The 'Solve This Riddle' Tag

Here we are, another blog post about a tag/award thingy. Admittedly it has been a while since I did one so I don't mind so much. Also, this is a riddle tag so that makes it even better because I like riddles. ("Praps we sits here and chats with it a bitsy, my preciouss. It like riddles, praps it does, does it?")

1.Copy and paste the image onto your post (as I couldn't be bothered to attempt to change it at all I just have the picture from Clare's post.)

2. Copy and paste these rules onto your post

3. Thank the person who tagged you.

4. Answer the 5 riddles that are provided by the lovely person who tagged you.

5. Tag 5 or more bloggers (apparently tag backs are allowed).

6. Provide 5 different riddles in your post for the people you tagged.

7. Comment the link to your post on each blogger's blog or let them know in some way or another.

8. After a week from when posting this tag, comment the answers to your riddles on your own post. (That was only slightly confusing...)

So, here goes. Thank you Clare for tagging me, I hope I'll answer your riddles to your satisfaction. :D
Now for the Five Riddles that Clare gave me:

Riddle one: I am with you at the beginning of all weekends
But am always gone on Monday
In all words, I always am
But never in only one of them.
And definitely not found in our world

I'm fairly sure I know this one. It took a bit of thought (which is, I guess, the point).

Riddle two: Two spies want to get in an enemy's military base.In order to get in they have to give the correct countersign to the guard at the gate after he gives them the sign. So they wait hidden nearby the gate so that they will overhear the countersign from another soldier. 

One soldier comes and the guard gives the sign: "6".The soldier answers "3".The guard lets him pass. Another soldier comes.The guard says "12" and the soldier gives the answer "6".The guard lets him pass. So, the first spy goes at the gate and the guard asks says "10".The spy, sure that he knew the answer as he was, says "5". Immediately, the guard shoots him dead. 


Then the other spy, who saw that the other spy was killed when he gave the countersign, had now understood what the right answer would be, whatever the guard's sign was.So, he walks to the gate and the guard says "8".The spy gives the correct answer and the guard lets him in. What was the answer that the spy gave?

(This one is logic, not mathematical, so don't waste your time forming horrid math equations)

I must admit that I did waste time forming horrid mathematical theories and the like. It kind of worked but I think it was just a really confusing way of saying 'half of this is this' so yeah...But I did work out the answer almost as soon as I started thinking logically. 

Riddle three: From house to house it goes,
A messenger small and slight
And whether it rains or snows
He sleeps outside at night

I think I know the answer to this one. I'm not entirely sure though...

Riddle four: Never was it one, but always three
Never was it three, but always one
Claiming boldly it would always be
Yet crying out it had never begun

I answered this quite without trying. I was just looking at it then I was like. "Oh hey, that sounds like such and such!" And so That 'such and such is my answer. 

Riddle five: While exploring the wild highlands of Ireland, Robert was captured by goblins. Grumpy, the chief of the goblins told him he was allowed one final statement on which would hinge how he would die. If the statement he made was false, he would be boiled in water. If the statement were true, he would be fried in oil. Robert did not like either option, so he made a statement that forced the goblins to release him. What is the one statement he could make to save himself?

I admit. It took me ages to get this one, but I think I know the answer. But all in all I don't think I'd survive long if I was trapped underground with Gollum. I think I'd end up being eaten whole. 

Okay, I think that's all apart for rule 5, 6, 7 and 8. So rule 5:
I can only think of one person to tag so I'm going to ask Sarah to do this for me. (You haven't done a post yet this month, so this is a good idea.)

Now I've got to think of five riddles...I won't do too tricky ones as I'm sure Sarah wants to be able to answer them.

1: This old one runs forever, but never moves at all. He has not lungs nor throat, but still a mighty roaring call. What is it?

2: What meets you at the end of everything?

3: What do the letter 'T' and an island have in common? 

4: What has a head, a tail, is silver and has no legs? 

5: What do you throw out when you want to use it, but take in when you don't want to use it?

These riddles don't look quite as hard as the ones Clare gave me, but I enjoyed answering them. I hope Sarah has just as much fun as I did. So as always I didn't manage to actually do all the rules as I only tagged Sarah but who cares!

I also have to do rule number 8, but I have to wait until next week before I do that. So, unless I am wrong, I have finished this post! Thanks once again to Clare for tagging me, and I'll see you all on Friday.

Fare Thee Well!

Dusty Red - Instalment Twenty

Hey there everyone! I really am sorry for the lateness this week. Yesterday I completely forgot that I needed to write Dusty Red and it was only last night that my sister reminded me... I'd just never thought of the significance of the fact it was Thursday I guess. I think one of the factors that made me forget was that I spent most of my free time on Tuesday and Wednesday editing/rewriting a completely different story, and I didn't read anything in those two days. Just sit back and marvel at that fact, it truly is astounding. So on Thursday all I wanted to do was read. So I did...mostly all day.
So, yes, anyway. Today is my mum's birthday (Happy Birthday to you!) so I spent the morning frantically writing. I got up to 876 words (I always aim for at least 1000 in each instalment) and then we had to leave to go out for morning tea. Now we're back again and I finished writing so I could do this blog post!

You may remember that Instalment 20 was heralding something slightly different. A new picture! I'd really love your input on how you like it or if you think I should go back to the old one or continue with this. I really hope you enjoy this hurriedly written instalment! (Oh, by the way, option three was voted in.)

Flicks barely suppressed a yell of surprise as the thing scrambled from underneath her, standing up and looming over her in the semidarkness.

“And who do you think you might be?” a dark voice whispered.

Flicks scrambled to her feet and backed away. “Wh-who are you?” she asked.

The shadow snorted and stepped forwards with a rustle of fabric. “I think I asked that question first,” he said, leaning towards her ominously.

“I-I’m Flicks,” Flicks stammered, her heart beating wildly. How long is Skilf going to take? she wondered.

“Flicks, hmm, interesting name really,” the stranger replied thoughtfully. “You come from somewhere foreign I assume?”

“Ye—I—how did you know?” Flicks took another step backwards then felt the solid stone wall at her back.

The cloaked man chuckled softly. “I have my ways,” he murmured.

A soft thud and a sliding noise came from the entrance and both Flicks and the stranger turned to see Skilf rising to her feet, brushing herself off. Fred’s silhouette dived in after her.

“This is indeed interesting,” the man said, a note of genuine interest in his voice. “You failed to mention, Flicks, that you had companions.”

“You never asked me,” Flicks replied, her confidence returning now that she was no longer alone with the stranger.

Skilf’s mouth dropped open. “Who do you think you are?” she blurted, glaring at the shrouded man.

The man gave his half amused chuckle again before replying, “I have already been asked that question, but first perhaps you will tell me who you are. After all it was you who dropped rather suddenly into my abode.”

“Your abode?” Skilf spluttered. “It’s my secret room, not yours.”

“Obviously it isn’t as secret as you once thought,” the man replied coolly. “And now, tell me straight: Who are you?”

Skilf looked taken aback. “Well...” she hesitated. “Will you tell us who you are if I tell you who I am?”

The man was silent for a moment. “’Tis a hard deal you make but I agree. I will tell you my name, if nothing else besides.”

Skilf nodded slowly. Throwing Flicks a furtive glance, she cleared her throat. “I am Skilf.”

“Skilf? As in the Skilf that supposedly lives here?” the man’s face was too shadowed to discern any expression, but Flicks was sure she could sense a frown in his words.

“Aye,” Skilf said, uncertain whether or not it was a good thing to agree.

The man turned and walked to the back of the room. Some odd noises emerged from under the cloak and then a light blinked into life. The stranger turned, holding a lantern in his hand, he reached up and hooked it to some unseen hook on the roof, so the light spread through most of the room.

“So who are you and what are you doing here?” Flicks queried.

“My name is Trancos,” the man said, pulling his cloak about him. “As to your second question, I’ll leave that unanswered as it had no part in our deal.”

“Trancos?” Skilf muttered. “Where have I heard that before?”

Flicks studied the alleged Trancos. He was tall and lean from what she could see. The lower half of his face was now visible, his mouth set in a grim line and the dark beginnings of a beard grew along his jaw.

“And what are you doing here?” Trancos asked.

“Why should we tell you that if you won’t tell us what you’re doing here?” Flicks tossed her head. Fred had landed on her shoulder and she now leant forwards and hissed at Trancos.

“Because,” Trancos replied. “I could kill you right now if I felt like it.” A shring of metal on leather made Flicks jump back. The lantern light caught on the razor edged blade. Trancos held it out for a moment or two then shrugged, replacing the sword in its scabbard. “That’s why you should answer my question.”

Skilf took a deep breath. “Ok, we want to rescue a friend of ours. She’s a girl called Nainsi and she’s currently being held by my Uncle and a man called Kendal. I have no idea why. But we’re going to save her.” She lifted her chin defiantly, “Any problems with that?”

Trancos stared at her and then Flicks. “You’re here to rescue Nainsi?” he asked his voice a mere whisper.

“Yes,” Flicks said. “Do you know her?”

Trancos turned away and paced the room once before answering. “I might know of her,” he said, then turned his gaze on the Dragontwins. “My question is, can I trust you?”

Flicks paused, considering his question. “It depends who exactly you are and what you’re doing here. You could also ask yourself, ‘can we trust you?’”

Trancos sighed and began pacing again. “Okay, I know Nainsi,” he admitted. “And I’m here to help her.” He spun to face Skilf. “You know your way around here, and I have my skills, if we work together we might be able to rescue her and then I can leave and you can pretend you never met me.”

Flicks tilted her head to one side. “That sounds good to me, I can’t say anything for Skilf, but first I want to see your face,” she said firmly.

Trancos only hesitated for a moment then reached up, pushing the cowl of his cloak back to reveal his face. “There,” he said. “Happy? Now we can think up a plan. That is,” he said to Skilf. “If you’re willing.”

“Aye,” Skilf said slowly. She was staring at Trancos’s face.

“Have we met before, by any chance?” Flicks asked. “You look somehow familiar.”

“No,” Trancos said shortly. “We haven’t met, and I’d be grateful if you forgot about this meeting also.”

Still Flicks couldn’t banish the odd feeling of familiarity. She knotted her brows, but realising it would be pointless, she didn’t ask Trancos why he wished for them to forget him. “Okay then,” she said, shrugging and nearly knocking Fred off her shoulder.

“Careful,” Fred said.

“Oh, sorry,” Flicks whispered so that Trancos wouldn’t hear. “What do you think about this?”

Fred sniffed. “Personally I think this Trancos is a little odd, I mean, why would anyone want us to forget we met them for any good reasons?” she shrugged. “But I agree with you he looks familiar. Also, he might be a good help in rescuing Nainsi.”

“Right,” Flicks said, half to Fred and half to everyone else. “What’s the plan?”

“Wouldn’t it be simple if we could somehow lure Lord Cameron and this Kendal out of the room so we can go in and get Nainsi?” Trancos suggested.

Skilf narrowed her eyes. “Maybe,” she said noncommittally. “How’d we lure them out.”

Flicks tapped her chin. “What if we made a whole lot of noise and got them to open the door then go up to them and ask to...show them something downstairs?” she finished hopefully.

Skilf shook her head. “That wouldn’t really work. They both have seen us before.”

Trancos sighed. “I guess that leaves me.”

Skilf and Flicks turned to him. “What do you mean?” they asked in unison.

“I’ll go up there, distract them, and draw them away and you can climb in the window and get Nainsi and run,” Trancos elaborated.

Fred flicked her tail sceptically. Flicks took a deep breath and decided to trust Trancos. “Sounds good to me,” she said.

Skilf shrugged. “Whatever. So long as the window’s open. If not, Flicks and I won’t be able to climb in,” she pointed out.

“No need to worry,” Trancos said. “That’s all fixed. The window will open quite easily if you use this.” He drew a short knife from under his cloak, “Just slip it between the window and the frame and you can open the latch pretty easy.”

Flicks took the blade and stuck it in her pocket, hoping wouldn’t stab her in the leg as she climbed. After a moment of hesitation she climbed to the entrance. “How will you get to the door?” she questioned Trancos.

“I’ll manage,” he said. “You’ll see.” He paused a moment then added, “Don’t mention me to Nainsi though will you?”

Flicks raised her eyebrows and shrugged at Skilf. “Whatever,” Skilf said again, following Flicks.

Flicks crouched on the ledge and slowly pushed herself into a standing position. She curled her fingers around the window sill and held on with one hand while reaching for the knife with the other.

A furious banging from inside made her start in surprise, but then voices reached her and she frowned. How had Trancos managed to get there so fast?

Trusting that Trancos had the complete attention of the two men inside, Flicks slid the blade of the knife between the window and frame. A short upward jerk opened the latch and Flicks levered the window open painstakingly.

Dropping the knife back in her pocket, she took the lack of alarm as a signal of safety and took a firm grip of the sill, walking her legs up the wall as she pulled with her arms.

With a quiet groan she half fell into Lord Cameron’s private meeting room. She looked up...

~

1. Nainsi raised her eyebrows, “What a graceful entrance, Flicks, what a graceful entrance.”

2. Kendal leered down at her across the room. “I rather thought you might be behind the sudden calling away of my host. I decided to stay just in case.”

3. An empty room greeted her. The chair not so long ago occupied by Nainsi had been vacated, and the portraits of Skilf’s ancestors laughed down at the aghast intruder.

~

Hope you all enjoyed it. I'll be awaiting your votes and comments/suggestions with the new picture. Have a great week!

Fare Thee Well!

Later Edit: Sorry to anyone who read this blog post too soon after it was published as I forgot to put the picture on it. As I mentioned, I'm rather in a hurry. :D

A Wish Made of Glass by Ashlee Willis Review

I have been honoured to be chosen as one of the influence readers for Ashlee Willis's A Wish Made of Glass novella that is soon to be released. I was quite excited as this is the first yet-to-be-published book that I've ever read. My sister Clare is also doing this, but she was an influence reader for The Word Changers (also by Ashlee Willis) and she was a beta reader for A Wish Made of Glass so she's done it before. I don't know much about how to do this but I'm fairly sure it doesn't matter terribly much so I'll start with the synopsis and the cover and then go on with the review.

Deep in a forest glade, the fey folk dance with Isidore, a young human child. Their kinship is the very fabric of her childhood. When her mother dies and her world darkens with sorrow, Isidore finds her belief in the fey folk wavering.

The love of her new step-sister, Blessing, proves an unexpected gift in her time of need. Yet even as their friendship blooms, Isidore begins to see that Blessing is everything she herself has always wanted to be, but is not. Jealousy grips Isidore as she watches this beautiful new sister steal away all she holds dear.

Driven to desperation, Isidore turns to the fey folk once more. She has only one wish to claim from them, one chance to make things right. But she must tread carefully. For wishes, like hearts, are easily broken. And obtaining the one thing she desires could mean destroying the one thing she truly needs.

(And now, tally ho to the review!)

“This novella is an amazing and beautiful story. The world and setting is real and the descriptions are just wonderful, Ashlee Willis has done a great job. It is definitely not the normal ‘fairy tale’ but it is so much more. It is a unique glimpse into a completely different life; a life of struggles, heartbreak and magical fey folk. The story really pulled me in and I could hardly put the book down. When I finished reading A Wish Made of Glass I felt that I could just sit there and start all over again and find a completely new story as I noticed things I didn’t the first time round. The plot is intricately weaved and I was completely caught up in this wonderful story.

Isidore is certainly a three-dimensional character. Her growth and development is well written and her feelings portrayed in a believable and relatable way. I loved traveling this journey with her as she made mistakes and struggled through hardships. She was very real and I could not help but feel for her and experience all her troubles and triumphs alongside her.

Blessing is an interesting character. As opposed to the usual ‘horrible step-sisters’ she is instead a kind and beautiful young girl, just as scared as Isidore is to find herself with a new sister. She certainly isn’t without her faults but it is always she who comes out and says sorry, she doesn’t wait for Isidore to apologise. She keeps trying to become a true sister to Isidore even after years of Isidore being distant.

The fey folk are mysterious and intriguing. I really enjoyed reading about them, meeting and seeing them through Isidore. The young fey man was probably one of my favourite characters, he was so well written and Ashlee kept dropping tantalising hints about who he was and showing quick glimpses of what he was like inside. I really liked the mysterious air about him and all the other fey.

I loved the ending of the book. The beauty of the very last scene remained with me for the rest of the day, and I continued to think about the book, wondering what happened next and romanticizing about Isidore’s future. It seemed the perfect ending for such a lovely book.”

There. It is done. I can no longer say I haven't read a book before it was published. I'm glad I did it, it was very fun and I enjoyed it heaps. I hope my first long review was good (generally I do little, simple, short reviews not multiple paragraphs).

It only took me half a day to read this and I almost did it in one sitting, I would have but for an interruption in which I had to hang out the washing. But it was no less interesting for its shortness, after all it is a novella (which is, in case you didn't know, a short novel).

To give you some information about Ashlee Willis I will supply you with a picture which I assume describes her to some extent:

If you wish to find out more about her and her writings I suggest you take a look at her blog/website: Finding the True Fairy Tale. 

I've read Ashlee's other book, The Word Changers, and it's definitely just as good as A Wish Made of Glass. You should seriously try find it and read it. And you should also read A Wish Made of Glass when it gets published this month.They're both really cool.

I think that's everything I've got to say just now, so thanks for stopping by. You'll see another Dusty Red post come Friday, so see you then! But for now...

Fare Thee Well!

Dusty Red ~ Part 19

Can anyone believe it? We are twenty weeks since I started this and I've done a post every week! Amazing! Next week is the week when I'll reveal the new picture and you all get to tell me how you like it! But that's next week.
Yesterday there was the annual book fair in our town, so we spent half the day there. I only got eight books, 3 Harry Potter, 'Avalanche Pass' by John Flanagan, 1 dictionary of mythical creatures, 1 Irish folk tales book,  'Airborn' by  Kenneth Oppel and 'The Silmarillion' by Tolkien. 
The book fair is my excuse for the fact that this post is slightly later in the day than I usually do them. (At least I think it is.) I didn't actually write the story until this morning. But I did find that I wrote it surprisingly quickly considering I started off with no idea what was going to happen. :D

For those who don't know, since I ended up with equal votes for both option 2 and option 3 I decided to combine them and this is the resulting option, perhaps I should call it option 5 because it's 2+3: 

5. Nainsi sat in clear view, her arms chained to her chair. Flicks’ eyes widened incredulously as she saw that Nainsi, as if oblivious to the chains, was calmly sipping a cup of steaming tea. But something else made Flicks stare in surprise: a pair of boots, covered in fine, red dust. The wearer of these remained hidden by her restricted view. She groaned inwardly, she knew exactly who it was.

How's that? I hope it's not objectionable to anyone that I'm combining them because if it is too bad, as by the time you read this it'd (just to state the obvious) already be published so...yeah.
I confess that option number three was my favourite so I was perfectly happy to write something about it. 

To the story now, so you can see the result of my morning!

Nainsi sat in clear view, her arms chained to her chair. Flicks’ eyes widened incredulously as she saw that Nainsi, as if oblivious to the chains, was calmly sipping a cup of steaming tea. But something else made Flicks stare in surprise: a pair of boots, covered in fine, red dust. The wearer of these remained hidden by her restricted view. She groaned inwardly, she knew exactly who it was.

Flicks scrambled to her feet. “This is completely crazy!” she hissed at Skilf. “For one, Nainsi is supposed to be in Esueño—” 

“Apparently she isn’t,” Skilf interrupted.

“And what’s Kendal doing here?” Flicks continued, ignoring Skilf interruption.

“Don’t ask me! I’ve got less clue than you,” Skilf replied. “This doesn’t look good,” she groaned softly.

“I believe I did mention the fact that we might be near Nainsi,” Fred pointed out from her usual position on Flicks’ shoulder.

“Yes, but you didn’t say she’d be chained up in a room with Kendal,” Flicks replied with some heat.

Skilf winced at the amount of noise she made and opened her mouth to say something but she stopped at the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door. She dived under a small table and Flicks after but a moment’s hesitation took the only cover left, under a chair.

Flicks only just had time to squeeze herself under and pull her legs in before the door opened. Lord Cameron stood in the doorway. He looked up and down the hallway then back over his shoulder. “No one here. It was probably just some servants,” he said.

“Perhaps you should tell your servants not to come this way when you are...meeting with visitors,” came an all too familiar voice from inside the room.

Flicks glanced towards Skilf. She was half covering her face with her hands as if it would make it harder for her Uncle to see her. Fred squiggled around trying to unjam herself from between Flicks and the chair. Flicks bit her lip, forcing herself to stay still until the door closed. But Lord Cameron seemed uncertain that his theory about servants was correct and remained in the doorway, looking along the corridor.

Flicks heard the clink of a chain then Nainsi’s voice reached her ears. “How long are you planning on standing there for? I’m getting slightly tired of staring at your back. Besides, I’m almost out of tea.”

Lord Cameron spun to face into the room. “You should be glad I even gave you the first cup,” he snarled and slammed the door behind him.

Flicks released a breath and emerged from beneath the chair. Fred stretched her wings, “That was interesting,” she said.

Skilf joined them and looked at the closed door. “It’s a good thing Men are half blind and half deaf really, otherwise we’d be in a bit of trouble. For a second or so there I was sure we’d end up as pickled monkey or something of the like.”

“Pickled monkey?” Flicks asked in a whisper.

“Long story, I’ll tell you later,” Skilf said. “Right now, we need a plan.”

“For a start we could move away from that door,” Fred suggested.

Flicks nodded, “Good idea.” She walked along the hall to the far end, Skilf several steps behind.

Skilf leant her back against the wall, staring unseeingly at the floor. “What are you—” Flicks began but Skilf held up a hand to stop her. Flicks fell silent and made her way to a window, looking out over the forest.

Skilf suddenly straightened and turned a flashing grin on Flicks. “I’ve got it!”

“Got what?” Flicks asked.

“We’ll climb out the window, and climb across the wall to just below Lord Cameron’s meeting room and climb in the hidden room there!” Skilf said triumphantly.

“There is a hidden room?” Flicks questioned.

“Aye,” Skilf replied, rolling her eyes. “If there wasn’t I wouldn’t have said there was.”

“Whatever,” Flicks said, and turned back to the window. Finding the latch she pushed it open. “Who first?” she raised an eyebrow at Skilf.

“You go first,” Skilf returned. “There’s a ledge you can put your feet on once you’re down low enough.”

“Okay,” Flicks said. “You coming with me Fred?”

Fred lashed her tail and jumped onto the floor. “I’ll fly,” she said, then whispered something that Flicks only just caught. “Flicks Fails to Fly but Fred Flew.”

“What was that?” Flicks asked.

“Flicks Fails to Fly but Fred Flew,” Fred repeated, “Try say it. It’s a tongue twister.”

“Flicks fails to fly but Fred flew,” Flicks said. “What’s so hard about that?”

Fred’s face looked disappointed. “Never mind,” she muttered.

Flicks shrugged and swung one leg out the window. I’m not going to think about the massive drop below me and what would happen if I fell. I’m not going to think about falling at all... Oh, wait a moment...I am.

Flicks swung her other leg over the window sill and twisted around, her feet feeling for footholds. I really should have taken my shoes off, she thought, too late now. Flicks sighed with relief as she felt the ledge under her feet. She looked up at Skilf’s anxious face peering over the windowsill.

“All good?” Skilf asked in a half whisper.

“As good as climbing along a castle wall can be I guess,” Flicks replied. She shuffled her feet along the ledge, her heart in her mouth. She felt a ridiculous urge to laugh as she thought about that figure of speech. If my heart was actually in my mouth I don’t think I’d be casually climbing along the wall of a castle, she thought, but then, you never know.

Flicks moved along the wall, her eyes on the window of Lord Cameron’s meeting room. All she had to do was get there without falling and then...get into Skilf’s secret room somehow. She realised she’d forgotten to ask how to get into it.

“Hey Skilf?” she called softly.

“Aye,” Skilf replied.

“How do I get into your secret room thingy?”

The reply came quietly, “Just kick the bricks above the ledge when you’re under the window of Lord Cameron’s meeting room. It’ll open then so you can drop into it.”

Flicks swallowed nervously at the word ‘drop’ wondering if Skilf meant that literally or not. She continued along the ledge and reached her goal without falling, dying, accidentally breathing her heart, laughing about nothing or even being seen.

Flicks decided to take a slight risk and she reached up and hooked her fingers onto the sill of the window, desperately hoping no one inside had suddenly felt the need for a breath of fresh air. She stood on one foot and kicked the wall with the other.

Instantly a gap, half a meter square appeared as the stones of the wall moved back silently. Flicks realised that the dropping was literally. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her thumping heart.

Then the window opened.

The bottom of the window grazed Flicks’ fingers as it came up and Flicks bit her lip waiting for the shout of surprise that signalled her discovery.

Lord Cameron leant out the window, taking a deep breath of the cold air. Flicks held her breath, any moment now he’ll look down and see me.

“So Manirus is planning to invade over Rocos?” Kendal’s voice came through the window.

Lord Cameron turned, “Yes, I have had meetings with them thrice now and we have come to an agreement.” The tall lord disappeared from Flicks’ view as he spoke, moving further into the room.

Flicks could hardly believe he hadn’t noticed her. “Must you leave that window open?” Nainsi asked now, her voice careless.

Flicks heard a snort from in the room then footsteps coming towards the window. She realised that her fingers would probably jam the closing window and should that happen discovery was inevitable.

There was no time to think, so Flicks dropped, swinging her legs so she would land in the secret room. She somehow managed to drop into the hole successfully. She fell through the gap and right onto a rather strange shaped object.

A moving object.

Flicks barely suppressed a yell of surprise as the thing scrambled from underneath her, standing up and looming over her in the semidarkness.

~

1. “What in all of everywhere made you do that?” it said a familiar shrill voice.

2. “Ouch,” Fred said, shaking her wings. “You had to choose that particular place to land didn’t you.”

3. “And who do you think you might be?” a dark voice whispered.

~

Thanks to you all for reading my ramblings! Just remember that a simple comment can change the course of the future.

Fare Thee Well!

Dusty Red ~ Part 18/My 14th Birthday

Hey there readers! Here I am, a fourteen year old! I hope I didn't give anyone a heart attack when they read that I'd never do another post...Don't worry, I hope this instalment will cure all diseases or other afflictions I have placed on you. I had a great birthday, I got five books: The first 3 books of The Impossible Quest series by Kate Forsyth, 'heartless' and 'draven's light' two books in the Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. I've finished reading heartless and it was really, really, really, really (okay I think you get the point) good. You can read my Goodreads review here. 

I also got quite a lot of leather, some cool medieval looking ornamental key thingys, several music books, a Bel Thomson CD, and the promise of 24 thousand or so chain mail links so I can make a chain mail vest or something of the sort. I think I've forgotten something...Oh I've remembered two more things! The Boxtrolls movie and the corner of a brick. I got the brick from a cute four year old boy who apparently has a precious pet rock...I also got the coolest ever wooden (although it looks real) cutlass. (Yes, it was crafted by the Master Swordsmith. Thank you once again.) (I still think I've forgotten several things...)

I invited two families, so there was plenty of people, 21, I think, including us. After a really fun piñata that we whacked to bits with swords, we played a game (Of my invention) which I haven't named but it went something like this: There were 2 teams. My team had treasure which the other team wanted to find. To do this they had to capture us and try to get us to tell them where the treasure was. The other team succeeded quite quickly in catching my team and since some of us had played this a few times before someone knew how expert I was at escaping...so I got rather tied up. Nevertheless, I bargained some information on the treasure (which I thought would be completely useless) to get my legs slightly untied. After that I happily managed to slip out of the rest of the ropes tying me and run away.

See my really cool cutlass?

After a while of hiding I walked right up to the other team's base while they were all off treasure hunting. My companions had also managed to escape, and I decided that if I took all the rope no one would be able to tie us up! So I started untying rope from trees and chairs, and untangling it...Soon enough the other two members of my team came along and helped me.

And then one of the other team came along. After a while I decided to tie him up, since he seemed to want me to. I tied his hands nice and tightly in front of him (he was directing me how to do it (I did kinda already know) and assuring me it wasn't too tight.) and then, at an onlooker's urging, tied them above his head to the tree behind him. I decided to watch him try escape, and after taking his knife out of his pocket, I proceeded to do so. He got his feet out fairly quickly (note: I hadn't tied them up) but his hands presented a rather difficult problem...

For the next minutes it was very amusing to watch him try untie himself. His hand slowly began to change into a rather funny colour. I have no idea how long we were there for, but at the end several people estimated 20 minutes. I made a bargain with the prisoner that if he could get away, I'd give him the treasure. Sadly it turned out I couldn't do this as after a while his sister (who was also on his team) managed to find it, so it was no longer mine to give. Instead I promised him a piece of cake. (even if he was already going to get that.)

I was a very nice captor really, as I gave him back his knife so he could try cut the rope, but the knife was so blunt that it didn't work anyway.

He did untie the rope and get out eventually...but it took him a very long time.

When we went inside for cake he discovered that the whole time he'd had a pocket knife in his jacket pocket that was sharp enough to cut the rope...He wasn't too pleased that he'd forgotten it.

I had three relighting candles on my cake...I think it took me a whole minute to get all of them to stay out.

So it was a very fun day. I've forgotten to tell you half of my presents and about half of what we did but I'm sure you'll forgive me.

I'd best get to the point of the post: The story. Option three (Ice-cream) was voted in, so ice-cream it is! I must admit, what Flicks says (the, "Ice-cream. That's what I want: Ice-cream." bit.) is actually a quote from the 'Read With Me Bible' computer game that my sisters and I used to do ages ago. We can still quote half of it! :D I also decided that Flicks should fall asleep, as I don't think she's slept for...a long time....I couldn't be bothered to find out exactly how long. But now, to the story:

Two soldiers entered the room and at a gesture from Lord Cameron seized Flicks. The huge lord smiled mirthlessly, “Anything you’d like to say before they lock you up?”

Flicks sighed, “Ice-cream. That’s what I want: Ice-cream.”

“What?” Cameron’s eyebrows twisted in confusion and...Was that a tinge of horror? “Ice-cream?”

“Yeah,” Flicks said. “Ice-cream.”

“Ice-cream?” Lord Cameron said again.

Flicks looked at him, a bemused expression on her face. “Er...yes...Ice-cream...isn’t that what I just said?”

“But how do you know about Ice-cream?”

“Umm, I just...well...know about it. Is it not common knowledge?” Flicks replied. 

Lord Cameron looked around the room almost nervously, as if expecting someone to creep up on him at any moment. After a second or so he shook himself, “Anyway. Guards! Take her to her room and lock her up.” He snarled at Flicks. “Enjoy your time, Skilf.” He turned his back and rubbed his chin with one hand, deep in thought.

One guard coughed.

Lord Cameron turned around sharply. “You’re still here?”

“Er...Yes sir,” The guard on Flicks’ right said.

“I said ‘take her away’ did I not?”

“Yes sir, but...” the guard gathered up his courage. “She said ice-cream sir.”

“What do I care if she said ice-cream?!” the lord roared angrily. “Get out of my sight this instant!”

The guards almost dropped Flicks in their haste to exit the room, but remembered at the last moment that they were meant to be locking her up and so dragged her out with them.

Flicks quickly found herself staring at a sparsely furnished room behind a hastily slammed and bolted door. She shrugged and sat down on the bed, “I guess this must be Skilf’s room,” she murmured, looking at her reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall.

“I would guess so,” Fred said, disentangling herself from Flicks’ hair and half jumping, half gliding down onto the floor.

“Why do you think everyone was going weird with all the ice-cream business?” Flicks asked.

Fred twined her tail around the wooden leg of the bed. “I was going to ask what made you say something like that, but since you asked first, I’ll tell you my answer: Probably because it’s most people’s natural reaction when someone says the word ‘Ice-cream’,” Fred tilted her head to one side, surveying Flicks. “Do you even know what that word means?”

Flicks raised her eyebrows, “Umm, it means cold, creamy stuff that tastes really nice?”

The dragon’s jaw froze in the middle of a yawn and she stared at Flicks in half amazement. “Is that what you think Ice-cream is?”

“Yes,” Flicks said. “That’s the only Ice-cream I’ve ever heard of.”

“Ahhh, well I’ve no doubt you’ve probably got the right thing for the name, but the humans around here – including Skilf and Nainsi – say that Ice-cream is a powerfully magic word. It is apparently spoken when someone, generally the speaker, want to summon something. The stories vary, but usually what they summon isn’t very good for their enemies,” Fred finished speaking and jumped up onto the windowsill and looked out over the gloomy view.

Flicks blinked in surprise. “I had no idea,” she said, somewhat dazed.

“I’d guessed that halfway through the conversation,” Fred returned, curling her tail around her. This reminded Flicks distinctly of a cat, but she rather thought it better not to say so. She kept her mouth shut.

“So what do we do now?” Flicks asked several moments later.

Fred lifted her wings slightly in a dragon shrug. “I have no clue,” she replied. “Maybe Skilf or Larzik will come up with some kind of an idea.”

“Okay,” Flicks said, flopping backwards on the bed, lacing her fingers together under her head. 

-------------------------------------------

“Hey! Sleepy head!”

The shout accompanied with loud bangs jolted Flicks from the sleep she hadn’t realised she’d entered. She leapt up out of bed, but promptly falling face first on the floor as the sheets of the bed wrapped themselves around her legs.

After a minute or so of struggling, Flicks freed herself and stood, looking around the room.

“I believe I was correct in assuming that Skilf or Larzik would have an idea,” Fred said from the window.

Flicks turned to her and caught sight of a face peering through the glass. She hurried over to the window and flashed a relieved smile to Skilf, trying to work out how to open the window.

“Lift the latch and push,” Skilf said through the glass.

Flicks found the latch and did as she instructed. Skilf’s head dropped out of sight as the opening widow nearly swiped it off her shoulders.

Flicks leant over the frame. “You okay?” she asked.

Skilf, glared up at her, “What are you trying to do? Kill me?”

“Well you said—”

“I didn’t tell you to knock my head off!” Skilf interrupted.

Flicks couldn’t think up a good enough reply so she reached her hand down to pull Skilf up. Skilf glared at the hand suspiciously, “Are you planning on dropping me?”

“No, I am not,” Flicks replied. “Just let me pull you in.”

Skilf submitted, placing her hand in Flicks’. Soon she was inside her room, dusting off her hands.

Flicks raised an eyebrow. “Do you have a plan?”

Skilf twisted her mouth to one side. “A plan? Not as such, more of an inkling.”

“An inkling?”

“Aye,” Skilf said, walking over to a cupboard. “An inkling that while we’re here we may as well investigate.”

Flicks watched interestedly as Skilf headed to the door with a thin metal rod. She slid this between the door and the wall, then lifted it, pushing the door with her shoulder. It swung open and Skilf tossed the rod aside. “After you,” she said.

Flicks grinned and walked out the door. Skilf dropped the heavy wooden bar back in place and turned to her, “I think we’ll take a look around the next floor up first, that’s where my uncle does most stuff. And, you never know, maybe we’ll find nothing. It’d be a pleasant change.”

Flicks snorted. “It would that,” she returned and followed Skilf as she led the way along the hall.

The climbed the wide, winding staircase and Skilf pointed to a large ornate door. “That’s Lord Cameron’s office room, where he makes private meetings and agreements,” Skilf whispered.

The door was firmly closed but Skilf dropped silently to the ground and pressed her eye to the crack below the door. Flicks heard her faint intake of breath and only just managed to stop herself from pushing Skilf aside so she could look.

Skilf stood slowly, her face quite pale. “I don’t think this is good news,” she breathed.

Flicks frowned, “What is it? What’s in there?”

Skilf gestured wordlessly for her look take a look. Flicks did, and although it was difficult to see under the door, she could see enough. She couldn’t help agreeing with Skilf; this didn’t look like a pleasant change.

~

1. There were only two people in the room that Flicks could see: Lord Cameron, lounging back in a large, well-padded chair, and a regally dressed, dark haired man. Flicks guessed quite easily who he was.

2. Of the two people in the room, Lord Cameron was the only one clearly visible. All you could see of his companion was his boots, covered in fine, red dust. But that was quite enough for Flicks and Skilf to know who it was. 

3. Nainsi sat in clear view, her arms chained to her chair. Flicks’ eyes widened incredulously as she saw that Nainsi, as if oblivious to the chains, was calmly sipping a cup of steaming tea.

~

I spent a longer time than usual writing this so I hope it was worth it (I think it was). I was completely out of options in my brain after writing two but then I suddenly got an idea, and personally, it's my favourite. (Don't let that make you think option 3 is my favourite, although it could be, I often think up the options in a very random order...) I'm looking forward to all your comments!

Fare Thee Well!