Chapter 3B

Delinsilversworth

I was amazed once the shock of everything and me was over that people were happy to trade for the mushrooms. Des got two large sacks of floor and a sack of corn meal from the miller for half a fruit weight; she got four chickens with feed for another half. Then Des's father came back toting a large box and a bucket. He told Des that Kel didn't have an extra scythe, but most of the smaller stuff was now in the chest. Another man came forward saying he had a scythe and would trade it for mushrooms. He smelled of smoke and hot mettle. Des asked him about several other things and in the end for the weight of half a fruit came away with the scythe, a metal version of her three legged pot stand, metal pieces for a proper spit, another bucket, more nails and a small barrel of lamp oil. That's when a little old woman stepped forwards.

"I would trade you an extra sack of chicken feed or good seizers, needles and thread but I don't want mushrooms or the hides."

"Then what Grandma Nel." Des asked.

"I would trade it for a job. There is a tree in behind my house that is in a bad way. I fear it might fall on my house. Most of the men I have asked have said that they couldn't do it for fear it would fall and hurt them. I would not want them to do that and we have all tried to come up with something. If he could may-be push it or hold it or something so that the others can cut it down so that it will not hurt them or fall on my house, I would be ever so grateful."

I placed my tail on Des's shoulder. "Des, trade is not needed for this. I would do this gladly. I see the fear that it causes you, my lady and it wrings my heart. I would ask for two others to help me?" rising my voice at the end and looked around. Two men stepped forward. "Thank you." I directed to the two men, "Grandmother Nel would you lead me to this dangerous tree."

I looked at Des and she had a big smile on her face. She nodded. I followed the old woman to a house not to far from the center of the village and to the back of it, where indeed was a half rotten tree leaning badly towards the house. It would not make the winter and I was a little surprised that it made it through the last storm. As I drew closer, I could see that the roots were coming lose as well. This was not going to be easy. After a moment of thinking I decided that the best was for me to move under the tree, rise up and hold it well above the middle and have the men cut it, then shove the whole thing in the other direction. I turned to the old one, "Grandmother Nel, I would ask that you go and wait near the front of your house just incase the tree falls where I don't want it to." She didn't say anything but started walking away and around to the front.

I told the men what I wanted to do and the men agreed. I waited until the men return with their tree cutting tools then moved into position. The moment I touch the tree I knew there was a problem, I barked for them to stay back as the tree began to break. Using my head, I pushed on an even higher part of the tree to make it fall away from me. With a snap as the whole thing came down, I all but pick it up as I threw it from me. It landed and broke into several more pieces but none hit the house. Several people including Des came running around the house to see the end of this and began clapping. I didn't know what to do so I bowed. Des came to my side. "Del, what happened?"

"The tree was worse than any thought. I'm surprised it made the last rainstorm. It started breaking the moment I laid a talon on it. At least it didn't hit the house, which is what the old one feared."

"Did I happen to mention that I love you?" Des told me quietly.

"You did this morning and did I tell you how proud I am of you."

"Not today but I felt it and you told me you loved me this morning too."

That was when the old one came up to us, happiness replacing the fear that was in her eyes. "Oh, thank you, thank you. You have saved my house. How can I repay you?"

"Do not worry, I was happy to do this for you. Had that tree come down when you were in your house it might have hurt or killed you, and the men were right to be weary of it. There wasn't even a way to support it without it breaking."

"Please you have to take something for it. And I'll not take no for an answer. I'll get you the feed and the needles and thread too."

I looked at Des and the old one walked off and she only shrugged. Several people came up to me then with thanks for taking care of the problem. Then the group as a whole moved back to the center of the community. When we got there, several other small children were talking to Dan and Bess, recounting how they got to sit on my back, no doubt. I knew without a doubt that I would be getting other requests and there was no way I could refuse them.

Des had gone back to trading and the next to go was the hides. The man liked what he saw and in trade gave Des all the tools she needed to work the hides even better as well as another bag of animal feed. Several containers of cider as traded for most of the fruit. And by the end, Des had gotten all of the roots or vegetables she called them, to last most of the winter and still had a third of a bag of mushrooms left. This she gave to her mother but told her she needed the sack back.

I was curious to see what were in these little buildings that her people called home and even more so to see what her room looked like. "Des if you have a moment. I would like to ask something of you." I asked when all the trading was done.

"Yes darling." I just loved hearing her say that.

"Is there a way for me to look into your house, maybe into your room? I am curious. There are very few reports of what is on the inside of your people's dwellings. I would like to fill in that information."

She thought for a few moments. "You should be able to see good enough into the house from the front door and into the kitchen from the back, but I'm not sure how good a look you'll get from the bedroom window. Oh lets go find out."

She gave me a silly smile, then we walked to her family's house and the dog and her sibling greeted us. And as she moved inside, I let my head follow her in, stopping when my shoulders reached the frame. I was surprised my head fit with room to spare. I looked at everything, and then I started asking questions about other things and made a complete mental picture. Then we all heard a surprised exclamation from behind me and I slowly back out of the doorway.

"Del what do you think your doing? You won't fit in my house." He had a funny smile on his face.

"Father Cal, I was not trying to fit, I was only looking. Many of the records that my people have about the homes your people live in and what's inside them are incomplete. I was studying the front room so that I could fill in that knowledge."

"Well at least let me in first. Rosy, do we have any cider to drink. Going through Ren's stuff is hard and thirsty work. Pat is going to get some good clothes out of this. Kel doesn't want any because none of it will fit him I did pull out a few things that might fit you Des and even if they don't right know I'm sure they will next year. Most of the things you asked for are waiting in the center of the villages. Once you have your curiosity filled Del you should go and see Ray." By the time Cal was finished talking Rose handed him a mug. He took a large drink and all but emptied it. "I assume your taking that pesky mongrel with you?"

"I was hoping to, but I don't want to get Bess and Dan upset." Des replied.

"Don't worry about them, in another month or so they'll have their own pets to look after." Cal added.

"Oh really and when was this decided." Asked mother Rose.

"Elder Mark's herd dog is going to have a litter any time now I traded him some work to get first pick of two of them."

"That's all I need, I get to get rid of one and I get two back. Des finish showing the house to Del and get anything you think you want out of your room and then send him to Ray's. I need to bring out some things from the barn, but I want to talk to you alone." She turned and went back into the house.

Des took me around to the back and soon realized I was not going to fit through that door, but with the windows, I got a good look around. Then she led me to the window of her bedroom but left me long enough to go back inside the house and open the window. I watched her as she started going through her stuff. "Des, what do you think your mother wants to talk to you about?"

"I can't even begin to imagine. If I have to guess, she's going to ask the same thing that your mother asked. Whether we're going to try joining, I'll tell my mother the same as I told your's, I don't think we can, I'm too small down there and I have no idea what size you are, And that we both know this. I wish it were somehow different, that I could join with you." She turned all red again and looked back to what she was doing.

It didn't take long for Des to pack her trunk and as she tried to move it, found it was far too heavy. I couldn't take the trunk out of the room through the window but there was a way to take it out of the house. I told her to wait and went to the side of the house where I had thought I saw a rope; I did and brought it back to her. I told her to tie it on end if the trunk and bring the other end to the front door. The rope didn't quite make it to the door but when I put my head in and stretched my neck as far as I could, I could just get hold of the rope in my mouth and so pulled. Des went back to the trunk to guide it out and by the time the trunk was at the door I was just sitting there pulling the rope hand over hand.

We decided that I should go to uncle Ray then and so she led me there.

Des

I left Del with uncle Ray as well as Dan and Bess and went back to wait for my mother. I really didn't want to do this, but what could I do. I had just made it back and was sitting on my trunk when she came back pulling a small wagon full of stuff.

"Wow, mom you really have been putting things away for me." I exclaimed. She came over to me then sat next to me on the trunk. She was silent for some time and I just looked at her and waited.

Finally she spoke. "I don't like this. I really don't like this. What did he do to make you think the way you're thinking?" She turned to me, her eyes full of fear and sadness.

"Mother he did nothing to me, other than saving me from Ren."

"Are you sure? Can you really be sure?" She sounded completely lost.

"Yes, I am as sure of that as I am of my knowledge that the sun will go down in the east; or that you and father will sleep together tonight. Our legends and stories tell us that the Wyrms value honor, truth, and wisdom above all else. He is all of that and more."

"Then why is he making you leave us?"

"Would you allow him to stay? Would father build us a house that Del could go in and out of or rebuild it when he grows too large for it? Besides, the caves aren't that far. It would only take about three days passed the harvest campsite to get there by wagon."

She was quiet again trying to think of an answer but she finally had to admit there was only one. "Do you love him then so much that you would leave your home for him?"

"Mother, if I had chosen a man to marry that lived in another village, I would still be leaving home. Del is the other half of me that I didn't know I was missing until I met him. I'm not just in love with him because he saved me. I'm in love with him because he's beautiful, he's strong, he's got a mind full of knowledge that I could only dream existed. I want to learn of his people and I want him to learn of us. I find myself warm and tingly when I look at him and I know it's crazy but I don't know what to do about it?" I knew I was red I just couldn't control it.

"You haven't tried joining, have you?", concern written clearly on her face.

"No, and Del and I both know we just can't; we wouldn't fit and he won't risk hurting me. That still doesn't stop us from wanting too."

"How and why is this happening? Why to you? Has it ever happened before?"

"I can answer that last part. It's yes, I can't remember their names but an older Wyrm and a woman fell in love and bonded just like Del and me. Her family and village locked her up and drove the Wyrm away. In the end, the woman went mad and killed herself, and in doing so killed the Wyrm."

"How awful."

"I can't leave him, I know that the same thing would happen to me. I can't live without him. I need him just like I need to breathe. I can feel him; if I close my eyes, I can see him with uncle Ray. He's trying not to laugh, one of the straps for the harness is tickling him." I had closed my eyes to see the image better. I sighed and the image turned and looked at me, he smiled. My mother gave me a moment before she placed her hand on my arm. I opened my eyes and looked at her.

"You really can see him, can't you?" I nodded my head. She looked at me for a few moments more then took me up into her arms holding me for some time.

At some point, I felt Del moving towards the center of the village. So, I took a deep breath and slowly pushed away from her. "We should start heading to the center, Del's on his way there with the wagon now. We'll have to get father to get this trunk, it's too heavy for me to carry. I had to have Del pull it out with a rope."

"I still don't like this, but there's nothing I can see to do about it." she took a deep breath, "Your right, we should get you and that... that... how do you refer to him as, husband, what?"

"We've been referring to the other as mate. So I think that's the best. He's my mate.

"Let's get going." She got up and gave the trunk an experimental heave. "Your right, we'll get your father to come get this."

I walked with her to the center of the village and was surprised to see the pile of stuff. Del was already standing near with Dan and Bess sitting on his back and uncle Ray standing near, trying to figure out how it all multiplied.

"How much did father take from Kel's house? I can see he filled my list and then some." I looked to my mother then to Del.

"I don't know. Where is he? We should ask him." she started turning to see if she could see him.

"Des, is all of this going to fit into the wagon as well as the animals?" Del asked

"I don't think so." I looked around like my mother to see if I could see him. The answer came to us by way of Aunty Kim.

"I told him to stop bringing stuff here. I don't think you need all of this, I can help sort out some." Aunty Kim grumbled.

"Please, you're the best at arranging things in a wagon. We'll need room in the back area for five animals too. It's the only way to make good time."

Aunty Kim started looking around the wagon, and then started ordering things to be placed. We were halfway done when my father came up with another load and froze. Then he started turning to walk away probable hoping not to be seen but his sister was better than that. "Hold it right there, Cal, what are you doing, emptying Kel's house? There's too much now.

"Kel kept telling me to take things. I guess I got a little carried away."

"Father, Kel has a chance for something better, he can't do that if he has to start completely over. I also don't want to have him mad with us and for him to start thinking that we're depriving him. So, unless that's Ren's clothing or what I had on my list, take it back to him, please. Oh we need you to get my trunk; it was too heavy for mother and me to carry."

He looked sheepish then turned and took everything he was carrying back. Aunty made sure that everything I had and that my mother had brought was packed. Then went all the stuff I had traded for, including the feed. And in the end, there was plenty of room for the animals. Uncle Ray showed me how the harness worked and how to get it off Del when we got home. He also assured Del and myself that the wagon would handle a fast run with no trouble. That was good, it was already getting late and I was already thinking that we were going to have to camp for the night. That was when I took the opportunity to take Dan and Bess off Del.

Now was for the real fun part to bring out the animals, first the chickens were brought and secured on the top of the front seat since I intended to ride Del and had been told that there was plenty of room. Then the sheep and goats, and to everyone's surprised the animals all acted normal; there was no fear in them at all. I looked to Del and he just smiled then winked at me. Finally, I took Rolly and placed him in a small space on the wagon just under the seat and tethered him there.

I turned to look and found that everything was finished. There was nothing left but to say good bye and to head home. I squared my shoulders and faced my family. "Well that's it. We need to get on the road." I knelt down and opened my arms. "Bess, Dan, come give me and Del a hug."

They came up slowly and gave me a hug then walked over to Del. He lowered his head and let the kids hug his face; he did bring his tail around and held both with it. Then he touched Bess on the nose again, which caused her to dissolve into giggles.

Then my father came up and picked Bess up. "Del, you take care of Des. Don't run too fast around corners."

"Come on; let's let them get going, dear." said my mother as she came forward. She turned to me and gave me a fast hard hug then let me go. She walked to Del took his face in her hand and brought it up to her face. "I know I don't have to tell you that we're intrusting something very precious to us to you. I know the word you have given to my husband and mate and I'm satisfied with it. But I would know how you feel about my daughter."

"Mother Rose, I love your daughter with all my heart, all my soul, and with everything that I have in my being. When I look at her, I see a gloriously glowing being. I want to fall to my knees and worship her every morning when she wakes and I am devastatingly lonely when she is asleep. I have heard couples from my people talk like I am doing and have never understood, until now. I love her and I feel her love for me."

She continued to look at him, and then gave him a big hug. "I know she loves you and now I know you love her. Take your mate home. Maybe you'll come and visit after the next full moon."

"If nothing untoward happens then we'll come. I promise, mother Rose." He made a small bow to her.

With that, she turned and grabbed up Dan and moved with my father away from the wagon. I was glad that there was to be no water works. I climbed up to my spot on Del's back. I smiled and waved at everyone there and Del waved his tail at them. Then he started walking off up the road. When we came to the same ridge we stopped at on the way in we turned looked back. I leaned down and wrapped my arms about Del's neck letting him feel the love I had for him. He tuned back and started walking down the road but started increasing speed as we went.

We were making good time; not as good as, I think, Del was hoping for but better than if I was driving the wagon with horses. We stopped at a stream that we would not have passed until the second day on the harvest trip. We're just about to get back on the road when we heard the sound of a fast horse coming up behind us. I told Del to wait because some times there were message riders that traveled this road. We waited for a good quarter candle mark before we saw someone on the road behind us. He looked familiar to me but I couldn't place it.

We moved off the road and waited for the rider to pass. The rider got closer and I started hearing my name being shouted.

"Des, who could that be?"

"I don't know. But who ever it is they know me."

Del, looked in the direction to the rider, I knew that he could see far better than I could. Then he quickly looked at me then back to the rider. "Des, do you have another uncle that I didn't meet, the rider looks a lot like you."

"What, are you sure? There's only Ray. No it can't be, he's supposed to be still on the wine trade trip, and I know they weren't to get back until a ten-day after the harvest."

"Who? Who is it? Des, you're being mean, I'm curious and your excited feelings are making it worse."

"It can be only one person, my older brother, Pat." I replied and I really was getting excited.

"That's right you did say you had an older sibling. By the way, while I'm thinking of it, you could have warned me that you siblings were so small. I thought they would have been closer to your age."

"Sorry, I just didn't think of it. I thought the records you've been going by told you that children of humans are very small at birth, only the length of my arm to the point just above my elbow and have to grow to there full size."

"Darn, I forgot that. Well I don't think we'll have to wait much longer, with the way that rider is pushing that horse."

"I can see that. That poor thing will be so tired that you won't have to cast a calm spell on it."

He laughed at that then we just waited. As he said, we wouldn't have to wait long. "Des! Des! Des!" He came to a sliding stop near the front of the wagon then jumped down from the horse. I was already standing and ran to him.

"Pat, what the hell are you doing? Father would kill you if he knew you rode that horse like that." taking him into my arms.

"I had to find out if it was true. Tara's brother Bill sent someone to get me. I just missed you at home. Then father and mother told me the rest of the story. I had to come and find you and to find out what the hell is going on!"

"Then let me start by introducing you to my mate." I let him go but took his hand and led him over to Del. "Pat this is Del, Del this is my older brother Pat." Pat looked ready to faint.

"Brother Pat, I am glad to meet you. Had we known that you were working to get back we would have stayed in the village."

"That's true. No one told us that they had sent some one for you." I said with surprise.

"Des, come back with me. Stop this silliness." He said.

"Pat this is not silliness, Del is my mate, my husband and my love for him is even stronger than my love for you."

"I won't let you do this, your coming back with me right now!" He tried to change his hold from my hand to my arm. Del grabbed him.

"You will watch how you talk to my mate. I will not hurt you but if you try to take her I will be forced to stop you." I just looked at him and saw a stranger.

"Get you claw of me!" Pat yelled, trying to pull away from Del.

I pulled away from Pat and stepped closer to Del. "Del let him go, please." He did. "Pat, would you like to take you blade and run it through my heart now or would you like to wait until I go mad with grief." Pat's expression changed from determination to something else.

"What the hell are you talking about? Nothing like that is going to happen. Now get on my horse, we're going home!"

I lowered my head, I felt like I had been betrayed. I turned and started getting back into place on Del's back. "I'm sorry Pat. Go talk to father and mother again. I won't be going back with you but I will be going home."

"I'm sorry you can't see your sister's heart. You should come and visit us when your brain has accepted this. My mate's heart is all but broken because of this and I would not see her hurt any more."

Del carefully walked around Pat and started trotting down the road. I put my arms around Del's neck and softly cried.

Delinsilversworth

My own heart broke for Des as she cried. I wished fervently that I were not harnessed to the wagon so that I could take her in my arms. I move my wings a little so that they covered her somewhat then started to pick up speed as we headed for home. I did have a hope that her brother would come to his senses and follow us so I kept my speed so that he would catch us easily and not have to push the horse too much.

As if my thoughts had summoned him, I heard the sound of a horse behind us. He was calling her name again. I slowed to let him get close. "Des, please forgive me. I'm sorry. Please stop."