The Lexicon

They were dead; both of them were dead. The young woman in her black dress, with her red hair tied back in a bun, couldn't believe it. Her green eyes were bloodshot as tears ran down her scarred cheeks.

She had paid off the debts and even had money leftover from pawning the ring, but what good would it be if Annie Silverblood's parents were dead?

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed as two men walked over to close the caskets that stood before her. The wake had ended an hour ago, but she couldn't bring herself to move from that spot. The men whom had closed the caskets looked at her and shook their heads in pity.

"That's the girl," one of them whispered to the other, "the daughter."

"What was she doing out there with the lunatic while her parents were in such horrid condition?" the other asked. The first one shrugged, and then Annie lifted her head. Her hands dropped to her sides and the look on her face was as cold as ice.

"He's not a lunatic," she said quietly.

"What?" one of the men asked, unsure he had heard her correctly. Annie took a deep breath.

"He's not a lunatic!" she yelled at them. "Don't you dare speak so lowly of him again! You don't even know him!" Her hands were balled into tight fists and her breath came in short huffs.

"Annie, calm down; it's okay," the voice of the man they were speaking of startled all three of them. Annie turned to him, her eyes wide with shock.

"David?" her voice was quiet again.

He stood there in a black suit that, despite how tall he was, was baggy on him. Bandages decorated his face, and there was a bulge in one of the sleeves from where a thick bandage was wrapped around his arm. A bouquet of sad-looking white flowers was held in one of his hands. He made his way over to Annie, placed his free hand on her shoulder, and looked past her to the men who now stood behind her.

"Why don't you two head on out? This young lady has obviously been through a lot," the man suggested quietly. The other two nodded and hurried to exit the building.

Annie's gaze never once left David's face since his arrival. "Who'd you pick a fight with this time?" she asked, referring to the bandages on his face.

David let out a low chuckle and said, "Some ass who said you'd be better off dead. I can't just let someone talk about you like that." Those words brought a smile to Annie's face through her tears.

"Thank you," she whispered, and pulled him in for a short, awkward hug. David patted her on the back with his good hand. "But please don't go picking fights. Especially not for my sake."

"Right," he smiled, clearing his throat when she pulled away. The smile quickly fell. "These are for... them."

He handed the bouquet to her, nodding towards the caskets. Annie smiled sadly at the flowers as she held them.

"They're beautiful," she mumbled.

"They're half-dead," David gave a shrug, and Annie laughed quietly. "I didn't know if I should- if you wanted to see me again."

"Of course I would," Annie said. "We're friends now, right?"

"Yeah, friends," David smiled again, this time much more genuinely. He couldn't believe that such a thing was possible, but he was very glad for it.

"Friends," he tried again, liking the way the word rolled off his tongue.

"Yes," Annie laughed. "Are you- how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling great," David said. He lifted his arm to prove that he was alright, and then winced. "Well, better than before."

"When you've had more time to recover, William has another- well, errand for us," Annie said and eyed him with concern.

"I'm ready now," David nodded his head. Annie's heart sank.

"Oh no, David," she sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're not."

"How would you know?" he asked, stepping back from her. "I say I'm fine, and I really do feel fine. Same place, right? Tiger Blood Pub?"

Annie gave in reluctantly after a long moment of consideration. "Yeah. Come on, let's go."

He held his good arm out, and Annie hooked hers through it. Together they left the building, David mumbling an, "After you, my dear," upon holding the door open for her. This earned him a giggle.

"So, do you know anything about this new quest the old man's sending us off on?" David asked, looking at Annie out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, I do," Annie smiled a little despite herself. She really didn't want him to go anywhere while he was still injured. "The tome told William of a lexicon, and how he might be able to use it. He said it was a key as well as a storage of information. He also said that he would show us how to use it once we brought it back to him."

"Sounds interesting," David pondered the information. "I hope he's not going to use it for something like world domination."

Annie laughed and said, "I don't think he will." But she wasn't sure. There was something about the man that she just couldn't trust.

The scent of alcohol and vomit brutally attacked their nostrils when they entered the pub. Annie briefly wondered why William would choose such a place to meet while they looked for him.

He was seated at the back of the dimly lit place, hands folded neatly together on the table before him. His snow-white hair was combed neatly back. Annie and David looked at each other, smiling as though they had shared a joke. As they walked over to the table William glanced up and also grinned. They had become his two favourite people.

"Mister Andrews, Miss Silverblood; a pleasure to see you again," William said as the two sat at the table. His smile only grew wider. "I thought you might have needed a little bit more recover time. Seeing as you are here now, I'll assume you're ready for this next journey?"

"Of course," David said immediately. Annie bit her lip; she was fine, but David was still injured. "I was born ready."

William chuckled at this, but Annie swatted his arm and scolded him, "David!"

"What? It's the truth!" David said, rubbing his arm and hissing in pain.

"Oh, sorry!" she said, remembering his hurt arm. "But seriously..."

"I've noticed your attire; you're not normally dressed like this," William said, gesturing toward the clothing of the other two. "It's normally my style."

"Oh, we-"

Annie interrupted David, speaking quietly, "We just came back from my parents' wake."

"I am truly very sorry," William said. He was no longer smiling; though they all no longer were.

David placed a comforting hand on Annie's shoulder. "Will you be okay?" he whispered. He gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Yeah," she whispered back, closing her eyes and nodding at him.

"Promise?" he smiled a little. When she opened her eyes and saw, she smiled back at him.

"I promise," she said.

"Right," William interrupted the moment. "Shall we continue with what the two of you came here for?"

"Yes," David answered eagerly. His eyes were wide with anticipation, and he removed his hand from Annie's shoulder.

William's eyes seemed to sparkle as he took in David's enthusiasm. Annie's alarm bells were going off in her head again; there was something strange about how William's face looked.

The old man unlaced his fingers, pulling a map, a stone, and several papers from his jacket. The other two wondered how he had comfortably hidden the items there. He slid them across the table to David and Annie.

"You will be needing these," William said. His facial expression was grim. "This stone will take you where you need to be, and it will bring you back as well. Just imagine your home on your return trip.

"I must warn you, there are an ancient people that might not think too fondly of your visit. They should however be asleep," a glossy look took his eyes.

"Can't you do this one yourself?" Annie asked. "I mean, if this stone can do what you say it can."

"I... cannot leave this town as of yet," William smiled sadly. "That is what the lexicon is for."

"So you can leave the town?" David said. His eyes were bright.

"Why, yes," William's smile turned sour. "There is a power it contains that I very much need."

"And you said that it's a key," Annie said. Her jaw was set. "Where is the lock it fits? What is the lock?"

"All in due time, impatient one," William snapped. He tapped a drawing of a small box on one of the papers before them. "Bring this to me and I shall show you what it's for."

"Okay, so what are the other papers for?" Annie asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah," David said. He also wanted to know the answer. "They're in some language I've not seen before."

"As you are going to the city of Erondale, the city of elves, you may be needing documents," William explained. "Do not lose them. You can show them to the people, if they are awake, and they will keep you out of harms way."

"You promise?" Annie placed a protective hand on David's arm.

"Of course, my dear," William sighed. "Do not lose those documents. I have marked on the map where the lexicon should be located."

"Where exactly do we use this stone? And where will it take us?" David asked, draping his arm over Annie's shoulders. Annie had to move her hand from his arm to his back.

"You may use it anywhere you should like, but I recommend a place where no one will see you," William said. He laced his fingers together again. "It will take you to a tower within the kingdom of elves. Once there, you must be in the tower to use the stone to return home."

"Okay," David nodded his head. "That sounds reasonable. Shall we, Annie?"

They turned to look at each other and Annie said, "I'm in."

"Excellent," William grinned from ear to ear. "I should warn you, these elves are nasty creatures."