JS Marie
All Rights Reserved. 2013 ©
Chapter Nine--Robert
The sermon from the pastor did not even pass through my ears. He stands at the alter speaking through the microphone giving commanding gestures. My eyes are watching him as my mind is buzzing with the events from yesterday.
The right side of body emanates heat towards my mother who is sitting by my side. I dare not glance at her in fear of a sudden rage that will instantly consume me. Not only did she completely screw my over yesterday morning but I was later forced to attend some charity gala at night. I cringe at the memory.
The event was filled with people who groveled and inquired about my future plans after sixth form. With my mother by my side, she gave them prompt answers that I will be doing charity services in Haiti. There was no real conversation between my mother and me after our tense confrontation. I never really had a say in the answer that she was giving all the officials, press, and acquaintances.
Through the entire night, I felt as if I was some sort of show dog on display for the entire world to see. He’s just like his father…
Even at one point during the evening, I saw Clarice socializing with other officials’ daughters and her eyes unknowingly met mine when she obviously overheard my mother speaking to her father about my future endeavors. My body and temper may have been present at the gala but my mind was far away cherishing the new friend I met in Natalie and trying to remember the events from Friday night still that haven’t made an appearance in my memory.
Back in the cathedral away from my thoughts, my mouth automatically moves to the recited prayer along with everyone else as the pastor closes the service. My mother and I are the first to leave the sanctuary then followed by the rest of the congregation. I allow my face to remain indifferent as my mother on occasion gives me a wary eye. We leave the church surrounded by guards as we head to the vehicles waiting by the curb.
As I begin towards the vehicle designated for me, my mother’s voice sternly breaks through the silence, “Robert.”
My eyes briefly meet hers and fiercely glare. She doesn’t speak any more as she nods and continues in the direction of the other car. My eyes follow her for a few seconds and quickly look away. Heat rushes in my face as I enter the door to the car that Sebastian is holding out for me. How dare she try to speak to me.
The car begins to roll away from the curb and soon intermingles with the packed ongoing traffic. Sebastian is analyzing me through the rearview mirror and doesn’t look away until I finally acknowledge his stare. “What is it, Sebastian?”
“Your highness, did something occur between you and Her majesty? I overheard some of the guards speak about an incident that occurred yesterday morning.”
A cold expression crosses my face as I try to clear my throat in order to sound stronger and more in control than I actually feel inside. “Nothing that really concerns you, Sebastian.”
“I apologize for intruding, your highness.” With that, his eyes focus on the road and he does not bring up the matter anymore.
My eyes gaze through the window and unto the streets. People with smiling faces and laughing conversations occupy the streets as walking families with strollers pass by. A twinge of jealously at seeing these people live completely happy and normal lives with carefree problems and no worries races in my heart. I want what they have. I don’t want to live a life where the world is watching my next step and I have painful secrets that my mother is unwilling to let me know. These people may have problems, my thoughts briefly reflect on my conversation with Natalie, but they are happy nonetheless with true families that are there for you.
I let out a wanting sigh as I continue to gaze through the window with the scenery flashing by. That’s when I instantly catch her. A tall slender girl with the figure of a model. She is dressed in a plaid skirt with a white button-down for her blouse. Her blonde billows over her shoulders as her thick stare from her eyes are looking nowhere in particular. Where have I seen her before?
“Stop, Sebastian.” I shout before I even realize what I am screaming. “Pull over, please.”
Sebastian just nods as he pulls over to the curb on the side of the road near a populated park. He only gives me a questionable look as I pull a pair of sunglasses from a compartment and leave the vehicle. With his window rolled down, I look at Sebastian and speak, “Go back to the estate.”
“Your Highness, I cannot leave you alone.” He looks at as if trying to figure what was processing through my head. “Her Majesty will appreciate me abandoning you without any protection. Plus you are schedule to have tea at the Prime Minister’s estate.”
“Sebastian, am I not an adult?” Her voice is curt and demanding as my father-like figure can only respond with a solemn nod. “Am I not entitled to freedom like all the other adults in our nation?”
“Yes, I understand but Her Majesty and the Prime Minister…”
I abruptly cut him off, “I do not care what the queen has to say. If she has a problem with my choices, than she should be the one to confront me about them. You may go now, Sebastian.”
He looks me over yet again before starting the vehicle and driving away. I am soon alone as people pass by briefly looking at me and then away. With my shades in place, they I have no idea who I am. Something about this knowledge excites me.
My eyes race to the bench where I had seen that girl sitting. She is still sitting in the same spot looking at seemingly nowhere. Why can’t I remember where I have met her before.
I stride over to the bench and approach the breath-taking girl. Her eyes are a clear shade of violet that has something menacing buried deep within her iris. Her voice is as cold as the Arctic Circle, “Was there something I can help you with?”
I don’t speak for a few seconds and then I suddenly find my voice once again, “Have we met before?”
“Depending on who you are.” She raises her slender snowy blonde eyebrow and nods her head towards my glasses. “Take them off and I will tell you.”
I am hesitant but I willingly remove my glasses to reveal my emerald eyes. Her deep purple eyes clearly connect with mine. That’s when everything floods back to me. The night that I have forgotten in my memories.
Images of the boy named Lionel, the Indian girl, and the mousy girl flash through my head. This girl in front of me was the one who had pinned Lexie against the wall. Lexie…
You’re beautiful…Those two words echo through my head. Heat rushes through my face as the blonde girl softly smiles. What have I done? What is Lexie thinking?
“Now I remember you,” Her voice is cunning and highly sarcastic. “The royal drunkerd, Prince Robert.”
Embarrassment washes over my face as I weakly smile at the girl. “And your name again.”
I extend my hand out but she ignores with annoyance forming on her face, “Isis Johansson of Whales. Thanks to your bloody drinking, we have to explain everything again.”
“Come again?”
“I’ve been waiting for you.” She gracefully stands from the bench and brushes her skirt down. “Seems like Mima was right in saying that you would be the one to come searching for us.”
“Wait…Isis?” I begin to follow her down the street as she strides with her long legs. “I can only remember bits and pieces of that night…can you tell me what happened exactly since I was completely bladdered.”
She turns towards me and gives me a cold snide expression, “Your highness, maybe you put those on again. Don’t want to gain attention now do we?”
I look to the pair of glasses still in my hand that she had pointed out. Shoving the glasses back on, I try to match Isis’s pace. “What about Friday night?”
“Back off it, Robert.” I’m instantly shocked on how she had dropped the formality and I like it. She did it so easily like that guy Lionel. “You were drunk and that was your own bloody fault. I’m not going to be your memory drive.”
Her brashness has me off guard and leaves me smiling with a goofy grin. Her attitude is refreshing and reminds me of Lexie. I keep following her having absolutely no idea where we are going. “Where are we going?”
“Annoying.” She simply whispers under breath as she flips her hair over her shoulder.
We walk for about fifteen minutes as we enter a not too busy street. A few people are walking down the street as I catch delicious smells from a nearby café. Isis glides across the street and approaches an isolated building. I quickly catch up to her and stop where she is standing.
The building looks archaic with gothic windows and iron casted sign that read library. Her gaze is stuck to the entrance. I venture to ask, “What’s in there?”
An unexpected haughty laughter escapes her apple red lips. She just shook her head, “You have no bloody idea.”
She walks through the entrance as I carefully follow her inside. I don’t know why I have been following her since I first spoke to her today but something was definitely drawing me to her.
As we enter the building, I take in all the towering books that fill the darkened room. Straight ahead down the row of book was a grand entrance with intricate patterns that curve and loop around the surrounding of it. There seems to be a shimmering light that twists and bends over the entrance as if there is some sort of force field present.
Isis continues towards this doorway completely changed. My eyes widen in horror as I take in her sudden transformation unmoving. She turns when I don’t follow and wickedly smiles. “Are you coming, Robert? Or is something keeping you?”
“You…you’re different…” I barely stammer out.
Isis stands completely confident. Instead of her shimmering blonde hair, sapphire blue waves drape over her shoulders and sparkles in the dim lit. Her skirt and blouse are completely gone and is replaced with a breath-taking aquamarine gown with shimmering crystals and intricate patterns. But out of it all, translucent and hummingbird-like wings are rapidly fluttering attached to her back. Her smile increases in length, “Oh, this old thing.”
She turns away without any further explanation as I follow her nonetheless mystified. She approaches the gateway and whispers something inaudible. The air through the gate bends in waves like I’ve never seen before. It is transparent yet there is some sort of fluid wall present. Isis takes a step forward as the field swallows her entire being. Hesitant, I finally go through after the mysterious woman.
I barely feel anything as I find myself on the other side of the doorway. In front of me lies a white-walled hall that continues for what may be an eternity. “Where are we?”
“Welcome to the World-Between.” Isis approaches a nearby wall and methodically places her palm against an area. A light flashes against her hand and then the wall begins to open. Inside is another white room and another familiar face from Friday.
“Isis!” The short Indian girl leaps from a couch and approaches the both of us. “And you finally have Robert! I thought you would never come.”
“All right, Galia. Calm down.” Isis rolls her eyes. “I was almost about to leave as I waited for him too.”
“Glad you didn’t.” Galia’s eyes were huge as she sheepishly looks at me. Her petite figure is dressed in clothes revealing her navel made from red and emerald silk and lace that covered her arms. Gold bracelets clang together with each of her movements and a variety of necklaces hang on her thin neck. Piercings are on her nose, lips and all around her ears. Fixed carefully into her hair is a purple veil partially covering her golden eyes and on her feel are curved silk flats with pointed tips. She offers her hand, “Galia. If you actually remember.”
I take her hand and shake, “Kind of…”
“The last time you were completely out.” She snickers as she makes a motion of a bottle to her lips.
Ashamed, my eyes fall to the white linoleum floor trying desperately to forget I what I actually had said to Lexie that night. You’re so beautiful…
“Well, shouldn’t we get bloody on this already?” Isis’s overly impatient voice causes me to look up as the model-like fairy woman takes a seat on the pristine sofa.
Her appearance gets me yet again. “What exactly are you?”
Her sharp eyes cut straight through me as if I just asked to see her completely nude. Galia, on the other hand, simply snickers. “Come on, Isis. Don’t tell you haven’t told him what you are yet? I mean, look at you! I would want to know too if I was a mortal.”
At her words, I look at Galia and quickly took in her garb further which almost seems like some sort of Indian traditional wear. What does she mean if she was mortal?
The Indian girl rummages through the ruffles of her clothing. My eyes watch curiously as a purple and aqua slender glass bottle is held carefully in her hands. The girl named Galia gives me a seditious smile as her eyes flicker with playful yet menacing fire. She places the bottle on a table as Isis scoffs, “Not this bloody farce. I thought you really outgrown your childish tendencies.”
Galia sticks her pink tongue out at the winged woman and then looks to me. “You wonder about our different appearances, don’t you?”
I bashfully nod.
“Take a seat. Everything you need to know is within this bottle.”
I look in wonder at the crystal container as I obligingly take a seat across from them.
“Since Mima is busy,” There’s that name again. “Isis and I will show you everything you need to know.”
Although my mouth is dry, I sputter out, “What is it exactly that I need to know?”
“You’ll see.” A wink flashes across her eyes.
Galia pulls the glass cork from the top of the bottle as purple smoke billow out of the bottle. “Robert?”
I try to look at her as my eyes are still concentrating on the colored smoke that is slowly filling the room. “Yes?”
“Do you believe in magic?”
Bewilderment slaps me across the face as I try to process her question. She continues despite my lack of speech, “No matter. You will believe soon enough.”
With just a flick of her wrist, the smoke moves and transforms as she seemingly controls the color. The smoke condenses and shrinks until there is smoke in the form of a small person on the table. I furrow my brows and try to understand what is happening before me.
“Now Robert,” Galia speaks with enjoyment in her voice. “This figure represents me a genie.”
A genie? I look closer at the figure to see how much the smoke actually resembles her.
“Genies are just one of the many mystics that you will find in your world and the World-Between.” She flicks a wrist again and another smoky form appears. This time the figure emulates Isis. “There are also other mystics such as Isis who are Fatales.”
I look to the gorgeous girl and her eyes roll in indifference.
“There are also sprites such as Susan and Lionel that you met plus their grandmother, Mima.” More purple figures appear as she continues her explanation. “And literally thousands of others.”
Shapes and forms keep popping up as Galia gracefully motions her hands over the smoke. Several forms I recognize from fairytales: mermaids, dwarfs, unicorns, giants, and many others.
“All of these creatures reside in this world between heaven and earth. Heaven is filled with heavenly beings.” Figures with angelic wings appear on one side of the congregation of mystics will regular human shapes appear on the other. “Earth is where mortals reign.”
“But there is a fourth dimension.” Her cheery face becomes glum as grotesque figures form on the empty side where the humans stand. “Hell is where all the demons that haunt the other dimensions originate.”
I intently listen to her words as I try to understand what she is saying. Was I dreaming? There is no possible way that what she is saying is real.
“Well besides, the point.” Galia flicks her hand as all other smoke disappears. All that remains are two figures: one that is clearly a boy and the other a girl. “These two are Lexie and you. You have been chosen to be Guardians of the Glass Harmonica. You need to protect the artifact from Hell’s demons.”
My eyes widen. Partner? With Lexie? I can die inside at hearing those words if this crazy talk is actually even real. What am I kidding? This girl is controlling smoke to tell a story…if not magic then what?
“According to Mima, Guardians are born from a line of the Custos appointed by God.” The two smoke figures are elevated by a smoke pedestal as she casually gestures. “Each are given two abilities in order to fulfill their duties. One is from birth. An ability that is inherited and undeniable. The other is learned through training with complete access to your Guardian potential.”
Galia stops her speech as she looks as if trying to remember something.
“And?” Isis finally speaks as she raises a slender eyebrow. “You’ve forgotten have you?”
“You didn’t even give me the chance to finish!” Galia says in her defense. “I’m not Mima! It took me all night to memorize this!”
“Aren’t you making all genies look bad?”
“I’m not a sprite!”
“And neither am I.”
Suddenly, Galia’s eyes flash with excitement. “I remember something else specifically about Robert but I also remember that there is some things that we are not allowed to tell him.”
“What things?” I am surprised by my own voice. I have been patiently sitting here letting all this information stew inside of me but somehow their conversation feels secretive and I just cannot handle any more secrets.
Isis flashes me a look filled with warning as she hisses at Galia, “Shut it, genie. We’re done explaining.”
My face contorts with frustration as I swallow saliva to keep my throat clear. “I would like to hear what you have to say if it concerns me.”
“Back off, prince.” Isis’s eyes shots at me like an ice cold dagger. “There’s somethings that you are better off not knowing right now.”
He looks instantly forced my mouth close as my heart races. Her entire face is cold and almost devoid of any love or warmth. She’s fantastically beautiful but her soul is frozen. “Why are you so cold?”
I don’t realize that the words leave my mouth until it is too late. She snaps her gaze at me and wickedly grips my heart with the intensity of her eyes. “I remember something. Those Hell’s demons that Galia I was colorfully portraying, they killed your father. He was the former Guardian along with Lexie’s father.”
It’s as if Isis chose this moment to mention the one thing that I have wanted to know all along just to hurt me when I am most vulnerable: trapped in her icy stare. She finally looks away releasing me as I try to catch my breath. What is this woman?
“They killed my father?” It doesn’t take long for the blood to emerge in my mind. “Lexie’s father?”
Galia quietly looks back from to Isis as she finally ventures to speak, “Yes. Your father and her father was one of the Custos. Both were killed by the same menacing force that we are faced with today.”
“Velsing, a power sorcerer, and Vana, his lover, a witch. They both killed both of your fathers nearly twelve years ago.”
My father was murdered. But I never would have fathomed it would be something that is completely magical and demonic that took his life away.
“As for me,” Galia stands and exchanges her solemn face for a cheerier one, “I’m a genie. Let me explain a little about myself, I am not that type of genie that lives in a bottle and grants wishes. I perform magic like my little show from earlier as well spells that are combative and dangerous. What really makes me a genie is my powers are limitless. I can pretty much do anything I want except my magic is limited throughout my life. Once it’s completely drained, my existence is over.”
Her change of attitude takes me away from thoughts of my father and made even more questions about this incredible world surface.
“As for Isis,” Galia begins as Isis gives her a menacing look daring the genie to continue. “Fatales are a rare and quite unique species. She also has magically abilities like my own and other unique abilities…”
“Galia!” Isis is standing tense and ready to attack as a lavish fire roars in her eyes. “That is quite enough. You might feel comfortable exposing yourself but I bloody hell don’t!”
The room is filled with tense air as our breathing is the only thing that is heard.
Suddenly, I feel it. A presence so strong and menacing that my fear shots straight through the roof.
Fatalia is the first one to speak, "Do you feel that Gallia?"
"Yeah. They're here." Gallia and Fatalia run out of the room, through gate, and out of the library as I quickly pursue them unable to shake to awful dread that is crawling all over my body.
Fatalia run across the street, once again, with blonde hair and the outfit before she entered the library. Gallia is dressed more discreetly in skinnies and a loose flowing top. I quickly catch up to them at the opening of a dark alley. I hear heart-wrenching and agonizing whimpering.
Fatalia sticks her arms in a cross in front of her and chants, "Ddod â golau." A bright light shoots out of her palms and fills the dark alley.
Dark shadows quickly move away from a quivering form on the ground. The whimpering from the person decreases and turns her limp body to face our direction. I see the face of my love: Lexie.
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Salutations! For those who have been reading from the start, thank 100 times over! It means the world! I'd love to get to know my fans more (if I really have any lol) But I am so excited to bring you this chapter, I know my editing isn't top notch on this one so please excuse it. Now on to Isis...who all thinks she's hiding something? Hmm? Well, I won't tell you anything just yet but it's actually an important side story! Hopefully it won't take me long to post the next part.
As always,
JS Marie
I am my toughest critic.
P.S. Check out my time traveling dystopian, Martin and Chloe, when you get the chance. It will be awesome!!!!