CHAPTER 3

"What is going on here?!" Gruffi said as an aside to his two companions.

"I don’t know, but I don’t like bein’ laughed at." Grammi crossed her arms angrily.

"Gummies live out in the open and humans are a myth?" Zummi couldn’t quite believe it.

The Queen finally settled. "Oh, surely you jest! But I really can’t break company. Londonberry, see that they get rooms and fresh clothes. They look to have had a rough journey. If you wish to join the festivities, you are most welcome. We can talk in the morning if you still wish it."

And they were thus dismissed.

Londonberry descended and led the way out, passed still-snickering gummies. "Come along."

"Can I come, too?" Cavvi jogged along, following their exit from the main hall. "She didn’t tell you mealtimes or when the festival ends or… or…"

"Sure, kid. I got a few more questions myself." Gruffi answered.

It was Cavvi who brought the new clothes but Grammi was still angry over the laughing.

"I don’t wanna wear your finery." she stated with angry crossed arms.

Sir Londonberry had returned to his duties, leaving Cavvi with his arms full of clothes and standing about, unsure of what to do. And not just because of what she said…

Zummi relieved the young gummi of clothing before talking quietly with her.

"Please, Grammi. Calm down. If we don’t dress and act a little like noblegummies, it might tause crouble, … er, cause trouble."

"I suppose…" she grumbled, reluctantly accepting the clothes.

"Er… If I may ask, Lady Grammi, what made you ask the Queen about humans?"

She frowned, thinking Cavvi was gonna poke fun at her, too.

But Zummi was waving her out of a heated response. She huffed a sigh. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"When do the festivities end around here, kid?" Gruffi asked, setting his gifted clothes on the large bed in his palatial room. They’d each been given such accommodations but they’d all congregated to Gruffi’s.

"Late in the night. Kite Day is a big thing here."

"Yeah. So we saw."

"Oh, and a Ringer announces mealtimes. Can’t miss it. We have three Royal Chefs for Gumwyn Castle. I’d almost think they used magic to create the wonderful foods out tonight!… But I guess you don’t wanna go sample any out there… How ‘bout I bring some up for you? After the long journey you’ve all probably had, a great meal is the best thing to set you right." He smiled.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Cavvi."

The brown-furred lad beamed at Zummi’s praise and raced off.

Gruffi leaned against the bed. "It has definitely been a long journey." He sighed. "While he’s gone, we should be discussing our plan of action for tomorrow. We need to figure out a way to get back ‘cause I don’t wanna be stuck here forever, no matter how many gummies there are."

Queen Marionberry watched her eldest daughter as they walked down the long and finally empty hall before matter-of-factly answering the posed question. "Of course they’re not, Starri."

"But, mother, if you don’t believe they’re nobility either, why did you treat them as if they were? They lied to you. You; the Queen!"

"Because, Starri, the one called Zummi wears a gummi medallion around his neck. Surely, you noticed. That isn’t something to be considered lightly. Perhaps they’re on some secret quest. It’s not our place to question a magihistorian."

"Him??"

"Of course! Now, please see that Sweeti gets to bed." The Queen was finding it hard to hold a yawn of her own at the late hour, the festivities finally having died down enough to remove herself. She glanced at the shy child walking behind her and listening to every bit of their conversation though pretending not to.

Starri managed to suppress her groan but couldn’t keep it out of her voice. "Yes, mother…"

Zummi looked to where the green cub pointed, thanked him, and started in that direction. They’d decided last night to split up in the morning, each seeking a different route of information. Cavvi had informed them that, yes, the Gumwyn library had many books; yes, the Queen would be free today; and no, he’d never heard of the scepter they were looking for. Hoping the young gummi might know, Zummi had sketched a picture of the object but didn’t say why they wanted to find it.

Now, dressed in the dashing attire given to him, Zummi was looking for the library or the local historian, or both. Little Gurri had informed him that Tobii was the gummi he sought, and also where to find him.

The library wasn’t as large as he’d have imagined in a busy gummi castle. Only five rows high of bookshelves in the large room? Zummi pushed the door open all the way. There’d been no answer at the door so he walked into the library.

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

No answer greeted his query, so he wandered farther in, discovering that the labyrinth-like library may not be very tall but it’s width was quite full of more shelved books than he could’ve thought to fit! None of which appeared to be a Great Book.

"Hello?" he called louder, looking about as he wandered. An odd book title he spied turned his head just enough to cause a collision with an equally absorbed individual.

Straightening his new hat, Zummi started his apology. "Er.. pardon me."

An ancient, gray-green-furred gummi blinked and squinted from around the equally ancient books in his arms. "Eh? Halli? Is that you?" A smile lit the old one’s face. "It’s been, oh, too many years, boy!"

Zummi found a friendly hand about his back and the need to relieve the excited bear of the unstable hold he had on his books. Taking them, the wizard said, "No. I’m Zummi. I’m looking for—"

"Oh, nonsense. There’s time to run off later, Halli. I just poured myself some jelly-tip tea. You can’t turn that down, boy."

Despite any attempts to convince the mistaken bear that he wasn’t ‘Halli’, Zummi was taken to the back and set down for tea. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sit and chat but… Could this be Tobii, the Historian? He could afford to humor the gummi until he found out for sure.

"…And I still have your old favorite, Halli. Right back here." The old gummi reached for the near-empty shelf behind him, selected a dusty book, and handed it to Zummi.

The lavender gummi wizard blinked at the title. Blinxi Thinks He... Zummi knew the book well from his own childhood! Full of rhymes and silliness. He smiled at the memories brought up and flipped to a page while the other gummi chattered on.

Zummi sighed. The reminiscing among good tea and the ancient’s pleasant rambling was something long missed. Back in the old days when he was a cub, listening to the elders tell stories at night… No. He reminded himself why he’d come and closed the book.

Opening his mouth to speak now that the ancient gummi was quiet, a snore interrupted him. The gray-green-furred gummi had dozed off in his seat.

"Uh… Excuse me?" Zummi tapped his shoulder lightly.

"Hm? What?" the old one started upon waking. "Oh… Must’ve dozed off there…" He squinted at Zummi. "Yes? Can I help you? You’re name, please…" He looked about for an article of paper to write upon but found neither that nor anything to write with.

Zummi was a bit confused, as the ancient gummi seemed to be just meeting him for the first time. "Zi’m Ummi.. er, I’m Zummi Gummi. Are you Tobii, the Historian?"

"Yes, I am. As well as the caretaker of the Gumwyn Library. Did you want the documentation on the Ogre’s Fall? Or perhaps the narrative for Pixies, Vamps, and Shees? Some minstrel’s particular verses to woo a lady friend?" he grinned.

"Oh, no, no. I was just wondering if you knew anything about this scepter." Zummi pulled out his drawing to show to Tobii.

The ancient gummi squinted long as he studied the picture. "No. I’m sorry."

"You’re certain you’ve never seen anything like this in any books?"

"Yes. Quite sure."

"I see…" Then there was only one other question he could ask. "Then do you have a Great Book I could look at?"

"A Great Book? Hm…" Tobii put a furry hand under his chin. "Nope. Not in here."

No Great Book?… How could they not have one? "Are sou yure-- er, I mean, are you sure?"

"I am. I know every book in this library. Maybe if you told me what you wanted to get from a Great Book, I’d be able to help you find something similar."

"…Just information on this scepter."

"Well, if you leave this with me," Tobii tapped the drawing, currently on the table. "I can sure give it a try."

Zummi rose, having little other choice. "I have a guestroom in the castle if you need to find me."

Tobii nodded absently as he rose and wandered off with the picture, intent on searching the library from top to bottom.