AN: So good to be back! Chapter 4 here…and welcome a newcomer… anyway, many thanks to the reviews, people! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own the series…

Chapter 4: Of Quills and Magyk

Jenna was in a nightmare. She was dreaming of being trapped in an icy place…there was a glow in front of her…silvery figures…cold winds…shadows in a corner…words carved on a stone…and darkness. She couldn't seem to awaken herself. It was as if she was at the bottom of a well, unable to move and scream for help. All she knew was that her body was shivering intensely.

Everything was so cold.

"Jenna?"

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Oh, Jenna! I'm so glad you're awake now!" Jenna could hear the voice sobbing. Around her were whispers, murmurs, sighs. With all the strength she could muster, Jenna sat bolt upright. "Mom?" Her voice was so small and weak.

Jenna could now see everything around her. She was lying on her bed, surrounded by her brothers and parents. They smiled at her and patted her back, giving her an encouraging look.

"Mom, I'm all right. I was just sleeping so you don't need to cry. Do you have something important to tell me?"

Sarah Heap stopped sobbing. Everyone stared at Jenna with great concern. The thick silence seemed to go on forever.

"Surely…surely you haven't forgotten?" asked Silas. "Marcia said you fainted—"

"I fainted? W-w-what happened? And where's Marcia?" Jenna's mind was spinning again.

Sarah came closer and put her hand on Jenna's. "Dearest, you must be a little bewildered now, what with everything that's going on. I understand. Later, your mind will be clear enough to remember the Gathering—"

The Gathering.

Images began to rush in. Her nightmare. The cold. The shadow. Ghost queens. Magykal pots. Everything. There was a strange feeling in her chest. It gave her difficulty breathing. Denial and despair suddenly took hold of her, threatening to explode inside and shatter her into a million pieces. Jenna couldn't bear it anymore.

She suddenly threw off her bedcovers and ran across the room, pushing and shoving. She ignored the cries behind her. She opened the door and bumped straight to Marcia.

"Jenna! Where are you going?" Marcia's voice was filled with alarm.

But Jenna ran on. She ran barefooted on the stone floor, her feet already numb against the cold. At that moment, all she ever wanted to do was to run and to run and to hide away from the world.

• • • • •

Hours later, Marcia found Jenna sitting on the old, rotting palace landing stage. The place smelled of wetness and magyk and winter approaching. There on the edge sat the princess, her legs splashing murky water. She held a fat book in her hands, and when Marcia sat beside her she saw that the writing was smudgy.

"You've been crying," said Marcia. It was not a question.

"Who wouldn't, Marcia? I feel so alone in the world."

Marcia looked at the sun setting in the horizon. It was the color of blood, glowing magnificently against the sky. "I'm here, Jenna. Your family is here."

Jenna shook her head. What she so wanted desperately was a real friend, someone she could confide in and laugh and cry with. Marcia could never be. She was always busy as an ExtraOrdinary Wizard and it would be very uncomfortable to tell your secrets to Marcia Overstrand. Jenna could never, ever imagine herself doing that. And her family? She rarely sees them. Her brothers were often in the forest and it was a miracle that they had been able to visit now. Nicko was always in the boatyard, repairing some rotten boat now and then. Snorri was even there, living with Jannit Maarten and helping Nicko. Lucky them. Have they forgotten her? Only Septimus was a real friend. Oh, and Beetle. Yes, dear Beetle who left two years ago in some quest with the Chief Hermetic Scribe. Before that, he was also a best friend to Jenna.

Now, Jenna was so alone.

With a sigh, Jenna also remembered that she herself was busy in the Palace. She had to learn everything on how to be a queen. There were times too when Jenna visited the neighboring lands to be acquainted with the different rulers, times when she needed to pay great attention to the needs of the Castle. Marcia often pressured her, saying "There is no time to waste."

Marcia interrupted Jenna's musings. "Your thoughts seemed to be very far away, princess."

"Oh, I'm sorry. But one's thoughts couldn't help flying away when one is miserable. Like me."

"Hmpf," said Marcia. "Well, tonight you are to meet your consort. In the Wizard Tower, to be specific. It will be made known to everyone."

Jenna looked at Marcia beseechingly. But Marcia shook her head. "I understand what you feel, Jenna. But the Draw was final. Now you have a duty to your people." Marcia sadly patted Jenna's hand, stood up, and glided away silently, her robes rustling in the breeze.

Jenna sat for a little while and contemplated the twilight sky. Then she stood up and walked away from the landing stage. Aimlessly, she wandered away, following the weeds that grew at the sides . Before long, she was out in the Wizard Way. The people she passed by bowed down and curtsied to her, but she paid no attention to them. Her mind was preoccupied with too many things. Jenna sighed. She was certain that she would see a wrinkled, old lady the next time she looked in a mirror.

She walked on a narrow path between two buildings until she found herself on a street that snaked by the walls. The street was rocky, overgrown with weeds. It was unfamiliar.

Suddenly, she heard running footsteps. Or rather, a thunderous thumping of hooves. Before she could get out of the way, a tall, black horse came charging down the street, empty except for her. She leaped out of the way and landed hard on the side of the street, dust and dirt whirling around her. She coughed. Not far from her, she could hear the horse halt. A pair of heavy boots hit the ground and went toward her. She sat up and stared in disbelief at the rider.

It was Merrin Meredith, clad in a silky tunic and fur cloak, eyes gleaming, hair dancing in the wind, a smug smile on his face.

"Well, well, well. I'm afraid I didn't see you, your Majesty. Nice day for riding, isn't it?" He snickered and held out his hand to Jenna.

Angrily, Jenna stood up and smoothened her tunic. She glared at Merrin. "What business do you have here?"

"Business?" scoffed Merrin. "You know as well as I do what that is, Jenna." He said her name with as much contempt as he could manage there.

"I know nothing."

Merrin laughed suddenly, shaking his head. "Denial won't get you anywhere. You might as well start welcoming me back, my lady."

Jenna's face burned, and at that moment, all she wanted in the world was to punch him, kick him, anything to vent out her anger. She shook her head. She couldn't believe that she was thinking of such violent thoughts. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Why have you come back, Merrin Meredith? Still wanting to avenge the death of your master? You are not welcome here."

Merrin's eyes flashed. "Partly. And revenge…" He snickered. "But the little girl won't tell that that to anyone, right?"

He paused then with an evil flash in his eyes, said, "We shall be meeting again tonight, aren't we? That would be nice. Very nice." He snickered again then went to the horse, sneering all along. He swung himself up on the saddle and spat on the ground.

"I can't wait, your Highness." He laughed then kicking his horse hard, rode away in a cloud of dust, his laughter echoing in Jenna's mind.

Jenna stamped her foot and muttered angrily. How dare he speak to her like that! Her hatred for him intensified. Soon she was boiling mad. At that moment, unease flickered across her mind. There was something disturbing with her encounter with Merrin. Suspicion slowly crept into her thoughts. For instance, he seemed to be eager for the meeting tonight. She knew that he wouldn't dare to come, but now…

"Jenna? Is that you?"

Startled, Jenna quickly turned around. Her doubts vanished for a while as shock and disbelief filled her again, but this time it was a better one. Her anger immediately went away as she stared at the figure before her.

This time it was Beetle.

"Beetle?" asked Jenna cautiously . Then, "Beetle!" she squealed. It was him indeed! She ran fast to him and threw her arms around his neck. Beetle staggered. Jenna stepped back after a while, her face burning red. Beetle grinned.

He was very different from the last time she'd seen him. Far, far different. Of course, he was taller and bigger than he was two years ago. His hair was still untidy as ever, but it seemed to declare days of travel and winds, storms and rains, experiences and the unknown. His eyes sparkled with knowledge and confidence, and now they twinkled at the astonished Jenna.

"Surprised to see me?" He smiled a crooked grin.

Jenna was more than surprised. She blinked to make sure she was not dreaming. How in the world had Beetle turned up here, when he had been gone for years? Apparently she had asked out loud.

"I'm going to be the new Chief Hermetic Scribe for now." Seeing Jenna's puzzled face, he continued, "That's the reason why I traveled. You know, to train somehow."

"But the former Chief Hermetic Scribe?"

"Retired." Beetle's grin didn't waver.

"Oh, but Beetle, I'm so glad that you're back!" She gazed up at him in awe and wonder. "And you seemed to have really changed. Now, tell me about your travels!"

Beetle inhaled deeply. "It's not much, actually. I only hunted and studied ancient documents and learned magyk and stuff. The magyk part was the tricky one, especially since I'm not a wizard. Quilletry, they call it."

"Quilletry?"

"Quilletry, from the word quills. A quill is the most important object of a scribe. So that's what you call my training." He laughed.

"Then you must be as wise as Marcia already."

Beetle laughed again. Jenna couldn't help notice that his laugh was almost like bells chiming, musical to her ears.

"Not really. Anyway, how is Marcia? Sep?"

Jenna looked away and mumbled, "Sep is on a Queste. He left a couple of days ago." Or was it more, or less? Yesterday? Jenna had lost track of the days and time. Time seemed to muddle up her thinking, confusing, complicated.

"Oh." Beetle's grin disappeared. Then he asked, "How about you, Jen? Anything new about the princess?"

Jenna wouldn't meet Beetle's eyes. How could she tell him that she was now betrothed? Worse, betrothed to a man she had hated as long as time.

She smiled at him, and she hoped that it didn't look too sad. "I'm fine, Beetle. Perfectly fine. Why don't we walk back to Wizard Way and you tell me more of your travels? It will soon be too dark, and after that I must hurry back to the Palace. I—" she hesitated, "--I have important matters to take care of."