Yay! I said I might be able to upload every week but this chapter came early. Thank goodness for inspirational music.
Disclaimer: Mistrelia does not own Jane and the Dragon. That wishing on a star rhyme lies...
Jane ate slowly, enjoying the morning breeze. Her friends sat around her chattering about the events that happened yesterday.
"I managed to obtain some new ore," said Smithy, "There's a blacksmith in town that sells some fine metal that I can make into a new sword for you Jane."
"Thank you Smithy," said Jane with a sigh, "I have been longing for a new sword. I still have no idea how Gunther managed to snap mine clean in two."
"I still say we should send him to work for our enemies," Jester said with a grin, "With any luck he'll topple their castle in a few days."
Everyone let out a laugh, "Well as long as he leaves my garden alone," said Rake, "I found the most wonderful smelling caravan in the village. They had all these herbs and spices…"
"And peaches!" said Pepper carrying in a fresh load of pastries.
"What is this?" asked Jane.
"Rake brought me a whole load of peaches. They don't grow around here and Rake is interested in the peach tree that the people who sold them to us have. I will be serving these after dinner tonight and you are my taste testers," she said happily.
"What are these brown flecks across the top?" asked Jester surveying his pastry.
"Tree bark," Rake announced proudly.
Smithy began to cough a little around the bite he took, "Tree bark?"
Pepper laughed, "It's called cinnamon. It's actually quite tasty."
"These are delicious Pepper! All sorts of new things are becoming a part of the- oh my gosh!" Jane gasped, "I almost forgot! There is a new sorceress staying at the castle and I was supposed to be showing her around today. Oh, Sir Theodore is going to be so cross with me!" she quickly stood and ran.
"Wow, a sorceress," said Smithy through a bite of his pastry.
"I wonder why the King would want a sorceress when he already has a wizard?" said Rake quietly.
"Well it certainly seems something is afoot, and when something is afoot it is time to be on one's feet following," Jester said as he ran to catch up with Jane.
Jane leaned on her knees, 'I hate running after eating,' she thought. Just as she lifted her hand to knock the door opened.
The young sorceress yawned, "You don't have to knock. I can sense your desire to see me."
"You can?" said Jane.
Nadya stretched her arms, "Well, not so much your 'desire' per say. I can tell when someone is looking for me and depending on their proximity and whether I've met them before is how I know them. Speaking of which, someone is looking for you and I."
Jester ran towards the two, "You are quite fast you know," he turned and bowed, "Hello, I am Jester the Court Fool."
She curtsied, "I am Nadya, the Court Sorceress. Looks like you and I are going to be seeing a lot more of each other."
He looked up, "We are?"
She grinned, "I am no ordinary sorceress. I am the new entertainment."
"Oh," he said, "Well it will be nice to work with you."
Nadya turned to Jane, "I know Sir Theodore asked you to show me around the castle but do you think it could wait till noon? I am a little busy perfecting some spells for tomorrow's show. Though you could be Petya's escort," she said before going back into the room.
Jester looked at her questioningly, "Petya?"
"Just wait," she smiled.
She brought back a little green ball, "He's stubborn about his sleep but I'm sure a trip to the kitchens will have him awake."
Suddenly he unfurled as if understanding what she said. Jane wondered if he did. His mistress was a sorceress after all. Jester had taken a liking to Petya, scratching his head, "Well aren't you a cute little thing."
Petya suddenly snapped his mouth shut on Jester's finger, causing him to yelp and involuntarily fling the little lizard. Jane quickly caught him.
"He bit me!" yelled Jester.
Nadya stifled a laugh, "He hates being called cute. He thinks he is a dragon."
"Sharp enough teeth," said Jester.
Jane set Petya on her shoulder, "To the kitchens to nurse your wound and feed a starving dragon!"
Jester followed, sucking on his finger and glaring at her shoulder.
"Ouch!"
"Well, hold still," said Pepper, wrapping a strip of cloth over Jester's finger.
"Does it look infected? For all I know that thing gave me rabies," he said.
She rolled her eyes, "Honestly Jester, it's just a cut...I mean," she said looking at the table where Petya sat eating a piece of cabbage, "not many people survive a bite from a beast so formidable. You're lucky to keep that finger," she said dramatically, rubbing the creature's head before attending to her stew.
"Formidable?" he said looking at the lizard who he swore had a look of smugness, "Wait till Dragon returns. Then you'll know what a real dragon looks like."
The creature snapped its jaws at Jester before resuming his meal. Jester looked at Jane, "Did you see that? He's antagonizing me!"
Jane laughed, "What I saw was Petya dislodging a piece of cabbage from his teeth. Now then," she picked up Petya and placed him on her shoulder, "You've dressed your wound and we have a guest to show around the castle."
"I thought guests weren't supposed to attack their hosts," he muttered but followed.
They walked outside the kitchens and Jane tilted her head a little to look at the lizard, "This is the garden where Rake works. He tends to the plants that feed the kingdom."
"Jane, you do know you're talking to a reptile?" said Jester.
She continued to survey the garden, "A knight keeps her word and we offered Petya a tour, so we are going through with it. It's just your wound talking."
He walked towards her, "I guess so and you are right, though I may not be a knight. We shall keep our words."
"Hello Jane, hello Jester," said Rake as he walked around watering the plants.
Jester held up a finger, "You forgot someone."
He looked up, "I did?"
"Meet Petya," said Jane gesturing to her shoulder, "He's the new sorceress' friend."
"Oh, hello Petya," Rake reached to pet him, "When will we get to meet the sorceress?"
"In the afternoon," said Jane, "For now we're showing Petya around the castle. She also brought a beautiful black eagle named Shandor. He's probably in the forest hunting."
"Alright," he smiled,wondering what the bird looked like, "I'll see you later Petya," he said scratching its scaly head. They watched Rake cut one of the roses from his garden and head towards the kitchen. The two stifled their laughs and quickly hurried along.
They showed Petya all around the castle, from the throne room to the falcon's roost where they found Shandor visiting amongst the other birds. By the time they returned to the training square it was well into the noon hours.
"And we're back to the beginning," said Jester.
Jane looked at Jester, "Where's Petya? Wasn't he on your hat?'
Suddenly a little green head popped out from under his hat. Jester smiled and picked him up, "I think he and I are starting to get along."
Jane held her hands out, "You're even starting to look like each other."
Jester attempted to frown but laughed. He handed Petya to Jane and for a moment their hands touched. They lingered for a moment and he felt his heart begin to race. Then the moment was over and Jane set Petya on her shoulder, "We should go get Nadya. She should be finished with practicing her magic by now."
Jester nodded, feeling a little self-conscious. Jane looked beautiful in the evening light. He quickly shook his head, 'What am I doing? I can't think about her like that. The last time I tried to compliment her she brushed it off as a rhyme.' He glanced sideways, the lowering sun glinting off her fiery locks. He smiled, 'At least I can admire her as my best friend.'
Nadya's door opened before Jane could knock, "Hello. I trust Petya behaved for you?"
Jester tucked his finger into his fist, "He was a perfect guest."
Nadya put the little creature on her shoulder, "Now then, I can't wait to sample more of Pepper's delicious food. She is an excellent cook."
Nadya smiled as she walked quietly through the castle grounds. She smiled fondly at her sleeping friend, "Well done, Petya. You are a wonderful little friend."
The little creature opened its eyes and made a small 'purr' noise.
She grinned, "Are you sure you aren't a cat?"
He snorted.
Nadya stretched her arms, "With a newcomer they never would have shown me the passageways and rooms they showed you," 'Thankfully, I can see what you see,' she thought to herself. She had learned the layout of the castle, as well as the staff and those she could and couldn't trust all in less than a day. She was right to befriend the female knight and the Jester quickly. For a moment she felt a pang of guilt but it was quickly smothered, 'It is thanks to my talents that I now know I can trust them, so all is well.'
"Today was a success. It is nice to know the people here are trusting and at least honest, right Petya?... Petya?" she looked around. Petya was not on her shoulder, nor in the hood of her cloak. She quickly retraced her steps, "Petya?" she called again. She stopped and closed her eyes. The moment she closed them a new sight came to her. She was somewhere warm, the earth dry and cracked by a large fire.
"The blacksmith's quarters," she said aloud. She quickly hurried to where the fire was burning and saw someone she had yet to meet. 'This must be the one they call Smithy,' she thought remembering how at the evening meal they mentioned one of their friends with Sir Theodore in the village looking for new material for armor. He had yet to notice her presence, her black cloak keeping her out of view. She walked slowly so she could survey him. His hair was blonde, looking lighter due to his tan face, 'probably because of all the fire he faces,' she thought. He lifted a few logs to toss into the fire and noticed Petya attempting to scuttle away. He quickly grabbed him, making Nadya quicken her pace. She had no idea who this 'Smithy' was but the gods-be-damned before she let anyone hurt her Petya.
She saw him turn towards the fire and cried out, "Stop!"
He quickly turned and stood. She stopped for a moment, surprised to find he was a full head taller than her. She felt relieved to see Petya wriggle in his hands but the relief quickly turned to anger, "What were you going to do to that poor creature?"
He stared at her with honest surprise, "I was going to see if he wanted a piece of jerky."
She watched his hands open and saw Petya nibbling on a piece of dried meat. Relief once again flooded through her, "Oh, Petya, don't scare me like that," she said picking up the lizard and cuddling him.
Smithy walked around her to look at him, "Is it yours?"
She cupped the reptile in her hands and frowned, "He's one of my best friends but I do not own him."
He looked at her serious expression, "I promise you, I meant it no harm. I actually find lizards kind of interesting. What did you call it?"
"HIS name is Petya," she emphasized while putting him on her shoulder, "and promise me you will never attempt to hurt him," she said pointing a finger at Smithy.
He put a hand over his heart, "I swear to you, I do not hurt animals. I myself have a best friend who is an animal. Her name is Pig."
"Oh?" she said curiously, "What is she?"
He smiled, "A pig."
Nadya fought against her smile but failed, "I also have a friend who is a black eagle named Shandor."
He shrugged, "Pig is my only animal friend, other than Jester."
Nadya definitely could not fight the laugh that bubbled from her lips. He had stood in front of her, the fire to her back causing her face to be shrouded by her hood but his face was clear. It let her know he was as trusting as the others to not necessarily need to see the face of the one he was talking to. She noticed his eyes were a stormy gray color.
He cleared his throat, "And who might you be?"
She pulled back her hood, allowing her ebony tresses to fall free in the breeze, "I am the new sorceress, Lady Nadya."
Smithy felt a shock run through his nerves. He had never been used to talking so smoothly with women as he'd seen Gunther do. Jane was easy because she was so matter-of-fact and Pepper reminded him of his mother, not that he would tell her. The woman before him, however, was almost ethereal in the sliver of light the waxing moon afforded.
She tilted her head, "I have offered you my name. It is custom for you to do the same."
He cleared his throat, his voice coming out rough, "I am called Smithy."
A pretty smile formed on her lips, "You say you are called Smithy but I assume that is not your real name. Maybe one day I will learn it."
He nodded and forced himself to speak, "It is not a secret. My name is Jethro, though most people call me Smithy because I am the blacksmith."
"Jethro," she said, testing the word, "I like it. May I call you Jethro?"
He looked down, feeling a little shy, "If you wish, you may," 'What is wrong with me?' he thought.
"Well, Jethro, what are you doing up this late?"
He gestured towards saddlebags full of raw materials, "I need to work on them to make a sword for Jane. She needs a new one."
Nadya clapped her hands together, "I have always wanted to see how swords and shields are brought to life. Can I watch?"
He rubbed his neck, "Well, I am going to be up for a long time."
She grinned, "Good thing I'm nocturnal of sorts," she pulled off her cloak, the heat of the furnace making her warm, "Consider me your assistant tonight."
Smithy felt his face grow warm at the flat expanse of her belly that was revealed by her choice of attire. It grew warmer still as she bent to place the sleeping Petya on the folded up satin cloak. He looked around for the shield he was working on yesterday. He needed to take his confused nerves out on something while the fire grew hot enough.
Nadya smiled and rubbed her hands together, "Let's get started!"
I know things are going slow but they'll be picking up again the next chapter. I actually have Nadya's cloak, though mine's not made of satin. I hope to have one just like it someday, though.
Uh-oh, poor Smithy. I figured he would be the type of guy to enjoy his work and everyday life at a slow pace instead of seeking out some beautiful stranger, so he wouldn't understand his feelings as well as others. However, it looks like one found him ^-^
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