Theanore looked at the gentle falling rain outside the house. The rain had found her near Nick’s house, and she was now sitting down and having a cookie with the boy and his house mates.

“And then the fish flopped and hit me on the head, and then it swam away.” Said Nick, who had been telling them of the many misfortunes Clotilde had hipped upon him.

“You really were unlucky, Niki.” Said Theanore, finishing her cookie and looking for another. “Tell me another story.”

“How about the story about that time when I lost my sock and found it in my drawer after a month?” Asked Nick. Andy, one of the children with whom he was sharing the house with, sighed.

“I know a story, but it may not be for Thea’s ears.” Said Andy. Then he took a sheet and wrapped it around himself. “A ghost story.”

“Yea, the baby probably will have nightmares.” Said Sol, another one of Nick’s bunk mates.

“I am not a baby!” Protested Theanore. She finally found the cookie jar. There were exactly four cookies inside. She took one and happily munched on it.

“Everyone has to hear at least one ghost story when they are young.” Said Erick, the last of Nick’s bunk mates. “Tell the story, Andy.”

“Ok, but if Thea has nightmares, it is not my fault. I tried to warn her.” He said with a big smile. “Lamps off.”

His bunk mates rushed to switch the mana-powered lamps off, and the house was bathed in darkness, the single source of light being the window.

“It happened long ago, in Alerion. So long, grandpa Thinker wasn’t even there yet.” Said Andy slowly, staring straight at Theanore. “There used to live a banshee in the ice of North Alerion. A vicious one which posed riddles that no one could figure out.”

“That sounds like cheating.” Said Theanore. The four boys shushed her and Andy continued the story.

“The banshee one day decided to move to mount Licht, but there was a problem. There was a siren living there.” Said Andy as the other three boys ah’ed.

“Was it Ann? Is Ann older than grandpa Thinker?” Asked Theanore. Andy sighed. If he was going to be interrupted every five minutes, this was going to take a while. Still, when one did storytelling with toddlers present, one must be ready to answer questions.

“Yes, it was Ann. The same Ann Crassus found stranded in the tunnel. Now, where was I? So, Ann lived there, and the banshee wanted to be able to pick off the pilgrims that passed through mount Licht. But Ann was not about to let her.”

“Yay, Ann! Go, go, Ann! Send the bad banshee back to North Alerion!” Said Theanore, fists pump high above her head. Sol giggled and ruffled her hair and handed her another cookie.

“But this one is yours.” Said Theanore to the boy.

“You eat it, I am not hungry.” Said Sol and Theanore shook his hand and took the cookie. Andy sighed and decided to continue.

“So, the banshee went to Ann’s mountain, and she thought to trick the siren with a riddle. The oldest and most underhanded of them all…”

“What do I have in my pocket?” Asked Theanore, cheeks full of cookie crumbs.

“No, how old am I?” Said Andy. Theanore’s eyes widened. She had never heard that one.

“The banshee always won with this riddle because she gave a wrong year of birth to the people she was asking. But Ann had a special ability. She could see the true age of a person by just looking at them.” Said Andy. A bright smile blossomed in Theanore’s face. She loved it when the good ones won.

“So, the banshee came to Ann and asked her: How old am I if I was born three hundred years before the first spring of mount Licht? And Ann responded: You are not born before the first spring of mount Licht erupted from the earth. You are but 296 years old and were born to a hag and a troll.”

“And what did the banshee do?” Asked Theanore with a bated breath. Normally, this was the time when the bad did something violent.

“She wailed so hard, Ann had to cover her ears. Then she took a knife and lunged at Ann.” Said Andy. Theanore hugged Sol and half hid behind him. The boy patted her on the back.

“But Ann was strong, even then. She took the banshee’s hair and dragged her to the secret springs and dumped her inside, the banshee wailing all the while. Nothing but foam was left of the evil being.” Said Andy.

The other three boys clapped, and even Theanore picked from behind Sol.

“Ann is a hero for protecting mount Licht.” Said Andy, not done with the story. “And Crassus was lucky to have found her. Or he would have drowned.”

“I have to send her a thank-you letter. And a nice picture of my favorite things at the grotto.” Said Theanore. Hopping off the bed and making a beeline for one of the desks in the house.

There was a trading manual on the one she had chosen, as well as a wooden carving of a bear. She rummaged around until she found a parchment and a pencil and began to draw.

She drew Petunia the giant hamster first, but smaller, so she had space for everything she liked at the grotto. Then she drew Mary and Marinus. Then her murder muffins. Her apple sapling with the catnip growing at its base. And finally, her pool with all of its fish. Taking extra care to make the silver longtails extra big to show they have evolved.

On the other side of the parchment, she wrote.

Dear Ann,

Andy told me you defeated a banshee. You are very brave and strong, and I extend you an invitation to come to my apple grotto. Ask grandpa Thinker to bring you here if you want to visit.

Kind regards,

Theanore the nymph.

With that, she sent the parchment and went to stare out the window as Andy began telling the all-time favorite story of Zippy the elf.