Sister

5 - In Which A Discussion Is Had

"What is this?" a plump woman greeted them at the campsite. Her electric blue curls flicked erratically with the woman's head as it turned between the three girls, before settling on Babie expectantly. 

"Mum, this is Sister," Babie introduced, "She's a Blessed Child who lives near here."

The woman's attitude changed immediately, "A Blessed Child!" She ran over to what Sister could only assume was her husband, who was tending to a roaring campfire, and began tapping his shoulder excitedly, "Look Harold! Another Blessed Child!" The woman was in front of Sister again and taking her hand, "Oh it's so exciting to meet another Blessed Child. And on our way to the The Sealing, no less."

By this time the man had made his way over to the woman and placed an arm affectionately over her shoulders. She was the perfect height for him to rest his arm on her comfortably as he was just over a head taller than her. Sister studied the couple as the woman continued to tell the man how excited she was. 

The woman was slightly short, Sister standing at the same height. Her face was round, with full cheeks and slightly pointed nose. Her almond shaped eyes sparked merrily behind long, thick lashes. They were the same colour as Alix and Babie's eyes and her natural blue hair matched as well. There was no doubt they were family. She was exceedingly bright, wearing an almost fluorescent yellow cardigan over a white t-shirt tucked into high-rise light blue jeans. The ensemble seemed to match the excitable woman. The man, by contrast, was dressed simply, with a forest green t-shirt and long kakis. His oval face sported a massive smile above a short, well kept beard. His hair was kept short, except for a circle of matted black curls on the top of his head. A pair of large round, silver wire framed glassed rested on his wide nose, framing his dark brown eyes, crinkled with mirth.

"Honey," the man interrupted, flicking his eyes towards Sister. He seemed to be telling the woman something and she seemed to understand because her tirade stopped and she looked a little embarrassed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the woman chuckled, "I'm Merry Carlson. Feel free to call me Merry, sweetheart." She tilted her head to rest on the man's shoulder and looked up at him adoringly, "And this is my wonderful husband, Harold." Sister thought the name 'Merry' suited the woman too well.

"Oh, Bluebird, you're just too sweet," the man cooed, nuzzling the woman.

"That's cause I just love you so much, Honey," Merry replied, turning to fully face Harold, rubbing her nose against his.

"Mum! Dad!" Babie looked embarrassed

"With good reason," Sister thought, weirded out by the public affection. Both parents rolled their eyes, but thankfully the nuzzling stopped.

"So how do you know Babie and Alix?" Merry smiled at Sister.

"Actually," Babie answered, stepping in front of Sister, "I have something to tell you two. Sit down." The family moved to the campfire where a grouping of chairs was set up. Alix silently offered Sister one as Babie paced between the fire and the chairs, waiting for everyone to sit and seemingly trying to figure out how to explain the situation.

"What is it, Duckling?" Merry tilted her head as she waited.

Babie took a deep breath and stopped to face her family, "There was a woman watching us in the woods and when I saw her, she ran away and," Babie seemed to brace herself, "I chased after her."

"Babie." Harold shook his head.

"Why would you go and do that?" Merry fussed.

"I just wanted to know what she was doing!" Babie quickly defended.

"But Duckling-"

"I know, Mum. It was dumb." Babie accented, "But can I tell you the rest?" As Merry nodded, Babie continued, "Well, I thought I lost her, but then she was suddenly in front of me an placed something to my head before running off again." Sister leaned closer at this new information. "When I caught up with her again, she had been tackled by Sister. I called out to her, but she ran off again. So I chased her again. But just as I got close to Sister, there was this huge blast of energy. We didn't know what happened, but somehow, I think we have swapped Blessings."

There was silence for a moment as Merry and Harold seemed to be absorbing the information. 

"What does that mean, Ducky?" Merry finally questioned quietly.

Babie sighed, "I have no idea, Mum," she collapsed onto a chair near her family, "I tried to use my Blessing, but I can't summon any fire or ice."

"What do we do then?" asked Harold, leaning forward to pat his daughter's back gently. Sister sat in silence as she watched. The Carlsons were taking the news really well. Sister wasn't sure if they were just always that supportive or if they had no idea what swapped Blessings really meant.

"I don't know what to do," Babie admitted, accepting the comforting touches of her parents.

Sister had enough of the pity fest. "We have to find a way to swap back."

"How?" Babie startled, looking confused, "Do you know a way?"

"No idea," Sister shrugged and stood from her chair, pacing back and forth as she thought, "You said that woman placed something to your head? Could it have been the rock I found?"

"I suppose. I didn't really get a look at it, though. I felt like I was frozen or something."

"I think," Sister's pacing steadily became faster as she worked her way through the situation, "Somehow, that woman used the rock to drain your Blessing. When she dropped it and I picked it up, something happened and the Blessing shot out."

"But then why did we swap?"

"Maybe the rock was still syphoning. So when I touched it, the rock tried to take my Blessing too, but they didn't mix and that's why the energy wave shot out at us, and in the process, our Blessings get mixed."

"I suppose it's a theory. I've never heard of a rock that could do that though."

"Me neither," Sister slumped back onto her chair, headache forming behind her temples. She frowned and rubbed at the spot.

"If we don't know what happened, how can we swap back?" Babie seemed just as lost as Sister. Though Sister wondered why it was up to her to have all the answers when she knew just as much as the others.

"I have no idea. We need help." Sister struggled to come up with who could possibly help. She dropped her hands and looked at the family, "What about the Monastery in the capital? At Anchora? The High Priest may be able to tell us what to do to get our own Blessings back."

Babie nodded, "It's a good a plan as any. To Anchora then?" Sister watched as the family nodded in support of the plan, patting Babie's hands to comfort her through the unexpected situation. Sister felt a pang go through her. She stiffened and pushed the feeling away, nodding at the family.

"To Anchora."