Just then a few children came about and started to climb the trees. An elderly lady came out calling them and ushered the stray jumpers into her little cottage at the end of the hillock.
Sia struggled to get something into her mom's mouth. But her mom kept coming in and out of consciousness. Just as she came to her senses the old lady poured in a warm broth down her throat. This perhaps had the desired effect and revived her. But she wasn't out of danger yet.
There was a knock and a small girl about 10 barged in. She said there were few strangely dressed people in the forest nearby. Some of them had been spotted as close as their hillock. The old lady asked Sia and Orla to change their clothes, the strangers were perhaps after them and she had realized that her guests were in danger.
She then went out towards the hill when a few people dressed in green metallic armor and block shoes came running to her. They pointed at the trees and asked her if she had seen anyone come from there. She nodded in the negative. They said that they had spotted what looked like parachutes to which her children said that they belonged to them. But they were not chutes but swings. And true enough a little child climbed on to a swing that was tied using the chute's ropes. The cloth itself had been removed in such a way that it didn't seem like a chute from any angle.
All this the kids had accomplished in a matter of minutes of Sia and Orla's landing. Just as it seemed that all was in control, a soldier announced Rial's arrival.
Rial was the commander in chief of the Ape Kings army. She was a tall rather well built strong woman, and always had what she wanted and how she wanted it. It was rumoured that she was behind the great seige.
Rial demanded to see all the members of the old lady's household. She invited herself to her home. The kids were making a lot of noise, jumping and prancing about. One was tugging at a soldier's elbow while another tied the shoelaces of one's leg to another's. Just as he took a step the entire flock of 6 children burst out laughing. The soldiers were not sure what to do; the kids who were up to such mischief were very small and they were on earth and they were bound by the law not to hurt anyone.
Rial went in and saw Sia sitting by the fire and reading a book. She turned towards Orla who had lost a lot of weight and become pale, and looked unrecognizable. Yet there was a sliver of doubt in Rial's mind, and she decided to put it to rest by testing Orla.
Rial: What's your name?
Orla: my name is Alro
The old lady spoke up, She's my daughter in-law.
Rial: o so you live here? Where's the husband?
Old lady: he left her a few years ago.
Rial: let her answer. Why What's wrong? Can't she talk?
Old lady: she doesn't keep well. Ever since my son left her, she hasn't eaten properly and so I...
Rial: make me a cup of tea will you Alro?
No lady, I don't want anyone to help her.
She wanted to ascertain whether Orla lived in that house and if so she would know her way about the kitchen.
Orla's luck was still by her side. Everything in the kitchen was neatly labelled. She made tea in a jiffy and Rial simply stood there watching.
Rial: I don't have the time to drink tea here. Maybe some other time.
With this she made a gesture to her soldiers to leave. Just as she was about to leave she stopped by the barn and peeped in. All the kids were sleeping. One of the kids was having Orla's newborn and had just about hid him when the door opened. The baby had moved his little hand almost like a wave. It had not caught Rial's attention but before he could do more the boy tucked his hand inside his blanket. Rial closed the door and left. Phew. The boy put the little one back in the incubator and left the sleeping kids in the room.
On the way out, Rial was stopped by the old lady, "What are you searching for? Don't you know the law? You are forbidden to come to earth and trouble us. So now stay off my hill."
Rial seemed for the first time a bit terrified. She left rather apologetically.
YOU ARE READING
Three Shells Paradise
Fantasy[Updates on Tuesdays and Fridays] Shyla woke up dreaming of having a daughter who would cause the world to crumble and yet years later was creating a wish list for her baby shower, having married the man of her dreams. She knew the inevitable would...
