Chapter 47: Snowfalls
Climbing up a mountain, even on the back of a dragon, was still hard work. Erin's wings were powerful, but not as the wings of a fully grown dragon. Lysander wondered if they would have been able to make the climb, if they were on foot.
Yet, in the skies, there was nothing that could threaten them. No animals could fly as fast as Erin. The few harpies who tried to catch them, got out flied effortlessly.
Soon, Lysander heard ringing bells. He patted Erin's neck, and then tugged the strap to the right, to get him to land in the forest. He really should have been paying more attention. No town was just going to let a dragon fly above it.
When Erin landed, he waited for Lysander and Paul to get off his back, and then shifted back to his human form.
"Ly, are we in trouble? What was with these bells earlier?" Erin asked.
"No, we are not in trouble, Rin. No one is going to suspect you as a dragon. You are too cute, to be thought of something as fearsome as a dragon," Lysander tried to assure him. Erin puffed up his cheeks.
"I am not cute, you are cute," the argument was childish, but his princeling rarely was anything but. Lysander blamed himself, for he coddled Erin like there was no tomorrow.
"Thank you for the compliment," Lysander said, not feeling insulted in the slightest. Erin gave him a beaming smile, and peace was restored in their family. "Now, come over here, and give me your hand."
Erin skipped to Lysander, and offered his hand. Lysander took it, checked to see if they hadn't lost anything during the flight, and then reached out, and took a hold of Paul's fur. The wolf huffed, but allowed it.
The three walked, in the direction of the tall walls, which were to be seen even from the forest. When they reached the red walls of Snowfalls, they saw that the guards were in a frenzy. The two boys and one wolf were ushered in, without much trouble.
"Children, did you see a dragon fly above you, as you traveled?" One of the guardsmen asked. He will be damned, if he let children in a forest, which had a dragon lurking around.
"No dragons, no," Lysander lied. "And even if there were, Paul would have protected us."
Lysander patted the wolf. He found that, if he behaved like Erin, some people would give him more leeway. The guard chuckled, and offered his hand for Paul to sniff.
The wolf licked it, and then sat on its haunches.
"Good puppy," Erin said, proud that Paul was so well-behaved.
"What is your business in here, boys? Did you get separated from your parents?" The guard asked. There was an orphanage in Snowfalls, which could take the boys in, for a couple of days.
"No, we are tradesmen," Lysander said, patting his bottomless bag. "Here to trade herbs and potions, for cloth and food."
"Ah, you picked the wrong town, boys," the guard said. "Here, one can only do business, if they are a part of a guild."
Lysander and Erin shared a look then.
"How does one become a member of a guild, sir?" Erin asked. The guard smiled, at the respectful tone. What wonderful children.
"Well, there are tests one must do," he said. "But you are both too young. Women and children can't become a part of a guild."
"We will still try," Lysander said. If he couldn't do the trade the legal way, then he was sure there was a hag in the forest, who would pay for what they were offering. After all, the forest around Snowfalls had different herbs, than the forest around their home. What with it being in the mountain, and all.
"Good luck to you, boys," the guard stepped to the side, to let them in the town. Erin was looking around, trying to take everything in. The town was like a giant toy town. The walls had murals on them, and when they did not, they were made of some sort of red stone. It was as pretty a picture as any Erin had seen, in books.
"It is so pretty in here, Ly," Erin said, not letting go of Lysander's hand.
"And the people are kind, as long as I keep my scarf on," Lysander agreed. Granted, he was yet to test the acceptance of the people of Snowfalls, but he was not too keen on doing so now. "We really should have asked about the herbalist guild. Or, is it the alchemist guild?"
"Yeah, we don't know where they are," Erin didn't want to go back to the guard. He seemed busy enough. Granted, the blonde knew that the guard was on alert because of him. He didn't want to add to the man's troubles.
"Well, I bet that the guild has the biggest building in town," Lysander said. He looked around for signs, and saw one, pointing at the market. If there were many people there, then one of them might know about the guild house.
The two walked, and were soon in the market district. Lysander had seen it before, but Erin stopped to stare.
There wasn't a single stall around. Just shops, with clear glass windows.
"Ly, just how rich are these people?" Erin asked. Lysander chuckled.
"Wealthy. There is a gold mine, not far from here," Lysander said.
"Pity it is overrun by goblins," they heard a voice say behind them. The two boys and one wolf turned around, to stare at the woman who spoke. "I take it, you are refugees?"
"No, we are traders," Erin said, puffing up his chest.
"And you managed to get past the goblins?" She asked, more than a little skeptical.
"We sure did," Erin said. After all, they had flown over the settlement. Had heard the goblins ring their bells, but nothing had come out of it. Erin was not in the business of attacking people when they couldn't fight back. Or, hadn't even attacked him.
Chapter 47: Snowfalls
Climbing up a mountain, even on the back of a dragon, was still hard work. Erin's wings were powerful, but not as the wings of a fully grown dragon. Lysander wondered if they would have been able to make the climb, if they were on foot.
Yet, in the skies, there was nothing that could threaten them. No animals could fly as fast as Erin. The few harpies who tried to catch them, got out flied effortlessly.
Soon, Lysander heard ringing bells. He patted Erin's neck, and then tugged the strap to the right, to get him to land in the forest. He really should have been paying more attention. No town was just going to let a dragon fly above it.
When Erin landed, he waited for Lysander and Paul to get off his back, and then shifted back to his human form.
"Ly, are we in trouble? What was with these bells earlier?" Erin asked.
"No, we are not in trouble, Rin. No one is going to suspect you as a dragon. You are too cute, to be thought of something as fearsome as a dragon," Lysander tried to assure him. Erin puffed up his cheeks.
"I am not cute, you are cute," the argument was childish, but his princeling rarely was anything but. Lysander blamed himself, for he coddled Erin like there was no tomorrow.
"Thank you for the compliment," Lysander said, not feeling insulted in the slightest. Erin gave him a beaming smile, and peace was restored in their family. "Now, come over here, and give me your hand."
Erin skipped to Lysander, and offered his hand. Lysander took it, checked to see if they hadn't lost anything during the flight, and then reached out, and took a hold of Paul's fur. The wolf huffed, but allowed it.
The three walked, in the direction of the tall walls, which were to be seen even from the forest. When they reached the red walls of Snowfalls, they saw that the guards were in a frenzy. The two boys and one wolf were ushered in, without much trouble.
"Children, did you see a dragon fly above you, as you traveled?" One of the guardsmen asked. He will be damned, if he let children in a forest, which had a dragon lurking around.
"No dragons, no," Lysander lied. "And even if there were, Paul would have protected us."
Lysander patted the wolf. He found that, if he behaved like Erin, some people would give him more leeway. The guard chuckled, and offered his hand for Paul to sniff.
The wolf licked it, and then sat on its haunches.
"Good puppy," Erin said, proud that Paul was so well-behaved.
"What is your business in here, boys? Did you get separated from your parents?" The guard asked. There was an orphanage in Snowfalls, which could take the boys in, for a couple of days.
"No, we are tradesmen," Lysander said, patting his bottomless bag. "Here to trade herbs and potions, for cloth and food."
"Ah, you picked the wrong town, boys," the guard said. "Here, one can only do business, if they are a part of a guild."
Lysander and Erin shared a look then.
"How does one become a member of a guild, sir?" Erin asked. The guard smiled, at the respectful tone. What wonderful children.
"Well, there are tests one must do," he said. "But you are both too young. Women and children can't become a part of a guild."
"We will still try," Lysander said. If he couldn't do the trade the legal way, then he was sure there was a hag in the forest, who would pay for what they were offering. After all, the forest around Snowfalls had different herbs, than the forest around their home. What with it being in the mountain, and all.
"Good luck to you, boys," the guard stepped to the side, to let them in the town. Erin was looking around, trying to take everything in. The town was like a giant toy town. The walls had murals on them, and when they did not, they were made of some sort of red stone. It was as pretty a picture as any Erin had seen, in books.
"It is so pretty in here, Ly," Erin said, not letting go of Lysander's hand.
"And the people are kind, as long as I keep my scarf on," Lysander agreed. Granted, he was yet to test the acceptance of the people of Snowfalls, but he was not too keen on doing so now. "We really should have asked about the herbalist guild. Or, is it the alchemist guild?"
"Yeah, we don't know where they are," Erin didn't want to go back to the guard. He seemed busy enough. Granted, the blonde knew that the guard was on alert because of him. He didn't want to add to the man's troubles.
"Well, I bet that the guild has the biggest building in town," Lysander said. He looked around for signs, and saw one, pointing at the market. If there were many people there, then one of them might know about the guild house.
The two walked, and were soon in the market district. Lysander had seen it before, but Erin stopped to stare.
There wasn't a single stall around. Just shops, with clear glass windows.
"Ly, just how rich are these people?" Erin asked. Lysander chuckled.
"Wealthy. There is a gold mine, not far from here," Lysander said.
"Pity it is overrun by goblins," they heard a voice say behind them. The two boys and one wolf turned around, to stare at the woman who spoke. "I take it, you are refugees?"
"No, we are traders," Erin said, puffing up his chest.
"And you managed to get past the goblins?" She asked, more than a little skeptical.
"We sure did," Erin said. After all, they had flown over the settlement. Had heard the goblins ring their bells, but nothing had come out of it. Erin was not in the business of attacking people when they couldn't fight back. Or, hadn't even attacked him.
