Fruit of the Elements

Chapter Four

I awoke to a hand on my shoulder gently shaking me awake.

"Your Majesty? Princess? Lillian? Finally... Sorry to awaken you but it is time to prepare and leave on our journey." Cailean's voice sounded from above me and I turned over, feeling very aware that I was only wearing small shorts and a tank top. Even though the duvet was pulled around me my face still heated as it flushed red in embarrassment. Noticing my attire and tomato-like face Cailean back away from the bed and looked at the floor instead, "Sorry Princess I should have thought before entering, of course... I'll leave you to ready yourself." With an awkward nod of his head Cailean backed out of the room, but not before clumsily knocking over a couple of books from my desk and having to stop and pick them up. He ineptly bowed and quickly walked away.

I let out a small laugh and got up to shut the door. Once I had picked out what I was going to wear, a faded pair of jeans and a T-shirt that I had received as a gift for volunteering over the summer a few years ago for over 24 hours all together, I walked to my wardrobe and opened a little drawer in it that was hidden behind my other clothes. In the drawer was a small black box that, on the inside, was lined with blood red velvet. As I opened the box my eyes passed over what sat inside it. A stunning necklace was settled in the little box, it was a small pendant about the size of a quarter. It was a silver pendant on a silver chain that when it was around my neck it sat just below my collar bone. What made the piece of jewelry so special was two things. One, in the middle of the engraved silver sat a jewel that could only be described as hypnotic. It resembled an opal but was blue and red with flecks of pink and orange; as though the galaxy was held in its fiery depths.

The other reason it was so special was that apparently when I was brought to my mother and Cyrus that day in the park the necklace was fastened around my neck. Mom didn't tell me about it until she told me about my real mother. Ever since then I had kept it safe in my closet and every so often I would take it out and just hold it in my hand, wondering where I had come from. Now that I knew I wouldn't be back for awhile and I could ask someone about it, I clipped the necklace around my neck and let the cool metal touch my pale warm skin.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around myself, looking at the room I had grown up in. Many tears had been shed in that room and memories had been made. I'm not sure I can leave... I thought to myself. That room had been my sanctuary when I wouldn't speak to anyone. I know it sounds dumb, but it was like the room and I had bonded because of my struggles. I knew things about my bedroom that nobody else did. Like how in freshman year when I brought home James Ackerwood to 'study' in my room, we really just made out for a couple of hours. Or that behind the white bookcase by the window there was a huge crack in the wall where I had gotten angry and lightning had shot from my fingers, resulting in said crack in wall... There was just so much fondness for this one room that it was ridiculous. With a final look at the framed pictures and bobbles scattered around the blue sanctuary I walked to the door and shut it. Leaning against it I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"Lilli? You okay?" I heard Kyle's voice down the hall and saw him looking at me with a sympathetic expression.

"Yeah, I guess I'm just really nervous about this whole journey-to-another-world-to-fight-a-war-that-may-or-may-not-save-said-world..." I tried to put on a convincing smile but Kyle just rolled his eyes and walked towards me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head into his chest. He did the same around my shoulders and tried to comfort me, "I take that back, I'm really nervous about this, I'm kind of terrified." Letting out a deep chuckle he gave me a squeeze and brought a little space between us.

"You know, I'm kind of scared too? Okay don't gave me that look, you look way too unsurprised. But seriously, I am nervous. Mainly for you and mom but I am. But I have to look at you and realize why I'm even getting involved with this. You are the strongest girl I've ever seen and you have no idea how much I look up to you kiddo, even though you're only like 5'2."