The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 10 - Isle of BastBula

The story so far...

Lady Alva seems like a original silk and steel teacher and has taught Simone more than she ever imagined about the triple-headed Goddess BastBula. Who knew that prayers were like yoga and that positioning your body in certain positions created magical energy? After that Simone had to learn fighting with Lady Brody and write an essay. Not what she expected from a magical coven in an alternate world. Before long time has rolled into summer and Simone is starting to relax.

Has she finally found the home she's secretly yearned for?
And what is she going to do about her mother?

The deep waters rippled and bulged, as if letting off a sweet smelling burp. It was blistering hot outside but the sun's rays couldn't penetrate the cool centre of the Sanctuary. A slender hand wearing a delicate ruby and emerald ring reached out from beneath the surface, gripped the edge of the pond firmly and pulled. Slowly, like easing out of transparent jelly, the chocolate curls and clear amber eyes of the Diplomat emerged.

The dark oil slipped off her, leaving not a trace of damp on her Italian suit. Swiftly, she crossed the small chamber, her heels clicking on its intricate mosaic tiles. From an aerial viewpoint, say, from a hidden spy room hidden in a service tunnel, the mosaic created a spiralling pattern with the pool at its centre forming an inky full stop.

Elizabeth exchanged her smart black suit for a cashmere, dove grey robe. Barefoot, she glided back along the same route, skirting the portal. Her robe barely whispered as she drew apart the curtains hiding the exit.

"Amira!" she said, casually re-sheathing the blade she'd subconsciously drawn. "What are you doing here? I didn't realise you were summoned to the Sanctuary."

"Nor I you, my Lady." Amira stared at her steadily.

"The Diplomat is never summoned," Elizabeth reminded her evenly. Amira dropped her gaze.

"Where are you headed?"

"Back to the apartment my Lady."

Although Elizabeth outranked Amira she couldn't directly ask her what she was doing unless it was to do with one of her orders. Each priestess could be fulfilling multiple missions for different guilds.

"In that case, walk with me."

The two priestesses glided in silence down the carpeted corridor. This far underground it was impossible to tell that outside, the world was in the height of summer.

"Lady Kjallman, is it true the Age of the Dragon is here at last?"

"Amira you know better than to ask that here."

"If not here then where?" Amira sounded sulky.

Alerted by voices, Elizabeth looked up to see a single clutch of Earth Years heading towards them. The hooded leader was walking backwards, using her hands to violently illustrate her story. She was followed by a petite, pale girl with silver eyes that matched her close cropped silver-white pixie cut. Elizabeth easily identified her as one of the Sanctari, the indigenous cave dwellers.

The pale girl was flanked by the unmistakeable tattooed warrior physique of a dolketian and a slender, tall human with a velvety black skull cap of newly grown hair. She heard Amira suck in her breath. Bringing up the rear was a green-tinged sentient whose locks were already shoulder length and bright green.

"I'm sure this level is out of bounds to Earth Years," said Elizabeth, watching the girls hurriedly trying to catch their friend's attention.

"Amira?" She turned around but Amira had disappeared. "Odd," said Elizabeth, turning back to the girls to tell them off.

She looked into a pair of amber eyes very like her own and heard a shocked voice say: "Mum!"

A/N: Ah-oh. Elizabeth has been caught out now! What do you think so far?
Let me know in the comments below and remember the WP applause (clicking on the star to vote). Thanks for coming along for the ride :-).