Chapter Two
Merte

When Mistress Greentop woke up she was still musing over where her daughter could be. Well Pandra Rodengloss too but to her, Framata was much more important. She decided to write a letter to her husband. It said:
Framata has gone missing, please look for her at the farm

She would have to wait until the postman came by. Meanwhile, She thought that she should probably talk to Mistress Rodengloss, she would be worried about her daughter as well but that thought got interrupted by a knock on the door. She stretched her way out of bed, threw on a robe, and answered the door. It was Mistress Rodengloss. She felt sort of embarrased. She was in her robe with bags under her eyes and Rodengloss was fully dressed and totally awake.
“What are you doing here this early?” she asked.
“Early?” said Rodengloss
“Yes early its- wait a second” She poked her head inside and glanced at her clock. She felt as though her cheeks were on fire. It was two in the afternoon. She had overslept. Badly. She said “Maybe we could talk some other time, I know you are worried about your daughter too but” she gestured to herself “I think you get it, bye,”
she said slamming the door so hard from embarrassment that a moment afterwards she heard a small yelp from the other side of her door.

The next morning when Brigora woke up she sighed. she would have to wait until tomorrow to see Ladaria because now she was getting ready for the walk back to the farm. She said goodbye to Master Sunwell, who said he would tell Ladaria when she woke up that Brigora said goodbye. She picked up her cloak and headed out the door. She waved to the smaller children playing on the road as she walked out of town.

When she got to the farm she shouted “Hi dad I am home!” and he replied
“Hi Brigora, my girl.” And then she headed to her room to get settled. She hung up her cloak on the hook in her room and plopped down on her bed. She was exhausted from the long walk back. Her father said it was good exercise though. She heard him yell, “Brigora, come help me and collect the eggs from those chickens there”
“Okay dad,” she sighed as she got up again to go help with the chickens.

Chapter One
Brigora and Ladaria

The wind whistled through the nearly leafless trees. It was a cool shady night. A wolf howl broke the near silence. Brigora Dewleaf was scared. Well, it was not like she didn’t walk down this path every night to get from her farm to the town for the night. But, still this road sent chills down her back.
“Brrr,” Brigora shivered. “Well at least I am almost in the town, I can see it.”

When she got to the town Inn she said, “Hello Master Sunwell.”
He answered, “Hello Brigora, and if you are looking for Ladaria she is upstairs in her room.” Ladaria Sunwell was the Innkeeper’s daughter and Brigora’s very best friend.
“Thank you,” Brigora answered and she raced upstairs.

Ladaria’s room was neat and tidy, very much unlike the one she had on the farm, with small china dolls perched just so on her bookshelf with the books lined up straight. Ladaria was reading one on her immaculate perfectly made bed.
“Hi Ladaria,” Brigora said. Ladaria kept on reading. “LADARIA!” Brigora shouted.
Ladaria jumped up from her bed and demanded, “What, I was just at a good part daddy? Oh its you Brigora, sorry,” she said in her high squeaky (and now a little irritated) voice. “Well I guess I can read it later,” Ladaria sighed.
“Brigora, I have some very bad news.”
“What is it?” Brigora asked excitedly. “Mistress Sunwell, my mom, saw a merte.”
“Oh no,” Groaned Brigora, taking a seat on Ladaria’s bed. Merte were the evil creatures Lord Nefarious sends to places he would like to “borrow” people from. “I wonder who they are coming to take?” asked Brigora, gradually overcoming her shock.
“I asked mom who, but she scolded me and sent me away. I think they might be coming for Pandra Rodengloss. She is weird and crazy and, well, you can’t say she doesn’t stick out,” replied Ladaria.
“We could ask Framata Greentop, she is Pandra’s best friend,” suggested Brigora.
“Lets go,” said Ladaria confidently.

When they were down the staircase Ladaria asked “Dad, can Brigora and me go to Framata’s house?”
“Framata,” he said. “Who is that?”
“Greentop?” said Ladaria impatiently.
“Ohh Greentop. Sure as long as you are back before bed. You too Brigora, you are my responsibility while you are here and Master Dewleaf is on the farm, and also before you barge in, ask Mistress Greentop,” Master Sunwell said.
“Ok,” the two girls said together.

When they got to Framata’s house they rapped on the door and waited. In a while Mistress Greentop answered it. She said, “Why hello girls would you like to come in?”
They answered, “Could we see Framata?”
Mistress Greentop answered worriedly, “No I am sorry her and Pandra Rodengloss dissapeared last night.” The girls stared at each other in horror.
“Well then lets go home,” said Ladaria, standing in front of Brigora to hide her open mouth.

When they got to the inn Brigora horrifiedly whispered, “We are too late!”