"Play? Are you dawdling again, child? I swear, if you daydream one more time, I'm going to throw you out. Go get me some water. It's wash day."
With a groan and a grumble, I took the wooden bucket from her cruel hands. I trudged out the door, letting it slam as loudly as it pleased.
Out of Mrs. Pelgre's sight, I started swinging the bucket and whistling. For years I hadn't been able to whistle, not until my eleventh birthday. While I opened my presents, Brye had whistled amusedly at each of them. Whistling was a new thing for me, so I tried to copy him, but I couldn't. Finally I talked him into giving me his secret. Looking back at sweet memories like that always made me feel better.
I walked up to the well, dropped the bucket in and I slowly pulled it up, savoring the little time I had to myself. Humming now, I circled my fingers in the cool water.
"Look at those perfect hands." I heard a sarcastic voice behind me.
"Perfect or not, they can still throw you in the well," I retorted without bothering to look to see who it was.
"Right. I would love to see you try."
I turned so that for a few seconds I could study my prey. A boy, about twelve, stood with his hands placidly on his hips. His eyes had an astonished disbelief that had dug its way into their deep blueness.
Then I attacked.
He obviously hadn't been expecting anything, probably didn't think I was anything like that. I had had plenty of wrestling matches with Brye when he occasionally got irritated.
I tugged on the young boy, he struggled. I pushed, he grunted. He dropped down into the well, and I dusted my hands off on my shift. Then I threw down the rope for him. Luckily it wasn't a well deep enough for him to get hurt.
Pleased with myself, I started to skip. As I pranced off, I heard the boy sputtering from within the well. I smiled jubilantly.
When I arrived at the shanty, I found an angry Mrs. Pelgre standing with her hands on her hips, but not so placidly. Flames were ablaze in her hazy orange eyes.
"Oh, please, no. She cannot know about it so soon!" I whispered under my breath. "I?" I started to apologize, but realized that there was no need. She had a letter in her hand, obviously addressed to me. I had told her I had no one in the world.
"Child, you told me that you were an orphan. A friendless orphan."
I grabbed the letter and ripped it open. I couldn't help but grin. "I lied," I said without even looking up. When I got the letter out, I realized that it wasn't from Brye, as I had first suspected. It was from Father.
"What is your fathers name, child?" she asked.
I was almost too excited to tell her. But would she be overjoyed to have had the princess? worked to death, by her own hands? Maybe not.
"Duryea Abbel." I smiled without looking at her again. I was almost afraid.
She stood there in front of me, wide-eyed, and droopy-jawed. But then she seemed to have reconsidered. She closed her mouth, for I was known for playing impractical practical jokes on everybody.
"Do you want to see?" I laughed, shoving the letter in her face. When she saw who had signed it, she stumbled back as if someone had pushed her. She regained her balance and started to fan her face. Then, realizing what had just taken place, she bowed her head reverently.
"It's okay," I laughed again. I was giddy and excited. Excited about Father. What in the world did he have to say? Did he miss me so much that he was going to come while bowing humbly at my feet to bring me home? Probably not.
All the same, I started on the letter.
"My beloved daughter Layla,"
"I do hope you are in good health. I don't know what I would do if you have fallen ill. I am very sorry you ran away, darling. Everyone in the castle feels the same way. The reason I am writing you is that I want to admit that we have not been fair with you. We all have realized that you are no ordinary princess, but not in the sense that you need extra care. You are a very independent young woman with much strength in both body and mind.
That brings us to realize that you have your heart set on becoming a knight. Brydon has come up with an idea, one he assures me you will like, and I have consented. If you can prove yourself worthy of the sword that rests at your hip, we will accept you as you are. It is going to be hard getting used to having you in active military! For your first quest, bring back proof of your bravery. It may be a small token, or large, it makes no difference. We will still be proud of you, love.
Your adoring father,
King Duryea Abbel, III"
It was as if the letter grew fists that reached out and punched me. It struck me with the facts: I was trusted enough to be given a chance to prove myself and show who I really was! The letter flew out of my hands as I rushed up the rickety ladder leading up stairs to the loft where I slept. I bounced up the steps so hard that I nearly fell off. My eyes bugged with exhilaration as my brain bloated my skull. This kind of excitement had never consumed my soul before.
"I promise to return to you in one piece, Father!" I retrieved the letter and hugged it close, standing over my straw mat. The straw mat that I would never have to sleep on again. Not the princess!
I came back to reality and changed my clothes. I never thought I would have to wear one of the frilly gowns I had brought along for an emergency: And I decided that now was the right time. It had been ages since I had last worn anything so lavish. I silently slipped into the red gown, lined in silver. The perfect attire. I stuffed my few belongings into my carpet bag, except for my sword and my necklace. I braided my hair into six long braids, put my scabbard at my waist, and slipped the necklace over my head. Once again I noticed something very unattractive about my hands: they were filthy dirty! An hour ago it didn't matter, but now I was a princess. I was no longer Play. I was Layla again. And it mattered.
Princesses didn't have dirty hands, and I had to make sure they believed that I was truly Layla of Tentaleigh, and not some imp playing a practical joke. Although, that was who Play was.
"Active military," I whispered as I hurried out to Jedni. What strange words for me! I wasn't even sure if I had ever said them aloud before!
My braids swung every which way as I mounted Jedni, who was standing ready for me. There were people crowding me in the stables, poking to see if I was real. Mrs. Pelgre had told everyone in the village by now. But it didn't matter now that everyone knew. It almost felt good to be treated as a royal again!
I hopped on my horse, surprising everybody by not riding side-saddle. "Subjects of Medalia!" I called out. "Thank you for your?er, hospitality. I hope someday I can return the favor." I galloped through the gate. But before I was completely gone, I turned back to them. "And please, try to have a little more fun. Enjoy your lives. You have only one!"
Then I dashed from their sight with a whoop of glee. I was on my first quest! A real quest! I had to get accustomed to that word. Quest.
Wow.
Less than a mile out of the city, I thought I heard a peddler's bell. I was not sure if it was a peddler, though; so many things could make the sound of a bell. Quickly and cautiously, I spun around to authenticate the noise. I had been right the first time. Could the peddler have directions to the Forest of Despondency? I had no idea how to get there. That was, of course, the place I was to find a Colie. And, if I were really unlucky, I might run into an Ogre, or a Faash on the way.
The Colies greatest power was the noiselessness of their woodlands. During the reign of King Lebui II, the ruling fairy had put a curse on the forest: complete and total silence and complete darkness. The fairy had hoped to drive the Colies to insanity, but the creatures had been delighted. Some say a smile had crept across their faces that was so evil it glowed. Even in the absolute darkness of the forest. The Colies had gained yet another advantage, the ability to sneak up on every other living creature: Humans, fairies, Beatiez, etc. Beatiez were miniature people who lived inside a ring of toxic mushrooms. They were immune to the mushrooms' poison and thus were safe from other living creatures. They liv
ed tucked away, as safely as it gets. The mushroom circles were scattered through the kingdom, often mere measure of miles from each other.
"What a great way to start out on my first quest, not even knowing how to get to my destination!" I said sarcastically to myself. My voice caused the peddler to look up. He stopped in front of me and yanked the moth eaten black cloth from the top of his cart. "Might I interest ye in a pair of eye-lookers?" A husky voice emerged from within the tenuous little man. He had a huge variety of different goods, everything from silver wine goblets to gold framed spectacles. And he looked ancient. He had mountains of wrinkles, each piled atop another. His robe looked as if it were made of the same material as the cloth that had covered his goods. Black, dusty and moth eaten.
"Sir, I have no need? I mean, I can see fine. But do you-"
The man interrupted me. The crowned princess! Did he even know who I was? One would think I would be used to this treatment after my stay in Medalia.
"These are no ordinary bifocals, excellency." Maybe he did know who I was after all.
"I really don't," I started. But the man stared at me intently, and I stalled.
"Colies are pretty hard to spot in pure darkness. Humans and Beatiez are visible, but Colies have always been a different story."
Humans and Beatiez were visible in the forest? I had been taught, all the fifteen and a half years of my life, that one could see nothing. But what did any of that have to do with spectacles?
"They would come in handy, thee bets." He kept his hot stare vibrant towards my defiant eyes.
How did he know where I was going? It was almost as if he had read my mind. "But you said eye-lookers, and bifocals," I argued.
"If ye had stopped to think, highness, ye might have caught on."
I looked him in the eye, trying to dig my hot blood's boldness into his mind. There was nothing I was afraid to say to him. "Sir, you have horrid manners."
He just chuckled. "However, I am the only one with the Colie spotters. And ye may not be able to come back after them either. I have only two pairs left."
I knew that I would end up needing them. And I was sure that he would charge me an exorbitant price considering who I was. But, I knew that I would sorely regret not pouncing on the opportunity, for I would need to know what was going on in the rest of the forest.
"Oh, all right." I tossed the man a gray, fuzzy purse full of Swowths, the money of Tentaleigh.
When I saw the satisfied look on the man's weathered face, I began to wonder if the spotters even worked. I slipped them over my nose as the man made his way down the path, and then he was gone.
"Well," I bemoaned hesitantly. I had no idea if they would work or not. There was a red background, but it could be a deceiving feature to fool those who tried them on before purchasing. I turned around to scold the man for being so persistent, but then remembered that he was gone. I also remembered that I hadn't acquired directions! Aggravated with myself, I started to discard the paper that had wrapped the spotters but then I noticed that it was also a map.
A wave of relief washed over me. There might not have been another person to question within miles! The paper also gave directions on how to use the spotters. According to the instructions, when one puts them on, the background appears red, and living creatures show up as green dots. As the Colies grew closer, the eye lookers were supposed to blink.
"Wonderful," I sighed contently.
Then I searched for where we were on the map. And where the forest was. A rush of glee flowed through me when I saw where it was!
"It's right in front of us!" I giggled, patting Jedni's side. "Pure luck!"