• Beneath the roiling mist, a mysterious creature waited for day to break. All alone and abandoned it found a place to hide. In an empty shed next to a familiar hut, the creature curled up into a neat ball; it’s heavy emerald green eyelids fluttered, fighting sleep. Day break wasn’t far off, and it was time for this nocturnal baby to rest its tired and scared head.

    Creature: *yawns and blinked a few more times before giving in to sleep pull.*

    The sun warmed the earth as Clara stepped out onto the slowly dying grass.

    Clara: What a warm day, *sigh* I could use a little adventure.

    Anabel: Honey! *Clara’s mother came out of the house with a small basket in hand* I want you to deliver this to Ms. Marco. It’s the pastries I baked last night.

    Clara: *To the readers.* This is my mother, she’s a cook. She makes special cakes, dishes and all sorts of things. It’s how she makes a living. It’s hard to come by silver these days. Ever since the Queen Lilith took over no one’s been able to make a good living, she taxes every last silver out of the pockets of the townspeople. I swear if I ever get my hands on that…

    Anabel: Clara? Did you hear me?

    Clara: Yes, momma. I’ll get right on it.

    Anabel: Thank you, dear. Don’t get yourself hurt, okay? Just last week I had to put in three stitches on your leg.

    Clara: (Gets into trouble very easily. The reference to last week… well, ha! That’s a tale for another time.) Yes, momma, I will.

    Anabel: That’s my girl. Now, off with you. I have other orders to fill.*Gives Clara a kiss and then walks back into the house, leaving Clara to start her journey.*

    Clara:*talking to no one in particular* When I asked for an adventure, I meant a little more than this. *rolls eyes and wonders off down the dusty road.*

    Clara and her mother lived in the small town of Evergreen Lakes, which skirted the dreadful home of Queen Lilith. The Castle of Dreaded Darkness was renamed when Queen Lilith took over. She murdered her father-in-law shortly after she was married. Then, while her husband slept, she murdered him. Queen Lilith took over and kicked the whole royal family out of the Castle, and then renamed it. The former royal family live in huts not far from Clara. All that remain of the royal family is, The grandmother(Lilith’s mother-in-law), and one grand-daughter(Lilith’s sister-in-law). The sister-in-law is Clara’s best friend. Clara and Adelaide have been together for many years, playing ,and venturing into trouble. Okay, back to the story.

    Clara: *knocked on Ms. Marco’s door. Ms. Marco had recently been widowed. Her husband was lost in a recent war. Queen Lilith is always waging war, trying to take over a neighboring kingdom. It keeps the market in constant chaos.*

    Ms. Marco: *opens door* Oh, hello dear! biggrin Have you brought me my order?

    Clara: Yes ma’am. *holds out basket*

    Ms. Marco: Thank you so much dear. I’ve been dying for some of your mother’s Strawberry pastries. Hold on a minute; let me go get the silver for you. *disappears into her larger hut. Clara watches a butterfly drinking a flower’s sweet nectar as she waits.*

    Clara: *to herself in her head* At least Queen Lilith can’t destroy everything beautiful.

    Ms. Marco: *comes back* Here you go dear. *hands Clara 2 silvers.*

    Clara: Um, ma’am? The pastries are only one silver.

    Ms. Marco: Oh I know dear, I was giving you one as a tip.

    Clara:*In her head* Wow, a whole silver! I must thank her. *out loud* Thank you so much, Ms. Marco *nods as a polite gesture*

    Ms. Marco: Don’t thank me, thank my husband’s death. That witch may have taken him away, but she pays me well to keep his death a secret. But, *sighs* I’m afraid that one day she’ll come take me, because I know so much.

    Clara: I don’t think she’ll bother you. Not with your two sons around to stop her.

    Ms. Marco: I’m afraid they’re not here anymore. They were forced to go off and fight in a dreadful battle. Queen Lilith is attacking our sister kingdom, Tarria(Wow, another story reference.) When will she ever stop?

    Clara: But, Tarria is the dragon’s kingdom. She made them allies!

    Ms. Marco: I know dear, but when the dragon king, Drake, found out that he was tricked into battling an innocent kingdom, he rebelled.(Yet another story reference. Muwhaha!) Wait… eek I mustn’t say anymore, she has spies out watching everything that I do. I’m sorry Clara, but I must be back to what I was doing. Do take care, and give you mother my blessing, will ya?

    And just like that she had closed the door leaving Clara to think about what she had just said. The trip back home was very uneventful. Her trip took almost all day. The sun was beginning to set. Blast it all! Clara was a little angry that she had wasted a perfect day on a delivery. Why did Ms. Marco have to live so far away, and in seclusion?

    Clara: *opening the door.* Mother I’m home. *no answer…* She must be out back. *Clara placed the basked on a counter and exited the hut. She entered the shed, in hopes of finding her mother. She often goes into the shed in search for a baking tool. Most people stored their garden tools in their shed, but her mother stored cooking ware in hers instead. She didn’t have much room in the kitchen, so the shed would have to do.* Mother?

    A sound of metal being scraped against something solid reached Clara’s ears.

    Clara: Mother? *She rounded a cooking top and looked down at where the sound came from. What she saw startled her and sent her to the floor. She had stumbled over a metal pan. In an instant the thing that she had saw made itself visible, it’s big green eyes peering down at her. It hoped to her chest and licked her face. A soft sound resonated from inside it’s throat, it was the sound of affection.* You’re not mother, you’re a dragon! eek