Nyx the Captain of the Guard

      “We can travel together,” Nyx quickly interjected before the king and queen could respond. “She won’t slow me down, I only worry I may slow her down.” He lied, he did worry but he did not want to let the Kougra go alone Surely though she was as stubborn as her sisters would not be dissuaded from going, and would waste value manpower sending his men with her with him leaving and others escorting Ash home. As far as he knew the Kougra was a dancer. He glanced in her direction and for a moment he was sure she heard his lie.

      “Very well,” the king answered. “Will you accompany them Xander?” Again the Lupe snorted in his teacup. This was followed by a brief coughing fit.

      “I respectfully decline, your highness,” He choked out between coughs. “Unless you command it.”

      “Of course not, Xander dear,” the queen answered. “Violet will need your support dear.”

      “Tell us what you will need Nyx.” The king commanded.

     ---

      Nyx left the dining hall, headed for the doors to the palace. He had spent the rest of the night looking for clues. Kookie had not joined him but he had glimpsed her a few times in the halls. She appeared to be looking for something but she was blind. She must not have been able to sleep, he'd to groan inwardly, predicting she would be tired the next morning.

      He was already frustrated by his lack of clues and now he could not find the Kougra. She had gone to bed long before he did but not before he asked her to meet him in the early hours of the morning. When he found her room empty, he went to look for her, but could not find her in the palace. Feeling he’d waited too long already he was ready to leave without her. To his surprise, she was wearing travelling clothes and waiting for him at the palace gates. Her Airax on her shoulder.

      “I thought you said we would meet in the early hours of the morning,” She said, not facing him with her ears turned in his direction.

      “I didn’t know you would be waiting for me here,” He answered.

      “Sorry, I’d assumed,” She answered. “You're a Gelert, so no wings correct. You are so hard to hear it is hard to tell. Aviator told me of your approach. He also helps me fly. You’d be a better navigator though.” Nyx barked a laugh before he could help himself. She was full of surprises.

      “Wouldn’t I be too heavy?” He asked.

      “Not at all, I may be a dancer but I am strong,” She answered, seeming to guess at his thoughts. “It will also make you easier to track, and keep Aviator quiet.”

      “What makes you think flying will be an advantage?” He asked, curiously.

      “An bird's eye view and Violet mentioned there was a Skeith, I imagine he must have flown. The Elephante too. They could have carried the girls. The Techo and Grarrl would have travelled by foot, or hidden so they could come back for them. To take both of them they would have wanted to move quickly and quietly, flying was their best chance. I only smelled four of them in the hall. They all smelled of desert spices. Quite the array but most of them can only be found in one place, The Lost Desert, Its not a long way to travel.”

      “You smelled all that?” He tried not to sound as impressed as he was.

      “Yes, and I felt sand under my paws,” He looked down and saw she was barefoot. “It is easier to feel the music when dancing. That’s why I usually don’t wear shoes and wear floor-length gowns.”

      “Flying does sound faster, but if you are right, shouldn’t we look for the others, to find out where they took them?”

      “What clues did you find,” She asked.

      “Not much, sand, a scrap of your sister's clothes, and some burned fabric,” He answered.

      “They flew, Scarlet can’t control her body temperature well and it can burn others when she’s not careful. Flying gave her a reason to cooperate. Rosaline too. The spices smelled more like the food in Sakhmet. They probably hid them in the ruins. I’ve been there with my brother Steel once before. He is a chef so he loves to go shopping there for edible sands and spices. Flying will also help us avoid the woods. They would have wanted to avoid the haunted woods as well. We have friends there. I know of someone who might have seen them. He’d have recognized Scarlet.”

      “Let’s fly then,” Nyx answered.

      Nyx stretched his sore arms when they landed in the Gypsy camp. He was surprised this is where they would stop. He made a mental note to find Ash’s wife to give her the news but she found them first. The pastel Xweetok must have recognized Kookie because she rushed from her wagon to her with a Korbat on her hip.

      “Kookie?” She called. “How nice to see you, where is Scarlet, and Ash? She’d prom-” The pastel Xweetok stopped mid-sentence studying the Kougra’s face. “Come inside. I’ll give your friend something for his shoulders, you must have been flying all morning. I have something for your wings, too.”

      “Is Goo with you, I need to know if Victor and he saw anything last night,” Kookie responded.

      “He’s sleeping,” She answered. “I will wake him, but let me treat your wings before you leave. Come along.” She called to Nyx, waving for him to follow her. Victor and Goo, who are they, he wondered.

      Goo it turned out to be a chocolate-coloured Bori. A hyper one who played with the baby while he talked. Victor was a gargoyle of all things. Unfortunately, during the day he slept and became stone, but they couldn’t wait to talk to him. They’d seen a shooting star the Bori reported, enthusiastically and the gargoyle went to tell a friend about the sighting after taking Goo home.

      While Kookie gently questioned the excitable, distracted Bori, the pastel Xweetok rubbed something on his shoulders. They relaxed so quickly and thoroughly he was afraid he would not be able to lift his arms. She gave him a large pot of it to take with him. As soon as Kookie was done talking to the Bori she was ready to go.

      “He’ll have told Grym, but Grym can’t leave the forest,” Kookie told him as she lifted him off the ground. “Scarlet and Rosaline would be here if he’d caught them. We could talk to him, but I suspect he doesn’t know more than we do. They must have travelled through the night.”

      “How do you know all this?” He asked. He was not used to working with others, other than his guards. Usually, he worked alone, giving orders when needed. This girl seemed to have friends everywhere and experienced more blind than he had had in his whole life. He was undoubtedly older than her, at least he thought he was.

      “I’ve traveled and tried a few different jobs, but mostly Scarlet told me or showed me,” She answered. “And we have a large family, and lots of friends, mostly because of her.” She chuckled.

      “Your sister is impressive,” He answered not trying to hide this time.

      “Tell me, what is Princess Rosaline like,” Kookie asked.

      “She- she is brave, but not particularly strong. She is kind, graceful, and very- traditional, I care about her very much,” Nyx answered. “She can be emotional. It was my job to-” His voice trailed off.

      “She must care for you very much too,” Kookie answered. "We'll find her."

     They were silent till they reached the Lost Desert.

     ---

      “We should alert Sakhmet’s royal guard,” Kookie suggested as she landed outside the city.

      “I’m used to working alone,” Nyx replied with a frown.

      “I’m sure we could take them,” Kookie answered. “But I am sure the royal family wouldn’t want them to get away after following them to another kingdom to kidnap other royals. We don’t need their help but at least they won’t get away, and we won't start more trouble for their royals to clean up."

      “Lead the way, you are the one with all the connections,” Nyx replied, waving for her to go first.

      “Stay close or I’ll lose you in the crowd.”

     ---

      Almost to Nyx’s dismay, rescuing the girls was less dramatic and climactic than he expected. Kookie’s brother Steel had apparently cooked for the royal family before. Princess Amira was a fan, so it was not a problem to get royal guards to help them.

      They expertly lead the pair through the maze with Kookie’s help. She could smell the scent of fabric burning, and as they grew closer heard the arguing of the kidnappers and Rosaline’s crying.

      The fight was over before it began. Scarlet, who had been protecting Rosaline, had kept them away from them as soon as they had landed the night before. Her fur flamed brightly in the late afternoon sun. They had kept the Xweetok at bay with staffs and sandbags, but he got the impression they had been up all night

     As soon as Rosaline saw Nyx she ran to him past the exhausted kidnappers crying and babbling at him. The guard subdued them easily without a fight. They seemed almost happy to be caught. Scarlet, just as tired, fell into her sister's arms, her usual light almost out.

     Nyx watched it all as he hugged Rosaline, patting her back soothingly. He smiled at Kookie, happy she’s come along. Though she couldn’t see it he was sure she knew how grateful he was.

     The End.