The dangling cage.

“You know it still surprises me that we are going together on this trip or adventure or search or whatever this is”, Dragomir said, he unsheathed his sword and swiftly cut down a branch in their path.

Raisel turned to look at him, “Beats me too”

“I’ve never really understood your desire to go in search of the heart of magic, it’s been lost for years now. Even the most skilled warriors have returned fruitless. What makes you think you can find it”

Raisel rolled her eyes, “I could ask you the same question."

Dragomir raised his hands. “Oh come on! Let’s communicate, if we are going to work together we need to talk about everything.”

Raisel thought about it for a while. “Honestly I do not know, I’ve always felt drawn to it after my father returned from his search...", she paused, "I guess it was because he was drawn to it, it was all he talked about, after his death, I felt this pull to also go in search for it..." she looked at him. "I know it doesn't make sense..."

“I see”, Dragomir rubbed his chin. "It does..."

They were walking through a forest of very tall trees and shrubs. Their boots made creaking noises as they stepped on all the felled branches.

“And you?, What is your motive? Why have you gone in search of the heart of magic”, Raisel turned to ask him, Fury was in step behind them.

“To help my people,” he stated simply.

She creased her eyebrow. "That was very cryptic. To help your people? That doesn't even make..."

"Neither does your reason but do you see me complaining?" he cut in.

"You just said it did."

He stopped suddenly and extended a hand out to her stopping her in her path. He strained his ears to listen for the sound, and his hand rested firmly on his sheath. When he was convinced everything was fine he turned to her. "It is called being polite."

She clicked her tongue, "Now that we are past this, can we focus on the path ahead? Whatever it is”.

Dragomir stared at the dark-haired girl beside him, Raisel. It was a beautiful name. Her blue eyes shone so bright they could compete with the bluest of oceans. It was nothing like he had seen before. And there was her personality it…

“Ow!”, he groaned aloud, his leg was stuck in a small bush thicket.

Raisel rushed and placed his hands over his mouth, “Shh, don’t say a word. Don’t say anything. Let’s just stay quiet and…”

He looked at her intently, she removed her hand from his face almost immediately.

“We would be using the main travelling paths and not the forest if it weren’t for you running away with the book and turning us into fugitives”

“Okay that’s behind us now, can we focus on the task at hand?”, Raisel said in a rushed manner.

He peered closely at her, “Don’t say!”, he grinned widely, “You are scared”

“No, I’m not”

“Yes, you are!”

He stared at her, “So tell me what is it?”, he asked in a soft voice.

Raisel looked at his deep grey eyes as they stared into hers. They were…beautiful pairs of eyes, too beautiful none like she had ever seen. Time seemed to have stopped for a brief moment. Her eyes wandered around the deep contours of his face. The perfectly sculpted cheekbones and firm jawline…

Raisel moved away from him, “Dragomir we need to get going”, she said in a shaky voice.

He chuckled, “You’re never scared, I’m wondering what exactly has you worried?”

“If I tell you will that make you keep quiet?”

“Sure”

“Wild animals”, she stated.

“You couldn’t possibly be terrified of wild animals are you?”, he asked, “This is surprising you know. What happened to…”

Raisel turned to look at Dragomir as he took another step, “Dragomir!”, she shouted, “Step away”

She moved towards him in an instant, sending them both to the ground. She fell on top of him just then a booby trap cage fell on the spot he previously stood making a loud noise.

They both turned to look at the cage.

“That’s one big cage”, she spoke first in between short rapid breaths.

“That was a close one”, he said slowly, staring at her intently. If she was any minute later, he would have been trapped in a cage waiting for whoever set it to come to get him. He could have easily been a giant's meal or worse witches last ingredient for her potion, “You’re pretty skilled with traps”

She raised her brows deep in thought, “I can’t possibly say that”

Dragomir could not fathom how she warned him earlier, he had seen traps of that sort, and it was hard to avoid them. He turned to look at her, she still lay comfortably on top of him. Her chest heaving. It made him feel warm and he liked it, he didn’t want to move. His eyes met her beautiful sea-blue eyes, her long lashes fluttering as she stared deeply from underneath them.

He smirked, “We could stay here all day”

As if that was the cue she needed, she got up abruptly and straightened her dress, “We should get going”

“I think we still have time”

“I think I should have left you stuck in a cage dangling from a tall tree”.

***

“So you supposedly heard a word about the heart of magic and some people going after it”, Aldrich questioned, “And you thought somehow this concerns me?”

King Nikolas had asked to see him in his palace, King Aldrich had thought it was on pertinent matters. Like King Nickolas agreeing to join forces with his army against his enemies. To say he was disappointed was an understatement. Many people had approached him about this, he was only a young man during the war. It was a very long war. He had witnessed its horror. He never wanted to be a part of anything concerning the heart of magic.

“Of course Aldrich, of course”

“I want no part in it”

“How could you not?”, Nikolas asked perplexed, “If it falls into the wrong hands it will prove disastrous for the lot of us”

“Don’t try to guilt trip me into doing this Nikolas”

Nikolas smiled, he was getting through to him already, “I’m not dear friend. You know this affects a lot of us. We haven’t had this much stability in years, let’s not ruin it…”

“I would rather the stone remained lost, no one in control…”

“Wouldn’t we all?”, Nikolas feigned concern, “Not everyone however shares our views. People are going in search of it”

Aldrich shrugged, “Didn’t they all in the past? What is different this time? What makes you think it will be found?”

Nikolas hesitated for a while, “This time around it’s not just clueless warriors and youngsters going on a search. This time the same man who threw us into the bloodied war is also searching for it…”

“Votigern”, Aldrich said through clenched teeth like the very sound of his name disgusted him because it did.

Nikolas smiled, “Of course, you remember. We can not forget in a hurry what he can do with a gem as valuable and powerful as that”

“I know that”

“Good”, Nikolas sighed, “I don’t know about you but I do not want to be a witness to it again”

“What would you have me do Nikolas?”

“The heart of magic. The only book on it is missing. Presumed to have been taken by two youngsters”

“Oh, Nikolas!, You are troubled because two people took a book on the heart of magic...”

“The only book”, Nikolas corrected.

“They are just youngsters, why is that a problem”, Aldrich asked genuinely surprised.

“Votigern used to be only a messenger for a human king before the war”

Aldrich massaged his forehead with his fingers.

“A boy and a girl. Send your men on a hunt, we will cover more grounds in our search”

***

His servant Mart tapped on the wooden door rapidly, after a few moments the door opened up to reveal Raisel’s mother Marcella. Her cheeks were sunken, her eyes tired and her hair lost its usual shine. It was the same shade as Raisel’s.

Allerick hated to bother her, at least not at this moment. Not when she was grieving but he needed to talk to her. He needed answers.

“Your Highness”

“A very good morning to you Ma'am”, he said in his usual charming voice.

She nodded absentmindedly, she opened the door wider to let him in.

He entered the house, he failed at trying to hide his discomfort. For one who had worked with the king all his life, Raisel’s father had failed to provide for his family a deserving place to stay. Allerick deduced that the death of her husband and the disappearance of her only child all contributed to the reason the house was in such a state.

He pulled out a small chair and sat on it, “How are you, ma'am?”

“How else would a woman be if she lost her whole family?”

Allerick swallowed, “You haven’t lost her. Raisel will be back safe and sound. I’ll do whatever I can in my power”

She nodded.

“I have a few questions to ask?”

“Yes of course your highness”, she abruptly got up, “I’m sorry I have not offered tea”

He waved her off, “That wouldn’t be necessary”.

She sat back down, “Then ask away”

“Did Raisel hint on where she was going to by any chance?”

She shook her head, “Raisel didn’t have directions at least not that I know of, she just took off”

“What about her purpose?, Did she not talk about it? Surely she did”, he probed further.

Marcella hesitated for a brief moment, she couldn’t divulge what had transpired between her and her daughter. It could land her in big trouble. She was caught between two crossroads, wanting to save her daughter by all means necessary, whatever it took. And protecting her daughter from whatever harm might befall her if her mission was known. She chose the latter, “No I h…have no idea whatsoever”, she stuttered.

Allerick looked her over, “I was with my father and a boy and a girl were spotted in Molvania…”, he trailed off and gauged her reaction, “Guess what they did there?”, he didn’t wait for her reply, “They went stealing, stealing books. The only book on the heart of magic”

“Oh”

“And having known your daughter all these years and how adventurous and big her dreams can be, I can safely say that I suspect that it is her”, he stood up from the chair he sat on, “What do you think Marcella? is your daughter in the arms of a rogue and out stealing the only detailed book on the heart of magic, written by ancient dragons that have ceased to exist?”. His eyes were alit with a hint of anger.

***

“Where is this place?”, Raisel asked.

“This is Mercia, one of the smallest kingdoms”

“You seem to be well-travelled. You know your way around everywhere”

“You can’t imagine”, he whispered.

She yawned aloud, “I think I and Fury could use a place to rest”.

“Surely. Like I said Mercia is a small kingdom, we can use this place as a hideout away from whoever might be after us”

She nodded.

He looked her over again, “I think we are already failing woefully at the attempt to stay hidden”

“What do you mean?”, she asked puzzled.

He tilted his head to the side.

“What?”

He moved his head twice again.

“Why are you twitching your neck? Is something wrong with your neck?”, she asked aloud.

He rolled his eyes and tilted his neck to the other side again.

“Are you hurt?”

“Arrgggh!”, he groaned, gently massaging his forehead, “Raisel everyone is staring at us, mostly you actually”

She turned to look at them.

“Hey”, he said in a hushed whisper, “Don’t make it obvious. They might be a small kingdom but they are on alert. If something seems out of place they’ll feel threatened and attack”.

Raisel looked around subtly, “Why are they looking at me?”, she asked in panic.

“It’s not every day you see a tiny girl wearing warrior clothes, a large sword sheathed by her side, a large black horse walking behind her”, he said.

“I’m not tiny!”, she retorted in a small voice.

He rolled his eyes, “Really? Is that all you got from all I said?”

“And let’s not forget the fact that you look like you just met with the tormenter of hell”, he added, a very serious look on his face.

“That’s for you to say. Have you seen yourself? You look like…”

“Most importantly we have to stay away from the public eye and act normally”, he interrupted her.

She glared at him.

***

Raisel walked into the large room, dressed in a violet dress with puffy sleeves at the wrist. It had a drawstring at the back. It was a simple but beautiful dress. Her hair was braided into two, a ribbon at each end of the long braid. She looked every bit like the simple village girl.

She was focused entirely on the dress, she didn’t know when she bumped into Dragomir.

“Oww!”

“Why can’t you look wh…”, he stared at her a little too longer than was proper, “You look…”

She smiled, “Yes?”

“Better”, he nodded, “Yes better than before”

Her smile disappeared replaced with a frown, “Why do I put up with you?”

“You do because you need my help”

“About that, I need to ask, how much did you pay for this inn?”, she asked, “It looks very exquisite and surely it must cost a lot and so will this dress and…”

“Shh”, he placed a finger over his lips, “We want the same thing. And we’ll get it we just need to work together”, he let go of her and proceeded to leave the room.

“I’ll still have to repay you somehow, some time”, she said just before he left.

He stopped and smiled to himself, “Yea somehow some time”.

***

“That’s just it?”, Dragomir questioned puzzled, “How is this supposed to help us?. Why is this even so important there’s nothing much-indicating anything that’ll lead us to anything”.

Raisel lay sprawled across the bed.

“There’s got to be a clue somewhere in here or else these hu…people will not be looking for it”

He traced the words with his fingers, “…bloodstone in a white enclave, …facing where all men go to atone…lions on guard”

“What does this have to do with anything?”, he read further. That instance he heard a small moan, he turned in that direction to see Raisel still laying on the bed. On further inspection, he saw she was clutching her stomach.

“Are you okay Raisel?”, he asked in a panicky tone of voice.

“No”, she said in between short gasps for air.

He rushed to her almost immediately, “Where exactly does it hurt Raisel?”

“Here”, she pointed to her stomach, “Around here”

He turned her over and in one pull, he loosened the drawstrings...

“I think it’s the corset”, she whispered, gasping for air.

“Oh!”, his eyes widened in realization, “What do you want me to do?”, he questioned hesitantly.

She turned to look him in the eyes, “TAKE IT OFF”, she said through clenched teeth.

“Yes, okay”, he pulled down the sleeves of her dress and yanked the corset apart”

She heaved a huge sigh of relief. He stared at her as she began panting. He broke into laughter soon after, she couldn’t help but join in.

“Raisel what girl doesn’t wear a corset?”

“It should be what a normal girl tries to kill herself in the name of fashion”

He laughed some more.

“I can’t be that girl at all”

“Of course, you’re very different”