Running an Errand

[Madeline Cauthon]

After leaving the inn with her sandwiches and change of clothes, Madeline made the long journey to the Society. After a days worth of riding, Madeline saw the walls of the place she had called home so many years ago. Once she was inside the walls, she dismounted Swifty, and let him rest. She made her way to the battle arena first to check on what she had hidden there.

When she walked inside everything seemed like it was the last time. She made her way to the wall where she had hid the trinket. Pulling out the hollowed brick, she was happy to see that t was just the way she left it. Smiling now, she placed the hollowed brick just the way she found it. Satisfied she walked back outside. Looking up to the sky, she realized it was sunset. Her and Swifty had had a long ride, and she was beat. Gawain and Schala's old house wasn't far from the arena. So Madeline decided she would stay there for the night.

Madeline followed the road to her old home. She started to use her key, but the door was already unlocked. She pulled her Dagger out from behind her back. Gripping it tightly, she walked inside. She walked through every room. Everything looked like it should, old dusty furniture,the chess set that Gawain and Gareth were playing was still on table. Dad's ale mug beside his favorite chair. Madeline laughed, after all these years Schala never learned how to clean before she left, and judging from the amount of dust on the furniture, she left many many moons ago. Satisfied, Maddie walked back out and whistled for her horse. Swifty came from behind the back, and nestled her neck. Giggling, Maddie retrieved her saddle bag, and pulled a few apples out for Swifty. Once he was fed, she made her way back inside.

Madeline made her way to her parents room, and sat on the bed. She noticed her diary was on Schala's night stand. Shaking her head she picked it up to see what the last thing Schala read. It was an entry she wrote a few days before Schala sent her away. The entry read:

Dear Diary,

I can't believe my foster mom. I finally get the nerve to tell her the dreams I've been having about Daddy and Uncle Gareth, and she has the nerve to tell me I'm an evil girl. She sends me to my room. I wish Daddy was here. He's gone on a buisness trip again. I heard her talking to one of her friends about what she should do with a demon child. Her friend told her that the only thing that would help me was God. The friend also mentioned something about a special school for troubled girls called Glastonbury. What's a Glastonbury? Anyway if I get a chance. I'm running away and telling Daddy she's trying to get rid of me. He'll stop her.

Till tomorrow,

Maddie

Madeline closed the diary and fell back onto Gawain's pillow. No wonder she was in such a hurry to leave, she knew I was going to tell Dad. Nosy bitch. Oh if I had to do it all over again I would have left that day instead of writing in this stupid diary. Madeline curled up on her father's side of the bed. Funny after all these years it still had his scent. Madeline drifted off to sleep holding the diary in her hands, and her head nestled in her father's pillow. What Madeline didn't know was Schala in her paranoid state had put a hex on Gawain's side of the bed. She was determined Gawian would never leave this house again, even if it meant turning him into a little boy.

Madeline woke up to the sound of a rooster crowing in the distance. Hopping off the big bed, Maddie looked out the window, it was a gorgeous sunny day outside. "Mom!! What's for breakfast? Daddy are you back yet?" no answer.

Madeline walked around the house still holding her diary, and for some reason in grown up clothes. She went to her room and went to her dresser. She pulled out a navy blue tank top, and some jeans. She went to the kitchen and still saw nobody. She went to fix her a bowl of cereal, but the milk was all lumpy. "Eww gross, Schala is getting real lazy about the shopping."

Realizing she was alone in the house and what she had heard Schala and her snooty friend talking about the day before, Madeline ran to her room, grabbed her book bag. She quickly stuffed a few clothes and her diary in her bag, and ran out the back door. Seeing a pretty black and white horse standing in her back yard, she walked up to it slowly. "Hello friend, can I pet you?" Madeline slowly placed her hand on the horses mane and petted it. The horse nudged her neck making her giggle. "Now that we're friends, I don't suppose you can give me a ride out of here do ya." The horse seeming to understand the little girl, gave a nod, and bent down to let her climb on his back. "Take me anywhere you want Horsey. Take me to your home if you want to."

With a very young Madeline safely on his back, Swifty galloped out of the Societies gates and towards the inn.