Eye of The Wyvern

III

2 days until Karissa's 18th birthday

"Okay," Amanda sighed, "tell me again. You were going to the well with your dad.-" "-And I saw a black silhouette figure," Karissa continued Amanda's sentence, "with a white eye and a red eye. Standing behind a house staring at me. "Woah.." Amanda's eyes widened, "that's actually really creepy. I'm glad you felt safe enough to tell me this." Karissa smiled, "I will always tell you everything. You and dad are the only ones I trust in this world."

The girls met up at the lake at their usual spot, their feet dug into the pebbles under the shallow water, white dresses turned slightly clear. "Well, if it makes you feel less weird," Amanda started, "my grandma has been acting really weird lately. She keeps saying that something big is coming, and that I need to be ready." Karissa raised a brow, "That doesn't sound like your grandma." Amanda shrugged, "I don't know. It's really unlike her."

"By the way," she continued, "I heard a rumor there's an Irkhan girl coming to town, and she's about our age!" Karissa sat up straight, "Really?" the girls' eyes sparkled. "We'll greet her with open arms!" Amanda smiled. Karissa nodded as to reply.

* * *

"Almost got it!" Amanda shouted from the trees. Her and Karissa decided to get some fruit to make jelly. Karissa peeked around the tree, trying to see her friend, "I don't think climbing was a good idea, A." Amanda brushed off the comment, seeming levity, "Don't worry so much! I have climbed many trees before--" Just as she was finishing her sentence, a branch cracked beneath her feet, and down she fell.

Karissa gasped, immediately offering aid. "Amanda are you okay?" She cried raucously. Amanda sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in her back, "I'll live," she winced again, "my Mother, that was foolish." Karissa helped Amanda to her feet. "Yeah, that was really fucking stupid of you, A. You could've died and then I would have to carry your body to say 'well.. she decided to be a dumb arse and climb the biggest pear tree she could find'!"

Amanda laughed, "At least I got the fruit." She pointed in front of her to tons of pears scattered on the ground before them. Karissa shrugged and began picking up the fruits, Amanda at her side assisting with the baskets.

By the time they were finished, they had a dozen or more pears, and they proceeded back to the town, Amanda walking with a slight limp in her step. When they passed the well, Karissa caught something from the corner of her eye. She looked over to see a hooded girl reading a book. "Amanda," she pointed to the girl, "who's that?" Amanda looked. "I think that's the Irkahn girl," she raised a brow, "but I'm not certain. Should we talk to her?"

The two decided to introduce themselves. Walking up, Karissa noticed the girl didn't have a normal hood over her head; it seemed layered, and it veiled over her chest and shoulders like a scarf. Amanda crouched next to the stranger, "Whatcha reading?" She smiled. The girl picked her head up, "Um," she sounded shy, "A history book." Karissa crouched next to Amanda, she held out a pear. "I'm Karissa," she said, "and the red head is Amanda. Want a pear?"

The girl smiled warmly, "Sure," she took the pear, "I'm Lorelai. Are you both from here?" The girls nodded. "Nice," she set the pear and her book down in the grass, "I'm from Irkah. Just North of the mountains." Karissa nodded, "We figured since we haven't seen you before. How old are you?" Lorelai adjusted her head scarf, "I'm 16," she smiled, "I'll be 17 in a few full moons closer to Autumn. And you two?"

Amanda raised her brows, thinking Lorelai may have been younger, "Wow," she said, "well you're much older than I thought! I just turned 18 a few weeks ago, and Karissa will be 18 in a couple days." Lorelai looked surprised, "You both look very young," she looked to Karissa, "and happy early birthday, Karissa." Karissa smiled, nodding as a thank you. Amanda stood, "Would you like to help us make jelly?" She asked, "It would be a fun way for us to all bond. We'd like to be your friend!" Lorelai grabbed the book and pear and rose from her seated position, "Of course!" She smiled. Karissa stood with them, picking up the pear basket at her feet, "Follow me." Karissa continued down the trail, Amanda and Lorelai behind her.

When they walked up to the house, Amanda could hear people talking, "Wait!" She whispered to the girls, "Someone's talking to your dad, KK." Karissa, puzzled, peeked in the window. There was Peter, speaking to Amanda's grandmother, another strange man, and a woman. She crouched down, motioning for the girls to join her, "Who are they?" Lorelai mumbled. "I don't know," Karissa said with a hush voice, "the only ones I recognize are my dad and Amanda's grandmother." Lorelai and Amanda shared expressions of confusion. "Let's just listen." Amanda insisted quietly. The three girls put their ears to the door, listening.

"Amanda will not be going." Amanda's grandmother cried, "I will not lose her too!" Her voice sounded angry, almost pain filled. "Rhian," Peter sighed, "think about it. She's gonna find out eventually." Rhian, grandmother, roared, "Absolutely not, Peter! And I would say the same thing about your daughter. These things cannot be introduced to them."

"I can assure your children's safety with us," the strange woman Karissa did not recognize spoke up, "Me and Professor Chasm will keep them there. They will be taken very good care of, and will not be separated." Peter, looked to the woman and back at Rhian. "I will not send Amanda there. She will not follow my son in law's footsteps." A man sighed, the man Karissa saw next to the other woman, "Rhian, Amanda's father was a powerful man. It is only a matter of time before-"

"I think we should continue this another time," Peter interrupted, "Rhian is much too old for this stress. She needs to be resting." He looks at Rhian, "Go home, and do not stress over this. When the time comes, we will decide what is best for the girls. For now, please focus on your health."

Rhian sighed, "Alright," she turned to the door, "I believe the girls are going to come make Pear Jelly. Make sure they don't hurt themselves with the knives." Peter assured her. Karissa's eyes went wide, and she motioned for her friends to hide. The three of them dashed to the side of the house away from Amanda's where Rhian was headed.

As soon as Rhian was away, they quietly circled back around to continue listening. The conversation resumed. "Sir," the woman spoke, "we understand what happened to your wife. And like Amanda's father, Juniper was a very powerful being. Karissa's 18th birthday approaches quickly. The time for action is nigh."

Peter sighed, "And when that time comes, I and Rhian will contact you. For now, please take your leave whilst it is still a good time for it." Karissa took a peek through the window, the man and woman bowed their heads and made their way to the door. Karissa looked at Amanda and Lorelai, and she mouthed Run. The three girls booked it back down the trail to the lake, leaving the pear baskets behind, and not believing what they had just heard. All Karissa could think was Who were those people? And what did our families have planned for us?