An amazing Adventure (silverknight and the creator)

Mystique looked at the tome in great interest. She looked up with a bright smile and a special look in her eye. A look of respect for her companions.

"All of you are so very amazing. I am so glad that you have taken me in. I am the most fortunate Princess of all time! And I am grateful of all of your help." she looked at each of them.
"I'd like to see them tonight if at all possible, Tomel. And then perhaps I can start my final design of my home on wheels. If you can magic a magic tome and teach me how to use it, I'd be very willing to learn. "
Mystique paused in talking as she looked around the small group.
"Where is Marvin, Sean and Bessie? Oh I do hope that she isn't getting into any trouble...." she whispered softly.

Tomel took the paper from the cabinet and then looked at the princess pausing for a moment or two. He then looked at her for a long moment and then nodded his head as he looked over at the prince. "I will let you take her to the wagons and I shall remain here working on the magic tomes," he commented as he looked at the door. "Sir Marvin is looking I to things regarding rumors and other stuff."

"Yes, as for your friends they left this morning and honestly I don't know where they are at this moment," the prince commented as he got up and closed the map as he looked at the princess. " Well now, let us go, Aeris come along," he called to the door as the elf came out having fixed her hidden weapons I to her clothes. She was wearing a tank top and long skinny pants. It show off her body a great deal, though the elf didn't notice this.

"Let's get going princess we have a bit of a walk ahead of us," Edward commented as he held the door for the pair of women.

"Very well then. Perhaps I should think about some kind of a weapon. I also would like to get a walking staff of some sort. I like to make lists so that I don't forget anything." Mystique laughed softly.
"I am sure that Sean will keep an eye on her. I have other things to take care of at the moment. I'll run the lapdesk up to the room and will be back as quick as I can."

Mystique slid the lapdesk in a drawer and picked up a small bag of coins that she had kept over all of these years of imprisonment. Her uncle gave a few token coins here and there for the fun of it. She took out a larger drawstring bag and lined it with a couple clothes to lesson the sound. Fortunately, she made 5 small bags and 4 of them were quickly put in the lapdesk and locked before leaving the room.

As she walked downstairs, she thought about how her hair looked but she was nearly down now.
"I guess I am ready to go now." Mystique announced.

Edward nodded his head as he waited for the princess to come down to where they were. Arris standing there smiled as she looked at the princess but said nothing for a long few moments as they left. "Somewhat do you think about my new outfit, can you believe I managed to sneak 8 weapons I to this outfit to use if we are attacked or something," she asked with pride in her voice.

The pair walked out and headed toward the wagon lot, it was a bit of a walk, but the prince kept close to mystique as Aeris walked a bit in font of them also keeping an eye on things as she looked out for trouble." So, um what types of things have you made before princess," the prince asked softly as he walked, figuring it would be good to get to know Mystique better then he did. He continued to walk towards the lot as he listened.

The lot had a number of good gives wagons for sell. Each was different, and had been built from a variety of materials which were all different, as the lack of wood caused them to be creative in making the wagons more women before them. The sells man a man with ram horns walked up,and looked at them for a moment.

"Your the group, Tomel sent and sold us the old wagon for," he mused as he looked at them. " now look around and tell me which one you like and we will make a deal."

Mystique walked with Prince Edward and told him of the various things she made.

"Mostly I made things so that I didn't go insane. And uncle never liked women's hands to be idle unless she was asleep. I did needle work, macreme and other such crafts. As I grew older, I needed new clothes and he gave me various old trunks of clothes. I was given a dress makers dummy and made my own creations which were mostly larger sizes taken in. From that I learned how clothes were constructed. I also learned how to draw so that I could make scenes for various tapestries.

One day he came in with a bunch of paint and such. So I used the paint to paint my rooms. Mind that the rooms were dark colored and so were the paints. I asked for some white and was able to make fairly nice brighter colors since Sean was the one who brought me the old cans of white paint. Sean is good with his hands and carpentry. He showed me how to remake some of the furniture that was falling apart into more useful items. I have learned much while I have been in my tower." she finished up as they neared the wagons.

"Thank you, sir." Mystique walked into one and out the other end. It just didn't feel right. The same went to several others. How ever one at the far end seemed to be the one to look at for some odd reason. Mystique walked over to where it was and stepped up into the wagon.

There were some kind of bricks on the floor. Several closets, a stove, two beds which had drawers under them and a long counter down the middle plus more. It just needed a good cleaning was all and the keys to the various locks.

"I like this one but are there keys to the locks? How heavy is it? Can horses pull it or do we need oxen?" she asked as she looked about it. It seemed to be very sturdy indeed.

The salesman looked at the woman as she asked him about one of the wagons. "that one is far to heavy, no one wants it cause of that they would need way to many oxen to. I've it and it isn't ideal for such things. The only way it would work is if you had the right magic tomes. So if you want that clunker, have it as trade for the wago. That you gave me for parts," he said honestly knowing that times were rather rare things.

"Now, if you rather have something lighter tell me, and we can work something out," he added in as he looked at her figuring now that she knew it would be to heavy she would want to get something else. Edward said nothing of course they could move it with the times but it was best that the salesman didn't know this at the moment as it seemed as though that Mystique was going to get a great deal.

He found this princess to be so amazing, she was skilled and kind and beautiful. He hadn't thought of her like this before but he knew there was much to be interested in about her. He remaind quiet as he watched the interaction between the salesman and the princess, Aeris standing neatprby doing pretty much the same thing as the prince.

"Hmmmmm.......Let me look around this wagon once more..... It is solidly built ..... it does need a complete cleaning... is there a tarp contraption so that it can cover the pulling creatures could shelter? And the driver? What kind of shutters and tarps are on this wagon? Are there any extra wheels, axels and such stored any where? Are there any secret compartments that could hold tools? How many beasts would be needed to move this wagon at the minimum? What else do I need to know about this wagon like the stive hinges need attention?" Mystique asked as she made a list in her own language.

~What else could be done to this wagon to make it better? It seems too perfect so something must be wrong..... Here is where I would sleep and I'll claim this area as mine. The padlocks are heavy and solid. Hmmmm.... a loose board? must investigate later...... Need wash bowls and water keg...... it has a warmer at the top of the stove so bread can be made but it needs oiled...... over all it is a bargain if Tomel can make the tomes.~ went on her list.

Mystique and the owner talked a while about the wagon. She was surprised that the owner didn't keep records of his wagons and previous owners. This was too Mystique's advantage. The wagon looked big and clumsy but it would provide safety for them.
She walked around the lot and was looking for a similar wagon for the Prince.

The prince assure that Mystique was going to be happy with the wagon, but she was surprised when she went to look for a wagon for himself. She was a surprising woman sometimes and he went and intercepted her. "You don't need to worry about a wagon for me, or my men, we use a pack horse to move our limited things and have no problem sleeping in a tent or under the stars at night," he said as he looked at her.

"Yep, we have done that many of nights," Aeris added in as she looked at the princess. "We are used to um roughing it as you would put it, even the prince here," she as she looked around for a moment and the nodded her head to herself, "plus we have to be fast enough to guard you and chase away any bandits, so no worries but thanks for looking princess," she said respectfully to the young woman. "we will collect your wagon tomorrow and I am sure Tomel knows people who can fix it up before tomorrow for you."

Mystique smiled and nodded.
"If that is what you want. If we do run into a really bad storm, you are welcome to weather the storm inside the wagon. Thanks for walking out here with me.
Thank you sir. Tomel will get my wagon tomorrow then." Mystique smiled as she held out her hand to the owner.

Mystique was now ready to head back so that she could find Sean and Bessie. She was getting very worried about them.

Sean took Bessie away from the town and did his best to tell her that she had too find a job or make amends with the Princess. If she did not make amends with the princess, she would lose the only job that she knew how to do. Even Princess Mystique had a job to do herself. Princess Mystique had to find transportation, food, maps, find money for Sean did not know how much she had and that is very important to have because someone had to pay for everything like the room they were sleeping in plus the food they ate.

Bessie was very upset because of the fact that she did even think about what she would do tomorrow if she did not have Princess Mystique to make sure that her basic needs are meet. Now she understands that she had to find a way to make money and not just take things that are not her own. She was a bit upset and had cried quite a bit.

The two went back to the Inn and to the room where Bessie took a bath, washed her clothes, Sean's and Princess Mystique's clothes. She hung them outside in the back of the Inn. One of the maids, Anna helped her hang the clothes out. Anna helped Bessie see how the clothes were not hemmed properly. She was a kindly young maid and even found an old sewing basket for Bessie. Next Anna showed how to properly hem things by putting the garment on a special hanger that folded in half. Once it was open, the garment on it's long arms, a person could see how it would hang. Together the two talked and Bessie learned many new things, including friendship.

Sean simply left the two girls be together after he saw that Anna was helping Bessie in ways that would benefit everyone in the long run.

"Hey princess do you know how to cook at all, cause honestly I have no clue, I just normally eat fruits and berries I find or keep in my stuff!" Aeris asked truthfully as they walked back to the end. The ninja was excited about going to the ruins and searching it for treasure, something the ninja like a whole lot.the more mysterious the places she was going the more that she would like to travel to them and a unknown ruin seems ideal to explore.

"Yeah for now, maybe some day, but now we need all of my party for guarding duty and that means roughing it," he mused as he walked with the others. "Aeris if you need it, I can cook especially if the princess wants me to do so," he said kindly as he walked. He figured Tomel was working on the tome at that moment in silence somewhere and the one eyed knight was working with his information network to get all the info he could get for the,.

"Hi, Sean what have you been up too," Aeris asked as she walked into the house. Edward follow them behind a moment later and headed towards the kitchen to see what they had so that he would know what would be the best thing to cook for everyone.

"No because I was not allowed to do so. I have a wilderness cookbook with recipes in it. I think that with a bit of trial and error, I could do some cooking starting out with simple things." Mystique spoke with a warm smile at Prince Edward.

"Not too much this afternoon. Had a mega talk with Bessie and one of the maids, Anna took her under her wing for a while. The last that I knew they were up in the bedroom. I left them to their own devices since Anna was showing Bessie how to make better seams and such. Prince Edward, if you wish to have a bite to eat, I can fix you something or tell me what we are to have for dinner and I'll set about doing dinner.
Last I knew Tomel was somewhere about and Marvin left without me knowing anything. " Sean spoke as he stood up. For being a male of 17, he was going to be a tall man because he was already 6 foot 5 inches.

"I got this don't worry I can cook rather well," Edward,called out as he looked though the kitchen and took out a skillet and the some potatoes and other items and started to work on the meal. He knew how to cook cause he liked to eat well and well what better way to make sure you are well then to make your own food for yourself. He was fixing up some ham, potatoes and a local veggie that he didn't know the name of, but was orange and purple. He heard it tasted well and knew how to cook it right.

"yeah, Margin has a old information network from his father who was a spy master, he is most likely getting info about where we are going or drinking with old friends either way is very possible," Aeris commented to Sean. "Tomes is working on a tome, hard stuff so best to leave him alone for a whole and now princey is cooking up a storm and I am here with you two," she commented as she smiled, "now, Sean and you Princess what do you two know about self defense?"

"Well..... neither of us know much. When we were young, we watch the older men with Bessie who was infatuated with them being the eldest of us. We used the short staff that were laying around not being used. We got to be pretty decent at them." Sean chuckled as he remembered the time.

"Oh, yes we were good enough in our eyes when we were 10, Sean. But that has been a few years ago. Besides that we were only sparring and not fighting for our lives. Now I know that you did some when you were older because I was 14 and looking out my window in total boredom. You were practicing with the young men who were to go out to war." Mystique countered back.

"Hmmmm, I did want to be a knight back then. Did a bit of smithing, polishing and a whole slew of other things until Bes... until things happened. I hate that time period. It was so totally wrong." Sean turned dark and stormy. His fists were balled up in rage as he turned and left the room.

"Oh no!...... Leave him. He has his battles and this is an old one." Mystique sat down on the nearest chair with tears slowly forming.

"I see," Aeris commented as she looked at the princess putting her hand on her shoulder as she thought about it for a moment. She then smiled as she put a small knife on the table. "I am no knight, but I can show you some tricks i. How to defend yourself, we can turn it into games like throwing knife's at targets or I can show you some tricks to defend yourself if you ever have too," she said with a warm smile as she looked at Mystique.

She hoped that she could help cheer up,the princess somehow, but this want something she was good at. "Watch this," she mused as she looke and found the door, right in the center watch," she said before throwing the knife just where she said she was going to throw it before waking over towards the door. "Well, you know, that Marvin or Edward could teach him e skills to be a knight or square, they are both really tough, and we have to move on, only way to get past dark times. I mean when we are done maybe we can get rid of your uncle for your kingdom."

In a very soft hurt voice, she replied.

"It's not the knight part. It's what uncle did to his sister, Bessie. Uncle raped her, beat her and even had an orgy on the table in front of Sean. That is what hurts Sean. He was tied and could not defend Bessie."

Mystique watched knowing that Aeris was trying to get her mind off the problems of Sean. She smiled at Aeris and held out her hand.

"May I try it? And perhaps we can set up some kind of a target to practice at night while we are on the road. I have seen the men throwing knives until uncle moved them and made a garden under my window."

Aeros looked at her and said nothing but she had a feeling that something like that had happened but honestly she didn't want to focus on bad things cause it made things more difficult going forward. She handed the knife over to Mystique and then smiled as she stood next to her, "go ahead, and give it a shot, this isn't the best place to work on this but honestly you need a shot at his I ink before diner as well."

"I am sure I can made something easy to make to use as a target, it isn't hard to do at all," she commented as she looked at her. " now, there are plenty of things that I can do and show you from throwing knifes to shutting arrows. I can do all that, and a bit more," she commented as she smelt the food and smiled. "I think that the food is about ready."

"Hopefully Sean will be back and in good humor. I wonder about Bessie. Could you go up and check on her please while I do a bit of knife throwing?" Mystique smiled as she threw the knife at the door. it stuck for just a moment then dropped.

Mystique kept practicing throwing the knife and decided that perhaps she could actually handle throwing knives but how to get it back? She would need quite a few that could be hidden on her body. She could find a few places with some thoughts and she was making new clothes. Her mind was thinking as she threw the knife and actually became more at ease with it.

Aeris nodded her head and the headed upstairs and looked around for Bessie. "Hi, how are you doing up here," she said with a smile on her face as she looked at Bessie for a long moment before she smiled. "Now, I think that dinner is about ready, are you hungry do you want to come down and get some food with the rest of us." Aeris didn't know how to handle Bessie, but she hoped being kind was going to hate having to be mean to someone else.

Edward walked into the room and saw Mystique throwing the knifes as she worked at it for a long moment. Edward looked at her and then stood,next to,her as he remained quiet for a very long moment as she threw another one. "Good job, most impressive, I am guessing you are going to be good at this pretty quickly."

Bessie looked up from ripping out a seam in a dress with a smile.
"I am fine. I am redoing some dresses because I found a person, Anna, who taught me stuff today and even gave me a traveling sewing dummy. Anna is so nice. "
Bessie neatly folded her dress that she was working on and placed it on the end of bed when Sean came in.

"I'm sorry ladies but I need to get some clean clothes and get cleaned up for dinner." Sean spoke hastily spoke as he quickly gathered his clothes and left.

"I am ready to go down to dinner now. I'll work on the dress more after dinner." Bessie spoke in deep thought.


Mystique turned around and smiled at Edward.
"Thank you. It is good way to get anger out of one self as well as improving a way of self defense. Is dinner ready all ready?" Mystique asked.

" yes, it is ready, it only takes me about 15 or so minutes to cook up this dish which mad it easy to cook. Plus I am sure you lost track of time to some degree throwing the knifes, we have been back from the getting of the wagon for a good bit now," he mused to her as he stood there. "Now, I hope that you like ham, as it is the main part of the meal," he commented before motioning her to follow him into the kitchen where the meal,was on the table already.

"Impressive, honestly that's more then I know," Aeris said kindly to Bessie as she looked at her with a smile. "Having such skills I am sure will be helpful,for you on the journey," she commented as she the. Looked over at Sean. "It is fine, don't worry about us," she commented before she nodd d to Bessie, "sounds like a plan, I am hungry myself," the small blonde commented as she headed down to get some food herself.

"Yes, I do like ham. Did you hear our conversation by chance?" Mystique asked softly after she retrieved the knife from the door.

Bessie came down in a confident manner and quite calm. The dress she wore was slightly shorter but was properly hemmed. A white apron was over it and it had a good number of pockets. She was happy that she could do something that Aeris could not do. Perhaps she could even do mending for Aeris once she gets the hang of all of it.

"Princess Mystique, may I learn how to read and write again? I know that I messed up but I am sorry. I want to be in your service. I shall do better if you give me another chance." Bessie asked.

"Well, you seemed to be sure that you wanted to be on your own. I will give you a second chance if you will obey my orders as a proper maid should do. That is the only way that I shall take you back. I have thought of getting a new maid however." Mystique spoke in a semi stern voice.

"Maybe you could use two maids? Anna needs a job and she taught me a lot about sewing." Bessie asked.

"I will need to meet her and see if there is room or not. What kind of wages that both of you require. And it will be a contract type of employment this time, Bessie. We will talk about it more after dinner." Mystique spoke as she thought.

"Yes, Princess Mystique." Bessie spoke softly.
Sean had come down by this time and heard what had been said. He decided to talk to Mystique later about Anna.

Both Aeris and Edward noticed the positive behavior of the young woman as she talks, sh the seemed to be in a much better mood then she was earlier. Both could tell this, of course, neither knew this Anna that she talked off. Edward hoped that she could find a purpose in her life as it seemed important to anyone. Aeris knew her weakness was the normal female type things like cooking, cleaning and sewing that she never learned in her life.

"Food evening, folks," Marvin commented as he walked into the room and sat down. He looked at the group assembled. "I found out a few things, one that your uncle is looking for you princess so best to avoid such meetings, and there maybe bandits who he is paying off the ones I fought yesterday. Isn't," he explained as he looked at the princess and the others as well.

Sean frowned at the news that her uncle was looking for her.
"That means that he has a suitor for your hand, Princess or rather a puppet to sit in his place. He probably figured that you wouldn't make it very far and even come crying home to him."

"I wouldn't marry someone he picks out. Probably some poor relation of his. I wish that he wasn't appointed as my guardian." Mystique spoke with a bit of hate in her voice.
"Any suggestions from anyone? Besides, Sean and Bessie. They know what I think and will speak their minds openly."

Bessie stood off to one side and was very quiet but alert. Sean simply slid his hands into his pockets and waited for what the others had to say.

"What you do is up to you princess, but I wouldn't go back with the man, he is dishonorable and you shouldn't be his pawn. He is not a good man, and I hope to see him dead someday, and f you help, I am sure we can find a way to end his reign," Aeris commented calmly as possible but her temper did so a bit in her statement.

"Princess, there is one way to counter this, and it is rather simple, I ask for your hand, to be my queen effective as soon as we finish this quest, then I can pledge my full support to your case and the resources of my people. I am sure Tomel can rally his people to help your cause as well, he would be the prince if this kingdom was still unified," he mused to her. "So if we can unify these lands perhaps also with a marriage with you and Tomel, you do have choices Mystique," Edward commented as he looked at her.

Mystique nodded as she listened to her friends and knew that the quest that she was given to be nothing but a fool's errand. But perhaps she should have Tomel's advice as well.

"I have yet to tell anyone much of my quest. I am afraid that it may be a fool's errand for I do not know of these items. I have wondered for quite some time about the validity of them." she spoke as she took a small notebook from her pocket.
"This note book has not been out of my hands since I was given it to me by uncle. It has the list and I am afraid that it may even have a ...."

At this point Mystique spelt out 'a spell on it' in the air with her finger.

"...More information than I even know about." she finished.

One the first page was

Items to find on your personal quest of worth:
A lamp that is said to have a genie in it
Sorcerer’s Stone
Singing Sword
Ancient Grimoire of Ancient Magicks

Mystique handed it to Edward first since he was the closest to her.