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

prepare everything for him and the others.”
With these words, he bowed deeply. “Your Majesty”. Turned around and left the Queen sitting on her Throne. She stared after him with deep anger in her eyes.
“Leave me” ordered the Queen her son.
Mandolph rose from the table and muttering under his breath how mistreated he was, he left the room.
After her son had left the room, and she was sure she was alone, she went to the large fireplace to warm her hands. Then she took a close look at the stones used for the walls. She counted three stones from the left, two down and one to the right, she presses her hand against it and it gave way, opening a secret entrance through which Aridne disappeared. The Fireplace sunk back in its place as if nothing had happened.
Every now and then his eyes would stray over to where Mianda was sleeping.
“If only I could believe this” he said. “Are you sure? How long have you been with her?”
“All her life” answered Boomer.
Firehoof looked at Boomer and there was a look of doubt on his face. “Rats do not live that long. What are you really?”
“I am a rat, but someone put a spell on me. I was to stay with her as long as possible but things just didn’t go right. The family that had taken her in, well, they lost their own daughter and couldn’t bear to see Mianda so they took her to an orphanage. She hadn’t been there long when this farmer came and adopted her.” Explained Boomer in is squeaky voice “But all they needed was a cheap farm help. And that is what she did since now.”
Firehoof was deeply moved. This little girl has never learned what it was like to be a normal child, to play, to run around wild and just be a little girl.
Firehoof then said something that made Boomer stare at him.
“You are going to have to trust me now.” Said the centaur “And don’t say or do anything. And do not follow her. Whatever you do, do not follow her. Do you understand me?”
Boomer just stared at him.
“Do you understand me?” asked him Firehoof again with emphasis.
“Yes”. Stammered the rat confused.
Firehoof nodded slightly. Closed his eyes for a few seconds then he hurried over to where Mianda
was sleeping.
“Mianda, child, quickly…….you must hide. We have to get you someplace safe so please wake up and come with me”.
Mianda woke up startled and still half asleep looked at the centaur and then looked for Boomer.
“What’s happening? Boomer, are you coming?” she asked bewildered
“No, Boomer cannot go with you. Come here.” Firehoof took her by the hand and led her outside. He led her to a large tree under which a deep hole could be seen. “I want you to go down there that is a secret tunnel leading to a cave in which you will be safe for a while. I want you to wait there for a while and then you are to find your way through it ok? And whatever you should find on your way, just take it with you, could be useful for you. Ok, we can’t go with you because we have to take care of things here, so, go now. And take care”.
Firehoof pushed her gently toward the hole. Mianda looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “Why can’t Boomer come with me? I’ve never been anywhere without him.”
“No, as I said, he and I must take care of things here, so go now. Quickly, I don’t how long it will take, but we’ll try and meet you at other end”
He watched her with an aching heart as she made her way down the hole into the tunnel then Firehoof returned to his home.
He grabbed hold of Boomer and said to him “Let’s go”.
And the two of them left the tree house without looking back.
It was dark and damp and Mianda was frightened. She tried to listen as to what was going on, if that monster had turned up again, but she heard nothing. All was silent. She hoped that nothing would happen to the two of them. Her eyes, beginning to get used to the dark, saw steps leading downwards. She waited and waited but it seemed as if no one was following her. She took the first step, a second and suddenly the steps were gone and she slid rapidly down the slippery tunnel.
She screamed with fright, not knowing where she would land. Then the slide came to an end and she landed heavily on her behind.
“Ouch” she moaned “That hurt”
She slowly got up rubbing her behind. Wincing as she touched it. No matter, nothing seemed to be broken. She was okay. Her eyes were getting more and more used to the dark and too her surprise,
she found herself in a huge underground cavern, with large stalactites hanging down from the ceiling and slowly dripping on stalagmites. Stones all sizes laying around, it looked as if a giant had been playing marbles with them. Mianda was going to have to find a way out so she can find her friends.
It was extremely quiet except for the dripping of water coming from all around. Mianda began searching a way between the boulders and loose rubble. She struggled on, climbing over boulders and stones, looking for a way out. After she had been down here for a while she did hear something.
“Hallo is anyone there?” she called quietly “Boomer? Firehoof? Where are you?”
No-one answered. The sound began to get louder. Slowly, she moved closer to where she thought she had heard it. Then, still quite some distance in front of her, she thought she could see something. It was huge and seemed to be breathing. “Mountains do not breathe” she muttered to herself. “If that is not a mountain, then what can it be?” She decided to take a closer look. The closer she came the louder the breathing. Then, she saw what it was, it wasn’t a mountain, it was an animal.
“Oh, what are you?” Stumbling back in surprise. She had never seen such an animal before, it had dark blue eyes and green scales; and huge wings were folded together on its back. The animal lay on its side breathing heavily. She could see that it was badly hurt, blood coming out of its nose and a deep, open wound just below its neck.
The dragon opened its eyes and was surprised to see an open mouthed little girl standing not far from him.
“Haven’t you ever seen a dragon before? You have no idea what you have missed out on.” Looking at her closer, “And not even worth the effort eating.” Mumbled the dragon. “Go away and leave me be”.
“A dragon? And you can speak?” asked Mianda
The dragon looked at her. “Did you not hear me just then? Silly child, certainly I can speak. What did you think I would do? Growl or bark at you?”
It lifted its head to take a closer look at Mianda.
“Well, you don’t look stupid, so stop pretending to be stupid”. He said. “Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh…….”
Its head fell down again. The dragon was very weak. Slowly Mianda moved closer to the dragon, frightened the dragon could change its mind and decide to eat her after all.
“Is there something I can do for you” asked Mianda timidly.
“No”. The dragon mumbled. “There is nothing you can do for me. I was wounded in a fight, oh, but you should see the other one” Laughing softly which ended in a coughing fit. Blood shot out of its mouth. The animal rang for air.
Mianda tore off some more of her dress, and wet it in a puddle of water. She carefully tried to clean the wound but it was much too deep. She could see splinters of bones, torn flesh and muscle. She bowed her head in sorrow because there was nothing she could do to help it.
The dragon closed its eyes for a moment, and then it looked at Mianda. “Oh, are you sad because of me?” It’s voice sounding gentle now.
Mianda just looked at him, her eyes filled with tears.
“No, don’t be. But it does good to know this. Yes it does…….now, let me sleep a while. So tired. ” The dragon’s voice petered out.
It closed its eyes and fell asleep. After a while, the dragon woke up and was surprised the Mianda would still be there.
“Still here?”
The dragon reached out with its claw, opened it and a small green egg lay in it.
“I have something for you. Take this egg. I have no idea what it is, I found it back there somewhere. Its nest was destroyed and this was the only one not broken. Please, take good care of it; it might become quite useful one of these days”
Carefully, Mianda took the warm egg and carefully placed it into the pouch she still had around her neck.
Then the dragon closed his eyes and fell asleep. Its breathing became shallow and soon it stopped altogether. He was dead. Mianda began to cry.
Mianda bowed her head, feeling sad at seeing such a marvelous creature die.
She went up to the dragon and kissed him gently on its cheek. Her tears running down her face falling on the dragons face. The tears on the dragons face turned to ice, glistening like crystals.
“Good bye dear dragon”. She said “Don’t worry; I will take good care of this one here”.
With that she slowly got up and made her way away from the dead dragon. She stopped and turned around to take one last look. The air was still and everything was silent again. Hardly a sound could be heard.
She must have been walking for hours but still no way out. The cavern was getting smaller and soon it was so small she had to crawl through it. Then, the tunnel ended in another underground cavern, a lot smaller but at least she was able to stand up now. Her knees were quite sore and bleeding and somewhere up ahead she could see a faint light.
“Oh” she thought filled with joy “That must be the way out” She made her way through the cavern. But instead of a way out, she found a large body of dark water, the middle of which glowing, pulsing rhythmically. She looked around to see if there was a way to get there without getting wet.
She sat down on a rock to think about if she should risk going into the water and a few minutes later she stood up again, looked in to see how deep it was and if anything was swimming in it. Maybe snakes, she hated snakes. But she saw nothing.
Carefully she took the pouch with the egg from around her neck and put it gently onto the ground.
“You wait here. I won’t be long...” she spoke to it. “I hope”
She took off her shoes and put a foot into the water, waiting for it to be ice cold but to her surprise, it was quite warm. She let her foot right in and found it was not too deep. The she climbed in and waded over to the pulsating light. The closer she got, the warmer it got. Mianda looked down into the water and was astonished to see two Swords. She reached in and picked up one of them. It was a beautiful sword with intricate markings on it and its grip was studded with diamonds and pearls. Then she reached in and picked up the second sword and it too had the same intricate markings on it, but it did not have