At the Crossroads. Book 1

Chapter 11

You wake up. Must be all the meaty cotton candy-likes you've eaten, but you can't sleep. Thirsty.

"Lars?" you whisper and lightly shake his shoulder. "Lars? Where can I get some water?"

"M-mpf." He shoves your hand off but otherwise doesn't stir.

"Fi-ine." Bother. You sneak out and downstairs. Kitchens are usually downstairs in castles, right?

A crack rips through the air. You jump to the side– ah, turns out it echoed down the hall, and nothing was flying your way. You look around and listen–

"Bloody–" swears the King.

Then a sudden and long pause, you creep all the way to the turn until he speaks again.

"... ... Sara? Sara, what's happening?!"

It's him and the Queen in a smaller hall with silver tiles, which have wands engraved on them. The Queen gasps and covers her mouth. She stands closer to you. The King's in the middle. He holds onto the vibrating and shining sceptre with both hands and... yeah, floats a step above the ground. The sceptre touches its tip to a glowing card. Silver and light purple shimmers ripple from it, and the next wave grows larger and larger. The hall trembles and tingles, and a funny mossy smell hits your nose.

The King whirls his head from the Queen to the card and back at the Queen. You grip the edge of the wall, but your feet don't seem to leave the floor anyway.

"Whoa."

The card melts, and the purplish quicksilver forms into an... egg? The lines grow solid, and the cocoon takes form of four round wings with a flowery pattern.

Those open, the King groans and hardly holds the sceptre as it wrenches out from his hands. The shine blinds you, and the ticking knocks out other senses. You just hunch your shoulders and hold onto the wall.

When everything goes silent, first, you hear your own heartbeat. Then the Queen gasps.

"I... did it. I did it, Sara? I bleeding did i-i-it...!"

Thud! You open your eyes and see the King sprawled on the floor. The sceptre floats but a moment longer – thump! Ugh!– and it hits the King across the stomach. His hand wanders for it, but the King doesn't grasp the sceptre the first time.

"Your... Mag-hesty?"

"I brought the Three of Wands back!" yells the King of Wands and Swords from the floor.

For the... What is that? Right where the card has been now flutters a little girl. About four-five years old. She has two light purple and silver butterfly-like wings. Chocolate skin with a purple hue and short brown hair. She blinks, yawns and rubs her eyes as she wobbles in the air.

"I-i am Three," grins the girl sleepily. She tries to curtsey but tumbles backwards and topples to the floor instead.

The Queen dashes– "Got you!" and cradles the girl in her arms.

Three flutters her wings and tosses, but the Queen coos and murmurs a calming tune. And holds firm.

"It worked..." mumbles the King from the floor. He jerks to sit up. "It worked! I did it, Sara!" He jumps up, sways, and waves his arms around.

"Theo–" The Queen steps to him.

"I can do it!" yells the King and dashes towards the stairs. "I can revive them... a-all."

Or not. The King trips and falls, this time onto his stomach.

"Your Majesty?" calls out Three. She moves her wings the last time, and they fade away.

"Theo?" The Queen of Wands frowns and walks after the King. Regal, she holds her back straight as Three rests against her chest. "Please, rest. We'll talk about it tomorrow, alright? Even first thing in the morning, yet now you need to rest."

You can't hear what the King mutters. He waves the Queen off and stands up by himself. Three chirps quietly.

Oh. You glance down, and yes, you've missed the point when you've left your hide behind the wall. And now are standing in the hall.

The King locks his eyes with yours, while the Queen misses it because she stands with her back to you. So, if your encounter earlier has taught you anything...

Run!