Kiernen - Chapter 2

I knew the general direction I needed to travel to get to Mim’s Cottage. I also had heard countless stories about the forest leading there, not to mention the stories of what happens to people who show up uninvited. Sitting in taverns, waiting while Eidero conducted some business or other, I was often entertained by elder members of the village or travelers passing through, all of whom had a vast supply of stories about Mim and her friends in the forest. Nearly every child in our village had wakened screaming at least once from nightmares caused by hearing the story of the Roman soldiers turned to butterflies and eaten by Mim.

Knowing the direction, however, was not the same as knowing the correct route. I found some maps in Eidero’s study; one of the route to Mim’s Cottage and another for the far continent where The Spire of Powers was located. He had cases for these maps, so I took those too. I located his book of notes on the Powers and how to use them for certain things. I wondered if the spells the Gnome had cast were in there somewhere. I would have to look through it sometime on the road.

I went to my room and found my larger pack for when Eidero and I traveled abroad, seeking treasures for his collection. I put on my traveling clothes and pulled my winter cloak from the wardrobe. I put in my pack. It would serve as a blanket if I had to sleep on the road. I went to the kitchen next and took some cheeses, a loaf of bread and a few apples. We were out of my favorite fruit, a special Elven fruit that was almost impossible to bruise and seemed to stay fresh forever, even in the bottom of a pack. Eidero and I both loved the Travel Fruit as we called it, and we always seemed to run out of it as soon as we got any. I hoped I would find some growing wild en route to Mim’s Cottage.

Next I visited Eidero’s chamber. A shiver ran through me as I crossed the threshold and I spied his cloak and that silly hat of his on the wall peg. I don’t know why, but I took them both down and added them to my pack. It was a bit over-full now, so I took my own cloak out and rolled it up like a blanket; I would carry it outside the pack. There was only room for one more thing, assuming I could find it. Eidero kept a small stash of jewels and coins somewhere in his chamber for emergencies. I wished I knew a spell like the one the Gnome used to find magical things, only I needed it for money. Not knowing where to look, I started with his wardrobe. I opened the door, shuffled everything around, and opened all the drawers. I searched his bed, moving his mattress onto the floor. No money magically appeared.

Zino had moved out of the sack and sat atop the wardrobe, looking down at me and fluffing his tail occasionally. Finally, he chattered at me and jumped onto my shoulder, then back up to the wardrobe. We had been through this before, so I didn’t waste time. I got a stool and looked up on top of the wardrobe. There it was. A smallish wooden box with Eidero’s seal carved in the top. I took it down, and remembering the last box I opened, I hesitated to open it. It showed no keyhole or special mechanism, so I ran my hand along the lid to see if I would receive a shock. Nothing happened. I decided to take the chance and open the box. The supply was very small; Eidero must have taken funds out of it to buy things from the Gnomes. I took what remained and hoped for the best.

It was time to get moving. I secured the house and made my way out into the night to find my brother. To find Eidero, probably the worst wizard in the Universe, and the only family I had left. Powers help me. Please.