Chapter 247 - A Dangerous Decision

Frost trotted through the woods eager to get where he was going.  The moon wasn't completely full above them but it was bright enough to shine down a bit between the leaves and branches of the trees.  Frost didn't seem to need to see where he was going, however.  He seemed to just feel it.

Delaney felt like she might be sick from fear.  Every noise she heard made her jump and jerk to look around in the direction she thought it had come.  Whenever she had traveled this way with Vincent he had moved so quietly and gracefully she knew the only noises were coming from her.  Now she sat atop a half-unicorn as he made all kinds of noise without care.

She had no idea where they were.  Looking around she fought to try to recognize something, anything, that was familiar to her.  In the near darkness though every single tree looked just the same as every single other tree.  There was no real path that they were following either.  If Frost decided to buck or do anything that would send her to the ground she knew she would never find her way back out of these woods.  How on earth did her husband do it?

Thinking of Vincent sent a stab of pain into her heart.  She wished that he was here with her.  She could be holding his pleasantly warm hand.  They could be going to speak to the fairies together.  Why had she not thought to ask Nell for her help the last time they were visiting?  She prayed now that the fairy would be able to help her and it wouldn't be too late.

They had been traveling for quite some time and Delaney was beginning to get worried that they were lost when she suddenly caught sight of something she recognized at last.  Up ahead was the stream that Vincent carried her over.  Frost wasn't deterred by it at all and just waded out into the fairly deep and cold water.  Delaney pulled her feet up onto the saddle in an attempt to keep them dry and thankfully the water wasn't high enough to get to her.

Frost trotted up the bank on the other side and continued on into the woods.  Delaney felt relief now.  They had crossed the stream so they were getting close.  Frost knew where he was going after all.  She went from being afraid to starting to feel excited.  She would find Mabon and he would take her to the fairies and she would get Nell's help.  She just knew it!

On and on they went but Delaney realized they were actually traveling much faster than she and Vincent ever had.  They were going to find Mabon in half the time.  She wondered if Vincent would have traveled faster on his own.  Maybe he was slowed down by helping her.  That was likely the case even though she hated to admit it.  Her husband was so strong and powerful but he would be so sweet and gentle with her.  She didn't think she could ever be happy again if that was taken away from her.

After a while, she noticed Frost had slowed his pace and was now very alert.  At first, it had worried her until she realized they must be coming close to Mabon now.  She found herself suddenly wondering if the unicorn and his son would recognize one another.  She really hoped so because she didn't know what she would do if they fought.

Soon, looking ahead she began to be able to make out a pearly white shape.  Slowly as they grew closer she made out the beautiful unicorn.  She hadn't needed to worry about Mabon and Frost remembering one another because as soon as they were together it was obvious that they did.

Frost walked quicker when he saw his father and Mabon made a little call to his son.  They rubbed their heads together and Delaney smiled and slid down from the saddle, letting them have a moment to greet one another.

"Hello there Mabon," she greeted the unicorn once they had settled down.  She ran her hands over his unimaginably soft coat and looked into his lovely violet eyes.  The unicorn lifted his head then and seemed to be almost looking over her.

"He's not here," she said quietly, knowing he was likely looking for Vincent, "I had to come on my own.  I'm sorry."

The unicorn lowered his large head and gently brushed his nose against her cheek, making her smile.

"You should be proud of your son," she said as she moved to pet Frost too.  He had turned around and come to join his father in getting some attention.  "He took me all the way here all on his own."

Delaney stood looking at them and couldn't help but feel a little proud of herself.  She had made it this far on her own as well.  She never would have imagined that she would have been able to find the unicorn without her husband.  He was going to be so angry with her if he found out but she wondered if there would be any part of him that would be proud of her as well.

"I need to see Nell," she told Mabon quietly then, "I'm hoping she will be able to help us.  To.. to help me..."

The unicorn gazed at her with his purple eyes that seemed to somehow know all.  After a moment he turned slowly and started off towards the trees.

"Come on Frost," Delaney said quickly, taking his reins in her hand and leading him behind her.  He followed her but she had a feeling he would have gone anyway just to stay with his father.

They walked through the still woods until Delaney could've sworn she heard some kind of music.  A moment later she began to make out the familiar twinkling lights up ahead.  When they got close a small golden light broke away from the rest and swirled first around Mabon who was used to the fairies and then around Frost who shook his head nervously up and down.

"It's alright boy," Delaney whispered to him but was cut off from saying more by the light swirling around her before shooting back to join the others.

The familiar warm, buzzing mass of lights swept forward and swirled around her, pulling her forward.  Delaney felt Frost's reins being pulled from her hand and it was only then that she realized he couldn't go with her.  Mabon never went into the fairy circle and he was always gone when they left the fairies.  She felt a moment of panic as she finally lost hold of the reins and they fell away behind her.

It was too late to worry about it now.  She would talk to Nell and see if the fairy could help her.  She could only hope that Frost was still there when she was done although she knew he wouldn't be.  There was nothing she could do.  She glanced over her shoulder once more at the pair of pearly beasts before there was a rush of air and she found herself in the familiar place in the center of the fairy ring.  She looked around quickly and saw that again this was a different place from the first two she had seen the fairies in.

Her fear of losing Frost was joined then by fear of the fairies not being happy that she had come without Vincent.  She hadn't considered that before this moment either and she suddenly realized how poorly thought through her plan was.  To do all this without her husband was crazy.  Now she may never find her way home again and the fairies would be angry with her.  What would they do to her if they were angry?

"Delaney," came a familiar tinkling voice, bringing her out of her worried thoughts.

She looked and saw a rose pink ball of light hovering towards her.  It floated up until it was just in front of her face.  The pop sound came and as always, the ball of light was then gone, leaving behind a human-looking young girl who was glowing the same shade of pink.

"Delaney where is Vincent?  Is everything alright?  Why is he not here with you?"

"He-He's alright," Delaney spoke, blushing, "I... I had to come on my own because... because I needed to speak to you."

Nell frowned, "That was a very dangerous decision.  Vince can fight with a sword and shoot arrows.  He can keep you safe in the forest.  You are lucky you've made it here in one piece coming on your own."

"I... I know," Delaney agreed quietly, "I didn't want to come without him but... but I wanted to speak to you, Nell and he never would have agreed to it.  I need your help."

The little fairy's eyebrows raised, "You need my help?  Is everything alright?"

Delaney swallowed hard and when she looked up at the princess of the fairies again there were tears in her eyes.

"No," she whispered shaking her head, "No everything is not alright."