Place the Blame

Part 5

It had been a week since the capture of Blacksmith James and the recovering of the sword. Sofia was enduring one of her poetry classes while Eralyn was sitting on a stool in the corner staring at a piece of fabric that had an intricate pattern blooming. Sofia was writing and the teacher was reading over Sofia's shoulder.

    "Princess Sofia, will you please read your poem to me," her private tutor said.

    Sofia cleared her voice then started.

"Upon a time, not long ago
In place of rain, never of snow
There were two children, wondering
Who was their castle plundering
They looked around
And Lo! They found
A clue to tell them where
The thief had set his lair
The one who stole their joy and fun
Forced them to fight with every son
And father, every man in sight
Had to leave family to fight
The children set their hearts and wills
To find the thief before he killed
Their every hope and happiness
Three hints they had
To find the lad
A hat, paper, a riding crop
All adults thought that they should stop
The hat, of all proved most needed
To find the man and on his head
Place the blame
And treat him same
As all the thieves unmasked
Through stables, past
Dead-end questioning
They found a way to make their ring
Of guards, and evidence
Then without hesitance
They sprang upon
Their man, the one
When he walked
As if not stalked
Into their hands
While his held plans
For battle, war
And so much more
Now he's off to a colony
To use his skills and rectify
The damage done
By this someone
By pounding bronze
And using tongs
To make tools
For criminals use."

Once Sofia finished the room was completely silent.

    "Well, Sofia, that was an amazing poem. May I inquire from where you got your inspiration for your poem?" the teacher asked.

    Sofia shared a knowing glance with Eralyn. "Oh... You know, from a book I am reading at the moment."

    Eralyn stifled a small giggle, and went back to her work on the handkerchief. The class ended quickly after Sofia read her poem. Sofia and Eralyn exited the room together, Eralyn slightly behind Sofia.

They soon arrived back at Sophia's room, and both collapsed into laughter, staggering into each other like best friends, for, of course, that is what you become when you solve a mystery together.

Eralyn was the first to speak through her giggles, "Your professor's face when you finished that poem. Do you think he knows anything?"

"No, he couldn't. I ordered the guards not to say anything!" Sophia rolled over on her bed as she spoke.

"Ok, Princess."

"When we're alone," Sophia admonished, "You don't have to call me 'princess' though you probably should still do that when we're around nobles."

"Yes, nobles, with all their pomp and circumstance." Eralyn flopped onto Sophia's bed next to her. "Our relationship is truly nothing like theirs, and I like ours best."

Sophia stared dreamily at the ceiling, "Yes, we're not normal, and they can't make us be. Not us, best friends forever."

A knock sounded on the door, and both Sophia and Eralyn leapt up, one rushing to her handkerchief project, and the other to her desk.

"You may enter." Sophia's voice was carefully controlled, holding none of the relaxedness that she and Eralyn had just shared, but she gave Eralyn a look that said, 'Let's not have the adventures end here, let's go have fun with life, this is only the beginning.'

THE END!!!

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Thank you so much again,
Signing out,

Fermidog