Authoress's Note: Wow...sorry it's been so long, guys...I've had the spring musical (our last performance is tonight), a world history timeline (still), an english research paper, and an essay (the only thing i'm done with!)...yeah...so that's taken up the past...hmm..oh my gosh...a whole freakin month!!!! MANY apologies!!!!!!!
So...many thanks for your patience, and EXTRA LARGE, BIGGIE, SUPERSIZE kudos bars to: *ah-ahem* MountainDew (yes, i am always on a sugar, caffeine, or natural high when i right my author's notes...how kind of ya to notice!), rr (merci beaucoup...short and sweet), Hanalee (so sorry for the suspense....but that IS what i'm goin for...SO..), and chava (you're awesome! thank you SO MUCH for your lil notes...i've already written this story in its entirety, but i think that some of your suggestions were already coming...tell me how ya like it..yeah...i can't stand the sugary-sweet and perfect in every way heroine either...that's why i rewrite fairy tales!!! lol!)
Well, many thanks!!! I'll try to update sooner from now on!!!! Ta-ta for now! (but don't forget to review!)
Love and peace (or is it peace and love?) to all! MWAH!
~Jenny the chica~
Chapter Thirteen: In Which Celia's Life Becomes Far More Complicated...
Always one to reply intelligently, Celia very sensibly allowed her mouth to drop. Not only that, she clumsily half-fell, half-slid from the horse.
The girl, stronger than she appeared, helped Celia remain on her feet, and guided her to a nearby rock.
"Sit here. I'll be right back." With that, the girl skipped back, singing to herself, to the horse, tapped it behind its right ear, and watched, waving all the time, it gallop back to the old lady.
Still skipping, the girl returned to Celia's rock and helped her up, into the cave. Celia felt like such a baby, but she also felt so helpless and strange. Something was very different, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Sighing at her own mangled thoughts, Celia felt herself lowered into a chair of some sorts, but it was soft and much more comfortable than the bony horse that she had slept on during the ride.
Celia closed her eyes and welcomed the first real sleep since everything had suddenly gone wrong.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
When Celia woke again, she had no idea where she was or what had happened. She jerked up in bed, but by then she got her bearings and relaxed, in a mixture of relief and despair.
The girl was sitting by the fire, watching Celia. She smiled when she saw that her guest had woken, but made no other movement.
Celia took advantage of this pause to study the inside of the cave. It was only one room, but it was very quaint, simple, and refreshingly homely. There was the small bed Celia was sitting on, then a fire was in the fireplace a few feet from the foot of the bed, where one chair was placed. There was a basket on the floor next to the chair, full of the girl's mending. A nightstand with her clothes was at the right of the bed, and to the left of it, a simple cabinet of food was, situated next to the cave entrance.
The girl finally moved from her seat by the fire and sat next to Celia on the middle edge of the bed.
"Feeling better?"
"A little. Thank you so much."
"It's nothing. I'm sorry for laughing at you. My sisters always said that I was terrible bad at doing that."
"Sisters? There are more of you?"
The girl sheepishly grinned and nodded.
"And what is your name?"
"Ariedè."
"It's a beautiful name. I'm Celia."
Ariedè smiled and murmured, "A beautiful name for a beautiful lady."
Celia smiled at her childish bluntness, which was becoming quite endearing.
Ariedè interrupted the silence once more. "Here," she said, handing Celia the horse's saddlebags, which Celia had not noticed before. "My sister left you something."
Celia reached out for the bag, then laid it on the bed to open it. A bundle of cloth, furry and thick, came out, and Celia set to unwrap this. She picked up the edge and pulled it up, and as it unwound, out rolled a golden apple.
The strangeness of the gift created a gasp in Celia's throat, which escaped as she studied it in the firelight. It was the size and shape exactly of a real apple, but it was solid gold, though it was rather light.
"My sister always comes up with the strangest gifts. Oh, well. I'm sure she knew that you will have a special use for it," Celia heard Ariedè remark from beside her.
Celia looked up and smiled. She added, "Well, all it does right now is to remind me of my hunger."
Ariedè's smile turned to a stifled gasp, as she was blessed with the good sense to cover her mouth.
Instantly, in spite of Celia's vain protests, she sped around the food cabinet, madly fixing something to eat.
When she had finally slowed, Celia had long since given up dissuading the headstrong girl. Instead, she moved to the corner of the simple bed, leaning on the bedpost, near the fire.
Ariedè took the seat in front of her, already set up before the heat, and she took up her mending basket in her lap and began her chores.
Celia was content to watch her, and they both sat like this for who knows how many moments. Eventually, the food was finished, something that Celia had never seen before, but it was good, whatever it was.
The pair sat at a small table that Celia had not noticed before. Celia waited a few minutes before stating her original purpose.
"Ariedè, do you know of a castle that lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and of a prince who was taken there?"
Ariedè pursed her lips in thought, and stayed like that for a few moments. She finally said, "Yes, I have heard of it. But all that I know is that it lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and that the road is long and hard, and few find it. And those who do will not find a welcome within."
"That is exactly what your sister told me! Please, please I need to find the way! That is why I came here, since your sister thought that you might know the way, but if you don't..."
Celia trailed off in tears, at the utter hopelessness she was facing. How could she find him now?
"There, there, don't cry," Ariedè leaned Celia's head against her shoulder and held it. "I don't know the way, but perhaps my other sister knows. She's the best at finding things, you know. But what I want to know is why it's so important to you. It's something about that prince, isn't it?"
Celia nodded. "Yes, it is. He's my husband and I have to find him before he marries that troll princess-something-or-other!"
"I see. Well, that's a relief."
"What?!? A relief? My husband is about to be forced to marry someone else and you say 'that's a relief '? What kind of-"
"Oh, no, no, no! I said that for a totally different reason!"
"Why did you say it then?"
"Well..." Ariedè stumbled, "You don't...wear a ring! That's it!"
Celia looked down at her bare hand and smiled. "No...I suppose I don't."
An uncomfortable pause followed, which was once again broken by Ariedè. "Well, how has the journey been so far?"
"As well as could be suspected, I suppose."
"I see. Are you sure you should be traveling this quickly? I mean, you really shouldn't rush when in-"
"I'll be fine! I would love to stay, really I would, but I have to find him before it's too late! You're so sweet to want me to stay, but no thank you! I've loved my stay here, though! Thank you so very much!"
"Celia, um...I hate to see you go and all, but are you sure it's best to run around like this and all, I mean, in your condition. Are you sure it's wise?"
"What do you mean 'in my condition?' I'm perfectly fine, thank you!"
Ariedè gasped. "You don't know, Celia?"
"Know what?"
"Well, that you're...um...expecting."
"Expecting what?"
"A baby, silly! Didn't you know?"
A/N: *GASP* whatever shall we do now!!!! WELL...
YOU should review,
and if you do,
Perhaps i may
Make your day
And update!
Tootles til next time!
~Jenny the chica~
So...many thanks for your patience, and EXTRA LARGE, BIGGIE, SUPERSIZE kudos bars to: *ah-ahem* MountainDew (yes, i am always on a sugar, caffeine, or natural high when i right my author's notes...how kind of ya to notice!), rr (merci beaucoup...short and sweet), Hanalee (so sorry for the suspense....but that IS what i'm goin for...SO..), and chava (you're awesome! thank you SO MUCH for your lil notes...i've already written this story in its entirety, but i think that some of your suggestions were already coming...tell me how ya like it..yeah...i can't stand the sugary-sweet and perfect in every way heroine either...that's why i rewrite fairy tales!!! lol!)
Well, many thanks!!! I'll try to update sooner from now on!!!! Ta-ta for now! (but don't forget to review!)
Love and peace (or is it peace and love?) to all! MWAH!
~Jenny the chica~
Chapter Thirteen: In Which Celia's Life Becomes Far More Complicated...
Always one to reply intelligently, Celia very sensibly allowed her mouth to drop. Not only that, she clumsily half-fell, half-slid from the horse.
The girl, stronger than she appeared, helped Celia remain on her feet, and guided her to a nearby rock.
"Sit here. I'll be right back." With that, the girl skipped back, singing to herself, to the horse, tapped it behind its right ear, and watched, waving all the time, it gallop back to the old lady.
Still skipping, the girl returned to Celia's rock and helped her up, into the cave. Celia felt like such a baby, but she also felt so helpless and strange. Something was very different, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Sighing at her own mangled thoughts, Celia felt herself lowered into a chair of some sorts, but it was soft and much more comfortable than the bony horse that she had slept on during the ride.
Celia closed her eyes and welcomed the first real sleep since everything had suddenly gone wrong.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
When Celia woke again, she had no idea where she was or what had happened. She jerked up in bed, but by then she got her bearings and relaxed, in a mixture of relief and despair.
The girl was sitting by the fire, watching Celia. She smiled when she saw that her guest had woken, but made no other movement.
Celia took advantage of this pause to study the inside of the cave. It was only one room, but it was very quaint, simple, and refreshingly homely. There was the small bed Celia was sitting on, then a fire was in the fireplace a few feet from the foot of the bed, where one chair was placed. There was a basket on the floor next to the chair, full of the girl's mending. A nightstand with her clothes was at the right of the bed, and to the left of it, a simple cabinet of food was, situated next to the cave entrance.
The girl finally moved from her seat by the fire and sat next to Celia on the middle edge of the bed.
"Feeling better?"
"A little. Thank you so much."
"It's nothing. I'm sorry for laughing at you. My sisters always said that I was terrible bad at doing that."
"Sisters? There are more of you?"
The girl sheepishly grinned and nodded.
"And what is your name?"
"Ariedè."
"It's a beautiful name. I'm Celia."
Ariedè smiled and murmured, "A beautiful name for a beautiful lady."
Celia smiled at her childish bluntness, which was becoming quite endearing.
Ariedè interrupted the silence once more. "Here," she said, handing Celia the horse's saddlebags, which Celia had not noticed before. "My sister left you something."
Celia reached out for the bag, then laid it on the bed to open it. A bundle of cloth, furry and thick, came out, and Celia set to unwrap this. She picked up the edge and pulled it up, and as it unwound, out rolled a golden apple.
The strangeness of the gift created a gasp in Celia's throat, which escaped as she studied it in the firelight. It was the size and shape exactly of a real apple, but it was solid gold, though it was rather light.
"My sister always comes up with the strangest gifts. Oh, well. I'm sure she knew that you will have a special use for it," Celia heard Ariedè remark from beside her.
Celia looked up and smiled. She added, "Well, all it does right now is to remind me of my hunger."
Ariedè's smile turned to a stifled gasp, as she was blessed with the good sense to cover her mouth.
Instantly, in spite of Celia's vain protests, she sped around the food cabinet, madly fixing something to eat.
When she had finally slowed, Celia had long since given up dissuading the headstrong girl. Instead, she moved to the corner of the simple bed, leaning on the bedpost, near the fire.
Ariedè took the seat in front of her, already set up before the heat, and she took up her mending basket in her lap and began her chores.
Celia was content to watch her, and they both sat like this for who knows how many moments. Eventually, the food was finished, something that Celia had never seen before, but it was good, whatever it was.
The pair sat at a small table that Celia had not noticed before. Celia waited a few minutes before stating her original purpose.
"Ariedè, do you know of a castle that lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and of a prince who was taken there?"
Ariedè pursed her lips in thought, and stayed like that for a few moments. She finally said, "Yes, I have heard of it. But all that I know is that it lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and that the road is long and hard, and few find it. And those who do will not find a welcome within."
"That is exactly what your sister told me! Please, please I need to find the way! That is why I came here, since your sister thought that you might know the way, but if you don't..."
Celia trailed off in tears, at the utter hopelessness she was facing. How could she find him now?
"There, there, don't cry," Ariedè leaned Celia's head against her shoulder and held it. "I don't know the way, but perhaps my other sister knows. She's the best at finding things, you know. But what I want to know is why it's so important to you. It's something about that prince, isn't it?"
Celia nodded. "Yes, it is. He's my husband and I have to find him before he marries that troll princess-something-or-other!"
"I see. Well, that's a relief."
"What?!? A relief? My husband is about to be forced to marry someone else and you say 'that's a relief '? What kind of-"
"Oh, no, no, no! I said that for a totally different reason!"
"Why did you say it then?"
"Well..." Ariedè stumbled, "You don't...wear a ring! That's it!"
Celia looked down at her bare hand and smiled. "No...I suppose I don't."
An uncomfortable pause followed, which was once again broken by Ariedè. "Well, how has the journey been so far?"
"As well as could be suspected, I suppose."
"I see. Are you sure you should be traveling this quickly? I mean, you really shouldn't rush when in-"
"I'll be fine! I would love to stay, really I would, but I have to find him before it's too late! You're so sweet to want me to stay, but no thank you! I've loved my stay here, though! Thank you so very much!"
"Celia, um...I hate to see you go and all, but are you sure it's best to run around like this and all, I mean, in your condition. Are you sure it's wise?"
"What do you mean 'in my condition?' I'm perfectly fine, thank you!"
Ariedè gasped. "You don't know, Celia?"
"Know what?"
"Well, that you're...um...expecting."
"Expecting what?"
"A baby, silly! Didn't you know?"
A/N: *GASP* whatever shall we do now!!!! WELL...
YOU should review,
and if you do,
Perhaps i may
Make your day
And update!
Tootles til next time!
~Jenny the chica~