‘Thank you Glammer for helping us make the Warden’s Rest awonderful place for all to see. It will truly be a testament to ourlove.’
Glammer noddedto Miranda and vanished.
Gizel lookedaround. It was like a dream. She pinched herself just to make sureit was real. She walked over to Ironbark.
‘My name is Gizel, I’m very pleased to meet youIronbark.’
‘It’s nice to meet you too. You must be a relative ofMiranda.’ said Ironbark.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Gizel but Ironbark said nomore.
Aquitainoverheard what Ironbark had said and immediately used his auravision and looked closely at Gizel’s spirit aura. At first itlooked Elendari but then he noticed Newman features.
‘May I see your face Gizel?’ asked Aquitain and to hissurprise her chafra disappeared and she was attired in atransparent Elendari glamour that left nothing to theimagination.
‘You may see all me if you wish Lord Warden. I am not ashamedof my body like the Hidden ones.’ she replied.
‘Gizel that is improper! Cover yourself immediately!’ saidNavarro but she ignored him.
‘Very pretty! I’m sure the Lord Warden appreciates your body.He’s something of a specialist in bodies.’ said Mirandasarcastically.
‘I’ve seen someone that looks like you recently but I can’tplace who it was and that’s surprising as I have very good memoryfor faces.’ he said.
‘Thank you Gizel. You have a lovely body. You may coveryourself now.’
She curtsied toAquitain.
‘Thank you Lord Warden.’ And she was again covered in herchafra.
‘She’s smitten with you.’ said Miranda to Aquitain throughtheir mindlink.
‘How could she be smitten with a little green statue?’ askedAquitain.
‘She’s in love with the heroes of the legends. It doesn’tmatter what you look like.’ replied Miranda.
Miranda changedto her Llanllean form and hissed at Gizel. Navarro ran back a fewpaces in fear but Gizel didn’t seem scared at all.
She defiantlylooked Miranda in the eyes and said.
‘I’m sorry if I have offended you by revealing my body to theWarden, Your Highness. I was raised by Llanlleans and mixed withthe Royal court. I have no fear of Llanlleans nor Lords or theirLadies for that matter! By the all the gods! You have the bodymarkings of Araxanallea.’
‘Who is she?’ asked Aquitain.
‘She was the legendary Queen of the Llanlleans who foughtagainst the Elendari before the signing of the secondcharter.’
Miranda wassurprised. Gizel had courage and a healthy disrespect for theLords. She changed back to her Newman form and said.
‘Well that’s a good job done now I think we need to moveon.’
‘Yes I agree. We should continue our journey Lord Warden. Theyare expecting us and I must contact the cave where Princess Mirandawas found and tell them to flee as its location has beencompromised.’ said Navarro.
‘Will this sanctuary remain here permanently?’ askedGizel.
‘Yes the Warden’s Rest is permanent and you may tell all youknow that this was where Aquitain the Warden of Moonmist wasreunited with his chosen the Princess Miranda after she had escapedfrom the Mentarin.’
‘I’m ready to visit these people when you are.’ repliedMiranda.
‘Who are these people anyway?’
‘The Elendari call them the Hidden Ones, YourHighness.’
‘Has the settlement got a name?’ she asked.
‘Oh. Yes, and a very interesting one too.’ repliedNavarro.
‘It’s called Banshee.’
Chapter 14 PuzzlePieces
After sayingfarewell to Ironbark Miranda shifted into the form of a jungle catand lay down so that Tigerlilly could climb on her back. Then theyset off with Tigerlilly riding on the cat while holding Aquitain inher arm like a little doll.
The groupseemed quiet and introspective as it slowly and carefully edgedonwards through the broken rocky scenery towards the Hidden Onesettlement, but their minds were a hive of mental activity.
Navarro wasthinking of how he might profit both financially and politicallyfrom knowing the Warden and Princess Miranda. He would be theirambassador among the Hidden Ones. If he stuck close enough to themthis could be a great opportunity.
Gizel wasreally excited. The legends were true. What a fantastic story shewould be able to tell when she got back to the settlement. Shewould be in demand for weeks. Everyone would want to know everydetail of what had happened. Then her mind drifted back toMiranda’s Llanllean body markings. She had studied the lineage ofthe great Llanllean families but only until about 100 years ago.The records were lost after then or could they possibly have beenremoved for some reason?
Aquitain andMiranda were totally engrossed in their own private mentalconversation. Each gave a short version of what had happened sincethey parted in Mudrun, which they would expand in detail as timepermitted, but most of the discussion was about the last couple ofdays and how they missed each other.
There weremomentous events happening right now and they were at the centre ofit all. Each could see how the other had been changed and mouldedby the events while Tigerlilly was just happy to be with mummy anddaddy. Slivver sitting on the back of Miranda’s neck remained quietand took it all in.
To Miranda,Aquitain was now the legendary hero that she had seen in him weeksago. He was her champion and she wanted so much to have him all toherself but she also knew that was impossible at the moment. Theywere both creatures of destiny and wherever they went there wouldbe danger.
She wasdetermined to stand by him and protect him from himself as much asfrom the others. He seemed to have a knack of getting into the mostincredible messes. So far he had been lucky and found a way outeach time, but in the real world luck only went so far. No one wonevery fight and each fight was potentially your last. Hertransformation to Tempest was going to make it extra difficult.
To Aquitain,Miranda was not only the beautiful, sensuous, warm and consideratefriend but also the courageous, resourceful, daring and regal youngprincess that most young guys only ever dreamed about. It wasdifficult to understand how she had overcome so much adversity overthe last couple of weeks, yet remain so positive. Her ordeal hadnot cowered her in any way but strengthened her instead. She sawherself as the Queen but being transformed to a Tempest was goingto make it very hard.
She seemed tobe dealing with little Tigerlilly well? It was unfair of him tothrust her into motherhood in
