Valentina's Journal

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Entries: 1  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

reserved  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Entry 1

That night I was having trouble falling asleep. Despite the fact that we were comfortably in our new larger home. Which we had to find due to the size of our family as it was. Despite the fact that all of my Dreams were home in bed sleeping. As far as I knew anyway. With El and Gabe around one never can tell if they decide to sneak out after everyone else is asleep. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that, everything was as it should be. But for some reason I just wanted to be out doing something. I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. I just couldn't get the idea of running wild through some moonlit forest out of my head. I could even feel my bare feet sinking into the soft loam of the path. Taste the chill pine scented air.

Finally, with disgust and not a little irritation, I threw back my covers. Climbing out of bed I stared around the room trying to decide what to do. With a noise of indignation from my nose I just walked out of the room still in my long cotton nightgown. I went down the stairs and out of the house. I stood on the cool concrete of the sidewalk for only a moment before deciding my destination. With an air of purpose I set out for the nearby large park. I had yet to explore it and figured now was as good a time as any. If stopped by a caretaker or watchman I could always claim sleepwalking. Besides, who in their right mind would walk in the park in their pajamas barefoot at night.

As soon as I stepped off the concrete and began making my way under the cover of the trees I felt myself relax just a little. Losing myself in the feeling of anticipation I always get while wandering around at night I let my feet travel where they would. With a sudden rush of anticipation I broke into a jog. Then, before I knew it, I was running. I sighed in exasperation as I felt my feet hit the dirt of a familiar path. Whatever, I though with a shrug. Without slowing I ran down the path until I saw a familiar stone archway loom and then pass overhead.

When I finally found myself beneath the tree I stopped and leaned over with my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. That's when I heard it. The jingling of a dew. I 'd been here too many times to not recognize it. Thinking of my other Dreams at home, I considered ignoring it. When I felt guilt so strong wash over me that I nearly burst into tears I quickly changed my mind. Not that I didn't love having Dreams around. I just wasn't sure I was ready for another. With resignation I followed the sound around the tree.

I stoppped in surprise when I found myself faced with a wall of brambles. What the hell? Those had never been here before. I'd been over every inch of
the garden and knew that there was no way there could be bramble along the base of the tree. Yet, there they were. And there the bell was, ringing out from beyond them. Swearing under my breath I began looking for a way around the dense growth of thorns. There was none, of course. And when I turned to go back the way I had come, I was faced with another wall of the things. It was then I realized I had no choice.

With a last look at myself before I went to my doom I sighed. Then without preamble I fought my way in among the branches. Saying it hurt didn't even begin to describe. Between the thorns tearing at my skin and clothes, and the ones underfoot, I was miserable. But I kept moving forward, toward the ringing, because I knew I had no other choice. The agony seemed to last an eternity. Finally, I reached an opening. I collapsed on the grass for a moment not considering that it might be a bad idea. I quickly found out that it was. The thorns that had gotten caught and broken off in my skin made resting nearly impossible. Not that my feet were in much better condition.

With a groan I got to my feet and looked around for a sign of the dew that was responsible for my condition. With a feeling near horror I saw a small glowing spot some 20 feet up in the tree. I almost started hitting my head against the trunk. So after all that, my trials weren't even close to over. Telling myself that it was just a little farther I jumped for the lowest hanging branch. I caught it with my hands and began pulling myself up. I quickly discovered that climbing in a long nightgown was not an option. Being tired and not seeing any other option I just pulled the thing off and let it fall to the ground below me. So, naked, I started to climb again.

It really didn't take that long to make the rest of the climb. I finally got to the godforsaken dew and fished it off of it's perch out on the edge of a branch. When I made it back to the trunk I was feeling pretty accomplished. The climb down wasn't that bad either. That is except for the last jump i had to make to get back to the ground. Normally I would have just held the branch and lowered myself to the ground. If I had both hands that is. Or I could have shimmied down the trunk. I don't know if you know what tree bark does to bare skin but I had enough experience tree climbing in shorts to cringe at the thought. So, with a deep breath I made the jump.

when my feet had touched the ground I ducked into a roll the dew held safely to my chest. Of course, the thorns just had to remind me they were still there. As I lay on the grass where I had landed I realized that I still had to find the essence to influence the thing. I drug myself to my knees and then then staggered to my feet. Looking around, the bramble patch had miraculously disappeared. Grumbling about the a sadistic garden I stumbled off in the direction I was facing. I wasn't watching where I was going and soon stumbled over a collection of rocks that lined one of the paths. Managing to catch myself before I face-planted I looked back to see what had tripped me. Coming from the other side of the rocks was a dim glow.

Figuring not much else could happen to me tonight I went to investigate. It was a bottle, just like the others I had seen before. I knew it was an essence but the shining silver gray magic of it still captivated me. I looked down at my prize and back at the bottle. Whelp, since it had obviously put itself in my way I might as well use it. Carefully I pried the top out of the bottle with my teeth and tipped it so that a single drop fell onto my dew. I set the dew aside so that I could carefully replace the stopper in the bottle. I had to take care that something so precious wouldn't be wasted by my carelessness. Recollecting my dew I set my feet on the path toward home, hoping that nothing else eventful happened that night. I didn't think I'd have the energy to face it.  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

Entry 2

When I woke the next morning I just lay still with my eyes closed.
"Please let last night have just been a bad dream" I mumbled grumpily. I wiggled my toes and cringed as the scratches all over my body rubbed against the sheets.Guess it wasn't. With a string of mumbled curses I threw back the covers and carefully rolled out of bed to see the damage. Well, I left the bed full of dirt and twigs and what looked like small blood stains. There were sticks in my hair. Apparently I at least had had the presence of mind to throw on a nightshirt before I had crawled into bed. Oh, and I had been right about the scratches. I was covered in them from head to toe. The bottoms of my feet were so sore it was hard to stand.

Then I saw her. The little dew was nestled in the pile of my torn and dirty nightgown that I had left on the floor beside the bed. I picked her up and ran my fingers over the glistening surface of the dew. As I stood there, dirty and sore, examining my new companion, it all seemed worth it. I set a soft kiss on her ribbon. She jingled tiredly in response.
"Well, little girl." I mumbled to her. "I suppose we had better go get ourselves cleaned up."

Grumbling the entire way I carried through the door off the side of the bedroom and into the master bathroom. Setting her on the edge of the tun I turned on the water and adjusted the temperature to my liking. Letting the tub fill I staggered over to the linen closet and pulled myself out a big fluffy towel. As an afterthought I grabbed a hand towel in case she wanted to get wet too. I threw them in a pile on the floor within reach of the tub, too tired to bother hanging them on the towel bar. When the tub was filled I shut off the tabs and decided to brave the water.

Hissing from the stinging of the cuts I stuck my feet in. Then on an exhale I lowered the rest of myself into the water. It felt like I was on fire as the water lapped at all my cuts and scratches. I just lay there for a moment trying to adjust. When I finally felt that I had had enough time I grabbed a wash cloth and gently started cleaning myself. As I gently patted at my battle wounds I heard a soft splash. Looking over I saw that the dew rolled into the tub and was bobbing merrily toward me.
"Ah, so you did want a bath after all." I said to her. "I thought you might." She jingled merrily at me in response. "You seem like a happy little thing." I said poking her across the tub so I could watch her come at me again. "Alright enough play. I gotta get clean.

I must have spend a couple hours just playing with her in the tub. At least she was there to brighten up the miserable experience of cleaning myself and finding all the thorns that had stuck so they could be removed. I finally decided it was time to get out and got us both dried off. Throwing on some clothes I picked up my new little dew ad headed out the door and down the stairs to introduce her to the rest of the family.