A Kind of Magic

Fifteen

Both Gilderoy and Leodhais finished their bottles of 'Coke' even as they reached the next, larger, human settlement. Leodhais was just about to discard the empty container made of plastic, as Peregrine had told him, when he paused in front of the rubbish bins. There wasn't only one like in the other village, but several, made of plastic just like the bottle, but opaque and in different colours. 

"They are designed to help the humans to recycle their waste," Peregrine spoke from behind him. "Never mind now, it's a very long story, and it has nothing to do with our quest. Humans are in love with labels, so you just need to read, and you'll understand them faster."

Leodhais nodded, following Peregrine's example and throwing the bottle in the 'plastic' labelled bin. 

"Let's go, the station is just across the road, mind the cars now," the dragon shifter added, leading them to an white-striped stretch of the road teeming with what he had already tried to explain to them as cars but what neither the elf nor the dwarf could quite grasp, waiting patiently for a count of three, then, seeing that none of the vehicles was about to stop to let them pass, walked into the road arrogantly nonetheless, forcing them to stop.

To Gilderoy's delight, a 'train'-- a snake-like vehicle composed of what look like many cars, just much larger, lined up and attached to each other-- was already waiting upon a road made of two infinite, parallel, metal rails, and while Peregrine entered the building labelled as 'Train Station' to procure their tickets, he and Leodhais remained outside to admire the vehicle up close. The world of the humans was much more interesting than either he or Leodhais expected it to be, and they had only just walked through the stones a couple of hours ago. There was so much to explore. 

"Hurry up, we got lucky. It's leaving in five minutes. Let's find a place to sit," Peregrine said the moment he joined them on the platform.

He waved at them to follow him as he walked along the train through the finest drizzle that started to ooze from the dark clouds in the meantime towards its end, where he finally found an empty compartment and, pressing a button on the side of the vehicle, opened the door and shepherded them inside.

"Do you feel anything from the ring, elf?" Peregrine asked as soon as they all settled comfortably upon the luxurious seats, so much softer than a horse's saddle. Only the fact that he loved Asfaleem didn't allow Leodhais to admit that he could easily get used to this form of travel. He was just wondering whether horses were allowed on board when Peregrine's question brought him back to his more pressing reality. 

He pulled at the leather thong keeping Alaric's ring secure around his neck, stretching it as far as it would go for the dragon shifter to get a good look, then shook his head even as the train jerked into motion, sending the band of gold swinging above his chest. It was still just that, a simple ring issuing no directions, he realised with relief as he dropped it again and slumped against the soft back of his seat, taking his eyes off the dragon's silvery orbs and letting them fall upon the countryside, now moving fast beyond the train's window, green trees morphing into grey houses morphing into amorphous smudges of greys and greens, as the train rushed smoothly across the world. He wished the ring stayed that way, cold and mute, he wished they wouldn't find Alaric's daughter, so he could introduce his Annwyn to the king whom he considered his stepfather, hoping he would accept her... 

Leodhais closed his eyes, admitting to himself that despite his sheltered childhood and youth, he didn't believe in miracles. This quest wasn't going to be simple... Focusing on the train's whooshing and hissing rather than on his compassions' conversation, he let it lull him to a state somewhere between sleep and consciousness, a place where his reality existed in a more pleasant form, a little unfocused, without its sharp edges.