Farid had been wrong. Meggie did not just replace and forget about the ones she missed. In fact, hard as she tried, as she rode home to the cave with Doria, she could not forget Farid. Every time she closed her eyes she could still see that hurt and reproachful look he had given her back at the graveyard before he left. And of course she could not forget Mo. Her father was gone, perhaps for good. Meggie no longer blamed Farid and her mother for Mo's death, but in her heart she was still angry at them.
When they reached the camp, Meggie went into her own corner of the cave, and wept. Resa and Doria tried to comfort her, but they could not bring Mo back for her, and that was what Meggie wanted, more than anything.
̃
Farid had been tied up many times before, so he knew how to chew through a gag, and wriggle the rope around his wrists, so that they did not hurt as much. He could not however, escape, no matter how badly he needed to. That fat hairy wart growing on a donkey's backside, Cheeseface! Dustfinger was finally alive, and Farid was never going to see him. Farid slammed his feet against the cold stone wall of his cell in frustration. He had tried burning through the ropes, but it had been ages since he had last stole fire honey from the elves, and he wasn't quite as good at calling fire without it as Dustfinger had been, yet.
Why had Farid come back to Orpheus after Mo had disappeared in the graveyard anyway? Orpheus didn't need him, and Orpheus was not clever enough to bring Dustfinger back from the dead, or anyone else for that matter. Or was he? Cheeseface had claimed that Dustfinger was back by his own doing, but then why was the Bluejay back as well? Perhaps the Bluejay had bargained with death, perhaps even death loved his voice and listened to what he said. Whatever the reason, Dustfinger was back, and Farid was rotting in a prison cell.
Farid should've just gone back to the camp with the robbers. If he had he could've seen Dustfinger, and more importantly, apologized to Meggie. He shouldn't have yelled at her, after all, Dustfinger's death was hardly her fault, and she wasn't to blame for their deteriorating relationship. No, that was Farid's fault. He had obsessed over Dustfinger, and forgotten her, and Farid hadn't been there for Meggie when she had needed him most. Farid swore that if he ever got out of here, he would make it up to her, and stay with her forever, if she still cared about him, that was. Farid shut his eyes and pictured her, her clear blue eyes shining brighter than the summer's sky at midday, and her hair glowing more beautifully than any gold he had ever stolen.
"Hey, are you still in the world of the living?" That voice, Farid knew it better than any other voice in the world. Farid knew that he must be dreaming, or perhaps he was going mad. He opened his eyes and saw a bright flame and a familiar face emerge from the gloom. Farid could have laughed and cried all at the same time, and he just couldn't get that bright smile off of his face. "You look incredibly happy there for a person who's tied up" Dustfinger muttered. Farid felt like singing he was so glad; Dustfinger was just as sarcastic, good at hiding his emotions and wonderful as Farid had remembered him. However Farid retrained himself and tried not to break into song, as he figured that Dustfinger would not appreciate it.
Then Farid heard Orpheus and Oss come down the stairs to the cellar, Chunk was whispering something about a man who smelled like flames and Cheeseface was muttering to himself. A scene of fire, stealing Orpheus's copy of Inkheart and his words and escaping ensued, but Farid was too blissfully happy to pay too much attention to anything, besides noticing that Dustfinger's skin now seemed to glow like fire and that his scars were gone. (Note* If you want to read the full details of the Dustfinger/Orpheus encounter, go to page 248 of Inkdeath)
Finally, after much burning and sneaking, Dustfinger, Farid, Jasper the little Glassman, Gwin and Jink all rode back to the robber's cave on a horse that Dustfinger had "borrowed" from Orpheus's stable. Dustfinger filled Farid in on everything that had happened while he had been stuck at Orpheus's house, and Farid maintained a rather silly and irrepressible smile on his face the whole way to the camp. After all, Meggie would be so glad that her father was back, that she would forgive him and forget that Doria boy. They would be close again, and he would take her to see all of the wonders he had seen while he was under Orpheus's employ. Farid sighed contently, visualizing Meggie's angelic face. He would apologize to her and all would be well. Farid's reverie was then broken by a jab in the arm and an annoyed Dustfinger asking, "Farid, are you even listening to me?"
Of course Farid's happiness didn't last too long. When they reached the camp, Mo was signing a letter of some sort with the sign of a pen and a sword forming a cross, and for some reason, all of the robbers had grim and slightly troubled expressions. The Bluejay had a determined look on his face and Meggie's face held an expression so miserable that it pained Farid to look at her. Feeling incredibly confused, Farid walked towards them.
̃
Congratulations, you read it all! So if you have time could you please leave an eensy weensy little review? And please remember that while I do appreciate constructive criticism, hurtful criticism makes me cry, so please try not to be too harsh.