Page 6

E lowen stepped closer to the pond, squinting at the glittering mound in the weeds. Could this be the fairy’s gift? It must be.

It was a goose with feathers of gold.

Elowen stared at the golden bird as it struggled. This was what the fairy had meant for her to find, she was sure of it. But why? How could such a thing be useful? How could such a thing exist?

She continued to stare, wondering if perhaps she’d better walk away and not get entangled with a fairy’s gift, but the goose’s movements became more and more frenzied. She stepped forward out of the shadows to help the creature.

“Elowen!” The goose stopped thrashing and spoke to her. “Oh, thank goodness!”

The goose knew her name. The goose could talk .

Elowen misstepped and landed on one knee in the mud.

“I don’t know what happened,” the goose said. “One minute, I was flying over the forest, and the next I’m here in this mud puddle. And I’m a goose! Elowen, I’m a goose!” The words ended in a loud honk.

Ash? It sounded like his voice, but ... smaller somehow.

He flapped in the mud, sinking deeper in the water with every second. Whoever he was, he needed help. She threw her pack under a tree, rushed to his side, and spoke soothing nonsense words to calm him down as she helped pull him from the muck. His wings slapped her in the face, the feathers surprisingly soft. She would have carried him to dry ground, but he was too panicked to cooperate, so she dragged him underneath the tree beside her pack basket.

“What’s happened to me?” He flopped down onto the grass and extended a wing. “What did I do to deserve this?”

Elowen removed her cloak and threw it around him, smoothing his wing back down to his side and tucking him in like a small child after a nightmare, much like she’d done for Cedar after they’d lost Mother.

While he snuffled and quietly lamented his fate, she dug out a few dried dates from her supplies. As soon as he paused for breath, she popped one into his mouth and another into hers. They chewed in silence.

“Ash?” she asked.

“Yes?”

It really was him. She moved closer and draped an arm across his back, not sure if she was trying to comfort him or herself. The happiness at being reunited with him and no longer being alone made her feel as if she had wings. Her eyes stung with tears of joy, but also confusion and sorrow at his predicament. “What happened?” she asked.

“I was hoping you could tell me,” he said.

“You were trying to find me?”

“Yes.” He snuggled closer to her. “I had to find you and tell you myself. Your father told me where you were headed. The storm slowed me down, but I saw a flash of light just now.”

“That was the fairy. I healed her wing. I mean, she healed it. I mean, I wished for her to heal it.” None of that made any sense.

“A fairy granted you a wish?”

“Two wishes, actually.”

Ash stared at her. Even though he was in a different body, his expressions were the same. “Tell me you wished for something good.”

“I tried.”

“What do you mean?”

“I tried three times ... no, four? I finally let her choose.”

“You WHAT?” The last word came out as mostly a goose honk, and Ash winced.

“She wouldn’t grant my wishes, and I didn’t know what else to do. I think ... I think she turned you into ... this ... to help me rescue Cedar.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “You must be joking. Please let this be a joke. How could a goose with golden feathers help you rescue your brother?”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea. Maybe we could ransom him with your feathers?”

He looked skeptical. “Why wouldn’t she just give you gold?”

“I don’t know. There was a rhyme with it. But ... wait, didn’t you have news you wanted to tell me?

“Oh. Right. Your king is willing to send a soldier—don’t get too excited—as soon as one becomes available. But only if you can find where Cedar was taken, and only if it’s within his boundaries. He won’t interfere if the trolls are in another kingdom.”

Elowen slumped against his side, the sensation of having wings completely gone. “Oh.” The fairy had told her there was no soldier coming to her aid, but she felt disappointed all over again to have it confirmed.

Ash struggled out of the cloak and stomped his feet. “I wish I could help you, Elowen, but what can I do? I’m a goose. A GOOSE!”

She patted his back and soothed him back onto the grass. They both needed a good wash and a hot meal.

WHOOSH!

The trees overhead rustled loudly as if a storm had dropped on top of them. Elowen ducked, and Ash cowered next to her as leaves and leftover raindrops showered them.

The dragons had returned, flying much lower than they had the previous two times. They must be searching for something. Poor Ash. He should be up there flying with them, not down in the grass with a mucky human. He’d never asked for any of this. He’d only offered kindness, and now look at him ... turned into a fairy gift.

She tucked the cloak around him again, assuring him the dragons were gone. “I’m sure they’re not interested in you.”

“Oh, yes. Of course. They wouldn’t know ... um ... can’t see me through all the trees, can they?”

“Even so, I would never let them eat you, or steal you, if dragons like such things for their hoards.”

He chuckled, still sounding nervous, and wiggled into the cloak.

Elowen allowed him a moment of silence before asking, “Are your feathers really gold?”

Ash twisted his goose neck to get a better look at himself. “Why don’t you pluck one from my back and have a closer look?”

“Should I?” She loosened the cloak around his wings and inspected the feathers without touching them. They did look an awful lot like the golden coin the unicorns had given them. She ran her fingers through them and heard a light tinkling sound. “If my eyes were closed, I would almost think you were a regular goose.”

“They don’t feel heavy enough to be gold,” he said, “but they feel heavier than real feathers should. If that makes sense. Though I’ve never had feathers before, so what do I know?”

She plucked one quickly.

“Ow.”

“Sorry.”

The feather lay in her palm, just as shiny as the gold coin in its pouch but far lighter. Before she had a chance to get a better look, it crumbled into ashes in her hand.

Ash snorted. “Seriously? What’s the point of being golden if we can’t use my feathers for ransom or to at least buy supplies?”

“The fairy obviously had a different purpose in mind.” Elowen wiped her hand on her trousers and tried to smile. “Besides, I don’t really like the idea of pulling off all your feathers.”

Ash asked for details about her encounter with the fairy, and she answered all his questions while they cleaned up in the pond. No longer panicked, he was able to waddle in by himself and splash around adequately enough to remove most of the mud. Neither of them knew what to make of the fairy’s rhyme, but the other instructions were clear enough. Elowen dusted off her clothes before pulling them back on, glad that her boots were at least mostly dry. They still had enough daylight to travel a bit farther.

They. She was doing it again, including Ash in her plans. Well, he was here now and could have a say in things, so she might as well ask him.

“Can you walk?” she asked.

He glanced at her, having just walked to and from the pond by her side. “If you call what I just did walking. I’m not sure how to travel such long distances with only two feet.”

“I’m sorry for getting you involved.” She couldn’t seem to form the words to ask him to accompany her. “You’ve done so much for me. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“Not that word again.” He spread out his wings and inspected them as if fascinated at the novelty of feathers. At least wings were familiar to him.

“What word?” she said.

“No more talk about repayment. Why do you think I came all this way myself to give you the king’s reply?”

She looked at him blankly.

He smiled, looked surprised, and then smiled even more. “Didn’t think I could do that with a beak,” he mumbled. He lifted his long neck and settled his wings. “I have nothing pressing at the moment ... er ... had nothing pressing. I was going to try to convince you to let me tag along.”

“You want to help me? But ...”

“I’ve been spending more time in your woods than you think. I’d like to see Cedar home safely. Plus ...” He looked out over the pond, the gold around his eyes catching a few rays of sunlight. “I’ve been alone for a while now ... if you wouldn’t mind a companion. And I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

She heard the longing in his voice and was reminded of Mother’s arms wrapped around her and how she’d wished Father’s hugs were as easily given. A warmth spread through her chest. “I would love your company.”

The trail was easy enough for Ash to navigate with his webbed feet at goose speed, although he had to waddle through thicker underbrush to avoid a few obstacles. Elowen lifted him over a fallen branch, they both crouched underneath another, and finally, Ash asked for a short rest and food.

Elowen flung her cloak over a tree stump and removed the pack basket. She dug out a couple of apples and turned to offer one to Ash, but he was already busy eating mushrooms, grass, snails, and anything else edible he could find.

“Are those mushrooms safe for humans?” she asked, handing him an apple.

“They’re delicious,” he said with his mouth full. “Want some?”

She picked a few and put them in the pack for later. “We don’t have much light left for today, but I think we can make it a bit farther if you’re able.”

He nodded, but he also kept pulling up mouthfuls of grass. She didn’t want to rush him when he seemed ravenous, but how long would it take to satisfy his hunger? Maybe if she carried him, they could make better time and he wouldn’t get so hungry. A sling would be ideal, but the cloak would have to do. She arranged her pack basket on her back and tied the cloak securely around her neck.

“What are you doing?” Ash asked from beside a patch of clover.

“I’m going to carry you.”

He snorted and came over to inspect her work. “Undignified, but not a bad idea under the circumstances.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“Cheeky.”

She grinned and tied the corners of the hem together around her waist, creating a pouch for Ash to rest in. She shifted the cloak so that he would ride in front and balance out the pack basket. “Ready to give it a try, or do you want that fat grasshopper over there first?”

He rolled his eyes, snatched the grasshopper, and then returned to stand in front of her expectantly. After several awkward attempts and a tightening of the knot, they managed to get him into the cloak-pouch at Elowen’s waist.

He peeked his head out the side and glanced at her. “I’m sorry for being such a burden. I feel ridiculous. I should be the one carrying you.”

“You’re my companion, remember? Not my burden.” She patted his head. “And you’re no heavier than carrying a small child. Just fluffier.”

He snort-honked and pulled his head back inside the cloak.

Several hills later, he snored softly while Elowen threaded her way around another fallen branch. She wouldn’t risk climbing with him cradled in front of her. As the shadows thickened, she tried to puzzle out why the fairy would turn a dragon into a golden goose. What was at the smithy in Tressl? Did the blacksmith there have some power to do something with golden feathers that turned to ashes when plucked? Could he forge a magical sword or something for defeating the trolls?

Whatever the fairy had intended remained a mystery, but Elowen was sure of one thing. She would have to hide Ash when they arrived, or people might take one look at his shining feathers and try to steal him.