Save the traitor (2)

The next morning, Carrot, Scourge and Theo set out as soon as the sun started to peek from behind the horizon line.

Carrot and Theo were groggy and grouchy because of the early hour, but Scourge was happily snoring in between Theo's shirt and cloak. It hurt to admit it, but Theo was a little jealous of the tiny dragon.

"I want to stop at Rosepine village."

"Are you going to buy some inferior horse?"

"Yeah."

Perhaps it was due to the early hour, or perhaps it was because Carrot didn't approve of the plan to split apart from Theo, but the two didn't exchange many words after that.

A few hours later, they stopped outside of Rosepine village. Rosepine was a small place. It was really just a few shops were farmers could stock up on basic supplies without having to go all the way to town.

Theo was betting that there would be some farmer willing to sell a spare horse. Especially if the price was right.

Carrot would have to wait outside of town. It would be too suspicious to try to buy a regular horse when he already had a unicorn companion.

Unicorns were far superior to horses not only because of their increased intelligence and ability to communicate with humans, but also because they were much faster than horses.

Of course, Carrot was exceptionally fast, even for a unicorn. Theo brushed his nose as his chest swelled with pride at the thought of Carrot.

Admitting how proud he was of the vain unicorn would leave a bitter taste in his mouth, so Theo kept his thoughts inside his head.

Theo traveled the rest of the way into town by foot.

It didn't take long for Theo to find someone willing to sell him a horse. Then, he stopped a small general store to buy some extra provisions and…

"This is chocolate."

Theo handed a piece of candy to Scourge.

"This is delicious."

The little dragon's eyes grew wide.

Theo froze as he watched the dragon lick chocolate off his paws. He had just remembered that chocolate was toxic to a lot of animals.

Were dragons animals?

Theo wasn't sure, but Scourge seemed to be as lively as ever.

All was well that ended well, Theo supposed.

He ignored Scourge's entreats to go back to the general store to buy more chocolate and left town to inform Carrot that he had been successful in buying a horse.

Theo had named the new horse Sylvie.

It was a silvery, gray color.

Theo thought to himself that his naming sense was truly the best.

***

"Here's the new horse." Theo introduced Sylvie to Carrot with a proud grin.

The unicorn met him with silence. He was unimpressed.

"Don't die."

Carrot finally said with a glare.

"I will endeavor my best."

"I don't believe you."

"Then believe me!"

Scourge interrupted Carrot's and Theo's conversation by popping his head out of Theo's cloak.

"I will keep Mortal Theo safe."

"That's even less reassuring." Carrot grumbled.

"Maybe if you stay in that pocket on Theo's chest you can function as some sort of armor."

"What!?!"

"I'd rather you get stabbed than Theo's heart. A noble sacrifice befitting one as 'grand' as you."

"Hey. Don't bully children."

Theo patted Scourge's head while admonishing Carrot.

"I'm not a child!"

Scourge screeched.

"Of course, of course." Theo absentmindedly muttered.

"The mission is straightforward and simple. I just have to steal a book from the Magical Research Center and Institute in Penshaw. And there's a lot of limits on what I could do to hurt myself. Don't worry so much."

Theo reassured the unicorn.

"Just take care of things in the capital for me, okay?"

"That's likely to turn into an even bigger mess. But I'll do it."

Carrot turned away from Theo.

"Scourge, I need you to help make sure Carrot completes his task. Can you do that for me?" Theo asked the tiny dragon while trying to inflate its ego.

"Yes! I will monitor the beast of burden!" Scourge shouted.

"I can't believe you're also dumping the lizard on me."

"Please, Carrot."

Carrot didn't reply to Theo, but he also didn't protest when Theo placed Scourge on Carrot's back.

With no further exchange of words, Carrot left. He faded out of view quickly. He was moving fast in order to make up for time he lost by bringing Theo to Rosepine.

***

From the very beginning, Carrot was in a bad mood.

He had to slip into the capital by blending in with some traveling merchant's horses since he didn't have Theo with him.

On top of that he was so stressed about Theo that his coat was starting to lose some of its beautiful sheen.

It was a tragedy.

So when he met Marc at the capital's square, the poor guard was already at a disadvantage.

"Where's your master?"

"That brat is hardly my master."

Carrot seethed.

"Oh, uh sorry. So where's Theo?"

"He had to go on a mission for Dullahan."

"What's the mission?"

"Look, I'm not like that idiot. I don't want to give you any information that can hurt Theo."

"I'm not planning on hurting hi-"

"I'm sure you aren't until he's outlived his usefulness and you have a surefire way of disposing him lined out. You also would meddle in whatever he's doing without concern for how it will affect him."

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

"So what'd Theo want to meet about? I can ask that, right?"

"After the last stunt you two pulled with the safe in Laenders, Dullahan suspected there was a spy."

"Seems logical."

Marc nodded.

"The problem is that there actually is a spy."

"Oh."

"Theo tried to rescue the guy, but he couldn't. The name the man used was Owen. Don't know his family name."

"Guess he didn't want us thinking he tried to get one of our spies captured."

"No, he genuinely considered this an emergency for the sake of the spy."

Carrot snorted.

"Theo's kind. He's not some monster like you want to believe."

"Right. He's some nice guy who just kill-"

"Shut up when you don't know anything."

Carrot held the tip of his horn against Marc's throat.

"Between me and Theo, we can see who is more suited to play the role of the villain."

Carrot glared at Marc.

"Theo was probably hoping I would share more information with you, but that just makes you more likely to try to throw Theo away sooner. So I'm only going to help you with this one mission to rescue Owen. Don't expect anything more from me."

"Okay, okay. I will gratefully accept whatever information you choose to share with me."

Marc held up his hands.

"Good."

Carrot took a step back.

"But aren't you a little too protective of Theo. I mean seriously."

"Shut up and let's figure out how to rescue your side's little spy."