8 Caroline

Caroline observed the forest around her. The sudden cloud cover, coupled with the cold radiating from the vampire sitting behind her, did nothing to stop her shivering despite the warm spring day. Already frightened by the vampire's words, the gloom of the overcast sky did little to ease her tension or her frustration for that matter.

Her mind was still whirling, thinking of the events that all led up to her sharing the saddle with a grumpy knife throwing vampire. She wondered if she could trust him. Utterly disoriented, she hugged her arms to her chest and ruminated over the words of her new travel companion. Caroline trusted everyone. There was no need not to back home. She had just experienced more danger and excitement in the last half hour than she had in twenty years back home. Back home, she thought. How was it possible?

One moment she was sitting in the apple tree, and the next, she woke up an ocean away. Now she found herself atop a horse and pressed against a beautiful vampire who may or may not want to make her his next meal—a fine mess she found herself in.

She wanted to believe Ender was lying, a ploy to exploit her and force her to rely on him for navigation. Caroline knew he was right, though. She had memorized nearly every plant species native to her homeland, and it only took a few glances of the surroundings to know the foliage here was much different and that she was very, very far from home.

Then there was the Fae. The creatures were not native to where she lived. Caroline was still wrapping her head around the fact that faeries existed. She knew one thing for sure, she wasn't in Ovandale anymore, and if what this vampire was saying was right, she wasn't sure now if her trust had been misplaced for a very long time.

Grappling with her feelings of possible betrayal and sudden relocation, she shivered again. She felt the vampire's arm around her waist tighten slightly. Unsure if the gesture was meant to comfort her, she found that it only increased the wariness she felt.

The clouds above began to look ominous as the wind picked up. Attempting to distract her mind from her racing thoughts of the vampire's arm wrapped about her and the fact that she was so desperately far from home, Caroline studied the ancient tree trunks along the dirt road they were traveling and tried to identify the plant life on the forest floor. It wasn't working very well, and she instead leaned back into the vampire's broad chest and closed her eyes.

Her thoughts shifted to where their destination might be. Maybe the castle they were traveling to would have a library she could access. Caroline had never been inside a castle but imagined they had libraries, among other luxuries. Her thoughts were interrupted, and she opened her eyes a small crack when she felt a warmth envelope her.

"You seemed cold." was all the vampire said while settling his cloak gently on top of her. So he did notice her shivering, she thought to herself. A single gesture might not earn her trust, but it seemed to help her relax a bit.

She turned to look up at him questioningly for a moment, and the vampire shrugged. "My kind are not very warm. We don't feel much of the elements. Better you use it than I." he stated matter of factly. She noted his accent and realized she had never heard anything like it.

"That's a strange accent," she said. "Where is it from?"

"A long time ago." was all he said. That was not the answer she had anticipated.

"How long? How old are you?" she asked. Caroline was always curious, sometimes to her detriment. She remembered when she was a girl, exploring a more familiar forest with Nim. Caroline had seen a tree with a large hole in the bark, and two little eyes peering out. Thinking she would lure a squirrel or other soft animal out to hold, she reached her arm in.

Caroline had found out in the most unpleasant way that a porcupine had made it's home in the tree. Nim had removed the quills from Caroline's arm when they returned home without scolding her but did impress upon her that curiosity must always be balanced with caution. She wondered if she wasn't treading in similar territory at the moment.

"Old enough." he finally replied.

She tried to discern the accent herself. It was apparent the vampire wasn't going to answer any more of her queries. It seemed to phase in and out like he was fighting it somehow, slipping in words of a native tongue that must have existed before she was born. She turned back in the saddle to look at the strange vampire. At that moment, she registered in her mind his face for the first time. Red shaggy curls fell to a strong jaw.

His eyes, so dark a crimson they were almost black, were framed by small wrinkles even though he looked not much older than she. Her gaze followed the lines of his clean-shaven face to a small scar at his left temple that led into his hairline. He was easily the most handsome man she had ever seen, but something deep inside her cried out in warning.

She knew on an instinctual level, he was dangerous. Caroline debated asking how he sustained the injury that caused the only imperfection on an otherwise perfect face but decided against it. She didn't want to insult someone who could potentially make her his next meal, and she didn't think he would tell her anyway.

She nodded instead, returning to view the surrounding forest. A faerie, no bigger than her hand, glided up to eye level to inspect her more closely, keeping pace with the horse as they trotted along the path. Caroline was fascinated, she had only heard of the creatures in novels, but she was coming to realize so many of the stories she had read were not just tales. She held out her palm, and the little blue being sat cross-legged in her open hand, staring up at her with eyes that seemed to fill up its entire face. Blue hair flowed from its head down to its tiny feet.

"I wouldn't do that, brundah," Ender whispered the warning into her ear, sending a shockwave through her body.

"Stop calling me a witch. My name is Caroline." She retorted, attempting to hide her nervousness at his proximity. "Such a fascinating creature, though, seems friendly enough." She said, looking down at the Fae, who was now laying flat out in her hand, enjoying the breeze. She brought her other hand up to stroke its hair.

"Ouch!" Caroline exclaimed. "It bit me!" Apparently, she had not learned her lesson all those years ago. She held up her finger, a small droplet of blood pooled at the tip. She heard a sharp intake of breath from the vampire behind her and felt him tense as a low growl escaped his lips. She could feel broad chest muscles expand behind her as he tried leaning away from her as much as possible in the saddle.

Remembering their primary source of nourishment, she cursed herself for being so careless. Quickly wiping the drop away on her apron, Caroline focused on the road ahead, saying a quick prayer to the old gods. For the first time since dropping down in this land, Caroline felt real fear for her life.

After a moment, she felt Ender relax and heard him chuckle. She could almost hear a smile on his lips and calmed somewhat herself. The vampire must have the remarkable self-control to have the ability to shift moods so quickly. "Of course the thing bit you. I did warn you about them twice if I remember correctly. It would be wise to practice more caution, brundah. Nearly everything in this forest can cause you harm."

"Even you?" Caroline asked boldly, turning to meet the crimson eyes of her companion again, still holding the fairy in her hand.

"Even me," he answered. "I only bite with permission, though, it is our law."

"Do you find that permission is easily granted?" She asked warily. Caroline could tell she was asking too many questions, but she couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth.

"With some persuasion, yes." He replied and left it at that. Caroline shook her head, breaking the gaze of the vampire who sat behind her.

She continued to hold the fairy with one hand, and with her other, she stroked its hair again, this time willing the creature to calm. She watched delighted now, a moment ago having been filled with terror, as it yawned lazily, stretching out its arms. Within a few moments, it had curled up and begun to snore softly in her hand.

"Not a witch," Ender said, shaking his head. "If you are not a witch, then I am King of the Fae. That sleeping spell might come in handy down the road, though. You would do well to remember it." He told her gruffly.

"It was no spell," she snorted. "I'm sure it was just tired," Caroline said, not fully believing her own words. She placed the fairy in her lap and relaxed her shoulders as fatigue began to spread through her body. Was she a witch? If she was, then how could Nim have kept this from her for so long? Indeed she must have known.

Caroline still couldn't shake the feeling she was caught in an elaborate dream, traveling down a road she had never seen, in a land she never been to, with a man that wanted to devour her and creatures that wanted to kill her. It was a fine mess indeed, Caroline thought to herself.

She wasn't sure if it was everything that had happened that day or the possible use of magic that was draining her energy, but she couldn't help it when her eyes began to close seemingly of their own accord. She allowed her body to relax again, ignoring her most basic instinct to remain alert. Caroline had always trusted everyone and thrown caution to the wind, hadn't she?

By the time she had leaned back and nestled her head against the vampire's chest, she was already in a dreamless sleep.