Chapter 7
Mono woke up the next morning, finding himself in the same bedroom that Tom and Susan had given him to sleep in. Getting up, he went to Isabella's room and found her awake. She smiled and patted the side of the bed, indicating he could join her. He climbed up and sat beside her.
"The magician and the witch? They're good to you? He asked.
She nodded. "Mom and Dad are amazing," she said. "They practically took me right in, not caring about where I came from. My siblings accepted me too, as did Ogre and Python."
The two helpers, hearing their names, came in and Isabella waved to them, to which the two genlty hugged the children before gesturing to the stairs. "Oh, Mom or Dad must be making breakfast," the girl said. "Come on. Let's go help."
She got down off her bed and Mono followed her downstairs to where they saw Susan in the kitchen and she turned to them with a smile. "Good morning, my little ones," she said.
Isabella hugged her and the witch smiled, giving her daughter an affectionate, motherly kiss on the forehead. "Isabella, would you be a dear and go wake your siblings?" She asked. "Your father had to leave for a meeting early this morning, but he'll be back any moment now."
"Okay, Mom," the girl said, rushing back upstairs. Mono looked uncertain and Susan noticed, gently smiling.
"Sweetie, would you like to help me make muffins?" She asked.
He looked confused as to what muffins were, but nodded and she pulled a chair closer for him to stand on. He watched as she mixed ingredients that he handed to her, his gaze falling on the book of recipes and he tried to read the words, but struggled a little.
Susan noticed and looked saddened. "Are you having trouble with some words, honey?" She asked gently.
He looked at her and nodded before his face turned red in shame and he looked longingly at the book. "Can you read some words?" Susan asked, her tone still gentle.
He shook his head. "Not at all?" She said in surprise. "You mean no one taught you to read, sweetie?"
Mono shook his head again, tears gathering in his eyes. "Oh, munchkin," she said, hugging him comfortingly and he clung to her. "Don't cry. It's okay."
She held him for a while before Tom came in and he looked worried. "What happened?" He asked, worried about his newest son.
"Mono was helping me make muffins and was trying to read the recipe book, but no one has taught him how to read," Susan said, her voice sad.
Tom hugged her and gently ruffled Mono's hair. "Don't worry, son," he said soothingly. "I can teach you how to read. I taught Amy and Dylan how to read, so it's no trouble."
The boy looked at him with uncertainty and Tom smiled. "I promise, son, you can count on my word," he said. "In fact, why don't we help your mother with the muffins? I'll show you how to read the recipe to her."
Susan smiled as her newest son nodded and sat in his father's lap as Tom began teaching him how to read. The boy stumbled a little over the words, but did quite well otherwise. "You catch on fast, sugar dumpling," the witch said with a smile.
Mono soaked up her praise and Tom's praise, their words encouraging him to keep trying. By the time the muffins were done, Mono was able to read the baking instructions for the recipe on his own. "That's my boy!" Tom said, lifting Mono up and spinning him around, a proud smile on his face.
Isabella, Amy, and Dylan came downstairs and Tom smiled at them all. "Kids, your brother is learning how to read and managed to read the baking instructions for the muffins by himself," he said.
"Alright, Mono!" Dylan cheered.
"Yay! You did it, big brother!" Amy cheered.
"Awesome!" Isabella cheered.
Mono blushed at the praise, hiding his face into his father's shirt before Susan announced breakfast was ready.
At the vessel...
Starla landed on the vessel, moving quietly on the outside before coming to a vent and placing her ear close to it so she could listen in on any conversation. "I hope that child never comes here again," one said.
"She wrecked everything," said another.
Starla moved cautiously, pausing when she heard The Lady's voice and hunkered down, listening closely. "I want that child found," The Lady said firmly. "That child will pay for what she did."
"All searches have come up futile, milady," said someone.
"She couldn't have gotten far!" The Lady yelled as something hit the side of the vessel, making Starla flinch in surprise. "How can no one find one small child?! She shouldn't be that hard to find!"
The cyborg fairy smiled to herself at the irony of how they couldn't find a small child they were unaware had gone through a few changes, like finding a new family. "We'll keep looking," someone said.
"You better!" The Lady said angrily as she walked away. Seeing this from her hiding spot, Starla quietly moved until she was above where The Lady's area was, listening to her muttering. "That child has caused so much problems! Destroying my vessel was one thing! But destroying my beautiful face! I will teach that child a lesson!"
Something else hit the side of the vessel and Starla decided she needed to leave before The Lady heard her. Moving quietly again, she jumped and took to the sky, flying upwards a bit until she could see the vessel, seeing some of the inhabitants of the vessel head out in a mission to find Isabella. She flew in the direction of Tom and Susan's house, deciding to ask them about doing some kind of protection spells to help keep their forest safe and keep unwanted people out.
A sweet smell reached her and she paused before realizing what it was. "Susan made muffins," she said with a smile as she felt her stomach growl. "Well, I best get some food for myself. I can see them later."
She flew down to the ground, but suddenly, something caught her and she was being pulled towards Tom and Susan's house. "Hey!" She exclaimed in surprise before she was gently plopped into a chair at the table and saw Tom looking at her with a smirk, his hand glowing with magic. "Tom," she groaned, but a smile was on her face. "You know you can just invite me to meals and I'll accept."
"True, but this is more fun," he said, to which his children laughed.
Starla smirked. "Oh, you just wait for when Susan wakes you up with her magic," she said.
"Oh, I plan to," the witch said, smirking at her husband.
"Well, honey, you did ask me to grab Starla to join us for breakfast," he said.
The cyborg fairy chuckled. "Well, I was going to come over and tell you that I found out something on my patrol," she said, her tone starting to become somber. "The Lady is determined to find our Isabella."
"She hasn't given up?" Mono asked in worry.
"No," Starla said. "If anything, she's demanding that her people she's sending out find Isabella. She's bent on revenge."
"Revenge?" Tom asked in worry.
She nodded. "And not just for causing havoc on the vessel, but apparently, she's got a personal vendetta towards Isabella for breaking her mask."
The girl in question shivered in fear, to which her siblings hugged her. "Don't worry, sis. She won't get you," Dylan said.
"Mommy and Daddy won't let her," Amy said.
"I won't either," Mono promised.
Susan hugged Starla. "Thank you for letting us know, sweetie," she said, worry on her face.
"Susan, do you think I could help you and Tom with some protection spells around the forest?" The cyborg fairy asked. "I know the ents will protect us, but it might not hurt to have something extra in case The Lady tries something."
"Working on them as we speak," Tom said, quickly grabbing a piece of paper and a pen and writing down a few spells.
"I want you kids to stay indoors today," Susan said. "Even if The Lady doesn't know where Isabella and Mono are, I'm not going to have us take any chances."
"I'll help guard the house, Susan," Starla said. "You'll know the moment if our enemies step even one foot in the forest."
"I'll ask some of the ents to help you," the witch said before hugging her children. "It's going to be alright, my little ones. I promise."
Tom nodded, his free hand clenching in anger and fear that someone was threatening his family.
And that was something he didn't take lightly.
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GoldGuardian2418