#mkjinn

“Down the hall, make three turns and a left,” M.K. muttered.  “Or was it down the hall, two turns and left.  Arrg, this is ridiculous!”  She stomped her foot in frustration.  This place was suppose to be where the Queen lived.  Why was it so hard to find someone to ask for directions?

M.K. grumbled until after making a turn she saw a pair of large doors and gave a sigh of relief.  “This has to be it,” she whispered as she approached and gave a knock.  Please be in, please be in.  M.K. really didn’t want to be wandering around this place anymore if she had too.

“Enter,” said a voice and caused M.K. to jump.  She had been expecting to have heard a man’s voice but was that a woman’s.

She turned the knob to enter and it only took 2.5 seconds to be sure she had entered the wrong room.  The chamber was huge with plants of every shape and colour in every inch of the room.  A sweet pleasant fragrance filled the room and normally M.K. would be delighted upon finding a tiny forest but she was more concerned trying to backtrack out.

“Sorry, I got the wrong place,” she said to whoever had answer her.  “I’ll just leave-”

She turned to find a vine that taken upon itself to shut the door.  “Relax,” the voice said with a laugh.  “I don’t bite.”  Some leaves parted to reveal a woman in a long flowing gown made out of petals.  

“Wow,” M.K. muttered as the woman approached her.  She was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen.  M.K. realized she must have accidentally entered the chamber of a noble.

“Now,” the woman said with a kind smile.  “What can I do for you?”

“Uh…” M.K. stammered as she rubbed the back of her neck.  “My dad wanted me to drop off this report for General Ronin.  I was just trying to find-”

“Oh!” the woman exclaimed.  “You’re Bomba’s girl.”  She looked amused as she held out to hand.  “Here, give that to me.  I can give it to Ronin later.”

M.K. looked unsure.  Would there be trouble if she didn’t directly give this to the General?

“Don’t worry, I see Ronin all the time,” she reassured and gave a wink.  “I can handle him.”

M.K. debated the issue only for another minute but in the end gave in and handed the scroll over to her.  “Thanks, but would you mind telling me the easiest way out of here?”

The woman smiled as she waved her hand and saw vines form and take the shape of chairs around a table that had a clay pitcher and cups.  “Why don’t you join me for a drink before you go,”  she gestured to it.  “Was about to help myself to some ice dandelion tea.”

M.K.’s instinct was to decline and go but she was dying of thirst thanks to wandering around this place so long.  “Thanks...uh, I didn’t get your name.”

“It’s Tara,” the woman saw as she sat.  “And yours is M.K.?  I heard from Ronin.”

“Oh, really,” M.K. said a bit surprised.  She and Nod had been hanging out quite a bit and she had met Ronin a few times as a result.  But why would he think Tara be interested in hearing about her?

Tara poured a cup and offered to M.K.  “Are you liking Moonhaven?  I know it can be a lot to take in for a newcomer.”

“It is a bit,” M.K. replied as she took the cup.  “I mean..I know I was born here but I don’t remember much before I went to live in Honeywells with my mom.”  She chewed her lip.  M.K. wasn’t sure if Tara knew the story about her parents separation when she was young and it wasn’t something she wished to get into if she didn’t.

If Tara didn’t know, she didn’t seem it her business her pry M.K. further and gave an understanding nod.  “I didn’t always live in Moonhaven.  When I was a child, my family lived in Thistleway but we came to Moonhaven when I was 12.”

“Thistleway?  Really?” M.K. asked.  Thistleway wasn’t too far away from where Honeywells was, they were bigger but not by much.  “Have you been to Honeywells then?”  She took a mouthful and her throat was thankful for the cool drink.

“A few times,” Tara said as she sipped her own cup.  “Do they still have the harvest festival?”

M.K. nodded feeling glad she found someone that at least knew a little of her old hometown.  “Yeah and they have the dance competition too.”

Tara laughed.  “I entered it once but I ended up tripping my dance partner so I got last place.”

M.K. laugh and was about to add her own story to compare when the door opened and and General Ronin entered.

“Tara,” he started.  “The Boggans are targeting the borders again, we need to increase-”  He trailed off as he spotted M.K. then looked to Tara and back to her.  “What are you doing here?”

“Um…” M.K. started and once again felt this was a place she shouldn’t have stepped into.  “My dad told me to give you the report.”

Tara held up the scroll and Ronin frown as he took.  “He should know better than to send you, we have messengers for that.”  He gave a sigh.  “I’ll have to talk to him later,” he then looked to Tara.  “But how did she get in HERE?”  Ronin emphasis by pointing to the floor.

“She got bad directions, knocked on the door and I let her in,” Tara said with a shrug.  “It’s not a problem.”

“It’s not proper protocol,” Ronin said with a sigh as he looked to M.K.  “You do realize you’ve been talking to the Queen?”

M.K. froze and nearly dropped her cup and suddenly stared at Tara in a new light.  “You’re the Queen?”

“Aw, Ronin,” Tara said with a laugh.  “I was waiting to see how long it took her to figure it out.”

Ronin pinched the bridge of his nose.  “You should have told her the moment you saw her.”

“Oh my gosh, you’re the Queen!” M.K. started to ramble.  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to barge in here.  I just got lost-”

Tara laughed.  “It’s fine, I like people barging in,” she cast a sideway glance to Ronin.  “And I would prefer if ‘others’ would do it more often.”

Ronin gave a huff as he offered M.K. a hand.  “Here, I’ll take take you to Finn.  He’s a few doors down and he’ll take you home.”

M.K. gave a shaky nod as she glance to Tara.  “Um..thanks for the drink?”

Tara waved as M.K. left.  “Let’s have tea next time, you can bring Nod too.  It will be a tea party.”

M.K. had always thought the market in Honeywells was a decent size but she now saw it was tiny compared to the massive market in Moonhaven.  She couldn’t deny it was a bit overwhelming, but considering it was either buying food here for dinner or eat the few slices of bread and seeds at home, M.K. would endure.

She gave a sigh as she clutched the basket and looked over the vendors. Her plan was just to get a few things tonight and then do a proper grocery shop tomorrow since it didn’t seem likely her father was going to.

M.K. was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn’t noticed the boy walking out of the shop and collided into him.  They both gave a grunt and M.K. would have toppled over if the boy hadn’t steadied her.  

“Whoa!  Watch it there!” he said.

“Sorry,” M.K. replied with a huge blush on her face.  “I should have been watching where I was going.”

The boy shrugged.  “No big deal, hard to not get bumped into at markert.”

“Yeah,” she replied darkly as she looked over the crowd.  “I’m getting that impression.”

It was then she noticed the boy was staring at her.  He had loose brown hair and freckles covering his cheeks.  She had to admit, he was rather cute.

“You okay?” the boy asked.  “You look a little lost.”

“Yes..well no, not really,” M.K. replied as she tucked hair behind her ear.  “It’s my first day here and I’m trying to find my way around.

The boy blinked and looked at her like he saw her the first time.  “Wait, you’re not Bomba’s kid are you?  Mary Katherine?”

M.K. paused.  How did this boy know who she was?  “Um...yeah but I prefer to go by M.K.”

The boy gave a surprised laugh.  “Wow, you’re way cuter than I thought you’d would be.”

“What?” M.K. asked.

“I’m Nod,” he replied as he extended a hand.  “I’m basically going to be your personal tour guide for the next few days but I was told I wasn’t seeing you yet.”

“Oh,” M.K. replied as she shook and felt more relax.  “Did my dad ask you to?”

Nod placed a hand behind his hand.  “Uh...not exactly, Ronin did.”

“Ronin?”

“He’s the general of the leafmen, he usually stops by Bomba’s place every couple of weeks to collect the stomper reports from him.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” M.K. trying to hide the disappointment in her point.  So, her dad hadn’t bothered to think that far ahead for her.  Why wasn’t she surprised?

Nod’s face was unreadable as he folded his arms over his chest.  “Look, I know a good place to eat.”  He pointed to the end of the street.  “Was heading there anyway myself.  Want to join me?”

M.K. tapped the handle of the basket in thought.  She didn’t really know the boy but considering how her dad was still out in the woods somewhere, having some company sounded nice.  “Sure, why not.”

“Great,” Nod said as they started to walk.  “Afterwards, I can show you the best bakery around here, has the best seedcakes in Moonhaven.”

Nod,” Ronin called as he entered the apartment.  “You home?”

“Here!” Nod said Ronin saw a hand appear from the couch.  Ronin arched an eyebrow and saw the teen was laying out with a book placed over his face his face like a shield.

“Catching up on some reading?” Ronin asked dryly.  “Cause there are easier ways to read it, Buddy.”

Nod gave a growl as he removed the book and grimly pointed to the title.  “It’s the history of military tactics you told me about,” he said as he tossed the book on the table.  “And it’s as dull as watching grass grow.”

Ronin chuckled.  “Well, if you want to join the leafmen when you’re of age, you’ll need to know it.”

Nod didn’t look convince as he slumped back on the couch.  Ronin sighed, frankly he’d been fine if Nod decided to not join the leafmen.  He’d be safer and Ronin wouldn’t have to worry about the danger his godson was giving him.  However, Nod was his father’s son and he Ronin knew the boy would do what he wanted no matter what Ronin said.  Beside, Nod was old enough to make his own decisions.  Ronin had to constantly remind of that.

“Listen, Nod,” Ronin began.   “There’s something I need you to do for me.”

Nod glanced up and started curious.  “What?  You need extra hands to clean out the stables again?”

“Not quite,” Ronin said as he shook his head.  “Do you remember Bomba?”

Nod raised his head.  “You mean the nutjob that’s obsessed with Stompers?”

“Yes but don’t call him a ‘nutjob’,” Ronin said sternly.  “Bomba maybe...unusual but his reports do contain important information for the Queen.”

“Alright,” Nod said with a smirk.  “Would you prefer I call him Mister Bonkers?”

“Nod,” Ronin warned with a sigh.

“Fine, fine, yes I remember Bomba,” Nod said as he sat up.  “What about him?”

“His daughter is moving from Honeywells to live with him,” Ronin said as he folded his hands into his lap.  “And she should be about your age.”

Nod tilted his eyes but then his brain seemed to put the pieces together and he groaned.  “Ronin, please tell me you’re not asking me to hang out his daughter?”

“I’m not,” Ronin replied firmly.  “All I want you to do is show her around till she gets use to the place.  Honeywells is tiny compare to Moonhaven.”

“So, I get to be a personal tour guide?” Nod scoffed.  “She’s probably just as wacky as he is.”

“You don’t know that,” Ronin replied.

“And why do you care?” Nod said as he stood up.  “It’s not like you’re close friends with Bomba.”

“No but as you have pointed out, he’s obsessed with stompers and I’m concern he’ll leave his daughter on her own.”  He looked to Nod seriously.  “Honeywells doesn’t have trouble with Boggans as we do, she’ll need someone to tell her what to watch out for.”

“Doesn’t explain why it has to be me?” Nod asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Cause you’re closest to her age and I trust you.”

Nod paused and he ran a hand through his hair as he seemed to be debating the issue in his head.

“Also,” Ronin added gently and placed a hand on Nod’s shoulder.  “Her mother just died, it’s why she’s moving here.”

Nod’s face was unreadable but Ronin knew Nod wasn’t going to turn away at this point.  It had only been a few years since Nod had lost his father and even longer since his mother died.  He’d know the kind of pain Bomba’s daughter would be going through.

“What’s her name?” Nod asked with a sigh.

“Mary Katherine,” Ronin said with a smile.  “She should be arriving tomorrow, give a couple of days to settle in then I’ll send you over.”

“Yeah, sure but you realize you owe me big time,” Nod replied as he folded his arms and gave a smirk.

“I’ll buy you a bag of honey brittle,” Ronin offered.

“A bag of honey brittle?  Who do you think I am?” Nod said as he rolled his eyes.  “More like two bags of honey brittle for this.”

Ronin sighed but he rustled Nod’s hair as he turned to leave.  “Fine but you’re going to rot your teeth with all that sugar someday.”