The next morning, I stood ready for our departure. Even though I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, I felt as though I had energy enough to get me home in two days!
I was running my fingers through Clupint's mane when Brye walked up to me. I turned to him, and he pulled out a little gilded box. I didn't recognize it, did not know where it had come from.
"Here," he handed it to me. "Put the feathers in here before you present them to your father. It will make it even more marvelous."
Obediently, I took the feathers out of my pocket and gently set them in it. Inside of the little box was lined in velvet. I ran my fingers over it, for I had not felt anything so soft in over three months.
"Thank you," I said, surprising myself at how meek I sounded.
Brye nodded beamingly, then he brushed past me and headed towards his horse. I stood there, holding the box, watching everybody. Civilization was so wonderful, although this wasn't the most civilized place. It felt magnificent to have people bustling about again. I didn't have to search far for a friendly face to talk to, nor did I feel alone. That was probably why I had such a longing feeling to get back home.
"Pri-" I stuck my hand up in the knight's face that had begun to address me as 'Princess'. I just wanted to be Layla.
The man smiled in apology and helped me to my horse. Clupint started to get excited; he knew we were setting off again. The horse loved adventure.
After I was situated, I placed the box of Colie feathers in the saddlebag. "Now, don't you be rough, Clupint. It is very important that you don't jostle these out!"
"You be careful, too, Layla. You've made it this far, now don't mess things up!" Brye winked.
I shook my head. "Don't worry, but also, don't be surprised if I come home with a new companion. Things have a habit of finding me!"
Then they waved good-bye, and we were off. Everybody looked down as we ascended, for it was thought bad luck to watch someone out of sight. But before I was truly out of sight, the Prince of Dreideth looked up. I smiled.
The ride was lonely without Sweenlah! Not that she talked much, but at least before I wasn't the only being around. A horse wasn't a very interesting conversationalist. And to think of why Sweenlah was here- because she was, well? eaten, or so we thought. But the idea of her being in the belly of a Colie made me sick!
As the sun began to set, I heard cries, high-pitched wails. It sounded like a mother mourning for her lost child. Screaming in vain for the loss. It was among the trees, and it scared me.
"Oh, Clupint! How I wish I knew what made those horrible sounds!" I conversed with the horse the next morning.
Then the sound came from directly above us, so I stopped. I didn't hear it again, which relieved me a bit.
"Well," I sighed. "I suppose it's gone now-" something jumped on my back, knocking the words from my mouth!
I screamed, piercing the air with the sound it had been waiting for. I grabbed at the thing, and it grabbed back. I pulled and pinched, but I could tell the thing wasn't about to give up without a good fight.
Finally I was able to pull it in front of me, to discover what I had had such a silly clash with. Everything in me stopped almost instantly, when I saw what it was. Silently I gazed at the small thing's face.
"Ha!" I giggled at myself. "You are nothing but a spider monkey! How foolish it was to be so frightened." I touched his head, his soft head. "And you're nothing but a baby!"
I sat him on my lap, pleased to live up to my word. I would be bringing home another companion! But this one was so much more darling than I had hoped. And this thing seemed to enjoy listening to my silly blathering! Anytime I said a word, it would stop and cock its head. Like it was listening intently. Anyone would agree that talking to a monkey that listened was far better than talking to oneself!
The sweet thing seemed happy, and had a manner that was hardly surly. It had dark, misty-brown fur. The color of cocoa. That would make a good name, a practical one, but it would not be original enough for this creature.
"Coca," I decided aloud. Minus the extra 'O' at the end, it was original. Coca. My monkey.
I tickled Coca's belly. Brye would get a kick out of a spider monkey living at the palace! And I just might get a kick too, for there would be many people there who would be against the idea of inside pets. But let them argue! I wouldn't listen. I was my own, true to myself to make my own decisions.
Coca picked at my hair as we trekked down what seemed like a never-ending path. Sometimes it got so dusty that dirty smoke rose above Clupint's head and we had to stop until it cleared. Whenever the dust settled, Coca would go crazy, jumping up and down on my head.
"Gosh! What do you think I am, a bed?" He was giving me a headache.
Later on, my head began to itch. Reluctantly, I let Coca on my head to ease the prickle. But then I wondered- did I itch because of him? Had he given me fleas?
Then the monkey got down and started to sing. Like a bird! I started laughing, till tears came. A monkey with a bird's voice!
"What a talented monkey I have," I said as I began to scratch his belly. He fluttered his eyelids in satisfaction.
It started to rain. Hard drops pelted the top of my sore head. Coca hid underneath my dress, in my skirts. It felt slightly odd having a monkey within my skirts. After a short period of time I was completely drenched, soaked to the bone. Even Coca, who had taken cover amidst my dress, was awash. I pulled him out and hugged him close, hoping he was a tad warmer than I.
It didn't take long to tire of the rain. I stopped Clupint and we took shelter under a tree, where I wrung my skirts out. Clupint shook out his mane, completely drenching me again. I felt that it was out of spite; the horse was jealous that he couldn't ring out his skin. But I knew how silly that would sound if I told anybody.
I sat down and pulled out the gilded box. I wanted to inspect my feathers. I had nine of them, each as beautiful as the next. How could such beautiful things come from such vile creatures?
Two were long, graceful, and were a pale gray. Five were short and fat, light lavender with a darker shade of purple mixed in. The last two were plain white, and seemed to have no special feature. Actually, they were the ones without defect, the perfect ones, washed over with snow.
Seeing the feathers reminded me of Sweenlah, and tears welled up in the corners of my bloodshot eyes. Quickly I pushed them away and scooped Coca up in my arms.
"When is this rain going to stop?" I asked him. "Here," I said, placing him atop my head. "Let us see if you have balance enough to make this your perch, as I can tell it is your wish."
I walked balanced for the first few steps, then started to sway back and forth. He wasn't easily bothered, so I jumped, startling him. He grabbed my hair and yanked hard to stay on. I yelped, but didn't scold him.
I gazed out into the rain, and suddenly it had a voice. It was calling, "Dance with me!" How many chances does a person get to dance in the rain? Slowly I made my way out from under my precious tree, the only dry spot around. But my nerves overcame me. I began to dance, slowly at first, but I sped up without thinking.
I twirled and spun, swayed and skipped until I was dizzy. But it wasn't enough. I took Coca from my head, and nuzzled him against my nose. We twirled around, hand in hand, while my loose hair slung water everywhere.
Exhausted from dancing, I collapsed under the tree, laughing giddily. I had to force myself to get up to get my bedroll. It wasn't worth the effort, though, for it was soaked through! I couldn't sleep on something so wet; I would surely catch cold. There had to be a tavern somewhere within the next few miles. This was a busy road for travelers, a good place for an inn.
I hopped on my horse and headed back out into the clouded sky. The rain had stalled itself, but it wasn't but a minute after I had left the safety of the tree that it started to pour. I hurried along until I saw a building in the distance, and then fled in its direction. I was quite ready to be indoors again.
As I approached, a young girl emerged from the
doorway. My eyes wandered from her to the banner hanging over the door, which said, "Lyssen Inn". What an odd name. It was probably the last name of the owners.
The girl shaded her eyes from the rain, and a smile crept across her full lips as she spotted me. She called to someone who was obviously indoors, using hand motions excitedly. When I got to the door she hurriedly took Clupint and tied him up for me.
"We have been expecting you," she murmured shyly as I followed her into the building.