Chapter 6
Pushing Them Away
Mia was wrapped snugly in the thick Imilian quilt on her bed, the soft white sheets they'd picked up in Kibimbo holding the heat in just as well. She rolled over giving out a content sigh, the air in the small cabin was far too chilly for her to think about getting up, no matter that she had grown up in frozen Imil.
Sleet, apparently, had other ideas. Mia could sense the small Djinni floated gently a few inches from her face, and she could picture the Spirit's evil little grin. Sleet knew Mia was awake, and had every intention of getting her up. Mia heard the prankster take a deep breath,
'Three… two… one…' Mia then heard Fizz, Mist and Hail slam into their friend, the scuffle that followed, and the re-assuring click and bumping that meant Sleet was now securely captive in Mia's travel pack.
"Thank you…" Mia mumbled sleepily, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. The three Djinn smiled before fading away, Mia felt her power and energy increase as they each Set themselves to her. The added boost was enough to perk her up a bit more, but unfortunately it also made the soft warmth of the bed uncomfortably hot.
'Then again,' She thought, sitting up lazily 'Maybe I ought to lock you three in there as well.' Mia let out a sigh, her eyes widening in surprise as her breath was visible in the cold air of her room. Pushing aside the covers she ended up pulling them back up around her shoulders, placing one foot gently on the wooden floor she jumped at the iciness.
'In fall, anywhere South of Imil, and North of that small island with the penguins,' She thought as she reached over to grab a change of cloths and place them under the covers to warm up, 'Should never get this cold!'
Braving the cold floor, the Mercury Adept padded over to her pack. As she opened it Sleet glared at her before jumping out. Mia chuckled slightly to keep her teeth from chattering, the cold air slipping through the sheer fabric of her night-gown, as she pulled out some of the thicker articles of clothing she'd taken with her from Imil. Rushing back to the bed she rubbed her feet to get back the feeling before slipping on a pair of thick stockings.
"It's about time you realized it was freezing in here." Sleet nagged as Mia continued to get dressed. "You didn't even put enough fuel in the bizarre for the whole night, just enough to heat the room a little bit before going off to sleep." Mia glanced at the small spirit,
"Well, it wasn't freezing last night," She said "And I was always led to believe that small wooden rooms keep heat rather well compared to others." Sleet nodded as Mia got up and exclaimed over the thin layer of ice over the water in the basin.
"Yes, but you forget that you're on a boat, in a cave, and that you're in the middle of the ocean where winter comes sooner." The Djinni said, Mia sighed and didn't even bother arguing. Arguing with Sleet was like arguing with Akafubu, you were just yelling at a brick wall.
"What I wouldn't give to have Piers' Parch right about now," She said as she broke the ice and splashed some of the frigid water on her face. "Gods that's cold." Picking up the small towel next to the basin Mia dried her face and hands as she walked to the small dresser and pulled out one of the drawers.
"What cha' gettin'?" Sleet asked, hovering over her shoulder, Mia looked over and smiled.
"Bandages and ointments for Piers," She said, Sleet nodded before asking,
"Why does he complain so much about you changing his wrappings?" Mia made a funny face as she straightened; a few roles of fresh gauze in her arms.
"All men complain about things like that." She replied, "Isaac, Garet, Kraden, all of them, even the ones in Imil always hated it."
"Even the dirty old men?" Sleet asked, smiling mischievously again. Mia cleared her throat at the comment,
"Yes, even the dirty old men." She replied simply.
"What's all this about old men?" Jenna asked. Poking her head in the door, the Mars-Adept smiled at her friend.
"It's nothing." Mia said, at the same time Sleet blurted out;
"Mia's changed the bandages of dirty old men and even they complained about it!" Mia glared at the Djinni as Jenna gave her a questioning glance, but the Mars-Adept just shook her head though and smiled.
"Well, doesn't matter. Lunpa really didn't waste anytime; those crews he said he'd bring in are already up on deck." Mia raised a questioning eyebrow but they other Adept just shrugged. "Don't ask me, I have no clue."
"Are you two coming or not?" Sheba's voice rang down the hall. Jenna looked off to the side as Mia came up and poked her head out, Sheba stood a ways down the hall with Blitz and Cannon hovering impatiently off to the side.
"Come on!" Blitz called, ruffling his long, sage feathers behind his head in agitation.
"We already had to wait for Mia to get up!" Cannon echoed, the red and yellow fire lizard flicking its serpentine tail a few times "Let's go!" Mia blinked a few times confused.
"Where are we going?" She asked as Jenna got impatient as well and just grabbed her arm, Sleet zoomed back inside and followed a few minutes later with Mia's cloak. Pressing the cloak into Mia's already filled hands, the Djinni managed to balance the roles of gauze.
"Into Lemuria of course!" Sheba exclaimed, "Piers was up earlier and telling us all to go in and spend the day there."
"Didn't you hear Hydros last night?" Jenna asked, "He said that there was a celebration today in the city. Piers said that it lasts the first month of Autumn, and that today is when it starts!" Jenna was grinning from ear to ear as she rushed Mia up the steps, almost pushing her into a Lemurian workman standing nearby.
"And don't you get all upset about him being up while he's still injured neither." Sheba pointed out quickly, "Isaac, Felix, and Kraden beat you to it. They lectured him for a while before he was able to sweet-talk his way outside for a short walk a few minutes ago." Kraden, who had been speaking with one of the Lemurians heard this and came over.
"Lectured! Ha!" He muttered sourly, glancing at the two Venus-Adepts "These two just stood there glaring the whole time, I doubt Piers would have known what was happening had I not intervened." The two were talking with another blue-haired local, him asking questions and the two giving yes or no answers.
"All he wanted too do was go take a walk, Kraden," Garet said walking over. "I don't get why you all flipped out on him like that." Kraden gave the Adept a disapproving stare.
"Because he's injured and those wounds could break open at anytime!" He stated simply. "I still don't see why you let him go out like that." Kraden murmured, Mia wanted to ask where Piers had gone, but Jenna just grabbed her arm and pulled her through towards the door.
"Don't you worry about him," She said simply, "His uncle's been doing enough of that this morning." Sheba nodded as they walked past Ivan and a small group of Lemurians, they were checking for any damage done to the wings.
"Well you certainly slept in late." The younger girl commented as they walked down the ramp and along the stone pathway. Mia glanced at her friend.
"How long was I asleep for?" She asked, blushing a bit in embarrassment.
"Way longer than anyone else." Sleet answered, "You were out cold from the second you crawled under the sheets last night, to just before I tried to get you up." Mia smiled sheepishly,
"No chance of breakfast then is there?" She asked,
"Breakfast?" Jenna scoffed, "You mean lunch!" Sheba and the Djinn giggled slightly as they made there way past the guards and into the city. After they came out of the dank passage they were all hit with the strong aromas of cakes and pastries baking inside of homes, and were able to see a few brightly colored banners flapping in the crisp breeze. Sheba grinned happily as they climbed up the stairs and saw two men hanging another bright red banner across the entry to the city.
"Who says Lemurians have no fun?"
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Leon cupped his hands under the small trickle of pristine water, apparently seeping out of the smooth stone wall. Taking a quick drink he turned to his nephew who was sitting on a rock nearby, the younger man was looking around the caverns,
"I still cannot believe how things have changed since I left." He exclaimed, getting up to touch the faintly pulsing rock, "I remember the bedrock pulsing and glowing a bit," he continued "But never so brightly! And even where we stand I can tell which way leads back to the ship." Piers turned back to his uncle with a small smile "It's amazing."
"Imagine everyone else's surprise." Leon said lightly, drying his hands on the front of his shirt. "That was when you gained the most support, when more people got involved." The old man walked over to Piers and placed a hand on the younger one's shoulder, "I wish I could show you, Piers," he said regrettably "I wish you could walk the city streets again, but I know the guards won't let that happen." Piers removed the re-assuring hand and faced his uncle,
"You know I want to see what has changed inside, from what you've shared it sounds like much has." He said with a light smile, but his expression hardened, "But I will not sneak back inside." Leon balked,
"I said no such thing," The old man started,
"But you implied it." Piers shot back, the two stood looking at each other for a few moments before Piers smiled slightly again. "Don't worry about me, Uncle, I'm fine outside the city." Piers started walking down the passage, Leon keeping pace with him. "And you know for a fact I'd be in more danger inside the walls where people know about these things, than outside where even my friends don't quite understand." Leon looked grim as he nodded,
"Perhaps Conservato had a better reason to banish you than just out of petty spite." He commented. "It gives you better reason not to come back to Lemuria where people would try too taking this from you, than simply not wanting too visit." Piers gave a sly smile as his uncle spoke.
"You always do try to find the silver lining." Piers commented, "Even though I doubt Conservato has any knowledge of this. If he did I don't think I'd be able to sleep at night, no matter how much medicine Mia slipped in my drinks." Leon chuckled at this, an odd look seeping into his eyes.
"You trust her, yes?" He asked, Piers eyed him,
"I trust them all with my life, Uncle." He replied firmly, "I have had to multiple times before, and I would again if I had to." They stopped again as Leon nodded
"Have you chosen one?" He asked softly, Piers didn't meet his eyes as he looked at him. Leon clasped his nephew's hand "It's not easy I know, Piers, but you will need to make a decision sooner or later,"
"Before some one makes it for me. Yes, I know, Uncle, but I don't even know where the bond is, no one even knows what it is actually. 'Two names upon the Golden Bond, Two souls will merge as one,'" He recited.
"'But if deceit lies in the heart of one, then tragedy issue. The Master will fall, in all his glory, his bloodline then will wither.'" Leon finished, expression grim, "I don't want that to happen, Piers, you know I don't."
"Yes, but that's all that's given in the Texts. The bond, as important as it is, could be anything, anywhere! I'd rather take my time and think about what'll happen when I find it, than to just pick a name off the top of my head!" Piers sighed and slowly shook his head, the pair beginning to walk again, a silence building between them for a few minutes, and then Piers stopped walking.
"That's a lie actually…" The mariner said, looking off down the passage, another arch-way stood off before them, leading back into Lemuria. Leon looked up and saw the regret in his nephew's eyes, "I'd rather not think about this at all…"
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For all the splendor and wonder of the city and its festival, Mia, Jenna, and Sheba were more in the process of becoming thoroughly nervous than anything else. Half the people in the misty city either glared at them and cussed under their breath, or lavished them with praise about the Lighthouses. Neither of which was very enjoyable.
Those who glared simply made the three feel uncomfortable. The remarks about things like foolish explorers damning the world, and how Piers had betrayed them all cut deeply, but the support wasn't all that great either.
It always started out nice, but then people would start suggesting things like attacks on other citizens and even the Senate, all very subtly, of course, but enough for the three to take a hint. Mia personally was beginning to feel thankful that Piers couldn't come back and see how everyone was divided.
The healer nibbled a hot pastry that one Lemurian woman had handed each of them as they made their way down the ancient street.
"Well, so much for a relaxing afternoon." Jenna said with a sigh as she licked the last few crumbs from her gloved fingers, Sheba looked around and spotted the only little girl in Lemuria wandering around alone. The three girls stopped walking as the child saw them and made there way over. Her aquarium pig-tails bobbing as she clutched a small stuffed animal in the shape of a Djinni.
"You know Piers, right?" The girl asked in a gentle voice as she came up to them, Mia nodded and knelt down so that she was eye-to-eye with the girl.
"Yes, we know him, why?" She asked. The child seemed to tense up a bit, and looked nervous as she held the small toy closer.
"T-Timmy's mom said Piers became a bad man when he went away, and daddy said the same thing too. Mommy and daddy got in a big fight and she ended up throwing a vase at him. Now we're staying with Piers' uncle." She stopped, looking as if she'd said too much. The girl looked nervously at Jenna and Sheba, but seemed more confident when she looked back at Mia. Mia's brow furrowed as she listened, and turned her head to listen as the small girl leaned forwards and whispered in her ear.
"Mommy said Piers did the right thing and that Grandpa did a bad thing to him because of it. But daddy and Timmy's mom say Piers did the bad thing on purpose and Grandpa was right." Mia noticed she clutched the small toy closer, and that the girl took a shaky breath "Piers made Sally and Nicky before he took Spring and Shade away with him when he left. They asked him to and let him cut out fabric and even helped to stitch the pieces together so that they looked like them, and he never complained once. If Piers did something like that, then how can what he did be wrong?" the small child pulled back and Mia really didn't know what to say.
It took her a moment to understand that 'Sally' and 'Nicky' must be the names the children had given the toys. The name 'Sally' was stitched into the tail of the small Djinni-toy the girl had, Mia guessed the little boy had the other.
'But what do I say?' She thought franticly 'I can't tell her one thing without turning her against one of her parents or her grandfather!' Mia bit her lip as she thought for a few moments, the child staring wide-eyed as she bounced on her toes expectantly. Finally, realizing that she'd come to her because out of the three Mia was the only Mercury-Adept, Mia leaned forwards and whispered back,
"Piers did what he and others thought was right, but other people think he took to big a risk when he left. Piers' still a good man, but both your mom and dad have good points about what happened." Satisfied with what she'd offered, Mia sat back on her heels as the girl mulled over it a moment.
The small child looked down at the small toy a moment, giving it one last hard squeeze before thrusting it out towards Mia. Startled, the Mercury-Adept tipped back and knocked into Jenna's leg.
"Take Sally back to him." The girl said simply. "He'll be lonely with just Spring and Shade, Sally can keep him company when he travels." The three blinked a few times at the offer, and Sheba bent down to speak with her.
"I think Sally should stay with you." She cooed, "Piers gave her to you and he might think you don't like her if you gave her back." The girl's mouth went thin as she tried to press the toy on Mia,
"Please give it to him?" She begged, her lower lip trembling slightly "Please?" Mia saw tears pricking the girl's eyes and reached out to accept the small toy. Jenna huffed disapprovingly at the gesture, but the girl just sniffed and wiped away the threatening tears.
"Thank you." She said softly "tell him I think he's still a good person and that Grandpa shouldn't have been mean to him. Tell him Timmy thinks so to, okay?" The three adepts nodded as the small child perked up a bit and smiled before she turned and skipped off down the street. Mia looked down at the small toy in her hands.
It was rather messy in terms of stitching; a few neater areas showing where the girl's mother must have sewn up places where the threads had snapped. The fabric was an incredibly soft material that Mia had come to associate with all the extra blankets on Piers' ship, whatever it was there was plenty on the Island. The Djinni's golden eyes were two polished rocks fitted into a cloth lip that had been tightened to keep them from falling out. Mia was surprised at the resemblance to the real thing as Sleet popped out and imitated the toy's position.
"Close enough?" The Djinni asked with a smile as Mia scooped him up with her free hand.
"Well," Jenna asked, placing her hands behind her head, "What do we do now? I'm not all that psyched for another go around the haughty booths. What about you two?" Sheba shook her head and sighed,
"Personally, I'd rather go back to the ship and lock myself away in my room till the work-men leave. After all this I'm not up too talking to another Lemurian unless it's Piers, his uncle, or Hydros."
"Speaking of Piers," Mia muttered, straightening, the Mercury-Adept knuckled the small of her back. "I should probably pass on that girl's message to him." Mia shook her head as she lifted up the small toy and looked at it again.
"You seem to be delivering a lot of things to him recently." Jenna commented, she smiled slightly but her tone was soft, not meant to sound conceited. As the friends started walking again, Sheba changed the subject.
"So what did that girl say to put pressure on you like that, Mia?" the younger woman asked, Mia blinked and met Sheba's smile with a light glare. Sheba held up three fingers, "That's the third time in as many days Ivan or I have been able to do that without you noticing, Mia," Jenna seemed to catch on and grinned widely,
"You've been really distracted lately, Mia," the Mars-Adept chided, "You had better watch out or Sheba might find something very interesting." Mia felt her face darken slightly as the two burst out laughing, the Mercury-Adept chose to steer the conversation back to safer waters.
"She asked me whether her mother or her father was right." She said simply, Sheba smothered her giggles as she asked,
"Wrong or right about what?" Mia was about to worry her bottom lip again, but caught herself at it, 'I will end up biting it off if I keep—Sheba? Stop that!' Mia glared at her friend as the rings of Psynergy dissipated the two fought giggles as they came to the steps. Mia huffed and crossed her arms as Sleet jumped up onto her shoulder.
"About whether Piers was a bad person for leaving Lemuria, and whether her grandfather was right in apparently being one of Conservato's followers." She said snippily, the other two shut up at her words.
"Oh…" Sheba muttered, looking down at the ground, they passed a few pillars as they began to exit the city. For once the three weren't taking in the sites.
"Well, that's a good distraction." Jenna muttered, "One more thing to dampen our spirits, I just hope Piers is copping with all this."
"Yeah," Sheba agreed, "Banishment, Prophecy, I feel really sorry for him." Sheba frowned before perking up again. "At least it isn't all bad." She said, Mia grew a bit worried as her friends grinned slyly at her.
"What?" Mia asked. That look was never good, especially when Jenna began to look more like a Cheshire cat than an auburn-haired adept.
"Oh come on!" Jenna exclaimed, "I've never seen you so worried over any of us like you have the past few days over him!" Mia fought to keep the hot blush down as she stopped to gawk at her friends.
"How about when Garet almost lost his arm to the Doom Dragon?" She offered "I lost sleep over that, and this hasn't been half as bad! And besides!" She huffed crossing her arms "How would you two know how I acted? We've gotten to know each other really well over the past few months, but you weren't there when I traveled with just Isaac, Ivan and Garet." Mia seemed satisfied, so the evil grins growing on her friend's faces confused her even more.
"That was a quick argument." Sheba commented, "You had everything lined up and ready to use. Like you'd been practicing..." Mia mouth dropped open as the blush she'd been hiding forced its way up.
"Wha-? I… You-… I have not!" She stuttered, Sheba just grinned even wider.
"Come on, Mia!" the Jupiter-Adept pleaded, making big eyes, "I'm the youngest one here and I can tell that you at least think he's cute!" The two girls laughed as Mia thought she was going too die of embarrassment, that or that the earth would open up and swallow her whole, anything to get her out of this situation. Slowly an idea formed in her mind, and Mia took on her own evil grin.
"If you two don't shut up then we'll see how fast rumors fly on that little ship of ours." The laughter was cut off instantly as the two stood gaping at her.
"You can't do that!" Sheba yelped,
"That's not fair! You promised not to tell them!" Jenna seconded, both blushing as darkly as Mia had been moments before. Said Mercury-Adept just smirked.
"Who said I'd tell them?" She asked slyly, "I'd just let something slip to Kraden, or even Felix. Every one of the Djinn even would know by dinner." Mia smiled at the looks on their faces.
So what if she thought the only other Mercury-Adept she had ever met, aside from Alex, was good-looking? These two thought they were in love, and it wasn't all that hard to imagine that the feelings were true. As Sheba seemed ready to get down on her knees Jenna looked up triumphantly with a come-back.
"It seems they've sent out search parties for you already, Piers." Leon said with a smile as the two Lemruians came up. The words were half-formed in Jenna's mouth as she jumped in surprise. Mia spun around and stared at the two.
'Oh gods how loud were we talking?' Mia thought franticly, the same thoughts were apparently racing through Jenna and Sheba's minds at the same instant. Sleet just rocked back and forth on Mia's shoulder, completely forgotten by the three adepts until she spoke up.
"WewentintoLemuriabutgotfreakedoutandleftcauseallthepeoplewereeitherrudetousorotherpeople!Thentheonelittlegirlcameupandsheasked,'Do you know Piers?'andthenMiakneltdownandsaid'Yes, we know Piers, why?' andthenshegaveMiaaDjinni-toyandtoldherthreetimestootakeitandgiveitoyoucauseyou'dbelonley!ThenwecameoutthepassageandMiatoldthemthatthegirlwantedtoknowifyouwereabadpersonandthatshe'dsaidyouwereagoodpersonThentheystartedtalking,andthenShebasaidthat--!"
Mia quickly clamped her hand over Sleet, partially because she was afraid the small spirit would pass-out from lack of air, and also because that part of their day wasn't up for discussion.
Jenna and Sheba looked relieved, while Piers just smiled lightly and his uncle hid laughter behind his hand. Leon turned back to his nephew,
"It seems I shall be leaving you in good hands until later tonight." The older man said; leaning forwards a bit, Mia heard him whisper something to Piers, "Remember what we talked about. Think on it, Piers, it's going to have to be one of them. You had best talk to each. Alone." Piers nodded solemnly as his uncle nodded towards the girls and made his way back up the passage and into the city.
Sheba and Jenna seemed to have gotten a hold of themselves and were out for revenge as Jenna spoke up.
"We'll be headed back to the ship okay, Mia? We're sure you two want to talk." Mia looked back at them giving both a dark glare. The two other Adepts just ignored her though and turned around down the passage after Piers' uncle, Sleet bouncing off Mia's shoulder following them. At least Mia wasn't the only one who became hopelessly lost in the caverns.
'Damn then.' She thought. 'It's not like I'm head-over-heels like they are.' Mia turned back and saw Piers biting the inside of his cheek, the Lemurian seemed to be debating something as his eyes traveled along the smooth blue stones strewn along the ground. Piers seemed to come to and agreement of sorts with himself though, as he looked up and met her eyes. Smiling slightly, the other Mercury-Adept held out one hand to her.
"Care to accompany me on a short walk, Mia?" He asked kindly, Mia just smiled and took the offered hand and together the two walked back down the way Piers had come. Their footsteps echoing off the solid stone walls; their forms swallowed by the ever-present shadows.
