On the border of the Shadowlands, an old man appeared in the forests
around Dread Mountain late at night. He was much out of breath, his clothes
were ripped to shreds, and he looked as though he would collapse at any
moment. The man looked ancient, as though he had been alive since the
beginning of time. His beard came down to his waist, where it was tucked
into his belt. His hair was even longer. He leaned against a tree,
clutching a small parcel to his chest. And after several minutes, he did
collapse. Still clutching the parcel, he fell to the ground, where he would
never awaken.
A small group of Dread gnomes had been watching the man, and now approached cautiously, for anyone who came from the Shadowlands was considered an enemy. But when they saw a scrawled and faint note written on the outer cover of the parcel, they changed their minds entirely.
For upon this parcel, the writing addressed it to the king of Del, and the addresser was someone they all knew.
The next morning, Lief was down in the kitchens, hoping to get a morsel before breakfast, which seemed so far away, even though it must only be half an hour till. He was just searching the cupboards when a voice behind him made him jump.
"Lief! You get your hands out of that cupboard and wait like everyone else!" He turned around slowly, knowing already who he would see.
"You may be king, but I'm still your mother."
"I'll never forget that, especially with you behind my back everywhere I go!" he said jokingly.
"You better not. Now come on, get yourself out of here, and wait for breakfast."
Lief left the kitchens, satisfied that he at least had a muffin in his pocket. When he reached down to grab it, though, his pocket was empty. He saw a familiar bird fly ahead of him, and smiled. Around the corner of the hallway, Kree perched on Jasmine's shoulder, with a muffin in its beak. Jasmine took the muffin and took a large bite.
"You know, these muffins are absolutely delicious," she said.
"Very funny, Jasmine," Lief retorted.
Then behind him, a voice said, "Now, now, kids, don't fight."
Lief turned to see Barda behind him.
"Well," he said, "breakfast is only about ten minutes away, now, and I fancy having some. You two can finish arguing about the muffin, though, if you like."
Lief and Jasmine quickly followed him downstairs.
A small group of Dread gnomes had been watching the man, and now approached cautiously, for anyone who came from the Shadowlands was considered an enemy. But when they saw a scrawled and faint note written on the outer cover of the parcel, they changed their minds entirely.
For upon this parcel, the writing addressed it to the king of Del, and the addresser was someone they all knew.
The next morning, Lief was down in the kitchens, hoping to get a morsel before breakfast, which seemed so far away, even though it must only be half an hour till. He was just searching the cupboards when a voice behind him made him jump.
"Lief! You get your hands out of that cupboard and wait like everyone else!" He turned around slowly, knowing already who he would see.
"You may be king, but I'm still your mother."
"I'll never forget that, especially with you behind my back everywhere I go!" he said jokingly.
"You better not. Now come on, get yourself out of here, and wait for breakfast."
Lief left the kitchens, satisfied that he at least had a muffin in his pocket. When he reached down to grab it, though, his pocket was empty. He saw a familiar bird fly ahead of him, and smiled. Around the corner of the hallway, Kree perched on Jasmine's shoulder, with a muffin in its beak. Jasmine took the muffin and took a large bite.
"You know, these muffins are absolutely delicious," she said.
"Very funny, Jasmine," Lief retorted.
Then behind him, a voice said, "Now, now, kids, don't fight."
Lief turned to see Barda behind him.
"Well," he said, "breakfast is only about ten minutes away, now, and I fancy having some. You two can finish arguing about the muffin, though, if you like."
Lief and Jasmine quickly followed him downstairs.