The Thorn In Me

Friends Are Hard To Find.

"Did you miss me?" She enquired happily. "Why are you here?" I was very suspicious of her motives. Her jade eyes gleamed back at me, "I know these woods very well, Charmaine. I can help you through them."

I laughed a hearty laugh, "You've come here to kill me, haven't you?" Now it was her turn to laugh. "I don't want to kill you." She smiled. "Charmaine, I've never had a friend growing up. Adam was always a flirt but didn't really pay me no mind. I want a friend, Charmaine. We live in a dark world, you and I. The people in London and Paris say it's just folklore. But we know the truth, the truth that they are too blind to see." She twirled a finger through her auburn locks. She took her free hand and ran it along my pointed jaw bone. "I don't know who my father is. Just like you do not know your parents. We can become friends, I beleive. You are so very beautiful. Beauty like that is meant to fit a Queen, me in your mear shadow. I always wondered where Mother spent her days. I now realize why she did it instead of letting you die. You have a way about you. Something that pulls people in, you must be aware of it now. You know what you are, yet do you know what you really are? You mustn't trust all that you see in these woods for some things are simply... not.. there.." And with a wave of her hand she was gone, leaving only a small rose lying in her place.

I leaned on the ground and caressed the rose softly, I picked it up and laid it inside of my pouch and continued to walk on. I walked for what felt like miles, over trees and limbs. My legs had started to ache, I rested on a peculiar looking oak tree, it's leaves fell down softly beside me. CLANG! CLANG! I could hear what sounded of pots and pans hitting againest each other.

Slowly a small dwarf creature waddling down a worn path, it's clothes constisted of a wool vest and leather trousers. I could hear it mumbling about his junk. "Sir, Hello? Sir?" He swiftly yanked a large knife from his pocket, even though we were a distance away, I could see that it was razor sharp. "Who be hiding in the shadows, Shelik, that you?" his voice was gruff and strong. "I am Charmaine, I seek a path to the castle." I spoke, he looked me over carefully, "I see now. I cannot help you, maiden. The legends fortells that you must find it alone. I tried to step towards him, my foot has sunken into the ground. Suddenly, I could feel the Earth move until I realized I was hanging from a tree by a rope. "Maiden! Are you well?" The little troll man had ran from the path and took a place in front of my face. I tried to answer as I swung from side to side. "I should be okay, just a little dizzy." I knew the troll man was too short to cut my rope until I saw the knot of it piked against a low part of the tree. "Man-Troll, see that knot?" The dwarf nodded. "Get some leaves and moss and make a pile beneath me, then go cut the knot." The dwarf scurried about getting everything I had commanded him to. I was shocked at how easily the dwarf bended to my will, could that have been magic?"

Finally, I could hear the sawing of the rope and a swift snap, I was in the pile of moss. As I stood up to dust of the dwarf spoke to me, "My name is Gerry." I stood in place for a moment staring at the small mans wrinkled face. He had soft grey eyes and dirty blonde hair, time had treated him well and it was visible on his face. "I'm Charmaine as I said. I've come to see if I can discover my purpose. But I must find the castle." Gerry's face darkened, "Miss, the castle is far in these thick woods, word around the forrest says that a beast guards the gates. Letting no one in or out." His words seemed to worry me, I glanced around cautiously, "Gerry, I could be the heir. I could fix all of this." I pointed around to the forrest. He sighed knowing he had been defeated. "I can lead you there but the journey is long."

"Oh my gods, you're hurt!" I heard a high pitched voice scream at me. Slowly the Pink fairy appeared. "Oh dear here, take this." She fluttered to my leg wound, I must've received when I fell, and sprinkled some sparkling dust onto it. "What did you do to me?" I asked her kindly. My wound seemed to evaporate, only leaving behind pink pale flesh. "I used golden Oak tree leaves that have been ground up into powder." She tittled. She buzzed from one area to the next. All the while, Gerry standing awkwardly. "Why did you help me?" My voice growing strong, slightly intimidating the small Sprite. "I know the woman told you not to trust us, in some ways she's right. But I am not like my sister sprites. I don't think causing you trouble will help us." She landed in the palm of my hand and I could finally see her features. She had long blonde hair that cascaded down her back which met her neon pink wings. She hand a beautiful heart shaped face and beautiful hazel eyes surrounded by layers of thick, glossy lashes. "If you can not stay loyal to your own kind, how am I to beleive you will stay loyal to me?" She seemed suprised by my question, "I know my sprite sisters beleive that if you make it to the castle, you will destroy the Golden Oak. I know the legend foretells of a genuinly kind maiden, if she was so kind, she would make multiple Golden Oaks for our colony." She stated staring down at her feet,ready to take a scolding.

I sighed. "Okay, do you wish to assist me on my journey to the caslte?" I looked her over, searching for any kind of treacherous sign. "Oh, my lady, I will. You must make me a promise. That if you are the future Queen, you will use your magic to make more Golden Oaks, so that I ay prove my colony wrong." She looked at me hopefully her eyes gleaming. " I promise."

"What of me, my princess?" Gerry stared up at me. I fished around in my pouch for anything. I pulled out a crystal bottle that had axe engravings into the cork. The label read: sulus de virtus cerburus. 'You must have virtue, your fight must be strong.' I handed it to him, he held the bottle with his gentle hands."Just take a sip so we can see what it does." I told him. He pulled the small cork cap off of the bottle. The sprite fluttered up to my shoulder and sat there in anticipation. "Go ahead. Just a sip." I told him. He held the bottle up to his mouth steadily. The liquid magic ran down his throat with a bright violet glow, even I and the sprite could see through his rough skin. He hand me the bottle, still nearly full. "I don't feel any different." He stated, his voice gruff and impatient. Suddenly, his large sack that he had been carrying became stuffed, the pots spewed out. I could see him smiling, "Are you okay?" He looked up at me, then turn and ran up a tree and did a graceful backflip off of it. "I feel alive!" He yelled. I ran over to the sack and pushed past all of the pans, I felt something cold, hard and sharp. As, I pulled it out of the bag, I realized it was a large axe. Its handle was black and grey with wolves carved into the moulding, its blade was long and smooth, most likely poisoned, so I dared not to touch it. I opened the sack again and found large collections of armour.

After Gerry slipped on his armor and gripped his aze, I stood amazed. His face no longer help wrinkles his skin seemed to glow. "Gerry, do you wish to aid me on my quest?" I asked him straightforward. "Well, Charmaine, I would be honored."