Tamarilla's Travels
Chapter 9: Where are They?

Copyright© 2009 by msboy8

The ferry containing Danielle, Elizabeth, Margaret and Belinda was approaching the docks. Alice and Tamarilla were not in sight and Danielle was concerned. "Do you think they are still with the artist?" She asked the others in the group. "I thought I saw an elf on Middle Island and I am worried.

Lindi posh-poshed Danni and said, "I think you are just looking for trouble; there are no elves in Island World. But it would be more exciting than that dumb old bazaar! That fortune teller didn't even have tricks to go with her predictions. 'What is the world coming to if the person telling the fortune cannot liven up her act with a flash or a bang to go along with it?'

Author's Note: It is almost impossible for a young person to posh-posh anyone, so Lindi gets some bonus points here. Perhaps she was able to accomplish this feat because she is really 162 years old.

Agnes looked uncomfortable and tapped Danielle on the shoulder. "Excuse me Ambassador, I don't like to call anyone wrong, but there are elves in Island World. As a matter of fact, they are on Brightland Island. They don't like visitors to their forest, but King Rolf can get in touch with them. I don't know why one of them would have been on Middle Island though."

At that moment the ferry docked at Brightland and the discussion ended. As they were going ashore from the ferry, Lindi was pouting and walking with her arms crossed in front of her. She looked like she would explode in anger if anyone pointed out that she had been wrong. Danielle, Elizabeth and Margaret wisely left her to herself while they walked to Klauss and the cart. Klauss told of taking Alice and Tamarilla to the artist's shop earlier in the day, but not picking them up.

Their arrival at 'The Lady Fair' did not reveal Alice or Tammi. There was a bit of excitement at the ship though. A Sailor asked Lindi 'if the little girl had enjoyed the bazaar?' The ship's barber is sure that the Sailor will heal with plenty of rest. He added that he'd never seen a wound quite like that. Danielle sent Klauss and Elizabeth to the artist's shop to look for the missing girls. Danni would have gone, but she and Margaret had a few things to smooth out on the ship.

It was just a short amount of time when Lizzie returned announcing that the girls had left the painter some time ago with the intent of catching a ferry and going to the bazaar. Alice and Tamarilla had not made it out to Middle island and everyone was puzzled by their not appearing. Danielle was worried and even Lindi thought that something was wrong. "Can't you find them using witchcraft Lindi?" Danni asked.

Belinda screwed her pretty little face up and she thought of what she knew. "Well, I could give you warts or make you fall in love with a frog, I guess." Lindi held her head in her hands and started to cry. "It hurts too much to try to think of anything. I'm sorry Danni."

Elizabeth muttered something to her sister about 'the evil elves' and Danielle got an idea. "Why don't we ask King Rolf for help? He would probably know someone who could cast a spell to find Tamarilla and Alice. If not, Agnes told us that King Rolf knew the elves here in the Island Kingdom. Maybe he can get them to help us."

"OK," said Lizzie, "but we had better all go. From now on we should stay together. You never know when one of our powers or abilities will come in handy." 'My sister is usually the one who thinks and makes plans. She must be really worried.'

Danielle looked lost for a moment, but then took charge. "We obviously need help. King Rolf should know who to go to in times like these." Danni got the attention of a Sailor in the rigging. "Tell the driver to wait, we have need to go see the king."

Soon the entire group of women was down on the dock climbing aboard the cart. Danielle explained their problem and asked Klauss to take them to see the King. There was no time for pomp and ceremony, Danielle burst through the front door before Klauss could even get down from the cart!

It turns out that the King was just about to sit down to an early supper in the kitchen with his daughter. King Rolf was at first alarmed when his front door burst open, but he calmed down when he saw that the one breaking in was Danni.

King Rolf appeared upset as he said, "I've received ambassadors in many ways, but I've never had them break into my house. The news you bear must be very important and timely if you couldn't wait for Klauss to announce you." Lisa sat at the kitchen table with her father smiling knowingly. 'Daddy likes to keep people off-guard like this. He is really a very smart and crafty ruler.'

"My apologies, Your Majesty. Tamarilla and Alice are missing and we seek your help." Danielle curtsied low as she said that. 'I hope I didn't upset King Rolf; we really need his help!' We come seeking a seer or a witch so we know where to look for them."

The King motioned for Danni to take a seat at the table next to him. "What about that wonderful child witch from your group? I think her name is Lindy. A simple

Divination spell should tell your comrades location."

At that moment Klauss walked into the kitchen with the rest of Danielle's group following close behind him. Klauss genuflected and said, "I'm sorry Rolf ... erm Your Majesty; I tried to get them to wait." Each of the girls behind Klauss also genuflected when they saw the King.

King Rolf stood up and chuckled at the domino-like procession of people genuflecting. "Sit down ladies and I'll see if I can help. King Rolf sat down at the kitchen table after each girl was seated. "So, Tamarilla and Alice are missing and Belinda can not cast a divination spell, right? Oh, you can get up too Klauss."

"You are correct, Your Majesty. Belinda should be able to cast the spell, after all she is 162 years old. The evil elves we have back home (In Stablus) cast a spell on Belinda to make her look like an innocent 11 year old blonde girl. Apparently the spell was unstable because she has become an 11 year old girl with very little knowledge or skill in magic."

King Rolf sat and pondered for a moment. The silence was broken when he said, "Yes, I think that is it. We should ask the elves for help."

It was then that Danielle spoke up again. "That is a grand idea Your Majesty, but we are not on good terms with the elves, as a matter of fact, many of us have bounties for our capture from the elves."

The King was quick to dismiss Danni's worries. "Posh-posh! I'm good friend with Turgon Mithrandír, leader of the Island World elves. You must mean the Valandil Elanessë. They are the neer-do-well band of elves that Turgon Mithrandír exiled. They were a bother to all good people of these islands. Since Tamarilla and Alice are missing and I have an idea of who is responsible, I'll send an urgent message to Turgon Mithrandír that we require his assistance and that we are on the way there." He whispered something in Lisa's ear. Lisa excused herself and went into her father's study. "If you ladies would please wait in the living room, I shall get ready to go."

Author's Note: Unlike peasant girls, no matter their age, Kings are taught the proper method of speaking with a commanding presence, which includes posh-poshing the most carefully wrought and rendered statement-of-fact or argument. Often they and their kingdoms live or die because of a seemingly innocent phrase spoken out of turn.

Danielle and her group waited in the living room for the King. Lisa walked in and told Danni that a message had been sent to Turgon Mithrandír and that her father was almost ready to go. A moment later King Rolf strode into the room, he looked more regal than ever and was girded for action.

Danielle turned and gasped when she saw King Rolf. He was wearing a suit of plate mail that was so shiny it appeared white. He carried a shield in his right hand and the pelt of a polar bear, including teeth and claws, was draped over his right shoulder. At his waist was a powerful long sword in a stylized scabbard. The belt that the scabbard hung from was both ornamental and utilitarian, white as his armor and studded with sapphires.

As the King moved towards Danielle, his armor did not creak, clang and groan; a sign that his armor was well crafted. Danielle curtsied and managed to say, "Your Majesty, I would never have imagined...

King Rolf finished her sentence," ... that a farmer-king would have such a regal suit for fighting? Or that he would actually wear such an outfit to go a-calling?" He stopped Danni's reply with a wave of his hand. "I do realize how important Tamarilla and Alice are and how their magic, especially Tamarilla's could upset the balance of power here in Island World."

There was a bit of clanging as Klauss appeared in the doorway clad in a suit of chain mail, carrying a mace and a shield. "Let us all hasten to the cart. There is little time to waste." Once they were all on the cart, Klauss drove the horses for all they were worth. Belinda had a meeting to attend and the sooner the better!


The day was approaching its end as the cart bearing King Rolf and his companions arrived at the edge of the Elven Kingdom. The cart was stopped at the end of the road. Actually calling it a road was being kind, because it was little more than a trail. King Rolf jumped off the cart and walked to the border between the two kingdoms. He then stood tall, his feet a shoulder width apart, while he waited. He had not long to wait. A figure walked out of the forest and stood in front of him. King Rolf could see the shapes of what he assumed were other figures in the shadows, but he could not be sure.

The figure in front of King Rolf was that of a mature male elf that stood straight and exuded an air of confidence and wisdom. He spoke in the common tongue of men, "I received your request for a meeting and now I see you girded for war. Is there trouble between us my friend?" The look on the elf King's face was serious, but apparently unconcerned.

King Rolf responded while shaking his head 'no'. "Never could there be trouble between us or our kingdoms. It seems that Gilcrism is up to his old tricks. This group..." Rolf waved his hand at the people in the cart, " ... from Emperor Henry the First, who came on a mission of diplomacy, is missing two ladies; one of them a high powered user of magic. Their ranks include a witch, who normally would be able to find out where they are and if they are being held against their will."

"Why do you say 'normally' when you speak of the witch? What is it that you need from the Elf King? And why come to me, you know that I and my people do not wish to become involved in the affairs of men."

 
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