The sun's first light brought new warmth to the world, but in the castle of Lord Morgettson, in the darkest cell, the sun brought little comfort or warmth. No light shown from the outside world for there was no window. The walls of the cell dripped moister, and the occasional scurry of little feet reminded the prisoner of the rats.
Kathryn rose and paced the cell with the iron clasps about her ankles and wrists; they seemed to grow heavier with time. Fifteen paces, whichever way she went-from door to wall, or from wall to wall, it was always fifteen paces. She had passed it many times as the slow days turned into weeks. She stood in the shaft of weak sunlight, trying not to think of the world of blue skies and flowers outside.
"Get the little devil in there quick. It'll be less trouble to feed two at once. Ouch, my shin!" Lost in thought, Kathryn had failed to hear the approach of guards bringing a prisoner to her cell door.
"Aargh, leggo my ear, you fiend. Hurry up with that door before he bites my lug clean off."
"Ouch. Ow! He nipped me! Keep him still while I find my key."
There was more shouting and scuffling as the key turned in the lock. Kathryn ran to the door but was immediately bowled over by another figure, which shot through the doorway straight in on top of her. Together they fell backward, as the cell door slammed shut again. The two prisoners lay still until the heavy footsteps of the guards retreated down the corridor.
Kathryn moved gingerly, easing aside the body that had fallen on top of her. It giggled. She pulled her cellmate into the shaft of sunlight where she could view him more clearly. Kathryn gasped in surprise. He was a short tubby man with laughing eyes and broad smile. His cloths were leaf-like and his beard was the color of bark.
The little man winked broadly at her, played at short jig on his reed flute he produced from his cloak, then began singing,
I knew a girl in prison here,
More than a hundred years.
Her hair grew along the ground,
And right back to her ears.
Her eyes grew dim, her teeth fell out,
Her hair turned silver-gray.
"If my granddad were here," she said,
"I wonder what he'd say?"
Kathryn leaned against the wall. She could not help smiling at her odd little cellmate.
"Silly, how could the grandfather of a hundred-year-old girl say anything? Sorry, my name's Kathryn Haskin. What's yours?"
The little man extended his right hand. "Miss Kathryn! A pleasure to meet you! My name is Robin, a Gnome by chance. At your service milady!"
Kathryn shook Robin's hand warmly. "Robin the Gnome! You could be the King of the Sky, as long as I've got a cellmate to speak to. What did they throw you in here for?"
They sat down together on the straw, which had been tossed in one corner of the cell.
"Well lass, I wasn't intending on being caught. I heard about two Earth girls who had been taken a few nights before and was a bit too curious I suppose."
"Is there no way out of here? I must find Dawn!"
Robin sat back eyeing her oddly and chewed on a piece of straw.
"What I don't understand is your speech."
"What?"
"Don't be daft. You speak unlike your kind. I do not understand this. You speak as those of five generations ago. There is something about you…something that is different…"
Kathryn gnawed on her lip feeling uncomfortable under his stare.
"You don't believe me?"
"No, in truth I can't see that I am so different aside from my accent."
Robin chuckled and his eyes glittered with laughter. "Look at me, lass! Look how easily you, from a world of reality, have accepted my being a Gnome. Gnomes aren't supposed to exist are they?"
"No…but I've always loved fairy tales. And longed to see…I mean I always believed that there was a slight chance they may be real."
Robin shrugged, "Well enough riddles." He stretched and yawned, "So, I suppose the next thing to do is escape."
"Escape?!"
Robin covered her mouth quickly. "Hush lass! Yes, we can't stay here and you're friend may be in danger." He removed his hand and leaned back against the wall. "What did that old cat want with you anyway."
Kathryn shrugged, "I don't really know. The Captain came and demanded I hand over a crystal…but I don't have one."
"Oh then that must be a plastic trinket you wear about your neck."
Kathryn's hand flew to her neck where she found a silver chain upon which hung a small crystal. She had forgotten she had worn it when Dawn had spent the night and she had never taken it off.
"This? My grandmother gave it to me before she died. True enough it is a crystal but why would this mean any more to this Lord than a simple heirloom?"
Robin slid his hand down his beard, "Why indeed. Perhaps there is still more than has been revealed."
Kathryn opened her mouth than shook her head, "Well, whatever the case may be how do we escape?"
"Well lass, the first thing we do is get some sleep." With that he stretched out on the straw and was instantly fast asleep.