The girls laughed.
“So, when we turn say twenty-one, you’ll probably be a grandmother,” teased Sylvia.
“Ouch” said Sassi in mock pain.
“Speaking of ouch . . .,” said Aeri’elle, “here comes the Queen.” Apparently, Dazzle was too impatient to wait any longer for her conversation with Egg and Sylvia. The girls turned and bowed politely.
“I hope everyone has had a pleasant time.” But without waiting for an answer, she turned to the two earthlings and said, “If I might have a word with you . . . alone.” The other girls took their cue to excuse themselves and hurried away.
*****
The Queen led the girls to a little alcove where they could sit and have some privacy (not that anyone would ever try and listen in on a royal conversation without permission).
“Egg, do you remember when you asked me how I had met Storm?”
Not wanting her friend to go through a long and difficult explanation, Egg said, “Dazzle . . . you want me to take M’egg-Alynnia to earth, right?”
The Queen smiled warmly. “You never fail to amaze me.”
“Sorry to disappoint you . . . but it was Sylvia and the others who figured it out.”
“Feminion . . . you still serve your friend well.” She hesitated a moment then asked an obviously difficult question. “What were your first impressions of my daughter?”
Both girls turned scarlet . . . each hoping the other would answer.
“I am sorry . . .,” said Dazzle seeing their embarrassment. “I will answer my own question. She is a brat.”
Both girls didn’t argue . . . they just looked down at their hands.
The Queen felt compelled to balance that statement with something positive. “She is also very intelligent, highly competitive and . . . on occasion . . . very considerate and compassionate.”
Still the girls said nothing.
“But mostly she is headstrong and obnoxious. She would have made a fine J’azzz-min.”
This time the girls smiled . . . then giggled. Dazzle smiled back . . . but it was a sad smile.
“So what exactly did you want us to do?”
“And for how long?” added Sylvia.
“I would like my daughter to find humility. She also needs to learn selflessness and loyalty. She must discover how to put the needs of others ahead of her own. She needs to find self-control and discipline. She must learn to trust in others. And, she must understand her own limitations and stop taking unnecessary risks.”
The girls took a moment to digest all of that. Then Egg said, “Is that all?” She meant it as a joke; but Dazzle didn’t seem to take it that way.
“If she could become more loving, tolerant and understanding . . . I believe that would serve her well.”
“Dazzle . . .,” asked Sylvia, “does M’egg know that you want to send her to earth? And does she know that you want her to learn all these things?”
The Queen sighed deeply. “No . . . and no.”
“Any ideas how we’re supposed to do all this?”
“No.”
“And how long did you want her to stay with us?”
“You are in school now?”
“Yes.”
“When does it end?”
“In about six months.”
“Then that is what I wish . . . for her to spend the rest of the school term with you.”
“Dazzle . . . I can’t just take her to my home. You understand that, right?”
“Yes. But I was hoping . . .” she let the rest of the sentence melt away.
“Sassi had a great idea. She suggested that we ask Grammy to help. Then M’egg can stay with her and no one will have to know that she’s from a different planet. Besides . . . if anybody can teach your daughter some manners, it’s Grammy.”
Dazzle’s face lit up. “Oh, that is a wonderful plan. Do you think your Grandmother will agree?”
“There’s only one way to find out . . . we’ll go home and ask her.”
“If she agrees, please invite her to come back to Q’umulus with you. I would like to speak with her about . . . the princess.”
“She’d like that. So . . . is it okay if we go back right now?”
“Oh, yes . . . please.” She forced a smile to her face and added, “I do hope she agrees. I am so desperate. My daughter has so much to offer . . . but all that goodness and potential are trapped inside that twelve-year-old monster.”
*****
“Hi, Grammy.”
“Well, that was quick. How did it go?”
“Oh, it was incredible to see everybody again.”
“It was like we never left,” added Sylvia.
“Ummm . . . but there were a few changes.”
“Such as?”
“Sassi looked a lot older . . . and she’s married and has a six-month-old daughter.”
“Oh, I’m so happy for her.”
“And Dazzle looked older and . . . ummm . . . she has a daughter our age.”
“Isn’t that wonderful. Did you get to meet her?”
“Yeah . . . kind of.”
“What does that mean, dear?”
“I . . . umm . . . just got to say hi; and then she left.”
“Oh. Well, what did you think of her?”
Egg looked at Sylvia for support. The other girl nodded encouragement.
“Grammy, that’s why we came back so soon.”
“Why is that dear?” The older Eloise wasn’t quite following.
Egg took a deep breath then blurted out, “She’s a brat and Dazzle doesn’t know what to do and she wants you to take care of her for the rest of the school year and to teach her how to be nice.” She was very pleased with herself for getting it all out so well and turned to Sylvia for approval. The other girl just rolled her eyes.
“What did you say?” asked Grammy. She wasn’t sure she had heard right.
“Grammy . . .,” explained Sylvia, “M’egg-Alynnia is a spoiled princess who thinks that everybody should bow to her and do whatever she says. Dazzle doesn’t know what to do to change her into someone who can be Queen someday. She thought that the three of us could teach her how to be a nice person.”
“I said the same thing,” said a huffy Egg.
“Oh, I see,” said Grammy after hearing Sylvia’s explanation. “Well, I guess we should be flattered that Dazzle would ask for our help.”
“Will you do it?”
“I don’t see why not. How bad can she be?”
The girls didn’t answer . . . they just looked down at their shoes.
“Oh my . . . that bad?”
“If you still want to do it, Dazzle wants you to come with us back to Aerianna so she can talk to you about . . . about whatever she needs to talk to you about.”
“Well then, let me just make sure the tea kettle is turned off . . .,” and she walked into the kitchen then back out again. “Okay, let’s go visit the Queen.” And she took Egg’s hand and they disappeared.
*****
“Eloise, how good of you to come. It has been much too long.”
“It is good to see you too, your Majesty. You are looking as beautiful as ever.”
“Perhaps a little older, but thank you for saying so.”
“I understand that you would like some help with a certain family matter.”
“Yes . . . I do believe that you and your two grandchildren (Dazzle knew how close the older woman was to Sylvia) could render me a great service.”
“I would be honored to provide whatever small assistance that I can.”
“Grammy . . . where did you learn to talk like that?”
Dazzle and her grandmother laughed, “I watch a lot of movies.”
“Eloise . . . we are family. My blood flows in your veins. You need not worry about how you address me.”
“Thank you, your Majesty. But truth be told . . . I rather like talking this way. It is not something I get to do back on earth.”
“As you wish. As to
the matter at hand, I am sure Egg and Sylvia told you of their meeting with my daughter?”
“Oh, yes.”
“And you still choose to help?” she said in wonderment. “You are as brave as your namesake.”
“I just assumed that the girls were exaggerating a bit. I’m sure your daughter is a lovely person who just needs a bit of encouragement.”
Dazzle stared at the older woman. Then she turned to a Sentinel and commanded, “Please get my daughter.” To Eloise she said, “You may judge for yourself. And, if you have a change of heart . . . I will understand.”
“Oh, my,” was all Grammy could say in reply.
A moment later, the doors opened and in came the Princess. She walked up to the Queen . . . ignoring the three guests. “What is it, Mother?”
“I would like you to meet Eloise . . . Egg’s grandmother and my friend.”
M’egg-Alynnia rolled her eyes and reluctantly turned around. She stared at the two young girls then turned her royal gaze at Grammy. “I am Princess M’egg-Alynnia.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, dear” and she held out her hand.
The girl stared at the appendage as if it was poisonous. Then she slowly lifted her eyes and looked intently at the woman in front of her. “I am a Princess. You will never address me as ‘dear’. And . . . as for that (pointing at the outstretched hand) . . . take it away or I will have it chopped off.”
“Daughter . . . do not speak to my friends in such a manner.”
“I’m sorry, your Majesty . . . it’s entirely my fault.” Everyone turned to look at Grammy. “The Princess is absolutely correct.” She turned to M’egg-Alynnia and said, “Please accept my apology. I am unfamiliar with the customs of your planet. Ignorance, of course, is no excuse. But perhaps your Highness will see fit to forgive an old woman.”
M’egg-Alynnia looked surprised . . . and then pleased. “You are forgiven.” Unfortunately, the brat couldn’t just leave it at that and added, “Don’t ever forget yourself again.” To Egg’s shock, Grammy just bowed.
“Mother . . . I really must leave,” and without waiting for permission . . . or saying good-bye to the Queen’s guests . . . the Princess turned and strutted out of the room.
No one talked for a full half-minute. Then Egg said, “Grammy . . . why did you do that?”
“Egg, dearest . . . our young Princess has so much to learn; but now wasn’t the time for her first lesson.” Then she turned to the Queen and said, “I will be very glad to have your daughter stay with me for the rest of the school term. I look forward to getting to know her.”
Dazzle smiled as she had never smiled before (or at least since her daughter turned three). “Eloise . . . I will be eternally indebted to you and your family. For the first time in a very long time, I do believe that the three of you might be able to do what I could not . . . knock some sense into that little horror.”
Egg and Sylvia giggled. But Grammy said, “Before we head home, I think you and I should agree to some ground rules.”
“There is no need. You may do whatever you wish. Just try not to beat her too badly . . . unless you feel it is absolutely necessary.”
Assuming that Dazzle was mostly kidding, the girls giggled again.
Chapter 4 - Grammy and the Brat
Egg and Sylvia went to say goodbye to their sisters. “Hey, you guys, it was so great to see all of you again.”
“The same goes for me,” said Sylvia.
“That’s not fair . . . we didn’t get to spend enough time with you two,” complained Bl’azzz.
“And I wanted you to meet my husband and daughter.”
“And Dad and I wanted you two to talk at the university. He and I both teach history . . . and having your firsthand account of everything that happened during the Quest would be invaluable.”
“I’m with Bl’azzz . . .,” said Soo. “I was really looking forward to just sitting around and reliving some of our adventures and catching up on what we’ve been doing since.”
“H’sssss. I want Egg and Sylvia to go home.”
“Why . . . you loopy lovable leviathan?”
“So they can take the Princess with them and turn her into a nice person.”
Sassi added with a smile, “I agree with K’ssss. If you can’t stay . . . then go home and do your magic on that . . . that . . . that . . . princess (insulting the royal family just wasn’t done). But when it’s over . . . you have to promise to come back and spend lots of time with us. We’re going to want to hear every last detail about her earthly visit and how you changed her into a loveable little lady.”
“Hey . . . I do the L words.”
“Sorry.”
“Okay, we absolutely promise. We’ll be back in six months . . .,” but that caused her to stop. “Oh, that’s earth time. It’ll be more like two years on Aerianna.” She involuntarily looked at Sassi.
“We can’t help what we can’t change, dear Egg. I’m getting older. But, I can promise you that young Sassi still lives inside my heart. And she will always be your sister.”
Egg threw her arms around the greenish girl and hugged her warmly. “I wish there was a place like Never-Land.”
“What’s that?” asked Bl’azzz.
“A place where you never grow old.”
“H’sssss.”
“Now what, you silly sack of sea serpent?”
“That sounds like a fairy tale.”
Everyone laughed until Aeri’elle said, “Or maybe it’s where our next great adventure will be.” Everyone looked at her expecting to see her smiling. But she had the strangest look on her face.
“What do you mean?” asked Sylvia.
“When K’ssss said it, I got a . . . a premonition I guess you’d say. I saw us in a place where time stands still. Weird. That’s never happened to me before.”
No one could think of anything to say, but Egg got goosebumps.
*****
“I absolutely refuse.”
“Daughter . . . you are going to earth. You will learn everything Eloise and her two granddaughters choose to teach you. And you will return to us better suited to rule Aerianna.” Lord Z’kkk stared at the Princess without wavering in his resolve . . . even though she scared the heck out of him.
“No. I will not go to such a backward, barbaric place. I will not mingle with non-royals. And I will not take orders from anyone. I am a Princess.”
“No, you are not.”
M’egg-Alynnia turned to her mother, raised her chin, squinted her eyes and said in her most royal voice, “And what does that mean?”
“If you do not avail yourself of this opportunity, then you are not worthy to be a princess . . . or to ever rule Aerianna. You may choose to go to earth, or you may choose to renounce your birthright (meaning her royal heritage and her right to be princess and eventually queen). The decision is yours.”
“Mother . . .”
“Decide now.”
The Princess was not used to being treated this way . . . by anyone. But she had enough sense to realize that her parents weren’t going to back down. So . . . she would have to make the best of it. “Then I (she emphasized the word) choose to go to Earth.”
“You will treat your hosts with the respect that they deserve. Remember, always, what they have done for me, for your father and for this planet. Do I make myself abundantly clear?”
“I have said that I will go to earth.” That statement, of course, did not acknowledge what Dazzle had just said.
“M’egg-Alynnia, make the most of this opportunity.”
The girl smiled . . . but it was not a friendly smile. “Oh, I will. Of that, I can promise you.”
*****
“I cannot thank you enough, Eloise. No matter what happens, I will always be grateful for your efforts.” She turned to include Egg and Sylvia and added, “All of your efforts.”
“Please, your Majesty, think nothing of it. However, I do have some practical concerns. How will your daughter know
our customs and history . . . things that any twelve-year-old girl would be expected to know?”
“We have given her a ring with three special serpents’ crystals. One is the translation crystal, one contains the knowledge of your history and the last has all of your social and cultural information. She can access them with just a thought.”
“How did you get all of that stuff?” asked Sylvia.
“We have been gathering information from earth ever since our first visit. But, I must warn you that some of the social and cultural information may not be the most current. So I would ask you both (meaning Egg and Sylvia) to assist my daughter if this becomes a problem.”
“Well, then . . . I guess we’re ready. Where is the Princess?”
“She will be here presently. My people have put together a wardrobe for her that is more appropriate to her new surroundings. I am sure she is just trying to decide which to wear.”
Just then, the doors flew open and in came the Princess. She was wearing jeans and a sweater . . . and looking like a ‘normal’ twelve-year-old earthling (if you ignored her jewel-encrusted tiara).
“MOTHER . . . look at me. Just look at me,” she screamed.
Dazzle couldn’t help but to smile at her daughter’s transformation. “You look very Egg-like.” It was meant as a compliment.
“I look like a poor peasant. Like . . . like . . . like . . . a laborer.” She spat the word out.
“No one wishes to be poor. But most of the poor I have met still maintain their dignity and pride. As to looking like a laborer . . . that is as noble a profession as any.”
“OHHH . . . you are impossible.”
“I think you look great,” said Egg trying to be helpful.
M’egg-Alynnia stared at the girl as if she were a bug. “No one asked you.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to be nice.”
The Princess actually growled at the girl . . . then turned back to the Queen. “Mother, please don’t do this to me. I promise I will behave any way you wish. I can be the sweet, loveable little girl that you seem to want. Just don’t send me away. I beg of you.”
“My daughter, I love you . . . and that is why you must go. Your abominable behavior is as much my fault as it is yours. Be that as it may, these three friends are your last hope . . . our last hope.”
Box Set #2: Zynn-Zaz'Zia: [The 4 book 2nd Adventure of Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood] Page 4