At Last

Chapter One

Unedited.

"Put your muscle into it." Sandor scolded as he easily pinned Sophie down in the sand. Sophie wiggled trying to get out of the pin.

"I showed you this move." Sandor continued lecturing. Grunting, Sophie's mind flashed to all the combat moves he had showed her in the past hour. "Get off." Sophie grumbled, as she tried her normal move of bucking and twisting, but Sandor easily deflected it, by staying on balance. "You're being predictable." Sandor said, as if he hadn't heard Sophie.

Sophie kicked, bucked, twisted and moved, only succeeding in wearing herself out. "Remember use your arms and lock them around the neck." Sandor squeaked. His high pitched voice making more sense coming from a talking chipmunk than a seven foot tall, flat nosed, muscle packed goblin bodyguard. Sophie followed his instructions. "Pull them down to the side of you and flip over using the same position." Sandor said. Sophie executed the move with precision. She remembered the move now, it had been from last week's lesson.

"Very good. Let's break." Sandor said, his face smashed in the sand. Sophie stood and grave him a hand up. The beach of Havenfield had once been a place Sophie was afraid of, but over the past years it had become her own get away, haven. Again.

Only once a year was it invaded by half if not all of the Lost Cities who came to the summer swim party she had accidentally made a couple of years ago. Thankfully that party had been yesterday, and finished with a loud bang of one of Dex's explosions going off on accident. Shooting colored sparks out on to the water. Sophie's sunburn had started peeling, and her summer freckles had appeared.
Sitting beside Sandor in the shade they looked out at the sparkling blue water, that reminded Sophie a little to much of a certain pair of teal eyes.

Sun light bounced off the lapping waves, making parts of the water look crystal white. Sophie accepted the water canteen Sandor handed her. Drinking the cool refreshing water, Sophie dug her toes in the hot grains of sand. "Sandor," she said. "Yes?" Sandor asked. "Do you think....do you think something might be wrong with me?" She asked. "Of course not." Sandor answered. "But it's been years and I'm still having nightmares..." Sophie said softly.

The thought of the dark elf she had fought with Sandor plagued every dream, and often made her wake up screaming and gasping for air, with fear ripping at her heart. "It takes a long time for someone to recover from a traumatizing experience." The goblin said. "But you're a person..."

"I am also a goblin. We are more resilient to such things, than elves are." He smiled. Sophie rested her arms on her pulled up knees, letting some water drip on her toes. Sometimes it was nearly impossible to believe she was an elf. "I've been thinking about having my memories erased." Sophie said. "If you wish to do that, I will do it as well." Sandor said. "Are you comfortable with that?" Sophie asked. Sandor shook his head, "No." Sophie wasn't about to make him do something he wasn't comfortable with, she herself was unsure about it. The only one who could get inside her brain was Fitz, and having him see her photographic memory of the dark elf hunting her, was the last thing she wanted. "Okay." Sophie said quietly looking out at the water.

~

"Hey Dex." Sophie said as she hurriedly caught up to her cousin. Dex looked up from staring down at his binder.

His eyes were red and blood shot, and his shirt was wrinkled. "What's wrong?" Sophie asked as they walked into Slurps and Burps. Dex motioned her to follow him and he trooped upstairs to his lab. He sat down and handed Sophie a scroll.

"Read it." Was all he said, his voice was raspy and tired but he turned away from her and bent over his desk. Unrolling it Sophie read:

1: Marella Redek.
2: Stina Heks.
3: Blossom Winter.