Davie the Mage (Generations of Eredwynn Book 2) Page 2

  She giggled, “‘My Lady?’ You aren’t from around here, are you?”

  “No, I’m not from around here, and I knew that my manners and speech might give me away if I talked to anyone for very long. I’d rather talk about you, anyway. Where do you live and may I walk you home?”

  She looked sad and a bit embarrassed. “I don’t have a home. I was in foster care because my parents were killed in a car wreck and we didn’t have any other family. My foster father thought that if he just kept trying to climb into my bed, I’d get tired of telling him ‘no’. Finally, I got tired of him and ran away. My home is in this pack in the form of a tent now. I’m heading out of town through the woods. From the maps I looked at, I can make it all the way to Missouri without leaving the forest.”

  “How will you eat and take care of yourself?”

  “I guess I’ll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it. There’s rabbits and stuff. Maybe I could talk you into sharing the contents of that bag and that would make one meal before I left.”

  I grinned. “I have some items in my pack, also, and would be happy to share with you. If you’d have me along I’d travel with you, because I enjoy your company. If I’m being too forward, please forgive me.”

  She laughed, “Davie, you’ve got to be a dream. You saved me from a robber and now saved me from starvation. You’re a good-looking guy and are willing to travel to who knows where through the woods with me. You’re not going to get me out in the woods and try to take advantage of me, are you?”

  I was shocked. “I would never lay an uninvited hand on you, Amber. You have my word. I know you don’t know me, and the people around here seem to be quite dishonest, but I am not like them, I promise.”

  “Okay! I believe you, too. I just wish that I had somewhere to go. I don’t know why I want to go to Missouri because I don’t know anyone up there. It just seemed like a direction. Do you have family who will worry about you? Maybe you could take me to visit them and we wouldn’t have to be in the forest forever.”

  I smiled. “I do have family, but they aren’t really that close to here. They will worry, and they do, but taking a girl home to my mom would only mean one thing in her book. You seem sweet and you are lovely. I don’t know if you want to marry me yet or not.”

  She cocked her head. “I could think of worse things but we aren’t eighteen yet, so couldn’t get hitched if we wanted to.”

  “What do you mean eighteen? I’m sixteen and that’s the age that men get married where I’m from.”

  She laughed, “And what age do girls get married? Ten?”

  “No, a girl has to have had her twelfth birthday to be wed or become a consort.”

  She giggled, “Sounds like North Carolina or something. We better walk and talk so we can get out of range of the road and I can set up my tent.”

  We walked and talked for hours, traversing the lightly wooded landscape. We found a clearing near dusk and Amber got out her small two-man tent. I helped her set it up and gathered firewood. I’d given her all the things that I’d purchased at the store but was set with rations. I shared with her because my heart had decided that it wanted to share everything with her. I didn’t want to admit it, because I was doing exactly what James had done, but I was head over heels in love with this girl. I could tell that she was developing feelings for me, and if I were James, I could read exactly what they were. I was his much younger brother and hadn’t picked up that skill.

  We talked well into the night and finally she yawned and announced that she was heading for bed. She stood and looked at me expectantly and I told her to sleep well and I’d see her bright and early. She acted as though that wasn’t what she’d expected from me, but crawled into the tent and closed the flaps. I put a dome shield over the campsite that would prevent unwanted visitors and alert me if we had any. I laid out my bed, curled up next to the fire and went to sleep.

  Chapter Two

  The next morning I woke and laid out food for both of us. I waited until she crawled out of the tent and gave it to her. I ate quickly while she woke and ate. I emptied her tent and rolled her bedding for her. I took down the tent, marveling at the simple ingenuity of the contraption. She didn’t seem like much of a morning person and the sun had been up over an hour before we started walking.

  She shyly took my hand as we started off and my heart leapt with joy. Perhaps she was feeling the same about me as I was her. We kept a due north direction of travel, according to a small circular device she carried. We slipped across small roads and carefully crossed large highways that seemed to crisscross the countryside. We made camp as night fell and Amber surprised me with a light kiss before retreating to her tent.

  Around noon on our fourth day, we stumbled across a small town. Our supplies were running low and Amber asked if I had any money. I pulled out all that I had and handed it to her. The shocked look on her face convinced me that I still had a lot.

  She said, “You’re just going to hand this much money to me and not worry about it?”

  “What would you do? Take it and leave? I’d be more upset about losing you than I would the money. If you want it, it’s yours. I thought that since I wasn’t from around here, you could handle the purchases, because I’m not that familiar with the price of things.”

  She blushed. “Ok, I’ll do some shopping at the grocery store and see if there might be anything else that we find we need. I still think that I’m dreaming sometimes, Davie. I won’t wake up and find that I have been, and you’ll be gone, will I?”

  “That could never happen, My Lady. I’ll be with you as long as you’ll allow. I’m sure that you’ve picked up on my feelings for you by now.”

  We were walking into the store as she whispered her response, “I do think that you really like me a lot and it has confused me. I like you, too, but wonder why you haven’t tried climbing into bed with me.”

  “Amber, I would never come to your bed uninvited! I was raised a gentleman and to respect women. I couldn’t just climb into bed with you. Besides, I’ve never been with a woman and I’m quite nervous about it.”

  She giggled softly, “That part I can understand because I’ve never been with a man. Maybe we can learn together, some night.” She blushed profusely.

  “It would be my honor, Amber.”

  I walked beside her, holding her hand as she pushed a wheeled cart and selected items. She didn’t get too much because we were carrying everything we got everywhere we went. Her transaction at the counter went much smoother than mine had a few days before. She held the roll of money down and blocked people’s view, as if everyone might be a thief. If she acted that way, there was a good chance that everyone was!

  That night we made camp and she made a very nice supper. I helped clean up afterward and helped her set up her tent. She looked disappointed when I laid out my bedroll on the ground by the fire. I hadn’t had an invitation and as much as I wanted to be with her, until I had one, I couldn’t.

  We had just retired when the cold rain started. She stuck her head out of the tent and told me to bring my bedding and myself inside where it was dry. I gathered my things with a butterfly war going on inside of me and joined her in the small tent. She slid to one side and made room for me to spread out and lay down. She propped up on an elbow and looked at me.

  “Was that enough of an invitation for you? I’ve been waiting for a couple days for you to share the tent.”

  “That was a good invitation for me to share the tent. I’ll be a gentleman and keep to myself.”

  “I don’t just want you to share the tent!” she said and leaned across me, kissing me passionately.

  I saw fireworks and felt my body react. I heard her breathing change drastically and checked for magical influence. Sure enough, the magic that Father had around him whenever he was interacting with an attractive lady was filling the tent. I tried to turn it down and control it but I didn’t know how. Amber started undressing me and I didn’t put up a fight. I retur
ned the favor, except I couldn’t figure out how the odd clothing around her breasts came off. She giggled and unfastened it for me. I kissed every inch of skin that was exposed and we sounded like we would suck all the air from the world with our gasping and panting. She whispered for me to be careful and to try not to hurt her. I rolled onto my back and pulled her beautiful naked body on top of me. That way, she could be in control and could take all the time she needed. She sat up and positioned my painfully hard erection into position just inside her. She moaned as it touched her and so did I. She moved up and down, sliding me deeper and deeper into her. She stopped and froze at one point when my member contacted her hymen. She looked into my eyes with so much love and trust that it made my heart ache. She lowered herself down slowly and pushed me through. She then slid the rest of the way down and impaled herself completely. She worked her hips back and forth and then started moving up and down my shaft. I knew that she wasn’t going to be hurt now and rolled her to her bedding and laid on top of her. I began thrusting and listening to her moans and squeals of pleasure. We exploded with massive orgasms that left us both quivering.

  I rolled off her and kissed her. We caught our breath and she rose up on her elbow again. “Davie, were you serious when you said that girls could get married at twelve where you come from? I know a sixteen year old who wants to marry a sixteen year old. Would that be possible?”

  I grinned happily. “Do I happen to know the people in question? I think I do and I have a question for you. Amber, will you marry me? We’d have to go to my home and there are a lot of things that you don’t know about me that I’d want to tell you. If you changed your mind after learning all about me, I’d understand.”

  She giggled, “I was hoping that you’d be the one to propose. I got as close as I could to it without saying it. I would love to marry you and if you have secrets, we’ll work them out together. So we really could get married if we went to your home? Is it far, and when should I hope to be called Mrs. Stephenson?”

  “That’s one of those things that we have to talk about. I know a short- cut home and can have us there tomorrow, if that’s what you want. I have to warn you that where I’m from is a lot different from what you’re used to. If you go there, we can take some time before we get married for you to decide if you want to stay with me or not, all right?”

  “You have me a bit scared, Davie. It isn’t someplace evil or scary, is it?”

  I laughed, “I find this place scary, with speeding cars and doors that open themselves. I guess it’s just what you’re used to. We can talk more in the morning, but for now I am relaxed and happy. I just want to hold you and dream about the possible future with you.”

  She giggled, “I’ve never known a boy that talks like you do! Either you’ve seen too many old romance movies or you’re the real thing. I want to go with you to your home and find out which it is. Goodnight, my love. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  The next morning we woke in each other’s arms and smiled. I asked if she had a change of heart or if she still wanted to go visit my homeland. She informed me that there was no way that I was ever getting rid of her after last night. That made me very happy and I stood up to dress. She sighed and asked if we really had to leave the tent because she thought that staying inside would be much more fun! I told her that if I had my way, we would have a down-filled king size bed that would be more comfortable than the tent. We could share a room or she could have her own. She rolled her eyes and told me that she’d only be comfortable in my bed.

  We packed our belongings and made sure that the soggy fire was out. I decided I’d better tell her a few things and get it out in the open before I started transporting us magically.

  “Amber, there are some things about me that you should know. I’m not from this country or even this realm of existence. I come from a place where magic is real and there are some of us who can use it. Well, only my family and the ones we‘ve trained. My father brought magic to the land about twenty years ago and taught it to some folks. I am going to use magic to transport us back, if you still want to go and don’t think that I’m insane.”

  There were tears in her eyes when I looked at her. “Davie, please don’t be insane. I thought you were too good to be true when I met you and I don’t want to be right. Show me your magical transportation and then I’ll believe you. If this has all been some joke, I think I’ll die.”

  I went to her and held her. “I’m not joking and I’ll prove it. I want to be your husband more than I’ve ever wanted anything. I only thought it fair to tell you in advance, so the transport didn’t frighten you. I love you, Amber!”

  She sighed and nodded with her eyes closed, holding me tightly. I cast around for a fairy ring and found one a few miles away. I ported us to it and then had Amber look.

  She gasped! “How did that happen? I didn’t even feel us move but I know we did. Since you brought us to a fairy ring, I think that it must have something to do with where we’re going. Tell me what to do because I believe you now!”

  I explained what she needed to do and I put a shield on her just before she jumped to the middle of the ring. I didn’t want to learn that this ring was in the middle of an orc camp and her show up without me and no protection. She spun in the ring and disappeared. I followed quickly behind and found her, shaken, on the other side.

  “When I spun around, I was watching you and then you weren’t there! That’s how I knew that it had worked and I was somewhere else. Where is this somewhere else, anyway?”

  “We are in the kingdom of Eredwynn, Amber. Welcome to my home. I think what I’d like to do is go to my brother’s place first and you can meet part of the family. My brother James met his wife Star when he was sixteen and she was fifteen. He’s twenty-two now and Star is twenty-one.” Amber was hearing me but not really listening. I could tell that the shock of being taken from her world had started to sink in. I moved to where I could see her face and leaned down to look her in the eyes.

  “Davie, do you think that you could take us someplace where I could lie down? All of this is overloading my brain a bit and I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”

  I put an arm around her to support her and looked for Kethos Castle. James would put us up for as long as we needed. Either Amber would be able to accept this or I’d be forced to take her home. I didn’t want to think of that option, though. I didn’t want to be away from her. I ported us near the cave area west of Kethos. When she felt me start walking, she opened her eyes and then they went wide.

  “Is that a CASTLE? I’ve read about them and seen them in movies but never dreamed I’d live to see one! Do you think that they’d let us get close so we could take a look around?”

  I laughed, “I promise that I can get you as close to the castle as you’d like. Something that is between us and the castle that you might find interesting are small houses made of the earth. The people that live there are farmers called Halflings. They look just like us with very few differences, one being that most of them are less than four feet tall when they’re grown. I just thought I’d mention that, so you didn’t freak out as we walked up there.”

  She smiled. “Thank you for the warning. I’m sorry if I worried you when we first got here, but you understand how I could be overwhelmed. I’ll hold your hand and you guide us. I do love you very much and will adjust.”

  We walked through the Halfling community with Amber looking around curiously. The Halflings in the fields bowed and curtsied as we walked by. I was glad that they were hard for someone who hadn’t been around them to understand. I’d have to explain the ‘Your Highness’ before the day was out. As we approached the gate I knew that the time was coming when I saw the posture of the guards change. I knew that they had recognized me. They bowed at our approach and the captain said, “Nice to see you again, Your Highness.” I nodded and said, “And it’s good to see you, Captain. Have a safe day.’

  I kept walking, but could feel Amber’s eyes staring at me. “Davie, th
ere’s something going on here that you aren’t telling me.”

  “Amber, I love you very much and want to marry you. I’ll tell you everything when the time comes, but for now, let me choose the time.” I pulled her to me and kissed her, right in the middle of the courtyard. “When we get inside, you’ll know more about me than you did. I told you I’d bring you here and if you didn’t want to stay, I’d take you home. I’m not a monster, but not exactly who I led you to believe, either.”

  She nodded and I led her inside the keep. The herald saw me walk in and bowed. He walked around the corner for a moment and returned with a gesture to enter. As we walked into the audience chamber he announced, “His Highness Prince Davie and companion.” Amber whirled on me, white as a sheet and her eyes like dinner plates. I whispered ‘I love you’ and walked toward the dais in the front of the chamber. A grinning man was standing there waiting. He came off the platform and hugged me.

  James said, “How are you, little brother? And who is this beautiful creature you’ve brought with you? I heard from Father only last week that you were going on a trip to the other realm and you’re back so soon? There can be only one reason that I can think of and if I’m right, she’s gorgeous.”

  “James, this is Amber. I met her having a problem with a man trying to rob her. I hit him with a low power stun and we’ve been together ever since. I want to marry her, James, and you’re the first to know. That is, I’ll marry her if she’ll still have me, knowing who I am, now.”

  Amber looked at me with sparkling eyes. “I love you so much, Davie, that nothing will ever change my mind.”

  James laughed, “I guess you have your answer, but she hasn’t met your mother yet. The mean old magic instructor, Aunt Alba! She’s upstairs, in case you want to see her now.”

  I panicked. “James, please hide us! I’m not ready to see her until after I’ve talked to Father. He might be able to calm her down before she floats me to the middle of No Man’s Land.”