Of Monsters and Men

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Name her? You want me to name your baby?

Matt shook his head, then looked at the infant. "I am not worthy to name your child. You hardly know me..." he protested and looked over at Graham who raised an eyebrow while carefully folding the handkerchief. Outside of not feeling worthy of such a big thing, Matt knew of no females important enough in his life that he could or would name a baby after, other than Arianna. Without even realizing it, he mentally flipped through names. Mira. Madi, no too modern. His mother, Marilyn. Without realizing it, Matt had begun chewing on the corner of his blanket in deep thought. He shook his head and watched Eric bandage Arianna's arm and he worried about her.

Matt wanted badly to scoop her up and hold her close. But he was afraid of Arianna's reaction to him. Maybe she was afraid of him now. Afraid to trust. Maybe he'd get an eye punched out by the big man Eric. Not that that worried him so much. Matt frequently was involved in bar fights and was frequently on the losing end of such fights. Sometimes he picked the fights on purpose, just for the sake of releasing pent up frustrations and dealing with the sometimes overwhelming self-loathing. It always helped though and was usually worth a black eye or two for him. No, Matt's hesitance in going to Arianna was not Eric, but Arianna's reaction to him, that kept him from going to her. Arianna running from him screaming was not an experience he wanted to have.

Orei handed him her drawing and he studied it carefully. He didn't like to hear that Arianna hadn't spoken. He felt he had taken her voice. "This brownish reddish thing," he pointed, "could that be my bag? I don't know why she would have drawn that… and this grey thing, I'm unsure. I gave her a bit of foil once, maybe it's that? Or maybe it's not at all related to me…" He turned the drawing and pondered out loud. "A can, maybe? A can of what? Arianna, what is your drawing?" he asked before he could even realize that he had spoken to her.
 
Arianna turned her head to look at Matt and then looked down. "I don't know. It was in my dream." She spoke softly into his mind. Her voice was shy and came off as very tired. Eric picked her up since it looked like she was just sitting there and not saying anything.

"Come on love. Time for your milk then bed." She went with him and rests her head on his shoulder but her eyes were on Matt. Yawning and rubbing her eye she looked at Graham and spoke to him but only in his mind. Her voice was just above a whisper. "Is my flyer back?" She kept running her eye and Eric made her stop as he set her down on her small bed near Duncan who was already sleeping soundly.

"Stop that now or you'll rub your eye clean out your head." He gave her a small cup of milk and she drank it. Once it was gone he tucked her in and kissed her forehead. "Rest now little one. Your arm won't heal without it." She blinked and started to faded. He turned and went about cleaning things up for the night.

Arianna looked over at Matt before her eyes closed all the way. "Fly?" her eyes closed before she could say anything more. She was out like a light. Orei watched her and smiled. "She is so sweet when she sleeps. "I only wish she spoke to us. She hasn't said a word. And Matt you are worthy of naming the baby. I haven't been able to think of one. I need to name her by tomorrow's full moon. It's custom." She took her child and went towards her room. "Goodnight lads."

Eric was checking the fire and turned to the two men. "You may stay the night if you wish. Clearly you're in no condition to travel. You may even be ill. You may stay in the barn if you wish. The loft area is clean. Be sure not to startle the horses. Duncan will fetch you when breakfast is ready and you work off your stay by helping me mend the fence." He didn't wait for a yes or no. Eric stood near the door and looked from Graham to Matt and back to Graham. The larger man seems to know more and be the one with his wits about him.

"Thank you for helping Arianna." He nodded to Graham and offered some dried meat and a loaf of bread. "Mead is in the jug there if you wish and water in that jug." Eric set it all together and half smiled. "Off with ya now. Work starts early around here and I need to tend to my wife now."
 
"What dream? What was your dream?" Matt asked, but Eric was already taking Arianna to bed. Well, he would ask her in the morning. As it was, he probably looked like a crazy person, talking to no one. But she had talked to him and that made him happy. He watched Eric put the little girl to bed, following their every movement with his eyes.

As everyone made their way to bed and Eric handed out instructions and food, Graham helped Matt stand up from the fire. The smaller man winced as feeling was beginning to come back into his feet and hands and it burned. Graham took the bundle of food from Eric, nodding politely and helped lead Matt out to the barn, making sure to keep the blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"She talked to me," Matt murmured once they got outside.

Graham nodded. "She talked to me too."

"She did?" Matt was surprised. Graham was a complete stranger to Arianna. So why had she chosen to talk to him, but not the family that she stayed with? She knew them better than Graham, or at least she knew Duncan. "She wants to fly," Matt stated.

The barn was in no way warm but it was shelter from the wind and there was straw, which was insulating. The pair made their way to the loft and burrowed into the straw, finally able to be close since they arrived. They shared the bread and meat and Graham explained the importance of them keeping their distance when around other people. Matt seemed disappointed but he nodded in understanding. When they were finished eating, they huddled close and covered themselves with the two blankets. Sleep washed over them quickly after all the exertions of the day.

Just before falling asleep, Matt let out a giggle, his breath warm against Graham's neck where his face rested. "What?" the older man asked, puzzled, but always so happy to hear Matt's unique brand of laughter.

"Dominique."

"After Dom?" Graham asked.

Matt nodded, giggling again. "Dominique. That'll be the baby's name."
 
In the crisp morning air the soft footsteps and hushed breathing of someone small went nearly unnoticed as Arianna slipped from the cottage and out to the barn. She had found a way to get the heave door open with help from the chair and a large spoon. It was a make shift way to pry the door open and it worked. She wiggled her way out and into the yard. The door slipped shut behind her with the softest click. Duncan slept right through it as did everyone else in the house.

She made for the barn and slipped inside by way of the small door used by the ducks and chickens on the side. She fit perfectly under the fence and since the animals knew Arianna's scent they didn't fear her. Making her way around them she spied the pair sleeping up in the loft and giggled. Shivering from the cold she tried to stay focused and looked up at them. Her little boots woke the dust beneath her feet.

"Fly?' She spoke softly to Matt. It was in his mind naturally but she hoped he would hear her. "I… I want to fly now." She told him once more and waited for him to say something or to move even. The other man was up there he had to be.

On her tip toes she tried to see them but from the ground it was impossible. Biting her lower lip she looked to the ladder and sighed. After some debate she went for it. Taking one step at a time and holding on real tight to each rung she inched her way up. About half away up she stopped. It was hard work with one good arm helping her. Looking down scared her half to death and that was a huge mistake.

"Oh NO!!!" she started to cry. "I want to fly… fflllyy... not fall... Matts... my flyer wakeee up!" She demanded with a pout. Sniffling she was mad but determined and stood on the ladder caught somewhere between the ground and him she was in the middle and too scared to keep going or go back down.
 
Arianna's childlike voice filtered into Matt's dreams, though his sleep was very heavy, but it was Graham who woke to her crying. He glanced at Matt and furrowed his brow, then crawled to the edge of the loft and looked over the ledge. He spotted Arianna hanging on the ladder and made a little noise in his throat. "Oh little girl, that's not safe for you right now." He reached a strong arm down to her and gripped her wrist, hoisting her up to the loft with one swift movement. "You shouldn't be climbing with only one good arm, do you understand? You could get more hurt. You said Matt was your flyer, yeah?" He sat the little girl down in the straw. "Your arm has to heal before you can fly." Graham glanced back at Matt again. "Besides I don't know that he's very well right now."

Graham scooted back in the straw again touching his hand against Matt's too hot skin and sighed, then gently shook his shoulder to wake him. "Hey, wake up, someone came to visit you."

Matt blinked awake, bleary and confused. Fine beads of sweat glistened on his forehead but he sat up, pleased to see Arianna. "I missed you," he said, "Trust me I tried to get back to you as fast as I could, I'm sorry I left you, I'm so so sorry." Carefully he scooted closer to Arianna and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

Eventually, Graham ushered everyone out of the loft. Carefully, he hoisted Arianna on his back, and carried her down the ladder swiftly, then helped Matt down. Matt was shivering a bit, but he held Arianna's hand as they walked to the cottage. Once inside, Graham immediately pushed Matt and Arianna toward the fire, added a few logs, then sought the bottle of mead and poured a glass for Matt. He handed it to him. "It'll be good for you, help you get better faster. You'll stay inside and rest today."

"But the fence-"

"I'll take care of it."

Matt paused with the glass of mead halfway to his lips, then nodded and sipped at it, putting an arm around Arianna and pulling her close.
 
Arianna looked up at Matt and rubbed her nose with her sore arm and naturally made a face. A whimper came next as she held it close. "It hurts." She told him softly. Her eyes started to water but she tried not to cry. Now that Matt was back she was trying to be stronger.

"I want to fly." Arianna told him. The look in her eyes was set. "I want too…" She was about to say more but the bedroom door opened and Eric stepped out. Arianna gasped and ran under the table.

"Are you alright? Where's the child?" His voice was gruff as he stood there with his ax in his hand and his hair a mess. He must have slept soundly since only now did he wake up.

Duncan was still out to the world and snoring even. Arianna whimpered under the table and bumped her head. "Come out from there you." He called to her. "Get back over to him if that's where you wish to be. I'm not mad. As long as you're alright. You feeling well then?" He looked from Matt to Graham and back to Matt as he spoke and moved about.

He stepped out strecthing and popping his neck then shut the door. Yawning and making his way over to the fireplace he set the kettle and started to get things going to make a meal. His heavy footfalls rattled the wooden floor boards.

"Duncan… Duncan don't be lazy now, get up. Fetch some eggs and milk. Go on now." He tapped the edge of Duncan's bed and only got a moan and huff as Duncan rolled over in protest. "I'm tired." He mumbled.
 
"Of course it hurts, silly," Matt said, his voice sounding slightly stuffy. He tapped her nose with his finger and giggled. "You've got to stop moving your arm if you want it to heal pwoperly. Let me take a look at it." He gently took her arm and pulled it towards him, pushing on her shoulder so she would kneel in front of him. Carefully he unwrapped the bandage to look at the wound, then told her a story as he dug in his pouch for some medicine to put on it.

"One time I was on stage. Uhm, that means I was playing my guitar for lots of people. Loads. I bet there were more people there than there are in this whole country right now. We were maybe a quarter of the way through the set and I was getting really excited, running around and jumping up and down and such. Music can be really exciting sometimes," he explained as he studied the medical contents of the pouch. He found an alcohol swab and knew that it would sting, but it was important to keep the wound clean, especially if Arianna kept opening it up. "This is going to sting a bit," he said, "but you can hang on to my hand really really tight if it hurts too much. Scream your bloody little head off if it helps, really. I pwomise it's necessary and will help you heal quicker, yeah?" He opened the package and gave Arianna his free hand, then continued his story as a means to distract her while he cleaned the cut.

"Anyway, I got real excited, yeah? And the next thing I knew I smashed my guitar up into my face. It hurt but at first I didn't think anything was wrong. Thought I'd just have a bit of bruising later." He carefully dabbed the alcohol swab against Arianna's skin. "Turns out I'd split my lip wide open. It was a big mess and I was bleeding all over the stage." He squeezed her hand as he brushed the cotton against the cut. "We had to stop the show and I ended up having to get stitches in my lip to hold the cut together." He made quick work of cleaning her cut, then dug around for an ointment to treat the skin with. "Which is what will happen to your arm if you don't stop moving it and let it heal on it's own, missy." Carefully he smoothed the ointment over her skin, then found a fresh bandage and wrapped her arm tightly, but not so much as to cut off her circulation. Once he'd finished, he pulled Arianna into his lap, holding her close and wrapping her into the blanket that was around his shoulders. He coughed and sleepiness began to overwhelm him.

Graham had watched this scene unfold in front of him and he had to admit he was seeing a side of Matt that he had never seen before. Matt could be very childlike at times, not that he didn't love every aspect of Matt, but this surprised him. This Matt was tender and caring and very unselfish around Arianna. Watching them together made Graham's heart swell with love towards Matt, and he watched them with a tender and loving expression on his face. He could see that Matt was getting tired, however, and approached them. "Let me see what other kinds of goodies you've got in that bag of yours, shall we?" Graham asked, plucking the bag up from Matt's side and digging through it. He was amazed at how much the bag could hold. A guitar even, much to his surprise and joy, as Graham also played the guitar. He also found a packet of paracetamol and popped the pills out of their plastic, passing them to Matt with a glass of water. "Here, you, we've got to keep you healthy too," he said with a smile, his eyes dancing in the fire.

Once he'd seen to Matt, Graham stood, addressing Eric. "I am well, but I don't think he will be able to help with the fence today. I will be sure to do the work of two men to make up for it. Can I help with anything else? I make a mean egg in a hole," he said, before realizing this may not be a common term for this time period. "It's-ah- an egg, fried in bread. Have you tried it before?"
 
As Matt cleaned her Arianna's wound his story telling worked and only a few times did she gasp and wince from the pain. When he was all done she looked just as exhausted as he was and gladly curled up in the blankets with him. With her eyes struggling to stay open and her head wobbling Arianna looked around the room. Her stomach growled but she ignored it. With a sudden thump she passed out into Matt's chest.

Duncan on the other hand woke up with a groan and looked around. His once quite home was not filled with people and he looked grumpy. "You're up at last I see. Fetch yourself some food and come on then. We have some help today, you're lucky." Eric winked at Matt and gave him a nod approving of his care for Arianna.

"Don't let that one out of your sight. She might try and give you lip about beating her wings too soon. I won't have it. I won't. They hunt her kind around here I'll have you know." Nodding once more Eric sighed and looked to Graham.

"What's this egg in the home or hole or what was it again? I don't think I've ever heard of that but we have potatoes and eggs sure. I believe we even have…" His words were cut off by a sudden wail of crying and Eric rolled his eyes.

"Eh, I won't be long." He started towards the bedroom and closed the door. The baby was crying then it stopped but he didn't come out nor did Orei. It was quite and that was all that mattered. Duncan looked at the men and then Arianna.

"So you're going to take her back to the cave is that and who are you?" He was snippy and moody. Yanking on his boots and coat. "I don't like that you left Sir Matt, or Matt. You left her and she got hurt. She cried all the time and she won't talk." He was in a huff. "She won't even talk to me!" Duncan ran out and slammed the door.

Eric came out of the bedroom to see was going on. "Duncan?" He looked around the room but didn't see his son. "Where did he go?"
 
Matt sighed as he watched Duncan storm off. Graham on the other hand chuckled a bit. "Is that the one you said was a bit like you?" Matt replied with only an exasperated glare. "Only saying I see the resemblance," Graham said, lifting his hands placatingly. "I'll go help him gather eggs and milk," Graham offered, pulling on his own boots and stepping out into the cold morning. Matt lay down on his side by the hearth, gently lowering Arianna so that her head rested on his arm. He pulled the blanket tightly around the pair and closed his eyes, done with fighting the tiredness of his body that illness usually brought.

When Graham came back in, he was whistling and immediately set about preparing breakfast for the whole house. He gently moved Matt and Arianna away from the fire so that he could access it more easily. He made quick work of cutting slices of bread and punching out careful holes in their centers. He found a pot which he could use to fry the bread and eggs on and arranged the bread across it's surface, then cracked eggs and poured the contents into the holes of the bread. "Nothing beats fresh eggs," he said conversationally to Eric and Matt, who blinked his eyes open and smiled at him.

"I'll see if I can find us a place at an inn once I finish helping with the fence," Graham suggested while he carefully prodded the egg.

"But maybe she wants to go home," Matt mumbled sleepily. "We should take her to her cave. We could stay there... and that way she can be in whatever form she wants to be in."

Graham and Matt both glanced over at Eric, unsure.

"Was Duncan outside?" Matt asked.

"Sure. But I thought I'd let him be for a bit," Graham said, his eyes twinkling a bit as he served the eggs onto plates, one for everyone in the house.

Matt gently prodded Arianna as he sat up. "Do you want food, Arianna?" he asked softly.
 
Arianna didn't reply but Orei did as she stepped out into the room looking very tired. "I will have some it smells great." She was blushed a little she walked towards them holding the baby close.

"Darling you should have waited for me." Eric nearly ran to her side and took the baby from her. "Here take my seat here by the fire. Let me get you a blanket." Holding the child with just one hand he got to work wrapping Orei in a blanket with the other. He was clearly very worried about her. "Are you warm enough?"

"Yes love I'm fine, I'm fine, please don't worry so much." Orei looked up at Eric and touched his cheek. They exchanged a glance and he let her be. "It smells wonderful, what did you make?" Orei was looking over the table at all that there was and then over to Graham. Her eyes sparkled with in the light as she spoke to him. "Thank you for this, its most kind." Her cheeks warmed once more and she had to look away. Eric cleared his throat and looked at Graham then his wife. "Yes well it's good for a man to cook. I've cooked for you before. You remember don't you?"

Giggling Orei nodded and then made a sour face as soon as he moved around and couldn't see her. "Yes it was some time ago dear. Yes." Orei smiled.
 
Matt ate quietly, finishing his toast and egg quickly and trying not to disturb Arianna as he did so. Once he finished he carefully scooted himself and Arianna closer to the fire again and curled back up in the blanket to go back to sleep. Despite not feeling well, he sighed happily. He was more content than he had been in a long time. He had Arianna close to him and Graham was here. He was happier here than he had been at home in the last few years. He found he enjoyed this simple life with no technology much more, though not having another, better, older Matt to compete with helped too. This was his world and this was where he felt he belonged. Truth be told if he really were stuck here until the end of time, he probably wouldn't have much to complain about. With these thoughts on his mind, he slept peacefully.

Once everyone had finished eating, Graham busied himself with cleaning up, eager to help out around the house and not be a burden to the family that had taken them in. He chuckled at Orei, who clearly did not like Eric's cooking much. Once he'd finished, he glanced over at Matt and smiled. Matt had his nose buried in Arianna's hair and was smiling in his sleep. It made Graham happy to see Matt happy, because it had been so rare before.

"Ready when you are, sir," Graham said to Eric, shrugging his jacket on. He glanced out the window, checking to see if Duncan was coming back inside or not. He saw that snow was beginning to fall.
 
Eric turned to Graham and smiled. "Ah yes the fence needs some work it does. I have the tools out in the barn. Come with me. We can have the horse and wagon all tied together here in short order. I'm sure Duncan has the animals fed." Taking hold of the door Eric wasted no time on leading the way.

The yard had a thin blanket of snow. It was undisturbed telling Eric that Duncan wasn't outside. He looked around for the boy but didn't see him. "You did say that Duncan was out here did you not?" His brow was raised as he spoke.

Across the yard the barn door was open just a crack and the animals within moved about. Warm air called to them as the snow started to fall harder and faster. Eric looked up at the sky and then down the road. "I don't like this weather. I believe a storm might be coming in. I best head into the village and get the news. Duncan have better be in the barn. That boy has a temper about him, that much I know and can't cure, that's for sure."

Marching towards the humble building Eric made his way unsure of what he would find within. Back inside Arianna shifted around and slowly woke up. She was nose to nose with Matt. "Fly?" she asked him softly and then yawned nearly in his face. Her soft breath just barely blowing into his face as she wiggled.
 
Graham followed Eric out into the cold. "I did see him out here. He went into the barn, but I thought I'd let him be. I know someone who can act verrry similar at times so experience speaks for itself." He chuckled. "And if I'm going to be completely honest, that someone probably wouldn't be much use repairing a fence either," Graham smiled fondly, then fell back into his quiet seriousness, awaiting instruction and tools. He had never repaired a fence before, though he thought he would be able to figure it out easily enough. He stepped into the warm barn after Eric.

Inside Arianna's stirring barely woke Matt. He tried to sleep on in peace, his weariness too great. Finally, her wiggling woke him enough that he mumbled that she couldn't fly yet, and he promptly fell back into his slumber, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. "Go back to sleep," he mumbled, scooting closer to the fire still. "'s too cold anyway."
 
Arianna didn't like the answer she was giving and wiggled out from the blanket. She was able to get herself free and climbed out and over his legs. Rubbing her eyes she looked around at the now nearly empty cottage and wondered around. She could hear Orei and the baby in the other room and went to investigate. Pushing the door open she could see her giving the baby a warm bath in a small tub. Orei had her strength back and her magical glow was about her. Something so special and tender protected her and the baby. A soft coo gave away Arianna's presence and Orei turned to see her standing there.

"Come on in little one. I see you're not sleeping you can help here." Wide eyed Arianna made her way over to the bed to get a better look at the baby. She had never seen one so close. It was so small. Sniffing the air and peering over the end of the bed Arianna was in pure wonder of the tiny human. "It's a human Arianna, a very small one." Orei explained.

Out in the barn Duncan sat curled up in the loft sniffling and angry. He was still in a huff when he heard the men coming. Scrambling up to his feet he tried to hide his emotions before Eric saw him. Eric knew him better by now. "Come down from there lad. No use trying to hide. Snow is falling and we have but 3 or 4 hours of good light. Now come on. Fetch the post. We won't need but 4 or 5. Graham here looks like he has a strong back. We should be done before supper." Eric went about gathering tools and putting things in the wagon. Then he hitched up the horse and pushed open the barn doors. Duncan moved around in silence. Not once did he say a word but nodded and softly grunted here and there to Eric's orders.
 
Graham helped load the posts into the wagon as well as grabbed some other tools that Eric pointed out. He then helped in harnessing the horse to the wagon by watching carefully what Eric was doing. As they made their way down the fence the work came easily. The holes for the posts were already in place so it was simply a matter of placing the new posts in and reattaching the cross boards. Graham's strength made the work easy though the increasing cold made it harder. He would be glad to sit by the fire to warm up after the work was finished. He watched Duncan carefully while he worked. He must be very angry with Matt that he remained so silent. He wished he could explain but was unsure if it was his place to do so. How much did these people know about Matt? It seemed only that he had a responsibility for Arianna and not much about his origins. He tried to be friendly toward Duncan, however, and smiled and helped him as much as he could. He did little for conversation, focusing mostly on the task at hand and when it was all done he felt accomplished.

"Good work," he praised Duncan, wanting to be sure that someone appreciated his hard work. He was obedient, and that could be a good quality.

As they walked back to the cottage, Graham wondered if Matt was feeling any better. They would have to find an inn tonight. He didn't feel worried about money. It seemed Matt had quite a bit of it in his bag though he was unsure where it had come from. Matt rarely had money, though even in current times Graham suspected that Matt had quite a bit of money put away somewhere, however one would never know it with the humble lifestyle Matt lived. At least that was what Dom had told him. That Matt didn't even know how much money he had and took no interest in finding out. Still it did not explain the money in the pouch. Or the pouch's existence for that matter.

When they returned to the cottage and everything had been put away they found Matt had woken and even helped boil water for tea, which he was sipping by the fire still wrapped in the blanket. He was happily watching Arianna with Orei and the baby.
 
The moment they were back in the cottage Eric went to check on his wife while Duncan remained outside with the animals in the barn. He didn't want to come inside even if it was warmer. Stubborn as an ox or mule or any other animal he remained outside. With a small ax he chopped wood to stay active even though they didn't really need any. The chunks of wood that he was making weren't very big and they would be useful for only kindling but Eric said nothing and again let the boy be. Some things just can't be changed.

Walking past Matt he only gave him a nod and then went to his wife and the two girls. "Hello my love. How is the little one doing? Have you named her yet? We can't wait too much longer now can we?" Kissing her softly he smiled at Arianna then picked her up. "And you missy, have you eaten yet? How's that arm of yours? Let's have a look shall we." Eric got to work with Arianna as Orei went past him and over to Matt.

"So Matt would you like to name her after all or shall I call upon the Gods tonight? I don't mind. I just thought it fitting since well. You did save us both and you came into our lives. We owe you so much. I can't name a girl Matt or I would." She giggled. "However Mattie could work." She looked over at Eric and he huffed. "Oh perhaps not." She smiled down warmly and offered him the child. "Would you like to hold her as I cook? And where is Duncan hasn't he come inside yet?"
 
Matt took the baby carefully, glancing up at Orei nervously, unsure of how to hold her. "Save you? I haven't saved anyone..." he protested. But as the warm weight of the infant fell into his arms, he quieted and began cooing down at the baby, a paternal instinct overcoming him. He glanced at the door, feeling guilty, that maybe he should talk to Duncan, try to reason with him. He had seen the alien once. Maybe he would understand...

Because being abducted by aliens was about as believable as the dog eating the homework.

He sighed and looked back down at the baby. "Are you a Dominique? Hmm?" he cooed. "Do you like that name? Will you go on to do great things? I think yes. My friend Dom, he does great things, and he has a good family like yours." He looked up at Orei, unsure if she approved. "Dominique?"

Graham kneeled next to Matt, picking up the pouch again, searching in it for money. "We'll need to find an inn tonight."

With that, Matt glanced at Arianna over with Eric.

"Can we bring her with?" he asked quietly.
 
"NO!" Duncan cut Eric off and snaps at Matt. "You're not taking her away." He stood near his bed with his arms across his chest. Eric was shocked by this and just looked at the boy.

"Duncan, how dare you." Orei looked at him and went towards him. "How dare you say that to him? Arianna belongs to him. She is his…" Orei was about to say more but was once more cut off.

"She belongs to no one. Not even me. She is a dragon have you forgotten that. She could eat us all up and you made her cry. You left us. You left you dragon behind to die. She got hurt because of you. She can't fly because of you." Duncan pointed at Matt with pure anger.

Eric had enough. "Out boy, NOW!" Marching over to him Eric was at Duncan in no more than two strides. Grabbing him by the collar and dragging him outside where the two took on a shouting match all the way to the barn. Orei was near tears and looked at Matt.

"I'm sorry for my son is so very much like his father in that he won't get over things. He just won't. I'm so very sorry. Graham dear there is an inn in the village. It's not far. They have good rooms and good hearty food. Take Arianna, she will like it I'm pretty sure…" Orei turned to look for Arianna but didn't see her.

"Where did she go?" Looking around the room she didn't see her. "Matt? She was right here where is she…" Letting out a sigh Orei spotted the tail and went towards her bedroom. With all the shouting Duncan did Arianna got scared and nearly changed once more. "Come on little one its ok."

Arianna was half under the bed with only her tail sticking out. "Well come on." She tried but couldn't reach her. "Arianna…" Sighing hard she gave up. "Graham could you help me, I can't reach her and I can't pull her tail."
 
Matt cringed as Duncan yelled at him. He quietly got to his feet and took every word that the boy threw at him. He had to be honest with himself. If he were in Duncan's shoes, he would probably react the same way. It was hard to feel abandoned. Matt dropped his gaze guiltily to the floor. "He's right," he said, "She doesn't belong to anyone. She's her own, person, er, dragon. And please don't be too upset with him. He has good reason to be angry. And he's protective of her," he nodded at Arianna, even though she was under the bed.

He approached the bed instead of Graham. "She should get to choose where she wants to be and who she wants to be with." He lay down on the floor and gazed under the bed, pushing his small arm under and offering Arianna his hand. He smiled at her. "Hey it's okay, kid, you know Duncan. He gets a little moody. You should be getting used to that by now, hey?" He took her hand and helped her out from under the bed.

"Where do you want to go? Do you want to stay here? Do you want to go back to your cave? We could go to an inn here in town. It's up to you."
 
[posting Drew's response as received in pm]

At long last Arianna spoke to only Matt and into his mind. Softly her voice came to him. If only above a whisper, "I want to go home." A tiny sniffle came from under the bed as a little hand reached out for his. "Don't leave me again, promise." She waited for him to reply. Her hand was shaking as the rest of her feared being left behind once more. It was too hard to go back and forth. Too hard to think of where she should be and who she should be all the time. All she knew was that she wanted to be with him.

"Ok?"

[as well as my response]

Matt squeezed Arianna's hand and gave her a smile. "I can't make that promise. Only because I can't predict what that zeta will do. And I won't make promises I can't keep. But here's a promise I can keep, yeah? I won't let you out of my sight any more. And if I do get taken away for whatever unforeseen circumstances, I promise that I will always come back. I will find any way that I can to get back to you, okay? I love you, little girl. I wouldn't ever do that to you on purpose, okay? Mm- hang on-" he said, grunting a bit and wiggling backwards out from under the bed.

He rushed to the pouch and dug through it, pulling out a piece of twine, then hurried back to Arianna. "Here, how's this. I'll tie this end around my wrist. And this end," he said pulling out a decent length and breaking it with his teeth. "This end goes around your wrist." Gently he tied a loose knot around Arianna's wrist. "Okay? This way we're always together. That's how you know I'm with you."

He squeezed her hand again and helped her out from under the bed. "And we can go back home to your cave and you can be a dragon and we can go fly when your arm is better. And if you still want we can go find Teignmouth. Or we can stay here. Whatever you want."
 
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