My Sister's Teacher
The first few months were rough for Sofia and Lydia. Their new life is only going to get harder, pushing the Princess and Sorceress to new limits. Amulet and Brooch will come together, steering the young Princesses onto the right path. But what is the right path for Lydia? Will she study to become a Royal Sorcerer? Or will she trade her wand for a tiara?
Running From Shadows
Alright! Here it is! The second installment. Sorry about the summary. Couldn't really think of one that properly suited what I had planned.
Also, by letting the series progress, I have come to learn a few things - Vivian's dad is alive, Hildegard's Father's name is Henrik and her sister is Astrid, Hugo's dad's name is Garrick. I will go back to the prequel and change the name's around.
xxx
Dark clouds blanketed the midnight sky. The glow of the full moon cast ominous hues within the curves. Malicious eyes shaped in the shades roved the surface. A toothy grin drawn in the clouds. The night torturing the land under its unrelenting storm. Heavy rain poured from the sky, riddling the vast density of forest with staggering inches of water. Flooded fertile soil flowed in a stream along the uneven terrain, sending boulders and weeds hurtling down hillsides in catastrophic mudslides. Thunder roared monstrously from the clouds, shaking the sky asunder. The ground below trembled under its force. Lightning flashed viciously, scattering throughout the sky in jagged curves, illuminating the drenched forest in a blinding light.
Boots trekked sluggishly through the ankle high mud. Hands cupped to a chest, wanting desperately to stop the hammering heart. The fingers were firmly wrapped to a turquoise brooch. Shaky breath floated on the frigid air, carrying terrified whimpers from a pair of quivering lips. Blood was pounding in ears turned red from the icy air. Rain pattering the trees and bushes, pooling to deep puddles, flooded to those ears in a deafening haze. The sound of the boots splashing in the water went unheard. As did the second set of approaching steps. Vibrant blue eyes frozen open in terror were constantly adjusting to the stagnant darkness. The flashing lightning blinded them momentarily, leaving them unable to spot the encroaching trees three feet ahead. The moment they would adjust, lightning would throw a screen in front of them again. Locks of shoulder length brown hair were drenched to the follicle, cupping to cheeks irritated by the cold. The black blazer and white undershirt were soaked completely through, hugging to the slender, tanned figure they donned. The black, green, plaid skirt no worse for wear stuck to the pair of shaking legs. The pitiful state of this pathetic wanderer made another grin within the darkness. A tongue longing to taste her lathered hungrily to razor sharp teeth.
Thump-thump, thump-thump. The drenched young woman felt violent prickles claw to her spine and spread to her shoulders. Frightful tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "There it is...this feeling…" She squeezed her hands to her shoulders. Thump-thump, thump-thump. "She's here…" Her voice quaked in a squeak. Panic coiled to her like a serpent, crushing her what little rationality was keeping her clam. Thump-thump, thump-thump. "I can feel her watching me. Sense her following at my heels." The heavy beating of her heart the lure drawing her closer. Was she in the trees? Behind the bush? Around the next turn. "The second I turn to confront her, she's gone back to the shadows to stalk me." Thump-thump, thump-thump. She wanted to run. Every muscle in her body screamed for her legs to pick up and go. "She's needling me. Peeling away at my skin. I can feel her devouring my insides, drinking my soul like ambrosia." Sinister laughter stopped the young girl in her tracks. Shivers scattered through her bones. The hairs stood on every inch of her. "Every time I think I've escaped...she appears again! And again! And again!" The laughter was coming from all around, but always seemed to center where her sight could not reach. Thump-thump, thump-thump. "Why?" She rasped in a sheepish voice. The laughter grew louder at her swelling fear. She clasped hands to her ears, crouching low so whoever was there wouldn't see her. "Why won't you leave me alone?! Why do you keep haunting me?"She begged for an answer. Any answer. Just make the madness stop.
"Why?" In the midst of the lightning's torrent, where the forest parted in a small clearing, stood a young woman. "That's a silly question." Her vibrant blue eyes frozen open in terror. A figure stood slumped in the rain. "Why do I do anything, Beloved?" She crooned. The lightning would flash. In between the figure drew closer...closer...closer...vanished. She was gone. The frightened girl's heart dropped to her stomach. She was petrified in place, too terrified to search for the menacing figure. Then arms wrapped to her waist, a chest pressed at her back, and lips brushed her ear in a hissing whisper, "Your anguish sustains me." Fangs sprouted and she bit into the pulsing neck.
xxx
"HAAA!" Lydia flew forward.
"AAHH!" Two thuds reverberated the ground.
Sweat dripping from her brow to her chin, Lydia hyperventilated and clawed at the sheets, her chest rising and falling at a frantic pace. The muscles in her paralyzed legs registered the plushness of a viscoelastic foam mattress. She was sitting up in a bed. The way her head was spinning, she could be sitting on a futon. Her glossy blue eyes glistened in the darkness with abject terror. The mania shifted and warped the shadows, skipping her already rampant heartbeat. Night air blowing from a made curtains flap and their hook clang together gave Lydia an electric start. She processed it was just a noise made by the window, but everything else was covered in the night's stagnant hue. The pillows at her feet looked like huge beetles that she believed would eat her face. She smashed her hands to her throbbing head, covering her eyes. She needs to slow down. Take a deep breath and process.
In an attempt to calm her mind, and steady the buzzing numbing her neves, Lydia gradually scanned her surroundings. Her eyes steadily adjusted to the stark lighting. Thankfully it was a full moon out. The light from there helped a lot. The first to catch her attention was the canopy above her double wide bed. She followed the canopy to marble flooring that was riddled with papers, books, quills, and what looked like clumps of wadded up powder. The spanning mess lured her to the coffee table, lounge couch, and reading chair in the window area. A tea set belonging to Amber made a nice centerpiece. There was a window. The stairs leading to the space where she can study and work soon came into view. There was a closet, bookshelves overflowing with work equipment, and a maroon, white, and gold decor that has still yet to be full of splendor. Lydia's agitated state allowed her to come to a simple conclusion. She was in a Royal Princess suite in King Roland's castle. In other words - her bedroom.
"That's right. I'm...in...the castle…" She panted, placing a hand to her forehead. As she has been for the past several months, Lydia is safe and sound within her room in the Enchancian Palace. She wasn't lost and alone. Her parents, King Roland II and Queen Miranda, were practically down the hall. Her sisters, Princess Amber and Sofia, and her brother, Prince James, were her considered neighbors. Just a breath away when she needs them.
The booming thunder and blinding lightning was fresh in her mind. She can still feel her bones vibrating. Still see those...those eyes and that smile. Invisible claws were kneading at her back. Crawling up her flesh, standing the hairs up on her neck. Her hot breath was visible in that cold air. Her blood was running cold. She wanted to scream so loud someone would come and make that hideous laughter stop. "Easy, Lydia...you're home! You're safe!" She continued to chant to herself, trying to quiet the fear screaming from her ice encased spine. She's not in a dark forest. It's not raining. In fact, it was a beautiful night. The stars and moon were at the peak of gorgeous.
"Easy…" She began to relax against the pillows, draping her arm across her eyes. "Ugh...man…" She rubbed her stiff neck. A flash of that thing that bit her sparked a pinch at the nape of her neck. "It was just a dream. You're fine. You-are-fine…" She released a long held breath, feeling the bed and pillow shape around her as she sank in. I'm not fine...am I?
"Does that mean it's safe to come topside?!" A very agitated country accent barked.
Lydia moved to the edge of the bed. Her brow arched curiously at the Whiskered Screech Owl and Dandelion yellow leather book groaning dazedly on the floor. They glared angrily up at the confused girl. "Eezeyal? Ubos?" She was baffled to how long they've been there. "What are you doing down there?"
"It ain't for the fresh air, I can tell ya that, Liddy!" Eezeyal snarled, shedding alloy orange and red feathers as he flapped crazily. Lydia huffed her matted bangs at his sarcasm. She's awake, but not enough to handle his sarcasm.
Eezeyal the Whiskered Screech Owl. By very definition, he is a crotchety, hot tempered, often confused for a Desert Owl of a bird. The color scheme of his feathers is as flamboyant as he is boisterous. He molts feathers equal to the amount of times he flies off the handle. As it happens, he is also the lifelong partner and friend to Lydia. And, in spite of his obnoxious behavior, he is very wise and very brave, and will risk everything in order to protect his Liddy.
Found and cared for by Lydia her last year of Sorcery School, Eezeyal has become a sort of confidant and advisor to Lydia during her final days at Hexley. In their privacy, no one will ever meet a closer pair of friends in the next thousand years. She always attributes her success in graduating with honors to him and his ability to help her maintain her composure when the pressure mounted. She might not have made it if he wasn't there for her. Vice versa, Eezeyal will declare to the highest authority that he would not be the owl he is today without Lydia's unrelenting support and care. He would have died in that bush, amongst the worms, at the mercy of his broken wing. The symbiotic relationship they've formed was thicker than blood. Anyone can try, but no one can ever tear them apart.
"Without the sarcasm," Lydia reached down and lifted them onto the bed with her, "What were you two doing down there?!" She questioned sternly, fixing Eezeyal's feathers and fixing Ubos's cover.
"You were yelling in your sleep!" Ubos gruffly replied as she straightened his spine.
"I was?" She replied nervously. Not again! She mentally cursed herself. She remembers yelling at the spectre in her dream. It shouldn't be surprising to her that her vocals in reality piped up. This is not the first time she's spoken in her sleep.
"We came over to check on you. You were having a nightmare. Again!" Ubos added with stressed anger. Lydia swallowed a massive lump, sinking miserably with flushed cheeks. Eezeyal being upset with her is one thing. Ubos, on the other hand, has engraved it into Lydia's hand to teleport herself to the polar icecaps when his temper flares.
Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather - The Fairy Mistresses of Royal Prep - appointed Ubos to Lydia as her teacher. He was the epitome of a conundrum to Lydia and Eezeyal when they first met. A book being made her teacher. It had to have been a joke. Ubos proved otherwise by nearly drowning her. He's powerful for a constructed of paper and ink. His magic rivals those of legend. From that day forth, Lydia has developed a respect toward Ubos born of admiration and apprehension of his power. He's very serious when it comes to magic. He does not see it as a right nor a toy, so he refuses to allow Lydia to treat it as such.
As her Sorcery Instructor and Spellbook, Ubos is privy to magic and knowledge the most experienced and eldest of sorcerer have yet to come by. Making him the most appropriate and qualified teacher for the arising Sorceress Princess. A steadily becoming tolerated nickname spreading across Enchancia and beyond the borders. Through Ubos's tutelage, and no nonsense approach to magic, Lydia's skill with magic has improved at a rate even he did not anticipate. Her technique, in his opinion, needs a bit more refining. Her pronunciation of certain incantations is sketchy, but tuning. The execution of her spells is near flawless. Her motions are fluid, and the controlled passion in her chants is nothing if not proof of her unwavering resolve. As a result of her dedication, she was recently named Novice - a step closer to her dream of being acknowledged as a sorceress - and bestowed the Fantasia Brooch by none of than Goodwin the Great. Forged by Grand Master Yensid, the brooch bestows the wisdom and guidance of sorcerer's past. As her teacher, Ubos could not be anymore prouder of her than he already is. As her friend, he risks rebounding off the walls when he thinks about what she went through to get it.
Ubos released a dismal sigh. Lydia gripped at her sheets. She wanted to throw them over her head, bar Ubos's discontented stare from boring into her. "Lydia...it's been over a month now. The nights you aren't having nightmares are the ones where you barely close your eyes for an hour at a time." He sounded like he was scolding her. It was the opposite. Lydia could hear it in his words. Ubos professing how sick he was becoming while she writhed in her sleep. Like Eezeyal, he loves her too much. Watching her twist in agony of nightmares was almost unbearable.
Incidentally, a month is how long its been since Lydia's reunion with Lezard Hirsch. And since the true might of her powers were exposed. Lezard was a fellow sorcerer at Hexley Hall. The top ranking Honor Graduate, and formerly one of Lydia's best friends and boyfriend. Coupled with a girl named Adelea Salera - a sorceress with a love for animals and agriculture - Lydia and Lezard were considered an unbeatable team at Hexley. Oddly enough, they were also the most heated rivals. Never a dull moment when Lezard and Lydia were together. In the end, Lezard took first place in Honors. Lydia was pleased with second place, and wasn't about to let the rivalry end. However, as the unfortunate twists of fate would have it, Lezard was a wolf wearing several years worth of sheep's clothing. Using a forbidden arte known as Leaching, Lezard sacrifice a grandeur of his life in the pursuit of draining those he comes into contact with of their magic. Three times a month for the rest of his life he is required to feed, ultimately robbing his victims of their very lives. Due to an uncontainable envy he possessed of Lydia, and his hatred of her being born a Generation Arcanist, Lezard joined Lydia on her test to become Novice, and attempted to bleed her to death of her magic. His plan inevitably failed. But the scars he left are permanent. Not the mouth marks, either.
Digressing, Generation Arcanist is a formal label for those called Skipped Inheritors. Sorcerers, Alchemists, Witches - any who carry magic within them - burdened with the magic of a parent that never awakened. Should a parent have the capacity for magic, and that magic does not awaken by a certain point in their life, that power remains dormant until an heir is born. In turn, that dormant magic moves into the child, adding to the magic they already have, and burdening them with enough power to be said to tear the very earth asunder. Lydia is one such child. Her father, Birk Balthazar, being the source of her troubles. The only barrier she has preventing her magic from flaring out of control is a headband Fauna gave to her while she was at Hexley. The very magic she fears was inadvertently unleashed after her test was ended. Her family and friends saw it. Save for Cedric who was sent away. Had that stranger not intervened, and Roland proved he would not be chased away, Lydia would have destroyed everything she has grown to hold dear. The Fairies, her family, the palace - everything. That night, thankfully, is still consumed in a blur. Part of her doesn't want to remember. Ever.
Since that dramatic night, Lydia's been having vague - sometimes vivid - nightmares. In those nightmares she's always running. From what, is still a mystery. The scenery is always the same. Dark, a rainstorm, and in a forest. The moon shining so bright it made everything glow. In the beginning, she was just running. Then she felt someone chasing her. Or at least heard their footsteps behind her. Only recently has that person started talking to her. The voice used to be a distorted gurgle. It gradually fined itself to a feminine tone. This was the first night she was able to make out a figure. A female by the shape. It's also the first night that figure touched her - bit into her. It felt so real. She can still feel it.
"I know I lecture you constantly about your health. And that you are as fit as a horse as you are stubborn." Ubos pressed on, hovering closely to her. "But this time you have me worried. Your stubbornness will inevitably kill you."
"I know that!" She harshly retorted, spitting toward the blankets. The drowsy daggers in her eyes were dull, but she doesn't want Ubos to see them. She regretted her tone when Eezeyal aggressively cleared his throat. He shook his head reprimandingly. Lydia sighed resignedly, bringing a warm smile to her lips. She lovingly pet him and Eezeyal. "Please don't think I don't appreciate it, Ubos. I really do. I just…" She lowered her head, sliding her hands back to her lap.
Eezeyal recognized her churning misery. The hurt radiating from her face made his blood boil. "Is it Lezard?" He growled. Is that low down snake the reason you're suffering? He doesn't care what pit The Fairies had him incarcerated in. Eezeyal will find him and claw his eyes out for hurting Lydia.
"No." She rasped.
"Then what?" Ubos implored her to talk to them. That's why she has them.
"It's…" The monster in her nightmare. She was...familiar. The voice, the features obscured by the darkness - from the peak of her head to her toe, that figure was like a face she hadn't seen in years. Five years. "It's nothing. Just the over imaginative mind of an overworked Princess slash Sorceress."
"You mean the overworked imagination of a sleep deprived Princess slash Sorceress!" Eezeyal snarled. He wasn't buying her excuse for a second. Lydia may fool others, but she hasn't been around long enough to fool him. "I don't mean to be rough, Liddy. I just…"
"I know, Ezee. And thank you. Both of you." She kissed them both on the forehead. She really hated that they were worrying themselves sick over her. That's encouragement enough for her to try and beat these nightmares. For now she can begin by trying to go back to sleep. It was three in the morning. She has another three hours to get some sleep before being woken up for breakfast. Oh man. Breakfast. She dreaded.
xxx
The morning came in what would be considered a breath. Summer was nearing its end, but that didn't dim the morning sun's rays an inch. Half of Dunwitty Village was already wide awake. Shops were prepped for business, farmers were plowing their fields, and children were preparing to go to school. The Enchancian Palace was equally lively. Servants began their daily routine with a spot of cleaning. Chef Andre and his staff worked on a breakfast guaranteed to energize the Royal Family from morning to dusk. He prides himself on his food, and it shows in the presentation and quality. Constable Miles, Captain of the Royal Guard, ran drills at the peak of the morning to bring the guard to their top form. He wanted to try a new regime, and no better time to test it than the present.
In the meantime, Baileywick, the castle steward, oversaw castle duties from the servants cleaning to breakfast being prepared as he went to wake up the Royal Family. He had a long list of tasks Roland had to complete, and Amber, James, and Sofia had school in a couple hours. Miranda's schedule was moderately clear, save for a round she had to make. Lydia's day had a cluster of classes that would consume the morning. The rest was hers to do with as she pleases.
Roland and Miranda were the first to arrive in the banquet hall, assuming their places at the head. Amber, James, and Sofia filed in one at a time, sitting on opposing sides in reference to age. The blank space at Roland's left was for Lydia. Her absence was raising their eyebrows. The food was fresh and already spread. While waiting for everyone to be present was proper manners, James feared the food would be cold by the time Lydia joined them. She's been late to breakfast and dinner a few times already. There was doubt she'd break the streak now.
"Should we send someone to get her?" Roland proposed.
"Let's give her five more minutes." Miranda suggested. "Then Baileywick can-"
The banquet doors opened. Heads twisted and everyone sat on the edge of their seats. Lydia spread a palm to her mouth, preventing her drawn out yawn from echoing in the banquet hall. James was relieved. He'd be able to eat a hot breakfast for once. Amber and Sofia were just happy she showed up relatively on time. Roland and Miranda, on the other hand, furrowed their brows in bother. Lydia was dressed in her usual uniform, complete with the headband adorned by the brooch Goodwin awarded to her. The uniform was pressed, neat, and together. Her hair was neatly combed. Yet they can see she was ragged and disheveled. They were faint, but there were tints of rings under her eyes. Her face was pale, and the skin sagging.
"Good morning, Princess Lydia!" Baileywick cheerfully greeted her.
"Morning. Sorry for...being late…" She moaned, plopping to her seat. She rubbed the sand from her eyes.
"Actually, this is a new record for you!" James cheered, stabbing three pancakes and piling them on his plate. Then came the ham, some eggs, a couple slices of bacon, and an orange. Sofia and Amber waited until it was safe to get their food. "Usually you don't get here until after we've finished eating! I might have to mark this on my calendar."
"And that remark just cost you a pancake!" Lydia stretched and stabbed a fork in one of James's pancakes, moving it to her plate.
"HEY!" He roared. Lydia bit into it, mockingly chewing his loss. James growled, puffing his cheeks. He threw down a white napkin, declaring war on her for a later time. Lydia cackled like an imp.
"James does make a valid point, Lydia." Roland chimed in. He waited a moment before continuing so Lydia could put food on her plate. "This is the first time in a while you've made it to breakfast before it's gone cold." Lydia shrugged indifferently, unsure how to respond when she knows he's right. She filled her glass with orange juice, finding the vitamin c might help her wake up. Roland leaned in on an elbow, "You still look fatigued. Rough night?"
"Not really." She ate slices of ham and egg. Her filling belly was a work of miracles. "I just…"
"Couldn't sleep?" Miranda abruptly added. Lydia choked with her fork in her mouth. Miranda's beaming blue eyes burned into her. Amber, James, and Sofia each paused with their food or drink near their mouths. The trio shared dismayed glances, then looked to Lydia. She tried to stave off the comment by eating. Miranda wasn't about to give up. "Lydia, this is the fifth time this week. I've lost track with this month alone." Lydia said nothing in her defense. She simply ate her breakfast, increasing the pace to escape sooner. Miranda reached across the table, touching her hand. She stopped on a dime, troubled by her mother's somber stare. "Honey, talk to us. What's wrong?"
"Nothing! Guys! I'm telling you, nothing is wrong!" Broken records, all of them. None stop for the past month she has been asked the same questions. Are you alright? Are you sleeping well? Have you eaten? Over and over. The worst part about all of it is that they were reading her like an open book. And she can't stand it. Which is why, by saying nothing was wrong, she knows full well that they'll watch her like a hawk. This is why she dreaded coming to breakfast. "Ugh! If you must know, I heard Lezard's trial is taking place in a couple of weeks."
Lezard's name unnerved the entire banquet hall. Baileywick's throat clearing effectively excused the rest of the servants. They were more than happy to oblige. Rumors of that night were spread solely within the castle. Curious whispers of those who care about the Royal Family wanting to know what transpired. Until the day comes they're privy to the entire story, they would honor the Royal Family's privacy.
"You mean he hasn't been sentenced yet?" Amber gasped in abject rage. "I thought The Fairies made sure he was going to be locked away immediately!"
Lydia shrugged her hands with aggravated indifference. "They've denied him bail, and he's being kept in a maximum security prison known as Alkazanze." What more can she ask for? An execution would be nice.
"What's that place like?" Sofia asked in genuine curiosity.
"For all intensive purposes, it's a really good thing that I don't know." Lydia winked to her baby sister. Sofia managed a cherub giggle at the remark. She relaxed a little with Lydia's sense of humor in tact. Lydia's jokes subsided as she had more grim news. "What has me concerned is that he's being offered litigation."
"This is nothing that should be unexpected." Roland clarified, interlacing his fingers. "Everyone - including Lezard - has the right to counsel."
"In the realm of magic, those who commit a taboo are now different from traitors." Lydia curt tone caught him off guard. Roland silently reconsidered his statement, and mulled over information Lydia was about to share. "Therefore rights normally afforded are effectively rescinded. No questions, no arguments."
"Then what does it mean that he's been granted counsel?" Miranda asked anxiously.
"Someone on the Tribunal has a soft spot for him." That scary wrinkle in Lydia's brow arose. She could burn steel if she wanted. "Lezard's going to fight this until his last breath. How pathetic." She scoffed. She should have known. Leaches are the very personification of cowards. Clinging to others for sustenance, playing innocent when they are about to be burned off. Their last ounce of fight goes to the desperation of wanting to live one more day.
I should have killed him when I had the chance! She growled in her mind. The wind she surrounded him in was snaking into his lungs. His veins were constricting for every ounce of oxygen he had left. His eyes were bulging. He was going to die. He should have died! She should have ended his miserable life. Then she paused, appalled by her words. No I shouldn't have. YOU I SHOULD HAVE! NO! Lydia placed a hand to her throbbing forehead. She braced a hand to the table, taking in slow, deep breaths. She groaned wearily. This war within her...it's like nothing she's ever experienced.
A gentle hand at her should shocked her back to her reality. Roland was leaning in close to her, smiling adoringly to his eldest daughter. He will not pretend that there is an existing barrier between them. Lydia is 17 going on 18. The first part of her young life - from her first steps to developing into the young woman she is today - is over. He won't have the same relationship with her that he will with Sofia, Amber, or James. But he fully intends to make the most of it. He's already accustomed to her mannerisms. He's now learning his boundaries with this new development.
"You did the right thing, you know?" He lightly brushed fingers across her cheek. "What you almost did, it would have proven Lezard right. You've done more than you realize by letting him live."
Miranda may have been aware of her hidden powers, but what she saw will be something she never forgets. The night Roland and his family learned Lydia was a Skipped Inheritor, this deeply rooted fear sprouted within them. Not of Lydia. Never of Lydia. But of the true magic that has been tearing her up inside. It came exploding out of her like lava erupting from a volcano. She was a completely different person. Her body on the verge of wearing out due to the harm Lezard inflicted. Roland and the others will never forget how scared they were thinking they were going to lose her. Were it not for that mysterious stranger, Lydia would have been lost to them.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't." Lydia shook off his hand. She appreciates him trying, but if he's trying to empathize to that better nature she supposedly she has, he needs to stop trying. "If anything, I really want to leave a crater somewhere knowing there's a chance he might walk free."
"Is that the lack of sleep talking?" Sofia nervously joked.
"Most likely. And the hunger. But deep down…" She ogled a strip of bacon, imagining it as Lezard as she's about to take a huge bite out of him. "I really want the worst fate imaginable to be placed on his head." She growled. In a flicker, a dark figure grinning crazily stood behind Sofia and James. The blue eyes wide, narrow dots. Lydia gasped in shock, shooting back in her seat. She practically shook the table. Roland and the others were startled by her jump. She went pale as a sheet, shaking like a leaf. Her trembling eyes were frozen to a spot behind Sofia and James. The pair nervously turned to see what she was looking at. Nothing was there. Yet Lydia looked like she had seen a ghost.
"Lydia?" Roland started moving a hand towards her. "What's-"
"Excuse me!" She bolted from the table, darting out the door.
Roland and Miranda were at a loss for words. Amber, James, and Sofia almost ran after her. Baileywick stopped them, holding them in place. He shook his head, discouraging them from following. "I'll have Chef Andre reheat her food and bring it to her room."
"Thank you, Baileywick." Roland solemnly nodded to the steward. The empty seat beside him carried immense weight. A representation of how close he came to understanding Lydia, and how swiftly he lost ground. A constance of their new life. Lydia. What's wrong?
xxx
Lydia was out of breath by the time she reached the six corridor in her marathon sprint. She's getting better at this. Maybe bragging about being able to runaway isn't something she chisel to her list of accomplishments. She wiped the sweat dripping to her brow on her wrist. She had a hand planted to the wall so she wouldn't fall. What she saw earlier should have knocked her flat on her back. Instead it gave her three winds to run to the border and back.
"What the heck was that?!" She rasped in a panic. That thing smiling at her. It was standing behind James and Sofia. It was like that thing she saw in her nightmare. The crazed look in those eyes. The venom dripping from that murderous smirk. A wild animal released from it's cage after being starved for weeks. "What on earth is happening to me?"
Hurried flapping beat the air. Lydia dismissed it as pulsing in her tired ears. The sleep deprivation must be getting to her. She moved to saunter down the hallway. Ebony talons clasped to a bust of the previous King Roland. Beady eyes narrowed to the wobbling princess. "Ahh. Here you are." A haughty voice crooned.
Lydia arched a brow, turning to who spoke to her. With his signature scowl wrinkling his sleek, black features, Wormwood the Raven greeted Lydia in the hallway. "Wormwood?" This was a sight. Wormwood is Cedric's ever faithful pet. Rarely does he leave Cedric's workshop. He isn't much of a social butterfly. Let's not sugarcoat it. He hates socializing. And thanks to an earring Lydia has, she is able to listen to his dry sense of humor, and speak with other animals. "What are you doing out here?"
"Cedric sent me to fetch you." He rolled his eyes. He enjoys doing that too. Wormwood can admit to a silent respect to Lydia. After all, she saved his owner from a devastating fall. That doesn't mean he doesn't still find her intolerable. She still pokes her nose where it doesn't belong. Interfering with evil schemes Cedric can't hatch in privacy. Wormwood only bothers with her because it is Cedric's wish. "He's in a fit about Lezard and the rumors of his counsel." He drummed his feathers with a note of irk.
"Oh boy." Lydia's shoulders sank. Roland and the others may have been passive to the news. Cedric must be seething. Lydia would be too if she was banished from Enchancia.
xxx
James, Amber, and Sofia finished their breakfast before the carriage was prepared to take them to school. With a 15 minute window, the trio spent their time lounging about. Sofia was trying to finish a book she found recently. Amber was quadruple checking her hair and gown, and changing them just as many times. James was battling with the castle guards to finish fixing his canon. 15 minutes felt like 30 in that instance. When the call for departure was sounded, the princesses and prince leisurely strolled for the landing strip. James and Amber were excited to see Zandar and Hildegard after the long weekend. They've been partnered with their best friends for a special project and they couldn't wait to get started. Projects mean they can visit one another's homes. Tangu was always fun, but Friesenberg had better snacks.
Sofia wasn't as energized as her siblings. True, she was paired with Vivian for a project. Vivian's a fun person to be around. Well, when she isn't running in the opposite direction due to a sudden flash of shyness. Sofia's just worried about Lydia. Looking back at the castle, she can see Lydia lying down somewhere, toiling away with whatever made her freak out in the banquet hall. She's afraid to leave home while she wasn't well. The idea that if she comes home after a long day and Lydia's fallen sick. Or worse. Is it...because of the headband? The headband being Sofia's way of not acknowledging Lydia frightening magic.
"What's wrong, Sof?" James asked, helping his little sister onto the carriage.
"I don't want to leave Lydia alone. She doesn't leave me when I'm feeling sick." She stated with a hand to her aching heart. Sofia and Lydia are closer than any pair of sisters in existence. Their bond transcends best friends and sisterhood. When one is sad, the other feels it. And when one has a problem they can't solve, the other will stop at nothing to help them solve it. "I think I should stay home to help take care of her."
"Sofia, I'm sure Lydia will be alright." Amber stopped her dismount as she climbed on. "Baileywick and the other servants are on hand to help her if she needs it." Even saying that out loud, Amber can't deny she wants to stay home too. She doesn't let it show for the sake of posture and that it brings on early wrinkles, but Amber worries about all three of her siblings constantly. One time she saw Hugo insulting James's shoes and secretly filled with superglue. The hilarity is another story. Amber will admit she isn't as close with Lydia as she would like. That doesn't stop her from worrying. For now, she needed to put on a brave face for her little sister. "You heard mom and dad. She just needs to get some good night's sleep and she'll be fine again."
"But she isn't sleeping." James moaned dreadfully. "This is the fifth time this week, but it's been at least tenth in the last month." He stressed. James is more observant than most would give him credit for. Especially when it comes to his family. All three of sisters put on their bravest faces, try to shed off their troubles. He makes a point to take the weight off of them, and tries to bring a smile back to their faces. He's very creative with his pranks. In spite of his jocular behavior, James will always stand up for what's right and he won't falter when someone or something is hurting those he cares about. An right now, something is hurting Lydia badly. "I don't know if I've told you this, but I heard Lydia screaming once."
"You did?" Sofia gasped. Amber felt chills prickle her skin. The coachman idled while he fed to horses. The perfect excuse to listen in on what's rotten in the state of Enchancia.
"Yeah. She was screaming for...someone to get away from her." Amber and Sofia exchanged apprehensive stares. They pondered if that someone was who Lydia was staring at in the banquet hall. They will testify up, down, and sideways that no one was there. But Lydia has seen things that aren't visible before. "When I went into her room, she was sitting up reading. She saw me, but pretended like nothing happened."
"Sounds about right." Amber confirmed. Lydia's notorious for playing it cool. And saying she's fine when she isn't.
"Oh! I wish there was something we could do!" Sofia bounced her fists on her lap. She hates seeing Lydia like this.
"Maybe there is!" Amber took Sofia and James by the hand. "Let's make her get well cards at school today, and sneak her those berries she likes from the gardens!"
"GREAT IDEA!" Sofia beamed.
"BRILLIANT!" James pumped a fist. The coachman stroked his chin pensively. Maybe he'll make one too. The Royal Trio had a plan. Now they need to get to school to put it in motion.
xxx
Lydia was starting to regret her sprint through the castle. The steep incline of stairs leading to Cedric's workshop were killing her legs. She will say this much - Had Cedric not returned to the palace, she would be spared walking up the three miles of stairs in order to see him. In fact, she's pretty sure Roland would have demolished the workshop and turned it into another bedroom. Well, in the long run, it was worth it. Cedric and Lydia have come to a newfound understanding between one another. Heck. They've both gone so far to admit a friendship existed somewhere. Lydia's confession notwithstanding. Not yet, anyway. A mutual respect that took several forced partnerships, a handful of life threatening situations, and the occasional witty banter in order to achieve. When the evil plans aren't in the way, Cedric and Lydia are able to tolerate each other's company before being whisked away for some odd job.
The first couple months after Lydia arrived, she and Cedric were at each other's throats like wild animals. The palace was nearly reduced to rubble because of how heated their arguments got. Arguments is a kind word. Gladiators would be running and screaming if they saw what others witnessed. They've both gone so far as to nearly kill one another. Cedric almost succeeded twice. The scars are forever engraved. The reason behind their strife is Lydia's perfectly aware of his desire to steal Sofia's magical amulet, and to rule Enchancia as King. She's exhausted all her energy in thwarting him. Just as Cedric has used all of his to thwart her. In the midst of their bouts, a certain spark started to ignite between them. Both were too proud to say, but they weren't above spending five minutes talking idly or exchanging knowledge. It's thanks to Cedric Lydia's grades in her dance class improved, and she's come traversed the barrier she subconsciously set in Roland's path. Cedric is equally grateful to Lydia for helping him break his fear of performing in front of Roland. And for believing in him when no one else would. Cedric will always tell Lydia that she saved him that night at the cliff. In truth, from her perspective, Cedric saved Lydia. From Lezard and from herself.
Lydia knocked three times, then slowly opened the door. Wormwood cawed to alert their arrival. While he may not be able to talk to Cedric, they've developed a shorthand that allows fluent conversation. Lydia shyly poked her head inside. "Hello?"
"GET IN HERE!" Cedric yanked her inside and slammed the door. Lydia lost track of what happened. She caught up when Cedric started shaking her violently. "SAY IT IS NOT SO! Tell me that insult to our craft is not being afforded legal counsel for his crimes!"
News travels fast. Lydia barely heard the news herself. She wonders how Cedric found out. "I'm afraid so. I received the news straight from Merryweather a couple of days ago." She groaned. She reached behind her back, showing him a magazine with Lezard's mugshot occupying the cover. "And his upcoming trial made it to Wizardly Weekly." Taboo Leach! Gonna be burned or allowed to feed another day? Tabloids always had a flare for celebritizing the worst of the worst.
"I can't believe this!" Cedric was going to pull his hair out. That is if he has any left to pull. There were strands in the trash receptacle. "He commits a taboo, endangers and nearly ends your life - THE PRINCESS OF ENCHANCIA," Being called princess is still hard to get used to, "And that idiotic tribunal is really going to allow him to defend himself?!" The bureaucracy of the judicial system. Everyone's entitled to a defense. It looks good for future political campaigns too. "What sort of mental affliction has stricken them that they would even consider mercy?"
"Perhaps he told them he engaged a Skipped Inheritor." Lydia snorted with partial humor. "You know how much we're hated throughout the world." She winked.
"First of all - you're not hated! Misunderstood, yes. But hated...that's just an pretense for fear." Cedric's amongst those who know Lydia's secret. If anything he was the first one to figure it out when he learned what her headband's properties are. "Second - regardless of what you are, the Tribunal must remain objective and unbiased. If they cannot do that, then they have no business in their station." "A good thing we elect a new tribunal every ten years." By his calculations, that time is a few months away.
Cedric and Lezard were nominated as Lydia's traveling partners during her test up Mistbow Mountain. From the getgo Cedric despised him. Found him to be too perfect, and too clingy, to Lydia. Discovering he used leaching taboo and was draining Lydia of her strength, he confronted the boy and was driven to drowning him. Because Lydia was too infatuated with him, and because Wormwood spilled Cedric's secret crimes from Merroway cove, Lydia demanded Cedric either leave Enchancia, or she brings him to heel at Roland's feet. She was in such a fit of rage she threatened to kill him. Cedric did briefly see his life flash before his eyes. Lydia is quite terrifying when she's angry. Cedric honored her command all the same. He nearly made it out of Enchancia. Save for the thugs chasing him.
After Lezard was found out and sentenced, Lydia scoured Enchancia far and wide to find him. Cedric half expected her to remain home. To honor her long sought out wish to be rid of Cedric once and for all. She astounded Roland, Miranda, her siblings, and Cedric especially when she raced to retrieve him. With no regard for her own safety, she traveled the vast boundaries of Enchancia to find him. Unknowing that Cedric was being pursued by bandits. She confronted the thugs who wanted to abduct him. They wished to claim her as well, adding to the profit they thought they'd earn for sorcerers. Unleashing her full power, she chased them off. She manipulated their weak minds and sent them far, far away. The cliff Cedric was teetering on was crumbling every second. Death was surely going to spirit him away. Lydia hung half her body off the edge, grabbing hold of Cedric. She refused to let him fall, refused to let her friend go. Cedric showed his gratitude by returning home. Never again will he try to leave. Unless, of course, his true motives are discovered and the Royal Guard take up arms. Then he'll be gone with the wind.
"Well as much as you don't like it, it's how things are." Lydia sat to his rolling stool, leaning her elbows back to the desk as she folded her legs. She scoffed inwardly at the current state of things. "I can whine and cry that it's not fair, but I'm used to things being unfair."
"Please don't speak like that. You're depressing me." Cedric slumped, swinging his arms side to side. He set his hands to her shoulders, putting on his most tender smile. "Besides you don't even know if your being a Skipped Inheritor is the reason. It could be they want to meet the famous Sorceress Princess."
"You'll forgive me if I don't hold out hope." She snickered. Then she thought about the situation. She lit up like a torch. "Maybe I'll finally be able to meet the five guys behind the curtain!" Her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Really?!" Cedric pinched and pulled her cheeks. "Should he be granted counsel he's going to drag your name through the mud!" He frothed, tugging harder each time. Lydia whimpered when the tugs became a straight yank. "And you're fantasizing about meeting five old people in fancy robes, and probably have beards down to their knees?!" He snapped her cheeks, earning a pained yelp. Lydia whimpered pitifully, massaging her tender cheeks. She growled at Cedric with a red pout. Cedric refrained from laughing at how adorable she looked. "Have I mentioned yet how simple minded you can be?"
"I think you've brought it up."
"Then I'm bringing it up again." Cedric put hands to his hips, bending forward and bringing his smirk an inch from Lydia, "You, My Dear, are incredibly simple minded." He lovingly ruffled her hair.
Lydia giggled adoringly like a cherub, flushing pink as his huge hand on her hand. "And you love me for it!" She grinned impishly.
"Who told you that lie?!" He smashed her head down. The two flew into a fit of laughter, having to hold their sides to numb the stitches.
This is one of those moments these two cherish. Where their insults lead to a witty banter that brought them to laughter. To think these moments would have come to an end if Cedric hadn't returned when she asked. What a fool he was to come close to giving these times with her up. This would have been a regret he would harbor for the rest of his days. He'll never be able to thank her enough. He will try to, all the same. Thank you, Princess.
xxx
Cedric was a welcomed distraction. Lydia needed a good laugh. His knack for adding lib during any situation is what she valued most about him. That...and his sincere motives. Cedric's never been shy about admitting his true feelings, or what he seeks to obtain and the lengths he'll go to in order to get them. These lengths, these means, are all directed to his goal of ruling Enchancia. Sofia's Amulet of Avalor the key to securing his coveted dream.
In spite of knowing his true intentions, Cedric grew on Lydia. And vice versa. She's willing to see past his dark ambitions - the beast - to the man she knows he can be. That's what the Enchantress who emerged from the brooch advised of her. She'd be hypocritical if she kept seeing him as a monster. Seeing as how he refuses to see her as one.
Lydia has a couple of hours before her lessons begin. To her chagrin, she doesn't have nearly enough mental strength to handle dull lectures on politics, or lessons in proper etiquette. History and math are going to be the worst. She can feel the tedium bearing on her shoulders. Meaning she should at least TRY to close her eyes and take a refreshing nap. An hour shouldn't be too much. A chance give her weary mind and body a brief recharge.
The library was the closest place. Lydia locked the door behind her. The couch she favored as her thinking place beckoned her. Fatigue coated her sore muscles like a glaze. Five minutes with her eyes closed. That's all she wanted. Lydia slithered to the cushions, the plush foam shaping to her planted hand and thighs pulled at her. The second she lied down, propped her head to a soft pillow, darkness swallowed Lydia, carrying her off to a deep slumber.
xxx
Clouds blanketed a night sky yet again. The full moon the sole source of light able to bask the land in a dim glow. Heavy rains doused a dense forests, illuminating the closely knits canopies in the moon's glow. Thunder reverberated the the land and sky. Lightning came in heated, blinding flashes. Beneath the knitted canopy, a figure masked in shadow tromped about in an exaggerated motion. Their back hunched, their arms swaying left to right, their fingers gnarly and twisted. Their lips split into a toothy, malicious grin. Their vibrant blue eye piercing the darkness. A crazed cackled vibrated their throat,
Run!
Boots trampled moistened blades of grass. Quickened, icy breath floating on the frigid air carried terrified whimpers. Hands clawed at trees barely seen within three feet of the stagnant darkness. Petrified blue eyes helplessly blind in the menial moon light. The rain soaking to her clothing was weighing her down. Still, mustering a fourth wind, Lydia broke into a sprint that went well beyond her normal limits.
Hurry, Lydia!
Blood was pounding in her ears. Her muscles grew numb, and weighed heavier than stone. Lydia's hyper breath huffed in evaporating clouds. Her throat was unbearably dry, but frozen by the frigid air. The frantically sprinting girl passed under the moon's beams in a small clearing. A shadow darted across the same clearing, looming just a hair above her head. Her back tingled at the presence. At the pace she was running, she would surely be caught.
Faster!
Lydia squeezed her eyes closed. She lurched her body forward, throwing herself into a leap. Slick weeds slipped her foot out from under her. Her arms flailed to catch herself. A steep trench dragged her down a ragged heel. She slid across painfully uneven terrain, skipping like a pebble being tossed to a lake's surface. The hill suddenly broke to leveled ground. She was thrown into a fierce tumble. Her back rebound off a mud riddled wall, white hot pain prickling her spine.
"There you are…" Lydia cringed at the malignant hum. Walking down the hill as if there were stairs, the phantom that has been stalking her approached her with that same crazed look in her eye. "Why are you running, Lydia?" She cackled demonically. Lydia scrambled in the mud. Her hands and knees slipped as they sank in the puddles. She clawed at low hanging vines to pull herself to her feet. "So sorry, Lydia, but I'm afraid I can't allow that!" The figure hoisted her by the collar, slamming her to a muddied wall. She collapsed at the frightened girl's cheek, savoring her rising fear like ambrosia. "No matter how fast you run, no matter where you hide," The figure moved in close, bringing her lips to her red ears, "I will always be there to catch you." The figure lunged her fangs for her neck.
xxx
"AAAHHH…!" Lydia flew forward. Her screams shook the library windows. She hooked her fingers into the couch, holding herself in place as her blurry eyes recognized the abundance of books surrounding her. She slapped a hand over her eyes, hissing through her gritted teeth. Again she was caught. "I get rid of one monster...and another comes alive." That THING always seems to catch her just before she bites into her. Unnerving still is that the biting of her neck isn't what bothered Lydia. It's that the creature's face was becoming more distinctive, and she was starting to recognize her. "Dammit! Dammit! I hate this!" Tears leaked past her squeezing palm.
To be continued.
Not much at all in regards to action, but this is an introductory chapter. This will suit as a premise for what I want to do next chapter. Tell me what you guys think.
By the way, it looks like I'll be getting more hours at work, so updates will be slower than usual. Sorry guys. But we all knew I had a life outside of this. A good thing I love writing so much. No amount of work will stop me from giving you guys updates.