Sorry about the sort of late update, our internet went down this weekend. I'm not sure when the next update will be with Christmas coming and all, but I will try to get it done soon.
Chapter Eight
Meet the Relatives
Without the training he had already had Rowan would never have been able to keep up with them. For someone who seemed incapable of standing up straight Caleb could move incredibly fast. Holly was protesting every step of the way. "Put me down ,Caleb, I am not a Barbie doll!"
Rowan found it hard to believe that Holly would put up with this creature, harmless as he may be. As he followed them around a corner another thought occurred to him. I hope Holly knows where we are. There is no way I'm going to find the way back on my own.
Finally Caleb stopped in front of what seemed to be a door and set Holly on her feet. She crossed her arms and glared at him. "Kno, kno," he called.
"Caleb, is that you?" a feminine voice asked from the other side of the door.
"oo else?" the creature replied.
The door opened to reveal an elderly elf who bore a remarkable resemblance to Holly. She had the same willowy figure and hazel eyes, though her hair had gone gray. She sighed, placing her hands on her hips, much as Holly had less than an hour before. "I suppose you want me to cook for you." Caleb nodded enthusiastically and waved one of the fish in her face. "All right I get the point!" she held up an arm to ward off splatters from the dead fish. As she turned her face she caught sight of Holly. "Holly dear! We weren't expecting you."
"I didn't mean to come, Caleb kidnapped me!"
"Try not to make a habit of that."
"What? Getting kidnapped? Honestly, Grandma I'm in training for Recon. Once I graduate mister nightmare creature over here won't stand a chance!"
"Well you might as well come in. I just put some tea on."
"Why is it that every time I come you're making tea?"
"Good timing?"
"Yours or mine?"
The old elf shrugged and moved aside to let Holly and Caleb pass. As she turned to close the door she saw Rowan who was standing in the tunnel, unsure of what to do. She frowned slightly, "Holly did you bring someone with you?" she asked over her shoulder. She spoke in that tone of voice that adults use when asking children if they have done something they shouldn't have when they are already convinced they did.
"Oh, D'Arvit! It must be Rowan. I didn't bring him, I just couldn't get rid of him!"
"Watch your language!" came a voice from somewhere out of sight.
"Sorry, Aunt V," Holly called back with a tone that indicated she wasn't really.
"Watch your tone!" the same voice scolded. Holly didn't bother to answer again.
The elf in the doorway sighed and turned back to Rowan. "I suppose I should let you in. otherwise you are probably just going to wander around and get yourself eaten."
"Thank you ,ma'em," he muttered and timidly slipped past her. There was something about the old elf that made it clear she was in charge and no one who knew what was good for them would argue otherwise.
Rowan was surprised at what he found on the other side of the door. It was more or less a den. Not the kind of den you would expect to find animals in, but the kind of den that would be in a house. Two rocking chairs, a sofa, and a love seat were a arranged around the room so that no matter which you sat in you could easily see whoever was sitting in the others.
Holly stood in the middle of the room looking as if she was trying to decide whether or not to be angry with him. She seemed to decide not to be, at least she didn't punch him or yell at him right away. That could have been out of respect for the hostess. She would probably kill him somewhere between here and returning to the academy.
"Vivian, get in here! We have another guest!" The old elf called.
"Hang on a minute! I'm getting Caleb's fish started, you know how he is," the voice that had scolded Holly replied from what Rowan assumed was the kitchen. "By the way, have you seen Excalibur?"
"Watching Excalibur is your job. Besides why in the world do you need it now? It's not like the heir to the line of Pendragon just walked in."
The voice replied as if it were obvious, "I'm chopping vegetables!"
Rowan turned to Holly, "She doesn't really mean Excalibur does she? I mean you don't just use a magical sword to chop vegetables!"
Holly shrugged, "What else is she going to do with it?" this answer made Rowan think she was in on the joke. If it was a joke.
A few minutes later another elderly elf entered the room closely followed by Caleb. She was incredibly graceful, like water. Her hair was snow white and flowed past her shoulders in waves. Her eyes were the clear blue of a lake seen from a distance.
Holly crossed her arms and looked from one to the other, "How properly are we doing this?"
The elf who resembled Holly rolled her eyes, "Honestly we're in our living room not the royal court!"
"Well I didn't know how much you wanted to impress him."
"Hurry up and introduce us to your boyfriend already!" the elf with blue eyes demaneded.
"He is not my boyfriend!"
"Well if you had told me that already I wouldn't have had to assume."
Holly groaned, "Alright already, I get it!" she paused a moment to compose herself. "Grandma, Aunt V, this is Rowan Long my friend from the academy. Ro, this is my Great Aunt Vivian the Lady of the Lake, and my Grandmother Mab the last Queen of the People."
For those of you who don't know much about the Arthurian Legends there will be a crash course in the next chapter. It will be from the fairies point of view however, so if you really want to learn more about it you should look it up at the library. (internet articles about it are short and don't give much information.)
They're ba-ack! (Yes I mean the Daleks).
Dalek: REVIEW OR BE EXTERMINATED!
Me: He means it!
Caleb: (slaps fish on rock) Kill, kill, kill!
Dalek: EXTERMINATE! (zaps Caleb)
Me: Hey, you're not supposed to exterminate Caleb! He's in the story, he doesn't have to review it!
Dalek: OOPS
By the way you still get fudge for reviewing. Merry CHRISTmas!
Thanks and prayer,
RAHbooks.
