I have been kidnapped and trapped in the Room of Eternal books, and while I'm quite happy to stay here and read, I'm sure that ya'll want me back.
So ... it's up to you to rescue me!
My sister's written the first bit, and you can continue. Have fun, and be yourselves, though you may bring a character or five hundred along to help you, as long as they're your own. My characters will pop in from time to time to aid in your quest ...
Or some will. There are a few who don't like me, so you'll have to be careful and make sure they aren't trying to lead you astray.
V. Kathie Ardnek wrote:
Lady V. looked out over the mountains. She was looking for the quicklythummy.
She knew not what it was, only that she had to find it to save her sister from the Eternal Room of Books. The evil King Roshk had lured Kendra into this room and had sent out ransom notes calling for this enchanted flower.
V. didn't know how many people had received these ransom notes, but she desperately wished for help.
Lady Melody halted her black horse and slid to the ground. Somewhere just ahead was Lookout Point, where one could look out over the Tall Green Mountains. She glanced again at the ransom note in her hand. "If I ever lay hands on that King Roshk I'll send him to rot in a slim pit," she muttered. "The nerve of him, locking Kendra in a room at her own party!" Two more steps and she reached Lookout Point. To her surprise another girl stood there. A blond girl, looking out over the mountains and she too held a note in her hand.
ReplyDelete"Oh you have one too," Melody exclaimed as the girl turned to see who had come up. Then she remembered her manners and swept into a low curtsy, "Lady May at your service."
"I'm Lady V." the girl replied with a curtsy of her own. "Yes, I received one of the ransom notes. Do you know where to find a quicklythummy?"
"Well, I know what it looks like and how to harvest it, but I don't know where in the mountains it is found."
Lady V's brow furrowed, "I guess we'll have to wait and see if anyone else has received a note and might know where to look."
Kiri Liz tugged on the reins harshly and almost tumbled over her steed's neck as the horse stopped suddenly. As she scrambled to keep her seat in the saddle, she heard snickering behind her.
ReplyDelete"There's no need to laugh, Nattalaris Fierté." Kiri shot a scowl in the direction of the princess.
"And there's no need to get all work up about it, for cat's sake!" Laris returned jovially. "You are not accustomed to riding, I know, and your lack of skill amuses me."
"We don't have time for this." Kiri reached into her jerkin pocket and withdrew a wrinkled paper. "We have to find the quicklythummy."
Laris shifted in the saddle as she surveyed the rocky heights ahead of them. "And this is where that King what's-his-face said it would be?"
"Yes, but this is a rather broad region to search." Kiri said, studying the note again. "I fear we shall never find it, and Kendra shall be forever locked away in that room!"
Laris pointed to Kiri's right. "Look! There are some mounted ladies near Lookout Point."
Kiri's eyes followed the direction of the princess's finger. "Do you suppose we should join them? I say, that looks like the Lady Melody!" She pulled on the reins to turn her horse. "Make haste, Laris!"
Laris followed, but with a bemoaning sigh. "If it was up to me, I'd seek out where this King Rockhead is and deal with the coward in his own lair! We have our swords, Kiri, so why not?"
The idea of unnecessary blood did not appeal to Kiri. "Let's just see what the other ladies have to say."
Robyn watched from her perch in the trees as the ladies gathered together. Her ears perked as she caught snippets of their coversation. Lady Kendra? Locked up? Quicklythummy? Ah! a Quest! So, It's a Quest! Surely the ladies would need help! The mountains are treacherous!
ReplyDeleteRobyn jumped down from the tree, landing on her feet and surprising the ladies. "Heard your conversation? Name's Robyn Hoode. Want some help on your quest?"
~Robyn Hoode
A large fluffy cloud began to form near the edge of the cliff, it wasn't threatening, but it was strange. A door sprung open and a short little man jumped out and onto the ground nearby. He glared at the girls assembled before him, especially at those holding swords out toward his person. "Thunder and Lightening," he muttered. "I'm Flewder. I was sent here to help, though I haven't a clue WHY."
ReplyDeleteOne of the girls, a blonde, held out a scrap of twisted paper. He took it and smoothed it out, muttering as he read it. He looked shocked before reading it a second time with a look that could only be described as disbelief mixed with disdain. "Oh come on... that girl gets herself into more scrapes and mishaps. Well, I won't have it, she's just not proper you know. I'm taking my map and she can stay there for all I care."
He turned to leave, the cloud again forming before him. He reached into the cloud ....
"Flewder! Stop!"
ReplyDeleteThree horses and their riders had ridden up while the others weren't looking. The brown haired girl with glasses had been the one to speak.
Flewder turned to them in grudging surprise. "Hello. I suppose you're going to tell me that I need to take pity on the girl and help rescue her?"
"Well, I'm sure Kendra's mother - your Anka - wouldn't be to pleased if you let her daughter stay trapped in that room forever."
"Frankly, " said the hispanic-looking guy. "Kendra got her own self into that mess ..."
"Derek, hush," said the redheaded girl.
"Hush yourself, Megan," said Derek. "Jen, leave the gooddwarf alone. E obviously doesn't want to help."
Lady V shook her head. "Well, if she wasn't such a airhead she wouldn't be in this mess."
ReplyDeleteShe glances up at the sky as if to expect someone then runs a finger over the pink gem on left earring . "I thought she said she was coming."
"Who" asked Derek.
"My BFF, Kathwren." V. Answered.
With that a girl with cherry blond hair and bright blue eyes appeared as if from no where. "Sorry I am late. I was checking up with Elm real quick."
"Hey, Captain." V says.
She bows with flourish. "Now to find that flower."
All eyes turned to Flewder. "Oh, all right," he grumbled. He tossed the map into the air toward the girls before dashing through the door that opened in the cloud.
ReplyDeleteDerek calmly reached down and picked it up, unrolling it grimly.
"Well," he said turning the map around, "it looks like an adventure."
There at the top of the of the map was a delicate silver flower with dozens of tear drop shaped petals. Underneath was written, "blooms in the moonlight for 5 minutes at midnight".
Under the flower as a map with 3 items marked.
Lady V started singing the Dora song ... "I'm the map, I'm the map." Everyone turned to stare open mouthed. She turned bright red as the stopped mid word.
First, find the rainbow bridge - only the pure of heart can cross.
Second, find the valley of shadows - the the brave of heart can cross
Third, find the solid rock - and defeat the greedy serpent
A gold line wove around and through the clues ... started at the point that they stood now. And proceeding straight down the front side of the cliff ... faces peered down into the forest far below.
ReplyDeleteCaptain Kathwren rubbed her chin with the hand not holding a large staff. "Well, Does anyone see a rainbow bridge? If this was truly Dora-"
Lady V turned bright red.
"Then the clouds would part and there it would be."
"Flewder took all of the clouds with him when he left," commented Derek. He frowned, then added, "Uh, who's Dora, by the way?"
ReplyDelete"An kid's tv show that you should be thankful you slept through," said Jen, her fingers hovering thoughtfully near the large pink gem on her golden bracelet. "Yet it's also highly applicable to this adventure."
Lady V suddenly laughed. "You guys are NOT going to believe this."
ReplyDeleteShe pointed a slender finger toward a pile of rocks. Plastered on one of the rocks was a purple hand print.
"I think we are playing Kendra's Clues."
"Well," said Jen, "Kendra's favorite kid's show is Blue's Clues ..."
ReplyDelete"Blue's Clues?" questioned Megan.
"Something else you and Derek slept through." Jen frowned, and looked around at the assembled party. "You know, since it appears that we are going to be traveling together, we ought to have proper introductions. I'm Anka Jenifer, but I would prefer it if ya'll would call me Jen. I'm a good friend of Kendra's. These are my adopted brother and sister, 'Sir' Derek and 'Fair Maiden' Megan."
"At your services," said Derek, in an unenthusiastic voice. Megan giggled.
Melody curtsied, "I'm Lady Melody. I'm a friend of Kendra's and Kiri's. I've just met Lady V formally today. It is an honor to meet all of you."
ReplyDeleteV curtsied. "You all probably already know me but I am her younger taller sister."
ReplyDelete"And I am am Captain Kathwren Elizabeth Naidor Eaglewing of the Mixer ship Great Bald Eagle."
"Kathwren, Do you have contact with your ship?" V asked.
"Of course, A captain always has contact with their space dwelling vessel... errr except when they don't."
"Good, then we have use of the ships computers."
She raised an eyebrow. "Of course, why."
"No reason, I just wanted to make sure that if we needed it we had it."
Kathwren glanced about the closed her eyes opened them and started wandering to and fro. "A CLUE!" she yells at us.
"Then tie it!" Jen said.
Lady V. Chuckles. "RUE Where!"
"No a CLUE." Kathwren yells.
"It's a hand print," said Derek.
ReplyDelete"Indeed, and a clue!" Said Kathwren. "And it is on a villin's cape."
ReplyDeleteV smiled "Now it is time to put it in our handy dandy notebook... does anybody have a notebook?"
"I DO! I DO! I HAVE A NOTEBOOK!" Robyn whipped a spiral bound notebook out of her satchel. "No black crayon with stripes... how about an ink pen?" This she whipped out of her quiver.
ReplyDelete~Robyn Hoode
Melody whipped a notebook out of the spacious pockets in her riding attire and handed it to V. "I never go anywhere without a notebook and a pen." she handed her a pen also.
ReplyDeleteV looked from one to the other then sighed. "Could you both draw the clues. I ain't an artist."
ReplyDeleteOkay... First we draw a squiggley parrellellgram, then we add three sqiggley lines for wrinkles... and then we draw a small trapezoid for the collar, and there. A villian's cape.
ReplyDelete~Robyn Hoode
"Don't forget to draw the rocks!" reminded Jen. "They were our first clue!"
ReplyDelete"What do rocks, hand prints, and villain capes have in common?" questioned Megan.
"Did you see which way Blue went?" Robyn asked.
ReplyDelete"What?" Derek questioned.
"Nevermind." Robyn said. "Hey! Donde esta? Where is the rainbow bridge?
~Robyn Hoode
"No-no-no-no.... " Kathwren laughs
ReplyDeleteV sings the Blues clues song in its entirety to explain it.
Robyn sang along and accidently pushes Lady V of the tree stump as they both sat down to think.
ReplyDelete"Oh, I'm sorry." Robyn said, blushing. Then she giggles and reaches out a hand to help V up. "At my house, musical chairs is no longer about who sits first, it's who can stay in the chair. Do you think we have time for musical chairs before we continue the quest... what am I saying? Of course we don't! Why would I say that?"
Robyn and the others suddenly noticed a flowery scent. And there was a mist in the air.
Robyn gasped. "The mist! It makes people crazy! Run! To the rainbow bridge!"
~Robyn Hoode
A confused expression came to V's face. "But where is the rainbow bridge?"
ReplyDeleteKathwren takes V's hand and drags her along behind the others.
(you know I didn't know I had been sitting on anything. We are in the Mt.)
Wait!" Melody calls. "Why don't we ride double on the horses? We'll escape the mist and reach the rainbow bridge a lot faster than if we are on foot."
ReplyDeleteA gray stallion shimmers into existence beneath Kathwren and V. and Kathie yells "I have the two of us covered but Melody is correct everyone who has a horse find someone who doesn't"
ReplyDeleteI... uh... not fond of horses... scared really... maybe... why don't we follow the yellow brick road?
ReplyDelete~Robyn
"CLUE THREE!!! CLUE THREE!!!" V. Suddenly started yelling.
ReplyDelete"What is it?" asked Jen.
V glanced at the object that had suddenly trasported in onto her lap. "A Book! Elm must have sent it with the horse! It has something written on it. HaV academy! It is one of my sister's stories!"
You know what it's time for?
ReplyDelete~Robyn
Flewder suddenly stepped back into their midst from a door that opened in a nearby rock ....
ReplyDelete"You girls are .... never mind.
Do any of you remember that you have a MAP?
You can't go galloping off in the wrong direction. And horses are not going to do you any good."
Flewder snatched the map from Derek's back pocket.
"Look ladies, solve your clues, and find a way down that cliff. At the bottom is a path to a gorge ... then you will find 3 more clues to making the rainbow bridge appear."
With that... Flewder walked back out the door.
V shook her head. "Well since we have found the clues we now need to sit in the thinking chair though we have a problem, except for the saddles, there ain't no thinking chairs."
ReplyDeleteKathwren gave a wicked grin, then closed here eyes and suddenly in a circle near the party appeared a hard metal chair with a single red pillow on each. "do these work?"
V smiled and dismounted followed promptly by Kathwren who continued to hold the rains of her beautiful horse. The two walked over and sat down in a chair.
"Oh! Perfect!" exclaimed Jen, claiming a seat, and motioning for Derek and Megan to take the chairs next to her. Megan did so ... but Derek rolled his eyes.
ReplyDelete"If you ask me," he said, bending over to pick Flewder's map up off the ground, "simply being a girl is enough to make you crazy." He carefully folded the map and put it back in his back pocket.
"Oh, come on, Derek," coaxed Jen. "You're having fun and you know it." She noticed Robyn giving the horses wary looks, so added, "You can ride with me. My horse is imaginary, so it's safer than the real ones - more predictable. To tell the truth, I've never ridden a real horse."
"So now what?" questioned Megan.
"We wait for everyone to sit down," said Jen, eyeing Derek and sighing.
Kathwren laughed, "I can get you a carriage pulled by a kangaroo if you don't want to ride a horse Robin. Although I think Bird baskets are a bit smoother to ride in in this terrain if you are also nervous around Kangaroos. Robyn. all I have to do is call up to my ship and have it beamed down. if you need anything else I can get it the same way."
ReplyDeleteMelody cautiously took a seat, privately giving an amused shake of her head over Derek.
ReplyDelete"Now for the next thing, we should review the clues, shouldn't we?"
"That would probably be a good idea," said Jen, giving Derek a look. "It would also be a good idea for Derek to sit down."
ReplyDeleteDerek folded his arms over his chest and returned the look.
Melody bit back a giggle. "Derek? Are you good at taking notes?"
ReplyDelete"No. I have terrible handwriting, and I don't know how to spell big words. So does Megan, but we won't go there."
ReplyDelete"Drat." Melody thought. "There went that possible plan for getting him to sit down."
ReplyDeleteJen raised an eyebrow. "I think Derek is afraid to sit down because he knows that, no matter where he sits ... he'll have a girl on either side of him."
ReplyDelete"Finally!" Derek exclaimed. "Someone else notices that I'm the only guy here."
"Well ... I could always summon Sir Christofer to keep you company ..."
"No."
"Then take a seat. And if you won't, at least stand behind a thinking chair. We'll need your input - I'm sure."
"To figure out what a book, a rock, a villain's cape and three clues have to do with each other?"
Jen sighed. "Something like that.
Flewder suddenly walked through a door ... the girls were sure it wasn't there a moment before...
ReplyDelete"Look girls. It doesn't matter if Derek sits or not.
But you got to think... did Kendra ever write a book about a villain and rocks ... maybe she posted something about it somewhere?
And maybe once you know the villian's name, if you all yell it really loud, and let em' know you got the missing cape. e'll come.
Flewder mumbled to himself as he turned to leave again, "Help them out he says, don't let me down he says, ... they got the brains of ...." and the door slammed behind him.
"Well!" exclaimed V. I don't know which of Mom's character's HE is... but I'm not sure I would enjoy reading about him.
Jen scrunched her nose. "Well ... I do remember Kendra mentioning to me that one of her projects was called 'HaV Academy' and that one of the main characters was a villain ... but she didn't tell me much about it. I mostly know about Bookania and Rizkaland of her works."
ReplyDelete"Kendra has a book where the main characters is a villian?" said Derek, leaning on the back of the chair next to Jen - the one she had been trying to get him to sit in. "Now I know she's insane."
"It's called an antihero, Derek," said Jen.
Melody's eyes lit up. "Yes! The villain could manipulate mineral materials, like rocks, if I remember correctly. Hang on, if I think for a minute I'll think of her name." Her brow furrowed the way it always did when she was thinking.
ReplyDeleteHer face cleared, "I think that was the villain's name, ROCKS."
"That's IT" cried V. "Rocks because that's her name, a villain's cape because she's a villain, and HaV Academy because that's her book! We just figured out Kendra's clues!" She sprang to her feet and started singing. "We just figured out Kendra's clues, we just figured out Kendra's Clues. We just figured out Kendra's clues - 'cause we're really smart!"
ReplyDelete"And crazy," added Derek.
"Now let's call for her and tell her we found her cape," added V, pretending she hadn't heard Derek. "Though I think she might prefer if we call her by her real name, Roxanne."
Everyone inside of the circle stood up and yelled, "Roxanne!"
ReplyDeleteSuddenly a hole appeared in the center of the circle, barely an inch away from each set of toes.
Without a word, all resumed sitting.
Slowly a figure appeared, holding a bit of paper in her hand, identical to the papers each of the others had as well.
"I thought I would be able to get out of this gig," she sneered. "Apparently not."
"ROXANNE!!!!" Robyn called.
ReplyDeleteROCKS was dressed from head to toe in a black material that looked like shiny metal - perhaps that was what it was. Black curls tumbled down her back from under the helmet-like mask she wore. Her nose, chin and hands - the only skin she had exposed - was papery white, and her eyes were stone gray.
ReplyDeleteSlowly, these gray eyes looked up from the piece of paper and regarded each of the girls in turn. Her calm manner was intimidating.
At last her gaze rested upon Derek, and her sneer turned to a smirk. "So, you're the only gentleman who would come to Lady Kendra's aid?"
"Flewder keeps popping in from time to time, too!" protested Jen.
ROCKS laughed, a cold, cruel laugh. "But Flewder is not here at the moment. Very well, I will help you civilians - but you need not call me Roxanne. That is only my name when my mask is off - and I desire to keep it that way."
Melody leaned over to V. and Jen and whispered, "Do we dare trust her? Remember the warning we were given in the beginning? We were told there were some of Lady Kendra's characters that don't like her so we had to be careful not to be led astray. What if ROCKS is one of those?"
ReplyDeleteV nodded "We had better Melody, She was the answer to the clues. I know my sister, follow her direction."
ReplyDelete"Ms Rocks." Captain Kathwren spoke up. "My men are standing by if needed. I ordered them to stay aboard unless needed. Lead on."
"She does have a note," Jen pointed out.
ReplyDelete"And what good would your men do against solid rock? My suit is proof against any weapon - even electrical, for my roommate at the Academy had an electrical power, so I made sure I was proof against it," ROCKS smirked, unafraid. "However, your fears are needless. I will play the hero this time. It will give me amusement."
"I didn't mean that we meant to attack you. I was just letting you know that there were men that we could call upon. But now we need to get down this cliff and since you know what to do with rocks and more importantly rocky cliffs we were wondering if you could help us with our delima." Captain Kathwren said with an diplomatic air.
ReplyDelete"It is your duty as one of her characters, if you do not help us your book will never be finished and you will die in the woodwork. ROCKS" V said not quite as diplomatically.
"V has a point." Robyn added.
ReplyDelete"Helping you was my intent," said ROCKS. "I knew what you needed when you called me, and I am no so heartless as to wish to trap you on this cliff forever. Oh, and V, I honestly doubt that King Roshk will succeed in killin my beloved author. He doesn't have that power. However -" she clapped her hands suddenly, "Any who wish to descend this cliff, step into this circle of chairs - and get those horses, too. It won't do for us to leave them behind."
ReplyDelete"Right!" Melody hurried over and picked up the reins of her black horse, leading him into the circle of chairs.
ReplyDelete"I'm ready when you are."
Kathie led Snip (the horse) into the ring and removing the silk scarf belt tied it over his eyes to keep him from spooking. Then nodded toward Roxanne
ReplyDelete"I'm ready." Robyn said, entering the circle.
ReplyDeleteJen tapped the gem of her bracelet. "Snowflake, Dancer and Carousel, get over here."
ReplyDeleteThe three horses that she and her siblings had been riding obeyed her summons.
"You too Derek."
Derek sighed and entered the circle. "It's a bit crowded with all of the horses," he observed.
"It won't be for long," said ROCKS, closing her eyes. At first, nothing seemed to be happening ... then the area with the circle began to lower.
"Kathie," said Jen, "you may want to contact Elm and tell him that he needs to take the chairs back."
A few minutes later, the ground closed over their heads, and they were in utter darkness.
V grasped Derek hard her eyes clamped shut.
ReplyDelete"HEY!!" he exclaimed "What is that for?"
V didn't answer. Kathie smiled. "V doesn't like elevators they make her dizzy. and don't worry Jen Elm had his orders. I promise you that they are already back on board, if they aren't he will have me to contend with."
"Boo!"
ReplyDeleteAll the girls shrieked, then heard Derek laughing.
"Can I shoot him, Jen?" Robyn asked. A sliding sound could be heard like an arrow being pulled from the quiver.
"Land sakes! You wouldn't really shoot someone would you?!" The other girls cried.
Robyn was puzzled for a moment, then she laughed. "Oh, you thought... no, I would never! I have darts that will make a person mute or submissive... they're magical so I don't know which it will be until the person has been shot. Either would be good for Derek, I think."
~Robyn Hoode
Comments for this post have been closed due to length. To continue the story, please head over to this post: http://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/2013/02/rescue-me-chapter-2.html
ReplyDelete