Blessings Of A Curse - 2012 USA Edition - chunk 05 (standard:fantasy, 9409 words) [5/6] show all parts
Author: Wayne Edward Clarke	Added: May 07 2012	Views/Reads: 2314/2287	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Part 5

“My betrothed, your chariot awaits!” she announced with a giggle and a
sweeping gesture of presentation.  “We will keep it at this height 
above the ground, and start at walking speed, increasing speed only as 
you get used to it, and as you learn to trust it.” 

“All right.” Mark agreed with a grin as he tested it with his foot.  It
didn't move at all under his weight, so he sat down sideways in the 
chair, swung his legs onto the leg rest, and leaned back.  The chair 
was severely reclined, though the headrest supported his head in a 
vertical position so it was easy to watch where they were going.  He 
was gratified to find that he could get a good grip on the armrests, 
and that the footboard was positioned against his soles so he could 
brace himself solidly with his feet and his shoulders.  “Wow!  It's 
very comfortable!” he said as he settled in.  “I think this could 
really be fun, as long as we stay low like this!” 

“Ah.  One more detail.” Alilia nodded, and Summoned a wooden trunk of a
similar style to the platform from her distant home.  She placed it on 
the platform behind the chair, and she concentrated again as she cast 
spells to attach it solidly to the platform, and to recolor it slightly 
to match. 

“Good thinking!” Nemia laughed, and she loaded Mark's possessions as
well as her own barbering and tailoring supplies into the trunk, and 
Talia settled into Mark's lap with her back to him. 

“And if the rest of you would allow me?” Alilia asked as she rose a foot
into the air. 

The others nodded their agreement, and they all rose a foot into the
air, though they stood as if on solid ground. “And we're off!” Talia 
gaily announced, and pointed her finger forward.  The platform smoothly 
accelerated to the speed of a brisk walk, and the others faced forward 
as they floated along, maintaining their same formation close around 
the platform. 

As they reached the path leading up to the pass, Mark announced; “This
is fine!  You can go faster if you want!” 

“All right.  I will gradually accelerate to the speed of a galloping
horse.  Just tell me if you want to slow down.” 

Soon they were flying up the path fast enough to make Mark's heart race,
his hair and beard blowing behind.  The platform remained level front 
to rear despite the increasing slope, it's front remaining one foot 
above the path at the closest, it's rear higher, and Talia skillfully 
tilted it from side to side at the curves in the path, so they didn't 
slide sideways in the seat. 

Mark let out a wordless shout of exhilaration, and released his grip on
the armrests so he could hug Talia around her tummy, and she promptly 
laid her arms along his huge fore-arms and squeezed them tight. 

“You like this?” she teased with a giggle. 

“Yes, a lot!  I'd have thought there'd be more wind!” 

“I'm deflecting most of it, though a bit of it is fun!  Would you care
to try the pace of a falcon on a long flight?  I assure you it's 
perfectly safe.” 

“Sure!” he laughed in joyous excitement, and they smoothly accelerated
again. “Oh Wow!  Oh wow!” he called as the ground flashed past. 

“I must admit,” Yazadril commented with a thrill in his voice, “I've
often flown faster, but doing so this close to the ground is very 
exciting!” 

“So it is!” Theramin laughed. 

In only moments they were above the tree line, then moving over bare
rock as the slope reached it's steepest. 

“The Sentries know we're coming.” Dilimon calmly informed them.  “They
won't be in the way.  They tell me that the path is clear as far as 


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