Arabella surveyed the map quietly and nodded. "We."
Dillon blinked and looked up from the map. "What?"
"We. That's where /we/ should start. And I agree. We should establish someplace people know they can come to join our cause. Somewhere that cannot be missed."
Dillon frowned. "It's a desert. What could possibly not be missed?"
A smile toyed with the corners of Arabella's mouth. "Let me worry about that. The desert is the ideal place to raise an army. Not only is it between Reun and Gielkern so that we can take the defensive, but we can secure the resources for our troops. An army without water is hardly an army at all."
Dillon stared at that peaceful, beautiful face. Her soft, mysterious voice gave an air of power to the plan. After a moment, he nodded and rolled up the map. "It's settled, then. The heart of the desert is at least a week's journey for me alone. We should plan on two."
Arabella raised a thin, pale eyebrow. "What makes you think I will slow you down?"
Dillon looked up at her, caught off guard. "Well, I--"
"I am no ordinary woman, Prince of Reun. I do not need to be cared for like the royal women you're used to. I can travel just as you would alone."
Dillon studied her for a moment, but her eyes were unflinching. Finally, he resented with a stark nod. "Fine. We'll plan on seven days' journey, then. We can stop in Iyms for supplies on our way out. Whenever you're ready, of course."
Arabella smiled subtly as she stood. "We may as well start right away."
"HELP! HEEEELP!" Gerard's voice came floating in the window.
Arabella's head turned towards the sound. A moment later she was running through the door with Dillon close behind her. The white mare was bridled and tied to a convenient loop in a root on the house's wall. One ear swiveled towards Arabella and Dillon as they erupted from the house, but she remained content to chew a large mouthful of grass.
"Over here! Help!"
Arabella took off through the trees, and Dillon found himself surprised by how fleet she was. She reached the clearing just a moment before Dillon, and stopped.
Gerard had somehow managed to bridle the black horse's large head, but there his success seemed to have stopped. Perisseus looked as though he was enjoying himself far too well: every time the horse chose another patch of grass to eat from, the small green man got yanked right off his feet and dragged as long as Perisseus chose. As they watched, Gerard climbed to his feet and threw his weight against the reins, trying to pull the horse towards tehm.
"He just won't come, Sir!" Gerard's head could have been used as a battering ram, so steep was the angle at which he was trying to pull.
The corner of Dillon's mouth twitched and he clicked his tongue. Perisseus' head came flying up, his ears erect, and sent Gerard sailing backwards, where he bumped to a stop against a tree. Perisseus came trotting towards Dillon, and Gerard had wisely let go of the reins upon landing.
Dillon rubbed Perisseus' face as Gerard stood and brushed himself off.
"I'm sorry, Sir. I did my best."
Dillon shook his head. "Perisseus can be stubborn, and enjoys taking advantage of his size. To be honest, I'm impressed you got him caught at all."
Gerard groaned as he walked to Arabella's side. "It wasn't easy. But that mare, she came all nice and quietlike, sweet like you, pretty Miss Arabella." He beamed up at her. "Have you thought of a name for her yet?"
Arabella laughed and began walking back towards where the mare was tethered. "No, I haven't. Why don't you name her for me, Gerard?"
Gerard walked at her side while Dillon and Perisseus followed. The short man's eyes grew wide. "Me? Generous Miss Arabella! What an honor. I'll try to live up to your expectations!"
Dillon rolled his eyes, but tugged Perisseus' head back as he tried to take a bite out of Gerard's shoulder.
Arabella glanced back over her shoulder with a wry smile as though she knew what Dillon had just done. "I'm sure you will, Gerard. Would you be so kind as to go fetch our packs while we saddle the horses?"
Gerard bobbed his oversized head and disappeared inside the house.
Dillon tied Perisseus near the white mare and turned towards the saddles. Arabella leaned to pick up the comfortable blue saddle, but Dillon put out an arm to stop her. "Let me."
"Thank you, but I can manage." She offered a small smile and continued.
Dillon raised an eyebrow and set a strong hand on her arm. "I'll do it."
Arabella straightened, looking into Dillon's eyes for but a moment before she nodded and took a step back. "As you wish, my Prince."
Dillon easily hefted the saddle onto the mare's back. "There. That wasn't so difficult, was it?" He cinched it up before moving on to Perisseus' saddle.
Gerard came from the house looking as though he'd been attacked by a large hairless bear. His face was buried somewhere among the large bags of food he carried. He tried to say something, but all that came out was a muffled mumble.
Arabella smiled and went to help unload the bags. "Thank you, Gerard." She tied half of them to her saddle as Dillon took the rest from Gerard to tie to his.
Gerard smiled with relief. "Thank you, sweet Miss Arabella. That's an awful lot of food for an awful short me."
Arabella untied her mount before climbing into the saddle. As she settled in she reached for Gerard's hand, and the half-nymph swung up behind her.
Dillon glanced up at the two as he finished tying the bags to Perisseus' saddle. "I'll lead out. We'll head for Iyms first, but I'd like to get a few hours in before nightfall." He mounted the horse with practiced ease and guided him away from the tree. He glanced over their small party, then urged Perisseus into a brisk trot towards Iyms.
Clinging to his mistress' saddle, Gerard looked back at the tree that had served them so well. "Good bye, great one, and thank you. You've been a most wonderful house!"
Dillon glanced back over his shoulder. It was only a moment before the trees blocked his view of the house, but he could have sworn he saw the giant tree's roots closing around the door and the window of the small house and settling back against the ground.
The sun was just beginning to win the fight against the cold night air and replace it with warm rays as Dillon's party left Iyms well behind. They were heading almost directly towards the life-giving light. Gerard looked by far to be the happiest of the bunch; he had a great green grin on his face and seemed to be humming inaudibly, bouncing his head back and forth as they rode along. Perisseus and Dillon were in the lead, but the lithe white mare was not far behind.
"Have you decided on a name yet, Gerard?" Arabella inquired in that soft voice that seemed to make the morning that much more beautiful.
Gerard stopped bobbing his head to think for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, I have. It's a lovely name, I should think."
"And what is it?"
Dillon listened, though completely content to remain silent.
The half-nymph smiled. "The name I have chosen for this fine horse is Amadae."
Arabella tried the name quietly on her tongue and then smiled, glancing back over her shoulder at her short friend. "That is a beautiful name. What made you choose that?"
Gerard's smile grew until it very nearly reached his grass-tinged ears. "It is a Nymph word which I thought fit the situation."
Looking forward once more, Arabella inquired after the meaning.
"It has no direct translation into the common tongue, but in effect, it means 'uhm.'"
Dillon had to turn around and glance back to make sure he had not imagined Gerard's words. When he had assured himself he was not dreaming, Dillon turned back around with a smirk.
Arabella paused for a moment, and then chuckled softly. "I'm glad to have you along, Gerard. You certainly never leave me bored."
Dillon rolled his eyes. "Just take care that you don't tire of one another. We're in for a long ride yet."
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