The triplets ran towards their mother to help. She screamed at them, "Run and get Prince Clayton. Go now!
She feared the girls, dressed in smocks, would be snagged by their clothing in the Beast's jaws.
She did not think they would be back in time to help her, and she did not want them to see her killed. But she would fight and claw at the reptile until her last breath.
The crocodile was at its full adult length now of twenty feet. He was powerful but did have a problem with the sand. The reptile was not used to coming further than the bank and lunging, but he decided to go into the sandy area because he now had a taste for humans.
He had her by her hair, raking her back with his claws. She morphed into a Tiger, and while he still held her by the cloth and back, she could flip and claw at his eyes.
Then, she saw hooves coming down on the neck and head of the Beast. She frantically searched for her children and saw them at the tree yelling encouragement at the Prince and her. She kept clawing until the Beast released her. She ran to her children, pushing them into the tree line.
She returned to the tree line and saw Clayton up out of reach, telling the Beast to stay in the water away from him and his family, or he would put him in a fire pit and roast him.
The giant reptile had no one fight him in the past and found that, at least for now, he would heed the words of the Pegasus.
The sand was a problem, and he would not repeat that mistake. His eyes needed healing from the cat's claws. His retreat was steady but slow; he wanted them to think he was more injured than he was. And that human should die from his raking her back with his claws.
The Pegasus landed close to the trees, calling, "Mercy, girls! Come out. The Beast is gone."
Mercy, while having a smile for him, was in horrible shape from claw wounds on her back. The girls were talking at once, and Clayton said, "Hush. Only one of you speaks."
Lilee said, "Mama's back is all torn up. She needs medical help right now!"
Clayton knelt down, saying, "Girls, help your Mama get on my back as close to my neck as possible so she can grab my mane. Then turn back into cats like Mama. You get on behind her but face my tail, wrap it around you, and hold tight.
The vortex opened, and Clayton flew, and by a miracle, they went into the up chute coming out on the banks where the troops were starting to break camp.
The soldiers were instantly alert, but Alaisdair told them to stand down. The Pegasus landed but did not attempt to go forward. "Mercy needs medical help immediately. Please help her!" The Pegasus knelt down so the children and Mercy could dismount.
Pretty Lady morphed into her human form, running to help Mercy.
Chad and Fallon helped the children. The cook opened his food cart while the Doctor started to go through his kit.
Pretty Lady slowly led Mercy to a soft pile under the nearest tree where a cloth had been laid down. Mercy morphed into her human form.
The Doctor called to his assistant to go into the woods and gather some aloe. He had the tincture of tea tree oil awaiting hot water.
Pretty Lady was still holding Mercy's hand when Clayton came over carrying a pot of hot water for the Doctor to cleanse the wound; he said to Pretty Lady, "I know you need more from me than "I am sorry, but please forgive me for now for being concerned about Mercy. Please let me sit and take your place. Prince Alaisdair would like to speak with you."
Pretty Lady nodded to Clayton and went to Alaisdair. She had seen him speaking to Clayton, and now it was her turn to explain things Alaisdair did not remember.
Alaisdair took her hand and said, "Walk with me." He led her into the woods and sat down, taking her upon his lap. He wanted to kiss her, but first, he just wanted to hold her. "You're such a tiny one," Alaisdair whispered to her.
She was going to retort with, "No, you are just so big!" as she usually did, but she smiled and said, "Yes, I am compared to you. But we are just right for one another."
Alaisdair leaned in and kissed her ear, then slowly moved to her eye, then the tip of her nose. Pretty did not move. She was quivering in anticipation. She knew where his lips were heading, ah, the bridge of her nose, now onto her other eye, with tiny kisses to her ear, but he decided she smelled so good, he kissed her jaw and down to her neck.
Pretty in a quivering voice asked, "Alaisdair shouldn't we stop? We are not married yet."
Alaisdair said, "Yes, we will stop, but I want to feel your lips on mine first." They timidly pressed, and then each felt the ridges in the other's lips and pressed a little firmer, lining their lips with one another groves. They felt the fusion and dreamily fell into it, holding each other tightly. They lost the sense of time until they heard Fallon's voice calling to them and hastily pulled apart.
Alaisdair called to Fallon, "We are coming, be right with you." Looking at Pretty Lady, Alaisdair said, "I knew you must be mine. I was right. I love you, My Lady," and kneeling, he looked into her eyes and said, "Please be my wife, mother to our children, and live with me as long as we both live."
Pretty said, Alaisdair, "I love you more than all the stars in the heavens. Yes, my love, I will marry you."
Fallon called again, "Sir, Prince Alaisdair, we must get to our hospital because we have a critically sick patient.
She is triaged but now needs fluids. We need to make post-haste, and Sir, no disrespect, but we cannot leave you with your intended by yourself. It would ruin her reputation."
Alaisdair asked, "Is there room on the ambulance cart where Pretty might sit with the children? I would like to walk and talk with Prince Clayton."
"Yes, Sir, let me speak with the Doctor and attendants. And Prince Clayton," Fallon said, hurrying to take care of the arrangements.
Clayton bowed to Alaisdair and begged his pardon for all the stress and trouble he had caused him and his wife.
"I appreciate your candor and words, but I want to know why you thought you could do this and I would not retaliate?" asked Alaisdair.
"It was not until today on the Island of No Return that I understood what I had done and why I did it. It is not something I will ever get over being ashamed of doing," said Prince Clayton, hanging his head in shame.
"You must tell me in full because it is imperative I speak to my father, King Steward, before he sees you."
"It started in childhood," began Prince Clayton, "and...."The Prince was again weeping without realizing it.