Actually, I hadn't realized that I had been giving voice to my frustrations, but out of the mixture of embarrassment and anger that I felt I retorted, "Good!"
"You know if you put as much energy into climbing this dune, as you are in talking about me, I bet you'd already be up here."
Oh that did it! Now he was trying to make it sound like all this was my fault! He was going to pay for this! I redoubled my efforts climbing up the mound. Climbing the steep side of the sand dune could be best described as trying to work out on a treadmill pointed at the ceiling. The amount of effort needed to do either was about the same and I was beginning to drag, both mentally and physically. When I reached the top I bent over with my hands on my knees breathing hard.
Giving Flint a piece of my mind was going to have to wait for a moment. I glanced up briefly, and something shiny caught my eye in the hollow of the dune below us. I looked closer and saw the sleek outline of a small back helicopter. I glanced quickly up to Flint's sweaty face only to see him giving me a sageful look.
"You could have told me that you had a chopper stashed!"
"And you could have had a little more faith in me! I'll tell you when it's time to panic."
I glanced back. The dust trails were much closer now. Flint took my hand and together we started down, half slipping and sliding.
"I was going to tell you, but it was just too much fun seeing you all mad."
"I have a bit of a temper." I admitted.
"You don't say your highness."
"Don't call me your highness! I'm not a Queen!"
"Oh yes you are!" He responded firmly, in a tone that didn't brook a negative reply. "You're my Queen!"
The possessive quality of his words made my heart skip a beat. We had reached the sand floor of the basin among the dunes and now we ran across it to the chopper. He helped me in and then he got in. He started flipping toggle switches and other buttons and I began to relax. He started the chopper up. Well, that is, he tried to start it up. It almost fired, but then it started coughing and died. He tried again and just got more coughing from the motor.
I studied his face that was suddenly tight with concentration, as he tried to figure out the problem with the chopper, "Should I start panicking now?" I asked softly into the head set.