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sidhe_faerie) wrote2012-07-04 08:14 am
QUEST FOR SATURIA EPISODE 1
Characters: Princess Endora, Paddrick Nutley, Gwynne, Old Man, Mary, Little David, Jane, Old Woman, Darren, David
Rating: G
Summary: Princess Endora accepts a request from Paddrick to find and kill a beast terrorizing the sheep herders of Wales.
Author’s notes: I took up the Saturday Sentence Prompt Challenge on muse_prompts and created an episodic quest for my original characters.
This original story is part of the “Faerie Fantasy of the Questing Princes” series.
This is Paddrick’s debut in the series. He is a new character and has never been used.
Prompt: muse prompts Saturday sentence prompts
Episode 1 (prompts from 6/2/12) 935
Episode 2 (prompts from 6/9/12) 916
Episode 3 (prompts from 6/16/12) 1118
Episode 4 (prompts from 6/23/12) 1330
Total Word Count:
THE QUEST FOR SATURIA
Episode 1 (prompts from 6/2/12)
They could be home in just over a week. That’s what Princess Endora was promised. This was to be a strait forward quest. There was only one thing to do. Find the beast and kill it. Things never go to plan, not really. There is always some twist in every quest. That is why Princess Endora was prepared for anything.
Paddrick, a Fae the princess had come to know from past adventures had asked for her assistance in hunting down and killing this beast. He had heard the stories that had been told of her bravery and thought she could help.
A swirling portal of magick opened and the small Faerie Princess emerged. The portal shut quickly. Princess Endora dressed in her white cloak, tunic and breeches looked around. Her dark gray eyes scanned the area and saw nothing.
“Paddrick?” Endora called out. She hoped that she hadn’t gone the wrong place.
A shimmer of sparking green appeared before her and faded to reveal Paddrick. He stood there with a big smile on his face.
Paddrick stood about 4ft tall with dark brown eyes and short reddish brown hair. His pointed ears and transparent wings gave him away as a Fae. Being a Tylwyth Teg, he seemed well suited for being here in Wales.
“Endora, you’re right on time.” Paddrick said with a smile.
“Tell me about this quest you asked me to join.” Endora was eager to get started.
“We have been plagued by a beast. The herders have been trying to find it and kill it but to no avail. I thought it may need more professional attention. The herders shouldn’t be the ones to take on the burden alone. They need help. It has occurred to me that we have been sitting here safe and warm when the others brave the excitement of the hunt."
“If it is a beast, excitement is not really the right emotion. Fear is what it is.” Endora frowned at his lack of seriousness.
“What do you know of fear?” Paddrick gave her a careful look.
“I know of it.” Endora said. She managed to bite back her bitter words. There was so much her friend didn’t know about her.
“I doubt that.” Paddrick started to walk up the trail to the herder’s cottage. “You’re just a Sidhe Princess.”
Endora didn’t like his attitude. It was condescending. She was not just a Sidhe Princess. She was a Sidhe Warrior too.
A rock hit him on the back of the head with well-aimed retribution.
Ow! Paddrick said. “What was that for?”
“Because someone who is just a princess couldn’t have made that shot. Even though you head is very big as well as your mouth.” Endora walked past him up the trail.
Paddrick rubbed his head and caught up to her. “You made your point. Let me do the talking here. Gwynne is an old friend of my sisters.”
Endora looked at him questioningly. “You have sisters?”
“Six.” Paddrick laughed. “You’re an only child so you can’t imagine that chaos.”
“I have two sisters. They are older and not full Fae. My mother’s first husband was a Draconian.” Endora smiled.
Paddrick whistled. “Dragon people are rare. So your sisters can turn into dragons?”
“Only one of them.” Endora smiled at the shocked look on Paddrick’s face.
Paddrick whistled softly as he shook his head in disbelief. He knocked on the door of the cottage. Gwynne opens the door in tears.
“What’s the matter Gwynne?” Paddrick asked as he gave her a hug.
“Darren has left me. He was just gone this morning.” Gwynne said wiping at her tears. "It is unfair to him to end it this way, with no explanation and no goodbyes."
“I’m sure he will turn up. Gwynne, this is Endora she’s here to help with the beast.” Paddrick said.
Gwynne looked at Endora and gave a wet smile in greeting. She turned back to Paddrick. “I think Darren may have gone after the beast on his own. It took two of our sheep three days past.”
“We should take a look around before we lose the light. Then start out at first light.” Endora said. “We need to see if it left tracks or clues to which direction it was heading.”
Paddrick nodded and grinned at Endora. “You have done this before.”
Endora rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Of course I have that’s why you asked me here.”
“Oh yeah.” Paddrick gave her a sheepish grin. “I forgot.”
“I will prepare you a meal and you can stay here for the night.” Gwynne said.
“Thank you, Gwynne.” Paddrick gave the wet eyed woman a smile.
“Where did it leave the bits of the sheep?” Endora asked.
“That’s just it. There was no sign of the sheep. It’s like the beast swallowed them whole.” Gwynne said.
“That’s a big beast.” Paddrick said. He turned to Endora. “If you want to back out, now is the time.”
Endora shook her head. “I promised to help and I will stay. Where were the sheep last seen?”
“They were in the pen behind the house. We never heard a thing.” Gwynne said. “You think we would hear the sheep making noise.”
“The beast is most likely quick.” Endora said. “It grabbed the sheep before it could make a sound. I’m going to take a look.”
Endora went outside but didn’t see any clear tracks the sheep had trampled them all. There were no tracks leaving or coming. Endora assumed the beast was winged. There was no other explanation. She went back inside to eat and wait for morning.