Chapter 29: Parting
Lysander and Erin put on the clothes from grandpa and grandma Thinker, and Lysander double-checked if they had everything. Enough salted meat to last them for two weeks, check. All the mammoth's hides, check. The mammoth's tusks, check. Their meager money, all four gold coins of them, check. All the herbs they had collected and dried last autumn, check.
"Ok, we are good to go," Lysander said, as he motioned to Paul to follow. The puppy was bigger now. It now reached Erin's knees, but it was still lanky, and puppy-like.
They had thought about leaving him with Belle, but the puppy didn't like her much. Maybe, it was because she had spanked the two boys. Paul had a long memory, and he could really hold a grudge. He was a wolf, but through much attention from the two boys, he behaved like a loyal dog.
It was unclear, which one of the boys Paul liked best. Every time Erin went somewhere, Paul would follow. Yet, when Lysander went out for a hunt, Paul would leave Erin, and follow the wanderer.
Erin ran a hand through the thick black pelt of the wolf pup, and then smiled at Lysander.
"Ly, are we going to buy more clothes?" He asked.
"Sure, Rin. I think we can even buy books this time. The tusks alone are going to net us a fortune," Lysander said. Erin grinned at that. He could do with a fairy tale book or two. Lysander knew some stories, but his always ended in death. He wanted a happy end story, for a change. Something meant for children.
Lysander sighed, knowing full well what Erin was thinking.
"Just one fable book," Lysander said, holding up a finger. "We have to think about the future, Rin."
"What do you mean?" Erin asked, put off by the fact, that Lysander wouldn't buy him stacks upon stacks of fable books.
"We need to learn how to better take care of Belle's tree, so a book on trees is a must. Besides that, we will earn more money, if we sell potions, so a book on potions is also a must. Then, there are the vials, mortar, and pestle. And not to mention, that some cookbooks and some seeds for a garden, will also do us good," Lysander said. Erin sighed.
"Fine, just one fable book. Wait, can we buy a book about dragons? I am keen to learn how to fly," Erin had shifted in his dragon from a couple of times, but so far, his little wings had not been able to hold him in the air. He wondered if a book can teach him how to fly.
"We will get one, now, come on. We have a lot of road to cover," Lysander remembered all the walking they had done from the entrance of the frontier, to this tree. He knew he could find the road easily enough. Yet, he wondered, if perhaps he would not find the hut again.
This was his greatest fear. There were many huts in the frontier. Their little one didn't stand out, from all the rest. So, he decided to ask Belle for a favor. Taking a hold of Erin's hand, he led him outside. With his free hand, he knocked on the great oak. Belle came out soon after.
"Going already?" She asked.
"Belle, can you make us a companion, which can lead us back home?" Lysander asked. The two of them had been good, during the time here. Apart from the events which lead to their spanking, they had really kept their noses clean. What Lysander hoped for, was for Belle to have forgiven them. If she thought that new children will be better for her, then he didn't know what he would do. There were many huts, but how many had running water, and even hot water?
"Paul, come here," Belle said. The puppy growled at her. She crossed her hands over her chest.
"You still haven't forgiven, have you?" She asked, not impressed. "Well, if you don't come in here, then I will tug your ear, young man."
Paul whined, placing a paw on his ear. Belle liked to tug at his ears, every time, she caught him peeing on her tree. Something Paul refused to stop doing.
Belle sighed, and then placed a hand over Paul's head. There was a soft glow, and then Paul began to look around with far more curiosity, than before.
"There, now he is smart enough, to be a familiar," Belle said. She turned to Lysander next. "Seeing as you are a druid, you should claim him."
"I am a what?" Lysander asked, tilting his head to the side, and giving Erin's hand an unconscious squeeze.
"Didn't you know? Did you think I'd entrust the care of my tree to just any children? If the two of you were just two boys, I would have seen you back in Crystargar. No, Lysander. I felt that you are a druid, from the second you came to that meadow. That is why I came to greet you," Belle said.
"And did you know that I was a dragon?" Erin asked. Belle shook her head.
"The ability must have been locked within you. There was no telling, if you would have ever manifested as a dragon, if your life hadn't been in danger. Now, I need to give you some parting words," Belle said, as she reached out to a nearby branch, and took two green fruits.
"Take these, and plant them by the entrance of the frontier, so I can see who comes and goes. Don't eat them, though, you will end up with stomachaches. They are green, after all. When autumn comes, I will give you the sweetest and juiciest of my fruits," Belle said. Lysander reached out, and took the two fruits. He wondered how an oak tree had apples growing from it. Did that mean, that there were going to be cherries, come summer? He loved cherries.
"And one last thing," she said, as she placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Stay safe, little ducklings."
The two boys grinned, and hugged the nymph. Ready for their first trading trip.
Chapter 29: Parting
Lysander and Erin put on the clothes from grandpa and grandma Thinker, and Lysander double-checked if they had everything. Enough salted meat to last them for two weeks, check. All the mammoth's hides, check. The mammoth's tusks, check. Their meager money, all four gold coins of them, check. All the herbs they had collected and dried last autumn, check.
"Ok, we are good to go," Lysander said, as he motioned to Paul to follow. The puppy was bigger now. It now reached Erin's knees, but it was still lanky, and puppy-like.
They had thought about leaving him with Belle, but the puppy didn't like her much. Maybe, it was because she had spanked the two boys. Paul had a long memory, and he could really hold a grudge. He was a wolf, but through much attention from the two boys, he behaved like a loyal dog.
It was unclear, which one of the boys Paul liked best. Every time Erin went somewhere, Paul would follow. Yet, when Lysander went out for a hunt, Paul would leave Erin, and follow the wanderer.
Erin ran a hand through the thick black pelt of the wolf pup, and then smiled at Lysander.
"Ly, are we going to buy more clothes?" He asked.
"Sure, Rin. I think we can even buy books this time. The tusks alone are going to net us a fortune," Lysander said. Erin grinned at that. He could do with a fairy tale book or two. Lysander knew some stories, but his always ended in death. He wanted a happy end story, for a change. Something meant for children.
Lysander sighed, knowing full well what Erin was thinking.
"Just one fable book," Lysander said, holding up a finger. "We have to think about the future, Rin."
"What do you mean?" Erin asked, put off by the fact, that Lysander wouldn't buy him stacks upon stacks of fable books.
"We need to learn how to better take care of Belle's tree, so a book on trees is a must. Besides that, we will earn more money, if we sell potions, so a book on potions is also a must. Then, there are the vials, mortar, and pestle. And not to mention, that some cookbooks and some seeds for a garden, will also do us good," Lysander said. Erin sighed.
"Fine, just one fable book. Wait, can we buy a book about dragons? I am keen to learn how to fly," Erin had shifted in his dragon from a couple of times, but so far, his little wings had not been able to hold him in the air. He wondered if a book can teach him how to fly.
"We will get one, now, come on. We have a lot of road to cover," Lysander remembered all the walking they had done from the entrance of the frontier, to this tree. He knew he could find the road easily enough. Yet, he wondered, if perhaps he would not find the hut again.
This was his greatest fear. There were many huts in the frontier. Their little one didn't stand out, from all the rest. So, he decided to ask Belle for a favor. Taking a hold of Erin's hand, he led him outside. With his free hand, he knocked on the great oak. Belle came out soon after.
"Going already?" She asked.
"Belle, can you make us a companion, which can lead us back home?" Lysander asked. The two of them had been good, during the time here. Apart from the events which lead to their spanking, they had really kept their noses clean. What Lysander hoped for, was for Belle to have forgiven them. If she thought that new children will be better for her, then he didn't know what he would do. There were many huts, but how many had running water, and even hot water?
"Paul, come here," Belle said. The puppy growled at her. She crossed her hands over her chest.
"You still haven't forgiven, have you?" She asked, not impressed. "Well, if you don't come in here, then I will tug your ear, young man."
Paul whined, placing a paw on his ear. Belle liked to tug at his ears, every time, she caught him peeing on her tree. Something Paul refused to stop doing.
Belle sighed, and then placed a hand over Paul's head. There was a soft glow, and then Paul began to look around with far more curiosity, than before.
"There, now he is smart enough, to be a familiar," Belle said. She turned to Lysander next. "Seeing as you are a druid, you should claim him."
"I am a what?" Lysander asked, tilting his head to the side, and giving Erin's hand an unconscious squeeze.
"Didn't you know? Did you think I'd entrust the care of my tree to just any children? If the two of you were just two boys, I would have seen you back in Crystargar. No, Lysander. I felt that you are a druid, from the second you came to that meadow. That is why I came to greet you," Belle said.
"And did you know that I was a dragon?" Erin asked. Belle shook her head.
"The ability must have been locked within you. There was no telling, if you would have ever manifested as a dragon, if your life hadn't been in danger. Now, I need to give you some parting words," Belle said, as she reached out to a nearby branch, and took two green fruits.
"Take these, and plant them by the entrance of the frontier, so I can see who comes and goes. Don't eat them, though, you will end up with stomachaches. They are green, after all. When autumn comes, I will give you the sweetest and juiciest of my fruits," Belle said. Lysander reached out, and took the two fruits. He wondered how an oak tree had apples growing from it. Did that mean, that there were going to be cherries, come summer? He loved cherries.
"And one last thing," she said, as she placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Stay safe, little ducklings."
The two boys grinned, and hugged the nymph. Ready for their first trading trip.
