A Questionable Quest

Chapter 14... in I climb a tree, and that's pretty much it

My ears reddened ever-so-slightly. Before he could notice, I hopped atop the rock.

This time, my fingertips just brushed the branch, without having to jump. I gripped -- as securely as I could -- and pulled.

Bleeeeeeding hrrackg! The muscles in my biceps strained and pulled and strained some more. Then, at last, I hooked my ankles around the branch and swung into a seated position. I shot Van a triumphant look, which he ignored.

In seconds, he hopped atop the boulder and swung up next to me. No cursing necessary.

"Athletic dungface," I muttered.

The 'athletic dungface' in question just laughed. Then turned to the next branch. "We're not there yet. What are you waiting for?"

The patience to stop myself from pushing you off this tree right now. "I'm coooooming." I reached up to the branch above us -- then remembered. Dero.

But the baby dragon didn't seem to need my, or anyone's, help. With a few flapping jumps, he'd drawn even with Van. A few more, and he nearly disappeared behind the first layer of canopy.

Okay then, I blew out a breath, time to climb.

I pushed away the part of me that wanted to celebrate my not-so-clever rhyme, and reached for the branch above my head. My foot used a lower branch to step up. Before long, I'd rejoined Van.

And we climbed.

Reach, step, push, pull.

Reach, step, push, pull.

And repeat.

We climbed, just like that, for several long minutes. The tree was taller than any I'd ever seen -- I wouldn't be surprised if the top rivalled some of the shorter palace towers.

Not the Harvenmor palace towers, of course. We had tall towers. Some of the tallest in the realm. (It was a strange thing to be proud of, I'll admit, but I'd always like that about our home). Only Portsburring had us beat -- it sat in a valley, after all, so at least one tower had to be tall enough to see out of the pass to the other side of the mountains.

Reach, step, push, pull.

My mind wandered as we climbed. It touched upon everything from dragons to how my parents were faring at home (and if they'd signed the engagement contract yet). Then moved to Mordrin, and magic, and finally settled on the prince who climbed silently beside me.

He seemed lost in his own thoughts as well. His face wore a mask of intense concentration.

Reach, step, push, pull.

He climbed easily -- the muscles in his shoulders pulling him from one branch to the next with an ease I could only ever dream of accomplishing -- and his hands gripped each branch tightly.

Reach, step, push, pull.

Actually-

Reach, step.

-when I looked closer-

Push, pull.

-his hands gripped each branch so tightly they were shaking.

Reach, step, push, pull.

And when he let go, then kept shaking.

It was only his hands -- the rest of him moved as surely as if he'd done this every day of his life.

I stopped, mid-pull. "Van." He didn't appear to hear me. I tried again. "Van."

Van stopped too. He didn't look down at me. "What's wrong?"