Phoenix
Disclaimer: I don't own this world, and I'm not making profit off of this work.
A/N: This is a rewrite of, well, my storyPhoenix, that I wrote about three years ago. I've made some changes to the plotline and such, and I deleted the old story. I hope you enjoy it!
Phoenix flowers are normally seen as a drug. They are used in several expensive potions to invigorate the drinker or to heal severe cuts and burns. When eaten raw, they give off a high of confidence. The flowers are long-stemmed, with fuchsia petals and tend to be harvested in July. It is unknown how Phoenix feathers are germinated, but the most common idea is the phoenix itself. As each patch is watched by one of the mythical birds, it is said they are able to pollinate the flowers. There are few patches of these flowers, and they are coveted by all.
One such patch is in Wales in a small but wealthy Wizarding community. It is owned by the Malfoys.
A tall, blonde man picked up his black leather folder. His clothes were stately, and his face was harsh. The blonde hair was clipped to a respectable length, and his stomach was filled by just as respectable food.
A woman came into the room and gave her husband a quick kiss. She had a full figure, and was tall enough that she could look the man straight in the nose. She watched as he strode out the door and apparated.
These were the Malfoys. They had a son, but at this current moment in time, he was fighting a slave girl for his pillow. In fact, there were eleven slave girls, half of which were just waking up. The other half had made breakfast.
Someone woke the five-year-olds up, and they began chattering loudly. Kylie and Kaylie were twins, and the third girl's name was Laura. They were the youngest of all the girls. Launi and Tory were both six, and Teri and Onyx were seven. The triplets, Sally, Salina, and Sarah were eight, and did the more important jobs. They cooked, and were servants to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. Free time was spent teaching the younger girls all the older ones had learned.
The last girl's name was Dracni, and she had been in this household the longest. She was eleven, and unlike the other girls, who mostly had blonde or red hair and blue eyes, her hair and eyes were pitch black. Her face was sunken, with tanned skin from working outside. She had done every job to be done in the Malfoy household, and she knew most of its secrets. As well, she was the personal servant of the Malfoy's child, which was actually an enjoyable job.
The young Malfoy was the same age as Dracni, and he hero-worshipped her. Though intelligent, he seemed even more childish than he actually was to an outsider. Right now his white-blonde hair was tousled and he was attempting to pull his pillow over his ears.
Dracni laughed at his antiques, and sat on him. "Well, if you won't get up, I'll just have to TICKLE YOU!" At the last words, she began her attack. He squealed and giggled, then rolled over.
"Aha! You have fallen for my trap! I shall now have to tickle YOU mercilessly," the boy cried out while still trying to avoid her hands. He was stronger than her, although she was strong for her age, and quickly overpowered her. She laughed helplessly as he tickles her, a wolfish grin on his face. He only stopped when she gasped out, "I can't breathe," and then he still sat on her. Now her hair was even worse than his, and she felt conquered, staring into his bright gray-blue eyes.
"Okay, okay, you win, Remy." His name was actually Jeremy, but only his father called him that. He grinned even more at her admittance, but didn't budge. Instead, he stared into her eyes, which were currently showing just a touch of brown. He was resting on his hands, which were placed to either side of her shoulders, and both of them were breathing slightly hard.
In the short silence while they caught their breaths, Remy's mother called out again. "You have to get dressed, Remy," Dracni told him. He nodded, and the grin faded to a serious expression. "Which means you kind of need to get off me," she smiled to hide a laugh. He nodded again, and then took in what she said.
"Right, sorry. I'm tired now." He hopped off her with grace for being in such an awkward position. She got up and sat on the bed.
"You were tired before, too. Now you're awake and tired though."
"You know," he glanced at her oddly, "I'm eleven now, you really don't have to help me get dressed anymore. I mean, you can stay if you want, but…"
"I know, I know," she agreed. "However, your mother has not realized such a fact, and therefore I stay in here. Don't worry, I'll turn my back," it was her time to grin, "and choose something respectable today."
"Ooh," he exclaimed, "What am I doing today? And Mother is so weird. I'll be going to Hogwarts soon, and then I won't have you anyhow. But that's not the point; I want to know what's happening today." He pulled open the closet, and poked through the various robes. It didn't take long for him to settle on a silky black one. It was fairly new, and fit him the best of all his robes.
Dracni shrugged and he pulled out black trousers and a shirt to match the robe. "I think you have a tutor coming over. I'll be out in the Phoenix Flowers patch all day, so you'll probably be learning about magic." There was a bitter tone in her voice, and Remy noticed it.
"Look, Dracni, I'll tell you all about what I learn when I go to bed tonight. Okay?" he paused, "Oh, and could you turn around now?" She laughed and obliged. When she turned around, he looked older. It probably had to do with the lack of pajamas and the change to "respectable clothing." She could still see the old Remy, however, as his hair was still a mess, and it didn't help he kept running his fingers through it. "How do I look," he asked in a fake low, 'gentleman' voice and raised his eyebrows. She laughed.
"You look great," she said, and he beamed at her, "but we have to do something with that hair. Grab the brush while you're up." They went through this routine every morning. He would get dressed, and she would exclaim something about his hair. He'd bring the brush and sit in front of her. "There we go," she said as she got out any knots, "now turn towards me. And don't you dare run your hand through your hair!" He put his hand back down guiltily, and turned in his spot so she could see his face. "Side part today, it'll make you look older, I think."
When she was done, he stood up and modeled for her. He was incredibly thin, and his skin was pure white. She could barely even call it pale. With the combination of the black robes, he looked incredibly tall to her eyes, though he'd still seem young to any adult. "Okay, okay, you look good. Now, off to your mother!" He stuck out his tongue at the mention of his mother, and she giggled. "And don't do that!" He stalked out, proud and superior, with an 'as if' expression on his face. At the last minute, he turned and shot her a smile to let her know he was just kidding.
She smiled and sighed, before turning to the room. It was a mess. It would take her at least twenty minutes to do the job normally, but she had to hurry today. She made the bed, picked up the clothes Remy had accidentally dropped, and closed up the closet. She'd reorganize tomorrow. However much she loved Remy himself, she hated this house.
When she left, Mrs. Malfoy caught her and told her to wash up a spill on the floor. As Dracni wasn't running to do the job, she screeched at her and Dracni quickened her pace.
Knowing she'd be in trouble for it later, she pawned the job off on one of the girls in the kitchen, and took off for the Phoenix feathers. It was careful work, and she would need all the time she could to get the job done. This was the last day of the season, and she would be whipped if it wasn't done.
"Finally, you're here!" exclaimed Launi. Dracni examined her with a leaders command. Launi was outspoken, and liked causing conflicts. She had strawberry blonde hair, and crisp features. If she hadn't been a servant, she probably could have lived a life with an expensive husband—if he didn't get too fed up with her tendency to make trouble.
"Remy didn't want to get up." She didn't have to explain why she was late, but it normally made the girls more forgiving. She could hear Launi whispering to 'leave the brat in bed,' but continued without reprimanding her, "Today is our last day to pick. We have to be extremely careful today, so if you aren't sure, ask me. If you hear any rustling other than the flowers, stop what you are doing. These are valuable, so do not step on any of them, Teri. Kaylie, since this is your first day for ever picking, stay with me and ask me before picking. I'll teach you the best way to pick, and you'll understand the pattern soon. Girls, since I'll be focusing on Kaylie, you have to be triple careful. Now, to work!"
"I'm sorry I cause so much trouble," whispered Kaylie to Dracni.
"You aren't, I promise," Dracni replied, "but I like giving them another reason to be careful. This is dangerous work, you know." Kaylie nodded. She moved onto the technique, pinching at the base, and using your nails to cut through the fibers, twisting at the last moment. For the time, Dracni pointed out which one to pick, but gradually Kaylie asked if certain ones would be good.
She examined the whole field. They were close to completing the field. "The one next to it, Tory," she called out. The shy, round blonde blushed bashfully. "Onyx! Do the section over to your left a little more; I see several that are ready this year!" To Kaylie, she whispered direction to a few to pick.
As all the girls worked, and she absentmindedly watched them, she thought about the history she had here. She hated living here; she wanted to be free. As a three-year-old she had toddled around here, watching her sister work first, and then working herself. She felt at home with the flowers. It almost pained her not to be a picker anymore. Even worse, though, she was the overseer. She had never wanted to, but they had to have some semblance of order or they would be working late into the night everyday. Dracni knew she would get away. Someday. She'd already tried several times, but she was tracked down each time. She just wasn't fast enough.
Remy. He confused her. One moment she was his best friend, and the next he was making a mess she would have to clean later. Okay, so he probably didn't realize she had to clean up everything, but she still wished he'd be cleaner. If she told him to be, he probably would, but it was rude of her to say so. He'd be off at Hogwarts starting September. It wasn't fair; she wanted to go. She was just as old as him, and if she was free, she would be headed there. What was she supposed to do when he was gone? The girls were lovely, but they were all younger than her and saw her as their supervisor. Some saw her as their mother. She had to get out of this place. Before August, if she could. Maybe… Hogwarts… no, she shook her head, that wouldn't happen. Kaylie took it as a no to the one she was about to pick and moved on to another. The wrong one.
"No, Kaylie! Don't pick that one!" She could hear a rustle in the trees and she knew what it was. The Phoenix. It was too late. Kaylie had already started to dig her fingernails in when Dracni called. She let go immediately, but it was beginning to droop. "Eat it and hide in a bush, Kaylie, hurry, before it comes out."
To tell the truth, she was surprised one of them was not already dead. Then she heard a little trill. "Cover your ears!" Everyone followed her directions except herself. She walked towards the tree the rustling was coming from.
"You want her? Come out then, and tell me. I'll not let you have her." Her heart was pounding as she looked up into the tree. There it was, caught in the branches just above her head. She recognized it. "You," Dracni hissed. "Haven't you killed enough? Was my sister not enough to sate your drive to murder? Death for a death, I know the rhyme, but this time it's different. Your death for my sister's." It trilled sadly. "Don't even try to apologize! She didn't even pick the flower, and you killed her! Once again, you want to kill. Bloodthirsty bird." She turned to the others and yelled out to them, "You can uncover your ears now. Come see what the scary Phoenix is really." They came up and gawked one at a time. Onyx, then Launi, next Teri and Toni, and then the triplet eight-year-olds. Finally Kaylie came out of a bush and joined them.
"It's hurt, and old," Kaylie said. "It needs a flower. Here, Dracni, give it to her, I hadn't gotten to eating it yet." Dracni turned on the little girl in anger, and then stopped herself. She wouldn't yell at the little girl.
"Kaylie," she said quietly, "this bird wanted to kill you. If you give it the flower, there's no saying it won't come to get you." Kaylie's lower lip began to tremble.
"Make her promise not to kill me, or any of us, and then give her the flower."
"Kaylie, birds don't know what people are saying," she said despite the spark of intelligence she saw in the Phoenix.
"Yes, she does. No bird looks at us like that if they don't understand us. Look at her." Kaylie pouted.
Dracni turned at stared into the bird's eyes. They glittered and it lowered its head in acknowledgment. Kaylie was right. "Do you," she ventured, "promise to not kill Kaylie or any other human being so long as you live unless they directly hurt your person?" The Phoenix nodded and looked at the flower. Dracni laughed cruelly. "That was for me to let you out of the tree. Now then, for the flower. Serve me for the time that you have forced me into slavery. Fair?" The Phoenix looked her in the eye, and she knew it was.
"Give me the flower, Kaylie," Dracni commanded.
She handed her the flower, and asked "Are you going to save it, Dracni?"
Dracni nodded and fed the bird the flower. As she released it, she gave the bird extra instructions. "We are going to take extra flowers this year, and hide them in a cave northeast of here. Do you know of it?" the Phoenix thought for a moment and lowered its head in a yes. "Good. In a few days, I will find you there. Prepare for hard work."
When she turned around there were eight pairs of eyes staring at her with open mouths. "Go back to work. Kaylie, come here," she said as they all numbly turned around back to the patch. Dracni sat on her heels and lowered her voice. "Kaylie, I'm going to leave soon. Okay? I need you to be strong, and soothe your sisters. I'll come back as soon as I can and get you and ever other girl here. The day I get a letter is the day I'm gone, which I suspect is three days from now. I need you to make sure no one tells Mrs. Malfoy about that cave. Can you be a brave girl and do that?" Kaylie nodded. "You are wonderful, and I'm glad I can trust you."
A trill sounded that put the other girls in a lighter spirit, since they were no longer terrified of such noises. The Phoenix came to rest on Dracni's shoulder, but it stared at Kaylie. The girl opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out as if for a snowflake. "Kaylie!" exclaimed Dracni. The Phoenix tilted its head over Kaylie's tongue, and a teardrop fell down. When Kaylie brought it to her mouth, she seemed healthier and strong. Dracni stared. The changes from just one teardrop were apparent. Kaylie's skin glowed with health and her hair smoothed and shined. Before she could enquire about the changes to the Phoenix, it took off to the cave.
"You've been blessed, Kaylie," Dracni informed her. She smiled and agreed, then ran off the join the others. Dracni sat for a moment and thought about the direction of her life. In a different spirit, she left the shade of the tree and joined the others. This time, she picked for herself, not the Malfoys.
A/N: Review! Constructive criticism please!