A Creepy Encounter

Mendanbar was sitting in his study when an earsplitting squeal nearly shocked him out of his chair. He stood up and vaulted around his desk with his hand close to his sword. Reaching out he twisted some magic threads and was instantly in the kitchen. All of the maids were staring at the ground wide-eyed huddled together in a corner.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a spider over there!" One maid squealed and pointed at the intruding bug.

At that moment Cimorene ran in brandishing her sword and a hairbrush. Her long dark hair was in a tangled mess and Mendanbar guessed she had been in the middle of fixing that. Though personally he thought her hair looked amazing even when it was messed up. "What's going on?" she asked staring at the huddled maids.

Mendanbar pointed at the spider.

"That little spider? It's not even that big. Watch I'll just put it outside and then…"

"No, no, no," one maid squealed, "it'll come back."

"Fine then Mendanbar can squish it." She looked at him expectantly.

"Um…I can't."

"Why not?"

"I promised a friend I would never kill another spider."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I think I'd like to meet this friend."

"Pardon me, but please don't forget that the spider is still here." The maid interrupted.

"I'll have Wilin remove it. Wilin!" Mendanbar yelled.

Wilin came puffing in with an irritated look on his face. "Yes sire?"

"Please remove that spider," in a hushed voice he added, "make sure you don't harm it."

Wilin looked down at the spider and opened his mouth to object but thought better of it. "Right away sire."

The next week after dinner Mendanbar quietly led Cimorene to one of the back towers and told her to be as quiet as possible. When she asked what was going on he simply told her that she was going to meet his friend. Finally they arrived at the spot his friend had agreed to meet at. The night air was cold and crisp. They sat down on a bench trying to conserve heat. Cimorene was starting to doze off when a giant hairy tree-like thing showed up in front of them. They both looked up at the same time to see a spider slightly smaller than a dragon. Of course a spider of any proportions is not pleasant but one this big was quite terrifying. Mendanbar felt himself smile as Cimorene struggled for words.

"Wha…is…..is this your friend?" she asked pointing up at the massive creature.

"Yes, this is my good friend Tic."

"Does he…Tic, talk?"

"Yes I do." Tic interjected. He felt odd when people talked about him as if he wasn't there.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Tic" Cimorene said.

"A pleasure to meet you too your highness. Thank you Mendanbar for keeping my nephew safe."

Mendanbar had a feeling that was a bad thing. "That spider last week was your nephew? He's not going to get as big as you is he?"

"Of course he will. We magic spiders grow at a rate of 12 feet per day."

"Well it was nice to see you again, if you don't mind me and Cimorene have to check that your nephew hasn't grown too large for the castle to fit him."

Of course, Wilin being a very effective assistant, had placed the spider far away in the forest so there was no need for them to worry that it would grow and break a section of the palaces roof. From that point on they were very careful to make sure that any spiders they saw where sent far away from the castle and the jittery maids.