Getting out of town

Vincent couldn't stop smiling!

With the dragon in the wagon, he made a brief stop in town to pick up some supplies and he started heading out of town.  The dragon strangely quieted down after the first few minutes in the wagon.  Vincent peeked a couple times into the cart just to be sure it was still in there.

It was late in the morning when he was finally heading out of town.  He worried that the little girl would see him as he was heading out of town, but what could she do anyway?  The road out of town was not great for carts, and the going was slow.  The road twisted through the forest west along a river.  He saw no other travelers on the road, it was just him, the horse, the dragon, and the open road.

Until a tall lean figure approached from out of the trees and hailed him to stop.

Vincent tried just waving him off, giving a look of being in a hurry, but the man was determined to stop him.

"Hello, am in need of help."  said the stranger.

"Excuse me," Vincent said with a smile, "I really have no time to chat".

"Oh it will only take a minute." the stranger replied as he put himself in a position of harm if Vincent didn't stop the cart. Vincent thought about running him over, but thought better of it.

"What can I do for you?" Vincent asked as he had the horse stop.


"I'm a herbalist, and I'm looking for some Nemophilia and Torenia. I got a women in town who as a condition of Haemochromatosis and if I don't find some of those petals and grind them into a-"


"Uh, what did you say you were looking for?" Vincent interrupted him.


"Nemophilia and Torenia. You couldn't miss them! You see, once I grind the petals, I'll mix it in some sap from a Pine tree. Like one of those," he pointed as some trees off the road ahead some way, "and I mixe it up as best I can-"


"What are those?" Vincent interrupted again, getting a little annoyed.


The tall figure stood on his tip toes to look at the trees he gestured to, "Oh those are probably Pinus monticola , they are fairly common in this area on the west side of town. It's funny you don't see-"


No, I don't mean those." Vincent clearly showing his irritation. "What is it that you are looking for, the Nee-mo-fish-a and the torrent things you mentioned before."


"Nemophilia and Torenia are these lovely black flowers that grow along the river-"


"I haven't been near the river since leaving town, and I haven't seen any black flowers." Vincent said quickly, and urged his horse to begin moving, forcing the man to step aside.  "Good day to you."


The lean figure of a man stepped back and smiled politely, "Thank you for your time, sorry to hold you up."


Vincent didn't look back as he tried to speed up his pace.  The encounter made him wary of the few other people he saw that day, and he steer wide and clear of anyone else that look like they might approach him.


The dragon stayed quiet the whole day, and before they entered the next town that evening, Vincent stopped to take a peek into the cart.  It was getting dark, and the shadows were still inside the cart.


"Where are you?"  He asked the dragon as his eyes darted around, trying to make sense of the shapes and shadows.  There was no answer.


Getting concerned, to stuck a thin stick into the cart to poke the dragon, make sure it was alive, and could move.  Nothing moved.


Vincent panicked, and threw the back door open in astonishment.  The dragon had escaped!