Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses

by A. W. Cross

  All of humming, illumination, and the etching suddenly stopped. I waited, expecting it all to return, but it didn’t.

  I carefully closed the book and contemplated every word I read.

  If those words were true, then it meant either my father or my mother were of magic. And I needed to find out who of the two it was.

  11

  My thoughts were everywhere, my emotions, a whirlwind. Yet I needed to pull myself together and get ready for dinner. I'd yet to see our gracious hosts.

  The inside of the home was every bit as spectacular as the outside. Oddly, not in an ostentatious way. Bernice, or whomever they'd inherited the home from, managed to make the grand space cozy.

  A lady's maid quietly moved about, helping me get ready, lacing up my corset. I thanked her as she disappeared, but not before she mumbled how dinner started promptly at seven.

  I stood before the mirror to take in the beautiful teal dress with delicate lace trimmings. The bottom sleeves flared out, reminiscent to something I'd imagined Marie Antoinette wearing.

  After pinning up a few tresses of hair, I saw myself downstairs where I found my father happily engaged with Bernice and Samuel.

  "Oh my! Look at you." Bernice said, struggling to her feet.

  "Don't get up. I'll come to you."

  My feet carried me to her as I greeted our hostess with a warm hug. "Thank you, so much for having us. I'm sorry I didn't come immediately in. But I figured you'd understand. After all, you have these amazing grounds, kind of hard to resist." I smiled. "I needed to hideaway for some alone time."

  "Of course! I'm glad someone is enjoying them. I had to lay down for a bit after our arrival. I've been retaining a bit of water as of late, and I needed to put my feet up."

  Out of nowhere, I had this urgency to share a remedy I didn't even know I knew.

  "Do you have cucumber, ginger, and lemons?"

  She looked at me in confusion. "I believe so."

  "Okay, I'll be right back." I said turning away. "Where's the kitchen?" I said before exiting the main room.

  "Down the hall, you'll run into it at the end. Lily, you don't have..."

  "Shh. I'll be right back." I said with a playful wink.

  In the kitchen I prepared the concoction and made sure the staff understood when to give it to Bernice, as I returned with a glass in hand.

  I found everyone congregated, looking dapper for dinner.

  It was the first time I'd seen General Jensen out of uniform. He was quite handsome in his black evening suit.

  And Cloe, well, I didn't think it was possible for her to ever look anything less than spectacular.

  General Jensen looked up from his pocket watch and stood more straightly, as I reached them.

  "There you are. I was telling our friends that I believe we have a true medicine woman on our hands." Bernice laughed.

  "Hardly. But I think this should help you. Drink all of this before dinner and I've given the staff detailed instructions for the rest of the evening. If you follow this through, you should be good by morning." I said, shocked at my own words. Wondering where it was all coming from. And it occurred to me, the elemental magic written in the book.

  Quickly, I composed myself turning my attention to Cloe. She smiled behind a glass of wine.

  My father and Samuel resumed their conversation and as much as General Jensen feigned being a part of it, I caught him several times looking in my direction.

  Cloe moved closer to Bernice and me. "The Marquis will be arriving later this night."

  Bernice and I watched for her expression. "What?" She said joyfully. "It's a good thing. I'm always happy to see my husband, especially now." She said giving me a quick glance.

  "Well, the LaBaron's are more than pleased to have him as a guest. I've already alerted the staff and they have setup accommodations for his accompaniments."

  "Thank you, so much Bernice. I don't know what I'd do without your friendship."

  "You'd be lost, child." She said jokingly.

  "Bernice, I don't think I know this information, but how many children do you and Mr. LaBaron have?"

  Her mood turned somber and I knew immediately that I'd stumbled on delicate ground. I looked around the room, hoping the men weren't paying attention to our conversation. Thankfully, they were quietly engaged in theirs.

  "I'm sorry. You shouldn't answer that. I just..."

  "No, it's quite all right." She adjusted herself in the chair. "Samuel and I are childless. We tried. We traveled around the world to several doctors, healers, etc. to no avail. No one could tell us if it was him or me, yet alone why. We finally gave up hope. We thought of adopting. But there'd been so much controversy in those years over a family who'd taken two children of one of their former maids, that it seemed hardly like the time. And now, well, we're simply too old to be caring for a child. It wouldn't seem fair having to deal with two old folks." She laughed, yet I could sense the pain in her voice.

  Cloe looked away, tucking her hands to her sides. I understood why. She was young and most likely able to have children, still she was choosing not to. And here, her best friend as far as I could tell, couldn't.

  Bernice chugged down the concoction I'd brought her, and just in time as the butler announced dinner.

  We moved freely into the beautiful dining room. Probably the most formal room in the entire house.

  Conversation over dinner was pleasant, but I was rather exhausted from the trip, and well, from the event with the book, that I excused myself earlier than the rest.

  As I approached the stairs, General Jensen caught my attention. There was something rather different in the way he moved, if ever so slightly.

  I tried pushing the thoughts of the mechanical appendage, away. But the more I thought about it, the more stubborn I became.

  Absentmindedly, I followed the general outdoors where he was enjoying a cigar.

  "Miss Lily, my apologies."

  "No need to apologize. I spotted you coming out here and I figured you might want some company."

  He smiled. "It is always nice to be in the company of beautiful young lady such as yourself. But weren't you exhausted?" He said behind a quizzical smile.

  "Aww, yes. I was. I am." I paused. What the heck, I thought. "General Jensen? I must know. Do you have a mechanical prosthetic?"

  He froze.

  "General, I am not here to judge you. But if you do, I'd really like to know. I know it is none of my business, however, I really am curious and well, I saw something the other night, and I think you and I both know I'm not wrong."

  He looked around, then took me by the arm away from the entrance and any windows.

  "I don't even know where to start. But yes, you are right. I have a mechanical leg. I was injured in combat and while they tried everything, they could to save my leg, it simply wasn't enough. the military had only started doing their research and were working with a few test subjects. As soon as I learned about this, I wheeled myself into my superior’s office and pleaded to be allowed to take part in the experiment. They were reluctant and it took a lot of persuasion. But they ended up agreeing. It's been the best decision for me, considering all things."

  I watched in amazement as he lit up sharing the information, as if for once, releasing his inner darkest secrets. Freeing his beast.

  "Does it hurt?"

  He relaxed, allowing his typical stoic stance to take a break. "On occasion, especially if I've been on my feet for too long."

  "Does it come off at all?"

  "Every night or whenever I'm in the privacy of my own home."

  "Amazing."

  "It truly is. Which is why it is important to have people like your father on our side, helping advance technology and medicine."

  The sound of steam-powered engines was heard in the distance. The general returned to his typical at the ready stance, as he furrowed his brow.

  "It might be the Marquis del Castillo." I said, remembering he'd be joining us for the w
eekend.

  "I'd consider that, except, the Marquis mostly makes travel through the country by horse drawn carriage, not steam engine."

  It seemed rather peculiar. But he obviously knew more than I.

  And there it was, the sound of hoofs against the ground.

  "I don't believe the Marquis is alone. Why don't you go back on inside and alert the others.”?

  There was something in his tone that told me I shouldn't question, as I moved hastily indoors.

  "Why, I thought you'd already gone to bed, my dear."

  I smiled to my father. "Not quite." I said, turning my attention to Mr. LaBaron. "Samuel, someone is approaching the estate. The general advised that I alert you."

  He jumped to his feet, calling for the house manager. He whispered something and the man moved quickly from sight. Mr. LaBaron discreetly motioned the butler, who took to the stairs, moving rapidly out of sight.

  Bernice and Cloe returned from what seemed the lady’s room.

  "Oh, Lily! We thought you were in bed already. Well, since I have you here, your drink is working wonders. I already feel much better. Not as bloated as I'd been."

  "That's great!"

  Samuel interrupted. "My dear, I believe the Marquis is approaching, but he is not alone."

  Cloe rushed outdoor where I heard her speaking to the general. Her voice rose a few decibels. "No one invited him!"

  The general's voice was not loud enough for any of us to hear.

  "I don't care. It is completely rude to show up uninvited, to a private home."

  Again, silence on our end.

  "Please, General Jensen. Don't patronize me. We both know what this means. Dominic is inserting himself in this weekend’s events for one reason only, Miss Lily. He sees her as a prize he cannot have. And he'll stop at nothing until he's had his way." She said, returning indoors.

  She looked at the rest of us and shrugged her shoulders. "What? Are we going to pretend like we don't know what his intentions are? That man has set his eyes on Lily and he isn't going anywhere until he's dug his talons into her. And I will not stand by and watch it happen. Although Lily is a new friend, I won't allow anyone to hurt her. de Pierre or not, he doesn't get to come here and disrupt our weekend."

  She and Bernice each took me by and arm and rushed me out the backdoor.

  "Where are we going?" I protested, unsure of what exactly was going on.

  "We are going to leave, my dear. Will allow the men to entertain the others for the weekend." Bernice said.

  "But what of your husband, Cloe?"

  She smiled. "Trust me, he'll understand. He despises Dominic de Pierre just as much as the rest of us."

  "I think you truly have this wrong, Cloe. Dominic is after my father’s invention, not me."

  She stopped dead in our tracks. "I'm sure he is. But don't let him off the hook that easily, Lily. He is after you, too."

  "What do you expect him to do?"

  Bernice sighed, "Child. That man is pure evil. He has a very bad reputation about stealing young women's virtue."

  I immediately understood.

  Quietly, I followed them through the vast back gardens. Thankfully the moon shown bright enough to help us navigate through a wooded area just outside the green lawns, and toward a patch of houses. Once there, Bernice tapped on a door. An older man opened this and without question stepped away, allowing us entrance. He moved quickly toward a room where a woman appeared.

  "Good evening, Mrs. LaBaron. Marquesa del Castillo." She said.

  "Good evening, Tomasa. We need Raul to prepare the vehicle immediately. The three of us are leaving."

  Tomasa turned quickly on her heels and resurfaced shortly after with her husband already dressed. He moved outdoors while Tomasa prepared a basket.

  I leaned over to Cloe. "Why is she preparing a basket of food?"

  "We aren't returning to Albercadia, at least not this weekend."

  "So where are we going?"

  "Into the mountains. My husband has a hunting lodge there. It is securely guarded, year-round. No one will be able to enter the vicinity without an invitation. Otherwise, they'll be shot on the spot.

  I felt suddenly ill to my stomach.

  How on earth had I caused such panic?

  12

  A stream of running water could be heard in the background while we moved toward a barn. Tomasa held the basket, struggling with her weight, yet refusing for any of us to help, pushing our hands away as she mumbled under her breath.

  My heart panged for Cloe. She'd been convinced she was ready to turn a new leaf with her husband. And now I was ruining the opportunity.

  "What's on your mind, Lily?" Bernice asked, holding a handful of her skirt.

  My voice quivered. "I feel bad. Uprooting the two of you. This is not how this weekend was supposed to turn out."

  Tears worked their way over the rim of my eyes, flowing down my face.

  A pocket of cold air moved around me, sending a shiver down my spine. I shook, trying to brush it away.

  I pulled my arms around myself, wondering if I was the only one feeling it. When I turned to look at Cloe, she was smiling. Yet there, in blue of her eyes, I could see something moving.

  My eyes grew wide, witnessing a vision flash in her irises.

  "Impossible," I muttered.

  "Not really." She replied. "You see, I'm no different than you. And neither is Bernice. We are sisters of the realm. And we suspect Dominic has picked up on this, which is why he is trying desperately to get to you." I whipped my head to Bernice who continued walking without missing a step. She smiled, nodding in agreement.

  "How? How did you know?"

  Cloe pressed a finger to her voluptuous pink lips. Indicating that we wait until we were in private.

  How could I wait with that bomb of information looming between us?

  "Are we almost to the vehicle?" I asked.

  Tomasa hollered from aside. "Just past the barn. Raul is ready and we'll get you three on your way."

  "Thank you," I replied to the grumpy woman who scowled to me each time we made eye contact.

  We passed the barn and found Raul standing near a craft slightly larger than a carriage.

  "What is that?" I said taking in the hunk of bronze and black shiny metal.

  Raul helped his wife settle the basket into the back of the craft and exchanged a few words with Bernice before he and Tomasa bid us farewell and walked away. Once they were out of the area, Cloe turned to me.

  "This is one of the best inventions, yet. It is a hovercraft. It moves on land, sea, and air." She said excitedly. "Come on, let's go before Dominic gets the idea to send any of his men to look for us."

  The somewhat flat oval shape with a center cylinder enclosure hummed to life when Bernice flipped a switch. "Are you going to drive us?" I asked, rather unsure.

  She laughed, "Why not?"

  I shrugged, "I suppose I never considered it."

  Cloe opened a hatch door and extended her hand out to help me in.

  The rich black leather interior and gold trimming were splendid, while the driver's seat held all sorts of gadgets and controls.

  Once the three of us were in our spots, Bernice smiled. "Hold on tight, I'm going to make a quick getaway, then we'll cruise once we've gotten past the Etnot Woods."

  Cloe leaned over. "The woods up ahead."

  Bernice wasn't joking when she said we should hold on tight. A turbulent sound roared to life, jerking us forward as she held tightly on to a mechanism which seemed to maneuver the craft. We moved in an inclined position, dropping slightly whenever we got too far past the top tree lining. My stomach was twisting and turning. An uneasy queasiness threatened to make me hurl over.

  "Try to take deep breaths and count to three," Cloe said.

  I tried but it wasn't really working.

  The craft rumbled every so often, only making me worse.

  I'll be sure to kiss the ground when we land. I told myself.

&
nbsp; Then we broke past the woods and I didn't feel so pinned back and the air felt easier to breathe.

  Bernice tapped the glass of one of the meters, I wondered if we should be concerned. After all, we were moving through the air, quite a few feet from the ground.

  Finally, what seemed like a light turned on, lighting the sky in front of us.

  She turned her back from the control panel, "We should be there in about a half-hour. We'll cruise for ten minutes, then I'll kick on the turbo when we move up the mountains."

  So many questions formed in my head, overwhelming my senses.

  But I knew what I had to discuss first.

  "Cloe, what exactly did you mean by sisters of the realm?"

  Bernice and Cloe exchanged a smile.

  "We are sisters of magic. Elemental magic. We serve an unseen realm to most humans. Our purpose is to help keep nature on track, for without it, the world as we know it will subside to exist."

  A pounding in my head told me it had nothing to do with the hovercraft ride, and everything to do with all the new information.

  "How and why me?"

  "Your mother was an earth elemental. Sadly, we have rules and she broke a rule and paid the ultimate price."

  I felt my entire inner being freeze in place. "What are you saying? My mother died from the plague."

  "She unleashed her powers on another human being. The intention was good, but we are not allowed to use our powers on others in a way that will harm. It is our golden rule. She was trying to stop a husband from hurting his wife. That night, she fell ill with a fever. The earth claimed her. That is what happens. Our elements claim us when it is our time to move from this realm."

  I was stunned by the information. "Does my father know?"

  They both shook their heads. "Do your husbands know?"

  "Both our husbands do, yes."

  My back leaned into the cold leather seat, attempting to reconcile what I was learning. It didn't make any sense at all. "Are there many of us?" I had to ask.

  "Not as many as we could possibly use. Each year, there are fewer of us. So, few, that Bernice and I believe our kind will go extinct."