The Unknown Realm #4 (Waverly Stump and The 7 Realms)

XXXVIII

The upsetting clonk of some unknown object from outside made Waverly clutch at her forehead for the millionth time. She let go of her wooden spoon and stared into the bowl of tomato sauce and marinated chicken, fearing that she would lose her appetite as quickly as she had lost sanity within the past twenty minutes. Whoever made the clonking noise seemed to pay a very loyal attention to sequence such that each strike sounded like music – very annoying music.

Waverly thought the noisemaker ought to be a child and felt tempted to go outside and yell at them, but she thought the better of it chiefly because the sound came from right across the Master House, and the other reason being that she suddenly remembered how her own noisemaking skills as a child was infuriating to HalfHyde. Elves had sensitive ears, and whilst in his study, Pa could hear her from the front door, panting as a result of running a good distance. He had often complained of a headache triggered by such funny noises, but Waverly barely considered it; joyfully skipping stones across the lake, making loud splashes, and stomping on red ants with her boots whenever she got the chance.

Now, she felt the consequences of what those actions were like.

Her head was aching up a storm, and she doubted it was from a lack of sleep the night before. She had barely glimpsed Pa since their spat, and it made her feel conflicted. No matter how frequently they got into disagreements in the past, they never stayed too long without at least speaking to each other of something casual just to clear the air of any previous grudges. But HalfHyde was yet to even come down for breakfast, though he had generously cooked and left her a good meal on the same spot she had sat in for supper.

Clonk-clonk! Clonk-clonk!

"Oh, by Selene!" She muttered in a frustrated grunt and pushed her stool back, fed up with the discomfortable sound.

As she marched toward the threshold, the doors slowly swung open and three men strode in. Waverly halted immediately and stared curiously at them.

Each man was quite elderly; dressed in beautiful robes of dark green that one would have easily mistaken for Elvish craft, but Waverly knew better. Their attires only looked to be have been done by very gifted Human seamstressing. Two carried with them brown bulging satchels while one had nothing but a fat swag sagging from behind him. They all appeared to have just returned from a long journey.

Immediately their eyes fell on her, the once chattering trio quietened.

"Hello, and good morning, young stranger." The man in the middle hailed. His face was so bearded that the only visible feature on him were his eyes and nose.

"Hello." Waverly greeted, pondering why she seemed to vaguely recognize the strangers, yet found nothing familiar to connect them with.

"Do you reside here, or have you simply lost your way?" The left hand man piped.

His tone instantly told her he was the snotty,  ungregarious type.

"I live here. I arrived yesterday." She replied.

The third man, albeit quiet, was staring at her with a sort of analytic expression.

"Who do you live with?" The first man asked then he made a little splutter. "Forgive me, but I only ask because these quarters are reserved for Council folk, lordly townsmen and all."

"Forgive you?" The snotty man scoffed. "You ask a strange child to forgive you? Better to ask her for permission before you speak. Do you forget your place, Malcer? Ask her to leave at once."

"My father is HalfHyde Oakecrest." Waverly stated quietly.

"Oh!" The third man finally piped. He stepped forward, his eyes delightfully running around Waverly's face like swirls in a pool. "I had a nagging suspicion since I stepped in the door. The Lord Scrivener never mentioned a child before, but somehow, I could perceive you are his."