Shortly after the caravan got underway, with the smoke from the recently-extinguished bonfire still sharp in her nostrils, Ymantha sat on the rear step of her wagon, her shawl pulled tightly around her shoulders. The uneven road surface caused the whole caravan to pitch and tilt, but Ymantha was used to the motion after so many years, and adjusted automatically. Every so often a noise would sound from inside, and she would cast a glance over her shoulder to make sure everything was alright, before turning back to staring at the road.
The caravan came to its first halt of the day, though it was impossible to tell what time it was. Grolf had put forth the theory years ago that they stopped when Upai said to stop, and that seemed as likely a theory as any. Ymantha sighed at the thought of Grolf, remembering things that were best left in the past. She stood suddenly, shaking her head, and went into the wagon to check and make sure there were no issues.
After a moment, the noise of an argument broke out, heading towards Ymantha's wagon. By the time the instigators arrived, she was already back out, the door to her wagon closed carefully behind her.
"Ladies... what seems to be the trouble this morning?" she asked.
The argument rose in volume, but both parties were trying to shout down the other, so no useful information was forthcoming. Ymantha had heard it all before, and knew she simply had to wait it out.
"Can't BELIEVE- Well YOU were the one who- Baker's son!- In your DREAMS would he ever- Primping and preening for HOURS..." The volume slowly died down and the two sisters looked at Ymantha, having finally run out of steam.
"Ymantha! Were you around the second night in the last town?" one of them asked.
Ymantha pondered for a moment before responding.
"I don't believe so. One of my lovelies was acting strangely and I wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong."
The sisters exchanged a glance at that, and the one who had spoken first nodded slowly to her sister, who took the cue and spoke in a more conciliatory manner.
"We'd forgotten, Ymantha, and we're sorry. It all turned out to be OK, though, right?"
Ymantha smiled, the smaller scales around her mouth rippling slightly with the motion, and nodded slowly. Before she could speak, the second sister continued on.
"Good! So, Kyrra says that the baker's son was making eyes at her, but I keep telling her he was CLEARLY interested in me, and we were wondering if you-"
"HAH!" interrupted Kyrralynn. "You WISH, Moirra! His eyes were on me All. Night. Long."
Moirralynn glared at her sister with malice, clearly about to rebut the claim, but Ymantha held up a hand placatingly.
"Please, girls, you'll scare my lovelies. Is it possible that this young man was interested in the both of you?"
The sisters blinked in unison, clearly dumbstruck at the idea. Then they turned to each other appraisingly, trying on the idea. Ymantha breathed a quiet sigh of relief when a grin started to grow on the sisters' faces.
"I bet that's what it was!" chirped Moirralynn happily. Kyrralynn nodded enthusiastically, then turned a smile onto Ymantha.
"Thanks so much, Ymantha! You're the best!" she enthused.
Ymantha nodded, still smiling at their antics as they turned and made their way back towards their own wagon, still squabbling, but in a much friendlier tone. Ymantha watched closely as their large form retreated. Of all of them who had been... changed... the sisters were the hardest for her to fathom. Two beautiful girls... sharing a single body from the necks down. Ymantha ran a self-conscious hand around to her own back, absent-mindedly, then jerked her hand back to her side at the sound of the whistle signalling it was time to get back underway.
Ymantha rushed back inside to make sure her lovelies were secure and comfortable, her clawed feet scraping against the lower step in her haste, leaving another set of grooves in the ancient wood.
-GM Quilic
Subscriptions Team Member
Premium Team Member
