Petra Price and the Last Dragon: Chapter 2
The second chapter of this story. I really like the way I've been working on it, and my brain's worked in a couple little things that I didn't expect until I was writing them. It's also posted here on FictionPress.com
Description: Petra Price was perfectly ordinary, until a world of dormant magic was revealed to her and she became a witch. Taken away from the life she's always known, she's faced with new friends and a new power to be harnessed. Someone's life may be at stake!
As if the events of the day so far hadn't already thrown her completely out of her element, Petra somehow found herself placed in the position of leader amongst their ragtag trio.
Budgerigar was a bit flighty. He had carelessly wandered off to do some exploring, heedless of his unfamiliar surroundings. Petra didn't sense any kind of immediate threat, but she was feeling put out enough to be on guard. She had subscribed to normalcy for so long that she wasn't enjoying this unexpected experience.
Petra was keeping a careful eye on the boy as he flitted here and there, examining the garden's many plants and the insects that scurried around them. It didn't look like there was much trouble to get into, though Petra didn't recognize some of the more exotic looking flowers.
Quite the opposite of Budgerigar, Marnie stayed close to Petra's shoulder. Whether she was just being cautious or if she was truly scared, Petra wasn't sure. The other girl seemed content enough, at least. She wasn't crying, but neither was she being talkative. From the few glances Petra had taken of Marnie out of the corner of her eye, she assumed from the saucer-like state of the other girl's eyes that she was taking everything in. She hoped Marnie wasn't always so quiet. If it was possible that they were going to be future classmates, they were going to be spending a lot of time together. Petra didn't know if she liked the idea of constantly being the one to take charge.
Of course, it had to be assumed that it wouldn't just be the three of them. The woman who claimed to be their Principal was still out front waiting for any number of people. The presence of Principal Blake did something to alleviate Petra's worries, but she was still trying to work out how the whole thing might be some kind of trick or scam.
It didn't have anything to do with money, because they hadn't been asked for any. A letter had been sent to her by a relative, one whom neither of her parents could recall at first. It had said something about wanting nothing more than to have one of her last remaining relatives attend the school where she had experienced much joy.
Petra hadn't been too enthusiastic about going away to boarding school, but after thinking on it for a while her father thought he did remember the woman who wrote the letter. He thought it was a cousin of his Grandmother's or something like that. He thought it would be rude to reject her generosity, as her letter explained that she had paid Petra's tuition in full. Petra had agreed to at least try it for a little while.
It helped that she was still there by choice. There wasn't anything stopping Petra from leaving, other than the fact that she'd have to walk to somewhere where she'd be able to use a phone. If something terrible were happening, such as a kidnapping, she assumed things would be more horrible than strange for all of them.
Petra was just starting to get tired of trailing after Budgerigar as he wandered around when they came to a fountain. There were small stone stools surrounding matching stone tables and it seemed as good of a place as any to sit and wait. Better than the ground, at any rate. Petra wanted to see if she could garner any information from her two companions while they were still left to their own devices.
She glanced between the two of them after they had sat down, forming a small circle around one of the tables.
“I don't suppose either of you received a letter from some unknown relative, wanting you to attend their former school?”
Marnie's eyes grew even larger for a moment, “That's exactly what happened. My Dad said he didn't remember at first, but then the next day he'd entirely changed his story. You know, now that I think about it, it's the strangest thing. I thought it was fishy at the time but I didn't say anything. I didn't even want to come here really, but I got into that car this morning without so much as a word of the argument I tried to rehearse before bed last night.”
Marnie's cheeks colored and she grew quiet, as if realizing just how much she had spoken. She mumbled something about not being very good with confrontation. Petra gave the back of the girl's hand a light pat and turned her attention to Budgerigar so that Marnie might calm herself.
“I live with my older sister,” he said after a moment, “It's just her and I, and she's really rather young to be looking after me all on her own. She was actually against me coming, she couldn't figure out where the letter had come from at all.”
“You still came?” Petra asked after a pause, trying to lead him in to talking some more.
He gave a little shrug, “I wanted to give my sister some time on her own, she runs herself ragged. As well as that, I thought it would be quite the adventure. Though I must admit, I didn't think my first great journey into the unknown would take me quite so far into unexplored territory. There's not much to be done about it though, is there?”
Petra propped her chin in one hand to think. Budgerigar's story seemed to fit with what she knew of him, but both her own experience and Marnie's did leave a thing or two to be questioned. Neither of them were very thrilled about going away to school. While Petra was hardly ever one to make a fuss, she now thought she really had packed her things and left her home a little too willingly. Just like some niggling little thing in the back of her mind had been compelling her along subtly, making decisions for her without her realizing.
It was just a little disturbing to imagine that you weren't in control of yourself. Principal Blake said she was going to explain some things, and she certainly did have some explaining to do as far as Petra was concerned.
Petra sat up a little straighter and watched the end of the path that opened into the clearing that contained the fountain. She still wasn't feeling scared or alarmed, but she was going to face whatever came at her next with as much scrutiny as she could muster.
Several minutes passed and nothing happened. Charlotte Blake did not appear, and Petra's two companions had lapsed into silence without her leading them in conversation. A time or two, Petra thought she heard steps or voices. She could only imagine there were others like herself wandering about in the garden and they just hadn't come as far as she and her new friends had.
Petra was just starting to allow herself to relax a fraction when other children started to trickle into view, not just from the path they had been on earlier but from a couple others as well. She gave each person a cursory curious glance. Most of the others had clustered into pairs and trios, though a couple of them seemed to be keeping to themselves.
The last thing Petra expected to see was a familiar face. When her eyes fell upon her cousin Hilton, she could have screamed from the shock of it. She almost did, but was able to stifle it by reminding herself that seeing someone she knew was the least scream-worthy thing that had happened all day. The stunned expression on Hilton's face as her hurried over to her was almost enough to make her giggle.
“They got you too then, did they?” Hilton asked unnecessarily, “I'm not at all sorry really. It's nice to see a friend after the kind of day I've had. That car they sent for me was just racing along easy as you please, then something went wrong with one of the tires. We swerved on to the side of the road, then the next thing I know I've toppled to the ground and there's no car in sight. Without so much as time to brush the dust off my trousers, I find myself just outside that monstrous old house with that woman rushing over to welcome me.”
“Those cars of theirs don't seem to know how to handle trouble,” Petra commented, thinking of Budgerigar sprawled on the ground after he'd got his own car to stop for her. She wondered for a moment what would have happened to her if that car had just gone on and she'd been allowed to walk off to goodness knows where.
She introduced her cousin to Budgerigar and Marnie, even though she barely knew more than their names.
She was more sure now than she had been before that everything would be okay. There was a certain comfort to having Hilton there with her. He was definitely her favorite relative. She imagined that if they got to see each other more often, it would be almost like having a brother. They easily could have been mistaken for closer relatives than cousins. Petra supposed it was because her father and his father were twins.
It looked like Hilton was going to be the last to join them. Petra glanced around, doing a quick headcount. Other than herself, there were nineteen others. Everyone looked to be about the same age, but that seemed just about the only thing they would all have in common. Well, that and the fact that they recently received mysterious letters. Petra was confident that they had all been loured to this place in the same way.
Charlotte Blake appeared then, her businesslike appearance very much at odds with the earthy atmosphere of the garden. All conversations stilled as heads turned to her expectantly. If so much focused attention bothered the woman, she didn't show any sign of discomfort.
“That's everyone arrived and accounted for, and it seems that some of you have started to make friends already. That's good. You'll be spending a lot of time together in the coming months,” her strong gaze seemed to encompass everyone present as she spoke.
“No offense lady, but I'd appreciate it if you'd skip the pleasantries and get on with it. This isn't exactly the renowned boarding school that we all thought we were going to. I'm sure I can say I'm not the only one with questions,” a boy cut Principal Blake off before she could say any more.
“Yes, Mr. Malone, I'm sure. If you'll be so kind as to give me a little patience, all will be explained in time. To be honest, I'm not really sure where to start. One can practice these things, but then when the day finally comes it can make the most carefully thought out plans fall apart.”
For the barest second, there was a chink in Charlotte Blake's armor of efficiency. Petra found herself respecting the woman a little more for being able to admit to her own faults.
After collecting herself, the woman who called herself their Principal continued, “I suppose I should start by clearing the air of all untruths. You will be attending a boarding school of sorts, but it's nothing like the one presented to you in the brochures that accompanied the letters you received. As for those letters, they were indeed sent to you by a relative. A rather more distant relative than you were made to believe, but a relation all the same. I'll be able to explain more easily once we're down in the school. There are things you need to be shown.”
When the prim educator had finished the start of her explanation, there was a pause, a silence. Petra couldn't tell at first why the sudden calm seemed eery, but then she was able to place it. Before Charlotte Blake had started talking, the fountain nearby had been running. Its water had stilled. Suddenly the area was filled with the sound of stone grinding against stone. Charlotte Blake stepped forward into the fountain, apparently heedless of getting wet.
Petra stood up to see what the woman was doing and got to see her disappear down a spiraling flight of stairs that surrounded the centerpiece of the fountain. Whatever force had guided them all to this place to begin with seemed no longer to be in effect, as nobody seemed interested in following her.
“Does anyone else get the feeling that we're going to go down there and she's going to try and recruit us for the government?” Hilton grinned.
Petra snorted, “What would the government want with us?”
“No one would ever suspect us as spies. What with all our youthful innocence.”
There were several hushed conversations going on around them now. Speculation about what was at the bottom of the secret staircase, and who should be the first person to go down there and report back that everything was on the up and up. Whatever was going to happen, it didn't look like Charlotte Blake was in a hurry. Minutes passed, and she didn't return to chastise them into following.
Petra contemplated just getting up and leaving. She noticed one girl trying to inch her way back to one of the paths without drawing attention to herself. Petra was actually anxious to see if anything or anyone would try to stop the girl, but she couldn't bring herself to join her in retreating.
Petra Price was a curious creature, and as such she didn't like to leave mysteries unsolved.
She rallied her courage, drawing the attention of her group as well as some of the others.
“I'm going down there. I'll come back up in a minute and tell you what I've seen. If you haven't heard from me after a little while, you best run and get help. Unless she's got someone else hiding down there, she won't be able to catch the rest of you if you all run.”
“Fat chance of me letting you wander into the unknown on your own, cousin.” Hilton got up and stood next to her, turning his attention to Marnie and Budgerigar, “You two tell the others what we're up to and make sure everyone's ready to make a break for it if need be.”
Budgerigar gave a silly little salute and started toward the nearest children to tell them what was what. Marnie followed behind him timidly, looking like she hoped no one would bother to talk to her directly.
The pair of them marched the short distance to the fountain and stepped over its wide stone brim. The bottom of the basin still looked wet. It could only be assumed the water had rushed down the stairs when they made their appearance or it had been drained away by some other method.
There wasn't much to be seen standing at the top. The stairs descended around a bend and were swallowed into darkness.
“You've changed,” Hilton spoke quietly by her ear, “I've never known you to jump head first like this into anything.”
“Extraordinary circumstances,” was Petra's response.
Hilton lightly squeezed her shoulder in support.
“Here goes nothing,” Petra whispered as she took the first step.
Description: Petra Price was perfectly ordinary, until a world of dormant magic was revealed to her and she became a witch. Taken away from the life she's always known, she's faced with new friends and a new power to be harnessed. Someone's life may be at stake!
As if the events of the day so far hadn't already thrown her completely out of her element, Petra somehow found herself placed in the position of leader amongst their ragtag trio.
Budgerigar was a bit flighty. He had carelessly wandered off to do some exploring, heedless of his unfamiliar surroundings. Petra didn't sense any kind of immediate threat, but she was feeling put out enough to be on guard. She had subscribed to normalcy for so long that she wasn't enjoying this unexpected experience.
Petra was keeping a careful eye on the boy as he flitted here and there, examining the garden's many plants and the insects that scurried around them. It didn't look like there was much trouble to get into, though Petra didn't recognize some of the more exotic looking flowers.
Quite the opposite of Budgerigar, Marnie stayed close to Petra's shoulder. Whether she was just being cautious or if she was truly scared, Petra wasn't sure. The other girl seemed content enough, at least. She wasn't crying, but neither was she being talkative. From the few glances Petra had taken of Marnie out of the corner of her eye, she assumed from the saucer-like state of the other girl's eyes that she was taking everything in. She hoped Marnie wasn't always so quiet. If it was possible that they were going to be future classmates, they were going to be spending a lot of time together. Petra didn't know if she liked the idea of constantly being the one to take charge.
Of course, it had to be assumed that it wouldn't just be the three of them. The woman who claimed to be their Principal was still out front waiting for any number of people. The presence of Principal Blake did something to alleviate Petra's worries, but she was still trying to work out how the whole thing might be some kind of trick or scam.
It didn't have anything to do with money, because they hadn't been asked for any. A letter had been sent to her by a relative, one whom neither of her parents could recall at first. It had said something about wanting nothing more than to have one of her last remaining relatives attend the school where she had experienced much joy.
Petra hadn't been too enthusiastic about going away to boarding school, but after thinking on it for a while her father thought he did remember the woman who wrote the letter. He thought it was a cousin of his Grandmother's or something like that. He thought it would be rude to reject her generosity, as her letter explained that she had paid Petra's tuition in full. Petra had agreed to at least try it for a little while.
It helped that she was still there by choice. There wasn't anything stopping Petra from leaving, other than the fact that she'd have to walk to somewhere where she'd be able to use a phone. If something terrible were happening, such as a kidnapping, she assumed things would be more horrible than strange for all of them.
Petra was just starting to get tired of trailing after Budgerigar as he wandered around when they came to a fountain. There were small stone stools surrounding matching stone tables and it seemed as good of a place as any to sit and wait. Better than the ground, at any rate. Petra wanted to see if she could garner any information from her two companions while they were still left to their own devices.
She glanced between the two of them after they had sat down, forming a small circle around one of the tables.
“I don't suppose either of you received a letter from some unknown relative, wanting you to attend their former school?”
Marnie's eyes grew even larger for a moment, “That's exactly what happened. My Dad said he didn't remember at first, but then the next day he'd entirely changed his story. You know, now that I think about it, it's the strangest thing. I thought it was fishy at the time but I didn't say anything. I didn't even want to come here really, but I got into that car this morning without so much as a word of the argument I tried to rehearse before bed last night.”
Marnie's cheeks colored and she grew quiet, as if realizing just how much she had spoken. She mumbled something about not being very good with confrontation. Petra gave the back of the girl's hand a light pat and turned her attention to Budgerigar so that Marnie might calm herself.
“I live with my older sister,” he said after a moment, “It's just her and I, and she's really rather young to be looking after me all on her own. She was actually against me coming, she couldn't figure out where the letter had come from at all.”
“You still came?” Petra asked after a pause, trying to lead him in to talking some more.
He gave a little shrug, “I wanted to give my sister some time on her own, she runs herself ragged. As well as that, I thought it would be quite the adventure. Though I must admit, I didn't think my first great journey into the unknown would take me quite so far into unexplored territory. There's not much to be done about it though, is there?”
Petra propped her chin in one hand to think. Budgerigar's story seemed to fit with what she knew of him, but both her own experience and Marnie's did leave a thing or two to be questioned. Neither of them were very thrilled about going away to school. While Petra was hardly ever one to make a fuss, she now thought she really had packed her things and left her home a little too willingly. Just like some niggling little thing in the back of her mind had been compelling her along subtly, making decisions for her without her realizing.
It was just a little disturbing to imagine that you weren't in control of yourself. Principal Blake said she was going to explain some things, and she certainly did have some explaining to do as far as Petra was concerned.
Petra sat up a little straighter and watched the end of the path that opened into the clearing that contained the fountain. She still wasn't feeling scared or alarmed, but she was going to face whatever came at her next with as much scrutiny as she could muster.
Several minutes passed and nothing happened. Charlotte Blake did not appear, and Petra's two companions had lapsed into silence without her leading them in conversation. A time or two, Petra thought she heard steps or voices. She could only imagine there were others like herself wandering about in the garden and they just hadn't come as far as she and her new friends had.
Petra was just starting to allow herself to relax a fraction when other children started to trickle into view, not just from the path they had been on earlier but from a couple others as well. She gave each person a cursory curious glance. Most of the others had clustered into pairs and trios, though a couple of them seemed to be keeping to themselves.
The last thing Petra expected to see was a familiar face. When her eyes fell upon her cousin Hilton, she could have screamed from the shock of it. She almost did, but was able to stifle it by reminding herself that seeing someone she knew was the least scream-worthy thing that had happened all day. The stunned expression on Hilton's face as her hurried over to her was almost enough to make her giggle.
“They got you too then, did they?” Hilton asked unnecessarily, “I'm not at all sorry really. It's nice to see a friend after the kind of day I've had. That car they sent for me was just racing along easy as you please, then something went wrong with one of the tires. We swerved on to the side of the road, then the next thing I know I've toppled to the ground and there's no car in sight. Without so much as time to brush the dust off my trousers, I find myself just outside that monstrous old house with that woman rushing over to welcome me.”
“Those cars of theirs don't seem to know how to handle trouble,” Petra commented, thinking of Budgerigar sprawled on the ground after he'd got his own car to stop for her. She wondered for a moment what would have happened to her if that car had just gone on and she'd been allowed to walk off to goodness knows where.
She introduced her cousin to Budgerigar and Marnie, even though she barely knew more than their names.
She was more sure now than she had been before that everything would be okay. There was a certain comfort to having Hilton there with her. He was definitely her favorite relative. She imagined that if they got to see each other more often, it would be almost like having a brother. They easily could have been mistaken for closer relatives than cousins. Petra supposed it was because her father and his father were twins.
It looked like Hilton was going to be the last to join them. Petra glanced around, doing a quick headcount. Other than herself, there were nineteen others. Everyone looked to be about the same age, but that seemed just about the only thing they would all have in common. Well, that and the fact that they recently received mysterious letters. Petra was confident that they had all been loured to this place in the same way.
Charlotte Blake appeared then, her businesslike appearance very much at odds with the earthy atmosphere of the garden. All conversations stilled as heads turned to her expectantly. If so much focused attention bothered the woman, she didn't show any sign of discomfort.
“That's everyone arrived and accounted for, and it seems that some of you have started to make friends already. That's good. You'll be spending a lot of time together in the coming months,” her strong gaze seemed to encompass everyone present as she spoke.
“No offense lady, but I'd appreciate it if you'd skip the pleasantries and get on with it. This isn't exactly the renowned boarding school that we all thought we were going to. I'm sure I can say I'm not the only one with questions,” a boy cut Principal Blake off before she could say any more.
“Yes, Mr. Malone, I'm sure. If you'll be so kind as to give me a little patience, all will be explained in time. To be honest, I'm not really sure where to start. One can practice these things, but then when the day finally comes it can make the most carefully thought out plans fall apart.”
For the barest second, there was a chink in Charlotte Blake's armor of efficiency. Petra found herself respecting the woman a little more for being able to admit to her own faults.
After collecting herself, the woman who called herself their Principal continued, “I suppose I should start by clearing the air of all untruths. You will be attending a boarding school of sorts, but it's nothing like the one presented to you in the brochures that accompanied the letters you received. As for those letters, they were indeed sent to you by a relative. A rather more distant relative than you were made to believe, but a relation all the same. I'll be able to explain more easily once we're down in the school. There are things you need to be shown.”
When the prim educator had finished the start of her explanation, there was a pause, a silence. Petra couldn't tell at first why the sudden calm seemed eery, but then she was able to place it. Before Charlotte Blake had started talking, the fountain nearby had been running. Its water had stilled. Suddenly the area was filled with the sound of stone grinding against stone. Charlotte Blake stepped forward into the fountain, apparently heedless of getting wet.
Petra stood up to see what the woman was doing and got to see her disappear down a spiraling flight of stairs that surrounded the centerpiece of the fountain. Whatever force had guided them all to this place to begin with seemed no longer to be in effect, as nobody seemed interested in following her.
“Does anyone else get the feeling that we're going to go down there and she's going to try and recruit us for the government?” Hilton grinned.
Petra snorted, “What would the government want with us?”
“No one would ever suspect us as spies. What with all our youthful innocence.”
There were several hushed conversations going on around them now. Speculation about what was at the bottom of the secret staircase, and who should be the first person to go down there and report back that everything was on the up and up. Whatever was going to happen, it didn't look like Charlotte Blake was in a hurry. Minutes passed, and she didn't return to chastise them into following.
Petra contemplated just getting up and leaving. She noticed one girl trying to inch her way back to one of the paths without drawing attention to herself. Petra was actually anxious to see if anything or anyone would try to stop the girl, but she couldn't bring herself to join her in retreating.
Petra Price was a curious creature, and as such she didn't like to leave mysteries unsolved.
She rallied her courage, drawing the attention of her group as well as some of the others.
“I'm going down there. I'll come back up in a minute and tell you what I've seen. If you haven't heard from me after a little while, you best run and get help. Unless she's got someone else hiding down there, she won't be able to catch the rest of you if you all run.”
“Fat chance of me letting you wander into the unknown on your own, cousin.” Hilton got up and stood next to her, turning his attention to Marnie and Budgerigar, “You two tell the others what we're up to and make sure everyone's ready to make a break for it if need be.”
Budgerigar gave a silly little salute and started toward the nearest children to tell them what was what. Marnie followed behind him timidly, looking like she hoped no one would bother to talk to her directly.
The pair of them marched the short distance to the fountain and stepped over its wide stone brim. The bottom of the basin still looked wet. It could only be assumed the water had rushed down the stairs when they made their appearance or it had been drained away by some other method.
There wasn't much to be seen standing at the top. The stairs descended around a bend and were swallowed into darkness.
“You've changed,” Hilton spoke quietly by her ear, “I've never known you to jump head first like this into anything.”
“Extraordinary circumstances,” was Petra's response.
Hilton lightly squeezed her shoulder in support.
“Here goes nothing,” Petra whispered as she took the first step.