CHAPTER 4

Grammi at first wandered outside, listening among the residents of Gumwyn for any clues, anything at all that might help them find a way home. But at the first snickers—obviously form some gummi who recognized her from last night’s party—she stomped back to the castle, her elegant attire not saving her façade.

The Glen cook knew there was little chance of her passing for royalty. But even though gummies here didn’t dress all that different, the class social structure seemed very important to them. Not very gummi-like, in her opinion.

She’d wandered lower and lower, down the castle’s levels, wondering how this snoopin’ around could ever be productive, when a familiar smell caught her attention.

"Hm… Pepper root?"

Following her nose, Grammi soon found the large and bustling kitchen. There were three chefs, noticeable by their tall hats, and several other gummies, all rushing frantically about. Grammi walked right up to a stirring, blue-violet-furred Chef.

"What’s goin’ on?"

He wouldn’t even look at her. "I’m sorry but I cannot talk right now."

What must be an apprentice hurried up to her with a rushed bow. "We’re late, Lady Grammi. Great apologies but we cannot accommodate—"

"No talking! Hurry!!" Berated the chef, handing over the large kettle to the apprentice and moving to another task.

A lime-furred gummi nearly skidded into the kitchen, he was running so fast. "She’s coming!!"

Suddenly, the cooks’ pace tripled. Apprentice and chef ran dishes of food out faster than was safe while the lime-furred runner mopped up any spills in a near reckless manner. Grammi barely dodged out of their stampeding way. The hurriedly mopping runner spied a shadow descending the steps he’d just come down. With a yelp, he zoomed out, mopping rag flopping to the floor.

Grammi was thoroughly confused and wandered in farther to pick up the rag. Who was this ‘she’ that scared ‘em all out? Grammi eyed the ominous shadow as it grew.

But what actually came into view and stepped into the kitchen was a yellow-furred gummi, humming and tying on her apron. She had a little baking cap and tucked-under, dark blue hair. And light-patched fur around her eyes! Grammi blinked. Not the usual gummi but nothing to get excited about.

This new gummi as obviously a cook, as well, for she began pulling down bread pans and ingredients. Not recognizing such a distinguished gummi from the laughing last night, Grammi walked over to her, still humming away. At least she had something in common with this one.

Her presence was noted before she got a chance to speak. The cook turned a pleasant and expectant face on Grammi. "Yes?"

"How d’you do. Are you a chef here?"

The cook made a very fluid and deep curtsy. "Chief Confectionist and Commonbaker for Gumwyn; Candi Gummi, at your service. How can I help you?"

More polite, and genuinely so, than nearly any gummi she’d found so far, Grammi smiled. She liked this gal immediately. "You can give me some’m to do, and someone to talk to."

Grammi grinned as Candi waved her up to the counterspace.

Gruffi had been granted a private audience with the queen. As he approached her throne, he took a deep breath and bowed. He could pull this off… "Your Majesty."

"Good day, Lord Gruffi. What is it you so urgently needed to speak to me about?"

"It has been our misfortune to… What I mean to say is, we have recently been…"

"Gruffi?"

He looked up at her, seated calmly on the throne and wearing a bemused smile. "Yeah?"
She leaned forward slightly, as if to relate a hushed tale to a trusted confidant. "I know you aren’t nobility."

Okay, he thought to himself. Cover’s blown. What now?

"You needn’t worry. No one will question your presumed rank if I don’t. But tell me, why are you here? Are you on a quest?"

"Yes, we are, Queen Marionberry. That’s why we needed to speak to you."

She reclined once more and indicated that he should continue.

"We’re looking for a short, gold scepter." He dug out a piece of paper, from a pocket on his fancy clothes, and unrolled it to reveal a sketch of the object. "We don’t think it’s gummi-made but we need to find it as soon as possible."

The queen studied the picture. "I’ve never seen the like. Beautiful. Is it magical, or enchanted?"

"Yeah. I don’t know anything about enchantments but it’s definitely magical. If by any chance you find it, don’t let anyone touch the thing."

"I see… Lord Gruffi, I will make delicate queries to all neighboring kingdoms to aid in your search. However, I do ask one thing of you. I would like to enlist the help of your magihistorian."

"My what?"

The queen blinked. "Lord Zummi. Is he not a magihistorian?"

"Uh… Yeah. He is. Thanks, Your Highness. I’ll have a talk with him tonight." Gruffi turned about and headed outside.

Green feet followed Gruffi unnoticed, as the brown-furred bear’s mind was elsewhere. With all that had happened lately, he was still trynna sort it all out. When he first heard the footsteps, in sync with his own, he stopped. Turning, he found no one behind him. Frowning, Gruffi started away again. Still, the sound of extra feet haunted him.

He didn’t stop but whirled around quickly, a growl in his throat.

A green-furred gummi steps behind him looked away quickly, whistling innocently.

As Gruffi opened his mouth to yell at the stranger, he was faced with being mimicked, each gesture perfect.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Gruffi demanded.

The stranger copied his motions exactly, but made no sounds. And when he threw his arms up in the air, so did his new shadow. "Go AWAY!" he yelled, and again was mimicked.

At this point he was drawing a crowd. Gruffi had no choice but to subside and smother his anger, for now. Whoever this joker was, he wasn’t gonna let it get to him.

Gruffi glared at the stranger. Just stood there and stared at him. Hmph. We’ll see who cracks first.

Amid the staring game, of which neither blinked, he took in the gummi’s outfit. Joker, huh? That’s the way he was dressed, and more of an annoyance than Gusto!

Several children became interested in the stare-off and compounded Gruffi’s anger but he wouldn’t fold. And neither would his skilled opponent. One girl approached and addressed the stranger. Gruffi recognized her as one of the queen’s daughters, Sweeti.

"Frooti, don’t bother Lord Gruffi."

Gruffi glanced down at the orange-furred girl with the quiet voice. She sure didn’t seem much like a princess.

The children around them started crowing with laughter. When he realized why, the hot-tempered bear almost let the joker have it. Gruffi’d lost the stare-off and, in response, the mimicker was making the goofiest faces at him!

"Why, you…!"

But the joker subsided quickly, bowed to the young princess, and did a row of backflips that had the cubs all trailing after him, applauding and calling.

"Don’t be mad, Lord Gruffi. Frooti’s odd but he always makes people laugh."

"Oh, well…" His anger melted at the shyness of the cub. It seemed hard for her not to explain but to talk to him. He wouldn’t make it any harder for her by scowling.

Her attention was pulled to somewhere behind him. He turned and saw it was another cub waving to get the princess’s attention.

She bowed hurriedly to him and excused herself.

Gruffi just shook his head. Kids…

Looking around to make sure that Frooti joker wasn’t gonna follow him again, Gruffi started off to find Sir Londonberry. Maybe he knew something the queen didn’t.