Chapter Five: Over the Wall and the Dagger is Handed
Smidgum had made it to the abbey walls. He looked at his digging map carefully. Hmmm. Let's see. OK, so we go in here, and dig here. The chipmunk gazed up at the tall wall. Wow! That's high! He put his map and other supplies in his side pouch. Up the wall goes Smidgum! The chipmunk sang to himself as he started to climb the wall.
"Riddum," Abbess Zoe spoke to the young otter in a soft tone, "I think you'll be needing this. I've noticed your sister. She's been acting very strangely lately." The old mouse handed Riddum a small dagger that could be easily hidden in his tunic. "Use it well, young one." The abbess left the room leaving Riddum all alone by himself.
"Riddum?" Emiley walked into the room, "What are you doing in here? You know you're not supposed to be in here!"
"The Abbess wanted me, Emiley," Riddum replied as he stared at the dagger in his paws.
Emiley suddenly took notice of Riddum's dagger. "Wow! Riddum, is that a real dagger you hold?" Emiley's eyes opened wide with admiration, "If so, I want one!"
"Yes, Emiley, it is real. No, Emiley, you can't have one. You shouldn't even know about it. You can't tell anyone, got that?" Emiley wasn't listening, she was staring, transfixed, on the dagger.
"Huh, did you say something?" Riddum shook Emiley out of her daze.
"Yes, I said." He stared angrily at his hare friend, who was once again transfixed by the dagger. "Forget it." He walked away, leaving Emiley behind, still staring at the dagger. Riddum sighed, and vanished from Emiley's sight. Emiley fell out of her daze. She heard pawsteps coming down the hall. Oh, no! I'm going to get caught in off-limits ground. I must hide! She searched frantically for a hiding space, but was too late.
Smidgum had made it to the top of the wall safely, and without being caught. He hopped over the top of the wall, landing with a thump on the ground next to a tree. He stood while he waited for anyone to come. He stood there, dagger ready, for many minutes. Nobeast came the whole time he was there. He wiped his forehead in relief. He set off for the east side of the abbey.
"Emiley! What are you doing in here? You know you're not supposed to be in here!" The Abbess had walked into the room, and was scolding Emiley for being there.
"I was only looking for Riddum," Emiley said pleadingly.
"But why would you look here?" The Abbess had a smart tone to her voice that told the young hare not to lie.
"OK, I'll admit it. I heard you two talking, so, when you left, I came in and found Riddum with the dagger. Why can't I get a dagger?"
"Well, for one, you are not in real danger, like Riddum. Have you seen his sister?" Emiley nodded.
"Yeah, I saw her out on the lawn."
"No, I mean the way she behaves. It's kind of like she was replaced." Emiley had a quizzical look on her face. "Too hard to explain to young beasts, like yourself." Emiley looked as if she really wanted to know. "OK, I'll tell you."
Smidgum had made it to the abbey walls. He looked at his digging map carefully. Hmmm. Let's see. OK, so we go in here, and dig here. The chipmunk gazed up at the tall wall. Wow! That's high! He put his map and other supplies in his side pouch. Up the wall goes Smidgum! The chipmunk sang to himself as he started to climb the wall.
"Riddum," Abbess Zoe spoke to the young otter in a soft tone, "I think you'll be needing this. I've noticed your sister. She's been acting very strangely lately." The old mouse handed Riddum a small dagger that could be easily hidden in his tunic. "Use it well, young one." The abbess left the room leaving Riddum all alone by himself.
"Riddum?" Emiley walked into the room, "What are you doing in here? You know you're not supposed to be in here!"
"The Abbess wanted me, Emiley," Riddum replied as he stared at the dagger in his paws.
Emiley suddenly took notice of Riddum's dagger. "Wow! Riddum, is that a real dagger you hold?" Emiley's eyes opened wide with admiration, "If so, I want one!"
"Yes, Emiley, it is real. No, Emiley, you can't have one. You shouldn't even know about it. You can't tell anyone, got that?" Emiley wasn't listening, she was staring, transfixed, on the dagger.
"Huh, did you say something?" Riddum shook Emiley out of her daze.
"Yes, I said." He stared angrily at his hare friend, who was once again transfixed by the dagger. "Forget it." He walked away, leaving Emiley behind, still staring at the dagger. Riddum sighed, and vanished from Emiley's sight. Emiley fell out of her daze. She heard pawsteps coming down the hall. Oh, no! I'm going to get caught in off-limits ground. I must hide! She searched frantically for a hiding space, but was too late.
Smidgum had made it to the top of the wall safely, and without being caught. He hopped over the top of the wall, landing with a thump on the ground next to a tree. He stood while he waited for anyone to come. He stood there, dagger ready, for many minutes. Nobeast came the whole time he was there. He wiped his forehead in relief. He set off for the east side of the abbey.
"Emiley! What are you doing in here? You know you're not supposed to be in here!" The Abbess had walked into the room, and was scolding Emiley for being there.
"I was only looking for Riddum," Emiley said pleadingly.
"But why would you look here?" The Abbess had a smart tone to her voice that told the young hare not to lie.
"OK, I'll admit it. I heard you two talking, so, when you left, I came in and found Riddum with the dagger. Why can't I get a dagger?"
"Well, for one, you are not in real danger, like Riddum. Have you seen his sister?" Emiley nodded.
"Yeah, I saw her out on the lawn."
"No, I mean the way she behaves. It's kind of like she was replaced." Emiley had a quizzical look on her face. "Too hard to explain to young beasts, like yourself." Emiley looked as if she really wanted to know. "OK, I'll tell you."