Chapter 52: Quest

[Ona].

"My husband was attacked by a dragon?"

"Yes, the Viscount Dashiell was attacked on the road. Should we bring you to see him?"

Husband. Dragon.

My husband cannot be attacked by a dragon. He is a dragon and his name is Daax.

My mind flashes through a thousand images of my mate and me together. Fighting together, loving together, standing side just us against the world.

That is reality. This is a dream and I almost got lost inside of it.

Thalan had warned me this was a possibility, but I still let myself slip. I let the dream world take a piece of me as I fell completely into character. I can't let that happen again. I need to remain myself. I need to bring these two home.

But to do that, I need them to know who they are, and right now, looking at them the way that they are, I can see they are very lost.

Turning to the servant who has brought me the terrible news, I contradict him. "You must be mistaken, my husband is away at sea. As he has been for the last 5 years."

Something shifts in the demeanor of the servant. His face goes blank, devoid of emotion, as if waiting waiting for a sign of what he should do next.

"Surely it is just a confused traveler who resembles his lordship," I suggest.

The dream state seems satisfied with this answer as the visage of the young messenger eases gently from confusion to certainty. "Oh yes, of course."

Carnelia and Primus blink. They too look blank until their minds catch up to the edit I just made in their dreamed reality.

"How tragic," Carnelia responds.

Everything will be okay. Her mind has accepted the change. Primus cannot be far behind. She has always been the more clever of the two and the harder to convince of anything.

"Should we do something to help?" Primus stands up a little straighter, puffing his chest with pride. "As a bard, I am trained in basic medicine."

I shake my head. "Our steward will attend to this poor, confused soul. We should continue this discussion in my private chambers."

The two of them look at one another and shrug. It is so cute, to see how well they communicate. Even though they cannot remember who they are in this dream, parts of them still respond automatically, like they've known each other forever.

It was so hard watching Carnelia struggle as Primus' detached and damaged personality kept them apart. It is a relief to see the two of them engaging with one another in a way that feels more natural and familiar.

I reenter the main hall and declare that the rest of the market day meetings are closed. A few people grumble, but I don't care about how any of them feel since none of them are real. My only concern is for the two people walking with me right now. Nothing else matters. I am here for them and them alone.

"Leon," I turn towards him and Carnelia. "Who is your lady friend? Mother had said you were to take a bride. Is she your new wife?"

She blanches, her beautiful dark brown skin turning an unfamiliar shade of pale. "How can you tell that I'm...?"

"A woman," I laugh, "How could anyone guess otherwise? You are far too beautiful to be a boy. Besides," I look over at Primus who is turning red, "My brother looks at you like his heart is breaking and I've never seen him that interested in someone of the same gender. Are you traveling as a boy for safety?" I ask coyly. "Because as your bride, Leon, she'd be safe and..."

"I am NOT his bride," she shouts and for a moment her eyes glow golden. Oh, so that's the ticket. Her body remembers more of herself when her emotions are raised.

"It's not what it looks like!" Primus also insists, stepping in front of his mate and waving his arms. It is so weird seeing them both in human form again. It's been so long.

"Then explain yourselves," I raise an eyebrow. "Give me a good reason not to tell father," I demand playing along with the script this version of me has been given. It is sad that even in this world, our father is the one to come between Primus and his happiness.

As his tale unfolds, I respond as expected, following my role as the Viscountess Ana. The key is to let the dream into your mind just enough to know what to do next, but not so much that it takes over. That is a tricky balance, as I just discovered the hard way when I let myself be consumed. No wonder these two are so lost. They had no preparation.

It feels like old times listening as Primus spends a good part of the remaining morning recounting their adventures. Even though in our world they have been sleeping only a few days, they have already experienced weeks together.

"So you intend to separate after you reach the port city," I quiz them. "Are you sure that is the right decision?"

Primus blushes. Oh good. He has enough sense to know that letting her go would be a mistake.

Carnelia looks fiercely determined, however, in sticking to her plans. "I'm just traveling with Leon until it is safe for me to be alone. There is so much of this world I have never seen. I do not want to be tied down to one place or," she swallows. "One person. Going back to that tavern would be as good as dying."

I never knew that Carnelia craved adventure so badly. But I guess she never got a chance to see much more than the town of Crimson and the inside of Ridgewood Castle where my brother kept her captive until they discovered they were true fated mates.

Maybe that's the key--adventure.

And if I can get Primus to tag along, I can maybe get the two of them to notice one another.

"Can we trust you to keep our secret for a day or two?" Primus begs. "We just need a place to rest before we continue on into the last bit of our journey. I know you are putting yourself and your family at risk."

"The children are away in blind fosterage, learning how to rule," I wave away his concerns. "And my husband is safe at sea. The only way our father would find out is if one of the servants talks, and they won't. They were all chosen with the utmost care and they are loyal to me and my husband solely. They owe no debt to Ridgewood, so they will not think to report."

His body relaxes into the chair. "Thank you, Sister."

"Of course, Little Brother. Anything for you and your mate."

"Mate?" he looks up at me curiously and I realize what I've done. I slipped. I used a phrase that doesn't belong in this reality.

"Yes, friend," I correct myself hoping that the dream state doesn't overreact.

I call for a page to show them to their rooms where they go to wash and change into clothing that feels more comfortable. By the time they are ready to meet with me, I have prepared everything I need to send them on their little quest.

When they reenter the room, both of them look like new people. Now that their secret is out in the open, they no longer feel the need to stick to their disguises.

Primus comes into the room wearing something similar to what he might have worn in real life, a garment of leather and velvet that is both utilitarian but beautiful. He seems more confident dressed like this and my heart hurts to think of the Primus I once knew.

Carnelia's change is a bit more dramatic. She goes from being dressed as a non-descript boy into a beautiful woman with a commanding presence. Her clothing is both fine and practical. Her leather vest fits snuggly over a dress of fine linen and Her ankle-length dress in a fluid line of red linen and satin, is belted with a leather vest that is cinched tightly enough to allow her to forego wearing any kind of corset. I remember how much she hated wearing them, so I am not surprised that her dream self would avoid them.

She also made an effort to look more comfortable and feminine in other ways. She has pulled her hair free of its confining braids and it now floats around her shoulders like a nebulous blonde flame. Hidden within the curls are small pins with red jeweled flowers from which fine silken ribbons are draped.

She made an effort to be pretty.

"Millie," Primus breathes as she enters the room, his eyes unable to look anywhere but her. She turns to the sound of his voice, like a flower growing towards the sun.

They have already started to fall back in love with one another. I just need to help them see it.

Greeting them both I bring their awareness to me and what I have presented on the center table. "Now that we are all here. I want to tell you both about a small problem I have. When I told the servant that it was impossible that my husband had been attacked by a dragon, I wasn't being entirely truthful. Yes, Lord Dashiell is at sea, but the dragon threat to my duchy, I know it sounds impossible but..." I lean forward, "I have seen the dragon myself and it is quite real."

They jump at the word dragon. Was saying that word enough to spark something within them? Maybe it won't be so hard after all to get them to remember who they are.

Drawing patterns on a map I explain my situation and what is required. We need someone to go to the heart of my territory, listen to the stories of the people who dwell there, find the beast, and drive it away. Any gold or treasures they find are theirs once the dragon is gone.

"If the horde proves to be empty," I promise, "I will pay you both handsomely for freeing my people from this terror."

The corners of Primus' mouth twitch upward, his mind sparking with thoughts of adventure and fortune. Carnelia looks at the map, twisting her hands, hungry for the freedom this adventure promises.

"Do you agree to help me?" I implore, pressing my hands together as if in prayer. "I know it is asking a lot for you to add so much time to your trip. But if the reports of my people are to be believed, the dragon should have a treasure that is quite vast. Far more than you can carry on horseback.

"Maybe we should bring a cart," Carnelia shrugs, looking a Primus. His grin grows wider as he nods.

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Minstrel," he laughs.

"I never said...?"

As I watch the two argue it reminds me of old times.

Good. If they are fighting that means there is passion.

And if there is even a spark of passion, it won't be long until they are consumed by its fire and I have my brother and sister back again.