 
THE INEPT ADEPT

AND

THE ALMOST LAST UNICORN

By **Peter Butterworth**

Published by **Peter Butterworth** at Smashwords.com

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013/ This Edition 2015 **Peter Butterworth**

ISBN – 9781458151490

Website: butterworththewriter.com

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(I may be the only Peter Butterworth from the USA.)

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Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Epilogue

Other Books by Peter Butterworth

About the Author

The End
THE INEPT ADEPT & THE ALMOST LAST UNICORN

PROLOGUE

The unicorn felt a chill. He raised his head from the wonderfully sweet young grass he had been grazing on.

He searched the skies wondering if he was in danger.

Nope. No dragons in the sky. Not even a cloud on this fine, early spring day. He looked around.

The unicorn saw several wild horses but they gave him a wide berth. Not out of fear but from deference. The unicorn shivered again.

All of a sudden the unicorn felt lonely. He wondered where other unicorns might be. He tried to think how long it had been since he had seen another unicorn.

It had been...well, it certainly had been a long time. Decades perhaps. Perhaps longer. Unicorns did not know the concept of calendars.

He shivered again. His loneliness seemed to intensify. He knew he must seek...other unicorns?

Ah, no.

He must seek his mate.

But where would she be? Where should he look?

CHAPTER ONE

Howdry Camphor moaned as his wife placed the piping hot bowl of stew on the kitchen table. At most times he'd be hungry as well as proud. But not this time. Not this moment. And not for a number of moments past and what was infinitely worse for moments future.

He was a man generally content though his life was filled with work. He had a successful farm, a loving and to him a lovely wife. She had a wonderful disposition and _what_ a cook. Her stews were famous and rightly so. It made him proud and content. Usually. But not this time.

He looked at the food and groaned. He had missed breakfast and hadn't eaten last night's supper.

He had to stand to relieve the pain. "I'm sorry honey but I just can't."

Polly Camphor looked concerned. Her husband's appetite was legendary. He was not quite the biggest man but he may have been one of the strongest. He had a boundless energy which was a blessing since their oldest child was a girl.

Nadilia who was fifteen was not only a female, so couldn't be expected to do a man's work, but she took after Polly. She was small and petite. True, she seemed to have her father's energy and determination but she needed help to carry the full pails of milk after she milked Plodgie the cow.

Their second of three children was a boy and that, most times, would be a blessing for a farmer. But Billy was also small. He was intense and given to long periods of contemplation. It also seemed he had some magical aptitude so he took classes at the one thing the village of Oakendusk was known far and wide for. It kept him away from most of the farming chores.

Oakendusk was in most respects a typical village in Conestableshire. Oakendusk was filled with small farms, some shops for the usual needs and a few shops for crafts of superior quality. It had a genial climate and rare was the time the village and surroundings were harassed by magical creatures. They hadn't seen an ogre in an elf's age.

Peacefulness and quality of the farming led to contented people which fostered the trades and crafts and with it came Barry Ding's Academy of Magic. It was here that Billy spent the bulk of his time. From six in the morning to three in the afternoon.

The town even boasted of a renown physician who unfortunately was absent at the moment.

"Dearest," said Polly, "Doctor Rutgide will be back shortly. I be..."

"Polly I'm in anguish. If he doesn't come within the hour I'll surely die." Howdry stood dejected and in pain. He could barely walk. His stomach was so distended and hard it hurt to scratch an itch on his ample abdomen.

"I'm going to..." Howdry tilted his head at the door. The door opened to a path which led to the outhouse. He turned his body slowly. When he faced the door he walked, well, perhaps minced would be more accurate. He couldn't take a full step. It was just too painful.

Howdry made it to the door and gingerly stepped down. The path to take him to the outhouse was well worn and for the most part without obstacles. He hoped he could avoid the ruts and other impedimenta. The outhouse was on the side of the very comfortable and by most standards a large plank wood house.

The front and side of the house was very close to the main road which ended in the small village square. He normally liked sitting on the porch so he could say hello to those going to the shops or just visiting the mayor and elders with news or problems.

Today he didn't care to see anyone. He wasn't in such a good mood to even return a greeting. The outhouse seemed _soooo_ far away. Normally just twelve long strides. Not today. Thirty steps or more he guessed.

Since he couldn't think of what else he could do and he knew he wasn't good company the outhouse seemed like the best place for him. Maybe it would bring him luck.

He had taken ten mincing steps from the kitchen's side door when he heard the clop-clop-clop from up the road. The clop-clop-clop was coming toward him. He looked up.

Oh, what luck. I can't believe it. I'm saved.

"Hello there master unicorn. I'm so glad you've come by." He tried to hurry to get closer to the road. There was the rail fence but it wasn't high and he could reach over easily to touch the healing creature. He liked a lower fence as it afforded him a better view of what went up or down the thoroughfare. The outhouse nearly abutted the fence.

The unicorn, if he heard Howdry, never looked over and kept moseying down the road. He hadn't been in the Oakendusk environs for many, many years, probably half an elf's age at least. He did remember the meadow. He was daydreaming about the meadow. It had the most delightful buttercups though he wasn't thinking about that. He was perseverating on Shastra. He had met her in that meadow.

'Let's see...the way to the meadow was...ah, take a right at the fork in the road.' He actually was aware of the non-elf but the unicorn neither slowed nor acknowledged him. A non-elf was of no interest to him.

"Please master unicorn. Please help me."

The unicorn continued on his way but the man's pleas intruded into his daydreaming. This was intolerable. He looked over and saw what appeared to be a crippled middle-aged non-elf and snorted in disgust.

Howdry stood still as the unicorn walked away from him and took the right fork. Sheeps-Head meadow, Howdry knew. But he could never make it that far. He sighed and almost cried. He looked at the outhouse, sighed and almost cried again. He still had twenty half-steps at the very least.

CHAPTER TWO

LacCluster Minfrey had a hard time keeping his anger in check. He kept hearing _Attitude_ in his head. It made him in parts angry, frustrated, picked on, put upon, singled out, discouraged, frustrated and angry and, and, and...

It never occurred to him what the master said was or could even be true. Lac never wondered that when the master said 'Attitude!' he was speaking to all the apprentices. Lac was the one who was not performing up to the expected level. _Attitude my eye._

Lac felt a tug on his brown robe. He knew without looking it would be Billy Camphor. He liked the kid though at this moment his seething was in the way of his friendliness.

He really shouldn't think of Billy as a kid. Yet, not only was Billy the smallest in the school but looked about ten instead of his thirteen years. And Lac had some recollection of what that could be like. He sighed as he thought, an almost happy thought, at fifteen he was no longer a kid himself. He was an adult now... _and shouldn't that count for something!!!!_

"C'mon Lac. Mom will have her stew all ready for us." With that important piece of information conveyed Billy bolted and was almost the first out the door. Billy never looked back. Nobody, but nobody refuses an invitation to eat at his mother's table.

Lac waited for everyone to exit the classroom. He was afraid he'd hear the taunts from his classmates so he hoped most would be gone when he emerged from school. Yet again, Lac wasn't able to think clearly due to his own self absorption. He was the tallest and surprisingly strong and agile for his age. None wanted to try their luck in a physical confrontation. But that was the least of the concerns from his peer group. Lac's 'attitude' had led to some very strange magical conjuring.

To Lac's classmates this was a very, very, an extremely good reason to avoid his wrath. One never knew just what may occur though it was the consensus that whatever did occur would not be pleasant for anyone in the general vicinity or even the shire.

Lac left the schoolroom dejected, hurt and preoccupied. In some ways this was the major problem for Lac. He could not stay focused on one subject long enough to have a full examination of that one particular thing.

He didn't hear the "hello Nady" as Billy was running out of the center of town. Billy was heading for the road which would take him to his father's farm and his mother's kitchen table.

Had Lac heard the greeting he might have composed himself. But his thoughts were as bleak as his mood. Would he ever be qualified to become an adept at magic? He was sick with worry. He knew he had the innate ability for magic but with three years of training he seemed no closer to the master's helper let alone the master himself.

He wondered for the one millionth, or so, time if he would ever be a magician. He had had thoughts as any twelve year old that he would make a difference in the world. A big difference. An important difference. The only difference so far was the clothier, Mallus Kinnie, had grown richer from all the brown student's robes Lac was wont to destroy. That was definitely NOT the legacy he wanted to be known for.

Nadilia sidled up to Lac. He knew there was someone near him but didn't really care who it might have been and for what it might be for.

He was worrying about Nadilia. He liked her (Ahem. He really liked her!). When she looked at him with those huge, round blue eyes he would melt. She would hold her small hands in such a wonderful way...how could he even think of such things, he chided himself. He and Nady were adults but they were not old enough to marry.

And that's assuming she'd marry him. _Probably be the last thing she'd ever do._ His mood bleak before was now black. _How unfair._

His anger got to him and he began to raise his hands...

"Lac, please no magic now. You know how mother says it spoils one's appetite."

Lac was startled and his hands returned to his side pockets. He also stopped and stared.

_She's so lovely_ ... _she's so sweet_ ... _she deserves a good man...she deserves a good magician_ "...of which I'll never become."

"Yes, you will Lac. I have faith in you."

Lac's face wore the color red well. True, with all the fax paux's in conjuring he's learned to wear the color red often. That in itself made him angry and he stammered and stuttered.

"Come and sup with us Lac. Mom's venison stew with that fresh herb which arrived yesterday..."

"I'm not hungry." That's what he heard in his mind. But it seemed his tongue just couldn't form the words correctly. If the words had come out that well his face may not have become even redder. What Nadilia heard was, "ah naa ungy."

Perhaps Nadilia had some innate magic or the gift of translation for she seemed to understand. She placed her hand on Lac's arm, "then maybe you should practice some." She smiled that smile that sent his face the reddest yet. He could only nod.

"Mayhaps you'll be hungry later and come by for a snack?" Her hand was still on his arm and his body tingled from her touch. He could only nod.

Nadilia smiled again and squeezed his forearm before taking her hand away. She walked down the road to her family's farm.

Lac watched her backside as she walked away from him. His face got redder. He shook his head. Maybe some more practice wouldn't hurt. But a safe area would be...

Lac took a shortcut to the meadow. It was a nice walk at most times what with the breeze gently rustling the trees. Warm but not hot or stifling. Bird chatter all around him. However, Lac was too preoccupied to enjoy the walk through the woods. As he neared the meadow he saw some toadstools near a small pool of a meandering rill.

He stopped and contemplated the toadstools. Lac pulled back his shoulders and pushed up the sleeves of his robe. He concentrated.

His hands with palms down jumped in front of him fingers pointing at the toadstools. The biggest one blew up with a small pop. The second toadstool caught fire and the third wilted to nothingness.

Lac's hands dropped to his sides. His shoulders slumped. He felt in parts angry, frustrated, disgusted...

Lac heard the bunnies and squirrels laughing on the other side of the pool. He now felt mortified. And angry and frustrated. Too angry even to feel disgusted. He stared daggers at the animals laughing and rolling around the green moss. Occasionally one would point and the laughter began anon.

He now became too dejected to feel angry. His face flushed and felt hot. _Might as well go through the meadow._

Lac turned to continue down the path. Still hearing the laughter being directed at him he took his left hand, palm up in the direction of the animals and said simply with no small amount of resignation, "stop it."

He briefly wondered if maybe he should have added please but the animals would not have heard him. They were being blown back twenty feet. The ones who hit trees or boulders had the wind knocked out of them. The others were simply dazed.

Lac didn't know it but none of those bunnies and squirrels would ever laugh at him again.

CHAPTER THREE

The unicorn stood at the edge of the meadow. It looked the same and yet it looked different. He couldn't at first place the reason for this. No Shastra! Ah. He had a bad feeling about this.

He walked around and wandered willy-nilly in the meadow. It was a large meadow and it took time to find the spoors left by Shastra. He found some dung of Shastra's but it was ancient. The dung had fallen in a crevice of a small boulder situated near the largest buttercup area. Her scent was still there. That was the only scent in the whole of the meadow he could pick out from her.

How many years he wondered since she had been there? He tried to think how many years it had been since he met any other unicorn. Though nominally equines, unicorns did not socialize as other horses. They tended to be aloof and isolative. They only mated once in half an elf's age or so.

Also, the attributes of unicorns were not the same as other equines. They were magical for one. However, the magic was not the same degree amongst unicorns nor necessarily of the same type. Plus, they lived lives much longer than most including the elves.

Yes, many unicorns had the magic to heal but not all nor of the same measure. Sometimes the healing may be done from a touch of the tip of a unicorn's horn. Or, with some it was from the unicorn's tears. At times, as it was generally known, a touch or stroke along the back or flank of a unicorn could produce healing.

For this capability by some unicorns most humans thought all unicorns were healers. What was more trying, by human perceptions, most unicorns, whether they could heal or not, did not like the company of non-elves.

Humans wanted too much from them for one thing. For another, humans were too loud for the solitary and contemplative unicorns. And too restless. Humans never seemed to just sit and reflect. Unicorns and elves could not understand that. Humans were constantly chatting and rarely were listening. If they could only hear themselves!

'I mean, how important is much of what they talk about?'

The unicorn realized he was hungry. The buttercups still had that wonderful aroma. He bent down and started eating the delicious...his eyes watered a little as he understood these buttercups were delicious because of the years Shastra had fertilized them with her dung. He ate in silence. It was his way to honor...

"Oh look darling. We've found the unicorn. Polly Camphor was right."

The unicorn heard the pair. Unicorn hearing is much better than most animals.

Maybe they'll go away, he thought. He continued to graze. His rear-end was to them 'so perhaps they'll take that as a hint.'

The unicorn was wondering about the dragons. They hadn't been seen around here for some time. That's one good thing about the humans. They were pretty good at killing the young ones, the small ones...

The unicorn was startled. The female human's voice was much closer.

"Hello master unicorn."

The unicorn hoped she didn't see him flinch. Unicorns were such daydreamers. In a perfect world daydreaming isn't a cause for alarm. But when you are the favorite comestible of dragons daydreaming can be right dangerous, even lethal.

"Master unicorn I beseech thee to heal my son. He stutters so..."

The unicorn's head turned toward the voice. He continued to chew. It wasn't a happy look. He didn't want to be disturbed. His backside was the closest thing to the woman and a small human male. The small human was clutching his mother's homespun dress.

The unicorn started to turn his head again. 'Maybe they'll get the message.' Had the unicorn thought about it he would not have been optimistic. Humans were infernally curious and they sure had a hard time hearing the word NO. 'Or, maybe they heard the word but didn't know what it meant? Perhaps they just...'

"Please master unicorn..."

The unicorn did jump this time. The pair of humans were almost within touching distance. A few feet separated them from the unicorn or more precisely the unicorn's rear-end.

"My child suffers so much..."

The unicorn turned his head toward the female. He scowled. The pair didn't seem to know that the unicorn was scowling and continued to stand behind him. He raised his white tail as if to flick away some bothersome flies but it was due more to agitation.

"You're so beautiful. You're the most beautiful..."

One of the unicorn tail hairs detached and was propelled into the air. The white hair settles on the boy's head. The boy was so startled he just looked at the unicorn tail hair.

He then reached up to touch the tail hair. Felt like silk although it was surprisingly thick.

The unicorn had eaten his fill and saw no reason to linger in the meadow. He returned to the road which had led him to Shastra's buttercups.

As he approached Howdry Camphor's farm he heard the voice of the small human, "mother, I'm cured. The unicorn cured me. I'm no longer stuttering." The unicorn heard his gleeful laughter. This rankled the unicorn.

He walked a bit but the anger at not finding Shastra bubbled over the glass of pessimism leaving despair. It was the sense of loss he had been feeling. The sense of loss made him feel so very, very alone. He saw a small wooden structure which had a smell almost as horrid as his flatulence.

He turned his body around and kicked the structure. Hard. Very hard, as hard as he could. The structure leaned, titled and than with one final dramatic effort fell forward.

'That certainly felt good.' The unicorn continued down the road.

Behind him Howdry Camphor sat on the toilet seat and clutched his stomach. He looked all around now there was no obstacle in viewing his surroundings. His first thought was that was some prank. His second thought was he was no longer constipated. He looked around and saw the unicorn wander down the road away from him.

"Thank ye master unicorn. Thank ye with all my heart. Ye are welcome to have anything within my purview to give."

The unicorn heard this but could not fathom it. 'Could be the structure needed ventilation?'

Lac Minfrey was seventy paces behind the unicorn. He had been near the meadow when he witnessed the woman and boy approach the unicorn. It had been remarkable magic and Lac was duly impressed.

A magic he didn't understand. It made him want to learn more about it. He had been at the other end of the meadow and yet he too could smell the foul odor. It was unbelievably strange and mystifying.

He wondered if he could gain a better understanding of magic by trying to understand what he had witnessed. He decided to follow the unicorn.

CHAPTER FOUR

The unicorn decided to take the road out of the shire. He knew in an off-hand way the areas Shastra was wont to wander to.

He considered the areas most likely she'd travel to and decided to go toward the mountains in the west. The unicorn wondered if that area had been settled by humans as well. He had been somewhat surprised this shire was not only inhabited but seemed to be overrun by them. Farms were everywhere. Little hamlets or small villages dotted the country east of the mountains and north of the big salty water area.

Of course, boundaries didn't mean much to the unicorn or to any of the magical creatures in a general way. What mattered is if there were humans or elves about. Elves could and did live in fair harmony with most magical creatures. With humans it was different. They tended to see creatures of magic as fearsome and in their way.

And the restlessness of humans seemed never to cease. Typical of humans was the invasion of the borderlands from the kingdoms of the north. This was true of the shire of Conestible. Conestible was not actually a part of the Fonderlac kingdom though it had been settled by the Fonderlakians.

Much had changed the last time the unicorn had come to the shire. In human terms it had probably been a century at least. However, unicorns and other magical creatures did not have a concept of calendars so five years could be as easily seen as five hundred.

Magical creatures had many things in common but one thing which they did not share is unicorns alone had healing magic.

Shastra was gifted in healing. Maybe because she was gifted in the healing magic she often traveled the settled areas of the humans or elves. She was shy by nature, not very large by unicorn standards and tended to daydreaming more than most. This made her valuable and vulnerable. But she liked to be helpful. A trait somewhat uncommon amongst magical creatures.

She was valuable to any but the dragons since she could heal most aliments. Vulnerable as she could be assaulted easily. Although goblins generally understood that to kill and eat a unicorn was counter-productive since they had neither physicians to heal nor magicians to keep ogres and dragon at bay this sensibility wasn't always observed.

Ogres of course would eat anything they could catch. Dragons had a fondness for unicorns. The innate magic in magical creatures would transfer and enrich dragons when they ingested beings who were innately magical. Unicorns were the most highly magical of all magical creatures so were the most prized by the airborne reptiles.

Dragons grew larger and their protective scales grew thicker with each ingested magical creature. Dragons had enough intelligence to realize the bigger and more protected they were the less likely the human or elfin warriors could harm them or worse.

The dragons only real fear once they grew large were the human magicians. A smart and capable mage could do serious damage and even kill a large dragon outright. If a dragon could not feed on magical creatures it would shrink to a smaller size whereby the warriors would stand a chance in slaying it.

Therefore, dragons always looked first for unicorns to eat. It was a problem for which unicorns were well aware of. And this was the conundrum of the life of a unicorn.

To find areas where they can live in peace and be far away from the dragons. Which was why the unicorns preferred the haunts of the elves.

Only very large dragons would try to hunt in an elfin populated area. The problem facing the unicorns was the elves seemed to be disappearing. The unicorn couldn't remember the last time he had seen an elf. The smaller elf population, the smaller area the unicorns felt comfortable in foraging.

The mountains to the west though small in comparison to the great mountain chains still attracted dwarves since the area was filled to the brim with ore. Where there were dwarves there might be elves. Seemed a smart decision for the unicorn was to journey west.

In many respects this was the last refuge of the truly magical world. Certainly, there were magical creatures around everywhere to some degree but the mountains and the land to the west of the mountains had no humans. Only magical creatures. Of course, there were the ogres and goblins to contend with but unicorns could hear them coming so they could avoid dangerous confrontations.

And unicorns if cornered were the most dangerous of all magical creatures. Yet, they never were aggressive nor would they fight if flight was available to them.

Yes, somewhere near the mountains was the place to look for Shastra.

The unicorn had taken the road which would lead him to the mountains. It was a long road by most accounts but there would be plenty to see and especially in the earliest of summer plenty to eat.

He still heard the footfalls of the human walking on the same road but the human had not increased his stride or pace and the unicorn felt no hostility from the human. It amazed the unicorn that humans sure were a restless lot.

Had the unicorn been given to deeper thinking he might have considered the reasons the road to the mountains had been so worn and obviously well traveled.

Lac continuing to follow the unicorn hadn't wondered. One, he knew the road went to the Galwich Mountains. When the dwarves had been in the mountains a strong trade developed in metal goods for grain and other food items. This had helped open up the shire and other areas just east of the mountains for settlement and north of the foothills.

It had been the reason his great-great-grandfather had migrated to the area. He had been in the dry goods business. As had Lac's great-grandfather and grandfather. His father managed the store today. Lac had been the first in the family in generations not to become a tradesman.

Lac's magical ability had manifested itself early. The family had been proud to think of him as a magician. Magicians were an important part of any society since they alone could keep the large dragons from doing harm or worse.

Lac didn't know if any large dragons still existed. When he had started mage training he had hoped he'd have the opportunity to slay one. As he progressed through the academy he wasn't all that certain he'd be able to actually do any significant harm to a large reptile.

The stories he heard made him less than eager to find one. Lac's body reacted to a chill and he shook. It seemed odd to him to feel such a chill throughout his body on such a warm day.

He tried to tell himself it must've been a cold breeze which affected him just then. But he didn't really believe that.

CHAPTER FIVE

The creature was large, very large. One of the largest of his kind. The creature was black but not the black of night but a shimmery black. A deep black from which no light reflected from it.

The creature was also very comfortable. Its lair was absolutely perfect. He hadn't made it of course but that hardly mattered.

Had there been other dragons around he would brag of his wonderful home. Absolutely made to order. Sadly, there were no more dwarves around. He had enjoyed the taste of dwarves. Tougher than elves and gamier but the magic he felt during ingestion was so satisfying.

He slumbered in peace and contentment. He had been asleep for nearly a century. He had grown larger due to all the dwarves he had eaten. Possessing their innate magic caused him to grow in size.

Yet, it caused something else. Something unforeseen. Something the dragon was not aware of but affected him nonetheless.

The dragon's body felt the subtle pangs for sustenance.

He stirred.

CHAPTER SIX

'Human magician, are you following me?'

"Ah, well...umm...hey. You can talk?"

'Not in the way elves and humans talk.'

"You mean, ah, that we can read each other's mind?"

'No, not read the mind but interpret projections from the mind. At least a magician told me that once. I assume it to be true as we can converse.'

"I hadn't learned that yet." Lac all of a sudden was very frustrated. How much did he still need to learn? It seemed to him becoming a full fledged and registered magician would take years of schooling and training. It seemed all too daunting just now.

He decided to walk off the road to the creek to drink some water. The unicorn was already there. Regardless of the six of seven miles he had hiked Lac felt fine. It had been such a lovely day. Evening approached as the last of the late afternoon rays of the sun diffused the waning light through the trees and...

_Oh, my am I hungry_. Slaking his thirst did not dampen his growing hunger.

'Then you should eat. The grass over here is particularly tasty.'

"I'm afraid humans can't eat grass." He looked around and found a boulder he could sit on. He didn't know what he should do about his hunger. He wasn't used to deprivation of food so his growling stomach was a rather odd and unwanted sensation. He was also fatigued from hours of walking along dusty roads.

Lac had never been this far west. He could see the mountain peaks when they reached open meadows. Or when the trees didn't along the road didn't obscure them. They seemed a lot closer now.

One thing he had noticed was the hamlets no longer dotted the countryside nor were there any villages. He suddenly felt very much alone.

'What do humans generally eat?'

"Well, we like a lot of different stuff if we can get it. Different types of meat and grains and vegetables. Soups and stews are popu..."

Lac blinked then rubbed his eyes. Ten feet in front of him stood two pixies. He had never seen pixies before since they avoid settled human areas. He tried to remember why and what he had read about them. They stood about eight inches tall with their wings folded.

Lac was sure they hadn't been there before but...

"So you're hungry?" The two pixies laughed. "We can help." They laughed some more.

Lac eventually looked down to where the incredible aroma originated. On a small blanket was a plate of roasted mutton and a glass with what looked like ale. Lac's stomach began to growl in earnest.

Lac scratched his chin. He knew there was something fishy about this but he couldn't remember for the life of him anything about pixies. It had been many generations since they frequented the shire. But why did they no longer...?

'You shouldn't trust the faeries.'

"Why's that?"

The unicorn continued to chew the tasty grass, "they'll try to enchant you."

_Ah, that was it._ Pixies liked to play pranks. Adult humans didn't like pranks. In fact, you couldn't be considered an adult if you played pranks on anyone, especially other adults.

Lac was too tired for long winded explanations. He raised his hand, "no thanks. I'm fine."

The pixies stopped laughing and instantly grew angry. Lac became alarmed. _What do you do with an angry pixie_? The unicorn looked up from his grazing. He didn't want to miss this.

The pixies looked at each other than at Lac than threw something at him.

Lac's hand was still raised and he tried to protect himself. Both hands were out in front of him now. Nothing happened. Lac looked around. Whatever they had thrown hadn't hit him. So he looked around to see what it was they threw. He found nothing.

The pixies became enraged and started hurling...something. Lac couldn't see what it was but he was a little too weary for this.

Both of Lac's hands pushed out with palms up. He simply said, "STOP IT."

The pixies did stop 'it' though it wasn't volitional. One, the voice that said 'stop it' was about ten times louder than he intended. Two, the pixies acted like they were hit by a tree limb and had doubled over.

Lac looked at his hands; palms to back of the hands. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary yet he had two barely conscious pixies in front of him. He got up and went over to the pixies. He prodded one. They were definitely stunned.

Lac felt a little bit apprehensive he might have hurt the pixies though for the life of him he could not understand how that might have happened.

'Not bad. Perhaps a little too strong for the little ones but maybe you are out of practice.'

"Out of practice? Yes, you could say that. I didn't hurt them did I?"

'Magic cannot harm or kill faeries. They'll be up and about in a few minutes.'

In several minutes the pixies were conscious though still groggy. They looked at Lac and appeared to want to depart. "Hey. Don't go. I'd like..." He wasn't sure what he liked to do.

The pixies remained quiescent and stationary.

Odd behavior.

"What would you like master mage?"

"Umm." Lac decided to think on this. This was indeed unusual behavior so he didn't want to make mistakes...and he was so hungry!

'You deflected their enchantment. It hit them with impressive force.'

"I've ensorcelled them?"

'Correct.'

Lac thought on it some more, "for how long?"

'For a little while at least.'

"Ah there, pixies. Magic me a, ah, the roasted mutton, leek soup and some honey cakes."

The faces of the pixies remained impassive but they attended to Lac's bidding. In front of Lac was the blanket with the food he had ordered. He rubbed his hands together as he sat on the blanket edge. He grabbed the mutton leg and bit into it.

Delicious. Hmm!

"Now my good little fellows, give me a wheel of cheese and nuts and currants." Lac quickly added, "and put it in a traveling rucksack."

He found a bag with nuts and currants and cheese in front of him.

"Shuck the nuts."

The nuts lost their shells.

As Lac was eating he watched the pixies who with blank faces looked back at him.

"Pixies, dance."

The pixies started to dance and Lac assumed it was a normal pixie dance which meant it made no sense to him but at least it gave him something to watch as he masticated.

The unicorn looked at Lac. 'Are you a pixie as well?'

"Too much?"

The unicorn said nothing but Lac could feel the disapproval in Chauncey's silence. Lac sighed. Maybe he wasn't yet an adult. It had been fun to have the pixies hop around.

"Okay pixies, stop. Go home." They vanished.

'It will soon be too dark to travel. I will remain here where the grass is tender and the water fresh and there are trees to protect me. Where are you off to?'

Lac shrugged as he chewed. "Why would trees protect you?"

'If there was a dragon around he would want to eat me. A unicorn's hearing is very good but the dragons know that and if they spot a unicorn they'll glide so we cannot hear them coming. The trees would get in the way of the dragon and the noise would alert me. If awake we can defend ourselves. Our horn can kill any dragon.'

Lac looked up. He could barely see the stars through the canopy. "Do you mind if I stayed with you?"

The unicorn thought on this. He had already talked more to a human in the last hour than he had in the last century. It tired him but he also found it oddly exhilarating. Kind of like having a foal to teach the ways of the world to. The parental nature was emerging in the unicorn. It was the unconscious desire to mate which had stirred his memories of Shastra.

'No. My name is Chauncey.'

"I'm Lac. Pleased to meet you."

'Where are you headed Lac?'

"Well," Lac had finished the repast and sat sated. "When I saw your magic in the meadow back in Oakendusk, with the mother and her boy, I thought maybe by observing you I might gain knowledge of magic."

Lac hesitated. He hated to say it but he was an honest lad and he respected Chauncey.

"I'm not that good at magic." He said it softly but he said it. He felt better for saying it in one way as if a weight lifted off his shoulders. In another way he felt frustrated to recognize the truth of it.

'Your magic seemed impressive to me.'

"Well, that was," Lac stopped himself. It would be unkind to say it was tiny pixies as it would mean Chauncey's compliment wasn't of significance. "Thank you Chauncey but there's a lot to learn and I seem to be slow in the learning. At least in practice. I cannot really do anything my instructor asks me to do."

They were quiet for a spell. Each with their own thoughts.

"Chauncey, where are you headed?"

'I'm seeking my mate Shastra.'

"Oh, that's nice. Where is she?"

'I do not know.'

"Oooh." Without thinking Lac said, "is there anything I can do?"

Chauncey thought on it for awhile. 'Perhaps.'

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lac and Chauncey traveled the road heading to the Galwich Mountains. The first day was uneventful and very pleasant for both of them.

Chauncey was content as Lac did not overly burden him with questions. Just enough queries to give Chauncey a feeling of parental satisfaction when he contemplated the answers yet not too much to tax him or disturb his daydreaming.

Lac on his part understood that Chauncey liked to chat but minimally. He also knew Chauncey was not an adept at magic as his magic was innate and maybe not something the unicorn ever thought about. So he didn't bother the unicorn with a lot of questions specific to controlling magic.

To Chauncey magic was something that _was_ rather than a thing to develop. Existence but not aptitude. And it was this reason he found Lac's magic impressive. The unicorn could tell there was strong innate magic within Lac. Chauncey didn't know anything about conjuring let alone developing that skill and so left the subject there.

The second day of the journey was much like the first. The weather was conducive to traveling and Lac and Chauncey did not want for food. The cheese weighed over ten pounds and the nuts and raisons were substantial. It was odd to carry the rucksack since Lac lived close to the academy and didn't need a bag for his books. He rarely took his books home unless it was the weekend.

But Lac didn't mind having the rucksack's weight on his shoulders. This was an adventure. This was the reason he wanted to become a certified mage. To have adventures. To battle evil. True, pixies couldn't be considered evil as they were like mischievous children but who knew what would follow by traveling with Chauncey on his quest to find Shastra?

At fifteen Lac could not be said to understand the world. Yet, the problem with most fifteen year olds was their ignorance of what the wide world was like was unknown to them. In the long run this is probably better for the species.

If at fifteen you really understood how the world worked then you might never leave your bed or at least your kitchen. Lac at this moment was happy to have left both. And it wasn't like traveling was a new thing for his family.

When his great-great-grandfather came out of Fonderlac to the borderlands he and Lac's great-grandfather had traveled quite often. On occasion going all the way to the Galwich Mountains to trade with the dwarves.

So, it wasn't new ground he was treading upon. Following in footsteps as it were. Yet, Lac was aware that no family member in nearly a century had gone this far to the west but it wasn't something he was prone to dwell on.

Lac wasn't prone to dwell on many things. How many fifteen year olds do, especially when interested in one thing...okay, make that two things; magic and Nadilia. What else did one have time for?

So it was with an agreeable mood Chauncey and Lac stopped for the night. They had walked far but not hurriedly so they were tired but not exhausted. Hungry yes and the spot they chose was perfect for their evening meal.

They were at the river which had a nice area of arboreal canopy and soft moss to sit and lay upon. They dined and retired for the night. Lac was aware he felt different. No longer the kid or young adult of his parents or Oakendusk. He was aware of being himself, whatever that was, but a _new_ self. Yet, he did feel changed albeit an undefined change. He was the same but perhaps was no longer being the same. Although, he was not given to introspection at this time or at most times he was subtlety aware there had been an initiation of change with his decision to accompany the unicorn.

It was an intuitive awareness and one which made his sleep come quickly. Before he dreamed he wondered _how bad could it be? I took care of those pixies with..._ out _..._ much _..._ prob _..._ lem _._

'Lac. Lac. Wake up. Visitors approach.'

Chauncey realized his thoughts could not be projected into the somnolent Lac. So he kicked him.

"Hey. Was that you...you move around when you sleep?"

'We have company.'

"Huh? Company. I don't see anyone."

That would have been impressive magic. It was pitch black under the canopy of weeping willows and cedars trees. The stars didn't even shine through. Had anyone been within a foot of Lac he would not have seen them.

'Then listen.'

Lac rolled over on his side and rested on his elbow. Oh, birds. Great, he wakes me up to hear birds.

'Birds generally do not make night sounds.'

"Really?"

'Yes, really. They need sleep as well.'

"Well, what would make them...?"

Lac paused. He now heard something. He had no idea what it might be but it was now certain something was out there. _More pixies_?

The noise grew in proximity as well as in volume. Lac didn't think pixies.

"Could it be an ogre?" He reached for a suitable branch. It felt good in his hand.

'No, I do not think so. I would say there are several of them.'

This got Lac to his feet. He brandished the limb in front of him and toward the noise which was getting very close now. Something was definitely coming through the brush.

The closer the noise came the more he worried. A primal feeling invaded him but subconsciously. The mind perceives the worst when you cannot see the enemy. He was no longer thinking. Instead, he was getting very nervous. It seemed a long duration he held this defensive stance and if the sounds weren't so immediate he would have sighed and sat down. He waited next to Chauncey.

The noise was almost upon them and in a moment whoever or whatever was creating the noise would be in the little clearing underneath the lofty tree canopy.

It's right there, Lac thought. _Here_ _they come. Oh, oh, oh...I wish we had a fire._ _We need light..._

Lac fell backwards and on his posterior. He let go of the branch. The light was immediately extinguished. When the tip of the branch glowed Lac noticed some smaller beings had broken through the brush and emerged into the little clearing.

However, he hadn't spent any time looking at what had arrived. All he could do was look at the end of the branch. _I said light and it...it...well, it lit up, didn't it?_

'Yes, it did Lac. Your magic is impressive. Now get rid of them.'

Lac stood up quickly. It was dark again and he had no idea what was confronting them. He retrieved the branch and was a little chagrined it did not light up again.

"Who's there?" Lac was barely able to stammer out the question.

"Oh, it's just a boy and a unicorn."

This brought gales of laughter to the three hobgoblins. Lac began shaking the branch and saying, "light."

Lac said 'light' several times and no matter how much he shook the branch it remained unlighted.

One hobgoblin turned to his compatriots, "how heavy could that branch be?"

"Maybe it's too 'light' for him?"

"Well, take it from him and we can use it to for the fire. I bet he's a tender morsel."

Lac couldn't see the speaker but he felt the hobgoblin was salivating.

Lac found his voice again, "don't come any closer. I'm a powerful mage and I don't want to hurt you." He shook the branch while murmuring "light."

Lac's stomach felt queasy. Well, you tell me if being confronted by three very hungry hobgoblins wouldn't make anyone queasy. A fifteen year old unsure of himself should feel something, shouldn't he?

But maybe it was something else. The last meal didn't seem to sit well in Lac's stomach. He felt the gas building. He really didn't feel well.

"What should we do with the unicorn?"

The three hobgoblins advanced slowly as they argued what to do with their food.

"Stop...(burp)...right...there. I don't wa(buurp)nt to hurt you."

Lac was feeling very queasy now. He was nauseous but he had to defend himself and Chauncey from being eaten. No time to...

"I'm warn(buuuurp)ing you." Chauncey had already lowered his head to make the horn more menacing. The three hobgoblins were now only several feet from Lac and Chauncey.

Lac swallowed trying to keep the food inside him. _Can't fight when throwing up._

"Stop. Come no fur(buuuurrrrrrp)ther."

Lac managed to keep the food down but he had to do something and without a light it seemed better to talk.

Lac swooned and almost dropped the branch yet said quietly, resignedly, "light." The end of the branch glowed once again.

The three hobgoblins backed off. They looked at Lac. He had one hand on the branch held before him and the other against his abdomen.

"So this is the powerful magician?" The three laughed.

"So where is your powerful staff mage? Nyah, nyah, nyah! You call that a staff?" The second hobgoblin sneered.

The third wit would not be outdone, "yeah, master magician show us your magic you puny little tasty boy."

"Really, go away...I'm not feeling all that well."

"Oh, by all means. We can't eat anyone who isn't feeling up to snuff, now can we lads?"

"Oh no. Tsk, tsk."

"Sure, we'll come back when you're feeling better. Humans are always tastier when they're feeling good."

They laughed then lunged.

Lac could only raise his one empty hand and shout, or what should have been a shout of, "STOP."

Chauncey and the three hobgoblins did hear something but the 'stop' could not be distinguished except in Lac's mind.

What came out of Lac's mouth was not 'stop' but the most violent vomit known to mortal man. It hit the three hobgoblins with the force of a tsunami. It seemed to Lac to go on for some time though that could have been an illusion from feeling so poorly.

The vomitus not only knocked the hobgoblins back into the bracken but with a force to flatten the brush. It covered all three with copious amounts of the foulest slime anyone could imagine.

CHAPTER EIGHT

'Lac. Are you feeling better?'

"Well, I'm really hungry but I don't feel like eating."

'Let us rest. It will soon be light. Sun always makes me feel better and I sense it will make you feel better as well.'

Lac didn't really think so but couldn't see any reason for arguing. Talking wasn't a whole lot of fun at present. Yet...

"Do you think the hobgoblins will come back?"

'No I do not. That was the most impressive magic I have witnessed from you. I believe they will feel the same and think you are a great mage.'

Lac didn't think this was completely accurate but maybe there was a kernel or two of truth to what Chauncey said.

He sincerely hoped so.

As dawn broke over the eastern horizon Lac began to notice the skirl of the cicadas subsiding as the bird sounds tentatively replaced them. He was now hearing the stream tumbling down the creek bed. The stream seemed joyful to be going forward. To be pushing onto new territory.

This emboldened Lac and he felt he could continue with Chauncey though he was no longer so naïve to think he would only have pixies to deal with. Yet, he didn't want to dwell on what else might be around as they traveled deeper into the wilderness.

Lac drank deeply from the stream. Maybe the progress of the water imbued him with wanderlust as he became hungry and a little restless to boot.

Lac and Chauncey broke their fast and after eating broke camp. They went back to the road. It was earlier than their usual departure time but it suited them both.

It would assuage Chauncey's pessimism that Shastra could not be located. It would keep Lac from introspection.

Chauncey's fear that Shastra could not be located underlined a pessimism which hovered slightly above despair. He wondered if Shastra was still able to graze. Chauncey feared he might be the last unicorn left standing. He had traveled to many lands in search of another unicorn and had found none.

Lac intuitively knew if he contemplated on what might be around the bend he would be paralyzed with fear. Not so much the fear of a terrifying creature although that was certainly something he was aware of now but the fear he would not be able to use any real magic to protect himself and Chauncey.

'Does your use of magic not make you feel good?'

Lac thought about that.

"Well, I think I generally feel relieved. I've heard my master say something to that effect but I don't seem to feel whatever a mage doing successful magic feels." He sighed. He hated, really hated the thought he would never be successful enough to earn his certificate let alone earn a living being a magician.

He wondered briefly what he would do if he couldn't make the grade to adept. This brought his thoughts to Nadilia. He missed her. She was always in his thoughts when he was in Oakendusk. Yet, he hadn't thought of her on this journey. Until now.

Lac's long silence was not something Chauncey was used to.

'What are you thinking about?'

"Oh, ah..." Lac was too embarrassed to continue.

'Your mate?'

Lac sighed. "She's not my mate. And if I don't become a full fledged mage she may never be."

'Could you not be something else and have her as your mate?'

This almost stopped Lac in his tracks. As he caught up to the unicorn he wondered. He whined, "I don't really want to do anything else. I just can't think of doing something else. If I don't become a magician...I don't know."

This was something Chauncey could not fathom. He knew in an abstract way that humans and elves could do many different things. But the reality was unicorns could only be unicorns. This made sense to him so not wanting to do anything else was emotionally satisfying to Chauncey. Yet, he could perceive Lac's paradox as being onerous to the young mage even if he could not see how it mattered in the long run.

To the unicorn Lac was a successful mage. He had easily handled the pixies and the nasty hobgoblins with impressive conjuring. As well as magic he had never before seen or even heard of. Wasn't that impressive in and of itself?

They continued in silence for some time. The mountain peaks, whenever the canopy above them was absent, could be seen clearly. They seemed quite close now. The two travelers stopped for lunch at a nice open glade by the river. The grass was lush and young and as tasty as any equine could ever want.

Lac sat on a broad and fairly flat boulder to partake of the cheese and trail mix. He could see the sharp peaks of the mountains. Seemed steeper and craggier as the two neared them. He racked his memory for the tales he had heard from his grandfather Chester. The tales passed down to Chester from his father starting with Lac's great grandfather.

Lac knew there were no more dwarves in the Galwich Mountains but didn't know the reason why other than the assumption that the mines had played out. He wondered now if that was true.

He didn't know anything about ores and mining let alone smelting and fashioning to create tools and weapons but he didn't think the dwarves could have gotten all the ore from those mountains. They were much more impressive than he had been led to believe.

There sure was a lot of mountain. It was a long chain he understood. It seemed just too much mountain for a few years of mining by the dwarves to exhaust its treasures.

After a leisurely meal they set off once again. The road was no longer well traveled and had numerous clumps of grass growing in it as well as some impressive ruts but the pathway was not difficult to manage. They proceeded at nearly the same pace as when the road was flat and smooth.

In this part of the country beyond the borderlands no hamlets existed. No cultivated fields or orchards could be seen. Lac could hear more animal sounds as small creatures scurried under the brush looking for sustenance while other skulking animals looked for the small creatures.

'Wild' was the word which sprang to Lac's mind. Here the hand of man or elf was not evident and nature did whatever nature deemed appropriate. Man was the wild card here in the deck of nature not the ace or king.

Lac steeled his resolve. He would need his fortitude. This was the wide world he had heard about but could not have known its peculiarities and its dissimilarity to his known insulated world. Everything was new and different now. He started to wonder if he had the moxie and ability to deal with it but blocked it from his mind.

Just go forward and take care, he thought.

Chauncey and Lac approached a widening in the road. Lac could tell at one time this was an important place. Off to the side of the road he could see the remains of foundations.

"Probably had been a warehouse and a toll station."

'Yes Lac, I seem to recall this was a busy area with a lot of humans and dwarves.'

They could also see a bridge in, surprisingly, good condition. The bridge was an arched stone structure which spanned forty feet over a river. Since the road and the immediate environs were not in good shape this was a mystery.

On the other side of the bridge the road forked.

Lac figured that the road to the left went directly to the mountains. The other one...?

'I believe the one going to the right is the one Shastra would have taken.'

"Why is that?"

'I do not believe Shastra would go to the mountains. Less good grass there than the foothills.'

That certainly made sense to Lac.

'It is getting late so let us find an area here to forage and spend the night.'

Lac nodded. Looking to the other side of the river, now much more rollicking and active as it was no longer in its infancy, he saw an area completely feral. He would definitely prefer to tackle it in the light of a new and bright day. He also preferred not to mention that to the unicorn.

***

The black dragon stirred and one eye opened. It didn't stay open long. The dragon knew he would need nourishment soon and he would arise anon. He thought he could detect some magic. Serious and flavorful magic coming his way. As he closed his eye he smiled. He would be having a rather tasty meal very soon.

CHAPTER NINE

'There's someone under the bridge.'

Chauncey said this rather matter-of-factly. Lac looked at Chauncey as he was finishing his morning repast.

Lac looked all around him. Outside of the ruins of the former mercantile buildings in the area there wasn't much to recommend the place as a habitat.

He shrugged. Considering the area under the bridge it seemed like a place one might carve out an abode of sorts. Fishing was probably good and it would be shelter from the rain. Protection might also prove to be important in this land. It didn't seem worth spending any more time pondering.

'He might want a toll.'

"Toll? Who in his right mind would hang around here to await travels to fleece for a toll?"

The unicorn thought about it. A lot of people have misunderstandings about...

'A troll.'

"A troll? Really?" This left Lac a little confused. He had heard of trolls certainly. Who hadn't? But to encounter one...and pay a toll? Didn't seem fitting somehow.

Lac tried to think what he knew about trolls. He couldn't think of anything. They hadn't been seen in the shire for more than a century. He didn't know what they looked like and how big and hungry they might be.

"Why would he want a toll?"

'I cannot say. I have never talked with one and have no idea what they value.'

"What do they look like and how big are they?"

'They are around your height but very thin. Wiry is the word I heard the magician use. Apparently they have tremendous strength for their size.'

Lac couldn't help himself, "I wonder what he'd want for a toll?"

'Let us go and ask him.'

"Do you think that wise?" I won't say Lac was fearful but shall we say he was...concerned?

Lac put his cheese and trail mix away and slung the rucksack over his shoulder. They wandered to the edge of the bridge.

"You must pay the toll to cross the bridge," a voice yelled. The voice sounded as if it wasn't close and had to talk over the rushing water. As yet no creature was in sight.

Not seeing the troll gave Lac a sense of confidence. Maybe trolls were shy and fearful of humans. "And what if we don't want to pay your toll?" Lac yelled back but not certain where he should send his voice.

"Then I'll have no choice but to eat you," the troll yelled in reply.

Still no troll sighting.

"And what if we don't want you to eat us." Lac was getting a little hoarse from yelling.

"Then...I don't care what you want. I must have a toll." The troll could yell with the best of them it seemed.

Lac was getting a little exasperated. He had been born into a merchant family and trading was a way of life. Yet, it's hard to negotiate with someone if not in face to face contact.

"Well, what exactly is your toll?"

"Ah, much better. My toll is one silver Crondite or four copper Pouncies."

Lac looked to the unicorn who looked back at Lac.

"You're making that up. There's no such thing as Condites or Ponzies."

" _Crondite_ or _Pouncies_ , dolt."

"Dolt? Who you calling a dolt you, you...whoever you are."

"Ingrus."

"What was that?"

"Ingrus."

"What's an Ingrus?"

"Not a what you dolt but a who as in me."

"Who you...?" Lac was getting a little steamed. He was not gifted in the art of haggle and it was doubly difficult when you were not confronting the one who was haggling.

'Lac, did you not say your father was a superb trader?'

"Yes, but..."

'Could you not emulate him in this instance?'

"Well, I, ah, darn. I'll try." Lac took a few moments to compose himself.

"Listen ah, Ingrus. I'd like to pay your toll but I need to discuss this with you and I cannot yell any longer. Could you come out from under the bridge?"

"You sound very reasonable for a human. But I do not like the sun. Just leave the money on the ground."

"I'd prefer to hand it to you."

"I don't see how that's possible."

"Well, what side of the bridge are you, ah, under?"

"I'm on the far side."

"Well, I propose to go over to the far side and I can leave payment there."

"That's what I like best of all. A reasonable and obliging human. Come on over."

Lac and Chauncey walked onto and over the bridge. They reached the other side and stopped.

"So human, payment."

"Oh darn. It's my fault. I'm very sorry Ingrus."

"What's your fault and what are you sorry about?"

"I forgot the money. It's on the other side. How much would you charge if I was to cross the bridge?"

"My toll is one silver Crondite or four copper Pouncies."

"One silver Crondite or four copper Pouncies? Really? And you won't let me go across unless I paid the toll?"

"That's correct."

"Well, I guess it means I cannot cross your bridge. I'm afraid I'll have to honor your wishes. I won't cross your bridge. Good day to you sir."

"Good-bye human. I'm glad you understand how things are."

Lac tried his best not to laugh and he had only to look at Chauncey who never seemed to laugh. It did stifle the jocularity. Still, a few chuckles and snickers were in order.

They took the right fork in the road.

Though the mountains may have been fifty miles to begin in earnest they seemed very large and imposing. In some places he could still see remnants of snow fields. Therefore, Lac was happy to be taking the road to the foothills and if things hadn't changed much in the last century to other human settlements to the northwest.

Lac assumed these settlements were holdovers developed from the trade in which metal products went further east into the heart of the kingdoms.

They walked along the road in progressively worsening conditions. This road seemed to have had few if any travelers for some time. The road ran in a mostly northwesterly direction.

Lac was now eager to reach the settlements. The country they were passing through made the word wild seem inadequate. Chauncey pointed out a Roc though it was too far and too high in the sky to distinguish it. It just looked like a black speck.

Lunch was eaten quietly and quickly. The unicorn though not of a species that had a lot of fear since their horn could kill anything which might attack unconsciously picked up the pace.

The pace led to greater distance covered leading to greater energy expended.

'Let us stop here for the night.'

Lac happily agreed. They had gone around forty miles and Lac was quite tired and fatigued.

They found a small lake and the requisite canopy. They had some daylight left and presumably could still find an appropriate refuge further but Lac did not at all mind the respite.

'I smell smoke.'

Lac had begun to differentiate Chauncey's laconic verbalizations. He thought this statement had a sense of more than the mere words.

"What do you think it means?"

'I am unsure but the smoke smell seems to be wood. A lot of wood.'

"Do you think there's a wildfire up ahead?"

'I do not think so. I can smell pitch when trees are burning. This is different.'

Lac didn't have a good feeling about that. Sounded like structure fires.

'Yes. I am of like mind. We should investigate on the morrow after we break our fast.'

Lac and Chauncey settled in for the night. Lac reached the dream state quickly.

_Lac this is Portersbee,_ he added, _your instructor. Are you well?_

Why wouldn't I be?

No one has seen you or heard from you in several days. Many are concerned. Are you in need of assistance?

Lac although asleep felt a pang of conceit.

I have battled pixies, hobgoblins and even outwitted a troll.

What are you doing that I may tell your family and friends?

Well, I'm, ah...helping my friend find his mate.

Who is your friend?

His name is Chauncey. He's a unicorn.

_I see._ Though to be perfectly honest he really didn't.

When can we expect you to return?

We are going to look for her, her name is Shastra, in the foothills of Mount Galwimy.

And if she's not there?

_It's the only place left to look besides the western lands on the other side of the mountains_. Magician Portersbee was getting a little anxious from the mention of the western lands.

You are planning to go to that... place?

I wasn't planning to but Chauncey is my friend.

Magician Porterbee used his ace in the hole _. Nadilia asks for you often and is afraid and very nervous. She misses you. What should I tell her?_

This made the slumbering student pause. It made Lac feel good and it made him more determined to see this through. He was an adult after all.

Tell her I'll see her soon.

Don't do anything foolish Lac and I'll see you soon as well.

Lac wouldn't have known but his great fatigue had been instrumental in being receptive to allow Master Portersbee to use the scrying mirror effectively at the academy. Penetrating the rather stubborn and headstrong mind of Lac had been no easy feat.

CHAPTER TEN

Upon awakening Lac felt well rested and content. He vaguely recalled the dream but it vanished quickly once his stomach alerted his mind, _I'm empty, fill me up._ Although he couldn't remember the dream it did leave him thinking of Nadilia in a confident and positive way.

Lac wrinkled his nose. The diurnal changes brought the smell of burnt wood on the morning breeze. He could tell it wasn't all that far. His anxiety level was stimulated but he then considered that whoever or, worse, whatever which had caused the fire would probably be long gone. His anxiety level plummeted as his belly filled with morning meal.

When Chauncey and Lac had finished their meal they returned to the road and continued on their way.

After about an hour they reached an overgrown lane off to their right. Lac and Chauncey looked at each other. Unicorns cannot shrug but Lac's gesture spoke for the both of them. They headed, somewhat gingerly at times, down the lane. Thistles and thorny bushes were often just a misstep away.

After a half an hour they reached a small farming community. There were or had been three houses and one large barn. One house was completely burned down and was still smoldering. Another house was halfway demolished. Only the barn and the third house were intact and though not pristine were not in need of any serious repair. These were structures which had served families for generations.

When Lac and Chauncey broke into the large central cleared area several human males emerged from the barn with pitchforks. One was quite aged with a long white beard and had to use the pitchfork as a staff or fall over.

The second was a middle-aged man who was fit and robust sporting a medium dark beard. The third was a young lad who had the beginnings of facial hair. They were wary at first until they recognized the equine was a unicorn.

Lac called out, "are any of you hurt?"

"Nay master mage," replied the middle aged man. The three approached Lac and Chauncey and put away their erstwhile weapons.

"Hello. My name is Lac and this is Chauncey. What caused the fire and damage?"

The middle aged man seemed to be the spokesman, "I am called Hortener and my father is Tortener. This is my son Fortener. And it was the bandits who did this." Lac didn't notice the look Tortener gave the newcomers. The man was certainly ancient but watched the pair with very shrewd eyes. Hortener was very aware of his father's interest and knew to play this subtly.

"Bandits?" This gave Lac a distinctly bad feeling while at the same time a large sense of relief since it wasn't some large violent creature like an ogre or dragon.

Lac thought on it briefly but didn't make a lot of sense to him. "There are bandits around here?" Since there were few settlements until one reached the foothills farther to the north why would bandits be roaming around this very wild and unpopulated area?

Hortener pointed to the foothills, "there are some holed up somewhere over thattaway. I hear tell they attack the settlements further to the northeast occasionally."

"Why did they attack you?" Lac couldn't see what incentive the bandits had to attack this extended farming family. "What did they want?"

"They wanted our grain."

"Oh." In a way that did make sense. Bandits the world over were not likely to become farmers when they could more easily take food from others.

"The crops, wheat and corn, have not been overabundant of late." Lac didn't understand the look Tortener gave Hortener. "They were...disappointed."

'Lac, ask them if they have seen any unicorns.'

"Oh yes. We'd like to know if you have seen any unicorns."

Tortener smiled for the first time and spoke up. "That information will cost ye."

Lac was taken aback. He didn't understand why this friendly and social conversation had turned to negotiation. Lac looked at Chauncey but the unicorn was studying the old man.

Lac turned back to Tortener, "I'm sorry but we have no money."

Tortener's smiled widened. "We have no need of money. We canst eat money. We need for our crops to yield as once before."

Lac was now very confused. Although his attire may not have resembled an important mage he was sure it did not suggest farmer. "I know nothing of crops and farming."

"Our crops suffer not from poor soil but from the pixies."

Again Lac couldn't fathom why pixies were a problem now and not before. His confused countenance led Tortener to continue.

"The pixie pillars in some of the fields are failing. The wee beasties invade those fields and damage our crops. You can refill or whatever you magicians do to make our pixie pillars work as well as they once did."

_Pixie pillars_? Lac had a very vague image of these items but couldn't quite remember what they were supposed to do.

"I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with pixie pillars."

"They keep the pixies out. Don't you have them were ye hail from?"

"Well, maybe a long time ago. Pixies never bother the shire were I'm from."

"Let me refresh your memory," Tortener said. "They are posts imbued with a magic which somehow keeps the pixies from passing between them. They are posts at the corners of the fields. In several of the fields these pillars are not working well. The little fellas play havoc with our crops."

Lac could now see what the negotiation was all about. He was a little miffed since if he had had the ability to refill the lost magic in the pixie pillars he would have done so for free. He sighed.

"I'm afraid I'm not a very adept mage. My magic is...inconsistent. I wouldn't have any idea how to infuse more magic into your pixie pillars."

"Oh, come, come master mage," Hortener knew how to continue from his father's lead, "you are much too modest."

"It is not modesty which made me say thus. I'm only a student and not a very good one at that."

All the –Tenors smiled. This was fun. They hadn't haggled with anyone in years. Of course, one had to haggle with a magician. Mages were known for a certain amount of avarice. They never did anything for free. Hortener was just warming up.

"I know it's a rarity for anyone to travel with a unicorn. You must be a very powerful mage to have a unicorn as a companion."

"Oh, ah..." Lac looked at Chauncey.

'We are very solitary generally though it's not unknown for unicorns to make acquaintances and even friendships with mages.'

Lac sighed. "Really, I'm just an inept adept. We are on a quest to find Chauncey's mate. And I'm..." He left the rest of the thought trail off. Lac could tell the three in front of him did not believe or would not believe which in this case amounted to the same that he was not good at magic.

Lac looked at Chauncey. At this point he had no idea what to do. If honesty would not prevail he was at a loss.

'Perhaps you could try. I perceive that if one did not try one could not succeed.'

Lac raised his eyebrows. On the whole this seemed like a reasonable statement. How could one ever know anything if one never tried and yet...

Lac was resigned. It wasn't like being in the academy where he knew everyone and they all knew him. His failures there hurt him partly from the fact that he was well known. Especially, well known for failures.

"Okay. I'll give it a try." A voice floated around his head just them. It was the voice of Master Portersbee. Lac clearly heard, 'attitude.' With a lot less confidence than the three -Teners had in him he followed them to the farthest field.

***

Lac had looked at the pixie pillars on the way to the farthest fields. He could feel the magic and understood that the magic was fading. He could see an opaque curtain between the pillars on the edge of the field. Through this fading magical curtain the lushness of the area beyond the farm was evident though somewhat obscured by the magical screen.

He was told the pillars had been in place for over a century. The farm had originally been intended to cut into the trade between the dwarves and Conestibleshire. Had the dwarves stayed in the mountains it might have proved to have been a bonanza for the first –Teners who settled and farmed there. The disappearance of the dwarves ended that dream.

The pixie pillars had been the only thing to keep the pixies from destroying the crops and it had not come cheap. Yet, it hadn't been too long after installation the dwarves stop mining. From the time the dwarves had vacated the Galwich Mountains the –Teners had stayed and farmed for their own sustenance.

Even the bandit tariff had not been too onerous. The bandits came into the area around a score of years ago and demanded part of the harvest. As the fields were productive they had a surplus so it wasn't too difficult for the –Tener clan. Until the magic in pixie pillars began to abate.

Then a pixie or two would find a way in and wreak havoc. This wasn't a major concern as the pixie pranks and destructiveness was minimal due to their small size. Yet it produced frustration. The frustration centered on the probable increase in pixie invasion as the magic in the pillars diminished. The –Tener clan had been living with this fear and frustration for several years.

The outer fields had been the hardest hit as more and more pixies were able to bypass the magical obstruction. The three –Teners didn't have the money to send for a magician especially with the bandits taking the surplus crops.

Lac considered how best to fill or renew the pixie pillars. He wondered just what kind of magic was needed. It wasn't just the use of magic it was using the magic for a very specific purpose. Obviously he had innate magic and he now knew he could use it and, surprisingly, use it rather effectively. The problem was the effective magic he had used was not the magic he had intended. At least so far. He wasn't filled with a lot of confidence.

'Do not despair Lac. I have faith in you.'

That didn't hurt. In fact, it helped. Lac rolled back his shoulders, looked at a pixie pillar and focused. He hunched, threw his hands out, palms parallel to the ground...

The pixie pillar exploded.

The opaque curtain disappeared.

"Uh oh."

The lushness in the area beyond the farm was very evident now as well as the pixies inhabiting the area. Some were on the ground and some were flying around.

The three –Teners looked on in horror as the pixies turned as one and noticed the magical curtain was no longer in force.

To say the –Teners were peeved would be a gross understatement. As there were three of them their emotions ran the gamut of anger, confusion, disbelief, depression, extreme irritation, incredulity, and hopelessness in short bursts with one emotion rapidly following the other.

Following this course of emotionalism would lead to? Hostility.

"What have you done?" was the mildest comment Lac heard aimed at him. The words used to describe Lac's lineage were vulgar even by the standards of a teamster.

"Traitor and fool," with a number of obscene epithets were heaped on him.

Lac felt terrible. He tried to stammer an apology as the pixies rose and started to infiltrate the field. He was unable to utter any word of contrition.

He was miserable and abjectly depressed. Yet, the vitriol hurled upon him by the three –Teners also made him angry.

It wasn't _he_ that thought he could do what they had desired. He wasn't a very good mage after all and he had been completely honest with them. He grew angrier. Even the people in Oakendusk never used such foul language. Lac wasn't even sure of some of the names they were calling him. This enraged him all the more.

Lac's face set in an angry visage turned to face the three –Teners. They wouldn't look at him for their focusing at the coming pixie swarm. This made Lac go from anger to rage.

He threw his left hand, palm up, at the pixie invasion. "STOP." Now the three –Teners would have to face him and his fury.

They turned to him with jaws slack and down around their knees. Their eyes were bulged.

"I'm sorry master mage," Hortener said, "so very sorry. Please don't hurt us. We didn't know...we had no idea...how could we have known?" The farmers whine was grating to Lac and even more so was the confusion it created in him.

Lac was momentarily stunned by the change in behavior. All he could do was stare at the three –Teners.

"Please, don't hurt us. We'll give you anything ye want."

To Lac this made no sense but he still couldn't find his voice.

'Lac, take care of the pixies before your spell wears off then ask about the unicorn.'

Chauncey's voice woke Lac. He looked to the edge of the field. The pixies were quite motionless and suspended in mid-air. He walked closer to the pixies. It really was amazing. All he could think was _did I really do this_?

'Yes. And you should use the time left of the spell to help these foolish farmers.'

Lac breathed deeply. "Pixies," and Lac thought you get more with honey than vinegar. "Pixies, my friends. I must ask you never to invade these fields. I beseech you to protect these fields...and if the bandits come back to...put a spell on them to forget about these farmers."

Lac looked back to the three –Teners. "Anything else?"

All they could do was shake their collective heads.

Lac was about to dismiss them when his stomach growled.

"Hmm. My friends, magic me some cider and..." Lac was about to add a four course meal when the cider appeared. There were more mugs then Lac could count.

"Oh, ah, you there with the pretty pink wings. Magic me a four course meal for the four of us." His midday lunch and the gastronomical needs of the three –Teners were resolved.

"My pixie friends go now and remember our friendship." Before he could say goodbye they had vanished.

Lac returned to the food which was sprawled on a large picnic blanket. He sat down and started to eat. He gestured to the three –Teners to sit and partake. And though his mouth was full he asked the old man, "now, tell us about the unicorn."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

To say Lac was unhappy would be to say a dragon has a few fairly sharp teeth. The more he heard about the bandits the less he liked them while the greater his fear was nurtured. That they may have Shastra only made matters worse.

It didn't really matter that Lac had used impressive magic. That in and of itself was not a confidence builder. He knew full well the magic he recently used was not on purpose. In fact, it caused a diminution of confidence.

The more he ruminated on his feats the more he felt disheartened. He had no idea how to control his magic. It was so depressing; to have strong magic with no ability to wield it properly.

Lac was very quiet as he and Chauncey went back to what had been a main road to seek the bandit encampment. Their direction was more westerly and it wasn't that difficult finding the way.

A half dozen horses and a small wagon will make the tracking rather easy. Not to mention the bandits felt no need to cover their tracks. But Lac wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking how in the world are they going to rescue Shastra and the girl?

The girl or actually a young adult was daughter to Hortener. Esme was her name he had been told.

"How come everything I do comes out wrong?"

'Why would you think that? You have done wonderful things. I am certain had your friends and family been aware of the magic you have performed your name would be extolled in verse.'

"That was very kind of you Chauncey but my magic works in...ah..."

'Mysterious ways?'

"To say the least."

"And how are we to rescue the girl?"

'You'll think of something.'

Lac doubted it but remained silent. No sense in sabotaging Chauncey's confidence in him. He could only shake his head. He had to have added _and make the bandits forget about the farmers._ Even being nice created drawbacks

How could he have known the bandits took her for collateral? These farmers never mentioned _that_. Obviously if the bandits forgot about the farmers then they'd not know what to do with the girl...it just doesn't end, does it?

'What does not end?'

"Oh, ah...I don't know. It's just...so frustrating. Having magic without the ability to control it."

'You are young yet and as I understand schools are the best places to learn about the craft of magic. You are not in school at present. I think on the whole you will learn a great deal and be very accomplished in time.'

"I appreciate that Chauncey but I feel so...inadequate."

'Why?'

A momentary fuse brightly burned, "why? **Why?** Haven't you noticed that whenever I try to do magic something different comes out!" Lac was almost shouting. If that wasn't an indication of his mood the wild gesticulating of his arms would be.

'But magic does come out.'

Lac sighed, the fuse had burned out, "Yes. But it's not what I intended."

'How is that bad?'

"Well, for starters it's always something different from what I envision."

'Is that a bad thing?'

"How can I pass the certification if I cannot control my magic?"

'Is that more important then helping others?'

"Well...ah..." he sighed again. It really wasn't profitable to argue with a unicorn. They saw life differently. If he could not pass the test and become certified he'd have his magic stripped unless he became a postal rider.

'It is my understanding that few humans or elves can do magic. Is this not so?'

"It is true."

'Then I would think you would be proud to do any magic at all.'

This made Lac pause. It was true one out of a five thousand humans could do magic and one out of one hundred with magical ability could pass the test and be certified. Yet, that was the crux of the matter to Lac. He wanted to pass the test and be a certified mage.

'Why is it so important to have a certification?'

"I want..." This definitely made Lac pause. In fact, so deep in thought he had stopped.

'What is it you want?' The unicorn stopped as well. Chauncey intuitively knew he needed Lac to be if not confident at least not dispirited. Although he was several centuries old he wasn't that old for a unicorn therefore he was still youthful in how he perceived the world around him.

He had avoided human settlements for a century or more and had only conversed with a magician once many, many years ago. Yet, his outlook on life although not be overly mature for a unicorn was more mature than a fifteen year old inept adept.

But without knowing why it was the correct question. It was something Lac needed to understand if he was to gain control over his innate ability.

"When I was young all the kids would play games like 'Ogre and Elf' or 'Dragon, Dragon who's got the Dragon.' Then it was found I had some real magic within me. I thought...no, I fantasized, I could fight ogres and dragons and protect my village. All of a sudden I would be taken seriously. I would do many brave and important things."

'Then I believe you have accomplished your goal.'

Lac's brows knitted as he looked at Chauncey.

'Your magic has helped me immeasurably. You forced the hobgoblins to flee. I may have been able to handle one or two but three might have proved too difficult. You have helped me get past the troll. You have saved the farmers from the pixies and maybe the bandits. These are things I deem important. You have not once thought of going back while being aware of dangers facing us as we travel forward. That in my estimation shows bravery.'

'Although I have not known many humans I did once travel in the company of a magician. He was very accomplished yet I believe he would be proud of you.'

Lac couldn't resist and smiled despite his mood. Chauncey seemed to know just what to say to make him feel better.

Chauncey could tell Lac's self-recrimination was waning. 'The farmers said there is a small pond where we might find sustenance and shelter. It should not be too far. Shall we journey there before darkness sets in?'

Lac nodded and walked beside the unicorn. He placed his hand on the unicorn's shoulder and patted it as any friend would. "Thank you Chauncey."

They found the path which led to the small pond. It was exactly as the farmers had said. Had Lac been able to fish he could have caught a trout or two. It was a very pleasant locale and the trees created a nice canopy for protection.

After eating Lac laid down using the now full rucksack for a pillow. The farmers had also given him a blanket since the weather nearer the mountain might contain a chill in the early morning hours.

"Chauncey?"

'Yes.'

"Do you remember the name of the magician you traveled with?"

Unicorns had phenomenal memories. 'Yes. His name was Barry Ding.'

Lac smiled and shook his head. Chauncey let Lac rest peacefully. The unicorn knew it could be awhile before Lac would be that relaxed and at peace again.

Before Lac fell asleep he smiled as he recalled what Chauncey had said. He never really had a best buddy and in some ways Chauncey treated him as a best friend or what Lac the fifteen year old young adult thought of as close friendship. The only problem Lac foresaw was that deep down he didn't really believe Chauncey.

Tomorrow they would approach the bandits' encampment. Chauncey was glad Lac couldn't perceive his anxiety. Shastra had been captured by the bandits some twenty years ago.

If she's still alive she'll be corralled or worse. They'd probably use her for her healing magic but the bandits could have traded her to goblins or worse. If she's still alive...

CHAPTER TWELVE

Following the trail made by the bandits was without difficulty. They approached the foothills without a problem. They could guess there probably was a small valley on the other side of the ridge they were facing. Lac studied the lay of the land and postulated that to continue to follow the bandit trail would lead them directly into the bandit lair.

"Chauncey, I don't know how difficult it would be for you but we have to go up to the ridgeline to see how the bandit encampment is laid out. I can go if you cannot."

The foothills and the mountains in general were well forested. Only the steepest slopes did not contain firs and evergreens. The slope of this hill was not too steep and had all manner of trees and brush.

Chauncey had already determined the topography.

'It is not a problem for me. Let us climb to the ridge.'

Lac had been mistaken. It was more of a problem for him than for the unicorn. They reached the ridge. It wasn't even that warm but Lac was perspiring heavily. Wouldn't be from nervousness...right?

Lac was disappointed. No, that's not quite correct...Lac was horrified.

After growing up in a lovely rural setting and now traveling through some wild but lush and beautiful country the scenery below was, plainly speaking, ugly. Lac was very disappointed. They had no right to treat the once lovely land so harshly.

On the hillside below the ridge they were on, to the opposite hillside all the trees had been cut down. The shallow valley was cleared of trees as was the slope rising behind the valley. It was completely denuded.

Of what there was left were weeds, some broken bushes and a lot of dirt. Come the rains the dirt would produce a nasty quagmire.

Chauncey looked on in horror. He could see at a glance there was no decent fodder for Shastra. If Shastra was here she must be very unwell and unhappy he thought.

'How could anyone do such harm to this once beautiful valley?'

Lac shook his head. He had no experience with people like this, people who seemed to enjoy destroying nature's beauty. Of course, Lac had never known bandits either. No bandit would come near a village which boasted a fine magical academy.

He wondered just what kind of mind would allow for this depravity. It was the first time in Lac's life that he was confronted with an enigma and yet he understood it wasn't as such an enigma. Yes, it was out of place in his conception of the world but it was not out of place _in_ the world.

Was it something inherent in some people? Or maybe it was that something important was missing from how they thought or reasoned.

Lac heard Chauncey shudder and he turned to the unicorn. Tears were starting to form at the corners of his large brown eyes.

'Lac, save my tears in the cup the farmers gave you.'

Lac hurriedly unslung his rucksack and pulled out the rough hewn ceramic cup. Tears, large almost white tears, cascaded down the unicorns face. Lac tried his best to collect the tears. He filled the cup to the brim.

After a while Chauncey stopped weeping. A number tears fell to the ground. As the unicorn tears were absorbed shoots of green and tender grass grew. Lac didn't notice this as he was looking at Chauncey. He was concerned for his friend.

"Are you okay Chauncey?"

'I believe I will be.'

"What should I do with this cup?"

'Put it aside for a moment and let us ponder a strategy.'

Lac dug out a little spot on the hillside and placed the cup in it. He and the unicorn now returned to look over the ridge and contemplated.

It was obvious there would be no way to enter the area without being seen. There was absolutely no cover.

"Maybe we should go down there at night?"

Chauncey remained silent. What they were looking at was a poorly constructed, long clapboard structure which contained the kitchen and sleeping quarters of the bandits. It was much wider than its width and nestled against the slope in the back of the valley. It had two chimneys and both were emitting copious amounts of smoke. On the far side of the valley there was a corral and a small barn for the horses. An unhitched wagon was in front of the corral.

On the near side next to the house was a closed lean-to with a small fenced yard in front of it. They were nearly a mile from the lean-to.

'She's there.' Lac did not bother to ask if he was certain. He knew Chauncey would not make a mistake. 'She senses me. Her magic is getting stronger.'

Lac looked to the cleared area behind and above the ranch house. "If there were boulders up there maybe we could cause an avalanche.'

'That is not a bad idea Lac.'

"But there aren't any boulders."

Chauncey was quite for a spell then, 'still, your idea has merit.'

Lac sighed. Merit? Not without a whole pile of boulders.

"Where do you think they're keeping the girl?"

'I would have to say she is prisoner in the ranch house.'

Actually Lac had already surmised that. The problem was how to get her out of the ranch house and away from the bandits.

"How many bandits do you think there are?"

'Five bandits arrived on horseback and one on that horse pulled thing...'

"A wagon."

'Yes. I perceive another two horses in the barn so that would be eight.'

"We can't fight all eight of them." Chauncey had long ago come to that realization.

"Chauncey could you...the problem is when we rescue Shastra the bandits will come out of the house."

'You could rescue Esme while I rescue my mate.'

"If they're chasing you how would I and Esme escape?"

'Hmm. I see the problem.'

"Chauncey I think we're gonna have to split up. Maybe I could rescue Shastra if she would consent for me to ride her and you could rescue Esme?"

'Lac that is not bad. Shall we ponder together and refine your idea?'

They did so ponder as the afternoon grew late.

'We should attempt it just before it gets dark.'

"But Chauncey are you sure? What if...?"

'I have faith in you Lac.'

"That's all well and good but it's you who'll be injured if you're wrong."

'At least Shastra will be rescued.'

There was no more time to argue. They must be in position before it got too dark.

Entertaining some misgivings Lac rode atop Chauncey just below the ridge. The plan they decided on was that Lac would take Shastra out of the lean-to and up into a swale between the end of the ridge which met the long slope above the ranch house.

Chauncey would position himself right behind the room where Esme was being held.

As Lac waited he was filled with anxiety: _what if I cannot...but there are no boulders there...what if Chauncey gets the wrong room_?... _what if Chauncey is injured...or worse_?

And there it was. That voice again; attitude, attitude. The refrain would not go away. Lac was never as scared at this moment than at any time in his life.

***

The dragon awoke. He awoke hungry and he awoke with a big smile. He could sense much magic. Much closer now. It was time.

The magic meals were not far he knew if he could sense them so strongly. A dragon's mind is not one given to introspection yet he wondered why there would be two such strong magicks near all of a sudden.

Since he had no answer he promptly forgot the question. He rose in the dwarven made cavern. He was impressive he knew and wished other dragons were around to be envious of him. Dragons are very vain and narcissistic. He looked about him and was very pleased with his lair. He did a mental inventory. Everything was fine. He was one of the largest of his kind.

His kind of dragon was the kind which could breathe fire. And his first stomach was ready for some serious combustion. If dragons could laugh he would have. Instead he worked his muscles to get ready for flight.

He expanded his chest and the fire grew within. He let out a small stream out his nostrils for a test. It'd been years after all. But the dragon was satisfied.

He let out a large blast and the area which had once been the gate to the outside world melted. He moved his bulk to the opening and looked out. It wasn't dark yet. His little brain considered that.

Being black and going up against two magicks, one a unicorn, made him think he should wait for nightfall. He had no problem with that. The dragon laid down on the edge of the portal. He knew the reward for waiting would be well worth it.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Lac slipped off Chauncey's back carefully so not to spill the unicorn's tears. Finding his way down the swale to the lean-to was not arduous given that only scraggly bushes unfit for even kindling dotted the hillside. Of course, tree stumps littered the whole valley, the sides of the hills and the slope to the rear of the ranch house.

The only difficulty would be if one or more of the bandits left the ranch house and walked to the lean-to or even looked up the swale as Lac descended.

Or, happen to notice a large white unicorn carefully picking his way across the slope above the bandits' dwelling.

Yet, as Lac neared the lean-to he could smell the cook fires. Or more precisely smell what was being cooked. He realized it must be near the bandits' dinner time and breathed more easily.

Lac at first thought he'd go behind the lean-to and make his presence known. But when he was still some twenty yards from the structure he heard in his head, 'who are you?'

Lac quickly looked to where Chauncey was working his way through the tree stumps on the slope. He was not paying any attention to Lac. _Must be Shastra._

"You can hear me and are you Shastra?"

'Yes to both. You are not that stealthy...for a human sneaking up to me.'

"I've come to rescue you. I'm Lac a friend of Chauncey."

'He is here...oh, I thought so but I was afraid to believe it. It has been so long. So very long.'

"I'll be there in just a minute...hold on."

Lac moved with more confidence. He understood that unicorns had greater hearing than humans and he assumed that the bandits were too interested in their coming supper for the little noise he made. He reached the back of the lean-to and was shielded from any cursory look from the ranch house.

The lean-to was built poorly and he looked between boards nominally called a wall to locate Shastra. He almost dropped Chauncey's tears. He was silent and hoped he wouldn't cry.

He whispered, "what have they done to you?" He really was only talking to himself.

'They have not treated me well though I suppose they have not really harmed me either.'

Lac saw the bandits had placed a large cone, what appeared to be made of iron, attached to the head of Shastra. Her legs were hobbled. The whiteness he had come to associate with unicorns was not present. She was mottled and mangy. And she was hardly more than skin and bones.

"Shastra, our plan...can you actually carry me on your back?"

'Yes. Once free of these encumbrances your magic will aid me. Do you desire to have a ride?'

"Ah, well...it's part of our plan." He didn't really want to ride her as he didn't know if she could carry him. Plus without a saddle he might himself be injured.

'Is it a good plan?'

"Well, um, sure." He didn't want her to lose confidence and for some reason his confidence had gained a degree or two.

"I'll just put his tears down and slip in. The boards are not well fastened."

He placed the cup of tears down in a slight depression so it would not spill. He forced his way into the lean-to without much noise.

'Yes. I can hear you Chauncey. It is so good to...yes. I will do what Lac wants. We will talk soon.'

'Lac, Chauncey told me to tell you he is in position.'

Lac nodded as he looked at the hobbles. They were iron as well.

'Lac, take the cone off my horn first. The key is by the walkway leading out.'

It took Lac only a few seconds to spot the key. Big and heavy. However, it worked easily enough and the lock holding the cone in place came off. He tenderly took the cone off her horn.

'Ahhhh. Thank you, thank you so much.' Shastra breathed deeply. 'Now the other locks.' This Lac did. He also found a sharp blade from a broken hoe and cut the restraining leash from around her neck.

'Lac, I am ready. It will soon be dark so you need to start the avalanche. Do not fret. When you are astride Shastra your magic will work well. Have confidence.'

Lac hoped Chauncey was right. He peeked out of the entry of the lean-to. No one was about. He nodded and walked out looking toward the ranch house. Shastra followed. Once clear of the lean-to he retrieved the cup of Chauncey's unicorn tears.

He stood atop a tree stump and gently, very gently mounted Shastra. She immediately walked up the swale in the reverse from where Lac had walked down.

"Okay. Well...heeere..."

'Hold one moment Lac,' Shastra asked. 'Dip your fingertips into the tears first. That will give your magic an increase of power.'

Lac shrugged. He hadn't heard of that but then again much of what he had experienced in the last week he had not studied. He dipped the fingertips of his right hand into Chauncey's tears.

The sensation was nothing like tears or what he had presupposed these tears might feel like. For one thing the unicorn tears were more viscous, almost like an oil though more so. Two, they weren't white but opaque and kind of grayish.

"Ready everyone?"

'Yes Lac,' said the unicorns.

"Heeere goes." Lac hurled the cup rather than threw it. He didn't want to spill any of the tears. He had a good arm and could bring down a pheasant at forty yards so he assumed the cup which weighed nearly the same as a throwing stone might go more than thirty. He was wrong.

It went well over a hundred yards. Well up the denuded slope.

The cup hit the ground and exploded. The whitish gray fluid went in all directions as one might expect except that for the most part the tears went sideways. Lac was focusing on the tears. It was what Chauncey had told him to do.

The unicorn tears fell on the slope parallel to the ranch house and wider than the ranch house. Still Lac couldn't conceive of how this would cause an avalanche when no boulders were evident.

***

The dragon looked out the portal. He was impatient; he was hungry. It wasn't quite fully dark but...

Dark enough, he thought. He gathered himself and sprung out the portal. His wings unfolded and he hit a thermal and soared.

It felt soooo good. He loved the wind against his face. He was as happy as a dragon could be.

***

Lac focused on the slope. He knew Shastra and Chauncey were doing the same. He felt better than good. He felt this is truly magic. He could feel it deep within him. Not too dissimilar to the feeling he got when he ran fast. He was the fastest in the village from an early age.

During races he alleged only the tips of his toes touched the ground. And the feeling within hm as he ran was incredibly unique and different from any other feeling he had had. He could never explain it well but it was like being shifted to a dimension next to but still aware of the reality everyone else was experiencing.

As he sprinted he could see the ground as he passed over it. He could feel the breeze as he passed through it. He could see out of the corners of his eyes his competitors. He could see the spectators though he didn't hear them. But everything seemed to occur as if in a dream; almost in slow motion.

And even more amazing, he could tell his reality in those moments was different from what he and everyone else experienced day to day. The feeling wasn't one of euphoria nor did he feel 'high.' He did feel altered with a sort of contentment and a joy. It really was impossible to explain it if you haven't experienced it.

The feeling he now was experiencing was reminiscent of some of these same qualities. It wasn't relief and he didn't feel altered from strong drink or from what some of the healing drugs might generate. Yet the feeling was sublimely beautiful.

He lowered his head to concentrate. He was aware that Chauncey had his rear end next to the wall at the back of the ranch house. He knew that Chauncey had lowered his head and pointed his horn at the supposed avalanche. He concentrated.

There was a noise like a rumbling. It came from beneath the ground on the slope. It was a little ominous but Lac continued to concentrate. Then the sound of a dam breaking was heard. Lac couldn't help himself. He looked up.

Surging down the slope was a flood. It was a flood of mud. It was surprisingly high and unbelievably fast. It hit the ranch house in seconds with devastating force.

The flood of mud not only went over the ranch house in places but through it as well. The ranch house was completely inundated except for the spot where Chauncey stood with head orn touching the ground. The mud flowed around him and passed him by.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The walls blocked some of the force of the mudslide. Yet, the descending mud pushed most everything before it. The poorly constructed house could not completely block the onrushing mud nor did it want to. In parts, the walls flattened with the mud streaming through the rooms. In other parts the mudslide pushed the house off its nonexistent foundation.

The roof either collapsed when the mud moved through a room or rested on the mud filling up a room. The mud reached the front of the house and even pushed past where the front door had been. The mud flowed past on either side of the ranch house.

The bandits were yelling or cursing or both.

They briefly ceased all verbal exclamations when they heard wood being kicked. They heard Esme scream. Chauncey had been correct in his estimation where the bandits were keeping her. Within a very short time Chauncey kicked a large hole in what was left of the back wall of the ranch house. The back wall of the room Esme was held in.

Esme saw Chauncey peer in the hole and screamed again. Some intuition made the bandits connect the mudslide, the kicking of the back wall and their hostage screaming.

The bandits reacted in the only way they could. They tried to wade through the mud to the room which contained Esme. They grabbed whatever weapons they could find and their saddle bags.

Esme for some reason would not move. Then all of a sudden she ran to the door of her erstwhile prison. She flung open the door. Mud was everywhere. Immediately the mud, since the opportunity presented itself, happily began to leek into the room. She watched the bandits gather their important possessions and head for her.

She screamed again and backed into the room. The doorway had already filled with too much mud to close the door and quickly oozed further into the room. She backed away from the oncoming sludge. The bandits were determined to reach her though they were having a hard time slogging through thigh or knee high mud.

She looked at the hole in the back wall of the room. Chauncey stood outside it. He hadn't moved. She made her decision. She went through the hole. She stood and looked at the hillside. She was unsure what to do. The mud was everywhere except around her and Chauncey. He snorted. She looked all around and her wild eyes eventually settled on Lac astride Shastra.

Lac made a gesture. She looked at Chauncey who moved to allow Esme access to mount him. Once the decision was made she easily scrambled up and straddled Chauncey's broad back. After all, she had been born and raised on a working farm. She held his mane expertly and her seat was superb.

Once Esme was sitting astride Chauncey he bent his head and touched the mud with his horn. It instantly became a solid mass of dirt and debris. He trotted up and over the newly shaped slope. He reached Lac and Shastra.

Esme was still a little shaken but you don't live in the wilderness and not develop an ability to adjust and adapt. She looked at Lac, "who are you?"

'We should leave Lac.'

"Right you are Chauncey. Esme, I'm Lac and this is Shastra and you are riding Chauncey. I'm a mage and we're here to rescue you." He saw a bandit and another climb out of the hole. "Let's go."

They headed down the swale and through the valley. They could hear the shouts of the bandits though the yelling and cursing wasn't particularly distinct. They didn't really need to know what was specifically being said by the bandits. They assumed the bandits would extricate themselves from the mud, saddle their horses and come after them. Their assumption was correct.

Because Shastra was somewhat infirm they did not ride at full speed. She was given frequent rests. It gave time for Lac and Esme to chat.

"You came to rescue me?"

Lac nodded.

"Thank you so much. These bandits are not very nice people. What did my father have to pay to make you take up this quest?"

"Ah, well, actually nothing." Lac could see Esme was about his age but was very different than Nadilia. Esme was taller, very slender with black curly hair and green eyes. She had a beautiful olive complexion. Lac thought her gorgeous. He had a hard time not staring.

The women of his village tended to blond or light brown hair and were very fair. Esme was completely the opposite. Another differing aspect which he was learning which separated Esme from the women of his acquaintance was she was much more blunt than the girls he grew up with and around. She looked back at Lac unabashedly.

"What did my father promise you?"

The question caught Lac unprepared. He looked back down the road to see if the bandits had as yet left their valley.

Had he seen the look on her skeptical face he probably wouldn't have understood the underlying reason behind the question other than to think the question was not an innocent query.

Lac flung over his shoulder, "he didn't promise me anything. We'd better hurry Shastra."

'That is not entirely true Lac.'

"What Chauncey...oh, I guess you're right. Sorry Esme but your father did promise us information in regards to Shastra."

"You can talk to the unicorns?"

"Huh? Sure." Lac had become so used to talking with Chauncey that he forgot only those with innate magic might have the ability to do so.

The head start they had on the bandits was sufficient to reach the lane leading to the –Teners farmstead by late morning. Seemed a little different from the perspective of being seated on the back of a unicorn.

Lac saw some pixies socializing and buzzing around. "The bandits are coming my friends. Have lots of fun."

Esme looked at Lac as the two unicorns would only walk down the lane as it was so overgrown and uneven. "The pixies are your friends?"

"I hope so."

'As do we all,' added Chauncey.

***

The black dragon had watched the hillside turn into a mudslide and wondered why. He was flying down from the lofty peaks to the foothills. It was a very unusual occurrence even for a country steeped in magic and magical creatures. Not that the dragon reflected on that.

What the dragon reflected on was there were two unicorns _and a mage_. That made him momentarily happy. Very happy. It also made him wary. Very wary.

The difficulty in trying to kill both unicorns finally penetrated his skull. One unicorn would be dangerous enough but two...? And a mage?

He wasn't sure how to proceed. He had heard the stories of the incredible quality of unicorn hearing and of their dexterity in using that awful horn of theirs. He decided he must proceed with more caution.

One hundred drunken or passed out dwarves was one thing but two unicorns on the move was entirely a different kettle of witches brew.

He flew high and kept to the west as the magic traveled east. He'd bide his time. It wasn't like he was starving yet the magic had a commanding pull on him.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The bandits, once they had freed themselves from the mud turned dirt, didn't spend any time in complaining and took up the chase. Most of the bandits had been in the house wading in the mud when Chauncey's magic turned it into a solid mass.

They were in virtual shackles from the thigh or knees down.

It took some time to dig out their comrades since their tools were somewhere under the rubble. The bandits were not foolish enough to try and tackle two unicorns and what appeared to be a mage without their full complement.

Plus, they pretty much knew where the hostage would be taken. Back to her father's farm, of course.

Once they assembled at the barn they saddled their horses swiftly without rushing. The one problem facing them was that most of their weapons had been in the room which was now filled with four feet of hillside.

This didn't bother them in regards to the farming family. They still had those weapons which they naturally carried such as knives and dirks. However, it would have been rather nice to have a crossbow or two to deal with the mage and maybe the unicorns. They did manage to save most of the saddle bags which had been hung up.

Still they were not too daunted. Powerful magicians were rarely if ever in this part of the borderlands south of the Chrondium Kingdom. As was common knowledge a certified mage was worth his weight in gold but only if he was near that gold.

Which meant the best practitioners of the art tended to reside in the large cities or castles. It was where the gold was.

The bandits didn't overly tax of their mounts since they would have to return to their valley. As it was now completely dark they journeyed slowly to protect their horses. They stopped for a snooze by the pond. They would be up early with time enough to reach the farmstead before their afternoon meal would be needed.

As early evening drew into night all the –Teners, the complete clan which meant the wives of Hor-, Tor-, and For-, his young child as well as the sister to Esme, left the central area for whatever sleeping quarters they had.

Lac was apprehensive the bandits would arrive in the dead of night but Hortener believed with the poor condition of the road the bandits would not chance a nighttime raid since the possibility of a horse breaking his leg was too great. Lac's anxiety was eased but not all together lost.

The hugs and back-slapping on their arrival and a brief account of how Lac and Chauncey managed to rescue Shastra and Esme made Lac feel like he might have actually done something significant. The women brought out a late supper of mutton, buttermilk and some honey corn bread.

Lac hadn't realized how hungry he was until he could smell the aroma of the cooked mutton. He ate with a gusto he had never experienced before. The unicorns were given carrots and Chauncey's favorite, apples, as well as the fresh fodder.

Once they were sated they had little else to do but wait. Lac would have been quite content to remain silent as his natural shyness was exacerbated from nearness to Esme and her gorgeous face. Esme was not shy and badgered him with questions. The furthest she had ever been from the farmstead was the valley of the bandits.

For his part he wasn't all that interested in telling her about the community where he was from as it reminded him of his failures. Yet, it did allow him to gaze on her lovely features without staring and gawking. Had anyone asked him about Nadilia he probably would have needed some time to recall her.

When his eyelids closed as he reclined on the hay in the barn his thoughts and image at the front of his mind and dreams was of Esme.

The next day dawned brightly as if nature was saying be confident, be happy. With the supposed coming of the bandits everyone returned to the central area. There was chatter amongst the throng but it was somewhat subdued. None knew just what might occur once the bandits arrived.

The –Tener men had taken up arms and awaited the bandits. Lac waited with them as did the unicorns. Lac might have, ahem, been somewhat anxious if he considered what hardened criminals would likely do once they reached the –Tener homestead if he took the time and thought about it.

The bandits were not in his thoughts. Esme was so outgoing and striking Lac was completely infatuated. This helped in keeping Lac from thinking about the upcoming confrontation. Shastra and Chauncey spent their time nuzzling each other.

Before the sun had reached very high overhead they heard the clop-clops of many hoofs. Esme had confirmed that there were only eight bandits. Lac tried to consider the odds. Two strong –Teners, two unicorns and a student mage made the odds seem rather long at best to Lac. Plainly speaking, Lac had not been a brawler so was not able to judge accurately their chances in a physical altercation. Plus, he discounted the magic he could produce. Therefore, his estimation strongly leaned to weighty pessimism.

The three –Teners for their part were highly confident. With two unicorns and a powerful mage on their side it seemed they couldn't lose. To be honest this was overconfidence due to the fact that magic had a certain cachet to them.

They had never encountered any magic other than the pixies of the area. So what little magic Lac had already used seemed wholly sufficient. Even unfair for the bandits. The three –Teners were calm and confident as they waited.

The clop-clops stopped. They heard some noise but nothing distinguishable. Finally they heard clop-clop, clop-clop rapidly coming toward them. They braced themselves.

Into the clearing a pony charged. A riderless pony. The pony pulled up when he saw the unicorns. All equines had a tremendous respect for unicorns. To this pony Chauncey was the alpha male and the pony approached the unicorn with respect and deference. Chauncey seemed to parlay with the pony.

The pony seemed to understand his new rider would be Lac and he moved to where Lac was and lowered his head when he reached the mage.

'Lac,' said Chauncey, 'this is Rabbit and he is your friend now.'

"Really? I can have this pony?"

The unicorn nodded. He rarely spoke when a gesture would convey his thoughts.

As it was going on to noon Lac asked to spend the night as he thought it might be too late to head back. He asked the –Teners if he, the pony and the unicorns could again use the barn. The unicorns had to have shelter.

"Just try and leave without enjoying the fruits of our victory," Hortener said. "We will feast." Hortener slapped Lac on the back almost knocking him over. Esme entwined her arm around his and snuggled against the youth. She walked him to the only undamaged house. Lac's face reddened deeply. He was amazed that Esme would be so bold and he was doubly amazed her father whipped neither of them for this display of affection. Lac was growing to sincerely enjoy the company of these people.

***

The bandits gained a semblance of awareness several hours later. They had no idea why they found themselves so far from their base camp...and in the middle of a wilderness! There wasn't anything in this wilderness to steal. Plus, the settlements which had items of value, at least to them, were in the opposite direction.

The lack of recollection in getting to where they found themselves was unsettling but the oddity of having one less horse than rider seemed so out of character as to appear mightily sinister. It fueled their desire to leave the area posthaste.

As it was early evening and they could not perceive any familiarity in the immediate surroundings they led their horses down the road. They walked through the evening and stopped at the pond near their valley. They caught a few hours of sleep.

With the coming of daylight they felt an immeasurable relief to be heading home, as it were. They mounted their steeds and trotted down the path which led to their valley and their domicile.

The relief turned to consternation when they entered their valley.

The house they had called home was completely destroyed. What was unnerving was the remnants of the house seemed to rise out of the solid ground. Perhaps the house had sunk?

If that was true then the house would not have been in such disrepair, correct?

No matter how they contemplated the results of some unexplainable agent no sensible or logical conclusion could be reached. Even those with some understanding of magic were at a loss to explain what was quite clear: their ranch house was no longer habitable. What few tools they possessed, saws, hammers, awls, etc were buried under an extraordinary amount of dirt and rubble. Even the shovels they would need to dig out the tools were thus unavailable to them.

As there were no more trees in the area even if they did possess the appropriate implements they could not build any more structures. The whole valley as far as one could see was denuded of anything but scrub.

One manifest thing which can be said of bandits everywhere they'll only stay in an area if it was profitable. As there was no profit in remaining they journeyed north seeking another valley to renew their tried and true activities.

***

The pixies had had so much fun hurling the spells on the bandits that they hoped the bandits would return. Pixies aren't folk who'll save for a rainy day. It's just play, play, play all the time.

And of course, the pixies were not particularly discriminatory in whom they cast spells upon or played pranks on. They spend as much time harassing each other as they did anyone else.

Yet, the one thing which did leave a kind of resonance was being called friend. This was something that had never occurred to them before. No one had ever called any pixie a friend. They felt a depth of inner gratification which was a very new and unique sensation.

New was not a bad thing for pixies. How else would one be able to play a prank on another if the target in question had seen the ruse? The effect would not be so grand.

Therefore, this new feeling, although not considered in a cognitive manner, had a purposeful momentum. At least for the present time.

To flex the muscles of this new awareness they sought some faeries who, if human, would be known as raconteurs. The pixies loved to hear these faeries spin their tales. They would be completely engrossed and so rapt that the storytellers generally made out with the gold the pixies inadvertently magicked.

If the pixies knew they were being spellbound for the reason of creating gold for these faeries it still wouldn't have mattered though to be fair to the pixies they would have played pranks on these leprechauns and stolen the gold back. It wouldn't have been due to avariciousness. It's just what pixies do.

They enjoyed being the tale tellers for once. They told these faeries about the bandits and the gold in the bandits' saddlebags. That was all the leprechauns needed to hear.

Don't feel too badly for the bandits. The leprechauns never took the bandits' horses or weapons or bulky items. The wee faeries never interfered with the bandits who after all were only trying to make a living.

The leprechauns just took their gold. Every bit of it. Every opportunity they could.

***

The black dragon was undecided what to do. He could not, just and absolutely could not, let the magic get away.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The lone undamaged house was nicely appointed considering it had first been built and occupied a century ago. It was a large two story building with additions added as the original family grew. One hundred year old chestnut trees surrounded it.

The chestnut trees provided shade on the hottest days and food in the winter. The farmstead was nearly as old as the village of Oakendusk so the resemblances made Lac very comfortable and put him at ease.

The –Tener clan was very gregarious in general and quite loud in social interactions. They had originally arrived from the Skothford Shire which is in the southern district of Chrondium. Lac didn't know anything of Chrondium and enjoyed hearing what the –Teners related of their former home.

The wives for the most part were from the borderland villages of Chrondium. The borderlands south of Chrondium were similar to Conestebleshire in that they were not a distinct part of the kingdom.

There were just not enough people to tax let alone pay for services the kingdom would have to provide; postal service, constabulary, justice of the peace, etc. Yet, the borderlands were made of stout former citizens and the kingdom did take an interest albeit an interest without much supervision.

Needless to say, men of low moral fiber took advantage of this. Yet, the –Teners learned to live with these bandits as they learned to live with the magical creatures. Each was a normal part of life.

Therefore, those raised on the –Tener farmstead tended to be easy going but garrulous. It was a rarity to find people to chat with so when the opportunity arose the -Tener clan took full advantage.

Of course, over the years a number of scions moved north to Chrondium depending on their interests. The familial link was still established if loosely connected. Male -Teners would journey north seeking a mate. The women born and raised on the farmstead would generally go north sometime around the age of fifteen ostensibly to marry as well.

Esme was to have had taken the route north. In practice she would arrive with a dowry and stay with relatives. However, due to the tariff the bandits exacted on the –Teners they didn't have the money for a dowry.

Fortunately, Esme was not all that interested in marrying at this time and was content regarding the circumstances. Now, after meeting Lac she had no interest in going anywhere unless it was with the young mage.

She wondered briefly why that was so but could only recall the way she felt when she spotted Lac sitting astride Shastra. Just the way he sat, calmly with a certain amount of confidence but no arrogance.

She was amazed at his modesty. If she had even a smidgen of magical ability the whole world would have known. What an incredible thing, to be good at magic. Of course, it didn't hurt that Lac was tall for his age and taller than many men. He was good-looking enough with his light brown hair and comma hanging over his eyes. Even the shaggy hair growing past his collar was attractive to her.

"Lac, shouldn't you have a haircut?"

"A hair..." he reached back to his nape. "Seems to have gotten long hasn't it."

"I can cut it for you." Lac sensed this was more than just an offhand comment. The way she looked at him made him weak. It was a good thing he didn't need to stand presently. He didn't think his legs could have kept him upright.

"I suppose we can do that before I leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" bellowed Hortener. "Why not tonight? There's a small hot spring about a mile from the house and you could soak after dinner. You probably could use one after all your exertions. You certainly would sleep better."

"And I could wash your robes," said Mullie, Hortener's wife. "Wouldn't you prefer to travel with nice clean clothes?"

"Ah, well..." It would be nice to be clean and fresh and begin the trek back to Oakendusk with clean clothes.

"Then it's settled," said Hortener. "By the way Lac, do you sing or play an instrument?"

Lac shook his head.

"Pity."

"Father, leave him be," said Esme. "He hasn't time for that. He has to practice his art."

Hortener smiled as he nodded. He gave Lac a nudge, "she's a smart one don't you agree Lac?"

Lac nodded. He had no idea what to say. He had met her only a day past and their conversations had been mostly pastiming; talking about aspects unfamiliar to the other. Social pleasantries really.

Lac was very happy when the dessert of fried sweet cakes had been consumed. It allowed him to leave the table. Although he liked these people he couldn't say he truly understood them. It filled him with a hint of anxiety. Naturally, he would have been much more comfortable with those he had long familiarity with.

It was odd to Lac that though there were strong similarities between the people of his village and these –Teners there was an awful lot of differences as well. This was the first time he had spent any real time with individuals who were not from his village let alone from another kingdom and he tried to be aware of dissimilarities in inferences but missed most.

Lac was happy to leave the large kitchen as he was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by the –Teners, especially Hortener.

Lac walked down the path to the hot spring. Esme pointed it out and gave Lac a towel and some lye. She told him there was a small man-made pool near so he could cool off if he needed. She'd be by to bring him something to wear to replace his clothes. Then when he had enough of a soak to cut his hair.

The hot spring was easy to find. It was at the end of the well worn path. A natural spring around the middle of a large hill. He couldn't tell much about the hill as it was getting dark now but had been told only ferns and a certain type of grass would grow so near the spring. Seemed pleasant. The stars were out in force and beautiful.

Lac disrobed and sank into the hot spring. It was HOT! He pulled most of his body out and tried again...slowly. Aaaaaah. It felt marvelous. _Oh, this is wonderful._

***

The black dragon didn't know where to hide. He wanted to be near but he couldn't afford to be seen.

He spotted a large hill and thought that might do since it was nearly dark. He glided to the opposite side of the hill. He could hear the noise from the farmstead. Almost as loud as those drunken dwarves.

He hoped he might hear the plans of this mage and those unicorns. He couldn't hear too much that was distinct nor what he could hear clearly was of any interest of him. He looked over the ridge of the hill when the noise got suddenly louder. The back door of the house opened.

He spotted the mage and the girl who had ridden the female unicorn. Dragons have the best eyesight (although Rocs might disagree) of any creature. An eagle at one thousand feet can differentiate between a rabbit and a human but at the same distance a dragon could count the moles on the human's cheek.

Come to me human. Come to me.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Lac, tell me about the girls of your village."

Lac raised his head to look where the almost disembodied voice of Esme originated. He was soooo relaxed. He had a difficult time putting his thoughts in any semblance of order. He was getting very somnolent but it was such a beautiful evening he wanted to remain awake to enjoy it. Warm almost balmy with stars a'twinkling. He thought he heard some pixies flying about but he wasn't sure nor at this moment did he care. The pixies seemed close but not _too_ close.

Lac shrugged. Outside of Nadilia he hadn't paid much attention to girls. By the age of twelve he was enrolled in Barry Ding's Academy and his focus and concentration had been mostly about learning, developing and controlling magic.

He had known Nady since they were very young. It seemed like he had always known her and he couldn't remember the occasion which might have been the first time they met.

"I don't really know, Esme. I guess they're like girls every...where." Lac immediately realized this could not possibly be true.

Esme's younger sister, Desme, was a lot like Esme which meant they were nothing like the girls he had grown up with.

"I guess that's not true. I've never seen a girl as beaut...ah, well, I've never seen a girl that looked like you and your sister. And," he tried to quickly continue the monologue so Esme wouldn't interrupt.

"Do you think I'm beautiful Lac?"

_What am I to do_? Obviously the motormouth ploy failed.

"Ah, ah..."

"Lac don't be shy. I'm not used to being around boys and it would help me to know these things."

Lac's face was the reddest it had ever been and he was glad Esme couldn't see him.

"Yes Esme." Lac was so unsure of himself he added, "but it could just be me...I mean...yes, I think you're very beautiful but I've only known the girls from my village. This is the first time I've ever been out of my village." He was sweating, shaky and his throat seemed tighter than usual.

Esme laughed gently. "You're not used to courting are you Lac?"

"Courting?" That's what his first thought was but it came out with a high pitch and didn't sound at all like his voice.

Esme laughed. A deep and wonderfully rich laugh. "You're not alone Lac. I've only known a few older relatives and my older brother. So I know less than you."

Somehow Lac didn't really believe Esme knew less than him. In fact, he now had a sneaking suspicion Nadilia and all the girls his age back in Oakendusk probably knew more than him. A lot more.

"How many people live in...Oaken...?"

"Oakendusk." Here he was on firmer ground. "Well, with the students from other places and all it's probably six hundred or so."

"Wow, such a big place. The nearest village to us, the first one if you went north has less than a hundred." She was thoughtful for a few moments.

"You're going back tomorrow?"

Still on firmer ground, "yes. They'll be worried about me. I hope Chauncey will come with me all the way as well. If I told everyone about the events the last couple of days no one would believe me."

"Isn't your unicorn going to go with you?"

"He said he would...and no, Esme. A unicorn belongs to no one. He's my friend."

"You must be getting very hot and tired. Why don't you climb out? I have your towel and pants and a nightshirt."

He started to pull himself out of the hot spring. "Esme! You have to turn around."

"Why?"

"Well...what would your father say if you saw me, ah...without any clothes on?"

"He wouldn't say anything. I'm used to seeing my brothers without clothes on. This is a farm you understand? Besides, it's too dark to see anything."

"Don't you want to get out? Or perhaps you'd like it if I joined you?"

Out he came.

Lac grabbed the towel from the outstretched hand of Esme. He dried himself hurriedly so he could quickly get into the clothes she brought him to decrease his embarrassment.

"If you dry so furiously you'll need another bath. Let me dry you. I'll show you how it should be done."

"Esme!"

She stood up and got close to him. "Lac I've never been kissed. Could you kiss me?"

"Esme...I've never...ah, kissed anyone."

"Really? Someone as handsome and strong as you?"

Lac nodded. He realized she couldn't see him well enough, "really. I...I've never really thought about it...until..." He left the sentence unfinished.

"Until what Lac?" Esme had come so close he could see the whites of her eyes from the starlight.

"I...I...I...I'm afraid to say."

"You're scared?"

He nodded his head. "You're the bravest boy I've ever heard about...and I'm scared too."

Somehow that statement helped Lac feel less nervous. Not from being the bravest boy, he didn't really believe he was all that brave but her being scared made Esme seem so vulnerable. Her vulnerability gave him a reversal in attitude. He now definitely, oh so very and absolutely definitely, wanted to kiss her.

"I'm not sure how," he stammered. One second slipped past. Another second went by then she threw her arms around Lac's neck. Her lips found his lips and they pressed them together. They kissed and his arms went around her waist. They held each other and Lac forgot he didn't know how to kiss. Esme's lips felt wonderful.

They stopped kissing and unclasped. She was breathing slightly harder than he was.

"How was your first kiss Lac?"

He licked his lips and thought he could yet taste Esme and feel her beautiful soft lips still.

"I had no idea...that was amazing. How was it for you?"

She touched his cheek. "It was wonderful. Oh Lac, do you really have to go tomorrow?"

Lac was quiet for a few moments. He felt a sadness he had never known before. Had no idea he could ever be this sad.

"My family..." he could hardly say anything. His throat was even more constricted than before.

She caressed his face. "Yes, it must be hard to be so far from your family."

It hadn't occurred to Lac until now but he would certainly have to leave his family for the certification test. Not the first one but the important one in one of the major cities of the Fonderlak Kingdom. It was three years away.

"Esme...I'd love to...how could we...could we somehow visit?"

Esme was thinking. At fifteen girls are more mature and certainly understood the world better than boys of the same age. She was aware there was something special about Lac even if he didn't. It was not something she had been taught or been informed about.

Maybe he'd never be rich and powerful yet perhaps that didn't matter. He was so naïve but he was...different. Different in a really good way.

Esme intuitively knew Lac didn't have ambitions to be better or richer or more powerful than others. He just wanted to be the best magician he could be. She knew that to manipulate him would be to harm him and she just couldn't do that. Didn't she want to have a powerful and or rich husband?

True, it mattered to her parents but with that kiss she had come to understand maybe happiness was more important. But how...?

"Lac put your clothes on and then tell me all about Oakendusk. Maybe I'll be able to think of something."

Lac hurriedly dressed and sat in front of Esme. As they held hands he told her everything he could think of his village. All the people and their occupations. Even the meadow and all the landmarks.

***

The black dragon smiled. He knew that meadow and remembered the cave with a sort of nostalgia...not that dragons could be nostalgic.

He loved that meadow. He had such a wonderful experience in that meadow. Seemed perfectly fitting to return to that meadow. It was where he had his first taste of magic.

He would arrive in Oakendusk and await the magic.

He liked that idea. The magic, all the magic, coming to him.

If a dragon could laugh he would have.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The pretty pink pixie flew to the saddle horn. She stood, folded her wings and looked up.

"Hello friend. How are you today?" The voice was sweet and rather treble.

"I'm well thank you. My name is Lac. What is yours?"

"I am Ysiline."

There was a moment of silence.

"Oh, Ysiline, I'd like to thank you and your friends for taking care of the bandits."

"It was so much fun. Could you find us some more bandits?"

"I'll certainly look." A thought occurred to Lac.

"Ysiline what would you or your friends do if you met a hobgoblin?"

"We do not like hobgoblins. They are very nasty."

Lac nodded. "Could you conjure up an enchanted meal for them? And would it enchant them?"

"Oh, that is a wonderful idea. But I do not think the enchantment would last too long. I would like to try though."

"In a couple of days we will approach an area that has hobgoblins and if you'd like to accompany..."

"Oh, I cannot go that far."

"Why's that?"

"We cannot travel past our demesne."

"I didn't know that. How far can you go?"

"About a mile this way."

"I'll be sorry to leave you. I've enjoyed talking to you."

"I have enjoyed it as well. I do want to tell you something before I have to go back."

"What's that Ysiline?"

"There is a black and hungry dragon about."

Lac sat up and began to scan the skies.

"Oh, do not worry friend Lac. We chased him off our demesne. He flew away."

That was certainly a relief. The idea of still more magical creatures had been forgotten. Yet, with the emergence of so many new encounters he had a better perspective of the danger with a dragon lurking about.

"I do not think I like dragons."

"We do not like dragons either."

"From what I hear they are not very likable."

"No they are not. They like to eat us."

That made no sense to Lac. Ysiline alone couldn't weigh much more than an ounce or two. A hundred pixies wouldn't even count as a snack.

"No, I guess if they want to eat pixies they can't be very nice."

"It is not that we taste good but...oh, Lac I must not continue. My queen would punish me. Come back soon."

The pixie flew off toward the farmers' fields.

It was still morning and the day was perfect. The weather was warm, a slight breeze stirred. Lac had eaten far too much but the –Tener women would not let him leave the kitchen unless he ate what a hard working and early rising farmer ate. It was twice as much as he normally would eat.

Finally his robes had completely dried in the early morning sun. By the time he had finished dressing one of the male –Teners had Rabbit saddled. His pony was waiting for him in the central area.

He chatted briefly with Tortener, the other men had farming chores, gave his thanks to be passed along and with Chauncey and Shastra left the farmstead. He saw Esme at the second floor window and waved. She smiled and waved back.

_What a beautiful smile._ Lac smiled at the thought.

He liked that thing called kissing and hoped he could do more kissing soon. He needed to practice after all. He wanted to be a great kisser for Esme. It was quite possible that he'd see her in a few months. He'd leave it up to her. She seemed to have a very flexible and sharp mind. And he needed to concentrate on his magic after all. His adept first class exam was coming up. That would allow him to continue and eventually take the certification test.

With Chauncey and Shastra occasionally chatting with each other Lac felt very comfortable in silence. Riding Rabbit was also hypnotizing as it was a steady undulating movement.

Before he knew it they were at the bridge. Lac if he could curse might have at that moment. The day had grown up and was nearly over. He'd prefer to spend the night on the other side of the bridge but he hadn't prepared any ruse for the troll.

"You must pay the toll to cross the bridge."

Lac just shook his head. _Where to start_?

"Is it still two ponzies?"

"You dolt it's Pouncies and four of them. Or one silver Chrondite.

_If I was a real magician we wouldn't have to deal with this_.

'You could also pay him Lac,' said Chauncey.

"With what...?" _we don't have any money_. He thought the thought. It seems trolls have some shrewdness and he didn't want this one to know their financial state or lack thereof.

'What is the colorful metal in your saddlebags?'

Lac shrugged. He really hadn't noticed the saddlebags. They were such standard equipment the bags failed to pique his interest.

He turned around a little and reached back. He unlaced the saddlebag on his right. He opened the flap. It was completely full of metal with only two colors; gold and silver. Lac was dumbstruck. _Of course. It was the bandits' saddlebags._

The first thought which struck him was even if he knew to whom and where to return the stolen money he had to go home first. He couldn't delay any further. Perhaps he could put it in a bank. He nodded to himself.

"Oh, Ingrus."

"Yes."

"How many trips would two silver Chrondites allow me?"

"I can count human. It would allow you two trips."

"And five silver Chrondites?"

"Five trips of course."

"Well, how about a golden Chrondite?"

"That would be...many trips."

"How many?"

"I have to think on it. Why?"

"Well, I have a golden Chrondite and I'd like change."

"You have a golden Chrondite?"

"Yes."

Silence. Lac knew the troll didn't have change and was furiously thinking of a way to acquire the complete sum. He gave the troll a few minutes to stew.

"Ingrus, I propose this: why don't I just give you a golden Chrondite and you can give me unlimited crossing of your bridge. For me and my friends."

Silence.

"Since I'll rarely come this way I doubt I'll cross your bridge very often. In the long run you gain. Or I can give you a silver Chrondite now and maybe in months or a year when I return give you another."

"For you and your friends?"

"Yes. Anyone I'm traveling with or anyone using my name."

"Traveling with I can see but suppose many people know you and use your name?"

"Well, how many people have crossed your bridge since you've been here?"

Silence.

"Tell you what. I'll give you two golden Chrondites for me, my traveling companions and those using my name. For unlimited crossings as well as any information about magic or information that might be important to me. I'm a mage you see."

"Done."

Lac reached into the saddle bag, "have you any information for me?"

"Would a black dragon be any interest to you?"

Lac's hand in the saddlebag paused briefly. "It would."

Lac threw the two golden coins on the ground near the corner of the bridge support. A hand, hairy, with elongated but thin fingers clasped onto the money and reeled it in.

"There was a black dragon which flew overhead last night. It was very large and seemed to be laughing. What is your name?"

"My name is Lac of Oakendusk. You will remember my name?"

"I will certainly remember your name Lac of Oakendusk."

"Which way was the dragon flying, Ingrus?"

"It was flying south to southeast."

"Thank you Ingrus and good day to you."

Lac thought he heard a thank you in response but couldn't be sure. He certainly heard the clinking of coins though.

***

Ingrus was so very happy. Perhaps what his father and grandfather had told him about humans was incorrect. He wasn't the type of individual who questioned his forebears but the proof was hard to overlook.

He had inherited the bridge and in a very short time as compared to his father and grandfather was filthy rich. He had in one moment made more money than both his ancestors ever made from receiving tolls.

True, since the dwarves ended the trade with the settlements to the east there hadn't been too many travelers. In all fairness to Ingrus he had only been blessed with one visitor.

True, he was new at this and was untested and there hadn't been a lot of training as such. Rather the on-the-job variety. But he felt he had done very well. Very, very well indeed.

Trolls did not have great memories. They only remember things which was of great interest. Yet, when they did remember something they never forgot it. An example would be a dragon in the vicinity. Not something you'd want to lose track of.

He vaguely recalled being honored with respect which this human had afforded him earlier. This made it all the more confusing. Ingrus would have been all the more confused if he completely remembered the first meeting with Lac.

He had never seen two, count them two, golden Crondites. He hadn't known there were two, count them two, golden Crondites in the whole world.

He lay on his back under the bridge support and counted the two Crondites on his hairy chest.

He would never forget the very honorable human Lac from Oakendusk and his unicorn friends. They now had complete and un-tolled access to cross the bridge anytime they desired.

Ingrus knew he could now afford to have a mate though he had no idea where one might be found. Nor did it seem proper to abandon his post. Yet, he grew optimistic as he counted his golden lucre. A mate would find him.

***

"Shastra, do you know anything about a black dragon in these borderlands?"

'No Lac. I had been a prisoner for many years but I never saw one nor heard mention of one. What do you think it means?'

"I have no idea. I haven't learned anything about dragon's yet. They haven't been seen in the shire for many years. Chauncey what do you think?"

'I am at a loss to understand. A big dragon would want to eat a large animal and perhaps he is going to try and fish for one of those large creatures which inhabit the sea.'

They were heading in a similar southeasterly direction. Lac sure hoped Chauncey was right.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Lac felt his body flush. His skin developed goose-bumps as he recognized a landmark. He was home! _I'm back._

He would have yelled it if anyone would have been around.

The sun was just breaking over the eastern horizon. Though it wasn't warm as yet it wasn't cold and the morning air was refreshing.

Lac riding Rabbit, accompanied by Shastra and Chauncey were heading down the road which would lead them to Oakendusk.

Lac was aware, though less so than usual, this was the post road which would take him north to the Fonderlak Kingdom and his certification test. He used to fantasize about going to Wompers, the closest, largest town which sported a Wizard's examination facility.

Today he couldn't fantasize about that. He'd had too much experience recently to fantasize about traveling. He knew he'd have no adventures going that way. Seemed so dull and mundane all of a sudden.

Lac wasn't feeling cocky and he was not prone to arrogance but he had been changed by his experiences. Maybe not a dramatic transformation but incremental changes did occur which would not have transpired had he not traveled.

Enough changes to allow him to realize he was somehow different but not so obvious that he recognized in what way the transformation occurred. Lac wouldn't have thought the difference would be in maturity yet that was a major component in the 'new' Lac.

The road became very familiar but it was different as well. Looking at this well worn byway on the back of his horse was interesting. His horse. That's right. He now had a horse. Isn't that amazing?

As they ambled down the road Howdry called out to them. The farmer had just finished his breakfast and was about to start his daily chores.

"Hello to you Mister Campher."

"Stop for a second Lac. Let me look at you." Lac stopped and Billy hearing the commotion ran out of the kitchen door. Nadilia came soon after walking sedately or at least as sedately one could walk in a hurry.

Lac dismounted. Chauncey and Shastra continued.

Billy hugged him and was saying something but all Lac was aware of was Nadilia coming toward him.

His heart skipped a beat as he saw her smile and beautiful eyes...and her figure. He realized he had missed her.

'Lac, we will go,' Chauncey said to him, 'to the meadow. The buttercups are calling us.' He waved to the unicorns as they took the right fork.

"You are well I see Lac," Nadilia said. Billy disengaged himself from Lac.

"Lac. I'll go and get Master Portersbee. I know he'd like to see you." Billy ran off down the road.

"Lac I need to feed the chickens and the pigs," Howdry said. His large hand rested on Lac's shoulder in the most friendly manner. "Come round after. I can see you've...well, I'd like to chat with you." He gave Lac's shoulder a squeeze then departed.

Silence. An awkward kind of silence. Lac unused to social awkwardness since it rarely registered in his one track mind hadn't a clue what to say to break the silence.

"Lac, I've missed you." Nadilia said it quietly and demurely and wasn't making eye contact with Lac.

"I've missed you as well Nady." It was true and yet Lac felt guilty in saying it. There had been whole days when he hadn't thought of her. I was busy, he tried reminding himself.

"I guess you'll want to tell everyone of your adventures."

"Well, ah...I suppose. I'll be able to make class so..."

"It's Saturday Lac. No classes today."

"Oh." Lac was disappointed. He wanted his instructor and classmates to hear his recounting of his adventures. He'd been practicing in his head so he'd be able to spin a good and entertaining story.

She took his hand. "Let's go to the meadow. Everyone will want to hear of your adventures and no sense in repeating yourself."

Lac grabbed Rabbit's reins and the pony fell in behind the pair.

***

The black dragon had watched from his vantage place at the lip of the cave. It was tucked away high up in a large crag and the highest point in the shire. Most times the trees lining the road obscured the magic from him but he shrewdly considered the progress might take his meal to that wonderful meadow.

Dragons did not have a sense of irony. It hadn't occurred to him the coincidences in acquiring more magic from the same place where he first tasted magic as ironic. Yet, the fact that it was familiar and had already a wonderful association made his longing for the magic more intense.

His maw drooled in anticipation.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Lac stood with Nadilia on the edge of the meadow and was amazed. It was not yet seven in the morning but people were skipping, walking and running into the meadow.

Whole families.

The meadow from the earliest of times had been where the sheep pastured. As the village gained in residents the sheep were removed so there would be a commons for the growing population. It had been known for generations as Sheep-dip meadow though few remembered that today.

The meadow was large and to be sure outside of the center of their small village yet it was central for social congregation and interaction.

And it was Saturday.

Outside of the farmers who had early morning chores most inhabitants of the village took this opportunity to engage in conversation or games or just hang out. Picnics were common.

During the high holidays there would be prizes for races, which is where Lac was first noticed. Team sports a swell as pitching horse shoes, tug-of-war and rounders were enjoyed by most. The spring and summer was conducive to all this activity from having such beautiful weather. But so early on a saturday morning?

"Word gets around quickly," said Nadilia.

Lac felt a bubble of pride welling up.

"When there's unicorns about people will go for miles to see them."

The pride balloon burst.

***

The black dragon continued to watch and wait. The waiting was becoming soooo very difficult. The magic meals were soooo very close. He licked his lips.

Yet, the unicorns were at the far edge, the eastern edge, of the meadow and there would be no way if they remained there for him to come unannounced as it were. He'd be seen immediately as he cleared the trees on the western edge of the park.

He noticed that the young mage had arrived. Standing with a female. A plan was forming in his shrewd little reptilian mind.

***

Before long Master Portersbee with Billy in tow entered the meadow. Lac saw Chauncey notice this as did Shastra.

Lac with Nadilia, Chauncey with Shastra and Portersbee with Billy converged near the middle of the meadow. Out of deference to the magician the group was given a wide berth and they had plenty of room to themselves.

"Master Portersbee," said Lac, "let me introduce you to Chauncey and Shastra."

"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance Chauncey and Shastra. Seemed everything came out well?"

'Yes. It did,' replied Chauncey. 'I never would have been able to rescue Shastra if it were not for Lac. He is a wonderful mage. I only wish that Barry Ding could have heard about how Lac performed his magic.'

Portersbee looked at Chauncey with renewed respect, "did you know the wizard Ding?'

'Yes. We traveled together. To this place. It is here that I met Shastra. In this very meadow.'

"Chauncey would you tell me just what occurred. It might be important to Lac if I have all the facts."

'I would be happy to. It may take a little time and although Shastra does not mind the company of humans I find I prefer to be a round only one or two who are friends. However, I will persevere so you hear the complete tale.'

'Where shall I start Lac?'

"Oh, ah...I guess when we first met the pixies."

'Yes. A good place to start...'

***

The black dragon launched himself out of the cave. It was only a few miles from the meadow. He hugged the slope of the crag and swung out over the tree tops. He knew want he wanted to do.

He felt exhilarated.

And ravishingly hungry.

***

'I thought the magic used by Lac though a tad strong was impressive. It gave me confidence to have Lac travel with me.'

'The magic displayed when the hobgoblins came in the nighttime...'

They heard a man choking, violently choking. All in his party looked at him as did many in the immediate area. Why do people need to look when someone chokes, or slips or does some other less than mundane but not altogether unknown act? Seems to be part of the human condition. All eyes turned in the chokers direction.

He was on the eastern edge of the meadow with some friends having a bite to eat. He was facing the west. His friends tried to help him by slapping his back. They were chatting and laughing at him as well.

He was somewhat comical. He obviously wanted to say something as he tried to point with one hand as the other hand was at his throat. The more he tried to talk the less he was able and the more comical he became.

Even Master Portersbee had to smile.

Until the screams.

Lac had never heard screams like that. These screams were the most serious screaming he had ever heard. He had no idea anyone or in this case many anyones could scream so shrilly and forcefully. The screams were incredibly scary. If it hadn't been such a beautiful calm morning...

Oddly, the screams were coming from the western end of the meadow.

Naturally all in the group turned. Almost too late. The dragon was upon them. Billy, Portersbee and Lac hit the dirt. Chauncey's first reaction was instinctive. He moved and he did so with amazing quickness. No horse could ever move that fast.

The black dragon sighed relief. He was worried about the big male unicorn.

Shastra did not move fast enough nor did Nadilia. Shastra was still weak and not even close to full strength. Nadilia was so panic-stricken she couldn't move.

The black dragon clutched Nadlia and bowled over Shastra. The dragon picked her up by her rump. He couldn't allow her to use her horn.

The dragon leapt into the air.

Portersbee, on his backside, hurled a fire ball at the dragon. But he didn't realize how fast this very large creature could get airborne. The fire ball stung the dragon's claw but hit Nadilia as well. The wounded dragon let out a howl.

Lac was jumping up and down. He didn't know what to do. He realized that this was the black dragon Ysiline and Ingrus had warned him about. He felt horrible; in parts of terror at seeing a huge, hungry, maleficent, scary as hell dragon, and other parts of anger and fear for Nadilia and Shastra.

He had to do something. Something, something...

He had to do....what he didn't know. But, but, but, but, but...

'Lac hop on.'

"Huh?"

'Hop on my back. Quick. We have no time to waste.'

Lac flopped on Chauncey's back and swung his leg over to sit astride.

'Hold on. Tight.'

Lac grabbed a handful of the white mane.

'Tighter.'

Lac encircled Chauncey's neck with his arms.

'Are your ready?'

"Yes. I'm reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaady."

If someone had told Lac that unicorns were the fastest animals on land he probably would not have believed him. They resembled horses too much. He knew the average speed of a horse so the association though immature to a point was only natural.

He would of course have been wrong.

Unicorns are magical creatures. And they are very fast when they want or need to be.

By the time Lac had finished saying 'ready' he was already out of the village. He tried to concentrate on what he was seeing go past. He'd never been this way before.

They were on a road of sorts heading to the ocean. The ocean to the south and southwest of Oakendusk had tall chalk cliffs and even if there had been someone far away to trade with there was no way to create a port. Not much reason to journey this way.

Lac gave up trying to identify landmarks. The speed in which they were traveling was just too fast to see any distinctions or distinguishing features.

'Lac get ready. You will see the dragon very...there. Do you see the dragon?'

"Yes."

'Hurt him.'

"But what about...?"

'If the dragon reaches the ocean then all is lost.'

Lac was getting used to the speed and able to sit up a little. With his left arm clutching Chauncey he focused and threw a fire ball.

The bolt hit the dragon in the tail. By the howl of the dragon they knew it scored and it had hurt him.

'Again.'

Lac threw the next with more confidence. It hit the right wing of the dragon. The dragon howled. Lac threw a third bolt. His fear at losing Nadilia and Shastra lent him greater strength.

The third bolt hit the dragon where the right wing meets the body. It did damage. The howling was intense. The dragon lost altitude. He was no longer flapping his wings but was gliding.

'Good work Lac. I believe you have downed him.'

"Let's be sure Chauncey. We don't want to walk into a trap."

They followed the dragon. Lac would have liked to throw more fire balls but with the loss of altitude he couldn't get a clear shot.

The wilderness gave way suddenly to a very green grass as far as the eye could see. Without any trees. Not a tree in sight. Some small bushes managed to find a way to grow on top of the chalk but precious few.

Lac knew they were at the chalk hills. Since there was only chalk underneath not much could grow on top. Lac could see an island in the distance. Such a beautiful sight. Lac could hear the ocean. The waves broke directly on the chalk cliffs.

Lac saw a clear opening and reared back to let the dragon have it.

'Hold Lac.'

The dragon alit holding both Nadilia and Shastra in front of him. Had Lac unleashed the fireball one or the other would have been hit. Nadilia appeared to be unconscious. Shastra looked injured.

'Do not come any closer unicorn and human.'

If a dragon talking in Lac's head was a surprise, and it was, the bigger surprise, at least to him, was how well he accepted it and focused on this foul creature.

'We should come to an understanding dragon,' said Chauncey. 'If not we are at an impasse. You do not want me for an enemy.'

'How well you speak for yourself unicorn. What does the human have to say?'

"I say you let those two go and we'll let you go. If you harm them one bit..."

'Now, I do not call that much in the way of negotiation.'

"I'm not going to negotiate with you."

'I must have something to gain. You lose much if I have nothing to gain.'

Silence.

Not an awkward silence. An angry silence.

This was not a stupid creature Lac and Chauncey had to deal with. Lac knew he could not outfox the dragon as he had the troll. No amount of vomitus would be able to save the day here.

'I propose a trade,' said the dragon. If a dragon could smile he would have.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Lac's first thought was, _what have we to trade with._ But the horror of that thought hit him. He could not speak. He knew as certainly as Chauncey that the dragon knew he was in the cat-bird seat. Lac wondered briefly what on earth is a cat-bird seat? What it clearly meant was the dragon held all the aces.

'I will trade the females for both of you.'

That was the dragon's plan all along. Getting hurt was, of course, not part of the plan but he didn't see why the plan couldn't be salvaged. It was the major magic he was after. Chauncey had the most magic a unicorn could possibly have. The female was weak and her magic not at full strength. The human male was young but he had impressive innate magic within him.

Ummm. He'll be mighty tasty.

Once he ingested the unicorn and the young mage he would heal very fast. Maybe fast enough to catch and eat the female unicorn.

The dragon was so very pleased with himself. He was in control and they would have to do his bidding.

Lac whispered in Chauncey's ear, "can we block our thoughts so he cannot know what we say?"

Chauncey nodded his head, 'yes. But you must speak verbally to me.'

"Okay. Giving him want he wants is not such a good thing."

'What do you propose? He will eat both. Soon I think.' Lac threw his leg over Chauncey's back and hopped to the ground. He felt better on the ground than on Chauncey's back.

"We must make him mad."

'How?'

Lac shrugged. He never went out of his way to make anyone angry.

"You're ugly as sin and I don't like looking at something so ugly."

Chauncey looked at Lac. 'Is that it?'

'Human, is that supposed to be funny?'

Chauncey and Lac moved forward a step. Then two.

'Do not come any closer or the deal is off. I will eat these two and fly away.'

"You cannot fly well. I will kill you before you can go very far. Or you'll drown in the ocean right behind you." The dragon was very close to the cliff edge.

The dragon looked behind him. It was true he couldn't fly well. If he tried to flap his right wing he would do more damage to it. He knew he could not get airborne with his injury.

The mention of the injury reminded him of the pain he was now experiencing. It was getting more intense as they talked. And he was so hungry. He needed the magic. _I have to have the magic._

The dragon's arms were getting tired. They were not used to carry much weight except for short durations. It had been nearly an hour ago when he snatched Nadilia and Shastra.

As the dragon's arms grew weary they drooped. Nadilia was in the dragon's right claw and Shastra in his left. As the arms lowered Shastra and Nadilia got closer to each other. Nadilia was still unconscious from the blast of the first fire ball as well as slightly singed. Shastra was in pain from the dragon's claws and feeling very weak.

Shastra though injured would by using her healing magic on Nadilia would also begin the healing process within her. She waited for an opportunity to heal the human girl.

As the dragon's claws lowered Shastra was able to reach out and touch the tip of her horn to Nadilia's hand. The healing began as soon as the horn contacted the girl.

The dragon was stymied by the human. He knew the human had a good point. The fireballs had really hurt. A few more in the right places could seriously harm him. If it happened if he was over the water...!!?

No, the dragon definitely did not like that idea. Maybe they do not know I'm a fire breathing dragon. _Perhaps they'll move closer if I look distracted_.

"Chauncey what kind of dragon is this? How big do they get?"

'He is the biggest I know of. There are different types of dragons. The most fearful is the ones who can emit fire.'

"Do you think he's one of those?"

'I have been watching him and yes, I do think so. See the edges of his nostrils? They looked burned to me.'

Lac stepped closer. The dragon seemed not to notice. Lac and Chauncey took another step.

"Another few steps will do I think."

'You have a plan?' They both took a step as they chatted. Then another.

"Well, ah...I'm not sure it's a great plan but something is better than nothing I guess."

"Chauncey turn around. Put your backside to him."

This Chauncey did. The dragon watched and wondered why he was seeing the unicorn's posterior.

They are up to something.

The dragon decided they were as close as they're going to get. He signaled the first stomach to begin preparations for fire.

'Yes. He is a fire breather.' Chauncey took a look at the dragon. 'I begin to see and hear him getting the fire ready.'

"Flick your tail Chauncey. As if to brush away flies." Lac placed his hand on Chauncey's backside.

Chauncey's beautiful white tail rose. As the tail stood tall one white strand of hair fell. It floated down and landed on the back of Lac's hand.

The fire was almost ready. The dragon tried to be nonchalant. He didn't want to give the game away. If he burns them to a crisp they will still have some magic left. But he must ingest them quickly.

_Almost ready._ Tra la la, tra la la.

The dragon opened his mouth slowly so not to scare off the magic.

Lac couldn't wait any longer. He had to react, he had to do something. Although this gambit seemed nothing but folly he threw Chauncey's tail hair.

The unicorn tail hair streaked toward the dragon. The dragon was not aware of it and even if he had seen a hair, albeit a thick strand of unicorn hair, moving toward him what could it do? It's just one measly hair and that couldn't hurt a huge powerful dragon right?

Certainly not.

Before the dragon opened his maw he turned to the mage and the unicorn. He wanted to see their faces the moment before his fire consumed them.

As Chauncey's tail hair neared the dragon Lac did the only thing he could think off. His hands and mind worked as one. His mind thought what he wanted to do and just let his hands follow on their own accord.

He thought of that hair twining itself around the dragon's snout. He found, though he wasn't that aware of it, that he was helping the strand of unicorn hair reach his goal. His right hand moved as his mind raced. He imagined twirling the hair around the dragon's muzzle.

The unicorn hair encircled the dragon's snout. Once, twice...

_What now_?

Of course the thing to do was to tie it off. But how...?

Still using his fingers he made as if he was tying the laces of his shoes.

And the unicorn hair was tied in a knot!

The unicorn hair was situated behind the nostrils of the snout which flared out. It was the thinnest part of the muzzle of the dragon.

The tail hair wasn't going anywhere. The encircled unicorn hair was too tight to move forward or backward. It was in place! And staying in place!

The first reaction by the dragon was to let go of Nadilia as he tried to use the tip of a claw to snap the hair. Nadilia fell the twelve or so feet.

She landed hard but was only slightly dazed from the fall. While the dragon tried to get at the hair wrapped around his snout she scooted away. She was still injured but the healing power of Shastra had done wonders.

Chauncey charged.

The dragon looked up and shrieked. He reacted in time worn fashion. He jumped into the air to escape the killing unicorn horn. It was an instinctive movement. Without conscious thought as he leaped in the air for flight he let go of Shastra.

Shastra fell. The dragon leaped.

Chauncey could not reach the dragon before the dragon was aloft.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

All four of them were near the edge of the cliff and watched the progress of the black dragon. He was heading in the direction of the island about a mile distant. It was also a chalk block with beautiful white cliffs. The chalk cliff island was nearly the same height as the chalk cliff they stood upon.

The dragon could not fly with its torn and injured wing. But it could glide and if he didn't extend his wings too far it wouldn't hurt so much.

They watched the huge reptile glide toward the island. They all had one and the same thought in mind. _I hope it crashes into the cliff face._

It looked like it might. The dragon could not gain altitude and it was below the top of the cliff. However, as the dragon neared the cliff face the updraft caught it and raised him.

The dragon had enough lift to make the top of the island.

They could see the white cliff, the green sward on top of the chalk and the black dragon picking at the unicorn hair.

Nadilia was the first to speak, "he's going to get away isn't he?"

'Yes,' Chauncey said.

"Yes," Lac said.

Nadilia was furious and still sore from the dragon's claws and she should be forgiven for the whine, "can we not do something?"

Even if they had a boat there would be no place to dock it. And if they could find a way to reach the island they had no way to scale the cliffs. All the chalk cliffs were vertical and sheer. They couldn't help themselves and pondered it but it was a futile consideration.

"I'm afraid Nady that we cannot do anything."

'You have done much Lac. You and Chauncey have saved us.'

"Thank you Shastra."

"What was that Lac?"

"Oh, ah...I was just responding to Shastra thanking us." Before he could finish Nadilia was in Lac's arms and kissing him.

By the time the four returned to the meadow Nadilia was almost as good as new. Maybe more so. As she rode Shastra she kept looking at Lac. _Where did he learn to kiss like that?_

Lac was thinking about the Nadilia's curves. Nadilia had a more womanly figure than Esme. Esme had a nice figure but was slender, more long than curvy.

Nadilia on the other hand had unbelievable curves. It was especially apparent when they had kissed. She had clutched him so tightly against her that he had no longer any doubts about that. He wondered why he hadn't noticed it before.

In the meadow Portersbee waited with Billy and a few of Lac's classmates. Most of the people who had been in the meadow had left. A dragon sighting was bad enough but one that invaded their meadow was the cause for much consternation and dread. Way too much consternation and dread to hang around. The beast might return.

The villagers left with the tacit understanding if the dragon does come back the magician will take care of it. Therefore, Portersbee and his students waited.

That really didn't suit the magician well but he had no way to get in on the chase. He'd just have to sit and wait. As an instructor of young and hopeful mages he had learned patience.

When the unicorns arrived carrying Lac and Nadilia the students yelled and carried on and rushed Lac. Somehow they knew.

It was the first time Lac had ever received anything close to this triumph. Winning races had made him feel good but outside of friends it made the losers feel bad and the loser's friends and family feel worse.

Today, at this time, everyone was feeling good for him. It was heady stuff and he reveled in it.

Portersbee had Billy and Nadilia and a few of the younger students go and fetch lunch. It was early afternoon. Lac was now very hungry. Shastra needed forage and she went to her favorite places to graze. Chauncey stayed to tell Portersbee all he had not been able to relate earlier as well as the latest incident.

The magician never interrupted Chauncey. Had Lac related the same tale the magician would have been too incredulous to believe it. It was extremely hard to believe as it was. However, unicorns never lied and as far as the magician knew they rarely exaggerated.

'Lac will be a great magician. Perhaps a great wizard. I wish my old friend Barry Ding could know.'

"Thank you Chauncey." The reality of Chauncey's last comment brought Lac back to earth. "But I have never passed any of the tests so far." Portersbee said nothing as the food arrived. Lac was famished. The instructor just looked at Lac and stroked his chin.

When Lac had finished Portersbee silenced the crowd. He took Lac aside and walked with him. After a bit he stopped Lac.

"Lac, I believe every word the unicorn says. I'd be a fool not to and I am no fool. However, you are correct. You need to start passing the tests. And I have one for you now."

He pointed to a blanket which had a picnic basket lying on top of it. "I want you to raise that basket three feet. Three feet only."

Lac nodded. He focused. He threw out his hands, palms down, fingers splayed. The basket rose.

Up to one foot. Up to two feet. Up to three feet.

It kept on rising.

It flew over the trees as Lac looked on. He was getting a little depressed at his failures.

Portersbee smiled. He idly wondered to himself how far it might have gone. As he put his hand on Lac's slumped shoulder he said, "chin up Lac. You will learn to control your magic. I think Chauncey is right. You'll be a magician the wizard Ding would be proud of."

"Let me look at your fingertips." Lac gave the magician his hands but Portersbee was only interested in Lac's right hand. He examined them. He patted Lac on the back. They returned to the others.

"Master, what ever happened to the wizard Ding?"

"Actually know one ever knew. After he had established the school and it had some fine instructors and some gifted students he disappeared. As the tale is told, one night he and a young women he had a, shall we say, a romantic attachment to, left the school. They were never heard from again."

EPILOGUE

The black dragon eventually returned to his lair. There was no point in hunting since he couldn't open his mouth. The power of a dragon's jaw muscles is similar to a crocodiles. The biting down has tremendous power yet a strong man can easily keep a crocodiles jaws from opening.

The dragon's wing had eventually healed enough for him to reach the mainland. The dragon still had the ingested magic within him. But the healing cost the dragon. It was magic lost.

The dragon walked back to his lair. A rather ignominious circumstance for a dragon.

He knew given time that he would shrink without any ingestion of magic. Though he'd be hungry he'd also lose enough size that the unicorn hair rope would probably slip off his snout.

He was quite happy not have other dragons observe his predicament. One, it would be enormously embarrassing. No dragon likes to be embarrassed but to have the other dragons know about his discomfiture would be insufferable.

But the most important reason was one of self interest. Another dragon just might take this golden opportunity to attack him. It's not unknown for dragons to eat other dragons. Hey, magic is magic after all and dragons are the most magical of creatures after unicorns. Do you actually think it possible for a many ton animal to otherwise take wing?

So the black dragon decided he needed to be very well hidden. This was in his purview to do and he generated the fire in his first stomach to accomplish this. He didn't like what he as about to do as he could guess it would hurt. Really hurt.

Once he had stoked the fire to a very high heat he blew it out of his nostrils at the rock above the portal to his lair. He tried to minimize the blast and he did succeed to a degree. Yet, the membranes and edges of his nostrils still burned. He did succeed in melting enough of the rock to seal most the portal. A crevice was left which was small enough that any animal which could get through would be pulverized by the huge reptile. He wished, really wished some animal would try.

So he settled down for a long slumber. But he was restless as the name of Oakendusk rolled around his little brain. Dragons do not have the mental acuity of unicorns nor the memory but a good hunting ground will not be easily forgotten.

He needed some positive thoughts so he remembered a happier time. When as a younger and smaller dragon he flew over Oakendusk. He sensed magic. It was the strongest magic he had sensed to date. His mouth had watered. He was drawn to the magic as a moth to a flame. He was also very careful lest it was a trap.

The night had been a moonless night and apparently no one was out to see the nighttime stars blink on and off as he passed in front of them. The magic led him a meadow.

It took him a little while to see what was radiating the magic and where it was located. It wasn't a what but a who. A human. The dragon was able to recognize two humans of differing sex lying next to each other and appeared to be engaged in a wrestling match. The one with magic had dark clothes on and the dragon didn't know at first if the magical human was aware of him or not.

The dragon decided to take a chance. He had so wanted to taste and ingest magic. It was something he had heard about and the stories piqued his interest. Although he didn't know why these humans were engaged in exercise in the dead of night they certainly seemed too absorbed to notice him. Dragons do not reckon time as humans, elves and dwarves therefore the time of this human activity didn't register in any way except if it was safe or not for him to make an appearance. Being in the dead of night with few humans in the shire the black dragon was emboldened.

The dragon got his bearings and glided above the tree tops. He was above the meadow and aimed for the two humans. They never knew what hit them. The dragon fell on top of them and killed both of them at the same time.

Though the dragon was conscious of being in an area where humans congregated he willed his anxiety to subside enough so he could eat them. As soon as the second one was in his mouth he lifted off the meadow grass and was airborne. He wanted to swallow the human female in flight but his nervousness would not allow him this pleasure. He had to wait until he had found a safe aerie before his throat would relax from being so constricted from the fear of being caught.

He had done it! He had magic inside of him and he loved it. He wanted more.

A few months later enough of the humans were digested and he felt the hunger for more magic. He left the cave in the crags. He felt bigger. The 'jones' for more magic with his new size instilled him with single-mindedness in purpose and confidence in action. He was ready to find more magic.

He took to the air. A large concentration of magic pulled him to the Galwich Mountains. He circled the mountains. He had the self-assurance any successful venture would inculcate. Perhaps it had been too easy for him. Perhaps he shouldn't think it would be easy the second time. Yet good luck is a part of life. Who among us hasn't found a coin or two or better under foot as we walked along? Yes, the ease of gaining his first taste of magic was a very lucky stroke indeed but his luck held.

The dwarves under the Galwich Mountains and in their large cavern were celebrating their most important festival. Dwarven festivals aren't any different from one to the next. They entail an astonishing amount of alcoholic imbibing, then extraordinary amount of eating followed by a prodigious amount of more drinking. The black dragon's hunger had to be satiated. Whether he perceived a threat or not was irrelevant. He would not be denied this opportunity. He must have the magic.

He made up his mind which is to say the craving for the magic determined his course of action. He could see the only way to the magic was through the large gate. Beyond the gate the cavern boasted one hundred or so dwarves, the dragon was not gifted in arithmetic. Seventy to eighty percent had passed out. The other twenty to thirty percent were conscious but hardly more than comatose.

Using the fire which had been significantly aided through the magic he had so recently consumed he melted enough rock to widen the portal and entered the cavern. The few which had not passed out could do little in protecting themselves and their unconscious mates. He ate as many as he could then gathered the rest and sat on them as if they were eggs being incubated.

He had to keep them alive. If they died without being quickly interred in his second stomach the magic would be lost to him.

It wasn't a case of nourishment to build strong bodies but to gain greater magic to pulse and grow within him. Since he had never met a dwarf it took him eating roughly thirty percent before he realized that he should and could take off their metal outer skins.

The armament the dwarves wore not only added to the bulk in his stomach leaving less space for the skin and bones but took a lot longer to digest. Once the black dragon removed the mail, greaves, helms, etc the number of dwarves which could reside in his stomach increased.

The magic meal had sated the dragon but as with any addiction he would need more.

THE END

By Peter Butterworth

**OTHER BOOKS** by Peter Butterworth

Historical Adventure

THE ATLANTEAN KING'S QUEST

Historical Caper

THE FRESNO TWIST

Epic Fantasy

THE ATLANTEAN CYCLES

THE WIZARD'S GIFT SERIES

THE BLUE SWORD: A GIFT FROM A WIZARD

THE SILVER SWORD: A GIFT FROM A WIZARD

ANTHOLOGY

THEN AND THEN AGAIN

Soon to be released:

(Modern) Thriller

A GHOST OF A CHANCE

PS: If you find errors or detect flaws in any part of the story please let me know. If you like any of the stories please give a review. Mahalo, Pete

**ABOUT THE AUTHOR**

Former psychiatric nurse and formerly a bookseller in the co-op TALL STORIES in San Francisco (the largest co-op bookstore in the country at the time). Afterwards, I sold modern 1st editions (collectibles) on ebay under the DBA Mr. Butterworth's Books and even sold vintage Hawaiian (aloha) shirts on ebay until the great recession.

Moved around a lot in my life; 3 high schools (two states), 2 junior high schools (2 states) and even 2 kindergartens. I was born in Rhode Island and kept moving west until I ended up in Hawaii. Any more west would be east so I returned to California.

Even hopped freights and hitch-hiked around the country in the early 1970's (I wouldn't recommend that now) and I've traveled to Central and South America and parts of Asia. Currently I am in Thailand.

Began writing as a teen - poetry as any teenager with angst is prone to do. Started to work in school newspapers in high school and continued this with several colleges but usually in different capacities. Had a Hemenway scholarship from the University of Hawaii - Manoa.

Could slam dunk at age fifteen and was told by a pro baseball scout after I pitched a game at 15 that I had a Double A arm. Originally went to a college (LSU- Wisconsin) to play baseball but life, as it's been said, happens.

I have skeletons in my closet so to speak.

Mary Peck Butterworth was a famous counterfeiter.

But I cannot say I'm too upset about my great, etc., etc, grandmother. She wasn't convicted. Everyone of importance in the town in the year she was arrested in 1705 was either a Peck or a Butterworth which certainly didn't hurt and she was so clever they could not find the materials she used to forge the colonial bills of that period.

Lou Boyd (Grab Bag) did a blurb on her one time. And the only bills of that period to survive were her bills which has been said to be better made than the British bills and better liked by the colonists.

My great grandfather, Frank Butterworth, was the inspiration for my historical caper novel THE FRESNO TWIST. Turns out he was the typical ne'er-do-well and was kicked out of all the prep schools in New England. He eventually was arrested for stock fraud.

I'm very proud that three sides of my family fought in the Revolutionary War; a Butterworth, an Allard (Huguenots arrived in 1710) and Frank Cassidy. Frank probably arrived to fight the British and after the war settled in New York, one of the few places a Catholic could go without a lot of hassles.

The fourth side arrived here in the mid-1880's and I am equally proud of them. My grandfather, Nathaniel Frucht, was the first in the family to be born here. He was the first Jewish patent attorney in Rhode Island and was one of the last to pass the bar without going to law school. He had been an engineer which helped him in his practice.

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