Frumas: Overgrown
“This fire is our hearts and we place a piece of soul into each weapon.” Father was being as boisterous as ever.
My soul was just melting from the intense heat. He forged the weapons using his hammer and I placed them in the large oven. This happened for hours till I was feeling light headed and ready to faint.
Then we moved on to wood which I liked much better. The sanding made my shoulders soar but at least I was wasn’t sweating nearly as much. The shapes he was handing me were very interesting. They were long, thin pieces of slightly curved wood.
“What are these?” I inquired. “I haven’t seen anything like them before.”
“Ha ha.” He bellowed. “I found Ortus working on it while visiting the Lacus tribe. He called it a bow. He was using just a straight piece of wood for it. He can be such a dunce you know. I added the curve to make it absolutely gorgeous.”
“Might I try it?”
Father stopped sanding, looked at me with wide eyes and threw his arms out sideways, palms up and bellowed. “I love a budding sprout willing to take protection into her own hands.” He switched to a figure eight flex, one arm upwards and the other down behind him. “And far better when its my own daughter. Come now, lets find you the right servant.”
He handed me a curved piece of wood nearly as tall as myself, with a thin string tying the ends together. I plucked the string and it made sharp sound as the tension shock.
“Take this love.” Father handed over a long thin piece of wood sharpened to a point, the opposite end had a small slit cut in it. “Now then, slide the notched end onto the string, pull back and let go.” he said.
I looked around clearly seeing I was inside. “Right here in your workshop?”
Father grabbed the air before him. “Yes right there, fire it right down the other end.”
I shrugged. “Ok.” Fine with me. I stood straight up and leaned back slightly, my feet and torso pointing to the side. I slipped the notched wood onto the string with it just between my thumb and forefinger. I pulled back the string just behind my ear, while holding the curved wood at a full arms length.
I let the string go. The thin wood let out a short whistle and a dull thud on impact.
“That was beautiful sweetie.” Articus shouted, hands clasped together. He started bouncing all around me. “The pose, the form, this weapon is truly made for you.”
I examined it a bit more. Magical ideas welling inside my mind. “It just might be.”
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Upon returning home we found a giant talking hair ball sitting at the table.
“Waaahhh!” I shouted, putting my hands up stiff from fright.
“Its just me.” A young boy’s voice said as the long hair moved in front of what I assumed was his mouth.
“Son?” Father asked while looking him over with curiosity. He grabbed a handful of hair letting it slide off. “What in the world happened to you?”
He stuck his arm out the mass of hair. “Hmmm… I don’t know, just woke up like this.”
I stepped closer and brushed the hair with a hand slowly. “Did you feel odd last night?” I asked. So silky smooth, I wish mine felt that nice.
“I felt itchy after my bath.” Brother replied.
Father started parting the hair, looking inside. If shrubs could talk you’d swear he was searching for food. Oh, and if they were made of gorgeous hair.
“That tickles daddy.” My little brother said while giggling.
Better ask when mum isn’t home. “Did anything odd fall into the bath, perhaps?”
“Those shiny red stones you gave me disappeared. I couldn’t find them in the water.”
Father still with his head stuck inside. “Its even started growing off your arms and legs. Young men shouldn’t be growing locks there so soon.” He backed his head out looking between us. “What’s this about stones and baths?”
“Well, uhh…” I started stammering, but the door opened.
“Hi mommy.” The hairball said.
A thud let out and when I looked over Mum had fainted.