The Unlikely Girl.

Evoke the Welsh You!

"First, you must learn Welsh pronunciation. It is not "TILE-WYTH-TEG". It is "TAHL-WITH-TEG". Second, Tylwyth Teg Academy is the Welsh Academy for the children and descendants of fairies. The former group is called the "Plant hudol" and the latter, "Disgynyddion" which is pronounced as "DIS-GAHAHNYON".

Then Sandra did Something. She replied to Lady Anna, but not in English. In some other language. Sandra closed her eyes and thought and a word appeared in her mind- WELSH.

Sandra had said "Da". Somehow, she knew that it meant "Good".

But Lady Anna didn't seem to be surprised. Instead she said,

"Thought so. Disgynyddions usually have Welsh already in them. They don't have to be taught. They just need to be spoken to, frequently, in Welsh."

"So, I just to evoke the Welsh me?"

"Yes, something like that."

Lady Anna blankly stared at Sandra's face for two minutes. It felt like Lady Anna was crawling under her skin, trying to get all her secrets out. Her stare pierced through Sandra's skull, digging out information. It was as if she was losing control over her own self and she was like a puppet whose threads were being pulled by Lady Anna.

She roughly shook herself and screamed in her mind, "GET OUT OF IT, SANDRA JOHNSON!"

She suddenly realized that she had fallen from her chair. Blood now rapidly surged through her veins and her eyes were watering.

"How did you do that?"

Now, Lady Anna was surprised.

Sandra was confused. She suddenly felt very tired as if she had done a Herculean task.

"Do what?"

"I have a talent of reading the minds of people. But this is not in my control. At random times, suddenly something urges me to read someone's mind and I do so. This technique has been passed down in my family, and only in my family, for centuries. This is a very powerful technique! Till today, nobody has managed to break out of the control and the grip that I have over their minds. You, Sandra, are the first one", Said Lady Anna slowly and carefully, not missing out to notice how Sandra reacts.

"And............ Is that good or bad?"

"It is good. It says you are powerful. But...."

"But?"

"It can have an adverse effect on your body. It will drain your strength rapidly and if done continuously, it can fade your existence."

"Fade my existence? What does that mean?"

"It means that your soul will start to escape from your physical form."

"That basically means I will die."

"If you would like it in that way", said lady Anna, shrugging.

"So, the Academy is like school for the Plant Hudol and Disgynyddion. They have normal classes, teachers and exams. You will have to attend these from tomorrow onwards. But the classes will not be the same for you. You and some special students will have to learn what other normal students learn, not in 3 years, but in 3 months."

"Are you so kidding me?", yelled Sandra. This was ridiculous!

"You must be grateful that you have been chosen for the task!"

"What task?"

"Oh, yes! I completely forgot to tell you the story- "

"Benjamin has brought tea for Lady Anna and Lady Sandra!"

The boy came rushing into the room but being careful so that the tea doesn't spill from the cups into the tray.

"Thank you, Benjamin!", Sandra told him, warming his heart with her smile.

"Benjamin, thank you. Where are Cerys and Bethan?"

"They are in the kitchen madam! Munching on biscuits and tarts that Benjamin had saved for himself, I bet!", said the little boy angrily. He said so with crossed arms and creased eyebrows.

"Poor boy! Call Bethan and Cerys now", said Lady Anna, with an actual kind voice. Wow. Such a surprise.

"Now, to tell you the story Lady Sandra, the Lord of Wellington must have briefed you about Mary Merrick and how it started with Mary Grey and her friend, who happened to be Aunt Mab's, that is Queen Mab's sister. That friend is my aunt, Mary Willoughby."

"Yes, he did. But, why did there have to be so many MARYs?"

"Oh! Just a very common name amongst British and Welsh royalty. But, that is not important. What is important is that Lady Mary Merrick is in grave danger."

"And let me guess. I have been appointed to save her."

"Yes. She has been captured by Aunt Mary Willoughby's husband, Donovan Willoughby. Our sources have told that she is being kept currently in the Mynydd y Twr", Lady Anna told with a serious expression on her face.

"But where is this Mynydd y Twr and, is it a town or something?

"My dear, the Mynydd y Twr is a prehistoric fort in the town of Holyhead. In Wales."

"So that means once I am ready and finished with my training at the Academy, I will have to go to Wales, to rescue my ancestor. Is that right?"

"Yes, you will be our gwaredwr. Dewch ymlaen. Gadewch i ni weld eich dosbarth. Wyt ti'n Barod?"

Sandra again closed her eyes and thought. She could see everything clearly. There in her mind appeared the words-

"Yes, you will be our saviour. Come on. Let's go see your classroom. Are you ready?"

Sandra opened her eyes and spoke calmly and clearly-
"Rwyf yn barod"

*I am Ready*

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