Chapter 8
For a few days, things were tense as the ents stood guard and Starla noticed how quiet the forest was and not the good kind of quiet. "I don't like this one bit," she said to a nearby ent.
"Does Lady know that you are protecting the children?" The ent asked.
"I don't know," the cyborg fairy admitted. "I've been keeping watch, but I'm scared for the kids."
With that, she flew to the nearby areas, but the snowy region was calm and the mountain was calm. Starla took a deep breath and slipped on her cloak, feeling the magic surround her and she smiled. The cloak had been a gift from Susan, one that would magically hide Starla's true appearance and make her seem like someone just out for a stroll in the market.
She stepped into the crowd and blended in, going to a few stalls and buying a few things. One lady waved her over and she smiled, recognizing the baker's wife. "Ah, there you are, lass," she said. "I was hoping you'd come by today."
"How are you, ma'am?" Starla asked politely.
"I've been well. We've been selling out of our stuff, but I got a special order for you and your folks," she said, handing two bags to Starla. "One contains bread you can use for soup and another contains treats to help stay strong."
The disguised cyborg-fairy's eyes widened and she looked at the baker's wife, who looked worried and she motioned the girl to lean closer to whisper to her. "Word has it that there's a lady in a mask coming here every night," she whispered. "She's looking for something and a few times has approached us asking about someone named 'Six'. Of course none of us know what she's talking about, but...she ruined the gardener's cart the other night."
Starla was shocked. "As in...destroying it?" She asked.
The baker's wife nodded. "We've all been taking down our carts or stalls and hiding them for fear she may ruin ours as well," she said. "My boy has been helping the gardener to fix his cart, but still, there's just something off about that woman, like she's certain whoever she's looking for is here."
The cyborg-fairy nodded. "Thank you," she said. "I can ask my friends to help keep your stuff safe."
"No," the woman said. "Though we would appreciate it, I've got a feeling it would only make that woman very angry and she might attack our homes."
Starla's eyes narrowed as she realized the full problem. "So she knows that the child she seeks is around her and is punishing you all to either scare one of you into talking or to turn on each other and find the child," she said, growling in anger.
"Hence what's in the bags," the baker's wife said. "Go, hon. The Lady is about to make her appearance soon."
Starla moved fast, going to the stables and stretching her wings before flying away, clutching her precious cargo as she knew she had to get to Tom and Susan. Making sure she wasn't seen, she flew fast to the forest, greeting the ents and landing near one of them. "Ents, be ready," she said. "Word has it that the Lady is in town and she is causing trouble thinking that Isabella is hiding there."
The ents at once gathered close together, forming a wall of trees that would be nearly impossible to get through unless you knew the way or the ents let you in.
She flew to the house and went inside, closing the door and trying to catch her breath. "Starla?" Susan asked in worry. "What is it, dear?"
She handed the witch the bags. "From the baker and his wife," she said.
Susan opened them and she gasped when she saw the stuff to make protection potions and even shield potions. "Tom!" She called out urgently.
He came running in and when he saw the items, he knew. "Does she know?" He asked Starla.
"I don't think so, or at least not yet," she said. "But she is causing destruction in town thinking that someone is hiding Isabella."
"That's going way too far," he said. "But if that's what happening, then I think it's time we make this something they won't expect."
Starla looked confused. "What do you mean, Tom?" She asked, sensing something in his words.
He turned and smiled at her. "Ever heard of a flying castle?" He asked.
The cyborg fairy looked at him in confusion and Susan chuckled. "Children!" She called out. "Orge! Python!"
The four children came into the kitchen along with the two helpers. "You all ready to see something amazing?" She asked.
"What, Mom?" Isabella asked, curious.
"This is something your mother and I have only done once before," Tom said. "Before Dylan was born, your mother and I unfortunately had to deal with your grandparents trying to separate us."
"Oh, that was a headache," Susan said. "They just wouldn't listen to reason."
"That was until she and I worked together to not only get them to see reason, but to also help your kids' great-grandmother, who was staying with us at the time."
The witch smiled. "Ah, she was the one person in our families who supported us and didn't she even help us out too, despite us being worried it would be too much for her?"
"Ah, you remember, hon. She might have been in her golden years, but her mind was sharp and she was stronger than she looked," Tom said. "She even gave us her blessing to be married."
"Our great-great-grandmother helped you guys?" Dylan asked.
"That she did," Susan said, smiling at her kids. "She even asked Ogre and Python to be our helpers when she passed."
"They were her helpers?" Starla asked in surprise.
The two nodded and Tom smiled. "They were," he said as he and Susan stood together and held hands. "Ready, honey?"
"Ready, my love," she said.
"Kids, stay close to Starla."
The cyborg fairy kneeled down, gathering the four children in her arms and holding them protectively. Ogre and Python stood in front of them, ready. A moment later, Tom's and Susan's hands began glowing and the house felt like it was being lifted up into the air. Something that sounded like an earthquake without the shaking rung through the air and Mono gasped. "Are we...flying?" He asked.
Amy gazed out the window nearby and her eyes widened. "Look!" She said, staying in her spot.
They turned and Starla gasped in shock. "Mono's right," she said. "We're flying. Or floating. One of the two."
After a bit, everything was still and Susan smiled. "Okay, you kids can go outside," she said.
The four kids, along with Starla, stepped outside and they stopped in shock and awe. "Whoa," Isabella said in surprise.
"I second that," Dylan said in awe.
Starla gazed at the ground, seeing it looked like clouds. She flew down and very carefully stepped onto it. To her shock, she could stand on the cloud. "What?" She asked in shock.
Deep laughter echoed and made her jump and go back to the kids, standing in front of them protectively. A being of clouds appeared before them and he waved to them before vanishing. "What is this place?" Mono asked.
Tom smiled. "A friend of ours," he said. "All this is one giant cloud who can be one cloud or even become many clouds if he wished."
"What or who is he?" Starla asked.
"He's a magical cloud being," Susan said. "He only helps those who respect nature. He helped us before thanks to my great-grandmother. He agreed to help us again should we ever need it."
The same being of clouds came forward and Tom smiled. "This is the form he uses to interact with us," he said.
Amy and Dylan were stunned and the being ruffled their hair playfully before kneeling down to Isabella's and Mono's heights and gently touching their shoulders, his touch comforting. "I think he knows the Lady is looking for you two," Starla said.
The being nodded and hugged the children before encouraging them to go exploring. "We are essentially parked on his arm," Susan explained. "He'll make sure you kids don't topple off the edge."
"Can the Lady find us up here, Mommy?" Amy asked.
"No, sweetie, she can't."
But Starla wasn't so sure as she had a thought.
The Lady seemed so sure that Isabella was hiding in town, but was she using something to try and track the girl down?
Another thought then crossed Starla's mind, scaring her.
Was it possible she herself was putting Isabella in danger?
Oh, my, why would Starla be thinking that? We shall see. :)
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GoldGuardian2418