Young Writers Society

Ok, I posted this before but for some reason, it didn't show up. So, here I go, trying again.

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{Chapter 2}

Iswin skillfully “fell” down the tower. She jumped from the wall to a tree then back again, making her way down as Toola followed.

“You really shouldn’t go down this way,” said Toola. “You can hurt yourself.” Iswin reached for a nearby branch.

“Ah, Toola, you worry too much,” said Iswin, gripping a nearby branch. The branch broke beneath Iswin’s fingers and she fell.

“Iswin!” Toola followed the falling princess, grabbing her hair, trying to stop her falling journey to the ground but the small pixie was not strong enough.

They fell towards the earth, the ground coming closer and closer into contact. Iswin grabbed Toola and held her guardian close to her chest, closing her eyes, waiting for the crash.

THUMP

Iswin opened her eyes.

“Well, that want so bad,” she said to her guardian, letting go of the pixie.

“Um…Iswin…” Toola pointed down and, seeing what the pixie was pointing at, Iswin let out a gasp and scrambled out of the way.

She had fallen on a boy. He had ash blond hair, tanned skin, and Iswin knew that, through those closed eyelids, were bright blue eyes,

“Thai! Thai, wake up!” The boy did not move. “Thainnahindu Wellmu Gwelu, if you don’t wake up this instant, I’m going to tell everyone what your backpack journal says.” The boy’s eyes flew open.

“Who wouldn’t…”

“You’re right, I wouldn’t,” laughed Iswin.

Thainnahindu Wellmu Gwelu was a squire under his father, Sir. Mounlyei Ena Gwelu of the Burning Star, Ceifene. Thainnahindu (Thai for short) and Iswin have know eachother since they were small children…very small…try unable to walk or talk small. He, out of everyone else in Avolon, knew Iswin best.

“Here I was minding my own business and it began raining Iswins!” laughed Thai. “I should start carrying an umbrella.” Iswin laughed as well, extending her hand which Thai took.

“Why did you jump out your window?” Thai asked, dusting himself off. “You weren’t trying to kill yourself, were you?”

“NO!” Iswin shouted, hitting her friend on the head. “I pulled a prank on my sisters and they are going to tell my parents. Got it?”

“Got it,” mumbled Thai, rubbing his extremely sore head. “Hey, aren’t the heirs to the crowns coming today?”

“Exactly why I’m going for a ride,” said Iswin, smiling. “You can come if you want.”

Thai shrugged. “Sure, why not? I’ve got nothing better to do other than clean my dad’s armor.”

“You can do both,” said Iswin. “While I train, you can polish.” Thai groaned.

“Great, just what I wanted to do, clean my old man’s armor. It’s a dream come true!” Thai muttered sarcastically.

“It’s not that bad,” said Iswin as she walked and Thai walked towards the stables.

“How do you know?”

“Do you remember who you are talking too?”

“Oh…right.”

“How many times have you taken damage to the head?” Iswin asked, bonking her friend on the head.

“Today, three times and all of them by you,” said Thai, rubbing his head. “I need to start wearing a helmet.”

“But you’d look silly!”

“I rather look silly than an over-ripe berry.” Iswin laughed as the stone stable came into view.

“I’ll get our rides,” Iswin said, turning to face her friend. “You get my sword and your dad’s armor.” As Thai walked away, Iswin swore she heard him say:

“I don’t see why the old man can’t polish his own armor.”

Iswin smiled after her friend’s back and walked into the stables.

A small, weedy, dirt brown haired boy with large front teeth and ear, even for elves, was the first to see her. He bowed deeply and began to stutter, asking if she need any help, trying to hide the manure rake behind his back.

“If you could get me your brother, Muud, that would be great,” she said kindly to the boy.

“I’m already here, your highness,” said a low muscular voice, the kind that made a ditsy princess like Iswin’s sisters swoon.

Iswin jumped and turned to face the speaker.

Muud’s brother, Viag was tall with violet eyes and hair. Unlike Muud, his teeth and ear were normal sized. When ever Viag came up in her sister’s conversation, they talked about how, strong and wise and handsome he was and how they wished he was of higher status. They never brought up Muud and when they saw the poor boy in the stables, they stuck up their noses at him, ignoring him as if he was the thing he cleaned. Once, Iswin saw her sister, Diana trip the poor boy, making him fall into a pile of manure then laugh openly at him.

“Viag, don’t sneak up on me like that,” Iswin scolded, clutching her heart.

“I did not mean to startle you, your Highness,” apologized Viag, bowing low.

“It’s fine,” sighed Iswin. “Please get Meirmon and Xescalabur ready.”

“Of course, your Highness.” Viag walked away. Muud smiled at Iswin and began to walk in the other direction, toward some empty stalls. A few seconds past before the sounds of grunts were heard. Turning, Iswin saw Thai enter the stable. On his back as a large bag, probably filled with armor and polishing equipment. In his hand was a bow, a quiver of arrows and two swords.

“I think we are going to another horse,” laughed Iswin.

“Y-You aren’t t-the one wh-who had to c-carry an entire s-suit of armor,” panted Thai, his face turning red.

“True,” said Iswin.

“You should really help him, Iswin,” said Toola, coming out of the rafters where she was sitting. “It was your idea to go riding after all.”

“I r-really don’t mind,” said Thai, gently setting down the bag.

“See, Toola, he doesn’t mind.”

“Iswin,” said Toola warningly.

“I was just kidding,” said Iswin, taking a sword from Thai. “Do you really think I would be that heartless?”

“No, but-”

“Your highness.” Iwsin turned to face Viag and, in doing so, missed Thai’s face darken.

“Your highness, your steeds are ready.”

“Good, thank you. Can you get me a pack mule too, please?” Viag looked over Iswin to see Thai and his large bag of armor.

“Training, your highness? Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready to greet the heirs to the crowns today?”

“That’s way I’m going to train,” said Iswin, strapping the sword onto her belt. “I have no interest in greeting some spoiled princesses or pompous princes like a living statue.”

“I see,” said Viag. “And aren’t the squires being knighted today as well?”

“Don’t worry,” said Iswin, walking toward her steed. “I won’t miss that.”

“Very well,” said Viag, “I shall saddle up a pack mule for you.”

“Thank you.” Halfway down the corridor, Iswin looked over her shoulder to see that Thai had not moved. “Thai, are you coming?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why are you still standing there?”

“I’m going to wait for the pack mule,” he replied. “There is no way I’m carrying that bag anymore.”

“Suit yourself,” said Iswin, shrugging her shoulders.

“Hey, not all of us can have a Pegasus as our rides, you know,” said Thai, crossing his arms over his chest. “Regular horses can’t carry three tons of weight at birth.”

“I know,” said Iswin and turning, she walked toward the stable.

A load nicker reached Iswin’s ears. In a stall at the far back, decorated with gold ivy was a pure black horse, with feathery wings folded against his sides. Next to him on his right were twelve pure white Pegasuses. Next to an empty stall across from the black Pegasus was a white, speckled with brown appaloosa Pegasus, which belonged to Iswin’s father.

The tweleve white Pegasuses belonged to Iswin’s sisters and mother while the pure black was Iswin’s own Xescalabur.

The empty stall across from was covered with cobwebs and dust blanketed the floor. Once, this stall held Xescalabur’s elder sister, Labcen, a chocolate brown Pegasus and Jaddrn’s fateful companion.

Iswin stared at the empty stall. She could still see her brother grooming his steed as her younger self sat on the stall door, laughing at her brother’s jokes and stories. She could still remember how, when Labcen was being washed, Jaddrn splashed her with the water as she laugh and splashed him back in retaliation.

A nudge in the back wrenched Iswin’s out of her thoughts. Turning, she saw Xescalabur’s head sticking out of his stall, wanting her attention.

“Hey boy,” Iswin cooed, petting Xescalabur’s velvety nose. “Want to go for a ride?” Xescalabur whinnied and nodded in response.

“He looks good,” said Thai, coming up to Iswin, holding the reins of the pack mule and his own mare, Meirmon.

“I see we go Juniper,” said Iswin, patting the pack mule on the nose.

“Good thing too,” said Thai, leaning on Meirmon as Iswin lead Xescalabur out of his stall. “She’s fast and strong. She can definably keep up with Meirmion.”

“Who can keep up with Xescalabur,” said Iswin. “Well almost.”

“No steed can keep up with that stallion of yours,” said Thai, mounting the mare. “He can out run the wind and he can fly.”

“I know,” said Iswin, placing her foot in the stirrup. Gracefully, she swung her leg over and seated herself on the Pegasus’s back.

“Iswin, what about your parents?” asked Toola, flitting around Iswin’s head, trying to get her attention.

“You can stall them,” said Iswin, adjusting her stirrups to the correct length.

“Me!?”

“Yes, you,” said Iswin, taking the bow and quiver from Thai. “Just keep them busy for a while.”

“But…but…but…” stuttered Toola as Iswin attached the quiver to Xescalabur’s saddle. Toola looked at Thai for help but he merely grinned and attached Juniper’s riens to the back of his mare’s saddle.

“Thanks Toola,” yelled Iswin as she and Thai headed toward the forest beyond. “You’re the best!” Toola watched the two elfs until she could no longer see them. Looking around, she shook her head before hiding in the stable rafters.

Thai pulled up alongside Iswin. He watched in awe as the princess’s hair flew out behind her as she rode. Only when a branch hit his face, did he snap out of his revere.

“Do you think Toola will make up an excuse for you?” he asked, raising his voice so Iswin could hear him over the air rushing past them.

“No,” she shouted back, taking a glance at her friend. “She’ll probably hide in the rafters or something.” She increased Xescalabur’s pace slightly but not fast enough for Thai to be left in her dust. The memory of her races with her brother flashed through her mind but she pushed them away momentarily. She laughed and she increased the pace some more. Thai fell behind as Iswin pulled ahead, her mind in her own fanticies.

“Then, why did you ask her to cover for you?” the confused squire asked to no one in particular since Iswin was too far out of earshot to hear.

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What do you think? I will put up chapter 3 as quickly as I can.