Charlie and Vaggie had followed Dennis to a castle that looked like something out of an abstract painting. The walls, the towers, the stairs, the doors, even the windows were illusory with shades and lights twisted all around from side to side. It almost looked unreal. But it was real because Dennis could open the doors to this strange establishment and they could enter it. The entrance hall was a high walled, stone corridor, hung with candelabras and torches fitted into the walls. Charlie tried her best not to linger for so long as she stared at each feature of the hall, she had never been in a real live castle before.
Finally they reached a large room where the center piece was a long oblong table and a large candelabra was in the middle of the table. Chairs were pulled out for the girls who sat down and right before their eyes, an incredible feast appeared on the table. Roasted chicken, potatoes, peas, corn, bread rolls, and a wonderful selection of different beverages to be served as drinks.
"Help yourself ladies." Levana said, sitting across from them at the end of the table. "this feast is all for you."
"Thank you." Charlie said. "But what for?"
"Yeah." Vaggie said. "We don't want to sound ungrateful or anything but why have you invited us to dinner? And again we don't really know you."
"Oh I'm not offended." Levana assured them. "And I completely understand how unorthodox this must all seem. Allow me to explain, you see girls I am very talented and successful woman. I have my own domain where I can create whatever I please and do the impossible. But I think it's not fair to keep such a lovely place and such lovely things all to myself. I want to share it all with the less fortunate and who could be more less fortunate than unhappy children?"
"I beg your pardon?" Charlie asked.
There are so many unhappy children in the world Charlie and it hurts me very much. Children with families who don't love them and no real friends. Children who are alone and feel like no one will ever hear or listen to them. I allow children like that to come live with me so I can give them a proper home and proper love."
"That's very kind of you." Charlie said. "But we're not unhappy...Okay maybe we're a little unhappy at times, but doesn't everyone feel unhappy sometimes?"
"Yes but not everyone has people willing to make that unhappiness go away. Sometimes the parents are just too busy to care."
"That sounds familiar." Vaggie muttered under her breath.
"But we must not speak of such matters now. You both must be so terribly hungry. Please eat." She said encouraged. "And I would start with the chicken if I were you."
It was the best chicken that Charlie and Vaggie had ever eaten. Vaggie's mother sometimes made chicken, but it was always out of packets or frozen, and was very dry, and it never tasted of anything. When Stolas cooked chicken he did strange things to it, like stewing it in wine, or stuffing it with prunes, or baking it in pastry, Charlie would always refuse to touch it on principle.
"Did you enjoy your tour?" Levana asked them both.
"Yes." Vaggie answered. "I really liked the wall. I've always wanted to paint a mural."
"I saw your artwork, it is amazing. You are destined to become an artist."
"You think so?"
"I know so and Charlie, I heard that you were seen dancing about and that you danced beautifully. I should like to you perform sometime. Tell me, do you wish to become a professional dancer?"
"Actually dancing is more of a hobby." Charlie said. "What I really want to be is an actress."
"How marvelous. The life of an actress is divinely glamorous. The spotlight, the adoring crowd, the way all eyes are solely on you. What more could a woman dream of? You know we have a theater here and I would be most honored to see you on stage."
"You mean you would actually let me perform in a real theater?" Charlie asked getting excited.
"Of course. I could make the arrangements now."
"I'd love that but would I have time to rehearse? I mean there's school and sometimes I have to babysit for someone."
"Well if you stayed here with me, you wouldn't have attend school. You could focus solely on your acting."
"Stay here?" Charlie said, taken aback by the sudden offer. "As in leave where I live now and live here? I'm not sure about that."
"Forgive me if I was too forward, as I said, I'm only trying to give a proper home to unhappy children."
"But I don't think I'm that unhappy or that I should just run away to live with someone I just met. Don't get me wrong, you seem like a wonderful person but Stolas is a long time friend of my family. I know him and my parents trusted him. I don't know enough about you to make that choice."
"And I can't leave my mother." Vaggie said. "She can be a pain, but she's still my mom."
"I understand. It was only a offer. Still you're both welcome to come back and visit my world whenever you like." She stood up from her chair. "After dinner, Dennis shall escort you back to the bridge. Goodbye and I hope you'll come back soon."
She then slipped away down a corridor. Feeling awkward, Charlie and Vaggie just finished up their meal without another word. In fact neither one of them spoke again until they had made it across the bridge and out of Mystique Hollow. During the walk back they weren't sure what to think. They still weren't even sure if all that had seen was real. However their stomachs were quite full from the huge feast they dined on so some of it had to be real.
"So what do you think?" Charlie asked Vaggie.
"I don't know. It was weird but interesting and this Levana woman seems nice."
"Do you think, you'd want to come back?"
"I don't see any harm in doing so. Do you?"
"No. But that whole inviting us to live with her..." She trailed off.
"I guess she was just trying to be overly nice or something. But I could never leave Mom. Can you imagine how bad she would freak if I just up and left? She'd scream, she'd curse, she would throw stuff, she would cause property damage, to other people's property. She'd be like a rabid dog who had just had her muzzle taken off."
"Do you realize that you just described Stolas's ex wife to a T?" Charlie chuckled which caused both girls to laugh for a moment.
"You know I've always been curious but what was she like anyway?"
"According to Stolas, she was and quote 'The Grand High Bitch'. Ha-ha! A mean, hot-tempered, and foul mouthed social climber who hates his gutts and wishes a slow and painful death upon him."
"Ouch, and I thought my parents's divorce was messy. How is the squirt taking it?"
"Well for all of Stella's faults, she did her best not to let the divorce effect Octavia and Stolas is the same way. They try to keep their arguments private, key word being try, and they don't speak ill of each other in front of Octavia. Or at least, they don't speak ill of each other when the know Via is paying attention. She really does love Octavia. Loves her as much as Stolas does and she's never tried to take Octavia away from Stolas, so maybe she isn't all horrible."
"Does she stay in contact with Octavia?"
"Yep. She calls almost everyday and writes every week. She'll sometimes send her presents like new clothes for school or new books. And Octavia stays with her every Summer and on the holidays. Honestly as awful as she is, I think she could maybe become a good person if she would just get over the divorce and maybe get some counseling."
"What does Stolas think?"
"He thinks she's evil personified and if Octavia had never been born, he would have cut all ties with her after the divorce. Can't say I blame him. I once heard her scream over the phone that she hopes he gets AIDS."
"My mom once screamed something similar to that over the phone to my father. Except she said she hoped he'd get his balls cut off someday."
"Eww...Hey if you don't mind me asking, why did your parents get divorced anyway?"
"I don't know. Mom never told me. But I bet it's all her fault."
"Why would it be her fault?"
"She never supported his dreams. She was always saying that he'd never sell any of his paintings and that he was a lazy good for nothing. Then came that day when she threw that fit and...She made us leave. She thought she was too good for him and that's what happened."
"Are you sure? I've met your mother a few times she doesn't come off like that. And you just said no one ever really told you why the divorce happened. Maybe there's more to it than what you think?"
"Well what else it could have been?"
"Maybe there was another woman...Or another man. That's how Stolas's marriage fell apart. Because he kept sleeping around with men, well that and Stella's temper."
"Not possible. My father loved me too much to just leave me for some lover."
"Okay but still, maybe you should talk to your mom. Get her to tell you what happened. That's what I'd do."
"You're right." Vaggie sighed, letting reason takeover before her emotions did. "I know my mom can sometimes think she's superior to other people but...From what I do remember, she did seem deeply in love with my father and...Maybe...Maybe it wasn't her ego, she was just worried about money and me and...Yeah I should talk to her."
"Good idea. Now come on, it's getting dark and we should get home before our folks worry."
With that said, both teenage girls hurried off from the bridge and the field, and onward home. Though their minds were still swimming with questions.