smithy, one of the horses was missing this morning." Tristan said, ripping off a chunk of bread and putting it in his mouth.
"Oh no, it was not missing. Jane took it out on patrol this morning."
"On patrol? How long does that normally take her?" His voice shook slightly with fear. He knew exactly how long it took her. Even on horse.
"Normally she would be back by now. Most of the time she rode Dragon, which took a lot less time. She is on a horse so it might take longer."
"Of course. Just to be safe, I shall take a horse and go look around. I will be back." He got up from the table.
"Wait." Jester stood and grabbed Tristan's forearm. "Check your cave. I have a feeling that is where she went." He whispered.
"I had the same feeling." Tristan shuffled away to the stables. He saddled himself a horse and took off for his cave.
Halfway through the forest, Tristan heard a slight whooshing sound in his ears. He knew that sound. There was no doubt in his mind what that was. He pushed his horse into a full gallop. Sure enough when he reached the cave, there was Jane standing at the entrance twirling the hilt of her dragon sword above her head. Tristan silently dismounted.
"...Jane?"
Jane dropped the sword. "Oh, Tristan. It is you. For a moment I thought you were-"
Tristan stepped closer and picked it up. "Thought I was who?" He handed it to her gently.
Jane replaced the hilt. "No one. It was silly."
"I am sure it was not." He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. He gazed into her eyes. She glanced into his briefly and looked away. She plopped down onto a large rock.
"I thought you were Dragon."
Tristan's eyes widened. "Dragon?"
"Yes. I told you it was foolish."
"No actually." Tristan sat down beside her. "Jane..." He reached for her hand and held it in his. She slowly looked up. "We need to talk."
:O Woah! What is happening now?
Come back in the next couple of weeks or so and find out! ;D Please review. I don't know how I'm doing when you don't... :(