Young Writers Society

Senna walked back to a tree and leaned up against it still trying to figure out what exactly had happend, one of the women had changed form and disappeared. They had walked away and Senna had made sure no tracks were left. Merlin had led them to one of the many openings in the forest that was hard to find if you didn't know your way around. A hawk flew over Senna's head and landed on the branch abover her.

Why are there so many strangers in the woods today?' It asked,

I'm not sure, She sighed, we will find out soon enough.

Althea pulled herself slowly out of the water and looked around. Most of the people who had been around had scattered and they few people who were left were only faint voices in the deep woods. She had originally been trying to see a friend, but the past situation had changed things a bit. She was going to have to wait an hour or two before she lost her blue color.

Althea began walking around, looking for anything the humans might have left behind. She liked collecting their lost items. When she found one, she would stick it in a box in her water cave, and when she was sure she was alone, she would take the box's items out and study them. They were marvelous things.

As she searched the ground, she saw a pile of black cloth just lying on the ground. She ran over to it and picked it up. It was a beautiful black gown with gold trim. And underneath the gown, on the ground lay a pair of matching slippers. It was the most beautiful outfit she had ever seen!

Althea laughed to herself. I have my first human outfit. But some alterations must be made. I will have to take it to Ralius tonight and he might be able to figure out what to do with it. With that, Althea took the dress and the slippers, rolled them into a lumpy ball, and tucked them under her arm. Once the clothing items were comfortable placed under her arm, Althea ran over to the river and jumped in.

Eleanor Fawkes

"Lady... Claire?" I asked, staring at the young woman before me. She appeared to be a little under twenty, certainly much younger than I had expected. Her long black hair was loose and flowed across her shoulders to the mingle with the black silk of her dress.

"Yes?" The woman asked, fluttering her eyelashes and cementing my doubts as to her age. But then, I knew from experience just how deceiving appearances could be.

"I beg your pardon, my Lady," I swept her a deep bow and waited for her to respond. She seemed to ponder my action, perhaps I had not shown her the proper respect? Small droplets of sweat began to drip from my brow and I could feel the small dagger at my belt digging into my chest.

"Come with me," She said at last and I straightened up, smoothing my clothes before stepping after her into the room.

Would this young lad make a good ally inside the castle? Morgan had to find out what his position was...and why he had come to Lady Claire's chamber.

"What brings you here this fine afternoon?" she asked, voice feathery soft.

"You...you invited me, m'lady," said the lad in obvious confusion.

Morgan cursed under her breath. "I meant beside the obvious, love," she purred. "You're here for dinner, right?" she guessed wildly. She had to find out who he was and get out of here quickly before Claire returned.

Eleanor Fawkes

"Yes, my Lady," I responded. She smiled pleasantly and fluttered those lashes again. If I hadn't know better, I would have said she were flirting with me but then, what would a lady of such standards want with a squire like myself.

"This way," She said in a soft, silky voice. Her hips swayed as she led the way to a beautiful parlour, decorated in lavender shades, and motioned for me to take a seat. I did so and she sat beside me, her body brushing against mine. I felt uncomfortable. I leaned back and away from her a touch.

"You desired to talk with me, my Lady?" I queried pointedly.

"Yes. Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"

"Pardon?" I asked in disbelief. What could she possibly want to know that she didn't already?

"Pardon?" the boy asked in disbelief.

Ah. Lady Morgan sighed and leaned away from the boy, who was obviously uncomfortable with her flirtation. Apparently Lady Claire knew all about the boy, and the boy knew it.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember exactly what I asked you here for," Morgan said uncertainly. "Do you remember?"

"M'lady," said the boy with barely disguised impatience. "You didn't exactly tell me."

Morgan's sharp ears picked up the sound of voices moving down the hallway.

"Well, since I don't remember what I wanted to talk about, and I didn't tell you, you may go. But first, tell me your name so I'll talk to you later, when I remember."

The page shrugged resignedly. "Are you feeling quite all right, my lady? You knew my name before."

Morgan groaned. The footsteps were almost at the door. "All right, boy, I have to go quickly. If I were you I'd leave before those people outside get here and accuse you of stealing from Lady Claire."

Eleanor Fawkes

"Accuse me of stealing from you, my Lady?" I asked in confusion but even so, I climbed to my feet and hurried towards the door, glad to have permission to leave. I had been told that Lady Claire was a talented, inteligent woman with many mysterious powers but frankly, she seemed a bit mad to me.

"Hurry, hurry!" The woman commanded.

"As you wish, my Lady," I responded with a brief bow before slipping outside and coming face to face with the man who had delivered Lady Claire's message to me and a gaunt, wiry woman with dark brown hair pulled back in a braided bun and sharp, dark eyes. For a moment I stood there, unsure of how to react but then my training took over and I bowed deeply.

"Greetings my Lord, my Lady," I intoned.

Claire

"Quickly, Ryder. You can hide at my house, until we get things sorted out."

We hurried through the woods on foot: Ryder had lost his horse, somehow. I admit, I was scared: magicians had always unnerved me. They were wild, and unpredictable. Many of the people working for me had minor powers, but I controlled no true magicians. If only I did, things would be much different.

My house was only half a league from the forest edge. The road was, luckily, deserted. Most of the kingdom must be having dinner, warm in their huts.

I stopped short. Dinner. The squire boy. "Fawkes!"

"What, my lady?" Ryder stopped, a few paces ahead of me.

"Nothing," I said, catching up, then hurrying onward. With any luck, the boy would have forgotten. It wasn't beyond possibility, I figured. Sixteen year olds were often untimely. There was nothing much I could do, either way.

I was in less than ideal physical shape; the air caught painfully in my lungs and my legs burned like they were on fire. Finally, we reached my door. I fumbled for me key, then jerked it open, slamming it shut behind us.

"There's a secret room in the cellar. Wait for me there. I'll-"

"Claire." Ryder cut me off, sharply. A boy was standing in front of us, a confused expression on his face. He was small, and blonde; he wore nice clothing that didn't fit particularly well. It looked borrowed.

"Greetings, my Lord, my Lady," he said.

"Thank you, lad. You must be Samuel Fawkes. I've heard wonderful things about you." I smiled. "My name is Claire. And this is Gavin, head of the stables."

"Ah, yes," said Ryder, nodding. "One of the horses has gone quite mad. We had to chase it all over the green."

"Do excuse my lateness. Now, I'll have the servants prepare a meal. I hope you'll be joining me?"

The boy said nothing. He stared at me for a long moment, before saying, "You're Lady Claire?"

Was he daft? Had Bayard skimmed over the fact that he was a common fool?

"Yes," I answered. "I am she. Now, come. We have much to talk about. Eh... Gavin, why don't you do as I asked earlier. In the cellar?"

But Ryder didn't move. He stood transfixed to the spot, a look of horror spreading onto his face. He shook his cloak, and patted each of his pockets desperately. He took off one boot, then the next, shaking them upside down. Mud showered on to my rug. Had he gone insane? Was there some plague of idiocy, yet to be discovered, that was infecting all my subjects?

"Gavin?" I asked, cautiously.

"The letter!" Ryder said, his face gone white.

"What letter?"

"It's gone!"

3

Letters and Lies

“The letter, it’s gone!” Ryder gasped, his face pale and eyes wide.

“The holder, Ryder? Where—”

“No, m’lady,” he interrupted rudely, “only a fool of a messenger keeps their letters on display!”

Claire turned pink and pursed her lips. The thin white line that remained showed his indiscretion had not been taken well. It may only have been the presence of the young squire that had saved him from a severe warning. Ryder silently vowed to be more careful.

“My apologies, Lady Claire,” he spoke softly, aware that she was not meeting his eyes, “I have spoken out of order. I will attend the cellar at once—”

“With all due respect, what business would a King’s messenger have in the cellar?”

All eyes turned to the blonde haired squire. He was a small figure, with slightly oversized clothes. He peered at Ryder suspiciously.

“Unless, of course, the head of stables has taken to wearing another’s uniform?” He continued carefully. Ryder gulped back a retort. The boy was no fool; he wouldn’t believe any more lies. Ryder looked to the now composed Lady Claire for direction, but the boy spoke again.

“And how can you be Lady Claire, if I’ve just left her?”

Now it was her turn to gulp.

“Listen Fawkes, it’s a little complicated.” Claire began but the boy gasped in shock.

“You’re impostors!” he exclaimed and leapt backwards as if he thought he might be attacked. “Impostors!”

With a flourish he scampered away.

“Catch him. Quickly!” Claire’s eyes were wild with excitement. “Then find that letter! If it got into the wrong hands…”

She left the sentence unfinished but Ryder understood. The consequences would be terrible. With a curt nod he turned and hurried after the squire. Lady Claire turned and surveyed the room.

“Another me?” She whispered and frowned worriedly.

Eleanor Fawkes

I darted away, around the corner and hurried down the stairs.

"Imposters, imposters!" I shouted at the top of my breath. Unfortunately, the corridoors appeared to be deserted except for the occasional statue or suit of armour which I toppled to slow the man chasing me.

"Help! Imposters!" I shouted again but it appeared I was wasting my breath and, while I knew the passageways of the palace very well, I also knew that there was no way to avoid the approaching dead end. My persuer knew it too and he slowed to a walk, hands outstretched so that he had the whole width of the hallway covered. I too slowed and waited until he was almost upon me before dropping and rolling under his legs. With a triumphant smile, I leapt back to my feet and would have escaped if not for the fact that the man had been expecting my roll and now had hold of my arm.

"Let me go!" I demanded, struggling wildly.

"Hush, Fawkes. Lady Claire is not an imposter and my identity is of no importance." I listened carefully to the steady tone of his voice and twisted my head so I could look up at him.

"Then I'm afraid your Lady is in grave danger." The man stared at me a moment, a tinge of fear creeping across his features. Then he let go and ran back up the stairs. I followed at his heels and together we entered the room to find Lady Claire alone, staring out of an open window.

"My Lady..." The man hesitated.

Althea dove into the dark depths of the river and swam right into a large clump of sea grass. When she came out of the other side, she found a town full of water nymphs. It was one of the smaller colonies of water nymphs, but it was where she could find Ralius.

As she swam through the small town made up of sea grass dwellings and rock hideouts, water nymphs smiled, waved, and gave their warm hellos to Althea. She nodded in acknowledgement, but didn't stop to talk. She just didn't have the time.

Reaching the far edge of the town where the sea grass vanished and was replaced by larger rocks, she stopped and called out.

"Ralius! Ralius, are you here?"

A dark blue, wrinkled head peaked around a sparkling grey rock. "Althea! So good to see you! What brings you to my river?"

Althea swam over to Ralius. She saw that he was creating small water tunnels with his fingers. Water bending is what humans called it.

"Working on your skills?"

Ralius laughed. "I'm a little rusty, but my abilities haven't completely vanished." He stopped bending the water and turned to face Althea. He saw the dark dress tucked under her arm. "What have you got there?"

Althea pulled the dress from under her arm and gave it to Ralius. She spoke to him as he studied it. "Isn't it beautiful. A woman dropped it on land when--"

Ralius suddenly looked up. His light blue eyes were shinning. "Did you just say land?"

Althea gulped. She forgot to leave that part out. "Well, yes but--"

Ralius gasped. "How could you Althea! You know you aren't supposed to leave the water. Your father forbids it. Ever since your mother's sister disappeared after that peace meeting with the forest nymphs, things just-- that's beside the point. Althea, you can't go up onto the land anymore."

Althea gently took ahold of Ralius boney wrist. "Ralius, you know I love my father and believe in his wise rule. But, there is much more for me, for us, out on land."

Ralius shook his head. "What do you mean by us. There is nothing for us out there. We are meant to be in the water. That's it."

"I came to you because I thought you could help me, but I see that you are stuck in your old ways. Nevermind, I'll go to someone else who will help me."

Althea began to turn around, when she felt Ralius' hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you if you promise to keep away from land."

It was Althea's turn to shake her head. "I can't promise that Ralius."

Ralius took his hand away from Althea's shoulder. "Well, at least I tried. What did you want me to help you with?"

Althea turned to face Ralius. "I need you to alter this for... me."

Ralius looked astonished. "You want something like this? I mean, it's beautiful, of course, but won't it weigh you down in the water?"

Althea nodded her head no. "I don't want to wear it in the water Ralius. I want to wear it on land. I'll blend in better."

Ralius laughed softly. "You're a bit confused Althea. This won't help you blend in. You'll stand out even more than you already do."

Althea bowed her head. "Oh."

Ralius patted Althea's arm. "I think it's best that you return this from where it came." He put the dress back in Althea's arms.

Althea sighed, but nodded her head yes. "I'll do that now. I'll come back Ralius. We can talk some more. Perhaps you will join my family and me for dinner."

"Sounds delightful, Althea. I'll see you when you get back."

Althea smiled and swam again through the town, taking the same route back to the edge of the river where she found the dress. When she reached the top, she slung the dress onto the ground first, and then pulled herself up.

Once she stood up, she brushed the water off of her skin, and it fell in little water droplets, soaking right back into the ground. When she looked up, she was pleasantly surprised. There was a boy, with his back turned to her, hunched over. She didn't know what he was looking at, but she was going to find out.

4

Ladies of Power

The edge of a black cloak disappeared over the edge of the window. Fawkes and Ryder stared at it in shock.

“She jumped.” Lady Claire was clearly bewildered.

“From up here, you must be mistaken, m’lady!” Ryder replied incredulously. Fawkes, however, shook his head.

“Who was she, m’lady?”

Ryder and Claire looked at each other, unsure of whether to involve the boy or not. He shrugged, the boy was already involved. They had no choice.

“She is Morgan le Fey. A very powerful woman,” Claire spoke softly, her gaze turned back out the window, “and she is still very much alive.”

Fawkes’ jaw dropped.

“But, how?” Ryder asked, once again forgetting the appellation. Claire rolled her eyes and sighed. This was becoming a habit, he was careless and not her most intelligent servant. Now he had lost his position, he was no longer useful to her, but still…

“She floats.”

The simple statement brought looks of confusion from Fawkes and horror from Ryder. The man’s face paled slightly and he put his head in his hands.

“Then she is as powerful as they say.”

“Yes, Ryder. Perhaps more so.”

Fawkes gawked from the windowsill. At a nod from Lady Claire, Ryder joined him. The woman descended slowly, like honey, sliding through the air. Her arms were outstretched like a bird’s but she did not flap them. She reached the ground and stumbled a little at the impact. Then, as if she felt their gazes on her back, she turned and stared back at them.

“Witchcraft,” whispered Fawkes.

Morgan smiled venomously at the trio at the window and stretched out her hands towards them. Her lips moved quickly but from such a distance none of them could hear her actual words.

Without warning, a hand grabbed at Ryder’s collar and yanked him backwards from the windowsill just as Morgan brought her hands together. There was a whistling noise, like a wind through the forest and the curtains were brought together with a clatter. Ryder turned round and Lady Claire released his collar with a start.

“What did you think you were doing, Ryder?” she asked, clearly distressed, “She could have done anything! Even Fawkes had the good sense to step back!”

Ryder blushed and apologised quietly. The squire flung back the drapes and looked cautiously down at the courtyard below.

“She’s gone!”

A grim expression settled on Claire’s features.

“I will deal with her.”

“As will I, my Lady!”

“No, Ryder, we need that letter. You must return to find it at once.” She breathed out and grinned suddenly at Ryder, “Find me once you have done that!”

With another grin, she swept out of the room and both Ryder and Fawkes were left bewildered in her wake. Ryder himself grinned.

“With me, Fawkes,” he said decisively, “your eyes better be sharp now.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the forest!”

Senna moved slowly around the woods her eyes scanning for anything. How she had been sneaked up on was realyl making her mad. She saw something, on the ground. It was a paper. She picked it up, the seal was unbroken so she left it that way. There was a name on it. She couldn't read it, but this was where it looked Ryder had fallen. She back tracked some of the tracks and saw where he had lost his horse. SHe nodded, this belonged to Ryder. SHe slowly moved back into the woods when she heard the on coming riders. Her horse was in the woods so she went and mounted. She rode onto the road. She would see who the riders were and then go give Ryder his paper. It was two riders. A smaller boy looking one and a man. Nightmare pranced underneath of her, but she held him still. She reconized Ryder's build, the young boy was scanning the ground. She smiled, they were looking for the letter.

'Well, lets see if they have any more manners then before.' She laughed to NIghtmare. He bobbed his head and turn to the woods, 'We'll run soon enough, lets just talk to them first.'


*Sorry it is short.*

Eleanor Fawkes

"Should I inform my tutor?" I asked politely.

"Your tutor?" the man echoed. "Oh yes, I mean oh no, no time for that. The lady Claire will deal with it later. Come on, on to the forest!" The man strode from the room and I had to run to keep up. I followed him all the way to the stables in silence where he led me into the far stall which stood empty except for a few heaps of straw. Delving into these mounds, the man withdrew an assortment of items including a spare sword and sheath which he handed to me.

"Know how to saddle a horse, boy?" he asked, indicating a small roan.

"Of course," I replied taking the tack from him and buckling the various pieces of equipment around the horse's body.

"Good boy," the man beamed as he did the same for his own horse and then leapt into the saddle, riding away at an alarming speed. I mimicked his action, soon catching up.

"What should I call you, my lord?" I asked as I drew level with him, rising and falling with the motion of my horse.

"Ryder," he responded, "keep an eye out for the letter. It should be around here." I nodded and began scanning the ground as we slowed our horses to a walk.

"Hello again," A voice issued from deeper within the forest and a woman approached. Her striking, blue eyes locked onto Ryder as she confidently approached, her body flowing forward smoothly, olive limbs swaying like the branches of a tree.

*My post is after Kitty's*