Refreshed, I was sliding back into the Kitchen area, connected to the living room. The little creme and lemon fox was sitting on the counter while I whipped up some food for both of us.

My bangs and any of my red hair not behind my ears were pulled back into a high ponytail, while letting the rest tickle against my shoulders, and I wore a pair of baggy brick-red trousers, with large pockets, thinking of the fox for later.

I still felt immensely awkward without my cloak surrounding me. And even though I had a crimson poncho to wear later, it couldn't replace my hooded mantle.

"You seem sad, Dori." Kit stated as the little fox yawned and sprawled out on the kitchen counter with a bandaged paw out front.

"Yeah, What's got you beat?" I heard Ettie ask, which caused me to glance over my shoulder while stirring a pot of creamy soup. Her entire tall frame was leaned against the doorway to the kitchen. My eyes fell back to the wood-powered stove as I pushed around the broth in silence for a trice.

"Nothing. I'm a ray of suns.h.i.+ne." I mused with a bored notion before hearing Ettie s.h.i.+ft into the frame more. "Where's your brother?"

"Sniffing things out." She said simply, you could almost hear the shrug in her voice. She continued with a drawl. "Nothing huh? Smells like Faerie Fudge to me."

"No it's broth I think, but I could understand the con-" I began, but stopped as Ettie had pa.s.sed the short distance from the doorway to grasp her heavy hands upon my shoulders and spin me around.

"-fusion." I finished while looking up toward her face.

"You know what I mean, Dori. It's the cap isn't it?" She prostrated, still holding my shoulders. Her dark eyes glared with gentleness down at me. The soup was completely lost to my mind then.

I couldn't say anything, she had hit the spot.

"Everyone always says you are just a total bada.s.s, and that nothing ever gets to you. But I see you, always hiding in that cloak. So that no one else can ever see you. You don't just look low, Gnidori. You look exhausted, and worried, and scared. And I've only ever seen you scared once before now." Ettie said a mouthful. I could feel her eyes never wavering from looking at my face. Yet I said nothing and didn't look at her.

"I know how you used to be. I've seen you change over so many years. But you have always had that d.a.m.ned hood. It kept you safe, like no matter what you did you would be fine. Probably why you never bother to think of the consequences to what you do." She added. Still I was silent and not holding her gaze.

"But your safety isn't there anymore. And I can see you fully. You were never good at hiding things from me Riri, you just had your hood to hide your face. And that helped you keep your distance. But I don't want to see that distance between us. It's actually nice to see the real you, to see Gnidori for once, and not Red."

One of her hands slid from my shoulder and caressed my nearby cheek with the back of her digits. My eyes closed, leaning into her fingers. It felt like I hadn't seen her in years, when it had only been a few months. I sighed and finally opened my eyes and looked up at her, "I'll let you know what's wrong when I figure it out, alright?"

It was strange thinking of someone who rivaled half-breed giants in muscle, ma.s.s and height could be so gentle and sweet. Ettie was a good friend. Too bad I couldn't say the same about myself.

She had a tender smile as she stared directly into my blue eyes. I loved that smile. Just a s.h.i.+mmer of laugh lines with her cupid bow lips, it was soothing to the soul, and actually made me feel safe for once.

She must have realized how I was looking at her, because she pulled her hand away from my cheek. She's always trying her hardest not to make me think she was leading me on, since she said she wasn't interested. That's what always made it so hard to come see her, though.

I could see her lips part to say something. But her voice didn't come out, instead it was Kit. "Reynard wants to know if you two are just going to kiss and get it over with?"

My eyes hardened to diamond instantly and narrowed to look around the ivory tower of a woman in my way, to the fox. Ettie pulled completely away from me. I could have sworn she was blus.h.i.+ng profusely, but she had turned so fast and headed out the kitchen that I didn't get the chance to really see.

"Hey, it's not me. Reynard wanted to know. He said you should." Kit added despite my unhindered glance and Ettie storming out. If it hadn't been for the smell of smoke and the puff of fumes curling around my body from behind me, I probably would have said something.

Something to stop Ettie, but I didn't. I just watched her walk away, like she probably did every time I left.

"Well, tell the fox he should keep his tiny snout shut. I don't care what he thinks we should do. I don't take orders from a fox, ever." I explained while lifting the pan up to pour slops of creamy soup into two bowls, before setting one in front of Reynard. He sniffed it a few times and coiled away from it.

"Picky, Picky." I cried, grabbing my bowl and leading back into the living room.

Han was back in dog form, sitting in front of Ettie whom had sat back down on the couch looking disappointed yet focused as well. She nodded a few times, while Han-hound tossed his big brown head over his shoulders and lolled his jaw into a grin.

"Han found something." Ettie explained, looking up to me with apologetic eyes "What is it?" I asked, not even sitting down.

"Well, uh... he managed to pinpoint Goldie." She started, almost like she was afraid of what I would do when I found out the rest.

"Yes?" I baited her on while tracing her movements intently and briefly glanced as Han disappeared into the back rooms again.

"She's near a tower. Not a good one either." She continued, still wearily.

"So you are saying I really do have to go rescue someone from a tower?" I asked; trying to pull out whatever it was she didn't want to tell me, without demanding it.

"Yes. In a way. But the tower isn't just a tower."

"Is this a riddle? When is a tower not a tower?" I groaned, before rolling my eyes and setting down the bowl on the table. "Look, Ettie, just tell me. It's more frustrating trying to guess."

"She's in the Sleeping Kingdom." Ettie sighed, and added almost immediately. "The tower of Bluebeard has her, Riri."

"Faerie Fudge! Faerie Flinging Fudge!" I cursed through gritted teeth. My eyes returned to look at Ettie's fidgeting body. "How did she get that far away? It couldn't have been more than a day."

Ettie hesitated for a moment, as Han came back out, with just huge tan pants on. His stomach boiled over the trousers and jiggled as he slipped around me with hardly any grace at all. "Are you sure about the time?"

"Of course I'm..." I began, realizing finally at that moment that I wasn't actually sure how long it had been. I only had a.s.sumed it was a day I was out. My eyes went wide. "What day is it?"

"Gnidori, it's been close to a week since the double attack on the pixie path in Charming's territory." Han explained, as I looked at him with my lips dropped open.

"I didn't want to tell you at least until you cleaned up and relaxed somewhat. Otherwise I knew you would be rus.h.i.+ng to get moving." Ettie seemed almost like she was apologizing, which really didn't help any, since I had suddenly gone from thankful to being frustrated.

"You're serious?" My mouth hung open like a fly-catcher while I looked between the twins.

This meant Charming's tip on Gabbi was pretty much useless now. I was getting frustrated with his... ugh... favor, for nothing.

But that wasn't the most important thing. What was truly reason for concern was how I could not remember an entire week transpiring.

"I lost somewhere close to a week of time. And you just decided to tell me now?" I finally voiced my annoyance as they both looked down and away from me like they were filled with guilt. And so they should be.

It was dead silence for maybe a couple of minutes before I heard a yawn from the kitchen by Reynard. My eyes then flitted back to see Han getting his big b.u.t.t up and attempting to leave the room.

"You better be going to get all the gear and supplies ready." I eyed Han pretty viciously before he sighed and grunted something that sounded affirmative and disappeared toward the wooden hallway he came from.

After that my eyes fell back to the dark-eyed woman across from me. She glanced away from me, just as Kit's voice broke the tension.

"Reynard wants to know if this would be a bad time to ask for more of those Lemon Scotches."

"No. Terrible time. And I don't have any. Maybe I'll get some for him later." I said through my gritted teeth, not turning my eyes from looking at Ettie, whom still wouldn't meet my eyes.

"He's hungry though." Kit continued.

I groaned and glanced up at the kitchen counter. "I said no. He should eat his soup."

"Um Gnidori?" Ettie b.u.t.ted in before I shot a venomous stare back at her.

"Yeah? What now?" I said harshly, which caused her to pause, but she still continued like a trooper.

"We... uh... came across something odd while trying to track Gabbi. We weren't looking for her, but you said she had Ashe, and well... we found Ashe in two different places. I found her at home in the Empty Kingdom. But Han found her out near the same tower as Goldie. We double checked to make sure, but same thing. I thought maybe..."

"Magic might be involved. Definitely. But maybe my two goals are in the same area." I finished for Ettie instead. Her features were gentle and apologetic, which hurt my heart enough for me to sigh with frustration and add, "Thanks Ettie. I'm sorry, I'm just... I don't know. An idiot. All of this..."

"No, you are right." She interrupted and agreed with me. "But I'm guessing you want to leave as soon as possible?"

"More like now. I'll have time to sleep on the boat ride to the Sleeping Kingdom." I nodded, standing up and sc.r.a.ping my bowl from the table.

"Good because we are coming with you." I heard Han say from behind me. I swirled around to see him fully dressed now with a dark tunic and adorned with various knick-knacks and items that I could only start guessing at their uses. He tossed my brand new long axe toward me, which I caught with my free hand easily.

"You're serious?" I asked, half-smirking. I heard Ettie step forward from behind me, and lay a single hand on my shoulder again, while Han smiled at me.

"Of course we are, Riri. Besides not only are you going to need back up for this kind of thing. But you know how invaluable our tracking abilities are." Ettie said, almost completely in my ear. I could hear the smile in her tone. And smell the pleasant tuft of lilies on her breath from her usual tea, or maybe it was just a perfume.

"Plus, you'll have eye candy on the trip now too." Han added. I rolled my eyes but laughed.

"Right, You?"

"Faeries be d.a.m.ned, no." He cursed so seriously it was shocking. Then added, "My sister, obviously."

I had to admit I was glad Ettie could not see my face in that moment. For it had flared with quite the heat. I turned toward the kitchen to retrieve the fox before Han could get too much of a good look either. But I could tell by his chuckle he had seen.

I took a moment of stas.h.i.+ng away the dish into the sink so it wouldn't run away with any spoons, and scooped up the fox with my free non-hatchet hand. All the while I heard low chatter, but didn't pry.

I poked my head back into the living room just in time to see Ettie smacking Han across the cheek and pa.s.sed right by him to disappear into the bedrooms with her face fuming red.

He spotted me and offered a grin as I asked, "What's that about?"

"Oh, sibling rivalry."

"What do you mean?"

"We each tracked Ashe to help you. My perfect nose to her locating spells. I took one sniff of that basket you always leave here that she made you and knew instantly where she was. She took the entire time you were in the shower to locate the girl and still thinks she might have been wrong. She was just p.i.s.sed about it. That I'm a better tracker than she is." He shrugged but was still grinning pretty wickedly.

"I still like her spells better than your s...o...b..ring tongue on my face." I mused, stuffing the little fox into my pocket, while the burly twin let out a hearty laugh.

"Yeah, I bet you like her spells." He slyly added, then scooped a couple of wrapped orbs from his pocket and tossed them to me. They were lemon scotches; clearly meant for the fox.

"Hey, the nose knows best. I was trying to a.s.sist you with that bath you desperately needed." His laugh didn't falter, as I dipped the candies into the same ma.s.sive pocket I put the fox, hearing a yip of glee.

I smiled back up at Han and shrugged as well. "The nose may know best. But a witch knows the rest."

"Oh my faerie lord! You managed an actual rhyme, Dori! Should we celebrate this momentous occasion?" I heard Kit say from the pocket.

"Don't make me hurt you, Kit." I mumbled and glared.

Both Kit and Han started chuckling together. I even heard the little fox m.u.f.fle a yip a few times, as I narrowed my eyes down at him. He was looking darn cute with his ears back and a lemon scotch in his mouth, despite it being still wrapped.

I murmured to Reynard, "You traitor."

Nine.

The Pirate King It was already daylight again by the time we had thrown everything together, including Ettie insisting to make me something actually edible. Regardless, it wasn't too difficult getting from the hillside cottage, to the outskirts of Hue's territory so we could find pa.s.sage to the current sleeping kingdom.

The Sleeping Kingdom was one of those things that always changed every century or so, pa.s.sing from one kingdom to the next. It was one powerful piece of magic that actually ran off the inner energy within a single person to make everyone around them fall asleep and put the person the magic was in, in a deathly sleep-like state. It hasn't been destroyed since the first time it had been used hundreds of years ago, on the legendary known as Briar Rose. I knew her as Rosa though, Charming's first wife before she kicked him out.

The current Kingdom to be under this spell contained what was known to pretty much everyone in the lands, as Bluebeard's Tower. As to whether or not it was actually the castle that the legendary Bluebeard used, I couldn't say.

Though the question could still be asked, as to why Gabbi, along with my previous charges, Ashe and Goldie, were all currently around or in Bluebeard's Tower. What was I missing? Did it have something to do with my week of absent time?

Anyway, there we stood, stranded at the harbor town near the docks. All sorts of boats bobbed up and down in the water, with the smell of fish and sea and wet wood all around us. People were loading and unloading things left and right, with grunts and laughs.

"Gnidori? What are we going to do? Steal a boat?" I heard Ettie ask incredulously, while I scanned around the harbor.

I shrugged, some of my replacement hatchets clinking under the scarlet poncho I wore. Wasn't the same as my hood, but it covered all the weapons I held. "Why not?"

"Ri-i-i-ight." Ettie continued playing along with the ruse, while rolling her eyes. "So which one do you like? Hue's navy boats? Couple private ones. Maybe a pirate s.h.i.+p or two? Personally I would love to go with something green."

My mouth opened to answer, but it was at that point that I caught someone in my sight. Her salt and paprika hair were a clear give away, that and her eye-patch or the purple eye that crackled with power.

I slipped away from Ettie and Han, both of them looking after me before following with only a brief word between them.

"Bonny?" I asked.

"Yes?" She turned around from directing one of the swashbucklers to load some crate up on a nearby s.h.i.+p. The salted redhead glanced over me a few times, like she was recognizing me in some way but couldn't figure it out.

"You own a boat here?" I continued, actually utilizing gentleness in my voice. She turned completely to me now and arched her only visible eyebrow.

"Depends who's asking, how much they are willing to pay, and where they want to go." She stated plainly before glancing away and yelling at one of the women to move a crate she had picked up and dropped somewhere nearby.

"As close as you can get to Bluebeard's tower. For free if possible. And its Gnidori, asking." I chose my order correctly because she nodded like she wasn't paying attention to the first one. Stifled a laugh on the second one, and then froze instantly and went wide-eyed with the last one.

Her electrically purple eye glared over me, then looked to my two companions. She said half-heartedly, just before turning back around. "You aren't Gnidori."

"Yes, I am." Wouldn't I know if I wasn't myself? Seriously. I'd been called Red my whole life pretty much, but never been told I wasn't Gnidori.

"One," She continued, not even looking at me and with her voice cracked in anger. "You don't have the hood and cloak. You have a cheap imitation poncho. Two, you're wasting my time. And Three, I just took Gnidori over, the last time we were in this dock."

Okay, those were very good reasons, especially the last one. Because I couldn't really explain any of them, except maybe number two.

"What do you mean you already took Gnidori over?" I asked with my eyebrows furrowing in frustration.