Post by leonaheart on May 29, 2021 19:37:50 GMT
There came a soft knocking on her door that caused Tiana to look up from her book, “Tia?” the door creaked open, her mother peaked in from the other side, “Tiana, dear, may I come in?”
“Yes, mommy.”
Her mother came over and sat down on the bed next to her, Tiana scooted over so she could lean into her mother. Her mother started to comb Tiana’s hair with her fingers, “So, what do you think of this place so far? Made any friends?’
Tiana buried her face in her book, “No one wants to be my friend.”
“I bet they would if you tried. We’ll work on getting you out of your shell.”
“It’s safer in the shell,” Tiana sank deep into her mother’s lap, “And this place...it’s...nice here I suppose. It’s very different from Bar Harbor.” Her mother hummed, “Mommy, why didn’t daddy come with us?” The room grew very quiet, her mother froze where she was.
“Tia...your father and I...we...He isn’t going to be with us anymore.”
“Why?”
Crash!! The sound came from the living room, “Oh no, what did they do this time. I’m sorry, Tiana, I need to see what this is.” Her mother got up and went to the door, “Do you want to go to the market with me later? We can pick up some new books.” Tiana nodded and watched her mother leave, she flopped back on her bed and sighed. Why did her mother always tense up when someone mentioned her father?
________________________________
Later, Tiana was sent out with her twin siblings, Martha and George, to the market. “I don’t know why I’m here, it was your ball, George.”
“Which you kicked right into the lamp, Martha.” The twins glared at one another, not happy about the week's worth of chores they now had to do as punishment. Tiana tugged on her brother’s sleeve to try and get his attention but he was too busy squabbling with Martha. She sighed, Tiana was used to being ignored but the twins were supposed to be helping her get stuff for dinner. Tiana looked around the town square when she caught sight of a book sale, looking back at her squabbling siblings she decided to head over and take a look.
She looked over the books that had been set out for sale, picking up a few but putting them back down until something caught her eye. An old book that had dropped to the ground, Tiana picked it up and looked it over. The cover was red leather, the title was in faded gold letters but she could still make out ‘The Magic Realm’. It was such an old book that it had no description on the back to tell her what the story was about, curious Tiana went to open the book…
“Here she is!” Martha grabbed Tiana’s hand, causing her to close the book, “What are you trying to do, Tia? Get us into even more trouble? Let’s go.”
“Ah, I need to pay for the book.” Tiana managed to wiggle her hand free and placed a ten on the table for the person running the book sale before she was dragged away.
____________________________________
Tiana turned off her light and dove underneath her covers with a flashlight, her new book was waiting for her there. She settled in and opened the book…
There was a bright flash of light causing Tiana to shield her eyes…
When Tiana opened them again, she was no longer in her room but a forest. How did she get here? Maybe she had fallen asleep while reading and somehow walked into the forest? She got up and looked all around with her flash light, nothing looked familiar to her and it didn’t appear that there was a town nearby. So...she was further into the woods than she thought...Tiana started walking in the direction that she thought the town was in.
Tiana kept walking and walking until she started to see the lights of a town...she started to run towards it only to stop in her tracks when she saw it wasn’t Avalon. What was going on? The sound of music tickled her ear, someone was up at this time of night? Maybe they could help. Tiana followed the music and came across quite a sight. Through the window of one of the houses she saw small human-like beings cleaning someone’s kitchen. Maybe she was still dreaming.
One of the beings caught sight of her, Tiana ducked down from the window… “What are you still doing? You should be asleep in your bed.” Tiana looked down to see the same small human looking up at her, it’s small black eyes shone in the moonlight.
“I’m sorry...but I’m...are you a fairy?”
The small being puffed out his chest, “Me? A fairy? No, no, I’m a hob, Miss.”
“What’s that?”
“What’s that? What’s that? Haven’t your parents ever told you about hobs? The fae folk who clean your homes and listen to your wishes.” Tiana shook her head as the hob looked her over, “Now that I get a good look at you, you do look a little strange. Are you not from here?”
“No, and I’m not sure how to get back home. Have you ever heard of Avalon?”
He stroked his beard, “Avalon you say? Nope, can’t say I have. Is it far?”
Tiana looked up at the sky, “I hope not.”
“Yes, mommy.”
Her mother came over and sat down on the bed next to her, Tiana scooted over so she could lean into her mother. Her mother started to comb Tiana’s hair with her fingers, “So, what do you think of this place so far? Made any friends?’
Tiana buried her face in her book, “No one wants to be my friend.”
“I bet they would if you tried. We’ll work on getting you out of your shell.”
“It’s safer in the shell,” Tiana sank deep into her mother’s lap, “And this place...it’s...nice here I suppose. It’s very different from Bar Harbor.” Her mother hummed, “Mommy, why didn’t daddy come with us?” The room grew very quiet, her mother froze where she was.
“Tia...your father and I...we...He isn’t going to be with us anymore.”
“Why?”
Crash!! The sound came from the living room, “Oh no, what did they do this time. I’m sorry, Tiana, I need to see what this is.” Her mother got up and went to the door, “Do you want to go to the market with me later? We can pick up some new books.” Tiana nodded and watched her mother leave, she flopped back on her bed and sighed. Why did her mother always tense up when someone mentioned her father?
________________________________
Later, Tiana was sent out with her twin siblings, Martha and George, to the market. “I don’t know why I’m here, it was your ball, George.”
“Which you kicked right into the lamp, Martha.” The twins glared at one another, not happy about the week's worth of chores they now had to do as punishment. Tiana tugged on her brother’s sleeve to try and get his attention but he was too busy squabbling with Martha. She sighed, Tiana was used to being ignored but the twins were supposed to be helping her get stuff for dinner. Tiana looked around the town square when she caught sight of a book sale, looking back at her squabbling siblings she decided to head over and take a look.
She looked over the books that had been set out for sale, picking up a few but putting them back down until something caught her eye. An old book that had dropped to the ground, Tiana picked it up and looked it over. The cover was red leather, the title was in faded gold letters but she could still make out ‘The Magic Realm’. It was such an old book that it had no description on the back to tell her what the story was about, curious Tiana went to open the book…
“Here she is!” Martha grabbed Tiana’s hand, causing her to close the book, “What are you trying to do, Tia? Get us into even more trouble? Let’s go.”
“Ah, I need to pay for the book.” Tiana managed to wiggle her hand free and placed a ten on the table for the person running the book sale before she was dragged away.
____________________________________
Tiana turned off her light and dove underneath her covers with a flashlight, her new book was waiting for her there. She settled in and opened the book…
There was a bright flash of light causing Tiana to shield her eyes…
When Tiana opened them again, she was no longer in her room but a forest. How did she get here? Maybe she had fallen asleep while reading and somehow walked into the forest? She got up and looked all around with her flash light, nothing looked familiar to her and it didn’t appear that there was a town nearby. So...she was further into the woods than she thought...Tiana started walking in the direction that she thought the town was in.
Tiana kept walking and walking until she started to see the lights of a town...she started to run towards it only to stop in her tracks when she saw it wasn’t Avalon. What was going on? The sound of music tickled her ear, someone was up at this time of night? Maybe they could help. Tiana followed the music and came across quite a sight. Through the window of one of the houses she saw small human-like beings cleaning someone’s kitchen. Maybe she was still dreaming.
One of the beings caught sight of her, Tiana ducked down from the window… “What are you still doing? You should be asleep in your bed.” Tiana looked down to see the same small human looking up at her, it’s small black eyes shone in the moonlight.
“I’m sorry...but I’m...are you a fairy?”
The small being puffed out his chest, “Me? A fairy? No, no, I’m a hob, Miss.”
“What’s that?”
“What’s that? What’s that? Haven’t your parents ever told you about hobs? The fae folk who clean your homes and listen to your wishes.” Tiana shook her head as the hob looked her over, “Now that I get a good look at you, you do look a little strange. Are you not from here?”
“No, and I’m not sure how to get back home. Have you ever heard of Avalon?”
He stroked his beard, “Avalon you say? Nope, can’t say I have. Is it far?”
Tiana looked up at the sky, “I hope not.”