Hi Everyone!
I'm sorry it took mee this long to get this up. I've had STAR testing the past week, and it is such a pain. Anyways, I hope you all like this one, the way I'm writing theres only about 5 or 6 chapters left in this story. Thank you to everyone who wished me happy b-day, it was really sweet!
Luv,
Shaina


*~*~*~*~*
A cold wind blew across my face and I wished that I hadn't left. I dragged my bare feet in the mud, making two long trails in the ground.

In the distance I could hear the bustle off a village. I stayed on the edge of the forest, I was too much off a mess to go in, I could be seen. Now that Hattie had Char, I had to be careful.

I ran my hand threw my knotted hair. It was the least important thing right now, but it didn't feel right.

My foot stumbled on another toe and I tripped and fell face first in to the mud.

"Here let me help you." I could see someone's hand dangle infront of me. I grabbed the hand and slowly stood up.

I wiped all the wet mud off my clothing. "Thank you." I said with a smile to the man as I looked up to see his face.

My mouth dropped open.

It was Jon.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So I can't leave you here, but, I can't take you along." Jon mumbled to me while he downed a quick dinner.

"Why not?" I said finally putting a brush through my knotted hair.

"Because Ella, it would not be in your best interests. Besides it has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me! I know her!"

Jon stood up, a frown on his face. "For what? A day?" I could see the lines of worry etched in to his face.

I held my head low. "I'm sorry. But-"

"There is no need to be sorry about it. Ella, I can't have you tagging along-"

"I wouldn't tag along! I can cook, clean, plus keeping me cooped up in some house full of thieves isn't going to save Frell."

"I know that Ella, I just-"

I could feel him giving in. "Please Jon, I wont be a pain. I understand how you feel. After all I'm losing Char." I paused thinking of the right words to use.

"At least you know he's alive." Jon mumbled so softly that I barely caught it.

"She'll be fine. I know it. Jon please let me come. Don't leave me because I'm just going to run away again."

I heard him laugh. It was the same careless laugh that Char had. The thought made me sigh.

He looked up at me and stared at me for a while with a strait face. Then he seemed to loosen up. He smiled.

"Fine"

*~*~*~*~*~*

I trudged along side him. My feet were warm now, he forced me to wear his shoes. They were way too big for me, but they were warmer than going barefoot.

We were on our way to a small town on the outskirts of Bast. Jon mentioned that Ariana had some family there and they might have some idea where she was.

But mostly Jon asked me questions. I told him all about my life before Char, about Father, about Mandy.
He listened to every word. "So what you're saying, Ella, is that you're forced to follow any command given to you? But why?"

I hesitated before I started. I couldn't decide weather it was a good choice to tell him about the curse. I finally decided that it wouldn't make a difference, it might make it easier for me.

"It's a curse. A long time ago a fairy named Lucinda put a spell on me. She said it was a gift, but as much as my mother begged and pleaded she wouldn't take it off me. She kept on saying that this would make me an obedient little girl. It made me the exact opposite."

Jon laughed.

"But I broke the spell. Right before I married Char, I broke it. But then Hattie shows up and its back, and everyone's talking about this stone. Hey, you never finished the story."

"Well it's all long and complicated. But I could give you the shortened version of what I've heard from Ariana."

I smiled and we both paused so he could tell it.

"Well, this evil fairy put all her power in to this one stone right before she died. And this stone, which was all some story until all of this happened, was said to have the power to grant wishes. But it was rumored to be destroyed by another band of fairies. That's pretty much all I know."

He laid down his pack and began to pull out some blankets. "We'll camp here."

*~*~*~*~*

I sat there, on a high rock, thinking. I didn't want to endanger Jon as much as he didn't want to endanger me.

But he was searching for Ariana. Not that I didn't want to, but I had more to do than just that.

I had the strange feeling that I was going the wrong direction.

I had to leave Jon. He would never let me go alone, so I had to do it before he woke up. Everyday we walked to Bast, it felt like we were getting farther from where we needed to go.

I slipped back in to camp. I grabbed my small pack, it had enough food for a couple days, and the dagger and my magic book.

I took one last look at Jon. I hoped that Ariana was alive.

I slipped in to the shadows, following the trail that the night moon left on the fallen twigs and leaves.



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