When Peter woke, there were three women on his bed with him. Estelle had put her slip back on and was having tea with Marla and Celery. “Not exactly what I thought it would be like to have three women in bed with me,” he mumbled.
Tea sprayed from Celery’s mouth.
“At the same time? You’ve thought of that?” Marla asked over Celery’s coughing.
“Not seriously, no. Two, maybe, but even that seems like a logistical nightmare.”
“After a little too much wine I’ve played with my ladies. It’s fun, but I prefer having a man involved.” Estelle emphasized her preference by grabbing at Peter’s penis.
“How would more than two even work?” Marla asked.
“I thought you were going to educate me,” Peter said, receiving an annoyed look back. “The basics of it is that everybody usually has two hands and a mouth, and they don’t all have to be used on the same person. Supposedly there are even women out there who like having a penis in each of their three holes. Not having been involved in any such activities, I don’t understand anyone can do anything effective if their attention is divided.”
“What about you, Celery? Any thoughts on the matter?”
“I’ve never given it any thought. The logical conclusion is that I would have to experiment to satisfy my curiosity, and I’m not sure observing will be sufficient.”
“Are we doing this, then?” Marla asked, looking from Estelle to Celery.
“You ladies can plan on whatever you would like, but I need to empty my bladder and if I don’t eat something I will pass out on you. If you were even considering including me, that is.” Peter started trying to extricate himself from the bed, finding he really was unsteady on his feet. By the time he was finished, Marla had food set out and Estelle was inspecting his wardrobe.
“Change of plans,” Celery said when he sat down with a piece of bread. “You and Marla are going to take me and Estelle to see the Sky Turtle. Maybe even go for a little ride.”
“Okay.” Peter saw the way the others were looking at him, and added “I mean, aww, I’m so disappointed! I was looking forward to our orgy.” He didn’t really try to sound sincere, but he also wasn’t expecting the snorts and chuckles.
“It may have occurred to us that we don’t need a bed for that,” Estelle whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Suddenly feeling, hot, the girls were giggling at him.
To Peter’s horror, Egbert declined to join them.
After giving the two women a tour, explaining as much as he could while discretely inspecting for safety, Peter fired up the heater and they rose above the city. Celery was completely distracted, like an engineering student new and amazing, muttering to herself as she crawled around inspecting what Peter assumed were the enchanted bits.
“Where to?” he asked Estelle, who was kneeling beside him and peeking over the edge of the basket.
“Northwest, I suppose,” she said distractedly, more awe-struck than the afraid he had expected.
“I don’t have a compass; would you mind pointing?” She complied without speaking or even looking. Shrugging, Peter started forward so he could turn to point the right way. “Want to see how fast we can go?” he asked once he had corrected course.
“Of course!” Estelle answered, with unexpected enthusiasm.
For a fraction of a second, Peter considered accelerating hard.
Playing nice, he eased into it, gaining speed slowly at first. As large as it was, the city was behind them in minutes, barely visible in half an hour. Soon even the farms got smaller and sparser as they zipped over trees and lakes.
“Uh, did you have anywhere specific in mind?” he asked when he could no longer make out any sign of civilization.
“Oh, not really. I have no idea what’s out here. Some nomadic primitives hunting, some civilized folk living rough and looking for valuable resources.”
“You pointed me out into uncharted wilderness?”
“Why go somewhere I already know about?”
“If we crash out here, it could take months to get back to the palace!” Peter shouted back.
“Then don’t crash!”
“I’m going to have to turn us around; we may not have enough fuel to stay airborne.”
“Can’t we land and have a picnic?”
“Where? The forest is too dense, this basket won’t float in a lake, and the bogs are too risky. Maybe a nice windswept hilltop?” Peter let the airship lose speed so he could turn safely.
“Peter? I don’t think we have enough fuel to make it back to the city,” Marla shouted from the furnace behind him.
“Is that rock over there big enough?” Estelle asked while Peter cursed.
Looking where she pointed, Peter could see a cliff face with exposed bedrock above it. Nodding, he turned toward it. There was a shudder, feeling for a second as if they were going to drop out of the sky, followed by a shout from Celery.
“Remember how I said enchantments can be worn out?” Peter turned his head to look at her, but she continued before he could answer. “You just pushed these ones hard. I can fix them, but it’s going to take some time.”
By the time the Sky Turtle set down on that windswept hilltop, Peter got the feeling that it was being held together by Celery’s will alone. A feeling that was proven right when first Celery and then half the structure around the basket collapsed into a heap.
“Get the fire out!” he shouted, grabbing his staff and holding the collapsing balloon off the burner.
It sounded absurd, even to his own ears as he grappled with the falling ceiling. What were they going to do, pick it up and throw it over the side?
Yet Celery crawled over and put her hand on the heater, which Peter expected to be hot enough to burn. Looking up, she waved her hand, and the balloon structure lifted and slid over the side of the basket before crumpling in a heap.
“How did you do that? What did you do?” he asked.
“It’s common to put crystals in the sun to absorb energy to use later. If you know what you’re doing, you can do the same with heat. How about we don’t use fire to heat the air in the balloon when we put this thing back together?”
“If you’ve got a better idea that we can make work out here in the middle of nowhere, absolutely.”
“Well, we’re going to need to eat something first, maybe even get some sleep.” Celery said firmly.
“Estelle? Marla? You two okay?” They both nodded. “Well, it’s time for something to eat. Should probably ration whatever we’ve got, don’t know how long we’re stuck here. I need to pee, so I’ll be in the trees for a few minutes, okay?”
Not waiting for a reply, Peter hopped over the side and stalked through waist high shrubs. Just as he did up his pants, something slammed into his back.
“Have you missed me?” Honeyhips asked.
“Yes, actually. Where have you been?”
“Watching. This is the first chance I’ve had to visit.”
“Really? What was keeping you? I’m sure I’ve been alone many times.”
“But you weren’t in the forest, silly.”
“You’re saying I can just run away from the trees if I don’t want to see you?”
“Don’t even joke about it.”
“Well, would you like to meet the others? Celery’s grandmother was a dryad.”
“Why would I want to talk to them?”
“I don’t know, but why wouldn’t you?”
“I’m only here to talk to you.”
“Okay, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t believe you were real.”
“Nice try.”
“I’m hungry, they have the food. I’m going to join them to eat, and you’re welcome, too.”
Turning, Peter returned to the collapsed airship and joined the other three in their picnic. As he settled down and shoved a chunk of cheese into his mouth, all three looked up, surprised.
“Hello, you can call me Honeyhips. I suppose if I want to spend more time with Peter, I’ll have to put up with you ladies, too.”
The snorts and sniffs suggested to Peter that the feeling was mutual.
“I don’t know what has you four so interested in my company, but it’s not like you’ll benefit from getting yourselves in a snit out of jealousy. I’m too tired to actually do anything about it, but I might forget to be polite if I have to hear that sort of foolishness.” As Peter looked from one to the next, he realized it was the first time he had ever seen Honeyhips in direct sunlight. She was greener than he had thought.
“Are you going to join our orgy?” Estelle asked, head cocked to the side and looking directly at Honeyhips.
“Is that why you wanted me to meet them, Peter? Because you were planning an orgy without me?”
“I haven’t planned anything. I just said something stupid this morning. Something I had hoped they had forgotten.”
“But orgies are fun, Peter!” Honeyhips looked around. “At least they are if you’re in the right setting. This won’t do at all.”
Ignoring the conversation as best he could, Peter continued eating. When he had enough to take the edge off, he climbed back into the basket and curled up for a nap.
A short scream followed by the basket shaking as someone climbed in roused Peter, who opened his eyes to find Honeyhips and Estelle crouched down, hiding.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“People,” they whispered almost in unison.
Groaning, Peter reached for his staff and heaved himself upright. Sure enough, a dozen people wearing leather and fur were standing on the edge of the forest, looking suspicious. Vaulting out of the basket, he joined Marla and Celery.
“You’re not hiding?”
“Why would we? They aren’t attacking,” Marla answered.
“I don’t know that I have it in me to deal with them all if they were,” Celery added.
“If it comes to it, Marla knows how to load and fire the cannons,” Peter said. The group was approaching, and he was trying to hear what they were saying.
“See? Not a dragon,” one said.
“How does a tent fly, though?” asked another.
“Obviously it uses magic,” a third answered.
“Yes, there is magic involved, but it can be done without it,” Peter called out. The group froze.
“The giant knows our tongue? How?” one asked.
“I don’t think he really does. His mouth moved, but his lips didn’t match his words.” One of the others answered.
“Nothing about this is right,” another grumbled.
“We don’t have anything for you, but you’re welcome to talk,” Peter called out again.
A woman pushed through the men standing in front and confidently walked right up to Peter, squinted at his face, then grabbed his neck and kissed him forcefully on the mouth. He could hear Marla laughing and some comments from the strangers. Tiring of it quickly, he gently but firmly closed his mouth, as if he might bite off her tongue. She pulled back, looking confused.
“I don’t know how things work among your people, but most people I’ve met in the past at least introduce themselves first," he said, hoping his forced smile didn’t send the wrong message. “My name is Peter, and we’re kinda stuck here until I can put my airship back together. I don’t know how long that will take, but we have no interest in harming you or your lands.”
“No one owns lands, foolish Peter,” the woman replied. “I am called Singing Chestnut. What brought you here?”
“My new friend wanted to see how my airship worked. We went further afield than I had expected and were landing to take a break when something failed, and the airship collapsed. I didn’t do as well building it as I thought, I guess.”
“Are you uninjured? Do you have food?”
“I believe we have enough food if we’re careful, but water that is safe to drink is another matter. Is there somewhere nearby we can resupply?”
“If you aren’t sure of your food, we have enough to share. For water, just walk down hill. If it is not stagnant, it is good to drink. Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Thank you, your generosity is greatly appreciated. We can handle the repairs just fine ourselves, honest.”
“Helping strange travellers is an honour. If you don’t help those in need when you are able to, then you can’t expect help from others when you need it.” She bowed and gestured at the others, who came forward and set down two baskets of dried foods. “Goodbye, Peter and friends. We wish you safe travels.”
The whole group turned and walked away, disappearing quickly and quietly.
“I don’t suppose either of you know what to do with the contents of those baskets?”
“Not a clue,” Marla answered.
“I could make some guesses,” Celery offered.
“Meat is meat, if that’s what you eat,” Honeyhips said. “But I know all about eating plants. Let’s see.”
Leaving her to it, Peter walked around his broken airship, assessing the damage. He couldn’t really tell what was wrong, though. Nothing looked to be actually broken, just no longer held together. Marla and Celery approached. “What do you think? Why did it fall apart?”
“There were many places things were attached with magic alone,” Celery offered. “No proper joinery, no glue, no lashing, not even knots. I’m surprised it held together as long as it did, to be honest.”
“And you let us fly this far from the city?”
“I assumed you knew how it was constructed, trusted your experience.”
“We didn’t push the Sky Turtle nearly as hard in our weeks of travel, I guess. I never thought I’d be one to do something stupid to show off.”
“You’re only human,” Marla said, hand on his shoulder.
“Well, I guess we have to get started,” Peter said with a sigh.
“I have suggestions for improvements,” Celery said.
“Let’s get to it, then.”
“Your nap was long enough?” Marla asked.
“I guess. How are you two? We can rest longer if you need to.” There wasn’t an answer. “This would be a lot easier if I had my plans.”
“I think we can manage well enough to get us back to the city. Whether it survives landing is a problem for the future, yes?”