Hi!
About the one-shots:
Basically, it's a short story you would write using characters from this story (Secret Wings).
I haven't written down all the rules yet, so you'll probably get them and the prompt next chapter. :)
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Chapter 35
We had been flying for a while now, having paused only for a lunch break, and the sky was starting to darken, casting a shadow on the fields below us.
I was feeling the effects of our short nigh and beginning to tire. The pace of the group had slowed, and even Aiden had fallen quiet, indicating I was not the only one in this case.
"Guys, start flying lower. According to the map we should fly over a small village soon." Chase said.
Sure enough, a cluster of houses soon appeared.
We flew down to the first house, which had a large barn to its side.
Chase knocked on the door, which was opened by an amiable-looking man.
"Hello, sir, sorry to bother you so late," Chase greeted him politely. "My friends and I are traveling, and we were wondering if you would be so kind as to allow us to spend the night in your barn."
The farmer took in Aiden's and my bows and Chase's sword.
"Are you part of the army? Junior Troops, most likely?"
Chase nodded. "Yes, sir, we are."
The man smiled. "My younger brother was in there, once. He's a medic, now, too."
He looked at us a moment longer, and nodded. "Y'all seem like good kids. I'll show you where we store the fresh straw. It's as comfortable as any bed."
"Thank you so much," Autumn smiled.
While the farmer led us towards the barn, I dug my hand into my jean pocket, tired of whatever was in there digging into my thigh when I walked.
I looked at the torn, crumbled gift paper, and remembered: it was the gift from my grandmother. For once, my habit of stashing things into my jean pockets had been useful. If I hadn't put it there, I would have forgotten it at the castle.
"What's that?" Aiden looked at it curiously.
I shrugged. "A present from my grandmother. The king gave it to me for her before he left last night."
I carefully teared open the rest of the package to reveal a rectangular leather pouch. I opened it and looked at the object inside quizzically.
"Is that... A swiss army knife?"
"Cool," Aiden admired. "My Granny only ever gives me socks or cookies. Not that cookies aren't awesome, but you know what I mean."
I pulled a blade open, then another. A pair of scissors, then a small knife. The next one was slightly unusual for a swiss army knife: a miniature key.
"I'm getting sick of these keys already," I grumbled. I already had one hanging around my neck, I didn't need another.
"Open another one," Aiden prompted.
"What is that?" Chase joined the conversation. "Oh, that's useful! Where did you get it?"
"It's a present from my grandma."
"She means the queen." Aiden supplied.
Chase raised an eyebrow. "Uh... The queen's not really in shape to give anyone presents, to the best of my knowledge."
"She gave it to Hailey through the king, stupid."
"You said something, guy who once thought that pineapples came from pine trees?"
"Nope, dunno what you're talking about."
I laughed at their banter, and directed my attention back to the knife. Turning it over, I noticed that one side was engraved with a rearing pegasus and a set of initials.
"Guys," Autumn caught our attention, looking at us pointedly.
I snapped the blades back into the body of the knife, and, catching what she wanted us to do, turned to the farmer.
"Thank you again, sir. We really appreciate it."
"Ditto," Aiden said, before yawning. "Sorry."
The man laughed. "No problem, kids. Y'all want some food for dinner? We have a few leftovers."
"No, thank you, we brought food with us," Autumn smiled.
"Alright, good night, kids."
We went inside the barn, and as soon as Autumn sat down Juno curled up obediently next to her.
Fatigue was starting to take it's toll on me, and I laid down in the soft straw, barely registering the faint smell of sheep. I guessed I was going to skip dinner. Someone covered me with a blanket, and I mumbled a thanks before sleep overtook me.
***
"Rise and shine, sleepy heads!" Aiden woke me cheerily, opening the doors of the barn wide to let in the sunlight. "It's around seven already."
"Great," I groaned, forcing myself to sit up. "Figures you'd be a morning person," I muttered.
"What?" Aiden, at the other side of the barn, was already fully dressed, his bow over his shoulder, and trying to shake awake Chase, who was wrapped inside his brown wings. Finally, Chase gave up any pretense of sleep and jerked open his large right wing, purposely slapping Aiden in the face.
"Where's Autumn?" I couldn't see either her or her peryton.
"Already up."
"Don't tell me we have two morning persons here," I tried to pat down my mess of hair and stood up, yawning.
"Yeah, try sharing a room with that," Chase jerked his thumb towards Aiden, "All year round at the castle."
"At least you get your own room when you sleep at my house," Aiden offered. Then he clapped his hands. "Alright, both of you stop acting like little sleep-deprived children and get up now. So much to do and... And stuff!"
"The quote goes 'so much to do and so little time'." Chase stood up and brushed straw off himself, and I tried not to stare at his bare chest.
"Alright, I'm going to go find Autumn," I said, noting that the bag with changes of clothes was missing and hoping there was a hairbrush packed somewhere.
As I left the barn, I heard sniggering, then Chase saying 'shut up!' and the sound of someone getting slapped, then wrestling.
I hid a smile, wondering what they were fighting about now, and laughing at their childish, almost brother-like behavior
I found Autumn thanks to Juno. My friend was at a fresh water spring, and thankfully had a hairbrush with her.
When I was more presentable, we went back to the barn and all ate a quick breakfast.
The farmer who had let us sleep in the barn found us outside and offered us some fresh milk.
"So, where's you kids heading?"
"Sperodyfis," Aiden answered with his mouth full.
"Are you going by the guard tower?"
Chase shook his head. "Wouldn't that be a detour? Plus, I doubt there'll be many people there."
"Less than usual, for sure, but they gotta have at least fifteen guards there at all time, for security. They got peryton, too. Maybe they could lend you one or two, seeing as you're from the army and all."
"That's actually not a bad idea." Autumn said. "If we could ride on perytonback we would more than make up the time from the detour, maybe even gain half a day, and at the guard tower we'd have a place to rest for a spell."
Aiden nodded. "Sounds good to me."
"Whatever sounds good to you guys," Chase shrugged.
"Then to the guard tower it is." I stated.
Then, after many thanks to the farmer, we went back on our way.
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Not the most action packed chapter, but I'd appreciate your votes nonetheless!
Not even half (or a tenth, actually) of the people reading this are voting, and it only takes a second, literally. The authors on Wattpad are giving you free stories, and a simple click on that little star is a quick and easy way to thank them :)
If there's a reason you're still reading this on Chapter 34, but don't want to vote, then an explanation would be very much appreciated, as I admit being a bit confused by this.