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News » Being Found in Elfland - 11
Being Found in Elfland
Chapter Eleven: Complete
Where I am Needed
...
I managed to look at the puppet as I replied, “Michechio, I am Lady Shinny. I want to see my son.”
How wooden eyes could get large, I could not answer. The puppet was however everything that Tough Link had described. Long reddish-brown hair fell from her head. Her small body was made of rounded sections making it appear very lady-like. She hugged me. After saying enough to verify to each other that we were who the other thought, she told me to follow her. She saw Charlie, and that she followed, but Michechio held my hand as she led me through the streets of Ronice.
I began crying again as I heard a bray sound, “MOM-MY!”
Well, Elfland is not really that bad...
Being Found in Elfland
Chapter Eleven: Complete
Where I am Needed
Charlie and I slept against the Great Wall of Stars that night. We followed the road to a great tower. While Tough Link spoke of the towers not being good passages through the barrier, this one had been built to support most traffic passing on the road. There was a way through. It could manage a horse, or a cart, but some turns on some ramps would not allow for the horse to pull the cart successfully. The way was not wide enough for a wagon. The material of the structure and wall did glow with a strange shimmering radiance, and even Charlie could not identify the type of material. While the guards on the other side of the tower said that Ronice was not far to the North, both Charlie and I were too tired to continue. We moved from the road to lean against the wall, and fell asleep.
I had to answer a number of questions concerning my undergarment the next morning. I awoke to hands moving across my body, and when my eyes opened Charlie explained that she wondered how I slept. The only problem that I had with the garment was that it was full body. A brassier just worked on my gut, but the vanes of the roc were long enough to billow out my skirt down to my feet as well as curve around the mounds on my upper body. The material was not solid like the ribs of a brassiere however, and had not bothered me to the point where I could not sleep. Charlie admitted that she did not know if she could have done that, and said that she understood if I wanted to change into comfortable clothing as soon as reaching Tough Link. I actually enjoyed the conversation with my husband, and in a good mood I again started walking.
The journey to Ronice was indeed not far. After only a couple of hours I could smell the salt in the air. After maybe an hour more I saw the road come to an end against another east-west. The city beyond I felt certain to be Ronice, so moved forward wondering how to find Turpedo’s home.
I stopped and turned to bury my head in Charlie’s shoulder. I felt arms move around me as she asked me what was wrong. Indeed, I was crying, but I manage to point while answering the question.
“It’s a puppet with long hair.”
I broke from my husband to rush forward. The small wooden lady was speaking to a man. Both turned to see me run up to them. I did not grab the puppet, but only knelt to cry.
It was the man that spoke, “Madam, how can we help?”
I managed to look at the puppet as I replied, “Michechio, I am Lady Shinny. I want to see my son.”
How wooden eyes could get large, I could not answer. The puppet was however everything that Tough Link had described. Long reddish-brown hair fell from her head. Her small body was made of rounded sections making it appear very lady-like. She hugged me. After saying enough to verify to each other that we were who the other thought, she told me to follow her. She saw Charlie, and that she followed, but Michechio held my hand as she led me through the streets of Ronice.
I began crying again as I heard a bray sound, “MOM-MY!”
Other donkeys had been seen about town, but the one that ran to me was not fully an animal. The ears, the tail, the legs were that of the donkey, but the rest was enough of the boy that I knew to easily make an identification. We hugged each other until I heard another voice that I recognized.
“Shinny?”
I rushed to throw myself upon Tough Link. He was a tall powerful man, so the only way for me to kiss him was to make full body contact. I locked lips with him with a passion that other than Charlie no man had gained from me. After a bit of affection, I heard my son ask.
“Mommy, where is… Daddy?”
Charlie moved to hug her boy as she said, “Yeah, looks like I underwent a change as well. We both need to be fixed.”
Tough Link approached to ask, “Charles? Is it really you?”
She stood to curtsey before saying, “Yeah. You sent us a story. Well, we got one for you.”
“Sorry to hear it… or I cannot wait to hear it. Whatever. Listen, both of you, welcome. Come on inside.”
The house, Turpedo, everything that Tough Link had described was found to be true. We spoke for a time while waiting for water to heat up for a bath. Tough Link’s child, Andrew slept in a crib as magnificently designed as the house. Instead of paneling, the house was made up of pieces of wood masterfully carved with images of animals or plants, then interlocked with other such pieces to make every square foot of the interior fascinating. The crib was also put together from a number of highly crafted pieces that probably challenged the young mind of the baby whenever he managed to focus upon his immediate location. Michechio almost seemed to be a lesser creation of Turpedo, as her parts were smoothly made, but as a lady her beauty was not supposed to be in the complexity of her outer appearance.
I held my boy as Charlie and I told a basic version of our story. Tough Link had out a book into which he took notes working a quill pen. Accepting that he would ask for details later, my husband and I rambled away on our story without interruptions.
Hearing that the hot water was ready, I followed Turpedo and Tough Link as they carried the buckets. While both told me to relax, I had every intention of rushing through my bath. I however found myself crying while in the tub, and stayed long enough to regain some composure. Nine years of being without my boy, then a number of days having to endure a number of stresses, all had to pass through my system before I could return to join the men.
As Charlie took her bath, Tough Link questioned me about the transformation. It seemed that he had tried to speak to my husband, but found out that she had been unconscious through the process. I did my best to recollect the events.
With it being about the third time he had heard the story, Tough Link did not mind interrupting to ask, “Chiarn, did you say?”
“I believe that is what I heard. I never saw it spelled.”
“Usually won’t in this world. Still, I have a report about a Chiarn. She tried to boss the Relpies in their hamlet.”
“Relpies?”
“A civilized land version of a kelpie.” He smiled as if understanding that what he said was not a full explanation. “Anyway, she got fed up with them before any authorities could arrive. The dwarves tolerated her for a while, as she did not cause any trouble except to ask questions while paying them for the answers. Something occurred with her and the bogles however, and the bogles actually sent a report of her.”
“Bogles?”
“Animal people. Can be fun. Can be dangerous. I never met any of them, and most try to avoid them.”
I was enjoying being with Tough Link. His matter-of-fact style was a nice change of pace after the last few days. I also knew that he could drop the personality to be rather fun, but at present I really wanted to make sense of what I had experienced. I thus sat fully relaxed with Tough Link, although I did find myself needing to make a comment.
“You live in a strange world.”
“Yes, but I find myself appreciated here. I have some fame, money, and a number of ladies are already seeking my hand. I am in mourning however, and Miralee deserves her year.”
“Your report had her sound like a wonderful person.”
“She was so much better than Alice.”
I knew the lady that had claimed Tough Link during his football days. He did enjoy a good time, but Alice never wanted the parties to stop. She would have the man up for days moving from one social to another. I found him actually looking forward to certain football related groups just to relax, and he hung out with me because he knew that I would not dance without my husband present. Alice left in a huff after Tough Link suffered a hip injury, and turned his attention to recuperating while undergoing police training. I however did not know much about the present lady in his life.
“Well, what about Michechio?”
“Yes, that is a fly in my ointment. I know as little about her situation as I know about that of Charles. Still, you say that an answer is supposedly coming, so maybe we can use it to help Michechio as well.”
“Do you love her, Tough Link?”
“Yes, but as a daughter. I really don’t think of her sexually. She is also short. I lost Miralee because she was not capable of handling the delivery of a large child, and Michechio is so very much smaller as well.”
The voice of the puppet rang out, “Which is why Turpedo is looking for more wood from the Witch Woods. I am going to be recrafted into a larger body.”
I calmly turned to Michechio, “Do you love Tough Link.”
“Yes.”
“Well, my husband would gladly give his femininity to you, if he could get himself restored to being a man.”
Tough Link said, “You are not making my life easier, Shinny.”
“We women are not supposed to make your life easier, Tough Link. We only make it worth living.”
I felt hands upon my shoulder as I heard Charlie say, “So, now I am making your life worth living?”
“Well, you definitely are not making it easier,” I replied.
We all laughed. I did feel at ease. I had my son. I had the company of a good friend and those he considered dear. I easily allowed my emotions to flow as I relaxed in what I felt to be a place of comfort.
Turpedo and Michechio had heard about me, but I had to explain exactly how Tough Link and I knew each other. While it seemed that they had heard most of the stories, they listened intently for how I would tell them. I did not mind, as those memories were good ones. I also felt that the people that I spoke to would become treasured friends as well.
Toward that end of securing friendships, I caught the attention of Michechio as we prepared for bed. She came to me without a problem. I then pulled from around my neck something that I felt she needed to have.
“Tough Link’s report told about you making a confession of faith. I thus bought this for you. It is not anything special, as I did not take the time to get anything special, but I hope that you treasure it all the same.”
I swear that I saw tears form in her eyes as she said, “Thank you, Lady Shinny. I tried to get Turpedo to make me a cross, but he wanted to make it too fancy.”
“He does beautiful work, but the cross was an efficient manner of execution. There is really nothing fancy about it, but it carries a lot of symbology. Anyway, Michechio, keep praying. Pray for me, and I promise to pray for you. Things will work out.”
She hugged my neck. I did find it strange to have a puppet, or doll, move on her own. However, she was confirmation that all that Tough Link had told me was true. My son had been found. I went to hug his neck, then settled down for a long relaxing rest.
And an answer comes, but we all know that it is not so simple.
Posted by TerishD on Friday, December 16, 2011 (11:00:00) (456 reads)
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