One For All And All For One

"No, you mustn't do that," said Belinda. "We were actually going to the Allarian capital, because that is much nearer than our home, but even that is at least a week's journey and taking us there would delay you considerably. Don't forget that we are from Aqualaria. We aren't like the girls you may be used to from your own country. We are taught how to look after ourselves. We can help you in your quest. Lend me your sword for a moment."

Matthias hesitated briefly, but then handed it over. Belinda took up an "en garde" position, then demonstrated an impressive array of feints, lunges and parries, before handing the sword back to him. "Nice weapon," she said. "Good balance." "All right, I take your point," said Matthias. "Unfortunately we don't have any weapons for you and Carola, though. And coming with us will mean a further delay before your family learns you are safe. They must be worried sick about you." "We've been gone almost six months," Carola pointed out, "so a further week or two won't make much difference."

Seeing that Belinda and Carola were determined to come with them, Matthias gave up trying to convince them otherwise. Instead he asked how the princesses had come to be prisoners of the dragon's men, and the girls told their story. Jarlath was delighted to learn that his own brother had helped rescue them from the dragon. "Don't worry about your sister," he told them. "If she's with Fred then she's in safe hands." Belinda smiled. "I was just about to say that you need not worry about your brother," she said. "If he's with Astra then he's in safe hands."

Perhaps it is time to describe our four heroes a little more fully. Matthias Fyregryphon, the handsome nineteen years old warrior in training, has dark hair and his skin is tanned. He is already six feet tall, and may grow another inch or two yet. Jarlath D'Honaire, the wizard-in-training, is only fifteen. He is blond, fair-skinned with freckles, and is short and wiry.

Aqualarian women tend to be tall, especially those of the royal blood. At eighteen, Princess Belinda probably won't grow any more than her current five feet ten inches. Her hair is blonde. She would usually keep it cut fairly short, but in her time in imprisonment it has grown to rather longer than shoulder-length. Princess Carola at fourteen is already five feet seven, and thus is a couple of inches taller than Jarlath, to his chagrin. Like her eldest sister, Astra, she is a redhead. Her hair is a similar length to Belinda's. Both girls are strikingly attractive, of course.

1. The next hour or two pass without incident.

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