Fantasizing a war - A Sanders Sides Trilogy

Day Two

Patton sat next to Logan at the front of the cart, nervously holding the thestrals' reigns. Virgil's' thestral tossed its' head back with a snort, fluttering its' skeletal wings. Patton squealed, jumping and yanking the reigns closer to his chest.

Logan glanced at him with a smile. "Patton, just relax. You're pulling his head too far back - he's trying to get you to loosen your grip."

"I think it's trying to kill me," whispered Patton, deadly serious.

Logan laughed slightly, taking the pegasus's' reigns in one hand and reaching to Patton with the other. Taking Patton's' hands, he lowered them down gently. "Now reach forwards slightly and don't yank on the reigns. You'll upset him if you do, then we will have a problem."

"How can you tell if it's a boy?" Patton asked, following Logan's' instructions.

"Simple. At the end of every wing-bone is a single black feather, and his neck is ruffled with feathers. Female thestrals have no feathers at all and are simply burnt bone and skin."

"When did you learn that?"

"I discussed Virgil's' method of transport with him while he was still referred to as Anxiety - when he was a young boy, his father took him into the city to get a steed. He seems to love Dark Creatures, like giant bears, trolls and pixies. Apparently, his thestral is the fastest animal in the world! He started galloping in troll territory than after five minutes he was at our castle."

Patton looked at the thestral curiously. "So how fast do you think it- he can go?"

"Judging by the fact the distances between the two points is over 10,000 kilo-metres squared, I'd say: too fast to register," Logan replied with a small smile.

Roman leaned out between the two from the back of the cart, holding a map. "Okay, so. Virge and I have been discussing where to go while Patton was getting threatened by a thestral and there turns out to be a small hamlet about a hundred metres away from us or so."

Logan looked at the map. "Dragons Creek..." He read slowly.

"Yeah. Vee and I thought that we could stop off there for a change of clothes because I'm dressed like a prince, Logan is in Advisory Robes and we also probably need to buy some sort of mask for Virgil and me."

Patton grinned. "Sounds great! And we could pick up a newspaper, or-or some games to play!"

Virgil leaned backwards over Pattons' shoulder, taking the reigns away from him. "You're pulling on Storm too tight here. You're making his head get pulled one way while he's walking the other."

Patton squeaked sheepishly, and Virgil sat down properly. "You and Logan head back into the cart - Roman and I'll take over."

Logan and Patton both nodded, vaulting awkwardly over the back-rest and Roman took Logans' seat. They kept moving, possibly even a little faster.

.:*:.

Dragons' Creek was shaped like a horseshoe. The four men could see that when they were at the top of the valley, staring down into it. The scenery was quiet and glistening, a small woods to the left and a crystal clear waterfall running into a small lake to the right of the hamlet.

"It's pretty..." Patton whispered. 

Logan glanced at him, swallowed, and turned back to the hamlet. "I agree."

"We don't have anything like this in the Dark Realm," Virgil mumbled. Suddenly he sat up. "What about Storm?"

"Uh... Who?" Asked Roman.

"Storm! My thestral! What about him? We can't just ride in casually with a thestral, we'll get reported for sure!"

"We could ride off the path into the woods, leave the cart and travel in?" Logan suggested, logically.

Roman grinned at him. "And that is why you're my advisor, Lo. Brilliant idea, let's do it!"

"Hooray!" Patton said brightly. "We're all just one big team now, aren't we?"

.:*:.

Virgil swallowed nervously, holding onto Logans' robes - the hamlets' market was unnervingly busy. Every stall had something unique: antiques, rolls of fabric, swords, jewels, amour, paintings and, curiously, masquerade masks.

"OOH! Pat, do you think we're here in time for the Dragon Witch Celebration! I forgot it was so soon!" Roman gasped enthusiastically as he picked up a ruby red, feathered mask.

The lady running the stand chuckled. "You're in time, young sir. Have you never been here before?"

Logan cleared his throat. "No, miss, we haven't. We're travelling across the Realm before we finally settle in Cabina City."

"Ah, so you've never been to the Dragon Witch Dance?"

Patton blinked, glancing at Logan. "No, don't think so... Lolo, what is it?"

Logan shrugged and the lady laughed. "The whole village clears the market square and we dance and dance until the sun comes up! Couples like you two-" she pointed to Logan and Patton "-dance together permanently while everyone else flits between partners."

Patton and Logan both went red at the same time. Logan just squeaked, while Patton nervously laughed. "O-Oh no, we're not dating! Just friends!"

"Huh. Shame, you two'd be cute together."

Logan dropped his head, looking away.

"Hey, Vee! This one for you!" Roman had ignored the discussion as he searched through the masks. He had pulled out a purple one with shining black diamonds embroidered around the cheekbones and forehead. An indigo and black feather erupted from each tip. The prince grabbed his enemy, holding the mask up to his face. "Hmm, yes! We're buying these two for sure!"

"Princey put those back!" Virgil hid his face embarrassedly in his sleeves.

The lady laughed again. Her nametag read 'Alice'. "Please, these are free, young sirs! Pick out whatever you want, as long as you come to the Dance!"

"Well, we are on a time schedule..." Roman said slowly, finally averting is attention from the masks.

"C'mon, Ro! It'll only be one night, not like it'll make that much of a difference! OOH! We can get outfits if it's not too expensive!" Patton squealed, clapping his hands together.

Alice scoffed. "Nonsense! Anything you get for the Dragon Witch Dance is free, custom made or not! So, which ones do you want?"

Patton and Roman both lit up, grinning impishly. "Ooh, this will be fun!"