Treasure Ch. 03

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A midday stroll, apples, and fairy tales.
13k words
4.85
26k
67

Part 3 of the 11 part series

Updated 06/07/2023
Created 01/29/2016
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Catherine's eyes fluttered open, and she squinted against the beams of harsh sunlight that were streaming into the cave. The racket of songbirds assaulted her ears, and a weak stream of air, cool with the chill of dawn, played over her exposed legs. She sat up slowly, arching her back in a long, luxurious stretch. The warmth of Adeon's skin was gone from behind her, and as her gaze darted throughout the wide mouth of the cave, she realized that she couldn't see a hint of his presence anywhere. Clutching the edges of the cloak closer to her body to shield herself from the chill, she rose to her feet, toed on her slippers, and made her way to the entrance of the cave.

Gravel crunched under her feet as she crept outside, and she brought one hand to her eyes to shield them from the sunlight as she scanned the skies. She didn't see any large shapes hovering in the blue, nor glimpse the brilliant green of Adeon's scales further down the mountain. Her gaze traveled towards the castle below her, toy-sized in the distance, and she let out a weary sigh. Not for the first time, Catherine wondered how the rest of the kingdom was faring without her. It wasn't as if she was terribly paramount to the goings-on of the city, but in the back of her mind, she was dreadfully curious about whom, exactly, her disappearance had affected. Her father was almost certainly beside himself, she thought, and the very idea left a sizable lump in her throat. She moved a little closer, crossing her arms over her chest as a weak, cool breeze gusted over the rocks and shrubs around her, scattering dust into the wind. If only they could see me, she thought morosely. Just once, to see that I was alright...

Then again, she thought with a miserable smirk, what on earth would she say? Father, I'm alive! The dragon didn't eat me after all---he only absconded with my virginity. Now we're quite smitten with one another and I do think I'm going to marry him and go live in the mountains forever. Don't worry about the other sacrifices, he's promised not to do it again. He's actually very nice. Immediately, her brows furrowed in confusion. What had happened to the other girls...?

"Going somewhere?" a familiar voice inquired from several paces to her right, and Catherine's eyes widened as she spun to face the source of the noise. Adeon, still in his human form, emerged from behind a large rock, his eyes narrowed in fierce suspicion. To Catherine's immense surprise, he was clad in a loose, deep red shirt that contrasted fantastically with his acid-green eyes, a black hat adorned with a magnificent white plume, and a pair of black trousers. He was even wearing a pair of black leather boots, laced up the sides. She gawked at him for a moment, but then regained her composure.

"I don't really think I'm going anywhere dressed like this," she answered quickly, plucking at the fabric of the cape. "I'm sorry, I just...I didn't see you when I woke up. I wondered where you had gone..." His expression softened, and Catherine watched in fascination as he raised his hand to run his fingers through his long, white hair. Dressed like this, he looked like a young nobleman, albeit a very tall one. Absentmindedly, she wondered where he had found clothes that fit him so well.

"Forgive me," he murmured apologetically, casting his eyes downwards. "It was rude of me to assume..." He trailed off and gave her an odd look, following her gaze down the front of his shirt. "...What?" he asked, clearly puzzled. Catherine's lips split into a wide grin.

"You look rather dashing," she admitted, feeling a faint heat creep up her cheeks. He regarded her with amusement, although Catherine could have sworn she saw a hint of bashfulness taint his air of easy confidence, if only for a fraction of a second.

"I don't know what you expect to gain from your shameless flirting," he teased, flashing her that brilliant grin, the one that was just for her.

"Surely you can see the irony in accusing me of shamelessly flirting..."

"I don't flirt. I merely make very honest observations." He frowned. "Aren't you cold?"

"Frigid," Catherine agreed, rubbing the sides of her arms, and he shooed her away with his left hand.

"Inside," he demanded in a serious tone that was offset by an excited smile. "I have a surprise for you," he added. She regarded him strangely for a moment, but then turned on her heel and pranced back into the cavern.

The air was only a little warmer inside, and she stood in wait for him near the back wall. After a few moments Adeon strode inside, a large, blue fabric sack slung casually over one shoulder. Catherine's brow furrowed in confusion as he lowered the sack to the ground, and he watched her in amusement. "Curious little thing, aren't you?" he chuckled, and she smiled weakly. Although it could have contained anything, it worried her that the bag was decidedly person-sized. He loosened the ties at the mouth of it and rooted through it, and then held up a swath of sky-blue fabric with his long, tapered fingers. Catherine raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp, hoping it was what she thought it was. "I thought it would be stunning with your eyes," he told her, his eyes dancing.

"Is that a dress?" she breathed, moving closer. He offered it to her and she took it, watching in awe as the fabric cascaded down to its full length. It seemed rather soft and slinky, and its folds caught the light beautifully. "Adeon, it's...it's gorgeous," she choked out, clutching it to her chest. "Let me put it---" She was cut off as he scooped her into his arms and began to carry her down the passage that led deeper into the cave. "What are you doing?" she cried indignantly, and he pressed a hard kiss to her forehead.

"You'll see," he confided in a conspiratorial whisper, and Catherine watched in confusion as they passed through the treasure room and entered yet another passage. He took a right turn into a wide-mouthed cavern, and Catherine's eyes widened in awe.

A small hole in the ceiling of the cave let in a thin stream of morning sunlight that was reflecting off of a huge pool of crystal-clear water. Crystals and stones the color of amethyst and quartz jutted out from the walls of the cave and sparkled from inside the pool, making light dance around the cavern. The temperature inside was a little warmer than the rest, and the ceiling was high and domed.

"Oh Gods," she breathed. "It's incredible."

"Wondrous, isn't it?" he agreed cheerfully, setting her gently down on the ground. He then ducked down to busy himself with the ties of her cloak, sliding it off her shoulders. The warm air flitted over her bare skin in the most delicious way. "Join me for a bath?"

"Yes, please," she sighed, folding the dress and setting it on top of the cloak, then sliding off her slippers. She had been dreaming of water and soap since yesterday, and as she dipped a toe into the water, the warmth of it sent goosebumps crawling up her legs. "Oh," she moaned in delight. "It's so warm!" She shivered contentedly and slowly slid herself into the water, sighing as she was swallowed up by its warmth and clinging to the edge of the pool to steady herself. It was shallow in this area, but near the center of it, it seemed darker and much deeper. At the other end of the cave, the ceiling stooped down and the water let out through a tiny, creek-like crevasse in the wall. She let out a cry of surprise that echoed loudly as he leapt in without warning, splashing her with hot drops of water and going under for a few seconds. He re-emerged suddenly, silvery tendrils of wet hair streaming down his face.

"It's a hot spring," he told her, floating back towards her and leaning against the wall next to her. She looked down and saw the string of pearls around her neck floating against the water, and quickly unclasped both the necklaces from her neck and set them on the rock floor behind her. "Perfectly clean and untouched...for the most part, anyway. It might not be a fancy bath with soaps and perfumes, but it's something." She took a deep breath and submerged herself under the water, scrubbing at her scalp with her fingernails to clean herself and letting out a sigh once she rose to the surface. The water smelled slightly of sulfur and minerals, but in a good way, and she leaned against the wall of and stared at the bottom of the pool, where crystals sparkled and shone. Her long, wet hair hung heavily past her shoulders. The sensation of bathing after two days was marvelous.

"It's perfect," she said blissfully, scrubbing her arms with her fingers. He kissed her cheek and closed his eyes, tilting his head back to lean against the wall with his forearms propped up on the floor behind them, and she watched him curiously. He seemed so at peace. His fierce, aloof demeanor had diminished and had become soft and teasing and loving, and he was far from the desperate creature, toeing on the brink of madness, that he had turned into the night before.

Mine.

A shiver ran up her spine as she recalled the frantic, proprietary way he had run his tongue in that slow lick over her lips, and the way his eyes had burned with wanting, as if she was the last thing he would ever see. He had been so intense, almost dangerous. He gazed at her from the corner of his eye, and their eyes met as he caught her staring.

"Something on your mind?" he murmured. She smiled, shrugging and turning her gaze back to the pool.

"You," she said honestly. When she glanced back up at him, he raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"Anything in particular?" he asked curiously, bringing his face closer to hers. She bit her lip.

"You seem...different," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully. He watched her solemnly, his hand reaching up to stroke her cheek.

"I fear that you've done something to me," he said softly. "Something great and terrible. And worse still, I'm starting to find that I like it." Her heart leapt into her throat at his words and the intensity of his gaze, and they stared at each other for several moments, her eyes wide with surprise, until she nervously leaned forward and gently kissed the tip of his nose. He seemed to unwind visibly in front of her, his shoulders sloping downwards drowsily, and, as if he were in a trance, he moved in front of her to wrap her in his arms. Leaning down, he nestled his head in the crook of her neck, and she hesitantly wound her arms around his torso to run her fingers down his back, stroking his spine and the length of his neck. A soft sigh of relief escaped his lips in a rush of breath, his eyes closing, and they stayed like that for several minutes. He then began to trail a line of kisses up her throat, pausing at her ear. "I can't wait," he whispered, the mischief returning to his tone, "to see you in that dress."

"Do you take some sick sort of pleasure in dressing me up?" she giggled, her nervousness subsiding, and he laughed, catching her earlobe gently in his teeth.

"And I'm sure the entire ordeal is simply agonizing for you," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her out of the spring, then setting her down gingerly on the edge so her legs dangled on either side of him. She flushed and crossed them, and he gave the tip of her toe a little kiss before she could pull it out of his reach. "Get dressed before I contemplate the redundancy of putting clothes on you," he growled playfully, and she quickly pushed herself onto her feet, skittering away from him with a giggle as she heard him rise from the spring behind her.

Water streamed down her body in rivulets, and she brushed her hair over one shoulder and wrung it out. It hung long and heavy past her bosom, and she sighed. Having so much hair could be a nuisance, especially when it was wet. It would take hours upon hours to dry. She knelt down to pick up the dress, then pulled it over her head and wriggled into it. It fit like a dream, although the neckline plunged a little lower than she'd like, and it was tight against her stomach and hips. The sleeves were long and billowing at her forearms, but tight around the wrists, and the skirt was loose and comfortable and trailed on the floor. It was the color of a clear spring sky. Normally she would be incredibly self-conscious about a lack of a bodice, but after prancing around in little more than a blanket, she found she didn't mind.

"You look delightful." She glanced at him over her shoulder. He was clothed again, and the smile on his face was wide and wolfish. "Turn for me." She obeyed, swirling so the skirt flared up over her ankles. "Lovely," he sighed, and then something seemed to catch his eye on the floor. "You forgot this," he added suddenly. He knelt down and scooped up the sapphire locket, watching it glimmer like a thousand candle flames in the light of the cavern as he straightened back up. She watched him uncertainly as he moved behind her, lifted her wet hair away from her neck and fastened it at her throat.

"I thought you weren't keen on others taking your trinkets," she protested softly, and he kissed her cheek.

"It's a gift," he said simply. "Besides, it looks far better on you than it does lying in a heap somewhere." He moved fluidly out from behind her and motioned for her to follow with a small tilt of his head, and she fell into step beside him through the narrow passageway. The other jewels and the cloak were left in a heap on the cavern floor, and Catherine couldn't help but marvel the ease with which he could leave so many riches just lying around.

"How on earth did you get these?" she asked as they walked, inspecting the folds of the dress. He shrugged.

"I went to market, actually." Catherine stopped and stared at him in shock.

"You what?" she asked in disbelief, and he turned to look back at her, a single eyebrow raised.

"Well, first I had to clothe myself, so I found some garments unsupervised by the river. I think these were a man's laundry," he admitted, plucking at the fabric of the shirt with his long fingers. "And I put on a hat, to hide my ears and eyes. I took some gold with me and bought you that dress. And a rack of lamb. For you, and for irony's sake." His eyes glittered.

"But what if someone had noticed you?" she breathed nervously. He laughed loudly.

"And did what, exactly?" he mused. "Shot me with arrows? Ran me through with a sword? They would be dead before the strike fell. Don't you remember?" His eyes widened wildly, his grin broad and vicious. "I'm dangerous." She frowned.

"I'm well aware that you're very capable of killing human beings," she scolded him, "but you'd do well to stay out of the kingdom. If they figured out who you were, there would be hundreds upon you in moments." He narrowed his eyes at her in thought, clearly pondering something.

"Are you worried about me?" he finally asked incredulously. She felt heat crawl up her neck, her face flushing red in embarrassment.

"So what if I am?" she retorted. "I would hate to see harm come to you over something as silly as getting me a dress and a piece of meat." He laughed, mussing her wet hair with his hand.

"You continue to astonish me every day." She glowered at him, and he kissed her forehead. "And you needn't worry. All the town thinks is that a particularly tall, good-looking gentleman with light hair and an air of mystery about him came and went, and purchased a very lovely dress and some dinner, presumably to pitch woo at a very lucky girl," he added teasingly, winking at her. "Now, what shall we do today? We have the entire day to look forward to." She blinked, surprised.

"We're in a cave," she said dully. "I imagine there isn't much to do."

"Shall I fetch something for you?" he offered hopefully. "Some paper and a quill? A book? I can read to you." His tone seemed to brighten at the thought of reading to her, and she almost smiled. Here she was, trapped in a cave with a murderous, fire-breathing creature, and he was excitedly offering to tell her a story. She thought for a moment, then glanced back at him, her expression hopeful. It might not work, but it was worth a try.

"I'd like to go outside," she announced, and he stared at her uncertainly. "You can come with me, of course, but I haven't been out of this cave in a few days. I need to stretch my legs." His eyes narrowed, and she swallowed. After a few moments, he sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"I suppose it's not an unusual request," he admitted, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt nervously. "But you must understand the predicament I'm in..."

"I won't run," she promised quickly, clasping her hands together in front of her pleadingly. He nodded, the look on his face turning gloomy.

"Gods, I hope you don't run," he murmured, and his eyes seemed to grow wide with worry at the thought. Panic coursed through her veins like ice, and she tentatively touched his arm with her fingers. Seeing him like this made her nervous.

"I won't," she insisted. "I promise." He stared at her for a long time before finally giving her a little nod. Suddenly, his expression brightened, his eyes glittering in excitement and his mouth curling into a little smile.

"Actually, I just had the most wonderful idea," he announced, and she watched in shock as scales began to ripple over his skin, his limbs lengthening, his spine bending and elongating as a tail grew from his tailbone. He began to pull off his clothes. She looked away, and when she glanced back a few moments later, there was a giant, green dragon in front of her, his eyes still that wild green with crimson rings on the outside. "Climb on my back," he offered, and it was so strange hearing his voice coming from the throat of a giant beast. She stared at him uncertainly, biting her lip, and then stepped forward, putting a hand on his side. He reached over to her and plucked her up by her waist, setting her gently on his back just below his neck, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as far as they would go and clenched her thighs tightly around his back. "Hold on tight," he warned her, and she nodded, her eyes wide.

He began to walk forward, a smooth motion that made her relax slightly as she realized she wasn't going to fall off, but her stomach did a nervous sort of flip-flop as he walked outside, across the trail that she had walked to get there, and paused at the edge of the mountain. The trees on the ground far below them were tiny twigs, the castle a miniscule grey lump in the distance. Suddenly, she knew what he was about to do.

"Oh, no," she said loudly. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." A rumble of amusement sounded from his throat, and he looked back at her with wickedly gleaming eyes.

"Oh, come now," he purred. "It'll be fun. It's beautiful up in the clouds. And besides, how many humans have flown with a dragon before?"

"Perhaps that's because humans simply weren't meant to fly," she said shakily, clutching at his neck as tight as she could.

"Hush that darling mouth of yours and hold on," Adeon laughed, his voice a rich crescendo of excitement, and she screamed loudly as he leapt from the face of the cliff and ripped his wings open behind her. She closed her eyes as he beat his wings in long, heavy strokes, pressing her face against his skin and gritting her teeth hard. Wind rushed past her ears deafeningly, and his scales scraped lightly against the skin of her cheek. "Open your eyes!" he shouted delightedly, and she squinted one eye open cautiously.

The ground was far below them, traveling past slowly as they glided on an undercurrent of wind. Wisps of clouds passed close above them, faint and cotton-thin, and the air was much cooler than usual.

She quickly closed it again.

"No, I shan't," she yelled back.

"Open them or I shall turn upside down."

"YOU WILL NOT."