#rather than sit there & obsess only to deconstruct & reconstruct my web later

[algolstare]

My beautiful writing tool of choice to stay up way too late getting some not-so-great wip stuff out so that sometime later it can become somewhat-okay wip stuff

Cold snow crunched under her boots, & Annetta could feel the chill even more than before, as if it were gnawing at her with growing hunger. Her hair blew about, ends flicking her cheeks. The North Wind, which had carried her all this way, now played with falling snowflakes, sending them sideways & in spinning spirals of white. 

Through the flurry, the young girl could just make out the dancing ribbon of green fire above her. The aurora looked as if it were making itself into a crown for the cold mountain that lay close ahead. Fluttering, for a moment she thought of great dragons – fire-breathing, girl-eating beasts. If only she had the comfort of a fire. 

Annetta continued to plod along, one freezing foot in front of the other. Slipping a hand into her pocket, she felt the smooth facets of the gem, rubbing over the faces of it with her thumb. She dared not pull it out of its hiding place too soon. 

As she came fully upon the base of the mountain, she saw the promised archway looming tall, nearly taller than the treetops. Worn stone, surely ages old, solemn carvings still clear. She ran her small hand over a portion, & felt almost as if the stone was humming beneath her palm. For a moment she considered her own hand, not nearly able to cover a single symbol, chapped & red. 

Many more pattering steps into the grand archway, & Annetta faced the door. It felt as if it bore down on her with all its weight, for a brief moment the girl was fixed in place by the magnitude of her quest. 

The North Wind howled as it went over the old stones, & she steeled herself. With both hands, the little child pushed at the great door with all her might. 

For a long moment she feared it wouldn't budge, but then, with a loud rumble & groan, slowly the door gave way enough for little Annetta to slip through. It slammed shut behind her as soon as she was inside, & no longer could she hear the wind. 

Instead, there was now a distant thudding. With each step through the huge hall, the air around her grew warmer. The noise was clearer with every moment, thudding turned to hammer striking metal, footsteps, & the murmur of conversations whose words she couldn't make out. 

Ahead, shadows were cast on the wall, opposite another doorway through which warm light poured out. Her steps became lighter, & she held herself closer to the wall. Peeking her head just enough to see, Annetta held her hand over her mouth to muffle a gasp. 

All throughout the humongous room were dwarves at work, some on various crafts so beautiful, others carrying raw metals about, still others polishing, sharpening, tinkering. Glittering piles of finished pieces in silver, bronze & gold lay about, most on tables. 

Pulling back behind the doorframe, Annetta closed her eyes & took in a deep breath. 

"What've we got here, a thief?" 

Stood in the doorway was a dwarf with rosy cheeks & a beard that nearly reached the ground. The little girl stepped into full view, & saw some of those closest had paused their work in alarm. She was nearly, but not quite, the man's height. 

"No, sir, no thief am I," 

Her voice came out just barely louder than a whisper. With a trembling hand, little Annetta pulled the gem out & held it high. It caught the torchlights & forge-fires in its faces, & bent them into blue refractions that danced across their landings. 

"You are the dwarves that live in the only mountain to remember the shape of its root," 

More had stopped their doings to stare. 

"Long has my journey been on the North Wind's cold back, past the lamp of night that guards this place from travelers," 

A clump of melting snow slid from her shoulder & plopped onto the stone floor. 

"I've pulled seven silver scales from the winding-wyrm of West-of-Wyrd, I have traded my hair for a jewel from the Queen of Elf-hame's stores that holds three tears inside," 

The blue light of the gem quickened its motions, appearing as if to spin & wink. Annetta's heart dropped as she recalled the curse placed upon the jewel, the price of its miracle. She had been a fool to take the fairy's words at face-value, but there was naught she could do now. 

"I have come to demand the fulfillment of Gulgorra's promise to Morguen, that you make a ring of the gem, for which the only price may be my own two hands." 

The dwarf in front of her combed his fingers through his beard, looking from the still-shining jewel to her with furrowed brows. She was sure she was insulting them, there was no benefit to them at all. Annetta thought of her mother, skin & bones, hair coming out in clumps as she tried to brush it. 

"And something I may safely carry it home in, please," 

She added in a quivering voice.