"Are you all right, princess?" I nod but keeping my jaw clenched to hold back some nausea, I believe I'll never get used to fly on that damned broom that shakes like a demon is controlling it, besides, it's cold up there even if I'm wearing the protective velvet cape.
Although I admit it's a faster way to travel and, thanks to magic, the broom also carries our luggage tied by a rope while Luna gets comfortable between my body and the witch's back. Ruby told me that, under normal circumstances, it'd take one week to get to Merlin's den but we only needed a few seconds on that broom even if they felt like an eternity to me. Of course, we had to go back to the beach covered with mist firstly since the protective measures around Avalon stop any magical creature from showing up or vanishing from the island suddenly without permission. Morgan looked disappointed because my wife didn't want to stay to enjoy other autumn celebrations and we left one day after the big party, although she say goodbye to us kindly... Ruby got on the boat frowning and remain silent and lost in her thought while we sailed.
"This is weird, I bet she's up to something... I don't like this situation," she whispered and Luna meowed agreeing with her. "But there's nothing we can do now."
"Do you think she's noticed we searched her office?" I asked wrapping myself up in the velvet cape.
"I don't think so, she would've tried to punish us somehow, torture us to find out what we were looking for or would've killed us immediately."
Luckily, we're far away from that crazy fairy and her perverted entourage right now even if I don't know what we're doing here. I take a look around, bewildered, while Ruby leans her broom against a tree trunk and unties the rope that was holding our bags helped by the cat: this forest looks more enchanted than usual, I mean, we live in a fairy tale forest where we can find dwarves, fairies, wolves, bunnies... All kinds of magical creatures, cute animals and some predators, there're trees, flowers, streams and colourful mushrooms that are the home of a gnome sometimes. That's normal, I guess. But this forest is totally different, it's darker and vegetation is dense, the light around us seems to have a blue shade and small fireflies flutter everywhere like white stars, pink flowers cover the ground and there's a spring somewhere near, at least, I can hear water running.
"Merlin lives here?" I ask with curiosity.
"On the other side of the forest," Ruby answers behind me. "We'll spend the night here... How do you like it?" I turn around and open my mouth wide in shock, getting closer to the gorgeous small tent that my wife has pitched along with Luna. There's a comfortable bed covered with white sheets and soft wool blankets inside and a witch fire burns in front of the door with green flames surrounded by rocks.
"This is beautiful, babe. I love it but I thought we were going to visit Merlin..."
"It's not a good idea to show up at the door of a powerful wizard unexpectedly, it's better if we follow the etiquette in this case and I sent him a message this afternoon. He expects us in his den tomorrow so I thought we could spend a night in the forest of Brocéliande, famous for the magic and legends about it... Are you hungry? You can get yourself comfortable, change your clothes and wash up with water from the spring..." Ruby points behind the tent with her index. "... while I make dinner and protect the perimeter of our camp casting some spells just in case although I'm not expecting problems."
I nod excitedly and crawl inside the tent looking for my pants, sweater and boots, I'll be able to get rid of this stupid dress and the ruby slippers: Morgan's court is a formal place despite the island is full of libertines and my wife insisted that I should dress following the rules. But wearing silk dresses in the forest is ridiculous... The water is cold but it helps to clear my mind and I feel better after the bumpy flight on the broom. I walk back to the camp humming a song but open my mouth wide in shock, speechless all of a sudden, while my stunning witch is waiting in the middle of the clearing.
