RDTolkien

A trio of sisters, Imala Moon, Bella Moon and Avaron Moon have been lost in the canyon for more then a few days, having gotten into this sticky situation thanks to Avaron's shady business deals centering around her campaign to become Moonville's next mayor.

However, the sisters get attacked and separated from each other, each of them winding up in a vast, fallen desert civilization that was once a flourishing kingdom.

It's not long before they reunite and meet Mordecai Yormishar, his younger brother Menard and their wise hardworking grandfather Ken. 

But unbenowsted to them, they are long lost members of the Yormishar Royal Family, who once reigned over the vast sands, until a coup overthrew them, forcing them to hide.

Can the sisters surrvive long enough for them to leave and go home? Or will this epic adventure strand them in the vast dry seas of the desert?

Yormishar

The Masked One paced back and forth in his personal quarters. He had thought of several ideas for the past few hours, and had thought them over. In every scenario, the plans failed.

What would he do? He needed to get rid of those farmers and capture that green-dressed woman...

Perhaps, all he needed to do was capture the farmers, and make the green-dressed woman come to their rescue.

He wasn't familiar with the village' though...

But he did know someone who would help him.

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Binde Hoovins was sitting in his study, eating from a bowl of plump, purple grapes. He was relaxed as could be, minus the cast wrapped around his foot. That Avaron Moon sure was useful and helpful in his campaign to run Tumbleleed Village. She was smart and careful to cover their tracks. She had to keep up the fantastic streak, or it would be all over for both of them.

As he took a sip of his lemongrass flavored tea, a fluttering motion caught the corner of his eye. An owl perched on the edge of his window, tapping on the glass with it's beak to ask him to let it in.

Hoovins set down his teacup and let the owl in. The owl set down a rolled up scroll tied with a red string. He untied it and read the message written on the paper.

To Binde Hoovins,

I have a deed of you. Track down the green-dressed woman and use her to lure the farmers to us. Let me know when you have accomplished this task.

The Masked One

Hoovins set the message down. "What a coincidence," he mused "that I happen to be in contact right now with the very same people he just asked me to track down."

He took out a sharpened feather and a scrap of paper and wrote,

To The Great Masked One,

You are in luck, for I am already in contact with the targets you have requested me to track down. In fact, I am currently using the green-dressed woman as a tool to gain control of the village. I shall await further instructions as I continue my grand scheme.

Binde Hoovins

Hoovins tucked the message in an envelope and sealed it. He gave it to the owl for delivery.

The owl took the letter in it's claws and flew out and into the distance.

Hoovins chuckled to himself. This was going to be a good day, and a good scheme in the end.

Chapter 22: The Masked One's Counterattack (Part 2)