Forbidden Quest (13 page)

"How did you find me?" Nicole asked, studying his face.

“
I
followed an owl." Jack smiled softly.
feeling
the exhaustion wash over him.  Nicole only smiled, her dark eyes twinkling in the pale light
.
"Who's your friend?" Jack continued, reaching toward the fox.

Springing from her lap, the small animal scurried off  and disappeared into the brush
.
Nicole's eyes followed it filled with laughter. "I guess he isn’t in a social mood.”  She whispered, turning toward him
and  reaching
out to caress his wavy brown hair .

“But you have been, all day.”  Jack reached out to take her hand in his.  Jack felt the warmth of her palm brush against his ear a
s
Nicole ran her fingers through
his
hair.  

“Have I?’  She asked, studying his face.

“I’ve never seen you so . . . relaxed, so carefree.”

“Carefree, that’s the perfect word for how I feel.”  Nicole answered, her hand exploring the contours of his back as she moved down onto the grass beside him. “All the tension and stress that I’ve carried with me for so long has vanished.  I
don’t
feel that surging force inside me. 
I’ve
always felt driven, impatient for what the next step is supposed to be.  As if I should be accomplishing something, striving to better myself, to better world every
moment .
  I actually
can’t
remember a time when I wasn’t compelled to be the best at everything.  Now suddenly, just because
I’m
here, in this ‘world’, I’m free.  Free of my anger, free of my inhibitions, free from the life I’ve worked so hard to build.”  Nicole stared up at the stars, shaking her head in wonder.  “For the life of me Jack
.
I can even remember why I was so driven.”  Nicole leaned closer and nuzzled his neck
,  “
Why is that Jack?  What is it about Dr. Strong and this imaginary world that has finally allowed me to forget all the crap that insisted on building my life around?” 

“Are you so sure Dr. Strong did that
”  Jack’s
eyes narrowed.

“You think I liberated myself?  That I’m taking liberties with my psyche under the mask of this elfin personality?”  Nicole smiled at him. 
“Very deductive, Jack.”

"Not at all Nicole.
  You think this is some fantastic game where anything goes. " Jack growled.
"
You
haven’
t
escaped from anything.  You're so hyped on turning this into a million dollar
investment,
you’ve forgotten that we return to reality in a few hours.”

“Relax, Jack.
"
Nicole smiled softly as she leaned back against the log.

"Reality, Nicole. You remember it
?
It's where you'll have to explain to Tom what you were doing ten seconds ago."

"Tom . . . that was a mistake, Jack
. A
big one for both of us.”
  Nicole turned and stared at him. "I wanted him
because  he
was stable, well educated and had connections in places I couldn't reach.  He wanted me because I'm old money and he needs the prestige.”  She gazed into his eyes, her smile returned. "But why am I explaining this to you?  You've known it all along."

"I never . . .”

"You didn't have to, Jack. Tom knew we both did and we
didn't
care.  It's
as close
to an  arranged marriage as you can get without walking down the aisle
.
"

The crickets filled the silence between them as they stared into the shadows. The wind rushed over the treetops, bringing with it a dampness that settled over the forest like a cool mist.

"I have liberated myself, Jack.”  She finished.

“Maybe, you’re always in control, Nicole.  I find it hard to believe
you’re
not holding your own now.  Dr. Strong may be guiding this journey, but he can't control every emotion we feel, not for 72 hours straight
.
He's got to take a break sometime
.
Our sleeping periods would be the perfect time for him to rest.
So
, the way I figure it, we're on our own for the next hour or so.  What
we're
feeling now are your own emotions, free from his influence.

“I've felt different from the moment we arrived here. Maybe it’s the elf character or the expectations of the adventure
.
I
don't
know and I don't care. 
I just h
ope I can carry this back with me.  For the first time in my
life
I can relax.  I can sit and listen, to the crickets, the water, the wind.  It doesn’t
matter what, all that matters is that I’m sitting still, perfectly still
.
No impatient, wiggling, twitching or tapping
.
I wish I could stay here, forever."

Jack's laughter filled the small clearing silencing the night sounds around them. "You and I have never been in sync. Here
you
are talking about harmony and contentment and all I feel is skepticism." Jack shook his head sadly. "Dr. Strong's made this seem too real for me. I'm having a hard time dealing with all the bloodshed . . . and your turnabout
.
I think we're running around the countryside like a band of psychotic killers, slashing and laughing
.
Jack's smile faded
as
he leaned forward to snatch a small rock from the bubbling water. "I think we've lost sight of the real adventure."

"We've reversed roles .
"
Nicole giggled. She took hold of his shoulder and pulled him gently back. "I was the cautious, dedicated leader and you were the carefree adventurer. Now I’m rushing into unknown encounters, throwing caution aside and you're
the
one hollering for us to stay on target
.
"

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt. If you and Hopper keep running off . . .”

“Okay, no more charging into the face of danger unless
it's
absolutely necessary.”  Nicole agreed.

Chuckling at her daughterly tone, Jack conceded and changed the subject. "Do you realize this is the first conversation we've had without
arguing.
"

"You mean without insulting each other.
"
Nicole corrected, grinning back at him in the darkness.

“I've never insulted you." Jack whispered, looking into her dark green eyes.

Nicole met his stare. "You're right, I
guess.  I have a habit of considering
whatever you say to be an insult because your comments are always so close to the mark. I am here to invest."

"There's nothing wrong with that.”

"I know." Nicole ran her fingers down his bare arm and caressed his hand. "Do you think we can be friends when we get back to reality
? "

"What are you going to tell Tom?"

"The truth, not like the last time.”

“Then I think we might have a chance.
"
Jack smiled. 

"I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with."
  Nicole admitted.

"Well, that’s
certainly
true.”  Jack answered putting his arm around her.

"
It's
just that I feel people should stop whining about their lives and make them into what they want them to be."

"Instead of treating your life like a big vacation."
  Jack cut
in .

"You completely frustrate me, Jack. You have no goals, no direction you just float around the world and enjoy yourself contentedly. Your life is completely unstructured.  Even
so,
you’ve always had everything you wanted and a dream of friends who care deeply about you and are always willing to bail you out of any situation you get yourself into."

Nicole sighed. "It infuriated me and at this moment I have no idea why."

The pair of adventurers sat quietly on the bank of the narrow brook, listening to the distant cry of the night.   A
raccoon appeared across the water carrying a small object in its paws.  Carefully, it danced across the rocks
on
the brook toward them. Stopping a few feet away, it surveyed them
?
Then walked up to Nicole, placed the object in her lap and scampered off.  Jack reached over, picked up the delicate oval and examined it.

"An egg," he frowned, glancing up at Nicole.

"Breakfast," She declared, smiling back at him.

“Well you’ll need a few dozen more to make a decent omelet." Jack smiled, "It's not big enough to feed a mouse."

"She was making a gesture," the dark-eyed elf explained. "She's a friend."

"Have you received many of these . .
.
gifts?"
Jack chuckled, handing her the tiny blue egg.

"The birds bring me flowers."

"That'
s
useful.”

Nicole smiled and glanced around, “Look, there through the trees
. "

"What?" Jack sat upright, reaching for his sword.

" It's
the doe that helped us escape."

Seeing the faint image of a deer in the shadows, Jack relaxed back against the log. The crickets continued their serenade.  Nicole pointed out the night creatures as they rushed to fulfill their  needs
.
A sudden flutter caught their attention as the white-faced owl
came to light
on the hollow log behind them.

“
That's
my buddy.
"
Jack explained.

The small owl cocked its head to one side and dropped
a
dead field mouse into Jack's lap then flew into the darkness.

Jack lifted the small sacrifice up by the tail and waited patiently for Nicole to stop laughing.

"A token of my esteem, My Lady.
"
He handed her the mouse
.
Accepting the gift , Nicole tossed it high into the air
.
The owl swept out from the trees, snatched it up and disappeared.

Staring after the tiny predator, as it vanished in the darkness, Nicole's thoughts went to her other self
.  
After a
moment
she turned back to Jack and smiled, softly.  She knew why Nicole Waters
was
angry with Jack.  His blue eyes, bright
smile
and quick wit
were
exactly what she needed but didn't want.  She cooed softly, reaching out to
caress
his bare shoulder. "Did you ever wonder what it would be like to kiss a wild woodland elf?"

"What?" He stared into her eyes.

"Woodland elves are sisters to the woodland nymphs.  Wouldn’t you like to experience the kiss of a magical nymph?"

" I
' m not sure what you're asking . . .”

Nicole leaned against him in the darkness.  The wind blew softly, flowing through her long black hair.
"The thought has crossed your mind.
Hasn't it, Jack?"  She whispered, slipping her arms around his
narrow waist.  “Tell me,
Jack.”

“Nicole . . ."   Jack growled, stiffening.

" I've
thought about it, Jack.  I never would have admitted that as Nicole Waters. But here in this world Nicole Waters doesn't exist
.
Only a woodland elf, one who wants to know what it's like to feel the warmth of your body close to hers.”  Nicole nestled against him, brushing her lips across his throat.

"Remember reality Nicole?" Jack cautioned. 

"Didn't you ever wonder what it would be like to make love to me, Jack?"

Jack grabbed Nicole’s arms by the wrists and pushed her back from him. "Reality," he growled.

"I haven't forgotten it, Jack.
"
She meeting his angry
gaze  “
It’s over with Tom.  I’m done pretending.”

Jack's arms surrounded her as he pulled her against him.

An uncontrollable fever ran through Nicole's small form. They fell back
onto
the grass clinging to one another.  Jack's lips traced the outline of Nicole's throat moving down to the softness of her breasts as
he unbuttoned her vest.  Nicole arched her back and pulled him closer.

"Stay with me tonight, Jack.” She whispered, breathlessly.