And in order to get the full effect of what I'm going for: Name pronunciation fun!:
Rufallo = Roof-ahyo
Demitri = Dem-i (like in pig) – tree
Dunnley= Done-lee
Nortano= Nor-tahn-oh
All of these new characters listed above, including Melena, I pulled out of the air for storytelling purposes and have never been introduced as characters in the Charmedverse. Also, this story, or "flashbacks" rather, has/have no bearing in any kind of sense in history or nationality. The names are no indication of where the characters are from, I just like them, and chose to pronounce them that way. I will not be reading up on any history, the history within the context of the story is all my own made up stuff for storytelling purposes (which will really later be explored and become apparent in future installments, I'm just giving a heads up now). If you have any questions, gripes, or nit-picks, please feel free to email me. Enjoy.
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Phoebe awoke the next morning in her bed. Her eyes were swollen, her face puffy and red. She looked around not knowing where she was or how she got there, but once her vision focused a little more it began to register that she was in her own room. Everything was just the way she remembered it, but she didn't remember yesterday. And then, of course, it all came rushing back and she remembered every detail. Her memory fully recovered, she gleefully hopped out of bed and washed up. After cleansing herself and dressing in a black and layered outfit laid out by the Seer, she was greeted by her new housemate.
"Well, hello Phoebe. I hope your slumber was enough, for we have much to do today." The Seer led Phoebe to the chair in front of the vanity and began to fix the hair and make-up of the former Queen of the Underworld. As soon as Phoebe's hair, make-up, and outfit duplicated that of the Seer's, Phoebe shadowed her Master to the kitchen.
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"I have located that Wicked Woman, here, on a Nexus." A well-built and handsome man pointed to a spot on a coffee colored map. "She is there, Rufallo."
"But Demitri, it will take months to travel there. Our sails are not suitable for travel, cousin. She made sure of that before she vanished," Rufallo's voice trailed off, still unable to comprehend or even believe what it was his eyes had seen. Rufallo was not as tall as his cousin Demitri, nor was he as handsome. In fact, there was no mistaking him for handsome at all. His nose was too crooked and pointy; his ears were like wings, and his face might as well have been made of alabaster. Most of the men made fun of his short stature, his narrow shoulders, and overall scrawny build. "There is no angle or right hint of light that could make your boy beautiful, Melena" is what his father told his mother once, while she was serving them dinner. He would not be the man he was at this very moment with Dimitri had it not been for his mother's whispered response, "Don't listen to Old Dunnley, my child. Just know that I need only think of you and beauty is all I see and feel. And getting to actually see you I am blinded by it." That night she went up to his room to tuck him in and pray, which was custom, but this time she brought a gift. "Here young Rufallo, I present you with this box, but you must promise me one thing..." Rufallo responded with an agreeing look, he would do anything for this lovely woman, "you mustn't open it until the eve of your twentieth birthday. You will know the moment when it comes." Rufallo was confused by this and was about to question why she didn't just give it to him on that day, but she gently touched two fingers to his mouth and said, "Shhh, now Rufallo, son of Dunnley the Blacksmith of…" her voice betrayed her as it cracked and she was unable to finish her thought. A tear streamed from her left eye as another raced down from her right, at which she turned and sped out of the room, leaving her sweet boy to know the taste of salt for the first time as he screamed her name.
"That may be so, Rufallo, but there must be a way. I do not intend to remain trapped on this island any longer, living like an animal in this cave. Now go and fetch young Nortano, so that the three of us may discuss the situation."
"But that is all we do."
"And it is what we will do now, so GO! Get your hideous countenance from my sight."
Rufallo slowly turned around and headed for the side of the cave where Nortano slept. He didn't want to wake Nortano just yet because he felt the boy needed his sleep. So, he decided not to return with him right away, instead he sat next to the makeshift cot they built for him. As he watched the boy sleep he remembered how it was when he was that age. Oh, to be nine years old again. It was in Rufallo's tenth year that his world fell apart, for it included the first day followed by an infinite number of days that he wished for his ninth year back. And now, his young cousin had miraculously reached that desired year, but he knew Nortano would look back on these days and wish for a second chance at life period. For, it was on his first birthday that his world collapsed as well, but he didn't know about it anyway. He didn't know that on that day he lost any chance to know happiness. Rufallo studied the boy for a little while longer, wanting to know just for a moment what it felt like to look so angelic. He softly touched the boys red curls to gently wake him. "Come now little Nartano, your brother requests your presence." He whispered, as he lifted the boy into his arms still in between asleep and awake, and carried him over to Demitri who sat on a crate doubling as a chair in the middle of the torch lit cave.
Even in that dull light and unshaven, Demitri was very much a handsome man. His features were dark and strong. On his feet he stood about six feet six inches tall with broad soldiers and a perfectly chiseled body underneath his clothes. In the sun a tint of blue could be seen in his curly black hair, which was uncommon, in any village, not just their own. Demitri had not meant to blow up at his cousin in such a way, but the current events frightened him. He feared he was no longer capable of protecting his cousin and his brother. But even with fear in his heart, and the want to walk away, he did not, for he promised Melena and his mother, that no harm would ever come to their sons. It was in his twentieth year that he made this cursed promise. Before then he could remember everything that had ever happened to him, everything that he ever read, or learned, anything and everything that could be a memory, filled his mind every moment of everyday. He had a capacity for memory unmatched by any in his village before or since and often won him many trinkets. And yet, even with so brilliant a memory it was never all completely clear and as he got older it all seemed to melt together, all except for one. It was early in the morning and he was headed for the field, but was delayed by his mother and Melena, who did most of the talking, "Young Demitri, your mother and I have much to speak with you about…"
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"Hello, everyone, how wonderful it is that you all could make it this afternoon. I assume we all know what it is that brings us here. The time has come for us to begin the search. Time has all ready begun to run out, but there is still plenty."
"Enough with the riddles, Master, tell us the plan."
"Seer!" As Phoebe commanded, the Seer used Piper's exploding power to rid the living room of such a rude warlock. Killing was still beneath her, but desperate times called for such fatal measures. Besides, what was one warlock out of the infinite amount warlocks, demons, and other evil that had taken over San Francisco that day? And the warlock wasn't even near the most important. There were those, of course, that no matter how rude they were could not be vanquished.
"Now, my sisters at this moment should be unable to interfere. My premonitions are much more reliable now, and according to them Piper is dust and Paige is stuck with Prue. Whatever, I don't care, just thought you should know. What matters is that the plan should go forth without any interruptions. We will travel together, but once we get to our destination, we will separate into four teams. Team one will consist of the Seer, Tar-Tan, and I. The captains for the remaining three teams will choose their companions. Each team must only consist of three, everyone will understand once we get there why it all must be so. Demitri, Rufallo, and Nortano, I suggest you three choose wisely."
