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Glory Bound Books
presents
~ Once Upon A Twisted Tale ~
BOOK TWO
Chaos In The Clouds
by
Leah Berry and Cindy Knowlton
~ Storytellers for THE KING! ~
Copyright © 2002
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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CHAPTER EIGHT
~ A Call To Arms! ~
***
...Portrait of a soldier...
Pierre The Cricket was one of the finest soldiers in the entire outfit of Cricket Commandos. But although he was known for his fierce fighting style, he was also known for his outrageous temper... a temper that kept him from rising above the rank of foot soldier! Those who were cautious tried not to upset him. But, for one such as he, it was a rare day that passed without a display of this towering temper.
...In The French Forest...
All of which made it so incredible to anyone who visited his home, for in the presence of his wife he was a changed cricket. Lisette was like a tiny flower, full of sweetness and beauty... who ruled her family with an iron fist! She was the only one Pierre had ever met whose temper surpassed his own!
The place that Pierre called home was deep within The French Forest, in the cottage of an old man named Jaques and his wrinkled little wife, Marie. Pierre, Lisette and their eleven daughters lived above the fireplace mantel, behind a loose wallboard. It was the perfect home, warmed by the heat of the fireplace and right next to the enormous mantel where the old woman cooled all of her baked goods... breads, pies, cakes and cookies! It was a good life where one could gather all the crumbs needed, and easily run down to get milk from the old cat's bowl or water from the bucket kept warming by the fire.
...The old cat...
Oh, you might think that the little family would be in danger from the old cat, but he was old, and his arthritis was so bad that he was like a prisoner to the warmth of the fireplace hearth. His small box of earth was in the corner and he only really moved from the soft little cushion bed to lap a bit of the warm milk or soft oatmeal mush. Indeed, he was a friendly old fellow who enjoyed sharing his milk with the little family because they brought him news of the outside world.
Lisette felt sorry for him because he couldn't move about... had even begun to look a bit scruffy because he couldn't reach all the way around to groom himself. So, every evening when twilight had fallen on the cottage, she would climb down to softly sing the old fellow to sleep.
Marie and Jaques didn't mind because it was said that a cricket in the house was good luck. But... only one. So the family made sure to sing one at a time in the house, and it was only Lisette who sang to the old cat.
...A very good wife...
And she was a very good wife, too. Lisette made candles for her family to use from the little drippings of wax that ran down the two tall candlesticks that Marie kept on the mantel and thread from the sewing basket, next to the big rocking chair by the fire. Whenever Marie snipped off some excess thread, Lisette's daughters would gather it up and bring it to their mother, who made candlewicks or wove it into the most beautiful materials for their home.
The girls also gathered stray sugar crystals - missed by Marie's old eyes - for their mother to melt down into lovely cake and cookie icings. The girls were learning many things, and one day they would be good wives, too.
...A family man...
Pierre had chosen the little cottage in The French Forest because the old man liked to work with wood, and he - Pierre - liked to work with wood, too. The splinters below the chopping block provided all that he needed to craft lovely pieces of furniture for his family. Everyone who came to visit commented on the beauty of his home and family, which is why it always made Pierre very angry when he had to leave it. Such was the case on the morning that his outfit was called to search for the treasure of THE KING.
...A breakfast interrupted...
Candlelight lit the breakfast table in a soft yellow glow, and highlighted the enormous platter of iced oat cakes that stood on the sideboard. An acorn cup overflowed with tiny daisy mums in the center of the table and frothy mugs of fresh warm goat's milk waited at each place.
Pierre's heart overflowed with emotion at the sight of his lovely home with his girls all around him. They clasped hands and bowed their heads, and thus Pierre began the blessing of the food.
...A call to arms...
Suddenly the distant sound of a cricket trump was heard. The call to arms... in peace time! What could this be? Pierre ran to the window ledge to get the news. Far below, a young cadet stood at attention, awaiting the response to his trump. Pierre hurried down to him.
"What news? What has happened?" he asked.
"Sir! The ranks are called up! You must report for duty by sundown today!" replied the cadet.
"But that tells me nothing! What has happened that I must leave my home and family?" demanded Pierre, who was becoming angry at the lack of information.
"I only know that you must report by sundown today, Sir!" said the cadet.
Pierre's temper snapped! "Today... TODAY! Get out of my sight, you disgusting little bug!" roared Pierre.
The cadet obeyed quickly, for he knew of Pierre's great temper. But at the forest edge he turned to call once more, "Sundown today, Sir!" before hopping away as fast as he could go.
...A big temper...
Enraged now at the impertinence of the cadet and the complete lack of information, Pierre did not return to breakfast. Instead he stormed about the forest floor, kicking at mushrooms and beating up aphids... all the time muttering, "Why... WHY... WHY does this happen to me? It was a good day, too! The candlelight and flowers... my beautiful girls... NO! I should not have to leave my home without a reason!"
Gradually he calmed down. What I must do, he thought, is to find the reason. After all, I have the whole day. But who can tell me... who would know... someone who is nosey... someone who loves the gossip... someone like... Bernard! Bernard The Bee who knows the Buzzz! Oui and Oui! I will find Bernard! So, off he went ~
~ And the wind howled with laughter
because the little cricket had already walked past
a part of the treasure...
three times! ~
***
~ The Tale Continues ~
CHAPTER NINE
~ The Agony Of de Feet ~
***
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