Ye Olden Storie

So today I was looking around my computer when I came across the original first four chapters of my story. I wrote these almost six months ago. They are very diffrent from the ones I haev now, so I thought I'd post the first two chapters for a comparison. Oh, and don't worry, chapter five is almost done. :)

Book I:
Seeking the Lost Sister

The pale moon hung over the clouded sky. The wind blew fiercely over the tops of the viridian trees, causing their branches to sway and evergreen needles to scratch faintly against one another. The needles made an erie whispering noise, as if the trees were speaking. That's because the trees were. The wind picked up speed, wistleing between branches, and the whisper turned into a moan. The forest was crying out. Down between the massive brown columns, deer and other small animals fled, while birds took to the skies to get away from the forest. They could sense what was coming. The two figures running with the bundle however could not. All they heard was the pounding of their hearts as they raced to get out of the forest, the moan of the trees striking fear into their souls. As they reached the edge, they stepped into the grassy field, nearly getting knocked over by the fierce gusts, and accidentally dropped the treasure they were carrying. Branches broke, and the forest roared with rage as the two figures stared at the bundle, which has started to glow. The forest suddenly seemed darker, thicker, angrier. Lightning streaked the sky, and rain started pelting down. The two ran away, not waiting to see what happened to the treasure they has dropped.

~~~~~~~~


"Bella!"

"Bella! Where are you!" The cry rang out and echoed back over the small village.

The upset old woman, dressed in big billowing black dress and wearing a clean white apron walked down the windy main street of the village of St. Sherone. The small village of about forty-five people was at the foot of the great Northern Most Alps. On one side were the rolling mountain hills. On the other were the river Djag and the open fields, were a few families raised wheat and turnips. However, the woman was too tired to take in the serene surroundings as she called for her granddaughter.

"Bella! You have to come bath! Now!" She said as she walked past the bakery.

"Hello, Gran Helda." Called Franz the Baker, "Looking for Bella again?"

"Yes Franz, have you seen that little rapscallion today? She's hiding from me again." Said the cross grandmother.

"Well, no actually, but I bet either Ivan or Holly has." Franz said, pointing to the mountain.

"All I know," Said Gran Helda," is that she better not be playing up in those heard lands again. She knows she's not old enough to be up there yet!"

Grandma Helda briskly bustled up the mountain path that led to the heard land. The winding path went up through the foothills, to the top platue of teh mountain. There, huge fields of yellowed grass and the occasional wildflower bush spread out across teh face of the mountain. Clustered in one place was a large black blotch, which was the herds of black goats grazing on the foliage. A stone's throw away, three figures lay in teh grass, watching the clouds slowly move across the blue sky.

"Ivan, look that one looks like a goose!" Said the red haired girl.

"Oh, I see it." Said the boy with the black hair parted at the side," Look at that one, it looks like a giant..."

"Tree?" Asked the other boy with the dark brown curly hair.

"That’s the one Klaus!" Ivan said, polishing his glasses on his grey sweater, "A cumulus if I'm not mistaken."

The girl rolled her green eyes and turned back onto her stomach, resting her head on her elbows. "I am done with cloud watching, how about you two?"

"Holly, we've only been doing it for an hour." Said Klaus, rolling over, not caring about getting his grey sweater dirty.

"Yeah, I know, but we do it every day! Don't you guys want to do something exciting! Like go rafting down the river, or explore the Black Fo..."

"Don't even say it! Do you want to bring us all bad luck!" Said Ivan fiercely, sitting up in the grass.

"What, you believe all those old wives stories about the woods?" Holly asked mockingly with a grin, picking grass from her pale green dress.

"Its been proven over and over again that the woods are cursed, that’s why we don't talk about them!" Ivan said, turning away, polishing his spectacles again.

"Ha! I'll prove that the Black Forest isn't cur..."

"Holly! Ivan! Klaus! Where are you!" Gran Helda's voice rang over the field.

"Now look what you've done!" Ivan said crossly, pointing at the distant figure as he got up.

"Don't be silly! Gran Helda didn't come up here just because I called the woods by its name." Holly said indignantly, getting up too.

Before they could argue more, Gran Helda arrived huffing and puffing.

"Oh dear! Saints preserve us but I'm not as young as I use to be!” She said as she caught her breath.

"What is it?" Klaus asked getting up slowly from his spot on the grass.

"Oh Klaus! Your sister Bella's gone missing again! You haven't seen her by any chance have you?"

The three shook their heads but agreed to help search for the missing child. They brought the herd back down early, letting them eat in the field instead, as they went looking for the little one in all teh usual places. Holly checked Mrs. Wikkerschtein's large woven baskets. Ivan checked the tree house by the river. But no luck. Klaus was walking up the road, trying to think like his little sis, when something caught his eye. It was a red ribbon in a bush at the top of the street...that led into the Black Forest.

"She wouldn't..." he groaned, as he started up the path to the woods.

As he walked, Ivan and Holly came running up, followed shortly by Gran Helda. She was about to ask where Klaus was when she saw the two staring at the trail, with Klaus reaching the entrance to the woods. The whole village had stopped working and were looking up at the forest. They knew what it meant of the little one went in there. None who entered ever returned. No one would follow her in. None dared.

"Puppy, puppy, puppy. I have a pwetty puppy." Came the sing song voice.

All the heads turned to the small figure walking up from the bakery. She would have looked like a small girl, about 6 or 7, with brunette ponytails and a faded pink dress, if she wasn't covered in dough. Gran Helda shot Franz a dirty look, who simply raised his shoulders in innocence, before she ran to the small girl. Her face was a mixture of anger and relief as she went on.

"Oh Bella, my sweet Bella. Why have you been so naughty! Letting Gran think you were gone! But it doesn't matter now that your back! But next time you'll be in big trouble...."

Before she could finish, a bark came from behind Bella's dress. A small golden Labrador peaked out behind the faded pink, whining for food. Bella picked the puppy up none too gently and held him up as her prize for all to behold.

"Look! I gots a puppy! His name is Silver, cause he had this around his neck when I found him." She said as she put him down and pulled something out of her pocket.

She held up a silver chain with a flat stone in the middle. Ivan took the stone and examined it while Holly started rubbing Silver's belly. Klaus interrogated his little sister about the puppy.

"Where'd you find him?"

"By the river. Silver swam right up to the bank and got out."

"Why were you hiding in the bakery?"

"I was warming Silver by the ovens cause my dog was wet silly."

"Wha-" But before Klaus could continue, Ivan called him over.

"Look at this! This is exquisite. This is no rock my friend!" Ivan said with a twinkle in his eye," This is a piece of petrified wood. It's one of nature's rarest miracles, and for the dog to have had this around its neck must mean it belongs to someone important."

"Oh...the poor puppy is all skin and bones! It must have been missing for a while. Here lets go get it some hot food." Holly said leading the dog to their house.

"I wanna feed my puppy!" Bella said, but was briskly carried off to her bath, crying, " Silver save me! They're trying to drown me with soap!"

As Klaus watched Holly feeding Silver, and Ivan examining the petrified wood, he felt slightly strange. He'd never come that close to the woods before, and having stood at the very edge gave him butterflies in his stomach. Just thinking about it made him feel dizzy and he sat down. Silver ran up to him, and placed its head on Klaus' leg, looking up at him with a knowing look. Even though it was only an hour before sunset, Klaus felt his eye lids grow heavy, and sleep enclosed him.

~~~~~~~~

There was bright green light everywhere. From somewhere in the green mists, Klaus heard a voice calling him. He turned to the voice but all he could see was the blinding green light. The voice called him again, this time louder.

"Klaus..." It was soft and loud at the same time.

"Who are you!" Klaus called back.

"Klaus...you must follow...."

"Follow? Follow what? What do you want me to follow?" Klaus asked confused.

"When the time comes...you must follow...you must follow her..." It spoke with authority.

"Who? Who are you?" Klaus yelled at the voice, "Who am I suppose to follow?"

"You must follow her...she will guide you to your destiny..." It spoke with urgency.

"Klaus!" Ivan's voice cut through the dream.

Klaus open his eye, blinking at the darkness. It was night, and a sickle moon hung in the clear sky. Ivan was running towards him, while several villagers came out of their homes in their night robes, confused looks on their faces.

"Klaus! You have to come quick! It's Bella!" Ivan yelled, scampering up the steep path on all fours.

"Not again! What has she done this time?" Klaus asked annoyed.

"She went into the Black Forest!" Ivan stammered, his eyes wide with fear.

~~~~~~~~

Holly was standing at the entrance of the woods with a torch in her hand, calling after Bella when they got there. She quickly explained to Klaus the situation. Apparently after Klaus had fallen asleep under the big tree next to his house, they had left him and eventually went to bed. In the middle of the night, Silver started barking, waking Holly and Bella. Holly looked out her window and saw Silver dashing up the main road heading straight for the woods. When she and Ivan came running out they were just in time to see Bella run after Silver into the Black Forest. Klaus stood there, staring at the path that led into the darkness. What could he do? No one ever returned from the forest.

"Klaus!" Holly said irritated, "Come on! We have to follow her! Maybe she isn't too far in and we can save her before its too late!"

"Are you crazy Holly?" Ivan said angrily, "We can't go in there! Bella is gone...forever!"

Holly looked at Klaus pleadingly. Klaus was thinking, but before he could make up his mind, Holly said, "Fine! You two can stay here! I'm going after her!"

As Holly ran into the woods, Klaus remembered the voice in the dream. He looked at Ivan, who was holding their lantern, and Ivan knew what he was going to say.

"Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you!" Ivan said, wrapping his scarf once more around his neck.

"Thanks Ivan. If we're going to find our way back, we'll need your knowledge." Klaus said as he and Ivan stepped into the forest.

"You sure will! Not that we'll ever find our way out again! But still, at least I know about the..."

Before he could finish, suddenly several vines dropped down and grabbed them around the waists, pulling them up into the trees.

"What were you saying?" Klaus yelled, as the vine started gripping them both harder and passing them from one vine to the next deeper into the forest.

~~~~~~~~

Bella was lost. She had caught up with Silver just as she entered the woods, but now she was scared, and tired, and lost. Silver seemed to know where they were going. The dog kept running, following a path that only it could see. Bella stopped, her eyes starting to close on their own. Silver stopped when the dog felt Bella's hand slip of its back. Through her half open eyes, Bella saw a glowing light, and then felt strong arms pick her up and put her on what felt like a horse. She fell asleep to the sound of the heavy breathing of the animal.

~~~~~~~~

Holly was still looking for Bella's trail. At first it had been easy to see, the flat grass, the footprints on the moss, and the white of the broken braches. But then it had suddenly vanished. She felt like she was going round in circles when she heard a muffled grunt. She looked around but saw nothing. There it was again! The sound seemed to be coming from two trees. As she got closer, she realized they weren't trees but two people covered in vines. Taking a long tree branch she swung it hard and accurate, cutting the vines off from the ground. The two figures struggled loose, and soon the familiar bushy brown hair and large round spectacles revealed the identity of the two "trees".

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked hotly.

"We decided to follow you." Ivan said. "We figured you would need our help."

"Me? Need your help?" Holly asked with a grin. " It seems to me that I'm the one doing the helping."

"Right." Klaus said sheepishly, "And thanks. So have you found Bella?"

"No, I lost her trail." Holly said pointing the way she came.

"I suggest we continue the conversation somewhere else." Ivan said getting up fast.

"Why?" Klaus and Holly asked simultaneously.

"Because the vines are reconnecting!" Ivan yelled, as he pointed at the squirming mass of tangled shrubbery.

The three started running briskly through the forest, going up rocks and down ravines, dodging between large brown trees, all the while looking for a sign of Bella. As they ran Ivan explained the forest to them.

"The forest is not something to take lightly. Step on a sapling, and you will turn to stone. Disturb the forest and it may turn you into a tree. There are many reasons why people never make it out of the forest. The most common reason why no one ever returns is the carnivori. They are the vines we saw back there, and they eat only human flesh. Luckily that wasn’t a full grown one."

“But if no one ever makes it out, how do you know so much about it?” Holly asked ducking below a low hanging branch.

“Well, last year when I apprenticed in Vale Abbey, I met an old hermit by the woods. He said he had gone in and talked with the Feyfolk, a race of creatures that live in the woods. He studied with them for a while and learned all their knowledge before returning to the Abbey.”

“And you believed this nonsense about Feyfolk?” Klaus asked skeptically as they splashed through a shallow stream.

“Well, they may have called him Geoffrey the Mad, but he’s been surprisingly accurate up till know.” Ivan said as they climbed over a large fallen tree across a ravine.

As they rounded a large boulder, they found one of the red ribbons on Bella's dress. By it they found strange tracks in the moss, like some kind of giant animal tracks. They continued for hours, running and following the tracks. They didn’t talk anymore as they realized that there was something big that was after Bella.

~~~~~~~~

Bella’s eyes opened to the sound of running water. She was lying on course gravel next to a stream. On the bank was a large dark figure, but the night was too black and trees too dense for her to see what it was. It turned and saw that she was awake, then spoke in a soft and motherly tone.

“Bella. Bella. You should not be awake yet little one. Go to sleep Bella, for we still have a long journey to make before we reach the other side of the woods. Go to sleep little one and dream of sweet smelling flowers and talking trees. Sleep. Sleep.”

Bella’s eyes dropped shut to the mesmerizing voice. The figure walked closer, revealing herself to be a giant gray wolf with deep golden eyes. She picked Bella up. And placed her on the warm, soft, back. The wolf started off at a face pace run, jumping over boulders and logs like a jackrabbit. Soon, there was no trace that the two had ever been there. No trace except for the red ribbon lying next to the stream.

~~~~~~~~

The exhausted trio stumbled into the clearing, completely focused on the large tracks leading them on. The air was nippy with cold, and the advent of dawn colored the whole world with a strange and ethereal blue light. As they kept walking, Klaus thought he heard giggles echoed around them. He was so fatigued that it didn’t quite register in his mind. He was using all his energy to keep his eyes open, and then he heard the song.

It was like an angel’s voice, high, sweet, and distant, almost faded away. It poured into his soul like warm milk, lulling him to sleep. He knew his knees fell to the ground, but he was so captivated by the song, he didn’t feel it. In the corner of his eye, he saw Ivan collapse on his face, and Holly lie down slowly against a tree.

“Lets take a quick rest. We can continue in a little bit.” Her voice sounded far away and different than usual.

Klaus’s eyes closed, the last thing he saw was a figure dressed in long flowing green robes walking out of the woods before them.

~~~~~~~~

The sound of chirping birds called Ivan from his dreams. He smelled smoke and something like roasted beets. He opened an eye and was greeted by the sun shining over the tops of the distant trees. Klaus was still asleep across from him, and Holly was poking something in the fire.

“Hmm. Something smells good.” He mumbled sleepily.

“Morning!” Holly said with a smile. “ How do you like your dandelion root?”

Ivan made a face, then sat up and took in his surroundings. They were literally out of the woods, in the clear barren field of red dirt. Here and there were patches of green grass and white snow. Behind them lay the Black Forest, which did not look nearly as black or scary as it had the night before, and before them stretched open country as far as the eye could see.

“Where are we?” Ivan asked getting up.

“I’ll explain once Klaus is up too. We were put under an enchanted sleep so there’s no point in trying to wake him up till he’s ready to wake up.” Holly said matter-of-factly, “You can go wash up in the stream over there by the blackberry thicket before breakfast.”

As Ivan left, Klaus began to stir. He was still asleep, but he was asking questions. He kept saying “Who are you” and “Who do you want me to follow” as he twisted around on the ground, yelling louder and louder. Holly ran to his side, grabbing a nearby flower as she went. Placing his head on her lap, she poured the dew inside the flower into his ear, speaking softly to him as he instantly calmed down. When he was soundly asleep again, she laid his head back down and went to stir the fire. She could only imagine who was trying to talk to him in his dreams.

~~~~~~~~

Across the plains, over the icy sea and beyond the land of snow, in a colossal silver tower, two crystal blue eyes, as cold as the northern winter snapped open. Someone had interfered with the dream. The cold calculating eyes searched the clouds for any new news on the three’s progress, but there was none. No matter. The boy would have to sleep again sometime.

~~~~~~~~

Bella woke up about the same time as Ivan did. She was in a large, warm room, with light brown walls with studs of red and green jewels every now and again. She was woken by the smell of sweets and sugar, as the heavenly aroma called her from her dreams. The doors to her room swung open and in came two men dressed very formally.

“If Your Highness is ready, the Queen is ready to receive you.”

“Where am I? And were is my puppy?”

“Oh, you are in the Castle Bvarium, Home of Queen Alexandra the Magnificent. Your hound has been taken care of, and you may see him once your audience with the Queen is over.”

“Okay.” Said the young girl, but before she could utter another word, six ladies came rushing in all talking at once.

In less then two minutes they had washed, dressed, perfumes, make uped, and primed the young girl. Bella almost laughed when she saw herself in the mirror. She looked like a clown, with her fancy, poofy dress and hair all made up with at least 50 bows, and face painted red and white with make up.

“Come now.” Said one of the two men. “We cannot keep the Queen waiting. And it’s almost breakfast time.”

~~~~~~~~

Klaus woke up, feeling more tired than he felt before going to sleep. Ivan and Holly were sitting by a fire, eating some kind of root, and the sun was just over the tops of the trees.

“Where are we?” Klaus asked sitting up.

“Good morning sleepy head.” Holly said, handing him a piece of blackened root, “Breakfast?”

“Um, I’m not really that hungry, thanks anyway.” Klaus declined politely.

“I’m actually curios as well as to how we came here Holly since you seem to know so much.” Ivan said, gulping down a piece of root less burnt than the rest.

“We stumbled upon your Feyfolk Ivan. They handed me this, after you two had already fallen asleep.” She said pulling out a birchbark scroll.

Klaus took it and read,

“To Our Weary Travelers,

We apologize for our behavior, in placing you in an enchanted sleep, but you nearly entered upon one of our main encampments. We deduced that you were in pursuit of the small child carried by here and so we hoped to make amends by spiriting you to the other side of the forest, on the side closest to where she is being kept, in the castle of the Bavarian witch. We are sorry but we cannot presently leave our woodland realm to aid you further, but may the forest ever smile on your fates, and may fate bring our paths together under more amiable circumstances.

Godspeed,
Woodland Elves”

Klaus handed the parchment to Ivan when he was done. Ivan reread the letter and studied the tiny map accompanying it. Klaus walked over to where Holly was sitting, staring into the fire.

“So what do you make of it?” Klaus asked, biting of a piece of burnt root and regretting it instantly.

“Well, if Bella is being kept in the Bavarian Witch’s castle we need to hurry. Probably break camp as soon as possible. And…Klaus, can I ask you something.” Holly said, turning to look at him. “What were you dreaming about?”

Klaus thought for a second then said, “Well, it’s this dream I’ve had before, where there’s a bright light and a voice calling me. Except this time, I felt like something inside of me wanted to know more. Wanted to know details about who I am suppose to follow.”

The two sat by the fire, an awkward silence settling in, then Holly said, “I think you should listen to the voice, but not ask anymore questions. If its fate, like the woodland elves said, than we don’t need to question it and just do what it says.”

Before they could talk any more Ivan came running over, a look of childish pleasure on his face. “I figured out the map! According to this we are about two hours march from the Castle. We can figure out a plan on the way. For now, I think its better if we get going sooner than latter.”

“Alright, it sounds like a plan.” Klaus said getting up and putting out the fire.

Soon the trio were back on the move, this time over the rolling hills, casting one farewell look to the forest before they turned their backs on the woodlands and started jogging. Unbeknownst to them, hundreds of emerald green eyes were watching them anxiously as they left. Once they were sure, they faded into the darkness of the forest, and soon everything was quiet again.


So thats the first two old chapters. If you guys like I can post 3 and 4 too. The main diffrence in the old ones and my new ones is the style. In this one, the style is done in the classical method, kind of like the Redwall Series/Narnia Series. In the new chapters I haev been writing in the naturalistic style, developed in the 1870s that is more like Lord of the Rings, much more detailed. So, I am personally not sure which style to use, and thats why I would really appreciate your opinions. Which one works better for you and why.