The Market Thief

Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I try to stretch oh that hurts to raise my arms above my head. Why are my muscles so sore? Yesterday comes rushing back; I hope Eli is okay today. I don’t know what is wrong with me that everything keeps going wrong; I almost killed my first friend. Enough, its time to get up.

I throw back the covers and crawl out of bed; I don’t want to think about what happen. As I get dress I decided that I’m not hungry, I’ll skip seeing cook and go straight to find Hulda. As I wash my face with the water in the pitcher by my bed, which you’d think would be warm from setting out but it is nice and cool. It must be a magic thing; I am not going to think about magic today. I am not going to try any magical words or devices; I am done with magic. I leave the room and head down the hallway.

“Please take me to Hulda,” I instruct the hallway. I walk into the room at the end of the hallway; I’ve never seen this room before. The room is bright pink with roses everywhere; the furniture looks like it was made for dainty dolls. Hulda has stuffed herself into one of the chairs, why it doesn’t break can only be because in this house the impossible tends to be possible.

Hulda is serving tea with a silver set to the lady from yesterday. There are some dainty pastries setting on the table, my stomach begins to growl. Maybe I should go visit cook before coming here, but it’s too late now I’ve been spotted.

“Good morning, Theo,” the lady greets me, “how are you this morning?”

“A little sore is all. How is Eli I mean Lord Elysia?” I inquire.

“Eli as you call him is fine, thanks to you.” Answers the lady.

“Thanks to me?” I doubt that. “I’m very sorry he got hurt, it’s all my fault.”

“Don’t think like that!” Hulda scolds.

“She is right,” the lady agrees as she hands me a cup of tea. “Sit here and have tea with us, we are waiting for Alfred.”

“This is my first tea party,” I sit down next to Hulda. “Hulda, I’m very sorry about the outfits.”

Hulda sighs she has a far away look in her eye, “I wish I could have seen them, it sounds beautiful.’

“It was the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen,” I gush. “With the dress on I felt like the prettiest girl at the ball, like I was a princess. Eli, I mean Lord Elysia, say that you are a princess, what is that like?”

“No fun!” declares Hulda. Her arms are too short to cross over her chest, “always have to look just right, say the right thing and I wasn’t even close to being the ruling princess. I hated being at court.”

“The dances, the balls, dressing up” I interrupt, “that must have been great.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Hulda shakes her head, “all that stuff was marvelous, I loved watching everyone but I hated being the proper lady.”

I can’t imagine always having to be proper,” I agree. “Of course it’s hard to proper when going through the garbage.”

“I think I can solve that problem,” the lady looks over her shoulder, “where is Alfred, he was to meet us here this morning.”

“He’s coming, he’s coming,” squawks Impi.

“Impi,” I put out my arm for her, “ I haven’t seen you since yesterday, how are you?”

“Impi good, Theo bad. Impi good, Theo bad.” Impi scolds.

“Even the bird knows about yesterday?” I groan as I stroke her wing. “Is that why you’ve been ignoring me?”

“No, I cannot stand that infernal squawking,” the lady explains, “so I asked Alfred to leave her in his workroom.”

“I tried,” responds Alfred from the doorway. “She flew out as I left, Impi, go back.”

“Impi stay, Impi stay,” she squawks as she crawls up onto my shoulder.

“Please let her stay.” I beg.

“Only as long as she behaves herself. If she starts squawking she is out of here.” The lady gives in.

“Impi be good, Impi be good,” she agrees.

“The let us get down to business,” the lady motions for Alfred to take a seat.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Alfred argues as he crosses his arms over his chest and paces. “It is not possible for a girl to have magical ability.”

“The facts speak differently,” the lady says.

An angry Alfred pokes his finger at me. “It wasn’t her, it was Lord Elysia I tell you.”

The lady shakes her head. “Elysia claims that he did not use magic. He does admit to telling her what to do but he is sure that she did the spells by herself.”

Alfred stops pacing and stand right in front of the lady. “You know he’s a prankster, he did it just for kicks.”

The lady’s eyes narrow and very quietly she asks, “are you saying that my grandson is lying.”

“I’m saying,” Alfred begins.

I interrupt, “Wait a minute, you are Eli’s grandmother?”

“Yes, I am,” the lady says with a slight bow of her head.

“That was your dress? Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wreck the dress. I shouldn’t have put it on. Are you mad at me?” I hold my hand over my mouth waiting for her answer.

“Don’t worry child, why it was a long time ago that I wore that dress, “ Elysia’s grandmother assures me. “I have many other dresses to wear.” She looks over to Alfred, “about my grandson.”

Alfred bows slightly at the waist, “Queen Danika, I mean no disrespect and I’m not saying he’s lying but there is no way a girl did magic.”

Queen Danika lifts an eyebrow at Alfred, “and
what am I? Last time I checked I was able to do magic.”

“That’s, that’s different,” sputters Alfred, “your an Elf.”

“How is that different?” Queen Danika inquires. She looks so elegant sitting there. Her back is straight, her ankles are crossed and her hands are resting lightly in her lap. She must look awesome sitting on her throne.

“That girls,” Alfred jabs his finger at me, “is a human, a thief, and a trouble maker.”

I interrupt his tirade, “He’s right you know, every place I go I get into trouble.”

Queen Danika puts her arm around me, “that is not your fault, it is the magical ability you have. It is running wild due to lack of proper training.”

“It’s not magic!” shouts Alfred, “girls don’t do magic.”

With a wave of her hand, Queen Danika dismisses the argument. “We are not going to get anywhere with this arguing. To settle the matter once and for all, Alfred, you will test her to determine if she has the talent.”

“It’s a waste of time,” Alfred stomps his foot.

Hulda hauls herself up and wags her finger in Alfred’s face, “Alfred T. Neble, you will do that test. You will abide by the findings because you owe her that much.”

“I owe her,” roars Alfred, “she’s the made the mess, she tried to steal my money pouch.”

Hulda hadn’t backed down. “It was you who brought her into this house with no preparation, the poor child wasn’t ready to be in a wizard’s magical house. You are the adult, you were looking for an apprentice but because she had wronged you then you insisted that she come back here and work it off. It is your pride that is hurt that a child got the best of you, the great wizard. You are going to do that test or I will rearrange your workshop.”

Alfred falls onto the couch, and puts his head into his hands. “What is a wizard to do?”

“Agree with his wife,” Hulda smirks.

“Alright, alright,” Alfred throws his hands over his head in surrender. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Not just yet,” says Queen Danika. “I think it would be wise if she met with my grandson first so she is not worrying about him. I would also like the Elves from yesterday to be present, is that okay with you?”

“Ah what?” I was so busy sticking pastries in my mouth I didn’t hear the question. “Elves at the testing? Do I mind? Ummm, no I don’t mind. Is this test going to be hard?”

“A test, a test,” Impi flies around the room.

“Shut up! Growls Alfred, “if you want dinner not a word of this gets out!”

“Secret test, secret test” Impi flies out of the room before Alfred can hit her.