I couldn't sleep.
The thoughts of the evening were milling about in my head, and being quite noisy as they did. Somehow, a group of cultists (for they certainly seemed so to me) had found themselves a niche in Domina, and some people seemed convinced of their powers.
Of course, the fact that Alexandra was with them perturbed me much more than that. I did not know what to do. It seemed reasonable to run to the Jumi at first, but what would it truly accomplish? They knew that Alexandra was alive. Her core had been the very last consumed by Lord Jewels. Since Pearl's had been just before that, and she was fine, it was only logical.
I turned over in bed, knowing full well that I was thinking too much. I wished that I could send a letter to Elazul and Pearl, but they didn't do mail over in the Bejeweled City. I supposed I would have to go over there myself.
I sat up, threw off my covers, and lit a candle next to my bed. Reaching for the sack on my dresser, I pulled out the note once more. "This is not medicine; it is a hallucinogen." I felt a pit in my stomach just reading that, and the feelings rushed back. Why would anyone want to give me fake medicine to give to Lisa? So that she would "see visions" and join them?
Lisa.
I went downstairs and poured some of the real medicine into a glass. I filled another with cold water, and snuck down into the twins' room. Lisa lay wide awake; I wouldn't have been able to sleep in her condition either. She tried to smile as I sat her up and had her drink the medicine.
"Do you feel any better?" I asked.
Lisa coughed. "Maybe a little," she told me, then coughed some more. "Maybe not," she added, weakly.
I sighed, cradling her in my arms. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Something has come up, and I've got to leave, but I've got to take you with me then, don't I?"
"I guess," Lisa said. "Bud and I will be okay-" she coughed more.
"Drink this water," I ordered, hastily. "I don't want to leave you two here; I have my reasons." Absentmindedly, I pushed Lisa's long purple hair (not secured in a ponytail at the moment) back behind her ears.
"I'll be all right if you have to take us somewhere," Lisa said. "I promise."
"It's far," I told her. "To the Bejeweled City."
"S'ok," Lisa murmured, lying her head down. I dipped her towel in cold water, wrung it out, and put it back on her forehead. Was her fever coming down? Hopefully it would by morning.
I went back upstairs. Though it was still just the wee hours of the morning, I put my hair up and got dressed for the day. It would be a long while before I slept again with all the work I had to do.
Walking outside, I was met with a chilling breeze. Walking to the monster corral, I pulled my little cart out from behind the barn. Normally I use it for short trips to Domina on market days, but I couldn't make Lisa walk all the way in her condition-even if walking was more efficient.
Truffle wakes up early, but he was still asleep when I peeked into the barn. Instead of hitching him up, I went back into the house and got three blankets and a pillow from one of my trunks. I lined the cart's bottom with the fluffiest and most substantial blanket, then made a bed for Lisa out of the pillow and other two. I tested it myself; it was definitely comfortable.
My cart has three sections on it-a large section (where I put the bedding for Lisa), the seat for the drivers, and a small compartment behind it, usually reserved for the more fragile goods. In this case, everything that I was taking with me went in there. I lay my trusted sword on the bottom, and packed a few honey onions and loaves of bread. Along with some apricat preserves, that would serve as breakfast… for lunch and dinner (if we needed it) I packed cold fish meat. I also packed a frying pan and my little SalaFlute (it's a very weak magical instrument-I don't fight with it, I just use it to build fires) so that we would have warm meals. Finally, I remembered to hook my lantern onto its spot on the cart.
After all that work, I finally felt so tired that I retreated back to my room and actually slept for a few hours. It was seven in the morning when I awoke again. I was glad to see I felt perfectly rested, and glad to hear Bud moving around downstairs.
He was brewing tea on the stove for his sister and had her medicine doses poured into two cups. "Bud, thank you," I told him. "Give this stuff to your sister now, and I'll back the rest of the tea. We're going on a journey."
"What?" Bud said, looking very surprised.
"I can't explain now; I'm sorry," I told him. "It is, however, of utmost importance, so please go get your things after Lisa drinks this-" I motioned to the cups on the counter "-and put them in the cart."
While Bud went to get his things, I dashed upstairs and took the "medicine" in its bag with the note. Back in the kitchen, I packed up Lisa's medicine as well, and poured the tea into a crafted Salamander's Jar, or Salajar as normal people call them. (They showed up some time ago; they are just large jars made of metal with a wooden coating. There is nothing magical about them, but they do keep food warm.) I stashed these in the cart, and met Bud as he was coming out the door.
"Put your stuff in the little compartment and get in the passenger's seat," I instructed. "I'm going to go get your sister."
Lisa was sort of out of it when I reached her, but she wrapped her arms around my neck and allowed herself to be transported out to the cart. I dashed back in to grab a couple of things-Lisa's broom, hairbrush, and some clothes-and then I hitched Truffle up to the cart and we were off.
Bud prepared breakfast for everyone by toasting the bread on the lamp, and we all ate, even Lisa. I was pleased to see that she was eating well, at least. Perhaps her illness was going away.
Our ride, unfortunately, was only uneventful for the first ten minutes of it. We passed by Domina, and something, once again, was going on. I intended on riding by, but Duelle ran in front of my cart and I had to stop.
"Hey, Chumpy," he said, looking distracted. "Those people are here again, and some mouse-man inspector guy was asking about you. Think you could go find him?"
I sighed. "How important is this? I've really got to go. I've got a long way to travel yet, and Lisa's ill."
"I'll stay with the cart," Duelle offered. "The guy insisted."
I rolled my eyes, and jumped off of the cart. Walking into town, I saw that the strange visitors had gathered near the front today. Ianthe was there, singing her mandala song again. When would they learn?
Ianthe finished her song, and looked about at all the townspeople. "Our magic is very strong," she began to preach, "and is much more advanced than your elemental system here. We draw our magical abilities from many sources… mana stones, ancient trees… Jumi cores…"
I felt a tap on my shoulder and a painful throb through my heart the moment this was said. I whirled around, the only thought on my mind being that now I had two reasons to reach the Bejeweled City quickly.
Inspector Boyd stood behind me. "Good morning," he said, the look on his face informing me that it was most certainly not a good morning. "I hate to hassle you, but the Jumi are your specialty, and we just overheard what she said. Do you think they've acquired any Jumi cores?"
"I'm not sure," I told him.
"That woman in the dark cloak-Alessa?-that thing on her cloak looks suspiciously like one."
I gulped. Was he still after Sandra? I certainly wasn't about to incriminate Alexandra while she was evidently on my side in this particular ordeal. "Really?" I said. "I haven't noticed."
"Ah!" Ianthe cried, startling us both. "It's you," she said, making her way over to me.
"I don't have time for this," I said. "I have to go."
"You seem to believe you're quite the heroine," Ianthe told me, coldly. The townsfolk watched with eyes that seemed eerily…hypnotized.
"I just don't believe in what you're doing here," I replied. "That's all. Now if you'll excuse me…"
"She does not believe!" Ianthe roared to the crowd, who seemed to stir.
"What the hell is going on?" Boyd roared, throwing one of his little fits.
Ianthe ignored him, and began to walk towards my cart. I ran to beat her there and sat defiantly in my driver's seat.
"We have not acquired any real Jumi cores, with the exception of one," Ianthe said, quietly. "But there is a way of creating magical jewel cores, very similar to those of the Jumi. In fact, the method is called the Jumi's Curse."
"What are you doing?" I growled. "Get away from my cart, everybody, before I run you all over!"
Ianthe peered in over the side at Lisa for only a moment. Then she stood and faced everyone. "It is done," she said. "Unless this girl can be saved, her heart shall harden into a core for our acquisition. We shall teach the non-believers, shall we not?"
The crowd cheered. They cheered! I realized then that Ianthe must be brainwashing the townsfolk. She had to be; they were all my friends and they adored Lisa, as well as her brother, Bud (who was cowering under the blankets at all the commotion)!
When the crowd was gone, Alexandra suddenly appeared at my side.
"You…" I whispered.
"Take that girl to the Bejeweled City, quickly, and get a guardian to heal her. You've still got time, but she'll die if you don't." With that, she turned and left.
"No!" I cried. "Wait!"
Something came flying towards me, and I caught it. It was another note. I didn't read it just yet. I felt so full of despair.
This was incredibly dangerous, but why did they have to involve Lisa? Why?
====================
The thoughts of the evening were milling about in my head, and being quite noisy as they did. Somehow, a group of cultists (for they certainly seemed so to me) had found themselves a niche in Domina, and some people seemed convinced of their powers.
Of course, the fact that Alexandra was with them perturbed me much more than that. I did not know what to do. It seemed reasonable to run to the Jumi at first, but what would it truly accomplish? They knew that Alexandra was alive. Her core had been the very last consumed by Lord Jewels. Since Pearl's had been just before that, and she was fine, it was only logical.
I turned over in bed, knowing full well that I was thinking too much. I wished that I could send a letter to Elazul and Pearl, but they didn't do mail over in the Bejeweled City. I supposed I would have to go over there myself.
I sat up, threw off my covers, and lit a candle next to my bed. Reaching for the sack on my dresser, I pulled out the note once more. "This is not medicine; it is a hallucinogen." I felt a pit in my stomach just reading that, and the feelings rushed back. Why would anyone want to give me fake medicine to give to Lisa? So that she would "see visions" and join them?
Lisa.
I went downstairs and poured some of the real medicine into a glass. I filled another with cold water, and snuck down into the twins' room. Lisa lay wide awake; I wouldn't have been able to sleep in her condition either. She tried to smile as I sat her up and had her drink the medicine.
"Do you feel any better?" I asked.
Lisa coughed. "Maybe a little," she told me, then coughed some more. "Maybe not," she added, weakly.
I sighed, cradling her in my arms. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Something has come up, and I've got to leave, but I've got to take you with me then, don't I?"
"I guess," Lisa said. "Bud and I will be okay-" she coughed more.
"Drink this water," I ordered, hastily. "I don't want to leave you two here; I have my reasons." Absentmindedly, I pushed Lisa's long purple hair (not secured in a ponytail at the moment) back behind her ears.
"I'll be all right if you have to take us somewhere," Lisa said. "I promise."
"It's far," I told her. "To the Bejeweled City."
"S'ok," Lisa murmured, lying her head down. I dipped her towel in cold water, wrung it out, and put it back on her forehead. Was her fever coming down? Hopefully it would by morning.
I went back upstairs. Though it was still just the wee hours of the morning, I put my hair up and got dressed for the day. It would be a long while before I slept again with all the work I had to do.
Walking outside, I was met with a chilling breeze. Walking to the monster corral, I pulled my little cart out from behind the barn. Normally I use it for short trips to Domina on market days, but I couldn't make Lisa walk all the way in her condition-even if walking was more efficient.
Truffle wakes up early, but he was still asleep when I peeked into the barn. Instead of hitching him up, I went back into the house and got three blankets and a pillow from one of my trunks. I lined the cart's bottom with the fluffiest and most substantial blanket, then made a bed for Lisa out of the pillow and other two. I tested it myself; it was definitely comfortable.
My cart has three sections on it-a large section (where I put the bedding for Lisa), the seat for the drivers, and a small compartment behind it, usually reserved for the more fragile goods. In this case, everything that I was taking with me went in there. I lay my trusted sword on the bottom, and packed a few honey onions and loaves of bread. Along with some apricat preserves, that would serve as breakfast… for lunch and dinner (if we needed it) I packed cold fish meat. I also packed a frying pan and my little SalaFlute (it's a very weak magical instrument-I don't fight with it, I just use it to build fires) so that we would have warm meals. Finally, I remembered to hook my lantern onto its spot on the cart.
After all that work, I finally felt so tired that I retreated back to my room and actually slept for a few hours. It was seven in the morning when I awoke again. I was glad to see I felt perfectly rested, and glad to hear Bud moving around downstairs.
He was brewing tea on the stove for his sister and had her medicine doses poured into two cups. "Bud, thank you," I told him. "Give this stuff to your sister now, and I'll back the rest of the tea. We're going on a journey."
"What?" Bud said, looking very surprised.
"I can't explain now; I'm sorry," I told him. "It is, however, of utmost importance, so please go get your things after Lisa drinks this-" I motioned to the cups on the counter "-and put them in the cart."
While Bud went to get his things, I dashed upstairs and took the "medicine" in its bag with the note. Back in the kitchen, I packed up Lisa's medicine as well, and poured the tea into a crafted Salamander's Jar, or Salajar as normal people call them. (They showed up some time ago; they are just large jars made of metal with a wooden coating. There is nothing magical about them, but they do keep food warm.) I stashed these in the cart, and met Bud as he was coming out the door.
"Put your stuff in the little compartment and get in the passenger's seat," I instructed. "I'm going to go get your sister."
Lisa was sort of out of it when I reached her, but she wrapped her arms around my neck and allowed herself to be transported out to the cart. I dashed back in to grab a couple of things-Lisa's broom, hairbrush, and some clothes-and then I hitched Truffle up to the cart and we were off.
Bud prepared breakfast for everyone by toasting the bread on the lamp, and we all ate, even Lisa. I was pleased to see that she was eating well, at least. Perhaps her illness was going away.
Our ride, unfortunately, was only uneventful for the first ten minutes of it. We passed by Domina, and something, once again, was going on. I intended on riding by, but Duelle ran in front of my cart and I had to stop.
"Hey, Chumpy," he said, looking distracted. "Those people are here again, and some mouse-man inspector guy was asking about you. Think you could go find him?"
I sighed. "How important is this? I've really got to go. I've got a long way to travel yet, and Lisa's ill."
"I'll stay with the cart," Duelle offered. "The guy insisted."
I rolled my eyes, and jumped off of the cart. Walking into town, I saw that the strange visitors had gathered near the front today. Ianthe was there, singing her mandala song again. When would they learn?
Ianthe finished her song, and looked about at all the townspeople. "Our magic is very strong," she began to preach, "and is much more advanced than your elemental system here. We draw our magical abilities from many sources… mana stones, ancient trees… Jumi cores…"
I felt a tap on my shoulder and a painful throb through my heart the moment this was said. I whirled around, the only thought on my mind being that now I had two reasons to reach the Bejeweled City quickly.
Inspector Boyd stood behind me. "Good morning," he said, the look on his face informing me that it was most certainly not a good morning. "I hate to hassle you, but the Jumi are your specialty, and we just overheard what she said. Do you think they've acquired any Jumi cores?"
"I'm not sure," I told him.
"That woman in the dark cloak-Alessa?-that thing on her cloak looks suspiciously like one."
I gulped. Was he still after Sandra? I certainly wasn't about to incriminate Alexandra while she was evidently on my side in this particular ordeal. "Really?" I said. "I haven't noticed."
"Ah!" Ianthe cried, startling us both. "It's you," she said, making her way over to me.
"I don't have time for this," I said. "I have to go."
"You seem to believe you're quite the heroine," Ianthe told me, coldly. The townsfolk watched with eyes that seemed eerily…hypnotized.
"I just don't believe in what you're doing here," I replied. "That's all. Now if you'll excuse me…"
"She does not believe!" Ianthe roared to the crowd, who seemed to stir.
"What the hell is going on?" Boyd roared, throwing one of his little fits.
Ianthe ignored him, and began to walk towards my cart. I ran to beat her there and sat defiantly in my driver's seat.
"We have not acquired any real Jumi cores, with the exception of one," Ianthe said, quietly. "But there is a way of creating magical jewel cores, very similar to those of the Jumi. In fact, the method is called the Jumi's Curse."
"What are you doing?" I growled. "Get away from my cart, everybody, before I run you all over!"
Ianthe peered in over the side at Lisa for only a moment. Then she stood and faced everyone. "It is done," she said. "Unless this girl can be saved, her heart shall harden into a core for our acquisition. We shall teach the non-believers, shall we not?"
The crowd cheered. They cheered! I realized then that Ianthe must be brainwashing the townsfolk. She had to be; they were all my friends and they adored Lisa, as well as her brother, Bud (who was cowering under the blankets at all the commotion)!
When the crowd was gone, Alexandra suddenly appeared at my side.
"You…" I whispered.
"Take that girl to the Bejeweled City, quickly, and get a guardian to heal her. You've still got time, but she'll die if you don't." With that, she turned and left.
"No!" I cried. "Wait!"
Something came flying towards me, and I caught it. It was another note. I didn't read it just yet. I felt so full of despair.
This was incredibly dangerous, but why did they have to involve Lisa? Why?
====================