The Ragged Woods

Chapter 2

"Candy~! Oh~ Candy! Come out, come out wherever you are~." Candace cringed as Kevin, one of her many "maybe" husbands and by far the most annoying, bellowed through the library looking for her. ‘Does she have no respect at all for the literary arts?' The Short girl may have thought this, butshe pasted on one of her warmest smiles for the man.

"Kevin no need to shout I'm right here," she stepped from behind one of the large bookcases in the far back of the room.

"Oh, my love, I have missed you so~!" Kevin started running full force to her and tackle hugged the poor princess into the bookcase.

Thwack! Candace’s head violently thumped against the hard wood of the self. Her head was spinning and she was seeing stars, but she managed to stay conscious and smile at the obnoxious man.

"Oh, no! Did I make you hit your head? Come on, I'll take you to your room so you can rest." he tried to pull her out of the library, but she wasn't having it.

"I need to talk to Zach, so I have to wait here till he's done with my father." He looked annoyed and was about to protest when a deep oddly echoing laugh rang out through the large room.

"I feel so honored that you would wait for me even when you are injured beyond repair." Zach smiled as he absentmindedly twirled a piece of his long chestnut hair. Candace stuck out her tongue and smiled.

"Now then Kevvy, I'm sorry but our young princess must go choose a different outfit so she looks presentable for her Uncle's wedding. We also must go over your speech." Zach pulled the tiny girl out of the room, leaving the other occupant dumbstruck.

"My uncle died three years ago. Why do I have to dress up for him?" Candace asked dumbly truly not comprehending what just happened.

"You know for someone who is such a nerd you are a total dumbass," Zach laughed.

Candace gave Zach a fake glare and failed at trying to kick the taller man in the shin. Zach has been her best friend since she was four years old, everything about him was comfortable and made Candace feel that she could talk as she pleased with him.

"I think that was one of the most pathetic kicks I have ever had the pleasure to see."

"I'm a nerd remember, smart but weak as hell. And before you say anything I have book-smarts not street-smarts!" Zach laughed his brown eyes twinkling with delight.

Zach was twenty-seven years old and had the whole know-it-all look down pat. He was about 5'11'' with a long lanky body. He had long chestnut hair that reached his back and was tied in a loose, low ponytail. His gentle brown eyes were framed with thick black rimmed glasses.

"We're here, time to get dressed for your uncle." Zach was making fun of him now.

"Screw you!" Candace opened her door and made a beeline for her personal bookcase. Zach on the other hand went to the girl’s bed and flopped onto it.

"Are you like so obsessed with books that you need to be by them twenty-four/seven?"

"Well," Candace muttered as she glanced through the self," I wasn't able to grab any books with that uproar that went on earlier." She rubbed her head gently, it still hurt but it wouldn't kill her.

"Is it just me or is Kevin trying to kill me? Because it seems that every time I'm with him I almost lose consciousness cause he bashes my head into things whenever he can."

"That could be. Maybe he wants to rape you?" Zach joked.

"Hmmm...Could be. Hey Zach?" Candace started hesitantly. She wanted to get information about that guy, but she didn't want Zach ratting her out. The older man's loyalty did in fact belong to her father not her.

"A couple days ago," The shorter of the two turned to face her friend," I ran into someone, literally ran head first into him, before I could even apologize dad and Daniel were right there blocking me from view and acting like the world was going to explode and destroy us all because I hit him. He also had some freaky tattoo. Do you know who he is?" Candace was talking so quietly Zach almost couldn't hear her.

After a few seconds of contemplating Zach said," I think so"

"..."

“..”

“..”

"Well, who the hell is it?" Candace was getting impatient.

The chestnut haired man grinned, “His name is Dimitri Murphy, at least I think this is the guy you’re talking about. He's one of those creatures that live in those woods by the mountain. I also know he's their leader. They say he's the same man who signed the treaty 600 years ago."

"No one can be that old," Candace exclaimed.

Zach couldn't help but laugh at his expression it looked way to serious like a little girl pretending to be her father. "You look like your five years old!"

~ Dimitri Murphy ~

"Achoo~!" Dimitri sneezed and smacked his head on a low branch in the process.

"That was out of nowhere," observed Aroura, the pixie queen," They say someone is talking about you when you sneeze."

Dimitri looked annoyed, “It was just a sneeze, they happen all the time."

"Of course, you are only the sexiest man in this forest, people must talk about you none stop. It's a wonder your head hasn't exploded from all that pressure," Aroura giggled. She was a brunette with short, choppy hair, and a goofy personality when she was not doing business. She was Dmitri’s best friend and he felt he could talk about anything with her.

"You know I have been having a really bad headache lately, but that could just be from your voice," the dark haired dragon jested halfheartedly.

"Oh haha, now tell me what's wrong and quit making lame jokes. It's insulting." Aroura really did know him to well. She had been here science before he got here and created order within all the different species.

"Damn you," he grunted then mumbled his answer as quickly and quietly as he could. "Idon'."

"Wha-," she was cut off by Dimitri "accidentally" knocking her over.

"Umm, put that boulder over there and I'll meet you at your house in two hours.