This bunch reminded her of a pack of wild, hungry animals. She didn't
like how Alex seemed to trust them. Tori also didn't understand how the one
with the scar was leading Eclipse. Eclipse wasn't the type to let anyone
other then Alex to touch him. The stable handlers in New York couldn't even
control him. Alex had to go to the stables every day and take care of him.
But here, this strange and frightening man, who looked like he ate children
for a living, was holding on to Eclipse and guiding the two girls to their
dooms. Tori needed to talk to Alex as soon as she could.
..........................................................................................................
The fire was warm, and the music these travelers played was wonderful and happy. Alex couldn't figure out what they had to be happy about, but they seemed to know. The man with the scar had gone off to find food for the group. Tori was taken into one of the huts to get her leg fixed. Alex tried to follow, but an older raven-haired woman would not let her. "Her healing must be done alone, without distractions." Tori looked frightened as the door shut Alex out.
As Alex sat by the fire, three young children ran playing around the camp. They couldn't have been very old, the oldest looking about ten. A woman in her mid-twenties noticed Alex watching the children. "We have no where to go. We are all outlaws now. The Queen has taken an iron fist to these lands and all who oppose her are killed or flee to the woods. The Queen's guards hardly come into the Disenchanted Forest."
"Who is this Queen?" Alex asked.
The woman's sky blue eyes clouded over. "She is the most evil of them all. She succeeded where other Queens have failed. She took control of eight kingdoms. She even has King William under her control. He has become so evil since she showed up."
Alex thought about everything for a minute then asked, "What of the last kingdom? The Ninth? My mom used to tell me stories of Nine Kingdoms."
The Ninth Kingdom is the Dwarves kingdom. It lays under the other eight. When word got out that the Queen was taking control, the Dwarves closed off all openings to the outside. The Queen with all her magic can't get to them.
The man with the scar came back with rabbits. The woman Alex was talking to took them from him and left to start cooking the stew. The scared man sat next to Alex. "You look upset," he noted.
"I have a lot to think about." Alex looked at the scared man and realized she had no idea what his name was, "What is your name, by the way?"
"They call me Hawk Hunter."
"They call you?"
Sadness crept into the man's eyes, "I do not remember anything past the day I was found in the woods with a dead hawk and this crossbow." He held up the crossbow. The tip of it held a silver falcon. It was both frightening and enchanting at the same time. Alex could almost feel the power emitting from it. Hawk set the bow down all the while looking at her. Alex looked into his eyes for the first time. They were soft and intelligent. They seemed out of place with his body. The body looked evil, like it had killed people for fun. But that seemed like the thing around here. Nothing is as it seems. Alex remembered that saying and felt that was the one saying that fit here.
Alex stared into his eyes, feeling the emotions he had. A scream resonated through the camp. Alex jumped up and reached for the non-existing dagger at her hip. Realizing she had no weapon, Alex darted to the hut Tori was in. That was where the scream had originated. Alex almost got to the door when Tori threw it open. She danced down the stairs and out to the open camp. Alex didn't take her eyes of the raven-haired witch at the door. "I can walk! Look Alex, she fixed me!" Tori giggled and laughed. She then danced around the fire, the people standing around, and back to Alex. "Look! No more sprained ankle! Aren't these people awesome?" The young woman who was cooking the rabbits came out of her hut. "Food is ready! Everyone gather around!"
Alex waited for everyone to sit wanting to talk to the raven-haired woman. The witch bypassed her and sat to eat. Alex took this as her cue to do the same and ask questions later. She sat between Tori and Hawk, as if to keep some peace between the two. Alex knew Tori didn't like or trust him, but Alex felt they would need him before the journey's end.
Tori was shoveling food into her mouth with no care for propriety, or her own health. Alex was happy her friend wasn't so upset anymore, but she still wished Tori would show some caution. Hawk handed Alex a bowl of stew and proceeded to eat his own. Alex watched as the others ate too. Alex looked a crossed to the raven-haired woman. She looked up at Alex as if she felt someone watching her. "Eat young one. The food is fine. If we wanted to kill you we would have long ago." Alex nodded, and ate her warm stew.
..........................................................................................................
The fire was warm, and the music these travelers played was wonderful and happy. Alex couldn't figure out what they had to be happy about, but they seemed to know. The man with the scar had gone off to find food for the group. Tori was taken into one of the huts to get her leg fixed. Alex tried to follow, but an older raven-haired woman would not let her. "Her healing must be done alone, without distractions." Tori looked frightened as the door shut Alex out.
As Alex sat by the fire, three young children ran playing around the camp. They couldn't have been very old, the oldest looking about ten. A woman in her mid-twenties noticed Alex watching the children. "We have no where to go. We are all outlaws now. The Queen has taken an iron fist to these lands and all who oppose her are killed or flee to the woods. The Queen's guards hardly come into the Disenchanted Forest."
"Who is this Queen?" Alex asked.
The woman's sky blue eyes clouded over. "She is the most evil of them all. She succeeded where other Queens have failed. She took control of eight kingdoms. She even has King William under her control. He has become so evil since she showed up."
Alex thought about everything for a minute then asked, "What of the last kingdom? The Ninth? My mom used to tell me stories of Nine Kingdoms."
The Ninth Kingdom is the Dwarves kingdom. It lays under the other eight. When word got out that the Queen was taking control, the Dwarves closed off all openings to the outside. The Queen with all her magic can't get to them.
The man with the scar came back with rabbits. The woman Alex was talking to took them from him and left to start cooking the stew. The scared man sat next to Alex. "You look upset," he noted.
"I have a lot to think about." Alex looked at the scared man and realized she had no idea what his name was, "What is your name, by the way?"
"They call me Hawk Hunter."
"They call you?"
Sadness crept into the man's eyes, "I do not remember anything past the day I was found in the woods with a dead hawk and this crossbow." He held up the crossbow. The tip of it held a silver falcon. It was both frightening and enchanting at the same time. Alex could almost feel the power emitting from it. Hawk set the bow down all the while looking at her. Alex looked into his eyes for the first time. They were soft and intelligent. They seemed out of place with his body. The body looked evil, like it had killed people for fun. But that seemed like the thing around here. Nothing is as it seems. Alex remembered that saying and felt that was the one saying that fit here.
Alex stared into his eyes, feeling the emotions he had. A scream resonated through the camp. Alex jumped up and reached for the non-existing dagger at her hip. Realizing she had no weapon, Alex darted to the hut Tori was in. That was where the scream had originated. Alex almost got to the door when Tori threw it open. She danced down the stairs and out to the open camp. Alex didn't take her eyes of the raven-haired witch at the door. "I can walk! Look Alex, she fixed me!" Tori giggled and laughed. She then danced around the fire, the people standing around, and back to Alex. "Look! No more sprained ankle! Aren't these people awesome?" The young woman who was cooking the rabbits came out of her hut. "Food is ready! Everyone gather around!"
Alex waited for everyone to sit wanting to talk to the raven-haired woman. The witch bypassed her and sat to eat. Alex took this as her cue to do the same and ask questions later. She sat between Tori and Hawk, as if to keep some peace between the two. Alex knew Tori didn't like or trust him, but Alex felt they would need him before the journey's end.
Tori was shoveling food into her mouth with no care for propriety, or her own health. Alex was happy her friend wasn't so upset anymore, but she still wished Tori would show some caution. Hawk handed Alex a bowl of stew and proceeded to eat his own. Alex watched as the others ate too. Alex looked a crossed to the raven-haired woman. She looked up at Alex as if she felt someone watching her. "Eat young one. The food is fine. If we wanted to kill you we would have long ago." Alex nodded, and ate her warm stew.