Roses and Daggers

Book 1

Secrets Meant To Be Kept

Chapter 1

Mysterious Return

Plucki wouldn't say he'd never been so alarmed when Gummadoon re-emerged for a second time in a hundred years. It had been a little over a year ago that he'd met the young Sir Cubbi. It was the fact that the Council couldn't explain why it happened. Shrouded in secrets. He felt left out of the loop for once. Not very encouraging, but there was not much he could do about that particular fact right now so they returned to the normal routine. Surely the Knights would be informed if there's a problem.

Then there was the question about Sir Devoni, who'd been one of the few of his knights who started training just after the Ancients fled. There were precious few squires after the final effort – it took out a huge number of Gummies just to ensure their race's safe leaving – and even then, nobody really knew where the cub had come from. He was found near the city gate. Ah, yes, Plucki remembered that well. The poor child had been frightened awfully but there were no visible injuries, thank Gum. How he would up in the middle of a battle alone no one knew. They couldn't get much out of him save for his name.

This morning, he'd turned pale and rushed out of the courtyard when they'd met to hash out ideas as to why they'd returned now. Nobody really noticed, but the Knight Captain did. Something was troubling the boy, he was sure of that. He'd loved to have gone check on him himself but seeing as his day got a whole lot busier he'd sent Gumlittle.

Entering his office, the day's duties officially began.

Gumlittle headed down the halls to the knights' quarters. Better go check on Devoni now than later. He knew he'd forget otherwise, and he'd always felt sorry for the younger gummi. Black haired, navy furred Devoni was always a bit…queer. The boy didn't give many details as to what happened to him before he came to Gumaddoon and would upset if you asked him. Kept to himself. Wouldn't admit that something was wrong for the life of him. Most started avoiding him after a while.

Gumlittle knocked the door thrice and waited a moment.

The young knight appeared, looking rather nervous and out of sorts, but said, "Sir Gumlittle? Is something the matter?" in his soft, quivery tones, accompanied by a longing glance over his shoulder at the comfort his room provides him.

"I should be asking the same of you," Gumlittle intoned. This behaviour was on par with what would be normal…if there is a normal with this Gummi.

"N-no," Devoni shuttered out, "Not at all. Just a bit under the weather I suppose."

"Are you sure?" Gumlittle wasn't convinced.

"Absolutely," Devoni smiled, although it seemed a bit forced, "I'll be out in a moment."

Miles away in Ursalia, a new day was starting as well.

Ursa, leader of the Barbics, woke with an odd sensation that something big was about to happen. No. Something was going to go really, really bad. She didn't know what, but she was a warrior, and if there's one thing she learnt from losing Barbic Woods, it's not to ignore her instincts. They did before, and look at where that leads them to.

She got up and swiftly dressed herself. It's been about a week since the fall of the Glen, and today was the day that the Glens were supposed to be returning from salvaging what they could from the ruins of their former home. Ursa'd given them the chance of stay with the Barbic in Ursalia without a second thought. She might have refused had the circumstance been even slightly different but she knew. She couldn't deny that she knew what they felt. Gruffi especially. The pain of being unable to protect, to fail to be ready to defend against any threat is something only another leader could understand. Not that she told the gruff bear that. As far as Gruffi knew, Ursa was only doing this because she absolutely could not sleep with a clear conscious if she left them out in the open though.

Buddi probably knew the real reason though. She never could hide much from the boy.

Ursa wondered if her son, or any other Barbic, felt the same hallow sensation she got the night before the Woods fell too today. She hoped not. She'd do anything in hopes that she isn't right for once…