The weary warrior

A weary warrior stood before the looming doors of the throne room, awaiting the moment that he would be admitted. The warrior had journeyed far and wide on a quest from the King, seeking a legendary treasure. After months of searching, he had finally found it. But returning to the kingdom had been perilous: for there were many who desired the treasure for themselves.
The warrior looked up as one of the great doors opened. Laboriously, the warrior limped across the grand throne room. Practically falling into his bow, the warrior waited for the King to speak. Finally, after the silence had stretched over many minutes, a deep voice echoed throughout the room.
"Have you found it?"
The warrior removed a small pouch from the inner pocket of his vest. "As you commanded, Sire." The warrior answered, his voice rough as he held out the pouch. The King grabbed the pouch, eyes gleaming as he carefully opened it. Turning it upside down, a single object fell onto his hand. It was a thin, round disc of the lightest blue. Gleaming in the light, it drew the eye's attention to it.
"The Dragonlord's amulet." The King said, voice quiet as he slowly turned the disc.
The warrior closed his eyes. The amulet was one of many lost relics from the age of magic. If their magical properties had not died, such objects would grant a person untold power. For none possessed magical abilities in this age, though the beasts of yore still ravaged the land.
"Go rest." The King ordered, looking down at the warrior. "For once you are fit to travel, there is another treasure that I would have you search for."

For those interested

I have a second blog now, called Tatting Between Words. As the name suggests, it will mainly be about my tatting. As such, Terrarth Tales will have no further posts featuring my tatting projects. Terrarth Tales continue with the normal Wednesday and Friday updates, while Tatting Between Words will be updated as I decide to share something.
So if you are interested in tatting, feel free to follow my second blog!

Times to give someone a cake

1. For their birthday.
2. At a party.
3. When you are thanking them for something.
4. As part of a apology.
5. While watching a movie.
6. To celebrate a achievement.
7. After they recover from a cold.
8. When you need someone to test a recipe.
9. On a important date.
10. Never: your friends prefer brownies.

Clouds

Two children were stretched out on a checkered blanket in their backyard, staring up at the sky.
"That one looks like grandpa!" A boy who was missing one of his front teeth said, pointing at a cloud. His sister tilted her head and squinted her eyes.
"I think I can see his mustache." She said after a moment, then pointed at a smaller cloud that looked vaguely like a hamster. "That one is Mumbles!"
The brother nodded in agreement, then looked at his sister. "Hey sis, what are clouds made of? They look like marshmallows." The sister turned to look at him. Offering a smile, she shook her head.
"Only some clouds are made of marshmallows." She looked around, then pointed to a wispy cloud. "That one is made from cotton candy."
The brother's eyes widened. "Cotton candy? What about the clouds that make snow?" The sister's smile grew as she answered. "Vanilla ice cream! And rain clouds are made of chocolate whipped cream."
The brother licked his lips and looked up at the sky. "I wish the clouds weren't so high up."
"Don't worry, we can get some when mom goes to the store. That's where the cloud catchers send any they catch." The sister told him with a nod of her head. "They have special planes that they use. Whenever you see a plane disappear into a cloud, its the cloud catchers hunting."
The brother released a sigh. "When I grow up, I want to be a cloud catcher."
The sister laughed and gently elbowed her brother. "Then you better eat your green beans. That's one of the things cloud catchers have to do!"
The brother wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue. "Yuck!"
As the sister continued to laugh, the children heard their mother call for them from the kitchen window. They picked up their blanket and reluctantly went inside, the brother taking one last look at the sky before the back door closed.

Activities for the mall

1. People watch. Find an area where you can comfortably watch people. Exercise your imagination. Why is the woman in a yellow sundress searching the crowd? Where would the excited group of teenagers be headed?
2. Window shop. As you visit different stores, ask what one of your characters would look for if they were there. Is the main character a sports fan, who shows team spirit by collecting anything that supports their team?
3. Lowest price. In a store, look for the least expensive item and write down the price. Repeat this at the other stores you go to. Once you are finished shopping, look at your notes and see what had the lowest price. Is it something strange? Was it on clearance or on sell? Would your main character be able to use it to further the plot?
4. Zombie invasion. What store in the mall would work best as a base if there was a zombie outbreak? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of each store?
5. Clothing choice. With a group of friends or with a few characters in mind, find the strangest clothes in the store and ask a friend or character if they would wear it. If they say yes, ask them where.
6. What if... Ask a friend, character, or even a stranger a what if question. What if a dragon suddenly broke through the skylight and crashed into the fountain? Just be certain to explain that these are hypothetical questions if you don't know the person well.
7. Silly dares. With a group of friends, make a list of dares to be done while at the mall. For example, ask if a piece of clothing comes in a extra medium. Just don't make the dares anything that could end with you or someone else hurt, kicked out, arrested, or cause extreme annoyance to others.
8. Mixed plate. At the food court, instead of ordering your entire meal from one place, get a small thing from each place. Try and get things you have never tried before. If you feel really adventurous, eat two or more different tasting foods in the same bite.
9. Write a scene. Take something to write with and find somewhere in the mall where you can write. Take notes on crowds, write a scene, or create some new characters. Interesting things are happening all around you, so be prepared.
10. Take the stairs. If possible, instead of using the elevator or escalator, try to only use the stairs. It may be more of a workout, but sometimes taking the stairs can be more fun. What would your main character use?

The hat store

A bell chimed as a young boy wearing a bright yellow baseball cap entered the store. The boy looked around the store, taking in the sight of many shelves covered with all kinds of hats. Walking further in and turning left, the boy found a employee who was restocking a shelf.
"Excuse me," the boy said, causing the employee to pause. The employee turned toward the boy.
"Yes?" The employee asked as she straightened her beret.
"I'm looking for a new hat." The boy told her, offering her a wide grin. "David Lock said this was the best place to find a cool one."
The employee studied the boy, then returned his smile. "Mister Lock is an excellent judge of hats. The collection you want is in the back."
The employee led the boy to a small room in the back of the store. There, the boy looked around at the small selection of hats. There were some that were plain-looking and battered, along with others that were strange creations that were difficult to imagine someone wearing.
The boy searched among the hats, rejecting one after another without trying them on. Then the boy picked up a straw cowboy hat that had a red braided hat band. After studying it for a few moments, the boy nodded and turned to the employee.
"This one will suffice."
The employee gave a nod and held out her hand. The boy took off his baseball hat. The moment it left his head the boy lost all distinguishing features, becoming a living mannequin. The mannequin lifted the cowboy hat to its smooth head. The mannequin became taller as new features began to form. After a minute, a woman with curly blonde hair was wearing the cowboy hat.
Releasing a laugh, the cowgirl stretched her arms. "It feels nice to be tall again." She told the employee, who nodded after placing the yellow baseball cap on a shelf.
"You still have freckles." The employee commented before motioning toward a door. "If you head into the office, one of the others will provide you with new identification. I must return to the store."

Mythical creatures as pets

1. Phoenix. This fiery fowl can become a family heirloom to be passed from generation to generation. Why buy multiple fish when you can get a single bird?
2. Al'mi'raj. The perfect rabbit for over-protective fathers with teenage daughters. Simply release the al'mi'raj on any guys who come calling.
3. Sphinx. These feline creatures can help your child their homework, if you can pull them away from their riddles that is.
4. Hippocampus. Enjoy a vacation to the beach with this aquatic creature and ride the ocean's waves.
5. Cockatrice. Discourage the neighborhood children from raiding your garden with this frightful beast. Just be sure to have a antidote for petrification handy.
6. Golem. What tasks will you assign the family golem?
7. Pegasus. With a winged horse, your child will not have to wait for the bus to go to school.
8. Chimera. Unable to decide on a pet? A chimera allows you the best of three different creatures!
9. Dragon. Temperamental beasts, they are not recommended for everyone. But to those who can earn their respect, a dragon becomes a loyal companion.
10. Sylph. A excellent pet for pranksters, the invisible sylph is capable of performing many mischievous tricks.

A bouquet of flowers

A young man's forehead wrinkled as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His gaze wandered over the vast selection of flowers available, their combined aromas filling the small shop with an earthy scent that was rare in the city.
"May I help you, sir?" A woman asked as she walked over to him. The young man turned toward her and offered a hesitant smile as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
"I'm looking to buy some flowers."
"That's good, since we're all out of balloons." The woman's light brown eyes met his for a moment before she looked down at the flowers. "What is the occasion?"
"A birthday." He answered, leaning forward to watch as the woman's hands carefully sorted through the flowers.
"What is your relationship with this person?" She asked.  The man rubbed his neck with a soft chuckle.
"She's my mother."
The woman gave a small nod, a faint smile forming as she selected a bouquet of pink and white carnations. As she handed him the bouquet, their hands brushed and he offered a smile.
"Thank you." The young man said, holding the woman's gaze for a long moment before looking down. "What style of vase would you suggest for these?"
"If you will follow me, I'll show you our selection."

Foods that can be eaten without a fork

1. Vegetable sticks.
2. Spam musubi.
3. Muffins.
4. Sandwiches.
5. Vol-au-vent.
6.  Fruit.
7. Chicken fingers
8. Chocolate turnovers.
9. Pizza.
10. Chili and cheese french fries.