AN:
Okay, here's the second part! I updated, I updated! Happy Dance! Yay! Here you go, I think its getting better. You get to find out what Suide means, and I think you'll be able to guess what the other four mean. This part is sort of short, but I really wanted it to end where it does. Plus I wanted to update which--guess what? I did! So there you go, I have another part for you. Hope you like it! I actually might . . . finish it *everyone gasps* Yeah, I know, I know, don't look at me like that . . .
Disclaimer:
It's not mine. I honestly think that you are thick enough to think that its mine, so I have to put this in here telling you its not.
Ginny pulled her head up from the grass and was greeted by a very strange sight. She was no longer in the Hogwarts Library, but rather a small meadow surrounded by a forest. Pemmy, Timy, and Draco were all laying face down, but none of them seemed to be stirring, a sign that Ginny took to indicate that they had been knocked out by something.
About ten meters in front of them was a quaint little cottage made of different colored stones encircled by a small garden filled with vegetables, an apple tree, and a variety of colorful flowers. Standing on the threshold was a tiny woman who couldn't have been more than a meter tall. She wore a tan dress that reached the ground, and covering it was a slightly dirty white apron. Her hands were covered in flour Ginny saw, as she reached out and motioned towards herself.
"Yee'd better come inside, then. I've been watin' fer yee fer some time now."
Ginny stared at her, hardly daring to blink. Who was this woman? Where were they? She tried to remember the last moments before she had arrived. She recalled the book, and then a blinding white light, and then they were here. That didn't help her situation very much.
"What air yee waitin' fer?"
Ginny was at a loss. "Who are you?" She managed to choke out.
"Who em I? There'll be plenty enough time fer that later. First, I'd have yee come inside." The woman noticed Ginny glancing nervously at the three people around her. "Come on in, they'll be out cold fer a while. Yee's better some in and have a cuppa tea, or whiskey if yee'd prefer, ter fix that welt yee've a swellin' on that head o' yers. That fall yee took was pre'y nasty."
Ginny's hand flew to her forehead. Just as this lady had said, she could feel a lump the size of a Snitch growing. Ginny was still spprehensive about entering this strange house with this strange woman. She didn't look like any one she had seen before, and it most likely wouldn't be wise to do whatever this tiny old lady said. But the woman wasn't asking her to come in, she was commanding her. Besides, Ginny didn't have any idea where she was. There was no one else around, she might as well go in and find some information.
She raised herself up from the ground and immediatly felt a pounding in her head, no doubt a result of the "fall" the woman had mentioned, although Ginny didn't remember any fall. Her world had just gone blank, and then it had regained color and she had been here. Taking the book, she followed this lady up the cobblestone path and past a white-washed wooden gate.
The house, to Ginny's surprise and relief, was normal sized. She doubted that if it had been made specifically for this woman that Ginny would have been able to fit in.
The house was very small, containing only two rooms which were both visable. The first was a kitchen/dining room/sitting room, and through an open doorway at the back of her sitting area she could see what could only be assumed was a bedroom.
The lady went straight to her kitchen section and began kneading a hunk of dough, her hands working expertly and speaking to Ginny as she worked.
"I've been waitin' fer yee fer some time now, were yee held up by summat along yer journey?"
Ginny, who was beginning to leave her state of stupor, did her best to sound polite while asking, "Excuse me, Miss, but I really do not know where I am or who you are."
She smiled warmly. "I guess yee'll not be distracted. Ah, well, my name'd be Gladys Fleet. And this little area'll be called Wellingham of Straforshire. Yee'd be Virginia, then?"
So she knew her name . . . that ruled out the possibility she had been expecting some one else. "Ginny, if you please. And I still really don't know where I am."
"Wellingham, just south of Greedor. Yee'd be found in the southern country of Charlesdon."
"Umm . . . right." Ginny sad hesitantly. She had never heard of any of these places before. "Do you know how to get to England?"
"England . . ." said Gladys thoughtfully. "I've never heard o' that place. Tell me, child, is it te be found over the sea? Is it a villiage, or a county, or summat larger?"
"Over the sea?" Ginny asked, just as clueless. "Are we in Canada? Or the United States?"
"Canata? Unided Slates? Dear me, child, yee'll be the end of this old brain of mine. I've 'nt a heard o' a one of these strange places yee'll be mentionin'! We're in Charlesdon."
"Err . . . yes." Ginny was beginning to think this woman quite mad. Either she'd lived a very sheltered life (never hearing or England, Canada, or the United States!) or she was in some different world. That though chilled her. Was this woman a witch or a muggle? "Excuse me, if you don't mind my asking, are you a witch, Mrs. Fleet?"
"A witch?" She didn't look outraged like some muggles would when magic was mentioned. "I wouldn't be witch, mind, although there's a friend o' me that can whip up some potions. There'll be a wizard here or there, but goodness me, I'll not be a witch. There'd be only one witch in the whole land and that'd be," she lowered her voice to the point where Ginny was almost reading her lips, "The Queen."
"The Queen?" Ginny said absently, and rather loudly as well."
Gladys' hands flew to her ears. "Speakn't her name, there's a good child. I avoid sayin' it when I'm able, she's got spies surroundin' th' forest."
"I'm sorry!" Said Ginny sincerely. This "queen" she spoke of sounded like You-Know-Who, and she knew how it sent chills up and down her spine whenever anyone said his name.
"That'll be okay, then. Have you heard of Her in Singland, or what's that yee called yer land?"
"England? No, we havent heard of Her there."
"Ahh, yee'll be better off then. Speaking of Her Majesty," she said "her majesty" with a slight sneer, Ginny noticed, "She'll be the reason I called fer yee. I don't suppose I should be the one ter tell yee, it's really Cressida's business. Cressida'll be along soon."
"Who's Cressida?"
"Ah, yee'll see." She said with a twinkle of her eyes.
All this time Gladys had been working the dough, then placing it in a pan and filling it with what looked like cherries, only in some sort of filling, and then setting it in the oven. She wiped her hands on her apron and said kindly to Ginny with a hint of reproachfullness, "I'd a gotten yer tea fer yee sooner, but I'd had to finish this pie I began when yee's late."
Ginny felt herself blush. "I'm sorry, m'am, but I didn't know I was expected, or I assure you I'd of hurried."
"Ah, that'd be okay, dear. I s'pose 'twasn't yer fault. I'd of called fer yee sooner but Cressida and I on'y discussed it yesterday mornin'. I should be showin' yee gratitude fer comin' out here ter help us, that's what."
Ginny wanted to ask her what she was supposed to help with, but didn't want to sound rude. She racked her brain, scanning through all the questions she longed to ask for a good one that would be polite and informative. But before she could ask anything, there was a knocking on the door.
"Ah!" Gladys smiled, setting down the tea kettle from which she had been pouring and handing Ginny a cup filled with the steamy liquid. "That'll be Cressida, mark me."
She pulled open the oak door and a tall woman entered. She was dressed in forest green attire, breeches that reached just below her knees and a shirt with loose fitting sleeves covered by a men's doublet. Her auburn hair was pulled into a knot at the back of her head, and following her looking rather confused were Pemmy, Timmy, and Draco.
"Ah, hello then Cressida!" Gladys exclaimed. "I see yee've brought our other guests."
Cressida smiled. "I'd have though you more hospitable, Gladys, than to leave such three knocked out on your front lawn."
"Oh, nonsense! They were out cold, they'd of been dead weight on Virginia 'n myself."
Cressida looked to Ginny for the first time and smiled. "You must be Virginia. Very nice to meet you, my name is Cressida." She extended her hand which Ginny took and shook lightly.
Draco, Timmy, and Pemmy had been staring at this, but like Ginny had after several minutes, they were beginning to fall back into their original state.
Draco was looking from Gladys to Cressida back and forth, and finally decided to say, "Who are you, and where the hell are we?"
Gladys chuckled. "Yes, I knew that's what yee'd be like when I chose yee. Could come in handy. Forgive me fer not introducin' meeself, I'd be Gladys Fleet. As I told Virginia, we'd be found in Chalesdon."
He looked annoyedly puzzled. "Charlesdon? And where can we find London?"
Ginny shot him a dirty look. There was someething very disrespectful about his tone of voice, and she found it out of line. "There is no London." She snapped. "We're not in that world anymore. Heaven only knows where we actually are, but its not our world."
"Really, Weasley, when did you come an expert on what's going on?" He took a step towards her angrily, but Cressida held her hand out in front of him.
"There will be no fighting. Draco," he showed a look of shock momentarily at her knowing his name, "Calm down before we can get things worked out." He voice was kind, but there was something in it that dared him to contradict her. She may not of looked it, but this woman was a definate authority figure.
"So what IS going on?" Pemmy asked, making her presence known from behind Cressida.
"Well, you'd better sit down. It's a long story, or sorts."
Ginny was already seated, but the others, filed in from the doorway, Gladys took a seat at the table, but as there were only places for two, the other children sat on the couch in her sitting room and Cressida took up the rocking chair after moving the knitting needles that had previously occupied it.
"It starts, let's see, almost three hundred years ago, when Gladys was but a mere child. There was a witch, forgive me Gladys for speaking the name, called Darmmhia." She said this name with a strange accent, with a rough sound placed on the vowels and dragging out the 'hi'. Gladys was shaking her head. "She and her army of nasty creatures--I won't go into the individuals--" Gladys nodded vigorously, looking very relieved. "--took over Noecah." Noecah she also said with an accent, but it was a light, sweet accent. It sounded like no-EH-(pause)-cah. It was very beautiful. "Well, Noecah as the fairies call it--" She was interrupted by an excited squeal from Pemmy.
"Fairies? There are fairies here? Like, the fairies from the story books? Will I get to meet one?"
Cressida chuckled. "You already have. In fact, you're looking at one right now."
There was another excited squeak, followed by a dull thud as she fell off of the couch. "You're a fairy?" Pemmy sputtered, standing up and replacing herself on the couch. "But you're--big."
"So are you!" Cressida said, sounding lightly offended.
"No, no. I didn't mean it like that! You're . . . tall."
"Oh . . ." she was puzzled. "I--I don't know what fairies you must have met before, but I have never met a full-grown one who was shorter than me. So you must be going off of some stereotype. Please, though, I'd like to get through more of the story before I am interrupted again."
Pemmy rolled her eyes. Ginny could tell that the two were not starting off on a good foot.
"Anyway," Cressida continued, "She renamed the land Darmmhen and took it under her iron fist. She's been in power ever since."
"What happened to the old ruler?" Timmy asked, speaking for the first time. "Where did he go?"
Cressida lowered her eyes. "She killed him." She said quietly. Ginny could tell that she had had a great respect for that man, and wanted to reproach Timmy for asking such an obvious question. "Once every ten years she'll send her armies into a town and take every single citizen to her palace as a slave." Gladys let out a wail, but didn't say anything. "No one knows what she does with them, but after every ten years she needs a new palaceful."
"That's terrible!" Ginny exclaimed. "Is there anything we can do?"
Cressida smiled a week smile. "That's why you're here. Gladys and I summoned you with a bit of my own magic. You see, there is an ancient prophecy. I don't know it by heart, but the general idea behnd it is this: at the four corners of Noecah, lies a gem at each. When united by true humans of true power on the throne of the true King, they will form a magic powerful enough to 'turn over the sea, and reverse the course of time,' or something like that. I expect you'll read it for yourself in time. Well, I assume you four are of great power? We didn't go into specifics in summoning you, we just sensed strong magic. So that's why you're here. We want you to find the Gems of Power and bring them to William's throne."
All four of the children simply stared at her as if she had gone insane, or if she had ever been insane. It was mad to think that four children barely over the ago of fifteen (sixteen, in Draco's case) would be able to save the world.
Ginny was the first to speak. "I--I think that you've made an error, no disresspect meant. I think that you should send us back and find some other people."
Gladys grinned. "Well, I'd take yer advice but for this tiny bit: We haven't enough magic left in us ter take some new one's here. Yee'll have ter do."
"What do we have to do?" Ginny whispered.
"Wait a minute!" Draco yelled. "You may be ready to agree, but don't speak for the rest of us! I have no intention of going on this little "quest" of yours. I demand that you send me home at once!"
Ginny jumped up. "Shut UP, Malfoy! Didn't you hear a word of what she said? We can't go back!"
Draco looked around wildly. "I'm getting the hell out of here." He ran to the door, threw it open, and was out walking quickly into the woods.
Ginny followed, and the others rushed to the door but stood by the house.
Draco was walking very fast, but Ginny was running. After a moment she caught up with him and grabbed his arm forcefully, halting his stride at the edge of the woods. "What are you doing?" She yelled. "We're NOT in our world any more! We HAVE to do this or we CAN'T get back! You're not going to get to Hogwarts by walking!"
He pulled his arm away from her. "You actually believed what those nuts said in there? They're probably just some crazy ladies who get their kicks out of turing library books in to Portkeys and scaring the hell out of kids. I'm NOT falling for it, even though you may be stupid enough to."
"Shh!" Ginny hissed, looking apprehensively at the woman and fairy standing not far away. "They might hear you!"
"Like I care!" But Draco did lower his voice some.
"So what if they are crazy? What alternative do we have right now besides to play along?" Ginny fully trusted Gladys and Cressida, but had to find some way to get Draco back on their side.
Draco thought for a moment, changed his mind, and then said defiantly, "Only because its been forever since I've had a meal."
Ginny smiled. She had an urge to hug him like she would have done to any other friend, but Draco wasn't a friend so she refrained. He turned around sulkily and walked back to the building.
No one said anything to him, a fact Ginny was grateful for, knowing that he would explode again. Instead, they all casually walked back in to Gladys' cottage and resumed their seats.
"Anyway," Cressida said as if nothing had just happened, "It's best if we leave as soon as possible--tomorrow morning if at all feasible. I'll go with you for some time, but I'm afraid I can't accompany you on the whole journey. You see, fairies are limited to the area from their home which they can travel. But I'll find another guide for you when its necessary."
"That'll be enough of that fer now," Gladys interrupted cheerfully. "I've got some dinner roastin' in the oven and I 'spect it'll be done by now." She rose from her chair and headed over to the oven where she had put the pie. Ginny hadn't noticed it before, but there had been a plump turkey roasting in it when she had added the pie. Gladys pulled the two food items out with a floral print oven mit and set them on the wooden tables.
"Well, I don't think that we'll be able to eat all in 'ere at once, I take no objections to eatin' outside?"
They were all for it, except for Draco who was moodily sitting in a corner and didn't answer. Gladys pulled a large quilt out from a cedar chest and hauled it out to the meadow around her house. Cressida followed carrying the turkey, and Ginny volunteered to take the pie. Pemmy and Timmy all brought out sivlerware and cups, and Draco brought up the rear. He was making a firm point of being totally segregated from the rest of the group.
They had a thoroughly enjoyable dinner; they chatted lightly, not making any mention of the perilous journey that would be beginning the next morning. Cressida and Ginny went to the well behind Gladys' garden and Cressida taught Ginny how to work a well, and they had fresh-picked vegetables as a side dish. All in all, spirits were running high.
After they had all had their fill of cherry pie and were feeling as if they might burst, Gladys told them that they needed to go inside and pack their things. Ginny wanted to ask what "things" there were, but Gladys seemed to know exactly what she was doing so Ginny didn't protest.
She pulled a large trunk out of the tiny bedroom into the sitting room where they were all gathered and opened it with a tiny brass key. To Ginny's surprise, it was filled to the top with the same type of clothes that Cressida was wearing, only the same tan color as Gladys' dress instead of the rich green color of Cressida's outfit.
"These here used to belong to me sons," she informed them, "All four o' them. But they've all been grown up and moved away, so I see no harm in lettin' yee wear them fer a bit. There should be plenty fer each o' ya. I 'spect Mr. Malfoy'll fit in ter William's ol' breeches, and you two girls will be fine in Jem and John's old things, and Timmy will 'ave to make do with all o' Rim's old clothes."
She produced four small knapsacks that didn't hold room for more than two outfits, and several packs to go over the back of a horse. Cressida busied herself by filling these up with bread and other food necessities, while Gladys picked out breeches, shirts, and doublets for each of them.
Pemmy complained about looking like a boy, but Mrs. Fleet grimly pointed out that she would have an easier time of things if she looked male, at least from a distance. They each recieved three pairs of breeches, two doublets and a beaultifully embroidered vest, loose sleeved shirts, a pair of shoes, and some thick cotton socks. Gladys also produced four long travelling cloaks, but claimed that they wouldn't need them very often. Apparently in whatever country they were in, it was the height of summer.
No one really talked of what their quest was exactly until long after the sun had set and they were sitting by a merrily crackling fire. Cressida had been carrying a small leather sack which she opened for them then.
She pulled an old, very tattered piece of parchment out and spread it out on the coffee table. It was covered in symbols and lines of all different colors. Ginny saw mountain ranges, rivers, roadways, forests, and cities. In each of the four corners was a large colored 'X'.
"This," she said, "is a map of Noecah." She traced her slender ivory fingers over a black line leading up to the bottom corner, in the direction of the south, drawing an invisible line to the blue 'X'.
"Suide." Cressida whispered, almost whistfully.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Suide." Cressida said louder. "That's the name of the gem located," she tapped her finger on the blue mark, "here. It means "south". That's where we're going first. Or you're going, I should say. I can't go past," she pointed at a mark about half way between the mark labelled "Gladys'" and the gem.
"You mean you're going to make us go all that way by ourselves?" Timmy asked in disbelief.
"Did I say that?" Cressida smiled. "I have a friend whose forest is in the south. We'll meet her in a couple of days and she can go with you four the rest of the way."
"How long is this whole thing going to take?" Pemmy asked.
"I'm not quite sure. It all depends on what kind of trouble you run in to." She looked around to several nervous looking faces. "Oh, don't worry! There shouldn't be that much trouble in the south. That's why I'm sendin you there first, its the farthest from The Queen's. Her castle is up here," she pointed at the northernmost X.
"Oh, that can't be right," Ginny said pointedly, "That's the top gem, not a castle."
Cressida looked grimly at her. "That's both the gem . . . and her castle. Everyone's heard of the prophecy, she--she built her castle around them gem, and she knows that you must have all four for it to work. You see, she can't remove it. But she can guard it."
"Wait a minute!" Draco interrupted. "Are you trying to say that we have to go IN this erratic nut's HOUSE? That's insane!"
"We'll cross that bridge when the time comes! For now I want you to just worry about getting Suide."
"What a load of crap!" Draco yelled. "We're gonna go through all this shit to get all these gems and then we're going to get to this last one and die?"
Cressida was looking at him coldly. "Not necessarily. Its a chance you have to take."
"Whatever." Said Draco returning to sulking in the corner.
"Well, yee'd better go ter bed now," Gladys interrupted the charged atmosphere, "Yee've got an early mornin' tomorrow, and yee'll need all o' yer sleep. Yee'll be havin' a difficult time, fallin' asleep on yer horses 'n all. We can' have that."
She busied herself rummaging around in her cedar chest and found several blankets with which she made beds for all of them on the floor in the first room. Cressida left the house, preferring to sleep under the stars.
Ginny was filled with apprehension of the day to come as she snuggled under the blankets for what she knew would be the last warm bed she'd have in a long time. Gladys had made them all rich hot cocoa to fall asleep with (Draco had ungracefully declined) and then tucked them all under the covers in a motherly fashion.
A motherly fashion . . . what was going on at home? Ginny wondered. Would time be passing there, or would it all have frozen? What would happen when they found out that Pemmy, Timmy, Draco, and Ginny were missing? Ginny missed her family. She longed to have Mrs. Weasley be the one tucking her in, and to be able to share this adventure with her brothers. She was feeling very lonely.
It was nothing to how Draco was feeling next to her.
AN:
How was that? I personally like it. It all starts here . . . Just so you know, it'll get darker as it goes. The first few trips are going to be warm-ups for what is to come, and I think that this may get pretty angsty in the end. Please review and give me any suggestions--I'm totally open to anything at this point. Tell me if I should continue! Oh--anyone who figures out what the title means gets 50 points! 50 whole points . . . can you resist? I think not. While you're at it, try to figure out what my name means. It's two words "Manis" and "Setan". Italian I think, but I'll have to check on that. I don't really speak all these languages, I just have this nifty little translator thing that I like to have fun with. It comes in handy. Suide was in Dutch, so that narrows things down for you.
By the way, who is "Fushigi Yugi?" (spelling?) I really hope its not another author here who used this same plot line . . . tell me if it is, will ya? I'll stop right away, or make revisions to make it less similar.
*blows kisses*
Love you guys!
Manissetan
p.s. Anyone want to beta? Anyone? E-mail me.
Thanks to my reviewers!
Nox Angelus (Sorry about the Fushigi Yugi thingy! Pemmy is kind of annoying, isn't she?), Anji (Thanks for the review!), Amethyst1001 (I'll try to keep him in character, I hope I did well here. Tell me what you think!), Seshat (I think its pretty obvious now what the title means, no?), Adela H (Did you get myy e-mail? I want to read your fairy tale story when you write it!), Nobody (Sorry it was out of character! Who specifically did you find out of character? Tell me what I can do to make it better!)
Okay, I think that's it.
Ciao.
Okay, here's the second part! I updated, I updated! Happy Dance! Yay! Here you go, I think its getting better. You get to find out what Suide means, and I think you'll be able to guess what the other four mean. This part is sort of short, but I really wanted it to end where it does. Plus I wanted to update which--guess what? I did! So there you go, I have another part for you. Hope you like it! I actually might . . . finish it *everyone gasps* Yeah, I know, I know, don't look at me like that . . .
Disclaimer:
It's not mine. I honestly think that you are thick enough to think that its mine, so I have to put this in here telling you its not.
Ginny pulled her head up from the grass and was greeted by a very strange sight. She was no longer in the Hogwarts Library, but rather a small meadow surrounded by a forest. Pemmy, Timy, and Draco were all laying face down, but none of them seemed to be stirring, a sign that Ginny took to indicate that they had been knocked out by something.
About ten meters in front of them was a quaint little cottage made of different colored stones encircled by a small garden filled with vegetables, an apple tree, and a variety of colorful flowers. Standing on the threshold was a tiny woman who couldn't have been more than a meter tall. She wore a tan dress that reached the ground, and covering it was a slightly dirty white apron. Her hands were covered in flour Ginny saw, as she reached out and motioned towards herself.
"Yee'd better come inside, then. I've been watin' fer yee fer some time now."
Ginny stared at her, hardly daring to blink. Who was this woman? Where were they? She tried to remember the last moments before she had arrived. She recalled the book, and then a blinding white light, and then they were here. That didn't help her situation very much.
"What air yee waitin' fer?"
Ginny was at a loss. "Who are you?" She managed to choke out.
"Who em I? There'll be plenty enough time fer that later. First, I'd have yee come inside." The woman noticed Ginny glancing nervously at the three people around her. "Come on in, they'll be out cold fer a while. Yee's better some in and have a cuppa tea, or whiskey if yee'd prefer, ter fix that welt yee've a swellin' on that head o' yers. That fall yee took was pre'y nasty."
Ginny's hand flew to her forehead. Just as this lady had said, she could feel a lump the size of a Snitch growing. Ginny was still spprehensive about entering this strange house with this strange woman. She didn't look like any one she had seen before, and it most likely wouldn't be wise to do whatever this tiny old lady said. But the woman wasn't asking her to come in, she was commanding her. Besides, Ginny didn't have any idea where she was. There was no one else around, she might as well go in and find some information.
She raised herself up from the ground and immediatly felt a pounding in her head, no doubt a result of the "fall" the woman had mentioned, although Ginny didn't remember any fall. Her world had just gone blank, and then it had regained color and she had been here. Taking the book, she followed this lady up the cobblestone path and past a white-washed wooden gate.
The house, to Ginny's surprise and relief, was normal sized. She doubted that if it had been made specifically for this woman that Ginny would have been able to fit in.
The house was very small, containing only two rooms which were both visable. The first was a kitchen/dining room/sitting room, and through an open doorway at the back of her sitting area she could see what could only be assumed was a bedroom.
The lady went straight to her kitchen section and began kneading a hunk of dough, her hands working expertly and speaking to Ginny as she worked.
"I've been waitin' fer yee fer some time now, were yee held up by summat along yer journey?"
Ginny, who was beginning to leave her state of stupor, did her best to sound polite while asking, "Excuse me, Miss, but I really do not know where I am or who you are."
She smiled warmly. "I guess yee'll not be distracted. Ah, well, my name'd be Gladys Fleet. And this little area'll be called Wellingham of Straforshire. Yee'd be Virginia, then?"
So she knew her name . . . that ruled out the possibility she had been expecting some one else. "Ginny, if you please. And I still really don't know where I am."
"Wellingham, just south of Greedor. Yee'd be found in the southern country of Charlesdon."
"Umm . . . right." Ginny sad hesitantly. She had never heard of any of these places before. "Do you know how to get to England?"
"England . . ." said Gladys thoughtfully. "I've never heard o' that place. Tell me, child, is it te be found over the sea? Is it a villiage, or a county, or summat larger?"
"Over the sea?" Ginny asked, just as clueless. "Are we in Canada? Or the United States?"
"Canata? Unided Slates? Dear me, child, yee'll be the end of this old brain of mine. I've 'nt a heard o' a one of these strange places yee'll be mentionin'! We're in Charlesdon."
"Err . . . yes." Ginny was beginning to think this woman quite mad. Either she'd lived a very sheltered life (never hearing or England, Canada, or the United States!) or she was in some different world. That though chilled her. Was this woman a witch or a muggle? "Excuse me, if you don't mind my asking, are you a witch, Mrs. Fleet?"
"A witch?" She didn't look outraged like some muggles would when magic was mentioned. "I wouldn't be witch, mind, although there's a friend o' me that can whip up some potions. There'll be a wizard here or there, but goodness me, I'll not be a witch. There'd be only one witch in the whole land and that'd be," she lowered her voice to the point where Ginny was almost reading her lips, "The Queen."
"The Queen?" Ginny said absently, and rather loudly as well."
Gladys' hands flew to her ears. "Speakn't her name, there's a good child. I avoid sayin' it when I'm able, she's got spies surroundin' th' forest."
"I'm sorry!" Said Ginny sincerely. This "queen" she spoke of sounded like You-Know-Who, and she knew how it sent chills up and down her spine whenever anyone said his name.
"That'll be okay, then. Have you heard of Her in Singland, or what's that yee called yer land?"
"England? No, we havent heard of Her there."
"Ahh, yee'll be better off then. Speaking of Her Majesty," she said "her majesty" with a slight sneer, Ginny noticed, "She'll be the reason I called fer yee. I don't suppose I should be the one ter tell yee, it's really Cressida's business. Cressida'll be along soon."
"Who's Cressida?"
"Ah, yee'll see." She said with a twinkle of her eyes.
All this time Gladys had been working the dough, then placing it in a pan and filling it with what looked like cherries, only in some sort of filling, and then setting it in the oven. She wiped her hands on her apron and said kindly to Ginny with a hint of reproachfullness, "I'd a gotten yer tea fer yee sooner, but I'd had to finish this pie I began when yee's late."
Ginny felt herself blush. "I'm sorry, m'am, but I didn't know I was expected, or I assure you I'd of hurried."
"Ah, that'd be okay, dear. I s'pose 'twasn't yer fault. I'd of called fer yee sooner but Cressida and I on'y discussed it yesterday mornin'. I should be showin' yee gratitude fer comin' out here ter help us, that's what."
Ginny wanted to ask her what she was supposed to help with, but didn't want to sound rude. She racked her brain, scanning through all the questions she longed to ask for a good one that would be polite and informative. But before she could ask anything, there was a knocking on the door.
"Ah!" Gladys smiled, setting down the tea kettle from which she had been pouring and handing Ginny a cup filled with the steamy liquid. "That'll be Cressida, mark me."
She pulled open the oak door and a tall woman entered. She was dressed in forest green attire, breeches that reached just below her knees and a shirt with loose fitting sleeves covered by a men's doublet. Her auburn hair was pulled into a knot at the back of her head, and following her looking rather confused were Pemmy, Timmy, and Draco.
"Ah, hello then Cressida!" Gladys exclaimed. "I see yee've brought our other guests."
Cressida smiled. "I'd have though you more hospitable, Gladys, than to leave such three knocked out on your front lawn."
"Oh, nonsense! They were out cold, they'd of been dead weight on Virginia 'n myself."
Cressida looked to Ginny for the first time and smiled. "You must be Virginia. Very nice to meet you, my name is Cressida." She extended her hand which Ginny took and shook lightly.
Draco, Timmy, and Pemmy had been staring at this, but like Ginny had after several minutes, they were beginning to fall back into their original state.
Draco was looking from Gladys to Cressida back and forth, and finally decided to say, "Who are you, and where the hell are we?"
Gladys chuckled. "Yes, I knew that's what yee'd be like when I chose yee. Could come in handy. Forgive me fer not introducin' meeself, I'd be Gladys Fleet. As I told Virginia, we'd be found in Chalesdon."
He looked annoyedly puzzled. "Charlesdon? And where can we find London?"
Ginny shot him a dirty look. There was someething very disrespectful about his tone of voice, and she found it out of line. "There is no London." She snapped. "We're not in that world anymore. Heaven only knows where we actually are, but its not our world."
"Really, Weasley, when did you come an expert on what's going on?" He took a step towards her angrily, but Cressida held her hand out in front of him.
"There will be no fighting. Draco," he showed a look of shock momentarily at her knowing his name, "Calm down before we can get things worked out." He voice was kind, but there was something in it that dared him to contradict her. She may not of looked it, but this woman was a definate authority figure.
"So what IS going on?" Pemmy asked, making her presence known from behind Cressida.
"Well, you'd better sit down. It's a long story, or sorts."
Ginny was already seated, but the others, filed in from the doorway, Gladys took a seat at the table, but as there were only places for two, the other children sat on the couch in her sitting room and Cressida took up the rocking chair after moving the knitting needles that had previously occupied it.
"It starts, let's see, almost three hundred years ago, when Gladys was but a mere child. There was a witch, forgive me Gladys for speaking the name, called Darmmhia." She said this name with a strange accent, with a rough sound placed on the vowels and dragging out the 'hi'. Gladys was shaking her head. "She and her army of nasty creatures--I won't go into the individuals--" Gladys nodded vigorously, looking very relieved. "--took over Noecah." Noecah she also said with an accent, but it was a light, sweet accent. It sounded like no-EH-(pause)-cah. It was very beautiful. "Well, Noecah as the fairies call it--" She was interrupted by an excited squeal from Pemmy.
"Fairies? There are fairies here? Like, the fairies from the story books? Will I get to meet one?"
Cressida chuckled. "You already have. In fact, you're looking at one right now."
There was another excited squeak, followed by a dull thud as she fell off of the couch. "You're a fairy?" Pemmy sputtered, standing up and replacing herself on the couch. "But you're--big."
"So are you!" Cressida said, sounding lightly offended.
"No, no. I didn't mean it like that! You're . . . tall."
"Oh . . ." she was puzzled. "I--I don't know what fairies you must have met before, but I have never met a full-grown one who was shorter than me. So you must be going off of some stereotype. Please, though, I'd like to get through more of the story before I am interrupted again."
Pemmy rolled her eyes. Ginny could tell that the two were not starting off on a good foot.
"Anyway," Cressida continued, "She renamed the land Darmmhen and took it under her iron fist. She's been in power ever since."
"What happened to the old ruler?" Timmy asked, speaking for the first time. "Where did he go?"
Cressida lowered her eyes. "She killed him." She said quietly. Ginny could tell that she had had a great respect for that man, and wanted to reproach Timmy for asking such an obvious question. "Once every ten years she'll send her armies into a town and take every single citizen to her palace as a slave." Gladys let out a wail, but didn't say anything. "No one knows what she does with them, but after every ten years she needs a new palaceful."
"That's terrible!" Ginny exclaimed. "Is there anything we can do?"
Cressida smiled a week smile. "That's why you're here. Gladys and I summoned you with a bit of my own magic. You see, there is an ancient prophecy. I don't know it by heart, but the general idea behnd it is this: at the four corners of Noecah, lies a gem at each. When united by true humans of true power on the throne of the true King, they will form a magic powerful enough to 'turn over the sea, and reverse the course of time,' or something like that. I expect you'll read it for yourself in time. Well, I assume you four are of great power? We didn't go into specifics in summoning you, we just sensed strong magic. So that's why you're here. We want you to find the Gems of Power and bring them to William's throne."
All four of the children simply stared at her as if she had gone insane, or if she had ever been insane. It was mad to think that four children barely over the ago of fifteen (sixteen, in Draco's case) would be able to save the world.
Ginny was the first to speak. "I--I think that you've made an error, no disresspect meant. I think that you should send us back and find some other people."
Gladys grinned. "Well, I'd take yer advice but for this tiny bit: We haven't enough magic left in us ter take some new one's here. Yee'll have ter do."
"What do we have to do?" Ginny whispered.
"Wait a minute!" Draco yelled. "You may be ready to agree, but don't speak for the rest of us! I have no intention of going on this little "quest" of yours. I demand that you send me home at once!"
Ginny jumped up. "Shut UP, Malfoy! Didn't you hear a word of what she said? We can't go back!"
Draco looked around wildly. "I'm getting the hell out of here." He ran to the door, threw it open, and was out walking quickly into the woods.
Ginny followed, and the others rushed to the door but stood by the house.
Draco was walking very fast, but Ginny was running. After a moment she caught up with him and grabbed his arm forcefully, halting his stride at the edge of the woods. "What are you doing?" She yelled. "We're NOT in our world any more! We HAVE to do this or we CAN'T get back! You're not going to get to Hogwarts by walking!"
He pulled his arm away from her. "You actually believed what those nuts said in there? They're probably just some crazy ladies who get their kicks out of turing library books in to Portkeys and scaring the hell out of kids. I'm NOT falling for it, even though you may be stupid enough to."
"Shh!" Ginny hissed, looking apprehensively at the woman and fairy standing not far away. "They might hear you!"
"Like I care!" But Draco did lower his voice some.
"So what if they are crazy? What alternative do we have right now besides to play along?" Ginny fully trusted Gladys and Cressida, but had to find some way to get Draco back on their side.
Draco thought for a moment, changed his mind, and then said defiantly, "Only because its been forever since I've had a meal."
Ginny smiled. She had an urge to hug him like she would have done to any other friend, but Draco wasn't a friend so she refrained. He turned around sulkily and walked back to the building.
No one said anything to him, a fact Ginny was grateful for, knowing that he would explode again. Instead, they all casually walked back in to Gladys' cottage and resumed their seats.
"Anyway," Cressida said as if nothing had just happened, "It's best if we leave as soon as possible--tomorrow morning if at all feasible. I'll go with you for some time, but I'm afraid I can't accompany you on the whole journey. You see, fairies are limited to the area from their home which they can travel. But I'll find another guide for you when its necessary."
"That'll be enough of that fer now," Gladys interrupted cheerfully. "I've got some dinner roastin' in the oven and I 'spect it'll be done by now." She rose from her chair and headed over to the oven where she had put the pie. Ginny hadn't noticed it before, but there had been a plump turkey roasting in it when she had added the pie. Gladys pulled the two food items out with a floral print oven mit and set them on the wooden tables.
"Well, I don't think that we'll be able to eat all in 'ere at once, I take no objections to eatin' outside?"
They were all for it, except for Draco who was moodily sitting in a corner and didn't answer. Gladys pulled a large quilt out from a cedar chest and hauled it out to the meadow around her house. Cressida followed carrying the turkey, and Ginny volunteered to take the pie. Pemmy and Timmy all brought out sivlerware and cups, and Draco brought up the rear. He was making a firm point of being totally segregated from the rest of the group.
They had a thoroughly enjoyable dinner; they chatted lightly, not making any mention of the perilous journey that would be beginning the next morning. Cressida and Ginny went to the well behind Gladys' garden and Cressida taught Ginny how to work a well, and they had fresh-picked vegetables as a side dish. All in all, spirits were running high.
After they had all had their fill of cherry pie and were feeling as if they might burst, Gladys told them that they needed to go inside and pack their things. Ginny wanted to ask what "things" there were, but Gladys seemed to know exactly what she was doing so Ginny didn't protest.
She pulled a large trunk out of the tiny bedroom into the sitting room where they were all gathered and opened it with a tiny brass key. To Ginny's surprise, it was filled to the top with the same type of clothes that Cressida was wearing, only the same tan color as Gladys' dress instead of the rich green color of Cressida's outfit.
"These here used to belong to me sons," she informed them, "All four o' them. But they've all been grown up and moved away, so I see no harm in lettin' yee wear them fer a bit. There should be plenty fer each o' ya. I 'spect Mr. Malfoy'll fit in ter William's ol' breeches, and you two girls will be fine in Jem and John's old things, and Timmy will 'ave to make do with all o' Rim's old clothes."
She produced four small knapsacks that didn't hold room for more than two outfits, and several packs to go over the back of a horse. Cressida busied herself by filling these up with bread and other food necessities, while Gladys picked out breeches, shirts, and doublets for each of them.
Pemmy complained about looking like a boy, but Mrs. Fleet grimly pointed out that she would have an easier time of things if she looked male, at least from a distance. They each recieved three pairs of breeches, two doublets and a beaultifully embroidered vest, loose sleeved shirts, a pair of shoes, and some thick cotton socks. Gladys also produced four long travelling cloaks, but claimed that they wouldn't need them very often. Apparently in whatever country they were in, it was the height of summer.
No one really talked of what their quest was exactly until long after the sun had set and they were sitting by a merrily crackling fire. Cressida had been carrying a small leather sack which she opened for them then.
She pulled an old, very tattered piece of parchment out and spread it out on the coffee table. It was covered in symbols and lines of all different colors. Ginny saw mountain ranges, rivers, roadways, forests, and cities. In each of the four corners was a large colored 'X'.
"This," she said, "is a map of Noecah." She traced her slender ivory fingers over a black line leading up to the bottom corner, in the direction of the south, drawing an invisible line to the blue 'X'.
"Suide." Cressida whispered, almost whistfully.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Suide." Cressida said louder. "That's the name of the gem located," she tapped her finger on the blue mark, "here. It means "south". That's where we're going first. Or you're going, I should say. I can't go past," she pointed at a mark about half way between the mark labelled "Gladys'" and the gem.
"You mean you're going to make us go all that way by ourselves?" Timmy asked in disbelief.
"Did I say that?" Cressida smiled. "I have a friend whose forest is in the south. We'll meet her in a couple of days and she can go with you four the rest of the way."
"How long is this whole thing going to take?" Pemmy asked.
"I'm not quite sure. It all depends on what kind of trouble you run in to." She looked around to several nervous looking faces. "Oh, don't worry! There shouldn't be that much trouble in the south. That's why I'm sendin you there first, its the farthest from The Queen's. Her castle is up here," she pointed at the northernmost X.
"Oh, that can't be right," Ginny said pointedly, "That's the top gem, not a castle."
Cressida looked grimly at her. "That's both the gem . . . and her castle. Everyone's heard of the prophecy, she--she built her castle around them gem, and she knows that you must have all four for it to work. You see, she can't remove it. But she can guard it."
"Wait a minute!" Draco interrupted. "Are you trying to say that we have to go IN this erratic nut's HOUSE? That's insane!"
"We'll cross that bridge when the time comes! For now I want you to just worry about getting Suide."
"What a load of crap!" Draco yelled. "We're gonna go through all this shit to get all these gems and then we're going to get to this last one and die?"
Cressida was looking at him coldly. "Not necessarily. Its a chance you have to take."
"Whatever." Said Draco returning to sulking in the corner.
"Well, yee'd better go ter bed now," Gladys interrupted the charged atmosphere, "Yee've got an early mornin' tomorrow, and yee'll need all o' yer sleep. Yee'll be havin' a difficult time, fallin' asleep on yer horses 'n all. We can' have that."
She busied herself rummaging around in her cedar chest and found several blankets with which she made beds for all of them on the floor in the first room. Cressida left the house, preferring to sleep under the stars.
Ginny was filled with apprehension of the day to come as she snuggled under the blankets for what she knew would be the last warm bed she'd have in a long time. Gladys had made them all rich hot cocoa to fall asleep with (Draco had ungracefully declined) and then tucked them all under the covers in a motherly fashion.
A motherly fashion . . . what was going on at home? Ginny wondered. Would time be passing there, or would it all have frozen? What would happen when they found out that Pemmy, Timmy, Draco, and Ginny were missing? Ginny missed her family. She longed to have Mrs. Weasley be the one tucking her in, and to be able to share this adventure with her brothers. She was feeling very lonely.
It was nothing to how Draco was feeling next to her.
AN:
How was that? I personally like it. It all starts here . . . Just so you know, it'll get darker as it goes. The first few trips are going to be warm-ups for what is to come, and I think that this may get pretty angsty in the end. Please review and give me any suggestions--I'm totally open to anything at this point. Tell me if I should continue! Oh--anyone who figures out what the title means gets 50 points! 50 whole points . . . can you resist? I think not. While you're at it, try to figure out what my name means. It's two words "Manis" and "Setan". Italian I think, but I'll have to check on that. I don't really speak all these languages, I just have this nifty little translator thing that I like to have fun with. It comes in handy. Suide was in Dutch, so that narrows things down for you.
By the way, who is "Fushigi Yugi?" (spelling?) I really hope its not another author here who used this same plot line . . . tell me if it is, will ya? I'll stop right away, or make revisions to make it less similar.
*blows kisses*
Love you guys!
Manissetan
p.s. Anyone want to beta? Anyone? E-mail me.
Thanks to my reviewers!
Nox Angelus (Sorry about the Fushigi Yugi thingy! Pemmy is kind of annoying, isn't she?), Anji (Thanks for the review!), Amethyst1001 (I'll try to keep him in character, I hope I did well here. Tell me what you think!), Seshat (I think its pretty obvious now what the title means, no?), Adela H (Did you get myy e-mail? I want to read your fairy tale story when you write it!), Nobody (Sorry it was out of character! Who specifically did you find out of character? Tell me what I can do to make it better!)
Okay, I think that's it.
Ciao.