Is anyone going to post?

toptoptoptoptop

So sorry, I thought I posted but then I guess it didn't?? I was so sure I posted... :( 

~

Lady Saga stood with her back to the bookshelf, and to Megumi, as Megumi crept back to the group. On the floor a topographical map was spread, showing a range of mountains and a shallow basin between the mountains and a forest. She pointed to a lake in the rough center of the basin, a smile glinting at her lips. "This, children, is the lake where the kelpie dwells."

Silence. Lady Saga tilted her head, still smiling. "Any thoughts?"

Trillium broke the awkward pause. "So, let me get this clear. You want us to go out to that lake, catch the kelpie, and bring it back to you so you can do what exactly with it?" 

Lady Saga had stopped smiling.  "Once and only once you have collected the kelpie, I will tell you my intentions. If it is any consolation, you may share some of the...reward." 

Another silence.

Lady Saga sighed. Then, briskly, she stood. "Come. I will show you more of the laboratory. It will be of use...you will be spending much time here in the future." 

"Not if I can help it," Belle muttered, but no one heard.  

~

Later that night, the moon was approaching full, its pale glow mixing with the warm light of the room lamp. Megumi lay on her back on her bed. She could feel the weight of the book where she had hidden it under the mattress. 

Quietly, without anyone noticing, she pulled it out, tracing the green triangle emblazoned on the cover. She wondered what was inside, and why it was so important...

~ 

That's it for now. Sorry again for the weird post glitch or whatever it was.  

I am working on a post!

The day after their visit to the lab.

It was late morning.  The sunlight streamed through the windows and lit the cicular tower room.

Dusk, Em, Sally, Fiona, and Fia were gathered in a circle in the middle of the room playing a game.

Belle was sitting crosslegged on her bed with a map Lady Tremayne had loaned them spread across her lap.  She was peering closely at the lake surrounded by mountains.

Megumi was hunched in one corner with Amethyst Dreamchaser.

Trillium, like Belle, was sitting on her bed.  Though she was writing in her journal, not studying a map.

Trillium finished her entry and closed her journal.  She placed it under her pillow.  She got off her bed and reached under it, retreiving her violin.  Then she made her way to the door and slipped out. Unoticed by all except for Megumi who had turned her head to watch Trillium leave.

Trillium walked down the stairway, her footsteps echoing softly.

She reached the bottom of the and found a niche under the stairs.  There was litle light there but Trillium didn’t need much light.

She set her case on the ground and opened it.  She unclipped the bow, rosined it, and unstrapped her violin.  She tuned, the pitch of her strings going up and down until it was in tune.

The Trillium tucked the violin under her chin and placed the bow on the strings.  She drew the bow across the strings and the first note rang from her violin.  Each note followed the other.  Ringing purely.

Music floated down the hall and up the tower.

Trillium closed her eyes and smiled, still playing.  She was lost in her music.                                                                                                                                                                                               

~Megumi

"Megumi, do you want to play this round?" Fiona asked.

Megumi was quick to shake her head. Lir, who was now playing with a bit of Megumi's yarn, was the only reason she was still here. She wished she could get away with Amethyst Dreamchaser; while not the daydreamy type, Megumi loved playing imagining games. 

Once everyone was engrossed in the game again, Megumi slipped out the door. She had spent last night learning to walk silently with her injured leg. Painlessly was a different matter, but she had a feeling stealth would be useful for saving the kelpie.

A song rose up the stairs. Megumi's attention snapped suddenly to its serene melody. It was like the purring of a cat and chirping of crickets  combined - better even! Was that possible? Suddenly aware that she was about to collapse, Megumi stumbled forward.

Her gait smoothed as she hurried down the stairs and found Trillium in the corner, playing a violin. Her back was turned from Megumi, who ducked behind a crate and listened until the music stopped, paper rustled, and a new song filled the air, this time joyous and majestic. Megumi felt her lips draw up into a grin. She let them.

Then Lir thundered down the stairs, surprisingly loud for such a small cat. Trillium looked up, the music stopping with a squeak. "Lir, no!" Megumi mouthed, but the feline was already nuzzling her and purring. Trillium walked over. Megumi's mind raced to figure out how to explain.

She didn't need to. Trillium only asked, "Do you want to listen?"

Megumi caught her breath. Trillium wasn't even angry? Or embarrassed? Remembering Trillium's question, she nodded a bit more vigorously than intended.

The music flowed again, Megumi sitting on the crate this time. Trillium's playing was just as good when she was being watched, which was impressive. The rising and falling of fingers and movement of the bow were strangely captivating. Her head swaying unknowingly to the beat, Megumi was purely happy. This only increased when Trillium glanced at her head and ill-concealed smile and asked, "I can teach you if you want. The size is all wrong, but it should work okay."

"Really?!" Megumi couldn't believe this! After Trillium showed her the correct way to hold the bow and violin (which looked like an oversized viola on Megui), Megumi pulled the bow over the strings.

It squeaked! It didn't sound anything like Trillium had made it soudn, but it squeaked! Megumi could have squeaked with joy, too.

~

The end isn't great but it's the best I could come up with.

It's great.  The ending made me smile a lot.  I'll start working on the next post when I have time.

Is anyone else going to write or should I post the next part?