I wake up from the sweet aroma of custard pie, the Dutchman's Widow aka Abagail, has a charming talent for baking sweets in the morning. As I get up from my full night's rest I stretch and yawn to get all the kinks out. I take my folded map and magic quill out from under my pillow, and write 'sweets' where the inn is marked. A small image of a pie appears on the map. I suppose I believe it helps to keep track of locations of food for journeys. I put the map and quill in my pocket for safe-keeping. Map questing is often sporadic magic, if you don't keep track of things, you often lose your destination. Outside the window of my inn room, I see the huntsman, busy chopping wood for the oven and fireplace. I take out my map again, to look over it and see places I might want to visit before I go to the north. I reach for my quill, but there's nothing in my pocket! I'm confounded by it's sudden disappearance.
It was here a moment ago, I know it was! I think, looking all over the room.
I check my jacket again, and come to find out a hole in the bottom of my pocket! Where did that hole come from?! I get on my knees, and look under the bed since it's the only place something could hide. I come to the startling discovery of an elf scurrying towards a little door with my quill in his arms!
"Hey! You there! Give me back my quill!" I yell at the elf. The elf turns around and jumps a little.
"You can see me?!" the elf asks in bewilderment.
I crawl under the bed and slam my hand against the little door, blocking his exit. WOAH! That was close! He could have gotten away!
"You almost hit me with your giant hands!" the elf yells.
"Well you stole my quill! Give it back please!" I say angrily, trying to get closer to grab him, but he's fast and scurries from corner to corner.
"Look you giraffe, I found this gold feather so it's mine!"
"Giraffe?! Why you thieving little liar!" I say to the elf, and grab a hold of his tiny shoulder. He panics with a small screech and blows gold dust in my face.
"Ah!" I scream, sputtering and rubbing at my eyes.

I crawl out from under the bed and stand up, wobbling all over the place. When I open my eyes after rubbing the dust off them, everything is black. Hmm, I appear to have gone blind...great. Stupid elf magic. I forget sometimes that I have an allergic reaction to it. I have just the cure for this though, rose petals and pig sweat should do the trick! I feel around the room for my satchel, luckily not stolen too, and take out a small vile. I uncork it and smell it to make sure it's the crushed rose petals. Thankfully it is. Feeling around for the window, I open it and call out for the huntsman still chopping wood.

"Mr. huntsman! Help!" I call out.
"Yes m'lady! What troubles you?!"
"Excuse me, could you tell me where I could find a pig, please?"
"A pig? What for?"
"Yes a pig! Please bring one to my room! Hurry! It's an emergency!" I yell, feeling more and more aggravated.
"And also some matches, wood, and a cauldron of well water!"
"Yes m'lady!" He answers. Thank heavens this inn has good service.

A few minutes later, the huntsman comes to my room with the ingredients. He hands me the pig and I squeeze it's porous, elongated snout until it squeals making sweat drip from it's nostrils. Following my directions he collects the pig sweat in the cauldron of water and I add the crushed rose petals. I tell him to direct me to the fire place, and I light a fire with the matches and wood, setting the cauldron on top.

"What will this do?" He asks.
"Cure me of elf magic blindness," I say.
"Oh! So you met the elf. He's is avid collector of magical objects. He stole my bow once, what did he steal from you?"
"My quill and my sight," I sigh, finding this conversation arbitrary.

Finally the cauldron begins to boil, making the stench of roses strong. I take the cauldron from the flame and place it on the ground in front of me. Bending over, I inhale the aroma and chant three times, Once was taken twice return. Like a beacon of joy, I see a fuzzy red glow of the flames in the fireplace come into focus.

"Yay!" I exclaim, standing up and hugging the huntsman,"Thank you!"
The huntsman babbles some inaudible sounds and nods his head.

"Yay!" I hear a small voice echo behind me, and turn around to see a small, young girl hugging the pig.
"This is my daughter Sofie," the huntsman says. "She's the one who caught the pig for you."
"Welp, learn something new everyday," I say and we all laugh.
"Hello Sofie, I'm N I G H T," I say. "Thank you very much."
She shyly hides behind the huntsman and smiles at me.
"Want me to help you find some custard pie as a reward for the pig?"
Sofie nods her head and runs up to me taking my hand. We all go to the kitchen together to rest and have some of Abagail's complimentary custard pie!

I guess adventure will be put on hold, for now...



TO BE CONTINUED...