DragonMagic

Chapter 12:

It was about the eleventh hour when two hot, dusty riders rode into Danton. They were in fact, the twin sisters Catia and Caspianta, on their very first trip to a far away town on their own.

Back home, the girls would ride on the cool forested hunting trails that connected their small community to the few others within a hour's ride. They went there to meet with other young people their age, to buy things from assorted stores in various places, and to run various errands for their mother. The sisters also loved to ride in the meadows and mountains surrounding their home, small game trails, or occasionally just plowing through the tall, green and yellow stalks of grass.

In comparison to all this, the broad main road leading to Danton was fairly miserable. It was a huge dirt track that was covered in ruts and dust kicked up by the horses pulling carts that crowded the lanes.

Catia and Caspianta arrived in Danton at last, fairly annoyed that their first trip far from home had been so unpleasant. Once they rode into the center of town though, steering their horses through the vendors, beggars, townspeople, shop owners, and others that crowded the street, pushing wagons, carts, and baby carriages, and carrying all manner of items, things began looking much more interesting.

Catia was the first to let a wide grin break out on her face. "This is so incredible! All the people! And the colors, and the sounds, and the smells!"

"Absolutely," Catia agreed sarcastically. "Horse poop, mud, and too many bodies crammed into a too little space."

Catia frowned. "But what about the fresh pastries, over there, in that stall? Or the flowers that lady is selling? They smell wonderful!" She began to turn toward Catia, but had to abrubtly yank Jewp'fawo to the side as a horde of small children playing with a leather ball darted in front of them. Then she turned to her sister, a confused look on her face. "Cass," Catia began, but was interrupted by Caspianta, who looked incredibly flustered as she spoke softly to her sister.

"Cat, you do realize that we didn't set anyplace to meet with this so called elf, Zedasho?" She looked angry all of a sudden. "We shouldn't be here! We lied to Mom, and we have no idea where to go or what to do! Let's just get your glue and go home." Caspianta had been thinking this problem over the whole way to Danton, and was getting increasingly worried.

"Home!" Catia was horrified. "We've never been able to do anything like this before, and we met an elf! How can you not press this? Everything we've ever loved, but thought was make believe is actually true! Didn't you used to dream about going to see the elf palace Voewd in Kwes'xiad and seeing the beautiful elven court?"

"What about seeing the dwarves at work, little men no taller then a youngling? And what about fairies? Haven't you always dreamed of seeing them flying? You can't give up when we're this close to getting some answers!"

Now it was Catia's turn to have a red face and be out of breath from her explosion. She anxiously await what Caspianta would say.

Caspianta sighed. Then she turned to Catia with a faint smile. "Do you remember when you used to have nightmares about a vraen coming to stalk you in your sleep? You would come and hide in my bed with me. And I would have to reassure your silly little self that vraens weren't real?" She sighed and looked ruefully at her sister. "Now I'm not even sure of that anymore."

Catia smiled, her infectious grin filling her face. "Then it's time we got some answers."