4 AM Forever

Daughters of Prophecy

"Aelfric, if you please just listen, Freyla can explain everything." A small girl says. She looks almost mousy, with her short brown hair and small figure.

Aelfric paces in front of his desk.

"Kreyla, you realise that you and your sister have betrayed the trust of The Royals. You have endangered them." He says stopping in front of her. She lowers her head, "Yes, Aelfeic. I know." She says. Kassie's heart races, she doesn't know why, she wasn't in trouble. She felt sick.

"When?" Aelfric says sternly.

"Two to three months time." Kreyla says looking at Olivia and Kassie with tears streaming down her face.

"Now the punishment for betrayal is death, Kreyla." He says.

"No!" Kassie says, standing.

"Death is not an option. There are already too many Fay dying for us. We don't need anymore on our hands." Olivia says standing up and putting a hand on Kreyla's shoulder. Aelfric smiles. He wipes Kreyla's tears and mentions her to stand.

"Thank you Kreyla. You may go." He says, walking around his desk.

"Spoken like true Royals." He says opening a drawer. "Foolish Royals just like your grandparents." He holds the same daggers he gave to ashton so many days again.

"Killing blades." He says handing them to Kassie and Olivia. "You will be trained in fighting with these and long blades."

"Whats it say?" Olivia asks running her fingers over the engraving.

"Ní bheidh muid ag titim. We will never fall." He says. "Name your blades and it will serve you until the day you die." He waves his hand and dismisses them.

***

"Got called into the Head Fay's office and all I got was this crummy knife." Ashton jokes, trying to lighten the mood. Kassie smiles a little but sighs.

"You know if you didn't object, Kreyla and her sister would have died." Ashton says putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Foolish Royals." Olivia says putting her blade on the coffee table.

"He's only worried, Liv. He wants you guys to be better than most Royals we've had." Ashton says, squeezing her hand.

"Like our grandparents, or our parents." Kassie says, putting her head in her hands. Mikey scoots closer to Kassie.

"They were good people, Kassie." He says putting his arm around her.

"Just like you and Olivia." He says kissing her temple.

"And soon Orlaith and her Fay are gunna come after us." Olivia says, "How is it that the Darkside is better than the Lightside?" She sighs taking a sip of her coffee.

"Come on, there's someone you should meet." Ashton says pulling Olivia to her feet and Mikey follows standing bringing Kassie with him.

***

Aston drove up a side street, up a hill. Going along, the road turns into a dirt drive and soon trees cover the road.

"And this is where they kill us." Olivia jokes from the front seat. Ashton chuckled and grabs her hand.

"Babe, that will never happen." He says kissing her hand and Olivia smiles. They pass the water fountain. Flowers and ivy climb the sides of the big house. Ashton parks in front of a wood porch that lead to big black double. Things hanging from the porch roof, jingle as the wind kicks up. As they get out, one of the black doors opens and out steps an old lady.

"Oren, Gealach, what brings yo-" she stops as Olivia and Kassie walk around the jeep. Her eyes grow wide. "Daughters of prophecy." She says. She jingles as she steps down a step toward them.

"You've finally come." She says reaching out for them. She takes their hand in hers

"I'm Trylia. Follow me."

***

"Sit." She says pointing at a round table. She walks to a book case. She skims each book, her finger landing on a wide book, with gold worms scrolling the binding.

"ré órga: tuar." Ashton whispers to Olivia. "Golden Age: Prophecy." He adds.

"Eolande and Nerida. The Royals. Blow." She says holding the book out to them. They hesitate but do. The dust flies in the air. The cover flies open along with several pages.

The pages slow and stop on a page that is written in gold.

"Have a read." Trylia says placing the book in front of them.

"Royals, the Fay world will born two Fay royal. One, light. One dark." She looks at Kassie. "They choose their side influenced by others, those close and those they meet. One will change a chosen to light, the other will choose the dark, to keep loved ones safe, though one is lost to light." Olivia finishes.

"Well that's cheery. Can't they say who is who?" She says pushing the book away.

"Do not mock the prophecy. You mother, and your father, were also Royals. Do not think you won't follow their footsteps." She warns pointing at the girls.

"There is another, to whom it warns I don't know." She says leafing through the pages. She stops on a page with leaves and flowers decorating the page. With only two sentences. Trylia reads,

"Follow your heart, your mind can be mislead. Follow the touch, the eyes can deceive." She looks at them.

"Heed the words, my children."