At the Crossroads. Book 1

Chapter 8

"Uphf!"

You fall out in front of the Wands castle.

Photo by Rudolf Kirchner

Cool, so you can somehow control it? You did think of the King of Wands and Swords. At some point, but mostly about getting out of there before the Sun pounced. Maybe with a little training...

"S-sorry," mumbles Lars and rolls off you.

"Never mind." You sit up. "So, we're back, huh?"

"Uh-huh."

Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels

Some noise comes from inside the castle. Lars cranes his neck, but only a shadow paces in front of a window. It's around midday, and the sun shines brightly. Oh, two suns, actually. You cover your eyes with your hand, like a visor, and squint.

"But it was fun?" You turn back to Lars.

"Uh-huh." He nods and pulls a smile, but lip twitches. "It was fun."

"You–"

"I wonder how cousin's doing?" Lars laughs and looks around.

You huff and grimace. "The King's probably very angry. I think he always is."

"That's mild annoyance." Lars smiles, and this time it looks genuine. His eyes are laughing. "In the mornings cousin's usually like this." He folds his hands below his chin and scowls. "This is morning disdain. Cousin hates to be up early." He lifts the corner of his lip. "And this is appalled annoyance. And irritation number one, two and three."

Lars grimaces some more, and you burst out laughing. Can't help it, Lars mimics the King so well, and it looks so damn funny. Even your stomach hurts now, and you wipe a tear.

"Cousin also has a scale of fourteen annoyed ones," Lars points out proudly and holds his finger up. He must really like his cousin. Always annoyed or not.

Crash! The same window, which you were watching before, shatters, and the Three of Wands flutters out. The King pokes his head out and leans over the windowsill. Might have cut his hand, he shakes it and presses the palm to his mouth.

Three flies up the tower and squeezes behind a marble statue. She wiggles and puffs loudly.

"Aha!" First shows her backside, and then Three tumbles out. She catches herself a floor lower. Panicky waves her arms and legs around, and opens her light purple and silver wings and flutters. "Found them, your Majesty!" she chirps and puffs her chest. She clutches something in her fist.

"Yes! This is it!" shouts the King and waves his sceptre. He's wearing a fancier light purple tunic with silver embroidery on the cuffs. The dark purple spiky crown stands out on his blond head.

A purple glow surges from the jewel and whirls up and towards Three. It engulfs her, the little girl floats in this cloud. Puff! And the glimmer soars and envelops only her hand. The glower grows, and the King groans and struggles to hold the sceptre. It pulsates, the light hurts your eyes. Lars pants and clutches a tiny piece of your sleeve.

"Your Majesty!" shrieks Three.

You peek. She wobbles in the air and flutters her wings. A dark purple cocoon with silver flowers. It's the size of Three and sends her flying backwards. Three drops it.

"I'll catch it!" yells the King and climbs up the windowsill. "A-ah. Fuck." He slashes his leg on the glass shard. Reaches out. Grasps and pulls the cocoon to his chest. Loses balance– and tumbles backwards, inside. A metallic clatter, must be the crown, and the King shouts out, "Got it!"

"That was so cool, your Majesty!" chirps Three and flies inside. "You're so great!" She claps.

"Lars?" you call out quietly but still watch the broken window. He's been fiddling with your sleeve this whole time, and now pinches your arm instead of the cloth. "How about one more trip?"

"Uh..."

"Just one." You pull his hand away, let it drop by his side, and lean in. "My first mindful portal," smile, "I'll open one to some parallel on purpose this time. Would you like to come with me?"

"Uh..." He glances towards the Wands castle one last time. Your eyes bump into each other. Lars flinches, and yet doesn't look away for the first time. "Uh-huh." He blushes.

"Okay!" You straighten your back and raise your hands above your head. Close your eyes, lock your fingers together and crack your knuckles. "Give us– where was it that you come from?"

"Erm... Might be too... far away from here. For the first time, sorry, I didn't mean you can't..." Lars rambles so you don't move and wait. "Let's go somewhere in... Cups! In Cups.16 East starting 90º they make great cakes."

"Fine." You do love cake. You put your arms in front, and your fingertips tingle.

Crack!