Chapter 12: Troubled Waters
The voices of young children screeching excitedly rang throughout the dwelling. Among all the crazed noise was that of a baby wailing and a little boy crying. There was slight humming noise and two little girls suddenly sprouted transparent blue wings and flew up into the air. One held a purple ball in one hand and tossed it to the other, just above the crying boy's reach.
"Come on Janna! Give it back . . ." the small boy sniffled. The girl just laughed.
"Why can't you get it yourself? Here Mitzy--catch!" the ten-year old yelled and tossed the ball just above the boy's reach to her sister.
The boy pleaded with his other sister. "Mitzy, please! Can I have my ball back?" the eight year old sniffled. The girl giggled and tossed the ball back to Janna. "You know I can't fly! Please?" the boy pleaded one last time before he broke down. His sisters were always so cruel about his lack of flight. His magic had not been strong enough to support wings adequate for his weight.
Out of nowhere and ivory-toned hand snatched the ball out of midair between a pass from Janna back to Mitzy. Janna looked over and found her older sister, Shae standing there with an angered expression.
Shae was the oldest of Meru and Guahara Zanum's five children, at age sweet sixteen. Shae stood about five feet, six inches tall, and as her mother had often told her, she had a slender, but shapely body for one so young. Her skin was pale, like most winglies, but it had a certain radiance to it, a sparkle matched only by her sky blue eyes. Her eyes sparkled and her silver-blue hair shined as it cascaded in thin, wavy strands down to the tops of her shoulders. Her face, now beaming with anger towards her siblings was oval-like and her features were rounded. Shae wore the attire of a human, strange as though it was, with her being a wingly. She wore tan, Grecian-style sandals that wrapped up to the top of her shins, a blue skirt that was short in front and long in back, a large bow-tie sash around her waist, and a baby-blue halter top that complimented the bow she had tied her hair with.
Janna and Mitzy looked up at Shae nervously.
"I can't believe you two! Your behavior is disgusting! Totally not cool! I'm gonna explain this to mom and---"
"--please Shae! Don't tell on us!" Janna squeaked.
"Yeah, we were only having fun!" Mitzy sympathized.
Shae rolled her eyes. "Yeah, fun torturing your brother! I'll bet mom's gonna be---"
"---Please Shae! Mom will make us do chores!" they chattered, "and dad will ground us! We'll do anything, just don't tell mom, Shae!" the pleaded in unison.
Shae sighed and crossed her arms. "Apologize, both of you, to Austin and then go to your rooms and stay there until mom and dad come home, you understand me?" Shae said sternly.
The two sisters apathetically muttered and apology to their brother and flew off obediently in the direction of their rooms. Shae knelt down and gave the toy back to Austin, who sniffled, then dried his tears with his sleeve.
"Thanks Shae!" the said and hugged his sister's knees. Shae ruffled Austin's silver-blue hair, so similar to her own.
"Don't worry, those two are just being brats! They love ya though," Shae coaxed.
Austin sniffled again. "Yeah, I know. I just wish I could fly, then I'd show them! But . . .I'm never going to fly am I Shae?" Austin asked pitifully.
"Cheer up! Someday you will, I just know it!" she comforted cheerfully.
Austin managed a small, half-sob. "You really think so?"
"I know so," Shae told him gently. Austin actually smiled, and just as he was beginning to feel better and loud wailing erupted from down the hall. Shae sighed. "Are you okay now?" she asked Austin, who nodded. "Okay then, be good," Shae requested, kissed him on top of the head, skidded down the hall and turned gracefully into another room.
Shae had just enough time to catch a flying doll, before it would have hit her. Out of the small, rocking crib in the nursery room came another flying toy. She caught that one in her other hand. "Zachary! That's enough! Stop throwing things!" She yelled, trying to outdo her infant brother's sonic screeches. The baby didn't seemed convinced to do as he was told.
"MOMMA!" he screeched and dispatched his milk bottle into the air, leaving a white trial as it went. Shae quickly spun gracefully around like a ballerina, bent her leg up and caught the bottle on the bottom of her arched foot. A blanket came through the air as well, but Shae was out of limbs. The teenager's body began to glow with a blue light as she hastily muttered a suspension spell. Shae dropped the toys in a box to her left before removing the bottle balanced on her foot and walking over to the thick, pink wool blanket that now hung limply, motionlessly, in the air.
After retrieving the bedding. Shae walked over to the moon-shaped cradle and peered down at her infant brother, Zachary. The baby glanced up at her silently through huge, blue eyes. It seemed he had screeched himself to contentment. Shae sighed.
"Okay. Now I know that you're not gonna do that again, because that would be totally uncool and make your big sis really upset," Shae said soothingly and put the blanket gently over top of Zach's lower body before handing him back his bottle. Her hand lightly brushed his and she felt a slight tingling sensation before her hair suddenly poofed out from all sides. Baby Zachary began to giggle wildly and Shae could still see the traces of static magic on his small fingers.
"Za-in! Za-in!" he squealed with glee.
Shae looked into a nearby mirror and began laughing at herself and the large, unruly afro she was sporting.
"Za-in!" the baby boy boomed.
Shae chuckled. "Yes Zach, you win." Shae picked her head up when she heard the sound of the house's front teleported activating.
"WE'RE HOOOOOME!" a loud, cheerful voice shouted.
"Momma!" Zach cried upon the sound smiling broadly. Shae heard the excited yelling of her two sisters followed by a thundering sound as they ran down the stairs.
Shae picked up baby Zachary in her arms and carried him into the hall as he started yelling for his mother once more, flailing to get loose from Shae's hands. Not long after, Shae's mother, Meru, a beautiful woman with long, blue hair and the spirit of a child came up the stairs and took baby Zach into her arms.
"Aww! And has baby Zachy-wacky been good while momma was away?" Meru said playfully as she kissed the top of his head.
"Was everything okay while we were gone Shae? Did your brothers and sisters behave themselves?" her father, Guahara asked from the bottom of the stairs.
Shae noticed the looks Janna and Mitzy were giving her from behind their father's back. Shae nodded. "Yes. Everything totally went fine dad," she assured.
Guahara smiled. "Oh good. And thanks again for babysitting, Shae, I know you have other things you'd prefer to be doing," he added gratefully.
Meru twirled around on one foot. "Yep! Like dancing! She's just as good as beautiful dancer Meru!"
"And just as handy with a mallet," Guahara laughed, remembering the first time Shae handled a hammer. She had knocked the wind out of him when he had snuck up on her to hug her from behind. He had been sore for weeks.
Shae blushed. "Well, you surprised me, that's why," Shae admitted.
"That's my Shae! Reflexes just like mine!" Meru giggled, as Austin came out of his room, rubbing the dust from his eyes. Shae guessed he must have gotten in a quick nap, although how, with all the noise, Shae wasn't sure. Meru hopped lightly from stair to stair and locked him in a hug with her free arm.
Shae sighed as she reached the bottom of the stairs and hugged her father, a gentle man with a gentle face and gentle disposition.
Meru gasped suddenly as she remembered something she apparently had forgotten. "Oh jeez! I forgot to get the mobile we had Mrs. Kristen make for Zach!" she admitted.
Guahara turned to Shae. "Can I ask you another favor?"
Shae nodded. "You want me to run down to the Kristen's and pick up the mobile?" she asked.
"Would you please? The thing is already paid for so you should be able to just drop by and pick it up," her father explained.
"Sure thing dad. Be back in a gip!" Shae smiled and stepped onto the circular, green teleporter. Shae concentrated on where she wanted to go, the public square, and was instantly thrown through space to another teleporter in a large, open area with a stream running behind it. She stepped off the teleporter and onto the smooth stone roads of the Evergreen Forest Square. Shae concentrated her magic briefly, and effortlessly began to rise into the air supported by her luminescent sky blue wings. Shae had years of flying experience, she's been flying since she was a toddler, so she had no problems controlling her movements despite the slightly uneven winds.
Shae flew upwards toward a dome-like building, passing by many other winglies, some of which she knew. Some waved to her in greeting as she reached her destination, the teleportation unit that lead to each individual house in the northern subdivision. There were many teleportation slots, over fifty in all, carefully labeled by address and a few also had names. She walked back to the far circular chamber and stepped onto the teleportation slot for number 507 WingWay Lane, The Kristen's. She focused on the warm, cozy house of the family and was instantly warped to their front door. Shae gave the cheery, flower-painted door a couple of hard knocks and waited, rocking on her toes, for someone to answer.
Within moments a kindly woman, middle-aged with short auburn hair opened the door.
"Oh, hello Shae! Step on in," she said happily as she invited Shae into the semi-dome shaped house. The teenager glance around herself as Mrs. Kristen ushered her to sit down in a nearby chair. She fixed her eyes on a strange, ticking timepiece the Kristens called a clock. The Kristens were good friends of Shae's parents. Being human, they had a naturally awkward time getting used to the woods, and Meru had instantly welcomed them. Shae's mother, Meru oddly enough, had always loved humans and even made friends with a king! Much to Shae's pride, it had also been her mother who had initially torn down the boundaries and started to embrace co-existence with humans. She had even convinced the ancestor, as a diplomatic token of good will to allow some humans to integrate into their forest home. But naturally such a thing had not come without cost, or so she had been told. Meru had at one point to give up everything she loved and leave the forest for the sake of what was right.
Mrs. Kristen turned her attention to Shae. "What can I do for you Shae?" she asked pleasantly.
Shae nodded her head, "Oh, my mom wants me to pick up a mobile she says you made for Zach," she informed.
"Oh yes, I finished it yesterday morning. I think your mother will be pleased, I am. If I do say so, it's the best one I've done in a long time. Would you mind waiting here for a moment while I go and get it?" she asked.
"No problemo," Shae answered as she shifted around in the large, red armchair. Shae did a sitting half-jump to try and get settled and found the chair to be quite bouncy. For her own amusement Shae jumped around a few more times before quickly sitting still when Mrs. Kristen surfaced back into view carrying a beautifully carved and intricately painted mobile with stars, moons and silver chimes. The jingle they made as she carried them was making Shae sleepy.
"Okay here you are. You take care now," Mrs. Kristen said sweetly, giving Shae a hug before she left. Upon teleporting back into the central chamber, Shae was in quite a good mood despite her long day. She began skipping and humming to herself along the way back to town square. Before she knew it, Shae found herself on the ground and so was someone else, they had collided by accident. Shae brushed herself off and was about to apologize when a nasty voice snarled at her.
"Well, well, what brings you here Shae Zan-dumb?"
Shae glanced up her least favorite person, Dashen Bardel Junior the second. Bardel was a moderately short man around five foot six but what he lacked in height he made up for in demeanor and intimidating appearance. All of Bardel's features were distinguished and angular, worst of all where his hateful, violet eyes. Bardel's body was fit and muscular, he liked to flaunt the fact by wearing a tight, sleeveless shirt and snug black pants. His hair was silvery, like all winglies, but his had a purple tint to it and defied gravity as it stood strait up in a sharp cone shape. But his appearance was not nearly as intimidating as his attitude.
"None of your business Bar-smell!" Shae shot back in annoyance. She picked herself up and scanned the area for the mobile she had dropped. She found it in Bardel's hands as he turned it over, examining it.
"And what is this? Made by that disgusting human Clara Kristen no doubt! There is no magic at all in it's making, only a filthy human aura. I don't understand why ancestor Blano allows that inferior family to live here! We are slowly being overrun by humans!" Dashen spat in disgust.
Shae scowled. Bardel was the one who was revolting. His racism knew no limits. To her, there was nothing wrong with humans, Gigantos, or any other race. If you cut any given one of them, was their blood not as red? If you only stopped to look the races weren't really as different as they first appeared. Her mother had shown her that. Shae had meet some of her mother's human friends in Donau when they vacationed there. The humans had been so kind, polite, and hospitable, even though Shae and her family were winglies.
"You're wrong Bardel. Mrs. Kristen is a good person and very inventive. Ancestor Blano respects her, she works hard and is polite to everyone. Why wouldn't he let her live here? You should respect her too. Now give it back Bardel or I'll show you the meaning of hurt," Shae growled back, making her fist spark slightly.
"You're just as bad as your trashy mother. I guess it runs in the family. Mark my words, you won't like humans so much after they kill your family. I would still have my Aunt if not for your pathetic, human-loving mother!"
Shae swiftly slapped Bardel hard across the face.
"Don't you dare insult my mother again do you hear me? Not all humans are bad! My mother has done everything she can to show her grievances to you and your family! No one regrets the death of your aunt more than my mother! I even feel sorry for you! But for Soa's sake Bardel, let it go! What more can you ask from my mom? She's done all she can and I'll beat you down if you ever have the nerve to put her down in front of me again!" Shae ranted.
Bardel just stared at Shae momentarily before laughing. "Take your pathetic child's toy. I don't have time to deal with you! Just know that your time, your mother's and your whole family's will come soon enough! Your mother has shamed us as a dragoon! I never imagined that one of our own turning into our mortal foe . . . You and your likeness are not worthy of the name wingly," Bardel exclaimed, throwing the mobile to the ground with a clang. He shot Shae one last dirty look, and then left the area.
Shae shuddered, a feeling of dread washing over her. She couldn't explain it, but she had an impulse to follow Bardel to make sure he wasn't going to hurt anybody, but then again why would he attack someone in plain view? No, she decided, if he was going to hurt someone he would do it slyly. This made Shae even more nervous until at last her impulses overcame her sense of judgment and she sprouted her wings once more. She quickly flew out of the building, pressing the chimes of the mobile together in her hands to silence them. Making sure to keep a safe distance, she began to tail Bardel.
Shae's suspicions crept up on her even further when she followed Bardel past the outskirts of the forest and into the grassy hills beyond. To Shae's surprise, Bardel didn't stop there. The young lady sighed. She'd lost track of how long they'd been flying and she was beginning to tire.
Just as Shae was thinking Bardel was taking a vacation to somewhere exotic, she suddenly stopped and swooped down out of view in a thicket of really thick trees. Shae decided that she should most likely land somewhere in the forest below, rather than risk being seen by diving over the trees. Looking around, Shae found what she thought was a suitable spot close to the forest clearing and carefully descended through the uneven tree branches to land gracefully on her toes. After landing, she wasted no time in starting towards the clearing. She didn't have to go very far before she began hearing echoes of a masculine voice that she knew was Bardel's. Apparently he must have thought the location was secure, be cause he had thrown caution to the wind.
Shae stepped lightly on her toes, trying not to make noise, and crept behind a large rock just in the nick of time. Bardel, and a strange creature with gray skin, bat-like wings, and horns came walking by. Shae had never seen a demon before, but judging by what she had heard, Shae guessed that the creature was one.
"And he agrees to the leadership of my own party?" Bardel asked.
"Yes, although you know the terms and conditions on which that stands. You will be first ranked among winglies, but a second to him and his new world order," the flowing voice of the demon answered. Shae was a little surprised. For a creature so awkward looking, her voice was absolutely angelic. Seductive even. Strange, she thought. Shae leaned her head slightly to the right, just enough to manage a hairsbreadth of a view.
Bardel nodded silently and the demoness tapped her foot impatiently.
"And your decision?" she asked.
"Hmm . . . Yes. You may tell Lord Nvernias that I accept his alliance. Has he given you a time to meet with us? And what of the objectives? The necessities?" he continued.
The lady demon sighed. "Well aren't we anxious? As for the necessities," Ziran, our head tracker, is in pursuit of the first object. He has already found the key."
"This is good news. And the people?" Bardel answered.
"Already found. It's quite funny. The two we need are married and in the same place. Mr. and Mrs. Dart Felds. However the trick is going to be luring them apart. . ." she answered.
From behind her rock, Shae's eyes grew wide. Those two people, she knew, were friends of her mother's. What the pair said next frightened Shae to her core.
"And speaking of progress, his majesty Lord Nvernias would like to ask a favor of you. It would greatly help to move things along," she added.
"What does he want?" Bardel asked curiously. The she-demon smiled, revealing a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth.
"Removal of an obstacle. There is a wingly here that is hindering our recruitment. She's been preaching about love for all species. Her name is--"
"--Meru Zanum," Bardel answered for her.
"Ah. Then you know the little twit, do you?"
"Yes. A pathetic excuse for a wingly. She believes we should allows humans into our homes so they can overrun and conquer us. Her and her entire family. It's a pity though, because her daughter, Shae is a fine prize. However, I am disgusted with her inherited love of humans," Bardel spat.
The demon grinned. "Oh good. So you won't have any problem removing them then?" she said.
Bardel smiled a wicked smile. "With pleasure."
Shae was so horrified that she accidentally snapped a fallen twig under the weight of her foot as she attempted to back up. Both Bardel and the she-demon abruptly turned their attention to Shae's location.
"What was that?" the demoness hissed.
"Probably just some animal," Bardel suggested dismissively. The demon however, was not convinced.
"It didn't sound like an animal," she replied and began to sniff the air, "and it doesn't smell like one either," she growled menacingly as her face converted to a predatory expression. Scary, Shae yelped to herself. "It smells like . . . Wingly."
Bardel sighed. "Well, I should think so. I'm standing right in front of you Kryn."
Shae closed her eyes and pressed her back to the stone. She knew she had to make a move soon, otherwise she'd be caught for sure. And out here, there was no one to save her. She tried to clear her head, to search her mind for something that was of use. Surprisingly it didn't take her long. Water, for some reason, was the answer. She had always been especially adept at water spells for some reason. She concentrated on the feel of the gentle morning mist she could always feel when she flew. Recalling that feel and connecting to the gentle water energy of the forest as quietly as she could, Shae whispered a mist spell she had learned from her mother.
Sure enough, a slow, steady, and hazy mist began to rise up from the cluttered forest floor like fog. Bardel and the demon didn't exactly notice at first, but as the mist engulfed them in a particularly strong drift they became instantly alerted.
"This mist carried magic in it!" the demoness hissed.
Quickly, Shae muttered the strongest teleportation spell she knew. When she opened her eyes next, she was just outside the entrance to the Wingly Forest. She breathed a sigh of relief and welcomed the wind as it blew through her silvery hair , casting some of the gleaming strands across her face.
Hair . . . In her face . . . Shae's comfort suddenly gave way to horror. She groped at the back of her head for the ribbon that her mother had given her and found it to be missing. She realized, mortified, that it must have fallen out back at the clearing.
Shae wasted no time in returning home. The buzz of the teleported found her back in the building's interior and in her rush, she stumbled right into her father.
"Whoa there! Take it easy," Guahara said as he caught her.
She panted out of breath as Meru came twirling around the corner. "What took you so long slowpoke?" she teased.
"I . . . was . . . Having a conversation with Mrs. Kristen. Sorry I'm late," she apologized.
Meru just smiled. "Yeah, Clara likes to talk. It's cool by me Shae."
Shae handed the mobile she had been clutching in a death grip over to her father. "Here," she said quickly.
Guahara surveyed the mobile and then his daughter. "What happened, Shae? There's a piece missing of the tip of this moon," he pointed out. "It looks like someone stepped on it," he added.
"I had a little bit of a run-in with Bardel on my way home," Shae admitted, making Guahara frown.
"Dashen Bardel?" he asked. Shae nodded. "Did he hurt you?"
"No dad, I'm fine. I dropped it and he stepped on it, that's all. I'm sorry. I'll replace it if you want," she apologized.
Meru scowled. "Don't ya be apologizin' for something that big bully did. Don't ya worry about it Shae. Why, if he had laid even one finger on you, me and my hammer would have some handiwork to do!" she exclaimed, making Shae smile a bit.
It was about this time that Janna and Mitzy came racing down the stairs with a thick blanket, a pair of glowlights, and a few poles.
"What are you two doin?" Meru asked.
"We're gonna camp out in the living room," Mitzy explained cheerfully. Meru turned to Guahara, who shrugged.
"I wanna come too!" Meru said and suddenly all three of them ran off.
Shae's father sighed. "That's my Meru." Shae started up the stairs to her room. "Just a minute, Shae," Guahara said softly. "Shae, what's wrong? I know you weren't at the Kristen's. You were gone nearly two hours."
Shae giggled as a cover up for the sinking feeling she had in her chest. "Oh . . . That. I was just . . ." Shae's ears perked up.
"Oooo! Listen to this Janna!" Mitzy piped. "Ran into Janel today . . . Man is he cute! I wish he'd notice me, he's absolutely perfect . . ."
"--- MY DIARY!" Shae shouted and suddenly flew through the air and lunged into the family room. The next thing anybody could hear was shouting, squealing, laughing, and then finally a loud thud.
"OW! That's my back!" Mitzy shouted.
"Who's foot is in my face? It sure does smell!" Janna complained.
"OW! HEY! Shae, where are you?" Meru asked.
Two pale hands emerged from underneath the fallen makeshift tent, grasping a leather-bound book tightly." "Got it!" Shae exclaimed with relief and crawled out onto the floor..
Guahara shook his head then went to help Janna, Mitzy, and Meru dislodge from one another. Shae used the chaos to escape unseen to her room, a tidy and cozy room in shades of blue. Shae looked around carefully for a place to hide her diary. She chose underneath her mattress. Neither Janna nor Mizty would look there. Shae could hear Austin playing with Zack down the hall as she looked out the window. It was getting dark . . . Shae didn't know what to do. Shae thought for sure that her parents probably wouldn't believe her if she told them what she saw, but she had to try. Bardel might attack them all in their sleep . . . Shae thought to herself for a moment. If they could just leave the area for a little while, without Bardel's notice, they would be safe. Shae remembered that her parents' anniversary was coming up soon, so she would work with that.
It wasn't more than half an hour before she was called down to her family's dinner table. Shae took her normal seat, to the right of her mother and next to Austin on the other side.
Meru turned to Janna and Mitzy. "What do you say to her?"
Mitzy and Janna reluctantly looked at Shae. "Sorry for taking your diary, Shae," the said in a monotone unison. After that, they went back to whispering together. Shae's father, Guahara come to the table and set dinner on the table in front of them before sitting down himself. Janna and Mitzy started to giggle and Shae heard the name Janel whispered between them.
Shae shook her head and turned back to her meal trying to think of a way to convince her parents to take a vacation.
Guahara yawned. "Boy, I'm tired. Cooking is hard work," he complained.
Meru shook her head. "Oh Guahara, you're such a crybaby," she replied and yawned.
"You look tired too, mom," Janna observed.
"Well I guess," she replied and Guahara sighed.
"It just feels like we've been running ourselves ragged lately."
"I know!" Shae exclaimed suddenly and sprung from her chair, trying to make it sound as though the though had just occurred to her. "You guys' anniversary is coming up soon, so why don't we take a family vacation to celebrate?"
"Hmm. A vacation does sound nice," Guahara admitted, "but we still have plenty to do around here."
Shae frowned slightly.
"Oh come on dad! A vacation would be fun, dad!" Janna piped.
Guahara began to waver. " Well . . . I don't know . . ." He looked over at Meru whom was giving him a puppy-pouting lip.
"Please? Please, please, please Guahara? I really wanna go! It'll be fun! I promise! I mean with me there, how could it not be?" Meru pleaded.
Guahara looked around into six pairs of pleading eyes.
"Oh, alright. How about we go to the beach at Fueno? We'll leave in a a couple of days. Sound good?" he asked them.
Shae was relived that they were going away, but her heart still contained a measure of dread. A couple of days wasn't going to be soon enough for her comfort. "No," she said quickly.
"What?" Guahara asked in surprise.
"We should leave tomorrow morning! I mean, we wanna make sure we can book an inn, so the sooner we leave, the better! You know how the beaches are at this time of year . . . " Shae explained.
"She has a point, Guahara," Meru agreed, although not without giving Shae a questioning glance.
"But that doesn't give us any time to find someone to housesit," Guahara protested.
"I'll bet Mrs. Kristen would! She's always available on short notice!" Meru added.
"Well, I guess if she can housesit there's no reason we can't leave tomorrow. Talk about spontaneous, you guys are just like your mother," Guahara sighed.
"Yep and they should be proud to be as awesome as pretty dancer Meru! Alrighty then! I'm gonna take baby Zachy and go ask right now!" Meru chimed happily.
After dinner Shae went upstairs to her room to pack. She pulled out a large backpack and began pouring stuff into it. She threw in several changes of clothes, he swimsuit, a large beach towel and blanket off her bed, her ink, her quill, and her diary. Once she was finished, she glanced at her bulging backpack. Shae sighed and sat on it. When the mass of objects refused to compress, Shae began jumping on it, only to find that her things acted like a trampoline and bounced her backwards.
Picking herself up, Shae grinned. "Okay, now it's totally war!" She grabbed her hammer, which used to be her mother's out of the corner of her room and began wildly pounding on her bag. Guahara came down the hall and chuckled to himself as he watched Shae finally manage to close her bag.
"Oh, hi dad!" Shae panted as she saw him.
"I declare you the winner! You're so much like your mother. You become more like her everyday it seems," Guahara pointed out.
"Stop it dad, you're embarrassing me," Shae blushed.
"Well, carry on, your mother's back. I have to go convince her not to pack a carriage," he laughed. "Oh, by the way," He added as he poked his head back in the door, "I want you asleep at ten, we're leaving early in the morning."
Shae nodded, it was already 9:30 as it was. Shae finished her packing and crawled into bed, but as the minutes passed by, she found herself unable to sleep for obvious reasons.
The house began to fall silent as one after the other her family members succumbed to sleep. So, naturally she was curious as to who was up when she heard soft footsteps from down the hall, lightly tapping the floor. She decided to get up and see who it was, and perhaps gain some company to ease her troubled mind. As soon as she left her room, she heard the stairs creak. Around the corner, Shae saw Austin sneaking as quietly as he could down the stairs. Just what was he doing? He obviously didn't want anyone to catch him. Shae sighed quietly. She had had enough of secrets and unpleasantries for one day. Anything he was doing, he could tell her.
"Austin, what are ya doing?" She called out quietly, but loud enough to get his attention. The small boy froze in his tracks. Shae walked over to him. "Where are you going?" she asked in a motherly tone.
"Oh, I was just going to get a drink of water. What's wrong, Shae? You've been really jumpy lately?"
"Uh-huh. A likely story. Why are you really sneaking downstairs? You already have a glass up in your room. Besides, the kitchen is the other way," she remarked dubiously. "Now," she said, folding her arms across her chest, "what are you doing up this late?"
Austin sighed. "I was going to look for my blankie, you know, the one grandma made for me? I can't find it anywhere. I remembered that when mom took us out to play this morning, Janna threw it in a tree. Mom got it, but then I left it next to a big rose bush by the slide. I can't sleep without it. Mom says we'll get it tomorrow and that I should try to sleep, but I can't. I've tried really, really hard Shae, honest I have," he lamented. "Do you think I'm being silly, Shae?" he asked, "Janna and Mitzy say I'm just a little crybaby," he added.
Shae grinned. "Nah. I had a doll when I was little that I didn't go anywhere without. I know exactly how you feel."
"Really? Didn't people make fun of you Shae?" Austin asked in disbelief.
"Well, yeah, but then I just laughed cause my doll was better than theirs and they only said stuff cause they were jealous. See, what they don't tell ya Austin is that a lot of the people making fun of you are just like you. They have teddies and dolls that they cuddle with too when nobody's watching. All of those bullies aren't really so tough," Shae said, sharing her personal insight.
"But Shae, don't you throw away your dolls when you get older? I wanna keep my blankie forever!"
Shae shook her head. "Let me tell ya a secret. You never really get old unless you want to. I mean, just look at mom, she's all grown up, but she still acts like Janna and Mitzy. And me, for another matter. I may look older you know, but dad says I'm still as playful as a kitten. I'll let ya in on another secret. I still have my favorite doll. Her name is Muffy. She's a fluffy, purple mountain ape."
"I've never seen it," Austin admitted.
Shae laughed quietly. "That's because I hide it except for when I'm sleeping so that Janna and Mitzy can't take it. You know how they are," Shae explained. She grinned. "Hey, I have an idea Why don't you borrow Muffy for tonight and I'll go get your blanket later? Sound good?" the teenager offered.
Austin nodded and walked with Shae into her room, where she pulled up a large floorboard. Inside a small hole was a decent-sized furry gorilla plushie, which she removed and handed to he six year old brother.
The little boy hugged his sister affectionately then scampered off in the direction of his room, clutching the stuffed animal tightly. Shae heard Austin's door close and she stared out her window into the quiet dark. She found herself not fatigued in the least. In fact, the young lady felt, nervous and somehow, bored. She jumped backwards onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep for the life of her and there was nothing else to do. Slowly, Shae closed her eyes as they got heavy, but snapped them open when she heard whispers voice somewhere outside her window.
Thinking it might be Bardel, Shae sprung immediately to her feet and grabbed her hammer, poised for action. But as seconds passed, the whispers began to take another shape. She recognized them as belonging to Janna and Mitzy as within seconds the latter passed by her window and began to fly off into the night. What the heck where they doing?!?! It was dangerous outside. Shae jumped up to and out her window with her hammer in hand and flew after her sisters. And I thought sneaking out was supposed to be my job, Shae thought to herself.
Shae followed her sisters out of sight until they reached a small clearing that housed a sizeable playground, at the forest's edge. I should be a spy or something, I'm getting good at following people, Shae thought. Shae watched as her sisters began to descend and land safely. Shae landed too, a short ways away, but still out of sight. I should bust them now and drag them back home before anything can happen, Shae reasoned.
"Come on Janna," Mitzy whispered. Janna brushed her long, silver hair out of her eyes.
"Mitzy," she said nervously, "we shouldn't even be here! If mom finds out she'll ground us forever!" she whimpered.
Mitzy rolled her eyes. "Do you wanna get that blanket or not? If you're scared you can go home. I feel really bad about taking it now. I mean, I didn't expect Austin to cry like that . . ."
Janna nodded. "Me too. Let's hurry up, so we can get out of here, I have a bad feeling about this," Janna squeaked.
Shae decided to move in now, but as she started to, Janna's ominous feeling took a very nasty twist. As Mitzy was reached behind a thorny rose bush and pulled out a scraggly, ragged piece of white cotton cloth, Shae heard the humming of wings and male voices. Shae glanced up from where she hid and saw Bardel, and a tall, handsome wingly she knew as Janel. It was true, Shae had a crush on him, but when she saw his present company and the suspicious context, her crush instantly became revulsion.
The two appeared to be deep in conversation, so Shae hoped and prayed that they'd just keep flying and not notice her sisters, however her hope soon proved to be in vain. A gust of wind caught in the folds of Austin's blanket, making a snapping noise. Bardel and Janel, immediately alerted by the sound looked strait down of Janna and Mitzy, whom had both frozen in their tracks with fear.
"Well take a look at this Dashen. Two little mice," Janel exclaimed dangerously.
Bardel smiled s sinister smile. "More like rats. Zanum rats. And what brings two little angels like yourselves out this late, and so, alone? Are you lost?" He asked with a falsely sweet tone.
"N. . no. W. .what do you want, Mr. Bardel?" Janna stammered out at last.
"Hmm. So you can speak. That's a pity, I half wish you were mute. All your family does with your voices is disgrace all of wingly kind! Janel, is anyone around?"
Janel closed his eyes, using his magic to sense the area for anyone that might be approaching. To Shae's surprise, he didn't sense her. "No."
"Good. Then no one will be around to hear these brats scream. Let the good times roll!" he laughed an conjured a huge, flaming energy ball in his hand.
Janna and Mitzy both began running, right into the arms of Janel, whom swooped down in front of them.
"Go for it, Dashen," Janel agreed as he flipped Janna and Mitzy around on either side of them. Janna and Mitzy squeaked as Bardel launched his projectile. Lucky for them, Shae was on her toes quick as any dancer could be. She simultaneously cast a spire of ice that, with its torpedo shape, sailed quickly through the air quickly enough to intercept Bardel's fireball. As it passed through it, it melted into water, dowsing the flames, and landing right over Janel, Janna and Mitzy, drenching all three. Shae stepped out from behind her tree, mallet in hand.
"Guess I get to make good on my promise to show you the meaning of pain, Bardel!" she shouted in righteous anger.
"SHAE!" Janna and Mitzy piped together in surprise.
Bardel scowled. "And what party is complete without Zanum brat senior? Did you lose something when you spied on me this morning?" he announced and pulled a silky, blue ribbon from his pocket.
Shae's face went pale. There was no denying that he knew, but she still tried to bluff anyway. "What are you talking about? I lost my ribbon a while ago. And why would I want to spy on you? You're boring!"
Bardel laughed out loud, threw the ribbon to the ground then stomped on it . "Oh give it up, Shae! I saw this disgusting accessory in your hair this morning! Besides, who else besides you would have been stupid enough to follow me?"
"Concerned and stupid are two very different things! I see through you Bardel!" she announced with more bravery than she felt.
Janel addressed Bardel. "She knows?"
"Oh, she knows. I'm sure of it, but she's poked her nose an inch too far this time!" Bardel growled.
Shae readied her intricately detailed hammer. "Let my sisters go Bardel, they don't know anything! This is between you and me!" she shouted angrily.
"Correction---between you, me , and your whole family," she stated coldly with a nasty smile at Janna and Mitzy who whimpered. Bardel locked his saffron eyes on Shae's which were burning with a fire of their own. He glanced her over, top to bottom, focusing on a few places that made Shae very uncomfortable. He seemed to be considering to himself for a moment.
"You want me to let your sisters go?" Bardel asked icily.
"Duh, you idiot!" Shae hissed.
"Well then why don't we make a deal, Zanum. Why don't you try and see eye to eye with me. Join me."
Shae almost fell over in shock. "What?" she breathed in disbelief.
"Join me," Bardel repeated, "I know that once you experience things for yourself, once you make your own perceptions of things instead of just listening to what your mother tells you, you might actually see things my way. The world isn't so rose-colored Zanum. Humans kill winglies everyday and we stand by and do nothing! Humans! Kill us! Mighty winglies, beings full of magic! The weak should not oppress the strong! What I'm asking for is justice and a chance to change things in our favor! I want to make the winglies what we once were! Lord Nvernias understands that. He understands what it means to want to put power back where it belongs! I'm doing everyone a favor by putting winglies back in charge! Humans are weak! Without guidance they turn on each other even! Do we really want such pathetic creatures as allies? As friends? Think about what I'm telling you Zanum! I'm offering you a chance to redeem yourself as a wingly, I'm offering to give you wealth, power, and respect! And if you join me Lord Nvernias might spare your family! In the time he has been my ally he has rewarded me time and time again for my loyalty. I see no reason he wouldn't do the same for you. So, what's it going to be Zanum? If you swear to join me, I'll bind your oath in magic, and let your sisters go. Do we have a deal?" he offered and extended his hand out to Shae.
Shae turned to her sisters, whom pleaded with her to save them. Shae now knew everything her mother felt. To do what was right, she would either have to sacrifice something she loved or bind herself to Bardel. But her sisters were too high a price to pay. Soa, I hope I'm making the right decision . . . She thought to herself.
Shae's gaze didn't waver from Bardel's even for a moment as she approached him, holding out her hand. "Well Bardel, I see where you're coming from, although I'm not sure I completely understand you."
Bardel's gaze hardened. "So, what are you saying?"
Shae's placid expression turned into a scowl. "You make me sick!," she yelled and retracting her hand, she spat in his face. As quickly as she could, Shae twirled in a graceful pirouette and threw her hammer at Janel. The weapon hit him between the eyes and he fell over, unconscious. Janna and Mitzy, dumbfounded, just continued to stand there, staring at Shae.
"RUN!" Shae shouted and was swiftly backhanded by Bardel, although much to her relief her sisters took off in a sprint into the air. Shae fell to the ground, a fresh sting across her face. When her blurred vision came back into focus Bardel towered above her, a fireball in hand.
"I'll teach you to mock me! You, I am happy to say, will be a christening to the cleansing of our race! By the way, in case no one ever told you, curiosity ALWAYS kills the cat." Bardel launched the fireball and Shae didn't even have time to flinch.
An ethereal dragon, one with fins and a long, wavy body suddenly spiraled out of nowhere and engulfed the missile whole, swallowing it through a wide open mouth. The dragon spiraled into itself and then disappeared. A second later, spires of ice began to strike the ground, forming a crystalline cage around Shae.
"What the devildom!?!?!" Bardel growled and spun around. Shae jumped to her feet and peered around the edge of the icicles.
A flurry of blue color had been racing towards them and came to a halt. Shae saw wings, the length of two men on either side, sky blue in color with intricate, leathery folds in a creamy white color. She saw a delicate, slender body clad in gleaming sky blue armor. There were a heart shaped breastplate, shoulder guards, wrist guards, thigh guards, and small metal shoes attached to the body in-between the wings. In a beautiful ivory-toned hand there was a large hammer made completely of tan metal. She saw silver hair tied back in a ponytail and a forehead the bore a silver crown. Underneath the headband was a beautiful face with burning cerulean eyes.
"MOM!" Shae yelled.
"MERU!" Bardel shouted at the same time.
Meru looked down at Bardel. "You big bully, why don't you pick on someone else? I'm gonna give ya three seconds to take off," she threaten menacingly as she steadied her hammer. Shae could tell bardel was doing his best not to look frightened, but his eyes clearly gave away his unease. Meru flapped her wings, hovering slightly above the ground.
"Or what? You can't make me leave!" He snarled.
Meru gained a playful, knowing smile. "Do you really wanna take me on Dashen? You're lucky if all I'd do was knock some manners into you. I feel like making sure you don't ever try to harm my children again!"
Bardel looked up at her, clearly disturbed as he sized her up.
"One . . Two . . " Meru began.
Bardel growled. "I swear Zanum, you will regret the day you were born! The day you and your husband decided to spread your weakness! You'll pay for all of your crimes against us, dragoon! This isn't the end! I swear it!"
Meru rolled her eyes. "I know. With you, nothing ever ends. You annoy me! And by the way my children are NOT weak. Now get lost!" Meru thundered and began to glow with a deadly blue radiance.
"You'll get what's coming to you! I'll see to it personally!" With this last statement Bardel shouted a teleportation spell and vanished.
Meru turned to Shae's cage. "Stand back Shae," she requested and as soon as she had done so, Meru cast a wave of fire magic that melted the cage into puddles of water on the ground. Shae stepped out as Meru landed and her wings and armor disappeared into the blue stone around her neck.
Shae looked at her feet instead of at her mother. She knew she must have been very mad.. Meru, however, hugged Shae fiercely and in surprise, Shae hugged back.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Meru whispered and a blue glow engulfed both of them.
When they broke apart, Meru could see the confusion in Shae's face.
"You aren't mad at me, mom?" she asked quietly.
"It would be totally uncool to lose you Shae! You were very brave standing up to Bardel and defending your sisters that way!"
Shae looked even more puzzled. "You saw? I thought-- how long have you been watching?"
Meru smiled. "You think I don't know my own babies? Why, I gave birth to you, I raised you, I fed you, I ---"
"Mom." Shae interrupted.
"Oh, right. Anyway, how seriously dumb would pretty dancer Meru feel if she didn't know her own kids? Besides, how boring it would have been for you guys to have all the fun? I've been watching since you left. I followed you."
Shae sighed. "Well it's a good thing that you did, because otherwise, Bardel would have . . ." she gulped and didn't want to think about the rest.
"I was gonna kick some serious Bardel butt! There wasn't any way he was gonna hurt my Shae!" Meru announced.
"What about---" Shae began.
"Janna and Mitzy? They're safe of course. I teleported them home," Meru assured.
"So, I'm not in trouble?" Shae asked again.
"Now, I didn't say that," her mother replied.
"Great," the teenager mumbled. "Shae what's goin on? Why did Bardel say something about you spying on him? And who is Nvernias?" Meru asked in concern.
Picking up her hammer, Shae replied, "I don't know who Nvernias is. And well . . .the rest is a long story . . I really don't know where to begin. . ."
Meru nodded. "Okay, we'll talk about it later. I want you to go home and sleep."
"Yes mom," Shae answered.
"I have to have time to think too," Meru added.
"About Bardel?" Shae asked.
"About how long you're gonna be grounded. You, Janna, and Mitzy." Shae groaned and left with her mother back towards the house.