Free Dream a Little Dream by Piers Anthony

them to peek out over the top. She tried to loosen it but there was a gap in the back. She exhaled and tightened the strings. Now her breathing was labored, and every time she inhaled her breasts swelled dangerously above, not wanting to be bound. This was definitely not her notion of fit apparel for forest travel!
    She brushed out her hair and piled it, piece by piece, on top of her head, fastening it with the combs. “Okay, I’m ready now,” she said as she stepped from behind the tree. “Where do we go?”
    The two guards guffawed and the fat one whistled. Marcus slapped the back of his friend’s head again. “Don’t be a jerk!”
    Mich walked over to her and took her hand. “You look exquisite, Nola,” he said, his eyes seeming to track her every breath. But perhaps that was just her fond imagination.
    Nola was also stunned by Mich. His hair was now brushed and shone as brightly as Esprit’s hide, his face was clean and his clothes were neat. He looked like the knights she had read about in her fairy tale novels. “So do you,” she said, blushing.
    “If you please, sir,” Marcus said, “Kafka is falling as we speak.”
    “Uh, yes,” Mich agreed, hauling his eyes from Nola’s décolletage. “We better get going now. Madrid drew a little map on this paper thatwill lead us to the river’s source.” He looked up. “Do you know where my father went?”
    “No, sir. It appears that he has been abducted, but there are no signs of violence.”
    Mich was highly disturbed about his father’s disappearance but didn’t let it show. He would have to be in command now. In his father’s absence, he would be responsible for Kafka’s welfare. He hated to admit it, but his father would have to wait. Kafka’s survival was far more important. He hoped that his father had not been Forgotten.
    “I’m sure he is fine,” he said insincerely. “We will have to search for him later. Let’s go. Thank you for your service, guards. Return to the castle, and if you find her, send Misty to inform me with news of my father upon his return.”
    “Will do, Highness!” Marcus said. His chubby friend was staring at Nola and seemed not to comprehend that they were to depart. Marcus pinched him, hard, on the shoulder. “Come on, you moron!” he said impatiently. They disappeared into the forest.
    Nola allowed herself a faint smile. This corset bodice was a pain, literally, but it seemed to be doing wonders for her image. Now if only Mich would notice more than her labored breathing!
    Spirit knelt down and Nola grabbed a handful of mane and tried to mount. The dress prevented her from spreading her legs wide enough. Spirit was a large animal. He had the size of a draft horse, but the build of a morgan. She loved it, but she just couldn’t swing her leg over him unless she hiked up her skirt so far as to make it pointless. She was forced to ride in the fashion of ladies, sidesaddle. She thought the position was not only degrading to women, but dangerous at high speeds as well. She knew that an actual sidesaddle had stout bars and things to hold the legs firmly in place, but she was riding bareback. Still, she had no choice. She sat square with both her legs in front of his left wing, close together in the manner evidently required of ladies. She had to sit up by his withers to do this. Whenshe tried to sit behind his wings, her legs ruffled his pretty feathers and got in the way. There were times when she wished it didn’t matter so much just how far a woman spread her legs. Suppose she slid off and fell? Then she was likely to show more than her bare legs to the sky, while her face was in the muck.
    Spirit rose up and started trotting southward toward what was Welton Town on the map. Snort half slithered and half galloped behind her. Mich mounted Heat, who caught up and took the lead.
    Nola was still a little excited and confused by all of this. She was terribly happy, and yet she was also terribly afraid of what might