Nia crossed her arms as she checked for the fifth day in a row and her friends were nowhere to be seen. Nia decided that today’s adventure would be a walk to where they’d described their house as being. It wasn’t far. She’d had every intention of visiting them at some point but they always appeared before she had the chance to visit them.

  There, house was a warm looking picture on a farming book. Nia climbed the stairs onto the porch knocking on the door waiting. Eventually the door clicked open and Mr. Leon looked out and then down at her before opening the door more.

  “Hello Nia.” He smiled at her.

  “Hi, can Tarren and Farris come out and play?” She asked. Mr. Leon blinked.

  “Oh, Nia they’re visiting there Mom’s family.” He admitted.

  “Oh.” Nia breathed felling herself delate a bit. Mostly because they couldn’t play today but also because when you played so often together didn’t you mention when you’d be gone a while? Were they not friends?

  “They’ll be back in a week.” Mr. Leon offered patting her head. “They have been really excited to be hanging out with you.” Mr. Leon told her. Nia smiled and nodded.

  “Thank you.” She offered and turned and headed home. Well then there was nothing stopping her from going to the gardens again. Nia thought loosing herself in the woods keeping the attic window in view every so often.

  Nia perked when she her murmuring. No, grumbling again. She slowly stepped looking over a bush and a pacing mouse standing on there back legs arms moving around as they paced.

  “Really, I just don’t want to do it. Why do I need provide more then it isn’t my calling. I know my calling better than anyone.” She stated to the world, hidden by bushes. Nia gaped and inadvertently made a noise. The mouse whipped around pointing a little tiny sword braced in a claw. “Who are you and what business do you have here.” She roared in a squeak.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Nia, my Mom owns the house, I was exploring and overheard you.” Nia admitted. “What’s your name?” Nia asked.

  The Mouse little and grey with eyes that were golden, sheaved her sword and looked Nia over. She swooped into an elegant bow.

  “I am Meisel of the Grove.” She offered. The display sent a wave of giddy delight through Nia. Who bowed back not as Elegantly.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “I am Nia of the House.” She offered back. “What were you up to?” Nia asked excitedly. Meisel paused for a moment then shifted.

  “I’ve been very interested in exploring the in between. It’s my life’s goal to make an accurate map of it.” Meisel admitted pulling out a scroll. “But it is proving more and more difficult from every direction. She offered snapping it open and staring it over.

  “The in-between?” Nia asked excitedly? Meisel nodded glancing at her.

  “Yes, the between of this realm and Faerie.” Meisel offered. Faerie Nia mouthed excitement pounding in her heart.

  “Wait if you live in the house are you born of this plain?” The mouse asked excitedly.

  “Yes.” Nia offered not knowing what other plain she would have been born of. Meisel clapped her golden eyes glittering like the stars in the sky as bright as every dreamy story of Fae.

  “Would you possibly consider, maybe discussing a familiar bond?” The mouse asked. “It would make it so much easier to make the map if I have a partner that is on the other end to balance out the paths a bit. I cold walk freely through the magicless plain without having to worry about strain and you could easily walk through Faerie if you wanted.” She added.

  In the fluttery amazement Nia might just have agreed immediately, but her mother’s voice about Magic and Curses echoed through her mind.

  “We need to discuss conditions before I can agree to anything, after all we both have to live with it.” Nia offered. Meisel nodded intensely.

  “Oh of course, we would need to know if we could even work well together. My goal is my map. I can not work with someone who can’t see my vision.” Meisel offered to her.

  “I’d also like to be friends.” Nia added. Meisel paused the looked shy.

  “Oh, that would be nice.” She breathed. Nia beamed lowering holding out a hand.

  “Should we walk around a bit and we can talk about the vision?” Nia asked. And they went around and just noted two ends, the beginnings of both ends the stain glass of the attic window and a crest that represented Meisel’s Grove.

  They talked about silly things like the game of collect sticks.

  “Oh, I love collect sticks!” Meisel offered and she described a game that wasn’t exactly like the one Tarren and Farris pieced together but was close. And Meisel told her about how she played with some of her friends and rattled off a list of them.

  “Wow. I currently have two friends other than you.” Nia offered.

  “Do you think they would help with the map?” Meisel asked eyes sparkling again.

  “Probably not, they don’t like the garden’s their dad warned them about going in.” Nia admitted, the more she thought something about Mr. Beodulf was really weird.

  “Well it is very easy to get lost in the between, which is why I’m making my map.” Meisel informed her. Nia nodded and wondered if Mr. Beodulf knew about the in between.

  “Oh. I should get back to the Grove.” Meisel hissed as if it was the last thing she wanted to do.

  “How about we meet where we met today tomorrow?” Nia offered.

  “I’d like that.” Meisel offered in a bright squeak.