Troublesome Magic ch.13

Within the hour they were on there way. Nika lived just on the other side of the wide forested region, just beyond the borders of the Castles reach. She belonged to a people called Neko, whose slightly animalistic characteristics brought much fear and distrust from the regular human. However, the two have lived rather peacefully until Jared had taken over, once again instilling notions of purity of the human race. Though war has yet to break out there have been some violent clashes near the boarders, mostly just common folk racism.

Darius felt rather uncomfortable being carried around everywhere, especially when every five minutes he would be traded between Sarah and Wendy. He was almost forgetting what it was like to be normal anymore. Brooke walked ahead of them with a smile, occasionally glancing back at Darius, who would look back pleading with his eyes for her to rescue him from his giggling escorts. He finally got some relief when Wendy set him on her shoulder, freeing him from their constantly moving hands and fingers. He held onto a handful of brown hair as they made their way up and down the wooded slopes, following an old narrow trail.

Sarah caught up with Brooke, her eyes immediately falling on her chest, eyes widening, "Where did you get that!" She gasped.

Brooke looked down, a blue ruby hanging from an intricately designed chain necklace, "I bought it from Darius the first day we met"

Sarah shook her head, "With what? If I am not mistaken that is the Sky Diamond!"

"The...The what?"

Sarah blinked, "You didn't know?"

"No, I mean I knew he stole it from someone" She said lifting the ruby into her hands.

"You mean...oh my gosh he is the thief that stole it from Jared's cousin! I remember I was young when it happened, but that diamond...it's nearly priceless. What on earth did you buy it for?"

Brooke thought for a moment, "My horse, and a lifelong supply of rapid sleep potion....was that a deal?"

Sarah was near speechless, "Oh my god yes, he could have sold that for...for...well he could have become royalty over that necklace lets just say that!"

Brooke looked down at the necklace in disbelief, "I guess he didn't know what it was worth"

"Perhaps he just has a kind heart?"

"I used to think so" Brooke smiled at her, "I guess he means well"

"I think so" Sarah said cupping her hands to her waist, "I know that night he didn't perhaps mean everything he said to me" She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Wendy had fallen back even further as she stared around at the trees, pointing things out to a little figure on her shoulder, "But even so he had spoken so much more honestly than anyone I have met other than Sarah and Elizabeth"

"Perhaps you should pursue him then" Brooke offered.

"You don't think I am too young?"

Brooke shrugged, "He would get over it, any normal man would. Though I guess he isn't very normal, is he?"  

Sarah looked down at her feet, "What about you though?"

"I loved him once, I don't think you can ever love someone twice" She smiled to Sarah, "But it appears your friend Wendy has become quite smitten"

Sarah laughed, "I know, it's very strange I have never seen her act this way before"

"So" Wendy started after a welcome silence, "What is it like to be food?"

Darius laughed, "I'm not too sure yet"

"Yet? You say it as if if you will be doing it again!"

"Well I certainly hope not, but it was strange to say the least"

"What's it like inside?"

"Um...Dark, wet, hot and actually kind of noisy"

"Really?"

"Oh yes, you hear all sorts of gurgles, groans, thumps, drips of goo-"

"Eww"

"Well you're the one who asked"

"How about" She hushed her voice, "Down there"

"Down wher-Oh...I'm not so sure its appropriate to talk about that"

"Oh come on! I'm just curious"

He sighed, "Fine, it's dark, wet-"

"Wonderful?"

"Not exactly the word I would use, but I guess the feminine body is rather beautiful"

"Like mine?" A grin crossing her lips.

Darius sighed, "That is a dangerous question, but yes"

"See, you are still a knight, so charming" She smiled down at him.

"In order to still be a knight I would have had to have been a knight in the frist place"

~~~~

They settled by a stream for the night, "We can follow this right to Nika's house" Brooke said, "If she hadn't shown me this route it would have taken us easily four or more days by the main roads"

"Not to mention the roads would be filled with scouts" Darius said, still atop his shoulder perch.

"Did Darius say something?" Brooke asked as she sat down on a large rock.

"He said the roads would be filled with scouts" Wendy responded.

"Oh, right yeah" Brooke said, grinning at Darius who seemed even more helpless.

"Wendy would you might letting me down? I need to stretch my legs" Darius said pulling himself to his feet. Wendy complied with a smile, sitting down next to Sarah.

"A fire would be nice" He commented as he paced around.

"Huh?"

"I said a fire would be nice"

"Oh" Wendy jumped to her feet, "I will get the wood!" She rushed off into the woods.

"Don't get lost" Brooke mumbled watching the young girl go running into the woods.

"Erm...I better go help her" Sarah said rising to her feet, backing away before chasing her friend down.

Darius walked over to Brooke, noticing his old necklace around her neck again. She smiled and offered a palm for him to climb on. He sat back, waiting for her to bring him higher so they could talk comfortably, "I see you still have that necklace"

"Yeah" She said, thumbing the blue ruby with her free hand, "It still looks brand new"

"I almost thought you had thrown it away or something" He laughed.

"No, it crossed my mind but no" She laughed weakly shaking her head, "I guess we were being a little immature"

"We?"

"Shut up" She looked down at him sternly, though a smile quickly unraveled her straight lips.

"I'm glad we got over it though"

She nodded, scrunching her lips a moment before asking, "Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"What the necklace was really worth?"

"You mean a hell of a lot more than I sold it to you for?"

She laughed, "Yeah, Sarah recognized it, said it was the Sky Diamond, or something like that"

"Figures, I mean I did steal it from a prince"

"She said it was priceless"

He shrugged, "The joy of stealing it was reward enough to me really. But if you want we could cancel all of my debts"

She laughed, "I never really cared about those...you do realize I got that dagger out of a box you gave me"

"I knew it!" He laughed, "That one I couldn't unlock?"

"Yeah"

"You swindler"

"Thief" She retorted with a grin.

"Wi-"

"I will eat you if you finish that word" She snapped.

"Tch"

"Thats it" She plucked him off her palm and dangled him over her mouth, stretching her tongue out towards him.

"Go on" He said crossing his arms, "Do it"

"Um...we got wood" Sarah said stepping over a log back into the clearing.

Brooke set Darius back on the ground, "You're lucky your princess came back to save you"

~~~~

"Thats not going to work" Darius said, watching as Wendy smacked two rocks together next to the small pile of sticks.

"Yes it will" She mumbled, her tongue sticking out slightly as she continued to bash her randomly selected rocks together. Brooke and Sarah watched from a distance.

"You are using two rocks with no-" He fell backwards as a large spark suddenly ignited the pile of sticks.

"Yes!" Wendy squeaked, "I told you! I told you!"

Darius glared back at Brooke who was giggling behind her hand, but just shook his head, "Very well"

They sat around the fire, Darius chose to sit on his own for once, he could only sit on someones hand for so long. He walked around, finally finding a small twig to use as a poking stick. He sat down, feeling as the heat nearly seared his eyebrows. He stared upwards, the tall flames dancing over his head.

~~~~

Darius slept that night in Brooke's bag, it was his first peaceful night of sleep in weeks.

When he woke he yawned, standing within the dark cave. He could see the dim light of morning shining through the trees illuminating all the shimmering droplets of dew. He hopped down onto the forest floor, the leaves spread before him like giant mats. The tiny sticks and leaves looked like logs, the logs looked like giant brown cliffs and the trees stretched impossibly high over his head. He turned and saw Sarah looking down at him with a tired smile.

"Sleep well?" She asked, holding out her hand as always when speaking with the tiny.

Darius climbed up into her soft palm, "Very, you?"

She shrugged, "It's a bit uncomfortable. But I kind of liked that, I can't remember the last time I slept anywhere but my bed"

"Where are the others?"

"Washing up briefly in the stream" She smiled as Brooke and Wendy emerged from the forest.

"Are we ready?" Brooke asked, stretching her back a little, picking some leaves that had clung to her gown.

"Yes lets go, I am so anxious to meet a Neko in person!" Wendy said coming to Sarah's side, "Hello Darius" Not a hint if sleepiness in her voice.

"Morning" He said, feeling as he lifted up slightly, he nodded as Sarah offered to set him down on her shoulder.

They walked through the morning, stopping briefly to eat lunch and then continued until near sunset. As the clearing in the forest became visible so did the enticing aroma of a fire in a fireplace. Brooke sighed as her eyes fell on the small stone cottage...