After the group had walked for five minutes, the tree type changed suddenly. The smooth large grey trees were replaced by trees that were thin, white, and dainty, each like a unique and beautiful masterpiece. When the soft wind shook them, brass-colored leaves landed tinkling on the grass.
Osmium stared about in wonder and whistled. He ran to catch up to Tantalum, who was striding several feet ahead.
“What is this place called?” Osmium asked quietly, as if the trees might disapprove of loud voices.
“Lisoine Forest, I believe. Right, Grimmerly?”
Grimmerly nodded, then resumed his conversation with Iridium.
“Lisoine is the type of tree here. It only grows in this forest,” Tantalum gestured to the trees around him. “They are nearly impossible to chop down. But, if you do manage to, beneath the papery bark is solid bronze.”
“Really?” Osmium reached over and gently knocked on a tree trunk. It rang like metal. “That’s amazing,”
“Yes. Also, the leaves are a bronze alloy that is extremely strong. But because they are so thin, they bend like gold-leaf.”
They traveled in silence for a couple of seconds, each listening to the creaking of the graceful metal trees in the whispering wind.
“So, where are we going?” Osmium asked somewhat nonchalantly as they rounded a curve in the path.
“There.” Tantalum pointed ahead.
The clouds had broken, and the rays of light landed on a large stone building. It was regal and low-lying, at the bottom of the hill that they were on, with elaborate patterns interlaced among the many windows and buttresses. The way that the building coalesced with the forest gave the impression that this place was arcane.
“Ah, the Hisode,” Tantalum gazed at the magnificent building. “Long have I waited for this.”
The group stood staring for a moment, then Grimmerly shook his head.
“No use wasting time gawking, we’ve got to meet them,” He strutted down the path.
“He’s right.” Tantalum sighed and tore his eyes away. He glanced over at the scowling Rhenium. “Now is not the time to be petulant, Rhenium.”
She moaned.
“Come along, then,” He followed Grimmerly down the hill, Rhenium trailing behind. The two other children stood on the hill watching, then began the descent.
“What does pestilent mean?” Iridium whispered to Osmium.
“He said petulant. I think it means grumpy or something,” He muttered back.
“Oh,”
By now, they had caught up to the group, and together, they walked up to the large imposing wood door, seemingly the entrance to the building. Engraved upon it was:
Knock and it will be opened to you,
Seek and you will find.
Tantalum took a deep breath and rapped on the door, the sound reverberating deep within. An instant later, the door flung open, and a woman stood in its frame. She held a dripping wooden spoon in her right hand.
“Aullo? An’ who might ye folks be?” Her eyes roved over the group until they landed on Tantalum where they widened in shock. She ran forward and grabbed Tantalum up in a massive bear hug while the others watched curiously. She finally let go and backed up, hands on her hip.
“Oh but, ye ‘ave grown, Tantalum me lad. Last I’da sean ye, ye ware but this tall,” She gestured with her spoon. “Ye lov’d to h’lp me in the k’tchen.” She laughed. Then she gasped. “Flors! Lad, ye dun forgot me flors! Ye promis’d me flors! Dinna ye remember?”
“Yes, I remember but… well I didn’t expect to see you so soon...”
“Ni exc’ses. Ye ‘ave ‘ot to bring some gien ye’re to be in me good graces. Go ‘n ar’und the Hisode an’ ye’ll find ‘ur h‘use an’ Dahlia will be swe’ping. Ye remember ‘er, ni doubt. She’ll show ye the place with the best of flowers. An’ lad,” She grew closer to his ear and whispered, but, as she was partially deaf and a bad judge of volume, everyone could hear her. “Ye m’ght g’ve her some too. She’s abeen awa’ting awh’le for some… an’ for ye.” Somebody snickered. “Now ‘et ‘n.” She shoved him softly.
“Yes ma’am,” He answered meekly and marched off with cheeks aflame, shaking his head, something that none of the group had seen before.
“Now, soas the ‘est of y’all know, I’m Mrs. Gjorme, the cook. I w’s w’tching the g’te cause the gaurds ‘re t’king a h’liday. Most of ye haven’t been here before so go ‘n in an’ down the ‘all an’ meet the ‘arden. An’ a goodly day to ye, Grimmerly.” She ushered them inside.
As Osmium, taking the lead in Tantalum’s absence, led the way down the gallery, Iridium’s head was abuzz with questions. She wondered who the warden was and what her grisly fate would most likely be. The image of a grey-haired Iridium with blackened teeth in a cell calling out feebly to a cruel and overbearing guard popped into her mind and she shuddered. But why would he lock her up? She hadn’t done anything wrong recently… nothing she could feel bad for that is. Well, she felt pretty bad about laughing at Tantalum… but it had been so funny. Obviously, Mrs. Gjorme didn’t know Tantalum as well as she thought she did, and Dahlia, if she thought like her mother, was sure to be disappointed.
But these thoughts, and all others, were driven out of her head when she entered the room at the end of the hall, if indeed it could be called a room. The chamber was square, and white were its walls, but its ceiling was made of copper, which, doming upward, met its crescendo in the center of the room. There were two ornate doors on opposite sides of the room. But it was not so much the room itself, but the lone occupant of the room that caught the attention of the group, for against the back wall, atop of a small platform, stood a chair, and within this chair sat a venerable old man, clad in grey. At his feet lay a staff, much like Tantalum’s, save it was tipped with an ice-colored stone instead.
At the sight of the room and the old man, the children came to a halt at the entrance, staring in wonder, and suddenly, Grimmerly pushed past Osmium with vigor.
“Oh, powerful one,” He cried in mock reverence, his voice echoing and reverberating off the ceiling. He threw a wink over his shoulder before continuing. “Oh, mighty Warden, we have come in the great name of peace, wishing goodwill for all. We, your servants, are here to--”
“Grimmerly, what in the world are you talking about?” The warden’s voice was deep and resonating. “No doubt this is another one of your jokes. I must admit I don’t find your jokes as funny as you do… especially all those drowned ants in my soup.” He pronounced the last part sternly, but there was an amused twinkle in his eyes, like the faint gleam of a far-off star. “Your last bit of information was immensely helpful. You’ll find your pay in the pantry.”
“Cheese?” Grimmerly gasped, dancing about in excitement.
The warden smiled. “Yes. You may go get it.”
“Thank you, sire, but I will wait. There is something here worth more that I must see.”
“More valuable than cheese?” The warden was obviously surprised. He looked around the room, until he saw Rhenium, and his heart fell within him. “I see.” He was now very grave. He stood up from his chair and came down the dais. “Children of earth, come forth.” Almost as one, they did so, stopping just behind Grimmerly.
“Where is your brother?” There was some nervous tittering from the girls, and then Osmium ventured to speak.
“He’s… he’s around back. He…” Osmium cleared his throat. “He had something to do,”
“He’s picking flowers.” Rhenium spat out, not-so-helpfully. At the sound of her voice, the warden’s heart grew still heavier. Always the hardest to tell, for though they distain our land and everything in it, the moment they are forced to leave, they will cling to it and fight back, for they want what they cannot have. He sighed. First things first.
“Welcome to the Hisode. I am Dwurin, the warden. You have come at a time of great need, for trouble is brewing in the eastern mountains. I’m sure you have many questions, but I will not be answering them. I will be simply telling you where you are to go. Osmium,” Dwurin came to stand in front of Osmium. “You will go to the Woodland Elves, and you shall learn the art of sword and bow. You, I think, will fare the best, for the Elves make merry in the trees often. May you come back with the pointed ears of the Elves.”
Grimmerly laughed heartily, like he knew some secret, and Osmium gingerly fingered the rounded tips of his ears.
“Iridium, to the Rocjahs you shall go. Grimmerly shall be your guide, for he knows where they dwell.”
“Who are the Rocjahs?” Squeaked Iridium, after working up the necessary courage.
“I was given this for you to read, should you ask such a question.” The warden fished a small scroll from his cloak and handed it to Iridium. She unrolled it and, in a quivering voice, read it aloud.
THE LULLABY OF THE ROCJAHS
ROCJAHS; A MINIATURE PEOPLE OF FOLKLORE WHOSE FEARS ARE MORE NUMEROUS THAN THEY THEMSELVES ARE.
AS RECORDED BY
E. D. B. & RODERIGO
Hush, my little baby, and mind your mother, dear,
For I know what is frightful, and what to fear,
My mother was learned and she in part told me
My mother was told by her mother, and now I tell thee.
Beware of the rain, heaven gross drool,
To fall from the sky to land in a pool,
It comes down from the sky to run down the earth,
Avoid all water, dear, for what it is worth.
Beware of the fire, the hot burning heat,
The deceptive warmth, so nice for the feet,
It is a lie, a mockery, a charade, a sham,
For when you close your eyes, it will burn in bedlam.
Beware of the tall things, that tower above,
Sleep not in their shade, or give them your love,
For your family’s weeping will raise such a row,
When the tall thing comes crashing and crushes you below.
Beware of clawed birds, for silent they fly,
To circle above, then swoop from the sky,
They’ll grab you; they’ll claw you; they’ll eat you alive,
Avoiding these beasties is something to strive.
Beware of the sun, the day’s bright light,
The damage it does would seem to be slight,
But be not deceived, for soon, pain beyond feeling,
You will be bright red, and your skin will be peeling.
Hours and hours, on could I go,
On the rocks, the snakes, the ice, the snow,
But of all the dangers you might chance to meet,
Watch out for the people, the ones with large feet.
“Sounds like you’re going to the right place to me.” Cried Osmium after he clapped Iridium on the back.
“Oh, you scared me, Osmium! But I am glad to go to a place where people are reasonable,” She continued to chat happily about the Rocjahs.
“Sounds more like a bunch of scaredy-cats to me,” Rhenium muttered inaudibly. She would have proceeded to proclaim this statement, if the now cold and hard eyes of the warden were not on her. He had returned to his chair and, with his hand under his chin, watched… watched her. Her skin crawled.
Dwurin was preparing in his mind the speech he would have to give any moment. He had given this same speech a dozen times, but it never got any easier. I’ll wait until we’re alone. “You two will be leaving in an hour, so…” He raised his voice. “Mrs. Gjorme! Please prepare these two some provisions. You will find her in the kitchen. Through the door on the right, up the hall to the third door.”
“What about me?” Rhenium asked. But Dwurin ignored the question for the moment.
He waited until they had left the room and he, Rhenium, and Grimmerly were alone. For a while, the room was silent.
Rhenium felt as if she awaited the final judgement. Get on with it, she silently berated him.
At last, he spoke with difficulty. “Earlier, you asked about yourself.” He paused for confirmation, but she just gave him a cold and somewhat indifferent stare. He continued. “I regret to inform you that…” His voice trailed off and then he sighed. “I will be blunt. You are not welcome in this world. You must go home.”
Rhenium’s world flipped upside-down. A second before, all she wanted to do was leave this horrid world, but now… It was so unfair that her siblings got to stay, and she had to go home alone. Who does this man think he is, that he could cast me out of this world? I’ll do as I please and leave when I choose! These thoughts suffocated her tongue and all she could do was glare at this audacious warden.
Dwurin turned to Grimmerly, who was grinning wildly. “Will you show her to the room of confluence?”
“Of course, I will.”
The warden returned his attention to Rhenium, who stood gnawing her lip vehemently. “Once you enter the confluence room, you will return to your home on earth. Go with Grimmerly.”
With a parting rancorous look over her shoulder at the Dwurin, she followed Grimmerly out the door. He led her halfway down the long hall, lined intermittently with doors, when he stopped at, judging from the clanking of pots that could be heard faintly, the kitchen.
“It is the last door on the left.” He pointed down the passage. “My cheese awaits.” He slipped into the kitchen.
Rhenium scowled furiously, but she had no choice but to continue down the corridor alone. She was nearly to last door, when, out of the door opposite of the one for which she bound to, came Tantalum. He was holding a comically large bouquet of variously assorted flowers, and trying his best to look serious, but seemingly unable to. He flashed a smile at Rhenium as he passed, but she glared back at him venomously.
At last, she reached the door. A dark, rich, opulent purple blue it was, and on it was engraved the symbol of two converging moons. She stood staring moodily at the door, then she sighed and stretched out her hand toward the door, when suddenly, a thought gave her pause. She glanced at the quickly retreating form of Tantalum, spun around, and jerked open the door behind her. Seeing nothing but the grass and trees stretching beyond, she bolted off into the forest and was lost from sight.
"The only thing that anybody really knows about this author is that he is a real nutcase."
-Anonymous reporter
Well...