The Queen of the Elves

Chapter 8

They trudged on for near an hour and a half with Arica walking gracefully ahead and Caroline stumbling on hands and knees behind. It was not so terrible as before seeing as there was a live, kindly creature to keep her company. Also the fairy cast a elegant glow that lit the whole tunnel and kept the dark from becoming overwhelming. In all Caroline was becoming very grateful to her new little friend and her spirits were rising once more out of the pits.

Then a dreadful noise was heard.

"What's that?" whispered Caroline timidly.

"That is Vor." the little fairy gave a shudder, "He is a worm."

"He makes a lot of noise for a worm, and since when do worms have names?"

"No, no." Arica sighed, "Not a worm, a worm." In reading this it may be confusing, so to clear this up the second worm is pronounced verm, and is far different from our common earthworms as you will soon see.

"A worm?" Caroline asked, "So, what's the difference?"

"What's the same is a more suitable question. A worm (verm) is closely related to dragons. They are large creatures that dwell underground, so they don't have wings like dragons. They slide on their bellies like worms through tunnels, sometimes they make the tunnels, mostly they use other creatures tunnels. This worm (verm), Vor, has gotten into the goblins tunnels. He doesn't seem to have begun to chase them out yet, but he will soon enough. Worms aren't decomposers like worms, they eat like dragons, so they are rather annoying if you're fond of cattle. Anyway, for some reason it is extremely interested in your friends. I can't say why, but they're sure in a mess right now. Don't worry though, I'm trained in speaking to worms and dragons. If you can outwit a worm, you can get what you want from it, I've outwitted twenty already." Her glow seemed to brighten as she said this, and Caroline assumed she must be smiling with pride.

Caroline wasn't really interested in worms, or outwitting them, it all sounded a little nutty to her. But she was worried about Richie, Bernard, and Mason, she wouldn't have gone back to the underground if she wasn't, so she bit her tongue and kept going. They only went a few more steps when they came upon a large drop-off. Caroline stared down anxiously at the cliff before them, and the unnatural, and unpleasant glow protruding from the bottom.

"Hsh." Arica hissed, then in a harsh voice called, "Stay thy hand!"

A roar came to them from down below, then an equally harsh voice said, "And who is it that orders Vor the Worm? Come out where I can see you."

"Not a wise thing for me to do, so I'm afraid I shall restrain. I would however love to have a chat with you before you crisp those young mortals."

"Ah," the voice sighed, "A friend of the mortals, are you?"

"Nay, simply a curious bystander trying to cease standing by."

"Ah, I see. You are bored then of being kept out of the action?"

"Why no, I don't suppose I'm bored. Are you?"

"I'm always bored. Bored and hungry. Alas, these mortals are all I could scavenge, no cattle was there today."

"I would like to place a wager for their heads, if you are interested?"

"Always interested. What wager would you have?"

The fairy giggled loudly, "Well, there are so many, what would you have?" this was the polite way of engaging in a competition, and though tedious they went exactly by it.

"No," the worm laughed, "It was your idea, you must make up the wager."

"Very well. I say, if you can tell me whereabouts the queen of the worms is right now."