Day 19

After I ended the last scene in this section, I really didn't feel like writing anymore. I think writing about the argument put me in a bad mood. :(

Etana was feeling annoyed. It seemed like people weren't certain she should have saved Birom when she'd put herself very much at risk. It was ungrateful! Finally, she decided to talk to Birom--he at least would be appreciative. She found him in Ma Belda's wagon.
"Birom?"
"Etana!" He started to rise, then groaned and fell back on his mattress. "Uh, I'd get up to hug you but I really hurt..."
"It's okay." She moved to his side.
"Thank you so so much! I really thought I was going to end up giant food!" He looked a little thoughtful. "You know, I wonder how they'd have cooked me?"
"That thing didn't look like it could be much bothered with cooking."
"Yeah, you're right. But still! Thank you!" He beamed up at her, then noticed the expression on her face. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt too?"
"Ma Belda says I injured my wrist, but it'll heal."
"Better than a leg! I can't run anymore! Who'll carry messages between the wagons while we're travelling now?"
Etana smiled at that. "I don't know. Maybe we could get you a little pony of your own so you can keep up with your job."
"Hahah! Like I'm going to get a horse of my own ever."
Etana looked at Birom for a long time, and then finally said, "Some people don't seem to be too happy about what I did."
"What? I'll knock their blocks off! I'm happy!"
"Well, the giant totally destroyed the props wagon, and damaged a lot of other things."
"The props wagon? Isn't that where all your things were?"
Etana nodded.
"Does that mean you've lost everything because of me? Oh no! I'm sorry!"
Etana calmed him. "There wasn't much in there that I needed. Most of it I can carry with me, and I lost my dyes when I flung them at the giant."
"Yeah, that was a good one. You've got a lot of guts!"
"Thanks."
"You still look worried."
"Yeah, I talked to Ma Belda and she seemed more worried about the things that got destroyed than about you. And Dacore was willing to let you be eaten as long as the giant didn't eat anybody else. And Aleth..." She looked away.
"What about Aleth?"
"He refused to tell me anything in a straightforward manner, so I left."
"He has a lot of trouble talking straight, you know."
She sighed. "I've noticed. But it just bothered me more today than usual, since he seemed more concerned about the props wagon than about you!"
Birom shrugged. "Dunno. But Dacore always used to warn me that things could get dangerous, and he apologized in advance for if something happened that couldn't be avoided."
"How irreplaceable were the props?"
"The props? They're mostly just painted wood. We can make them again, mostly, though I don't think there's anyone now who can paint flowers like the ones on that meadow set. I guess the swords and jewels and stuff might be harder to replace." Birom looked up at her and smiled sheepishly. "I don't know, Dacore handles all that."
"Ahh."
"Aww, you look so sad! Come here." He gestured, and she bent closer. He grabbed her in a big squeeze that hurt more than she'd expected it to. "Thank you for saving my life!! I wouldn't be here without you! And even if nobody else is, I'm glad you did that!" He let her go and blushed. "Um, Ma Belda says that sometimes the best thanks is a good hug?"
"I can believe that." Etana smiled now. "Thanks, Birom." She got up. "I feel like I should leave you alone to recover."
"No, don't! If they're not calling for you yet, they don't need you. And I bet you'd just get more lectures from Dacore, anyway." Birom made a face. "So sit here by me!" He patted a place on the bed. "So, do you know any good stories?"

(possibly insert the fairy tale here, told by Birom to Etana)

It was some time later before Ma Belda returned to her wagon to find Etana curled up in a ball on the floor near Birom's mattress, her head resting on it. Birom was asleep as well. Ma Belda tsk-ed and shook Etana awake.
"Huh?"
"Why don't you take my bed for the night, child? I think right now you need it more than I do."
"Oh. Okay." She got to her feet groggily, and Ma Belda helped her into the bed and tucked her in. She ran a soothing hand over Etana's forehead.
"It has been a rough day for you, I know. But I want to tell you that I am thankful for Birom's safety."
"Thanks," murmured Etana before slipping back into sleep. Ma Belda left the wagon, closing the door on her way out.

Etana woke the next morning feeling much better than she had the previous... afternoon? She wasn't sure anymore. She was sure, though, that she was hungry and needed to use the necessary. She took care of the second, noticing that Birom was still asleep in his bed. She turned her back to him, and began to apply the bruise ointment that Ma Belda had given her before slipping back into her clothing. Then she left the wagon to look for food.
The wagons had moved since she'd last seen them; they seemed to now be in a more protective arrangement than the hasty camp of the previous afternoon. She followed her nose to the cookfire and found Aleth there, drinking what appeared to be a thick stew from a bowl. He noticed her come in, and their eyes met for a moment, but then he looked away, as if ashamed, and said nothing. Etana helped herself to some of the stew and sat down on the opposite side of the cookpot from him. They ate in silence. She watched him surreptitiously through the flames, trying not to be obvious. He seemed to be lost in thought. At one point it looked like he was trying to gather the courage to speak to her, but then he just hung his head and groaned as if he had a headache. Meanwhile, Etana tried her best not to look like she was having trouble figuring out how to manage with an injured wrist. The uncomfortable silence stretched on. Etana finished her bowl of stew, realizing that she was hungry from having skipped dinner the night before. She got up and ladled herself another one. Aleth had finished his and seemed to be looking for answers of some sort in the bowl. Finally, Etana had had enough. She'd intended not to talk to him until he apologized properly, but it looked like that would never happen, and she was impatient. She got up, crossed beside the fire, and sat down beside him. He looked up in surprise when she did.
"Um, hello," he said hesitantly.
"What was that all about?"
"What was what all about?" He tried, unsuccessfully, to look innocent.
"You know what I'm talking about! Yesterday! First you refuse to lift a finger to save Birom, and then you hound me for risking my life and for making the giant destroy the wagon, and finally you refuse to give me straight answers!"
Aleth sighed. "What makes you think I can give you straight answers now?"
"You've obviously been thinking about it."
"That's not true."
"Yes, it is. And yesterday you asked me to accept an apology you hadn't even offered me!"
He looked as if he were considering his words carefully. "Didn't you leave before I got a chance to say anything more?"
"That's beside the point! I knew you weren't going to say anything more useful!"
"Ngh, how can I say this?" He asked, more to himself than to her, staring again at the inside of the bowl.
"I'm waiting."
He let out a sigh. "Don't you think I would miss Birom if he were gone?"
"Well, you weren't acting like it."
"I--" He fell silent, as if unsure how to say what he wanted to say. "Is it not written that when disaster strikes, one should worry about what more can be saved, rather than what is already saved?"
Etana boggled at him for a moment. "I don't know where that would be written."
"Ignore that part," he said a little testily. "Just pay attention to the saying itself."
"So you were following the wisdom of the ancients or some such. That doesn't excuse lying to me. Is telling the truth really that bad?"
"Yes," the word slipped out, and Aleth looked angry with himself. "Urgh!"
"Then I don't think we can talk any more than we already have." And again she stormed off.

Etana went back to Ma Belda's wagon, hoping to find Birom. He was there, but so was Ma Belda. The older woman took one look at Etana and said "Come here and take a deep breath, child. What's wrong?"
"Aleth," she said curtly.
"Is he being annoying again?" Asked Birom. Ma Belda shushed him.
"Is that the problem?" She asked Etana.
"Yes. He as much as told me he would rather lie than tell the truth! How can anyone be like that?"
Now Ma Belda shushed Etana. "Why don't I comb your hair out, dear? I always find it soothing."
"Um, okay." Ma Belda let Etana's hair down and began to brush it. The sensation was indeed somewhat calming.
"Now, what exactly happened?"
Etana took a deep breath and tried to calm herself enough that she wouldn't start shouting again. "I saw him at breakfast. He didn't talk to me, and I didn't want to talk to him until he apologized for yesterday. Then he wouldn't, so I went over and asked him to apologize--"
Ma Belda stopped her. "Asked him, or demanded from him?"
Etana flushed slightly and drooped her head. "Demanded."
"That's not the best way to get an apology out of someone."
"I know, I know."
"Now, don't take that tone of voice with me, girl."
"I'm sorry, Ma Belda."
"So what happened?" piped up Birom.
"He quoted some random saying at me as if it excused him from having to actually apologize. Then I asked him if he even wanted to tell the truth and he said he didn't!" Etana was getting worked up again.
Ma Belda placed both hands on top of the younger woman's head and said "Sh, sh." She turned Etana around to face her. "This is not the way to deal with such problems, all in anger."
"Then how should I deal with them if he won't be reasonable!"
Ma Belda stroked Etana's hair. "Sh, sh. Calm down. Take a deep breath. Yes, that's good. Now let it out. Again. You can unclench your fists." Etana hadn't realized that her fists were clenched. As she followed Ma Belda's instructions, she was able to soothe herself and relax a little bit.
"It's just so-- so frustrating!" She finally said.
"I know," said Ma Belda. "I know."
"Is that all you can say?"
"There are events in Aleth's past that would explain much, and perhaps make him easier to deal with, but you'll have to ask him yourself. They are his secrets to give, not mine."
"I'm not sure I want to talk to him any time soon."
"Then don't."
"Huh?" She looked up in surprise--Ma Belda hadn't struck her as the type of woman to counsel avoidance.
"Right now, you are acting irrationally and letting your anger get the better of you. Avoiding the object of your anger may give you enough breathing room to figure out how to deal with it intelligently--and what its true cause is."
"I would love to do that."
Ma Belda smiled. "I know you do, and it will not harm you. In the meanwhile, would you like to continue your voice lessons?"
"Ooh, can I help?" Asked Birom.
"Only if Etana is willing."
"Can I help you in your voice lessons?" he asked Etana.
Etana smiled at Birom's eagerness. "Sure you can."
Ma Belda grinned. "Excellent! But given that his voice is breaking, you may find yourself regretting that decision!"

Day 18

So, um, some complications, whoo! I felt like Etana and Aleth were getting along too well.

The play went well. Aleth was responsible for background music and some narration to move the story along. Etana had to exercise her rapid-mending skills when Jelane, the leading lady, accidentally tore the hem of her dress on a loose nail. But overall, the audience was satisfied, and showed their appreciation with coin and food--mostly food, since the population wasn't all that wealthy. At the end, though, Etana felt proud for having been a part of such a production, even if it was just behind-the-scenes. Afterwards, the troupe got together and had dinner as a big group. There was a lot of joking and talk about the production. Jelane expressed her gratefulness for the quick fix, and Ma Belda looked over everything approvingly. Etana felt a sense of being part of a rather large family, and she found herself missing home. But she looked over at the smiling Birom, and determined to make the best of this "adventure."

They spent a few more days in Fernholm, giving only one more performance and spending most of the rest of the time gathering supplies and making necessary repairs and modifications. Etana was able to borrow some space at the dyer's to experiment with some of the materials she'd picked up along the journey, and to refresh her stock of dyed yarns. Some of the dyes didn't turn out as well as she'd hoped--there was one flower she'd hoped would give a rich red, but the color was weak and pale. The blue that the dyer had given her turned out as brilliant as he'd claimed, and she discovered that a simple herb rinse after the dying was enough to fix the color in place. She passed this information on to the dyer, who in return gave her some of his own dye recipes.
Soon enough, though, they were on the road once more. Aleth usually rode up with Dacore in the head wagons, while Etana usually stayed with Ma Belda, and sometimes with Jelane. One day, Etana was sitting with Ma Belda when she saw both Aleth and Dacore gesturing towards her, as if they were talking about her. That made her suspicious, so she waited for the next stopping point to join them.
"Were you two talking about me earlier?" She asked them.
"Why, yes!" said Dacore. "Aleth was just telling me what progress you've made with Ma Belda, and he was suggesting giving you a part in our next play."
"Me?"
"Well, why not?" Asked Aleth.
"I've never been in a play before."
"Don't worry, we're not about to cast you as the leading lady. Jelane would have my hide if I did something like that. But something small, to get you more used to performing. Aleth mentioned that you seemed to be uncomfortable with that."
"I don't need to be more comfortable. I really don't intend to spend the rest of my life performing and wandering from city to city without a home."
"Hmm," said Aleth. He looked like he wanted to say something, but did not speak.
"He suggested this because it's often easier to learn to perform as part of a group, in a small role that is non-essential. It gives you experience, but puts much less pressure."
"I still don't see the point."
"Didn't you enjoy our little duet?" Asked Aleth slyly.
Etana flushed a little. "No, not really," she said, as firmly as she could.
"Well then, I suppose I won't push you," said Dacore. "But it's something to think about. After all, you'll never get a better opportunity than with us!"
Etana stalked off, not certain why everybody in the troupe seemed to want her to perform and annoyed that they did.

After a time, Etana noticed that the days were growing chillier, and that they'd been spending an awful lot of time on upward slopes. She commented on it to Ma Belda.
"Well, my dear, the Lady of the Hills lies beyond these mountains. There's a pass that's pretty easy to get through, which is what we're taking. Expect it to get colder, though I doubt it's going to snow. The worst things in these mountains are the giants..."
"Giants?"
"Storm giants. See that peak there?" Ma Belda pointed to the tallest mountain, whose summit was shrouded in clouds.
"I see it."
"Those clouds never go away. Storm giants live there, and by their presence and fights cause the storms. Mostly they don't come down to these parts very often, since it's not cold enough for their liking."
"How dangerous are they?"
"They're large, ill-tempered, and they can throw lightning bolts. Fortunately, they're none too smart and often forget what they're looking for if you hide long enough, but sometimes that's quite a task."
"I hope we don't encounter them. So do we all. This is not their season, though. Too warm."
"Good."

The troupe was surprised on the pass when the crackle of thunder announced a storm.
"What? It's too early in the season for a storm!" Protested Dacore.
"I think it's a giant!" Said Ma Belda.
"What? Here?"
And over the ridge came a giant. He appeared to be a huge, hunched man with blue-gray skin and hair the color of storm clouds. He was dressed in a mantle of crudely stitched-together furs, and carrying a lightning bolt.
"Grargh!" Shouted the giant.
"Run for cover!" Shouted Dacore. The troupe did their best to comply, hiding themselves in the scant trees and underbrush. But Etana was horrified when she saw Birom trip as he dashed for a hiding place and fell, sprawled out in plain sight on the path.
"What is this?" Said the giant, as it leaned over to sniff at Birom. Birom curled up and tried to back away. It looked like he'd managed to hurt a leg somehow, because he tried to stand but it wouldn't support him.
The giant picked Birom up and sniffed him again. "Smells tasty." It sniffed again. "Smells like there's more." It started sniffing around, trying to locate more people.
"Oh no! Birom!" shouted Etana. Dacore clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Shh, he'll hear us!"
"But Birom!"
"He's as good as dead, lass. We don't have any way of getting him back from those giants."
"But!"
"I'm sorry." Dacore hung his head. Etana was about to protest more, but she could see that Dacore already felt guilty.
"There has to be something I can do," muttered Etana. She spied Aleth in the next clump of brush, and while the giant's back was turned, dashed for it.
"Aleth!"
"What?"
"Did you see that? Birom's in trouble!"
"So?"
"We have to do something about it!"
"Well, what do you propose we do about it?" He snapped at her.
"I thought you might have an idea."
Aleth slapped his forehead and groaned. "Oh no..."
"What?"
"Why did you expect me to have an idea?"
"Because you've travelled so much!"
He groaned again. "I'm a hero. Argh. What I mean is... Haven't you noticed I'm not a hero?"
"Fine, then, I'll do this myself." And she ran out of the underbrush.
"Etana!"
"Here, giant!" She jumped up and down, calling to get its attention.
"What the blazes is she doing?" She heard Dacore ask Aleth, but she didn't hear Aleth's response because the giant grabbed her as well. It sniffed her.
"Mm, smells tasty," it rumbled. She could smell foul, rotten meat on its breath.
"I'm not tasty!" She shouted.
"Not... Tasty?" It sounded confused. "But humans are always tasty."
"Well, I'm not a human."
"Not human?" It sniffed her again. "Smells human."
"It's, it's a disguise!"
"Huh?"
Etana squirmed to get one of her pouches free. "Look at me really closely and you'll see."
The giant raised her closer to its eyes and squinted at her. It didn't seem to be able to see very well. "Looks human."
Etana got the pouch free, and she flung its contents at the giant's eyes. Toxic dye powders, a bottle of spirits, and various herbs flew into the giant's eyes.
"Aieeeeee!" It screamed, and dropped her. She managed to grab onto the edge of its furs as she fell, slowing her descent. But she couldn't keep her grip, and soon fell the rest of the way. The wind was knocked out of her as soon as she landed, and she saw stars for a moment before becoming aware of someone dragging her to the side. She thought she saw someone else rush out, grab Birom from where he'd landed, and carry him to safety. The giant continued to scream, and soon began to stab the area with its lightning bolt. The air crackled with lightning, the metal sparking painfully. One of the wagons was destroyed before the giant stumbled off, clutching its eyes. It was some time before the storm dissipated and the group felt safe enough to come out of hiding.
Etana was aware of a pain in her wrist and cradled it. She also found it a little painful to breathe. Ma Belda came over and looked at her injuries.
"Can you move your wrist for me?" Etana did so, moaning at the pain when she bent it too far. "Well, doesn't look broken, that's a relief. Now how about your ribs? Does it hurt when you inhale or exhale?"
"Both."
"Is it more a sharp pain or a dull pain?"
"An 'ow' kind of pain."
Ma Belda smiled at that. "Well, it doesn't look like your ribs are broken from the shape of them, but you probably managed to bruise them."
"Great."
"What were you thinking?!" exclaimed Aleth as he came over. "Do you think you're some kind of hero from the legends? That was --"
Ma Belda put up a hand to stop him. "She's injured. You can rant at her later."
"It's just that --"
She stopped him again. "Right now, you're too distraught to speak coherently. Why don't you go see to Birom? I'm sure he needs some cheering up."
"Fine," said Aleth reluctantly, and left.
Ma Belda in the meanwhile had gotten out some bandages and cut them to size. "Hold out your wrist. No, the other one, the one that hurts. Keep it as straight as you can." She began to wrap the bandage around the wrist, binding it tightly and firmly. While she was binding Etana's wrist, she spoke again. "You know, Aleth does have a point, even if he wasn't expressing it in the calmest manner. What were you thinking?"
"I couldn't just leave Birom to get eaten!"
Ma Belda sighed. "Ah, child, you have not been out in the world much. Sometimes we have to make difficult choices. Birom would not have been the first we lost to the storm giants."
"But how can you be so cold-hearted about it?"
"It's not cold-heartedness, it's just acceptance of reality. This time, by luck, nobody else got hurt, although we lost one of the wagons. It wasn't an essential one, but the rest of our journey will be harder without it."
"You care more about your supplies than about Birom?!"
"Shh, shh. What you must see is that there is always a price to pay, and you must be able to recognize when that price is worth paying. This time, perhaps, it was. Good lutenists are hard to find, as are good children. But what if there had been more giants? You could not have blinded them all. What if you had not caught yourself on the way down? You would likely have died in the fall or in the giant's tantrum, and we would have lost both you and Birom."
"But --"
"Dacore especially has to be mindful of the well-being of the entire troupe, not just any one person in it. If this meant abandoning one person so that the rest could get by unharmed, then he was willing to bear that burden."
"I don't like it."
Ma Belda sighed again. "It is a hard decision to make, but it is necessary to make such decisions. Dacore is a good leader." She finished tying the bandage up. "There, that should support your wrist and prevent you from making the condition worse."
"Thanks." Etana wanted to say more, but she couldn't think of how to say it. Ma Belda rummaged around in her pack for something. Finally, Etana said, "How is Birom?"
"Injured. He broke his leg. I doubt he's going to walk properly for some time. He's also cut and bruised, but nothing that will hinder his lute-playing too much." She saw the disheartened look on Etana's face, and added "And he's thankful to still be alive."
"I'm glad somebody appreciates what I did!"
"We do, Etana." She glanced over her shoulder to where Aleth and Birom were talking. "I'm sure Aleth does too."
"He didn't sound appreciative."
"In situations like this, you can't trust people's first reactions to show what they really feel. I'd say he was concerned and relieved more than anything else." She finally pulled out a small pot and opened it. "This is an ointment for your scratches." She pulled out another pot. "This one is for your bruises." She looked at Etana with an appraising eye. "More bruises than scratches, I'd say." She gave Etana the second pot. "I think I'll wait to apply this until we're in a more... private place."
"Okay."
"Can you get up?"
Etana started to raise herself, and reflexively began to push herself up with both arms. Her wrist protested. "Agh!" She dropped back down.
"Easy." Ma Belda stood, and offered Etana her hand to help her to her feet. Etana swayed a little bit from getting up too quickly, but soon steadied herself. "Why don't we go into my wagon?"
"Okay." They did. Ma Belda had Etana remove her outer garments and began to apply the ointment with a gentle, skillful hand. When she was done, she gave the pot to Etana.
"Keep this, and apply it every morning until the bruises have faded to half their size. You can put your clothes back on now."
"Thanks." Etana did. "And... I'm sorry about being so mad earlier. I think I was still reacting from being so close to death."
Ma Belda smiled. "Yes, you were. I don't hold it against you. Now shoo. I need to get Birom in here and make sure his leg is properly bound."
Etana left Ma Belda's wagon. Someone had rigged up a makeshift stretcher and moved Birom onto it. Two of the stage hands lifted it and carried him into Ma Belda's wagon. Etana saw Aleth talking to a concerned-looking Dacore. She walked up to them.
"Hello."
"Hello," said Aleth.
"Well, if it isn't Etana," said Dacore. He smiled at her wanly. "I'm grateful for your show of bravery today."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm afraid we lost the props wagon to the storm giant," said Dacore. "Including, unfortunately, most of your belongings."
"Oh no!"
Dacore sighed. "It is indeed unfortunate. Aleth says he had nothing irreplaceable, but how about you?"
"I don't think so."
"Well, you can look through the debris if you like. Anything you can salvage would be welcome."
"Would you look through it with me," asked Aleth gently.
"Okay." He led her to where the wagon had been left, and they began to sift through the wreckage. Aleth seemed to feel awkward about something and refrained from speaking to her. Finally, Etana had had enough and broke the silence.
"Was it okay, what I did?"
Aleth looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean... I saved Birom, but now the props wagon is gone, and so is pretty much everything in it. And I've seen damage to the other wagons, too."
Aleth took a deep breath. "Can I lie to you about it?"
"I'd really rather not be lied to."
He sighed. "I..." He paused for a long moment, thinking. "Why does this have to be so easy?" He muttered under his breath, and then he grimaced when he realized what he'd just said. Finally, he turned to Etana. "Don't believe a word I say. Please don't. It would make things so much more difficult if I could just tell you the truth."
"Fine," said Etana, annoyed. "I'll go ask Dacore." She started off.
"Wait!" She stopped and turned. "Will you accept an apology from me?"
"No."

My Status

So...

I've been pretty busy, and also pretty procrastinating-y. I'm still going, but I'm pretty behind and not catching up very quickly. I am getting more excited about the novel, though. I really like the silliness in days 14 and 17. And I have something approaching a plot, now! It looks a lot more romance-like and a lot less generic-fantasy-quest-like, which does make me happy. I feel kind of guilty throwing too many plot coupons in the way.

Why haven't I been updating when I've been writing? Well, I have my computer set up to shut itself off when it gets too late at night. I've been writing my NaNo entries late at night. I have just enough warning to save my work before the computer powers down. This is why I haven't really been posting my progress.

Day 17

(cont from Day 15)
"You're not sure if you should? My dear, you don't seem to me the type of woman who would let that get in her way."
"No, it's not that." Etana rubbed the bracelet again, absent-mindedly. "I think this is something I need to figure out on my own, first, before I go looking for help. I don't think I'm ready yet." She looked at Ma Belda and smiled. "But thank you for your offer. I hope you will keep it open until I do feel ready."
Ma Belda grinned at that. "Well then, child, I wish you the best of luck. And remember that you can always come to Ma Belda for mundane advice, like dealing with a certain someone." She winked, and left.
Etana sat, watching the fire and the players for a while. Why did I refuse Ma Belda? I don't know where that came from. But... it feels right, I think. It would be too easy this way, and this isn't supposed to be easy. Soon she grew tired, and asked directions to the prop wagon. Someone directed her to it.
The wagon was a little ways from the fire, since many of the props were flammable. It was rather dark, and the moving shadows from the fire didn't help. She opened the door and stumbled as she stepped on something unexpectedly soft.
"Ouch!"
"Gaah!"
"Is that you, Etana?" said a groggy voice she recognized as Aleth's.
"Um, I'm sorry I didn't see you."
"Probably not going to be able to sleep after that," he whined.
"It was dark, okay?"
"Sure, sure. Why don't you go looking for your bedroll in there somewhere?"
"Can you be more specific?"
"Yes." She thought he heard him swear under his breath after that.
Etana waited for more specific instructions. "Well?"
"Urgh... Okay. Your bedroll is definitely not deeper in the props wagon, and it is definitely not behind the painted trees. And don't you dare believe a word I'm saying."
"Are you trying to tell me that my bedroll is deeper in the wagon, and that it is behind the painted trees?"
"No." He swore again, a little louder this time. "I mean no. Argh!" He pulled himself to a standing position, groaning, rubbing his eyes, and trying to get his hair out of them. "Follow me," he said curtly.
"Are you drunk?" She asked as he led her deeper into the wagon, stepping carefully so as not to crush the props.
"Yes. I mean, not very drunk."
"You sound drunk."
"Grargh." She'd never seen him this cranky before, although admittedly she usually didn't accidentally wake him. Etana did notice that he didn't smell at all as if he'd been drinking, and certainly not to excess, although he certainly staggered like a drunkard.
She decided to try to be courteous if he was being grumpy. "Thank you for showing me to my bed."
"Mhm." Aleth's hair had fallen in his eyes again, and he pushed it back. Then he paused a moment, thinking, and finally spoke. "Have you noticed that there is a wall of props between you and me? Do you think this is a good enough guarantee of your privacy and modesty?"
Etana looked at the layout of the wagon. Her bed had indeed been made in what was effectively a small alcove. And in addition to there being walls between her and Aleth, the fact that he slept at the door meant that she would be safe from any intruders. It definitely seemed like Ma Belda's handiwork. She realized that Aleth was expecting an answer of some sort, so she said "Yes, I think so."
"Good night," he said, and staggered back to his own bed.

Over the next days, they stayed with the troupe. Aleth did not spend that much time with her, preferring to spend it with the players. He seemed to be rehearsing for the play they wanted to put on, and catching up with Dacore. Etana found herself spending a lot of time with Ma Belda, who taught her more mundane lessons--such as how to drive a wagon, and how to sing.
"You've got a fine voice, girl, but untrained," Ma Belda had said when she encountered Etana singing to herself as she did some knitting.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You have an ear for the music, and your voice is pleasant, but if you practiced and worked at it, you could be really good. There's still parts where you don't hit the notes quite right. And if you practiced, you'd be able to hit higher and lower notes than you can now."
"Oh."
"I can teach you that, if you're interested."
"I'm not sure why I would need to learn."
"For the joy of learning, why else?" Ma Belda saw the doubtful look on Etana's face. "And besides, you're travelling with a minstrel. Folks are going to wonder how come you two don't perform together. Unless you tell them more about what you're doing than you want other people to know, or come up with a real good excuse, it's easiest to just go with the flow."
"Well, okay, then." But really, the idea of performing did appeal to Etana, more than she'd have liked it to. It was not a very sensible thing to do.
"Good! Now, to start with, there's this thing called a 'scale'..."

Eventually, they arrived at Fernhom after an uneventful journey. Some of the kids were sent out as criers to make sure that people knew about the play. Etana took the opportunity to see what dyes and fibers were available, and she managed to trade away some of her golden yellow thread for a batch of lusciously blue dye powder. The dyer she dealt with was quite impressed by the quality of her wares; he mentioned that he'd never found the right mordant for the blue dye powder, which was made from the stems and leaves of a local plant. But he was sure that she could figure something out, because he'd never seen that kind of yellow before, and certainly not a yellow so waterfast. After hearing a description of the plant, Etana already had several ideas for substances to use as a mordant, or possibly as a fixative.
As she came away from the market, she heard a familiar voice raised in song, with an unfamiliar instrument accompanying it. Aleth was singing in the town square with his hat out. Some pins and copper bits had been tossed into the hat already. Beside him was Birom, who was playing a lute rather better than Etana had expected. Aleth inclined his head in greeting when he caught sight of her. When the song was finished, Birom waved madly at her in greeting.
"Hi, Etana!" He shouted.
"Hi, Birom," she said when she got to within speaking range.
"Dacore said I was ready to play accompaniment if Aleth would let me and he did!"
"That's wonderful!"
Aleth turned to Birom, but instead of saying anything, he just smiled and gestured in approval. Then Aleth turned to Etana. "Would you like to join us?"
"What, me?"
"Yeah! I've heard you practicing with Ma Belda!" said Birom.
"I'm not very good yet."
Aleth shrugged. "Very well, then."
Birom looked disappointed. "Awww." He tugged at her sleeve. "Are you sure? Not even just one song?"
"I don't know any songs for two people."
"So just sing along. I can sing along, too!"
"Please don't," said Aleth seriously, without a trace of a teasing tone.
"Aww!"
"Why not," Etana asked Aleth.
"Ask him."
"Dacore says my voice is breaking," said Birom. "I'm not supposed to sing until it's settled."
"Oh. He's probably right, you know."
"Awwww!"
Birom looked really disappointed, and Etana felt sorry for him. Finally, she said "Fine, I'll sing a song with you guys."
"Yay!"
"What song would you like to sing?" Asked Aleth. "What songs do you know?"
"The last song I was practicing with Ma Belda was 'I lost my heart one summer's day.' "
Aleth grimaced. "And you want me to sing that?"
Etana laughed at his expression. "No, it's just the first thing that came to mind. I know it's meant for a girl's voice."
"Ooh, I know," piped up Birom. "How about 'Merry Fair'? You can alternate the verses and sing together on the chorus! And I actually know the fingering for that one!"
Aleth laughed at Birom's last point, but nodded. He turned to Etana. "Well, are you willing to try it?"
"I haven't really sung in public before."
"Don't worry too much about it." He smiled reassuringly at her, then turned to Birom. "Birom, would you like to start?"
"Of course!" And Birom began to lay the ground for the familiar song.

("Merry Fair" is not not "Scarborough Fair". I'm tempted to introduce the "nightshade and thyme" theme here.)

Etana was surprised at how well she did. Her first few notes were definitely wavery, but Birom grinned at her encouragingly, and played bits of the melody, and she found her way back on track. They ended the song to applause, and a small shower of bits and pins rained into the hat.
"See, you did good!" said Birom.
"Whew. I don't think I want to do that again in a hurry."
"Why not?" Asked Aleth.
"I don't know how you can stand having all those people just staring at you! It's like they're just waiting for you to make a mistake!"
"Close your eyes, and you won't have to see them."
Etana frowned at Aleth. "That doesn't sound very helpful."
"It's what Dacore told me to do the first time I had to sing! I was really nervous! Of course, I can't do it now because I need to be able to see my lute to play it..." said Birom.
"You played very well, Birom."
"Thanks, Etana." He seemed to blush a little at the compliment.
"I really should be getting back. I think Ma Belda wanted me for some last-minute help with the costumes."
"See you!"
"Bye."

Day 15

This happens right after Day 14's stuff

They stopped for the evening in a clearing near the road and set the wagons up in a circle with a fire in the center. Preparations were quickly made for a meal of roasted meats and vegetables. The meat was heavily spiced, and unfamiliarly so, but Etana found it tastier than she would have imagined. She ate a lot, and tried to ignore Ma Belda's approving glances. There was some cider passed around, and the smell of it reminded her of home. She found herself wishing she were back there, with everything alright and no dabbling in the mystical arts required. She felt someone settle in beside her and looked up.
"You alright?" Asked Aleth.
"Yes, why?"
"Weren't you looking homesick just now?"
Etana looked away, and then looked back. "Yeah, I guess I was."
"What made you think of it just now?"
"The cider. The inn would always have this amazing cider they made. Nobody knew what went into it, but it wasn't like anyone else's. My mother always used to trade some of her best threads and cloths for jars of it, and she would ration it carefully through the year." She smiled wistfully, staring at the campfire. "In apple season, Moren would always smell like cider."
"Ah." He seemed to be at a loss for words.
"I miss him. A lot. Sometimes, I don't know what I'm doing, running off trying to find some woman who lives in some hills in the hopes that she can help him get well again. Shouldn't I be staying behind and letting real doctors look at him? And instead I'm going off across the countryside when I've never travelled further than the next town."
"Isn't there anything you like about travelling?"
She looked at him again. His expression was unreadable. "Yes, I suppose there is. I've seen so many new things already, and we're barely past Broomholt. It's just that sometimes I wish I had a solid mattress rather than a lumpy bedroll placed on too many rocks, and a roof over my head instead of the stars."
"Ah." He seemed about to say something more, but stopped himself. There was an awkward silence that stretched on for too long. Finally, he stood and said "I feel the need to stretch my legs." And he walked off.
Etana watched him go. He seemed to be looking for someone. He crossed between her and the fire, and she was struck by how absurd it seemed that the light formed a halo through his messy blond hair. She continued sipping her cider. She heard someone else approaching.
"I've set up your bedrolls in the props wagon," said Ma Belda.
"Oh, thank you!"
"Ha, it was no problem at all. I saw you've been eating well tonight."
Etana smiled at her. "I was hungrier than I thought I was."
"What have the two of you been eating?"
"Umm... Lots of dried stuff that we bring with us. Fruits and vegetables if there are any nearby when we camp. Once we found a patch of blackberries, mmmm."
Ma Belda grinned at that. "Blackberries are good for you. Keep your gums from bleeding."
"I haven't had that problem before."
"You been getting any meat?"
"Yeah, Aleth sets up snares at night. He's showed me how to make some of them, but he's better at it than I am."
"Good, good." She seemed very pleased.
"Why?"
"Aleth's a good young man, but sometimes he forgets to take care of himself properly, especially when he's travelling. First time we met him, he'd run out of food somewhere in marshy country."
"Oh." Etana didn't know what to say.
"And sometimes he forgets to charge when he performs, or decides to give his earnings away to someone else and doesn't leave enough for him to eat. That's why he's so skinny."
"I don't think he's that skinny."
"No, not right now. My lessons must have gotten through that thick skull of his finally." Ma Belda pantomimed whacking him over the head with a board repeatedly. Etana laughed. "But I overheard you say earlier that you're not much of a traveller. So why're out on the road?"
"Well, it's kind of complicated."
"I got time."
"Back home there's a man I love who loves me back. We were intending to get betrothed, as soon as his father thought he was ready and he asked my father for permission. But one night he came to me with a gold ring he'd found somewhere in the forest. You could tell it must have been fine gold, even old and worn as it was. He wanted to give it to me, but I refused because... I was afraid of the tax collectors, and of having to hide such a thing. So I told him to keep and hide it. Then a couple of nights later, he fell ill, and nobody was able to wake him up. I asked the priest and he said there was an evil spirit at work, but he couldn't cast it out. And my love was just lying there, sick like he could die at any moment, but not dying."
"That sounds like a bad piece of work, indeed. You figure it was the ring."
Etana nodded. "That first night, I noticed he was wearing it. And I tried to pull it off, but I couldn't. His parents couldn't see the ring. The priest couldn't until he'd said prayers over the room. Then..." Etana paused and swallowed, not sure how much she should tell.
"Then what?" Ma Belda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Since the priest wasn't able to help, I decided to look elsewhere. In the woods near my village lives a... a wise woman called Granny Rumple. So I put together a basket with some gifts for her, and fresh bread of my own hands, and visited her house. I broke the bread with her, and gave her the gifts, and she agreed to help me as she could."
"You must have great insight, to know what gifts to give her."
"I gave her what I had."
"And what did you give?"
"My family raises sheep. My mother and I dye the threads and the cloth. I gave Granny Rumple threads of three colors, spun with my own hands and dyed with herbs I had picked -- sun, earth, and night."
"Hmm," said Ma Belda. After a moment, she said "And what did Granny Rumple give you?"
"She told me to seek the Lady of the Hills, and she made a charm to protect me on my way." Etana pulled her sleeve back to show the bracelet around her wrist.
Ma Belda breathed in audibly when she saw it. "As true a charm of the Fair Folk as I have ever seen." She looked closer. "Are those the threads you brought her?"
"Yes."
"There are four colors here, not three."
"She asked me for a fourth thread, 'something of the heart'. This" -- she ran her finger along the red strand -- "was the best red I ever dyed, but I have been scared to use it."
"Why?"
"Because it has my blood in the dye -- I cut myself on thorns as I dug the roots for the making of it."
Ma Belda smiled at Etana. "You have power, girl. I sensed it when I first saw you."
"What do you mean?"
"I have dealt with Granny Rumple before, and she is not usually so generous. And seeing this charm, I can tell that its potency is not entirely her work. It would not be as effective on the wrist of anyone else."
"But I --"
"Right now, you work on your intuition, on your sense of what needs to be done. Likely the real reason you refused the ring was because you sensed the evil within it. I wish to make you an offer."
"What is it?"
"Our route is not set in stone. It would be easy for me to talk to Dacore and convince him that we take a route that heads more directly for the Lady of the Hills. While you travel with us, I want to teach you the things you should know."
"I don't know if I should..."
(cont next day)

Day 14

(cont from Day 13)

"Umm... not really, no."
"Oh?" Ma Belda sounded interested. "And why not?"
"I don't see how it would help me to 'know my future'. "
Ma Belda laughed at that. "A pragmatic one, ay? Well then, I won't press you. But if you want plain old common-sense advice, feel free to ask Ma Belda anytime."
Etana nodded. "Thank you. I'll remember you if I need help in the future."
Aleth caught Ma Belda's attention. "If we join you on the way to Fernhom, where shall we stay? And how can we help out?"
"Well, we don't have any spare beds right now, but we can make some room for your bedrolls in the props wagon. Then at least you'll be under a roof of some sort."
"That will do fine," said Etana.
"Thank you," said Aleth.
"We won't be stopping again for another couple of hours, though. Dacore's impatient as always. Why don't you hop on the back of this wagon and accompany me?"
"Done," said Aleth. He raised himself up into the wagon, then turned around and held out a hand to help Etana up. Etana hesitated a moment before taking it. They settled themselves into the wagon amidst some of the random furniture, and soon the troupe started off again. Ma Belda herself drove the horses with what looked to be a very capable hand.
Aleth began rummaging around in his pack. "What are you doing," asked Etana.
He finally pulled out his flute case, looked at her, and grinned. "Have I told you what I love about riding with a troupe?"
Etana shook her head. In answer, Aleth pulled his flute out, did a few warm-ups, and began to play a lively tune. Etana saw Ma Belda lift her head as the music began and nod in recognition. Then she began to sing:

Merry along the road go I
Hills and forests pass me by
Sun shines warm upon my back
Wandering the beaten track

Someone else joined in for the chorus. Etana thought it might be Dacore, but she wasn't sure.

So long I travel, far from home
My restless feet will ever roam
Even when in slumber deep
I find I travel in my sleep!

Far away the sunlight dies
Miles before I close my eyes
Rest from travel in sweet dreams
Dance along the moon's bright beams

With the next repeat of the chorus, even more people joined in. Their voices mingled pleasantly with the flute's spritely playing.

So long I travel, far from home
My restless feet will ever roam
Even when in slumber deep
I find I travel in my sleep!

Wide the world I want to see
Every bird in every tree
Will I make it 'fore I'm old?
Oh the stories I've been told!

So long I travel, far from home
My restless feet will ever roam
Even when in slumber deep
I find I travel in my sleep!

The mood was so infectious that Etana found herself joining in for the last repeat of the chorus, even though she had never considered herself much of a singer.

So long I travel, far from home
My restless feet will ever roam
Even when in slumber deep
I find I travel in my sleep!

After that, there was a burst of laughter and applause. Ma Belda turned to Etana. "You see, this is why we like having him around." She gestured at Aleth, who smiled graciously and bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"Where would I be without such an appreciative audience?" He asked.
"Starving, that's where! Is that why you've gotten so skinny?"
"What makes you say I'm skinny?"
"Just look at you!" Ma Belda turned to Etana again. "You, girl, don't you think he's too skinny?"
"Umm," said Etana, who felt put on the spot. "He looks fine to me."
"Pah! You could use some more padding on your bones too, girl!"
Aleth grinned at Etana. "You know, maybe you could."
"Hey, you're scrawnier than I am!"
He shrugged. "Oh well." He raised his flute to his lips again and began to play, this time a slow, lilting melody.
"Are you avoiding answering me?"
She heard him snicker into the flute, interrupting his notes. "Don't make me laugh while I'm playing."
"I just asked you a question. You laughed."
Ma Belda spoke up. "I think she's got a point there."
"Oh, stay out of this," he said lightly. He turned back to Etana. "So what makes you say I'm scrawny? And didn't you say earlier that I looked fine?"
"Maybe I changed my mind." Etana grinned back at him, and suppressed the urge to stick out her tongue.
"Those are big words from someone built like a stick!"
"Hey! I am not built like a stick! You take that back!" That last comment had annoyed Etana more than she expected it to. It was the kind of hurtful thing some of the boys in her village had said to her sometimes...
But Aleth didn't seem to notice her annoyance. "Make me."
"Oh, you!" Etana got up, intending to give him a good thwack, but was unused to standing in a moving wagon. As the wagon lurched over a small rock in the road, she lost her balance and started to fall. Aleth caught her, dropping his flute in the process. Etana found herself in his arms. They shared a rather embarassed look and Aleth quickly helped her upright and backed away.
"Um, will you accept my apologies?" He asked. He looked more embarassed than she'd seen him before.
"I will." She sat down. "But no more about my figure!"
He nodded, retrieved his flute, and began to play again.

Day 13

This is probably soon after Aleth and Etana leave her village.

On their way, they met a group of travelling players. Aleth spotted them first, and hailed them. One of the children at the back of the wagons jumped off and ran towards Etana and Aleth. When the boy was close enough to be easily recognizable, Aleth laughed and waved at him. The boy let out a yell and sprinted the rest of the way.
"Heya Mr. Aleth!"
"Hi, Birom." Aleth playfully messed up the boy's hair. "How'd you manage that? You've grown shorter since I last saw you!"
Birom stuck out his tongue at Aleth. "I'm taller and you know it!" Then he noticed Etana's presence. "You're travelling with a girl! Who is she? Are you married yet?"
Aleth spluttered at that last comment. "We're --" he cut himself off. "What makes you think we're married?" He looked more discomfited than Etana had seen him before. Usually he was very calm and collected.
"Cause my ma said that when a guy and a girl get married they have to go off and travel and you're a guy and she's a girl and you're travelling!"
Etana decided to rescue him from the over-inquisitive youth. "We're not married. I'm travelling with him because he's agreed to help me."
"Help you with what?"
"A friend of mine is really, really sick, and we're going to find a cure."
"Oh, okay. Well, I should tell the rest of the troupe to wait up for you cause you'll probably want to stick with us for a while. My ma says there are bandits around here!"
"You do that, then," said Etana, and Birom raced off towards the wagons. Etana turned to Aleth. "I'm guessing you know them."
Aleth nodded, but refused to say anything else. After a moment, he finally spoke. "Why don't you ask them about it? I don't feel like explaining the story to you." It was the kind of statement that Etana might normally have taken some offense at, but something in the way he said it made her think that he might have good reasons for being evasive.
They caught up to the wagons quickly enough, and what looked to be the head of the troupe came down to greet them. He was a large man with a prominent black moustache and beard.
"Ah, Aleth. It's good to see you again!" He clapped Aleth on the back heartily, staggering him.
"How have you been?" Asked Aleth.
"Good, good! Met a playwright in Daisyhill and got a couple of plays off him. Picked up some new people, lost some old ones. The usual." The man turned to Etana, swept off his hat, and bowed. "Greetings, fair lady. I am known as Dacore, and I am the head of this humble troupe of players. May I know your name?"
"I'm Etana."
"You have a beautiful name to match your beautiful features." That made Etana blush a little; the last person to call her "beautiful" had been Moren.
Aleth nudged Dacore. "I don't think your flirting has embarassed her enough yet," she heard him whisper.
Dacore nodded, and backed away a little. "In any case, you're welcome to accompany us as far as you wish. We're headed to Fernhom next. This stretch of road is known for bandits and other ruffians, but we can handle any of them that come our way. They know we're not easy targets, so they usually don't attack. You two travelling alone, though, would make a much better target."
"Is there anything we can do for you in exchange?" Asked Etana.
"Oh, no worries about that. Aleth is always welcome with us, and so are any of his friends."
Etana noticed that Aleth seemed a little bit embarassed, but she couldn't imagine why. "Thank you, then. We're actually headed for Bridgewater, and Fernhom is on the way."
"That's convenient, then! Aleth can help us when we perform in Fernhom. Right, you old whistler?" He clapped Aleth on the back again, more gently this time.
"You know how much I hate playing for you," said Aleth, but his tone was playful and teasing. There was something about the interaction between Aleth and Dacore that seemed odd, but Etana couldn't put a finger on it.
"Well, anyways. Why don't you go back over there" -- he pointed -- "and talk to Ma Belda about the two of you joining us for a spell."
Aleth nodded, and started walking. Etana said goodbye to Dacore and then followed him.
Ma Belda was an old woman, just as large as Dacore, who wore a huge apron. She greeted them exuberantly, squished Aleth in a hug, and insisted that he was still too skinny and needed to eat more. She was about to treat Etana the same way, but at a gesture from Aleth, restricted herself to a big smile and a very quick embrace.
"So you're Aleth's friend? Good! What's your name?"
"I'm Etana."
"Your name means 'strength'. Did you know that?"
Etana shook her head. "No, I was named after my grandmother."
Ma Belda put a finger under Etana's chin and lifted it to see her face better. "I think the name suits you." She grinned. "Want your fortune told?"
(cont next day)

Much later, Etana realized something that had failed to register earlier. Aleth seemed much more comfortable talking with Dacore, and with most of the troupe, than he did talking with her. The thought bothered her for some reason.

Day 12

Not related to Day 10. This is somewhere in the future compared to Day 10. Notice that Aleth isn't around. Whoo.

The old woman brought Etana in to a corner of her hut, curtained off from the rest. In the corner was a small mattress, on which a young child lay, curled up in a ball. She seemed to be asleep, but every now and then would gasp out a cry as if she were being attacked by unseen enemies.
"Please help her," said the old woman.
"But I don't know what I can do," protested Etana.
"Please, miss. You helped Lessie's child."
"But that was different. That was just a small fever. You said that Nira has been like this for weeks."
"The old doctor couldn't cure Lessie, but you did. I know you can do this."
Etana looked at the old woman, surprised. "Why are you so sure?"
"Because..." She looked away for a moment, as if embarassed, or perhaps ashamed. "Because you wear a bracelet of the Friendly Folk. Did you not call upon them for help when you cured Lessie?"
"The Friendly Folk? What?" But the old woman pointed to Granny Rumple's charm, which still hung around Etana's left wrist even though she had passed safely to the Lady of the Hills.
"That bracelet. I know it's one of theirs."
"I --" I don't know what to say, she thought. She looks so hopeful, but I don't know what I can do. I'm no healer. I'm just a spinner, a dyer. "I don't know what I can do."
"Please try," implored the old woman, tugging pitifully at Etana's sleeve. "The doctor said he couldn't do anything and he wouldn't tell me wrong."
Etana frowned doubtfully, and started fiddling with the bracelet. She remembered how Granny Rumple had described the threads she had brought -- that she had captured the essences of the elements in them. And she had used them to weave this bracelet, the one that this old woman claimed must be one of the Fair Folk's. Perhaps... She remembered the pattern of Granny Rumple's fingers as she twined the strands together. There was power there. And there was power in the herbs she gathered. Perhaps there was something she could do. "How sick has Nira been? Has she been coughing? Sweating or shivering?"
The old woman shook her head. "Almost nothing. Just those little cries, now and then, and she won't wake up. She used to have nightmares all the time, real bad ones. This is like those, but I can't wake her up."
"Lost in nightmares..." The thought tickled something at the back of Etana's mind, but it refused to surface. And this... she approached the sleeping child and felt her forehead. It was as cool as if she had been merely sleeping, not feverish. But more, it felt like there was something essential missing.
"Megsie?"
"Yes, Miss?"
"Is there someone with an herb garden here?"
"Yes, the doctor has one. He'll probably let you take a bit."
"Thank you." And with that, Etana left.

The doctor's cottage was no bigger than anyone else's. The main way it could be differentiated was by the faded sign on the front, and the herb garden at the back. Luckily, it seemed to have the herbs that Etana wanted. She knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" came a creaky voice.
"This is Etana, the visitor?"
The door opened "Oh, hello," said the doctor pleasantly. "I hope you're not sick, too."
"What do you mean by that?"
"We-ell, it's just that most of the children in the village seem to be sick with something or other, and I can't possibly treat them all."
"I'm here about Nira."
"Oh." The doctor looked embarassed. "I -- I really don't know what's wrong with her. I don't know anything good for wakefulness..."
"Well, I don't really know either, but I wanted to look at your herb garden, and perhaps take some cuttings?"
"Oh, okay. Um, go ahead. Just be careful. And ask me if there's anything you don't recognize." The doctor limped back inside and picked up the book he had been poring over. Occasionally she heard a scritching sound as he made notes in the margins, probably about which remedies actually worked. Etana headed to the garden.
It was bright daylight now, a good time to gather sun plants. She found some marigolds in a corner -- she remembered someone telling her that they could be made into a cream that soothed pains -- and plucked some. Sunlight, earth... she drifts now, so I think that's all I need. She found some of the plants whose roots she needed, and went in to ask the doctor if she could have some roots. He luckily had some dried root, which was good enough for making dye.
Somewhere during the day, she stopped to ask herself "What am I doing? Am I really going to try to cure a girl by dying thread?" But she absent-mindedly touched Granny Rumple's bracelet again, and remembered the times it had saved her, and thought that maybe it was not so far-fetched an idea as it might sound.
She asked the old woman for a mortar and pestle, and ground up the ingredients. She had others in her pouch, which she had been saving until she had a chance to do some more dying. She mixed those in, and left the dyes to steep overnight. Then, tired, she went back to the inn and rested. She had no dreams.
The next day, the dyes were just concentrated enough for use, although they could have used a few more days of steeping. She asked the old woman for some undyed thread, and for some hair -- both the old woman's and the little girl's. Then, with her makeshift dye equipment of cooking pots and jars, she began to dye the threads. Yellows and oranges, for daylight and sunlight. Earth for the grounding and the call home. The hairs she dyed brown as well, with the root-based dye. Connections... The light from the sun was nearly gone when she had finished hanging the last of the skeins to dry. The old woman still seemed confused by the proceedings, but seemed to trust Etana. Again, she slept without dreams.
Early the next morning, Etana returned to the old woman. The dye had dried, thanks to the dry summer wind. She pulled the skeins down cut them to the right lengths. Then she began to braid them, concentrating first on the girl, and then on her surroundings. She let the gentle winds make their way into the rhythm, and the scent of the herbs she had used. She lost track of time in the weaving. Before she realized it, there was not enough left of the strands to braid, and she blinked confusedly at them for a few moments before she realized why she'd stopped. She tied the last of the strands together in a complex knot. Then she took the plaited cord into the house, and tied it around Nira's right wrist. "Please come home," she whispered. "This is the way home." She knelt by the bedside, waiting.
There was not a sudden change, but gradually, almost imperceptibly, the pattern of Nira's breathing began to change. It grew more even and regular from the shallow gasps of the nightmares, as if she were falling into a more peaceful natural sleep. Then her breathing began to speed up again, and she moved ever so slightly, and when she opened her eyes, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
"Granny?" Asked the little girl.
"Nira? Nira!" The old woman rushed to the bedside, overjoyed. Etana quickly moved out of the way. "Oh, Nira, I've been so worried about you! Thank the Light you're well again!"
Nira hugged her grandmother tightly. "It was scary, Gran. There were bad things chasing me and it was dark and I was so lost... I wanted to go home but I didn't know where to go!"
"It's okay, Nira. You're home now."
Nira just hugged the old woman tightly. Etana moved further out of the way. She felt a sense of... exhiliration.

Day 10

Grargh the not-enough-Nano craze!

I'm not feeling so good. As in slightly dizzy, slightly feverish, don't want to move my head too fast not-so-good. It's probably due to way too little sleep thanks to three really really late nights the past week.

Anyway, I managed to write today. And it went faster than I thought it would. Maybe I should write while feeling dizzy more often. I think it's coherent. Notice how I was all fast-forward-y and stuff because I thought of the stuff in this scene and wanted to write it up before I forgot.

Etana could hardly believed that they had finally reached the Lady of the Hills. The journey seemed to have taken far too long, and she was tired in a way she'd never expected to be. She found herself wondering whether she was just on a fool's errand, but then she remembered what Moren had looked like just before she left, feverish and hallucinating, and she made up her mind. There was the outline of a door on the hill, and she knocked on it. The door opened.
From the door emerged an ethereal young girl -- she looked like she could not have been more than 12. The girl inclined her head to the two of them and seemed to be considering for a moment. She pointed at Etana. "You are welcome here." Then she pointed at Aleth. "You know the rules. You may not enter through this door."
Aleth nodded his head, but said nothing else. Etana protested "What? But why not?"
The girl shrugged. "He knows the rules, and why he cannot enter this way. You see he is not protesting." She turned as if to enter the corridor again. "Come. The Lady of the Hills is waiting." Etana started to follow her. She turned to look back at Aleth, but the door had closed behind her, and there was only the darkness of the corridor.

The corridor seemed to lead on for a very long time, and Etana's eyes had ample time to adjust to the darkness. It was a while before she saw a light begin to grow at the end of it, and finally they reached the center of the hill. The light came from a glade that grew within the hill. There was no sky, only an even, green illumination that came from the ceiling. There were no shadows in the glade. Seated on a throne made from a living tree sat the Lady of the Hills. She looked imperious, with a crown of twisted honeysuckle, but Etana could not help but notice that her dress seemed to sprout from the floor and the seat of her throne.
"Greetings, young one," she said, in a voice like the whisper of a wind among the trees. "I seem to remember that you have a message for me."
Etana gulped and nodded. She curtsied first before she approached the throne, an act which made the Lady smile. Then she handed the Lady the letter that Granny Rumple had written. The Lady took the letter, opened it, glanced at it, and then crumpled it. The pieces of the letter seemed to dry instantly and drift away as if they were bits of leaves.
"So the Groundling's Cache has been found," she said to herself. She noticed Etana again, and smiled. "You are welcome here, child. Granny Rumple speaks highly of you, and you wear her token."
"What is the Groundling?" asked Etana.
"The Groundling was an ancient creature who was ever skulking in the shadows. It amassed a large treasure, which it hid in many places. The Cache is only one of the many hidden treasures; it is the largest, and has the most items. Unfortunately, the Groundling was also quite suspicious of everyone else, and so his treasures all carry curses of some sort. He disappeared some time ago, and it is thought that he died, but given his solitary nature and inherent sneakiness, he may well still be alive."
"How can I lift the curse then?"
The Lady of the Hills sighed. "That may be problematic. There is much that you will have to do, and it will be difficult. Is it what you truly want?"
"I -- I think so."
"You do not seem so sure."
"Well, I... I feel kind of responsible."
"Ahh," said the Lady. She seemed about to say more, but then was distracted by some sound. A corridor appeared in the opposite side of the glen, and Etana was surprised to see Aleth step out of it, holding a sword.
"Greetings, my lady. I have bested your champion in mortal combat, as is required of me."
The Lady smiled, obviously amused. "I see."
Aleth bowed to her, and then ran a hand along the blade of the sword. It turned into a branch of holly. He approached the Lady, then placed the branch at her feet. Through all of this, Etana stared; she had never seen Aleth wield a sword, much less claim to have used it to defeat someone else. Or turn the sword into a branch of holly. "Wha- what?" was all she managed to say.
The Lady smiled at Etana's confusion, then bent to pick up the branch of holly. In her hands, it became a staff. "There are rules that govern who may enter my domain, and by what means. Aleth has been here before, and he has entered as he must."
"But -- did you really kill someone?" she asked Aleth.
"What do you think?" He asked back, evasively.
The Lady laughed. "You have travelled this long with him, and must still ask him such a question? Truly you cannot have been very observant."
"Hey, I resent that."
"It is beside the point. We were, I believe, discussing whether or not you truly wanted to free your love from the grasp of the Groundling's vengeful curse."
Now Etana gathered herself, determined to make a stand of some sort. "Of course I do!"
"Is that truly your heart's desire?" Asked the Lady, giving Etana a long, hard look.
Etana nodded. "I want him back."
"Very well, then." But the Lady seemed disappointed somehow. "There is no easy way to remove one of the Groundling's curses. However, there is a power greater than it that you may call upon." The Lady clapped her hands twice and summoned the girl who had guided Etana into the glade. "Fetch me my map," commanded the Lady, and the girl rushed off, disappearing into a corridor that had not been there before and was not there afterwards.
The Lady turned to Etana again. "There is an old woman who lives at the top of a faraway mountain. Those who make it her stronghold may ask that she grant them their hearts' desire. The journey may be made only once in a lifetime, and there are other conditions that must be met. These will become clear as you journey." At this point, the girl returned bearing what appeared to be a pillow of some sort.
"Spread the map," said the Lady, and the girl placed the pillow on the ground. Immediately, it began to unfold itself into a huge map. The Lady looked at Etana. "Do you have the reading of this?"
Etana stared at the map, unsure. She had not had the opportunity to see a map before, least of all one like this. She said so.
"Ahh," sighed the Lady. "Well, it is not too difficult. Think of it as a drawing of the world seen from the back of a bird." In the meantime, Aleth had knelt down to the map, and pointed to a location. Etana looked at it. She squinted to read the labels, which were small and in a cramped, unclear hand. Slowly, she sounded out the symbols.
"He points to your own home," said the Lady.
That made everything come clear. She now recognized the layout of her village, and she could see to the east Granny Rumple's hut. Aleth now traced a path with his finger. The line meandered through several locations before arriving at some hills. Etana realized that he was tracing out their journey.
"Good, you have the reading of it now." The Lady turned to the girl. "Show them the route they must take." The girl nodded acquiescence, and then pointed at the hills. Aleth backed away, giving the girl room. The map seemed to be a part of the floor, now, as if it had taken root.
"This is where we are," said the girl. She moved a finger along a path that seemed to continue their journey. "This is the way to the Mountain Woman." She jabbed at a forest. "The Forest of Woe. Dangerous. Neither eat nor drink anything of the forest, or you will never leave." Then she circled a finger around an area of vivid orange. "The Sea of Flames. You must cross this. I cannot tell you how." Finally, she motioned to some mountains beyond the Sea of Flames. "The Mountain Woman is here. To climb her mountain is difficult." Finally, she pointed at the fortress on the mountain. "The Mountain Woman." Then the girl fell silent.
"Good girl," said the Lady. "You have learned your lessons well." The girl beamed up at the Lady. "You may go now," she said gently. The girl got up and ran off.
Etana had been following the path and felt a strange sense of apprehension. Trying to marshal the formless feeling into something with a name, she spoke. "But how are we to reach the Mountain Woman? I cannot think how we can cross the Forest of Woe or the Sea of Flames."
"You are resourceful, and you have made it to my own stronghold. I cannot think that you would be unable to make your way through such trials."
Aleth placed a hand on Etana's shoulder. "Do you not remember outwitting the giants of the storm?"
Etana found herself smiling. "No, I do remember. Thank you." She turned back to the Lady. "Is there any advice or help that you can give us for these trials ahead?"
The Lady inclined her head slightly. "Of course. But first, both of you must be weary. I invite you to stay in my domain for some time, to refresh and strengthen yourselves."
Etana was about to accept, when Aleth interrupted her. "What time will it be when we leave your domain?"
The Lady laughed. She looked pleased. "Ah, the cautious one. But then, your companion does not yet know the intricacies of how my domain works." She turned to Etana. "Know, child, that time flows as I will it in my domain. I have often played tricks on those who sneak into my domain uninvited, so that a second here becomes several years outside. But you were invited, and entered through the proper doors, and so I will play no tricks on you. Instead, no matter how long you spend here, you will find that only an hour has passed outside the Hill." The Lady clapped her hands, and the little girl came running in again. "Sweet-briar, take our guests to their accomodations. Treat them well."
Something that had been tickling at the back of Etana's mind came to the forefront of it now. "If we eat here, will we be able to leave?"
The Lady again looked pleased. "Wise thinking. Yes, for I will feed you on delicacies from your own worlds, and not the magical fruit of my realm. You may eat safely, and refresh yourselves. Etana glanced to the side at Aleth. She thought he also looked pleased that she had thought of the food issue, but she had a feeling that he would have brought it up if she had not. Still, she had felt strangely off-balance from the time she set foot in the Lady's realm, and it felt good to have thought of something so vital. She let the girl -- Sweet-briar -- lead them away.

The room that Etana was led to was not what she had expected. She had expected something as strange and unearthly as the rest of the realm seemed to be, but instead she found herself in what looked like one room of a small cottage. It was the kind of room she had hoped to have some day -- more luxurious than her own, but not so rich and strange that she felt out of place. There was a single window, although it looked out onto a scene that did not exist in the realm of mortals. There was a bed, which had a mattress that looked to be stuffed with straw, and a table. There was a jug of water on the table, and a basket of fruit.
Sweet-briar gestured at the jug. "That is drawn from a spring near Wildthorn Town." She pointed at the fruits. "Fruit from the orchards of Wildthorn." She smiled, and for a moment looked actually child-like. My sister was there recently, and brought us back these treats." She looked embarassed, then said, "May I have one of the apples?"
"Oh! Of course. I cannot possibly finish the entire basket by myself," said Etana.
Sweet-briar grinned gleefully and grabbed one of the apples from the basket. She pocketed it so quickly that it seemed to have disappeared. "Thank you kindly, lady. I will not forget." Then Sweet-briar left the room, leaving Etana alone.

Day 6: more of the fairytale

So I've been pretty bad about actually getting writing done. Oh well. I'm still plugging away at it. I've been doing a lot of work at computer labs, and specifically at Mac-based computer labs. I'm a Windows user, and I keep forgetting to try bringing my novel files along in an easy-to-transfer format. That's one reason why my wordcount hasn't been updated in a while: I'm not sure what the total is since part of the novel's on this blog and part of it isn't!

This is a continuation of the fairytale from yesterday. Am I spending too long on it? Who knows! It's kind of stalling, and kind of brainstorming plot directions. Also, I got bored of the village. Next time I get back to Etana and Aleth, I'm probably going to have them out of the village and on the road somewhere. At the least, I'm finally on my way to making up some of my wordcount debt -- this section is apparently over 2000 words!

She stopped singing in the middle of the chorus, but the prince kept going for a bit, not realizing that the rest had stopped singing.
"Oh my," said Miss Mirana. "The bird is singing along with us!"
At the outburst, and realizing the sudden silence, the prince stopped.

Great now I'm bored of this section. Moving along, Miss Mirana ends up keeping the prince in her garden. She's a teacher or something. He doesn't fly away cause she's so pretty and stuff, and also feeds him. Food is important. I'm hungry.

It came to pass that one night an old, wizened traveller stopped at Miss Mirana's door. He wished shelter for the night. But the prince, being magical since he had been transformed, could sense that the man was not all that he seemed. He tried to warn Miss Mirana away from the traveller, but she could not understand his song. The prince was surprised when, after Miss Mirana had turned her back to prepare a meal for the traveller, the old man turned to him.
"I know what you are, little bird. And don't think that a puny thing such as you are can prevent me from taking your precious maiden."
"I won't let you hurt her!" The prince was surprised to hear such words coming out of his mouth, but as soon as he had uttered them, he realized they were true.
"There is very little you can do. It will not be enough." He paused for a moment, staring at the prince. "But it comes to mind that you might provide me some amusement, so I shall wait until the morrow to take the maiden."
The prince flew at the old traveller, but was swatted down. He lay on the floor, reeling, as the traveller towered over him. "That was no effort for me, little bird. I can do far worse to you if I put my mind to it. Now behave yourself. We must put on a good show for your maiden." He smiled evilly, and sat down.
The prince flew back to his perch, not taking his eyes off the malevolent traveller. Eventually, Miss Mirana came out from the kitchen and set food down in front of the old man.
"I'm afraid this is the best I have, sir."
The old man was all charm and smiles now. "From your hands, fair lady, it is as the nectar of the gods."
Miss Mirana blushed a little at the flattery. "Come now, it is truly plain fare, as you might find in any house here."
"But no other house would have such a fine companion to the meal." He beamed at her. "Will you not join me?"
"Of course," she said, flustered.
The prince attempted to warn Miss Mirana again, but the old man glared at him, and the prince shivered as if someone had walked over his grave.
"That is quite a noisy bird you have there."
"Oh, my bird." She smiled. "Some of the boys found him on the beach several weeks ago. We discovered that he sings along when I sing, so I decided to keep him."
"I'm surprised you haven't caged him."
"Oh, he's quite tame. He's never even tried to fly away."
"Have you considered clipping his wings to make sure he doesn't?"
At that suggestion, the prince squawked in protest.
"Oh, of course not. That would be so cruel!"
"It is just a thought. But come, the food is growing cold, and it would be a shame to let such a fine meal go to waste."
The rest of the night passed largely uneventfully, although the prince fretted away the minutes and did not sleep. He noticed when the stranger stooped to examine something on the floor, and rose again holding a lock of Miss Mirana's hair. At that, the prince flew at the stranger, hoping to snatch the hair away, but was swatted back again.
"Manners, manners, little bird," said the stranger. "This is mine now, and it's not nice to take other people's property." He grinned evilly; both of them knew that was exactly what he was planning to do. The traveller then retired to the bed -- Miss Mirana had, of course, given him the bed while she took a pallet by the fire -- but not before running his fingers possessively through the sleeping maiden's hair.
The prince made an attempt, near dawn when the old man was snoring fit to wake the dead, to snatch the hair from his grasp. But the old man's fist was curled tightly around the lock of hair, and the prince could not reach it.

The old man rose with the dawn, and murmured enchantments over the lock of hair he held. The prince felt the magic settle heavily over the house as the old man walked to the fireside where Miss Mirana slept. He passed his hands over her, making mystic signs as he did so. Then he knelt, and whispered to her.
"Wake, my pretty one. Come and follow me."
Moving slowly, as if still asleep and dreaming, Miss Mirana sat up and rose from the floor. Her eyes were still shut. Slowly, she opened them, her gaze blank. The old man smirked.
"Yes, my lovely. Follow me." And he threw some sparkling dust in the air and uttered a magical word. Before they disappeared into the air, the old man turned once more to the prince. "You shall not see her again until you come to the castle that lies beyond the Sea of Flames." And then the two of them disappeared, leaving the prince alone and disheartened.

The prince had heard of a wise woman who lived in the nearby hills, and he decided to visit her and see if she could help him find the Sea of Flames. He picked at the pot of stew Miss Mirana had meant to have for breakfast, for it would likely be the last cooked meal he had, and then he flew off.
It was many days before he reached the wise woman of the hills. Along the way, he had nearly been caught and eaten by a hungry hunter, but his experience with the boys had taught him how better to avoid capture. When he finally reached the hills, he saw a squat hut on the tallest one.
"That must belong to the wise woman," he sang to himself, and flew up to it. Thinking that it might be best to display manners of some sort, he landed in front of the door and beat it with his wings, curled up a talon, and knocked on the door. After a moment the door opened and woman who seemed to mostly be made of twigs came out.
"Now who could be knocking at my door?" She asked as she looked around. Seeing nobody, she began to close the door.
"Wait!" Trilled the prince. "Please let me in."
The wise woman heard him, and looked down. "Ah, an enchanted prince, I see. Well, since you have knocked so politely, I shall invite you in." And she held the door for him.
The prince flew in and perched on one of the chairs within. It took him a moment to get used to the dark interior. That part of him that was a bird was tempted to panic, as the inside of the hut was so cramped and cage-like.
"Now, my dear, what did you want of me? To be restored to your rightful form, perhaps?"
The prince had not even thought of asking the wise woman to restore him to human form. For a moment, he was tempted. But then he thought of Miss Mirana in the clutches of that evil old man, and he shook his head. "No. My love has been captured and taken to the castle beyond the Sea of Flames. How can I save her?"
At that, the wise woman laughed with delight. "Ah! You are the first enchanted one I have found who came seeking to help another. For that, I will gladly help you, although the way is perilous, especially for a bird such as you."
"I will take the risk," said the prince.
"Are you sure? You may well die, and leave your love with no hope of rescue. Why not stay? I can turn you back into a prince, as you once were."
"No. I cannot abandon her."
"Who is she to you that you will not?"
"I -- she -- she treated me kindly, knowing nothing of me, and her songs touch my heart in a way that it has never been touched before. If I abandon her now it will be the same as if I had perished trying to rescue her."
"You are truly noble, then. Follow me." The wise woman stood and walked to a chest in a dark corner of the room. The prince had to strain his eyes to see in the darkness. Then she opened the chest, and the room filled with a soft golden light. The old woman took a glowing chain from the chest, and placed it around the prince's neck. He felt a warm tingling as it brushed his feathers, and then a sense of peace descended upon him.
"This chain holds great power within it, but it can only be used for the sake of another. To you it will provide protection as you quest. It has other powers as well, but those you must discover yourself."
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, wise one."
"Without that chain, you will surely fail in your quest." She reached into the chest again, and this time pulled out an old map. "The light in here is not enough for me to read it. Let us go outside."
Once outside, she spread the map out. It was like no map the prince had seen, not even those of his royal cartographers. It was larger, and incredibly detailed. He could see the house that Miss Mirana had dwelt in, and the hut beside which they now stood. The wise woman pointed to the hut.
"This is my home. Here, to the east, is the Forest of Woe. Fly over it as quickly as you can, and land within it only if you must. If you do land within the Forest, you must neither eat nor drink anything in the Forest."
The prince nodded in understanding.
"Further east are the Titan's Jaws. These mountains are too high for you to fly over, but there are ways through." She outlined one of the passes. "That is likely to be the safest for you. Giants live within the mountains, and while most would consider you to be a tasty snack, the giants here are larger than most. You will be beneath their notice, as if an insect."
"Will they not then try to crush me."
The wise woman smiled and shrugged. "Probably, but they will not bother overmuch to find and catch you." She turned to the map again. "Here, now, is the Sea of Flames." That section of the map was covered in a blaze of orange. "Beyond it is the Castle of Last Hope." She paused. "I need not tell you that to land in the Sea is to die. You must make be strong and well-rested before you attempt a crossing. I would fly high above the flames, high enough that the air thins somewhat, so that when your strength begins to fail you can rest by gliding and not fall into the flames."
"And what of the Castle?"
"The creature you seek makes his home in that Castle. He collects young maidens, imprisoning them in pillars of glass that he might more conveniently admire them."
If the prince had been a carnivore, he would have been growling now. Instead, he squawked in anger. "The fiend! What must I do to slay him?"
At that, the wise woman sighed. "It will be most difficult for you to slay him in your current form. I can give you only this advice. He has a spot of magical vulnerability, and if you were to somehow puncture that spot, he would perish. Unfortunately, I do not know where this spot is located, but if you observe him while in the Castle, I am certain you can find it."
"And how do I free the trapped maidens?"
The old woman smiled. "That is simplicity itself, if you have slain the creature. The pillars are held in place by his magic, and will dissolve upon his death. If you do not slay him first, then you will have to find the wand where he keeps his magic, and use that to dispel the pillars."
"Thank you, wise one."
The wise woman rolled up the map and walked back inside. "You have had a long journey behind you, and a longer journey ahead of you. Will you not stay for the night, rest your wings, and strengthen yourself for the coming trials?"
The prince nodded. "Again, you speak words of wisdom. I will stay the night, but then I must be gone."

Day 5: A slightly related fairytale

I think I mentioned that I love fairytales? Well, this one is kind of related to the plot. With changes. :) Also, I am crazy because I decided to write a villanelle. Villanelles are one of the harder types of poems to write because the entire thing is supposed to rhyme on the same word, and you keep repeating some of the lines. In other words, they are Not Fast. But I like it. It is sappy.

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a deceitful prince. Although this prince was handsome, he used his looks and his status to swindle people out of their possessions. Now, one might think that, as a prince, he could simply raise taxes. But this would not work on visitors from other kingdoms, and in any case, raising taxes lacked the thrill of the scam.
One day there came to the castle an old lady in ragged finery. She claimed that she was a duchess from a neighboring kingdom, and had been waylaid upon the road by bandits. All of her guards had been killed, but she had managed to escape with some jewels. She showed one of these to the prince. It was a golden bird, encrusted with jewels, hanging from a gold chain. As soon as he saw the bird, the prince desired it, and he began to scheme how he could trick her out of it.
details of scam go here
Unfortunately for the prince, the old lady was really a fairy in disguise. She had heard of his tricks and come to see the situation for herself. As soon as the prince had taken hold of the golden bird, the chain wrapped itself around his wrist and he turned into a bird himself! The fairy then revealed herself to the confused prince. "Prince, you have betrayed countless people in order to gain more wealth for yourself. I now take away your gift of speech, that you may not trick countless more. I, or any fairy, may still hear you speak, but anyone else will hear only birdsong."
"But what is to become of me," trilled the prince.
"You will go wherever the winds may take you. But I have mercy, and thus I will leave you a way out. If, as a bird, you find it in yourself to save the life of a maiden who is pure of heart, at great risk to yourself, and thus win a kiss of gratitude from her, you will be restored to your true form." At this, the fairy began preparations to depart.
"But wait! Where can I find such a maiden?"
"You have had no trouble finding victims to trick. Why then should you have trouble finding a maiden?" And then the fairy was gone.
The prince flitted around the castle despondently. Looking into the different rooms, and overhearing the servants' conversations, he discovered that he was not as well-liked as he had thought he had been. He also discovered that his chamberlain had been stealing from him, and was quite happy to take over the prince's duties while a suitably royal replacement was found. Disgusted, the prince took leave of the castle, hoping to find a faraway land where he had never been heard of.

It took many months before the prince found a land so distant that not even rumours of his kingdom had passed there. He had crossed a sea, the salt water beating against his wings and encrusting them with salt. Many birds shunned him, for he did not appear to be like them, and they could smell the magic on him. Reaching that distant shore, he perched on a high, unreachable rock and went to sleep.
He woke when he heard the sounds of childrens' laughter. Down below on the beach, a group of boys was playing with a faded red ball. Nearby, they had left napkins full of food. The scent wafted up to the prince, and he realized how hungry he was. While the boys were occupied with the ball, he flew down to the fullest napkin, and plucked some of the food from it, for he was used to taking whatever he wanted. He then hopped behind a nearby rock so that he was hidden from view, dropped the food, and ventured out to collect some more. When he had collected a sizeable pile, and the boys seemed to be getting tired, he stopped and fell to eating. The food was strange to the prince, but hungry as he was, it all tasted good -- far better than the berries and other plants he had managed to scrounge so far.
The prince was so involved in eating that he did notice when the boys realized that some of their food was missing. There was a short argument as the boys blamed each other for sneaking bits of the food, when one of them mentioned that he had noticed a bird taking some of it. By this time, the prince had finished eating, and was so full that he fell asleep again, right there behind the rock. The boys, meanwhile, began to search for the thieving bird. It was not long before they found the prince, fast asleep.
The bravest of the boys took off his shirt and pulled it down over the prince, trapping him inside. This woke the prince, he immediately began flapping his wings and trying to break out. Panicked, he began to shout "Let me go! I am a prince! You cannot do this to me!" But because of his curse, the boys heard only the squawks of an enraged bird. The boy who had trapped the prince now tied the shirt closed, making sure the bird could not escape. They began to talk about whether or not they should kill and cook this thieving bird.
The boy who had captured the prince was all for eating him. Another boy protested that he had never seen such a bird before, and its flesh might be poisonous, like that of the carrion-birds. A rival of the head boy claimed that the bird was so small that they could only have a little bit each. At this, the head boy claimed that all of the bird should go to him, having trapped it. But then the boy who had seen the bird in the first place spoke out, saying that since he had first spotted the bird, and started them looking for it, he should have a share. The boy who had found the bird behind the rock wanted a share as well. They continued arguing this way for a while, until one of the boys, finally, suggested that they present the bird to Theramon the Hunter, and ask him for advice. For Theramon was wise in the ways of all creatures, and he could tell if the bird was poisonous, and which way to best divide it amongst the boys. The prince did not stop struggling throughout this argument, although by now his wings felt heavy as rocks. By the time they had picked him up, slung him over their shoulders, and started carrying him back to his village, he had stopped struggling. He fluttered his wings every now and then, half-heartedly, but the he'd realized that there was no way he was going to get out of the shirt. He would have to bide his time until they made a mistake.

It felt like eons before the boys stopped. "Good morning, Miss Mirana," they chorused.
"Good morning boys. Now what do you have there in that shirt?"
"It's a bird, miss," one of them piped up. "We caught it stealing our food!"
"Yeah, and then I caught it!" said the boy who was holding the bird.
"We're taking it to Theramon to see if it's good to eat."
"What kind of bird is it?"
"Never seen one like it before, miss. It's all white except for its wings which are yellow."
"Well, now you have me curious. Perhaps I shall accompany you to Theramon."
"Yay!"
"Miss Mirana's coming with us!"
"Will you sing us a song, Miss Mirana?"
"Very well. What kind of song would you like?"
"Something pretty!"
"Okay, boys." And she began to sing.
I lost my heart one summer's day
Among the fields and flowers gay
Alas, my love has flown away

The rain and clouds made me feel gray
The sun came out, and I to play
I lost my heart one summer's day

I should have know that he would stray
Wandering was ever his way
Alas, my love has flown away

His smile touched me like a ray
Of sunlight and bore me away
I lost my heart one summer's day

And though I wanted him to stay
To my entreaties he said nay
Alas, my love has flown away

And still I hope and wait and pray
That he will once more come this way
I lost my heart one summer's day
Alas, my love has flown away

As she sang, there was complete silence from the boys. Even the prince forgot to struggle against his prison. He had never heard a voice like hers before, and he found within himself a desire to learn more about this Miss Mirana. The boys were silent for some time after she finished her song, not knowing what to say. Finally, one of them timidly asked her for another song, and she began to sing again. The new song was cheerier, and the boys knew the words, and soon the group was singing along. Trapped within the shirt, the prince found the sound lifting his spirits, and he was soon accompanying them in his voice of bird trills.
One of the boys noticed the birdsong, and pointed it out to Miss Mirana.

Day 3: Juniper

Have I already mentioned how much I love fairy tales?

Juniper

Etana remembered being told as a child about an old witch named Granny Rumple who lived in the woods. She had caught glimpses of her, sometimes, as she played in the forest -- a shadowy figure, barely visible through the trees. But the witch was the only one Etana knew who might be able to help Moren. So she prepared a basket with food, and some of her fine threads, because it would not do to visit someone like the witch without bringing gifts. Then she set out on the path to the woods.

Soon the path split into two, with a withered oak standing at the join. Its branches stretched in both directions along the path. The right path was fair and well-trodden; Etana had followed it many times when searching for dye plants. The left path led to a darker part of the forest. She pulled a length of red thread from her basket, tied it to the leftmost branch of the oak, and set off down the left path. Twice more the path branched, and twice more she took the left, less-travelled path. Each time she tied a red thread to a branch, marking which path she had followed. She had heard enough tales of hapless fools who lost their way in the woods to take precautions. She tied the remaining thread to her left wrist, keeping it under her sleeve. Eventually, she reached a small, overgrown cottage with black smoke rising from the chimney.
She knocked softly on the door and waited. There was no answer. She knocked again, and called out. "Granny Rumple?" There was still no answer, but she thought she heard a rustling inside. She knocked once more. "Granny Rumple, I've brought you gifts." And the door opened. Granny Rumple was old, and wrinkled like a piece of fruit left to dry. She wore a cloak made entirely of patches, clutched tight around her. Her voice had a quality like dried leaves. "How kind of you to bring an old woman gifts. Come in then, child." She held the door and beckoned inwards.
The inside of the cottage was nothing that Etana had expected. It was clean, and the fireplace smelled pleasantly of spruce and baking bread. Granny Rumple led her to a table and pulled out a stool. There was a small pot with wilted flowers in the center of the table. "Now, what have you brought Granny Rumple?"
Etana set the basket on the table. She pulled out a small loaf of bread and some sheep cheese. "I baked this loaf this morning, for you. The cheese is from my family's sheep."
"Ahh, good, good! Shall we break bread then?"
Etana nodded, broke the loaf in two, and handed it to Granny Rumple, who snatched it eagerly and tore off a chunk. Etana then broke a lump off the cheese and gave it to the old woman. Before eating her own piece of bread, Etana muttered a short prayer over it.
Granny Rumple noticed, and smiled slyly. "A cautious one, are we?"
"I merely believe in giving thanks."
"Then I shan't stop you, my dear."
They ate in silence for a time. Granny Rumple finished her bread and cheese first, having wolfed them down. She rose. "Would you like some tea, my dear?"
"No thank you, Granny."
"Suit yourself." She poured tea from a kettle into a chipped mug and sat back down. The scent of the tea wafted towards Etana, and when it reached her, it was so pungent it made her eyes water. She blinked back tears and tried to pretend nothing had happened. Granny Rumple seemed unaware, or was perhaps pretending unawareness. "So what else do you have in your little basket, dearie?"
Etana drew out a skein of rich yellow thread. "I spun this with my own hands, and dyed it with herbs I picked."
Granny Rumple took the skein. "The touch of the sun is in it. You are skillful, girl. But I sense you have more you wish to offer me."
She nodded, and pulled out some dark brown thread. "This looks plain, but it has tints of green in it."
"The earth now, yes."
Now Etana drew out a skein of deep, blue-black, thread. "I dyed this skein a long time ago, but had no use for it at the time, and no-one willing to buy it. The color has not faded since then. I give it to you know."
Granny Rumple inhaled audibly as she took the thread. "Essence of night." She admired the skein for a while, and then put it down with the others and turned back to Etana. "Well, girl, you gave me these gifts with the expectation of something in return. Now what is it?"
"My love found a ring in these woods some days ago. Now he lies abed with a fever that has not broken, as if he were being consumed by flames from within. I wish to cure him."
"Ahhh, so you have come to save your love. I know what ails him, but there is nothing I can do."
"Nothing? But --"
Granny Rumple held a hand up to stop her. "I myself can do nothing for him, but I know one whom you can ask to help."
"Who?"
"The Lady of the Hills."
"The-- the Lady of the Hills?"
"The very same. I will give you a letter to carry to her which will explain the situation, and a token with which to pass through her lands safely." Granny Rumple smiled, a little nastily. "As long as you do not lose the token, she will not harm you."
"I thank you deeply, Granny."
"We shall see, my child." Granny Rumple gathered the threads, rose, found a pair of scissors, and snipped segments of each thread. "I need a fourth kind of thread for this token, child. Something of your heart."
Etana nodded, and unwound the red thread from her wrist. "I found the roots for this dye among thick thorns. My blood fell among them, nourishing them. When I next dug out the roots, I took more care and did not bleed. The dye from those roots lacked strength and faded quickly."
"You understand these matters well, child." Granny Rumple smiled, and took the thread. "And because I feel a sense of kinship with you, with all your dye lore, and because you have been kind to me, I will give you another piece of advice." She paused. "Even with my token, you will have difficulty reaching the Lady of the Hills. When you return to your village, you will find someone at the inn who can help you overcome the ordeals of your journey. You may not trust his words, but trust his actions, for there lies the truth."
"Thank you, Granny."
Etana watched as Granny Rumple braided and knotted the four strands together. Watching, she began to feel as if she were one of the strands, being twined with and supported by the elements. She lost track of the passing of time, until Granny Rumple tapped her on her shoulder, and she started awake.
"Here, child. This is the letter, with my mark on it." Granny Rumple handed Etana a creased, folded piece of paper, tied up with string. "And this is the token of safety." The old woman showed her a braided, knotted cord of four colors. "Hold out your wrist." Etana did so, and Granny Rumple tied the cord around it. "Never remove this, and never cut it."
"I understand."
"Very well, child. I wish you well on your journey." And she escorted Etana to the door.