There was no denying it any longer when the girls reached the other side. Mystique Hollow was real, and it was just as fantastic and incredible as last time. All the strange, and apparently costumed inhabitants were running about and hanging up lanterns that were projecting lights the color of sunset. Gold, violet, and pink were shinning all around and the girls thought it was glorious. Especially Vaggie, who was now becoming inspired by such majesty and expression of color.
"Welcome back darlings." They Levana call out warmly as she walked over to greet them. "I'm so glad you decided to visit me again."
"Well we didn't have anything better to do." Vaggie said. "And we don't get out very much."
"But that can't be. You're both sixteen, you should be out partying and dancing. In my opinion it would be a sin for a girl to deny herself light and joy. That being said, I have a little surprise for you Charlie."
"Really?" She said getting exciting. "I like surprises. What is it?"
"Now if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. First let's get you two freshened up and help you relax, you both seem so tense. Let me treat you both to some pampering at my bathhouse. Now how do you ladies like your bath? Warm? Hot? Or boil a lobster?"
"We honestly don't know." Charlie said.
"Then let me choose for you and I'll have the best herbs added to the water."
The bathhouse was a grand building constructed of the finest marble and stone, scented of soap and other fragrances one would expect in such an establishment. They were welcomed by female workers who apparently wore glum and blank faced masks, these women each escorted Charlie and Vaggie to their own private bath, with their own tub made of porcelain and gold. Charlie's bath was filled with hot water that was the prefect temperature and next to the tub was a tray of different oils and salts.
Charlie quickly undressed and lowered herself into the tub. God, she couldn't remember the last time she had taken bath. She couldn't take baths much at home, it always had to be a quick shower because she couldn't run out all the hot water needed for Octavia's bath.
"She's too little to shower." Stolas would say. "She needs a bath, you don't. Give it a few more years, then she'll be able to shower and once in awhile you can run a bath for yourself."
So you can imagine how good it felt to finally be able to sit and soak in hot water. To have a bathroom all to herself. To just relax and let all of today's worries fade away. It was like heaven.
Kncok-knock!
"Who is it?" Charlie called.
"It's Levana, may I come in?"
"Are you alone?" Charlie asked. "There aren't any guys out there, right?"
"Of course. I assure you, only a women are allowed in my bathhouse."
"Okay, you can come in."
Levana opened the door and entered with two female workers.
"They're here to bathe and anoint you, if you'd like."
"Oh...Um...Sure."
The two servants then proceeded to pour herbal oil and mineral salts into the water. Next one servant washed her hair while the other scrubbed her body. It was the most soothing experience of Charlie's life, she was sure that even the best spa in town couldn't have been as relaxing.
"Feeling better?" Levana asked.
"Much, thank you." Charlie said. "Warm water's done me a world of good."
"Ah, see? The powers of a nice hot bath. Just what you need judging by all the tense knots I see in your shoulders." She chuckled. "But I must admit you have quite an exciting figure. You must be very popular."
"No, I'm not."
"Oh come on."
"The other girls don't like me." Charlie said, recalling the mean words that had been spoken to her earlier. "I never know what to say to them, I feel so different."
"Of course you're different. You're better and they know it. That's just jealousy. But what about the boys? I bet many of them are in love with those pretty eyes of yours. How many have you kissed?" She grinned in a teasing manner.
Charlie blushed.
"None. Boys don't like me very much either."
"Oh I beg to differ, a charming girl like you is bound to interest many men. One day when you realize the power you have, you'll see how right I am."
"The power I have?"
"You may not believe it, but you are a beauty. Why just the other night, my children couldn't stop talking about how lovely you were. Almost as lovely as me, they said."
"Really? I...I didn't think I was all that attractive."
"Well maybe the people in your world are blind to your charms, but here they see every feature on you as perfect. Perfect hair, perfect skin, and a perfect body."
Charlie suddenly grew tense at the familiar phrasing that Levana had used. Those were the exact same words Helsa had used today. She found it a little odd that Levana would use them too.
"I think I shall go see how Vaggie is enjoying her bath. Once you're dry and dressed, I'll show you my special surprise."
Levana then left the room, shortly after word the servants rinsed her off, dried her body and hair with towels, and gave her new, clean, clothes that were exactly like the ones she had been wearing previously. Perfect, if a new outfit was found in her laundry, Stolas would have asked questions because he normally went with her clothes shopping. As soon as that was done, Levana reappeared to escort her outside.
"Where's Vaggie?" Charlie asked her.
"She wanted soak a little longer in the bath." She said. "Would you believe it, the girl has never had a bath in her life. Such a shame."
Levana stopped at a large gate and opened it up. Charlie stepped inside and just like magic, things started to grow. Bright green shrubs, remarkably shaped hedges, and flowers of glistening radiance and shimmering color were blooming all around her. Her eyes just expanded with wonder and awe, as she slowly took in the huge estate of flora that was thriving before her. It was the garden she had always dreamed of having. The garden she wished that Stolas would let her plant.
"Is this all for me?" Charlie asked.
"But of course. Do you like it?"
"I love it! Oh , I would give anything for Stolas to let us make our backyard exactly like this."
"I'm pleased that you're happy with my gift. Please, feel free to look around, explore, enjoy yourself."
She didn't have to tell Charlie twice. It was as though she had been magically reverted to Octavia's age, she started running gleefully about the garden, marveling at its magnificence and splendor. She felt like she was in a fairy's secret garden, that she had somehow entered one of the many gorgeous illustrations of gardens in her storybooks. Everything was just so perfect. The branches, the leaves, the flowers, nothing was out of place and it was all flawlessly constructed.However, when Charlie attempted to smell one of the flowers, she was confused to find that it had no scent. She sniffed another flower, that one wasn't fragrant either. She must have smelled and inhaled every blossom in that garden and not produced a perfume.
"That's strange." She thought. "What kind of flowers don't have a smell?"
"Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!"
Charlie's confusion was then forgotten when she became distracted by that sound. Looking to her left, she spotted an owl perched on a shrub. An owl that she recognized immediately. It was the very same owl who had been visiting her in the mornings and leaving her those gifts.
"Oh, it's you again." She said to the bird. "Never thought I'd see you in this place. Let me guess, you followed me?"
She had asked her question in a joking manner, not serious at all. So it came as quite a surprise to her when the owl answered,
"No, actually I live here."
For a moment, Charlie's eyes became the biggest size that they had ever been and her mouth became slightly ajar with shock. Did that owl really just talk to her? No. No that wasn't possible. Owls can't talk. Unless, maybe this one was half parrot or something. Before she could question the owl about his ability of speech, he spread out his velvet wings and flew off without making a single noise.
"Wait! Come back!" She chased after the owl. "Please stop! I need to talk to you!"
But the owl had no intention of slowing down or stopping. Still, Charlie tried to catch up with him. She even climbed up the ladder of one building that the owl soared above. Perhaps it was a bit much to follow an owl like this, but she had been curious about this bird for sometime and she wanted answers. Now that she knew the owl could talk, she was determined to get them.
"Okay this might make things a little difficult." She thought, when she reached the top of the building to find that the only way to continue in the owl's direction was to walk across a rope line that had been tied between this rooftop and the next.
"How hard can it be?"
She up on to the rope, her arms flailed like windmills and her legs wavered.
"Apparently a lot harder than people make it look on TV."
She willed herself to stay up and not fall off, then she began take slow steps on the line, trying to walk across as safely as she could.
"Don't look down." She told herself. "Don't look down. Don't look down."
But maybe she should have looked down, because if she did then she would have seen the mad scramble of nasty looking individuals gathering together rocks, sticks, and slingshots. They were an especially rotten and gruesome bunch, who found pleasure in seeing others get hurt, and when they saw Charlie high up on that rope, they thought,
"Wouldn't it be funny to watch her go hurdling down?"
Once Charlie reached the center of the rope line, they aimed their weapons up and fired. Charlie suddenly found herself frantically dodging a mad volley of flying sticks and stones. She lost her balance and started to fall. The goons smiled and clapped excitedly as they watched her plummet toward the stone and concrete ground. The frightened girl screamed, and braced herself for the dreadful impact.
But at the last second, coming from seemingly out of nowhere, the figure called Alastor swooped in and caught her. She fell right into his arms, he did a quick flip, and dug his heels into the wall of the building in order to slow down their descent, which resulted in him landing on his feet perfectly.
"Hello again my dear." He said grinning ear to ear beneath the scarf that covered his mouth, not at all effected by what had just transpired. "Didn't expect to see you 'drop in' anytime soon. Ha! Ha!"
Charlie couldn't pay attention to the lame joke. She was too busy trying to catch her breath from her near death experience.
"Alastor you damn killjoy!" One of the hooligans shouted furiously. "You always ruin our fun!"
"Forgive me gentlemen, if I don't understand the appeal of sadism. Well, at least toward an innocent girl that is."
"We saw her first!" Another one spoke up. "So we get to play with her!"
"Play?!" Charlie squeaked. "What does he mean by play?"
"Trust me sweetheart, you don't wanna know." Alastor told her. "As for the rest of you, I'm sorry but my mother always said, never give toys to children who will just break them."
"Give her to us!" The thugs lunged for them like a pack of blood thirsty wolverines.
"Hold on tight!" Alastor instructed Charlie and he bounded off, carrying her in his arms.
"Um...Where are we going?" She asked clinging to his neck fearfully.
"Someplace far away from them."
"I like that place! That's a very good place!"