King's Quest

CHAPTER 3: THE SECOND KEY

Once on the other side and composed again, Graham takes a moment to think. He doesn't know what he will need or where he will find it. Still, with no other leads, he decides upon the antique shop, as they might sell more than just antiquated items.

"Perhaps it is open now," he muses as he turned his steps to it.

It takes very little time to reach the small shop and the sign in the window now declares it to be open. Wasting no time, Graham proceeds inside the shop.

"Hello young man," the proprietor, an old lady, greets him. "Take your time and let me know if I can help." She rises from her seat to address him and sits back down once she's done, back to her rocking.

Graham looks about the shop, but just as the name implies he finds nothing but antiques, though one in particular seizes his attention, an old oil lamp.

He gazes at it a moment while musing over the old stories he had read where such things contained genies who grant you wishes. It makes him smile, but he has a job to do and nothing to do it with.

He walks up to the counter and peers at the woman. "Good day dear lady," he address her. "I was wondering if you should have any tools that might help me to climb a mountain?"

The woman shakes her head. "I'm sorry young man," she says. "But I only deal in furniture and knick knacks."

"Do you know of any place I might find what I require?" Graham presses.

"No place around here," the lady informs him.

Graham is disheartened, he seems so close to his goal. Still, there is nothing to be done about it here. So, he turns about and intended to leave the shop, but just as he takes the first step, something catches his eye.

Everything in the shop has a small tag on or around it to indicate it's price, everything except a gleaming brass stand.

It's only a slight curiosity, but Graham decides that asking about it won't hurt anything. "Dear lady, is this stand for sale?" he enquires.

"No," the older woman answers without looking up.

Her response is curt, but he can tell there's something more to it. "Does something trouble you?" he asks.

The woman looks up at him and her eyes well up. "That stand once held the cage of my precious nightingale," she imparts her woeful plight.

"Is she missing?" he pries.

"She was stolen from me in the middle of the night some time ago and I haven't seen her since," the old woman imparts as she sobs quietly.

Graham has better things to do than to go hunting for a bird, but the lady's tears move him. "Perhaps I might be able to find her for you," he offers.

The lady brightens. "Could you?!" she gushes.

Graham nods "Of course," he assures her. "I'll find your bird and bring her back to you."

The lady smiles broadly, the first time the young king had seen her do so and with a new sense of hope, he departs the shop.

Once outside he mulls the idea over. "Where am I going to find a pretty little nightingale in this place?" he speaks low so the lady wouldn't hear him .

There's hardly any place that Graham hadn't already explored. He looks to the north, but finds nothing of interest.

"Perhaps the south?" he speaks as he turns in that direction.

Still he sees nothing. Graham thinks long and hard, but nothing comes to mind.

"Perhaps the sea breeze will do me some good," he remarks though he doubts he would find the key so close to the first, but with little else King Graham hopes it will at least clear his head.