CHAPTER 5
The fae said, "Are you a witch? Your energy is different."
Sarah said authoritatively, "I asked why were you following us? Answer the question?"
The fae said, "You were traveling on a unicorn. They do not usually have anything to do with people. I was curious about who and what you are."
Sarah said, "Who are you?"
He said, "I am Lord Danbury. My father is the head of our family's clan of the raven."
Sarah said, "My name is Haras. I am from far away from here and have no family or clan here. I, and my unicorn friend, are traveling together. She and I have a bond of friendship."
Danbury said, "I have never seen a person and a unicorn as a friend. Why are you hiding yourself from everyone?"
Sarah said, "I am hiding myself with reason."
Danbury asked, "Are you human?"
Sarah said, "I have many things unique to me. I am not like anyone here."
Danbury asked, "Your magic is different and strong too you feel like…. an enigma actually. I just do not know."
Sarah said, "I am from a far away place. Of course my magic, my behavior and strengths are just different."
Danbury asked curiously, "Will you show me what you look like under that black bear fur coat of yours?"
Sarah said warily, "How do I know I can trust you and someone won't come hunting me down and enamour or hurt me?"
Danbury spoke sincerely, "I guess that is true. I really don't mean any harm."
Aurora spoke to Sarah, "He is telling the truth. He means no harm. The fae are temperamental at best. You can show him just do not tell him where you are really from like you told me. I will protect you from him if he acts up."
Sarah pulled back her fur hood and he gasped. Danbury said nodding, "I see and understand why you hide now. I would too. You would draw too much attention while on the road traveling. A female human with magic is unheard of in the Underground." Sarah put her hood back up.
Sarah said stoically, "Good, now your curiosity is settled."
Danbury asked, "Can I set up my tent on this side of the barrier, so we can both get a good sleep in safety tonight?" Sarah looked over at Aurora.
Aurora said softly, "I'll watch over you."
Sarah said firmly, "Ok. For tonight." She stood up and mumbled a wish to release him and let him come and go through the barrier.
She cleaned up her pots in the trough and put them back in her backpack. She hugged Aurora and said goodnight getting into her tent and pulled the flap down. Danbury cast his crystal and a small tent appeared. The kind of tent that was bigger inside than out and more luxurious than it appeared. Everyone went to sleep.
—--
In the morning, Sarah woke up and got her boots on and went to the bathroom. She returned and washed her hands in the trough. She refilled her waterskin to full and filled her pots with water for tea and oatmeal. Danbury came out of his tent and was watching her cook.
Danbury asked, "Why do you do things the human way when you have magic?"
Sarah said honestly, "I suppose it is a habit developed over a long time."
Danbury looked puzzled. He said, "I am not sure what you mean. Fae magic is for fae here, healing magic is for elves, other magics are used by the leprechauns and the unicorns, etcetera. The only varied magic is the Goblin King because of the Labyrinth and his wish away job."
Sarah stated, "My unicorn friend told me I emit healing magic and I have more than that to protect myself. Can you look at something for me and tell me what it is?" Sarah handed him the pocket watch she got from the robbers.
Danbury said surprised, "Where did you get this? It is rare to find one of these. It's a time watch not like an astrometrical one which is invaluable because they turn back time in days and I think only two were made of those before the wizard died. This one sets time back an hour in the Aboveground and Underground depending on which you want to effect. This is rare to find one with both worlds affected by which one you are in. Nobody can go to the Aboveground anymore for the last thousand years. Only the Goblin King can under certain conditions. Where did you get it?" He handed it back to her.
Sarah laughed and replied, "Some stupid highwaymen I taught a lesson to and took their things away from them." He started laughing.
Danbury said chuckling, "What did you do to them?"
Sarah said stoically, "Took their stuff, took away their magic and made it so they couldn't commit another crime again." He started laughing again.
Danbury asked curiously, "You have transformation magic?" Sarah nodded. He continued, "That was an imaginative sentence. I can tell you are an intelligent woman even though you are human. Here, let me teach you the identifying spell." He showed her how to do the spell and she tried to do it but it didn't work because it was fae magic."
Danbury said, resigned, "You are limited in not being able to use fae magic."
Sarah said sighing, "Yes, so it would seem. I'll figure it out with my own magic to get the result. Thank you for showing me."
Danbury answered cordially, "Your welcome. Are you two headed to Murias?" Sarah said yes.
Danbury asked, "Can I use your horse and travel with you both?"
Sarah looked at Aurora. Aurora said, "I don't mind as long as he maintains his manners."
Sarah said seriously, "As long as you treat us with consideration and respect. I don't see a problem. That is how I will treat you."
Danbury said softly, "You are a kind person, Haras." Sarah smiled at him, finished her breakfast and packed up and cleaned up everything. They hit the road all together to get to the capital city of Murias.
Danbury said a bit excitedly, "I live in Murias. I can show you the best inn with a stable next to it. A friend of mine owns it and is the innkeeper, I think you might like him. They have the best cooks in the city. I eat there a lot. I love when he has music night. Do you sing Haras?"
Sarah shrugged and said, "Some to myself."
Danbury said happily, "Sing us a song." Sarah was thinking of a song. She sang.
"Mummer's Dance" by Loreena Mckennitt
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
-
When in the springtime of the year
When the trees are crowned with leaves
When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew
Are dressed in ribbons fair
-
When owls call the breathless moon
In the blue veil of the night
The shadows of the trees appear
Amidst the lantern light
-
We've been rambling all the night
And some time of this day
Now returning back again
We bring a garland gay
-
Who will go down to the shady groves
And summon the shadows there
And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms
In the springtime of the year
-
The songs of birds seem to fill the wood
That when the fiddler plays
All their voices can be heard
Long past their woodland days
-
We've been rambling all the night
And some time of this day
And now returning back again
We bring a garland gay
-
And so they linked their hands and danced
'Round in circles and in rows
And so the journey of the night descends
When all the shades are gone
-
A garland gay we bring you here
And at your door we stand
It is a sprout well budded out
The work of our God's hands
-
We've been rambling all the night
And some time of this day
And now returning back again
We bring a garland gay
-
We've been rambling all the night
And some time of this day
And now returning back again
We bring a garland gay
—--
Danbury was quiet as was Aurora. Danbury said, "You do emit healing magic. My friend is going to love it when I tell him you can sing."
Sarah sang a song ever so often while they traveled through the day stopping to go to the bathroom and eat lunch Sarah fed a breakfast cake, a carrot and an apple to Aurora. She also ate a breakfast cake and an apple. They got into Murias at dinner time and it was dark already. They went to Danbury's friends inn.
Sarah said, "Let me get a room and I'll be right back." Sarah took all of her baggage inside and went up to a very handsome fae man with white blond hair and green eyes. He was dressed in a dark brown leather vest and pants and white cotton shirt.
The innkeeper said looking her up and down, "Nine silver a night with meals. Drinks are one silver." Sarah paid for a week. Sarah went up to room nine and dropped off her bags and wished her room secured. She locked up and headed back to Aurora. They were attracting attention.
Sarah took Aurora to the blacksmith and said, "This is my friend and I would like two stalls rented for a week, but for my friend here, please leave the door open so she can come and go, ok?" Danbury watched from the door.
The blacksmith was standing there with his mouth open. He was dressed in a white cotton shirt, brown pants and brown leather apron. He had red hair and green eyes. He said, "Uh…. Ok. One silver a night for both." Sarah gave him seven silver. She walked with Aurora into the stall and put a barrel to block the door open.
Sarah asked, "Do you know where I can get sweet feed?"
The blacksmith said, "I have some for sale, 3 kilograms for one silver." That was about seven pounds. She gave him a silver and as he stepped away to get it. She mumbled a wish for tulip bulbs, green grasses and fresh edible berries in a chip wood basket. Sarah sat it at the back of the stall. The blacksmith gave her the bag. She said thank you and rolled down the sides so it was open and sat it next to the basket.
She hugged and kissed Aurora and said whispering, "I'll be by to get you and we can go shopping in the morning to find all of the jewelers in town and I can get rid of a ton of jewelry to sell. I'll bring empty saddlebags so I don't have to make so many trips." Sarah kissed her cheek.
Aurora said, "Ok, I am good with plenty to eat and drink. Thank you Sarah." Sarah patted her and left.
Danbury said, "You are a good person, you take care of your friend and she takes care of you. It's amazing you have so much trust between you two. I do not think I ever met anyone like that to trust."
Sarah said, smiling at him, "Now you have. You should have met my friend before her."
He looked over at her and said, "Guess you are right. What of your friend before her?" He smiled.
Sarah smiled and said, "She was a beautiful white dragon." He looked over at her in complete shock. Sarah giggled at him
Sarah and Danbury sat down at the counter and both got dinner and wine. Danbury introduced Sarah to his friend the innkeeper, Samial.
Danbury said to him, "You got a singer here and a good one."
Samial asked, "You sing, Haras? Men around here sing drinking songs mostly." Sarah lifted her head and looked at him straight on and Samial gasped at how pretty she was.
Sarah said, "No, I sing good songs from my home land far far away from here."
Samial was stunned and said, "I can get the lads together for tomorrow night if you want to sing?"
Sarah nodded and said, "My unicorn friend will be going around with me, so don't be surprised seeing her with me. I know most don't understand but Danbury can tell you that she is my closest friend. She is staying next door in an open gated stall."
Samial said surprised, "That is amazing. How did you meet?"
Sarah said, "I was just walking through the forest and there she was eating mushrooms I think. We talked and next thing I know, I have a wonderful traveling companion. She's the best."
A fae sat on the other side for Sarah and rammed his elbow in her ribs and said nastily, "Get me another ale and get this low life little man to move over and give me room." He rammed his elbow again and broke a rib on her. Sarah stood up and smashed the guy's face into the counter. He came up bloody. He stood up and tried to cast magic at her and Sarah slugged him in the gut before he could and kicked his legs out from under him so fast that you could barely see her move. Everyone was watching and gasping. Sarah didn't realize her hood came down.