Theo (need a title any suggestions?)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five
Thwack, something thumps against the log. I wake with a start. “Wake up sleepy head,” calls Charmaine, “you going to sleep all day? You promised me your story.”
I bang my head on the log. “I’m up, what more do you want?’
“You big boar, you promised me a story,” I hear the pout in Charmaine’s voice.
“Okay, let me freshen up and get something to eat and I’ll tell you your story.” I calm Charmaine.
“Just be quick about it,” chides Charmaine, “you have a guest out here who wants to hear your story.”
“It better not be a mouse you caught to snack on later,” I grumble as I crawl of the log.
“Of course not!” humps Charmaine. “I ate before I came and woke you up.”
“Just what I need, an energetic kakapo when I first wake up.” I wander off to a private spot and take care of business. I head off to the river and wash up. When I get back to the log I grab my bag and find the last of my bread and cheese and start eating.
“You must ignore her rude manners.” Quips Charmaine.
I roll my eyes. “I leave one obnoxious bird only to find another. How lucky can I get?” I finish taking a bite and look at Charmaine.
“Look out!” I yell as I grab Charmaine and knock him away.
“You twit, what are you doing knocking me to the ground.” Huffs Charmaine as he straightens his feathers and takes his place again.
“What is it?” I see a lot of swirling colors of energy.
“Where are your manners? I told you that there was a friend here who also wanted to hear your story.” Rebukes Charmaine.
I look sideways at Charmaine and out of the corner of my eye the swirling colors take shapes. They are about three inches tall, look like humans except that they are all one color and have wings. ”I’m not done with my breakfast yet and who is the rude one, you haven’t even introduced me to the guest.”
“Theo, let me introduce you to Tamekia.” One of the blobs of energy takes a form of a young woman. She stands three inches high and is light purple her wings are iridescent. “Since you are as dumb as a box of rocks, I will tell you that she is one of the Fae people and wants to hear your story. I hope I don’t have to tell you what an honor it is to have the Fae in attendance. I don’t know if Alfred taught you how to communicate with the Fae but I assume not and I don’t have enough magic left to help with that and Tamekia is not inclined to help you understand her.”
I stand up and curtsy to Tamekia like Lord Elysia taught me. “Welcome to my humble abode, Tamekia. I am honored that you and your fellow Fae have graced us with your presence just to hear my story. Would you like some bread and cheese?”
“My, My” Charmaine mocks me, “what fine courtly manners you have. You might not be just a rude peasant girl after all.” Charmaine turns his head as if listening to something. “My apologies Theo, Tamekia feels that I have made enough fun of you. She thanks you for the offer of bead and cheese but she would prefer a drink of cold water.”
She is only three inches high so I don’t think my cup is going to work. I pour some water into my bowl and set it in front of Tamekia. “Don’t worry about Charmaine. He’s a grump old kakapo with more wind than anything.”
I sit down and begin my story how Alfred found me in the market place when I was stealing his purse, and brought me back to his house to work off my debt and till he could convince Hulda to let him get an apprentice from the Wizard School. I even tell them how he mistook me for a boy and was absolutely furious when he found out I was a girl. Charmaine lets out a loud hoot at that.
I help them picture the books not only from the library but the whole house marching to the bookshelves after Lord Elysia gave me the magical word so I wouldn’t have to carry them al. By the time I get to Lord Elysia and I exploring the attic a large group of forest animals gathers to listen. I get to the part of Lord Elysia getting hurt and how scared I was and my eyes begin to tear up. I feel a small pressure on my leg and find a family of bunnies has come to comfort me. Charmaine’s eyes open even wider and spin faster when I describe the elves and their testing, he closes his eyes and appears to fall asleep as I go into how the elves performed a ceremony to make me Alfred’s apprentice. I pause a moment and look around, there are foxes, deer, squirrels, and birds all sitting together listening to my story.
There is a large array of noises when I tell how Hulda is turned into a mule.
“I would love to have seen that. Wait a minute that was she with you when Alfred came to the council? Oh that is perfect, I can’t wait till they find out.” States Charmaine.
“You can’t tell them, promise!” I stare at Charmaine.
“Oh all right, take the fun out of it.” Charmaine pouts. “Continue.”
I take a drink of water and tell of our quest for the council.
“He lied” Interrupts Charmaine his feathers ruffled. He cocks his head at Tamekia. “I’m sorry to interrupt, please go on.”
I continue by telling them about the dragon and my one request to turn Hulda back to herself. I take a big swig of water, the crowd has grown to include bears and tigers with more birds than I can recognize and a few other animals I don’t recognize.
“When Alfred refused to let me go visit the elves I realized that he was never going to teach me magic. I was not going to spend the rest of my life cleaning his home, being that close to magic and not able to learn. I decided to run away and that is why I am here now.” I finish.
Tamekia comes right in front of me, places her tiny hands on my forehead and in a soft musical voice says something I can’t understand. The other Fae, which are still swirling blobs of energy; come and fly around my head and then just wink out.
“Tamekia gave you a blessing, then she and her people had to be going.” Charmaine clears his throat. “That was a very interesting story.”
“Excuse me,” I yawn, “the sun is past the midway point in the sky. I need to get moving and find a new place to camp farther in the forest.” I gather my things and pack them into my bag.
“Whatever,” mumbles Charmaine as he hops into the log and his head drops into his shoulders were he is promptly asleep.
I go over and give him a shake, “are you coming?”
Charmaine opens one sleepy eye and blinks rapidly. “No, I’ll catch up to you tonight, I normally sleep during the day.”
“You’re going to hope after me? Won’t that tire you out? You will never catch me.”
“Don’t worry about me, my wizard will help me catch up to you.” With that Charmaine pushes his head into his shoulder and falls asleep again.
I start walking and walk for the rest of the afternoon. By the time night falls I am tired from all the walking and look for a place to sleep. I find a group of rocks in a circle just big enough for me to lie down in. I fill it with leaves; eat a little bread and cheese wrap up on my cloak. I shift position a few time and drift off to sleep. I wake up briefly during the night t a warm body snuggling in. My heart begins to race and my breathing increases. I move to get up when I hear a familiar voice.
“Don’t be an idiot!”
“Charmaine, you scared me. You should have warned me. What if I had jumped and you scratched me with those long claws?” I whisper.
“I didn’t, now go back to sleep, we have a long way to go tomorrow.”
I lay back down and close my eyes. I’m about to drift off when I hear a voice. “Don’t worry, I’m coming.” I open my eyes and look around. It is so dark I can’t see anything. “Who said that?”
“There is no one here but you and I silly child, go to sleep, I’m tired from missing my sleep today.” Scolds Charmaine. It takes a while before I drift off to sleep.