Second half of the latest chapter. Not my best, but hopefully not my worst. Also, this is all I've got written of HTBD so far; I don't know what happens next and I'm kind of stuck. I might also be possibly distracted by a zombie novel that's been taking up a lot of my time. Anyway, thanks in advance for any reviews!
Quick recap: Chance, Jot, and Ryder have made a deal with Daria to use her horses under the condition that she joins them on their quest. They're just now heading out to the stables.
Here There Be Dragons
Chapter Five, part two
Chance picked up the pack and settled it on his back; I was tempted to speak to him, but kept quiet. Somehow, I had a feeling that Daria would manage to hear me.
He and Ryder followed Daria out the house and into the stable. Remembering the response I had gotten from the previous equines we’d met, I made sure to keep my breathing quiet. The stable was nicer on the inside than out; there were four horses in their own stalls, all of them sleek, powerful animals that were a far cry from the ones before.
Also in the stable was the young woman; she seemed to be cleaning a saddle. She was sitting on an overturned wooden trough at the end of the building, scrubbing industriously away at the leather. She glanced up as we entered; I felt Chance immediately stiffen, and I saw his cheeks flaming up again. The girl didn’t even notice; her attention was on Daria.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“We’re working on a deal,” Daria replied.
“And?”
“Is that saddle clean yet, Jade?” Daria said tartly.
I could almost put Chance’s thoughts into words: Jade. What a pretty name. Fits her eyes—so green. Look at the way her hair covers her shoulders…look at the way she bites her lip as she focuses on the saddle…she wouldn’t make much of a meal, but she looks more robust than Chance, at least… (Well, Chance’s supposed imaginings kind of gave way to my own for a moment.)
“So these are the horses,” Daria said, jolting my attention back to the proceedings. “If they are to your liking, then I will consider our bargain closed.”
Chance stepped up to one; it was a gleaming chestnut, stocky and strong, with inquisitive eyes. The horse’s ears pricked up as Chance reached his hand out; I started to slowly slide down in the pack, hoping Daria wouldn’t notice the pack’s flap inching down.
Since I successfully managed to hunker down into the pack completely, I never saw what Chance did, but he seemed to find the horses all to his liking, for the next thing I heard was him saying, “They all seem to be fine steeds. Our bargain will take place.”
“Very well then,” Daria said, sounding not in the least pleased that she had gotten her way. “Come outside and we shall discuss the particulars.”
As I heard Daria’s firm stride leaving the stable, and Ryder following, I risked a peek out again. Chance was lingering, pretending to give one of the horses a friendly pat, but I saw his wide blue orbs swiveling towards the end of the stable, where Jade had stopped cleaning and was watching.
“What is this bargain you spoke of?” she asked. I had to give her credit for her directness.
Chance seemed half elated and half terrified that he was talking to her—actually talking! Imagine!
“Erm, well, I need to get to Rale, to attend to some business, and I needed some horses.”
I saw the girl nod expectantly, waiting for more.
“Your mother said—”
“She’s not my mother.”
“Oh?” Chance blinked, unsure of how to proceed. “Er, sorry, I just assumed—”
“Everyone does, do not worry,” Jade said sweetly, giving Chance a smile that meant, I can see you’re an idiot, so I’m just going to be very nice to you because you can’t understand half the things I say. (That was my interpretation of it, anyway).
I think the boy was close to swooning, so I pricked his back through the pack with one of my claws. He jumped with a little cry, and one of the horses tossed its head up in surprise.
“We need to talk,” I breathed into Chance’s ear.
He cleared his throat and said gallantly to Jade, “I’m sorry, but I should be getting out to speak with…er, Daria.”
She rose, setting the saddle onto the trough. “I’ll accompany you.”
Now, who was Chance to argue with that? They walked side-by-side out of the stable, joining Daria and Ryder outside.
“We were just discussing the best and quickest route to Rale,” Daria said as we approached. “And we have agreed that we shall have to cut across the Fells, go through the Forest, and then cross the Mountains at a little pass that will lead us directly to Rale.”
Chance nodded. “That sounds good,” he said.
Beside us, I saw Jade fold her arms. “Why do you say ‘we,’ Daria?”
“I am accompanying them, to ensure the safety and return of my horses.” I detected a hint of a challenge, as if Daria knew what was coming.
Jade raised an eyebrow. “And I am coming, too?”
I felt Chance’s heart give a little leap and start pumping away with gusto. I huffed to myself; this was getting too out of hand.
As Daria pulled Jade away to explain to her that this was going to be a tough journey, full of dangers and much more, blah blah, I took the opportunity to whisper to Chance, “We need to talk!”
“Why?” he breathed without moving his mouth.
“Because I signed up for a quick rescue mission, not a full-blown traveling party!”
“We need them.”
“Ooh, sure. Jade is going to provide such expertise, such help! She can’t even lift a sword; look at those puny little arms.”
“They’re not puny. They’re…delicate.”
I snorted softly. Ryder was watching us out of the corner of his eye, but wisely staying silent, while Daria and Jade were still heatedly discussing whether Jade could come or not.
“Besides,” I added into Chance’s ear, “they don’t even know about me.”
He shifted from one foot to another. “Well…I’ll tell them.”
“I thought you didn’t want anyone to know about me.”
“Well I don’t have much choice, do I?”
By that time, Jade had successfully convinced Daria that she was coming; I wondered just what the nature of their relationship was. Jade had enough respect for Daria to obey her, yet also there was a brimming rebelliousness that clashed with her position.
Daria turned to Chance with a sigh. “Sir, if it is all right with you, my protégé Jade would like to accompany us. I have been training her very well in the art of survival, and I feel she would be a boon to our company.”
Chance was all barely-contained eagerness. “Oh! Of course, I am quite sure Jade will be a pleasure to have along.”
Jade smiled sweetly at Chance, and I felt the boy’s breath get caught up somewhere in his throat.
I coughed loudly; Jade’s smile turned to a look of guarded alarm. Since Chance’s mouth was tightly sealed, the cough seemed to come from nowhere.
“Um, there’s one more thing I have to tell you,” Chance said hastily to Daria. She looked completely unperturbed, as if she had been waiting for this all along.
“You see, I have enlisted the help of another creature—”
“I already know about Ryder,” Daria said evenly. Jade tittered, Ryder huffed; it took a little longer for Chance to realize she was joking. Maybe.
Erring on the safe side, he made a little choking sound that could have been taken for a laugh or for the fact that he was gagging. “Er, well, I’ve got a creature in my pack here, who’s a little…unorthodox on journeys such as these.”
Daria raised an eyebrow perfectly. She didn’t say a word, and it was very effective. Chance hurried on.
“And even though it seems like he will be a ferocious creature, I assure you he’s perfectly safe and will not harm you.”
Jade’s green eyes widened; Daria looked unimpressed. Chance slid the pack off and opened the flap.
Instantly, I leapt out, turning visible, with a fantastic roar and widening of my wings. Jade jumped back a little, but Daria stayed where she was. It was then that I noticed that I was looking up at them, and realized I had forgotten to grow.
“Damn! It was going to be a fine presentation, just perfect!” I huffed and folded my wings in, plunking down disconsolately on the ground.
“A dragon. Most interesting, Sir Chance,” Daria said with a note of faint impression.
Jade crouched down to look at me. “I thought they were bigger,” she said with a trace of scorn. “This one doesn’t look too dangerous.”
I think Chance was starting to step forward, opening his mouth to say something. But I had already leapt behind Jade, grown to full size, and had twined my tail around her, pinning her arms to her side.
Daria stepped forward, eyes wide, while Ryder whimpered, no doubt remembering his own experience with me.
I lowered my head to Jade’s shocked face and purred pleasantly, “Not dangerous? Why, little girl, how very…naïve of you. Never,” I tightened my tail around her and she gasped, “insult a dragon like that. Or you may find yourself inside one.”
“Jot, put her down,” Chance commanded in a surprisingly firm tone. I glanced at him; he had a steely gaze in those blue buggers, and I sighed.
“Here, have her.” In a nice little flick of my tail, I unwrapped her and gave her a shove towards Chance, who clumsily caught her before she crashed to the ground. He held on to her a little longer than necessary, to make sure she was all properly balanced, before letting go and turning to me with a severe look.
“Jot, I want you to extend your promise from Ryder and myself to Jade and Daria.”
I yawned. “I know, I know. Yes, I promise not to harm or eat them.”
Jade eyed me carefully; I was a little disappointed to see a hint of curiosity and even eagerness in her gaze instead of pure, petrified terror.
“So,” Ryder said cheerfully in the ensuing silence, “when are we leaving?”
I thought it was still Chance's thoughts when I read about the meal, and I was like, wut the wut?
