Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

130. Blooming Roses

"Cal does that all the time though." Seamus took another bite of his food as he imagined Cal. He still couldn't make heads or tails of any of it.

"Cal is an interesting case. Cal is the type of person who loves everyone but himself. And maybe that's one of the dangers. Cal loves the city and everyone in it like it's his house and the people are his children. He'll do anything for them. Shayley, is the person he is in love with, and he would traverse the world and into the bowls of Hel, challenge their guardians and gods for her. He even loves Cal more than himself." Selene wiped some food from Ophelia's cheek.

"But he is Cal? I'm just getting more confused. Love is hard." Seamus rubbed his head.

Selene giggled. "You're right, love is hard. It's probably the hardest and most worthwhile thing in the world. Many people go their entire lives without fully understanding it. But with Cal, as Guildmaster Cal, it is just one of his many masks. I'd say it's the person that he aspires to be. But the real Cal is the one you'll only see when he's angry or behind closed doors. The man behind the mask knows pain, rejection, loss, and desperation. To prevent others from experiencing those hardships that man has become Guildmaster Cal, the avatar of Joy, acceptance, love, and salvation. But here is the point I want make."

Selene sipped her drink. "Love is complicated, I consider it a good thing that I love Cal, although many around me didn't for many years. My own daughter is one of the strongest against my decision. But I love Cal, and I choose to love him. He makes me happy. I find myself smiling when I think about him, and I can't seem to get him off my mind. My heart nearly beats out of my chest whenever we are even in the same room. Colors are brighter, food tastes better, things I would have considered menial or beneath me, I find enjoyable. I want to be near him, I want to hold his hand, kiss him, cuddle," Selene giggled with a blush. "You know, all the lovey dovey, mushy stuff." She sighed happily.

"Hmm... Does that mean if I want to do those things with someone else... does that mean I'm in love?" Seamus asked.

Selene had to shake herself from her Cal filled daze. "Thinking about someone special?"

"A couple of girls actually."

Selene's eyes opened a little wider, she might have a scandal on her hand. "Really? More than one?"

"Well, Ophelia is my sister. I want to protect her, and I can't stop thinking about her. But it's not the same way with Vera." Seamus stopped eating and turned to look at the ceiling. He scrunched his face. "I think about how to make Ophelia happy and be a good big brother... But Vera..." Seamus then looked at his food. "I can't get her out of my head. What's a hero...? She shines so brightly, it's blinding to look at her. Every time I think about her, she's sparkling. I want to be near her, but I also don't."

"Why not?" Selene asked.

"Because... I don't know what I'm doing... but she is destined for greatness. I'm afraid I'll dull her shine. Or at least... I did... right now I just don't know what I can do to help. I just don't know what a hero is. If I knew maybe I could help." Seamus sighed. "I used to be able to do anything, I outwitted a Sylvan Knight. Now there are just so many new things around me I'm so bad at, I don't even know where to begin."

"Good." Selene said.

Seamus shook his head and took a mental step back. "How is that good?"

"Because that's what an adventure is." Selene smiled. "In the truest vein of Cal, the man beneath the mask, adventure is traveling into the unknown. Seeing, doing, and experiencing things you've never done before. The excitement of the new, the anxiety of the unknown, the hardship of the difficult, and the sense of accomplishment from doing something you've never thought you could do. Love is dangerous, it's a battlefield of unknowns and hardship, but it is also one of the greatest adventures anyone could ever know."

Seamus thought about it for a second. "Does this mean I'm in love with Vera?"

Selene smile and cut into her food. "I don't know. Are you? I think that's for you to decide."

"I have to choose to like her?" Seamus's eyes opened a little wider.

"Yep. Love is as compulsory as it is a choice. There is a poem where I come from that goes something like this. 'Love is a tender red rose with throttling thorns. Once found, it requires the steady waters of perseverance and the tender soil of affection. Its thorns may bite, and with time the petals may wilt, but with proper care a simple rose may become a radiant garden.'" Selene recited one of her favorite poems.

"I see. Strangely enough, that's the most sense you've made all morning." Seamus scratched his chin as he began to digest what he had been told.

"It will come to you in time child, elves live for a long time. There is no reason to rush things like Cal." Selene assured him and was pleased when he smiled in return.

*

Vera woke up once again in the wonderful bed she had been given. She went to the common area of the dorm building and when she sat down her breakfast was set in front of her by Peter and Throgar who sang together in the small attached kitchen. After so much had happened and with all the people moving in Throgar, Achilles, Dakota, and Anastasia shared the middle floor of the dorm building. The third floor was reserved for the girls and the bottom floor was reserved for the boys.

Anastasia curled into Dakota's lap as they flirted while rubbing their noses together on the couch. Juliette and Jasmine sat at one of the kitchen tables. Juliette was comforting Alice who had a nightmare about being squashed by Throgar while he was dancing, while Jasmine tried to comb her own hair as she held the Hand mirror with her lustrous violet tail.

Anastasia was drinking coffee at one of the smaller tables and had a vein bulging in her head. It was anyone's guess what caused it, but everyone was sure to leave her alone until she at least finished her coffee. Vera was sure to avoid her too.

Frence rushed to her side and sat down on the chair next the her. He had the biggest smile as he flapped the tiny red wings coming out of his back. He had been very proud of them since he got them while training with Kadoka, but since last night he'd been spinning around trying to copy Anastasia. Vera smiled and tickled him behind his ear. She couldn't remember the last time she was this happy. Or the last time her family was so happy. It was like a dream come true.

The common area was crowded and boisterous, the smell of delicious food filled the air, and Vera had found her motivation for training after talking with Dakota the night before.

When she noticed someone was missing, someone loudly cleared their throat from the far end of the room. Vera and everyone turned to see Wendy standing with... Vera had to rub her eyes before she realized just what or who she was seeing standing next to her.

"Attention everyone, I have an announcement." Wendy said. "Last night after the refugees moved in, a miraculous turn of events happened at the castle. It appears the Harpy Clan experienced a Clan-wide rank up. This isn't without precedent, and although it is an uncommon occurrence such things do happen. Like when the slimes evolved from blobs to sentience, or when a clan of Horned wolves emerged as werewolves a century ago. As of today, the Harpy Clan has become the Avian Clan. I'd like to reintroduce you to Greffin. She'll be in your care and moving to the girl's dorms today."

Greffin blushed as SHE waved at us... WITH HER HAND. She had a new uniform that snuggly fit her new filled-in feminine curves. Her unkempt black hair had grown and had a silky sheen and it had been cut to a clean medium length with her bangs covering one of her eyes. Fine and glossy black wings came from her back and twitched nervously as they hugged her body awkwardly. Everything that had once been childish about her had matured and taken a hard turn up on the hotness scale. Vera was pretty sure Greffin's cup size was now even bigger than hers. Which wasn't fair considering that he had just been a boy yesterday.

"Hi, everyone." Greffin fidgeted as she blushed and couldn't meet anyone in the eye.

"GREFFIN TURNED INTO A GIRL!" Grit screamed in horror. Out of nowhere a sword pierced the ground in front of him and that was enough to shut him up as Ulan and Olca both covered his mouth with their hands.

"Actually, I have a confession." Greffin said. Gone was the androgynous voice of the Harpy tomboy, it was replaced by the light feminine melody. "I've always been a girl..."