Why risk it

You wave Delilah inside but stay out. You doubt the inn keeper would be upset with you not bring back the basket but the only person with money is Delilah and you aren't making her buy you food when you have a free dinner in the capital. Thinking of you plan out what you'll do when you arrive. First should be to find Clare with Delilah and hopefully get some information on what exactly is going on with them. After that Anastasia, hopefully to get Delilah a place to stay and to tell her the truth about who you and Clare are. That's going to be a fun conversation.

While you muse internally Delilah reappears carrying a bundle of cloth. "He had pig belly." With a massive grin the bundle was unwrapped and the smell of roasted pig filled your nose. "Smells amazing huh. Maybe we could stay here for the night." Delilah gave you some side eye as she said that.

"We'll make it to the capital in a few hours. Unless you're feeling low on magic." You hope that isn't the case. If she is exhausted or near it will probably take more than just a night to fully recover.

Delilah looked unsure for a moment before nodding. "Oh right, yeah, I'm feeling," interrupted by a **** yawn Delilah stretched her arms, "tired." She stared at you expectantly for a long moment before shaking her head. "Maybe I should do the lying from now on." Eve said.

"What's going on?" You asked walking over and taking their free hand in yours.

Delilah shifted uncomfortable. "What if when we get to the capital you go back to ignoring me?" She asks shyly looking at your held hands. "You are sleeping with a Princess and two upper nobles." Eve added looking up to met your eyes. "Y-yeah, and we're just..." Delilah took back over looking back down at your hands.

You bring up your free hand and plant it on her head making her look into your eyes. "You're right." They both glared at you somewhat upset. "I mean why would I want to spend time with the woman who has been with me for my whole life. Who has never gotten angry at my total inability to pick up hints. Who help to save someone's life because it was the right thing to do. I can't see any reason can you Eve?"

"Nope none, guess when we get to the capital it will just be me and Delilah all alone." Eve lamented. Their expression shifted and they started fidgetting with your still held hand. "You're picking on me." Delilah mumbled. Eve laughed and her wings reformed wrapping around the both of you, pulling you into a very close hug. "I'm not letting him go anywhere Delilah."

"And I'm not going anywhere." You said before feeling something hot against your side. "Your pig belly however is." The wings were thrown open and Delilah pushed you back staring at her pig belly as it pull off your tunic.

"Awwww." Eve and Delilah both said as they looked at their somewhat smushed meal. You looked your tunic and saw a huge stain on it. You should have gotten more clothes before you left home. Oh you left your blue fancy clothes behind, damn that was your least disliked outfit.

"Come on you two, got a few hours flight left." You said patting their head and creating your own wings.

"Yeah." Eve sounded depressed as her wings spread for take off and she picked at the belly. "Can we not eat while flying?" Delilah asked nervously. Eve smiled and they torn into the belly. Pulling chunks off it with their teeth until it was all gone. "So good." Eve said looking into the inn longingly. "They have meat in the capital right?"

You recalled how pretty much every meal in the capital consisted of meat with a side dish. "Heaps." You answered taking off. This time you rose a bit slower keeping pace with Delilah. When you reached soaring height she held out a hand. You took it carefully worried it might panic Delilah but they were still and you resumed your trip to the capital.

Traveling much slower than when you left you turn out to be wrong. When you reach the outlaying the houses the sun is starting to set behind you. It does give the capital a nice colour however. The pink hue of the setting sun lighting up the white wash giving a the city an aura. You felt Delilah's hand squeeze yours and you looked over to see an awestruck expression.

As you fly towards the academy you slow down enough to talk. "Christopher it looks amazing!" Delilah squeals out looking out over the city. "It is massive." Eve said equally struck. "How many people live here, how do they all live here?" She seemed more stunned by the advancement of settlements than the view itself. Not surprising really, a few centuries of development would be more visibly obvious in the size of a city.

"Welcome to your new home, for however long you want to stay here." You say with a happy smile and start gilding down. Delilah joins you too taken up the view to care about the speed of the decent. Right up until it become impossible to ignore.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed as her wing scoops grew, she stopped falling but you didn't. Her hand was still holding yours and her panic had made it lock it.

"Delilah!" You shouted as your weight on her side threw her off balance and she tilted turning her scoops into gilding blades.

The two of you plummeted down as your own wings were thrown out. Thankfully you had been aiming for a somewhat secluded part of the academy. You pulled Delilah into your arms and fortified your back using your wings to absorb some of the shock when you hit the ground. It wasn't really at crash so much as a bounce. Eve had thrown her wings around you to help and while neither hers nor yours lasted crashing through them it did take a lot of the energy away from your back.

When you came to a stop you looked down and saw a hyperventilating Delilah clinging to your chest. You didn't saying anything, instead just holding her in your arms and soothing her with a hug.

"I am never flying again." Delilah said after she calmed down looking up at you with an accusatory glare. "Sorry, I'll be more careful next time." Eve said with a happy laugh climbing up to plant a kiss on your cheek. "Can't argue with the result however." She added cuddling into you with a happy sigh. Delilah gave a shy confirmation and nuzzled.

You enjoyed the cuddle but you had to find Clare. The thought made you hug Delilah tighter. Fear of possible rejection when they learned the truth wormed into your brain.

Delilah looked up at you with a concerned look. "Are you ok?" She asked before Eve added. "Your heart sounds worried." She kissed you tunic then let out a pleasurable sigh and licked the cloth. "EVE!" Delilah shouted looking mortified as she sat up on top of you. "He had leftovers on him." Eve said defensively.

The exchange made you laugh and you leaned up reaching a hand to stroke their face affectionately. "Lets go find Clare."

They looked a bit upset about having to get off your lap but contented themself with your side. You looked at the dent you had left in the ground. You'd been crashing a lot in the last few weeks. Together you headed towards Anastasia's estate. Clare might be in your room but you figured in bed with Anastasia was more likely.

*****

Link to first chapter of my book.

https://chyoa.com/chapter/Introduction.1750698