The Magic Mirror

Heart to Heart

Fire crackled merrily and sent hot embers reeling into the night sky to mingle and fade among the stars. Audrin lay awake on a blanket graciously provided to her by Sir Marcos and his sister Bridgette. As she stared skywards she stroked Dumpling's massive head which rested on her belly. On the other side of the dog Imp the Inkling sat, gray and still.

"Imp?" Audrin asked.

"Yes Audrin?" Its voice was thin and quiet, like a child's.

"Tell me about Inklings. Where are you from? Do Inklings live in the forest?"

"No," Imp said. "I lived in a pantry."

"Was it nice?"

"As nice as a pantry could be."

Their conversation fizzled into silence as a log slipped onto the coals of the fire and sent sparks up.

Audrin fidgeted with one of Dumpling's ears tentatively.

"What do you mean?" she asked, once she was sure the quiet had gone on long enough.

"It means that I didn't belong there," said Imp. "I just didn't fit."

"Must have been a little pantry."

"I mean that I didn't fit in," Imp elaborated.

"Oh," Audrin sighed. "I know what you mean. That's sort of why I'm out here too... I mean- that and the whole save Fier from an evil sorcerer thing."

She shoved Dumpling's head away and let it flop onto the ground as she rolled over to look at Imp.

"Do you think we'll find it? A place where we belong?"

"Who says there is such a place?" asked Imp. To Audrin it sounded as if the Inkling was slightly angered by the idea. It had a sharpness to it's soft voice, something defiant. "I'm the one who ought to change."

"Why?" Audrin couldn't understand it. Imp sounded so certain. "You don't trip or forget or... believe rings can talk."

 She felt her cheeks get hot as she brought up her latest folly. "I must have sounded completely mad earlier... but you're different. I'll bet other Inklings must really like you."

"Right." Imp turned away. "You clearly don't know anything about Inklings, do you?"

"No," Audrin admitted. "Except that you turn blue when you sneeze."

Imp turned back to stare at her blankly. By the golden glow of the fire Audrin could clearly identify the shocked look of bemusement.

"What?" she asked. "Am I wrong?"

The Inkling gave an unexpected smile, small but honest.

"Yes." It shook it's head. "I've never turned blue."

"Oh," Audrin sank. "So what are Inklings really like?"

"I don't want to tell you," Imp said, after a thoughtful pause to mull it over. "I won't... I like your version better."

 As an after thought it seemed to be done with the conversation and added, "Good Night Audrin."

"Good Night Imp."

Audrin rolled back to look at the sky again and felt the inevitable whump of Dumpling's head as it landed back onto her. The dog twitched as it snored slightly and soon Audrin felt her eyes begin to droop. She was just beginning to slip off when a voice jerked her back.

"Good. He's asleep," the voice from the ring muttered.

Audrin sat straight upright and stared at her hand.