Chapter 12: Resurfacing Fears
Vampirina, Poppy, and Edgar waited patiently for Spooker to take them to Phantasia's castle. "What if we get lost there?" Poppy asked in worry.
"I'm sure Miss. Phantasia wouldn't let us get lost," Vampirina said reassuringly.
Oxana and Boris, along with Remy, Gregoria, and Demi came to wish them well. "Remember to mind your manners and listen to Miss Phantasia," Oxana said.
"We will, Mom," Edgar promised.
Spooker arrived and he smiled. "You kids ready?" He asked.
"We're ready," Poppy said.
"Come on then," he said, taking them outside. He then picked up Edgar and placed him on his back while picking up the girls "Okay, hold on tight."
A beam of light picked them up, to their shock and they looked to see a type of portal in the sky before they vanished into it, appearing in Phantasia's castle moments later.
The mage was waiting for them and smiled. "Welcome, children, to my home," she said.
The kids looked around. "Whoa! It's huge!" Edgar said in awe.
The mage chuckled. "Thank you," she said. "It's been in my family for longer than I can remember."
Just then, a cloaked figure appeared behind Poppy and she yelped in fright, backing up as she saw the hood get pushed back to reveal a china face. "It's okay," Spooker said. "Lune won't hurt you. He's one of master's helpers, like me."
Lune nodded. "Hello, young ones," he said, his voice a soft whisper that both startled the children, but somewhat soothed them.
Phantasia smiled. "Lune has asked if he may tutor you as I unfortunately have a few meetings today," she said. "But if you need me, I will not be far."
"My dear, would it be alright if the messenger bats helped us out, along with the seeds and enchanted soil?" Lune asked.
"That would be fine, Lune. The seeds you can use are in the brown pot on the top shelf."
A small wind swirl came up to her and she held up a hand, to which the swirl settled in her palm, seeming to rest before speaking in a soft, whispery voice that the chlidren couldn't understand. "I'll be there shortly," she said to the swirl, who nodded and went away.
"What was that?" Vampirina asked, having never seen that before.
"One of my creations," the mage said. "It's called a wind swirl."
The kids were amazed before purple bats came in and squeaked. "Messenger bats," Lune said. "They'll be helping out today with your lessons."
Spooker grinned. "You kids are going to love it," he said.
Phantasia bid them farewell and headed off to her meetings while Lune and Spooker led the kids to a room that was set up as a school room.
The math lesson went well with the messenger bats using different flower seeds to set up a garden that worked for the math problems, which the kids liked and found the problems fun to solve, giggling when the bats would squeak happily.
Spooker did some silly antics for the spelling lesson, making the kids laugh as he stood on his head and juggled some juggling balls with his feet, each ball having a letter pained on it, which the kids looked at closely and spelled out the words.
All was going well until it was about time for the reading lesson, but as Lune was about to begin the story, saying it was about a girl who was searching for something she had lost, Poppy suddenly raised her hand.
"Mr. Lune, may I be excused?" She asked.
Curious, he nodded, figuring she had to take care of something. "Don't be too long, young one," he said gently.
Poppy left the room and Edgar grew worried, as did Vampirina. "You think she's okay?" The vampire asked her brother.
"I don't know," he said. "She...She just seemed upset."
Lune was curious as well, wondering what could have been bothering the girl as he saw she had looked perhaps ready to cry. "Perhaps she is a little homesick?" He said gently.
"But she was fine earlier," Spooker said before biting his lip. "Maybe...Maybe the stress of everything that's happened is getting to her, causing her stress."
Vampirina and Edgar looked worried. "Should we go find her?" The vampire asked.
Lune gently shook his head. "Let's give her some time," he said gently. "If she doesn't return by the end of the reading lesson, either Spooker or I will go find her."
Edgar nodded, but he was still worried about his sister.
Poppy ran down the hallway, tears running down her face like mini rivers as she opened the door near her and shut it, leaning against the door and crying her eyes out.
Phantasia jumped as she sensed someone enter her library where she had been consulting her books after learning that the men after the kids had been following all false leads. Even the lead they thought would pan out turned out to be a dead end.
Hearing crying now, the mage stood up from her desk and went to the doors, surprised to find Poppy leaning against them and crying harshly. "Poppy?" She asked, making the brown-haired girl look up at her. "Honey, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
Poppy looked up at her and shook her head. "No," she whimpered, sniffling.
Phantasia kneeled down and gently wiped away the girl's tears. "Sweetie, what is it?" She asked gently. "Did something happen?"
The girl shook her head before suddenly launching herself at the young woman, hugging her and the mage held her in a hug, standing up and picking the young girl up into her arms, gently rocking her and rubbing her back. "What's bugging you, Poppy?" She asked, her voice a gentle coo.
"I...I'm scared," the girl sobbed out.
"Who scared you?" The young woman asked, getting ready to scold whoever had scared Poppy.
The brown-haired child shook her head. "No one," she said before she got choked up again. "I...I'm scared I'm going to lose my brother and our family," she managed to say before sobs overtook her again.
"Oh, honey," Phantasia said in concern, wrapping part of her cloak around Poppy to help comfort the child more. "How long have you been thinking about that?"
"Since you told us about the men coming after us and wanting to take us away," the young girl said. "I...I don't want to lose my brother. Or my family."
"You won't, little one," the mage cooed to her. "I won't let that happen."
Poppy continued clinging to her and Phantasia continued to comfort the child, feeling upset that all this was happening and the children had to live in fear for now until the men were stopped or caught.
I hope they get caught soon, because I can't stand to see the kids in this fearful state, she thought to herself, sending a wind swirl to tell Lune Poppy was with her and she'd bring her back to the classroom in a bit.
She decided her research could wait a bit later too. What was most important at the moment was comforting the sobbing child in her arms.
A bit angsty, I know. Next up: the men looking for Poppy and Edgar get a bit too close.
Please leave a review, but no flames!
GoldGuardian2418
