The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 31 - Back at Sanctuary

Elizabeth made Simone sing the ritual name of the Isle of BastBula with her. It wasn't a quick or easy process and involved long periods of frustrating silence.

Simone fidgeted. "What's that? It looks like a rosary."

"A paidirean. Celtic prayer beads"

Simone stared at the gleaming gold spiral hanging from the string of precious stones. "It's pretty. Can I have it?"

"Simone, be quiet." Elizabeth sounded exasperated. "We have to get you back."

"How does it work?"

She sighed. "The same as your data crystal but more sensitive and with greater power. It has 150 beads split into five sections. You work it out. Now concentrate."

Simone did. As they sang in harmony with eyes closed she could feel the sound waves moving through her body. They became waves crashing against black sand beaches. She could hear birds and the familiar rat-tat-tat of waterfalls. The smell of giant fern rain forests, orchids and banana trees engulfed her. The towering extinct volcano that was Sanctuary welcomed her.

Simone felt a cool dry kiss on her forehead. As if it had broken a seal of silence a bubble of voices surrounded her, with her mother's loudest in her ear. "Open your eyes. You're back. I must go now. And Simone... try not to get into trouble. You've just got to get through Winter."

Then Elizabeth was gone, leaving Simone in the middle of the teeming Mecca to try find her clutch. 

Slightly, raised, round granite tables had replaced Autumn's formal, high backed wood and leather chairs, and matching banquet tables. Small stools, made more comfortable with plumped red and orange cushions, surrounded each, protecting posteriors from the chill. Finally, the lovely wisps of gauze shielding skin from the sun had transformed into large komodo skin pagodas, to protect diners from any sudden squall or snow.

Simone darted through groups of gossiping girls, catching fragments of conversation. "Did you really get possessed?"; "What was it like?"; "Were there any cute boys on the other world?"; "What are you wearing?".

The last question was from Nada as Simone threw herself on a stool and leant over to give Joli the biggest hug. She noticed the dolketian didn't return it.

"Long story," said Simone, adding: "Joli, you look fantastic! I can't believe it actually worked."

Alexia was less than forgiving. "No thanks to you. Where were you? I thought you couldn't wait to abandon us. Why did you come back?"

"Easy Alexia. Maybe I was just possessed like you."

"But you weren't."

"How do you know?"

"Your clothes." Then she looked over at Bloduewedd and nodded. "And Due. We were worried so we asked her to flash for you."

Simone was outraged. 'Due! You told me you'd never do that. You know what, never mind, I'm famished."

Simone stared greedily at the food on the table. There was creamy porridge slowly simmered with some type of sweet dried fig, wild honeycomb and rice milk made only on the Isle. A hint of nutty spice topped it. Next to that were stacks of steaming freshly baked, toasted bread; butter and an assortment of jewel-coloured jams made from exotic fruits.

She rebuffed their questioning stares with an open hand. "Food first, then answers."

"No. You owe us an explanation Simone." Alexia's mouth was thinner than Simone had ever seen it.

She swallowed a mouthful of hot porridge that melted in her mouth then ticked off the questions on her fingers.

"Where was I? Good question. About to assassinate my family.