Fiona opened the door for Gollum and followed him outside into the dark and windy courtyard, the signs of the recent dragon stand off more visible to her eyes now, in the silvery light of the moon that made its appearance from behind the clouds momentarily. The bright wall of one of the outbuildings was singed and smeared with black, the stone wall enclosing the courtyard was crumbling in one place...

She turned back towards the door when it opened again, allowing the three men who had turned her life upside down to spill outside after her.

Fiona scowled at the trio reproachfully-- was it Annwyn's words that changed their behaviour, making them watch her more closely?-- hoping that it wasn't what it seemed. She was a grown-up woman, an adult used to her aloneness and independence, and if they tried to change it too fast, they would drive her crazy. 

In all honesty, she didn't mind Peregrine's presence or his closeness, but the three of them trailing after her together were two too many.

"We're going to greet our horses," Leodhais said when he noticed her reproachful look upon himself, walking away from her, towards what must have been the stables.

"Come meet my Buttercup," Gilderoy said, smiling, his upturned lips barely visible in the waning light of the moon.

"And Asfaleem and Peregrine's Shadow," Leodhais added from the distant corner. His blond hair seemed to be the only source of light in the deep shadows cast by the outbuildings lining the courtyard, their stone walls almost indistinguishable from the blackness of the night now that the moon had vanished behind the clouds again. 

Fiona followed Gollum with her look, a shadow spun of the night skipping from a spot to another more interesting spot of the gloomy courtyard just like he used to do at home, in the park, apparently perfectly unfased by the change of environment, before she looked towards the sky, closing her eyes as the first raindrop landed on her cheek.

"Come with us before you get wet and catch a cold, you wouldn't want your people to see you for the first time with a red nose and sneezing, Princess," Peregrine whispered in her ear even as his strong arm wrapped around her waist, urging her towards the stables.

His breath landing on her earlobe made her shiver and wish for more... Botheration! she despaired, settling for wrapping her arm around his waist for support as she resigned to his will and reasoning. 

"Will Gollum be all right left alone here?" she asked simply, voice shaking only slightly as she walked at his side.

Peregrine nodded, his free hand landing on his head with a sudden gust of wind, out of habit, in search of the hat he must have left inside.

"I think I know him well enough by now to bet that he won't stroll anywhere far without you," he said, only a moment before the excited dog ran to his mistress' side and preceded the couple curiously into the stables.

The horses were just like their owners, Fiona realised with a giggle, as she recognised each one unmistakably in the tremulous light of the candles which Peregrine lit with a mere touch of his fingers the moment they entered. 

She walked to Buttercup first, a beautiful, large pony, its sturdy grey hooves concealed by long and thick strands of cream and toffee coloured fur. Freddie will adore her, she mused, caressing the animal's pink snout when Gilderoy wrapped his arms around her off-white neck lovingly, burying his face in her silky mane.

Fiona approached the elf's horse next, a creature just as slim, tall, and elegant as its owner. She was tempted to courtsey to the regal beast whose snow-white fur seemed to glow in the tenebrosity filling the stables, which the tremulous golden light coming from the candelabra Peregrine was carrying couldn't banish entirely.

She reached her hand to the horse's head and the intelligent beast, predicting the intended caress, lowered its head, allowing her to run her fingers up its warm, soft muzzle towards the pink tip of its ear, while Leodhais pressed his forehead to his side muttering words in a bewitching language she didn't comprehend. 

Smiling, she tore herself from the sight that looked incredibly private and moved to the last horse standing in the most distant and darkest corner of the room. The magnificent beast, bigger than the other two, seemed to be made of a thick, dark and shiny liquid, its impatient movements, just as sinuous as those of a flowing stream, elicited by the sight of his master rushing towards him speaking volumes of their mutual love. The horse looked otherworldly when his wise, black eyes bore into Fiona's, an entity coming from dreams, spun of smoke, black fog a the deepest desires. Her breath caught as he approached her, head bowed deeply in expectation of her touch. 

She laid her hand on the velvety black muzzle reverently even as Peregrine chuckled, his forehead pressing to Shadow's a moment later, when the horse turned to him, in what seemed to be a habit, their ritual.

"You like her, old rascal, don't you?" he muttered, taking a step away, the words only intended for the horse's ears making Fiona giggle.

"I don't know about me, but he seems to like Gollum," she said, observing the antics of the two animals. They seemed to have become friends instantly as they stomped playfully in the hay scattered under their feet.

"Talk about love at first sight," Leodhais said, his words laced with meaning as he looked between Fiona and Peregrine while he pronounced them underlined by the chuckle that Gilderoy failed to muffle in his elbow.

Her cheeks blazed with embarrassment, but she felt better immediately when Peregrine drew her to him and pressed a kiss on her forehead despite their chuckling audience. 

"You keep your thoughts for Annwyn, elf, I'm telling you, she is a handful, don't worry about me. And you, dwarf, search your heart and try to understand what you feel for Aryana. You'll see her in a few days, you'll talk to her. I won't be coming back this way anytime soon after this quest, only to escort you to the werewolf territory. Now let us see the other horses; we'll need at least two more."

He navigated Fiona, his hand on the small of her back spreading shiver-inducing heat through her entire body, towards the second room which the stables were composed of. 

Five more horses were sheltered here, their fur glowing dimly in the light of Peregrine's candles as they turned as one towards their visitors. 

With a gasp, Fiona left Peregrine's side and made her way to a gorgeous dapple grey, as tall as Leodhais' Asfaleem. The beast seemed to appreciate her as much as she liked him, judging by the way he nudged his head into her outstretched hand for more caresses. 

"'May I have him?" she asked, looking at Peregrine with pleading eyes, burying her hand in the horse's long mane with reverence. 

The dragon shifter who had hoped that she couldn't ride and thus would have to ride Shadow with him nodded carefully. 

"Of course, as long as you can ride."

"I can. I learned along with Freddie; I've been taking him horse riding since he learned to walk." She shrugged. 

"Perfect then." Peregrine smiled at her. "He is Snowmane," he said, his hand disappearing in the animal's pure, snow-white mane in search of hers, his fingers lacing around Fiona's.

"I'd like Freddie to ride a smaller horse though, if possible, not taller than Buttercup," she said, voice faltering. Botheration! Why did his most innocent touch have such an effect on her?!

"Of course. He'll get Roheryn. She is a little taller than Buttercup but incredibly calm, a safe horse for a child," he promised, nodding to a chocolate brown horse standing nearby, its huge eyes impossibly calm and patient as it observed them. "Annwyn will ride her Firefoot, of course, and Alexandra..."

"Mother can't ride, and she is scared of all animals bigger than cats, apart from Gollum," Fiona interrupted him.

"Then she'll have to ride with all of us in turn," Peregrine said, nodding. Two out of three of their charges being able and willing to ride, was much better than what he had expected. "Now let us go back in. We need to rest before the journey; we're in for a few nights under the stars, too, before we reach the castle."

Gilderoy and Leodhais nodded and preceded them out of the room, across the other one and out into the windy and rainy night before Peregrine could blow out the candles. 

They jogged across the waterlogged yard and entered the inn, spilling warm, moving light onto the dark layer of water momentarily as they opened and closed the distant door, leaving Fiona and Peregrine alone, surrounded by the sounds of horses preparing to sleep behind them and the rain falling upon the world outside, as if it wanted to wash away Fiona's memories of her other world and help her to start her new life with a clean slate. Or maybe the sky simply wanted to clear their tracks for the Highlander who, she was sure, was following them.

"Gollum!" she called when she noticed that the dog hadn't come out from the stables after them.

Lured by her voice, Gollum trudged towards her from the darkness of the stables dejectidly. Apparently, he had found the place where he wanted to spend the night.

"I'm certain that he'll be fine if you feel like leaving him here," Peregrine shrugged, meeting her questioning look, leaving the decision to her.

She nodded, then bowed towards the dog. "All right. You can stay," she muttered, looking in the dark eyes staring up at her without quite meeting hers. She had never left him outside without her, but after all those years spent within the confines of her small flat, he deserved some freedom. 

Her words earned her a heartfelt thankful lick on the cheek before the dog ran back into the stables and Peregrine, even as she straightened up again, cupped her face in his large hands and kissed her, relishing the feeling of her body melting into his as she became unsure on her legs when he deepened the kiss. The more he knew about her, the more he admired her, liked her, and, by the old gods, he had never met a woman so responsive to him...

"Bella... Let us go back," he urged, breaking the kiss before they would get too far. This wasn't the night.

She nodded, pressing her forehead to his chest briefly before she wrapped her arm around his waist, and they ran across the courtyard, splashing water all around, towards the inn's door.