GUYS!!!! I FINISHED

Chatterbox: Inkwell

GUYS!!!! I FINISHED

GUYS!!!! I FINISHED MY BOOK!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Ahem. So, some of you might remember the story I started last November for NaNoWriMo and posted here. Well, the thread eventually died, and I stopped posting, but I kept writing. And here I am, five months, 153 pages and 81,486 words later, and the first draft is finally, finally done. I'm so excited. I've never fully completed a book before, and I could never have done it without my dear fans and their constant encouragement. I would like to thank Rose bud, Jarvis, MJ, and Autumn Moon for your kind words and for reading my writing, and I'd especially like to thank Tux, Aspen, and Strytllr for sticking with me all the way.

The original thread is pretty far down, and so instead of topping it, I'm going to go ahead and post the whole thing in the comments once this pops up, if anyone cares to read it. Light Runs Deeper is my tentative title for now, though I might change it. Keep in mind that it's unedited, and therefore will have mistakes. I'm not even sure how good it is, really, but I'm taking a deep breath and putting my story out there, and hoping that somewhere in this jumbled-up pile of words, at least a few of you will find something that you really enjoy. 

 

Congratulations, Leeli!

Admin

 

submitted by Leeli
(April 7, 2018 - 2:22 pm)

back to the Inkwell

Thank you!

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 9:23 am)
~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 its 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
(April 8, 2018 - 9:26 am)

Shoot, the italics didn't stay after I copy/pasted it. Ah well. The note was supposed to be in italics, but that's okay. 

 

Did you meant the note in Chapter 3? I just fixed it.

Admin

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 1:50 pm)

Oh, why thank you, Admin! Yep, you got the right chapter. 

You're welcome. Just let us know if it happens again. As long as we can easily find the lines, it's easy for us to change.

Admin

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 2:32 pm)
~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.” 
“Alright. I'll walk you home.” Finn said. 
“Thank you.” 
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 was,” 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 eighteen 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
(April 8, 2018 - 9:28 am)

*insert mad amounts of weeping*

submitted by Inktail
(April 8, 2018 - 10:10 pm)
~Chapter Five~
Eris woke in the night to a dog barking. She was groggy, and tried to block out the noise and go back to sleep, when she realized it was Wind. She sat bolt upright in bed. Something was amiss. Smoke. She smelled smoke in the air. Thick, putrid, smoke. She immediately panicked. The worst case scenario made its way to her mind first: the candle incident was just a coincidence. The mysterious men were going to the burn the town while the villagers slept!
Eris leapt out of bed, trying to think of a different source, to convince herself that it was just something burning in the oven. She looked out the window. Several cottages were already burnt to the ground! Eris shut her eyes tight. It wasn't real, it wasn't real! It was just another nightmare and she would wake up any second. When she opened her eyes it would be morning and all would be well. 
Her eyes snapped open. She stood alone, in the dark, the smell burning her eyes and nostrils. 
Eris ran to the step-ladder. She would climb down and tell her mother and they would get to town in time to put the fire out. But to her horror, the way was blocked. A flame climbed steadily up the ladder. Eris didn't waste time watching it. 
Quickly, she ran to the window and tugged until it opened. She stuck her head out. If she climbed out, she'd be on the thatched straw roof, and would be able to slide down and then jump. It would be only about a four foot drop from there. 
Quickly, Eris turned and grabbed a few of her belongings, stuffing them into a burlap sack, and climbed out onto the roof. 
The icy wind whipped Eris’s hair behind her. She shivered despite the fire the burned just feet from her on the ridge of the roof. She went down on her backside, scooting down the roof feet first, using her hands for balance. When she reached the edge, Eris dangled her legs over the ground and slid off. She landed hard on her side. 
Eris jumped to her feet and looked around to get her bearings. All around her, buildings, fences, and trees were burning. The fire was too big. She couldn't put it out. All she could do now was escape. She didn't have time to be upset. Panic hit her full force as she saw the black smoke rising from her own house. She hoped her mother and father had woken up and found a way out. There was no way to get inside the cottage now. Eris watched in horror as a line of soldiers took captives from the burning village and tied their hands behind their backs a few streets over. At the front of the line were the two men who she and Finn had heard talking in the alley the day before. They had to yell over the wind and the sound of burning timber, and Eris could just barely make out their words. 
“‘’Ey, Nark, is that all of em’?” She heard the shorter man say. 
“I b’lieve so, but I'll check over ‘ere at these cottages to be sure.” Nark, the stranger who had ridden into town, said. As he neared the cottages, he caught sight of Eris. 
“Oy, Laryn, lookie ‘ere! Ain't that the girl we saw yesterday evenin’?” Nark called over his shoulder. 
“I b’lieve 'tis! She sure gave us a load o’ trouble, didn't she, with ‘er little friend?” Said Laryn. “Get ‘er!” 
Eris turned away and ran to the barn. A wave of cool relief washed over her as she saw that it had not caught fire yet. Working quickly, she haltered the horse and donkey, brought them out into the open and tied them to a tree. Next, she opened the gorsie pen and shooed the poor spooked creatures toward the mountain. They might just survive there, she thought sorrowfully. She did the same for the Ingiss hens, who cackled and squawked to the forest. There was nothing more Eris could do for them. She hugged the donkey, who's name was Willow, before slapping her behind. Willow took off down the road behind the Glidel cottage. Eris hoped she'd be able to find her way to the next town safely. 
Finally, Eris untied the beautiful flea-bitten mare and swung herself up. There was no time for a saddle. Casting a glance behind her, she saw that Nark wasn't far off. 
“Fly, Ash, fly like the wind!” She dug her heels into the horse’s sides. 
Eris smiled when she saw Wind tagging along at Ash’s heels. Eris rode away from her home. From all she'd ever known. She was soon into the forest. The trees were far enough apart for Ash not to have much trouble here. They rode on until they reached the stream, and they followed it until they reached the place where it widened into a river. 
“Whoa,” Eris breathed, and dismounted. Ash was thirsty, and Eris let her drink. Wind had become tired as Ash and Eris cantered through the forest, and had fallen behind. But a few minutes after they stopped, Eris saw the familiar white dog making his way toward her. He was favoring one paw, but was otherwise unharmed.
Eris collapsed at the base of a tree. She was exhausted. Everything that just happened would take anyone's breath, and you must remember that this was in the middle of the night. Eris decided she would close her eyes, just for a moment. Often, when people close their eyes for ‘just a moment’, if it is late at night and they are very tired, they will fall asleep. Eris was no exception. Soon, she was slumped against the tree with her dog curled at her feet. 
When Eris woke for the second time that night, she was alone in the forest. It was still night, and she wasn't sure how long she had slept or how long it was until dawn. Wind was still sleeping soundly by her feet, but when she looked around, she realized Ash was gone. Eris silently cursed herself for falling asleep. What had she been thinking? And now, her beloved horse, as well as her only means of transportation, was gone. 
Just then, a twig snapped. Eris jumped. Her first thought was that it was Nark. She pressed her back against the smooth tree, willing herself not to look behind her. Another crunch. Eris stood, looking around. She dared not make a sound. Then, she ran. 
She ran as fast as she could through the forest, weaving between trees. As she neared the base of the mountain, the forest thickened. Trees grew closer together, and underbrush caught her gown. Finally, Eris stopped. She doubled over with her hands on her knees, panting. She hoped she had got a fair ways ahead of Nark and Laryn and whoever else was chasing her by now. 
Suddenly, a figure dropped from a tree and landed, crouching, on the ground. It startled Eris, but before she could scream, a hand clamped over her mouth. She struggled against it, but to no avail. Whoever had covered her mouth leaned around her and whispered directly into her ear, “We aren't here to hurt you. I will release you, but you mustn't yell.” Eris nodded her head, and the person drew back. 
The first figure, the one that had dropped from the tree, spoke in a whisper. “We know who you are, Eris Glidel. We know everything that has happened her in the last two days.”
Eris gasped. “But how do you—“ she stopped and thought back to yesterday. And suddenly it all made sense. “You were the ones in the alley yesterday! You saved me and Finn!” She exclaimed. 
The figure smiled. “Yes. We are Elven Rangers.” He bowed, and it was then that Eris noticed the silver clasp on his cloak with the emblem of the Rangers, and of course, his ears. 
Now the other elf spoke, the one who had restrained Eris just moments before. 
“I am Rohir, and this is my father, Gladir. We have come to take you back to Thraenen, our base across the mountains.” He smiled pleasantly. “Come, quickly. We don't want to run into those nasty men again.” He winked at Eris. 
It wasn't long until the three emerged from the wood and into a meadow just below the mountains. Eris was lost in thought. She wondered if her mother and father and Finn were alright. If they had escaped, or been taken with the other prisoners, or even survived. 
Eris turned at the base of the mountain and looked back at Fynnesse. It looked so small from here, burning brightly like a star in the dark. Suddenly, the full force of all that happened hit Eris like an arrow to the heart. Her heart sank. Her home, and everyone and everything she'd ever loved was there, right there in that burning little village. And it was all gone, like the ashes in the wind. She collapsed on the ground and began to cry quietly into her hands. 
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Rohir. 
“I feel as if all I've ever known is being torn away from me.” She said. “This is the farthest from home I've ever been. And my parents were there and my friends.”
“Come, Eris. It'll be alright. We must make it over the mountains before dawn. You must be strong for them.”
Eris dried her tears on her gown, and let Rohir help her to her feet.
“We will take the Mountain Path, a pass through the Sornians that the rangers made long ago for such travel to and from Minildrith.” Said Gladir, as they made their way up the slopes. The night air was chill, and before long, Eris began to shiver. She drew her red wool cloak and hood from her sack, thankful she brought it, and draped it over her shoulders. 
“Why did you come for me, and not the others? Is there something that makes me special?” Eris said finally, after pondering this thought for awhile. 
“We elves have our reasons.” Gladir replied. “And you shall have your answers soon enough.” Eris glanced at Rohir and thought she saw playfulness dancing in his eyes. He probably knew the answers to her questions and was holding back from telling her. 
The elves were silent for the most part of the journey, talking only occasionally, with Eris asking questions from time to time. Soon, the three had reached the entry to the mountain path, which was smoother walking, but more dangerous as there were many cliffs and drop offs and places where rockslides could occur easily. 
Eris was tired. After all, her sleep had been interrupted, not to mention all she'd been through since then. Time and again she stumbled, or tripped, not being near as agile as the elves. 
Eris didn't notice, but Rohir was watching her quite closely. Gladir had taken the lead, being the elder among them, and Rohir had fallen into step with Eris. He took it upon himself to see that she wasn't harmed during the journey, and he carried this task out well. Rohir was nothing if not loyal. He was also intuitive, and he had a feeling this was the beginning of a strong friendship. Or, if nothing else, hoped it was. 
The journey wasn't a particularly long one, but the elves and Eris walked long into the night and on to morning. 
They were beginning to near the end of the path when Eris noticed the stars start to fade and a bit of light creep into the black sky. As she trudged on, that black sky lightened to a dirty grey, and then to a pale indigo, and soon it was as pink as the spring blooms that she used to put between her toes as she and Finn played in the wood together as children. 
Eris wondered about Finn now. Was he okay? Was he taken prisoner with the others, or had he escaped like herself? And who were the men who set Fynnesse on fire, and why did they do it? Eris had too many questions to even put them into words. She wished they could have gone back for Finn. Even just to check in his cottage and make sure he was out. Eris knew very well it was too dangerous, but just might have been reckless enough to try it, if it wasn't for the elves. She knew what Gladir would say before she asked him, and so she didn't bother to. 
She didn't know what Rohir would've thought of the idea. Maybe he would've helped her. She wondered why she got a weird feeling in her stomach whenever he smiled at her. She didn't like it, and decided not to think about it. 
By now the sky was a light blue with streaks of pink and orange like someone had painted it. The sun was up, and Eris was even more tired than she had been. They had emerged from the mountain path now, and were descending the foothills into the valley below. Eris could see the edge of a forest in the distance. As they neared it, it grew and grew, and before Eris knew it, it was quite close. 
submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 9:29 am)

@leeli OMG Congrats! Thats amazing!

submitted by MJ, age 12, ca
(April 8, 2018 - 11:20 am)

Thank you! 

 

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 1:48 pm)

Oh my gosh, congratulations! I'm so happy for you for finishing and I cannot wait to read it! Great job!!

submitted by Cockleburr
(April 8, 2018 - 1:10 pm)

Aw, thanks so much, Cockleburr!!

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 1:51 pm)

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh you finished it!!!!!!!!!! I can’t wait to read the rest!!!!!! *gives Leeli tremendous tackle hug* It’s so awesome that you finished itttt!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!

*clears throat* Wellllll guess my tween emotions topped over a bit but ah well who cares anyway. 

submitted by Aspen
(April 8, 2018 - 2:06 pm)

*returns tremendous tackle hug* Aaaaaaaaahhh yes! Thank you!!!

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 2:34 pm)

Wow! Congrats, Leeli! I love your story so far, I can't wait to read the rest!

submitted by Quirker, age 14
(April 8, 2018 - 3:24 pm)

Thank you so much!

submitted by Leeli
(April 8, 2018 - 6:33 pm)
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