Free Fabled by Vanessa K. Eccles Page B

them softly on the table. He had all of their attention. I took another step closer to be sure I heard what they said next, but the wooden floorboard creaked, sending all their eyes glaring in my direction.
    “Good morning,” I said casually as if I hadn’t heard a thing. They all muttered versions of good morning except Chester who got up to make a fresh cup of coffee. I went and sat down at the table, and a few minutes later, Chester brought me a mug.  
    “I hope you slept well,” he said.
    “Well enough.”
    We all ate toast and some type of peppery cheese for breakfast. The shaggy men ate pretty much in silence with the occasional grunt, presumably given when they found the bite particularly tasty. After, we settled into the living area.
    “We need to tend the garden, pick up lunch,” one said and started recruiting for help.
    Two of them were in the kitchen cleaning dishes with water pumped from a well in the bathing room.  
    “Would you be up for a short walk?” Chester asked quietly. Not quietly enough, apparently, as it caught a couple of their ears..  
    “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” one interjected.
    “What if someone sees her?”
    “Listen, we can’t stay cooped up down here forever. We won’t be out for long. The fresh air will do us good.” And when they weren’t convinced, he said, “I’ll keep a look out, and if someone sees us, we won’t come back here.”
    “Take this,” the stoutest said while fetching a long black velvet coat from a nearby closet.
    “Thank you.” I was grateful since it was freezing outside yesterday.
    Most of them mumbled in disagreement, but we went anyway.
    The sunlight was blinding as the rock opened for us to exit. We carefully stepped over the trip wire the men had set up around the yard. They weeded and harvested as we headed into the thick trees. We walked in silence, until we reached a small brook. The crystal clear water blanketed over pebbles. Water foamed and splashed over larger rocks that speckled the stream. It was picturesque. The white had nearly melted from the day before, highlighting just the edges of nature. He found a large stone and sat on it, patting the area beside him for me to sit too.
    “I apologize for anything you may have heard this morning.” He didn’t look at me. His eyes gazed at the water, but I knew the brook wasn’t what imprisoned his thoughts.  
    “Why does Dresdem want me?” I asked as I found my place beside him.
    “We’re not really certain, but I believe it may have something to do with you crossing the chasm. That hasn’t happened, to my knowledge, in a really long time. And the royals… well… some royals are interested in portal jumping, and they probably want to interrogate you.” His voice grew serious, “But I won’t let that happen.”
    “It wouldn’t matter if I answered every one of their questions. I have no idea how I got here, and I’m even more lost as to how to go back.”
    “You never want to be caught in the hands of the Dresdem or anyone like him.”
    “What’s special about him?”
    “He’s a straight royal. The Tresels are only half-royals. Straight royals have the most power and magic. The half-royals are mixed magicians, which means a straight royal married an average citizen. Their children are usually capable of diluted magic, but half-royals can never hold office in Mezzanine.”  
    I thought for a moment which of the Tresels would have been the straight royal. There’s no doubt — Mrs. Tresels.  
    “Why would Mrs. Tresels marry a commoner?” I asked curiously.
    “It was a scandal. A punishment of sorts. But that’s for another day. Right now, I’ve got to figure out what to do with you. With us.”
    “I understand the guys not wanting me there. I can see I’m making them uneasy and nervous. Where should I go?”
    “I’ll figure out something,” he answered in deep contemplation.
    “I’m not your problem, Chester. You’ve already helped me