Going through the mirror was easier now that I knew what to expect. Once we were in Avalon, the Royal Physician, a centaur named Healer Willoughby was there to meet us. He had a team of highly trained medical staff ready to assist him and he started calling out orders the second Dahlia and I were through.
"Aslan, Basil take the Princess to be treated. She's running a fever and is dehydrated. Oberon and Alisa, prepare Queen Dahlia's bed in the East Wing," Healer Willoughby ordered his staff who jumped to his attention.
"Careful, do not jostle the Queen," Healer Willoughby snapped at Oberon. Once Dahlia was on the stretcher, it was attached to the Healer's back.
Another stretcher was brought out for me, but when one of the healers tried to touch me, I curled into Stone.
Healer Willoughby came to my aid, "do not touch Princess Wren without permission. She is a Sensitive."
The healers looked shocked and then backed away from me. I curled into Stone more, trying to use his body to hide behind.
Another aide came forward, a young man with pale skin and even paler hair. His hair was so pale, it was white, but he had streaks of red throughout. When he spoke, I could see that he had fangs that he tried to cover, although not well, with his lips. He had piercing grey eyes, and lips that were ruby red, almost like what your lips look like after you have been sucking on a cherry lollipop. He was unbelievably tall at around 6'4 or 6'5 and very muscular.
With a slight lisp, he spoke to me, "your highness. You are unwell. Please allow us to treat you in your rooms."
His accent was like nothing I had ever heard before. His voice was calming, so calming that my legs started to wobble and gave out on me.
When I felt strong arms catch me, I looked behind me to find Gryphon. Gryphon looked worried so I smiled and said, "hi Gryphon."
I heard Stone start to growl, and Gryphon passed my weak body into his arms. I stroked Stone's cheek, "don't worry. I think you are way hotter."
I closed my eyes. I was just so tired. Stone's body was warm, safe, and strong.
"I shall treat her highness in her rooms," the man with white hair explained. I couldn't see him. I couldn't see anyone with my eyes closed so I reached out with my magic, but it was just blank.
"That's new," I mumbled into his chest. "You aren't like Saint, he's fuzzy."
I sent my magic out to examine the man speaking to us. My magic couldn't sense him, but it still flowed around him. When my magic did get near him, I could see the magic flow through his body like red wire or roots. The roots flowed through the body, but the roots made the shape of the man, not the man.
Caspian reminded me of a mannequin I had seen at my doctor's office when I was little. The 'skin' of the mannequin was clear so you could see all the parts inside. Except with Caspian, you removed all the stuff inside and just left the red roots.
"What do you see?" Saint questioned me.
"Red roots," I nuzzled Stone's throat. I was trying to get closer to his warmth.
Root man quietly chuckled, "my name is Caspian. What Princess Wren is seeing is that I'm a vampire."
My boys were in front of me before he could say another word.
"You have nothing to fear from me, I've been working at Wonderland Castle for over two hundred and fifty years. Although by my people's standards, I'm still an adolescent."
Oberon cleared his throat, and I could feel everyone relax and turn their heads to the healer. "Healer Willoughby would like the Princess brought to her rooms. She is to be given medicine for her fever and fluids for her dehydration. He has informed that he will check in with her once he has Queen Dahlia comfortable. If you could follow me to the Princess' suite."
"You can lead the way, but we're not leaving Wren's side. She's sick and she needs us." Phoenix's voice was stern, he wouldn't be argued with, no matter what.
"Of course," Caspian agreed.
Sir Rupert popped into vision, but I was still too tired to open my eyes. "Welcome back to Wonderland Castle. Thank you all so much for being our Queen and our Princess home."
"Mr. Brigand and Ms. Blake, I have rooms ready for you by the Princesses." Sir Rupert showed them the rooms as we passed. mom was on my side of the hall, and Coach's was on Lark's side. "Please inform me or any staff if you are in need of anything."
"Actually, I think we'll need a water dish and litterbox for Wren's kitten," mom lifted Bandersnatch to show the small Leprechaun who took a step back, his eyes never leaving the cat.
"Of course, milady," Sir Rupert swallowed his nervousness and then flashed out to do mom's bidding.
"Lady Anne, these are your rooms. Sir Drake, your rooms are right next door. If you would let the guards know if you'd like to eat in your rooms or in the main dining hall. I'm going to take Princess Wren to her room and get her comfortable," Healer Caspian spoke with authority.
Mom kissed me on the forehead, "I'll be right across the hallway if you need anything. Get some rest, okay?"
I tried to nod but I was just too tired, so I made an affirmative noise in the back of my throat.
We finally got to the rooms that Lark had made for me.
"Please lay her on the bed," Caspian informed Stone. He laid me carefully on the bed, my head under a soft pillow and my blanket was pulled up over me. I wondered when they had grabbed it for me, but thankful they had.
I felt something wet on my mouth, but my muscles hurt too much to move so I just laid there.
"What is that?" Saint demanded. He caught Caspian's hand and pulled it from my mouth.
"This is a yarrow tincture. It will help with the fever and the symptoms she has from this virus," Caspian explained like he would to a five-year-old, comically slowly. He walked over to the table against the wall, "Her highness also needs to drink this tea. It is made with elderflowers, white willow bark, Echinacea, and lemon balm. We have flavored it with lemon and wildflower honey. All the plants are grown by the Pixies. Their wing dust has magical properties that will also help the Princess sleep and heal."
"If something happens to her," Luck warned, and cuddled up to my side. I started to shiver, my body shaking it was so cold. I clung to him and tried to absorb his warmth. My teeth chattering. I hadn't realized until now how cold and achy I felt.
"We are the best healers in Avalon, we will not let anything happen to our Princess," Caspian informed him calmly.
"She's not your Princess, she's ours," Phoenix whispered but he was loud enough that everyone heard him anyway, including me.
There was a small tap on the door and Healer Caspian went to open it.
"Good afternoon, your majesty," Caspian bowed.
"Hello Healer Caspian, how is my sister?" Lark made her way into the room with Tick and Tock trailing behind her.
"She is ill, but will recover," Prince Caspian informed her. He stood tall but I could tell he didn't want to be here. He seemed embarrassed and angry, but I didn't understand why. I was also too sick and tired to ask.
"She needs to drink the tea, get plenty of fluids and rest. I shall be back in an hour to check on her. Your Majesty," Caspian bowed but instead of standing back up he stayed there until my sister spoke.
She looked sad but addressed him, "you may go. Thank you, Caspian."
"Of course, your majesty, you need only ask," Caspian responded and left.
I tried to sit up but was still so drained. Legend who was standing beside me by the bed, helped me sit up. Luck put a pillow behind me to help support my back.
"How is Dahlia?" I had barely seen the woman breathe let alone wake up, I prayed she was okay.
"She's still in a coma, Head Healer Willoughby informed me," Lark sat in a chair that Saint brought over for her.
Saint, Phoenix and Stone stood around the room. Phoenix was adding wood to the fire to get it warmer. Saint stood by the door, I guess guarding it and Stone paced in front of the three floor length windows. Luck stood and brought the tea over to me and helped me sip it slowly. The warmth flooded into me from the tea and Legend's body tucked into mine.
"Willoughby seems to think it's magic related and they are trying everything in their power to bring her out of it. I will add my magic later. But you need to rest." Lark got up from the chair and crawled onto the bed with me. I put my head on her chest and breathed in the smell of her, it was at once comforting and familiar as it was new and strange. She stroked my hair and started to hum softly, the melody was so pretty and relaxing that I soon was closing my eyes and falling asleep.
****
When I woke it was light again, although the light was dim, and I saw orange and red tones wash against the curtains. I stretched my arms out and realized that I was in a huge bed with all my Lost Boys. Luck and Legend lay on my right side, Luck the little spoon with his arm draped over me, and Legend the big spoon with his arm draped over his brother and his hand wrapped around my arm. Stone lay on my left side, curved into my body and Saint lay on his back outside of Stone. I looked around for Phoenix, but he was nowhere to be found in the bed.
Movement near the mantle caught my eye and drew it there. Phoenix squatted in front of it. I extracted myself from the pile and ambled over to him.
"Good morning, Wren," Phoenix pulled me into his arms. He buried his nose into my hair, breathing me in and I did the same to his chest. His sweater was so soft, and I rubbed my cheek on it. "Are you feeling better?"
I nodded, my face still pressed into his sweater, "how are Dahlia, my mom and Coach?"
"Coach and Anne are fine; they just went to bed. You've been asleep for over twenty hours." Phoenix took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Dahlia won't wake up, she's alive but they have tried everything, and nothing is working."
"Can I see her?" I enquired.
"Wren, you're a Princess. If Dahlia doesn't wake up, I think that makes you and your sister queen. If anything, you and Lark are the ones in charge here," Phoenix gripped me tightly.
"Alright, then, let's go see my aunt." I inhaled deeply and started to leave the room only to be pulled back by Phoenix. He looked at me expectantly. I gave him a confused stare.
He glanced down at my body, "maybe you could put some clothes on first? Although I like the view, I don't think I want anyone who isn't in this room seeing it."
I glanced down and finally noticed that I was wearing a pair of silk blue sleep shorts that had a strip of black lace trim on each leg and a black ribbon bow at the waist. The top was a matching spaghetti strap tank top that was made from the same silk fabric, it also had lace on the top edge and the spaghetti straps were made from black silk ribbon.
I ran my hands down the outfit and felt the silk glide under my fingertips. Phoenix placed his hands on my ribcage, his fingers feeling the same fabric as mine. His head was tucked down, and we both watched our hands move over the fabric. My breath started coming faster, and I was vaguely aware his did the same.
When I looked up to his face, his eyes were shut tightly. His bottom lip was caught under his upper teeth. I reached up on tip toes and placed my lips around his bottom one. I slowly used my tongue and lips to suck on his bottom one until it was out from behind his teeth, and he was kissing me.
Phoenix's left hand went to my lower back and pulled me into him, his right hand went to grip the nape of my neck, tugging my hair until I was at the perfect angle for his hungry kisses. Soon his lips left mine and trailed down my neck. They stopped when they met the necklace that the Boys had given me at the last winter solstice. I couldn't believe it had been over a year since I met them.
Somehow my back hit a wall. I was so overwhelmed with sensation and need that I hadn't even known we were moving. Phoenix's mouth was still on me, exploring my neck and upper chest. His hands were at my waist now, touching and caressing the skin there. When his lips got to the lace neckline, he stopped again. He whispered against my skin, "may I?"
I had no idea what the question meant but I would do anything to feel his lips and hands on my skin again, so I nodded enthusiastically. He pulled the shirt over my head. I was so nervous that I felt like I was running a marathon, my breath came in great bursts. The spot between my legs ached and pulsed, throbbing for some sort of friction it wasn't getting. The need was so overpowering it pulled a whimper from my throat. I heard rustling from the bed, but I was too needy to open my eyes.
Cool air brushed against my nipples. Phoenix's open palm brushed over my stomach and his fingers splayed there. I was about to open my eyes when a warm mouth closed around one of my nipples and I whimpered. When the same mouth started sucking, I groaned louder. I felt rather then saw Phoenix grab a cloth napkin off the table next to us.
"Keep your eyes closed, Little Bird," he whispered around my nipple, giving it tiny licks.
I didn't want him to stop so I just nodded, and he placed the cloth around my eyes, tying it with a knot behind my head. He picked me up, took a few steps and then laid me down in front of the fire on a fur rug. I could feel the rug on my back, and I ran my hands over the softness.
Phoenix caught my hands movement and placed them over my head, so I lay stretched out. "Leave them there," he murmured. Instead of answering I just did as he asked and left my hands there.
His mouth returned to my breast and his hand to my stomach. He continued to lick and suck until I wanted to scream. Just as I was about to move my hands and use them to move him where I wanted him to go, I felt another mouth on my other nipple. It felt good, but the shock froze me from moving. I tried to concentrate on the other mouth and who it might be when another body was above my head and a third set of lips started kissing me on the mouth. Teasing my lips and sucking on my tongue, I knew it was Saint by the taste of spearmint gum I had noticed him chew in the past.
Instead of ripping off the napkin, I laid back and just let my body enjoy the touches, kisses, and licks they were showering on my body.
Hands were gripping each of my feet, massaging the arches and using their thumbs to work out any knots they found in the muscles. The hands started to get bolder while the two mouths continued to lick and kiss my breasts, neck, and chest area. They caressed my ankles, my calves, and my upper legs.
I felt a hand on my upper thigh close to the apex of my legs and I froze.
"Do you want this Little Bird?" Phoenix nuzzled my neck while another mouth took over his duties of sucking my nipple. "We won't hurt you. You're everything to us. Our family, our home, but you can say no."
I sighed, wanting the sucking, licking, and kissing back.
"Yes."
The mouths at my chest, the mouth at my lips and the hands on my feet started again. I felt lips at my ankles. There were so many points being touched, and I wanted to feel them all, but it was all so much. I was drowning in their touch but the more they touched the more I wanted. I ached for that feeling that I had given myself when I was in my room alone, but I wanted their mouths, their hands, their bodies to give it to me.
The fingers at my thigh went slowly. It rubbed small circles on the inner part of my thigh right below the patch of curls nested there. My hips rocked up to try and get closer to its touch. The moisture I felt gathering there worried me. Would they be shocked by the amount of wetness they would find?
The ribbon in my shorts was pulled and the knot came undone. The shorts were pulled from me, and I lifted my hips to help the process along, desperate to have hands touch me and relieve the pressure. I was incredibly nervous. What if I didn't look right? What if they liked girls without hair? What if I was too wet? So many questions streamed through my mind, but the lips and hands kept pulling me back into the pleasure.
I was going to say stop, call a halt to the whole experience, I felt the fingers brush over my wet folds and my body arched into the air. All the other sensations faded away and everything in my brain centered on that one spot.
"Please," I cried out.
Phoenix chuckled lightly. "Please what, Little Bird?"
"More," I stuttered.
The finger that had been caressing my folds was pulled away and another hand took its place separating my opening and then placing a thumb right above my clitoris and making small concentric circles until I was rocking my hips against it and shouting as the tidal wave of pleasure hit me and washed over me.
Before I could recover or even catch my breath there was a knock on the door.
"One second," Phoenix called out.
He ripped the blindfold off while I struggled to put my pajama set back on. Saint threw Stone a pair of my lounge pants, a t-shirt and underclothing for me and then Stone helped me into them. My joints still felt stiff, I was incredibly tired but the worst of whatever virus I caught, was over.
When we were all dressed and I was sitting at a small table with a carafe of coffee, tea, and plate of croissants and scones, Luck opened the door. Healer Caspian stood at the door with High Healer Willoughby. Both the Healers bowed to us and then walked into the room.
"Queen Dahlia is resting comfortably, but we wanted to check on you," High Healer Willoughby explained as he entered the room. Caspian closed the door softly behind them.
The centaur trotted over to me and used his magic to diagnosis me. "High Healer Caspian is correct in his assessment, you suffered from a virus. It was worse than it should have been because your magical energy stores were low. You must regenerate at night with your bond mates, they need to all be close to you when you sleep."
"We didn't know. We just thought that being near one or two at night would help her," Saint spoke, rubbing my shoulder as he stood behind me.
"If she had been a normal magic user who bonded to you, yes one or two a night would have been sufficient but due to the Princesses' power and her status as a Sensitive, she needs more energy because she uses more energy. Just like a runner or body builder who need more calories."
"How many high healers are there?" I asked Caspian. Something in the way Healer Willoughby called him 'High Healer' nagged at me.
"There is only one," Caspian did not break eye contact. "It's honorific since I was the last High Healer, but I stepped down from my role two years ago."
I nodded. There was more to this story, but I could feel this was not the right time to be asking it.
"How is Queen Dahlia?"
High Healer Willoughby brayed, "she sleeps, but it's a magical sleep. We are not able to bring her out, though, and it troubles me greatly."
"Can I see her?" I looked at a snag on the carpet, it was small and insignificant, most people wouldn't have noticed it. I used my foot to brush the pile of the carpet over it, but it still showed.
Someone put their hand on my elbow, and I jumped.
"Easy, there Little Bird," Saint cooed like he would to a small child. I frowned but we walked out of the room down the hallway.
I whispered softly, "where are we going?"
Saint gave me a quizzical look, "to see the Queen? Like you asked for?"
I nodded absentmindedly. I hadn't realized my request had been granted so easily. We walked to another wing of the Palace and entered the antechamber where Coach and my mom sat on a loveseat with their heads bowed together. When mom saw me, she jumped up and rushed over to me. Two guards stepped in front of me, stopping her. Their hands moved to their swords.
"What are you doing? That's my daughter!" mom snapped at them.
I was just as shocked. Head Healer Willoughby spoke quietly to the guards, something I couldn't hear. Once he was done, both guards dropped to their knees in from of my mom.
"We apologize Lady Anne, we were only told to guard Princess Wren," one guard spoke.
Mom put her hands over her heart, I had seen that look many times, mostly when I did something I probably should have thought better about, "I understand, but I would never hurt my daughter."
Both guards nodded and seeing no more threat stood sentry by the door.
"I'm sorry," Healer Willoughby bowed to both of us, "the palace is on high alert. If Queen Dahlia doesn't wake, Wren and Lark will be the next Queens of Avalon. People are worried."
Mom nodded at the imposing Centaur. She was starting to get overwhelmed too. Most people when they sign up to be a foster parent, don't sign up to be the mother of a Queen, let alone mother of the Queen of a fictional world.
"Are you feeling better?" mom asked, putting her hand on my forehead to check for a temperature.
"Yes, the healers gave me some medicine and fluids," I pulled her hand from my face and held it.
"She has a psychic bond to these five men. She needs to be able to absorb their energy when she sleeps. Being around one or two at a time when she sleeps, she wasn't getting enough energy and her immune system was weakened. As the bond grows, she will need more, but I will discuss that with Wren later." Caspian explained from the door.
A healer, I think his name was Oberon, came from the door into what I suspected was the Queen's bedroom. "Princess Lark is waiting for you, your highness. Queen Dahlia's breathing is getting worse."
"Why wasn't I informed?" High Healer Willoughby neighed in anger and stomped his back legs. He shoved by the younger healer into the room.
I walked into the room behind him. The room was crowded with people. My sister and her men, healers, servants, guards, so many people openly weeping and sobbing the loss of this one small woman who looked exactly like Rose. A woman who looked so much like me and my sister.
I walked over and stood next to Lark. Her eyes were puffy and her face wet, streaks of her hair stuck to her cheeks. I put my arm gingerly around her shoulder then pulled her in closer. She pulled away from her men and we collapsed on the floor, her needing comfort and me needing to give it. Lark pressed her wet face into my neck and bawled. I held her tightly to my body. I wished there were something, anything, I could do.
"I can't lose her, Wren. I just can't."
I stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth the way my mom would do to me when I had a bad day at school. On the bed, Dahlia laid there, struggling to breathe. The pain was becoming more then I could bare, I didn't know Dahlia, but she was the closest person to my biological mother, and I wanted to get to know her.
I closed my eyes and opened my magical senses. Maybe I could see something the others could not. Everyone kept calling me sensitive, maybe I could use that sensitivity to see something the people in this room could not because of their grief. I saw the notes that swirled everywhere, that connected the people, the land, and even Wonderland Castle.
I realized that the frequency was different in Avalon, they had a higher frequency, and their melody was faster. I stared at the sleeping Queen in the bed. I tilted my head to the side. Every person in Avalon and Weverland had a magical signature that my brain translated into music, but Dahlia didn't have a song. A spell cocooned her, like a spider web. I wondered if the spell was blocking my sight of her magic.
"Lark, has anyone tried to remove the spell from Dahlia?" I kept studying the spell and its weak points. I stood up and started to walk around the body, but everyone was crying, and it was hard to concentrate.
"Is there anyway Lark and I could spend some time with Dahlia? Just the two of us?" I didn't know who to ask, who was even in charge here?
"Of course, your highness," High Healer Willoughby replied and ushered everyone out the door.
"We'll just be right outside if you need us," mom put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed softly.
Everyone except Lark and I were left in the room. It was finally quiet enough to think, small sniffling noises came from Lark.
I continued to study the spell and tried to push on it to see if I could find some spots that were weaker than other locations. I carefully walked around the Queen, poking, and prodding any spots that looked weaker than the others. I found two identical indentations. The way they were positioned almost looked like locks.
I wondered if we could be the key.
"Lark, will you try something with me?" I turned to my sister. She was still crying but they had turned into hiccups and sniffles. Nevertheless, she got up and walked over to me.
I showed her how to put her hands and she did so, palms down, right hand on top of left hand and slightly crossed. Once I felt she was positioned correctly, I went to the other side and assumed the same position.
"I don't know if you ever sang before, but if I started singing, could you follow me?" I questioned. I was incredibly nervous this wasn't going to work but we had to try, I had to try.
"Yes." Lark's hands were still in the position, and she had stopped crying. Her eyes were puffy and her face wet, but she was dedicated to trying.
"Alright, try to follow me and stay as close to the melody as you can," I informed her carefully.
I opened my mouth and tried to match my notes to the same ones that would fit through the keyholes in the spell. Without Lark in the room, I wouldn't have been able to do this because I would have somehow had to split my voice in two.
Lark matched me note for note. She matched my tempo and pitch, even her timber matched mine perfectly. When I saw us getting to the end, we finished with a dal sagno. When the last note had been sung, there was tidal wave of energy that burst from Dahlia and into the room pushing both Lark and me to the floor, dazing us.
High Healer Willoughby burst through the door, and then there was a flood of people as they all spilled into the room. My head turned back to Lark, and just as I fell into a deep slumber, I saw her eyes shut as well.