"Five this evening," Artemis repeated, feeling numb and shaky as she walked. It took her extra long to get home, only because she had to pause at the town square to keep her head on straight. Was this really happening? Was this... adventure just proposed? And was she really ready for something like this? She bit into her lip. She was hardly an adventurer, her most scandalous thing was climbing up too high on the book shelf ladder and using it to roll herself along the shelves (and even then she was extra cautious).
Yes... an adventure to Essyrn- a world she had never been to but had always had dreamed of visiting (though naturally, assumed she could only visit in dreams!)
By the time she got home, she had fought herself tooth and nail about accepting this proposition - and had even thought about just never showing up, but she had a feeling Mister Caye would find a way to find her home and...
No, no! She just couldn't have that! Besides-w hat was she afraid of?Was something like this not her dreams? She was nearly in tears before she made it inside her home, and wiping them away, she took in a deep breath and steeled herself- and soon found herself in the middle of a catastrophe!
Telling her family seemed a big mistake. Her three sisters were all over her about it, gaggling like geese and her parents, ever supportive, (even in their sickly state.) Even her older brother, who, along side with herself, maintained her house hold while her parents had taken ill-
and not a single one of them would take no for an answer.
Artemis was all smilesa nd blushes but she shook her head.
"Oh, but I must meet Mister Caye and his team within the hour! And I haven't a dress!"
"Oh, dearie, just borrow one of mine!" And after slipping into a layered, black ruffled dress, Artemis sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror.
"You know thi sis a once in a life time opportunity," her brother told her as she leaned intot he door frame.
Artemis sighed.
"I know."
"And you're.. goign to wear that?"
Artemis gasped and turned around.
"Arrick Longfellow!" she scolded.
"What? You look like mom."
"It's mom's dress!" she pressed, eyes narrowing angrily.
"Yes, and you look just like her in it."
Artemis threw her arms up at him "Oh, really, you offer no help! I was hoping to look elegant and studious, not old andoutdated."
Arrick chuckled.
"And if mom heard you say that.."
"Oh, but you won't tell her?"
"I already heard."
Artemis gasped as she turned to observe her mother.
"Shouldn't you be in bed!?" she exclaimed.
Her mother smiled and embraced her daughter.
"Not when my daughter is about to go on the adventure of a life time."A nd she helped adjust the dress and helped her finish tying off the back. "Oh.. sweety, you look beautiful." And she kissed her daughters cheek.
After saying all of her goodbyes (though reminding them she would return home t pack, naturally!) she was out the door and gaspig when she recalled the desired book. Stumbling back inside, she was nearly tearing apart her room for it but when he found it, she tucked it beneath her arm and was ou tthe door before any of her 3 younger sisters could stop her.
They all watched her leaving from the door frame and waved their goodbyes, while her brother nad mother lingered behind them- smiling and waving her off as well.
And so it began, or so it would seem- as Artemis Longfellow made her way to the Ballantine INn,a nd when she paused in front of it, she found herself gaping at how exquisite it was.
"By Ansgar's name.. is this place ever fancy."
Swallowing down a knot in her throat, she placed one boot in front of the other as she climbed the stairs and disappeared inside.
