Usually the passageways between the two worlds were secured, but every now and then someone leaves a door open or forgets to move a rock back in place. Though for Squirrel to have traveled this far, there really must have been a huge temptation for him on the other side. Wandering around in the Outie world was so strange especially when trying to ask for directions and not letting any know that you are from another realm. Arnie was used to finding her way around by just following the light or the bling of something sparkly in the distance. Squirrel must have done the same thing Arnie realized, "though with his nose and tummy instead."
Though this "discussion" seemed to include a bit more as they kept gesturing to something over their head and waving their paws. Then after saying something, the Outie squirrel would break out in this infectious laughter. Hearing a squirrel laugh is quite hilarious.
"He's muttering to himself," whispered Arnie. "He is a strange one as I certainly didn't see any other Outies around him." From what Arnie could hear it sounded like "That Darn Squirrel! We'll see what he think of my new PVC protection?" "PVC??? What could that mean?" thought Arnie. "Is my friend even in more danger from this odd looking Outie?" The Outie then approached the "treasure" that my friend Squirrel and the other squirrel had been talking about earlier. He pulled on a rope and lowered this strange looking contraption that I could see why my friend had been so excited about it. It was pure candy on a stick! "Look at all those delightful seeds, nuts, and delicious goodies all wrapped up together to look like one BIG scrumptious banquet," Arnie thought to herself. "No wonder Squirrel left the safety of the Realm for this!"
Realizing that they had been exposed too long and could be seen by the Outies, Arnie leaned over and whispered to her squirrel friend, "We need to be going before they discover us... Now!" Tugging on her friend's tail, Arnie started back to the magical doorway dragging her friend behind her. "Quit struggling. We have got to get out of here." "But I want to see how my new friend gets past this 'PVC' trap," answered Squirrel sullenly.
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Neither Drat nor Dree knew it would be the last time they were to see her again. "The Queen is sending me on an important mission that is going to take me into places unknown," Meen realized as she listened to the flutterby message again. "She even told me to pick someone to serve in my place as her chief, but who should I pick that will do as good as a job as I do?" With that thought, Meen continued hopping towards the Shadows' Queen's castle to pack for her journey. Meanwhile, Meen was not the only one packing... "Don't forget the spoon and my favorite shoes," Goodie2shues told her sisters.
"Hurry sisters. My vision told me that we must catch this next transport if we are to be timely. If you don't have time to pack it, we will just have to find another when we get there," Goodiegood told the others. "What about the stuff we have to leave behind? What's going to happen to that?" asked Goodie4u as she finished filling her traveling case. "I have taken care of that. Someone who the door guardian knows well will be in charge of the cottage for us," answered Goodiegood. It was then that the knock sounded at the door and the door opened wide letting in the Borrower. "Hi Arnie. Take a seat and we will be finished shortly. I already poured you a cup of that pumpkin spice tea you like so much," Goodiegood said as she resumed packing. As Arnie sat down, Goodiegood and her sisters started for the door with their traveling bags. "Sorry, we don't have time to chat, replied Goodie2shues. "And we can't tell you why but please consider this cottage your home," Goodie4u told her as they all left. "I can only tell you that what we have to do is important and it is taking us to a unknown place," and closed the door leaving Arnie by herself in the quiet cottage.
"This is a strange place," thought Arnie as she looked at the circular tangle of sticks that was slightly moving (as if breathing) hanging over the entrance door. She then pulled out her favorite keys and locks as she thought of new places to hide her treasures in this cool looking cottage.
Dulbbe had not been king long, but in the short time of holding this new job, he had learned to trust his First Minion. "Yes, but remember what actions you do will reflect on the Troll Kingdom and myself." After another thought, Dulbbe added with a smile, "and don't get caught." If the King had not smiled, Drat would have almost felt offended. "Don't get caught indeed," quickly scampered through his thoughts, but then he realized that the king was right. "The Gooblin King doesn't keep dungeons as he doesn't keep prisoners," Drat remembered. "They cost money to take care of," Hir'aeth, the Gooblin King, had been overheard saying once and everyone knew how ruthlessly efficient he ruled his kingdom. Shuddering, Drat started out to where he knew he had to go. Quickly he was out of the Shadows' Queen's library and was leaving her palace. There might have been a quicker route to where he was heading, but Drat wanted the extra time to work his plans out as he traveled. "No, that won't work," he decided as he rejected several options but always he came back to the main part. He would need to convince Dree that this was for the best. "The question is," Drat asked himself, "best for us or the Dragons?" Soon Drat was outside of the caves and just as he started to enter realized that he could hear another voice besides that of Dree's coming from inside. "Hello Drat. On some errand for the Troll King?" Meen asked smiling.
"I realized that you looked like you were thinking something important the way you were distracted and that it had to do with the Dragon's and I knew that sooner or later it would have to involve Dree. So here I am." Slightly annoyed at being so transparent that even a Pyksee could figure out what he was up to and even more so for failing to see how smart Meen really was, Drat quickly decided that maybe this was for the best. Meen had been one of Dree's first friends while he was still a Wish Dragon and might be able to help convince the Dragon of his plan. "Meen, I am glad you are here. I need your help. We need to persuade Dree to help us find a scroll." "You mean like finding a hidden treasure? That is one of my favorite games!" answered Meen. "Dree always liked playing games with me... It shouldn't be hard to get him to play it with us." Drat smiled... "This might work out after all," he hoped.
"Well your kingship, it is because of trolls that the word "trolling" began. Trolls would rather just look at the cover of a book and not really open it to the pages within," Drat replied. "Though, with the old king before you, there was such a competition between him and the Gooblin King that resulted in them both going after powerful books," Drat continued. "After all, wizards aren't just powerful on their own magic but from all the knowledge they collect. Both the old Troll King and the Gooblin King knew this," Drat said as he caught up to Dulbbe before he opened the door to the Shadows' Queen library. "Hmmm," thought Dulbbe as they stood in front of the closed door. "What if there are some old scrolls or books that could give us more information on this Wish Dragon, Siate'? I mean, Drat, just think of her power," Dulbbe pondered. "If she was so all powerful back when, why did the Dragons leave the realm? If the Dragons were so mad at the villagers enough to leave, why not wipe out the villagers instead? Or did history get rewritten with the Dragons leaving? Interesting questions that I think we need to know the answers, Drat," said Dulbbe as he opened the door to the library while Drat wondered about his new King. "A troll who believes reading is a virtue and doesn't wait for a servant to open doors for him," he mused to himself. As Dulbbe entered the Shadows' Queen huge library, they quickly headed to room 101 where the one source that might be able to answer a few of his questions was located. As he took the cover off the crystal ball it began to glow a pale green. "Oh Wise One, is there a book or scroll that tells us of the time of Siate' the Wish Dragon when she was in power?" The Dragon orb flashed a couple of times and then began to glow a brighter green as it answered Dulbbe's question. "Yes."
"The Gooblin King has it, though he knows it not," answered the orb. "It will be difficult to find for the scroll has it's own spell on it to keep it hidden from those that look to harm Dragons. For the scroll knows that knowledge is power and it hides from those that seeks it's power." In frustration Dulbbe's threw up his hands and growled, "How can we find a scroll that cloaks itself, let alone has hidden itself among the gooblins?" The Orb answered, "With the help of a Dragon."
Even Griselda had not thought out this possibility of being known. "I don't think I even showed my tattoo yet either", thought Griselda as she brought her hand to her lips in surprise. “Greetings oh mighty one. Yes, it has been a long time and your presence greatly enhances our Realm,” Griselda replied receiving a smile from the Wish Dragon. It was then that Siate’ decided to address the young Dragon standing with the villagers. “And who are you and from which clan are you from?” she asked Dree. After a pause while he thought about his answer, Dree replied. “I am Drai’ochtluan and was of the Wish Dragon clan.” Siate’ waited for further explanation but when Dree did not continue, she thought that maybe Aralt was correct and this young Dragon was a little stupid. “What do you mean ‘was’ of the Wish Dragon clan?” she asked him. “As I was the only Wish Dragon before your arrival, I did not see myself as part of a clan,” he answered. With this answer Aralt smirked. He noticed the look that had appeared on Siate’s face. "Yes. I had already warned her that this Dragon was not the brightest," as he let his lips slightly curl up into a small smile.
“That is true,” Dree solemnly answered with a slight bow. When he did not explain himself further, it was Aralt who asked “Where?” After appearing to be thinking about his answer, finally Dree replied. “I am pretty sure that I said Where could be in the caves south of here.” After another pause he continued, “Yup. Possibly in the caves south of here. You might want to talk to Who as well.” “Who do I talk to?” Aralt asked. “Yes,” answered Dree. “I talk to Who?” again Aralt asked. “That’s right,” agreed Dree. It was then that Drat realized the game the young Dragon was playing. “That’s right,” said Drat as he smirked a smile to Aralt. “You should talk to Who. If you can’t find Who, then I suggest you go to the second cave and ask to see What. If you don’t get an answer from them then you then try the third cave. I Don’t Know Who is at the third cave." At this point Aralt, shaking his head, replied, " If you don't know who is at the third cave why are you sending me there? "No, no," replied Drat. "Why isn't sending you anywhere. I realize that this is all probably very confusing to you as an elder, so I will take you there if you need me to,” smiled Drat to the Herald. Again, feeling his intelligence insulted, Aralt puffed up his head and told the rat to mind his manners and that he would be just fine without his unneeded assistance. “Indeed,” the Herald replied as he marched up to Siate’ and offered to lead her to the other Dragons that must be in the southern caves. As they prepared to begin their quest, something still nagged at the mighty She-Dragon. “I don’t think this young Dragon is quite as stupid as Aralt thinks he is…” she murmured to herself as she turned to leave.
As everyone was listening to Griselda (aka the Dowager), it was Snoop who was writing down everything and recording those he saw at this eventful gathering. “Darn quill. Good thing I brought along some charcoal. Don’t want to miss a thing. This will be the biggest scoop in the history of the Bellwether,” he told himself. Taking out the charcoal and a piece of parchment, he began to write down those he recognized for sure. There was the Tree mother, Efem, with her sister Cornelia and Cornelia’s husband Nemmer. Standing near them was Parsley, the herbalist, and her son, Sprout. "Of course," Snoop thought to himself as he observed Granny Flare handing out dragon berry cookies with the three Goodie sisters serving tea. "Glad one can always rely on the Sisters and Granny for making sure we all stay alert and remain calm by feeding us," Snoop thankfully sighed rubbing his tummy. The Baron was seen helping his mother, the Dowager, while Awena of the Sleeping Sisters and the new King of the Trolls, Dulbbe, were quietly whispering to each other. Meanwhile, as the Shadows’ Queen Ffion was seen nodding her head in acknowledgement to the Gooblin King, Hir’aeth, as she entered, Hewy, the troll, was keeping an eye on the Borrower, Arnie. Even the minions were present Snoop noticed. “I saw Scarlet taking care of one of the Nytemares just before I entered. That must have been how Queen Ffion arrived and I see her chief minion Meen is by her side too. Even Drat is here,” he realized. As most everyone was still listening to Griselda speak, Snoop noticed one individual that seemed to be only interested in the portal. Standing near it, Dree was looking at the portal entrance as if something dreadful was going to be stepping out of it. Deciding this would be the perfect time to get to talk to the Dragon (personal interviews always were well received by the Bellwether readers), Snoop stealthily moved over to stand next to the distracted Dragon.
Before Snoop could reply Dree continued, "That is one of my problems as is how does one respect their elders if they have not earned the respect? If the Dragons come through this portal, I am wondering how I will react. I have never met another Dragon. You are all my friends. Even though the Dragons may be part of my heritage, they are still strangers to me. You are my family now…” Snoop was surprised on how much Dree had matured since he had first found out that Granny Flare was caring for a Dragon baby. Now that baby was making the decision of who was is his relatives or his friends. “Dree, you may never have to make that choice. As you said, you have not met any other Dragons before. Give it a chance. You might be surprised and find out that they are more like you than you may think. The Dowager is from the Dragon Clan of old and she doesn’t act anything like Aralt does. Dragons are probably as different from each other as people are.” Dree turned his head to look at Snoop and finally smiled. “You are right. Everything should have it’s chance. Thanks Snoop… oops… Augustus,” blushed the Dragon. Snoop smiled at Dree and then started to laugh. Soon both of them were laughing and it did not take long for everyone else to notice. As Dree was wiping away a tear, it was then he realized that everyone had quit talking and they were all watching him and Snoop. In less than a couple of minutes the Dragon blushed again. “Sorry everyone. I was getting some good advice on what to do if Dragons come through the portal.” Griselda smiled at the two and then asked, “Should we all know what the advice is?” Again, Dree paused before answering. “Yes. I was told that everyone should be given a chance to be trusted. I will stay here until the Dragons come through the portal to ask my questions and see how we are treated because I believe in my friends already, now I will learn if I can I trust my relatives?” That made some of the more nervous in the group a little more confident having a Dragon on their side. Soon everyone was sitting around the Dragon and watching the portal.
Before he thought about it he casually answered “It hasn’t changed much,” he started to tell her – then he stopped.
Surprised that he even had found one since the She Dragon thought all of the Dragons had stayed together with her. She just looked at the Herald and said, “Continue. Why was a Dragon there and where was it from?” Not realizing this information had surprised the mighty Dragon, Aralt continued on about his meeting with Dree. “He isn’t very bright and I felt no real magical power when I met him. He didn’t even know that I was a Dragon Herald. The locals call him Dree and apparently he spends a lot of times with a rat. He said that there were some adult Dragons to the south of the where the portal opens into the Realm of Wymsy.” “Yes, they were my scouts." Siate' remarked to Aralt.
They would use the portal to regain their old land. “Lead the way Herald for you will be the best one to introduce us to our new neighbors,” she told Aralt as she motioned for him towards the portal entrance.
What had just happened with Aralt was something that wasn't following true as he tried to put together the pieces of what he had just seen. Aralt walking through a portal and disappearing was not that unusual in the Realm of Wymsy. Granny Flare did it all of the time... and blue Wysps were as annoying and as numerous as mosquitos in a swamp... but something that he saw was still nagging at him. "What is it that keeps bugging me," the hunter thought. Then it struck him and he almost stopped running! It was the way Aralt had entered the portal! "The portal was already there and he did not cast the spell to open it," realized Nemmer. "It's as if he knew what was on the other side." Nemmer now knew he had to get to the Baron's Mansion as fast as he could. "The Dowager was right," he thought. "Aralt may be a bigger danger than even the Dragons returning." It did not seem soon enough for Nemmer, but shortly he was standing at the doors of the Mansion knocking and waiting for someone to let him in. After only a few seconds, Nemmer got impatient and started banging on them. "Come on... Open up already!" he growled.
His choice was rewarded as both the Baron and Griselda were there drinking tea as he entered unannounced. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to both of you," he said as they saw him. It was then that Nemmer saw that one other was in the room also. It was Dree who was sitting on the floor with a pillow that he was adjusting to get more comfortable as he leaned against a wall. "Should I leave?" asked the Dragon to his hosts. "I think you should hear this Dree," answered Griselda as she stared at Nemmer, "as I have a feeling that what Nemmer has to say will probably involve you also." Nemmer nodded his head affirmatively and then began telling the three what he had seen and his concerns. When he had finished, both the Baron and Griselda gave each other a concerned look before saying anything. "I agree with your assessment and what you have told us makes it even more clear to me," replied Griselda. "The Herald has an agenda that I don't think is in our or Dree's best interest. My guess is that the portal goes to where ever the Dragons currently are and he will shortly be bringing them through. We must be ready." With that, the Dowager took charge of the campaign soon to come. Quickly she sent Sneefle, Fiddlefaddle, and Nemmer off to start alerting the others. Everyone needed to meet at this mysterious new portal for they needed to all be there when the Dragons came through if it wasn't already too late.
When Aralt found the Emerald Dragon Stone and learned that it allowed him to listen to the mind-speaking of Dragons, she was the first to realize he could hear them. “Aralt, the Dragon Herald,” she named him one day. The title amused Aralt at first, for he soon found that the stone made it even easier for the Dragons to agree with him. Afterall, he was their speaker to the other fae and ‘outies’. Shortly afterwards he and Siate' formed a lose bond to help her establish her reign over the others. She needed a tool and he thought he was manipulating the powerful Wish Dragon to his plans. Now, Dragons normally are independent and don’t believe in royalty or governments for themselves, but they do respect power and ability.
She remembered the day she gifted it to Aralt as a special reward for his help in convincing the other Dragons to have her as the leader of the Wish Dragon clan. “If only I knew of it’s true power, I would never have given it to him.” The ‘true power’ of the golden corolla was that by itself it was merely a slightly magical crown as it was part of the Wish Dragon’s golden horde. Gold is like a sponge in water. It absorbs and stores loose magic just waiting for anything/or person that knows how to use the magic to release it. Siate’ was not worried about the Herald being able to use the slight magic the corolla held as it would never be powerful enough to endanger her. What the Dragon still did not understand how the Emerald Heart Stone would change of all that! “Him and that damnable crown,” grumbled Siate’ under her breathe as Aralt kept talking about his adventures. He did not even notice that she was not really paying attention to him and his tales… she was thinking back to a long time ago when her plans started to unravel once the Herald placed her ‘gift’ onto his head. She had given him the corolla just before they were to meet the Old One in open council. The Old One was the oldest Dragon who the others naturally deferred to as their elder. Respected and venerated she was. If Siate’ could get her blessings, she would have no challengers to be the Old One's replacement when she faded away. Siate’ could remember clearly as if it was only yesterday. Aralt, wanting to display his new gift from her, had placed the corolla on his brow as they walked in to the open council area with his green stone that looked like an heart hanging around his waist. The plan was for Aralt to announce Siate’ as if she was a queen so that the other Dragons would believe she had the right of rulership. If things went well and the Old One did not deny this entrance, then she would win. If not, then the Herald could be chastised for his error.
His method of entrancing the other Dragons only improved with time and still today she did not know how he did it. “New plan,” she decided. “This time I will find out his method so I use him and his ability for me!"
Aralt, already forgetting about the Wysp, continued down the tunnel leaving the barrier and the Wysp behind. Far up ahead he could see a familiar glow… it was the glow of a Dragon breathing fire! “I’m finally in the right place,” he told himself as he continued towards the light.
“Aralt walked through, so either he was invited or he has his own stone,” thought Nemmer. “Either way, it can’t be good.” The archer watched the blue Wysp for a little while making sure that it could not get through. When he was sure the Wysp was not going to get in, Nemmer decided his next stop would be the Baron’s Mansion. He needed to tell the Dowager Griselda what was happening. “She will be able to tell the others faster than I can. I hate running but for this I think speed is needed right now,” he mumbled to himself as he took off in a hunter’s run. As Aralt turned the corner, the first thing he saw was a Dragon’s head. It was ‘Her’… how could he have been so lucky to find her first? Her eyes were closed and it looked like ‘She’ was sound asleep, but Aralt knew better. She was a tricky Dragon… that is how she had managed to be the ‘unofficial’ leader of the Dragons for many, many, many years. Without even thinking about it, Aralt touched first the golden corolla on his brow and then the locket holding the emerald Dragon heart stone making sure they were both still there. That is when the Dragon smiled. A very large toothy smile… a smile with a lot of very large and sharp teeth. Opening her eyes, she just looked at the Herald and waited for him to speak first. Aralt knew what ‘She’ wanted. It was the recognition of an underling. “She is waiting for me to address her first as her inferior,” he remembered. Rankled at the thought that he was subservient to her but realizing that she would not speak until he started, Aralt spoke. “Greetings your Most Worthy. It has been a long time.”
“How dare she mind-speak to me!” he thought as he realized she was still smiling her toothy smile but her lips were not moving. “I am not one of your underlings” he wanted to reply, but he knew that would not get him what he wanted. In the long run it only would start another of those many arguments they had before he and the Dragons had parted ways. One thing Aralt had learned over the many years of being with Dragons though was the technique of manipulation. Smiling, the Herald replied, “Oh, I am sorry. You must be weak from your travels as you are only able to mind speak. You are old after all and not in your prime anymore. I will depart and return when you are feeling better,” and he turned as if to leave the cave. “Where do you think you are going?” demanded the Dragon. This time she did not mind-speak but spoke it aloud causing the stalactites in the cave to sway slightly and a few of the loose stones on the floor to tremble. With his back to the Dragon, Aralt took a second to remove his smile, and then turned around to face the mighty Dragon. “Ah, I was mistaken. Now you sound like your old self. My pardon. How are things in your domain and will you still need the services of a herald?” he asked.
Aralt did not disappoint her. Soon he was telling her of his many journeys after the Dragons had left this Realm. As she listened, she also started to consider ways to include him in her plans, or maybe not... that was for her to ponder.
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GreetingsWelcome to my blog. This is where I will reveal the magic of my Fae and their stories and share with you some of the success and pitfalls through the journey of doll making, sculpting, and other crafts that all come back to my dolls in many ways. Archives
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