Gersius and Thayle scoured the forest floor looking for Lilly's coins. She helped them by hovering overhead and pointing them out. Slowly they gathered the coins up in handfuls and put them back in her bag. When Lilly was satisfied they had them all, they climbed back up on her back, and she trotted of heading into the foothills.
“We lost a lot of time in the fight and looking for the coins,” Gersius said. “We will not make it to a town or village before dark.”
“We will have to camp in the woods,” Thayle said.
“It would be too dangerous to sleep here. These woods have wolves and Dulloch in them,” Gersius said.
“And giants,” Thayle added.
“How far is the nearest town?” Lilly asked.
“I do not know. I have no idea where we came out. We need to find a road or a house so I can get a sense of location,” he replied. “If we came out too far east we will be deep in the wilds.”
“We can walk on through the night,” Lilly suggested.
“We will have to,” he replied.
“I know it’s late in the day, but it still looks bright to me,” Thayle said, peering into the forest ahead.
“It's Lilly’s sight,” Gersius said as they entered the tree line at the base of the hills.
The northern forest was thick with pine, maple, and black oak. The floor of the forest was carpeted in leaves forming a mosaic of oranges, yellows, browns, and reds. In some places, it was relatively clear of brush; in others, it was densely overgrown.
The trees were tall enough for Lilly to duck under some of them. Others were just tall enough that she looked as if she was swimming through the branches. She picked her way through them, rubbing up against them for about an hour until she stumbled into a small clearing on a relatively flat area.
“Why don't we stop here?” Lilly asked as she walked into the open spot.
“We are not safe, we have to press on to find a road,” Gersius said.
“I am a dragon, Gersius. I can press on for the next two months, but you two have to eat and sleep at some point,” Lilly argued.
“I am kind of hungry,” Thayle admitted.
“What if wolves attack us while we sleep?” Gersius asked.
“I will handle that,” Lilly said. She walked in a circle curling her body around so that her head overlapped her tail.
“You two will sleep here,” she said gesturing to the spot inside the circle right above her shoulder.
“You will protect us?” Thayle asked.
“I don't need to sleep. I will stay up and watch over you,” Lilly said.
“I suppose that will work,” Gersius said and climbed down, then helped Thayle down.
They unpacked bedrolls and set them up, so they were propped up against Lilly's shoulder.
Gersius made a small fire inside the circle of dragon scales. They sat with their backs to Lilly and ate a meal of dried fruit. The sun dipped below the horizon, and stars filled the sky. Gersius and Thayle sat shoulder to shoulder, leaning against Lilly as the fire popped and crackled. Lilly took her bag of coins and set it down on the other side of the fire to rest her head on.
“You know what I find the most unsettling?” Thayle asked as she looked at the stars.
“What is that?” Gersius replied.
“I’m looking at the night sky. It's black and full of stars, and yet the forest around me looks as bright as the morning,” she said.
“It is rather disturbing,” he agreed. “I know it is night, but my eyes tell me it is day.”
“You could just close your eyes,” Lilly suggested from her bag of coins.
“So why did we make a fire?” Thayle asked.
“To keep warm,” Gersius said.
“Neither of you can feel the cold,” Lilly reminded them.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Gersius said shrugging.
“It is keeping the mosquitoes away,” Thayle said.
Gersius closed his eyes and put his head back.
“What are you thinking about, Lilly?” he asked. “I can feel your sadness.”
“I wish I could be in human form to be with you,” she said. “I want to be in my husband's arms.”
“We will find Avashire tomorrow. I will buy you a meal full of bread and butter, and take you to bed.”
Thayle squirmed at his honest words.
“I am surprised you are so easily embarrassed priestess,” Gersius said.
“I help people deal with matters of love, Gersius. I help them to understand what they feel in their hearts, and to know when something is love or they are deceiving themselves.”
“So what is the problem?” he asked.
“I don't often sit by their side while they talk about what they intend to do behind closed doors. That part comes after I have helped them come together, and they are long gone.”
“Lilly and I trust you, Thayle. We see no reason to be secretive with you.”
Thayle went to respond when Lilly suddenly shifted.
“Could you hold my hand, Thayle?” Lilly asked, putting a clawed hand on the ground near her leg.
“Of course, sweetheart,” she said and put her hand over a single toe.
Thayle ran her hand up and down the length of Lilly's claw. She marveled at the smooth texture of cold scales as her hand slid over them. The scales were the size of coins and felt strong as armor, but had a glossy appearance. She smiled as she went from toe to toe, rubbing the dragon.
“I didn't realize I would miss being in human form,” Lilly said as they sat around the fire.
“What do you miss about it?” Thayle asked still marveling at the texture.
“The sensation of touch. I can feel things as a dragon, but I can't feel them like you can. The small things, the delicate things, I can't feel at all. I didn't even know what it felt like to be in the rain until Gersius and I were caught out in a storm.”
“That was the same rainstorm that delayed the wedding party,” Gersius said.
“Oh the storm on the morning you came to my temple,” Thayle said.
“Your hand is on me, and I can feel it, but it’s just pressure. If that was my human hand, I could feel how soft your skin was, and how warm your touch is.”
“So you didn't know how things felt?” Thayle asked.
“My claws can dig through stone. I only notice the roughest of surfaces. I could step on swords and bend them underfoot and not notice it,” Lilly said.
Thayle saw Lilly's aura dip in sadness.
“Lilly, please, it is just one more night. I promise you will be in my arms tomorrow,” Gersius said, feeling the sadness in the binding link.
Thayle got up and walked around the fire to kneel before Lilly's head.
She bent over slowly bringing her lips to the front of Lilly’s snout and gently planted a kiss right on her upper lip. She sat back and ran her hand along Lilly’s lower jaw.
“I love you, Lilly,” she said in a tender whisper looking into her blazing blue eyes.
Her aura bounced back to a bright glow, and Gersius smiled without opening his eyes.
“Go to sleep, Thayle,” Lilly said in a gentle voice. “I will keep my loved ones safe.”
Thayle smiled and went back to her bedroll. She smirked at Gersius a moment and then turned to the side and drifted off to sleep.
Gersius sat there awake with his eyes closed until he heard Thayle’s breathing change. He opened them then and looked at the dragon he called a wife. He smiled when he heard her voice in his mind.
“Are we doing the right thing?” Lilly asked over the bind.
“So long as you are gentle about it, and do not force it on her,” he replied without saying a word.
“We love her, Gersius,” Lilly replied.
“I know we do,” he thought back to her. “But she may not feel the same way.”
“She told me she loved me,” Lilly sent back.
“But does she love me?” Gersius asked.
“Should I ask her?” Lilly thought to him.
“No. If you do, she will know what you're up to.”
Lilly was silent, and he looked across the fire to see a blue eye staring back at him.
“Do not try to force her, Lilly. I will not accept it,” he sent over the bind.
He heard her sigh, and her gaze shifted away.
“Give her time,” Gersius said across the mental link. “Let her come to us when she is ready.”
When morning came, Thayle and Gersius stood and stretched. Lilly held her head high in the air looking out through the trees.
“Good morning, Lilly,” Thayle called up to her.
“Good morning, Priestess,” Lilly responded, still watching the trees.
“Lilly, why do you sometimes call me Thayle and sometimes Priestess?” Thayle asked.
“I like the sound of your title,” Lilly said. “It’s fun saying the word priestess, but sometimes it feels right to use your name.”
“You could be a priestess,” Thayle said.
“I’m a dragon,” Lilly said.
“Why can’t a dragon be a priestess?” Thayle asked.
Lilly blinked as she thought about it.
“I don’t know? I have never considered it before.”
“Maybe you should,” Thayle said with a smile.
Lilly turned her head to look down at Thayle. “I appreciated your kiss last night,” she said. “It made me feel better.”
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“Come down here, I will tell you a secret,” Thayle said, waving Lilly's head lower.
“What secret?” Lilly said when her head was level with Thayle’s.
Thayle leaned over, firmly planting another kiss on Lilly's snout. She reached up and grabbed the sides of Lilly's head to hold her. The kiss went on for a long moment as Lilly's eyes blazed with light. When Thayle finally pulled away, Lilly's aura was on fire.
“You are beautiful as a dragon too,” Thayle said as Gersius chuckled in the background.
“What was that for?” Lilly asked.
“Just something to keep you going until Gersius can get you to town,” she said, stepping away to go roll up her bedroll.
Gersius passed by a blushing Thayle and walked over to Lilly's head.
“Well, I can tell you are feeling better. You are positively glowing with happiness,” he said.
Lilly rubbed her head on his chest.
“I miss you holding me,” she said. “But Thayle made me feel better.”
“We will find a road or a farm, and get directions to Avashire. You will not go another night without me,” he said, rubbing her as hard as he could so she would feel it.
Lilly's gaze shifted to the woman packing her bedroll, and Gersius saw the image in her mind.
“Lilly, patience,” he whispered. “Do not rush this or you will spoil it.”
Lilly sighed and looked back at him.
“How much longer can I keep this form?” Lilly asked.
“You mean before you have to change back, so nobody sees you?” he asked.
“Yes, I can't take you into the city on my back.”
“There is part of me that almost wants you to. It would certainly get their attention,” he said.
“The wrong kind of attention. I don’t want to have to battle my way through humans again,” Lilly said.
“We have to find someplace we can hide the saddle and your bag of coins.”
“My coins?” Lilly replied, her voice sounding concerned.
“None of us can carry that bag. Without you, in this form, we will not be able to take it with us.”
“I understand,” she said, sounding dejected. “Can I take a few coins with me?”
“You can add some of the gold to what is in your backpack, but do not make it too heavy.”
“I will be careful,” she said.
They tied everything back to the saddle, and Gersius helped Thayle up then climbed up behind her.
“Is my lover secure?” Lilly called out before moving.
“I’m fine,” Thayle shouted back as Gersius's broke into laughter.
“I realize you two are playing some kind of game with me,” Thayle said.
“What makes you think that?” Gersius asked.
“You're not upset at all by Lilly and me flirting. You're not upset because you're involved in it somehow.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” he said.
“Your aura says you just lied,” Thayle pointed out.
He smiled and kept silent.
“Keep your secrets then,” Thayle said. “But I will figure out what you’re playing at.”
Lilly set off as he struggled not to laugh.
They traveled west, keeping the mountains to their left. It was over two hours before they found the first signs of humans. It was a small stone farmhouse with a low thatch roof and a perimeter wall of fieldstone five feet high. The wall had wooden spikes on the top, and the whole of the interior yard was cleared of brush.
“That seems like an excessive wall for a farm,” Thayle remarked.
“It is to keep out the wolves,” Gersius replied.
Lilly and Thayle hide in the trees while he approached the farm for directions.
He spoke for several minutes to a man in the doorway who kept pointing further east. They saw Gersius wave to the man before returning to the trees.
“We are about five hours walk from the city,” he said when he got back.
“The man says there is a small town just down the road called Willowbranch where we can get some cooked food.”
“So I need to change now?” Lilly asked.
“Not yet, I need you to dig a hole to hide your coins. Your claws will do it much faster,” Gersius said.
They quickly retreated into the woods near the farm and found a
suitable location. Lilly dug a deep hole and hid the coins inside after having Thayle remove a dozen coins to add to Lilly's pack. Thayle and Gersius dragged brush over the disturbed ground to hide it. They removed all the bags from the saddle and hid the saddle in some branches and threw more brush over the top until it was invisible to anyone not standing on it.
“Alright, Lilly,” Gersius said as he and Thayle stepped back.
White mist crawled over Lilly's form and then billowed out in a great cloud. There was a flash of light, and the mist started to dissipate. Lilly stepped out naked and covering herself. She blushed and smiled at Gersius, who walked up to her with her clothes.
“You do not have to be so bashful about this anymore,” he said.
“It still feels strange to go from being so strong too so weak. I feel naked without my scales,” Lilly said.
Thayle walked up and took the clothing from Gersius and helped Lilly dress. When she was clothed in her traveling dress, they got on the road and walked to town. Gersius held Lilly's hand as she leaned into him while they walked.
“I have a question,” Thayle said as they walked.
“What?” Gersius asked.
“Why does your dragon have a sword strapped to her pack?”
“Gersius bought it for me,” Lilly said.
“I know he did,” Thayle said. “But I always wondered why.”
“I wanted her to be able to defend herself,” he said.
“With a sword?” Thayle asked.
Gersius tossed his head a moment and answered with a “Yes.”
Thayle started to giggled.
“Why is that so funny?” he asked her.
“What is she going to do with a sword?” Thayle said. “She’s more likely to throw it at you than swing it.”
“Ha!” Lilly laughed. “I told him the same thing!”
He shook his head.
“I know she is far more capable as a dragon. I want her human form to appear to be dangerous. A woman with nothing but a pack and a coin purse is a far more tempting target than a woman with a sword. Many an enemy will not risk a target that might fight back.”
“I see,” Thayle said. “You know, I could teach her how to use it.”
“You know how to use a sword?” Gersius asked.
“I use the staff by choice, but all of our order knows how to use a sword to some degree,” Thayle said.
“I did not know that,” he said with a smile.
“We prefer nonlethal methods, but we can all fight if we have to.”
“Maybe you should carry the sword,” he said.
“No!” Thayle said firmly.
Lilly and Gersius turned to look at her as they walked.
“Is something wrong?” Lilly asked.
Thayle shook her head.
“I don’t like to kill,” Thayle replied as she looked away and wrapped her arms over her chest.
“Nobody said you had to kill,” Gersius replied.
“You don't use a sword to subdue,” Thayle said. “A sword has only one purpose, and that's killing.”
He made a note of her words and looked at Lilly, who felt concerned over the bind. They decided to let the conversation go and enjoy the walk. Eventually, they walked around a bend in the road and there before them was the town of Willowbranch.
“You call this a town?” Thayle asked, looking at the four rundown buildings and a broken cart that made up the whole of Willowbranch.
“The man said it was nice,” Gersius insisted as he wondered if this was the right place.
“I don’t think that man was telling the truth,” Lilly remarked.
All four buildings were made of wood planks, with the only stone being chimney stacks. The wood of all the buildings was worn and gray with age. In many places, green moss grew on the surface. Many of the boards were warped or split, and some were loose and hanging. Only one building was two stories high. It had a small glass window out front with smoke coming from a chimney.
“Well at least there does appear to be an inn of some kind,” Thayle said.
“Do we really want to eat here?” Lilly asked.
“Lilly, you eat horses and deer raw. Are you going to get fussy about an inn?” Gersius said.
“I ate those things because I had no idea your food was so good. I have developed refined tastes now,” Lilly said, throwing her nose in the air.
Thayle laughed at the display while Gersius shook his head and walked to the door of the building.
The common room was dark and dirty, with only five small tables, none of which were level. There were a dozen small chairs scattered about the room, and three men sat huddled at a table in the corner.
“This may be a bad time to remind you that Lilly’s eyes glow,” Thayle whispered to Gersius.
“I forgot!” he exclaimed. “I have gotten so used to seeing it. I did not notice it.”
“Well one of those men has noticed,” Thayle whispered. “I can see his aura reacting.”
They walked across the room and sat at one of the rickety tables furthest from the men in the corner.
“Now, I agree with Lilly. We should have kept walking,” Thayle said.
“We will be fine,” Gersius said, waiting for somebody to come out to serve them.
“Her' now, what's wrong with yer eyes?” one of the men said as they all three got up and walked toward them.
“And maybe we will not be fine,” Gersius said with a sigh.
The speaker was a big man, as tall as Gersius. He dressed in simple peasant clothes with a dirty tan shirt belted at the waist. He had short hair that looked like it had been brushed most recently with fingers. He was flabby with cheeks that puffed out and hung down, and his face was unshaven.
His companion on the lefts most distinguishing feature was his nose. It was large and flat. He glared down it with his face turned sideways. He too was in plain clothes of browns, every bit as dirty as the other.
The last man had a scar on his cheek and a menacing look to his eyes. He had long dark hair that hung straight down around his head. His eyes narrowed as he glared at Lilly.
The big man walked right up to their table and towered over it flanked by his friends.
“Why do 'er eyes look like that?” the man demanded, looking down at Lilly.
Gersius stood up and stared the man in the face.
“You gentlemen need to return to your table, and leave the girl in peace.”
The three men laughed and looked between one another.
“What’s some fancy priest of Ulustrah doing giving me orders?” the big man said
The man with the menacing eyes moved closer to Thayle and gave her a sneer.
“You better tell your boyfriend to be nice. I would hate to have to hurt him,” he said to her.
“I think you should go back to your table,” Thayle replied.
“Why are these rodents behaving like this?” Lilly asked Gersius.
“Rodents?” The big man said in an insulted voice. “What gives you the right to come in 'ere and call us rodents?”
“You gentlemen need to step back to your table before there is a problem,” Gersius said.
“I warned you not to be telling me what to do! This 'ere is our town,” the big man said. “Now you sit back down and tell me why our girl 'ere has glowing eyes.”
“May I remind you, gentlemen, that there are two priests of Ulustrah here. We are both wearing full armor and carrying weapons,” Gersius said, giving the men a deadly stare.
“What's a priest o' Ulustrah going to do? Cast a love spell on us?” the big man said, laughing.
Thayle slammed her hand on the table before standing up.
“I volunteer to teach you gentlemen a little about love,” Thayle said rising before them.
“I got a little something about love I can teach you,” the flat-nosed man said.
Thayle exploded into motion her staff coming off her waist and one of its studded metal heads cracking the flat-nosed man across the face.
She spun the weapon around and caught the big man behind the knee, tipping him backward before slamming the back of his head with the shaft and then his face on the edge of the table.
Gersius went to draw his sword as the dangerous man drew two short knives, but Thayle batted one out his hand then the other breaking fingers as she clubbed them.
“Little bitch!” the man cursed as he held his broken fingers up in front of his face.
“Let me give you some advice,” Thayle said as she slammed her staff between his legs. “Never insult a priestess of Ulustrah.”
He fell to the floor in a huddled ball, as the man with the flat nose ran out of the room holding his bloodied face.
“Really, Gersius, taking your wife and her love to a place like this,” Thayle said, walking back to the table and stepping over the unconscious man.
“I had no idea your priests could fight so well?” Gersius said.
“We have battle priests too Gersius,” Thayle said as she took Lilly by the hand and lead her out.
“I am impressed,” Lilly said, squeezing her hand.
“I didn't want you to tear your dress changing forms to kill them,” Thayle replied.
They walked out the door to see the flat-nosed man running down the street.
“I suppose we should get to the city and find an Inn with a decent atmosphere,” Gersius said. “We can’t be more than four hours away now.”
“Four hours walk isn't so long to wait for a decent place to eat,” Thayle said.
“My eyes will still be glowing when we get there,” Lilly reminded them.
“We do need an explanation, so this sort of thing doesn't happen again,” Gersius said.
“These people were louts. It isn't likely to be the same in a city, but I have an idea. If people ask questions I will tell them you are a priestess in training and you are using a spell to help you learn to see the auras,” Thayle said.
“That may work,” Gersius said as they started down the road.
He felt a tenseness come over him from Lilly.
“What has you so upset?” he asked her.
“Can we go back and get the saddle and coins and hide it closer to the city,” she asked. “I hate leaving it so far away.”
“We will eventually have to come back for them,” Thayle said. “It will be easier if they are closer.”
“We risk some farmer seeing her,” Gersius said. “The closer we get to Avashire, the more heavily populated the land will become.”
“Please!” Lilly begged. “If you ride on my back we can get there quicker!”
“This is mostly forest,” Thayle said. “All the farms are well off the road. We could probably pass by unnoticed for a few more miles.”
Gersius looked around and nodded.
“Only until the forest gives way to the big farms,” he said. “And we will go around this town deep in the trees.”
“It’s hardly a town,” Thayle commented.
Lilly clapped and hugged him, and they turned around to head back for the saddle and bags.
They made the trip back and then saddled Lilly up. She had to struggle through the trees for a bit, but in two hours they were looking over wood post fences at the first farmlands outside the city. From here they could see the outline of the city on the distant horizon.
They reburied the bags and hid them with brush well outside the farms, and she changed to her human form. They practiced the story they were going to use when they got close to the city. Lilly was a priestess of Ulustrah in training, and the glow of her eyes was part of learning to see auras.
“What if we run into other of your order?” Gersius asked. “They will know that is not true.”
“If that happens I will deal with them,” Thayle said.
They set off on the road again and hoped for the best. They hoped the path to Calathen would soon be open to them.