by Talia Haze
“Who’s out there, then?” Ryan demanded. Sean scrambled away from the door.
“Little friend, little friend, do let me come in,” answered a sweet voice.
“And what do you wish me to say? Not by the hair of my chinny chin-chin? Scurry off, lad!”
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff and blow your house in,” growled the voice.
“Do, sir!” Ryan laughed. He was replied shortly by ferocious howl and the violent winds struck the house. Our refuge didn’t even shake. After a few more tries, the wind stopped as suddenly as it came.
“Are we not supposed to get a key?” Connie asked. “Come, let us look for it.”
It wouldn’t take long. The brick house looked nearly identical to the sticks one; a single room home with a single stone table and chair in the middle. No bed, no kitchen…the only obvious disparity was the brick fireplace…
“Tell us, Gabby!”
I jumped. Sean only raised his voice because he already asked three times. “Why are you staring at the fireplace?
“‘The wolf was very angry indeed, and declared he would eat up the little pig,’” I recited, “’and that he would get down the chimney after him. When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the pot full of water…’”
“Light a fire! Hurry!” Angel demanded. In a panic, Sean slid to the fireplace and took a breath, but a hairy face popped into view. Sean was so startled that he fell back. With a snarl, the troll bared its fangs.
“Good afternoon!”
It grabbed Sean’s ankles and pulled him towards the fireplace. Angel reached back and pulled an arrow from her quiver, but the creature’s tail lashed out, whipping her across the face and knocking her off her feet. His long tail grabbed her by the waist the instant she stood, and held her high in the air. “Stay there; I’ll eat you next.”
I grabbed the chair and pushed it against the troll’s face, more irritating him than hurting him. I just got in the way. I forgotten that Saramine was a warrior; daggers appeared in her hands and she leapt back and forth, striking the troll but dodging from his blows. From the air, Angel pulled a dagger from her boot and hacked at the troll’s hairy tail.
“Why do I even bother with you children?” The troll tossed his shoulder and shook his body around, throwing us into walls. “I can eat him here!” He flicked his tail, slamming Angel into the rafters and forcing her to lose grip on her dagger.
“Sean!”
Sean closed his eyes and turned his head, but a ripple sounded in the air and the troll fell limply to the floor. Angel quickly grabbed onto the roof rafters as the tail dropped lifelessly from the air. Sean scampered backwards away from the troll’s body on his hands and feet.
“It’s Connie!”
Connie gripped Angel’s bow in her shaky hand. Her mouth was slightly agape, and tears welled her eyes. Sean gently nudged her. “Connie? Connie?” She hastily dropped the bow. “Connie, it’s fine! Thank you!” She finally sighed and wept onto Sean’s chest.
“You’re right as rain, Goldilocks!” Ryan laughed. “You did it, lad! You really did it!”
Angel slowly let herself hang by her hands before letting go and landing on her feet. A golden key with (2) engraved on it appeared on the table. Angel put the key in her pouch before opening the door and waving her hand. “Ma-hali. Let’s go.”
With pleasure. We quickly left the brick cottage but stopped at the path. What happened? Were we not just in a large field with a huge stone wall?
We stood among tightly grown birch trees, the area only illuminated slightly by the sun through the gaps in the overgrowth. The cottage itself sat against a tall crag that shot above the trees, blocking our escape. A narrow path twisted ahead of us, deeper into the trees.
“Let’s play something blue,” Sean suggested after a few silent minutes of walking. Ryan looked around in bewilderment.
“Here? In a forest?”
“Do you fear a challenge?” Sean asked with a teasing smile.
Ryan groaned. “Fine, then. First to ten.”
The two darted ahead, searching the woods, but not straying too far from the path. Angel walked in her alert fashion; wide stance, head perked up and hands slightly fanned at her sides. The smell of approaching rain permeated the air, and Angel frequently looked up when the trees thinned to observe the clouds.
Connie certainly was not used to journeying in such a manner. Saramine took her pack before walking ahead alongside Angel. I walked next to Connie and yawned as she rubbed her shoulders.
“I give my deepest apologies,” she said suddenly. I turned to her in surprise. Her eyes stayed fixed on Sean, who just jumped on Ryan in fun for finding a blue flower.
“Apologies?” I repeated, perplexed. “For what?”
“I threatened you when we first met. I threatened his life. I cannot believe that I behaved so selfishly as to say I would hire dragon-slayers. That is inexcusable.”
“It’s probably a good thing you did, or we would never have let you come,” I answered. I wanted to make her feel better. I didn’t even remember it until she said something. Still, her red lips pressed together tightly. It bothered her more than I understood.
“Connie, if you didn’t come, we wouldn’t have even made it to Saramine. You knew the languages on the trees. You’re the only who understands so many. You’re needed!”
Finally, she smiled.
Angel suddenly ran to the boys who had stopped ahead. I gave Connie a look as we hurried to catch up. A large empty space of dirt and dust stretched below us. Nothing grew on it, not even grass or weeds. In the center of the vacant land a tall, stone spire loomed. The clouds above echoed warnings of a storm.
“Let’s go see what’s inside.” Sean shielded his eyes from the sun. “Perhaps our key.” It took about ten minutes to reach the spire, and I leaned back to see the top. Sean grabbed the handle.
“It’s locked,” he muttered, shaking and pulling on it. “There’s no keyhole. You can’t pick it, you two.”
“There is a window at the top,” Angel replied. “Perhaps we can find some vines to make rope…”
“But you are a dragon!” Connie objected, turning to Sean. “Can you not just simply fly up there?”
Sean hesitated. He hadn’t fully turned into a dragon since he was a young boy. Uncle Harrison always warned that Sean must never change so he wouldn’t suffer the same fate that his father had. Sean even kept his form secret from Ryan and I. Saramine sensed it and gently clasped his hand.
“I will fly up,” she said with smile. She released his hand and slowly changed into an eight-foot dragon with beautiful green scales and a small crown of tiny horns. I smiled excitedly at Ryan. Connie looked on eagerly. The sight must have even been rare for Angel; she watched Saramine closely, smiling lightly.
Saramine walked several paces ahead, her gleaming wings carefully tucked on each side of her body. When she put a sizeable distance between us, she stood on her back legs, unfolding her wings. They stretched at least thirty feet in each direction. We cried out in awe. With a friendly screech, Saramine flew into the air. She was almost out of sight when she reached the spire window.
“Cheater!”
A harsh, scratchy voice shattered the air. A visible gust of wind blew from the tower window and shot Saramine through the sky. She couldn’t find her balance and we cried out in terror as she sailed in somersaults across the empty field. All belongings were dropped and forgotten, and we raced after her.
“She’s going to hit the trees!” screamed Connie.
“Saramine!”
She hit a thick oak with a sickening thud. We screamed as she fell through the tree, breaking through branches and bouncing limply off others too thick. My stomach lurched at the sound of every snapping branch and I trembled at every thud. Oh, Saramine!
Saramine didn’t yell, didn’t cry, and finally landed on the ground with a thump and remained motionless. Ryan and Angel reached the mangled dragon first. Let her speak, le
t her move…please Saramine…
I gasped in relief when she changed back and moaned. She sat up, dizzily, before collapsing back her to side. Her whole body shook, but she didn’t seem to be in pain. Ryan gently leaned her against the tree, taking care not to touch a sore. Her senses returned and she burst into tears. Sean collapsed next to her, letting her rest her head on his chest and gently clasping her hand.
“Don’t move, Saramine,” he softly soothed; though his eyes said he was as scared as I was. “Angel, the medicine and bandages are back across the field in Gabby’s bag!” Angel shook her head.
“Tapo, it is here,” she said as she brought my bag forth.
“Aira, wele te-eha,” Saramine cried between sobs.
“Ami nik,” Angel simply responded, bending near her friend. Tears streamed down Saramine’s face into Sean’s shirt as she nodded. I just paced before them, anxiously chewing my thumb. The scene kept replaying. Each thud and each snap resounded in my ears. I trembled uncontrollably and my stomach knotted.
Angel leaned back on her heels. “Ahne mele te-eha?”
Saramine slowly held her arms up in response. From her elbows down to her fingertips, the skin was cut and bleeding.
“Oh my,” Connie gasped. We were so stunned and focused on Saramine that we didn’t notice Connie gasping loudly the entire time. Her blue eyes blurred with tears. “Oh my, oh my. She…she is bleeding. Oh my, oh my…forgive me!” She ran into the woods and kept going until we couldn’t see her anymore.
“Perhaps she cannot handle the sight of blood,” Angel muttered as she pulled a tiny bunch of tightly-wound leaves from her pack. Saramine’s lips pressed tightly at the sight, but after a moment of struggle, Angel finally forced the leaves into her mouth.
I couldn’t handle it either. I wanted to look away; my stomach lurched at the sight, but I had to be sure. I had to be sure that she would be fine.
Sean sang softly and gently combed through Saramine’s hair while Angel cleaned the blood and cuts. Ryan knelt nearby, handing Angel items as she asked. Saramine soon became relaxed, and sat disoriented as Angel worked. Angel checked Saramine’s arms and legs thoroughly and put medicine on each wound she found.
“Oh! Na-izik!” she suddenly cried out, making us all jump. Angel’s face twisted up as she lightly touched Saramine’s chest. “Na-izik, Aira!”
Angel grabbed Saramine’s hand tightly and gently felt around the spot with her other. Saramine dropped her head onto Sean’s chest, but Angel’s face relieved. “It is not broken too badly,” she said. “At least it is not out of place. It will heal correctly.”
“That is good,” Saramine said, barely looking back up. “I begin to feel like one of those pigs!”
We laughed as Angel continued to clean her slashes and attend her bruises. Soon, Saramine laughed dazedly with Angel, Sean constantly reminding them that he didn’t speak Inzi. I relaxed.
The two warriors were strong. I stared at my sister’s scars as she worked. I wondered what trauma she faced to earn hers. What tragedies did they both face that falling such a distance through tree branches left neither of them phased? My sister, the mighty chief! My friend, the dragon warrior!
“We forgot about Connie!” Sean suddenly said, looking over my shoulder towards the woods.
“I’ll get her,” I volunteered, spinning on my heels. I was of no help just standing around. All was well; they didn’t need me.
“Connie?” There was no path. How far would the princess venture? The red and yellow weeds swayed gently in the wind and leaves gently fell from the trees as I walked under them. A light trickle sounded in the distance and there! The faint sound of crying. I ran towards the sound to find Connie sitting on a felled tree near a river and dabbing her eyes with her yellow handkerchief. “Connie?”
“She is hurt terribly, is she not?” Connie cried as I sat next to her. Her beautiful face had turned red and blotchy. “Please do not tell she is going to die! Please…” She trailed off and buried her face into her lap, sobbing. I wrapped my arms around her.
“She’s fine,” I soothed, “she’s even making jokes.”
Connie’s crying didn’t calm. “Gabriella, I just cannot get the sound from my mind.” I shuddered as well, remembering the final thud. “What are we to do? We are trapped here and Saramine…must we bury our friend in this terrible place…?”
“Bury?” I cried out. “Connie, stop! She isn’t dying, Connie!”
The princess finally looked up at me. “You are certain? But Gabriella…”
“She’s not,” I repeated. “She’s fine! Angel is almost done. You shouldn’t think that way, Connie! You have nothing to cry about.” I stood to my feet and brushed off my skirt. “Come on.”
Connie’s face became panicked. “Gabriella, I cannot…”
“You need to!” I argued, planting my feet. I wasn’t very strong, but I was certainly stronger than a princess. I pulled her up. “You need to see that she is fine!”
Angel and Ryan squat across from each other, putting the bandages and ointments back into the bag. Saramine’s dazed eyes lit up as I approached, though her smile was baffled.
“Did you not find Connie?” she asked slowly. Sean started.
“She is behind me,” I answered. Saramine smiled broadly and leaned to look behind me.
“Connie?” she called. “Abiné! Friend! Come sit with me!” Connie slowly knelt at her other side. “I am fine. I am just out of my senses right now.”
Connie clutched Saramine’s neck, forgetting to be gentle. “I thought you were…”
“Dying?” Saramine pulled Connie away to look at her face. Angel sat on her heels and smiled. “Connie, I am injured, but not mortally.”
“Apo, yes. She has been through worse,” Angel agreed, standing to her feet. I shuddered. I hoped not. Ryan stood too.
“Come on, Dragonboy,” he said, bending to help Connie up. “Let’s go butcher that thing that did this to her.”
We walked back across the field and gathered our belongings before walking to the spire door. “Perhaps we should knock this time,” Ryan said, banging on the door. Sean gently sat Saramine on the ground.
A woman dressed in black rags cracked the door open and peered around it. She had wrinkles over wrinkles, moles over moles, and a flat, curved nose. Ryan jumped back.
“She’s not here, Your Majesty,” the woman snarled.
“Majesty?” murmured Ryan before smiling at the sky and fixing his collar. “Majesty.” I rolled my eyes. Great. “That’s right,” he said to the woman. “Now who is…she?”
“You know who she is. I’ve told you already, she isn’t here! Go away and look elsewhere!” she slammed the door shut.
“How rude!” cried out Connie, putting her hands on her hips. “She did not even ask what we were looking for!”
“There’s writing carved here on this stone,” Ryan answered as he bent to the ground. “It’s in some language…Goldilocks, this is you; come here.”
“It is very scratched up and hard to read,” Connie said, running her hands over it. “It looks like someone wrote it down in awful haste.
‘Say the words,
Of olden time,
To reach the top
And obtain the key
But be wary!
Although the fable
States otherwise
When you arrive
She will perform sedition
With the lamia at her side…’
And everything else is too unclear to read.”
“It was written in a hurry,” said Sean, pointing at the ground next to Connie’s foot. An old, dusty skeleton lay halfway buried in the dirt. Connie let out a startled shriek and leapt to her feet. “He must have wanted to warn everybody and wrote it down before what ever happened, happened.”
“Something bad, no doubt,” muttered Ryan, kneeling by the skeleton. “Look at these old clothes! They are slashed and torn, and he is holding a sword…”
“Whate
ver attacked that man is the same that blew Saramine into the trees,” Angel said, fiercely. “These are all tales. Which one is this?”
Ryan smirked and childishly put one foot on a rock and his outstretched to the spire window, before I could answer. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your fair hair?”
We laughed as a golden braid cascaded from the spire window. Ryan smirked at our laughter and pulled the braid twice. “And, as I am clearly the prince…” He grabbed the hair and began to climb. He only made it up a few feet before falling to the ground. Angel laughed and took his place.
“Oh, my prince!” she mocked as we laughed. “You shall never catch a fair maiden with a display such as that!”
Ryan just stared at her with a smile. “We’ll see about that, then, Angel.”
Angel responded with some comment, but as she had already climbed so high, we couldn’t hear her. She stopped to rest about thirty feet up, sticking her feet through the braid for stability. Ryan shielded his eyes from the sun as he watched.
“What, does she practice that?”
We cheered when she reached the window and disappeared into it. Only a few minutes later, she opened the door.
“How did you get down all those stairs so fast?” I asked, looking back up the spire window.
“Easy,” she replied, rubbing the back of her head. “I fell. Ma-hali.”
We laughed and followed her inside the spire. It was a small room, dark, dank and dreadful. A black cauldron sat over embers in the stove; tattered books lay sprawled everywhere, along with several vials and bottles. Various animal skulls lay strewn about, over the red-stained floor.
“Come, Gabby.” Angel sternly repeated for the third time. I quickly ran to catch up. The old woman was nowhere in sight, and Angel wanted to be the last one up the stairs to watch for her.
Chapter Three
Key Three
A girl a little older than Connie stood by the window with her hair hanging out. She wore a white gown with slightly puffed-ballooned sleeves. The collar dipped low and the bodice was gold. Her face was soft and round, and her pink lips and slightly upturned nose were small. Her eyes were very deep-set and dark green. “My name is Rapunzel,” she greeted in a velvety voice.