2 CHAPTER 2

At the King's palace,old man peter had gone to discuss with the king,concerning Deborah's grandfather, and the book he came in search for.

"Look your majesty..,I believe that the book is somewhere in that house,and we must find it".

"But you said that Agnes had checked the entire house,but no sign of it",said the king. Reminding him of what he said to him.

Old man peter wasn't ready to accept what he said,but kept on persuading the king to check again."Look your majesty, we never can tell how the future will be.If...if we don't get hold of the book...,then we're all doomed ".

The king scrubbed his chin and sighed.

He thought about it and quickly remembered what Deborah's grandfather had said to all of them,many years ago,

" As far as I can remember, John had promised us that he destroyed the book,immediately he solved the problem he created.

So since he said he destroyed it,and Agnes didn't see any book,..then that means the book is gone!.Now relax".

Old man peter wasn't ready to relax. He was eager to find that book, no matter the cost.

Meanwhile, Deborah got to the next town, hoping to get an answer to her question.

She got to an old,dull red colour house,and she knocked on it. Not quite long did she a voice of an old lady,"Who is it?".

"It's your friend Deborah ",she responded,smiling.

The old lady opened the door,and became happy on seeing Deborah,"Deborah my child!,you're here,come in..", she requested, walking inside the house.

Deborah followed from behind,looking at all the old lady's paintings.

They both sat on a chair,and the old lady asked her,holding her hand," What brings you here dear?,don't tell me that that beast,who calls herself a woman,beat you up?".

"No Granny, that's not why am here",she said,looking sad.

Granny could see the pains in Deborah's eyes,as it made her sad,"Tell me what the matter is child".

Deborah looked at Granny, with her eyes filled with tears.

Then she said,"Granny?,pls tell me..tell me what happened so many years ago,and why is my Grandfather been punished ".

Immediately she said that,Granny's mood changed.

She removed her hands from Deborah's own,and ignored the question, but Deborah refused to give up.

She held granny's hand,pleading for her to tell.

That's when she gave in to her plead," OK dear,don't cry.I'll tell you everything ".

Deborah was pleased.

Granny then began.

" Many years ago,the land of peace and my town,suffered from a very terrible problem.We were faced with the problem of fighting with demons everyday and night".

Deborah was astonished.

"You know the forbidden forest behind close to that river?".

" Yes I do".

"Good!,that's where those demons came from.

Everyday was war.

Demons here and there.

Trying to eat innocent people,then..it wasn't peaceful at all.

Your grandfather, John,then was a blacksmith.

He made the King's weapon,and also the warriors own.

He too was among them.

A day came that when the king and his army had fought with the demons,your grandfather noticed something horrifying.

He didn't tell anyone what he saw,but all he could say,was that the lives of the people in both lands were in danger.

His words made the king of peace land to search high and low for a solution to end the demons, but nothing.

Then one day,your grandfather was in his room,writing down a story,of how a powerful man,rescued the lands from the danger ahead.

He called it..,the name was...Oh God!, why can't I remember the name ".

Granny was trying to remember the name.

Deborah, who was listening, suddenly remembered the story,and the title. She gasped and said,looking at Granny," Was it REED?".

"Yes!Yes!!,Reed was the name.How did you know child?",she asked surprisedly. Deborah smiled and said,"My grandfather told me the story of how he defeated the demons and saved peace land",she giggled.

Granny sighed and said,sitting properly well,"Yes indeed.

Did he tell you any other thing else about Reed?".

Deborah tried to remember, but ended up shooking her head side ways.

"He wrote the story about Reed, but..he didn't tell you what he did".

"What he did?",now Deborah was becoming scared.

"After writing the story,your grandfather suddenly had a plan,which he felt was the right thing to do,in order to save the lands.

He took the book, and went to visit a witch inside the forbidden forest ".

Shocked,Deborah couldn't believe her ears.

" Yes!,he went to meet a witch,who collected something that was precious to your grandfather, the last memory of his wife,your grandmother, and she granted his wish",granny said.

Deborah was still shocked.

She drew her face closer and said in a low tone,"What wish?".

Then granny drew her own face closer and said in a low tone,"How do I tell you,when you want to swallow me up".

"Sorry",she apologized, drawing her head back.

Granny then answered, "His wish on making Reed..,real".

Deborah couldn't believe her ears," What?".

"Yes!, and he became real.

He destroyed those ugly demons and saved the lands.

He was everyone's hero.

His charm alone could sweep all the women to his feet,but he wasn't interested in them.

Then,when I was young,he was my crush.

But pls..don't let my friends know,or else they'll beat me.

They too liked him".

Deborah laughed.

The way Granny spoke of Reed,made her wish she was there too at that time.

Maybe she would have been the one to capture his heart.

But what now brought her to reality, was when granny said, "But he soon became the people's problem.

He became so proud of himself that everyone was at his mercy.

He never spared anybody at all.

Its either he killed them with his sword, or ..he turned them to slaves.This was what made everyone to hate your grandfather".

Deborah was astonished and sad," Grandfather ",she muttered.

" He was forced to get rid of Reed or face death.

But he pleaded and said he'll speak to Reed,but Reed turned out to be stubborn.

Hmmm...stubborn but handsome ",she chuckled.

Deborah wondered how grandfather must have felt when the people were insulting him.

It must have been worst than what she's receiving now.

So as to know what happened next,she asked granny," So how did he get rid of Reed?".

"Well..!,he went back to the witch for solutions, and she told him that the only way to get rid of him,is if he closes the book,FOREVER! ".

" Forever?!..".

"Yes!!,and I must say,your grandfather was strong, very strong.Because to close the book,was like tearing your soul out of your body.

If you tell me,I'll say only an immortal can close it once without stress.

So then,he destroyed the book.The end",she concluded, and started yawning. Deborah could see how tired she was,because of the talking,so she decided to leave her to rest.

She left the house,going back to her town,still thinking of what granny said.

It was making her to reason something, "I know grandfather very well.If he sees something causing danger,he won't hesitate to deal with it.

But in Reed's case,he delayed.

That means,despite the fact that Reed defeated the demons, there was still something he had to do to settle everything perfectly well.

But what could it be?".She kept on thinking of about it,walking down the windy road home.

Meanwhile, at a home,Lucy was busy talking to her friends about the prince,when she heard a knock on the door.

She was too lazy to stand up,that she sent one of her friend to do it," Why don't you answer the door Lucy?".

"I'm so tired,it isn't easy to think about the prince. Help me out",she begged.

Her friend went to open the door, and behold,it was Old man peter again.

Immediately Lucy saw him,she rose up from where she was sitting and began to act innocent, "Welcome sir", she greeted,alongside her friends.

He nodded and asked for Agnes,who quickly rushed out to greet him," Ahh welcome,what brings you here...again!",she planted a huge smile on her face.

He gave her a sign to meet him outside, and she understood. The both of them where outside discussing, about the book again,"Old man peter, I promise on my late husband's grave that I have searched the whole house,but no book".

"Are you sure Agnes?!".

"100% sure. You've been asking me to check for so long,but no book.

John had said that he destroyed it,so why are we looking for the ghost of the book?",she frowned.

Old man peter decided to leave, since she didn't see it.

He turned his back and glanced at Deborah, who stood still,staring at His scary eyes.

Then he walked pass her.

She watched him as he left,and wondered why he was always coming to her house,"Maybe he wants to marry stepmother. If that's the case,then I won't hesitate to rush the marriage and be free,haha",she had thought to herself, giggling out loudly.

Unknown to her,Agnes heard her giggling and said, "Hey foolish girl!".

Deborah turned back.

" At least you know your name. Go and prepare something for me to eat, I'm starving ".

" Yes stepmother ",she responded,rushing into the house to cook.

Agnes was fed up of Old man Peter's request for the book.

All she wants is for the prince to have a relationship with her daughter.

" Why does he want that stupid book anyway?

It's been destroyed, yet he still wants it.

God!,old age is a disease",she said,looking up into the sky,then she went into the house.

But little did she know that the book was inside the house.