Dear Ms Lady Demigod: Twelve Days To Doom

6 9 Old Friendships

Adelaida and Annelece walked back to the capital and everyone welcomed her back from the journey. The maids were preparing a grand, rosewater bath, but Adelaida did have any plans to caress herself during those times. Only eleven days! She asked the royal spies to find out about the whereabouts of the twelve heavenly stars. They got to work and asked around the kingdom, while Adelaida got busy with the mythological books and the archives of the Huningin library, a four thousand years old archives of written and spoken records, the speeches, folktales, news and sermons recorded in magical bell jars. 

Annelece brought another stack of books from the upper chambers, "It says we'll find Strength here," She pointed at the east coast on the world map hanging behind them, "Somewhere here, that's where he or she fell, is it a woman or man?" She looked into the book.
"Your highness, that is the Americas. It will take three months by ship to reach there,"
"What if we sail fast?"

Annelece shook his head, "It's impossible to complete the entire journey in twelve days,"
"If I take my pegasus, how long would it take then?"
"Well, you see this ocean. Pegasus can't run in water,"
Adelaida sighed, "Why do horses not have wings,"

"Oh, but there are horses with wings," They heard and saw a black woman walking down the stairs. She wore a purple rove and had dark black, wavy hair. Her skin was black as ebony, her lips were brown and plump, just like her cheeks. She wore black boots and a black hat. She held a sling bag full of books, and a wooden stick in her hands. Annelece looked at her black eyes and thick, black eyelashes. Adelaida moved closer to her, "Really? A flying pegasus?"

"Yes, but they are not called pegasus. They are called Fembrians,"
"Fembrians are a legend. They don't actually exist," Annelece stood beside Adelaida.
She smiled, "Young boy, you do not make the world, how could you know what inhabits it?"
Annelece didn't say anything.

"Have you seen one? A Fembrian?" Adelaida asked.
She smiled, "I have,"
"REALLY?" Annelece and Adelaida yelled.
"I don't believe it!" Annelece gasped, "What do they look like?"
"Are they pretty? Are they big?"
"Are their eyes made of black diamonds?"

"How about you find that yourself?" She walked towards the map hanging on the wall,
"What do you mean, miss?" Adelaida asked.
"That I can take you to one,"
"A Fembrian?" Annecele asked.
"And a heavenly star," She pressed her fingers at the Russian far east, "We have to cross the city of the dead, but if we reach there, we'd find hundreds of Fembrians,"

"Have you been there, miss?"
"Yes," Her eyes seemed to look through the map, "I have. You'd also find a kind-hearted ostler, he is one of the twelve heavenly stars. Very gentle and forbearing. Though, it would be a five-day trip,"
"Then, we must leave immediately! We need to rush to Moscow after finding him by the tenth day! I'll go to the palace and get everything ready. We must leave tonight itself!" 

Adelaida ran and Annelece ran after her. But he suddenly stopped and turned towards the black lady, "Miss, what might be your holy name, if I may ask?"
She smiled, "Feline,"

. . .

Lict passed through a portal, it almost felt viscous, like heavy oil or something of a mix between water and oil. It was difficult to walk through it but he finally did and reached the other end, Moscow. He fell down as he came into the air environment and looked behind at the pale yellow portal, "The portals..." He knew something was wrong, and it had something to do with the collapse. He got up and looked ahead at the Obolensky mansion. 

It looked nothing like he had left it. It was now cleaned, the soot from that fire had been cleaned off, the gates were re-painted, the blood for the walls was washed off, there were street lights outside the gate now, and the garden looked well maintained. The grass and the trees surrounding the mansion were trimmed and green. He looked at the guards standing outside the gates and bowed, "I am here for Akagi Scheczalier,"