More of my story...

It is finally here!!! Parts 2, 3, and 4 of Chapter 1!!!! I decided to give you the treat of three parts...I still don't have any pictures drawn of Adrian. I have one of Starr, but I don't have it on my computer yet. I'll try to add it to this post soon.

***

“So, you say you are Adrian’s son. Boy, this is confusing. So what are you here for?” Starr asked as they ate their meal. She tried to take it down in little bites, to spite it tasting so good. Adrian had been right when he said she hadn't had a good meal in a long time.
“I am trying to prove myself the rightful heir to my father’s lords and dukes. I am to do this by placing the Emerald Star on some pillar in the center of our garden. The crystal will grant me tremendous power when in my hands.”
“That seems really simple.” Starr denounced.
“No, it isn’t! I have to find five shards of legends to join together and make the stone with. And they’re hidden on this island. Each one, when I have it in my possession, grants me power. But even after finding one, I couldn’t prove that I was the heir. I have to find ALL of them. It’s incredibly difficult, considering that every time I use my Dream Shard, Orion goes nuts, and I can’t calm him.” Adrian explained.
“I could.” Starr remarked. Adrian’s face lit up.
“Then maybe you could help me!” He suggested.
“No thanks, I have enough adventure as it is.”
“Fine. I’m going to get myself a room. I will see you tomorrow.”
“Fine, but you know they won’t accept you....” Starr called after him.

***

“Give this man a prize; he just succeeded in getting himself thrown out of the only inn in town!” Starr mocked, as Adrian wiped mud off of himself as best he could.
“Oh, just stop it. I haven‘t slept in three days, you know!”
“Sorry........” Starr trailed off. “Maybe I could help you a bit?”
“You might help me get that room in return for your supper.”
“But you said you would pa-”
“I know, I know. Now listen, all you have to do is go over there and write my name down.” he explained.
“In case it hasn’t occurred to you, Adrian is a man’s name. They wouldn’t believe me.”
“Oh, tell them I’ll be late.”
“I can’t write.”
“You can’t write!! You must be able to write your name!! How old are you?”
“Fifteen, and I can write your name if you just show me what it looks like.”
“Good. Get a room in the back, alright?”
“Sure, but-”
“But WHAT??” Adrian was losing patience with her.
“You’ll need a rope, if you’re going to do what you said.”
“Why?”
“Because the back rooms are only on the second story.”
“Oh, worry about it when it gets here.”
So, after many attempts, Starr finally wrote Adrian’s name to his satisfaction, and signed it. She made sure to get a room in the back.

***

Adrian’s green eyes scanned the black windows, watching for a light. He had told her to put three candles in the window, to show which room she was in. Then he could get in, and she could leave. He thought it a wonderful plan, and as he looked up at the starry sky, he sighed in satisfaction. Then he turned to the dreary backside of the inn. He had put his horse in the stable, and hoped Orion would still be their in the morning, as he had the habit of running off. Suddenly, a light shone in one of the windows. Even without the three candles, he immediately knew it was her, as the light cast shadows across her bony face and clear blue eyes.
But she’s got some attitude...... He thought, as he flashed a small spark of his power to let her know he had seen her. She pulled the window up.
“Alright, now how are you gonna get up here?” She called down. Adrian stopped. He thought for a moment. Why does she have to be smarter than me?
“Tie a blanket around the bedpost. I’ll climb up. But make sure it is secure.” He instructed. A moment later, he found himself climbing up and over the window sill.
“What took you so long?” Adrian scrutinized.
“Couldn’t get the match to light.” Starr answered.
“Well, I expect not to see you again.”
“You’re welcome.” Starr replied sarcastically, as she headed for the window. He watched her feet as they passed across the hard wood floor. They were bare and dirty, but they were weathered, as if the skin had turned into a kind of leather for her. Her arms were cut and bruised though, and he couldn’t help noticing the little dress she wore was worn and thin, providing almost no warmth.
“Why don’t you take a bit of food with you? I have some in my bag.” he suggested, his heart softening a little and his ego settling. “Here.” he said as he gave her a few apples and a slice of bread. Starr looked surprised.
“Thank you. Adrian, right?” she asked. “I want to remember you.” she explained.
“Yes, Adrian. I might keep you in mind, but I doubt it. Anyway, you spell your name with two ‘r’s’ or one?”
Starr smiled. “Two. Thanks again. I hope you find only success on your mission.”
“Me, too.” Adrian agreed, as he helped her out of the window. She slowly let herself down. Adrian reached into his cloak with his right hand and pulled out something.
“Hey, Starr, watch this!” He called, and displayed a sword. It flashed silver in the moonlight, and at the base it was studded with emeralds.
“Where on earth did you get that?” Starr questioned.
“Watch!” He insisted, and raised the sword. Starr was only about four feet from the ground by now. Suddenly, the boy slashed down and cut the blanket. She fell, with a small shriek, but no one heard, as the inn was busy and loud at all times. He heard her hit the ground, and laughed to himself. But, turning to his bed, Adrian realized, with great irritation, he had just done Starr the favor of giving her a warm blanket for the night.

***

I still need a name for this story! I wish I could think of one. I suppose when I finish writing it I will think of something.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed and didn't think it was too boring!
More on Tuesday, so I'm probably gonna be up all night enduring writing about-WAIT, I can't tell you that! >:D *is smiling evilly* Wait and see!!! :)

-Autumn

Thursday Writing Project

First, I'd like to give a little update or something.
The song on my playlist for this week was Neunundneunzig Luftballons. (99 Luftballons)
My mom has an excellent post about this song on her blog, you should check it out.

My mom also asked me to post about the Cherokee Indians. I will be writing about the Trail of Tears and other things about the Cherokee. The Trail of Tears was our history project this week. I intend to make a habit out of this, so here goes.

In 1830 the Indian Removal act was passed by Congress. It required all Indian tribes to move West.
The Cherokee Indians were among these tribes. They were located in Northern Georgia and the Carolinas at the time. One of the reason's that the Cherokee were told to leave was because gold had been discovered on their land, and many people wanted to own that land.
At first, the Cherokees refused to leave their land, even after being offered 5.7 million dollars to leave.
After that, they were forced to move to the Oklahoma territories. This took months of hard travel, and was very difficult. Just to prove that fact, out of the 18,000 people who began, over 4,000 died.
That is why this part of history is called 'Trail of Tears' or in Cherokee: Nunna Daul Tsunny (The Trail Where They Cried) by the Cherokee people.

Some other interesting facts about the Cherokee Indians-
The Cherokee Nation Capital is in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and many Cherokee live there.

Many Cherokee are now Christians, mainly Southern Baptist and Methodist, some are Traditional Ah-ni-yv-wi-ya ( a kind of religion that my mom and I could NOT figure out, the article on Wiki was SUPER confusing), and many others belong to small Christian groups.

The Cherokee are known as one of the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole). This was mostly because they adopted some of the colonists' customs and had generally good relations with their neighbors.

I am 1/10 Cherokee Indian!!!(I know, not much, but it is some!)

(THE END)

My sources- My History program, Veritas Press, and Wikipedia.
Thanks to-The Cherokee, of course!:) My dad, for assigning this lesson, and my mom, for asking me to do this post!

On another note, I will be posting more of my story tomorrow evening!

-Autumn

The story...

This is part one of the first chapter in my story. The one the doesn't have a name but 14 pages.
I know, that's really pathetic. Maybe ya'll could help me think up a name.
Anyway, I have been begged to post the story, which I am more that delighted to do.

So, PART ONE of the FIRST CHAPTER of my little rambling story.

Story by: Autumn
Basic battle plots and basic plot structure by: Shadow Strike (Yup, he did a lot of work on this. I just did a lot of the detail :P)

Chapter 1
A Great Journey

The sun was slowly setting in the West. Starr crouched, her head throbbed and her feet ached. The beating she had just received was more than she could handle. All she wanted was a little food, and all she could get was a woman saying ‘you pathetic little beggar, get out!’ and beating her. She looked at the red sky. Tears welled up in her eyes. No. I will not let myself cry. Mommy and daddy said never to cry. At the thought of her parents, Starr gained courage and turned to face the street. Suddenly, a horse rode by, splashing mud from the dirt street. She barely had time to duck.
“My day is going terrible.” Starr announced, and turned to watch the rider as he cantered off. She couldn’t really scream at him. But she wanted to so badly that she kicked a piece of wood which was lying in the mud. It sailed neatly through the window of the house next door. Someone screamed. “Whoops.” Starr skipped through the muddy street on a run. After a while of darting into alleyways and behind old crates she decided she had shaken off any people who might be following her. Anyway, had they, they would look just like her, and that would really be a shame as she was covered in mud. Starr stepped out of the dark alley she was in and into the softly lit street. As she walked along, she watched for the young man on the horse. She wasn’t looking in front of her, and suddenly she heard a neigh.
“AH!!!!!” She cried. The boy on the horse tried to steady his animal, and barely managed.
“What did you do that for? Weren’t you watching where you were going?” He asked softly, trying not to scare the frightened being again. “Calm down, Orion. Everything’s alright.” he added, speaking to his frisky stallion.
“Well, I-” Starr was cut off.
“Oh, never mind. My name is Adrian. Could you direct me to the inn?” The young man stared down at her from atop Orion. From the way he simply sat in the saddle, Starr knew he had a thick streak of arrogance in him.
“You actually think that I will tell you after you splashed mud all over me about an hour ago??!!” She stomped for effect. Unintentionally, muddy water splattered up and onto Orion’s muscular chest and legs, spooking him. He reared, and Adrian neatly slid off and landed in the slippery muck. Without his master, the great, powerful horse could have easily hurt Starr badly, if not kill her. But she wasn’t about to let that happen to her. Abruptly, she reached out and laid a hand on Orion’s black mane. Then, whispering a few words, she rapped her hand around the reigns, a soft rose colored light surrounded her hand, and the animal almost instantly stilled.
“There. You’re a wild one, aren’t you?” Starr said softly. Then she turned to help Adrian. As she let go of Orion’s reigns, the light disappeared, but the horse remained calm.
“I’m dreadfully sorry for spooking him. I did not know he was so wild.” She explained , trying to sound friendly, as she held out a hand to Adrian. He pushed her arm away, rolling his eyes as he picked himself up.
“How did you do that? It was....kind of strange.”
“I have always known how.”
“And can you do this to people?” Adrian seemed curious.
“No, not that I know of.” Starr replied.
“Oh, well, in that case, where’s the inn?” Starr pointed to a lit up two-story ram-shackle building.
“Only one we got.” She declared.
“Have. Thank you, miss-”
“Starr. I don’t know my last name. I’m an orphan, you see.”
“Oh. Adrian the Second. But just call me Adrian.” he said as he took the reigns of his stallion. Starr stopped and stared.
“You’re who!? Don’t tell me you’re also saying that you’re the son of Adrian the First. He’s dead.” She declared.
“Oh, I’ll explain it later. What if we discussed it over a warm meal? You don’t look like you’ve had one in a while.” Adrian offered. “Need to get a room as well....” he added, muttering to himself.
“Oh, they won’t let you have a room. You’re a Southerner. We in the West don’t take kindly to you ruffians.”
“Gosh, you just love to bring out the negative in things, don’t you, sweetheart.” He exclaimed, nonchalantly. Starr was taken aback.
“Don’t you EVER call me that again! I barely know you!” She reproved. He seemed distracted, staring off into the distance.
“Sure, whatever.” He agreed.
A bit insulted, Starr began to walk toward the inn, intending to leave him behind. But his horse followed her.
“Oh, Orion, I think you like me!” Starr couldn’t help giggling as the horse blew a stray hair out of her face. “You think I should keep that one out of my face? Well, then, you’re the boss.” she added and tucked the strand of white behind her ear.
“You gonna share that meal with me already?” Adrian, who had been quite forgotten by horse and girl, was becoming impatient.
“Well, OK. If you’re paying for it.”
“Yeah, I’m paying for it. Couldn’t expect a little wench like you to.” he retorted. Starr wanted to say ‘Watch me!’ but she knew that was very foolish, for she had no money.

***

End of the lovely part one. Not very gripping, or awesome, or interesting at all, but it WILL get better, I promise. I'm actually in the middle of chapter two.

I will be back soon with a post about my trip to Daytona Beach; Florida, as soon as I can. Right now I'm simply adjusting to the temperature change and enjoying staying up late. :D

-Autumn

Meteor Showers

Have any of you ever seen a meteor zooming through the sky? My mother saw one on December 31, on our way home from the New Years Dance. None of us saw it, though.
Well, that sparked our curiosity, and my mom began looking up meteor showers. Well, there is one tomorrow. It is the Quadrantid meteor shower. This meteor shower is very hard to see, though, if the conditions are not just right. It is easier to see if you are in the Northern hemisphere, and especially easy to see for those in Canada and the Midwest of the US. But we're still going to try and see some.
We're hoping to get up at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning when the shower is at it's peak.
To learn more about meteor showers, go to this website-http://meteorshowersonline.com/index.html

So, I hope ya'll had a happy New Years Eve and Day. I must inform you that I will be leaving for Florida on the 7th or 9th, it still isn't confirmed what day, but I WILL be leaving. I will get back on the 15th or 16th, date still unconfirmed, but I am looking forward to going. We are going with my Mumsie and Pa, and last year I took Shadow with me, but this year I'm taking him and Elliott. What FUN!!!! I'm also taking my trusty MP3 player, just in case I get really bored or something.
And now for the story.
This won second place in Rose's story contest, and I am happy to say that I'm going to post it here. I didn't think it was very good, but I might just be to much of perfectionist.
(Just taken from Rose's blog, I didn't save this revised version and am now whacking myself with a frying pan for it) :P


Prolouge
The snowflakes were falling so thickly now, I was afraid to go out to the stables, as I had been told to. I turned, lifting the thick leather that kept the cold out of the castle. Melanie turned to me.
"Stardust, if you do not stop lifting that curtain, the room will get cold. It will make your brother worse, I fear. Now please, go to him, for he is calling for you. " Melanie had the habit of telling me everything to do at once, whether it be good or bad. To spite this, Melanie had been a very nice nurse maid to my brother and I.
"Yes ma'm." I answered, and turned to my brothers door. As I opened it, a dull creaking sound filled our quite place. Usually, it would stretch far and wide, but the snow outside kept it in.
"Sister, is that you?" The prince lay on his bed, propped up by pillows. He held a book in his hand.
"Yes, my brother, it is I. How do you feel?" I asked.
"Terribly pain-stricken, but I will live." my brother answered.
4 years ago, a great plague broke out over our domain. It killed many children and the elderly. Our parents were among those to die almost a week after catching it. My younger sisters and brothers also died. My older brother, who was only sixteen, took the throne. Then he succumbed to the plague as well, but, stubborn as he is, he would not say he had it. He caught it near the end of the epidemic, therefore it was not so severe. It was winter at the time, so we thought he simply had a cold. Then, after summer arrived, he continued to get worse. It has been 3 years, but he still is living. Strangely, I only caught a slight bit of it, and recovered quickly. The doctor is still not sure why I was spared. After you have succumbed to the sickness, if you are even alive, you cannot have it again.
"Are you upset?" My brother rasped, his voice echoing within him. He looked so sick, yet courageous. Like he had when he was young and healthy.
"Oh, I just don't know what to do. Looking at you tonight, I realize you need a cure, you need to live. I surely cannot rule this kingdom alone." I declared.
"But Stardust, my starry-eyed sister, their will be a dashing young prince to help you!" My brother smiled weakly. I smiled back. He was always reminding me of that 'dashing prince' who would come along one day.
"But that prince is you, don't you understand? The Western lands are already sending messengers asking why you are not acting for them!" The Western lands were in utter chaos and decline. Civil wars, epidemics, and destruction were typical problems that lurked their. But since a country like the one that became after the plague would not be encouraged by the fact that their leader was dying, the prince had ordered not one soul inside the castle be allowed to talk of his sickness but his sister and a few others. And since most of the people who had worked there were deceased, it wasn't very difficult to keep everything quiet. Therefore, since no-one knew of the prince's sickness, it looked pretty bad when the Western land lost it's most wise ruler and my brother did nothing about it.
You see, when I had not even been borne, there was great uneasiness in the West. They did not get along at all with us, of the North, and strongly disliked those of the East. They are a warring people, and utterly hated those of the South. Soon a civil war between all of us broke out. My father was but a boy, and his father was killed in the war. But my father once he assumed the throne, could not stop the great catastrophe that came. Many, many people were killed. But, when almost all hope had been lost a young, supposedly inexperienced boy, to tell the truth, came out of nowhere claiming he possessed a power that no other had. When no one would listen to his claims of great talent, he requested that my father allow him to demonstrate his power. My father granted his request, and, along with his brother Adrian the First, this boy if seventeen, who went by the name of Sapphire, rose up and demonstrated a great blast of destructive power like no other. Later, when the war had finally been organized enough that their were two sides, Sapphire sided with the North and with my father, even though he was of the West. We won in a great battle . Much had been lost, but Sapphire returned to the West and offered to be their leader. They reluctantly agreed, but in the years that followed, they came to love and trust him.
Then, quite suddenly, with no heir to replace him, Sapphire died. The whole West of this country slowly returned to what it had been.
I knew of nothing but that they had said Sapphire's power could heal any ailment, yet could crush every bone in your body with a blink of his eye. I long to find a treatment for my brother. But, all Sapphire's family members were killed. He had no children. Even if he did, I doubt they had his power.
"Sister, you have already half the kingdom under your control. You rule the East and South. You are capable. I know you are." My brother assured me. I looked into his black eyes.
"But..."
"No 'buts'. I am tired. We will discuss no more on this matter tonight." The prince announced.
"Yes, my brother. Rest tonight, and have delightful dreams. I will see you tomorrow." I told him.
"Stardust?" I turned to my closest relative.
"Yes?"
"Please do not worry."
"I will not." But I knew I was lying.

***

Far away, a boy of eighteen rode through the night on his horse. His jet black hair blew in his bright green eyes, yet filling them was a look of utter determination. He slowed as he saw that a fallen tree blocked his path. Lifting a gloved hand, the boy cried out,
"In the name of my father, and his brother, prepare to be disintegrated into a million dream shards by the great Adrian the Second!"
With that cry, the boy raised his arm over his head, snapped his fingers, and the tree broke into a million glowing pieces..............

Well, thanks for enduring my rambling and story!
-Autumn