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!"