The Sacred Woods of Silvernarion (Book 1)

Chapter 8 Billibon's Escape


Billibon dodges trees trying to press forward. He knew he couldn’t keep up with Gloriana and had changed directions unaware that he is running back towards the huge wood giant. He hoped that he could go undetected as Gloriana and Glenadale would be the main distraction for the huge beast.

His luck changed otherwise, as the thumping grows louder with every step. The halfling begins to panic.

“Oh dear, oh dear,” he worries as he tries to keep his pace.

He continues to dodge dangling trees. He jumps over occasional logs that hinder his run. He underestimates the distance from a stump and jumps into it instead of over it, making him trip and fall face first into the mud. The staff falls out of his hands and lands a few feet ahead of him.

He crawls towards it quickly ignoring his bruises and scratches he had just acquired. He snatches the valuable item and pulls it towards himself, practically hugging it. He was fortunate to have picked it up shortly after Gloriana dropped it while running. He couldn’t imagine what damage it could cause in the hands of a wood giant.

Not that the idiotic creature could wield such a weapon, yet chances are best not tested. A huge roar occurs that echoes miles into the woods. A huge thump happens afterwards, causing Billibon to float in the air for a few seconds. He lands back onto his stomach bewildered at the event.

The halfling begins to crawl quickly into a narrow cave that had suddenly appeared.

A raccoon hisses, disturbed at its new intruder. Billibon freezes, yet it only scrambles to jump quickly onto the halfling’s head then on his back, scurrying off upset to have to leave. Billibon recovers quickly and slowly crawls deeper inside the small cave, hoping it will give him some kind of protection.

The day has been long, as he rests for the first time for almost two days, yet his heart is beating to fast to fall asleep suddenly. The creaking and cracking of bark crunch, as the wood giant slowly tries to get back onto his feet. Billibon holds his breathe, closing his eyes, as the sounds get louder.

A gigantic fuming foot stands in front of the entrance of the cave. The big toe is bleeding as the toenails are as black as the night. The fumes of the smelly toes begin to seep inside the cave. Billibon’s face turns green as the stench reaps into his nostrils.

His eyes begin to tear and his urgency to cough draws near. He counts silently to himself hoping the giant will move its foot soon, or he will have no choice but to reveal himself to the monstrous beast. The giant begins to hum a tune that sounds like nails scratching down a chalkboard.

It then decides to move trees and pushes through the woods shaking the earth. The stomping fades with every step as of the terrible humming, which eventually stops. Billibon is relieved as his face begins to get its original color back. He is alone in the woods with no protection. He would have never walked into this forest by foot, yet Gloriana’s sincere face convinced him into doing it.

Her guile and challenge had made him reconsider the chances of a possible adventure worth telling about in future taverns that he would visit. How he would like a mug of ale now. He thinks of the Slippery Shoe’s Tavern in Sinatorium. He visits this fine establishment occasionally selling cases of grapan liquor. He now sighs. He is huddled inside a damp and sticky cave regretting his decision to have tagged along.

His spirits lifts, as he feels the staff and thinks of what it is worth. Let alone the red ruby on the shaft is worth a minimum of at least a hundred gold pieces with a jeweler he knows in Nurenhill. Perhaps it will be worth enough to start his business back home in Dilan again.

He could buy an ox, plow, wagon, and rent some new land to grow grapan on.
If only he wouldn’t have gambled his business away with that greedy landowner named Puck. The slime ball had robbed him of his gold while he was drunk playing a card game of lucky sevens.

How he wished to have socked him one, when he had the chance that day? His fury ends quickly, as he pulls in the staff closer to his body. He smiles and begins to hug the staff again, thinking of all of the opportunities it can offer. He makes a decision and decides to go back to Nurenhill to sell the valuable item.

He will wait until the morning before setting out to relocate his position in the odd forest. It should be safer to travel during the day then at night. With a smile, he tries to get into a comfortable position trying to get much needed sleep. He has difficulty falling asleep, as he thinks of Gloriana.

How she was so kind and offered to help him get out of the stabile in Nurenhill. How she offered to share the food she had left in her satchel. His guilt begins to sink in, as he knows the staff doesn’t belong to him. His options are weighing heavy as of his eyes. It begins to rain followed by lightning and thunder.

A few bugs including a small spider share the small cave. He is too tired to even care about who is in the cavern. He would have shared it with the raccoon if it had not been so fussy about it. He begins to smile, relieved to not get drenched by the nasty weather.

As his eyes shut, he begins to snore dreaming of his new chances in life. That is if he gets out of the woods safely.
Growling occurs awakening Billibon who is lying flat on top of his staff. He rolls over slowly making sure not to make any noise.

A howling is heard afterwards as many rapid feet trample above the caves roof. He is in a disadvantage lying on his stomach, yet he dares not to move. Billibon tightens every muscle in his body, as he grabs the staff and points it ahead of him.

He is in a disadvantage lying on his stomach, yet he dares not to leave the cave. Shining yellow eyes stare inside the cave. Growling continues as two more set of eyes join the leader of a wolf. The cave is too low for even a small halfling who is not even four feet tall to stand up in.

“Get back!” he screams pointing the staff at the wolf.

It only growls snapping its large teeth at the weapon that had stubbed its nose making it more upset. The leader of the wolf pack jumps to attack.

Suddenly a whizzing sound followed by a flash occurs as Billibon floats in the air. The sky is spinning as twirling patterns appear. It eventually stops, as he falls onto a wheat field with a hard thump.

He looks up and breathes hard bewildered of what had just happened. He looks at the staff wondering if he had just used it. He then looks around to see he is surrounded by six feet high wheat towering above him. He begins to laugh at the thought that the staff saved his life from the ferocious wolf. A whizzing sound occurs followed by another flash. A tiny creature appears floating in front of him.

“Cherryblossom!” he screams astonished to see the beautiful and small creature.

She smiles and waves her wand as many firebugs busily spell out her message.

You are safe now. I know how to find Glenadale. We must go to him.

Billibon frowns. He realizes that he is not far from the town of Sinatorium, now remembering the many wheat fields it owns. He bows down thanking Cherryblossom.

“I thank you for saving my life, but I would rather go back to Nurenhill,” he replies to the now frowning pixie.

She waves her wand frantically as the firebugs begin to create a pattern.

But you must find your friends. Are they not your friends?

Billibon reads the last word friends and sighs. He thinks that perhaps the least he could do is return the staff to its owner. He looks at the staff wishing he had attained it in a different way.

Finding it on a dead magician or winning it in a cunning game of Lucky Seven. After all, he is good at the game, if he doesn’t have too much liquor revolving around his head. He then looks up at Cherryblossom nodding is head.

“You are right. I should go find my friends,” he replies.

The pixie claps her hands excitingly, as she flies slowly away. He follows the pixie that leaves a small trail of sparkles from her wings.

He begins to follow her hacking huge wheat fields with the staff to make way. He eventually makes it on the road and sees the town from a distance. He begins to smile, happy to have made it out of the woods alive. Cherryblossom flies next to him and eventually lands on his shoulder. He looks at the tiny creature and smiles. She smiles back. She then waves her wand as firebugs appear.

I am happy to reunite again. There are so many terrible creatures outside of my home of the Sacred Woods of Silvernarion.

He wonders how the pixie had found him hidden in the small cave. Was she there the whole time and why did she not protect them from the giant? Aren’t pixies the most powerful magic users to exist?

“How did you find me in that cave?” he asks curiously.

She waves her wand as firebugs spell out her reasons.

I was with the wood giant the whole time trying to catch his attention. I eventually distracted him so much that he fell hard on the ground. As he got back up, I saw you trying to crawl into the cave. Luckily, the wood giant didn’t see you. I wanted to go to you, but I needed to continue to persuade it to go in a different direction.

“How do you know where Glenadale is staying?” he continues to ask while walking the winding road, which suddenly ascends away from the wheat fields into green hills.
She once again sends the firebugs to work.

Concerning Glenadale, I hold a lock of his hair, which helps me know of his whereabouts. With the help of his strand of hair and a spell I know, I will always find approximately, wherever he lies in these lands. We are practically bound together as long as I hold his lock.

The firebugs fade away, as she begins to smile thinking of Glenadale. The halfling begins to rub his eyes and grins.

“You are fond of Glenadale. You know he likes Gloriana a lot,” the halfling mentions.

The pixie only frowns and lands inside the halfling’s jacket pocket. She looks up at the halfling who tries to look back. She then curls up and begins to sleep.

Billibon looks kindly at the small pixie and understands it has been an unusual and rough day for her. He covers the pocket with the top flap of the pocket and continues to walk towards Sinatorium. He begins to yawn, as he cannot wait to make it to the Slippery Shoe’s Tavern.

It is the only tavern that can accommodate rooms of his size and for a very cheap price. He begins to quicken his walk just thinking of the wooden keg of ale waiting for him. The day had been long and his plans have changed. He feels better returning something that doesn’t belong to him.

In return, he can keep a friend and he is sure he will have an opportunity one day to restart on what he does best, which is growing and selling grapan liquor.

“Everything has a reason,” he mumbles to himself.
He puts his hands in his pockets, as his breath forms a white cloud in the air, indicating it is a cold night.

The weather doesn’t bother him, as his heart throbs full of excitement at the thought of a warm fireplace at the Slippery Shoe’s Tavern. The misty mountains surrounding the rich town full of lights is inviting the closer he gets.

He reaches the front gate of Sinatorium as guard’s wave indifferently to pass. Nodding, he continues to walk further, passing the huge watchtowers and various buildings knowing exactly where to go. Hired bodyguards watch merchant stands that circle the market’s center.

He sidesteps ill tempered goats near another merchant’s stand. A rugged man sitting on a wheel of a wagon looks at him annoyed. He complains as he gets up to gather the disorganized goats.

The many cobblestone roads twist and turn in different directions until finally they end in front of a tavern. He opens the door and enters smiling looking at the amazing shiny and waxed floor known to make many visitors slip and fall.

Two older men at the bar are sitting with a mug of ale in their hands. The barkeep begins to smile, as he watches the halfling enter.

“Welcome back Billibon,” he says walking around the bar and kneeling down in front of him.
“You look terrible old friend,” he says in a crackling voice.

The halfling realizes that he entered the fine establishment in muddy and ripped clothes.

“What ever happened to you?” he asks observing him closely before offering a table constructed especially for the size of halflings.

Billibon sits on his accustomed bench and lets out a loud sigh of relief.

“I have walked from Nurenhill,” he explains in an irritated tone.

He leans the staff on the table looking at the mugs of ales the old men hold. The barkeep looks at them and also smiles.

“Don’t worry little one, I will fetch you a fresh pint now. You must be dying for one,” he says while going behind the bar to pour a fresh mug of ale out of a wooden keg.

“I encountered a wood giant and managed to run from it. Then a black wolf attacked me. It was horrible. Despite my terrible events, I made it alive here in my favorite tavern,” the halfling explains choosing not to mention about Cherryblossom.

The barkeep grins, as he puts the mug of ale in front of the halfling.

“You should have known better to travel alone on foot through the dark woods of Nurenhill and especially at night when the nastiest creatures awaken, looking for innocent victims such as yourself.

I must say, you are brave for a halfling. Not even the soldiers of this town would dare to roam such areas on horse,” he finishes walking back behind the bar.

“Yee should afff had me alllong. I …. would off.. (Hiccup) showed that giaaant a …. few things orrr twoo,” the old ragged man slurs taking the last gulp of his ale.

“Alright that is enough for you. Let’s go and pay up for tonight,” the barkeep says to the drunken man.

He fumbles into his pocket to slam two ten gold pieces on the bar.

“Yaas see Luukass, thatsss why you have nooo more bizzness. Yeee kickkkk them ouuuut too soon,” he complains before getting off his bar stool and tumbling onto the ground.

His partner equally drunk laughs and tries to pick him up, but instead only falls on top of him. Billibon laughs for the first time of the day, glad to be away from the terrible travels. Lukas goes around the bar to help them.

“Barnie and Bruno, my two most loyal customers, I am only looking out for you,” he says quickly, as if he had said this a hundred times before.

They look up with lazy eyes smiling, allowing the big barkeep to help them back onto their feet. They then look at each other before laughing again. They fall onto each others shoulders, which amazingly helped prevent them from falling back onto the floor. They walk simultaneously leaning on each others shoulders slowly out the door before falling down the two steps the tavern has to offer.

They land hard onto the colorful cobblestone road, before laughing again. Lukas only rolls his eyes before closing the door. He then glances quickly at the two fine dressed men at the corner of the room. They were annoyed at the small commotion yet change their expressions looking at the interesting staff leaning on the small halfling’s table. Billibon unaware of them only laughs, looking at Lukas walking back towards him.

“Those two farmers will never learn.” Lukas says.
He then walks towards the bar to grab a rag. Billibon only nods before taking a solid gulp of his ale. In two more swigs, he empties it and waves his mug for another. Lukas only shakes his head and gets a clean mug off a rack.

“Don’t be too hasty Billibon. I am not closing anytime soon,” as he glances at the two men at the corner of the room who are now studying a ledger.

“Who are they?” Billibon asks.

“They work for the towns Marshall,” he replies pouring another mug of ale.

“They have been here all day and are determining on what I need to pay on taxes this year,” he explains now setting the mug in front of Billibon.

“This is the worst day of the year for me. They just sit there demanding the best food and drinks gold can buy.

Lukas kneels down to be of eye level with the halfling.

“They do this on purpose to take advantage of the drinks and food I offer. I figure if I give them free meals and drinks throughout the day, they might give me a tax break this year.

Unfortunately it is never the case,” he whispers before getting back up from his kneeling position.

“Yet one can only hope,” he finishes.
Billibon shakes his head before taking a small gulp of the ale.

“It is not easy to keep a business anymore,” Lukas continues now wiping the bar down.

One of the finely dressed men waves at Lukas. He sighs before walking towards them. Billibon thinks back on the business he once owned and how he misses it. Lukas comes back to grab a bottle of grapan liquor out of a cabinet behind the huge wooden barrels.

“I will need to buy a case of your grapan liquor soon,” he mentions before walking towards his customers.

Billibon thinks of the gold he could have earned. He then looks at the staff with the beautiful red ruby on the shaft. He has to sell it. There is no other choice. He wants his life back to normal.

“It must have been really rough out there today. What happened to those who accompanied you?” he asks coming back from the tax inspectors.

“They are somewhere here in town,” Billibon replies.

“I just have to find them,” he continues taking another swig of his ale.

“It is a bit late now to do that,” Lukas mentions.

“I mean you can visit the various taverns in town. I am sure they are in one of them, but that would take all night,” he continues.

“No no, Lukas they have no gold to do that. They are probably hanging out in a stabile,” Billibon replies taking the swig of his ale.

“Well, I must be going,” the halfling replies as he takes out reluctantly his five gold piece coin and lays it on the table.

“You are not staying for the night. I mean you must be exhausted walking that whole way to get her,” Lukas says.

“I would love to, but I have been robbed and lost everything while getting here,” Billibon lies.

“How could anybody rob a halfling?” Lukas mumbles looking at the floor. He then looks back at exhausted halfling.

“I tell you what. You come back the next time with that case of grapan liquor and put two bottles on the house and I will offer you a room for the night,” he mentions continuing to rub his stomach.

Billibon frowns knowing he cannot promise the deal. He also knows that the deal is unfair, yet he is too tired to argue about it.

“Fine,” the halfling replies between clenched teeth.

“Good, good little one,” he says offering a tiny key.

Billibon takes it and slowly heads towards the stairs. Lukas looks at the staff oddly watching the tired halfling drag it along the stairs. The two fine dressed men also take quick glances at the precious staff before resuming on the barkeep’s ledger. Each step up the stairs hurts his calves, as he finally reaches the second floor.

He walks lazily down the long hallway towards the last door to the left. It is smaller then the other doors. He used to visit this room twice a month selling Lukas the cases of liquor.

He looks down into his top pocket of his jacket to check on Cherryblossom who is still buzzing in her sleep. He drags his feet towards the bed dropping the staff, which rolls down the uneven wooden floor towards the door in which he left opened.

He slowly lies on his back, carefully not to awaken Cherryblossom, or even squash her for that sake. He yawns one last time before falling quickly into a much needed sleep.

Two black boots slightly covered by gray robes stand in front of the doorway. The stranger kneels down to grab quickly his new possession. He then walks quietly down the long hallway and eventually leaves the tavern unnoticed.


To continue go to chapter 9 Good Intentions - http://mingle2.com/topic/show/195618

Boy, is Bilibon gonna feel bad in the morning when he wakes!!

I can't wait to read on!! Spellbinding is what this story is!!

cool