Page 15 of Wynter and the Stone Dragon

“Land, Pow-pow,” she requested.

The powerful stone dragon circled around again before landing lightly on the uneven, grassy turf. Wynter swung her leg over Pow-pow’s broad shoulders and slid off, her boots sinking into the soft soil. She picked up the contents of the girl’s basket from the ground and placed them back inside. When a man of similar age to the woman stepped out of the hut, his sword braced for an attack, she straightened. The woman stood in the doorway behind him, the young girl peeking out from behind her.

“Hello,” Wynter hesitantly called. “Your… daughter dropped her basket. I’m sorry we startled her.”

She stepped forward, holding out the basket. The couple stared at her with wide eyes. She took another step forward.

Pale and tense, the man looked from her face, to Pow-pow, to the basket, and back again. He tentatively approached her, and the longer he looked at her face, the more he seemed to be having trouble catching his breath.

“Can you… can you understand me?” she asked, biting her lip.

“Yes, Your Highness. I am Tomas,” the man said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Wynter tried to smile. She waved to Pow-pow and forced out a laugh.

“That’s Pow-pow. He’s harmless.” She ignored Pow-pow’s humph of disagreement. “My name is Wynter.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Tomas choked out, lowering to his knee and bowing his head.

“You… you know who I am?” she asked, glancing at the woman who was curtsying deeply.

“You are the lost Princess of Erindale, thought murdered with your parents when the creatures attacked,” Tomas said.

His voice trembled, and he glanced up at her before bowing his head again. Wynter placed the basket on the ground next to him and reached for his hand. Tomas shuddered when she touched him.

“Please… can you tell me what happened?”

Tomas nodded and together they stood. The woman gave her a tentative smile before stepping back. The little girl ran over and collected the basket.

“I’m Desiree,” the little girl introduced with a curtsy.

“I’m Wynter and this is Pow-pow. He’s a stone dragon.”

“Welcome to our home. I’m LaNie, Your Highness,” the woman introduced with another deep curtsy.

Wynter paused in the doorway and looked back at Pow-pow. He was lying in the yard, gnawing on a rock, while half a dozen chickens pecked around him. He motioned with his head for her to go.

I will be here if you need me,he promised.

She gave a slight nod before taking a deep breath. She was nervous and sad, but she was also exhilarated. This was finally a chance to find out who she really was and where she belonged in this vast, crazy universe.

* * *

Two hours later, Wynter emerged from the house, pale but composed. She knew Pow-pow’s sharp hearing had easily followed along with the conversation, so there wasn’t any point in her repeating what was said.

Tomas and LaNie didn’t know where the creatures came from. They only knew of the massive destruction left behind. The creatures were too fast to out-run, but Tomas and LaNie specialized in magic that hid them from threats.

They had lived in a village far to the south of Erindale when the first attacks began, and they traveled farther and farther north to find land that had recovered from the blight the invaders brought. Erindale was situated above a strong source of magic, and so it was here, just outside the blast zone of the castle, that the land first began to flourish.

“Go home now?” Pow-pow asked, rising to his feet and stretching.

Wynter shook her head. “No, I’m… not ready. Not yet. I… need someplace where I can think,” she quietly replied, petting his neck.

“Pick a place,” he suggested.

Wynter’s fingers went to the ring she always wore around her neck.

“There is a place I would like to visit again,” she said, looking up at Pow-pow.

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