I spent all day, well almost, in the hospital. It has started to downpour and torrential rain hazard is really messing with mum and me when we are flying home. Besides the fact that the one girl I truly love is in a coma, I can't fly properly because of this storm. When I get home, the boards remain off my room and the guards are gone. Mum and I are baffled of this because I had a week and a half left of grounding. We land in my room to find dad standing there. Mum remains by my side because of what happened last time when we had a family intervention.
"I have decided to lift your grounding, Josh. Seeing as you are in a traumatised depressive Glaux-knows-what state, I would think you would need to be with your friends." Dad says
"Oh thank heavens; I thought you would be pissed." Mum says with a sigh of relief
"So… Your letting me go?" I ask
"Yes, but don't think that you will free will all the time." Dad replies
"I wish you two weren't fighting and have a hug." Mum says
We both give her a glare and give an "are you serious?" look to her. She then looks down in awkwardness. Dad then takes her by the wing and they leave a moment later. I guess I am free then. That means I am going back to school tomorrow. Just when I gather up my books, a note appears on my window side and I go to read it. Please hope it isn't another girl hitting on me.
"We were right all along. Lina is the traitor we have been looking for. She is the one who sent the notes and she is the one who lead Pure Ones to attack Lydea. Shard and I have informed everyone to bring up arms tomorrow for class. We are going to confront her and she will be feisty.
-Bryony"
I can't believe what Bryony is saying. Lina did this to my Lydea? She is the traitor all along and yet we have done nothing about it now. We have to get her exiled at all costs. I know I am probably taking desperate measures, but when we have to investigate this fervour, I guess this isn't the most uncalled for resort. We are not going to resort to violence, but only in self-defence if she decides to attack us.
The next night, I come early into the classroom and mum isn't there. She must be discussing something with Lady Autumn or something in another classroom. Bryony and Shard are waiting with Chad, Mona and Parzival. We wait for the rest to turn up and Lina is late. We are all waiting for her and Bryony is s standing watch at the window.
"Where is she? Where is she?" Sylvie energetically asks "I want to kick her tailfeathers for what she did to Lydea."
"She is coming. If she Messes with one of us in Moon Master Class, she messes with all of us in Moon Master Class." Bryony announces "That means we have a fight coming with that traitor."
It turns out that the others are also saddened by what happened to Lydea. We in Moon Master Class are like brothers and sisters to each other and we never want to witness such and atrocity and let it slide. We stick together and defend one another. We are the next generation of Guardians when you come down to it. Lina flies in and we stand in our armour and battle claws and then she notices. Bryony steps forward and begins her yelling routine.
"You, Lina. You did something, didn't ya?" Bryony questions
Lina scoffs and replies with "What do you mean I did something. Look at you. You look like you had been ambushed by Ramaxon again. What's that? He wants more?"
"Don't act dumb with us, missy. You are working for the Pure Ones!" Bryony yells
"No one attacks one of my homeboys or homegirls like that. You're the one of the biggest enemies since Metalbeak or that hoe Nyra around this tree." Parzival declares in what we can somehow understand at least.
"Pure One Traitor!" Chad calls
"Exile her!" Mona calls "If she doesn't want to get along with us, she shall be kicked out."
"She isn't one of us!" I add "No one hurts my girlfriend and gets away with it."
"What in the name of Glaux is going on here, Class President?" Mum asks when she enters the classroom.
We all turn around to see mum standing at the door, unimpressed. She looks like she is about to blow when it comes down to what looks like we are going to have a classroom-style-battle-royal. Before she asks, I have no part in this if I were leader. Bryony is taking full responsibility when she steps up and confronts, verbally, my mother. I just stand back and gulp and I think Bryony is about to lose her confidence if she looks in my mother's eyes.
"Lina is a Pure One. She was the one that attacked Lydea, last night. Explaining how she was marked absent on the roster three nights in a row." Bryony informs Mum
"She led three Pure One Soldiers to try and kill her. Explaining why she is in a coma, Queen Barran. She threw her around, dropped her, all sorts of unimaginable things to the girl that doesn't deserve this." Shard adds, seeing as he was also there
"We need to kill her now! If she dares mess with one of our own, she's dead!" Parzival also adds, just because he needed some input into what is said
"There will be neither killing nor fights in Ga'Hoole! This is a serious crime against us and Lydea Schana. Unless evidence is backed up, you will be held accountable and given several months detention." Barran implies
"We have all the evidence we could possibly imagine." Bryony replies "Notes, scrolls, her books, everything you could possibly imagine."
"Excellent, brilliant intuitive. Now I have to inform you that parliament meeting commences in three hours. Besides, from questioning yesterday you did say it is Lina who is accountable for this and I dare say that she will confess before we have an execution. In three hours, That is when the trial will happen, so be there, all of you. I would need to have eye witnesses for all the other things she had done anyway. Classes are dismissed today because of court action on an assumed traitor. Guards!" Mum calls
"Yes, Queen Barran." They reply
"Take Lina and put her in jail, please." She asks
The guard take Lina away as she tries to run and is cornered. She tries to open the window to escape out of it and it is locked. She tries to avoid them and then they finally grab her and take her away. When they are taking her, I seize the notebook she was carrying and see that the notes to torn pages are identical. I knew it! She was the culprit who was trying to split us up. We mark it evidence and go to Lina's hollow. If she is half of the owl she is then we shall be able to find all the evidence we need in her hollow.
We ransack it, leaving nothing not thoroughly checked or overturned. We find a chest full of scrolls and the name on the bottom? None other than leader of the North, Lady Tyto Nyra; Pure One second in command. I basically know Nyra as mum told me all about what goes on in a Pure One war and she also told me how much of a fighter the "little wretch", as she calls her, is. Also get a load of what that woman writes. She calls Lina her "daughter"! I can't help but laugh at that. Adopted by the most evil couple and enemy number one and two! Ha!
Three hours later, parliament. Dear Glaux, I am so nervous. This is the first time i will be representing my class in the Guardian Parliament. Or even worse, first time even there as Prince of Ga'Hoole. I mean, I have never come to the parliament before at this stage. I used to when I was younger and dad showed me all things that relate to what his job is. That was when I was an owlet, before our fight stared.
I get any courage i have and pronounce that it is for Lydea. I really try not to think about her too much, as I'll... You know... Cry. Clearly that is not really good for the prince to be crying for his princess like that, neither a guy to be crying for some girl. I mean, that is just a bit… well… I don't want to explain it all, seeing as I have to get ready.
Whenever something big happens in parliament, everyone flocks to see what throws down. That is what today is like and that makes me nervous. The people hearing my speech and silently judging me because i am in love or something like that. The people attending in particular are Bryony, Shard Parzival and I. Then there are just the extras from the class that are helping with the evidence. Before this begins, they bring in Lina. She silently glares at all of us as she is lead to and put in a cage. Parliament officially starts and i take stand before the guardians and my parents. The whole tree goes silent as i start to speak.
"Guardians, Moon Master Class, Your majesties and Princess Autumn of Ambala, I represent my class and the honour of a member of my class when I say this following statement." I announce before a pause "Lina is a Pure One."
This prompts a few gasps and discussions and dad calls them to order and I am allowed to continue.
"She has been six months and has committed the worst crime in the whole tree, treason. She has contacted and kept in touch with Pure Ones, especially the tyrant ruler of the Northern Kingdom, Lady Tyto Nyra, Queen of the Pure Ones. She had written to her in scrolls about how she is trying to cause chaos, disruption, steal secrets and most of all, had spying on us all." I inform the guardians and my parents as my voice echoes in the silent room
"The proof is all here. Every note, scroll and even the notebook from those the notes came." Bryony adds for extra detail as she shows off all that we found by placing it before all of the Guardians who start to read them and pass them around.
"Your majesty, bear in mind that Princess Lydea Schana was beaten horrendously into a coma last night by the accused..." Mum starts
"What did you say?" Dad asks her
"The accused had practically..." Mum starts to explain
"No, not that. The name. What did you say the name was?" Dad asks
"Princess Lydea Schana, the very girl that you had guards separate from our son." Mum implies
This then causes everyone to go "ooh" and Dad gives a confused and baffled look. I don't know but his eye is twitching and that can't be a good sign of anything. I think mum will have to tell him and the others the secret.
"She is a Schana? They were killed out years ago by Pure Ones. I witnessed it myself so it can't be. How is this possible?" Dad asks
"Ezylryb, if you care to explain towards the secret that has been kept for this long." Mum queues in
"Yes, your majesty." Ezylryb replies.
I think, she is my princess and dad doesn't know? Classic mum and her secret alliances. This will prompt a confused look later on and this will really make him realise that he had caused trouble. Especially when it came to that incident a week and a half ago.
"I rescued Princess Lydea 18 years ago from her death. Her mother had died protecting the young snowy owlet and she was Queen Nynia Schana. Princess Autumn and Strix Struma were also present at the rescue and can confirm such actions taken to ensure the young lass safety." Ezylryb explains
Lady Autumn and Strix nod, confirming that they were present and they knew what was going on. Besides, that entire time dad is giving a look. I know that look, the "why didn't they tell me look". Dad looks dumbfounded by the news that my girlfriend is a secret princess. I just laugh in my mind as everything goes awkwardly silent. I wonder what will happen next.
"Dear Glaux, we have been harbouring the rightful heiress to the North? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Dad exclaims
"I'll explain later, but first. Don't forget that it is Lina at this point who had beaten her to this state." Mum adds in light of the subject at hand
"Wait a minute! That is ochre!" I exclaim
"What do you mean, Miss Daube?" Barran asks
Josh is sitting beside me giving me the "why?" face and i get a bucket and fly down to the ocean. I collect some water and bring it back so i can wash it all off. I pour all the water onto her and the ochre reveals her Pure One markings. A red brow like that what Barran described as Nyra and a semicircle on her chest. They all gasp as i had uncovered the truth. This is great as this'll show them who she really is and will prove that she is the one responsible for all of this.
"She's a Pure One. Like the ones seen around Tyto. Especially, when the resistance knocks 'em dead like I used to do." I remark
"Lina the Pure One, you are exiled for committing treason against Ga'Hoole and for beating the Princess of the Northern Kingdom, Lydea Schana. Dismissed." Boron declares and bangs the gavel twice
Lina is taken away and taken back to jail. We are talking to Josh and we just laugh and celebrate small by doing happy dances.
So she is going to get thrown out. Maybe then she'll return to her own kind. Mum is calling my by saying "Josh, come here already". Which means you should already be here. I walk over and Mum and Dad are talking about the effort I put in and stuff.
"You did well, Josh. Really proud of you. Now, your father wants a word. Right, Boron?" Mum nudges as she is proving her point that she is right all along
"I was wrong. I see now that you and Lydea can be together. As long as she really is a princess, not a commoner and you will be with her..." Dad declares before Mum stops him (and yet he is still using that system)
"If you dare do what i think you'd do I'll..." Mum forewarns him, but he stops her there
"I'm not going to force them to marriage, Barran. I have seen what it can do when it comes to Autumn. I've got work to do anyway and I wouldn't have time to." He says to her before turning to me and grabbing my shoulder "Good speech, son. You did well for your first time." Dad replies
Dad then flies off and mum breaks into hysterical laughter. I sit there while she makes an awkward moment out of this. I mean, if people were staring, I would hide my face and just try and find a way to get out of here.
"What's so funny, mum?" I ask before she collapses in hysteria
"I haven't heard him say that in years and yet when he says it…" He says before laughing harder and grapping her stomach. Then she gets up and calms down "Ok, let's go and see how Lydea is doing." She says after taking a few deep breaths.
Later, when her feathers are dry, Lina is thrown out of Ga'Hoole. I think this isn't the last we have seen of Lina the Pure One anytime soon. I was watching from the hospital and she will be punished for what happened I think. I just pay no attention and just get back to Lydea. I end up talking to her and when I tell her about what happened she smiles. I think she can hear me and I know she can't see me, but I smile back. Mum says that she is going and I say to her that I am staying a little longer. She says she wants me at dinner and then leaves. I am alone with Lydea and she is in a state where she can react to things, but she is still in a coma.
"I know you can't see me, but you can hear, but I have something to say. I just can't bear to see you like this and I want to wake up as soon as you can. I love you, Lydea. Wake up soon, ok." I say to her before I give her a kiss on the head. She then smiles again. I think she can understand.
