Shadow's Kiss

Chapter 5

It took three days for the snow to stop. Then another two, before the travelers arrived. Once the snow stopped, the village was so busy, everyone running around to prepare, that classes was cancelled. Instead, she had helped Jeremy, along with Lily, and another young man named Mark to prepare enough bread, sweets and pastries to trade and feed a hundred people.

The bakery was so busy, the snow on top and around the bakery melted.

When she wasn't helping Jeremy, she had helped the village by shifted into an elephant, and helped the men shovel heavy mounds of snow. Several hours it took to clear a large enough space to hold the vendors.

Then it was back to baking. Then it was helping Kelis with harvesting herbs and poultice before the cool weather could harm them.

By the time the vendors came, she was exhausted. She even slept threw them arriving.

Lily saved the day by running into her room, the children in tow calling her name.

"they're here! They're here! Oh, the carts look so beautiful!" lily said as artemis threw on a white dress with a cream shawl.

The children where jumping on her bed. She pulled on her worn leather boots and exited with lily, the children on her heels.

"oh, you ladies look beautiful! Jeremy better watch out or a trader will snatch you and take you away." It was Kelis words that she noticed that lily also donned a pretty dress of lavender, with a light blue shawl, and darker purple gloves. Her brown hair was twisted and laying over one shoulder, the strands making her face look soft.

"oh, lily you do look pretty." Artemis said, taking her hand. She blushed.

"mom let's go! They are out there." Ella called. Lily sighed.

"I'm coming children."

"remember hat I said, Ella, Ellen. When they are here, don't ask artemis for any reindeer rides, monkey kisses, bunny pets, anything, understand?" they nodded sombrely.

"we promise, grandma Kelis." They said together, then they ran out the door.

"here, artemis. Grab something for your self. Maybe a new book?" Kelis said, handing her some coins.

She smiled following lily outside. The snow hurt her eyes for a moment as she got adjusted, then ran down the stairs into the snow.

Vendor after vendor came into the center, horses and donkeys pulling their carts, carts that where all the color of the rainbow. Vendors ranged from women to men, from as young as fifteen to old as sixty-five.

Oh, she was so excited, she was shaking in her boots.

Something caught her eye, a dark smudge against the white pristine of the snow. She turned to look, but her eyes couldn't quite make it out...

A man... with a hood... no face?

What you looking at? Artemis jumped at storms voice in her mind.

"nothing!" she squeeked, rounding on her companions. A man with no face? God, she must be more tired then she thought.

"let's go! They are just setting up! I see a candy booth!" ellen yelled, grabbing her sister's hand, and they both took off to the pink wooden vendor. Lily sighed, and started to go after them, but they both saw Jeremy waving his wife over.
"Go ahead, lily. Ill take care of them." She smiled at her, and clasped her hand.
"Thank you so much, Artemis. Don't let them buy any sweets until i get back. Gods know I don't want them on a sugar high." She took off toward her bakery.
She looked down at storm, who looked up at her. "Guess we should go after them, right?"
They need to be locked in a room and run around until they go to sleep. Storm said.
Artemis laughed as they walked threw the snow. A bird flew from tree to tree, the sweet tweet ringing in her ears. Before she wished she could be free, fly and never stop. But since leaving the circus, and coming here, she has begun to realize she just wanted to be free from that situation. Coming to the village, being free to be who she is, she is happy to be apart of the village. Who knows, maybe she will find her own baker and settle down here.
Smiling at the prospect, they caught up to the children, who where talking the candy merchants ear off as the merchant set up his table.
They where already filled with brightly coloured suckers, sweet gummy candies, and to her eternal delight, chocolates.
"Girls, maybe we should look around and let the man set up his booth, yes?" She asked them. They nodded glumly. "Come, maybe we can find a pretty dress or some necklaces?" They walked happily around the carts, watching as vendors where preparing and setting up.
A shiver went up her spine as the feeling of being watched erupted.
Storm, do you feel anything? Smell anyone following us?
No. To many smells. Storm hung back and started paddding away. Ill follow and check. Continue on.
A particular stand caught her eye, and she stopped. The girls continued to dance around running from stand to stand. She kept a side eye on them, but she trailed her fingers over the book titles. They where older, only a small amount of them with the vendor.
She picked up a small book, the back writing about how a young girl lived in the sea, and fell in love with a man on land.
She sighed. It would be interesting to see if she was able to turn into an animal of the sea, and the thrill of exploring places that no human she has come across has explored.
The girls where getting agitated, so she put the book down and snatched Ella as she ran past her, and threw her over her shoulder. She smacked her tiny hands against her back, shrieking.
"Put me down!" She squeeld. Ellen jumped at her waist to save her sister, but she grabbed her and swung her over her other shoulder. The children wiggled and kicked the air and slammed their fists against her, but after growing up hefting seventy-five pound sacks over her shoulder, they where nothing.
"Put us down!" Ella screamed.
"Nope. Not until you calm down, and walk with me, holding my hands." She said, and started walking.
'We will never give!" Ellen cried, and started up her pounding again. Artemis continued down the path, and nodded to merchants who glanced at the sight strangely.
She ended back at the candy vendor, who was now set up and helping other villagers bag their purchases.
"Oh look at all the candy." She said above the racket. The girls went instantly quiet. "Have a good day mr. candy man." She called as she continued, angling the girls so they are able to see the candy vender as she walked away.
"No! Please, auntie Artemis! Please! We will behave! I promise!" She paused at Ella's words.
"You promise? Ellen? How about you?" She asked.
"Never. I will never concceed." She muttered stubbornly.
"Oh well. I'm sure they will be back next year. If they decide to come back." She took a few more steps, until the two girls screamed in surrender.
"We both will behave." They promised simultaneously.
"Alright. I trust you." She then unceremoniously dumped them into a near by snow bank.
They rolled out of it, completely covered in snow. They started running towards the vendors, but stopped.
They turned around, and quietly, each twin took one of her hands.
"Much better." She said, and led them over to the vendor.
Their eyes widened as they took in all the sweets. They then started resorting to sweet talk, and batting of their large green eyes up at her, begging to buy something.
Artemis tried to be strong. She really did. Or, thats what she would tell Lily later. When her children where where lily didn't want them to be. On a sugar high.
She used the coins to buy the children some sweets, and her, some chocolate.
The chocolate goop was so good, but these where even better.
"Arti! Ella! Ellen! You better not have those sweets!" All three froze at lily's call.
"Hide your sweets!" She whispered, and the girls started shoving their sacks in their skirt pockets. "Go and be sweet to your mom. Distract her." She then turned the girls, and unleashed the beasts.  They squealed and attacked their mom with a vengeance.
She slipped away, disappearing into a crowd of people. Mostly the venders where all set up and more objects where in view.
Cloth of every colour, jewels of every size, it was dazzling. She recognized most of them from what the doxie's wear, but she had a feeling that unlike those, these where real.
The next one was dried herbs and seeds. She marveled at all the variety.
These ones are from the southern Provence, And these ones are from across the dark sea!
"Kelis will love these!" She murmured, collecting some of the seeds and dried herbs. After handing over the coins, she received a small brass coin in return.
Crossing her fingers she went over to the book merchant, and asked the merchant how much for the story.
"Two silver pieces." Her shoulder slumped, but she pasted a smile on her face.
"Thank you so much!" It literally pained her to walk away, but she did. She clutched kelis plants as she walked toward home.
Surprisingly, storm was no where to be seen.
She spotted kelis waalking around her home, sprinkling salt on every surface of the house. Concerned for her, she ran over.
"Kelis, what are you doing? It's to cold for you to be out here." She called. Kelis ignored her, continuing on.  "Hey, come on, lets get inside." She said, wrapping her arm around her shoulders.
she was murmuring something under her breath, a language she never heard before. It was lyrical, and almost... hypnotic.
Her mind became fuzzy, and she lost all track of time and space around her. The words seemed to echo around in her mind.
If she listened for a little more... she might be able...to...
like a bubble bursting, she was brought back to her body. She and kelis where standing in front of their door, salt covering the bottom door frame.
She glanced around wildly, a little afraid of what just happened.
She shuffled kelis, who was a lot more compliment, into her home. As soon as. The door was closed though, kelis collapsed.
"Kelis!" Artemis cried, and dropped to her knees beside her. "Kelis, wake up! What happened? Are you hurt?"
She gave a small moan, her eyes fluttering open. Her bright blue eyes where dull, lines of exhaustion branching from her eyes and mouth, her skin pale.
"Hold on, ill help you." Not caring about her clothes, she changed into a large ape. Another one of the books Lily had shown her.
With her new found strength, she carried her into her room and placed her gently on the bed. Switching back, she pulled the covers over her.
"Kelis, tell me what's wrong. Tell me what to do, I don't know what to do!" She cried. I don't know what to do!
"Just.  Need. Rest." She whispered. She lowered the candle, then ran into the kitchen and started to boil some water. When the girls where sick, lily and kelis had made them some tea, and soup. Kelis has several teas,  lined up on the counter. What did they use?  Some mint... and camil? Chamel? She yanked stompers off of the top of jars, smelling and looking at the herbs. It was a yellow flower... with a honey smelll...
The fourth jar she opened was just the one. She poured them into the cup, then several mint leaves and started pouring. The water into it. It made a really weird colour, the smell overwhelming.
She carefully walked into the bedroom, and put it on the table beside her. "Kelis,  i made tea. Please, drink some. It's mint and camel." She urged, sitting. Beiside her on the bed.
Kelis moaned a little bit, her eyes fluttering. She brought the tea over to her and helped her sit up, then coughed.
"Here, please drink." She urged. Slowly, tentivly, she took small mouthful, then coughed. She went back against her pillows, and Artemis panicked even more. Isn't the tea suppose to energize her? Make her more comfortable? She only looked paler and exhausted.
"Stay here, I'm going to get Lily, maybe someone else from the village. Just stay here." She went to get up, but kelis grabbed her hand, stoping her.
"Don't...leave..." she patted her hand gently.
"It will be ok.the snow isnt started and she is home. Ill be ok, and bring them back." She left the room, pulled on her pants and tunic and threw on her shawl, voting more for speed then for pripoitary.
She pullled on her leather boots, arched the door then hesitate. 
Please, be ok. I don't want her to die.
She opened the door and took off.
The sun had set, venders had put up lanterns as the last of the villagers where shopping.
Artemis didn't see Lily, nor the lights on in the bakery.
She turned in the direction of their house. She still hasn't seen storm either, and she sent out a call as she ran.
Nothing. What is going on today?
Her panic rising, she started to run up the dark path.
Please let her be home. Please let someone be home!
Something whispered behind her, sending a chill down her spine. She whirled around, but there wasn't anything behind her. Something clicked on her upper arm, and a familiar sensation went threw her body, and she realized what it was.
She whirled around. Something stood before her.
She wasn't sure what it was. It had a human figure, but blurred at the edges of its body, a hood covering their head, but she was unable to see the face. Chills ran down her spine.
Maybe there wasn't a face.
Before she could scream, it jumped at her.