“I don’t feel a loss in energy anymore. I have it back,” he announced.
Tina’s head seemed to be reeling. “I’ll have to get back to the house and go through my books to find more on this. Ashton may have some sort of knowledge as well. Oh and there’s Andrew. Call Andrew, you’ll be stronger with him nearer to you.”
“Whoa, Tina slow down,” Pete said with raised hands.
“Slow down? Slow down! We have five days well four and a half now until we have to go into battle with her. She needs to figure out how to use this ability. We need to find the rules and limits or…”
“Or what, Tina?” Jonah asked, flipping his ebony hair out of his worried eyes.
Tina picked at her freshly painted nails. “Limits come with abilities. There are rules to what she can and can’t do with it. There are rules for every regal regarding their ability.”
“Okay? So why are you so worried? Sounds simple enough. Find the rules and don’t break ‘em, right?” Jonah asked attempting to pacify himself as well as his sister.
“Yup. Find the rules and don’t break them. Okay lets practice, slowly.” Tina said quickly. “You stand here Gwen and you-”
Gwen cut her off. “You’re not telling us something Tina.” Gwen looked at Pete. “You aren’t either. What?”
“Nothing Gwen. Let’s practice okay? This is exciting, you should be excited too,” he said, forcing a smile.
She knew they were hiding something, but decided not to push the issue. Pete seemed to always have her best interest at heart, and she knew she needed to practice. She was so out of breath from that one act that she thought she could sleep for days…something that they didn’t have.
“Okay, call Andrew,” Tina said. Gwen complied and put her hand to her chest.
“This is going to be so awesome,” Jonah whispered. “You’re the sh-”
“Jonah James, don’t you finish that sentence,” Gwen corrected.
The teen rolled his eyes and walked away, taking a seat on the boulder, ready to enjoy the show.
Gwen placed a hand gently on her mark. Andrew, they want you to come back.
On my way he thought back, full of excitement.
In an instant Andrew appeared. He was soaring from tree to tree, touching the ground only to build up more speed. He hurdled branches like they were cracks in an old sidewalk. Slowing just in time, he trotted over to the group. Holy smokes, this is incredible! Did you see that! Gwen I’ve never moved like that before! I thought I’d finally be able to keep up with Tok and Koli but I’m ten times faster than them. What the heck is your ability? Must be something outstanding!
Gwen smiled as she spoke silently to him. That was pretty awesome! They say I’m a borrower.
Andrew tensed and stepped backwards. He looked from Tina to Pete, who was standing behind Gwen. He shook his head, warning Andrew not to divulge the true meaning of her fate.
What! He sounded furious yet quickly composed himself. That’s great Gwen. It’s a very coveted ability. I’m really happy for you…us.
You don’t sound like it. She said with somewhat of a bite in her tone, probably more than she anticipated.
I just don’t think anyone really knows a lot about it. He attempted to rectify to no avail.
So I’ve heard, she meekly thought.
“Okay let’s begin,” Pete said. “Gwen, I want you to take my telekinesis and move this small stick. Tina you time this.” Pete laid a stick about the size of his palm at Gwen’s feet. She took a big breath and cleared her thoughts. He held out his hand and Gwen took it, searching for the feeling. She could feel Pete’s eyes on her, which made a clear mind difficult to achieve. Pushing all of her thoughts to the furthest depths of her mind she sought out the feeling. Suddenly, she felt the shock and then the flutter.
“I have it!” Gwen said excitedly. Pete slowly slid his hand from hers.
“Start, Tina,” he commanded. Tina took Jonah’s arm and held it in hers, as she used his watch to time. He didn’t seem to mind from the silly grin plastered on his face.
“Okay hold on to it and lift the stick just like the rock before,” Pete instructed. “Hold it as long as you can.”
Gwen raised her ballerina-like hand, palm down, to shoulder height. The stick followed. It sat in the air a few feet from her fingers, hovering. Gwen, surprised at her strength, started to let go of the energy and the stick did a quick dip.
“Hold it! Don’t drop it Gwen. Stay strong.” Pete coached from beside her. “Push it further away.”
“How…do…I do that” Gwen got out through clenched teeth.
“Bring your elbow in and give the stick a little bump with your energy. You might not get it to go very far but that’s ok. Andrew can help you through your channel. Andrew, touch your chest and let your energy flow to her. Stand slightly in front of her in battle position and try it. It could take a few tries. Clear your thoughts Andrew.”
Andrew obeyed and stood a good four feet in front of her. He looked so noble; muscles bulged like mountains on his chest. He raised a paw and covered his mark. Gwen brought her quivering arm back a bit and pushed forward. Crack! The stick didn’t move a few inches, it didn’t even move a few feet. It flew a good twenty feet before it slammed against a tree at a speed no match for a bullet. A gaping hole in the giant trunk was the only thing left of the stick. Silence.
“Holy shit!” Jonah hollered. “That was the coolest thing I have ever seen! Who needs a gun! Gwen, you’re like a regular war machine! Wait, are you ok?” he asked noticing her begin to lose her footing.
Gwen flopped down on the ground. Letting her head hit the dirt with a slight thump. “Anyone have any water?” she asked.
Pete’s face dropped. Tina eyes reflected her concern. Andrew just dropped his head.
Just then a man in a flannel shirt, holding a shot gun, came slowly tromping through the forest, his hound close to his side. He appeared to be late aged from his salt and pepper beard and sideburns. Thick unkempt eyebrows lay just centimeters from the bill of his green john deer hat. The dog sensed them and began barking. The smoking tree suddenly caught the man’s droopy eye.
“What in the world?” he muttered under his breath. Putting one eye up to the hole he peered through. “Well Skip we’ve gotta tell the ranger bout this.”
The protective dog placed itself between Andrew and its master, bearing its teeth.
“Great! Tina shouted. “Ugh, get dog, go away! Now we’re going to have to fix that hole before he brings Ranger Danger out here.”
The man didn’t even look up.
“Can’t he see us?” Jonah asked.
“No he can’t see or hear a damn thing. The dog can. Just a nuisance is all,” Tina complained. She began to giggle mischievously. Walking over to the man, who was still examining the hole, she placed her hand over the plants injury, and said a few words, healing the tree right before his eyes.
The man staggered backwards dropping his gun. His hat flew off to reveal his shiny bald head. “What in Sam hell!” he shouted. “Skip, come on skip!” he hollered while running desperately away. Skip was too busy attempting a face-off with Andrew. The poor pup only stood to Andrew’s front knees. Batting at the dog, Andrew decided it was time to give that dog a little incentive to leave. He let out a short roar, which resulted in the dog whining and high tailing it out of there.
Tina fell on the ground laughing, little legs kicking with delight. The others laughed too, not at the poor terrified old man, but more so at Tina’s hysterical little giggle. She sat up, playful blond ponytail standing on end, realizing they were laughing at her. “Humph,” she pouted.
“Let’s call it a day,” Pete suggested.
“Yah. I’m beat,” Gwen said still lying on the ground, panting slower now.
“I’m going to go meet Ash,” Tina announced. Jonah you want to come?” she asked sweetly.
“You sure that’s a good idea? I mean with the pirates and all,” Gwen questioned, reliving the scen
e in the gym.
The fairy folded her arms and looked down at Gwen, clearly irritated.
“Tina can hold her own against a good number of them. Besides, they don’t want to expose themselves any more than we do. They’d have a hard time staging an attack at the library with so many people,” Pete reassured. “Jonah will be fine.”
“Yah Gwen, I’ll be fine,” Jonah shot his sister a look as if to warn her to stop embarrassing him.
“Tootles,” the fairy said, as the two started back to the house. Gwen watched as Tina took her brother’s strong arm and whispered in his ear playfully. Something was clearly going on between the two of them, though Gwen wasn’t sure if it was a sad attempt at making Pete jealous, her angry, or if she really did like Jonah. She doubted the latter. Her thoughts were interrupted by…more thoughts.
I’m going to go change back before the enchantment wears off, Andrew said. But something distraught lingered in his silent voice. Gwen reached for her mark but stopped when she heard the loud thumping of Andrew’s paws. She sat up just in time to see him disappear deeper into the woods.
“Still need some water?” Pete asked as he handed her a bottle. He took a seat beside her on the forest floor.
Gwen gulped and gulped until the clear plastic container was empty. She fiddled with the white lid.
“So, plans tonight?” he smiled, looking at Gwen out of the corner of his eye.
“Clearly,” she solemnly stated, still fiddling.
“Well, Miss Darling, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to join me for dinner,” he said gentlemanly.
Smirking, Gwen raised he thin eyebrow at him. “Are you asking me out?”
“Well…yes I guess I am. That is if you’re going to say yes. Otherwise no, I am definitely not asking you out.”
“You sound so, chivalrous.” Gwen joked.
“Well, I guess the last time I asked a woman to join me for dinner was…let’s just say it was a long time ago.” He actually looked a bit embarrassed.
“Well I like it and I guess I don’t have much of a choice. You are kind of holding me hostage,” she dryly teased.
“It’s settled then. You find the box in your bag?” he asked.
“Oh, yah I did see that.”
“Well open it when we get back,” he said looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
“Oh…um…I,” Gwen stammered.
“I know. You opened it already. You really have never been good at waiting for surprises. I’ve got to go out today. I’ll be back to the house to pick you up around seven. If it suits you, feel free to wear the dress.” He smiled. “Ready to go back?”
“I think I’ll stay here a while.” She was tired and just wanted to be by herself.
“Okay, but no practicing alone, alright?”
She nodded and he walked slowly back to the cabin. Gwen knew she should feel flattered. He was beautiful, kind and funny. Not to mention the whole prince thing, but she couldn’t help but to feel something…odd. He knew everything about her. He’d known her all her life. Pete was so sure they were going to end up together because it was just how things were going to be. She began to feel anxious and trapped. What if this wasn’t at all what she wanted her life to be? What if she didn’t care about this other world…or the people in it? Gwen shook her head. It wasn’t like her to be uncaring…at all. She’d always put everyone else first. She’d spent almost her whole life caring for brothers, her mother, her dog even. Putting herself first was never an option; she knew she shouldn’t start now.
Gwen crunched a brown flakey leaf between her fingers. The leaf seemed to fall apart immediately. Would she, too, become bits of nothing that no one noticed? Part of her longed to become that decaying piece of nature. She picked up another leaf and smiled. Under that last leaf in the pile stood a sprig of green grass, still holding on to hopes of survival. Thanks a lot, universe, for ruining my pity party, she thought.
“You seriously kicked our butts!” Koli shouted.
Gwen turned to see Koli, Tok, and Andrew laughing and shoving one another as they emerged through the forest.
“Yah really man, you are crazy fast now but you better believe we’re gonna catch up soon so you better keep practicing!” Tok joked loudly.
Andrew smiled, but to Gwen, his smile appeared to be hiding something…dark.
Noticing her he said, “Hey guys go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
“Alright,” Tok answered and the pair ran on.
“What are you still doing out here?” he asked.
“Not much I guess. Just thinking,” Gwen answered pulling her knees to her chest and zipping her jacket up further. The sweat that formed a cooling film over her body felt like it had turned to ice.
“About?” Andrew asked. Leaning against a nearby tree he stuck his hands in his black sweatpants pockets. He was now wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt that made his bronze skin stand out even more.
“Everything I guess.” Her mind spun and she began to panic. Bursting into tears, she said, “I don’t know how I am going to do this, Andrew. I can’t fight anyone. I can’t k…kill anybody. I’m not this strong.” She laid her forehead on her knees and bawled hot tears that stung her cold cheeks.
He sat awkwardly beside her. “Hey, hey now,” he said, smooth as cream. He began to put his arm around her but stopped remembering the rules. “Gwen you’ll get this. Everyone is here to help you…I’m here to help you,” he tenderly stated. “We have to do this…It’s our fate-”
“I don’t want a fate! I hate this fate…” she whispered.
“Most the time, so do I Gwen…” he muttered, looking away as if at something only he could see.
“You? You don’t want this either?” she questioned, puzzled.
“No. Not always. I mean it’s my family so I want them safe and I’d die happily knowing I was protecting them, but if I had a choice…I shouldn’t be telling you this. Let’s go,” he said walking away from her.
“Andrew, wait,” she said meekly. He stopped, back still toward her. “Please?”
Turning she could see the longing in his eyes. “I’d stay here Gwen if I had the choice.”
Gwen wouldn’t know why. “Why? You’d live half a life-”
“No, I’d have a life,” he muttered.
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it Gwen. Think what our lives will be like. You’ll be married to Pete. I will be your guardian, which I am proud to be but think about my life. I don’t live a married life. I follow you. I follow you in your life wherever you want go doing whatever you want to do, no questions asked. I “breed”. I won’t see my kids. I won’t have a family. My kids will spend time with me briefly when I can get away. I don’t get a choice,” he shrugged. “My mom raised us. All the moms raise their children alone. Most of the males of my kind father many children from many different women. Some stay with one woman, but it’s difficult because if our sworn one chooses to leave, we leave too. Across lands miles and miles away, it doesn’t matter.”
Gwen was overwhelmed with guilt. “What if I don’t want a sworn one, can’t I un-swear us or something? I don’t want this for you.” Her eyes filled with tears again.
“No, Gwen, there’s nothing we can do. It’s inevitable. I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad. I’m lucky to be sworn to you. I just want you to know, it’s not easy for any of us. It’s just new to you.” He sat beside her. “My elders tell me this longing for my own life is normal and that it will pass one day, and I’ll be content, I really hope they’re right.”
She wiped her eyes. She had been so busy feeling sorry for herself, that she hadn’t considered Andrew’s fate. He would spend his whole life being her…slave. Not necessarily “working” for
her, but not anywhere near free to live his life. “I’m sorry Andrew,” she muttered. “If I could change-”
He cut her off. “I know you would. I’m thankful. Means you won’t be too much of a pain in the ass to guard,
” he smiled. “Naw, Everland’s not so bad. You’ll see.”
“I hope not. Is Pete really all he seems to be?” she bluntly asked.
Surprised, he stammered, “Uh, yah he’s…great Gwen. You two will be happy together I’m sure,” he said looking away.
“Yah…you’re probably right. In time I am sure I’ll be happy this all happened…right?” She stared up at him with pleading eyes. Eyes that begged for reassurance.
“I’m sure Gwen,” he stated with a forced grin. Looking around he blurted, “Alright. I’m sick of this moping stuff. Wanna go do something dangerous, that we could possibly pass off as training?”
“Sure?” Gwen said, confused. “Pete said we weren’t supposed to train while he was gone, though.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Do you see Pete?”
“Well, no but-”
“Okay then. Let’s go.” Gwen thought this seemed out of character for Andrew. In the brief time she’d known him, he always seemed so collected and serious.
“Oh, come on,” he said. “You have better things to do?”
He was right. Gwen had nothing else to do besides go back to the cabin and drown in her sea of thoughts. She stood up. “Alright, alright. What do you have in mind?” she asked, brushing the leaves off of her backside.
“Stay here.” Andrew ran deeper into the forest, but stopped remembering something. He began to peel the black sweatpants from his body.
“What are you-” she stopped realizing he had a pair of shorts underneath. Breathing a sigh of relief she composed herself. He jogged back and tossed the sweatpants at her, grinning. They landed on her head, making her hair a mess.
“Hey!” she laughed, grabbing the sweat pants from her head. Suddenly she was met with the now familiar sound of cracking and snapping, though it still made her stomach turn. After a few seconds, Andrew appeared from behind the trees in his Mantican form. Shaking his leonine mane, he made his way to Gwen. His massive grey paw rose to meet his mark.
Hop on, he silently said.
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