New partnerships

note: Trying out two new characters. Please, if you read this, put your thoughts down below.

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Detective Steve Murphy sits or more accurately slouches in a seat at the bar. His glass half empty with some amber colored liquid. As he takes a sip, his face is unresponsive to any taste, so haggard and shallow, with red rimmed eyes. Putting the glass down, Murphy purposefully knocks against a high heeled shoe, it’s owner gently swaying on the bar above him. Murphy doesn’t even look at her, his gaze on the glass and the black strip of cloth next to it.

When Murphy doesn’t immediately pick the glass up again, it is replaced by a beautiful face. The faces blue eyes looking for his, the feathers where hair should have been swaying on the bar in time to the music.

“Hey, Murph what can a girl do to wipe that sorry face of yours?” The voice, the accent of lilting tones and small chirps is normally enough to make Murphy smile. Today though, Murphy’s face doesn’t change, he doesn’t even look at the dancer. After a few beats, the feathers, the face, and the dancer above all leave Murphy to his solitude and grief. The girls normally don’t mind that Murphy doesn’t tip them well, but he is a warm talkative man, normally.

A large, deep, gravelly voice came from behind Murphy, “He was a good man.”

Liquid swirled in Murphy’s glass, “the best.”

Greenish-gray skinned, weighing more than the largest linebackers, the voice sat down on a stool next to Murphy. The stool groaned and complained as it settled, “Captain said I could find you hear.”

A lithe, blue haired girl behind the bar started to glide over, her yes for the large newcomer, who waved the girl off with a large hairy hand. The sounds of ice clinking glass, Murphy’s last sip swirling called blue back.

The girl’s pert nose looked at Murphy and his guest. “Well?”

“Club with lime, one of us is still on duty.” The newcomer said. Dismissal echoing his order.

“Another” Murphy said to the bartender.

“Why” The gravel said, with many questions in that one word.

Murphy chose the simplest, and perhaps the one most likely to win him his solitude.”At least that one could be human.”

“And that matters?” Again with the many questions in one.

“Joe was” Murphy sighed,Joe was human in all he did, especially how he died. “And the girls, help me think.”

Blue seems to have impeccable timing as the conversation lapses into each rethinking things.She slides in, serves the drinks. First the newcomer in his bad, off the rack suit, stretched at the seams, black cloth tied around his bicep. He seemed to be ignoring the bartender in favor of watching a gyrating sylvian at a table. Yet, to Blue, his eyes and face said he was lost, searching for something to say.

Murphy, Blue would have said she knew. Yet this man today, she did not know. His gaze was locked behind red rimmed eyes. His focus could have been anywhere or nowhere for all the attention he paid to her and the girls. his gray suit wrinkled and worn as he slouched in the seat.

Blue turned to another as she heard Murphy’s, leave me along tone:”
What do ya want anyways.” It wasn’t a question.

“Captain said.”

“You said that,” even more annoyance creeping in. “But I doubt your here to buy me drinks.”

The big orc sighed, there was no way he could soften it. “I’m your new partner.”

Murphy’s glass slammed down, “Don’t need a new partner.”

“told you need one.”

“By who?”

The orc blinked, “Dr. Glade.”

“Son-of-a meddling shrink” Murphy slammed the last of his drink and called for another.

The orc just blinked, suppressing the instinct to join in the display of emotion. He wasn’t sure what Murphy had against the doctor. She was one of the few police, or elves even that he liked.

Murphy saw what his effect his temper was having, on the orc, on a few of the dancers, on his beet red face in the mirror. “Damn blood pressure.” Blowing out a loud long breath, he calmed the anger and frustration.

“What’s your name? Where you from?” Murphy didn’t care about where the orc was born, no cop does when confronted with a new, and hereto unknown partner.

“Detective Brock Stone, South Precinct”

“Freak ward huh?” Murphy mused aloud, “suppose you need to be big down there.”

A bit warily, “it helps.” Brock wasn’t sure if that was a compliment.

“So besides Glade saying I need a new partner, which I don’t. Why are you here.” Murphy looked at the black cloth on the bar, “Why come up to Metro.” Why me, he almost added.

Brock smiled a sharp fanged smile that promised menace and pain. “Jimmy the Red,” even here, uptown many of the girls who heard the Black Guard’s name froze for a moment looking around.

Murphy ignored them. “He is going down for what he’s done.” Murphy said it with so much pain and hate and determination in his voice that a few of the more sensitive girls swooned.

Brock couldn’t help himself, he responded to the menace and dark promises.”Clean up, tomorrow we hunt dwarf.” The orc’s fangs were fully protruding, here was another that truly knew the pain of losing someone to the nearly untouchable criminal.

“Tomorrow?” Murphy looked side ways at his new partner. “I’m done here. Now” In one smooth motion, Detective Murphy was standing, cash was on the bar, and Murphy’s gun was checked as the suit jacket settled back into place, free of wrinkles.

Detective Brock Stone had learned many humans could drink with the best of them, but even then a full day of it left them unsteady and jerky. Steven Murphy moved like a monk, a stone sober monk. Reaching out, Brock sniffed the man’s glass, a broad grin spreading around the orc’s fangs “Apple juice.”

Murphy’s reply was lost in the complaints and groans of suit material and wooden seat as the mountain of muscled flesh stood. As they both turned to the door, Stone thought he would like this human.

My #amwriting place

Today, is the second birthday of the #amwriting hashtag on twitter and the #amwriting group in general. Today, many of us, published and not, struggling or not, are posting in a sort of party, celebrating the group that we share.

My thought for the group is about my #amwriting place.

My #amwriting place is both physical, and mental.

It is the desk where I keep my laptop, have my headphones, and have small little things, pictures, a funky clock, a comfy chair, that I can be comfortable with, or draw fun and not so fun memories from. The things in my #amwriting place are extensions of what I write, and what I write comes from me. Keeping a lot of pens and paper around, right next to the computer so I can doodle as needed, or jot something down with the feel of pen in hand, and paper under it.

My #amwriting place is filled with silly little rituals, and pieces of imagination.

I'll tell you a secret I learned thanks to those wonderful people that share the #amwriting tag with me, and the #amwriting website, it's ok to have those silly little rituals, it's best to have pieces of your imagination flowing around, loose and free. It's ok, in fact it's kind of fun to have odd little rituals.

Making sure your fedora is hanging just right to show the face of the clock.

Enjoying and only drinking from the one off cups and glasses, the funky tall ones and the crazy shaped game ones from places and events past.

Others, many others have their happy #amwriting place. Sometimes it's more a place in the mind than mine, sometimes not. Check out someone else's #amwriting birthday thought.

test

test

You have to clean the cages

"Well Mr Cox, what does our little Feng want now?" The speaker could have been called well dressed, especially in places that dealt with mad scientists and ring leaders. Standing almost a half a foot taller than five feet, the speaker was dressed in a long once white lab coat, re-enforced at the hem, patched and mismatched buttons, and at least three different layers of material at the elbows. Atop the speaker's unruly hair was a weather-beaten bowler of a hat. He twirled in his hands a pair of sunglasses, at once treating them like the glasses meant nothing, and yet never allowing harm to come to them.

Mr. Cox for his part was dressed every bit the proper city man, in a purple tie with matching pin strips on his two piece suit. "Well Soto," it was never Mister Soto, and these two were long past the use of first names to signify familiarity, once in a such a man was referred to as The Soto, but today it was just Soto. "Feng was not feeling well, and she needed"

Cutting the younger man off, "I need Feng for the show tonight!"

"I know, I know. That's why I let Feng into Shui's cage. Those two always seem to make each other feel better."

"Hmpft, We shall see. The show must go on Mr. Cox, it must." Swinging a leg over the beat up leather seat of a motorcycle. "I shall go into town Mr. Cox and arrange for supplies. Please finish the setup for tonight's show."

"I shall, have no fear Soto, I shall"

With a cough and spark, the motorcycle with it's side car began to pick up speed. "Make sure to let the other's help with the heavy lifting!" With that, The Soto, ringleader and owner of 'Friends and Friendships Travelling Animal Circus' lead a pillar of smoke and dust into the nearby town.

Scagie revised

"What am I doing here?" Scagie sighed to herself. “I have to go out there. It’s why I came to the Spring Ball.” The Spring Ball was one of the Equinox Balls held two times a year and it was supposed to be open to all of Fairy kind. “I just wish someone else had came with me.” Scagie remembered the not fight with her brothers and sisters when she told them her plan.

“I’m going to go the the Spring Ball.” Scagie had announced to her brothers and sisters one afternoon. She was hoping that Knuckles her oldest brother would swing at her in approval, maybe Chewie, the oldest girl, would chase Scagie around, arms flailing, teeth gnashing.
“You go to the Spring..” Chewie’s eyes flared. Scagie was pleased, she only got eyes flaring when she did something to be jealous of. “You go to the Spring ..” everyone joined in the second time. They laughed so hard at her they didn't even try to hit her or chase her. “You go ... alone.”
The memory still burned at her. “I hate them, I will go to the Ball. I will.” Scagie had said, stomping out of her cave. “I will need a dress” Scagie looked around the different places that human clothes washed up in the Bog, not finding anything she then looked in all the nooks and crannies of the cave, Scagie couldn’t find anything.

Desperately looking at some of the magazines her Maw kept “I can glamour it!” Scagie exclaimed excitedly, like her own godmother. Looking at one of the pictures, Scagie’s shift changed color to a deep blue but the mud on it dried and started to sparkle. “I won’t give up, I’ll show them.”

After reading the announcement for the hundredth time, the little orc just mashed more mud on herself and used a stick to twist up her knotted hair and made her way to the Ball. “This should do. I’m an orc, and orc’s are invited we’re everybody else too.” Now that she was dressed for it Scagie thought she knew why everyone laughed, the Fall Ball, was a command from the Winter Court, but the Spring Ball, was pure torture, and not the fun kind. Gathering courage, Scagie read the announcement one more time.

“The Kings and Queen of Fairie announce the Spring

Equinox Ball. The King and Queen of the coming Summer

welcome all to the ball, and especially welcome all

those in Fairie that owe allegiance to the Summer Throne.

The Throne will make time for all those in attendance

that hail position or oath with the Kings and Queens

of Summer or Winter.

As befitting all those residence of Fairie,

come to the Spring Ball. Held opposite the Fall Ball,

to welcome the coming of the Summer Throne,

and the alleviation of the Winter Throne.”

Sure, everyone was invited, and in the fine print for both balls was an oath that no one would be harmed or held to hasty oaths.

“Gawd, I hate how cold the Fall Ball is.” Ice would cover everything, and the music came from fingers so stiff the musicians might as well be corpses. Being Winter Fae, everyone in the Bog had to be there. The Winter King and Queen would never allow one of their balls to be less than packed. Ever since she could recall Maw and Paw, her brothers and sisters would grab the biggest clubs they could and wandered on the frozen dance floor. Then usually as the important Fae started to say their hello’s to the King and Queen, Scagie along with her brothers and sisters would be allowed to leave.

“Tonight’s different! Tonight I go and dance at the Spring Ball.” Scagie looked at herself in the mirror, the mud and twigs in her hair, “maybe even fall in love.” Scagie wasn't so sure of the last part, what did being punched and kicked have to do with a ball that was supposed to be about dancing. “Summer Court is supposed to be very very weird, they do everything with roses.” even the thought of it made Scagie wrinkle up her nose. So, instead of adding a rose to her mud and branch hair, she had added a blue lily, and hoped that the Spring court wouldn't laugh at her. “Pretty!” with that, Scagie left for the Ball.

The Dragon goes fishing

Buzz, BUZZ, Buzz, BUZZ. Matt slapped the alarm clock off, and blinking his eyes awake, he flew downstairs to find his Dad already in the kitchen. Soon they were out the door and off. As the Sun painted the sky pink and then blue, Matt’s Dad signalled that they were here. A small bend in the river, trees and woods almost completely covering the flowing blue water. Settling down, Matt’s Dad produced a jar of wiggling living worms from a pocketed belt he always wore. First Dad then Matt assumed more appropriate forms, and suddenly Matt’s stomach turned to ice, This was the test! He had to make sure to keep doing what they did, all day as a human boy.

After tying and setting the hooks and bait, Matt’s Dad showed him how to cast correctly, there is nothing like being shown how to do it in real life instead of just reading it in books and magazines. As the day got warmer, and both of them felt a few nibbles, doing their best to reel the fish in. Matt began to suspect fishing was about giving the fish exercise and food. Why else put the worm on the hook, and move it up and down in the water. Dad handed Matt a coke. Then about noon, with no fish having been caught, Dad called Matt to sit down out of the water for lunch.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cold milk from a thermos, Matt really enjoyed the lunch with his Dad. A bit surprised when after lunch before stepping up into the river, his Dad excused himself and went behind a tree. This surprised Matt a lot, and he said so.

“Well Matt, your test is to stay in human form for the whole day. That means no transforming to eat, no transforming to go to the bathroom. Also as you may have seen, there is no restroom out here. So if you have to go, you go behind a tree. There’s a roll of toilet paper, you know what that is, I hung it up on a small branch on that tree there.

Matt’s eyes followed the finger, it was the same tree that Dad had went behind. Suddenly, how gross this test really was hit home. Also, how hard it was going to be, he really had to go pee though. Matt had practiced with his Mom transforming to human, he had also practiced conjuring clothes, even changing them. He was good at eating like one, but to go to the bathroom, that was something he had never done before not like this. Matt carefully walked behind the tree, careful to not step anywhere his Dad may have went, when he couldn’t see anything wet that made Matt feel a little bit better. Matt decided that he didn’t have to go just yet, and maybe he could hold it all day so that part of the test was an auto win.

Part 4 fixed

“Now, we wait here a bit” The Baron’s smile reminded Scagie of her brother’s smile right before he got one of his bigger brother’s in trouble. Her stomach was just about to decide if that was a good thing on a Baron of the Summer court when she heard her name.

“Scagie of the Bog, accompanied by Baron von Sequin” a louder than normal voice said. Before Scagie could do anything more the Baron, with her by the arm, threw open the curtains of the dais, and smiled out to the crowded Ball. Unlike coming up from the bathroom, here Scagie could see the people around the tables, on the dance floor, she could see where the minstrels played from, and to their left, the four thrones of the Kinds and Queens of Fairy. Frozen blood red roses around the Winter Queen’s throne, living red and green for the Summer Queen. Green thorns and gold framed where the Summer King sat, while the Winter King’s throne had icicles and silver. Roses wrapped their way up behind the thrones, and along the walls where the curtains, that she had been hiding behind, seemed to hang down from.

Taking this all in, Scagie felt like a human kid must on Christmas day. The Baron, took her gently down the stairs and as the music started again, onto the dance floor. He gave no one a chance to make a comment. Scagie forgot to mention that she didn’t know how to dance with polite people. Ma only taught her how to swing a table leg around, and where she was supposed to hit her brothers and sisters. The Baron seemed to think a little better of things though. After they got on the dance floor, he picked Scagie up like her Pa would, making her feel like she weighed no more than a pillow. Instead of whacking her around, he held her up, not quite at arms length, and with a big smile and twinkle in his eye, started to let her see how to dance. “Look down, see my feet, how they move.”

Scagie did, she saw how his shiny booted feet moved side to side and back and forth with the music. How when the trumpet rose high, he moved them father around a circle to the left. She was surprised how the vines, deep green with small hard numbs instead of thorns would move and twist on the floor to the music. Her partner, seemed to have no problem picking his feet up at the right time to not get whacked in the ankle. “Her partner” that thought gave Scagie an odd warm feeling, but she liked it. After a while she stopped looking at his feet to look around. It brought a smile and a giggle to her.

Many of the dancers were very very good. Like the Baron, the glided and danced with each other, between and with the vines to the music. Other’s though, found themselves tripping and stumbling into each other, their partners, or others. Young and old, in glittery finery and in simple Summertime clothing. The smallest fairies, like glowing globes of color seemed to have the best time dancing in and around, up and down as the vines bend and twisted in time to the music. If a dancer came close enough the tiny, mesmerizing laughter could be heard. Scagie let out a laugh as one couple lost their footing and crashed into another, and they, like dominoes crashed into another. The sights, the sound of the music and the laughter of the Fae would entrance a mortal, Scagie knew, but now, she felt it too.

Scagie didn’t know where to look, or what to listen to. One thing was certain though, when the Baron talked to her, Scagie paid attention. He was so good, and not like Paw, but he was good like family.
After a few more minutes, the Baron gently let her down, to dance on her own. By now, Scagie was able to dance on her own, she wasn’t light on her feet, but she was keeping up with the Baron, even if when it meant sometimes turning parts of the vine to pulp.

“You are picking it up really well. “The Baron said leaning over her to be hear above a loud group of fairy women, all dressed in peacock feathers.

“Thanks” was Scagie’s reply as her head swirled to the smell of fire roasted pig cutting through the aroma of rose. Her tummy said to go after the succulent meat, her head said she wanted to stay in the Baron’s arms, and her feet said she wanted to dance more. Never one to ignore her stomach, Scagie was very confused, and it showed.

“Perhaps, we should get a drink.” The Baron suggested in Scagie’s ear. As she nodded, he added with a tinkle in his eye “And let the rose vines regrow.” Scagie was very surprised when she looked down and saw her feet and legs greener than ever, and all around them the vines were smashed flat. As the pair walked to the tables, Scagie almost tripped several times as she couldn’t take her eyes off her legs. She couldn’t see any mud on them at all, in fact, she looked like one of the high ladies wearing green boots up to her knees.

She looked up, just in time to take the drink the Baron was offering. It smelled delicious, her nose and tummy agreed. It was warm, with apples and cinnamon, and other things in it. Going down, her insides agreed, best drink ever. The the Baron walked over from a serving girl with two plates, one with growing things on it, and the other with hot, juicy meat, mostly the roast pig that had Scagie’s tummy doing jumps for joy. Not like the cauliflower and ice apples during the Fall Ball, Scagie said as much. The Baron just laughed in a way that Scagie knew he wasn’t laughing at her. She started to stuff the meat into her mouth, enough talking her tummy was demanding. For the most part, she and the Baron ate, drank, and relaxed off their feet in silence. Scagie still couldn’t help her self though, everyone once in a while a new smell, or sight, or person made her attention snap to them. Her head swam with all the new sights, new sounds, new feelings that this night was filled with. Pointing at this and that, snapping her head to that sight, or to take in another new shiny, Scagie brought many chuckles and laughter to the Baron. He added to it, pointing out this present for her eyes, or this detail for her amusement, which had her oooing and ahhing over everything.

After Scagie’s tummy stopped growling at the sight and smell of the plateful of meats. The Baron refilled their mugs and motioned for her to stay seated. “Do you know what happens at midnight?”

Scagie nodded, “A long line forms and says Hi to the King and Queen.”

“Something like that” The Baron nodded, “but it’s so much more. At midnight, one side will step down and the other will step up. Winter and Summer need to always be equal, so they share much of the power of Nature together. While the King and Queen have the biggest shares, and yet they don’t give up much of their own powers, many of the lesser Sidhe do.”

“The who?”

“Sidhe, Fairies that are royalty. Like me, Like who your Pa pays taxes to. We all have to give up a part of who we are to those who replace us. It’s keeping the balance between Night and Day, Summer and Winter.”

“Is that important?” Scagie asked. As far as she was concerned if it was always night, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Always day wouldn’t be too bad either, she thought she could get used to sleeping in the sun.

“As important to keep the human world and ours running. As important as our oaths to each other. Important to keep the world going round and running, growing, and dying as is needed. We do it, so you and everyone else can keep eating, can keep scaring people who need it, and more.”

Scagie sipped her drink, even cooling down it was good. She thought about all that, it was too big for her. She was used to finding simple tricks, scaring little human kids, eating what should. “If it’s ok with you, I don’t think I can give up anything”

Baron chuckled, “You stay being who you are. That’s what your supposed to do.”

Scagie nodded, in what she hoped was sage like “I thought” she finished her drink, “Tonight we were supposed to dance.”

Standing, the Baron bowed, “Then milady, do you mind accompanying to the dance floor? And maybe then staying with me through the lines?”

With a giggle, Scagie pushed her chair back. “Of course Sir Baron.”

Dancing Part 4

“Now, we wait here a bit” The Baron’s smile reminded Scagie of her brother’s smile right before he got one of his bigger brother’s in trouble. Her stomach was just about to decide if that was a good thing on a Baron of the Summer court when she heard her name.

“Scagie of the Bog, accompanied by Baron von Sequin” a louder than normal voice said. Before Scagie could do anything more the Baron, with her by the arm, threw open the curtains of the dais, and smiled out to the crowded Ball. Unlike coming up from the bathroom, here Scagie could see the people around the tables, on the dance floor, she could see where the minstrels played from, and to their left, the four thrones of the Kinds and Queens of Fairy. Frozen blood red roses around the Winter Queen’s throne, living red and green for the Summer Queen. Green thorns and gold framed where the Summer King sat, while the Winter King’s throne had icicles and silver. Roses wrapped their way up behind the thrones, and along the walls where the curtains, that she had been hiding behind, seemed to hang down from.

Taking this all in, Scagie felt like a human kid must on Christmas day. The Baron, took her gently down the stairs and as the music started again, onto the dance floor. He gave no one a chance to make a comment.
Scagie forgot to mention that she didn’t know how to dance with polite people. Ma only taught her how to swing a table leg around, and where she was supposed to hit her brothers and sisters. The Baron seemed to think a little better of things though. After they got on the dance floor, he picked Scagie up like her Pa would, making her feel like she weighed no more than a pillow. Instead of whacking her around, he held her up, not quite at arms length, and with a big smile and twinkle in his eye, started to let her see how to dance.

Held up that way, she could look down and see his feet. How he moved, and stepped over as the rose vines seemed to move with the music. Scagie had not noticed the roses on the dance floor before. They do everything with roses, she thought and couldn’t help but laugh. The Baron took that as a sign, and lowered her down more. Scagie started trying to dance the way he did. Then she noticed that he was still holding her up, but she was actually stepping down as vines moved to meet her feet and keep them a little higher. Soon, she didn’t need even that help, and by the fourth dance, Scagie felt her feet on the floor, and was still enjoying the Baron’s arms on hers.

A few other fairy had welcomed the Baron, and they also seemingly welcomed Scagie. Many of the girls from Summer were very shy about looking at her, but Scagie could feel their eyes when ever she wasn’t looking. Getting nervous, her tummy started to growl, and Scagie’s mouth started to grow dry.

“Thank you,” the Baron said, “Without you, I would have been mobbed, and never would have enjoyed this night.” The Baron’s eyes still had that spark like her brother’s, Scagie had only seen the small dagger so didn’t think anything was going to be broken. “Shall we get a drink?”

“Yes, please” Scagie agreed.

Her tummy and mouth really appreciated having the drink, and being away from the eyes of all those girls. The Baron as many more people came up to him, lost that twinkle in his eye. Princesses, real fairy princesses, the little sprites, many, many men with sashes or swords, all felt like they had to speak with the Baron now that he was off the dance floor. Slowly, Scagie was pushed aside, and eventually left alone by the side of a table, just her and her growling tummy. That’s when the different girls and women found their courage. They descended on Scagie like a murder of crows, slowly at first, a comment about her feet, then about matching the floor, till Scagie was backed into a corner with the harpies of Summer Court making her feel sick, and very un-ork like.

Just as Scagie was about to lose her temper, the Baron rushed over to her. Making excuses, he whisked her off to the safety of the dance floor. Something about saving him was said, and Scagie had to bite her tongue not to lose it. She really liked him, and if those girls hurt him, they way they were hurting her, Scagie didn’t know if she could hold her temper. The Baron started talking to her, about his day, his adventures. He had adventures! All Scagie did was chase the butterflies that would wander around the Bog, or pop the frogs that came up for air.

As they danced more, Scagie started to try and make herself up to someone what would go adventuring. She decided then and there that she didn’t want to spend the rest of her time waiting for a bridge to be forgotten that she could move under, nor did she want to wander the Bog, waiting to bash a lost person. The Baron asked to stay on the dance floor a little longer, then he wanted her to stay with him during something, Scagie wasn’t sure what it was. She agreed anyways. Caught up with the dancing, the music, and the day dreams.

When the music stopped, the Baron looked at her, all serious, and took her by the arm. Instead of leading her to the tables like before, Scagie found her feet moving with his across the dance floor up to the thrones!

Scagie tried to stay behind the Baron, her stomach did flip flops thinking of all the eyes on her.
The Baron did his best on the short walk to calm the little ork. Yet this was worse than walking on frozen floors, worse than having to eat an ice apple, worse than creamed cauliflower. Scagie was going to, no, she was, Scagie was standing with a handsome Baron in front of the Kings and Queens of Winter and Summer! Scagie thought she knew now why the Baron had lost that twinkle in his eye.

Scagie tried to stand still, be a small unnoticed orc, but her stomach was growling so much, and twisting and turning on it self, that she couldn’t stand it. She thought it was lucky that as the Baron was speaking to the Kings, that they paid her no attention at all. It was bad enough she could feel everyone’s eyes on her, she thought she could hear whispering behind her. Soon, the Baron began to smile, as did the Kings, what they were talking about went over Scagie’s twig and dried mud covered head. She was really feeling self conscious now.

Then as the King’s sat back, the Queens, both of them stood and started talking with the Baron.
This made Scagie even more nervous. Then the Baron was saying her name! Scagie bowed to the Queens almost automatically the way she would at the Fall Ball when a bigger bruiser would walk by. The Summer Queen laughed a little behind her hand, and the Winter Queen nodded.

“You have a very brave and pretty companion tonight dear Baron,” Summer began. “I do so like her outfit.” At the Queen of Summer’s words, Scagie and everyone else looked. Scagie was the most shocked, instead of her mud covered green feet, her feet were clean looking, and covered up to the knee with the same color as the rose vines from the dance floor. Her grey shift, had been absorbing the colors of the curtains, a deep blue, and the leaves still showing those horrible deep reds and golds, still clung to it had been joined by rose petals, so that Scagie looked like she was wearing a dress of deep evening sky with a few petals and leaves drifting in the air!

“It’s true “ laughed the Winter Queen, “Everyone is invited, and Spring turns many into Summer!”

”Oh hush!” The Summer Queen took Scagie by the hand, “You live in the Bog, right? I can think of no harder workers than those from the Bog. Now I think I know one of them who also has a heart, a very brave girl, who is also an orc. Would you like to visit sometime?”

The Baron laughed at this, “No, no, no, I found her first! My Queen, if she wants to, she can come with me.”

With that Scagie’s dreams of leaving the Bog, her new dreams of being an adventurer all collided. Scagie saw herself, grown tall and green. An orc with a sword, not afraid of anyone.
“I made it tonight, I’ll make it anywhere.”

The rest of the evening went by in a blur. Scagie’s mind was reeling, and no one said anything bad about her again. Everyone was very polite, very glad to meet her, she was the talk of the Ball. Finally, many plans had been made, things written down, more dancing and eating, and the Queens were both putting their seals on one of the papers Scagie was to carry with her from now on. The Winter Queen signed it with a blackwood thorn that seemed to bleed onto the page. The Summer Queen pulled out a brilliant green thorn.

“It’s true!” Scagie exclaimed, “You do everything with roses.”

Dancing Part 3

Scagie, back in her hiding spot, tossed a piece of chocolate into her mouth. “Yuck!” she said and spit the thing out. The Summer Court was very strange. They put horrible fruit inside perfectly good chocolate. Scagie was so upset by this, and so wrapped up with inspecting the pieces of chocolate, this one with a strawberry, this one had some green thing, she forgot to keep the curtain closed.

“ Ah ha!” A dark voice said as Scagie felt a hand on her shoulder. “There you are little ork!” laughter was in the voice. Scagie let out a squeak as she was lifted from the curtain and the floor. Kicking the Fae was pointless, his arms were just too long. Defeated, caught at last, Scagie just hung there, looking the Fae in his handsome face and trying to grimace.

“Don’t worry little one. Everyone is welcome! But you should have came in with the rest.” The man put her down, and bowed to her. This was a shock, no one had ever bowed to her before. Sure she had pushed them down, or knocked them on their arse, but a real bow. Scagie stood there shocked. At last she muttered, “I came in the way we always do.”

The tall Fae, kept looking down at Scagie, he was smiling, almost laughing, and soon, she felt like she wasn’t in trouble. His name was Baron Dart King, Scagie kept looking at him like he was going to vanish, or call the cops on her. Yet, all he did was guide her around the food tables, helped her find items without fruit or veggies in them, and got her a drink. Soon she had a quiet tummy, had licked the chocolate from her fingers, and was actually laughing with this tall, handsome Fae from the Summer Court. Scagie could not believe it. Once or twice she made a move towards the dance floor between dances, but each time the Baron’s smile and nod directed her to a different table or servant with another delicious piece of food.

Soon, Scagie was feeling good enough to outright ask as the music ended, “Why can’t I go dance?”

The Baron threw his head back and laughed a good laugh. “Why little one, of course you can, but you need two things.”

Scagie jumped up and down impatiently. “What?”

“A dance partner, and to have been announced” The Baron said.

“What is been announced?” Scagie asked, her nervousness instantly returning. Her stomach growled as it tried to decide for her if she had eaten too much chocolate. Her eyes started to look everywhere to find a new hiding place. She did not want any attention, good or bad. This one person had been good, but not everyone was. Many would laugh at her, she wasn’t sure she or her stomach could take that.

As if reading her mind, the Baron guided her towards a side door. “Don’t worry, no one will laugh if your my date.”

“Date?” Before Scagie could fully voice her question, She found herself and the Baron, mud and slash, green and blue on the raised dias, a man in black asked their names. The Baron took her arm in his, he was warm to the touch, and it made Scagie feel better, her stomach quieting down at his touch.