Elemental Empires

{Chapter 7}

"Ye..yes signorina? Your Ant in her fortune tell room," Alessandro bowed.

Does he have a habit of bowing unpredictably?

"Oh and where is that?," Mia asked stupidly as he took the tray from her hands.

"Down the corridor, feefth door on the left, it has all this shinny, shimmer thingy dangle from door," Alessandro waved his hand about crazily.

"Alright," Mia giggled,"Also is there anything for Ivory to eat?."

"Yes I order kitty food and it'll be here shortly," he petted Ivory's head.

"Thanks!," Mia said.

Please don't bow, don't bow..

"Prego", he bowed and skipped off happily waving the tray above his head like a flag.

Lunatic that one is..an amazingly sweet one.

Mia smiled to herself as she ventured down yet another corridor, humming the theme song of Mission Impossible. After walking for five minutes she stopped in front of a door with gold spangles hung in chains on it.

This is gonna be exciting..

Mia knocked twice but upon receiving no answer on the fourth knock, she opened the door and went inside.

Not at all creepy...

She found herself in a small, eerily silent room, the floor was carpeted in red and everything shone around her. Glittery curtains, shining crystals and gleaming gems. Skulls grinned menacingly at her as she walked on.

"Aunt Ruby?..," her voice echoed in the vacuous room and Ivory whimpered when suddenly Mia heard a faint whisper calling her name.

"Mia," it kept on rasping, Mia followed the voice, hypnotized by it and found herself in front of a large crystal ball, it's polished surface glowed softly under the yellow light and swirls of neon colours churned inside it, Mia bent to have a closer look and to her surprise she saw shapes forming inside the colours, bodies. Her jaw fell open when she saw herself in the crystal ball, she saw her crying as Aunt Ruby counted dollar bills in front of her, she looked so different, so stressed and sad.

Wha-

"Mia!," a voice startled Mia as Aunt Ruby quickly covered the crystal with a cloth," Darling why are you here?," she said as another woman followed Aunt Ruby, she was weeping as she exited the room.

"I..I. was trying to find you..who was she?," Mia stuttered, utterly shaken by what she saw.

"These customers, honestly, a pain in the ass. I predict the future but cannot change it for gods sake!," she closed her eyes and collapsed onto a sofa, rubbing circles on her temple," I'll give you thousands if you can prevent my husbands accident," she said in a fake voice probably imitating the customer.

"Thi..this ball-," Mia started to say.

"Ah..yes the ball of trickery, never look into it's depths for it gives nothing but the opposite of truth, a right nuisance it is," Aunt Ruby opened her eyes and once again her maroon eyes shone fiercely as if warning her." I was about to find you myself, am aching for a good outing! I'll go doll up so meet me in five outside," her Aunt picked up a wad of dollar bills left beside the crystal ball and hid it underneath the silk cloth as Mia looked at her strangely.

"Emergency money darling," she lit up another cigar and left the room, leaving behind a trail of smoke, Mia followed.

She wanted to believe what her Aunt said but couldn't, if it was a nuisance why didn't she just throw it out?

Mia thought about this as she fed Ivory.

What does it mean? Will I be unhappy again? Will my Aunt..sell me? God n-

"Darl, ready to go?," Aunt Ruby appeared in a two-tone sundress and a small bulging purse, obviously full of cash.

"Ye..yeah," Mia faked a smile.

"Lets have some fun babyy," her Aunt did a cool, little jiggle which made Mia laugh.

Why am I such an old worry guts? Over thinking kills imagination! I should really loosen up and have fun!

Half an hour later, the Ferrari halted in front of a park, it was a sweltering hot day and the car was blissfully cool.

It's so hot! I don't wanna go outside!

"It's really cool inside due to the trees," Aunt Ruby saw Mia's reluctant face and explained, pulling designer shades on her eyes.

The park was beautiful as well as cool, the two ladies walked on the grass as Aunt Ruby pointed to the different attractions." I keep coming here so everyone here knows me," her Aunt justified this fact by waving gracefully at two equally gorgeous women, walking their poodles."C'mon lets go on the rides!," her Aunt squealed.

The walked further to the rides and for the rest of the day they had nothing but fun. At the rollercoaster Aunt Ruby predicted how many people were going to puke, they went to the hall of horrors and the circus of screams. They bought huge ice creams of the same flavor: raspberry and pomegranate before finally leaving the park for lunch.

This is the best day of my life!

They stopped in front of a shop with glass windows showcasing delicious delicacies and snobby people. 'La Gateau' it said in gold cursive. They dined on delicious food, fed Ivory and Mia had her first sip of bubbly champagne.

She felt amazing, happy, contented and full of champagne bubbles.

After 13 whole years, my fate has finally changed! I'm gonna spend the rest of my life in peace!

She drifted off into a happy slumber without giving one thought to the ball of trickery.

The next day Mia headed downstairs, familiar with all the different rooms, she searched for her Aunt and found her lounging by the pool.

"Mia it's sweltering today," she drawled in a lazy voice, wiping sweat off her forehead, dramatically."jump in."

"Good Idea," Mia rushed off to change into a sizzling blue swimsuit and immediately dived, the cool water felt heavenly against the scorching heat of the sun."Ahh..feels so nice," Mia closed her eyes and relaxed when suddenly her Aunt dove in, splashing water on her deliberately. Soon Alessandro came in with a tray and served them special drinks and sandwiches.

"I call it: 'The Sapphire Martini' ,one of the worlds most expanseeve coketails which consists of Bombay sapphire gin, dry vermouth, orange liquor dyed blue with indeego sugar on edges." Alessandro beamed, handing out dainty glasses with a liquid which was the deepest shade of blue with the blood-red cherries floating on it.

"Awesome! Beautiful they are Al and I know they'll taste just as amazing," Mia exclaimed as her Aunt rolled her eyes and Alessandro bowed and happily ran off.

Mia brought up her lips to the cold drink but her eye suddenly fell on a shoulder, something was glowing there. Mia looked closer and it looked like a faint 'C' shape, glowing silver.

Why haven't I noticed this before? Meh, must be glitter, given the amount of it in my room.

After an hour of absolute craziness, the two women came out of the pool, exhausted and soaked to the skin. After bathing, Mia reclined on her bed, sipping a tall glass of Nutella shake, cuddling Ivory, she gazed at the sky as the sun melted into a haze of vibrant colours before the shadows of the night enveloped the sky in it's dark, starry cloak.

C'est la vie!