The Time of the Hidden

Through Plans and Doubts

I woke up the next morning to footsteps. Lifting my head from the pillow, I brushed the hair from my eyes to find Theo standing near the foot of my bed.

"Hey, Theo... what are you doing?"

A small smile crept on his face, "I just came to wake you," he leaned against a bed post. "We have a meeting with Mariah this morning, and I wanted to get some exercise in before hand."

I sat up in the bed with a sigh, "Alright, I'll be out in a sec."

Theo moved from the post to me, and curled a finger around a strand of my tail. "And remember, lose the tail." When he pulled away, I noticed a smudge of ink on the side of his hand. Watching him walk out in his human form, I already missed the sway of his tail. 

I got ready, and went out to find Theo and Flynn leaning against the hallway railing. We exited Almera, and entered the green narrow valley. It was shaded, cool, and refreshing in the trees. Stretching my body, I took a breath of the sweet air.

"Ready for a quick run?" Theo glanced at me.

"You betcha." Running had always been my thing, I could beat almost every guy in my class. I might just surprise these two boys.

Theo and I began running, and I was actually keeping pace with him. Flynn caught up with us, "Hey Theo, race you." and just like that, Flynn was off.

Theo flashed me an apologetic look before speeding off after him. It wasn't long before they were a ways ahead if me. Of course they're both insanely fast! Eventually I caught up to them, both leaning against a large boulder.

"I don't know....what you're...talking about," Flynn said between huffs, "I won."

Theo was exhaling a deep breath, the replied, "Pretty sure I touched the rock first."

"You must be delusional, I touched it first." Flynn finally caught his breath.

"If that's what you need to make you feel better, then sure, you won."

Flynn kicked Theo in the leg.

I sat down next to them leaning against the boulder. After calming my breathing, Theo handed me the water.  Taking one mouth full to moisten my mouth, I spit it out then took one satisfying drink.

"Ready to head back?" Theo stood up, giving Flynn and I a hand. We ran back to Almera, and met Mariah in her study.

She greeted us with a smile as we entered. "Please take a seat," she motioned her hand to a round table with chairs tucked in.

Flynn pulled a chair out, sitting slightly slouched with his ankles crossed in front of him. "So what's the situation with this princess?" I took a seat next Flynn, and Theo sat besides me, back straight and legs spread.

The calm smile at Mariah's lips hadn't left from the moment we walked in, and didn't seem it would ever take leave.

Mariah walked up to the table with a large rolled up parchment. "The Princess of Cathyious lives a highly sheltered life," Mariah began, "And her mother, Queen Calenya, hasn't been willing to release her from that life just yet. I've gone to the capital many times, trying to convince Calenya to allow her daughter to join me, but failed. So we may have to resort to a more... intrusive method."

"So you want us to sneak in and kidnap her?" Flynn said.

"Well if it has to resort to that, yes. And that is why we are having this meeting. Although, I want this to be a plan B. I want you three to talk to Calenya before. Just have you three in front of her might be enough to convince her, showing that this mission has began to turn into a reality."