My NaNo Book--A

Chatterbox: Inkwell

My NaNo Book--A

My NaNo Book--A Darkness Rising (Tentative title, mind you.)

So, this is my book for NaNo. It's a WIP, obviously, (and unedited, so have a little grace on my mistakes) and I'm planning on just posting what I have so far and then posting chapter by chapter after that if y'all are interested. I'd much appreciate it if you'd read this. Feel free to guess about foreshadowing, scream at the cliff hangers, and yell at me when I forget to post new installments. Comments and critiques welcome. Without further ado, the Intro.

~A Kind of Introduction~

 

The world of Earvinst is a large, vast world, with two main continents divided by one large ocean. The larger continent, Thariss, is is the east, and the smaller continent, Fargon, in the West. 

When the world of Earvinst was young and pure and no evil had entered it as of yet, good, pure beings walked the earth. They were know as Ielisans, and they were the first beings to inhabit the land other than the many creatures. The Ielisans protected the world from all darkness and evil that might wish to take the land, and a wonderful peace lay over the land like a soft blanket. For one thousand years the Ielisans managed to ward off evils, chasing them to the corners of the earth. During this time of peace, more races entered Earvinst, such as elves and men. Kingdoms flourished. Cities rose up. Towns and villages were built. People were happy. But the world couldn't stay perfect forever. Evil came, as evil will. Darkness shrouded the land. And though it wasn't what it once was, the world still had much good in it. The Ielisans retreated to the land in the north from whence they once came. 

Now some evils weren't strong yet. They still lurked only in certain places, but it was apparent that there was a main evil building its forces. And it was building them quickly. 

The people of the land gathered together their armies and sent them all to fight as one. They knew they'd have no option but to unite their armies. But the enemy was clever and knew their plan. He caused them to turn against each other. The entire land was fighting. Cities which had once been allies raged battle against each other. Kingdoms were torn apart. Villagers fled. The people fighting for their land ended up fighting against it, doing half the work of the enemy for him, and leaving their land worse off than he could have. 

But yet, there was hope. An army arose, an alliance, a resistance. They fought hard, and were able to make the enemy retreat across the water separating the two mainlands. The enemy promised to return, stronger. 

 

The men of the Sornian mountains, however, had grown accustomed to the peace that followed. They didn't want to give it up, and they didn't want their children and their children’s children to have to give it up, either. So they moved down into the valley of Minildrith below, and built a huge fence around its border. The fence was neither large nor strong, and wasn't fit to keep anything out. In fact, it wasn't meant to. It was more to keep the people of Minildrith in, or, rather, to tell them where security ended and the danger of the wide world began. 

 

This is where our story begins. 

 

~

 

~Prologue~

 

Two figures stood at the bow of the ship, cloaks blowing in the light wind. One was slightly behind the other. The figure closest to the edge of the boat peered out over the sea. The water was calm, still. Still as it always was beside the cliffs of Ielis. The figure drew a spyglass from the folds of their cloak and held it to their eye. He seemed to be looking for something. Slowly, the first figure brought the spyglass down. 

The man turned, his brow furrowed and his face solemn, as if he had just seen what he had hoped not to see, but expected to see. And he had. He pulled off his hood. Turning to his companion, he spoke. 

“I have seen it.” His companion’s face grew dark. Concern clouded the younger man’s usually cheerful eyes. 

“Are you sure it wasn't just fog?” He said, as if trying to convince himself it could've been when he knew very well what it was. 

“I am sure.”

Both men stood in silence under the grey sky. 

“We must send word to Ielis and Thraenen.” The older man was the first to speak. “Turn the boat around. We must spread the word quickly.”

 

~

An elf-maiden stood in the deepest part of the forest, staring into a clear pool. It was dark. The moon was black, but the stars sparkled above the treetops and made the smooth pool below shine silver so that it looked like glass. She stood alone, in silence. The pool began to glow. It was dull at first, but soon grew into a bright light so that one could hardly bear to look into it. The elf-maiden kept her gaze fixed upon it. Soon, a hushed voice began to emanate from the pool along with the light. It was so soft you could barely hear it, like the whisper of a whisper, and yet it boomed and echoed inside your head like your own thoughts. It came from the pool, but it carried on the wind, and in the air, so that the sound seemed to be coming from all around you. Though the voice was soft and sweet, it had an eerie air to it. 

"There was once a prophecy.” It said. As the words floated up from the water, the image changed. The maiden’s reflection wavered in the pool, fading, showing something else. Something dark. No one was there with her, but if they had been, they would've seen the elf’s expression change from a calm, still, peace, to one of horror. Like the water, her sea-green eyes had once been still and cool, but they now swirled with emotion and turmoil, as the water now swirled with images. Images that no one else could've seen. Would ever see. 

She tore her eyes from the pool and ran. Ran away, deeper into the forest, her skirts blowing out behind her. 

Soon, the pool seemed to realize it was alone. The images faltered, replaced by a reflection of scattered trees illuminated by what once was a glow; now mere starlight. 

 

~

Thanks sososo much for reading, and expect new parts soon! 

submitted by Leeli
(November 17, 2017 - 1:17 pm)

back to the Inkwell

Hmm...I'm kinda surprised nobody's commented on this yet. Eh, I'll just post the next chapter. 

 

~Chapter One~

 

In the peaceful valley of Minildrith, there were three towns. Cargon, nearest to the border, a bustling town full of busyness, but not much excitement, Larton, a darker town, not much different not the other two, but that it was farther out and harder to get to, and more people who, let's say, didn't want to be found came here, and the smallest town, Fynnesse, just at the base of the mountains, and the prettiest, at least in most Minildredes opinions. 

The village of Fynnesse was small, as mentioned before, and nothing very exciting ever happened. No one interesting usually came into town, unless they were returning home, but no one usually left town, either, because there was really no reason to. Many other people might find this town boring. Many other people might say things like, ‘I want to escape this tiny village.’ or ‘I wish I could go somewhere bigger with more opportunity.’ but, in fact, most people in Fynnesse didn't want to leave. 

Most people who lived there loved it dearly. The rolling foothills of the Sornians, the woods with the huge trees that had been in the same place for centuries, the streams, and the fields, and the hearts of the people who lived there made it dear to them. 

Eris Glidel was one of these people. She loved her home perhaps more than anyone, and hated the idea of leaving it. 

At the moment, Eris was lying in bed in a little cottage that sat at the edge of a thin patch of wood. She was in bed, but not asleep. Her eyes were wide open in the darkness. She shuddered and pulled the covers up to her chin. She had just woken from a nightmare. It was the same one she'd had over and over. Sometimes it started with a bale of hay and an oil lamp, sometimes it started with a traitor and a torch, but it always ended the same way: the village burned. Those close to Eris were lost. She was alone and lost in the wild, forced forever from her home. Eris was fifteen years old. She had been having these dreams since the earliest she could remember. Sometimes they were days in a row, sometimes they were moons apart. And they were always different. But all of them were built around the same fear. 

Eris shifted, looking out her bedroom window. Sometimes she thought she shadows the moon cast on the ground moving about as if they were alive. Her father told her stories sometimes about the fearless Elven Rangers who lived across the mountain. He said they could move about from shadow to shadow as if blending with the darkness. But he had also said that they never came across the Sornians from Darkest Forest and into Minildrith. 

It was said that decades ago, the rangers roamed the land around the Sornians, protecting it against beasts and enemies. But sometime around the third millennium, when the War of All Lands was waged, they went into hiding. An old saying went, “Though well known, they are rarely seen.”

Though Eris had no desire to leave her home, something about the thought of the rangers excited her. She had always wanted to see the Darkest Forest and was even curious about what was beyond the Sornians, even if she didn't want to live there. 

Something stirred in Eris. Something that had lain still a long time. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she felt it inside. It was a new feeling. Something you might call excitement, or anticipation. 

“Mrow.” A black and white cat sprung onto Eris's quilt, settling itself beside her head. Eris stroked his fur. “Star, you must stop coming through the crack in the window.” She whispered, half chuckling. “Every time I patch the hole, you scratch through it. You know you're supposed to stay in the barn. And one day something else might get in!” Eris felt a cold chill creep over her at the thought. 

Suddenly, she heard a noise. Almost like a crunching. And then another. And another, this time the noise like a half howl, half scream. It made Eris’s heart skip a beat. She burrowed deeper under her covers and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that if something was out there it wouldn't decide to come in. She tried to think about what it looked like in the sunlight, and about her parents sleeping in just the other room.

Eris rolled over and was soon asleep, but the noises continued to haunt her dreams. 

submitted by Leeli
(November 19, 2017 - 12:54 pm)
~Chapter Two~
It was early when morning’s first light streamed through the window, waking Eris. She had never been one to lie around in bed, waiting to wake up. She had always been a morning person, and was on her feet in an instant. Besides, this morning she had special motivation: The Pine Harvest Festival. Every year, a festival was held in Fynnesse in honor of the huge harvests of pine needles gathered in autumn. The pine needles had many uses in Minildrith, medicine, disinfectant, tea, and food, to name a few. The festival drew in visitors from Cargon and Larton, and sometimes even outside of Minildrith. 
Soon, Eris had changed out of her nightgown and into a simple cotton dress, the color of the sky. Eris grabbed a bucket and some seed, and started on the morning chores. She skipped out the door of the cottage. 
The morning was crisp, and as the chill wind hit her face, she inhaled. The air was always cool at the base of the Sornians, even in the summer, but the people of Minildrith were used to it, and could withstand much cold. In fact, even in autumn, Eris usually went barefoot. 
Eris opened the front gate of the cottage and crossed the lawn to the little barn. It wasn't big, but it was large enough for the carthorse and pony to fit comfortably. Eris filled the trough with fresh water from the pump, and moved on toward the hen coop. 
As she entered, Eris heard a cacophony of clucks and screeches from the birds. The Ingiss hens were known for screeching. Eris reached under one to collect the eggs. The hen stared at her with it's large yellow eyes. The bird was fairly small, and had brown feathers pocked with tan. Beside its eyes were large blue spots ringed with orange, and beside these, two or three feathers stuck out to the sides of the head. She opened her beak in a loud scream just as Eris pulled her hand away. After she sprinkled the seed on the floor of the coop, she exited the coop. 
Eris looked up the sky. It was a light blue, streaked with shades of orange and rosy pink. Her mother always said that when the sun rose, it painted the sky in the colors of dance and song and laughter. It made Eris smile to see the sun rise. She breathed in the crisp air once again. It was full of the scent of decaying leaves and pine needles. A cool, refreshing scent, Eris always thought. 
Just then, a huge white blur came from nowhere, knocking Eris to the ground. She laughed. “Easy, Wind, easy! Down, boy!” Wind was the huge white monster that the Glidel family called a guard dog. He had the most fur of any dog Eris had ever seen. He was supposed to guard the Ingiss hens, but Eris sometimes wondered if the hens wouldn't be better off without him. On any hand, he was as loyal a dog as you'd ever want to meet, and Eris knew he'd protect his charges to the end. 
Eris made her way back into the cottage, Wind at her heels. 
“Stay, Wind.” Eris said. Wind had been allowed inside the house as a pup, but now that he was grown, he was far too big. He only resulted in knocking things over with that huge brush of a tail that he seemed unaware of. 
Eris smelled the pine tea and oats before she saw it. She had always thought that her mother’s kitchen smelled better than anyone’s, especially in the morning. 
“Morning, sweetie. Finish the chores already?” said her mother, who was boiling tea at the stove. 
“Morning, mother. I did, yes, all except the gorsies.” Gorsies were small hoofed animals, similar to goats, but looking more like ponies. They were often used for meat, milk, and wool, for that was one thing they had in abundance. The Glidels had a flock of three. Gorsies, however, only produced milk every third day or so, so Eris hadn't needed to milk them that morning. 
Her mother came over to the table and placed a bowl of warm oats and a mug of pine tea in front of Eris on the table. Eris loved pine tea. It was a strong, bitter tea, good at waking your brains up in the morning. Most people said it smelled better than it tasted, and some out sugar or cream in theirs, but Eris preferred hers straight. 
As Eris ate, she turned last night’s events over in her mind. She recalled the strange feeling she'd had when she thought about the Rangers and the forest. She allowed herself a glance out the window, and when she saw the mountaintops in the distance, she felt a chill run down her back. That thing that had stirred inside her the night before was growing stronger, she could feel it. How she'd like to go and see the rangers, just once. The mountains weren't far, and the forest wasn't far beyond them. It wouldn't be so hard or long to get there, Eris thought. But she couldn't go, no. What was she thinking? It would be dangerous, and she'd never gone out of Fynnesse before. No, the idea was absurd. But still, Eris fancied the idea, and let it grow in the very back of her mind. 
Eris was shaken from her daydreams by a clear chirping from the window. A little blue and brown bird hopped around the sill. Eris recognized the bird immediately. It was Arrow! Finn’s bird. Finn was a friend of Eris’s who lived not far from her cottage. Their mothers had grown up together, so it was natural for their children to be best friends. Finn loved animals, and had trained Arrow, a pet bird, to carry messages between himself and Eris. Eris rushed to the window and opened it. The bird jumped into the air and perched on her finger. Around his neck hung a tiny scroll of paper. 
Eris gently took the paper and unrolled it. In hastily-scribbled letters, it read:
Eris,
Meet me by the stream before the festival. 
Finn
Eris smiled at her friend’s short, to-the-point style. Often, Finn sent her notes of the sort, never telling her why he wanted her to meet her. Finn knew that Eris had uncanny curiosity, and hated being left in suspense, so he took advantage of that in telling Eris only that he had something to tell her, but not the why. “My favorite part is the look on your face when you finally find out!” He had said once. But there was no mystery this time. Eris and Finn had been meeting up before the festival since they were old enough to attend. 
Eris grabbed her cloak and rushed out the door. 
“Where are you off to so early?” Her mother said, one eyebrow raised. 
“Just meeting Finn!” Eris called hastily just before the shut. 
submitted by Leeli
(November 19, 2017 - 2:58 pm)

This looks great, Leeli! Did you leave the CB for a while? I haven't seen you posting here in a long time.

submitted by Aspen
(November 20, 2017 - 4:09 pm)

Thank you! I didn't exactly leave, but I drifted off and stopped posting for awhile, mostly due to being busy. I should be on here at least a little more now, though! :D

submitted by Leeli
(November 20, 2017 - 6:01 pm)

<3 the world building! 

submitted by Rose bud
(November 21, 2017 - 11:06 am)

Aw, thank you so much! That means a lot to me, as I worked really hard on this world. 

submitted by Leeli
(November 21, 2017 - 2:16 pm)

Nice! I like the story so far. Your worldbuilding is amazing, and I'm really excited to see what happens when the main character goes on an adventure (presumably). It's also been nicely paced so far. I'm actually getting a strong Hobbit vibe while reading this, maybe because of Eris's desire to explore in the midst of everyone else's desire to stay put. 

submitted by Jarvis, age ???
(November 21, 2017 - 9:21 pm)

Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad you like it. I have worked a lot on developing my world and the setting, and I'm glad you've noticed! Also, if anybody's interested, I'll post the map I drew. That's funny, I was kinda getting the Hobbit vibe too, writing this. That may be due to excessive amounts of reading and watching the Hobbit it the last two or three months. XD I hope it isn't too terribly similar, though (not that The Hobbit isn't awesome, I just don't want to plagiarize). 

Anyway, I'll go ahead and post the next installment right after this.  

submitted by Leeli
(November 21, 2017 - 11:13 pm)

Now here's where things actually start getting interesting...

~Chapter Three~

 

Eris knew the stream that Finn had spoken of well. She spent half of her childhood there, and she and Finn had played countless hours in the woods by that stream. It wasn't far from Eris’s cottage, and she set off on foot. 

Eris made her way to the thin wood that she knew so well, and started toward the stream. The gentle breeze made her white-blonde hair fly out behind her as she ran, weaving between the huge trees that had grown there for years. They were thick and tall and silver, and some were as old as the mountains themselves. Eris brushed her hand against one as she ran. The bark was smooth, with a strange coolness radiating from it. As she neared the stream, the forest thickened a bit. Where there hadn't been underbrush before, there was beside the stream, and there were young trees as well as old.

Eris remembered years ago, she had been playing beside the stream with Finn. She was seven, and he going on nine. The sun had shone down, making her dark blue eyes sparkle with curiosity. 

“Why are the little trees and plants only by the stream?” She had asked. 

“Because,” he had answered. “when the seeds fall in the other parts of the forest, they die, but when they fall here, the moist earth and water make them grow strong.”

Eris smiled at the memory. Finn had always loved nature, and knew more about it than anyone else she knew. 

She was called back to reality by a voice in the trees. 

“Eris!” She looked up. Wedged between two branches in one of the lower trees was Finn. He jumped down, landing in a crouch. He stood up and ran his hand through his thick, earthy brown hair, a habit of his. His cheeks were rosy and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. The sides of his mouth turned up in a lopsided grin. Eris could hardly remember a time when he wasn't smiling. 

“I can't believe the festival’s here already!” Eris couldn't mask her excitement. 

Finn’s smile widened. “I know. I can't wait. It starts at sunset this evening, and mother said now that I'm going to be seventeen in three months, I can stay until midnight!” 

Eris’s smile lessened a bit. “That's great. But you know mother won't let me stay that long.”

Eris thought she caught the glint of a scheme in his eye. “Well…maybe a certain very convincing boy could change her mind.” He raised an eyebrow. They both laughed. 

“Come on, let’s climb a tall tree downstream so we can watch all the visitors coming in from the other towns!” As Finn turned, Eris noted absentmindedly the bow strung across his back. She had seen it a million times before. Finn never left home without it. It had belonged to his mother, who gave it to him after she fell ill with a terrible sickness that eventually killed her. It had been his most prized possession since. He was very protective of it, even with Eris. 

Finn jogged down the riverbank a few yards to where they had a clear view of the road between the trees at the edge of the forest, and Eris followed. Finn then clambered up the first tall tree as quickly as a squirrel. Eris didn't climb quite as easily as he, but she was incredibly agile and didn't struggle with climbing, though, for some reason, she found that she was slightly afraid of treetops. It wasn't the height. She didn't know what it was about them, but they made her uneasy. Finn had always thought it quite silly. He loved the trees. 

Eris settled in between the leaves of the tree. From this part of the forest, she had a clear view of the road. She and Finn had watched the tourists come into Fynnesse from the other parts of the land for the Pine Harvest Festival since they were old enough to go. 

“I always wanted to travel out of Fynnesse. It's so small. I feel confined by it sometimes, as much as I do love it.” Eris had never quite been able to understand this. Why would anyone want to leave Fynnesse? She had heard Finn say it many times before, but he seemed more serious about leaving now than ever. “Watching the strangers and visitors from other towns come in is almost like a taste of the world beyond the fence.” 

Eris had a sudden, terrible thought. Something that had never really occurred to her before. She couldn't keep it to herself. 

“Finn,” she said softly. “Can I ask you something?” Finn looked at her strangely. He could tell something was wrong. 

“Of course. What is it?” 

“Well, you've talked a lot about leaving town lately, but…you aren't really serious about it, are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You wouldn't really leave, would you?” This time she met his eyes. 

Finn looked down. He was silent. 

“Would you?” 

A loud call from below interrupted before Finn could answer. 

“Hey-o children!” 

Below the tree, an old man waved up at them from the road. He wasshort and fairly rotund, with a funny looking puff of grey I guess red hair on the top of his head (the rest of his head was bald). He had a long red beard, his cheeks were rosy, and wore a patched coat and faded woolen scarf. He was driving a cart pulled by a donkey, the back of which was filled with all sorts of jumbled odds and ends. 

Finn and Eris scrambled out of the tree to meet him. The man was called Terrilan, and he was Finn’s uncle, known to all the village children as ‘Uncle Terri’. 

“Uncle Terri!” Finn exclaimed, embracing the old man, who laughed a deep, throaty laugh. 

“Good to see you again, laddie!” He laughed again. “It's been awhile.” Terrilan was a traveling Goodsman who went town to town selling wares that he accumulated wherever he went. He was sometimes gone only a month or two, and sometimes you didn't see him for years. Terrilan caught sight of Eris and his smile widened, if that was possible. Like his nephew, he was quite a happy person. 

“Oh, and you too, lass!” Terri chuckled. Touching Eris’s cheek, he said, “You've grown quite a bit, girl. And you're even prettier than I remember.” Eris felt her face redden. He leaned over and whispered loudly in Finn’s ear, “She's quite the catch. You two would make a fine couple someday.” Finn’s eyes widened and he blushed hot red. Eris’s cheeks grew hot, and she couldn't meet either of their gazes for a moment. 

Finn chuckled nervously. “We're just friends, Uncle. Just friends, that's all. Nothing more. Right Eris?” He looked at her. She nodded, cheeks still burning. 

“Well, I must be getting on now, kids. I need to set up my wares in town before the festival!” Terrilan clucked his tongue twice and the donkey set off at a trot. 

Eris watched him go. Neither of them said a thing. Finally, Finn said, “Sorry about him. He doesn't understand.” 

Eris shook her head. “People get such strange ideas in their head. Can't boys and girls just be friends?” 

Finn smiled. “Shall we be getting on to town? Things will be setting up for the festival, and we can look at all the interesting visitors and their booths.”

“Yes, let's.” Eris replied. 

It wasn't far to town from the road, and soon, Eris and Finn were surveying the crowd. 

Eris bought a cup of pine tea with a few silver gibblings she had saved up, and Finn bought a few oat balls to share. They sat under the shade of a tree and ate and talked and watched the hustle and bustle. 

As said before, Fynnesse was a small town, and on the corner where River Road intersected with Hyll Way, there wasn't all that much to see. On one side there were a few cottages, The River Road Inn & Eatery, a shabby abandoned bookstore that Eris used to like to visit when it was still in business, and the Hyll Way Stable. On the other side was a tavern called The Elusive Gorsie, and a small fresh produce market where farmers often sold their crops. It wasn't the busiest place in town, and Arglith Street, just across the corner of Hyll and River actually had more shops and business. But today people were lined up down the street preparing for the festival. Some were setting up little booths and tents and tables where they'd sell baskets or bread or jewelry. Some were handing out jars of firebugs, small insects that glowed bright blue at night, to children for later, when the sun set. Some were hanging bright banners and flags on the sides of buildings and on trees and street posts, all red or blue or green, some shimmering gold and many with the symbol of Minildrith: Three mountains, one red, one blue, one green, intersecting, to symbolize the three towns. People came into town riding horses or driving carts, most of them regular, ordinary looking people, except that they wore strange clothing, talked in a funny manner, had more money, or some of them less, were taller (or shorter) than average, and were altogether different than the people of Fynnesse.

Eris noted one man in particular. He came quietly by a side road, riding a dark chestnut stallion. Eris couldn't see his face, for he wore a dark hood casting a shadow on his dark face. He wore ratty clothes and his boot buckles hung loose, causing them to jangle when he walked. The man dismounted his horse, now leading it by its bridle through the back alley of town. Between the buildings, Eris could see him approaching a man behind The Elusive Gorsie. Eris knew most people in town, but she didn't recognize the other man either, for he too had a hood concealing most of his face. He could've been anyone. The two men talked in hushed tones. Eris couldn't make out a single word from this distance. 

“Finn,” she said in a low voice. “Look.” She pointed her chin toward the men and he followed her gaze. When he saw them he sucked in a breath. People in Fynnesse usually had no reason to talk in private behind taverns. 

“Who are they?”

“I don't know. I think I almost recognize the man closest to the tavern, but I can't place him. I’ve never seen the man with the horse before.” 

Finn’s eyes suddenly grew wider. 

“Let's get closer. Maybe we can hear what they're talking about.” 

Eris considered it for a moment. “No, Finn. It's to risky. What if they see us? We don't know who they are. They might be unsavory characters.” By ‘unsavory’ she meant men with dark business. 

Finn brushed her off. “It won't hurt just to listen. Besides, what if they are unsavory? Wouldn't we want to know what they're talking about?” 

“No, it's none of our business.”

“What if they plan to do something terrible to Fynnesse?”

At this, Eris stopped. She couldn't bear to let anything happen to her town. She hated the thought of it and wouldn't be able to keep from doing something about it and Finn knew it, which was the reason he brought it up. 

“Well, I suppose there's nothing to be done. Come on.” Eris stood to her feet. 

Quietly, the two made their way across the street until they reached the back of the market, which was closed for the Pine Harvest Festival. From here they could clearly see the two men and Eris could hear their voices much louder, though she still couldn't make out their words. Finn and Eris crept silently down the alleyway until they were only a building away. 

Suddenly, the man with the horse turned and looked straight in their direction. Eris was frozen to the spot, but Finn, the quicker thinker of the two, ducked behind the stone wall of the building, grabbing Eris’s wrist and dragging her with him. They pressed their backs to the cold wall, hoping the man would dismiss it and go back to talking. Eris hardly dared to breathe. In a moment, the man turned around and continued to talk to his fellow conspirator. Eris peeked cautiously around the corner at the two men. She strained to hear anything. What with the wind and the chatter in the streets, she could only make out bits and pieces.

“with all the excitement they'll take no notice of a stranger in town. They’ll barely have time to realize what's happening. And then, when” Eris ducked behind the wall again as the other man glanced her way. She waited impatiently a few seconds before leaning out again to listen. 

“When should we do it?” She heard the other man say. 

“Soon. Tonight, maybe. If all goes smoothly.”

Eris sucked in a breath. They were planning to do something, and tonight! She quickly whispered everything she'd just heard to Finn, who gaped. 

Then she peeked around again to listen. 

“leave them to burn.” 

Shocked and disturbed, Eris let out an audible yelp. Both men turned sharply toward her. Finn grabbed her, pulling her behind the wall again, but it was too late. They had seen. 

 

submitted by Leeli
(November 21, 2017 - 11:15 pm)

xD “You two would make a fine couple someday.”

submitted by unsuspectingstrytllr
(November 22, 2017 - 11:04 am)

I know. XD I had to. 

submitted by Leeli
(November 22, 2017 - 1:31 pm)
Warning: DRAMA
~Chapter Four~
“Someone's there.” One man hissed. 
“Come out, or we'll find ya and shootcha!” The other man said, loud enough for Eris and Finn to hear, but not loud enough for anyone in the streets. They both spoke in thick accents. Eris heard bowstrings tighten. Fear gripped her chest. Involuntarily, she grabbed Finn’s arm. 
“What do we do?” She looked at him. Fear swirled in his eyes. She could see, though he tried not to show it. 
“They're bluffing.” He whispered. 
Just then, the man who had ridden into town earlier rounded the corner. 
“‘Ere they are! A couple o’ little eavesdroppers I see! Well, we’ll soon put an end to that!” Eris could see the man’s face clearly now. He had greasy black hair and a closely shaven beard. His eyes were a startling amber-yellow color. A long scar ran across one cheek. He grabbed Eris’s dress at the neck, dragging her out into the open. 
“Let. Go. Of. Me!” She shrieked, clenching her teeth. 
She reared back her foot and kicked him. The man cried out, but didn't move. She kicked him again, as hard as she could, and the man’s grip faltered. She twisted away from him hard, throwing herself to the ground. She stood quickly, but the second man was quicker. He caught Eris, this time by the hair. She screamed. Finn lunged for the man, but the first man, the one with the amber eyes, caught him, fighting for a moment until he had pinned Finn’s hands behind his back. 
Eris’s heart pounded in her chest. There was nothing she could do except scream, so that's what she did. She screamed for help until the man clapped a hand over her mouth. 
“Shut yer yapper, girl, or you'll regret it!” He hissed in her ear. She ignored him, shoved his hand away, and screamed again. 
But the man wasn't joking when he said she'd regret it. He struck Eris across the face, hard. The blow jarred her, causing her face to sting and tears to well in her eyes. But she couldn't cry. She would not cry. Not now, not here. 
Finn had seen, and anger welled up inside him for his friend. “Let us go!” He yelled. 
“Quiet, you.” His captor gave Finn a knee to the back. 
“What do you want with us?” Finn demanded. 
The man holding him back laughed. 
“Don't play so innocent, boy. We know you've been eavsdroppin’, and you know what ya ‘eard!”
Just then, two blurry forms leapt from the rooftop of the Elusive Gorsie, colliding with the men holding the children back, and knocking them to the ground. Eris was stunned. Who were these mysterious figures in green cloaks? 
The two men were knocked unconscious, and within seconds, the mysterious figures were gone. 
Eris stood, panting, trying to take in all that had just happened. Finn, as always, was the one to take action while Eris was still processing it all. He turned to her. 
“Are you okay?” He asked. 
Eris nodded. Her cheek still burned, but she remained unharmed. “You?” 
“Yes, though wiser for it.” He laughed.
Eris smiled. He always managed to remain cheerful, even in dire situations. 
“Come on. Let's get out of here before they wake up.”
Eris took a shaky breath. She had so many questions, they swirled like a storm in her head. What were the men planning? What had they meant by, “leave them to burn”? Did they plan to set the town on fire, like in her nightmares? And who were their mysterious saviors? Should they tell someone what they had heard? Should she even tell her mother?
Eris only wished she had answers. 
The festival was about to start, but somehow it didn't seem quite so exciting after the previous events. 
Soon, the food was set out and the music started, and everyone danced a few traditional folk dances. Eris and Finn joined in, but half of Eris’s mind was somewhere else. 
After the dancing, there was a speech. The mayor, a round, cheerful old man, came up onto a small dais to speak about Fynnesse and the pine crop this year, and how thankful he was to the citizens of Fynnesse, and about how things were going along peacefully as they always did, and how (thanks to him) there would never be reason for war or turmoil as long as the fence of Minildrith stood. 
When the mayor stepped down from the dais, it was time for the singing to begin. Lanterns and candles were lit, and placed on the branches of three tall pine trees in the center if the square. The children placed their jars of firebugs on the tree, opening them, so that the bugs, who were attracted to the scent of pine needles, to swarm around the tree like stars swirling in the night sky. 
The people gathered round the trees, and began to sing. It was a low, mournful tune at first, one with no words. As they sang, the volume grew and the tune changed, getting higher and higher, and then dropping again. It was a beautiful melody that only the people of Minildrith knew. 
It had always been Eris’s favorite part of the festival, but this time, she was quite distracted. She had never thought about it before, but after the talk of burning, she was suddenly worried that one of the candles might fall and catch the tree on fire. Though Eris wasn't as quick to act in the midst of action as Finn, she thought ahead in almost every situation. She had already planned out what she'd do if a branch caught fire, and where the nearest source of water was. 
And, sure enough, Eris’s planning paid off. As she sung and watched the flames flicker, she noticed one of the candles topple over, setting the branch on fire. For a moment, no one noticed. A few seconds passed, and then someone yelled, “Fire! Fire!” 
Panic struck everyone as they stumbled around, tripping over each other. Eris slipped out of the crowd, grabbed a pail that someone had used to collect money, dumped the money on the street (they'd have to get it back later), and dashed over into the woods. It was darker at night, but she still knew where the stream was. She filled the bucket quickly, and ran back to the circle (which was more of a blobby shape now) of panicked people, trying her best not to spill too much. 
“MAKE WAY!” She yelled at the top of her lungs. The people made a path, and Eris ran, dumping the water on the burning branches. A few others had seen Eris running towards the stream, and had taken her example, filling anything the could find, cups, pans, even curved pieces of bark with water, and splashing the fire. Soon, it was put out, and Eris was relieved. Those men had tried to set her town on fire, but she hadn't let them. She didn't think they'd try again. 
“Quick thinking, Eris. If it hadn't been for you, those people might have gone on like that all night, letting the trees burn and catch the rest of the town on fire.” Finn told her afterwards. 
“It was nothing. I only got a bucket of water.” Eris replied. But in truth, she was quite proud of what she had done. 
“Well, it's getting late.” Eris said. “The moon’s already pretty high in the sky, and my mother wanted me home before midnight.” 
“Okay. Shall I walk you home?” Finn asked. 
“Thanks.” 
The moon shone down brightly as the two walked the road back to Eris’s cottage. Eris remembered suddenly how she had asked Finn about his leaving earlier, but been interrupted by Uncle Terri.
“Finn,” she said. “I asked you a question earlier that got,” pause. “conveniently interrupted. Now I want to know. Would you really leave Fynnesse?” She waited. 
Finn was silent. 
“Would you?” Eris stopped and looked at him intently. 
He sighed. “Eris,” he started slowly, gently. “you know I'm going to be seventeen in three months. As much as I love it here in Fynnesse, it's awfully small. All of Minildrith is. I feel confined here. I want to roam, Eris. I want to see the world. Thariss has so much opportunity!” He paused, and sighed again. “I know this is hard for you. That's why I hadn't talked about it before. But-,” Eris cut him off. 
“So—so you would leave? But…how could you? This is your home! Think of all the people here who love you! Your father, your sister,” she paused, hanging her head. “Me.”
“No, Eris, listen to me!”
“No! I won't listen to you!” Poor Eris was quite rumpled up by this point, and her temper was rising. Finn knew that Eris was likely to get this way when she didn't know what to say or feel, especially late, when she was tired. He knew her well. He tried to calm her. 
“Please, Eris, just hear me out!”
Eris turned away from him. She felt tears burning behind her eyes, but she held them back. Finn grabbed her arm before she could go anywhere. 
“Eris! Listen! Come with me! We can see the world together!” Eris saw the longing in his eyes, but she was offended. 
“Come with you? This is my home Finn! You know I wouldn't leave!” Eris couldn't hold back, and she let the tears spill. She turned, and wrenched her arm from her friend’s grip. 
Eris ran. She let the tears fall, running down her face and dripping off her chin. Finn had been her only friend for as long as she could remember, and her best friend. She couldn't bear the idea of him leaving for good. She tried to process it as the cold wind stung her face. It felt suddenly like her friend was being torn from her, and no matter how hard she tried to hold on, he'd slip from her grasp.
Finn watched Eris charge down the road. He felt awful. What could he do? He'd tried his best to explain himself to Eris, hoping against hope she'd understand. This was exactly what he'd hoped wouldn’t happen. He knew there was nothing to be done now but yo let Eris go herself, and have a good cry. When she had had some sleep and more time alone to think things over, he'd try again. 
Finn turned to go home. 
Eris ran in the door, passed her startled mother, and charged up into the loft of the cottage where her room was. She shut the door behind her and collapsed on her bed, sobbing. 
After a few minutes, there was a knock at the door. Eris sniffed a few times and wiped her eyes, though she knew it was obvious she'd been crying. 
“Come in.” She said, sullenly. 
The door creaked, and her mother's kind face showed in the doorway. She smiled 
sadly at Eris, and went to sit on the foot of her bed. 
“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked gently. 
Eris took a deep breath and let it out. She wasn't ready to talk just yet. 
“It's about Finn, isn't it?” She prodded. 
Eris looked up. “How did you know?” 
Eris's mother smiled sadly. “He told me.”
Eris was shocked.
“He told me he was thinking of leaving Fynnesse soon, once he was seventeen. He needed something that we just don't have here, and he didn't know what it is. He wanted my opinion. He felt terrible, Eris. He didn't know how he was going to tell you. I asked him if he'd like me to do it, but he said he'd like to tell you himself once he had the gut. He hated the idea if upsetting you.” Her mother smiled sympathetically. 
Eris hung her head. All of a sudden, tears sprang to her eyes once again. 
“I know it's hard, Eris.” Her mother said, stroking her hair. 
“He's the only friend I've ever had.” Said Eris. In truth, she hated the idea of being alone. 
“I know, but you must think of what's best for Finn. He's nearly a man now, and Fynnesse is just too small for him.” Her mother said matter-of-factly. “It's getting late. You get some sleep now.” Eris's mother left the room, blowing out the candle as she went. 
Eris sat in dark silence for some time. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep. 
submitted by Leeli
(November 22, 2017 - 1:32 pm)

OMGOODNESS. LEELI. THIS IS SO GOOD!!!! 

submitted by Tuxedo Kitten
(November 22, 2017 - 3:39 pm)

Aw, thank you so much! <3 I'm so glad you think so. You made my day!

submitted by Leeli
(November 22, 2017 - 6:45 pm)

Your world and description are amazing! I feel like I’m inside your story!

submitted by Autumn Moon, age 11, Here
(November 22, 2017 - 6:38 pm)
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