Mirror Me

32: Hidden Agenda

Arriving at the Portly Brother's caravan was a welcome relief. After spending the night in a sideways carriage hungry and thirsty, the thought of a cozy little upright house on wheels and the promise of a meal made all the trouble feel worth it.

The caravan cute with its green curved roof and white painted sides possessed a certain whimsical charm about it that I could not describe. I imagined it looked like an old gypsy wagon, one I had seen at a fair once. On the sides in gold lettering were the words, PORTLY BROTHERS GOODS AND WARES. A beat up old horse sulked in front by the door. It snorted when we approached. Upon reaching the small caravan, I began to wonder how the two large brothers could possibly fit comfortably inside such a small space; even if they could turn into pigs, this seemed unreasonably difficult. Yet, my concerns soon vanished when Stan opened the door to let me inside.

The space seemed to triple in size; appearing like a large wide room rather than a small cramped wagon. It reminded me much of the stories and television shows I had known back on Earth about magical spaces that looked small on the outside and big on the inside.

"Wow," I said glancing all around at the strange bits and bobs in the caravan. My finger tapped a dangling arrangement of glass ornaments. They clinked together and lit up many different colors. "It's so magical and bigger than I thought!"

"It's enchanted," said Bran as he entered with Owen draped over his shoulder. "Stole it from a witch many years ago when she tried to swindle us out of money. Yes. I'd say we got best part of deal, wouldn't cha agree?" He placed Owen gently on the couch by the round window. I nodded in agreement.

"We don't really eat meat," said Stan pulling out some fruits and veggies from the cupboard. "But chu be welcomed to eat y'ur fill of fruit. Got some water in that jug over yonder. In the morning, we will head east to Tempestmist. We have plans to meet someone and would be most thrilled to have chu come along. If chu need us, we be outside."

"Thank you, Stan and Bran. You have been most kind."

"Anythin' for a Mirrorbender even if chu be a human beasty." Both brothers bowed. Turning into pigs, they exited the caravan.

I spent the day caring for Owen, watching him sleep, and scrub his face free of dirt. Every few hours I snacked on some fruit filling my empty belly. Even with the access of food at my fingertips, it was nothing compared to my mother's home cooking; a part of my life I had come to miss.

While laying a dampened rag over Owen's head, I noticed the white diamond tattoo on his shoulder. I had seen Owen sporting it when I saw him shirtless that first morning. I had forgotten about it and never got around to asking him what it meant. Looking at it closer I could tell it was not white at all but a sparkling silver.

As evening came, tiredness overcame me. I snuggled next to Owen hoping by morning he would awake. Lying there and drifting off into dreamland, I began replaying of the Portly Brothers tune and their dance in my head A smile graced my lips before succumbing to a deep motionless sleep. Like before when I dreamed, the dream took a sudden shift to a darker more unpleasant vision of the Portly Brothers. In my dream, the two brothers stood nervously outside a large building half hidden in mist. The door opened before them, and a fiercely beautiful woman gilded in rose gold walked out.

"A Mirrorbender has recently entered Tartarus," said the woman. "My master has need of her, but I want her for myself. You two pigs have served me well enough to be trusted with this special mission. Not only should you continue to bring wanderers into my town, but should you stumble upon the Mirrorbender, bring her and only her to me. Do this correctly, and I will reward you handsomely. Fail me, and it will be the end of you."