Ariana's jaw dropped as she released Aroha and allowed the crystalized jewel eyes to roll out of hand and onto the floor. They fell with a heavy thud while Ariana brought her hand up and covered her mouth. Her legs gave out, her eyes grew wide as she muffled the scream that escaped her lips. Tears started to brim her eyes as she shook her head no but her Lumas just watched her with blank expressions.
Ariana couldn't take it anymore she wanted to run away from the room. She released her mouth, turned over and tried to crawl out but her whole body shook with complete terror, paralyzing her in place. 'Master you wanted to know, now take responsibility for those eyes. Hide them, return them, eat them or keep them, do whatever you want but you can not forget what they are.' Aroha said as she landed in front of Ariana.
"I can't... I can't... I don't want to look at them again! Why would father's kind want these?!" She yelled as she started to curl herself into a ball and hugged her knees. "Why would the church do this?! Is this why the church was abducting people?! T-to, to, to lure out the garnet dragons?! Or to - oh dear Lord you just said eat them?! Was it to feed me?! I-no, no, no, no I never once thought of eating them?!"
"Ariana are you all right?!" Lady Zula yelled as she kicked open the door and her family was closely watching behind her. "Mom! I'm a f*cking monster! The church is BLEGH! Oh my G*d I'm going to URGH! No, cough, no, I, I can't, I shouldn't be allowed to live anymore!" Ariana cried as her eyes shook with fear and disgust, gagging as she fought back her vomit.
Lady Zula rushed over to Ariana, she dropped to her knees and hugged her with all her might. "Talk to me.... you mean so much to me. I can't let you think your a monster. Come on sweet heart, remember you're also your mother's daughter, so you are part holy too." Lady Zula said as she rubbed Ariana's back.
Ariana shook her head no, the colour completely drained from her face. "The elementals had already rejected me at birth, saying I will never be their jewel eyed priestess... I have a different destiny planned for me... only the King of Darkness knows the Queen of Creations plans." Ariana shouted in a panic.
Lady Zula tensed up and looked down at her daughter while the others pushed in quietly as they watched the scene. "Ariana what are you talking about?" Lady Zula asked, her eyes wide in fear. Ariana slowly turned her head to meet her mother's gaze.
"The Queen has given me life for her own purpose, I don't know what my mission is but I'm scared.... I'm scared what'll happen. If I meet the fire, earth and wind elementals... I'm afraid of the church coming here with some excuse to take me away or hurt the people I love... I'm afraid that my father's blood will change me and I'll... I'll... I'll want to eat jewel eyes!" Ariana cried out as she pointed towards something.
Lady Zula looked over to where Ariana was pointing and felt a horrendous chill take over her body as she broke out in cold sweat. "Roy, pick up those two balls up and give them to me." Lady Zula said softly as her heart thundered between her ears. She slowly reached out while keeping a firm arm around Ariana's body and picked up one of the balls with the tips of her fingers. "Ariana, what is this?" She asked with wide, shaky eyes.
Ariana pushed her mother off and scurried towards the other girls, trying to give herself enough distance between her and the balls. "Crystalized jewel eyes..." She whispered as she grasped onto Ariel's dress. The room became eerie silent as they all tried to process what she said. Lady Zula slowly turned her gaze back to the ball in her hand, she blinked a few times before her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Everyone scrambled to help the mother and daughter up while properly avoided the two balls that were now on the ground. The Lumas sat on the bed completely indifferent to the scene. Once the room was cleared Roy went back in a hurry. He pulled out his handkerchief and gently wrapped the balls, he looked at the Lumas and gulped before tying off the handkerchief. He took a deep breath and carried the package out of the room.
'Honestly, humans why are they so dramatic? Speaking of dramatic, Vasu what were you trying to accomplish by telling Master all that before she was ready?' Rahul asked as her stretched himself out. Vasu looked at Rahul and then rose up into the air. 'Vasu how'll you take responsibility for this? This is a giant mess, you know the Goddess will not be pleased.' Aroha said in low voice but Vasu completely ignored her and moved to his spot on the bed in the corner.
'Vasu, I know how you feel. I love Master too but this was too cruel.' Lorelei said as she started to lose her round form and became a squishy blob on top of Ariana's bed.
'Do we love our Master?' Davita asked as she flapped her wings and flew upwards. 'Of course we love our Master!' Duko barked as he flashed his tiny fangs.
'No, you missed the point of my question... loving our Master is dangerous, what Vasu did was necessary for her to realize that she is part garnet dragon. The church called her with the crystals and she responded in the way she was supposed too. Ready, not ready, who cares we need her to travel a path and we can not decide what path that is.' Davita explained.
'No Davita! You're wrong, Vasu just forced her to take a step towards the darkness! Her heart has waivered because of the new information! She was not ready and Vasu pushed her down a path that will make us kill her one day! Vasu how could you?' Aroha said as everyone turned their gazes to Vasu.
While Vasu stared right back. 'We love her but we were ordered to stay neutral in all this, nothing more... if anything I pushed her towards the light... she rejected the eyes and half the blood within her.' Vasu replied.
.....
When Lady Zula woke up she rushed to Ariana's side. They girls of the cafe refused to see Ariana as a monster and the woman were thankful for it. Jessica had run off to call Zachary on Lady Zula's orders. Zachary rushed into the room and wrapped his arms around the two woman sitting on the chairs in the cafe. "Zula, I was filled in on everything before we left the bar... we need to get you two out of here now." He said as he tightened his embrace.
"Leave?" Lady Zula said as she looked at her brother. "Yes, leave. We need mom's help. There have been rumours at the bar about what happened two years ago. I have been trying to brush them off. Making people believe they were too drunk to remember seeing things properly. It's been working but last week it's been getting harder to refute. It's spreading like wildfire and I don't know why."
"Do you think it would have been one of the girls who left?" Lady Zula asked but Zachary shook his head no. "I don't know Zula but the church will find a way to get to you here. You have no backing now that Brian is refusing to talk to you." Zachary said as his body trembled. Ariana wiggled out of the embrace and properly looked at her mother and uncle.
"Brian left?" She asked with wide eyes and Lady Zula sighed. "That bastard was always just pretty words. Don't worry he'll come around after his fat head deflates." Lady Zula said with a shaky smile but Ariana could tell that he wasn't going to change.
"Zachary, I think you're right. We will need to start preparations to leave within the hour. If they have eyes on us then chances are they saw you leave the bar and know something is wrong. Roy I'm sorry I'm leaving the cafe in your hands." Lady Zula said. Roy nodded his head. "Zula, I'm going to rush back home and grab some supplies. I also need to let Fallon know that he is the new boss until further notice." Zachary said firmly.
Lady Zula's jaw dropped. "Zachary, are you sure you want to come with us? I mean it could be dangerous and..." Zachary rolled his eyes and placed a small kiss on his sister's forehead. "You know things are good between me and mom."
Lady Zula shook her head. "But it's the house..." Lady Zula said pitifully. Zachary tensed up and gave her a shaky smile. "I'll be fine... Zula we have no time, we need to leave." Zula got up and looked at the girls. "Fine! Jessica, Gloria, Katarina, Barbara, Monica, Ariel, Mariposa and Anne. I am going to need your help."
The girls nodded as they shouted together. "Yes Ma'am!" Lady Zula smiled as she brought out her fan. "The rest will help out here. If those bastards think they can catch us they have another thing coming!"
....
Their hour was almost up and Lady Zula was frantically tapping her foot underneath the table as they all sat inside the cafe while mindless chatting at a tea party. From the outside it looked like a bunch of woman enjoying a tea party hosted by the Lady of the cafe but it reality it was a cover.
The local Enchantress at the Twin Tiger Guild, Epiphany was willing to help out her friends Clawdean and Seeley to mask members of the guild as woman. While the others split up to do some last minute shopping for the party. Picking up some not so traditional ingredients hidden at the bottoms of there bags.
Becca kicked Lady Zula under the table to stop her fidgeting. "My dear Zula, how long has it been since you hosted a tea party of this caliber?" She said as she batted her long eyelashes. Lady Zula tried her best to not flinch while her smile stayed perfectly in place. "Becca, always such a card! Maybe it is you that never wanted to attend my tea parties since it's not part of your feminine brain." Lady Zula replied with a light laugh.
Becca furrowed her brows and gave Lady Zula a slight pout. "Can you blame me? I mean look at all the frills and lace! I don't think I can last anymore!" She said as she smashed her tea cup against the table. "Then leave! I didn't force you to come anyways! Why did you bother coming?!" Lady Zula shouted. Becca slapped Lady Zula across the face, knocking her down to the floor.
A girl in a heavily laced bonnet and dress came running up to Lady Zula and helped her to her feet. "How dare you." She hissed as she pointed at Becca. "Get out! Never come in front of me again." Lady Zula shouted, calling everyone's attention. Including some of the pass byers from outside. Becca glanced to the window and nodded her head.
"I'm only here until Zachary gets here! Then he and I can finally elope! I never wanted your or my brother's permission to marry him! Come footman help me gather my things and keep me company until your Master arrives!" Becca announce dramatically. Lady Zula grabbed Becca by her side bun and pulled her back.
"What do you mean until who's Master arrives?!" Lady Zula shouted furiously. Becca gave Lady Zula a cold smile as a sinister laugh left her lips. "You must be stupid as you are loose! I already said your brother! He's planning to present his new wife to your mother and take over the estate as the new Count!" Becca laughed darkly.
"I will never allow it!" Lady Zula screamed as she tore Becca's dress down the front. "Ariana teach this b*tch a lesson! Beat her black and blue, better yet beat the child she is carrying inside her slutty body and prove it's not my brother's!" Lady Zula screeched as she released Becca and the small girl in the bonnet stepped in between the woman.
Suddenly the footman opened the front door and a handsome man walked in carrying a large bouquet of out of season spring flowers. "Zula what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Zachary yelled as he pulled off his top hat and handed it to the footman along with the bouquet. "Darling!" Becca shouted pitifully as she ran towards Zachary and threw herself onto his chest.
Zachary eyes flashed with anger as she pulled off his dark grey coat and gently placed it over Becca's shoulders. "Zula, I honestly hoped that you would be happy for us but now I can see that even with 'your' past you'll never change! I thought you would be better then this, I'm so disappointed in you. Come Becca, the carriage is waiting outside." Zachary said as he escorted Becca out of the building and towards a carriage waiting outside.
The footman quickly took his position and opened the door. Lady Zula came stomping out as everyone followed behind her. Lady Zula pulled Becca back and tossed her towards the crowd. A small group of people with bags caught her in time. "Zula!" Zachary shouted just before Lady Zula punched him in the face and then in the stomach sending him flying into the carriage.
"I'm hijacking this carriage and knocking some sense into you!" She fumed then turned to the crowd. "Ariana make sure the cafe is taken care of while I'm gone!" She shouted then grabbed the bouquet and top hat from the footman and threw it at Becca.
The flower petals scattered all over the place and everyone watched dumbfounded. Lady Zula turned and stormed into the carriage. The footman scurried to close the door and take his place at the back of the carriage. The driver whipped the reins and the carriage was off.
Suddenly a loud explosion could be heard and the footman turned to witness the scene. The cloaked people of the church made their appearance and tried to attack the cafe as they left. A giant reinforced barrier could be seen as the smoke cleared.
There standing behind the barrier was the crowd, no longer just females but a mixture of humans, magicians, Becca, warriors and archers. The cloaked people took a step back while Becca pulled off the dark cloak and tossed it into the air. One of the archer's shot at it and it landed outside of the barrier, right in front of her.
Becca dropped down to one knee. The top hat's magic was activated and started to stretch and take form while in Becca's hands. "I ain't letting you leave alive f*ckers!" She laughed loudly as a launcher sat on top of her shoulder. She fired an electrified net and caught three of the 14 attackers. The three people fell forward and disappeared into the cloak while the surrounding area burst into flames, engulfing the people around it.
"Get inside Ariana!" Becca shouted as Ariana shook her head no. "Fine stay within the barrier! Everyone else move forward!" Becca continued and everyone attacked. As they were getting further and further away. The footman strained his eyes to catch the rest of the action but it was futile. The carriage stopped after reaching the first checkpoint.
The driver jumped down and pulled out a small blade. His heavy footsteps could be heard along the dirt road as he approached the back of the carriage. He stopped, looked around and smiled wickedly. "We aren't being followed!" Deagan said as he pulled off his disguise. The door opened and out came Lady Zula and Zachary.
"Honestly Becca didn't have to slap me so hard!" Lady Zula complained as she gingerly touched her face. Zachary couldn't help but laugh. "Well you weren't so gently yourself! I'm an innocent bystander who is apparently going to be a father." Zachary said as he laughed and pointed to his swollen cheek. Lady Zula rolled her eyes and punched Zachary in the shoulder.
"Well one thing is for sure the church wants me and they don't care how they do it." Ariana said as she pulled off her hat and let her black hair tumble downwards. "Thank you Deagan for helping us out." Ariana said as she tied up her long hair into a ponytail. "Well thank you for curing Caralee, I was ready to hand you over to the church myself when I saw you appear before us. Honestly stop using my familiars." Deagan said with a small laugh.
Ariana's eyes flashed with regret as she dropped her gaze. "It was the least I could do with the blessings that I have." Deagen smacked her back and flashed a devilish smile. "Sure is! All is forgiven and I gotta say, she did make a cute you! Better then the original in my opinion." Deagan said with a wide grin. The earrings along Ariana's ears stared to shake and suddenly the Lumas appeared before Deagan, creating a defensive wall.
"Relax squishies. I don't intend to hurt your Master." He said as he dropped the blade and put his hands up. "Well, we don't have a lot of time left. We need to start moving if we are going to make it to the estate before dawn." Lady Zula said as she shooed the Lumas away and collected Ariana.
"Yes Ma'am." Deagan said as he moved back to the front of the carriage. He heard the door close and he grasped the reins and clutched it with all his might. He clicked his tongue and whipped the reins again. They were off towards the estate and no one was going to stop them.