Chapter Nine: What Happened
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Leveret slowly drifted back into consciousness, the soft, warm sensation of touch blooming across his face.
He was also suddenly aware of the throbbing headache that had begun to take its toll on him.
Hushed whispers and footsteps swirled around him in a soft domestic hum.
“Common, deary. Let’s wake up now. I got my desert and an allowance of five larkins bet on ya not being dead today.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBgM5QXyDl
Leveret’s eyes fluttered open, his vision slowly adjusting to the sunlight streaming into the room.
He sat up, blinking profusely.
“Hi there, dear!”
Marty grinned, removing a hand from Leveret’s forehead.
“We thought the fae mighta gotten to ya there for a few moments.”
Leveret sat dumbly for a moment, glancing around the dimly lit room.
“Where am I…? Who is “we”?!”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubXbu413Rg
“Just a barn, dear and we is-”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66golHeSMs
“ME!”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIFYA5BlDt
A young girl announced, throwing open the door and hopping into the room, followed by a taller boy with a rather rustic build.
“Us.”
The boy corrected, patting the top of the girl’s head.
Marty sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Y’all he’s got a headache.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMqsinzTjS
The girl chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.
“Oh… uh… my bad, y’all.”
Marty cleared his throat, making a grand sweeping gesture.
“These two rather loud dears are Will and Bella, Lev. My older brother and little sister.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDuoGnG0rm
“That’s ME-”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczruqDqk1m
Bella piped up, suddenly shushed by Will placing his hand over her mouth.
“You shouldn’t have been over there. Well, if you were over there you should’ve at least looked where you were walking, dear.”
Marty said, turning back to Leveret.
Leveret pulled his knees up to his chest, his shoes scraping against the hay he was sitting on.
“Why? What happened?”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyqg9m5Xd9
He peeped, tapping his foot on the ground.
“You knocked a stone out of a fairy circle, dear. The fae don’t like that y’know.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VlDrBDlIx
Marty murmured, dipping a rag into the bucket of water next to him and scrubbing the dust off of his hands.
“I have gathered.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3iZMsOt2i
Leveret groaned, rubbing his temples.
Marty chuckled, wiping his hands down his trousers.
Leveret looked down at his own hands in his lap, which, to his surprise, were wrapped in bandages.
He glanced back up at the young man in front of him who was now humming to himself as he doodled something in the dirt with a twig.
“Did you do this?”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFwTFKPdmF
Leveret inquired, cocking his head slightly as he held up a hand.
Marty shrugged, not looking up from his drawing.
“Kinda.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaxOefhqm3
Leveret’s eyebrows arched.
“What in Phallowskleft does that mean?”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTQrH4Bozo
“Well, my mother did most of it and then I did the rest.”
Leveret nodded slowly, looking down at his hands again.
“Thank you, Martellus.”
He mumbled in an almost child-like tone.
Marty titled his head at his drawing for a moment, a hand on his knee before clearing his throat and nodding to himself.
“Marty. Call me Marty, dear.”
Leveret looked up at him, his eyes wide.
“But formal-”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKnmu37rBK
Marty cut him off with a vague gesture.
“Yes, yes! But, you’re no longer in the castle so you needn’t worry about formality, Princy. Besides… Martellus just…”
He drummed his fingers for a moment, searching for the right words.
“Doesn’t quite fit my personality.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsvNIZWUgA
Leveret tilted his head, his brow furrowing.
“But your parents thought it did.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡks2Zu3YV96
Marty laughed.
“They hadn’t even met me, dear!”
Leveret nodded slowly in understanding.
“I suppose so.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnenadZwvmN
Marty smiled and patted Leveret’s hand.
“You’ll figure it out I’m sure. Don’t worry I’ll take good care of you, dear.”
Leveret scowled.
“I am perfectly capable of tending to my needs myself.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSduflJRF5q
Marty raised an eyebrow as he continued doodling in the dust.
“Mmm… so you let the fae make you ill?”
He smirked.
“No!”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8t61heaeV
Leveret snapped.
“Well, not exactly-”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXaZNhZKxu
“Then why were you there?”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrz3TWeJIEZ
Bella chirped, plopping herself into Marty’s lap.
“MPH- Bella, dear-”
“Shush, Marty, y’all’s friend is tellin’ a story. Don’ be impolite.”
“....Alright, dear. If you insist.”
Marty muttered.
Will clapped his brother on the shoulder.
“Tough bein’ a pushover, ain’t it?”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKsMnKViHK
He chortled.
“...It will greatly distress me if you continue this train of events, Will.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPRmEcBFjM
Marty grumbled.
“I’z aware. That’s why I’ma doin’ it.”
“Sooo… why were you in the fae fields, Mist-eh Prince Sir?”
“I- Well, I need to stop my sister’s wedding.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Sj2dYe8CL
Will poked his head into the room, his eyes glinting.
“Why’s that?”
“It’s a political marriage.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2jpDhnf4t
Leveret explained.
“So she does not get to choose whom she marries and she does not love her fiance.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50HQjn8Epa
“It’s rather depressing.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJizKTfDPcd
Marty chimed in.
“I went to the fields in an attempt to find Mogshade to see if he could stop that wretched union.”
Leveret continued, brushing a strand of hair out of his face.
Will snorted and Marty threw a stick at him.
“Well, at least ya tried, Mist-eh Prince Sir.”
Bella replied, ignoring her siblings.
“...Why is Will laughing?”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsg4BiiNAFW
“He’s just annoying-”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWin8596oKP
Marty started to say.
“Ya can’t jus’ show up in the Mystic Forest lookin’ for Mogshade like that, lil guy! Especially without proper knowledge ‘bout the fae!”
Marty sighed.
“Alright, I must admit he does have a point there, dear.”
Leveret crossed his arms over his chest.
“I shall find a way to stop that wedding.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG85Zh4Vzq
“I’m sure you will, dear. But right now, you need to rest.”14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOLggC2yJk
Marty replied, gently pushing him back onto the hay.
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and then Add to home screen.