Switched ~ a Fractured Fairytale

Chapter Eighteen ~ An Authority on Dragons

We rode on, heading steadily eastward, through Pembleton's rolling green hills and lush, leafy forests. It was lucky that Bear was such a large dog, for he managed to easily keep pace with the horses and often found rivers and rabbit warrens before Killian or I noticed them.

After riding for eight days straight, my muscles were hardening up and it was getting easier to get back into the saddle each day. As we passed towns or places of interest, Killian would point them out to me and tell me a little of their history. It was much more enjoyable than Olive's endless lectures, and I found myself connecting to Pembleton's people and history in a way that had been difficult from behind palace walls. It was a relief to be away from the stifling atmosphere of court, away from all the bowing and scraping.

Although Killian had teased me for travelling without proper weapons, I soon discovered that Killian only had his thin rapier, a buckler shield and a small parrying dagger.

'Where did you learn to use a rapier?' I asked one morning as we were riding through a forest.

'Father insisted,' Killian said. 'I may be a bastard, but I'm a posh bastard.'

'My brothers and I were taught with rapier and broadsword,' I said, grinning. 'Does that make us common royalty?'

Killian laughed and looked at me in surprise, 'You can fight?'

'I can handle a sword,' I nodded. 'And I'm a decent shot but I prefer my hunting knife.' I patted my hip where my knife sat in its battered leather sheath.

'Swordplay is an unusual skill for a princess,' he said.

'We're a small country between two big, powerful and often warring countries,' I replied, defending my admittedly unusual education. 'It pays to be cautious.'

'Oh, I absolutely approve,' Killian said earnestly. 'I think everyone should be able to defend themselves. Then we wouldn't have situations like Rose in the bar.'

'Even if she could fight, there's not much that can be achieved against that man's attitude,' I pointed out.

Killian considered my words, a strange expression on his face. We splashed across a shallow stream and, after a few minutes silence, he said, 'How exactly do you plan on rescuing Allie?'

'I was going to try and talk to the dragons,' I shrugged. 'Find out why they took him in the first place.'

'So you were just going to march up to a dragon's lair and have a chat?' Killian chuckled, looking incredulously at me.

'It's not the best plan, do you have anything better?'

'No,' Killian admitted. 'I might have been a bit impulsive, I'm not even sure where the dragons live, or how to get through Kalatani.'

'Some rescue party we make,' I chuckled.

'But I do know someone who can help,' Killian said, laughing.

'Oh?' I said.

'He's... well, he's an old family friend. And he lives,' Killian said, reigning in his horse and brushing aside some vines. 'Right down here.'

If Killian hadn't stopped, I would have ridden right past. The path was hidden by long, trailing vines dotted with little pink flowers that disguised the entrance completely. As Killian nudged his horse down the path, I saw that more vines hung over the path, creating a beautiful green tunnel.

'Wow,' I murmured, reaching out a hand and trailing it along the wall of vines.

Killian turned in his saddle and grinned at me. After a few minutes ride, the path opened out onto a small clearing with a little wooden house sitting in the middle. There was a small stream running by and I could see a vegetable patch and an apple orchard behind the house. Two horses and a donkey were munching grass in a paddock and a thin trickle of smoke was curling from the chimney.