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Chapter One: The Inventor and the Apprentice

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Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Cornelia Funke, especially the italicized text below.

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Farid was still looking at her. Then he abruptly took her hand.

"Excuse us," he told Doria, and led Meggie into the nearest doorway. "Does Silvertongue know how you look at him?"

"Look at who?"

"Who!" He passed his finger over his forehead as if tracing Doria's scar. "Listen," he said, stroking her hair back. "Why don't you come with me? We could go from village to village together. The way we did when we and Dustfinger were following your mother and father. Do you remember?"

How could he ask that?

Meggie looked over her shoulder. Doria was standing beside Fenoglio and Elinor. Fenoglio was looking at the airplane.

If Fengolio's theory was true, then she was fated to be the nameless wife of Doria, who provided the inventor with ideas. Meggie could see it happening; Doria forever bringing her flowers and other pretty things and a house across from the one Mo and Resa would acquire. The thoughts of returning to the real world no longer haunted her like the white women. She was far too connected this world, miles more than the actual one she belonged in.

Farid grasped her hand, a faint warmth there, and Meggie wondered how Doria's hand would feel in hers.

"Yes," she answered, her hand starting to pull back. He held it firm and looked at her beseechingly. His eyes were the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"Come with me, we'll see the world, -Inkheart."

Ifs, buts, and what abouts filled her head. If she went...but her unborn sister or brother...what about Doria? The same indecisiveness that had plagued her so often remain and throbbed inside like an awful headache she had once when driving with Mo to a new job.

Resa called Farid Meggie's first love, Mo called him the wrong boy when he thought everyone was asleep, and during the giddy aftermath Fenoglio had once jokingly called him the first appetizer before the main course, -her written destiny, Doria.

Did the words really control all that she knew? Orpheus had failed to control Mo, but Fenoglio had summoned the giant. The answer wasn't clear, but Farid stepped closer to her. Meggie waited a second. As expected, the familiar increase of her heartbeat started to resound in her chest faithfully. Would it ever stop? Would it always thump for more than one boy? Or would one of them fade like Meggie's school crushes? Farid, despite his absences over the past while, had her heart for such a long time that Doria was just newly discovered. –Strong and wondrous, but only recent. Who could tell which affection, if any, would disappear in the midst of the other?

Her mouth spoke on its own accord.

"Alright."

The pride shading her fear had disappeared, but Farid didn't notice her persistent uncertainty.

Farid's lips were suddenly on hers, the noise of the crowd of Ombra was sightless as she closed her eyes and kissed him back. Doubt niggled in the back of her mind, but all Meggie could think about was here and now. -The chatter and nearby cheers and playful hoots as the citizens of Ombra lauded in a vision of new happy times.

Farid looked at her with a wide smile and picked her up and spun her around with a little difficulty. He was not nearly as strong as Doria nor did he have the face of a smacked puppy as Doria had now. Fenoglio was frowning slightly as he clutched the model airplane. His unpublished story within Inkheart was not following its path.

Meggie attempted to match his smile as he pulled her through the crowds, Jinks leaping onto his shoulder from a fruit vender's stall. Fenoglio tried fruitlessly to grab her arm as Farid strutted past the three. He did not glance back, but his posture betrayed his glee. Meggie was his, not a wavy-haired intruder's.

"Farid."

He didn't hear her and darted through the crowds. It didn't matter anyway. He had already brought her before Dustfinger and Roxanne, who had Brianna in her arms. Her Ugliness had reluctantly spared her for the festivities. Jehan was absent, running around with Ivo and a troop of other boys while causing mischief and taking advantage of everyone's good mood.

The smoothness of Dustfinger's face was mirrored in his family's face. His ginger hair was swept back and his glittering eyes took in their clasped hands. Unlike Fenoglio, he did not frown and his expression remained consistently pleasant.

"We're going," Farid said brusquely. He couldn't help, but shoot a bitter glance at Dustfinger's arm around Roxanne's shoulder, "We're leaving Ombra to travel." Gwin hissed at Jinks.

"Oh?"

Roxanne was looking at Meggie intently. She, like Resa, had seen the flowers Doria had brought to her.

"Yes," the excitement crept into Farid's voice again and more flakes of fire joined Dustfinger's in the air. They were fewer, but those few were of a more blue hue than Dustfinger's.

"Have you told Silvertongue and Resa yet?" asked Dustfinger.

"No," said Meggie.

Farid was not easily deterred, "The Bluejay will agree," he said and this time Meggie did not look angry when he said the hated name. What did she have to hate? Mo would never be the Bluejay again. "Girls Meggie's age are married in my land."

Meggie was taken aback at the mention of marriage, but Dustfinger wasn't disturbed. Of course, he belonged to Inkheart where it was the same as Farid's world. He simply nodded, wearing the same easy smile he had had since he had been rejoined with Roxanne. Worry and precaution were nonexistent. Everyone had had their fill of them.

Farid, an overeager child, grasped Dustfinger's free hand, then Brianna's, and even Roxanne's before turning, almost running in the direction of the city gates. Mo and Resa had refrained from joining Ombra's festivities and were in peace at the dilapidated farm that seemed far away.

They passed Fenoglio, Elinor, and Doria again and Meggie waved. Fenoglio had never looked more troubled since the Black Prince's poisoning. Only Elinor waved back. Doria looked so very unfortunate, but Farid was tugging her along. There was no time to lose.

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