Look! I'm back! Enjoy!

Poor Opal was nervous. Being called to Zalim's throne room was bad, but being personally summoned and led there was certain death on a golden plate. She was dead. She kept up with him the best she could without tripping, still getting used to her long adolescent legs and new accommodations that made her a tad top heavy. She couldn't count how many times she'd almost toppled over forward.

"My..." her voice almost died. "My Lord Zalim?"

"Yes child?"

They'd reached the throne room, and the moment they crossed the threshold, Zalim shimmered and vanished, reappearing on his throne. The golden perch shrunk, until the base was only a foot tall. Opal knelt respectfully. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No, my dear. Quite the opposite, really." She wondered briefly about the new way of addressing her. He gestured with one finger. "Step forward."

She rose carefully and began taking cautious steps toward him, ready to stop at any moment. She had to force her shoulders not to tremble. When she reached the base of his throne, she knelt at the base and clasped her hands, laying them on the shining gold base. "Yes, My Lord."

"Rise, my dear." She obeyed. "Now, Opal… ah, I have much to discuss with you."

"Yes sir?"

"You are to be my bride's savior, and I understand you volunteered your life for hers."

"Tha… that is correct." Where was this going…? "I adore my late Lady and would do anything to assist her in any possible way."

"Good, good." He nodded. "Then, I suppose I must reward you."

"Sir?"

"Tell me, Opal, you are an orphan, is that correct?"

She nodded, eyes growing sad. "That- That's right."

"Ah, a shame." He sized her up a moment. "Well, I believe to have found a solution. Opal dear, as my darling Raz's savior, I must reward you. And so, after much thought… would you, perhaps, accept a space in the ruling family?"

…

Opal fainted. Straight up, she fainted. As soon as her ruler asked her that question, her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed backwards. After half an hour of having servants fan her face and prop her up in bed, she began to come around.

"Oh…" she moaned, eyes fluttering open.

"Ah, Miss Opal." Two other small animals stood over her, a possum and a bushbaby, stood next to her, waving large, palm leaf fans over her body, bathing her in a cool, refreshing breeze. She was lying in a large, plush bed, with satin encased pillows propping her up, silk sheets and blanket pulled up onto her lap. "How are you feeling dear?"

"Um…" she reached up to touch her temple, dull pain pulsing in her head. "What… what happened?"

"You were so surprised by the announcement you swooned and fainted, poor dear." The bushbaby made a tsk-tsk sound with her teeth. "She must be faint of heart."

"Oh yes" agreed the possum. "Her heart must be very fragile- would you like some herbal tea, dear?" she was offered a beautiful silver tea cup painted with intricate pink rose designs, and she hesitantly took it with shaky hands, still feeling very confused.

"Oh, um, yes. Th- Thank you."

"Oh, no need to thank us, Miss!" the bushbaby patted her head. "Just doing our job! Lord Zalim assigned us to watch over you until you were well again."

"But… why?"

The duo giggled, sending glances at each other. "Oh honey, don't you remember?!"

"Remember, what?"

"That you've been adopted! Lord Zalim's made you an official Lady of the island!"

"Y- Ya mean… I- he, I huh… what…?" Opal fainted again.

…

After Opal came to again, this time for good with the memories of past events, she requested an audience with Zalim. Her nurses, Kara and Lynn, complied, the possum hurrying away to find the ruler and Kara stay behind to keep Opal company, ensure she was stable.

"Um, Kara?"

"Mm?" she'd begun wandering around the room, tidying up. "Yes Miss?"

"Um, p-please just call me Opal… but, um, do you think I should be afraid?"

She didn't look up from her place folding a silk blanket. "Why is that dear?"

"W-Well" she looked at her hands, twiddling her thumbs. "I… I feel like I should be scared. I might die in a few weeks, and- and I feel like an idiot for not feeling scared."

Kara had moved on to arranging a series of pretty trinkets on a desk across the room. "Well, do you know why you aren't scared, sweetie?"

"I- I know it is my duty. Raz needs me."

"Well, there you go. Helping someone you love like family- and knowing they need you- makes anything a lot less frightening than it really is. And" she wiped her hands off on the ragged leather apron tied around her waist, basically a scraggly animal hide ripped into a triangle with two strands off to the sides as ties. "I may not have personally served our late Lady, but from what I hear, she was quite brave. Am I right?"

Opal nodded. "Yes... the fist person to disobey Lord Zalim's will and live."

"Well, if I'm assuming right, ya know what I think she'd say to you?"

She shook her head. "…What?"

"Be brave, and don't be afraid- it will only make you suffer."

Opal raised her eyes to Kara's. "You're right… you're absolutely right. Raz wouldn't want me to be scared."

"Exactly" agreed the bush baby. "She'd want you to be proud of what you were doing- something noble and wonderful."

"Yes… you're right."

Just then, the door opened, and Zalim stepped in, Lynn in tow. His eye locked onto hers. Opal shivered. "Maids, you are dismissed. Leave us." They both bowed and ran from the room. "So, my dear, do you accept my offer?"

"Of- Of course I do!" she exclaimed, jumping up. "This's so great! I always wanted a family!"

Zalim managed a chuckle despite the time of grieving. "I am glad. But, my dear" he gestured for her to come closer. "As you know, the rulers must wield magic- you're aware of this?"

"Yessir."

"Just Zalim will do now that we are of equal status. But, as you know, my Raz will attain magical abilities hen we wed- and with her heritage, she already holds dormant magic. But you, my dear" he tilted her chin up with one claw to look her in the eye. "Do not."

Her expression fell to depression. "O- Oh."

"Now now, mustn't look so devastated. I do believe I hve a solution."

"You- you do?"

He nodded. "Indeed." He held his palm flat, a ball of magic light sparking to life, glowing white. After a moment, it diminished, and in his palm lay a tiny scepter. It was silver and engraved with pretty floral designs. It glowed slightly pink, and at the very top, a beautiful rainbow colored Opal gleamed.

Holding up one glowing finger, he tapped the jewel, and it glowed brightly. "Here you are dear" he held out the scepter to her- it was just her size. "This wand will gift you magical abilities."

"Oh… wow!"

"Well, go on then. Try it out."

And here we go! Can you say PLOT TWIST?! How many of ya'll saw that coming?! Well, please review!