Guangfeng looked back at Yuelan and gave her a smile. “I didn’t forget you were here,” he assured her. “We should get back to the caravan. It would be best to stop for the night in a town, so we can’t stop for too long. Since your carriage was smashed you can ride back on my horse with me.”

Yuelan shivered. “I’d rather walk. You know I’m scared of horses…”

“She doesn’t need a horse to ride on,” Byakko snorted. “I can carry her or she can ride on the dragon. What does she need to ride on food for?”

Guangfeng frowned. “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t spook the horses.”

“With a dragon roaring above them and a tiger roaring from the woods nearby, every horse in that caravan is probably already spooked,” Yun Cai pointed out. “I doubt you’ll get any farther today.”

“Mistress will ride on my back,” Byakko insisted. “No need for her to ride a horse.”

“Thank you, Byakko. I’ll do that,” Yuelan told the white tiger. “And just to remind all of you, I’m capable of making decisions for myself. I don’t need you all trying to tell me what to do.”

The two human men and the tiger in human form glanced at each other. The tiger had a smirk as he shifted back to his massive tiger form and lowered himself onto his belly so that Yuelan could climb onto his back.

Guangfeng sized up the tiger and then Yuelan before offering, “Would you like some help getting up?”

“No, thank you. I want to do it myself,” Yuelan answered. She walked to the tiger’s side and considered for a bit before using Byakko’s foreleg to climb up onto his back and settle herself between his shoulder blades.

Once Yuelan was settled, Byakko got to his paws and headed toward the road with the caravan. He didn’t bother waiting for the others to follow after.

Yun Cai managed to catch up to Yuelan on his very nervous-looking horse before they got out of the trees. “The prince said he is going to get the guards who followed him to bring your carriage and maids back to the caravan,” he explained in a cheerful voice.

Yuelan nodded, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t much feel like talking at the moment. Above her, Long He was still in his dragon form with his head staying over her and Byakko. His gigantic, serpentine body seemed to ripple as he moved.

When they came within sight of the group of carriages and wagons carrying the people and dowry headed for the second princess’ wedding, the guards all raised their weapons. Their eyes all seemed glued to Byakko and their expressions were grim mixed with nervousness and possibly a little fear.

Long He started to descend from the skies and as he did his enormous body shimmered until it mostly disappeared and he took his human form, landing next to Byakko. “Put your weapons down,” the dragon commanded. “The tiger isn’t going to hurt anyone unless they try to harm the priestess.”

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The guards looked at Long He and some of them recognized him. They lowered their weapons and instructed the others to do the same, though all of them still looked nervously over at Byakko and some seemed frightened of Long He as well.

The head of the guards stepped forward and bowed slightly to Long He. “Lord Long...Please explain what is happening here?”

Long He raised an eyebrow. “The descendant of the Dragon Priestess has received her inheritance and is ready to be recognized for who she is,” he answered calmly. “Did you not hear me announce it just now?”

“And the...the tiger?” the head guard asked, glancing nervously at Byakko.

“Is the divine beast Byakko, the White Tiger,” Long He answered, shrugging. “He has formed a contract with Lady Long Yuelan, who is the new Dragon Priestess.”

The guard stiffened and looked around. “Miss...Lady Long’s horses were spooked and her carriage ran off. His Highness the third prince went to search for her.”

“I’m here,” Yuelan called from on top of Byakko’s back. She seemed to have realized that her presence had been hidden because the guards were distracted by having a dragon and a giant tiger right in front of them. She lifted a hand and waved, smiling a little at the nervous guard.

“L-lady Long!” The guard looked relieved when he finally spotted her. “Is His Highness…”

“Prince Guangfeng is getting my carriage and maids,” Yuelan assured the guard. “He’ll be back soon. The carriage didn’t go very far before it crashed into a tree.”

“Should we call for a doctor? Is Lady Yuelan injured?”

“I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt at all, only startled.” Yuelan smiled. Movement from the carriages caught her attention and she turned to watch the people inside coming out of them. Every person who came out looked nervously at Byakko. Most of them didn’t notice Yuelan sitting on the tiger’s back, but those who did got on their knees and pressed their foreheads to the ground, not seeming to care about the dirt getting on their expensive clothes.

A small group of people who came out of their carriages noticed Yuelan but did not bow. They were the second princess, Ainuan, and her personal servants. Princess Ainuan glared at Yuelan with narrowed eyes.

Sounds of horses came from behind Yuelan and she turned to look. Guangfeng had come back. Her carriage was nowhere in sight and her two maids were riding on the carriage horses. The luggage that had been on the carriage was now being carried by the guards mounted on horses and following Guangfeng.

“Your carriage is too badly damaged to continue on,” Guangfeng explained to Yuelan. “You can use mine if you’d like. I’m riding anyway.”

Byakko let out a low growl. “She can continue to ride on my back as well,” the tiger says. His voice sounded odd coming from a tiger’s mouth rather than from his mind or his human form like it had before. “Those creatures you ride on are too easily spooked. What is the point of using them?”

“It’s not as though they can convince spirit beasts to do it,” Long He explained in a patient voice. “And a normal tiger would sooner eat the humans than pull their carriages. They have to make due with less dangerous options.”

“I suppose. But what does our mistress need such creatures for when she has us?”

“She is human and still has to sleep. The wind will also make her cold and could cause her to get sick as the days get colder,” the dragon answered, shrugging. “A carriage will keep her warm and provide her with some privacy while she rests.”

Guangfeng looked over at the kneeling people and then back to Yuelan, then interrupted the two beasts’ conversation. “Yuelan, are you going to let them up?” he asked, smiling. “We do need to keep going if we’re going to reach a town before dark.” He turned to look at Byakko. “And if you could please take your human form so the horses can calm down that would be appreciated.”

The tiger snorted and lowered himself to his stomach to let Yuelan down. Long He held a hand out to help her, which she accepted as she slid off the tiger’s back. 

“Everyone can rise,” she called out. “And thank you, Guangfeng. I think I will use your carriage.”