A shrill cry pierced the noon sky, disturbing roosting birds. With a defeated flap, the falcon released the basket like carriage from its claws and screeching in relief, circled for the castle. The giant falcon were touchy beasts and well known for dumping disagreeable passengers when they had had enough!
Rwen screamed again, clutching to a rail as the basket went plummeting to the ground. The thick canopy of the forest softened the fall and a few moments later, she was pulling herself from the carriage and out onto the moss covered forest floor. She rubbed her hands together brushing away the moss and mud in disgust. All around was towering trees and the sounds of forest critters, terrifying sounds to Rwen. Oh why had she not listened to Alia! She took another wary look at her surroundings then crept back into the basket. Hopefully, Alia would send for her immediately!
Time passed and she was just sniffling to herself, trembling from the cold, when she heard a sound. Her first instinct was to suppress a scream and try to make herself scarce behind the built in couch. The carriage had crash landed on its side, hence, the seat was was positioned vertically. Then she listened, it sounded like the soft plodding of a shoed horse on moist dirt. Could it be help?
"Princess Dira?" The voice comforted her, of course it was help! She raced for the exit only to stop dead in her tracks.
If it had been their first meeting, Rwen would have screamed and fainted from sheer terror, infact that was exactly what she had done. But from her time in the castle she had grown quite used to the strange creature and only attached a great dislike to him.
"Elrod".
"Your highness," he alighted from his steed moving forward with caution. He himself was not blind and could see her mistrust from a mile away. "I am thankful you are unharmed, Lady Jensari, the Queen sent me to retrieve you".
Rwen's face twisted in scorn.
"I am fine and I don't need your help, I am going to Delorel to find my sister!"
"Well..." he began. "It might be dangerous to try to go back to the castle, this lightly guarded but we must only go to Delorel so as to find a better means of transportation. The Queen specifically told me to bring you back to the castle".
Rwen was beside herself, how could she trust this gastly being? But had she any other favourable options? She was still pondering when she saw him unsheathe his sword. Wait was he going to kill her? He was striding for her and she had only covered her head with a silent yelp, expecting the worst...
Thunk!
something moist and scaly bumped against her foot. Peeking one eye open, she yelped and leap away. There was the freshly severed head of a green snake like creature, its mouth agape, baring fangs!
"You...you saved me?!"
Elrod whipping his sword clean on a side of the carriage, pretended not to hear her.
"You saved me!" she declared still in some mixture of disbelief and relief.
Elrod still preoccupied with his sword, by some measure of silent annoyance, ignored her and would have continued to do so long after they returned to the walls of Gauberhodgy if she had not flung her arms around him in a sudden bear hug. He was dumbstruck.
"What are you doing?" He finally managed to say.
"You saved my life! You are my hero!" she concluded bluntly.
"I thought I was a scary monster". Elrod stated as she finally freed him from her grasp.
"Ah... I wasn't feeling well that day". she grinned. "So now, where to?"
They had been walking, well Elrod and the horse walking and now and then she would look down from the saddle to smile adoringly at her knight in shining embellished coat? Well what did it matter? Only, Elrod did not know which of her looks he preferred!
"So have you been to Delorel before? Well course you've been there before or how would you know the way." And that too, ever since he was no longer a 'horrid monster', she had decided to talk his ears off, he was actually wishing he had not a pair!
"Are we close now?"
"Every step we take gets us closer to Delorel your highness". Elrod stifled a sigh.
She recognized and said.
"I'm talking too much aren't I, I'll shut up". But she never did!