For fourteen days, Cwenburg, Æthelflæd, and Leofwynn flew through the air, avoiding cities and villages, stopping only to eat, gather ingredients, and sleep.
The only one who could sleep in the air was Cwenburg, perfectly clinging to the serpentine creature.
A MAN'S DREAM
The scent of the sea air drew the three of them.
And when the winged serpent left them on the sand, they ran towards the waves:
— The sea! — They repeated, splashing water at each other, and played hand in hand, spinning and laughing, and diving, as if they had all the time in the world.
— I am infinite! — Æthelflæd jumped onto Cwenburg, who leaned in, adoring the closeness.
The little unicorn girl rubbed her little face against the human's warm cheek and touched her lightly with her horn. Until then, only Leofwynn had felt the same.
Leofwynn felt no envy or jealousy, for she was a good person.
The Vulcan was pleased, for she realized then that the trio was now inseparable.
He was already there, like a shadow, amidst the evening mists.
The trio made camp, and he remained there, atop the rocks.
The trio dined, and the man did not move.
He gazed at the ocean, at the waves breaking against the rocks.
He had a focused expression, like someone who knows something about themselves that no one else will ever discover.
He exuded mystery and solitude.
— Go there and talk to the old man. — Leofwynn grew irritated in the middle of the night, for the old man sitting on the rocks hadn't moved a single centimeter.
Æthelflæd was mixing a certain powder into a drink and warming it by the campfire when she looked in the direction Leofwynn pointed.
— Damn it! There's an old man over there!
— You hadn't seen him yet?
— Of course not. I changed clothes here, and you didn't tell me!
— How did you not see an old man on top of a rock?
— I don't know! You go, I'm not going.
— Humans. Always weak. Fine. But, stay on guard, he might be hostile.
— I am not hostile. — The old man murmured from atop the rocks.
The three turned to him, even Cwenburg awoke to stare at him.
— Were you listening to everything? — Æthelflæd inquired warily.
The human had spoken a lot, even mentioning the Demon King and their agreement.
And she had also mentioned the type of man that attracted her, the strong ones, the warriors, the physically powerful ones, someone who could break her…
— Someone who could break you in half? — The old man repeated the blushing human's words. — What kind of man is that?
— Fuck, Leofwynn, you didn't tell me someone was listening… — Æthelflæd whined, swallowing her pride.
— Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. If there's one thing I respect, it's a man's dream.
— I am not a man!
— I respect a woman's dream too.
— And a Vulcan's? — Leofwynn wanted to know.
— That too.
— And a little unicorn girl's? — Cwenburg stood up and heard from the old man:
— But of course I respect a little unicorn girl's dream.
The three approached him.
The night was dark, and many clouds blocked the view of the stars. The asteroid ring was hidden.
The breeze was gentle.
And even close, they couldn't see each other's faces.
— And what is your dream, old man?
— Well, Vulcan, I have seen and sailed this sea. I fought against the Demon King and buried those I loved. From the waves, I listened to the melodies. And I made my enemies' lives a living hell, oh yes I did, I knew how to strike terror. Good times. Days that will not return. Many were my dreams, and many I realized. Others, well, I changed, and the world changed, how could dreams remain the same?
— Today, old man, what the fuck is your dream today? — The Vulcan was losing patience with the old man's procrastination.
— Well, today, there is only one. Days are like sand on the beach of time. But something is immutable, even time, which destroys and alters everything, cannot change it. It is mine. It is inside me like an anchor, I am this ship floating on the ocean of existence…
— Just say your dream already! — The Vulcan exploded, with fire in her red hair.
— Mermaid breasts. That is my dream, the dream of a dreaming man, of a lord who is his own Lord, oh yes he is. — He took more of the rum, which he had been drinking all afternoon, and sang, repeating the same words softly, losing focus on the waters, and staring into nothingness.
Leofwynn took Cwenburg and left the vicinity without uttering a single word.
Æthelflæd remained there and drank with the old man all night.