"There we are!"
Matilda exclaimed joyfully and proud of what she has accomplished. She rested a small circular sponge-like object which she has been using against Danielle's face for the past twenty minutes or so. Danielle lean forward on the chair to take a good look at herself in the mirror. This was simply unbelievable! She tilted her face left and right multiple times unable to get used to this different person with a brand-new face reflected in the mirror.
"Do you not like it?" Matilda asked looking at Danielle from the mirror.
"No, not at all. It's just, I look completely different." She replied while staring hard at how it felt like her face bone structure has been completely replaced with a male feature.
"The Captain of the Saurs recognizes your face and it would be far too dangerous to have you walking on this island freely without any coverage. This disguise is the best solution I could come up with."
"I understand."
Will this really be enough to fool the Captain of the Saurs? Albeit she may look different, all it takes is just one action or emotion out of place and her real identity would surface putting all of this in vain.
"Matilda."
A rhythmic knock echoed the room. Someone must have come to inform them that the docking has been completed and it was time to leave this stifling place. Matilda answered the door and allowed two men to enter. One man that Danielle recognizes as Cale and another that she has never seen before.
"Aunty Tilda!"
The man sudden outburst caught her by surprise. She watches the tall lanky man diving into Matilda's arm for a hug, to which she yields. Danielle watch them exchange words of well wishes before her presence was finally noticed by the man. They held eye-contact for a long while before his brows furrowed in cease.
"We've guest onboard?"
Danielle looked at him in the eye not quite knowing what she should say or do.
"Dilorn, this here is Danielle. A guest."
Danielle still not trust herself to speak so she held her tongue and observed the man closing the gap between them. Towering over her, he bends down to her eye-level and exclaimed loudly.
"Hah!"
Danielle jumped when he squeezes both her cheeks inwards between his finger and thumb. Tilting her face left and right so sharply she thought her cheekbone might fracture from his grip.
"I almost couldn't tell she was a girl."
"Yes, yes, now that you have establish that could you please remove your hands before you ruin her disguise and scare the living light of the girl!" Matilda swats Dilorn's hand away and chase him away from Danielle.
Danielle let out a sharp breath not knowing she had held them in all this while. She watches Matilda chase the man around the room as he raised his hand in the air to explain himself.
"Are you feeling better?" Cale asked with concern lace in his tone.
Her amber eyes found its way to his soft turquoise eye glistening at her with concern.
"Yes, I am now." She smiled. "I've heard from Matilda about what you've done, thank you."
"Your fever may have broken but It doesn't mean you should be up and about, you still need rest."
"Cale! Stop planting flowers in the girl's head and help me here!" Dilorn called out.
"Speak for yourself. Now, if you are done fooling around can we go? We are here to give word that we have arrived and are to head back up to the Capt, there is much to do." Turning back to Danielle, he gave her a smile.
"When you are ready, I see you up on the deck."
Tipping his head slightly towards her he left and went to pull Dilorn by his shirt and walk out.
"Cale!" Danielle shout for his attention. He turned sharply to look at her.
"I apologize for my action from before. I didn't mean any of it."
"It is not you but I, who should apologize on the Capt's behalf. Don't keep it to heart."
He smirked and closed the door behind him with a nosey Dilorn demanding Cale to fill him in on what he had missed. To whether he did tell or not, she wouldn't know as the door separates them.
"Come child, let us make haste with our preparation to leave as well."
Despite Cale's instruction not to stress her just recuperated body, Danielle had ignored it completely and went about taking on task that were beyond her wits. If anyone knew better, she was playing up her disguise and it seemed to had work since nobody questioned her presence the entire time she spent shifting items up and down the ship.
"Well, I think that was the last of it."
Matilda concluded, surveying her room for the past few months for the last time before she and Danielle made their way up on to the deck that was packed with crews running to and fro up the gangplank moving crates of Poseidon's know what it was. Danielle stood at the side with Matilda, waiting for their turn to cross the gangplank that looks barely sturdy to use.
She first helped Matilda to cross over first before she climbed on to it herself. Just as she thought, it wasn't sturdy at all. It wobbles with every step taken threatening to throw her off. Thankfully, Cale was at the end of the gangplank to receive her, like a small child he holstered her up by her waist and pivoted to his left to land her on the ground.
"Thank you." She whispered, earning her a smile from him.
Land, she breathes deeply filling her lungs with as much fresh air as it could hold. She wandered off a short distance from the dock to looked around with excitement, she was part of history in another dimension.
"This must be rather unusual for you." Matilda crept up beside her. Danielle nodded as she continued to drink in the sight playing in the lens of her eyes and taking photographic image of the place with her memory.
"Dan, will you be alright riding a horse on your own?"
"I don't know how to ride a horse."
Either of them having the time to react, Damon calling from the back gathered their attention. They watch him toss something crumpled in his fist in the air towards Cale's direction.
"Blindfold her." He ordered.
"What!" Matilda and Cale yelled in unison catching the eye of Damon who looked back at them as if he had said something bad.
"Is that even necessary?" Matilda prompted him further.
"I simply don't trust her." Pointing an accusing finger at Danielle.
"I will not risk the lives of many in my hands for one stranger who might betray us if she deems it favorable in her situation."
Likewise. Danielle thought to herself. Beside there is some truth to what he says and how can she trust them not to trade a stranger for someone who means a world to them.
"It's alright, I will put on the blindfold."
Danielle pulled the crumpled piece of cloth in Cale's hand and place it over her eyes, sealing her most important sense. In the background, she could still hear Matilda negotiating with Damon and his adamant refusal to let her see.
"Come, you will ride with me."
Cale let out a soft sigh as he navigates Danielle by her shoulders to the horse standing close to them. He rested her hand on the horse's back allowing her to gain some sense of comfort before lifting her foot up into the stirrup.
"Matilda?" Cale looks up at her on the horse in pure shock.
"I will ride with you. Leave her to him."
"Have you lost your mind?"
"I might, but for a good cost."
"What's going on?" Danielle asked.
"Damon! You promised!" Matilda shouted over their head. Squeezing the horse a little in the stomach, she jerked the rein to her right guiding the horse to the direction they will move off to.
"Cale? Cale?" Danielle called out as she heard him took off leaving her to stand all alone by herself.
She was about to remove her blindfold when something clasped her left waist and hauled up in the air for a bit before her bottom landed on something hard. From the rhythm of the movement she knew instantly she was on a horse and with him!
"I swear to Poseidon that woman will be the death of me."