Erik sat in quiet contemplation after he told Shiloh what she needed to do. He stared into the flames while she cleaned up the dinner dishes. Occasionally he would glance over at her and see the curves of her body then look away wishing he cold discover them all over again.

When she came over and curled up in his lap, Erik wasn’t sure what to do. In the past he would have wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer but knowing hoe self conscious she was about her scars and him seeing or touching them, he let his hands rest lightly on her hip and leg but didn’t move them.

He could smell her unique scent and closed hs eyes wanting so desperately to wrap his arms around her and peel her clothes off piece by piece and discover her all over again. But he couldn’t. Not until she was ready for that. Until then, he could only sit and comfort her in any way he could.

When he heard her soft voice break the silence and confess what she feared most, he blinked and didn’t say anything at first. More than ever his arms ached to hold her closer but again he refrained. Finally he spoke, his voice full of the emotion he was feeling.

”Your scars are a part of you now, Shi. They will forever be a part of you. But…..they don’t define who you are. You’re still the same beautiful, strong willed, bull headed young woman I fell in love with. So your skin has scars on it now. It doesn’t mean your heart and soul have to as well. You’re Shi. And that’s all I know. Everything else is nothing but wrapping that I get to peel away and see who you really are.”

He lifted his hand and gently touched her upper chest with his index finger then looked into her eyes.

”In here.”

Shiloh listened closely to everything Erik said to her about her scars and when he was finished she snuggled in even closer to him, sighing contentedly. Only her Erik would understand how she was feeling and make her feel whole with just a few words. She thought about what she'd been through since she'd left her village and met Erik....how far she'd come. She never would have guessed that she would fall in love with the rider she was to be aide to. She also thought more about Kryton and how she would handle the revelation if he was indeed her father. She felt that if this were true then her whole life had been a lie and her own mother had betrayed her father by sleeping with her rider. Shiloh closed her eyes tightly, pushing such thoughts from her mind. She didn't want to think about that right now.....Kryton would return soon enough and then she would deal with it.

Shiloh sat up then, peering in Erik's eyes, her own gray ones darkening. She leaned into him and kissed him softly on the lips, whispering, "I love you", to him before standing up. Taking his hand in hers, she tugged him from the chair and chuckled at the confused expression on his face.

"I want to be your woman again, Erik. I want to be touched and loved.....by you."

Turning, Shiloh walked into the bedroom and sat down on the bed, waiting for Erik to join her. She would be his woman again and she would get past her scars.......with Erik's love she knew she could overcome anything.

Lord Mhoram noticed the change in Miranda right away. He spoke with Kryton…”she will want to move forward from here soon, I can see it in the way she looks at you and me, like were hiding secrets from her.”

“You know I would have told but I’m afraid for her safety...” Lord Kryton looked over at Lord Morham anticipating Lord Mhoram next words.

“…she will not listen to an old King and her will is strong. Maybe too strong…she will fall into the wrong hands once more if she fears that we have left her out of any conversation..she will leave and not listen to reason…not from me,”

looking at Lord Kryton “..and maybe not from you either.”

“ Lord Kryton, I will tell you that I am very fond of her…she handles the sword well. She practices her skills daily. My servants have watched her practice her skills daily before breakfast and after the lunch hour. She moves with swiftness on her feet, even with a dagger,... says my servants.”

“ She is truly a marksman in fighting…" Said Lord Kryton

" She will be a Great Leader of many people when this is all over," Said Lord Mhoram

"But I will not be by her side when she becomes the true Queen she is meant to be. I have had visions and my time will end before this is all over. I had hoped to find someone to share my wealth and life with, but she will not settle down…so why push it. There will be no other that I seek, her youth and her beauty clogs my vision.”

Lord Kryton listened as Lord Morham spoke of Miranda. “You will never tell her of my wishes...he looked at Kryton.

Lord Kryton did not acknowledged Morham.

"As I see it, she will not ask. Her spunky boyish youth will block this vision...she has a vision to fight and nothing else matters except one thing…”

“What’s that?" asked Lord Kryton

“ Miranda hates dresses more so .” Both men chuckled and laughed.

**************************************

She was sitting at the breakfast table in the great hall that morning, still thinking about their match eight days ago and how well he moved when Kryton had walked in and bid her a good morning.

Kryton had been here every other day to go out with Mhoram. Lord Mhoram actually showed him around town, to visit the villages. Morham took out fishing and hunting. It was during one of the hunting expeditions when they came across one of the castle’s scouts. He had been missing and now they knew what happened to him, he had been turned into stone. Lord Morham looked stressed. He told his men to stretch out and be on the lookout. His favorite scout had stood with his bow and arrow stretched toward the sky. Only comment was made from Morham…"this is not a good sign…the VILE Prince has found our kingdom."

As Miranda looked at Kryton…Kryton had assured her that she would be informed once they themselves knew what they were doing, but that still didn't sit well with the red-head.

Lord Mhoram walked in, he too smiled at her and bid her a good morning which all he got in return was a glare and a barely audible, 'whatever'.

Lord Mhoram looked over to Kryton, then turned away from them both.

All ate quietly that morning and when Miranda finished her breakfast, she rose from the table and again glared at the two men. "If you will excuse me, gentlemen, I have practicing to do. So, I will leave you to discuss whatever it is you've been discussing when I'm not about."

She headed out to the practicing arena; Lord Mhoram looked over to Kryton, “I fear not for what I know but what I do not know more of what she is feeling inside. She is a fighter and will speak with Erik and Shi soon. I tell you Kryton…I have fallen in love with this young woman but do not know how to tell her such things for she is not ready for such matters.”

He turned then to his First Mark, "Is my armor ready?

A few minutes later Lord Mhoram in battle gear took flight with Bannor. He flew up and outward above the practice arena where Lady Miranda was fighting 3 soldiers at the same time. Lord Kryton stepped outside and watched Lord Morham take flight and hoped Miranda didnt take notice of his battle armment he was wearing.

Erik couldn’t believe what he was hearing form Shiloh. He just stood there staring at her with a slack jaw for a moment. Finally her words sunk through and he blinked and his mouth closed.

”Are you….are you sure?”

He saw she was nervous but determined at the same time. Without further hesitation, Erik closed the door to the bed room and did just what Shiloh wanted him to do.

The next morning, Erik woke early to find his arm asleep as Shiloh laid on it. He rolled over and curled around her kissing her shoulder as he whispered softly in her ear.

”Rise and shine. And if you don’t mind…may I please have my arm back? I know you like it and all, but I really do need it if I’m going to be a Dragon Rider.”

Gnash lead the snarling, drooling Vile Prince back to Serena. The vicous snort of the Vile Prince echoed off the canyon walls as it continued to ask questions that the lizardian couldn't answer and was afraid to directly look back at it.

"Why does this witch want only this one despised human creature instead of a dozen? Why..." The wind shifted and dropped considerably. "I want an answer? The wind changed direction and suddenly a storm threaten. Looking down the Vile Prince spotted something that looked like a...swishing by an arrow. Snot drooled from its orfice as the Vile swarmed downward looking for the hunted.

"Silly lil man...do you think you can bring me down?" The winged Vile flew right at him and as the scout drew another arrow from its sachel and began to draw the arrow back, the prince drove into him. Laffing, his cruel delivery forced the human to stare into the deathtrap eyes and slowly the scout froze in place, his stance forced in a position looking skyward.

Gnash pushed forward hopping over large boulders and scrambled down one after another catacomb, coming out on the other side; the Vile flew overhead impatiently waiting. "Are we there yet, lizard face?"

Finally on the northern slopes a farlly large manor stood out under the gray skies. "Are you sure anyone is still there, it looks abondon lizardface?"

Gnash looked away as he said wait here and scurried indoors looking for Serena.

Shiloh stretched lazily and smiled at Erik's words, lifting her head enough for him to retrieve his arm. She felt whole again, thanks to Erik's loving and he had made sure that she knew that he loved everything about her, even her scars which he had kissed....each and every one very thoroughly the night before. She blushed when she remembered where else he had kissed and where she herself had kissed. She rolled over to face him, her eyes a soft gray and filled with the love she felt for her rider.

"Mmmmmm....is it time to get up all ready? I thought we could stay in bed for a few more hours."

When Erik nipped at her shoulder then her lips and told her it was time to eat breakfast and get ready for patrol she felt a moment of panic as she remembered that she'd been released from her medical leave to resume being Erik's aide. Lowering her eyes so that he wouldn't see how she felt, she composed herself before looking at him once again.

"Then we'd better get our breakfast and get dressed hadn't we. I mean, this is my first day of being able to go out with you again and I wouldn't want to be late."

She said the last with a smile to him before kissing him playfully on the lips. She then rolled over him, giggling at his 'oomph' as her knee connected with a vital part of his anatomy as she rolled out of bed. She mumbled a 'sorry' before heading to the wardrobe to gather her riding clothes and boots as well as brush out her long hair and get the sides clipped back.

She turned around once she was finished and smiled at Erik, who had been watching her very intently as she dressed, his eyes rather stormy with desire renewed. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, c'mon sleepy-head. I'm ready to eat and get back to work and you're still lazing about in bed."

Her joking was all a cover up to hide the fear she was feeling on going back out. She couldn't help but wonder if Chang was out there, watching or Roxy for that matter. She mentally berated herself, telling herself that she was of the Dragonstarr clan and above the fear she was feeling. It was time to get out and give her rider the aide he needed.

Serena had seen Gnash approach with the vile, winged creature whom she assumed was the vile prince he'd spoken of. She studied him from her bedroom window, her vivid green eyes as cold as the prince's heart was black. Bidding Gnash to enter when he knocked at her door, she listened patientl to him announcing that he'd done as he'd promised and brought the prince to her.

"I see that, Gnash. Bring him into the front foyer. Roxy and I will come down as soon as he is inside the manor."

Serena had cast a spell around the manor, making sure that no one but her could cast magicks of any kind within the small keep. So, the prince would feel the binding of his own abilities as soon as he crossed the threshold of the door and entered the foyer.

Serena and Roxy both glided down the winding staircase, Serena dressed in red while Roxy was dressed in orange. The colors of fire. Serena smiled sweetly at the winged demon but her smile never reached her eyes.

"I am Serena, m'lord and this is Roxy, my pupil. Are you hungry......thirsty? Would you like to rest before we talk about why I have requested your presence here?"

She studied the creature before her and knew that this was an ally to be careful with. While her powers were growing by leaps and bounds, she had no idea what this demon was capable of and mentally kicked herself for not asking Gnash before he left to collect the Vile Prince. When the prince very rudely told her that he had no need of these things and would rather get on with it, her green eyes turned to glittering ice as she gave him a sharp nod.

"Fine then, join me in the great room where we shall speak of my niece and why I have need of her and her friend, Shiloh Dragonstarr."

"Lovely Serena .....' The Vile demon sniffed the pungent air as he walked into this room. His cold icy stare at her and the empty walls told a story. With his smooth physique, the razor sharp talons and the wing structure as long and strong as any black dragon. He didnt make contact with many humans or witches . His tools were his dangerous magikal powers and he was responsible for the perceived mind. Many believed in allowing all beings to choose their own path but he didn't. He would interfere and caue havoc beyond a certain point. The Vile demon sensed this same reasoning in Serena. This Witch seemed to be pass this point...Canking his head to the left...while half bent over

"...why just one human species when we can kill and deliver many? you said niece? "


The Vile demon drooled spittle on the concrete floor in anticipation of capturing her neice, the spittle sizzled into the cracks in the floor.

Erik relaxed back in the bed as he watched Shiloh dress. The woman certainly knew how to stir the fire within him and he was seriously considering being late for training but he knew Shiloh needed to get back into the swing of things. The sooner the better. She was good at hiding things but she wasn’t that good. He could tell she was scared, and rightfully so. But he knew she was strong and could make it through this. With his help.

Finally he chuckled and shook his head then forced himself out of bed to dress as well. When he was done, he walked over to her, drew her in his arms and kissed her softly, tenderly then pulled back to let his fingers brush her flushed cheek. His voice was soft, soothing as he spoke.

”Don’t worry, Shi. I’ll be with you. I won’t let you out of mine or Mina’s sight. You’ll do just fine.”

With one more kiss he took her by the hand and led her out of their cabin. Walking through the compound he squeezed her hand reassuringly. She would see his eyes take on that soft glow as he communicated with Mina letting the dragon know he was up and ready when ever she arrived. Looking over at Shiloh, he grinned.

”Why don’t you go get Rainstorm ready? Mina will be a few minutes coming in. Apparently she was out flying, exercising her wings. Or so she claims”

Lifting higher in the air, Lord Mhoram pulled his sword from his sheath....his mounted combat techiques on Bannor's back were performed daily. He would train endlessly so when he needed to confront the evil forces he would be ready. Bannor normally reserved, usually gave Lord Mhoram a steady ride.

{Bannor how are you ol' boy? you seem distracted and not focused like your few hundred leagues away..is there something disturbing or bothering you?}

{I'm fine}

{Laffing, ok Bannor...well I would be better on the ground then slip off your back in flight}

Flying over the land...Lord Mhoram flys all around the area where his scout is polarized and turned into stone. He had to quell this small incidence before it got out of hand.

{Bannor set me down on the ground and go stretch your wings}

Lord Mhoram slips off his back {don't forget to come back for me}

Lord Mhoram turns around looking for signs that lead to losing his scout...




*****************************************************

Bannor stretches his wings and takes flight...he circles Lord Mhoram several times, then turns north and follows the valleys and canyons leading to the Compound. Bannor longs for a mate and knows there is a certain female in the area. His distraction is ahead, in the distance and he increases his speed racing to soar with her. Mina's lingering scent is strong.

Bannor twists in flight trying desperately to catch her...she is swift in flight and Bannor takes off playing tag. Chasing each other, Bannor manages to grasp her tail and pulls it. Mina escapes and flies upward. Bannor tries bobbing his head trying to look dominant and impress her. Mina laughs and knips him.


********************************************************

Meanwhile, Lord Mhoram has picked up some interesting facts and notices the tracks of an unusual beast. The beasts' has a pair of human feet and a pair of talons with five sharp claws.

Hmmm...The Lord is bent over measuring these tracks when its apparent that other beasts are patroling the border of his kingdom. He hears the patrol as they approach.

He calls out to Bannor and looks up toward the sky wandering why Bannor has not responded to his calling.

The grunts of the Lizodians are approaching fast. Lord Mhoram draws his sword and picks up his shield, he finds a small bush to hide behind and waits. Waits...for his enemies.



*********************************************************


Mina's instint takes over in an spectacular aerial display testing Bannor. This solitary and suspicious female, is leading Bannor on with her guiding acrobatics through canyons, inside catacombs, close to spendid water falls that serves another purpose.

Bannor is lead to the ultimate test as she soars to the hightest flight leading him on to a dangerous game. Bannor is not focused at the moment on Lord Mhoram. No instead Bannor wants to mate with Mina...her scent is driving him crazy.

Mina toys with the male dragon and flys upward....if Bannor is to mate with Mina, he must be completely at her mercy. And at the height of her climb, Mina locks talons with Bannor in a dazzling freefall.

Both fall together straight to earth. The ancient Dragon Mating Ritual has begun... As they both fall...Bannor must show Mina what he is made of and does not try to free hisself before Mina is ready. They kept falling...

Mina too is challenged she must release themselves at the right moment or they both will perish.

Free falling, Mina and Bannor stare into each other eyes...

Bannor rubs his nose with Mina for affection and Mina senses his nearness, his affection and at the precise moment releases their hold on the other. With a few feet to spare both exercise their long wing span and glide to safety...

*************************************************




There in front of Lord Mhoram stood a dozen lizordians...They were taking a break and only inches from where he tried to hide. He couldnt figure out why Bannor was not responding.

It was too late...he screamed a warrior call and brought his sword upward slicing through the belly of the first lizard...twisting, he managed to slice out a second beast before the others pulled their swords out to fight him ten on one....



A silience full of aches and quavers was short lived..the apprehension of the attack caught up with Mhoram. His heart lurched, sweat bled from his forehead; his nerves shrilled as if they had been laid bare. A gray nausea that filled his throat like dirt almost made him gag. It was the stinch of sudden death. Bloody Damnation!

A hungry shriek ripped through the air as rage erupted from his elfven side. He could last for hours fighting hand to hand combat but when it was over he would be unable to budge...fatigue was his worst enemy.

Lord Mhoram had fought ur-viles and cavewrights before but never these lizodians. They centered their attack on the area, instead of focusing on him...so he fought each one separately. The attackers were less than twenty feet around him.. With cries of fear and rage, fire, Miranda's face appeared to him in thought...he swung the sword downward and it clanged against the amoured shield of the lizordian.

Another broke rank and lurched from behind Mhoram, he felt the sword cut through his armor and slice his side....Mhoram felt the blood but didnt relize it was his own. Pounding his fists, he beat the lizordian back , and throw an elbow between the bridge on its ulgy face.

He called out again...as he saw Miranda's face appear to him again...was he halucinating, he didnt know. She was all that he could think about while trying to survive.

The piercing shiek war cry caused a few to jump back and he looked even more powerful then before. No less dangerous he took the sword and twisted it round and round again over head...splitting two lizordians heads off their bodies. Flinging the heads away like dolls, but it was clear that if something didnt change quickly the dark forces would over take him. He began to slump over...he had been fighting them for over four hours and the wear and tear was edvident. His armour had been slcied off him and he had a bad stab wound in his chest and sliced is several areas that dropped him onto his knees twice.

Erik called to Mina again and again but the dragoness now simply ignored his calls. He was beginning to get worried. She had never before ignored his calls. Why was she now? It was very uncharacteristic of her to do so.


As Mina and Bannor performed their aerial mating ritual both dragons heard the call of their riders yet they were helpless to head the calls. The mating ritual, once started, couldn’t be interrupted. It was just the way of dragon kind. As guilty as Mina felt for not answering Erik, her instincts overpowered her ability to think logically. All that mattered right now was letting nature take its course.

When she and Bannor separated at the last moment and quickly pulled up to keep themselves form perishing on the ground below, she soared high once again. Circling slowly on the air currents in the sky, she and Bannor would occasionally rub snouts as the circle they flew in grew tighter and tighter.

Once again they began the mating flight and like before, they flew high only to begin a mind boggling plummet to the ground below. As their talons locked together, their bodies became one. Mina rubbed her snout against Bannor’s and at the last possible moment they released their hold upon each other and pulled up once more.

As she slowly climbed once more, she began to circle again only this time Bannor could tell she was distracted. Erik’s call and her sense of duty were strong, just as Bannor’s was. They would have to separate long enough to explain to their riders what was happening. It was the only way they would be free to return to each other and remain together until the time for them to part was upon them.

~My rider calls. I must return to let him know what has happened. I shall meet you back here when you are free to return.~

With another nuzzle to his snout, Mina finally broke away and headed as quickly as her wings would take her to where Erik now paced as he waited for any sign of her.

As soon as Erik caught sight of her in the sky he felt a huge wave of relief wash over him. While he was a bit frustrated at her tardiness, he knew there HAD to be a logical explanation for it. But when he discovered the reason, he was dumbfounded. While he knew his beloved Mina would eventually come of age to seek out her mate and continue the line of Dragons her family had produced for centuries, he didn’t expect it now.

With an affectionate rub to her snout, Erik released her from duty until her mating was over. Unfortunately, for him, that meant he would be without her until her hatchlings were old enough to fend for themselves. As Mina took flight without him he turned to look at a confused Shiloh. He felt his cheeks grow warm as he let her know what was taking place.

”Apparently Mina’s of age for a mate now. So. I am dragonless until her hatchlings are capable of defending themselves.”

Miranda had been practicing in the arena with four of Mhoram's guards when she was dropped to her knees with a piercing pain in her side. She instantly saw Mhoram's face and knew that something was wrong, but how she knew this she didn't know. Looking up, she saw Kryton approaching her. She didn't know it, but her green eyes were glittering with what looked like diamond dust sprinkled within their green depths. Again, she had the feeling that Mhoram was in dire trouble and it was too strong to ignore.

"Come!!! Follow me!!! Your lord is in need of our help!!!"

She raced off to saddle a horse when she stopped, turned and saw the four men standing still, regarding her as if she were crazy.

"Don't just stand there, you imbeciles!!! Trust me when I say that what she is feeling is accurate. If Miranda says that your lord is in trouble, then he truly is!!! Now MOVE!!!"

This snapped the guards to attention as they rallied their fellow men, all ready to ride out in a matter of minutes with Miranda at the lead on a fiery roan gelding. She'd not put on any armor in her haste and Kryton had noticed this but she'd taken off before he could say anything to her. He had a feeling that their was more than meets the eye with Miranda and he felt that he needed to talk to Lord Jardony and soon. Something told him that the Varden leader knew what was happening to Miranda.

Miranda was confused as hell. How did she know that Mhoram was in trouble? Why did her side burn the way it did? How in the hell could she sense him? She had no answers to these questions, she only knew that she had to reach him and fast. She looked up when she felt the shadow pass over her and the men and breathed a sigh of relief when Kryton and Dacia flew overhead. Hearing the sounds of battle up ahead, she spurred her mount to move faster and within a few minutes came into view. What she saw made her blood run cold.

Mhoram was fighting a large group of Lizonians....by himself and Miranda was impressed with what she saw. This was no wishy-washy lord....this was a warrior, but one who was severely outnumbered. With the scream of a woman possessed, Miranda leapt from the saddle, running the closest Lizonian through with her blade. Pulling it free, she cut her way to Mhoram, standing in front of him like a tigress defending it's mate. Another Lizonian rushed her only to lose his head from his shoulders as Miranda made quick work of him.

"Get your lord out of here!!!! NOW!!!"

Two of the six men grabbed Mhoram and helped him onto a horse, both wondering where Bannor was as Miranda rushed into the fray. Dacia landed, Kryton jumping off of her back to give Miranda aid as Dacia grabbed a mouthful of Lizonian and bit down, chomping the creature in half. She made a face of disgust, as if she'd just bit into a rotten egg and moved on to the next one. Kryton was engaging the remaining Lizonians when he heard a scream. Turning, he saw Miranda with a dagger sticking out of her thigh and a Lizonian advancing on her. Suddenly, her eyes glowed with what could only be called green fire and she said words in a different language, words that sounded like a spell. The Lizonian suddenly burst into green flame and screamed in agony for a few seconds before falling to the ground, burnt to a crisp and very much dead.


Kryton saw the two guards struggling to get Mhoram onto a horse and then saw Miranda run the last Lizonian through. Even Mhoram would be even more impressed with her fighting skills against so many. Looking down, she saw the Lizonian's dagger protruding from her right thigh and grimaced. Kryton had approached her by then and grabbing a hold of the hilt, he looked into her glittering green eyes. She nodded her head as he yanked out the blade, causing her to scream in pain. He looked over at Mhoram who was glaring daggers at him.

"It had to be done, m'lord. Some of them dip the tips of their daggers into an acidic poison and you don't know which ones have done this until you pull the blade free. Luckily, this isn't one of them."

One of the other guards helped Miranda to her horse, then helped her mount. She was clammy and pale, but her green eyes still glittered. Blood ran down her leg when she turned to Mhoram and saw the blood seeping from beneath his armor on his side.

"You are wounded, m'lord. As am I. Quite a pair we make, don't you think?"

Kryton then came up to her, laying a hand on her good leg. "Miranda, I must head back to the compound for a few days, but just so you know, Mhoram and I have not discussed anything about going after your aunt. And we won't without you present. Now, be a good girl and allow yourself time to heal this time. Or I will report to Jardony that you are being your stubborn self."

This had Miranda turning red but she gave the commander a curt nod. Turning the horse, she followed the guards and Mhoram back to his castle.



Shiloh was just as speechless as Erik was when he told her about Mina. Who would have known? Then a smile split her face and she hugged Erik in a tight embrace.

"I think it's wonderful!! Little dragons!! They will be so cute and just think......we can help care for them. After all, it's part of the Dragonstarr creed. My ancestors were born to give aide to riders as well as their dragons in times of need. But, I guess this means that you're going to get to practice getting to know a horse again, huh?"

She giggled at the thought of Erik being on a horse, but truth be told, she didn't know if he knew how to ride a horse or not. Either way, they could patrol together....via horseback although she knew Kryton wouldn't allow that without a dragon and rider up above them. Thinking of Kryton, her thoughts grew somber as she thought about the upcoming conversation she was going to have with him. How would she approach this subject? How was she supposed to react if the answer was the one she feared? And what was she going to do if she found out that her suspicions were right and Erik had known for awhile now? She mentally shook her head and decided that these things would be dealt with if and when they occurred. Until then, she would enjoy her time with the man she loved and his dragon.

"Well, I guess we'd better go find you a suitable horse. C'mon.......to the stables."

She grabbed Erik's hand and laughing, drug him to the stables.

Erik chuckled as Shiloh dragged him to the stables, grumbling playfully.

”Great…I’m reduced to riding a horse. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but when you’re used to soaring in the clouds, feeling the jar of hooves beneath you isn’t exactly the same.”

When Erik got to the stables, he was pickier than a woman picking out her wedding dress. The horse was either too old, too small, too docile or too whatever for him. Shiloh was starting to get frustrated with him but she didn’t say much. Knowing the dilemma he was in, she knew he had to pick a mount that was comfortable with him as much as he was comfortable with it.

Erik was about to give up when he came to the last stall in the stables. Inside was a light tan colored horse with a blonde mane and tail. As he walked into the stall the horse turned its head and regarded him curiously but didn’t do anything sudden or look bored. As the rider walked up to the horses front quarters, he stroked the strong neck and felt the soft hair. His hand slowly slid over the horses back and flanks to feel just how toned the muscles were. What he felt was impressive.

Finally he bent over and manipulated the horse to lift its leg so he could see the hoof and see if it was worn in any kind of strange way. While he was down there he checked to see what sex the animal was and was pleased to see it was a female. He seemed to like the females better. They were less likely to fight him on what he needed them to do. As he stood back up he glanced over his shoulder and saw the horse was looking back at him with even more curiousness in her gaze. And just a tad bit of irritance.

He chuckled and shook his head as he walked back to the horses head and gave her snout an affectionate rub. Glancing over at Shiloh, he smiled broadly.

“I believe I’ve found my other woman. At least until Mina can return. Her temperament is very good and her muscle tone even better. I think she’ll do just fine. Does she have a name yet? If not, I think I’ll call her Freya.”

With a wink as he looked at Shiloh, he looked to the horse then and grinned.

”What do you think, girl? Would you mind being named after the Goddess of love?”

As if to answer him the horse snorted softly and nodded her head up and down.

As Erik was speaking to the horse a soft cloud appeared hovering over a nearby stall and as it began to take on a form the horse snorted and jumped back, then snorted again "You better get your mind on your duties and resposibilities or some scaley lizard will be dining on your bones!" an atherial voice said. Then the cloud vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Erik felt the hairs on his neck rise as the ghastly apparition appeared and spooked Freya. It happened so quickly he wasn’t even sure he heard or saw anything but the look in the horses eyes told him it had indeed been real. As he stroked the horses neck to calm her again, he glanced around then looked at Shiloh.

”Did…you just see or hear anything?”

Was he losing his mind? This was the second time something like this had happened. And he thought for certain that voice sounded a lot like Braum’s but….that was impossible. The man was dead. Had died in Erik’s own arms. So how could it be he was hearing the man’s voice berate him again? Perhaps he was just imagining things. If not….he had some serious issues….