𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 13: 𝕿𝖎𝖗𝖆𝖓
They trailed through the path of the forest she had come through earlier, with Fiona on her back and also her cross back filled with herbs.
For some reason Fiona had burst into tears again. Miran was puzzled, the kid just wouldn't stop crying, she didn't remember a thing of her past and Miran didn't bother troubling her on it, she couldn't put her through anymore pain.
Miran sighed, "common Fiona, why do you cry?" She asked anxiously. "Is this how dark skinned children behave?"
But still the child wouldn't stop, "OK," Miran said knowing, if she could relate to the same situation of loosing so much she would never cease her tears.
She had to cheer Fiona up, "I hope this makes you feel better Fiona."
Fiona still cried silently ignoring all what Miran said.
".•♫•♬•T•♬•♫•.Though the strong winds shall blow, even if the mighty ones shall come I shall never let you down. You are my daughter I am your mother, if the world ends what will you be, if they dread how will I be with you, if they can't live with you then I will, cos forever you will be mine.•♫•♬•e•♬•♫•.."
Miran sang to Fiona, and just as she planned Fiona had stopped crying. She smiled and said, "sing with me Fiona."
".•♫•♬•I•♬•♫•.If the world ends what will you be, if they dread how will I be with you, if they can't live with you then I will..." Miran kept quiet to hear if Fiona was following.
With a solemn voice Fiona sang, ".•♫•♬•c•♬•♫•.cos forever you will be mine."
Miran gigled softly, "that's the spirit kid. Again!"
".•♫•♬•T•♬•♫•.Though the strong winds shall blow, even if the mighty ones shall come I shall never let you down. You are my daughter I am your mother, if the world ends what will you be, if they dread how will I be with you, if they can't live with you then I will, cos forever you will be mine.•♫•♬•e•♬•♫•.." They chorused together.
Fiona hugged tightly to Miran, "thank you mum!" She said with a warming tone.
"You're welcome little flower."
...
They finally came up to a large clearing of short green grass, in front a large wooden house surrounded by huge trees mostly apple trees with pink leafs all over it and the floor.
Fiona scanned through the house, it was silent, peaceful and somewhat welcoming. "What is this place?" She asked with a low voice.
Miran smiled and answered, "home."
Fiona hugged tightly to her again, "home," she whispered back to herself.
They finally reached the wooden door decorated with pink flowers and ornaments shaped like apples and birds.
"It's beautiful," Fiona said shyly.
Miran smiled widely, "glad you like it, my daughter decorated it."
Fiona nodded not fully understanding what Miran meant by that.
"Julian!" Miran called out, she waited for a while but no reply came. "Jullian!" she called out again more audibly, but still no answer.
"Fiona get off, I've got to grab my keys" Miran urged bending down and taking Fiona off her back carefully.
She stood on her toes and stretched to the top of the door, she searched the top for a while later withdrawing a metal key.
"There we go," Miran lodged the key into the keyhole and turned it till it made two clicking sounds, she held the metal knob twisted it and pushed open the door softly.
The inside was bright and clear to see, made entirely of furnished wood. Miran turned to Fiona who snuggled on her legs. "Let's go in Fiona," Miran urged wrapping a hand around Fiona's hand softly and leading the way.
They entered a large room, a small long wooden table in the midst, three windows, rugs on the floor and three curtains placed on separate sides of the wall probably entrances to other rooms.
"Tiran" Miran called out before pulling Fiona further into the room.
"Who's Tiran?" Fiona asked.
Miran doesn't reply but only pulls her past a curtain and into a flight of stairs they trail through, into a short passage. There were three doors, one at the far end and two on the sides of the wall opposite each other.
Miran stopped at the right, before a wooden door decorated with varieties of colours that beautified it.
Miran pushes the door open to reveal a room, a large bed in the midst, large baskets of cloth at the wall sides, two windows and on the bed layed a little girl about Fiona's age.
Miran rushed and nestled on the bed beside the little girl leaving Fiona's hand afterwards to check the girls temperature.
"Damn, Tiran you're running a cold," she said with an angry tone. "Where the hell is Julian!"
The girl sat upright, she was white in complexion, long dark hair reaching the base of her neck, large pink iris, a cute face and a beautiful smile. "Dad spoke something about there being no food at home, so he went to get some," She spoke with her mother's foreign accent but more refined.
"OK Tiran, lye still, let me heal you," she layed Tiran softly on the bed. "Don't move will ya!" She muttered raising her bag and pouring down the herbs she had taken earlier from the forest all around Tiran.
She closed her eyes mustering pink wisps of smoke from the sole of her palm, the wisps go around the herbs sucking their essence and turning them completely dry, the wisps of smoke then circled round Tiran's body giving a pink glow.
Tiran moaned softly grabbing tightly to the sheets of her bed. As the pinks wisps suffice she exhaled and groggily sat up feeling renewed.
Miran smiled patting Tiran on the head. "Now, how do you feel little diamond?"
Tiran gigled softly "I don't know, maybe... I feel like a princess," she joked. She turned her gaze to the girl behind Miran. She pointed out a finger, "what type of toy is that?" She asked.
Miran turned to Fiona and smiled wrapping her hand around Fiona's wrist and pulling her closer, "it's your new sister Fiona," Miran proudly said.
Tiran gave a puzzled look before gigling again, "you didn't tell me you went to the baby market so you could get me a new sister," she jumped to her mother and hugged her tightly. "Thanks mum," she said finally letting go and nestling beside Miran.
Miran smiled "yes I got her from the baby market," she said a little agitated turning back to Fiona who stared at Tiran. She whispers after "the one in the bottom of the river might I say."
"I guess that means dinner would increase?" Miran said standing up from where she sat, "I better go help Julian. While I am gone, Tiran take care of your sister!" Miran rushed out of the room slamming the door after her and then going to the outside door and soon enough letting it give a resounding clash that clearly told she had exited.
Now they were all alone. Fiona stared at Tiran unmoving and clearly feeling insecure.
There was a long silence and state of stillness between both girls, until. Tiran finally jumped off her bed and unto the wooden floor her face filled with joviality. She rushed to one of her cloth baskets and searched thoroughly until she found two garbs, identical by their design of pink flowers painted on the textiles.
She ran back to Fiona "here, twin sisters must look alike," she said stretching out one to Fiona.
Fiona grabs hold of it and stares at Tiran, "twin sisters?"
Tiran smiled, "our destines are tied now, Fiona," Tiran wrapped her hands around Fiona in a warm embrace, "swittleswacks! I love you!"
"You seem so emotional!" Fiona said, "I feel like purple is more my colour though, but it's pretty."
Tiran smiled thankful for Fiona's liking to it, "so how did you and mum meet?"
Fiona gave a blank expression and said "I just woke up wet and she was in front of me also wet."
"So that's where people find children?" Tiran asked taking off her clothes.
Fiona did the same taking off her thorn clothes, "I guess," she answered.
Fiona stomach gave a rumbling sound loud enough for both of them to hear.
Tiran gave a sad look, "you're hungry aren't you?" She asked.
Fiona nodded in reply wearing the garb Tiran handed her.
"There is no food at home," Tiran gave a glum look as she spelled the point out.
"Tiran what about the apple trees outside aren't they food?" Fiona asked.
Tiran thought on it for a while, "mum said I shouldn't go outside," she replied with a calm voice that clearly showed she was scolded before for it.
Fiona streched her palm out and wraps it around Tiran's "mum didn't say a word about us staying put in the house before she left, did she?"
Tiran shook her head and answered "no. And mum did say i should take care of you," Tiran added.
"Take care of me outside." Fiona sounded convincing, Tiran nodded unable to resist.
"I am also hungry," she said patting her stomach with her hand.
Tiran pulled Fiona to follow going to the door, she pulled open the door that made a creaking sound in turn. They trailed down the stairs and to the door that led outside.
Tiran wrapped both her palms around it's cold knob and twisted, she struggled for some reason unable to pull open the door, "aww Swittleswacks," she struggled for minutes as Fiona only watched in silence with a blank expression.
Fiona clasped Tiran's shoulder, "let me do it," she said with a strong unwavering tone.
Tiran left the knob to Fiona who in turn grabs it with one hand and with little force twisted and pulled open the door.
Fiona turned back to Tiran now giving a sad expression with her head down to the ground, she looked 'disgraced and pathetic'. Fiona ran her hand through Tiran's hair "don't be so down!" She exclaimed with an excited tone.
Tiran brought herself to stare at Fiona, "every kid from this village won't play with me, all because I slow them down like this, no one would play with me just because I am too weak, mum said it was a disease I got from her but the kids..." She sniffed in, "the kids call me a cursed bug!" She was emotional about the last.
"Hugh?" Fiona patted her softly on the head, "I don't remember anything from when mum pulled me from the baby shop, but this kids are sounding like bugs themselves," she turned to the door which was swung wide open, "hehe! Come weak bones, I need apples." She said further walking out. She felt a hand wrap around her's, pulling her to a stop.
Tiran walked up to her, "don't forget we are twin sisters, we must stick together."
Fiona nodded in response, "you remind me of a feeling I can't picture..."
"Love?" Tiran interrupts.
Fiona paused for a while before reluctantly nodding. Further they walk past the entrance and into the feilds.
Fiona takes the lead to the tree, it was tall, and some of the fruits close to the ground the rest were far off. Fiona stretches her right standing on the tip of her toes for an apple just a foot away from her reach.
"Just a little," she recedes backwards after a long time of stretching, since the tactic failed. She bends her knees in a crouching position and launches a few inches off the ground, she manages to wrap both hands around the apple she targetted, successfully pulling it down and out of the tree. She lands on her bottom cleaning the apple on the side of her garb before taking a huge bite out of it, chewing and swallowing.
She turned her gaze to Tiran who stared back in turn. Fiona stretches out the apple to her, "take it sister!" She urged.
Tiran immediately took it from Fiona taking three deep bites of the apple and chewing fast. "Thank you!" She said with a full mouth, "I have never been able to reach for an apple, anytime I would leap I wouldn't go that high and when I hit the ground I break or dislocate a bone."
Fiona smiled and said "jumping is a lot of stress, why don't I carry you on my shoulder's, so you pick the apples."
Tiran thought a little before nodding, as she took another bite of the apple she coughed hard spiting out the chunks of apple in her mouth, she grabbed her chest with her hand feeling her whole system collapse on itself. She continued coughing out incessantly, her veins popping out and bulging.
"Fiona!" She managed to force out as she fell to her knees clenching harder on her chest.
Fiona stood up panic stricken to see Tiran in this condition. "What's... What's wrong?" Fiona asked rushing to Tiran's aid.
Tiran's breathing became wheezing and her skin began to turn pale blue, she was clearly in so much pain as she increased the grip on her chest. "My..." She coughed "chest is burning!" She screamed out at the top of her voice bursting into tears.
Tiran collapsed face first, groaning and crying in pain. "Help me Fiona!" She forced out as a scream.
Fiona burst into tears bereft of ideas she could do nothing, she was only a child to begin with, but she felt the need to save her sister, no matter what.
"Miran!" She screamed at the top of her voice. Unfortunately, there was no reply. Fiona suddenly became paralyzed with fear staring down at her sister, evidently loosing her life by the second.
"Ahhhhhh!" Tiran screamed out at the top of her voice again. How everything had taken a turn to end up bad. Something was more than wrong with the apples, but it was a norm for her mum to take apples from the tree and give to her, something didn't go wrong then, why now? Tiran asked herself, Something had definitely gone wrong-badly.
"Mum!" Fiona screamed out turning around to sight any nearby assistance but none to her expectations, "Mum!" Again, but no reply.
Fiona's tears increased drastically as she fell to her bottom beside Tiran.
"Help me! Fiona!" Tiran's voice had quickly turned to whispers, evidently there was limited time left for her.
Instinctively Fiona raises her arms to her face and bit hard on them continuously until it gave way to blood, "Ahhh!" She cried out feeling immense pain from her bleeding palms. Without a second thought she placed her hands on Tiran's head. "Wake up Tiran!" She cried out unsure of what she was doing but having high hopes of it working.
The blood on her palms suddenly gave a bright golden glow "Ahhhh!" Tiran screamed out in pain, her body starting to glow.
The golden glow suddenly sufficed, Fiona huffed hard staring at Tiran who lyed on the floor calmed and breathing hard.
Tiran's chest had stopped hurting, soon enough she was back to full strength. She quickly sat herself up her face puzzled and grateful.
Both girls stared at themselves in utter silence. Fiona was the first to break the silence as she stretched a hand to Tiran's hair, "your hair," she said pulling curls of her hair closer to examine it, "it's pink!"
Tiran took a glance at her hair to see Fiona's point, her hair was bright pink and the end of each strand black, some how her hair had changed colour. There were also changes Tiran could feel internally, her body had taken a shift and somewhat felt more comfortable.
"Fiona!" Tiran said holding back her tears. She pounced unto Fiona hugging her tightly in a warm embrace bursting into tears "Fiona!"
Fiona hugged her tightly in turn, crying silently while patting Tiran on her rear.
"I don't think I am hungry anymore for apples!" Tiran cried out.
Fiona moaned softly hugging Tiran even tighter "let's wait for mum!" Fiona couldn't help but wonder if things had gone sideways, if Tiran died in her arms the loathing she would get, though she was a child, she knew how hatred felt, better still she had a heart boiling with hatred for... Who she couldn't remember? She was gracious for what God had done for her...
"Tiran!"
"Fiona!"
They turn their gaze to the origination of the voice, running to them was a man thick brown hair and beards, a bag on his back, white in complexion and a worried look playing across his face. Beside him was also Miran calling out their names.
They reach the girls Miran kneeling and examining them, "what happened?"
Her husband Julian knelt before Tiran "speak!" He urged. None of the girls could speak a word, all they did was cry and stare back at them.
Julian saw the blood on Fiona's hands and got a clue, discerning immediately it was bite marks. "Was it an animal that attacked you?" He said weaving his head around and scanning for traces of any animal prints. "Shit! Sorry Fiona!"
Miran wraps her hands around Fiona's softly, staring deeply into her eyes. 'This was certainly no animal, Fiona? her lips? bowing her head? she was the one that bit herself and that was the only explanation possible since wild animals weren't fond of being found in blue lake mountain village. Now all that was to the mystery was why?"
Miran turned her gaze to Tiran, her thick black hair were now pink, and certainly she looked more healthy, she would have to run some tests to see... "Miran!" Her husband shook her back to light.
"What's wrong Julian?" She asked perplexed.
Julian's mouth fell gape and for a moment he looked frustrated, "none of you are replying me, neither you or our daughter or Fiona! You all are..."
"Fiona is our daughter too, consider that!" Miran flared up a little.
Julian stood silent for a while before nodding in acceptance, she had argued about it ever since they met on the way she was persistent and fairly won the debate. "What shall we make of this?" He asked calmly.
Miran wrapped both hands around both her children. "Sorry," she said with a calm soothing voice. "Let's go in Julian, their children, let's not extend this questioning any longer if we don't want them to have any form of a traumatic experience."
Julian sighed, his wife persistent as always "Miran you know the Implications of adopting a child, especially the one of a dark skin."
Miran turned her gaze down to Fiona, "yes!" She pulled Tiran and Fiona to their feet walking them back to the house.
...
The door swung open and in walked Miran holding a candlestick in her hand to light her path. She walked up to the bed to see the girls fast asleep cuddling to their blankets, she smiled walking right to the side of the bed. She leans in and plants each two kisses on their cheeks. 'Fiona' she thought, 'something about her was more than special'. Miran turned around to leave the room when the thought flew into her mind again. She turned her gaze to Tiran sound asleep. She walked up to Tiran afterwards picking a strand of her hair and cutting it off carefully. Immediately she left the room shutting silently the door after her.
She walked down to the door at the far end of the passage. She opens the door and walked in closing it silently. The room was filled with papers nailed and pinned to the wall, shelves of books, scrolls and glass flasks with different liquids in it, one window, a table in the middle of the room, books, tubes of liquid and other apparatuses on it and a chair before it.
She walked to the table and sat on the chair. She fixed the piece of hair into a tube with thick red fluid, the liquid immediately turned transparent.
She took a close look at it before grabbing a book and opening it to a free page, further picking her quill from it's ink jar and writing on the page.
'Just as I suspected. My daughter Tiran had eaten from the Fakani apple tree, the tree that warded of demons, just as she used to, but Fiona had affected her somehow? Fiona's blood was normal and red when i checked her wounds, but Tiran had given a hint during dinner that it transformed gold, Somehow? Even if I don't understand how, I am sure to find out something soon. Fiona isn't going anywhere anytime soon either. The mountain she fell off has been reduced to nothingness and chunks of boulders, there was no trace of the woman that looked over earlier except a trail of blood which could have been from anyone or any animal. My husband Julian tracked down the trail of blood and found a pile of bones.
Fiona would be better off not going back to wherever she came, whatever was hunting her was more than a handful. She would be safer here.
Tested and proven she had lost all her memories or more correctly had a force blocking any form of remembrance to her past, certainly from demon magic, but the ability she used to heal Tiran had somehow gotten past her memory block.
Fiona, what a mystery you are? I feel if I can unlock your past and secrets, I will be able to make the world a safer place for me, Toshugami and the demon hunters. Thank you for saving my daughter from the curse of being an half demon like me Fiona!'
Miran leans back and sighs staring at the roofing, "now, help me save the world!"
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