Chapter Six
Ophelia chatted with me the whole day. She talked about her duty she had to fullfill in Idzor and how she missed her home Avalona. I walked beside her in my fairy form. Gladly she took some clothes with her so I didn't had to walk around naked.
Her arm was snaked around mine and she brightly smiled at the view. "I miss the sea", she mumbled under her breath. I looked at her and saw that she kind off looked dehydrated. Her skin was turning crusty and was 'falling' off. I heard some water nearby and looked around. I deeply breathed in and smelled it. Water. Pushing Ophelia towards the small lake that I've found.
"I think it's best when both of us take a bath in here", I said. She looked at me and grinned, flashing her pearly white teeth. She then ran to the lake and dived in. Me on the other hand stripped off my clothes and placed them neatly behind a tree. Taking some leaves and putting them over the clothes so that they'll be covered. As I walked towards the shore, the leaves crunched under my feet.
Ophelia swam towards me and I could see her beautiful tale. It was probably 5 feet long and covered in shimmery dark blue scales. Her hair looked wild and free. As I admired her beauty she grabbed me by my leg and yanked me into the lake. I shrieked and fell into the deep cold water. I began to fidget around not knowing how to swim. Water came into my mouth and I tried to spit it out. I felt my limbs slowly paralysing due to the cold water. Suddenly I dived below the water surface and saw a blue tale. Ophelia pushed me towards the shore where my feet could touch the sandy ground of the lake. I took a deep breath and coughed all the excessive water out.
"I thought fairies could swim", Ophelia said. I nodded my head and coughed once again. "I can swim but the water was too cold and I kind of forgot how to swim", I sheepishly said. She let out a giggle but I could see guilt flash across her white eyes. She felt guilty for throwing me into the water without knowing if I could swim. She transformed back into her human form and was already wearing her clothes, they didn't rip apart. Quickly I got out of the water and went to the tree. Brushing off the leaves that I placed on my clothes and putting them back one. It was a windy day. The wind gave me goosebumps and I cursed under my breath. I hated cold weather. I preferred the warmer weather not too warm like the spring. But it was autumn and I had to wait half a year for my favorite season.
Ophelia tapped on my shoulder and cocked her head to the side. "We should go. It'll be night in three hours and we need to find a shelter before it gets dark." Nodding my head we made our way back to the road we've been walking on before and continueing from there.
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We came across a town it was pretty quiet but maybe that was because of the time. It was turning darker each minute and the stars and the moon were already visible in the sky shining down on us. No one was on the street and I went behind a large rock and quickly shifted into a centaur. Ophelia took the clothes I had took off and put them in the bag she has been carrying since I met her.
We walked into the town and every building was closed. I looked into the small alleys and saw some female centaurs whispering. Where were the males? We walked towards what looked like a housing and knocked on the metal door. A slipt opened and two dark eyes stared through the slit. "One chamber for one night, two people", Ophelia said. The dark eyes squinted and then aggressively slammed the slit shut and opened the door. A broad centaur opened the door and she looked fierce. "15 estos". My mouth unhinged and I stared at her. 15 estos were a alot for one chamber. I quickly grabbed the bag which I carried and took out the money, placing it on her rough palm. She grunted and nearly yanked us both into the house. She then pushed us towards a door and opened it. I guess this was our chamber.
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The next morning I had to wake up Ophelia. She was a person who loved to sleep but we should head to the capital. She grumbled some inappropriate words as I tried to wake her up from her sleep.
Her hair looked like a bird nest but I bet mine didn't look any better. I went over to a small chest. I opened the heavy door and saw a lot of stuff in there. There were some blankets, even some clothes and the thing that me and Ophelia needed righ now. A comb. I took the comb and quickly combed my hair first and then giving it to the sleepy Ophelia. She barely could open her eyes and let out a deep sigh. I rolled my eyes and took back the comb and I combed her hair myself. She murmured a silent thank you and I patted her back when I finished.
After making ourselves presentable I shifted into my centaur form and we walked out of the chamber and the building. The town was busy and market was all over the alleys. Selling delicious food. My stomach growled on command and I shyly looked at Ophelia. She sleepily smiled at me and gestured towards a stall where some traditional Idzor food was being selled. We walked towards the stall and my mouth watered at the sight of food. There were mostly meals with flesh rather than vegetarian food but I was a centaur and I need a lot of energy. I pointed towards the meat leg and the centaur took it and wrapped it in paper. She then looked at Ophelia but she was leaning against my shoulder, half-asleep and drooling on my body. I flashed a nervous smile towards the centaur and she annoyingly tapped her hoove against the hard floor.
"Make it two meat legs." The centaur let out a sigh and I knew that I was bugging her. She unwrapped the paper where my meat leg was and placed another into the already drenched paper. "6 estos." I nodded and gave her the money. She gave me our meals and went over to the next buyer.
I shook Ophelia off of my shoulder and she was now wide awake. Ophelia looked at the drenched paper thingy I was carrying in my hand and looked disgusted. "If you wouldn't have slept you could have chosen yourself something", I huffed out.
We went over to a place which wasn't as crowded as the market and began eating our meals. The meat was delicious. It had a rich taste and was very juicy. I was almost finished with eating my food when two male centaurs appeared in the distance armored. They carried a bow which was strapped across their upper body and breastplate to shield themselves. "Guards", Ophelia whispered. Shockingly I looked towards her and she slowly nodded her head. As they neared the market I could see it too. The symbol. The symbol of the royal guards. My heart began beating. I felt my blood rush through my body and my heat began to rise. Those weren't suppose to creep around a town which was not the capital.
They then spotted us and looked questiongly. Then they talked to each other before agreeing to something and walking over to us. I quickly grabbed Ophelia's arm and squeezed it. I felt her fear and I knew she wanted to flea. But if she would flea we would be dead. She would be dead for fleaing and I would be dead for talking to a non-centaur which wanted to flea. Thinking I was their accomplice.
"Hello ladies", one of the centaurs said. The one talking looked way more friendly than the other. He had blonde curly hair and a bright smile on his face. Freckles covered his nose and some part of his rosy cheeks. "We need your permission paper", the grumpy centaur said. My breath hitched but I quickly covered it with a cough. "Oh yes sure let me find them", Ophelia nervously said. Her hands trembled and she searched through her purse. As she searched for the papers I felt an intense glare. I looked at the grumpy centaur and saw him staring at me. He was in deep thoughts as if he knew that I was a liar. That I wasn't a centar. That I actually was a fairy.
"What a remarkable scar", I let out. "I know right Aglus has this cool scar I want one too", the blonde centaur chimmed in. I anxiuosly laughed out but never leaving the intense eyes of Aglus. The scar was from his right ear lobe down towards his adams apple.
"Here my papers." I nearly forgot about the permission papers Ophelia has been searching in the meantime. Aglus yanked them out of her hand and her eyes widened at his action. He showed the papers towards the blonde centaur and he inspected them too, nodding as he finished reading the handwritten permission. He gave the papers back to Ophelia and she briskly put them back into the bag. "And yours?".
"What about mine?", I nervously asked. My heart began thumping even quicker and louder. "I don't need any in my kingdom", I continued. He inspected me form head to hoove and shook his head. "You radiate something that isn't centaur-like", he stiffly said. My mouth gaped open and I shook my head. "Sir I'm a centaur." A small devilish smirk was on his face and slowly growing bigger. "I see that your hooves are shaking, you're sweating and you seem tired. Your fur looks way too silk and clean than any other fur of a simple centaur." I nervously laughed and fiddled with my hands. He was right I was shaking. I was tired and I was way too clean to be a normal centaur. And I was fearing of shifting back.
"If you have no permission papers you have to carry around your identification brand." He crossed his arms and his muscles were even more visible then before. I knew that I tapped into their trap. "Don't have one", he said confidentaly. It sounded like a question but most definetely wasn't one. I was silent through the whole conversation. It wasn't even a conversation anymore he had a monologue.
"You are arrested, fairy", he then spitted out.