That was too much and Mrs. Graystone let out a little, “Oh, my”.
Rose smiled and continued. “Your daughter represents a thousand years of genetic refinement . . . a combination of the best earth has to offer, and to a lesser extent, Aerianna.”
“Oh, Mother. Do not be so modest.”
Rose gave her daughter a quick glance and a small, appreciative smile. “This conversation would be totally different, and much more difficult, if it had occurred nine years ago before Egg began the Quest. Had the situation been reversed, I would have been hard pressed to send my nine-year-old daughter to fight Mobius. However, rightly or wrongly, your daughter volunteered and her grandmother agreed. The results are literally chronicled in the history of this world. She and her sisters freed us from tyranny defeating the evil one on two different occasions. They saved Zynn-Zaz’zia from the same fate. And by defeating the Empress Violetta, they did the same for the hundred or so planets of the former Starlight Alliance.
Egg has nothing left to prove as the leader of the Sisterhood. Aside from her exploits, you have heard what these amazing ladies had to say of their love and devotion for your daughter.
Lastly, as my husband so eloquently phrased it . . . we consider her our daughter. I have given her, and the Sisterhood, my personal castle. Se’rene will be her home. You are both welcome to visit Aerianna whenever you wish. If someday it is your desire, you will be welcomed to relocate to our world. I have already made the same offer to Eloise and Ezra.
As I said, we are family . . . and, as far as I am concerned, you have finally come home.”
Mrs. Graystone turned and smiled at her husband who nodded his approval. “Your Majesty . . . both of you (referring to Meggy) . . . my husband and I couldn’t be happier for our daughter. Or, more proud. She is eighteen years old so she doesn’t need our approval. But, that’s not what this was all about. Egg wanted our blessing . . . and she has it.”
Yes, yes . . . Egg went up to her parents, then her grandparents, to give out the requisite hugs and kisses. But there was one person yet to speak . . .
“If I may?”
“Ben’Edikk, this is neither the time nor place,” hissed Meggy.
“Of course it is.” He turned to Egg and said, “I am sure you have not heard . . . Molly has decided to return to Earth.”
“Really? Why?”
“She feels that the life she now leads does not reflect who she really is. She wants to live on Earth to see if she can make a go of it on her own . . .” but his sister cut him off.
“Benny, you fool. That’s not why she is leaving.”
“But . . . she told me that when she broke our engagement.”
“Men,” she sighed. “I thought their insensitivity and inability to understand us women was unique to Aerianna. Apparently, it is a universal weakness.”
“Meggy, what are you talking about? For that matter, what is he (pointing at her brother) talking about?”
“I am sorry to say that Molly overheard a conversation between my brother and me.”
“Which conversation?” asked the blue-skinned young man.
“You fool . . . the one where you told me that you really were unsure about marrying the poor girl. You said . . .”
“Oh, good grief, no.”
“Oh, good grief yes. She heard you say that you were in love . . . with Egg.”
“Oh my gosh”.
*****
Back on Earth
Egg walked up to the front door and knocked. A moment later, she was face to face with Zeke. “Hi.”
“Hey.”
“Can we talk?”
“I guess. Come in.”
“Actually, let’s go for a walk.”
“Afraid I might try to kiss you?”
She was going to answer sarcastically, but then decided against it. “I was hoping there’d be a goodbye kiss.” She had already told him she was moving away . . . to Boston to be near her sister. It was a white lie but that couldn’t be helped.
They walked behind Grammy’s house and up to the lake where he had first sketched a picture for her. They sat down and just took in the view.
After a few minutes, Egg stood up to face the young man. “Do you remember the story you wrote – The Adventures of Flying Girl?”
“Like I told Syl, not really.”
“Ring . . . tend to my suit.” The gray fog swirled around her and a moment late she was Flying Girl. “How about now?”
“What the heck? How’d you do that?”
“Does it look familiar?”
He stared for a long time. “Yeah, it does.”
“Take my hand,” and she extended it to him.
“What’s going on?”
“I want to show you something.”
He took her hand . . . and the world went dark. When it came back into focus, they were no longer on Earth. “What was that?”
“Look,” and she pointed behind her.
He stared with his mouth hanging open.
“Remember this?”
He scrunched his face as he tried to think. Finally, he said, “It’s the Crystal Mountain. It wasn’t a dream?”
“No, it was real. But like before, you won’t remember.”
“Why?”
“It’s the way it works. Anyway, do you remember why we came here?”
“Um . . . we went inside. There were a couple of monsters and a coffin. We came to save the coffin because there was a beautiful princess inside. When we came out, there was a dragon . . . a big, white one. He flew us out of here to some castle.”
“Yup.”
“Egg . . . how’s that possible?”
“Too long a story . . . and it doesn’t matter. What I never told you was that without your help, I would have lost the war.”
“What war?”
“Another long story. Anyway, I want you to meet someone,” and she touched her ring and they reappeared at Se’rene. “Remember this place?”
“Yeah, it’s the castle.”
“Let’s go inside.”
They did and there to greet them was Rose.
“Zeke, this is my friend Dazzle. She was the princess inside the coffin.”
The young man stared at the older woman. “What?”
“Another long story. This is really her.”
“Zeke, I was much younger back then . . . it is quite understandable that you do not recognize me.”
“But . . . but I remember those clothes”. Rose had put on the same outfit that she had worn the day the Myst Tree had put her essence into the flying suit. “Anyway, you still look pretty much the same.”
“I thank you for that kind lie. As for why I wished to see you . . . at Egg’s request, I have ordered the history books of Aerianna to be changed. They will now acknowledge the vital role you played in our struggle against the tyrant Mobius. On behalf of all my people, I offer you a belated thank you.”
“I . . . I . . . I give up. I don’t know what’s going on. How can any of this be real?”
“It is. Anyway, we have to go,” Egg told her ex-boyfriend.
“Any chance to say hi to that dragon? What was his name?”
Rose answered. “His name was Storm and he died of old age not long after you met.”
“Oh. Sorry. He was really great.”
“Indeed he was.”
“Come on, Zeke.”
“Sure. But . . . didn’t you say I’ll forget everything when we get back?”
“After an hour . . . yes. But you will dream about this.”
You could tell the young man was thinking furiously. After a few moments, he asked, “Princess, would you mind doing me a favor?”
“Of course. You need but ask.”
Zeke pulled out his smart phone, walked over and stood next to Rose . . . and took a selfie. “I might forget what just happened . . . but I’ll have this picture to remind me.”
“Yeah . . . no, sorry. You’ll look at that picture and have no idea who the
girl is.”
“Then . . . I’ll post it on Facebook and describe this whole trip.” He smiled triumphantly.
“Good idea,” she said. But she knew it wouldn’t work. He would still forget and his friends would think he was goofing on them. However, for the next hour he would be one very happy young man. “Come on, if you want that goodbye kiss, we need to leave.”
Zeke looked at Egg then turned to Rose. “Gotta go.”
*****
Sighing Whorl
Egg entered the swirling mist and made her way to the glowing tree.
“Hey, Tree.”
“Egg of Earth, such a pleasure.”
“It’s Egg of Aerianna now.”
“It will always be Egg of Earth to me. However, I am glad you have become a citizen of this world.”
“Why?”
“It is where you have belonged since the day you were born.”
“If you say so. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for giving me back my flying suit. Why did you choose a Fandango Sally song?”
“Sometimes even I do not know why I do things.”
“Yeah . . . not buying it. Anyway, the Sisterhood and I are going to the planet Spell ‘Bound to meet a girl called the Librarian. Any idea what she looks like or where we can find her?”
“She looks like this . . .
. . . and you will find her in the Library.”
“Funny.”
“Sorry, I do not do funny.”
“Can you give us any help on this MAGEK machine we’re supposed to turn off?”
“If you were to build such a machine . . . one with the power of turning thought into reality . . . where would you place the off button?”
“No idea.”
“That which lights – the darkest nights – will point the way – but only in the grey – of the following day.”
“A riddle . . . that’s more like it. But you might want to work on the rhyming part.”
“Sadly, not my best.”
She hesitated a moment. “Can I ask you another question?”
“Ask.”
“What would happen to the Sisterhood if I retired?”
“You will retire . . . but not for many years.”
“So, what will happen? Will the Hameggattic Sisterhood just come to an end?”
“No. Syl’kie will take your place.”
“Silky. Who’s that? A new sister?”
“No . . . Syl’kie is your youngest daughter named in honor of your best friend.”
“My daughter! Now that’s what I call epic.”
Look for yet another adventure for
Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood.
Nemesis
Box Set #4: Sisterhood's End: [The 3 book 4th adventure of Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood] Page 35