Pure Imagination

The purple robed man seemed a little taken back at being addressed. "Er...yes...thats me...who are you exactly?" She opened her mouth to respond when the front door of what was obviously the mans house suddenly burst open. A woman in robes similar to his, but blue instead of purple, stood there, her eyes darting around until they landed on Saturn's form. "THERE YOU ARE!" Gregory blinked, then suddenly his face clouded over. "Matilda! What in the bloody hell is the meaning of all this?! Who is this and why is she in my house?!" The woman, Matilda, shoved past the now standing man, almost knocking him over, and grabbed Saturn's hand. "Honestly, I thought summoning you would bring you straight to me, but clearly my coordinates were off". She tugged the girls arm. Saturn pulled back, grabbing on to the door knob which had led to her bedroom. "Come on, come on, we haven't the time for all this..." Matilda tugged again, breaking her grip on the door and forcing Saturn to hop after her on one foot. "Matilda! Answers if you please!"

The woman whirled around to face Gregory. "She's the savior Gregory....I summoned her, but I lost her up until now....my goodness". Saturn suddenly realized that this was the witch and wizard in her doll collection. Matilda begin to tug her out again, the wizard gregory following, obviously not satisfied with the answers he had received. "If she is your so called Savior why did she appear in my home?" Matilda waved his question away, dragging Saturn behind her like a rag doll. She stumbled and had to catch herself. "Careful dear.." Matilda glanced back at her. "Wouldn't want you getting all banged up".

They walked on for what had to be hours, until they reached what looked like a small cottage. "Ah, home sweet home". The witch chortled happily, before opening her front door and stepping in. Saturn was a bit reluctant to follow, but ultimately had no choice when the witch reached out and yanked her in, Gregory stepping in just before she shut the door. Matilda went about, fretting over how dusty everything seemed to be, giving Saturn the idea that perhaps the woman had not been home in some time. The female tsked softly, shaking her head as she held up a finger covered in a thick layer of dust. "My my, They take me away and this is what I come back to...dust...everywhere". Saturn looked at her curiously. "Im sorry...they?" The witch nodded enthusiastically. "Yes yes...they...those awful trolls, come in and take everything. I was a prisoner you know...three days...almost had us to the border, were gonna trade us in fro ungodly things...thank goodness the cavalry found us". She clucked lightly.

"Three Days?" Saturn stared down at her hands. Gregory watched as Matilda bustled about, searching for something. "I was wondering why you weren't coming over for tea", he murmured. matilda looked at him and cackled. "Can't come over for tea...very hard when your stuck in a cage..yes girl..three days...my goodness you are a little loopy thing..forever repeating people." Saturn blinked, thinking it over. "Three days? I haven't been here that long have I?" Matilda smirked at her. "I summoned help three days ago...three days." Saturn looked at her again. "Yes, but if it was three days ago, then why didn't you just send me home as soon as you got out?" The witch hummed happily as she dusted off a set of books. "I didn't just summon you to help me silly child, I summoned you to help us all. Your only partly there. Getting the king to send help to find the prisoners was just a start you know" She fixed the girl with a gleaming look. " There is lot to do here young one...the war still rages, and many will be sent off to aid it soon. Your precious Sir Braxton amongst them...or is it Your precious Sir Akil? It is hard to say since you seem to move so rapidly between them." Saturn felt her cheeks turn pink. "How...how did you know..." Gregory pursed his lips, resting his chin on his palm. "Matilda is the resident fortune teller as well as witch."

Saturn opened her mouth to say something about this, but was cut off when a rather loud thump suddenly sounded outside. All three of them froze. Matilda quickly blew out the candles she had lit to give her house light, and Gregory slid over to the window, peering out. he let out an angry hiss. The could hear voices now. "'Ere then...thought we was gonna leave this 'un be boss". Their was a snort and a gruffer voice then the first responded. "Nay...we been hearin bout this miscreant far to long just ta let her go like that eh? Asides..that wizard must be with her...and the girl I hear...Two magic's and a Nymph...mighty fine haul...asides...that Bitch set all my profits free".

Saturn bit her lip. Gregory moved away from the window, over to where saturn was sitting. "Here now...how do they know of you", he whispered harshly. "They captured me and my friend when I first arrived..we escaped though, and set everyone free...including Ziggory." Matilda stiffened. "You set the dragon free? How? If not even he himself could escape then how did you, a mere mortal, free him?" Saturn opened her mouth to respond, but instead let out a squeak when another, louder, thump sounded, this time against the door. "She may not be home yet boss". There was a grunt, then a squeal of pain, followed by the thump again. Matilda moved over to the other two. "Here now Saturn, me and gregory will keep them at bay..." Gregory made a choked noise. The thumping paused. "Ye here tha'? Someone be inside". Matilda glared at him. "You go through the back way....find your way back to the castle...warn em...warn em all...go now..." She shoved the girl towards the rear of the house. Saturn could see their sillouhettes against the dim light streaming through the curtains, whispered a soft good bye, then peered out the back window. It was clear, and she carefully slid out. The thumping form the front of the house was much louder out here, and it wasn't until she was a few feet away that she finally heard the cries of alarm as Matilda and Gregory hit their attackers with all they had. She swallowed, and turned her attention forward, praying they would be Ok. She peered up, catching a glimpse of the castle turrets in the distance.

She was so distracted by the idea of trying to get there, she didn't hear the soft thump of hoofs on the wet earth until the owner was literally right in front of her. She gaped, staring up into the warmest eyes she had ever seen. The tip of a silver horn glimmered in the faint afternoon light, and bounced off the pure white coat. "My lady..."

Saturn grinned, delighted as her hair whipped behind her. Of all the creatures she didn't mind meeting, Ramzy was definitely one of them. The Unicorn had explained the he had been set to watch her, but wouldn't tell her by whom exactly. Not that she minded. His soft steps seemed to barely even touch the ground. He was graceful in his maneuvering of the forest around them, and when he spoke, it was in a voice as golden as honey, and just as sweet. But despite how delighted she was, she couldn't help but be concerned for matilda and gregory, and voiced as much. The ivory horse thought awhile before he answered her concerns. "Matilda is...whimsical in what she does. She would not have sent you off without good reason or without faith that you would not be picked up and escorted. She would have seen I was coming after all. As for her companion...Gregory is often left to look after her..his lover for her wouldn't see it otherwise."

She gripped his neck as he leapt over a fallen log, startling what she could only imagine were pixies of some sort, into flight. The little human like creatures hollered after them, shaking their tiny fists. The unicorn grunted. "Pixy mating season.." She blinked, then laughed, realizing how very much sexual desires meant to everyone in this place. Back home, she was so terrified of men in general, sex had not been an option, particularly after her last encounter when the man had forced himself upon her. BUt this world, the men seemed so safe, and so...harmless in a way...she was almost compelled not to like them.

A splash roused her out of her thoughts. Ramzy was treading through a small creek, following it up stream. "We should be there shortly My Lady...if we are lucky a guard is out today, so we should have no fear of..." He broke off. There was a shout to his left. Saturn jerked, a sudden flaring pain in her shoulder. She gasped, almost losing her hold on the white horses mane. He reared, screaming in fear as more arrows thudded into the trees beside them. Saturn felt for the one now protruding from her shoulder. Her arm had gone numb and blood made pulling it out slippery and even more damaging to the surrounding skin. She spotted the red stuff, and felt her world begin to spin. Blood made her sick...the sight of it made her sick...the smell...the taste. "Hold on My Lady..we ran straight into an ambush" The unicorn jolted forward, doing his best to dodge arrows. Saturn heard them whistle by her head, but could feel herself begin to slip into semi-unconsciousness.

Her left shoulder was now completely numb, along with the rest of her arm. She blinked, trying to clear the dark spots. That only seemed to make them worse. She felt Ramzy jerk and spasm beneath her as at least two arrows struck his hide. She stared ahead of her, only partially hearing the whizzing sound the arrows made. She didn't hear the sound of a horn in the distance, didn't hear the pounding of hooves and feet as a scouting team from the castle suddenly came pouring into the forest surrounding them. She didn't feel the hands that pulled her form the injured horses back. She didn't even recognize Akil's face as it swam above her. He was shouting at her...she was sure by the way his eyes were wide and his voice, despite being distant, seemed so loud. She barely winced as the arrow was yanked from her flesh, and managed to tilt her head slightly to look at the wound. The fresh gush of blood was to much for her, and she made a strangled sound before complete and total darkness over took her. 'So this....this must be death....how....peaceful....'