Disclaimer: All hail Gail Carson Levine. Oh wait, and hail to me too! Wow! Because so far, a lot of this boloney has been mine!
A/N: Another short chapter. Sorry!
Chapter Four: Well What Have We Here?
Tatania thought about all the mistakes she had made since she had left her ruined manor. She felt a pang of regret about having stayed with the old gnome for so long. It really had been a long time. She had endangered his well being. She started to think, 'A whole year, God, what could I have been thinking? And for what? You're sixteen years old now Nia! Sixteen already! What kind of place will you have in this world…and what about the world of the Faerie?' Tatania stopped in her tracks, setting straight all the facts she had gathered over the past year. Though she was one to spring into action from sudden impulse, Tatania could at times be reasonable. She sighed aloud, and tried to find a comfortable spot among the leaves and moss on the ground.
She muddled over her possible choices for some time before realizing the sun was setting and that she should get some rest. She was getting tired of worrying. 'What's done is done'' She thought to herself. But she couldn't help growing tired of everything. Tired of walking, tired of thinking, tired of leaving…just tired of the world.
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Tatania peered out of one eye as she watched two young men ponder over their findings…their findings being her. They had come upon her in her sleep, and their jovial bantering had awoken her. She had stayed still, hoping the men would still think she was asleep.
"Who do you think she is?" The blonde one asked his dark haired companion.
"How do you expect me to know? It's not as if she has her name written all over her! Lo Eric, use your brain." The darker haired man retorted,
"Well, at least I have one." The blonde replied with a snicker.
"Well now, what a surprise, so do I!" Tatania suddenly burst out. She had caught the two men by surprise, as she had intended. She smiled at them cordially, assuming a more friendly position. She was now fully awake, not expecting to have learned much if she had faked sleep much longer. She didn't want trouble where it wasn't needed, especially now, but sometimes it was just so much fun to cause.
After recovering form their shock, the two men bowed politely. They both held out a hand to help her off the ground. Tatania just stood up and brushed herself off, unaided. She then took note of the men's fine clothes and weapons with a professional eye. She also couldn't help but notice their more attractive attributes.
The fair-haired young man, Eric, from what she had heard, was as tall as her, taller even, well built, and had gorgeous blue eyes. He smiled at her with an air of wonder.
His friend, the darker haired one, had the same height and build, but was accompanied with the most remarkable pair of green eyes Tatania had ever seen. They were just so dark, and they had this unusual quality of almost mystery that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She mentally shook her head and removed her gaze from his eyes.
Tatania recognized her own expression copied on his face; a look of amusement raised in a single eyebrow.
"What are you doing here, in the forest, I mean. Excuse us for wondering, we don't usually come across helpless young maidens amongst the brush." He explained. He watched as she rose yet another eyebrow and he realized she was expecting him to correct himself. "Oh, well, maybe not so helpless."
Now it was Eric's turn to raise his eyebrows in bemusement. Chuckling to himself, he turned to his partner,
"Well you don't suppose the others will be to surprised to see that instead of coming back to camp with wood, we've brought along a lady."
The dark haired man laughed,
"No, I don't suppose they'll be too surprised."
A/N: Ahh!! Too short!! Not what I wanted, but am getting a major headache. Ah well. C'est La Vie! R/R!!!!!!!!!! Ill put a thanks in the next chap. If I remember!