chapter 8 #3 (veruca)

Amira had the strangest sensation. Fear, amazement, curiosity, humor (it took all that she had not to laugh at the woman's stature), and again, that same feeling for Jessan.
"Um... Ms. Waddle-" amira was cut off.
"Aunt Helga, dear." the tiny woman said.
"Right... Aunt Helga-"
"Much better, dearie."
a little impatient, amira said, "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know who we are?"
"Ah... a very good question..."
amira waited for Helga to answer, but she didn't.
"Mhhmm." Amira could tell Jessan and delia were getting impatient. "well...?"
"Oh you don't think I'm going to tell you, do you? Just give away the biggest secret of us Carver elves? I don't think so."
"Wait. Carver elves?" asked Jessan. "What-"
"Now, now... you couldn't have thought that i was just a little old mortal?" asked Helga incredulously, "Being who you are I'd of thought that you would have guessed that by now."
"Sorry, we just never heard of... your type before..." Amira was cautious.
"Well." huffed the Carver elf. she walked over to the shelf containing Great Beasts from A to Z, and pulled out the immense book with a large 'C' on it. flipping through the pages, she was saying, "Oh, come now. I know it's in here somewhere...... ah, here it is." Helga turned the book so that amira, jessan, and delia could she the picture of a flower that looked strangely familiar.
"this is the Ciela flower. Symbol of the Carver elves. i have it on my door..." she pointed past a pile of old candles to the door. 'so that's what it is...' thought amira. "This book says that we like to collect things, we like to raise cats, our favorite hobby is carving, and we don't like to be disturbed by humans. that is unless they are accompanied by a cousin!"
"A what?" asked jessan who was having trouble taking all this information in one blow.
"A cousin. Your friend Delia here is a Forest Elf. or at least part Forest Elf."
Delia was beginning to faze back into her shy self again. she turned her face away and looked at the incredibly cluttered floor. she had refrained from talking most of the time she was at Helga Waddle's house, but now she must speak up.
"I'm sorry. I never told you the whole story. My mother, Princess of Sindalla, about a month or so before she was to be married to the prince of Bethian," delia was speaking quietly as if she didn't want to hear it herself, but Amira noticed that she didn't say 'my father, prince of Bethian'.

"She still had no clue that the reception was about to take place. You know royal marriages. and her parents, my grand parents, had not told her anything. It was to be a surprise. Well, she secretly loved the young wizard apprentice who was about her age... maybe a little older. One day, she accidentally let slip that she had been courted by him to her mother and father. As you have probably guessed, they were outraged! So, she ran away to be with the young wizard."
"What was his name?" asked Jessan.
"...They... never told me. But anyway,... The king and queen of Sindalla had this huge search party to find their daughter...."
all this talking about kings and queens made amira homesick. she missed her father, she missed her mother. she missed reading in the palace library. she missed having school in the courtyard. she was so busy missing things that she missed part of the story that Delia was telling her.
"... and they found her. Then they took her back to her parents who paid the huge sum of reward money they had promised. They asked my mother who she had run away with, but she wouldn't let them know. for fear they might chop off his head. When the time came for her and the prince of Bethian to marry, mother could do nothing but succumb to her parents' orders. she married prince Harold of Bethian, and they never found out until it came. i was born on all Hallows Eve, Vindelia Milshare of Bethian. but i had green eyes, neither my mother nor the king had the same, brown hair, mother had red and the king blond, and, to my father's disgust, pointed ears. no one could believe it... except mother. she knew that the wizard she had run away with had been half elf, had brown hair, and green eyes. the king was so angered that he beat her and made her tell him what had happened. when she did, he denounced me as his daughter, and princess. I grew up unwanted by him, and as an outcast. He never spoke my name. He never even acknowledged my existence. so, mother seeing my misery sent me to live in the nearest kingdom of Gradle. and the rest you know........" Delia was trying to hold back her tears, but did not succeed.
Jessan held out his hand to her and said in a kind tone, "You needn't be sorry. It must have been hard."
this, for some reason, irritated Amira. why did this simple, kind, gesture of friendship make her... annoyed?
"Oh, dearie." said Helga, who had been listening in ernest, was about to cry too.
suddenly, a gust of wind started blowing out side the small cottage. amira quickly tried to change her emotion from annoyed to sad. it started to drizzle.
"Now..." said jessan who was beginning to cram all that information into his head, "time to do what we came here for..."
but before anyone could reply, Catire burst into the room.

chapter 8 #2 (violet)

"I was going to tell you two earlier, but it never came up. after a while i sort of forgot myself. lots of people around my old court used to say that my family is related to some creature. when my ears get wet, they point up." delia was looking like them like she had said something horrible. she obviously hated this part of being herself. amira didn't mind though, and she was sure that jessan thought it was extremely fascinating. what amira didn't like was how many secrets delia had. maybe it was just because she was still getting over being shy. she knew that anything that she hid would upset jessan, so that thought didn't occur to her. she walked over to sit on a rock besides jessan.

"What are you doing?" amira asked him.

"reading about hippotruckles. they're quite fascinating. did you know that they were used as spies because their nature is so mysterious. as we speak, their is only one in existence. " jessan eyed amira as he said this, wondering if she would take it all sitting down. it couldn't be as easy for her as the rest of them, and he knew it.

"So... the only one lives in my land. with my parents. parent. if there's still one left.." amira leaned closer into jessan. this scared her. although she was no longer next in line, it would be obvious to the old one now that the trio in question were out of her spell. they would be a target. there was no way that she would take THAT sitting down. nothing would happen to them.

"you know what this means?" amira said. "we've got to go back," jessan stood up quickly at the thought of that.

"No! the kingdom isn't safe for you, love." he tried to calm himself. but amira hadn't meant that. that's not where she wanted to go back to.

jessan knocked on the door. "Listen to me, you two.. at the first FLICKER of danger, we're going to leave." this was not jessan's favorite plan, but they all knew that it made sense. the little woman that lived in this cottage seemed to know a lot... how to play chess, how to train cats, and a lot, a LOT about magical creatures.

the door creaked open. a little woman came in, holding three kittens in each arm, with a bottle of milk balanced on one foot. jessan choked back a giggle. amira, who jammed him in the ribs, seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"What do you want?" she asked in a sharp tone, looking at their faces. first amira, who she regarded thoughtfully, then jessan who she passed over as a mere stable boy. not only did she look at their faces, but also their necks. when she reached delia's face, she looked at her neck, then back up at her face. she gasped when she came to her ears.

"I'm sorr--" delia was cut off short as she realized that the old woman, about three and a half feet tall, had the same kind of ears. and there was something that looked familliar in the way she started.

"Why come in!!!" the old woman said, all of a sudden very happy to help them. "i don't have much food, but i can offer you tea. the newt kind, you know. i'm sure that you have tasted it my dear?" she looked expectantly at delia. when she saw her confused expression, she sighed, but it was more in disappointment than anything. "i guess we'll just stick with plain old mint then? ah, well, yes." she led them into the room that they had been in earlier. then, she bustled into a room to the right, that seemed to be the kitchen. the trio took this opportunity to talk... or whisper.

"we should give her the book back.."

"we should give her some food for taking it"

"we should be very careful. i don't trust her."

"good grief, jessan, just turn something into food."

delia ran outside to get a rock. amira watched jessan pat his pocket. then the other one.

"IT's not there!" this whisper was broken, worried. scared to death, really. amira didn't have time to panic. the old lady came back.

"here you are. it's just mint drink up!" she said.

"Ma'am" amira started, not sure how to say what she wanted to. "we were here earlier. we found this book." she took out the book and handed it to her. "we wanted to give you food for taking it, since you said that you didn't have any. but, we seemed to have lost the spell. my name is--"

"amira. the princess." the old lady interrupted. she looked jessan over. "You're jessan, the stable boy. her mate." she jerked her head in amira's direction. amira blushed, and studied the floor, even though she couldn't see it. "and you are delia" she talked directly to her. "you all ran away, and i wouldn't believe this story that you have told me if i didn't have this spell of yours." she held out her hand, and delia handed her the rock. the spell was said, and in the old lady's hand laid a golden platter with a splendid ham lying on top of it. "Alright dears. my name is Helga. Helga Waddle. you can call me Aunt Helga, or granny helga. eat up!" she gave them each a fork and sat back to watch.

chapter 8 (veruca)

one evening, when amira jessan and delia were traveling, they came upon a small cottage with a thatched roof and vines nearly swallowing up the entire structure.
"What is that?" asked amira quietly. it was getting on to night and she didn't want to disturb any one's sleep.
"Um, it looks like a house...." answered delia a bit louder. she was riding toward it, the hoses plodding seeming louder than usual.
"Should we knock? What if someone is in there?" asked Amira cautiously.
"Well," said jessan speaking matter-of-factly, "If we don't knock, then we will never know what lies behind that door... and i'm really curious."
and that was that. He walked up to the small wooden door, and noticed that it was intricately carved with birds and trees with some kind of flower that looked like a star in its beak.
"Woa! Come look at this." jessan was thoroughly excited now, and he couldn't tell why.
Delia got to the door before Amira.
"What kind of flower is that? the one the bird is holding in its beak?"
"I wonder..." amira felt as if she was being watched. she turned and peered into the small grimy window. She gasped, stepped backward and stumbled on her dress. Delia yelped and tried to steady her but only succeeded in falling back herself.
"What in the world?" said jessan incredulously catching Delia and Amira in his strong arms. "what was that all about?"
Steadying herself and brushing off her dark purple dress, Delia said, "I haven't a clue! Ask Amira!"
but Amira was already looking through the window again, eyes wide with horror.
"Amira, love, what-"
"Shh-" amira was walking over to the door now. opening it as quietly as she could (which isn't very quiet because it was so creaky) she stepped over the threshold.
"Amira what are you doing?" Delia hissed.
"Shh!"
"Don't do that agai-"
"SHH! just come here!"
and laying in the middle of the small room was Catire. with one look at amira, he seemed to tense up. that was when amira noticed a miniature version of the large cat crawling out from behind a broken mirror in the corner of the room. Purring loudly, Amira guessed it was supposed to be a growl, the mini Catire plodded over to its mother and curled up, and promptly fell asleep.
"What is this?" squeaked Delia, "Shouldn't we get out of here?"
"So, Catire's a girl... How do you think she got all the way here? We last saw her, oh i don't know, two months ago in the forest outside the castle..." amira trailed off.
"Honestly Amira. You are the queerest person i know! You're standing here in the same room with the same cat that tried to kill you, and you're wondering how it got here!" Jessan was admiring Amira's bravery and worried that something was wrong with her head at the same time.
"No offence Amira, but i think we should leave...NOW." Delia was nervously looking around as she was afraid more cubs would come prowling out behind miscellaneous objects. Come to think of it, there were a lot of funny things in that cottage. Amira could see a table set with chipped pieces of china, a pot with a decaying plant, a small musical instrument that looked like a cross between a violin and a banjo, and a shelf stuffed with so many books, Amira could not believe that in one cottage, there was a whole wall dedicated to books.
Delia, forgetting her terror of Catire at seeing the large volumes, walked over and ran her finger along the bindings.
"It must be deserted......" she said, "That's funny, there is a book here missing from the collection 'Great Beasts From A to Z'. It's the letter H."
"Start looking!" said Jessan, "We must find that book!"
they looked, and looked, and looked. None of them could think about how one small book could get so lost in the tiny house.
"Found it!" yelled jessan from behind a pile of nothing but dirty wigs. "Great Beasts from A to Z, Harpies to Horned Vampires."
"Bring it over here!" said Delia impatiently.
Once Jessan clambered over a chess board around a statue of a swan and past a doll house, he sat down and gave the book to Amira, who immediately began thumbing through the heavy, threadbare, book.
"Hags....... harpies..... hell's fire birds....... AHA!! Hippotruckles."
"Well? what does it say??" inquired delia who was getting more impatient be the minute.
"Um... it says here that they get younger, they like jewelry. that would explain why she made all the necklaces that does who knows what to your brain...."
suddenly, they were all interrupted by piercing yowl. the trio looked around and they could see that a little old woman was walking up they path behind the house. the howling was coming from the baby Catire. not stopping to see what all the commotion was about, Amira, Jessan, and Delia stood up and ran to the door by which they had come in. now completely dark, they could just make out their horses. after they got saddled up (which took hardly any time at all) they started riding away.
Amira could barely hear the old woman saying, "Hello there my pet... how is your new son?"


the next night, Amira Jessan and Delia were all sitting around the small fire they had made and were reading the new book that the had just stolen.
"... they also like to be mysterious, but will do anything to live longer. It also says that Hippotruckles are hard to kill." Delia was reading aloud the chapter on hippotruckles by fire light.
"Darn! Is there any other way that someone can... well, dispose of them?" asked jessan who was disappointed at what he had just heard.
Yawning, Amira said "Let's go to bed now. I'm so tired, i could sleep for days... weeks even."
"Amira is right,Jessan. I have been reading this for a while now, and my eyes hurt." agreed Delia.
so they layed down on the thin pieces of fabric which served as mattresses and fell asleep.

Early in the morning, it started to rain waking everyone up to send them scurrying for cover under a large hemlock tree. By the time Amira got there, she was soaked to the bone. as was Jessan who was cursing and swering at the rain for being so cold.
"Where is Delia?" said Amira over the sound of torrential rain.
"I don't... Wait, there she is over by the horses!"
it was true. delia was leading all three of the horses to a different tree and tieing them up. when she finished, she came running across the forest towards Jessan and Amira. But something was different... her sopping hair was plastered to her face and neck, but it was something else.
"sorry. i needed to get the horses safe from the rain." Delia was panting. she leaned up against the trunk of the large tree and rested, eyes closed.
that's it! thought amira her ears are pointed!
"Delia... odd question, but what is with your ears?" asked Jessan who had noticed too.
Delia's face was drained of all color and she looked down grabbing the sides of her head.
"I'm sorry." she said solemnly.

chapter 7 #4 (violet)

"May i name her elva?" asked delia, her old shyness coming back

"Course ya can, she's your horse!" said jessan, amused by her question.

"I've never owned my own horse before! what's yours named, amira?"

"Klea."

"And yours jessan?"

"Demil. and we had better be going." every one mounted their horses and started their ride. they loved to ride together, but delia had always used a borrowed horse, and, like amira had said, they had never gone farther than the clearing. now they were being forced to. they walked, trotted. trotted, and walked. over hills, under trees between rivers. you name a terrain, and they'd gone over it.

the first couple of hours were easy. the next couple weren't too bad. the next three their hips hurt, and the next three was agony. so, after those hours, they stopped. they were eating lunch when, well, nothing. there were nothing. no people. all of the places were shut down. why? oh well.

they were on the road again. they had run out of things to say. they had slowly drifted close enough so that amira and jessan were holding

hands. delia was riding in front of them. they were all going very slowly, but delia was the first to spot the inn. after yelling excitedly, she took

off, far ahead of the others.

"Amira?" Jessan asked cautiosly.
"yes?'
"there is one thing about this quest, that scares me. badly, really. i wouldn't be able to stand it if you were hurt. and i wouldn't be able to
stand it if delia got hurt, because it would hurt you. if anything were to go wrong, i swear..." he trailed off. "i wouldn't be able to make it through

without you. and don't get me wrong. i love delia too. but like a sister, just as you do. just promise me you'll be careful." amira's nod was cut

off though, by delia yelling.

"HEY! are you guys coming? i booked two rooms. one for you two, Mr. and Mrs. Tessle, and one for me." tessle was jessan's last name.
they smiled, and quickened their horses.

after a good sleep in an almost empty inn, the trio was on the road again.

chapter 7 #3 (veruca)

"I have it right here." said jessan, "Thesatous Teasious." suddenly, the saddle he was holding in his other hand turned into a big fat roasted chicken.

"Um... Jessan, i don't think we need that spell quite yet." said Delia playfully. "we should only use it in emergencies."

"Oh al right." said jessan grabbing a new saddle from a hook at the other end of the stables.

"Well... this is it, i guess." said amira sadly. "I haven't been past the clearing since that day i was attacked by Catire."

"We need to get going now." Delia was getting nervous, "By now someone probably got the light back on, and when they see that you aren't there, amira, they will come looking."

amira jumped up on Klea (she was riding bareback) and said,"Delia, you can have that horse over there." she pointed to a black horse. Delia walked over to it.

"what is its name?" she asked

"she doesn't have a name." Jessan said.

"Elva..."

Chapter 7 #2 (violet)

Jessan led amira to her seat by the king, and then went to sit with all of the other staff members. amira's golden dress made her long black hair look very shiny. she glanced at jessan. it was his move now. to get them out safely, he would have to turn off the light. soon. all of a sudden, the room went black. she could here the jester and the tumbler shouting rude knock knock jokes at the sky, and the ladies in waiting falling over each other to get away from them. amira searched for jessan. he had performed his part well, but how was she supposed to find him now?

all of a sudden two big hands were around her mouth. pulling her to the door. had jessan not been the one to perform the job? had someone else gotten there first? then, a feather floated down to her shuffling feet. then she knew what was happening. that had been delia's idea and way to tell amira that everything had gone smoothly and that amira should not worry. all she had had to do was stand there and be present. she took jessans hands off her mouth and held one tightly. he led her out of the frenzy. they met delia outside and ran down to the stables where they had hidden their things, and saddled their horses.
"wait, every one check your pockets! which one of us has that spell? i had almost forgotten!" amira said excitedly. she had been wondering who the paper would choose. jessan was the one to come up successful.

Chapter 7 (veruca)

"A what?!" asked Jessan and Delia at the same time. amira had just gotten down to the room.
"A hippotruckle. they get younger by the year, and i think that the Old One is one of them!" cried Amira, who was nearly screaming now.
"Amira, please shut up." said Delia, I'm sorry to be so mean but people are sleeping and we don't want them to report us to the Old One."
"She's right. you need to calm down..." Jessan said soothingly.
"Calm down!!? The old hag just killed my mother and you are telling me to CALM DOWN!?" this was it. Amira was finally cracking.
"We're sorry, love, but you don't want to get us thrown in the dungeon do you?"
"no... i'm sorry Jessan, and Delia. I should learn to control my temper." amira looked down at the small gold bracelet that her father had given to her as a birthday gift. She knew by now that the braclet contained magical powers. she then looked out the small round mirror at the corner of delia's bedroom (they had decided to meet there). amira saw the last bit of lightning die away and turned toward her two most trusted friends.
"We will have to run away sooner than expected. i know that we weren't supposed to leave for another day, but... we don't know how fast the Old ONe will act. She might be plotting to kill us as we speak."
"I was just thinking that myself." delia's voice was quavering.
"Oh, no!" Jessan hit himself on the forehead...rather hard, "Oh crud! I cant believe i forgot!"
"What is it? you must tell us!"
"As i was walking in the hallway to get to delia's room, i heard someone talking to the king. It was one of the court's judges. He was saying that the Old One was to have her coronation tomorrow afternoon! 'Everyone in the castle must attend' is his exact words. I am so sorry i completely forgot at the first mention of 'hippotruckles'." he winced as if he was about to be hit in the head with a club.
"No, no, no, no, no..." delia was on the verge of tears.
"I have an idea." said amira who was overwhelmed at the information just given to her. "we must sneak out of the Coronation Hall just as she is about to be crowned. Some one will have to create a diversion..."
amira and Jessan looked at delia.
"What? Oh, no, no, no, no..."

Chapter 6 #4 (violet)

back in her room, amira could contain herself no longer. 

"How could she!!! this is all her fault i know it!" amira's blood was boiling now. she couldn't believe that this could be happening. 
"Amira, it's not the queen's fault she died." Jessan was trying to soothe her, but it wouldn't work this time.
"NOT the queen! the old one!!! this is her fault! her name is written all across everything that has gone wrong so far!"
"You guys, first of all, we forgot to lock the door." Jessan leaped up and ran to other side of the huge room and bolted the doors shut. "and second, no matter how rude this might seem, people are trying to sleep." amira tried to calm down "and most of all, if it is the old ones fault, then we are going to have to leave, and soon. we don't know who she will go at next. her intent on ruling is clear, but she could want to go through every one." amira noticed that delia wouldn't look her in the eye...
"Delia, is something wrong?" Jessan must have noticed too. how curious. 
"Well, i think it's time i tell the two of you something. something that might help. you see, your father did tell you that am not a true princes.. he was right. where i come from, kings and queens are married, but they have separate families. they have what they call boyfriends or girlfriends. they can go as far as they want wit h them, but under no circumstances, are the alternate families royal. you see, this isn't the first time i have tried to escape someone like the old one. two years ago, when i was thirteen, someone like her came to live in our kingdom. my father never really cared about me, he had only wanted sons, royal or not. many different times he tried to... dispose of me. the 'old one' was one of those ways. when i was given a necklace, i suspected something similar was going on. you see, things were different when it happened the last time. people would go into her living quarters, and never come out. the only reason i am sure that this is not the same old one is because mine was older."
at that amira jumped up and ran to the door.
"Where are you going?" Jessan asked her.
"To see the wizard, and you two are staying here. pack up, i'll be back in two hours."

amira found the wizard in bed, sound asleep. not for long.

"Foulin! FOULIN! get up, i need you help!" 
"Sarah, Sarah, don't do this to me!" foulin said groggily.
"Sarah? this is amira! if you aren't up soon i will take your cauldron!" that go t him up. and dressed.
"What is it, dear?"
amira told him what had happened. then she asked if there were spells or potions that could make people younger.
"THe only thing with that power, dear, are hippotruckles. they look like old women, but are actually creatures that get younger by the year."

Chapter 6 #3 (veruca)

that night, neither foulin, jessan, or delia could sleep very well. but it was amira who had the most vexing dreams. she dreamed that she was in a clearing in the forest, walking klea around in circles. she was lost. suddenly, Catire jumped out of the shadows and, in the air, turned into the Old One. amira tried to scream, but it didn't make a sound.. the Old One started laughing... a high pitched, but quiet cackle. 
when amira woke up, she remembered nothing of the omen that came in her sleep.

the next two days passed before something really happened. it was a warm, late spring day and amira was wearing her fake necklace and walking down a hall with delia. they were on their way to have lessons with jessan (who was waiting patiently on the terrace). it was Delia's first day of school at the palace of Gradle and she was very excited.
"what do you usualy do first in school, amira?" she asked curiously.
"well first we do math, then science, then language... then history wich we will do with the Old One." amira just shivered at the thought.
"oh! i'm so happy to start lessons with you, now that i will be staying here for a while." delia exclaimed. 
 they chattered down the hall, talking abuot lessons and dresses (they made a swear not to talk about the plan to run away except in secret.), but when they got to the large wood door that led out to the terrace, a small figure clad in dark crimson apeared.
"Hello girls." said the Old One, "How are you liking your necklace Vindelia?"
delia nodded stiffly and tried to smile.
"Good dearie.... now i came to deliver news so here it is: Jessan will no longer be your teacher.. I will be your full time tutor from now on."
amira refrained from gasping, but delia couldn't stop her self.
"what? why did you gasp, Vindelia?" asked the Old One.
"Oh! I- um... i am just so happy! I-um... wow!" she managed a small smile.
"Old One, what will happen to jessan? is he going to be tutored with us?" amira was enraged, but she was able to keep from screaming.
"oh him...." said the Old One wearily, "yes amira, Jessan will one of my students.. "

all through class, amira exchanged terrified glances from delia, and looks that said 'don't worry, everything will be alright' from jessan. but amira hardly paid any attention to these gazes. she was beginning to notice something different about the Old One. was it just her, or did she look slightly...younger? no. it could not be.. but who was she to judge that? since  the past few weeks, anything seemed possible. she would have to consult foulin about a potion or a spell that could make a person look younger. 

the next day, jessan, amira and delia were walking past the hall where amira had fainted to get to the stairway that led up to Foulin's  room. the five days were almost up for queen lourinia to get well, and the day of running away was getting nearer. it was Delia who heared it first.
"Amira... do you hear...crying?" 
"I hear it to." said Jessan.
"it sounds as if it is coming from behind..." amira turned slowly to the left, "that tapestry!"
 Delia had pulled back the heavy piece of fabric to reviel a small boy sitting with his legs scrunched up, dressed in scullery clothes sobbing into his knees. he looked up and when he saw the princess staring at him, burst anew into tears.
"Why, what's wrong? has some thing happened?" asked Jessan in amazemant.
the little boy, if posible, cried harder.
"tell me what it is...please?" said amira softly.
beetween sobs, the boy could barely say, "it's the- the- the queen!" he wailed.
"what? what is wrong with the queen?" asked delia hurriedly.
"she is- is- d- dead!"
amira couldn't believe it. no! no! no!  she thought, as she ran past delia and jessan. how can this be happening? she could feel the blood rushing from her face. as if it would never return. amira was too upset to cry.. but streaming past the windows, she could see that the once sunny sky had turned black, and it was begining to rain. she came crashing through the door that led to her mother's chamber and stopped abruptly when she saw who was in the room. the Old One. sitting there on the chair by her mother's bedside. how could she? wearing mourning clothes like she is actually sad. just then, the King came in and  seeing his wife laying on the bed, motionless, began to weep. it is one thing to see a scullery boy cry, but to see a king cry.... someone so mighty and powerful... amira walked shakily over to him and began crying too. everyone in the room was crying... everyone but the Old One.

Chapter 6 #2 (violet)

"That is quite a story. i do have one question though," Foulin turned to Jessan. "are you going to go with the girls. now every one in the stables turned to look at Jessan. he hadn't been given the choice to answer earlier. 

"Of course i am!" JEssan sounded almost angry. he came over and started to pull the rest of the feathers out of the top of his head. only he could reach that part. when he was done he stepped back to amira, and held her hand. 
"You could come with us, there are probably things that only you could do." she offered. 
"I love you so much, my dear," he said, taking her other hand in both of his, " But i have to stay here. old one or not, i still belong, and live here."
"Could you at least help us in a couple of ways?" Delia piped up.
"Of course i could. what is it that you want?" 
"Well," amira started "You being the wizard and all, start holding private tea parties, with only one person at a time. spray them with feathers like we did to you, and you can secretly start to free the court. don't do it a lot though, we should take it slowly. after all, some of the free ones might decide to go over with the old one. pretend that you are still under her spell though. that way you might be able to find out more.." 
"absolutely. that is the least i can do." foulin sounded excited about his new job. "Now, what is all this about a spell? that is where i specialize you know."
"Yes, well, back in my kingdom, our wizard would give us a spell that we could say to turn what ever we were holding into food. when you came in, i was telling amira about it. it would do us a lot of good to be able to have an endless amount of food."
"I think  i met that wizard on some of my travels. i was in fact lookiing for food when he told me the spell. here it is: Thesatous Teasious. can you remember that? here... maybe not.  i will write it down on this paper. it can't get wet, and it will always end up in the pocket of one of your clothes... whichever it likes the most. it will never leave his or her side." 

after many thanks, the wizard left the group. the trio walked up to amira's room. delia brought a jewelry making kit that she had recently

bought. it had some fake gold chains, and some multi-colored, close fitting, beads. they made as many necklaces as they could out of them,

and ,keeping three for themselves, they brought the rest up to foulin. he told them that he could use a multiplying spell to make more of the

fake necklaces. the four decided that this would be a reliable way to keep the old one off their tail.

Chapter 6 (veruca)

"
i know. i cant imagine what w ould have happend if..." said amira
"The Old One?" jessan asked in amazement, "an old hag like her? i knew there was something fishy about her. now i know... I cant explain what it was like to wear that necklace! it was as if i felt obligated to believe everything she said and to agree!"
"jessan... one more thing" said Delia (who was getting more confident and not so timid).
"We, Delia and I, are going to run away on horseback. we must find a way to stop the old one. do you have any suggestions?"
"No, i don't amira. but maybe if-"
"Well hello!" boomed Foulin as her strode across the field towards the small group of people. his necklace glinting in the sun, "i was just on my way to get some more birch weed when i saw you here, so i thought i would drop by for a moment."
amira looked at Delia, who was way ahead of her and dropped the rest of the duck feathers on top of Foulin's white, straggly hair.
"What in the world?"
"sorry foulin. Vindelia just couldn't resist....." said jessan whith his most wonderful smile.
"Here, let me get these feathers off of you." amira, who was followed by jessan and Delia, and started pulling off the brown and speckled green pieces of down. this time it was Delia who unclasped the gold chain. and when she did, jessan and amira starded jabbering wildy at once.
"whoa, slow down children.. i can't hear a thing you are saying!"
"all right... you can start the story amira and i can finish it." said jessan, who was already out of breath.
"Oh, ok... here it is..." and amira said the whole story for the second time in just afew minutes. "so foulin," she concluded "you see why we need your help. i must have that spell."

Chapter 5 #3 (violet)

Amira started toward Jessan, but he gently pushed her back to her bed. 

"The king is holding a meeting in the court. he doesn't want you to come, but he want's Delia." Jessan was looking at amira worriedly now,  like he thought she was going to throw a fit. but she wasn't.. she was worried about delia. then she got an idea. it was a very painful thing, having to keep secrets from her family, including Jessan.. but this was her duty to the kingdom. 
"Alright then. but i would like to ready delia. i get the feeling that she hasn't been here for that long, and i would like to prime her for the meeting."
"All right, but not too long.. the meeting is suposed to start in a half hour, and it will take us half that long to walk there.. no one is sure if the queen will get better this time. every other time the queen has been able to feel her feet. not this time. the king would like you to stay in your bed, for fear you will not make it through without f ainting or crying. he wants Vindelia to tell you the news that they decide on.." Jessan gave a quick bow and left the room with is long, sure strides. odd. he seemed so formal with amira this time, he had never been that way before. he hadn't even looked at her. he had just given his news and gone to wait outside. and the only other time that the queen had been sick was the time that the whole court had gotten the influenza, and no one had been able to feel their feet. what was wrong with JEssan?
"Delia, this is a very important job that the king is having you do. can i trust you with a secret?" Amira was straight, fast, and direct. 
"ummhmm"
"I think that the land might be in danger. the old one has something to do with it. if you are given a necklace like mine, do NOT, and i repeat: do NOT  put it on, they are dangerous. do you see the way Jessan talked to me just then, and the way my parents talked to me? they all seem to agree with the old one. she has been giving out these necklaces for years to all of the important people of the court for years. Jessan now seems to have loved me for years, but now that he has a necklace, he barley looks at me. i think i shall have to run away. i want you to come with me becuase we are not only suited for each other, but we are not yet infected by the necklaces. if they give one to you, tell them that you want to show me and come back. i have tried to break them for so long, but i have never been able to. can yuo do that? and then leave with me next week?"
"Yes, amira. i shall do exactly that."
"Good, thank you. now go!"
delia ran from the room, and amira could hear her running to keep up with jessan. he had never made me run to keep up with him. odd. 

what seemed like hours later, delia ca me running into amira's room.. amira hopped up from the book she was reading and locked all teh doors to her room. in whispers, delia told her everything that had happened.. 

"Amira, things are happening quickly! the king appointed the old one to lead with him if the queen doesn't get better. the old one! and he has only given the queen five days to get well! and jessan? you were right. he kept trying to ask me about you, but every time he opened his mouth to start it was like someone had jerked his mouth shut and his head to turn back in front of him. he really worries about you though, i could tell. and once we got there, even teh king seemed to look up to the old one! and the old toad is only about five feet tall! and every one at the meeting had a necklace.. they ar e all different though, and well... look,"
delia opened her palm, and in it was a necklace. it's gold chain sparkled with warmth and the 'glass' bubble only had one color in it, gold. amira got up and walked to the dresser. seh took down her own necklace and compared the two. amira's had more color, but it was cooler. delia's was rapidly cooling down. 

amira thought, and thought. there had to be some way to get the necklace off someone else. two young girls, no matter how royal, couldn't live on their own. and then it hit her. 
"deilia, w hen was the last time you practiced your archery?"

the two girls went down to the dead ducks. delia was much better at shooting down birds then amira had expected. she hated to kill animals, but under the circumstances, it was necessary. oh well. for Jessan, anything was  worth it. the two girls each grabbed a bird and started to take out the feathers. they would need all that they could. after all of the five birds were de-feathered, they piled them all into the bucket. they would save the birds to eat later. now, all they had to do was find him.

as soon as they found him, amira started the charade.
"Jessan? you know how my mother said that i needed to start riding side saddle? well, i have 

fresh out forgotten! would you teach me again? and Delia would like to come too. but not a 

formal class. just a normal, two girls and one boy learning to ride."

"Of course. the whole court would love to see you riding side saddle."
the trio walked down to the stables. amira gave teh signal. delia poured the feather bucket 

she had been carrying onto Jessan's head. the two girls started hysterically laughing.
"Oh, Jessan! i am so sorry! i couldn't resist!" Delia snorted multiple times..... it was so funny 

that the two would have been laughing anyway. jessan glared at her.
"You had better help me get these out! i will not be humilliated like that!" that was definitely 

not something that he would have said under normal curcumstances. oh well. that woud soon

end. "all right, come here!" Amira said, still laughing. she and delia started to work the feathers out of

his hair. it was starting to get long.

when they were about half way through, amira moved down to the top of his neck she worked out

some imaginary feathers, and then, 

when she was low enough, she grabbed the clasp of the necklace he wore. gently, ever so gently, she took off the necklace. she kept working her way through the feathers. "Jessan?" she asked quietly. "Yes?" he answered, turning his head to look at her. and that was when she saw it. his eyes were 

no longer hard and empty. they were full of love and passion. for Amira. seh smiled.
"Jessan, that necklace you were wearing........" she told him the whole story........ when she was

done, he pulled Amira into his arms.
"Oh, Love." he said.

Chapter 5 #2 (veruca)

Amira knew what to do. or did she? she knew that she had to get away from Gradle...far away. But where would she go? she didn't even know if that girl would go with her! as much as it pained her to leave her family...and jessan, she had to do it.
"um... who are you?" she asked the girl without a necklace. she was beautiful, but somewhat plain. chest length brown hair, green eyes and fair skin with freckles. yet there was something sad about her.
"Vindelia miss most people call me Delia." she said quietly. "i'm- from the kingdom of Bethian." amira noticed she seemed to be holding something back. 
"what a beautiful name...Vindelia..." said Queen Lourinia.
"She is from the neighboring kingdom. Her father is the king, but she is not princess-" the king noticed that he was embarrassing Vindelia, so he stopped.
"Delia is about you age, Amira, so maybe you could be friends!" said the queen, quickly changing the subject. she smiled at the two girls.
"are you alright?" asked jessan worriedly, changing the subject again. amira had a funny feeling in her stomach. what is this feeling? she had felt it in the hallway, she felt it when he called her 'love', and she was feeling it now.
"fine... just a little dizzy..."
"we should leave her alone." said the old one speaking (to amira's disappointment) for the first time in a while.
"umm..... no! don't go yet." said amira quickly. she could hardly contain herself. she was about to crack. then all of her emotions would come spilling out. "i, uh, would like to talk to Delia for a moment...alone. " 
"Absolutely not!" cried the Old One, "i forbid it!"
"oh, let her talk to the girl!" said the king, "i will do her some good to have someone to talk to other than the horses!" 
  that was the end of the disscution. even when he had a necklace, the king could not keep from wanting the best for his child. amira didn't point out to him that she liked talking to the horses (especially Klea) and that she also had Jessan.
"Please, Old One." said jessan, "and since vindelia will be staying for a while, she should have a friend too."
"All right. but only a moment. i must show delia to her living quarters."
Everyone, except for amira and delia, got up and shuffled out of the room. first the Old One (looking very disgruntled), the queen (who looked at amira lying on her bed and delia standing by her and smiled), the king (looking worried, but satisfied), and finaly, jessan (who was gazing at amira and mouthing the words 'get well love'). there is that feeling again! thought amira. after everyone was gone, delia walked over to a chair and watched amira expectantly.
"oh... yes... you may sit."
"thank you miss." said delia shyly as she seated herself.
"Delia, if we are to be friends, then please call me Amira. i would like it if it was a more casual friendship."
"yes, miss- i mean, Amira. may i look at the necklace now? it is the most beautiful necklace i have ever seen!"
Amira shoved the heavy bedspread off her and got up. she straitened her dark blue and silver dress and said, "you may see my necklace... but don't put it on!" she added. 'where the devil is that wretched thing? ah there it is...'  amira walked over to a chest that was across the room and picked up the necklace. but something was different... the colors weren't swirling like they were earlier. as she stared at its colorful orb, Delia asked, "Is there something wrong Amira?"
"what? oh... no nothing is wrong..." she brought the piece of jewelry over and dropped it into Delia's outstreched palm. 
"Don't put it on." she reminded her. "um... delia... random question, but what do you think about the Old One?"
as delia inspected the necklace, she answered, "well... she does seem a bit.... oh i don't know..."
"Odd? Wierd? Disturbing? Old?" interjected amira.
"um... yes...oh! i'm sorry! i shouldn't have talked about you godmother that way! I-I-"
"that's alright, delia. she is creepy isn't she?"
but just then, Jessan came rushing through the door. "Amira! it's your mother! she has fallen ill!"

Chapter 5 (violet)

"She's coming to!" said Jessan. how nice to hear his voice again. thought Amira.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Mother. oh good.
"I knew she would soon." Father. lovely."I told you it would do no good to worry." amira didn't recognize that voice.
"I strictly agree with the girl." NO! why is the old one still here? amira pushed the old one's face away from her. she was through acting nice to her. thanks to her, everything was going wrong. she opened her eyes and found herself in bed. Jessan, her mother, and her father were standing over her. three golden chains stood out. no! amira sat up. and looked around her.
"What happened?" she asked.
"you fainted, love" Jessan said.
wait what? LOVE? he just called me love? what in the world is going on here? oh. that necklace must be doing something to his mind. darn. i had really hoped-- oh well.
"oh." said amira.
"Honey, i think that you should start up more classes. you know, math, history, science." the queen looked at amira lovingly.
hm. funny, that is not something that she would usually say.
"and, no more riding bare back. side saddle is more lady like." amira seemed to be the only one who was surprised by this. "That is sort of random, though. summer isn't even over, and you always encouraged riding bare back." then amira noticed some one else. trying to push her way passed the old one. oh. the Old One again. but who was this young girl?
"Miss?" she aksed timidly.
"yes?' amira answered.
"I was just wonering if i could look at your necklace. you dropped it when you fell."
"Of course!" she said. 'you can have it if you want to'. that was what amira wanted to say, but she stopped herself. the girl looked like it was christmas all over again. She was that excited, which meant something. she didn't have a necklace. but every one had a necklace! wait, almost everyone. everyone who had a higher station. every one who liked the old one. every one who agreed with the old one....... this gave amira an idea. this girl, one of the lowest of the court, could run away with her!

Chapter Four #5 (violet)

"AMIRA!" this voice was so deep and angry that she looked up at Jessan in confusement. there was no way that he could have been the one who had said that. teh look on his face said that he was just as confused as amira. looking around, she saw her father storming towards them.
"What on earth are you all over him for?! if i didn't know any better, i would have thought that you were trying to take off his necklace!" the king stopped and took a deep breath. "And speaking of those necklaces, where is yours?" amira didn't know what to say. she held out her palm, in which her necklace was curled up. amira looked up into her fathers eyes, and saw that they were hurt. then she understood. she looked down, and around the king's neck, was a golden chain, with only three colors in it. amira ran to the king and hugged him. she knew this was all she could afford. someone laid a warm hand on her shoulder. amira picked up her tear streaked face and looked directly into Jessan's eyes. "I'm sorry. she whispered. "Please," Jessan said softly. "for both of us, wear your necklace." before amira knew it, she was in Jessan's arms. he was hugging her tightly, like he didn't want to be let go. and amira didn't want to be let go. seh wanted to stay here forever, but she knew she couldn't. seh would have to run. faraway on Klea. she wished that someone could come with her, but there was no one left. "All of a sudden, six more hands were upon her, four of them warm. the last two were cold, scaly, and odd. amira gasped and twisted away from the old one's touch. but, not to be evaded, the old one only moved closer, held her tighter. the next thing she knew, everything balcked out.

Chapter Four #4 (veruca)

"Jessan!! What-? How-? When did you get that necklace?" Amira was horrified. It was terrible and she didn't know why. "The Old One gave it to me just a few hours ago." Jessan said, "Don't you just love it? It hasn't as many colors as yours does, but-" Amira cut him off. "Take it off this minute!" she screamed, "I demand that you take it off! I- I-" she couldn't contain herself any longer. Amira shot her hand up to Jessan's neck and yanked with all her might at the warm, gold necklace. She would have thought it was beautiful if it hadn't caused so much trouble. The gold chain wouldn't budge. She tried again and still nothing. "What in the world!?" Jessan leaped back in terror. What had come over the princess? "Jessan, you have to trust me! Just take it off!" Amira felt a rush of emotions: fright, wonder, bravery, sadness, and something she couldn't name, but it had something to do with Jessan...

Chapter Four #3 (violet)

It was too late to stop. Amira ran head on into Jessan. they both stumbled a few steps, but jessan caught her before she went down.
"what on earth?" he asked
"Sorry. I think something's wrong. I have to get out of here. I have to find m-my father. I can't stay here!" Amira was crying now, blubbering all of her words. her fragile shoulders shook her long wavy black hair. she couldn't stop crying. she sensed that her father would probably realize her mood, and be home soon. she couldn't wait for him, she would have to meet him first.
"Wait, amira." Jessan said softly, trying to console her. "your father got here an hour ago. when you weren't in your room, he sent the whole castle to look for you!"
"Sorry."
"it's not your fault! what happened to you? were you attacked again?"
"No! i was talking to the- my godfather."
"Oh, yes. that's believable."
"That's the truth.." amira looked up from jessan's chest and gasped. around his neck was a golden chain. with only one color in it. the old one's necklace was new. not like the wizards, or hers. this was bad. amira still wasn't sure why it was bad, but it was. the Oldd One was wierd, and Amira didn't like her. there was something a bit off about these necklaces. everyone who had one seemed to really like the old one. And who in there right minds would actually like her?

Chapter Four #2 (veruca)

amira raced down the steps and sprinted to the long winding hallway that led to another flight wich plummeted down all the way to the dungeon. past many statues of rulers from the past and tapestries that were so old and faded you couldnt hardly see what they depicted, she ran. suddenly, jessan appeared out of nowhere.

Chapter Four (violet)

in some far off town, the king was fighting the galling winds to get back home. he had to get to amira to see what was going on! she must be so nervous and scared! there was no other explanation for a storm so suddenly this big. he spurred his horse to top speed. he was almost there, he could see the castle now. there must be only three hundred yards between him and the drawbridge that led to home. he felt annoyance at being called home for such silly reasons. he knew that this excuse, like many others that amira gave him, would probably have something to do with the old one. they always did, but he didn't believe a word of it. how many lands had he conquered? well, it didn't matter, but she had pretty much gave them the lands herself. seh just told every one what to do and they did it. no question at all; just like that.