Fauns dancing around fires. Griffins soaring high. Unicorns galloping across wide fields and centaurs battling giants.
These are things Amelia Cromwell sees every day.
She doesn't know how they happen or why she sees them but every time she looks...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Five people stood at the base of a platform. Upon the platform were five chairs. No..., not chairs, thrones; large, intricate, elegant and royal. All five people were dressed like royalty of the 18th century with their heavy dresses and charming tunics. Two girls flanked the edges and next to them were two boys. In the centre stood a girl – she was seemingly shorter than the tall blond boy on her left yet an inch taller than the dark haired boy on her right. Their faces were blurred, but Amelia recognised the auburn haired girl ... it was herself. The five walked up the platform, each to a throne. Amelia watched as a lion-
CRASH!
Amelia woke with a start as the sound of lightning echoed throughout the manor. She stared out the window at the raindrops falling on the glass.
Lucy's going to be disappointed, she thought to herself as she saw the familiar shapes form on the window glass. The water seemed much more graceful than the wallpaper.Amelia enjoyed watching the centaur's race and the fauns play music. The rain on the glass made them seem... magical, majestic and memorable.
The lion appeared again, roaring, however, the only sound Amelia could hear was the pitter-patter of the rain drops. It was a rather big lion – bigger than any Amelia had read about in the Professor's many, many books. The water on the glass imitated his waving mane, and Amelia could almost feelhow soft it was. Who are you? She thought before dismismissing her curiosity.
The small clock next to her bed read 7:00. She just as well got up and prepared herself for the day, which would – at this rate – most likely be spent indoors.
After a rather awkward breakfast with the Macready and the Professor, the five children went back upstairs and into the girls' room where they all lounged on the various pieces of furniture lying around.
Amelia sat with Lucy by the window. Together they both stared out at the graceful rain drops. Somehow, in sync, they both sighed. The water droplets on the window sill changed and twisted until Amelia saw the fauns again, and she smiled when one seemed to be waving at her. The water made his outlines wavy and imprecise, but his smile was friendly. A small peach-coloured finger touched the faun and he looked down, slightly shocked at the finger on his stomach. Amelia glanced at Lucy and, for a moment, she could've sworn the little girl saw him too, but there was no wonder in her eyes. No fascination. No dreamy look. Lucy simply started tapping the window, creating a rhythmic beat. Amelia smiled sadly as the faun moved away and join his friends in the corner of the window. Lucy was normal. Amelia was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of Susan's voice.
"Gas-tro-vascular" she pronounced from the dictionary lying at her feet.
Peter sighed, "Is it Latin?"
"Yes."
Amelia assumed it was a game they invented where you had to guess the origins of a word.
