Bastileborn - Dragon Fire Pt. 02

"Nice work," Plinkon noted.

"I hope so. I want him strong enough to dance with me in three days."

"Don't fret. He'll be back to his annoying self sooner than ya think."

"Plinkon, what did you do before you came to Carus? I know you said you were a craftsman. Did you travel around in a wagon like this and sell your goods?"

"I did. I made lodgings in different villages and traveled all over Bastileborn to keep the scenery fresh, and the debt collectors confused," he chuckled.

"Incredible! I would love to travel the continent. Have you been to the Fire and Wine Festival before? What's it like?"

"I've been many times, and the festival seems more enchanting every time I visit. The event planners always make a grand spectacle out of it since all the royalty of Luria visit that week. The games and food alone can keep ya busy all day, not to mention the many contests that award prizes to folks that show off their best skills. There are flashy parades and parties throughout the day in the main square. They ignite the fire lanterns at night so everyone can dance under them with a cup of wine. The goal is to finish the wine and not spill any before Cypress's Flute Hymn ends. If ya accomplish that, ya will be blessed with good fortune for the rest of the year."

"Now I'm more excited! Who's Cypress? Why does he have a flute hymn?"

"Cypress is the god of love, fertility, and merriment. Everyone wants his blessings. Legend has it, he was the demigod that started the Fire and Wine Festival many centuries ago. It was intended to lift human spirits so they would procreate."

"Wow, I didn't know humans needed encouragement to do that. They're the most populous race in the mortal realm," Thistle said in embarrassment.

"Father says it's because they reproduce like rabbits," Wesley chuckled as he rode up beside Thistle on his beautiful cream-colored mare.

"That's not very polite, young prince, but it's not far from the truth," Plinkon said with a smirk.

"Hey, enough with the insults. I'm half-human," Thistle mumbled.

"Sorry, sis. I don't think less of you for it. Humans are admirable, adventurous, and fun. Gavin is an excellent example of that. Don't tell him I said so."

"Well, the insult goes both ways," Plinkon added. "Humans agree they reproduce like rabbits, but it's the high elves that look like rabbits."

Thistle burst out laughing after that. Her amusement soon had everyone else laughing. Astrum even rode up beside Wesley on his brown stallion to join the conversation.

"I gotta tell that to Gavin when he wakes up," she said with a huge smile.

"Don't bother. He's the one that told it to me," Plinkon laughed.

"I should have known. Plinkon, what are the festival contests like? Can I join one?"

"I don't see why not. All races are welcome at the festival even though it's mostly a human celebration. I usually take part in the ax-throwing competition. I bet ya could wipe the slate clean at the young female archery competition. Yer the right age for it. Ya brought yer bow to practice with, didn't ya?"

"I did! Can I use it in the competition?"

"No, they provide a standard recurve to prevent unfair advantages, but ya should practice every night when we make camp."

Thistle jumped at the first chance she got to practice. As the men set up camp for the night, she hunted for small game. She felt exhilarated and determined to do her absolute best in the archery competition. The thought of competing with other young women made her feel special. She had never competed in anything more serious than a board game in her life.

Gavin woke much later that evening to the amazing smell of rabbit stew and potatoes. He slowly sat up and took a deep breath. He felt tremendously better after his nap. He pulled his boots on and climbed out of the wagon to join his friends around the campfire. Thistle jumped up in alarm to see him walking without help.

"Gavin! You should have called for one of us to help you," she scolded as she rushed to him and took his arm over her shoulder.

"Sorry, I feel a lot better. My strength is taking its sweet time coming back, though," he admitted as she helped him sit on a log close to the fire.

"Some food might actually help with that," she said as she collected him a bowl of soup and some bread.

"Thanks for the food, Plinkon," Gavin called since he was the one tending the fire under the cauldron.

"Don't thank me, thank Thistle. She shot and cleaned the rabbits."

Gavin looked at Thistle and smiled as she sat down next to him with her own food.

"Thank you, Thistle. You're really good with a bow."

"She's exceptionally good," Astrum noted. "Her majesty trained her well. If she were stronger, she would be better than me," he admitted as he sat down in the grass next to Wesley with a bowl of soup.

"Thank you, Astrum," she said with a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Any time," he said as they exchanged friendly smiles.

Gavin looked between them and frowned. The thought of Thistle liking Astrum infuriated him in many ways. He barely understood where the rage was coming from.

"Are you all right, Gavin? Do you not like the soup?" she asked when she noticed his scowl.

"Uh, it's delicious. I'm just... feeling a bit dizzy from sitting up, I guess."

"I'm sorry you don't feel well. You can lean on me if you need to," she suggested as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and squeezed him.

"Thanks, Thistle. That helps a lot," he whispered as he glanced at Astrum to make sure he was watching. Astrum was frowning at that point, making Gavin feel rather accomplished.

With their stomachs content, they turned their focus on sleep. The weather was nice, so everyone but Gavin and Thistle slept under the stars that night. Thistle tucked Gavin into his bed in the wagon and made him take his medicine. Then she curled up close to him and drifted off to sleep. She woke in the middle of the night, needing to relieve herself. She quietly climbed out of the wagon and crept into the woods beside the road. As she was preparing to return to camp, a glint of light in the forest caught her attention. She looked into the woods and saw a fire burning in the distance. She figured it was simply a fellow traveler's campfire. Then she saw another bright glint of light. It seemed too bright to be made by fire.

"What's causing that?" she mumbled as she walked deeper into the woods to get a closer look.

She came upon a small clearing where a fire was burning brightly in a neat circle of stones. There was a small horse-drawn wagon on the edge of the clearing, and sitting on the ground next to the fire was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. The man had shiny caramel-colored hair that fell carelessly around his large eyes. His hair shined like precious metal in the firelight. He was dressed in a simple green tunic and pants. His feet were curiously bare. A beautiful collection of shimmering gold arrows were stacked beside his leg. He was deep in concentration as he carefully attached a split red feather to the end of an arrow. The arrowhead was incredibly shiny. It would glint in the firelight every time he moved it.

"It's not polite to stare, young lady," he announced, startling Thistle so bad she jumped.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, sir. I'll leave you alone," she squeaked and was about to hurry away.

"Wait, come speak to me for a moment. It's not every day a beautiful half-elf maiden visits me in the woods," he called as he continued working on his arrow.

Thistle froze in her tracks at his words. Then she slowly turned to look at the handsome stranger again. She gulped and stepped into the firelight on the edge of the clearing.

"What did you call me?"

"A half-elf," he said as he looked up and gave her a beautiful smile.

She blinked in surprise at his handsome face and enchanting green eyes. She could see him really well, even at a distance. He seemed to absorb light and reflect it back with more brilliance.

"How do you know what I am?" she asked as she walked a little closer. There was something so inviting about the strange man's eyes. She almost couldn't look away.

"Hybrids are a specialty of mine," he said with a smirk before he released her from his gaze and went back to working on his arrow.

"Uh, what do you mean by hybrid?"

"Come sit down with me, and I'll tell you about it," he said as he patted the ground next to his leg.

Thistle had no misgivings about sitting next to the enchanting stranger. The rest of the world didn't seem to matter at that point. She sat down next to him and watched as he continued to wrap the gold string around the end of the arrow, attaching the split red feathers with precision.

"I've studied hybrids for many centuries," he began. "I've helped create different hybrids with the sole purpose of encouraging positive change among the mortals. I think I finally got the combination right this century," he whispered as he tied off the gold string.

Thistle didn't understand what he was talking about, but she was intrigued by his handiwork on the arrow. Upon closer inspection, she realized the gold shaft was covered in intricate carvings. The designs were exquisite and finer than anything she had ever seen.

"Wow, they're so beautiful. They look enchanted," she said with a smile.

"They are. They're arrows of destiny. A miracle shot, so to speak. They can pierce the heart through the eyes. For high in the sky, your enemy flies so your shot can reach a thousand eyes," he sang in a charming tone as he held up his finished arrow.

Thistle smiled and reached out to take it, but he quickly pulled it away from her.

"Sorry, fair maiden. These arrows must be earned, won, or purchased with something more valuable than gold. It will rot your hand off if you touch it without earning it."

"Seriously? I would really like to have one. What's more valuable than gold?"

"Many things are more valuable than gold. Some things are so precious, a mortal can only give them once in their life. Like your virginity, for instance," he said with a huge grin.

Thistle's eyes went wide after that remark.

"I um... don't want one that badly," she said with a gulp.

"I see. A first kiss is also more valuable than gold. Would you be willing to give me yours?" he asked as he searched her sparkling gray eyes.

She looked at the shiny arrow and chewed on her lip in indecision.

"I um... I can't. I want my first kiss to be with someone else. Someone I've wanted to kiss for a while now, but we haven't found the right moment yet."

"I see, and you're too honorable to betray your heart. I admire that tremendously, even though it's not very fun," he sighed as he set the arrow on the ground.

He reached up and caressed Thistle's blushing cheek with the back of his hand. The warmth that radiated out of his skin made her feel tingly all over. It sent a blush creeping down her neck and across her chest.

"Good grief, you're beautiful," he whispered in admiration. "Are you sure you won't give me your virginity? We don't have to kiss. You can save that for your true love. It's not a bad deal. I can pleasure you better than any mortal on the planet," he whispered as he drew closer to her face. He ran his fingers into her dark hair and let their noses touch.

Thistle shuddered all over with arousal from his overpowering aura. The desire rolling off of him was like a spell that pulled her to him, body and soul, but she knew in her heart it would be wrong to give in.

"Please don't. I can't," she whispered with her body tingling and her muscles growing weak with desire.

"You are amazing. No mortal has ever resisted me like this before," he chuckled in pure astonishment. "Devotion this pure deserves mind-numbing ecstasy, and I can help you achieve it without dishonoring you. That's one of my many perks," he said with a devilish grin. "Come closer," he whispered as he gently coaxed her to sit between his legs with her back resting against his warm chest.

Thistle felt hot all over as he picked up her hand and guided her to touch herself between her legs. She gulped as he held his fingers over hers and encouraged her to press against her tender skin through her clothes. She let out a soft moan as he helped her massage herself. She shuddered with warmth and tingles as she let her head rest on his shoulder. He looked down at her beautiful face and smiled at her pleasure.

"You are definitely one of my favorite creations," he whispered as he ran his nose along the length of her short ear. She gasped from the intense tickle it caused. "Hmm... adorable, sensitive ears. I'll have to slip that knowledge to Gavin. By the way, you should pretend he's touching you right now. It will make it feel even better," he whispered with hot breath against her ear.

She groaned from the excess of warmth and tingles inside her as she massaged herself in a swirling motion. She imagined Gavin holding her close and massaging her, and it made the tingles more intense. She gasped and cried out in ecstasy a few seconds later. She massaged herself harder as her insides trembled with the most thrilling sensation she had ever felt. The pleasure was utterly exhausting as it rolled through her muscles. The mysterious stranger made sure she felt it for as long as possible. She fell fast asleep against him as the pleasure subsided.

"It was satisfying for me too," he whispered and kissed her hair.

He gently lowered her to the grass and admired her for a moment. Then he picked up one of the golden arrows, placed it in her hand, and wrapped her fingers around it.

"You earned this by resisting me. A normal maiden would be fucking me by now," he said with a smirk. "And don't forget... high in the sky your enemy flies so your shot can reach a thousand eyes," he whispered before he vanished into thin air, leaving a soft green glow behind him.

Thistle woke with a start sometime later. It was early morning, judging by the growing light. She sat up in alarm when she realized she was in the woods. She had no clue how she got there. She looked at the exquisite gold arrow in her hand in bewilderment. Then she suddenly remembered a warm feeling of pleasure and a tickle along her right ear.

"Thistle! Where are you?" Gavin called in a frantic voice from the left, startling her out of her thoughts.

"I'm here!" she called as she hurried to her feet and straightened her clothes.

She looked at the arrow for a moment, wondering what to do with it. She didn't want to show it to the boys because she didn't know how to explain it. She definitely didn't want to tell them how she felt when she looked at it. She quickly folded it into a crease of her dress's skirt until she could hide it in her quiver. Gavin met Thistle halfway back to camp. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her in relief.

"Don't scare me like that, Thistle. I thought wolves dragged you off in the middle of the night, and I missed it because I was drugged," he said as he pet her dark hair.

"I'm sorry I worried you. I was exploring and got turned around until you called me."

"Don't wander off alone without a dagger or your bow. The open road is incredibly dangerous for women and men. You wouldn't believe the creepy people I've encountered out here alone," he explained as they turned back towards camp.

"I understand. How do you feel this morning? Your balance seems better."

"I feel stronger today. I had a pleasant dream last night that helped," he said with a grin.

"Oh, really? What was it about?"

"It was about you. That's all you need to know."

"Seriously? Not even a hint as to what that blush is about?"

"Nope," he chuckled.

Mauve Pearl Village

They returned to camp for a light breakfast of eggs and toast before they packed up and continued west. Thistle hid her golden arrow in her quiver when no one was looking. She thought about it all morning, feeling flummoxed as to how she acquired it. The memory of her night in the woods was a pleasant, warm blur in her thoughts. She wondered how she was supposed to use the arrow. It was too beautiful for target practice or hunting.

Gavin was full of energy for the first time in three days. He was making a list of everything he planned to enjoy with her at the festival. They had a lot to accomplish before the royal banquet at the hunting lodge where Thistle would finally meet her father. Gavin had concerns as to how his family would react to meeting a half-blood princess of two races. He planned to lie low and enjoy the festival for a few days before doing any official business.

Thistle was in awe as they rolled into the village on the opening day of the festival. The red, white, yellow, and pink Fire and Wine themed banners began appearing on the road a mile before they even reached Mauve Pearl Village. As they entered the main gate, their wagon was showered in mauve-colored rose petals by two female gate guards perched high in decorated towers.

The wagon was stopped just inside the gate for registration. The travelers were required to give their names so they could receive gifts and information about the festival. They would need a registration card to enroll in festival competitions. Everyone lied about their full names. They were having trouble keeping straight faces as they announced their made-up names to the registrar. When Thistle introduced herself as Judy Trudy, the boys burst into a chorus of laughter, leaving the festival reps confused.

"What's so funny about my name?" Thistle asked as they continued into the village.

"It rhymes," Gavin said with a smile. "And that's the name you're stuck with for the entire festival. They wrote it on your registration card. Every time you compete in something, you'll be introduced to the crowd as Judy Trudy."

"Oh... well, I don't care. I'm still going to compete in the archery competition," she said with her cheeks burning.

"You're going to win, too," Gavin assured her once he contained his laughter. "You're lucky you get to compete. I'm still too banged up to enter the fencing tournament."

"That does stink," Wesley mumbled in disappointment for his friend. "Is there anything you can do that doesn't involve combat? Maybe something we can compete in together? Mother and Astrum forbid me from engaging in combat."

"I know! The drunken dart-throwing contest!" Gavin said excitedly. "I could probably win that if my cousin Eric doesn't compete."

"Drunken dart-throwing? I can do that for sure. Count me in," Wesley said excitedly.

"Wesley, you're too young to be competing in drunken darts," Astrum said in disapproval.

"Lighten up, beanpole. Let the prince have some fun. No one will say a thing. He looks older than me already anyway," Gavin said in Wesley's defense.

Astrum grumbled something under his breath, but he didn't continue his protest. Thistle was smiling as they rode through the beautiful cobblestone streets of Mauve Pearl Village. She had no idea towns like that existed outside of storybooks. The houses and businesses were built with gray and brown stones between exposed beams of oak and linden wood. The rooftops were either gray slate or colorful wood shingles. The buildings had extravagant, overhanging eaves with carved corbels to protect villagers from inclement weather while shopping. Potted plants and climbing vines added splashes of green to the mostly stone-paved town center.

Most of the morning was dedicated to registering for various competitions and sampling delicious festival food. Almost every pastry, candy, cake, and pie had wine-flavored fruit, chocolate, or cream inside them. Plinkon encouraged the group to find rooms for the night before everything was booked. He didn't want to camp for the entire festival. They went to inn after inn to discover everything was completely booked for the week.