A/N

this is an original story and i hope to use it later. the plot is my creation, and(though it is a bit twisted)i hope to use it later and really publish a version of it.

another fluffy chapter, this too needed to keep its fluff so bear with me, it's not too long.

DL Shores


Chapter 3

Garron

Over the next few days, Anyé never had any free time. She cleaned every inch of the fort, dusted rugs, swept paths, when finally Mary let her go; Saul was due back in less than a few hours. Anyé went to go find her best friend, Tara.

Tara had lived in the village as long as Anyé, they were closer than ice on a lake. Friends grow off one another Mary said. It was clear that they had.

Tara was shy, and quiet, but Anyé was brave and bold. The people into the camp who knew them best said Ailise had corrupted her, Tara spoke up for herself, and Anyé began to think.

They now got into all sorts of trouble together. Letting the ducks into the kitchen, pies in trees ('they were offerings to the tree gods so we can climb them!' insisted Anyé)

Tara was, now sitting on a fence post waiting for Anyé. She was combing out her straight dark hair, and expertly braided it in a single plait down her back.

'What took you so long?' she asked jumping down to meet her.

'Chores...Mary nagging. The usual' explained Anyé

Anyé hunched her shoulders up and put her hands on her hips

'Anyé! Did you finish those two pots? Why not! Oh and scrub the floor in the corner you spilt the butter! Blah, blah, blah!' Anyé mimicked, and made a face.

Tara giggled at the impersonation as she used a cord to tie back her blonde hair.

'What do you want to do today?' Tara asked when Anyé had calmed down.

'Let's go for a walk!' Anyé decided 'We could see if Saul is here yet.'

'Ok'

The two girls walked down the path, skipping, laughing, and throwing ridiculous brags back and forth.

'I can jump higher that you!'

'No! I can jump the highest!'

'Well I can run faster. I'll race you!'

'Yeah! Well see about that!'

They sped down the dirt path, each trying to out distance the other, until a noise made them both stop.

'Did you hear that?' asked Anyé quietly

Tara nodded

'Quick! Anyé instructed.

They dove headfirst into the brambles, the thorns and sticks scratching their arms and legs. As they crouched in the shadows,

Tara whispered 'Anyé they'll be able to see us! Can't you do some thing?'

Anyé nodded and closed her eyes and concentrated hard, she was just starting to grow into her magic, and it called for a degree of perfect control. Sure enough she and Tara's outlines faded, seeming to become part of the very bush they hid in.

They cowered in the foliage until the sound came again, but louder, closer.

Anyé nearly shouted out joyfully, it was the sound of hoof beats, Saul was coming home. She did not move a muscle though, she wanted to surprise him. She was about to climb out of the bushes, when Saul came into full view, talking to Seth, in a hushed angry tone. Anyé had never heard him speak that way before, it transformed him. He was not the kind generous man who had raised her, brought her gifts and laughed at all her jokes. He was practically spitting venom at Seth, who didn't look happy either.

'I don't care what you say Seth it was my decision to make. Not yours.'

'You still should have told them, the wizards are our friends, they have a right to know! They shared their secret!"

'You're my friend, and I don't tell you everything.' Saul snapped back angrily. 'I think it's better if they keep thinking the princess is dead.'

In the bush, Tara and Anyé gasped.

"But now we are stuck with that Tollonian brat, and his magic!"

'This conversation is over Seth don't bring it up again. They will be here in a few weeks to pick him up; they need not know she's here.'

Saul and Seth had walked out of sight and Anyé and Tara crawled out and looked at each other.

'What was that about?' asked Tara.

'I don't know, let's just go!'

They took off, hurrying through the woods this time, both wondering about what they had heard, not realizing they were in front of the remainder of Saul's company.

When Saul spotted them, they were out of breath, having run all the way back to the camp. The group that had returned was waiting for further command.

'Hey! There you are! We were wondering when you would show up!' he greeted her cheerfully 'where've you been?'

'Umm...' uh oh, if she told the truth, she knew she'd get in trouble.

'For a walk... just around...' she shrugged

'Well good thing you're back,' Saul continued. 'I got your present right here.'

Saul held a thin silver chain out to her, his palm still closed tightly over the pendant.

'Oooh! Can I see it?' asked Anyé, she couldn't wait, jewelry was an extra special treat, and Saul wouldn't let her wear any normally.

Saul slowly opened his hand. In it he held the most beautiful object Anyé had ever seen. A small and intricately designed heart locket made of gold rested on his palm. On the outside, the symbol of Tarelia, a star embossed with a T, was etched and lined with silver.

'It was made by faeries,' Saul explained 'don't lose it, its very special.'

'I wont don't worry!'

Anyé tried to open it, but found that it was stuck, she concentrated as hard as she could, but even the little magic she had would not budge it.

Saul laughed. 'It's very old, don't force it, I don't think it will open.'

'Ok," sighed Anyé disappointedly

Saul helped her hook the tricky clasp behind her neck.

'Perfect!' he exclaimed 'and now I have another surprise... for you and Tara.'

Both girls' eyes grew big 'what? Please tell us!'

'Come on Uncle Saul please?'

Saul smiled at their anxious faces. 'Garron come on over here!'

A boy, a year older than they were jumped lightly off a horse at the back of the group. His fair hair and light colored freckles set of his shockingly blue eyes. He also wasn't dressed like the others, his clothes were definitely of a richer quality that the inhabitants of the valley.

He stared defiantly at the girls, as Saul introduced him.

'This is Garron, he's from Tollone, and going to stay with us a while, for most of the summer. I trust you will have a good time?'

'Sure!' said Anyé 'come on Garron, me 'n' Tara will show you around!'

Garron shrugged, he did not seem phased. 'Fine'

They took him to the kitchen to show him the open ovens, where the bread was being baked. He shrugged. They took him to see the animals, and visit Dilly and some other ponies. He said he would not ride a pony; his horses were all pure, tall and fast, much better than short, fat Dilly. They turned to leave, but Anyé hung back, and looked at Dilly. She sighed and gave the pony a bit of sugar from a cabinet and left, determinedly stalking their guest.

By the pig trough Tara had stopped to show him her mother's prized pig, which was the largest the camp had that year, so won the right to live for another season.

'He's really gentle, you can reach right in and pet him!' encouraged Tara.

As Garron leaned over the fence, Anyé chose her moment; running full tilt, and crashing into Garron, forcing him head first into the mud.

'That's for being a snob!' Shouted Anyé

Garron looked at himself, covered in muck, with an enormous pig snuffling its nose in his ear. He couldn't help it, he started to laugh.

Tara followed suit, falling to her knees with giggles. It was infectious; soon Anyé was laughing as well. As she and Tara helped Garron out of the mud, they too slipped into the mire. When they finally got out, (still laughing) Garron revealed that he was an apprentice to a wizard named Aldebaran, in Tollone, and proved it by magically drying their clothes and returning them to normal.

"Anyé is half faerie!" Tara blurted out in excitement. A tense moment followed, both children knew they were not supposed to get along, their breeds of magic followed different rules. Wizards were to open with their magic; they were willing to show off to any human. Faeries were protective of their powers; they were an ancient trait that had been passed through blood lines for thousands of years.

Anyé smiled and said quietly, "Only half." Garron smiled and said "I'm just an apprentice." They laughed and left the situation at that.

The next few weeks were as wild as that first day; they and a few of the other camp children ran amuck in the valley. Garron grew to love the hardy ponies that the villagers raised, and even witnessed the birth of one of the larger horses' foals. He also went for daily rides with Tara and Anyé. They became the best of friends, practically inseparable. But they knew it would not last.

Garron and Anyé would share tidbits of information about spells and charms they had mastered and how they had experimented on the spells themselves. Garron informed her of how once his apprenticeship was over, he would have to pick a name.

"We normally choose a star name" Garron explained. "My master's name is Aldebaran, but there are many others to choose from. If I cannot pick one, or if something happens to Aldebaran, I must choose his name. It's not too bad."

"Don't you know what name you would like?" asked Anyé.

"I thought about 'Alfirk' or 'Regulus' they seem fitting names, they mean 'Flock' and 'the Heart of the lion'." He sighed. "'Regulus' also means 'Prince' I like that. That will probably be the one I choose."

One day, as the summer was drawing to a close, someone who Anyé had taken to be a messenger arrived. When he saw Garron he fairly shouted

"My god boy what have you done to your clothes?'

Garron's once fine outfits were stained and ragged, with a few significant rips as well.

'Who is he and why does he care so much?' questioned Anyé. Garron did not reply.

As the community gathered around the visitor he announced his message.

'Saul,' he shouted looking around 'I've come for the boy!'

Saul appeared and nodded. Anyé leaned over to Garron to ask what it was about, but to her horror, he was gone, she and Tara searched for an hour and finally found him starting to pack. He began to explain that the wizard Aldebaran was his guardian. Their home in Tollone was safe he explained, the Brocklebanian Goblins had finally left. It was time for Garron to go home.

'But why can't you stay longer?' asked Anyé, it still didn't make sense to her

"Because I just can't, I have to resume my training with Aldebaran.' he snapped tears starting to spill on to his shoulders. 'Can you just leave me alone please?' he asked wiping his face.

Both girls nodded and with heads down cast, they left. Anyé wandered by herself to the tree. She paced back and forth dejectedly, trying to think of something helpful.

As Garron finished packing up, Anyé ran to him tugging the reins of small colt, the one Garron had named Sampson.

'He's old enough now to travel,' she began, tears slowly beginning to start. 'So you can take him, you named him, so technically he's yours.'

'I couldn't take him, he belongs here' Garron replied shaking his head, his eyes too looked misty. "I know you don't like small horses, but he'll get bigger, don't worry, and by the looks of his coat now he'll be all shiny and black." "Don't worry, I'll come back to visit.'She passed the reins to Garron and pulled a small velvet pouch on a length of cord out of her pocket.

"It's a good luck charm." She told him as she handed it to him. "So you remember us." Both children had tears spilling down their faces and were too chocked up for any more words. Anyé hugged him good bye. (Tara had already said good bye earlier, and was avoiding both of them for fear she might cry.) Tears running down her face, she quickly kissed Garron on the cheek and hurried out of the room. She ran out of the fort, and kept running until she got to the tree. Tara was already there.

While in the branches watching Garron leave, Anyé voiced her thoughts to her friend, 'He's not coming back. Never.'


please R&R !

i need reviews, i'd like to improve

if you dont leave a review, i'll assume you're scared. come on! most people are closet Harry Potter Fans. you can admit it. why not include it in your review... hint hint.