Hands concealed by her skirts, Christina observed the conversation, her usual reserved nature on full display. She watched the window from the corner of her eye, Chase ran past followed by Sugie and Webbigale.
Shaggy got caught up in a conversation with the boys so Christina moved to the window to better see the children. Daphne and Velma joined her at the window while Cleo stayed with Deuce.
"Thank you, Christina," Daphne smiled.
"For what? Why are you thanking me?"
"For your courage, for doing this," Velma explained.
"This treaty is changing the entire monster world for the better", Daphne told her.
"The war divided our world, as other factions of monsters chose sides", Velma added. "But most of our generation just didn't see the point and wanted it to end. By doing this Shaggy, you, your cousin, and the Alpha's brother have given us all hope. And with peace among all monsterkind, who knows? Maybe peace with the normies is possible one day."
"I-I hadn't thought of that", Christina said as the true scope of these events became clear.
"And look at them", Daphne smiled, pointing to the children. "Look at your brother and Shaggy's sister. History says they should be enemies, but look; playing together as if it's the most natural thing in the world, proof that hate is learned and, therefore, doesn't have to be."
"Chase doesn't have it in his heart to hate anyone,"
"And neither do you, I can see it,"
Christina felt her face flush red.
"Let's get to know each other," Velma declared, "We want to be your friends too,"
…...
Gathered in the quietness of the main room where the only sound was the ticking of the grandfather clock standing beside the doorway.
"So how do you like it here?" Daphne asked.
"It's nice," Christina responded after some thought, "I miss home though,"
"We understand," Velma smiled sympathetically.
"Were you close to your cousin?"
"Both of them," Christina nodded, "They're my cousins but we're more like sisters, I miss them,"
"We know what that's like,"
"Velma and I both have sisters, I'm the youngest,"
"And I'm the older sibling," Velma interjected, "Is there something you liked to do with your cousins?"
Christina thought for a moment. There was something but it was private, their secret and she wasn't the type to spill secrets.
Luckily Shaggy and the others entered the room, saving Christina from having to answer.
She did not have it in her to lie.
"We were like, wondering where you girls went," Shaggy said.
"We were just getting to know each other," Daphne replied.
They didn't know how close Christina had been to crying.
My heart continues to break.
Feeling she was being watched, Christina glanced up to find Shaggy watching her. Like he could see right through her.
…...
Shaggy's friends will be staying for a while. This I expected. Making friends with Daphne and Velma I did not expect. They seem insistent on it. They aren't forcing me, cornering me. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's late now, Chase is sleeping, hanging onto my wrist like always.
Things grow stranger.
The way Shaggy looks at me.
So intense.
Why?
Goodness, I loathe that question.
What will tomorrow bring?
…...
"Imprinted on her?" they gasped.
"Yes," Shaggy whined.
"How's that going?" Cleo questioned.
"She doesn't know,"
"Don't you think you should tell her?" Fred asked, "I mean, this is-"
"Life-changing?" Daphne offered.
"I know, I know!" Shaggy responded, "But this could-"
"Cause her to shut down and stay away," Velma finished knowingly.
"Exactly!"
"What did your parents say?" Gil wanted to know.
"They said to go with it, be her friend,"
"Makes sense,"
"But I don't know how to get through to her!"
"Maybe, you're overthinking it,"
"Daph-"
"No, seriously, I think you're overthinking it, Shaggy, these things work themselves out, you know that,"
"You're right,"
…...
"Race you to the treehouse!" Sugie cried excitedly, racing ahead of Chase.
Chase flapped his wings furiously, rising above Sugie before dropping in front of her, scrambling up the rope ladder.
"Not fair!" Sugie tried to pout only for giggles to escape her, "I can't fly"
Chase grinned impishly, a smile similar to his sisters, Sugie couldn't help but notice. She followed behind him, with red-faced glee.
The treehouse had once been her brothers when he was her age. His initials still carved into one of the walls, just under the window. Though the treehouse was now littered with her drawings, pictures of constellations.
Chase dropped a folded note in front of her just after she sat on her ratty pillow.
Want to play twenty questions?
"Yes,"
Twenty questions was their current favorite game. One of the many ways they got to know one another. They didn't play in the traditional sense, where one simply tried to guess what they were supposed to be. Instead...
What did you dream about last night?
"flying frogs," she shuddered, "I don't like frogs,"
My Mom's fairy tale involved frogs.
"She cursed the frog prince?"
She was supposed to, Christy told me Mom ran from her world and tumbled into this one.
"Do you remember your Mom?"
No, I was a baby.
"I'm sorry,"
It's okay, Christy tells me stories about them.
"Like what?"
One time when Christy was little...
…...
As far as she knew Shaggy was catching up with his friends. Which left her to her own devices. Shaggy had shown her around upon her arrival but now she wanted to explore more thoroughly. Wandering the expansive grounds, smiling at the sounds of laughter carried on the breeze. Rounding a corner she discovered a sprawling garden filled with colorful flowers, towering trees, and sparkling fountains. Among the flowers, she discovered beautiful white almost glowing flowers that she had never seen before.
"Lunar Lillies", she jumped slightly in surprise at the voice, turning to see Shaggy behind her. "They only bloom, like, under the full moon and only open in the moonlight afterward. Legend says that they were a gift to the First Alpha from the Moon; the Mother of us All."
"I can believe it", Christina replied. "They're so beautiful. Years ago, my grandmother created a breed of roses for my mother; Dragon-Blood Blossoms. Before they...they died, my parents bred a new strain of the breed without thorns...for ME. To honor them, my grandmother and I planted them in Uncle Dracula's garden."
"I'm, like, so sorry", he said compassionately. "If you, like, ever want to, ya know, talk about it; I'm here, okay?"
"Thank you", she smiled softly.
"Well, since you like, found this garden, would you like to see the vegetable garden and the orchards?"
"Yes,"
She followed behind him, grateful for something to distract her from a painful trip down memory lane. Somewhere she didn't wish to go. Not now or ever. It was far too painful. The few stories she'd told Chase had ended with her in tears thus making him wary of asking for them.
"What are you thinking about?"
Shaggy was beside her now.
Something I'd rather not.
"Nothing," she replied, trying to sound chipper.
She failed but he didn't press. If she was thinking about her parents it was her right to tell him.
But he couldn't bear the look on her face.
What to do? What to do?
Hearing his sister's laugh carried on the breeze gave him a solution.
"You know the treehouse used to be mine?"
"Oh really?" she turned to him curiously.
"Yeah, Dad like, built it for me when I was little. Like, I carved my initials into it,"
"My parents built me a tiny castle when I was very small. Of course, it only looked like a castle on the outside, it was my favorite place, the only way they could get me to go outside at first,"
Christina was smiling now. It warmed his heart.
"So, where are the others?"
"Sleeping,"
Spying on us.
Christina accepted this answer falling quiet once more.
…...
"Well?" Cleo questioned, "Are they talking?"
"It would help if you weren't hanging over my shoulder," Daphne grumbled, struggling to interpret the hazy image in her crystal ball.
"Why is it so foggy?" Gil wondered.
"Because you're crowding me-"
"And affecting her concentration," Velma finished, briefly looking up from her latest experiment.
"Why can't we just look through the window?" Fred wanted to know.
"Because they'd see us! Now, shush!" Daphne ordered.
"Okay, okay, you got it!"
"Thank you!"
…...
"What are we going to do, Mother?" Drew snarled, "I want my Princess back!"
"I know you do, son," Regina nodded, continuing to pace.
"Then what are we going to do?"
"Don't vorry, I have a plan,"
…...
I should be sleeping but here I am, wide awake despite the late hour. I envy how Chase sleeps so easily but I've learned something.
At dinner, amid the conversations, another letter arrived for Shaggy. His cousin is coming. The Alpha is coming in two weeks. And although Draculaura's letter speaks highly of her it does nothing to ease my nerves. The knot in my stomach grows with every moment that passes. Will I make a fool of myself? What if I trip over my feet?
All I can wonder is what if?
What if?
What if?
…...
"Did you have to spy?" Shaggy quietly demanded as they sat around the fire.
"Spy?" Daphne tried to feign innocence, "We wouldn't"
Shaggy glared.
"Okay, maybe we did a little," she pinched her fingers together.
"A little, huh?"
"Okay, okay, a lot!"
"Why?"
"We just wanted to watch you bond!"
"So, how was it? Cleo leaned forward expectantly, "Did you kiss yet?"
"No,"
Cleo was disheartened as evidenced by her pout, "What did you do then?"
"I showed her the gardens and we like, swapped stories from childhood,"
"But you didn't confess? Didn't kiss?"
"No, Cleo, I want to earn her trust and friendship first!" Shaggy snapped, In case you like, haven't noticed she's very guarded!"
"He's right," nodded Velma.
"She told us she never had friends outside her family," added Daphne, "I know you're eager to plan a wedding but these things take time, Cleo,"
"Whoa, what's this about a wedding?"
"Nothing Shaggy, nothing,"
"Maybe we should keep it down?" Gil advised, "We could wake Christina,"
"She's not asleep," Daphne declared.
Her crystal ball sat on her lap.
"Please," Shaggy face-palmed, "Stop spying!"
"It's not really spying if you have a sense for these things,"
"You're spying now!"
Daphne shrugged, "So you don't want to see what she's doing or figure out why she isn't sleeping,"
"No, put it away,"
"Fine," Daphne grumbled before yawning, "I suppose it's time to turn in,"
Shaggy was already headed to his room.
"I think he's mad at us," Fred guessed.
"You're right!"
...
That's a wrap for this chapter. A big thank you goes to my friend, DRAGONDAVE45 for helping keep me on track. Please review!