Tess Short Chapter 12

Greetings, I'm sorry for my delay in posting the next chapter... 

But here it is.... 

chapter 12: An ill warning..

Theron looked at her for awhile then said “No, the leafs aren’t supposed to have any side effects, there supposed to stop nightmares and bad dreams” his eyes seemed to moved around the room when he said that. 

“Well…” sighed Tess, she could feel her own heart beating. “I had a dream…”. 

“You did? what kind of dream?” 

Tess told Theron about her dream, about Mr.largefoot, and the moon ravens at the very end. 

“I don’t know why the leafs didn’t help you” he said, Then he fumbled in his pocket and brought out a parcel wrapped up in brown fabric. “This might though” His voice sounded unsure though, he handed it to Tess, which Tess held. 

“Only open it when you need it though” he said, and left. 

Tess looked at the parcel, she was holding. there was something about it though that made her feel unsafe and insecure, she tried not to think about it. and went off to her room to get dressed , for there was going to be a long journey ahead… 

Tess went and packed her things, and put the parcel in the bag, 

It was almost like it was watching her, like a cat looking at a mouse in the bushes, getting ready to pounce, at any moment. 

She tried not to think about it and packed some spare clothes, that the dryads had given her , she had never put them on they were to pretty to wear…but she kept them just in case she ever needed them, or wanted to wear them, she put them in her bag. then looked at the two books she had brought, The book of Dragons, and The book of history, she picked up the books and placed them into her strap bag. Then looked at the white and gray clothes the elves had given her, though she was a half elf she wondered weather she would be able to keep them clean, and not get mud and dirt on them. She looked down at her brown dress, it was torn at the edges…probably because she had been walking through the undergrowth to get to the palace. Well…she figured she would bring them anyway, I mean you might need something to wear like that, If she was ever invited to a dinner. She put them in her bag. She looked at the rolling pin sitting on her bed. She had lied to Robin that she had brought a dagger, But she had really just brought a rolling pin… Why hadn’t she just told him? She sighed and put it into her bag then slung it over her shoulder. And opened the door. The rest of the group was waiting for her, Thanarien was standing silently with the questers. “Good morning Tess” smiled Robin. Tess didn’t reply , she silently went over with the other questers. 

Thanarien went up and made a speech that seemed to last for hours, Until he finally ended it.. 

In that time Tess had been reading a book, she looked up when she heard the sound of applause, from the elves and faeries who had come to Thanarien’s court. But no dryads had come, And how had Silena been able to come, she looked over at Silena, who was talking to Robin, she figured she would’t interrupt them. She looked back at the book, she still hadn’t finished the story of the ice-dragon she had gotten to the middle. “What are you reading?” asked a voice. Tess looked up The black-haired Fairy Thistle was smiling at her. 

“Well…” said Tess. “I’m reading the book of dragons, I’m on the Tale of the Ice dragon”. 

“Is it good?” asked Thistle. 

“Aye” said Tess, smiling back. “It is about dragons, I was assigned to read for the book club..” She moved her finger across the dragon on the cover of the book. 

Before Thistle could reply , Thanarien announced the horses were ready. 

Tess put the book back in her bag, and walked up to see the horses, Robin’s horse chestnut was looking at her.. Tess pretended not to notice, and climbed onto her pony. Once everyone had gotten on to there Horses, The questers set off into the cold morning air , Tess couldn’t help feeling her bag, and to make sure the parcel was still there. She looked over at Thistle, He was looking at the map, which Thanarien had given to them for the journey… Thistle seemed to be looking at it. Then looked up, “since the moon Ravens appear  to be coming from The north , Then I believe we should go that way” said Thistle. “By flying it would take less time….But since none of you have wings.. I don’t think we could do that…”. 

“That is true…” said Robin, who was rather glad that he didn’t have wings sticking out of his back, It most be so uncomfortable for Thistle, Having wings coming out of his back. 

“So Riding and walking, Would be good for us” he said, “Come on, We have to find those fairies and elves”. 

Tess still wondered about What had happened to those elves and faeries , she also wondered why her uncle Tirfendiel had never showed up for the meeting, Thanarien sounded awfully calm when he said that her uncle Tirfendiel was late (and never came). But when she talked to most elves they seemed that way…expect of course for Robin, He was always talking to his horse Chestnut, and held his sword with shaking hands he never really seemed a expert with weapons, though he carried around a single sword, Very much like her Uncle Tirfendiel, She was happily surprised when he came to her Birthday Party, He always carried around a single sword, That Glowed Green when ever monsters were around , But for some reason he did have a tendency to apologize to it for some weird reason , If he dropped it (By accident may I add) it would start flickering on and off, and he would pick it up, And would say things to it , such as “I’m very sorry I didn’t mean to drop you” , and “Oh dear, not again” and sometimes “It wasn’t my fault!!” The sword appeared to have a tendency to sulk and refuse to tell him if there were Monsters around. Sometimes, It appeared that sometimes he had to beg to the sword to glow and forgive him, for dropping it. 

She put her hand on her bracelet which the dryads had given her , it was in a shape of branches weaving around to make a bracelet, The dryad had told her that it was made out of the same metal as elvish blades , it would glow whenever monsters were around, Very much like her uncles sword, which glowed whenever monsters around (or whenever he dropped it), She still wasn’t quite sure how elvish blades worked or the metal in particular. Did it just glow when you dropped it or only when monsters were around? She didn’t really want to try dropping it, Like her uncle had dropped his sword. She didn’t want to damage it , it was so pretty… 

She moved her finger around the branches, and feeling the cold metal, with her finger. She was brought back to that same question again… what had happened to the elves and fairies? 

“Here” said a voice, Tess hadn’t realized how far they had traveled, the castle was no where to be seen now. “Is a good spot to rest for the night” it was Robin , his rather short and choppy  Nut-brown hair was blowing in the breeze, she could see the sun setting behind him, soon it would be night. And many things would be out. 

“How about we sleep in a Inn” said Tess, not wanting to be eaten by a monster considering what had happened last time. she had nearly became a cyclops dinner. “Where it’s warm, and we have comfortable beds, and good food and—“. 

“Tess!” said Robin, “There is no Inn near by that I know of, that’s why we will be sleeping here for tonight” .

 He didn’t speak to Tess after that neither did Tess, she remained quite and only read her book , she didn’t want to go to sleep instead she read her book that she had brought on the journey , she figured she should learn more about the monsters they would be dealing with: 

Orcs - once where elves, but turned evil… 

She couldn’t keep her eyes open, she found them slowly closing, she turned to the next page of the book, but was greeted with more text… 

She sighed, “This is the only time words feel like a enemy”, and closed the book. and Stared up at the sky… 

“Oh how I miss home…” she said, and felt her eyes close. 

“Why did I have to close my eyes” she found herself saying, and looked around. she was in the library. “Well…maybe it’s a good dream” said Tess. “Or it was the fact that I was reading a book before bed” she said. 

“Maim , are you looking for something?” came a voice, 

a boy came over to her. “Who are you?” asked Tess. “

I should be asking that who are you?” he asked. “

Tess Short” said Tess. 

“Never heard of you” he said. 

“But I have live here” she said. 

“Not anymore” he said, rather causally. “Have  you looked out the window?” he asked. 

“Umm…no, why should I?” she said. 

“You shall see” he said, and lifted up the curtain. 

“W-what is that?” asked Tess, looking out the window, the sky was black , the sun was red, everyone looked unhappy, and Tired. 

“And I suppose you are wondering what this means” he said. Tess nodded. “This is what might happen if you fail your quest” he said, stroking his chin. 

“Wait, what do you mean? why haven’t you ever heard of me? what about my father?” she asked all at once. 

“Hold your horse— ponies I should say, your father is fine. the rest of your family not so much…” he said. 

“what do you mean?” asked Tess. “

Well, I can’t really tell you” he said. “But if you want their addresses I can give them to you” he said, and brought out a pen. “But I wouldn’t recommend going to King Tirfindiel’s castle , right now.…because eh— I can’t tell you but It’s a terrible idea” he said. “

Thank you, but can you direct me to my father’s house?” she asked. 

“Sure” he said. “But it’s no where nearby really (anymore)” he said. 

“Don’t worry , it’s a dream anything can happen” said Tess. “Such as flying” she said, and spread her arms wide, nothing happened. “

It’s not that kind of dream” he said. “Here I can walk you there” he said…

at the end of the street there was a sign: The short’s hole in the ground. “Why isn’t it in the woods?” asked Tess, walking up to the door. 

“Because— never mind I can’t tell you that would be helping you, and I don’t help people unless it involves books” he said. Tess knocked on the door, 

“Whoever you are, leave! I already paid the taxes you have been ordering!” came a voice, most likely her father’s. She turned to the boy who had come along with her he was gone. 

“I wonder why he would leave me here?” she said, to herself then turned back to the door. “I came here, to talk to you” she replied back. 

“I’m sorry, but’s not safe to talk to strangers” said the voice said back. 

“I am no stranger” said Tess, but couldn’t help feeling like she was. suddenly there a sound that sounded like thunder rumbling she turned around, a man was walking down the street 

“Bring out your money” he shouted, he was wearing black and din’t look like the nicest person (Tess thought he resembled a orc), there was a short hobbit following behind playing the drum and falling over his own feet (he seemed oddly familiar), he didn’t look very happy with playing the drum. 

“Come on hobbit stop falling behind” The tax collector  shouted to the drum player. the drum-player dropped the drum with a loud crash ,

 “Don’t you dare call me that ever!” The Hobbit shouted loudly. 

Tess’s eyes opened with a start, she looked around then noticed something her bracelet was glowing!

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-Quinley