Free Courting Kel by Dee Brice

she dressed, Aren paced the room. He seemed more anxious
than usual for her to hurry. She’d just finished drawing on her boots when he
grabbed her hand. Running together, laughing like children freed from school,
they raced outside.
    Kel had barely recovered her breath when Aren lifted her to
the wide, horse-like back of a pegagryph. Leaping up behind her, he fastened
them both into the saddle. Making clicking sounds, he urged the great beast
skyward. Silvery wings tipped with gold-brown fur spread at its sides. A single
pumping of its wings took them high above Storr City. Soon even the turrets of
Castle Storr looked like a child’s blocks. Usually afraid of heights, Kel
reveled in the feeling of utter peace and nearly soundless solitude. A gentle
breeze ruffled her hair, a soft soughing.
    The cityscape disappeared, giving way to fertile green and
gold fields.
    “Crops to feed our animals. Grains to make our bread,” Aren
explained, his voice its normal volume despite the rushing wind.
    “And forests. The trees are enormous.” Except in Amazonia’s
swamps she’d never seen any so tall or round. Basalia could have a dozen houses
built from just one Ondrican tree.
    Aren made a chuckling sound and the pegagryph swooped lower.
    Feeling like she’d left her stomach in the clouds, Kel cried
out and clutched Aren’s forearms wreathed around her waist. Realizing they were
safely above the soaring treetops, she said, “I feel like I can touch the
highest branches.”
    “Do you want to?”
    “No!” If they flew lower the limbs might tear them from the
saddle, leaving them to break bones as they fell. They could die.
    “Warm enough?”
    “Yes. So long as your arms remain around me, warm enough and
safe.” Snuggling closer, she sighed. “What smells so good?”
    “A little of this. Some of that. If you like the scents up
here, you’ll love my gardens.”
    “I’m sure I will. How long before we reach them?”
    “Not long. See where the trees end and the snow begins? See
that tiny spot of blue? When that spot looks as big as the lake it is, we’re
there.”
    She gradually became aware that they were gliding in
circles. As they flew lower, individual trees stood out—even those growing in
copses, their silvery bark mirror-bright in the lowering sun. The mountains’
white-capped peaks cast gold and red shadows over the valleys below. The lake
seemed to cover almost everything else. Clinging to Aren’s forearms, she
expected a watery landing and braced for it.
    The pegagryph landed like a mother’s hand stroking her
babe’s cheek. Turning its massive horse head, it snorted. To Kel’s delight, it
sounded like laughter and its bright brown gaze seemed to smile.
    When Aren set her on her feet, she made a small half-bow,
saying, “Tak. It was a glorious trip.”
    The horse furled its wings then sat upon its lion-like
hindquarters. Its whip-like tail twitched from side to side. Kel stepped back,
fearing the tail might lash her.
    “He wants his treat,” Aren said, plucking a round purple fruit
from his vest. “Want to feed him?”
    “Oh yes. He won’t bite me, will he?”
    “Only if you bite him first. Put the plape in the palm of
your hand. Perfect.”
    Baring its teeth, the pegagryph sniffed her hand. Then its
tongue darted out, lifting the fruit delicately, like Kel imagined a lady selecting
dainty teacakes would. It seemed not to chew at all, returning its velvet soft
nose to her palm and snorting at finding nothing.
    “Come along, Peg. More’s in your barn.”
    Peg sort of growl-purred but followed Aren like a puppy on a
leash.
    “Too many animals,” Kel said to herself, thinking about
lions and horses and dogs as she trailed along behind but to one side. She
wouldn’t risk her new boots if Peg dumped like a horse. Obeying Aren’s signal
to wait, she stopped outside the barn doors and watched another pegagryph land
a short distance away. Drew dismounted.
    Aren came outside again just as the girl