another part

That night as they talked many things were discussed. The twins told them of Lesser Lord Tanner, a friend of the Eldur, who had spoken to them of a great celebration being planned in Karo, the capital city, for the 10 year anniversary of King Brennan’s coronation.
“Orinda and Sorcha have found out many of the arrangements so that we might plan some sort of attack amidst the confusion and busyness of the celebration. Each of you will have a roll.”
Do you know what we will do?” Sage spoke quietly, uneasy around so many new faces.
“No, we weren’t able to see that yet Sage. But we will keep trying, and tomorrow we will discuss the plans with Lesser Lord Tanner.”
“Who is Lesser Lord Tanner?” Stanford asked, looking up from his food.
“He is the Lord in charge of these lands. He is the Lesser Lord of Upper Lord Eamon, and he is the one whose land this is. He is our inside man.” Rowen’s eyes twinkled as she spoke of Eamon.
“I am sorry, but it is getting late, and Billy really needs to be in bed.” June stood up and took Billy’s hand.
“Oh, mom.” Billy smiled; he said his goodnights as he walked with his mother to their tent.
“We should all get some sleep,” Magnolia looked at her sister, and they rose as one and bid goodnight to the travelers.


Morning found them still unsure about their cause, but ready and willing to help if they could. Clothing had been laid out on each bed, each with a new pair of boots. Starla pulled on the tall boot, the soft leather cold against her leg. She looked up to Poppy standing in the opening of the tent, a dark shadow blocking all but some of the bright morning light.
“Poppy, are you afraid?”
“I am, but I can’t let these people suffer. None of us can, that is why we are staying.” With that Poppy stepped into the morning and Starla was left staring into the light. With a sigh, she stood and followed Poppy outside, breathing in the sweet air, like water with a bit of sugar. Birds flew into the low clouds alive with color. Light blues mixed with a bit of pink to make the misty clouds appear as though they were dripping with color. As she ran to catch up with Poppy, her boots became speckled with dark spots, the dew leaving its mark on the new leather.
“So where are we going today?”
“Rowen wanted to talk to me before their morning meeting, I guess Lesser Lord Tanner came very early this morning, and they have more of a plan in mind, so that is where I am headed now. Do you want to come?”
“No, I am really not a morning person, I think I will try and find something to eat, and hopefully they have coffee here.”
“Yes they do, the house with the smoke is the main kitchen, go get something to eat and I will meet you after I talk with the twins.” Poppy headed towards the Eldur House, so Starla was again left to herself. She saw the others emerging from their tents and waved them over.


The twins were waiting for Poppy as she opened the door. As she sat down, they began to tell her of their plans.
“Poppy, you are to take Starla and Logan into Karo. Lesser Lord Tanner said that they are hiring for the celebration and all types of workers are needed. Logan can find work with the carpenters there, building the stage and stalls for the celebration. He will be able to get a more detailed map of the castle than Lord Eamon, or Tanner, they only have access to the upper halls. And for dear Starla, she must pose as an actor and you as her advisor, stay close to her and to the castle, please observe who comes and goes, and if at anytime you are able to get into the castle, make the most of it. We need all the information we can get, we have yet to learn of everyone involved.”
“Yes ma’am, I will try my best. How will we get to Karo?”
“Connor has offered to guide you to the city, but as we don’t like twins to be separated for very long, he will come back after getting you to the city.” Magnolia handed her a bag of money, “You must get lodging for Starla and yourself, Logan will be able to stay in the workers camp. Be careful dear.”
“I always am.” Poppy tucked the money bag into her belt and turned to leave; Rowen reached out and touched her arm.
“Thank you Poppy, we can’t do this without you.”


Poppy found Starla lounging in the kitchen with Connor. The long hall was filled with clean white wooden tables, like they had eaten at the night before, the smell of coffee and eggs played at her nose. Long strides quickly had her at Starla’s side.
“Well, we have to get ready to go.”
“Cool, we gonna kick some ass?” Starla punched into the air.
Poppy shook her head, as they walked out of the house she filled Starla in on the plan.
“It is a flimsy cover, but they have confidence in it.”
“Poppy, what did you do, I mean back on our earth?
“I was a cop, you?”
“Just a secretary. But I did always want to be an actress, guess I get my chance.” Starla twirled around and bowed.
“Come on, let’s get our stuff together and get Logan, we don’t have all day.”

Rednigh Kingdom first part

Rowen and Magnolia sat in the water, eyes closed waiting. The fire had shown them many images, they were waiting for the images to solidify in their minds. They rose as one out of the steaming pool and glided up the steps. At the top of the short stair four women in blue stood at the ready. Rowen and Magnolia took the waiting towels and dried themselves off. Then put on their coral robes and put their long silver hair up into a pile on top of their head. Rowen turned to the two women at her side.
“Keelin, Kaylin, please make ready for ten visitors, they will need clothing, and make up the guest houses’ for them. They will be here in the morning.” Rowen finished her orders with a smile, as she always did. Keelin and Kaylin hurried out the mouth of the cave to prepare for the guests.
“Morwen, Maeven, please ask if Connor and Owen have made it back from Pring, and let us know.” Magnolia asked as they all emerged from the cave. She turned her face to the sun, and her sister. “They will be confused and scared; I think that Connor will be able to help.”
“Maggie, do you think we are doing the right thing? Bringing them here to help?” Rowen asked, worry in her eyes.
“Row, we have to trust our vision. If not everything will be lost.” Magnolia sighed as she said this, she looked at her sister and they began the long walk to the middle of the forest. If they were to bring about the change they had foreseen they would need all the help the Forest of Eldur could give.




“Billy, we are gonna have t’ hurry, hun”
“Sorry mom, I can’t find my shoes.”
“Your new one’s are down here, hurry”
“I don’t know why we are in a hurry to meet up with Laurence,” Billy came down the stairs with a sneer on his face, “he is such a tool.”
“Billy!” June tried to be upset, but when your nine-year old son can tell when a guy is no good for you, he is probably right. Even if she didn’t approve of his language. “We are going to the movies and to dinner, it will be nice. Then I’ll break up with him tomorrow, ok?”
“What’s the point mom?”
“Well the point is that, your right,” June sat down on the couch with a sigh. “He is a loser. Why can’t your old mom find a nice guy?”
“My math teacher is nice.”
“Your math teacher is like 90.”
“He is not; I think he turned 70 last year.” Billy smiled at his mother.
“Let’s just you and me go out, we’ll have some fun. No losers allowed” June picked up her purse and opened the front door. Billy bent down to put on his shoes and didn’t notice when his mother opened the door that their driveway was gone, and in it’s place was a field of tall grass and two silver haired women waiting hand in hand for them. What he did notice was that he really liked these new shoes his mom had gotten him. Then just after it was too late to turn back, June and Billy had walked straight into another world.
“Professor Hastings, can I ask you a question?” A girl with glasses perched on the top of her head ran furiously after the teacher.
“Sage, I just don” He started.
“Professor, just a few real quick questions about today’s class,” Sage had a nasty way of interrupting people that had always gotten her into trouble.
“Sage, it is Friday afternoon, can we take a quick brake from all of this. Today was review, and we can go over any questions on Monday.”
“But Prof”
“Sage, my daughter is getting married this weekend, and I am already late to the rehearsal, so why don’t we finish this conversation next week.” The professor walked away from Sage. She reached for the door handle of his office as it closed and didn’t notice that the outer office was no longer there, she was too lost in thought. Too lost in thought to see that when she looked up to call to the professor one last time, that all that stood before her were two elderly women with silver hair and smiles on their faces to greet her.




Stanford looked at himself in the mirror. ”Looking good, looking good” he said to himself as he adjusted his tie. “’Mon Cor, we’re gonna miss the movie.”
“Stanford, we will not miss the movie.” Corigan laughed. “Mom, dad, we’re leaving.”
“See you later sweetie, bye Stanford.” Corigan’s mother’s voice bid them farewell from the kitchen. Corigan opened the front door and stepped out to a place she had never seen. She looked back and could see Stanford looking at her from the doorway.
“Corigan, what just happened? Where are we?”
“No where yet, pull me back in,” Corigan yelled at Stanford as he reached for her arm and fell out of the door and ruining their chance to get back through the door.



Logan sat on the tailgate of his truck, waiting for his boss to finish talking with the inspector. He jumped down and walked over to the trailer office as his boss got to the door.
“Mr. Warren, can I talk to you for a sec?”
“Sure Logan, what’s up?”
“I’m needn’ some overtime, I know some of the guys are working this weekend.”
“No prob. We’ll just add you to the list, come on in and have a beer with me while I put you down.” Mr. Warren walked up the steps of the trailer and Logan followed. As Mr. Warren stepped through the door, it seemed to change and Logan took that last step as he tried to see why the inside of the trailer had suddenly gotten much brighter.



Poppy sat on the couch and tried to relax. She had a hard day and unwinding was proving too difficult for her right now. She picked up the remote and decided that some reality TV would help her zone out.
“Ooo, The Girls Next Door, finally some good TV.” She said and that’s when the phone rang, “Hello?” Poppy answered, “Oh, hi mom.”
As her mother droned on she walked to the front door, she thought she heard something, and she opened the door. What she found was not the quiet street she lived on, what appeared before her was the most beautiful field of green grass swaying in the breeze, she felt the warm air brush across her arm.
“Uh, mom, I’m gonna have to go.” Poppy hung up the phone and wondered if she had fallen asleep on the couch. She stepped through the door.






Starla walked around the corner of the club and straight into a girl with pink hair.
“Fucking club kids, I thought you didn’t exist anymore.” She sneered at the girl. As she walked to the bathroom, she noticed the music had a far-off quality to it. She opened the door and fell straight into the grass.






To them it felt like the most beautiful dream they had ever had. Two beautiful old ladies holding hands and smiling at them from a field of green grass with two suns setting behind them. The grass shimmered in the dwindling light, the clouds shone pink and orange, and the breeze lightly played around them. It felt as if they were floating, in their minds they heard a soft voice, two voices intertwined into one, like a grandmother, whispering them to sleep.
“Welcome children, we are Rowen and Magnolia, The Eldur. We have brought you here to ask for your help. There are abilities that you possess that will help return our land to the peaceful place it used to be. Now you don’t have to help us, but we would appreciate it if you would.”
Slowly eyes closed, and one by one they were asleep.


As the eight slept Connor and Owen walked around them, a soft white mist hung in the air, it wove around the sleeping bodies, swirling and twirling. Pictures formed in the mist, the twins had never seen such magic. As the pictures danced in the mist, Connor and Owen walked around, making sure each sleeping body was doing alright, and Connor bent his head over a boy with shaggy brown hair and smiled.
“Owen, this one, he has the wild magic.”
“Should we tell Rowen and Magnolia?”
“They know, he will help to heal the land. He has the most powerful wild magic I have ever felt. But why hasn’t his hair turned?”
“Maybe it is because he is not from here.”
“Maybe,” Connor answered, but his mind had wandered to the girl in the party dress. She was so beautiful.



As the mist grew around the sleepers, Rowen and Magnolia showed them what had happened in the last 10 years since King Brennen had come into power. The pictures, not only in the mist, but in their minds, scenes of fear, from the families, unable to stop the mad king from taking their stores of food. Horses being run to death on the track, for the pleasure of the nobles. Mayors unable to help their citizens, any disagreement with the king was a death sentence. People disappearing in the night, never to return. An evil twisted, deformed army, that was secret to all but a few.
But then they saw the beginning, a small boy running through a castle into the arms of his mother, both happy and carefree, then the black that came with the death, and the boy and his father the king, alone and scared. As the boy grew up under the eye of his uncle, strange ideas became real. Magic that was not theirs to have, taken by force from those who would not give it up lightly. And when the father died the ruined boy became king. He brought with him the desire to rule more than his peaceful little kingdom, he wanted more, and would build an army filled with magic to help him take what he could by force. He kept the high ranking nobles in the dark of his evil plan, filling them every day with feasts, horse racing and the like. Everyday was a party, with the biggest one yet to come.
The twins had shown them the slow decent of the kingdom into darkness, with the threat of war the people of the kingdom knew nothing about. Rowen and Magnolia showed them what would happen if the king was allowed to go on with his plans, death and destruction.





As they awoke Conner and Owen stood up, and walked to the doorway as Rowen and Magnolia came through the door.
“Children, if you have decided to stay and help we appreciate it, if not we will send you home.” Magnolia smiled at them.
“Well, ma’am, I think I would like to stay and help. You can send us back anytime, right? And right back to where we were?” Logan stood up and put his hands in his pockets.
“Yes Logan, we can. Right back to where you were.” Rowen answered.
“Alright then, sounds fine to me, so what do the rest of you say?”
“Well, as long as no time will have passed, I don’t have anything better to do. And I’d like to kick that king where it’ll really hurt,” Starla said looking around.
“I don’t think we should be here,” June grabbed Billy’s hand, “He is just a little boy, and I don’t think we can help.”
“Oh, but you can dear, everyone here has a reason for being here.” Magnolia got up and went to June. She took her other hand and looked into her eyes, “Dear, if at any time you don’t think you want to stay, just say so and we will send you home, but for now, why don’t we get you something to eat and some clothes, we can talk over supper.”
“Well, Billy, what do you say?” His mother looked down at him.
“Sounds like fun Mom, can we stay for just a bit?” Billy gave his mom the puppy dog eyes.
“Alright, but if it gets to dangerous, we are going straight home.” June hugged her son, and hoped she had made the right decision. She knew that people were being hurt, and families needed their help, but she had to think of her son.
They walked toward the few canvas tents that were set up next to the Eldur house, Sage took a quick look around to get her bearings. She was amazed at the beauty of Rednigh. The simple houses were decorated with small colorful stones, and leaves and feathers in wind chime like designs hanging from the eaves. Beyond the houses she could see a lake, it was so clear. She looked to the area behind the tents, and was shocked to see the most fairy tale like forest.
“It’s nice here isn’t it?” Owen fell in step with Sage.
“Yes, it is, there is no pollution, hey, what year is it?” Sage asked.
“Oh, well I don’t quite know, I never keep up with those things, um 2008, I think.” He said smiling.
“What?” Sage stopped in her tracks so fast Billy ran into her, “That’s not possible, that can’t be.”
“Were not in Kansas anymore!” Billy laughed walking around her.
“No I’d say were not. How can it be 2008?” Sage just stood with her hands on her hips. Rowen stopped and turned around.
“Well, because this is earth, we are just a different earth. The universe has many earths, many worlds; ours was like yours long ago. Then for some reason we split, and our word became this, and your became something else.”
“Ok, I guess that makes sense, the many worlds theory, I studied it in school, quantim physics was never really my thing. But I did see the validity in it, but if..” Sage turned and saw that only Owen still stood there, transfixed on her eyes, “Well, I geuss were not talking about that any more are we?” She turned and started to walk, Owen fell into step beside her. He smiled at her, and she looked away, embarrassed that she had went on like that, she never knew when to stop. After a few yards they came upon another field, this one smaller, and the grass was shorter, to Sage it looked like a floor of diamonds. They had four tents set up, the tents looked to be of canvas, but when Sage put her hand on one, it felt like silk.
“Alright, this one is for Stanford and Corigan, the second is for June and Billy, the third for Starla, Poppy and Sage, and the fourth is for Logan,” Connor pointed them toward the tents.
Sage went to the tables set up just behind the tents. She looked out over the tables and into the woods beyond. The trees were so tall, she couldn’t see the sunset behind them. The tightly packed forest seemed to call to her, she smiled and closed her eyes; trying to hear the song she thought she heard. The trees had that shimmery light to them as well, she figured that they must have some sort of metal on them. But she noted, whatever was on them, made them look like Christmas trees, all lit up for the big morning.
“Sage, would you come and sit next to Owen?” Magnolia’s sweet voice brought her back to what was happing. Everyone else had sat down already.
“Oh, yeah, sure.” Sage replied as she sat down at the long table.

And that is how it began, all of them brought together. And as they spoke through the night, each one had decided to stay, each for their own reason, and all for the good of Rednigh.