“You know how to be charming, but I’ve known you long enough that it just seems ridiculous when you try it on me. Especially when I’m suddenly reminded of you and Robert chasing me around the backyard with worms.”
“I do not see how a mention of hand lotion would remind you of that particular incident.”
“It’s all filed under the ‘Reuben is ridiculous’ folder,” answered Petra. “It’s a very large folder.”
“But do you have a ‘Reuben is amazing’ folder?” Reuben asked. Then before she could answer, he added, “Oh, hello!”
A young man was headed towards them. He appeared to be in his late teens and was of a slender build, with light brown hair and eyes, and the same elfin features Ashley had, though his ears seemed even more pointed than hers.
He seemed surprised that Reuben had addressed him, as his eyes darted first to one side and then the other before he dipped into a deep bow. “Um, good day, your highness; is there anything I can do for you?”
“Just answer some questions, if you’d be so willing,” answered Reuben, smiling that charming grin he used when he wanted people to relax. It usually worked. “For instance, can you tell me where we are? Petra and I just arrived here from another world, and I’m afraid that we have no idea where we are now.”
“Her name is Petra?” the guy asked, his eyes straying to Petra, his expression turning from fear to hope.
“Yes,” Reuben confirmed. “It is. Is that important or something?”
“I … I’m not sure that her name is important,” the guy answered. “But her face certainly is. You two should probably come with me to my home because it would not be good if anyone else saw her.”
Chapter 3
“Reuben, we are not going to follow a random stranger to his house!” Petra protested, realizing that Reuben was about to do just that.
“Petra, it’ll be fine,” said Reuben, confirming Petra’s fear as he laid a hand on her shoulder. “We need answers about what we’re supposed to do here in this world, and we might as well receive them at a house rather than standing here in nature. Besides, in books…”
“You do realize how often in books, the first person the hero meets is an agent for the enemy? Seriously, Reuben, show some discretion. We don’t even know this guy’s name, and you’re already agreeing to visit his house.”
It was true that the guy had read a few too many fantasy novels growing up and had never quite given up his hope of traveling to another world someday, but this was ridiculous even for him.
“My name is Noraeto if that makes you feel any better, ma’am,” the guy spoke up. “I suppose you don’t have any reason to trust me. You’ll have to take me at my word. But I think you ought to know that you look just like our queen and if she finds out about you, she is going to want to kill you. I don’t think you want word of your presence here to get back to her.”
“Okay, cool. Guess that means I’ll go back home. I didn’t really want to come here in the first place.” She turned and started to walk away, but was forced to stop short when Reuben grabbed her braid. She gave a huff and turned back around. “Reuben, I’ve warned you about that.”
“Sorry, it’s convenient and gets your attention.” Reuben gave a half-shrug and turned back to Noraeto. “Why would your queen want to kill Petra just because she looks like her? Does it have anything to do with a prophecy?”
“You and your prophecies,” muttered Petra, rolling her eyes skyward.
“Yes, actually,” Noraeto admitted. “Our queen is prophesied to be killed by a girl who shares her face.”
“Okay, now I’d really like to leave. Tangling with a queen like that was not on my agenda for today. Would it be all right if I send her a nice note saying that I’m truly sorry about that prophecy, but to be honest, I mean her no ill-will, so can we please just leave each other alone? Maybe we could meet for tea.”
“I don’t think that would placate her,” said Noraeto, shaking his head in clear disbelief. “Our queen is … well, she’s been waiting a very long time for you, and it has done things to her mind, not that her sanity was intact to begin with, as Rintaya likes to say.”
“I get the distinct impression that it’s not a good idea for us to be standing out here in the open, then,” said Reuben. “Come on, Petra. Let’s go visit his house. If things start looking suspicious there, we can leave.”
“You’re way too trusting, but seeing as how we don’t have many options, and you’re so determined to find trouble, I guess I’ll go with you.” She sighed and shook her head. “But just so you know, this is entirely not what I had planned to do today.”
“Wasn’t my plan either,” Reuben agreed. “But this seems more fun, so let’s just roll with it.”
“So … you’re coming?” asked Noraeto.
“It appears so,” said Petra.
Noraeto turned and retraced his steps towards a forest, and Reuben and Petra followed. The trees here were as brightly colored as all the other plant life here in this strange world. Petra tried to ignore them while they followed a narrow, but well-walked trail.
Noraeto’s house proved to be a small circular hut built in the middle of a circular clearing, made out of wood that seemed to be a naturally greenish tint. It seemed small enough that there wouldn’t be an army hiding in wait for them inside – unless there was a basement. Petra remained on alert as she and Reuben followed Noraeto inside.
The room they entered was a combination of kitchen and living room, and the furniture was also all rather green. A woman, again with elfin features and pointed ears, bustled about with a feather duster. She began with a, “Dear me, Noraeto, what are you doing back so soon?” but upon seeing Petra, her eyes went wide, and she immediately dipped into a curtsy, a fist pressed against her heart. “Milady! What need do you have of us and our humble house?”
Noraeto shook his head. “Mother, I’d like you to meet Petra, the Tela Du, and her friend … Reuben, wasn’t it? They’re from another world, so she can be none other.”
“Another world? The Tela Du? Has our hope been fulfilled at last? Are you certain?”
“I’m quite certain,” Noraeto answered. “She wears purple and frames over her eyes, as you can see for yourself.”
“They’re called glasses,” Petra inserted, wondering why they were important.
His mother clapped her hands. “Then quickly now, Noraeto, run and find your father. Let him know that the Tela Du has come to Rizkaland!”
“Yes, ma’am.” And with that, the boy ran out of the house, leaving Petra and Reuben alone with his mother.
“Does this Tela Du title that I’ve just been assigned have anything to do with the fact that I look just like your queen?” Petra asked, drawing closer to Reuben, as she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the situation.
“Indeed, it does,” the woman confirmed. “Tela Du is what we call the girl who will rise against the Dragon in these final days of her reign. It means ‘same face.’”
“You call your queen a dragon?” asked Reuben. He, of course, was all eagerness and completely oblivious to Petra’s lack of enthusiasm. “Or is she an actual dragon?”
Petra did not like this second suggestion.
“Queen Amber is a sorceress capable of turning herself into a dragon,” the woman explained. “Her title of Lady Dragon is well earned. Look about Rizkaland, and you’ll find not a soul who has any bit of love for her, save perhaps her husband. Petra, my dear, your coming has been long awaited.”
This was getting worse by the moment.
“You have the wrong girl.”
“I fear that is impossible,” said the woman, shaking her head. “Not only are you the image of our queen in her human form, but you come from another world as did almost all before who have risen against Amber. You wear purple and your ‘glasses,’ just as the Tela Du is foretold to wear. Although I do wonder at what travesty might have suffered that required you take the garb of a man.”
“W
hat?” asked Petra. “Oh, right. The pants. Actually, most girls in my world wear pants like this these days. Personally, I prefer to wear to wear a dress, but Reuben and I were hiking in our woods, and I don’t like mixing skirts with pricker vines.”
“Oh, that makes sense, I suppose.” The woman slowly nodded, but it was clear from her expression that she still didn’t quite get it. “Dear Petra, you fit the prophecy perfectly, so there can’t be any mistaking it. You are our Tela Du.”
“You also just said that being the Tela Du involved rising against your dragon queen and killing her. I’m sorry, but I’m not the girl for that,” Petra protested. “Especially if she’s a sorceress and a dragon. Hate to break it to you, but I don’t have any sort of powers or even any fighting skills.”
“Petra, stop being cliché.” Reuben put a hand on her shoulder. “Every hero protests their role in a prophecy at the start of a book, especially if they’re from another world. But you can face her. If there’s a prophecy that says so, then you’re sure to win.”
“Actually, the prophecies aren’t certain.”
Petra turned to see that Noraeto had returned. An older man stood beside him in the doorway, clearly his father and the one who had spoken.
“What do you mean?” asked Reuben. “Noraeto said…”
“Perhaps, in the confusion of the moment, Noraeto misspoke. He is young, and his knowledge of the prophecies is sadly incomplete,” said the man, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, while it is certain that the Tela Du and Lady Dragon shall meet in battle, the victor is deliberately ambiguous. It is only known that you are the only one who can kill her.”
“I want to go home. Now.” Petra’s stomach was churning. She needed to get away from these strange people, away from people in general. She needed the sanctuary of her own room.
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid it’s too late for that. Only the Doorkeeper can open the doors between worlds, so until she returns for you, you’ll have to remain with us. And if you’re here, you may as well prepare for the prophecy, just in case.” He took a step forward and placed a hand under her chin, to examine her face better. “It is uncanny how much you resemble the Dragon, down to the glare in your amber eyes.”
Petra did not appreciate being touched without her permission, so since she was already intensely annoyed at the man, she did the natural thing. She slapped him.
He staggered back in surprise, nursing his cheek, and shook his head. “Feisty, too, though I suppose I deserved that. I think I pity the Dragon, now.”
Reuben grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. “Petra, calm down right now.” He glanced over her shoulder. “Uh, is it at all possible for us to have a moment alone?”
Less than a minute later, they were alone in the room together. He turned her loose with an order of, “Start pacing. It’ll help you relax.”
Petra sent him a glare, but he was right. She did want nothing more than to start pacing right now, so that’s what she did, storming from one end of the room to the other, spinning around and repeating the process.
“Honestly, I do get why you’re upset right now,” Reuben admitted. “I’ll grant that things are happening far more quickly than you like them to. But even you have to admit that we’ve been given a rare opportunity.”
“It happens all the time in those books you like to read.”
“Yes, in books.” An edge of excited desperation entered Reuben’s voice. “This is real life. This never happens in real life.”
“This is not real life, Reuben. This is insanity, and I am already done with it. I’ve been given the rare opportunity to be killed by a dragon sorceress, and you expect me to be happy about it?” Petra threw up her hands as she passed him.
“I expect you to take a step back and see if you can find anything that you can be happy about,” Reuben answered. He found a chair to sit in. “There’s a queen here who looks just like you. I don’t know about you, but to me, that certainly sounds like…”
Petra spun around mid-step to face him. “I do not like the sound of where you’re going with that speculation. I’m expected to kill this queen if she doesn’t kill me first. If she turns out to be Sarah or Sylvia, well … you know what? I don’t even have to finish that speculation, do I?”
“True,” said Reuben. “Well, how about this: maybe the reason Sarah and Sylvia disappeared is that they came here and this queen found about them, but since they didn’t wear purple, they couldn’t win.”
“And this dragon killed them? Reuben, that’s even worse.”
“Not necessarily – maybe they’re in her dungeon, and you have to free them.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s a very high possibility.” Petra shook her head. “Why would she keep them alive?”
“Um, bait to draw you to her clutches to increase her chances of winning?” Reuben suggested.
“Your theories are getting worse by the moment.”
“We can be almost sure that Sarah’s here, somewhere, or at least that she was here at some point.”
“What do you mean?”
“She almost certainly went through the exact same door that we just did, which means she would be here,” Reuben explained. “And maybe her being here could also explain why no one can remember her. They said the queen was a sorceress, didn’t they? Maybe she put some sort of curse on her so that no one except you can remember her?”
“Three holes in that theory: Sylvia, Richard, you.”
“Well, it’s a theory in progress, and I’ll admit that it’s probably wildly off,” said Reuben. “But Laura did say that we’d find some answers on these adventures, so maybe you should just relax a bit and keep your mind open. Maybe we’ll find some answers, and it won’t be so bad.”
“Or it could be ten times worse, and I could die.”
“I’d rather you didn’t die.”
“Good, then let’s go home because going up against a sorceress dragon queen is almost certain death.”
“Petra, it doesn’t sound like we can go back. I’m sorry, but we’re here now, and, if this is anything like those books I read – and I’m aware that you’re probably quite annoyed with me by now for using that comparison.”
“I am, but given that it’s the best we have to go on, and so far, everything has been at least comparable, I’m going to let you keep going with it.” Petra folded her arms and sat down in the chair opposite him.
“Fair enough. If this is anything like books, we’re stuck here until we’ve done what we’ve been called here to do, and that sounds like fighting this queen. Can you at least hear these people out and get the full story before you start freaking out on them? Maybe things aren’t quite as bad as you think they are.”
“You’re right. They’re probably worse.”
“Petra!”
“Okay, fine, I’ll hear them out. Also, as we’ve already discussed, there is the possibility that they’re on the wrong side. Maybe I don’t actually have to fight this queen. Maybe they’re just trying to make me think I do, for some reason.”
“There’s a start. Now shall we go tell them they can have their house back? Honestly, it was quite nice of them to just abandon it to us, total strangers, so you could have this moment, but I’m sure they’d like it back now.”
She took a deep breath and glanced around the room. “Yeah,” she said, feeling not at all eloquent at the moment. “Now that you mention it, yeah.”
Chapter 4
Reuben knew that Petra would come around soon enough.
However, before they had a chance to follow through on his suggestion, the door opened and a woman walked in. She wasn’t Noraeto’s mother, though she did have the pointed ears and delicate features that seemed to be the norm in this world. Her hair was streaked with silver, and her face was creased with the lines of both smiles and frowns.
She must be the older wise woman sent to answer all of their questions. Maybe she had prophetic powers, or she had magic gifts to bestow o
n them. Reuben liked her immediately.
“Hello,” she called. “Is it safe for me to come in? Robert said that the Tela Du had come, that she had questions that I would be better suited to answer, and also that she seemed to be a bit temperamental.”
“I have good reason,” huffed Petra.
“It’s safe,” Reuben spoke up. “I’ve tamed the beast, and she won’t bite you.” He glanced at Petra with a grin. “Hopefully.”
Petra rolled her eyes before folding her arms over her chest as she turned her attention back to the woman. “I do have a lot of questions that I would appreciate having answered.”
“Ah, questions, an excellent place to begin, though not quite as important as introductions,” said the woman, sitting down on the sofa. “My name is Rintaya. I’m a cousin of Robert’s, after a fashion. My husband, in former times, was the Bookholder, though with the Dragon occupying Rizkaland, he’s had to forget much to protect himself from her attention. And, I’m aware that that probably makes no sense to you, but I will explain.”
“I’m Petra, and this is Reuben.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Rintaya. “Is he your…”
“Best friend? Yes. Beyond that? No. Start explaining.”
“I see,” said the woman, with a distinct tone of ‘I don’t believe you.’ Reuben didn’t need to look to know that Petra was glaring.
“That isn’t to say that it won’t change someday,” Reuben quickly inserted. “But for now, friendship is all the more that either of us wants.”
“I see,” Rintaya repeated. “And Linette mentioned that you come from another world?”
“Linette?” asked Reuben. It suddenly occurred to him that they’d failed to ask the names of their hosts, besides Noraeto.
“Robert’s wife, Noraeto’s mother, the dear thing,” Rintaya explained. “Now that we have introductions established, shall we move on to the questions?”
Noraeto, Linette, Rintaya – all awesome names fitting for a fantasy world. Robert? Not so much. It wasn’t a bad name, by any means – it was Reuben’s own brother’s name, after all. Just not the sort of awesome name he’d expected for a fantasy world.
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