Life goes as it goes
So slow, so long
So fast, so short
Time goes by too slow
Too fast, too slow too fast
Changing its tune again and again
Life goes too slow, too fast, too slow too fast
Smooth as velvet, rough as bark
It goes
I hum this tune for this life
That goes too short, too long,
Too long too short
It goes...
I grab my own crystal and concentrate bringing my mind to the line that Elsin left for me. I concentrate on the wood block face of his. I see him looking at me with those sharp eyes of his. My heart starts to thump loudly in my chest. I squeeze my eyes tightly, just a little bit and then I will see him again. Taking in a deep breath I relax and shake off the jitters.
The cold night air buffets me as I land in front of my house, doing a summersault in the air, with a gold-medal winning landing. I should have gone into magic sports. I would have won the championship every time. Sigh, curse my lazy a**. No way was I going to travel to that isolated, frigid dessert 6 months out of year for a silly competition. No thanks. I smile gratefully as I walk into my warm home. I'm still smiling when my steps slow on their own. My smile going from genuine to slightly awkward-forced. There on the couch is an uninvited visitor, and not a pleasant one at that.
"Aunt Bea! What a surprise! I didn't expect to see you here.. in my house.. on my couch.."
"Aunt Bea" is lazily stretched out on the couch her long dark gown, bordering on black trailing on the edge of the sofa. Lounged like she was a queen, with her Pulley, resting its head on her lap. Pulley lifts its head and sees me and just when it is about to strike at me, its eyes go glazed and it rests its' head back on Aunt Bea's lap.
"Now, that's not nice Saleb. Pulley was just going to give his greetings. Was there really a need to put him to sleep so fast? He will wake up in a fit when he comes to." Aunt Bea spoke as if a great injustice was done to her Pulley, all the while her facial muscles had yet to align with the words coming out of her mouth.
Yah right! Pulley, left to his own devices would be trying to poison her, ready to take a bite out of her with all his might had she not put a tiny spell on him. Pulley was a snake she had no tolerance for, and knowing who the owner was, that didn't come as a surprise. Her helping hand saved her from that headache. Not feeling even a little guilty whatsoever, "I'm sorry Aunt Bea. But please don't bring him next time. All he does is try to harm this pretty face of mine. And if this face is ruined, how will I get a suitor? I am following your words, that all I have is my pretty face like my mother and I cannot harm my only asset," I say obediently, on the inside cursing her while I'm at it.
My Aunt Bea and my mother never did get along with one another. She thought, my dad, her brother were too good for my mom. A fight was always brewing when those two women were in the same room. I start to feel my heart itch. I miss her so much. She would take on the whole world without batting an eye. Well, except when facing my dad, where she became jelly, as if she had no legs to stand on, always falling into his arms for no reason. Huh, I just realized my mom was such a great schemer. And I wondered where my great scheming skills came from.
Aunt Bea looked at me impatiently. "No need for your verbose explanation. My Pulley is harmless, and has not harmed a hair on that air filled head of yours." Saleb mutters in her head, 'Yah because of my awesome evasive maneuvers. "You made me wait and I do not like waiting. I heard that you got rejected in public, and an engagement broken", her eyes gave Saleb a knowing look. "That's to be expected though, seeing as you took after your mother's brains." I clench my fist tightly and then unclench. No need to mind words of a snake, she was used to her Aunt's digs at her. Aunt Bea continues, "It also passed my ears that Elsin took the Lumenia and that you have been assigned to help the old foggy, Din, to help search for it." I don't even bat an eye at my Aunt knowing all this. She had her little spies everywhere. Now the question was, what did she want from me?
"I want you to track it down and bring it to me instead of bringing it to the clan." I stare at her, wondering if she had lost her mind, or if she was chasing another man again? I bet it was the latter. Last time, she took the Clan's best sword to win the heart of a Swordsman. That did not end well. Aunt Bea had been banished from the clan. That was five years ago. I guess, she hadn't taken the banishment seriously, not that I, or anyone else for that matter would.
I look straight into her eyes. "And why would I do that?" I was no pushover, I could stand my ground!
"Because darling if you don't, then you won't get the memento your parents had left for you. It is still in my keeping.."
I want to glare at her but knew of the consequences. While my Aunt had been banished from the clan, Saleb didn't forget the fact that her Aunt Bea was rated the fifth strongest witch in all of Kanta, and infamous for the curses she put on the people that went against her. She only cared about three things in this lifetime: her brother, her self, and her boy toys. And since the first was gone, all her attention was directed at the latter two. I don't think I even made it in her top 100 priority list - not that I wanted to. Snakes were better left in their den, and far, far away from me.
Knowing how important my parents were to me, she gave a beautiful smirk filled with ridicule, knowing I would do as she said. I guess Pulley was having an influence on her. Or was it the other way around? I wondered why my Aunt did not settle for Pulley, they would make the perfect pair. I shudder. Never mind. Let her just play with the male species, it kept her busy and away from me at least. Pulley was already putty in her fingers.
I shake the wayward thoughts from my head and nod obediently. "Ok Aunt! I will do as you!" Inside, I think of the best way to steal the memento from her. Her Aunt always held this memento over her head and even after listening to her Aunt's commands, there was nary a sight of this gift from her parents. I wonder what it is though. My parent's had not left a will, and even though we were a Ducal family, the estate and the title had been given to Uncle Hube, my Dad's cousin. I was left broke and alone at their death, or maybe not all alone, I did have Elsin.. Elsin, right I need to find him.
"That's a good girl. You know where to find me once you have it. Also, don't you dare think of crossing me, you know what I am capable of." She stared threateningly at me, with a violent glint passing in her eyes. And with that, Aunt Bea made her exist with her Pulley in tow.
I sighed, and yup that's my Aunt. Who said that blood ties were thicker than water? Certainly not me. I heard a soft meow and saw a tiny black thing rushing for me, leaping into my arms.