Chapter 9

Gerda and Rollan had been running together beside a locomotive pulling a long line of empty wagons, which had most of their doors opened up to reveal the content.

"Gerda, can you keep up?" Asked Rollan making the woman nod, following him closer by the train.

"We could just fly into it," Suggested Gerda getting closer to Rollan, which looked at her.

"I thought your powers would only appear, when they're really needed," Questioned Rollan making Gerda nod.

"I still haven't figured out correctly how to control them, but I feel like, when I think about the situation, it works. At least back at the airship I had been thinking about it,"

"Okay. Perhaps we make it into one of the wagons. We have four….uh three chances now," Commented Rollan as he got closer to the wagon, then slowed down a little to appear nearer to the previous wagon. Gerda kept up with the Spaniard, which looked at her following him. "Take my head and we jump together," Offered Rollan watching Gerda grab his hand to keep up. Gerda looked at Rollan following the open spot of the wagon. "Ready?" Questioned Rollan waiting for Gerda to respond.
"Yes,"

"Jump!" Shouted Rollan hopping along with Gerda against the entrance and both leaned with their legs out of the wagon, while their arms were on top of the wagon's ground. The two tried to climb into the vehicle, strained and the Spaniard watched from Gerda's backpack Luta get out and pack her by the sleeve of her coat to help her up. Rollan moved his leg against Gerda's feet trying to give her help, lifting her up, so she could easily get into the wagon. Rollan slipped off the wagon, shrieking Gerda, which jumped to grab Rollan on his hands to avoid letting him fall on the ground.

"I got you!" Shouted Gerda seeing Rollan gaze up in shock from his fall. Rollan smiled as Gerda held him tight, then she grabbed the door handle to pull Rollan up with one arm, then she screamed as the door slid forward and Gerda took her hand away to fall off the wagon along with Rollan, which landed on his back.

"Ouch!" Complained Rollan and Gerda moved her head away from his chest to look at Luta inside the wagon looking at the duo. Gerda got up along with Rollan, then the Spaniard departed immediately to reach the second last wagon and hoped into it, while Gerda ran on the ground following the Spaniard. While the blonde was on the run, she gasped as Rollan couldn't hold himself by the interior and slipped out, then grabbed one hand by the slide door, which slid back to squeeze his hand causing him to yelp making Gerda gasp, which turned her into her dragon form and took off to pick Rollan up, opening a gap of the door, afterward she flew beside the train to enter into the wagon Luta was standing in. Gerda had dropped Rollan on the ground, then kneed beside him as he sat to gaze at his hurt hand.

"You alright? Let me see it," Offered Gerda and Rollan held out his hand at the blonde.

"It's nothing. It's just got squashed a little," Pointed Rollan out, which observed Gerda check it out. Gerda didn't see anything bad on his hand, then massaged it with hers making Rollan tilt his head surprised.

"Nothing seems bad. It sure was for a split second, that you got hit," Commented Gerda making Rollan nod, which watched Gerda focus on his hands.

"Your dragon form is really admirable," Rollan noted making Gerda smile.

"It's thanks to you, that I have found it," Stated Gerda. "Perhaps I would have found it anyway at another point of my life, but there was a lot in the game. The life of all civilian magicians, my parents, our lives. You weren't family nor a close friend to me, yet you were willing to give up your life to help me save the others. This I will never forget,"

"Earning your forgiveness, was the only thing, that mattered to me at that time. Despite everything I have done according to Orm…."

"I believe everything you've done under the influence of the Fire Demon was him, not you," Commented Gerda moving her hand up at Rollan's shoulder. "Snow Queen already confirmed it. He can control his victims' minds if they're mentally struggling with problems in their life. I heard from you about your former classmates. It's their problem if they don't appreciate knowing the sort of man, that is sitting in front of me," Commented Gerda making Rollan smile abashed.

"Your heart believing, that everyone deserves a second chance is really one of the most beautiful things about your personality. I appreciate that," Confessed the Spaniard making Gerda sink her head down to hide her blush about his compliment.

Luta noticed her owner show obvious affection towards her friend, then climbed up on Gerda's tail to get up on her shoulder and nudge her on the cheek, making the blonde chuckle. Rollan smiled endeared about it, then Luta pointed at the outside with her nose making Rollan tilt his head curious.

"I don't understand weasel language," Commented Rollan watching Gerda giggle softly.

"I think she wants to know, where to go next," Commented Gerda making Rollan nod and take down his bag to take out a map, which he opened to show it to Gerda.

"We have passed by Krusau and somewhere up here we got into the train here. We should get here to Kolding and see if here we go through this part here to go to Copenhagen. We gotta look out once in a while out of the train, we don't know, where it is going originally. One thing I know is, if we get to Copenhagen we're close to Malmö and will just need to take a ship or similar to get there. Then we're both reunited with Kai and Pastor," Explained Rollan making Gerda nod.

"Can't wait to see my brother again. He must be worried sick about not knowing, what happened to us," Mentioned Gerda making Rollan nod.

"Si. Mostly we had no way how to tell him we're alive, but making our way towards Malmö, just differently," Mentioned the Spaniard. "Luckily things are going well for both of us and in the next 12 hours maybe or longer we arrive in Copenhagen as long as we go the right way. We just have to pay attention to the signs and if we are heading to a different way we get out," Commented Rollan making Gerda nod.

"That is good," Responded the blonde, then watched Luta get down from her shoulder to move to the door and lie down to look at the outlook. Rollan took a look at his map, then watched Gerda get up passing by him, followed by her tail passing under his chin grinding it, which make Rollan wide his eyes surprised and he glimpsed at her, which trotted towards the other side of the room, where a couple of boxes stood. Rollan watched the tail of Gerda on the ground, then looked up at Gerda, which looked back at Rollan having eye contact with him and immediately avoid it. Rollan as well avoided eye contact but noticed Gerda's tail sweep the ground similar to a dog's tail wagging making Rollan smile amused by its sight.

Kai and Alfida were at the park sitting in front of a pond admiring the fishes inside there swimming.

"You know it's kind of curious how different foods are all over the place. In Paris, they would serve snails. Did you know that?" Questioned Kai seeing Alfida shake her head.

"Did you try it out?" Questioned Alfida watching Kai shake his head.

"No. But the man, that ate it seemed to be enjoying it," Commented Kai. "I know frog legs exist in France, but I wasn't really interested in trying it out. It didn't look so bad on the menu, but I didn't want to waste a lot of money and not like it at all,"

"But how are you supposed to get to know another country's meals without trying it?" Questioned Alfida. "Did you only eat bread or goulash?"

"I feared, that it might not be well made and I get food poisoned," Commented Kai making Alfida shake her head amused.

"Boy, your next trip better be with me. I will try them all and you will have no chance and do the same," Warned Alfida making Kai chuckle.

"Well, I let that one slide. I trust you," Commented Kai earning a thumb up from the pirate. "Can't believe almost the whole day has passed. Yesterday had felt like an eternity, today with your arrival and us going to look around the town, the time has flown by,"

"Maybe the fact you and Pastor are not actually befriended turns everything awkward, time passes by slower or feels slower. Or additionally, you worry about Gerda doing it as well,"

"Right, Gerda…," Commented Kai looking at the pond again, then Alfida placed her hand on his shoulder. "I really hope we will see her tomorrow at some point,"

"We will," Promised Alfida. "You did warn your parents about the longevity of the trip, right?"

"Yeah, but not about us being split," Commented Kai making Alfida nod.

"Perhaps it's time for you to write another letter and tell what's up. Tell you will leave with me and only when Gerda returns," Suggested the pirate woman.

"I think we better write one now before the mail office closes. I don't know its closing time, but the earlier the better," Commented Kai getting up from the ground. "Will you come with me?"

"Sure, I will just look for Pastor and tell him about it…...except, where did he go?" Questioned Kai looking around, followed by the raven-haired woman standing up as well, then point at a tree, where Pastor stood together with a few women, including Marina, which was talking with the Spaniard. "Oh….,"

"I will tell him. Get ready, we leave now," Stated Alfida making Kai nod, which walked along with Alfida, and both split going in different directions.

Gerda lied with Luta in her arms napping near the exit and Rollan lied farther away from the blonde with a pullover covering his body. From the outside, the weasel heard bird chirps, then woke up to look up at the trees, that were distanced from the railway. Luta slid out of Gerda's arms to look at the birds curious, then watched the background change and their train entered into a bridge, which passed over a fjord. Luta turned around and nudged Gerda with her head, making her chuckle and open her eyes to look at her weasel.

"Good morning,," Greeted the woman, then she looked out of the door to see the area with two large hills under the bridge leading to the fjord Luta noticed before and Gerda stuck her head out to see how long the bridge was, which didn't seem that long. Gerda looked at Rollan, who was sleeping and she walked on her knees towards Rollan, then shook him gently on his shoulders.

"Rollan…..get up," Asked Gerda rocking him to wake him up. Luta joined Gerda as well, then sniffed the Spaniard on his ear making him chuckle. Gerda smiled, then gasped as Luta bit him on his ear shrieking him up.

"Oy!" Complained Rollan followed by Gerda covering her mouth to not start laughing. Luta gazed up at Rollan amused, which frowned at her and Gerda picked up Luta.

"She just wanted to help me wake you up," Commented Gerda. "I think we need to check out our surroundings. We're currently going over a bridge," Warned the blonde making Rollan nod, which opened his bag to take out his map, then open it.

"A clock could be useful. We could with it know, what time it is," Commented Rollan. "Be sure, if we didn't spend here too much time,"

"Yes, it's day, but I can't tell if it's early in the morning or not," Mentioned Gerda looking out of the window along with the weasel. "We are reaching the end, we just have to see if there's a sign for us to read," Commented Gerda making Rollan nod, which got to the front as well to stick out his head, then Gerda grabbed Rollan by his collar to prevent him from losing balance.

The duo got out of the bridge, then approached a sign, which Rollan immediately searched on the map and widened his eyes figuring out they were wrong.
"We went too far," Mentioned Rollan neutrally. "We should at least be here by Kolding get out and go the other direction. Now we're up here in…"

"Randers," Added Gerda putting her finger on the map as well.

"Exactamente," Commented Rollan. "We need to look later for a place to jump out. Preferable near a train station or another railway," Suggested Rollan. "Most of those lines here on the map are railways. Sitting inside the wagon here makes it harder for us to be able to look at the right side. I would need to go up there,"

"I don't think standing up there is safe," Mentioned Gerda making Rollan nod and get up to look up at the roof, wondering how to get there.

"Good point, I don't even know how I should get up there. If I end up jumping, I might fall off the train instead," Commented Rollan watching Luta, which Gerda had in her arms look up at the roof, then the weasel hopped on Rollan's head and threw herself at the top of the door, then managed to go to the roof. "Bravo!"

Gerda had an idea, then placed her hand on Rollan's shoulder earning his attention.

"You know, I've got an idea," Spoke Gerda earning Rollan's attention, then Gerda looked around their area and shove Rollan gently towards the arc of the door. "Stay here," Commanded Gerda helping Rollan stay with his back against the arc and grabbed Rollan's hand to help him form a step for her to get up. "Stay as steady as possible,"

"Si," Responded Rollan watching Gerda place her hands on his shoulder and climb up on his hands, then she held herself on the side of the wagon looking down at the Spaniard.

"Alright Rollan, lift me up carefully," Asked Gerda seeing Rollan move her up gently, while she moved with her hands along the metal to get up on the roof with them. "I will now get up. Give me a push," Ordered the woman and Rollan shove Gerda up watching her move her hands further onto the roof, then jumped away from Rollan and tried to get on the roof. Rollan got on his tippy toes to nudge Gerda on her feet, helping her crawl faster onto the roof, making Rollan smile joyfully as the woman made it to the roof. Gerda looked down at Rollan with a happy smile, then reached her hand down at the man, which jumped grabbing Gerda's hand shrieking her as his weight slightly pushed her against the roof.

"Bad idea," Commented Rollan embarassed as Gerda held him slightly above the ground. Gerda flinched with her teeth as her friend was in a troubled situation, then she placed her second hand on his other arm to help him get closer to the edge of the roof, afterward he placed both his hands on the side of the roof and Gerda tried to pull Rollan up on the roof, followed by Luta, which pulled him on the shirt for assistance. Afterward Rollan gave himself an impulse to get up on the roof with Gerda's help, which changed her hands down to grab Rollan's legs to get to her.

"Great! We did it!" Announced Gerda glad, then Rollan sat up beside her with a smile to see, she was happy about their success.

"Thank you for helping me up," Said Rollan, then Gerda slid closer to Rollan.

"Well, we have to look out for anything like a rail or another way, right?" Questioned Gerda making Rollan nod.

"It's going to take a while. But one thing I gotta admit, we've got a beautiful sight of the zone," Stated Rollan making Gerda nod.

"A sight, that we will be able to appreciate for the rest of our ride…..until our destination of course," Corrected Gerda making Rollan nod and look along with Gerda around the place, heading towards the hills. During the ride, Gerda sighed enamored and glimpsed at the Spaniard, which admired the surroundings with a smile, notably missing Gerda turning pink by being visibly attracted by the pen pal friend. Luta looked up at the duo, avoiding eye contact from the other, and lied down looking at them understanding, that between them their affection was still on fire, despite the circumstances. The weasel leaned her head againt Gerda, which sighed in relief and leaned her face next to Rollan's shoulder, which rolled his eyes down at her amused, then grinned enchanted about her deed, keeping his face toward the front seeing the train get to pass by a new sign mentioning the previous said location, which now was now closer.

The ride on the roof turned out to be quite enjoyable for the trio, that enjoyed the sunlight on their skin and the mother nature of the small Scandinavian country. When closer to their destination, the trio found a new train, which was a transporter of mails and one of the wagons was signed with the Danish capital's name on it. Just as previously the trio rode the vehicle on its roof. Thanks to Gerda, who had somehow turned into her dragon form and carried both Rollan and Luta up on the roof. Their previous ride did take at least three hours, half of them Gerda took the time to get to know herself. With Rollan's cheering and comforting words, Gerda was able to practice the awaking of her inner dragon. It did take several times for her to transform in command. Other times, nothing happened or her transformation would have missing parts of her form or include a few ones. Rollan had actually fun seeing all the failures of Gerda, despite it irritating her sometimes. One thing she knew about Rollan was, that despite all those failures, he kept believing in her and encouraging her to try. Perhaps he had an influence on her. Gerda assumed it in the first time her powers got activated. She honestly has never figured it out. Eventually, she's still trying though. She believes that being able to transform by command will work someday. It would be just a matter of time and whether her friend Rollan just like the first time has anything to do with it.

The parents of Mars were in the workshop together checking the order of a client. The father had a note block on his hand to take down notes from the order of the client.

"This is a significant order, Bodhi. King Harald wants ten new turbines for his guard's fleet. As our king, I suggest you build them out of the best pieces we have," Said Merri making her husband nod.

"It's going to be difficult. Our best compressors were used already for King Larsson's own ship a few weeks ago. Remember, that blonde man, whose son died on a visit on a foreign castle," Commented Bodhi switching to the back page and write down notes. "I know Mr. Westergaard by the borders of Finland can organize me a few,"

"Good, if we can't find all ten it doesn't matter. I'd be happy, if at least two or three get out of there," Commented Merri making Bodhi nod. "What about the other pieces? Are they all available?"

"I just need to check out, if I got enough plates to form the cover. Otherwise, the rest has enough of stock," Said Bodhi, then walked to his workbench to check out the drawers for additional needed small pieces. Someone entered into their workshop, then Bodhi glimpsed back shortly to recognize his son then waved at him.

"Hey son," Greeted the father.

"Hey father," Greeted Mars. "I had expected to find you and Mom here," Stated the man.

"We're working on an order for King Harald. It's sort of a very important one," Commented Bodhi making Mars nod.

"All tasks we receive are important. This one here is just priority number one," Corrected Merri making her husband nod.

"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you two, that tonight I would spend the night at my friend's house. They had invited me to a bachelor party, afterward I could overnight in their home," Said Mars making Bodhi nod.

"Sounds good," Commented Bodhi, then Merri hit her husband on his back. "What's wrong, honey?"

"He's not going to that party," Warned the mother. "He's going to get married soon. Those parties are only for people, who are not invested in a serious relationship,"

"No honey. Actually, a bachelor party is meant for the groom to enjoy his last day, before he gets married. Sometimes it's done a day earlier or a couple of more days before. He's basically spending time with his friends and they sometimes have to do certain games with him. It's nothing dangerous. It's a men's night usually," Mentioned Bodhi. "All boys around his age pass through that,"

"He doesn't need to go there. He's a grown-up man. He doesn't need to go there,"

"It's just one night mom. Nowadays all friends do that with their friend, that will get married. Mines are doing the same to me. It's just that one night. I promise I won't drink anything,"

"It's just one night, Merri. A night he can do anything he wants as a free man," Commented Bodhi. "Let him go. He's been doing so well, he deserves it," Said the father looking at his son, which looked neutrally at his parents. Merri sighed and nodded at his son, which smiled at her acceptance.

"Alright, Mars. You're allowed to go. But be careful with the drinks. Too much could make you get nauseous or drunk. Don't let it take the best out of you,"

"I won't let you down, mother. I promise," Mars promised earning a smile from his father.