Mianda and the Tools of Oblivian by Brigitte Stotzka (books under 200 pages .TXT) 📕

farmer had always said her eyes would make him nervous, as green as they were. Mianda tried to see her image in a bucket of water but that didn’t work to well. Now, she had the chance to look into a mirror.
Then, instead of seeing herself; she saw someone completely different. And the room was not the one she was standing in. There was a small boy standing there and staring at her. A boy dressed in smart grey clothes. Even though she had never seen him before, she knew him. Mianda didn’t hear how Firehoofs had come back and after having put the wood into the basket beside the fireplace and how he looked around the corner of the room to see what she was up to.
He too saw the boy in the mirror and that the children were staring at each other. Slowly and without making a sound, he walked backwards, took a piece of wood out of the basket and then, a bit louder than usual, threw it back in.
“Ok you two, I hope you’re hungry because I certainly am” he spoke out somewhat loud.
Mianda, startled by the noise, turned to check if Firehoofs had seen anything.
She turned back toward the mirror but she only saw her own image. She stepped closer but all she saw was the room she was in.
Her head was spinning. Who could that have been? Then, shrugging her shoulders, she put it down to the fact that she was hungry and tired. It had been a long day and she really needed some food and rest. Firehoof was standing slightly bent over, stirring the soup in the pot.
“Is anyone hungry?” he asked looking at Mianda.
He noticed that her face was even paler than before. “Are you alright? Did anything happen while I was outside?” He asked, watching her closely
Quickly she banished everything out of her mind.
“I’m fine. But I’m starving” Mianda answered. She hadn’t eaten much since leaving the farm, just a few wild strawberries.
“Ok” watching her closely “But first, young lady, you could use a bath. I have heated up some water and in there is a bathtub.”
Firehoof picked up a bucket of water, disappeared into another room. Then he called her in, gave her a piece of soap and told her to climb into the tub and wash herself. To his surprise, she was about to climb in with her clothes on.
“No, no, not with your clothes on.” He muttered. “You have to take them off before you step into the water. Wait a minute, I’ll be right back”
Quickly, he left the room, only to be back soon with some fresh clothes under his arm. “Here, after you have washed yourself, put these on. They belonged to my niece. The ones you have on, throw them out the window ok?”
Mianda looked at him with big green eyes. She nodded and began to undress. Firehoof turned on his heels and left the room. On his way out he said “Don’t forget your hair and when you are finished, then you can have some soup and get some sleep.”
Half an hour later, the door opened and a clean Mianda came out. She had on the clothing he had left there for her. Firehoof nodded, satisfied with what he saw.
“Here is a bowl of soup. Eat this and there is more where this came”
“Thank you” said Mianda politely.
Firehoof looked at her and remarked somewhat surprised “Well, you do seem to have some manners”
“Rat” he called “And what shall I give you? Cheese? Or what do rats eat?”
“Oh, soup would be great. Thanks” answered Boomer somewhat annoyed.”Why does everyone think rats only eat cheese? I love a good soup like anybody else here in this room”
Firehoof grabbed a small plate, put some soup on it and put it on the floor for Boomer.
“You can put it on the table too” growled Boomer “I’m quite civilized you know”
He climbed up onto the table and waited till Firehoof set the plate in front of him.
“Thank you” said Boomer
“Welcome” answered the centaur.
Boomer started eating. He quickly licked away the soup and found it delicious. Firehoof pressed his lips together so as not to say anything. “Civilized he calls that?” Then, will his stomach full, Boomer jumped off the table, ran over to where Mianda sat still eating, crawled under one of the pillows, and fell asleep.
Mianda smiled. She quickly finished eating, gave her plate to Firehoof and began yawning.
“Just a minute” Firehoof took a hair brush out of a small wooden chest and beckoned Mianda to sit down. He then brushed her hair till it shone like gold.
“You can take a nap here in front of the fireplace. It’s nice and warm.” He grabbed a pillow and a blanket from a cupboard, and gave them to Mianda. “I’ll be in there” pointing to his room “Sleep well”
“Thank you”
He waited until she had fallen asleep, then he went over to where Boomer was sleeping, lifted the pillow, grabbed him by the tail and carried him outside, quietly so as not to disturb Mianda.
He then dropped him onto the ground and asked “Now. Who is she and why is that thing after her?”
Boomer struggled to get back on his feet, looked up at the giant centaur standing over him. “It’s a long story”
“Well, go ahead, I’m not going anywhere and neither are you” answered Firehoof
Boomer stared up at him with his beady little eyes and began telling the story.
Chapter 3.
The room was dark as the servant entered the room. Jent pulled the heavy curtains aside letting in the morning sun, throwing its rays on the sleeping child. The suns warmth woke him up and he
looked around slightly disturbed. He turned his head from the light, closed his eyes and fell asleep again.
“Prince Mandolph. Good morning”.
Prince Mandolph stirred.
“Wake up Prince Mandolph. The new day has started”.
Mandolph slowly opened his eyes. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he looked up at the servant, he moaned.
“I don’t want get up yet. Just go away”.
“Sorry my Prince, but you have a long day today. Your Mother is waiting for you”. The servant explained.
Mandolph groaned. Nobody, not even he was able to say no to Queen Aridne. She had a vile temper and did not like to wait for anything and anyone.
Reluctantly he threw off the blankets, climbed out of bed to step on a small wooden dragon, carelessly thrown onto the floor. It was a typical boy’s room. Blue walls and dark blue drapes. A large wooden desk stood beneath the window and on it several books he had taken out of the castle library.
Once dressed, he ordered in an arrogant way. “Tidy this room before you do anything else today.”
Jent bowed humbly and simply said “Yes Your Highness”.
Mandolph looked into the mirror to see if everything was to his taste. But what he saw made him step back surprised, because he didn’t see himself but a small girl. A girl, his age, with long tangled blond hair, she was wearing a worn out dress and shoes on her feet at least 2 numbers too large. He stared at her. And she stared at him. He couldn’t explain it but somehow she seemed familiar. The girl turned around because of a noise somewhere behind her, then the image was gone and all he could see now was himself.
Mandolph cried out loud with a look of fear on his face.
Jent, having heard the cry, came running to see what had happened.
“Your Highness, what happened? Are you alright?” asked the startled servant.
The moment had passed. Ashamed at having cried out he did not answer. He scowled at Jent, turned around and left him standing there. He made his way down the long corridor filled with Paintings and suits of polished Armor. The deep red carpet swallowed the sound of his footsteps. He walked down a flight of stairs, turned left and finally came to the dining room. He knocked politely and went inside. He found his mother sitting at a long wooden waiting for him to turn up. She scowled as she saw him.
“Good morning Mother” said Mandolph politely “I hope you are feeling well this morning?”
Aridne looked up and saw the boy. But she did not answer at once. She still did not like children. She looked at him for a moment and then she said “Come, sit down and eat your breakfast. Gregorian will be here soon.”
Mandolph did not really like this Magician. He was afraid of him.
“Why is he coming here? You know I don’t like him” said Mandolph upset“He makes me nervous”
Aridne just shook her head and said nothing to the matter. But, after seeing how pale her son was, she decided to play her role as a mother, even if it disgusted her.
“You look pale, did you not sleep well?”
Mandolph was surprised that his mother should even take notice him. He played it down and said that he had a slight headache
“I’m okay. It’s just that…..no, everything is okay”
“Tell me, why do you have headaches, a boy of your age” The voice from the other end of the room. It was Gregorian; he had come into the room unnoticed.
“It is nothing of concern to you” said Mandolph annoyed “So, please leave me alone”
Gregorian, dressed in a white robe, decorated tastefully with silver patterns, came over to Mandolph and said in a soothing voice “I know how headaches can be of a nuisance. If you need anything, just let me know”
Mandolph looked at his mother but she showed no interest.
“Thank you” answered the boy a little overwhelmed.
The Wizard looked at Mandolph with his steely blue eyes.
“Do tell me what’s bothering you?” Asked Gregorian
“I have nothing to tell you so just leave me alone” cried the boy. Upon that, he went back to the table, sat down to eat his breakfast.
Shrugging his shoulders, Gregorian walked to the Queen, knelt and took her hand and kissed her ring.
“Your son is old enough now. He must undergo the ritual to see if he is worthy of Askabet. There he will learn to channel his strength and talents.” Explained Gregorian. “Everyone must undergo this ritual, but I don’t think that that would be too difficult for him” he continued with a grin on his face.
“Good. I will hold you responsible if anything goes wrong. He must build his character to become the king this Kingdom needs. He should be respected by everyone.” She said .
Aridne’s thoughts were somewhere else. She saw herself as Queen of a much greater Land than now. She saw her sitting next to a strong dark man, the King and her as his First Lady and High Priestess. There were no more small Kingdoms, just one large one and she and her husband ruled with firm hand. There was no room for children in her life. Whatever happened to Mandolph, she didn’t care.
But she kept her thoughts to herself. She did not really trust Gregorian. He was a silent man and it was difficult for her to read him and she could not define who he really was.
“Your Royal Highness” interrupted Gregorian her thoughts “I must take leave of you for a while. Important matters are calling”
“What is more important than my son” asked the Queen angrily “His future is what is important here and nothing else. How dare you leave just now?”
“Your Highness” answered the wizard quietly, with the usual smile on his lips. “It has to do with the future of your son and the Kingdom of Vanshee. I must