Galaxy Crystal Chpt 9&10

Galaxy Crystal: A Forgotten Life
by Catherine Framke

Chapter 9

She can hear his screaming from down the hall and laughs at his futile mission to find her in the castle. Slowly Saraquine opened the door to a closet. She slips in and closes the door, it is very dark and small, but it does not bother her. She moves a box to stand on so she could reach the light switch; it was no fun being little.

The little closet grew a little brighter with the light on, but made her feel cramped. Sara comes there when her mother would meet with the High Counsel and the King and Queen. She was not aloud to sit in, so when she had a chance she made herself a spy hole to watch in on them and hear what they were saying. Today was different; she would not leave the closet and go back hiding from Drake, or visit her friend. This day things were different, this time she would learn how different she really was.

When she first removed the piece of the wall to check it out, her mom was standing in front with her hands on the table, mad and there was only one counsel member with her. Saraquine had seen many meetings with her mother and the High counsel. She had even seen her mother meet with only the Queen and King. Saraquine had never seen her mother only meet with a single High counsel member.

“Your highness we cannot risk you giving up the crystal to an eight year old. There just isn’t enough proof that she could protect us if things got worse then they already are.” He said sitting next to her, his white robe covering his hands as he gestured. Saraquine knew which High Counsel member he was, her mother thought very high of him. He was one of her top advisors and trusted friend. The only time her mother ever asked just to talk to him, it was usually about a decision that she was not so sure that the High Counsel would agree on. Saraquine herself trusted the man as well but only to a point that she admired his age and wisdom but his view on most things were shaded and unrealistic.

“High Counsel Member Johen, I have seen her do some of the most amazing things. Some of which I would never have known were even possible with the power she has inherited. Yesterday she healed a baby bird; I couldn’t imagine doing any of it even with the crystal.”

“You cannot assume she is the one from the Legend. It could be she just has a lot of spunk. Nobody these days believes in that old legend and your mother even told us that she believed it was you. I cannot say that Saraquine is the one from Sarquin's legend.” She watched as her mother sat down and stared at the table.

Saraquine watched her confused and unsure about what to believe. She always thought the power she had was just like her mothers and the other members of her family. She knew nothing about Sarquin’s legend or that her mother’s crystal was more then just a family heirloom. “Violette in time the Galaxy will know of your daughter and then we will talk to the High Counsel about giving her the crystal before Vacunay attacks again. She may well be the one from the legend but for now it would be best just to sit back and let life take its course.” Saraquine closed the peephole and sat down on a box. Johen was right she was not special other then in her mothers eyes.

Slowly she opened the door of the closet and looked down the hall to see that no one was there. Without thinking, she slammed the door behind her and ran down the hall, through the kitchen and out the door. Drake would be following her soon, there was no doubt about that, but first she had to run. Something was wrong; she could feel it with every breath in her body.

Then she found the tree where she would climb many times in her eight years at home. Saraquine took it one branch at a time and began to climb up the tree until she felt that she was secure in the leaves of the tree. Everyone always told Saraquine that she was being very un-lady like by climbing a tree in a dress. It did not matter to her one bit what they thought. If they cared about her, they would recognize who her mother was and not hide it under a story that she was a niece or a friend’s daughter.

“You know your mother is not going to be happy with you.” Drake was sitting at the bottom of the tree staring at bricks of the castle. “First you listen in on her meeting with High Counsel Member Johen and now you are climbing trees. If you’re not careful you’re going to get locked in your room.”

“I don’t care; I know how to get out of it without anyone knowing. I can go anywhere with out anyone knowing.” Her voice was a whine. “They are the ones that keep lies from me, and about me. I know who my mother is and I know something bad is going on in the Galaxy Kingdom. I’m not a child I can handle these things.”

“I know you can, but it is not my decision to keep you a secret there are other forces at work around here. Trust me things will get better.” That was all he said as he began to pull out a piece of fruit and eat it. Saraquine looked up at the gray castle and close her eyes, some day she will be recognized for what she can do.

* * *

Blue light was still in Sara’s vision when she woke up. The last thing she remembered was the light. Even now when she knew she was lying in a bed in a strange room, nothing made sense. The man who had told her what to do was gone and so was Drake. Where was she or how she got there was absolutely a mystery to Sara. The moment she woke up on the floor of her room in Tacoma to this moment when she woke up in a strange place was nothing but a dream, none of it felt real. She felt that her life from this point forward was not hers but Saraquines’. She was living someone else’s life.

Sara recollected her thoughts of how she had arrived on Sar. So many things did not make since to her. The dreams she had, the arrival to Sar all seemed to be connected, but she did not understand the exact purpose of them all. Sara remembered the reasoning to coming here and actually arriving. In truth she needed to know whether she belonged somewhere and that maybe some day actually have a piece of the family that she wanted deep down in her heart. Fog in her dream is a veil hiding a piece of her life. She wanted; needed to know about her mother and any other family that she might have.

With that knowledge and understanding of her purpose of coming to Sar, she started to wake a little from her unconscious reasoning. Slowly Sara opened her eyes and stared at the bed, a dark red, and a flowery bedspread. Her body ached as she sat up to look around at her surroundings. There was not much of anything there: Vanity, dresser, desk, and nightstand. A typical guest bedroom if she has ever seen one. There were no pictures, decorations, or a window for that matter. She felt as if they were locking her up in this room until they decided they needed her. She laughed and put that thought in the back of her mind.

Just as Sara sat up on the edge of the Queen size bed, the door flew open and a young servant girl walked in humming. The Lady did not even notice Sara sitting on the edge of the bed staring at her. She just hung up a dress on a hook, and took a bag off it. Sara watched as she puffed the white satin dress out; it was very lovely. The servant girl was oblivious to Sara’s presence as she walked to the vanity.

Finally, after rearranging a few things on the Vanity, turned around and saw Sara sitting there. The poor girl was so shocked she almost jumped out of her skin. “Forgive me Miss you just startled me a bit.” She said as she straightened out her housekeeper’s outfit. “My name is Nikuta I was sent up here to help you get ready for the ball.”

“It’s okay!” Sara stood up from her bed and walked over to her. “I’m Sara, and I’m sorry for scaring you. I had just woken up and really hadn’t gotten my bearings straight.” Nikuta smiled and nodded her head. The young housekeeper simply walked over to the dress and took it off the hanger. All Sara could do was stand there and watch her. She felt uncomfortable and did not know what to do or what to expect. This place was strange to her and she did not know what was going to happen next.

“No worries Miss.” Nikuta finally spoke as she walked back to Sara. “I was told that you would be wearing this dress to the ball.” She handed Sara the dress and all she could do was look at it. “Well come you’re already ten minutes late and the Duke is going crazy.” Sara began to change even though Nikuta was in the room. Nikuta became oblivious to her presence as she babbled on. “Seriously he went mad when you got here unconscious. I do not know why you are here, but whatever it is it must be important. Don’t worry, Drake told him what happened. Thank goodness, that man was on his way to the ball or you might never have made it here. There you go all done with that.”

Sara turned and looked at the mirror on the vanity; it was amazing. The dress had spaghetti straps, and the front went straight across. It was floor length and had a trail in the back, but unlike her first impression it was not white, but a light blue. Nikuta grabbed the brush, used it only a few times, and smiled. “It’s beautiful, I feel weird wearing it though.” She said as she still looked in the mirror watching it hug every curve and flair out at the bottom.

“No worries, it’s been in storage for a long time now, anyway at least you’re not wearing those strange clothes of yours. Now get down stairs and join the ball.” Sara stopped looked at her, and then at her bare feet. “Right I’m sorry.” She turned around and grabbed shoes from a corner. Sara put them on and walked to the door. “Go straight to your left and you’ll see the stairs.” Sara was thinking about asking about that man that had saved her but thought better to wait and ask Drake. At least he knew something about who they think she is.

“Thank you!” With that, Sara walked out the door. Down the hall, it was very dark and made her feel like she was in a cave. Portraits lined the walls with portraits of dead family members. It made her feel uneasy about being in the castle. The bricks on the inside of the castle were red not white like the outside. The hallway felt like it was musty and sticky to her. The heat on Sar was a lot different from her home in Tacoma.

As Sara walked voices and music rose from underneath her, noises of the ball. The stairs that led to the party was right in front of her now, but all she could do was stand there looking. She could not see the ball, but she could feel the energy from it. The stairs came down as if it would from an attic. There had been a bad feeling haunting her the minute she arrived and it has only gotten stronger. She did not wish to tell people that she might be their next High Protector. The very idea of it gave her shivers. For all she knew she was just Sara Miller adopted daughter of Jack and Peggy Miller, and girlfriend of Brandon. Brandon, she had not thought about him since he left to see his mother. She wished he was there to give her courage, but then again he was not really the one to give her the courage she needed.

With all her might, though Sara walked down the stairs into the light. There had been more people in the room then she could handle. she felt like a sardine in a can of sardines from the way people were crammed together. The Orchestra was in the far corner from the door, while the punch and snacks on the far wall from her. People turned and looked at her, but no one paid any mind. There were a select few who watched her walk down the stairs, but looked away as Drake walked up to her. She felt her breathing increase and her heart begin to pound quicker as she came among the people. She wished she had thought to grab her anxiety pills before she left.

Drake did not say anything just ushered her to another part of the room. She guessed he could tell that her anxiety was about to act up and that she was on her way to stop breathing, but she could not tell by his expressionless face. People were everywhere and the music was so loud that she felt uncomfortable and a bit dizzy. It was like being completely alone and yet there were so many people hovering around you. It was the exact reason she never went to a school dance. Luckily, Drake had led her to a balcony that was empty. Some how he knew crowds and loud noises made her feel Anxious, which meant Anxiety attacks.

“Sara you stay here and I’ll go get the Duke and the others who wish to see you.” All Sara could do was nod as he walked off leaving her alone on the balcony in a dress. The entire idea that she was standing there in a dress made her feel strange. The facts she was wearing a dress made her feel strange.

The view was worth it though; the city of Glass glowed in moonlight. She did not even know that it was night out, not that it mattered to her one way or another. It felt clean and comforting in a way she guessed she needed at that point. Yet all at once, she felt as though she was home, and it uplifted her. She had never thought she would ever consider anywhere to be home.

Then suddenly for some unknown reason, this strange urge came over her to turn and look behind her as if someone was beckoning her to look. Sara turned to see a man staring at her, very strangely. She knew she was also staring at this stranger, but could not seem to look away from him. The strange man with black hair in an old tuxedo just stood there looking at her. She felt the wind hit her face and a strange comfortable floating feeling as the two of them stared at each other.

With all her strength, though she looked away from him and stared at the city, towering in front of her. She laid her arms on the banister as she heard someone walking toward her, she knew it was him. Sara became frightened with the possibility of questions that she could not answer right now. They were the same questions she was trying to answer for herself.

In the corner of her eye, she could see him standing next to her. Her heart was racing the Kentucky derby. All she could do was look down at the garden below, almost frozen in time. “An amazing view isn’t it.” Sara nodded her head still not moving from where she was. Trying to pretend his presence did not bother her but inside she was screaming for him to go away. “I don’t blame you from staying away from the crowds, Saraquine. There would be way too many questions to answer.”

Sara’s head flew up as if just waking up from a bad dream; he had called her ‘Saraquine.’ It scared her worse then having him, talk to her it was as if her heart had just passed the finish line and she was in first place. “Um, how did you know that everyone thinks I’m Saraquine?” Her voice was shaking and her entire body was on fire with curiosity and unbelievable insanity.

“Your radiant, there is nobody here that matches your beauty and grace; it’s not taught you’re born with it.” She thought about what the man said to her inside the city of glass, ‘you radiate power.’ For some unknown reason she started to laugh and could not stop. The man stood there staring at her just for a minute then joined her. She had never started laughing for no reason, but for some reason this man made her feel as if she could and that it was normal for her to laugh and have fun with him.

“I’m sorry! Actually, I believe I should say thank you for saving my life today. I would have run off and been killed in the process, that is if I would have discovered that my legs worked.” She ended with a giggle and looked into his brown eyes.

“It’s okay; I just happen to see you there and I knew if we lost the next High Protector now there would be no hope for the Galaxy Kingdom.” As she stared into his eyes, she saw emotions and secrets. He did not save her for the Galaxy Kingdom but for his own reasons. Somehow, she could not figure out his reasoning, there was some kind of block over his eyes. She had never had anyone that she could not read, except Christy. “My name is Jalee Ohay; I’m just a friend of the family.”

“Yeah right a friend!” Her entire mind yelled that he was lying to her, but decided that it was not important for her to learn that she knew yet. “You can call me Sara, Saraquine gets on my nerves. After all, I am not convinced that I am Saraquine. That is the reason I am here.” She laughed a little as she looked back out into the city. It was a glowing city at night full of magic. “I’m sorry; when I get nervous I talk a lot.”

“No, don’t worry about it. At least when you talk you have something to say most of the people here talk and don’t say anything at all.” He was still looking at her but this time she just stood there staring at the city. She was never good at small talk, especially if she did not know the person. It just felt weird to be standing there with a strange man she felt knew her, but she did not know him. It would be nice if she knew why she felt so comfortable around him.

“So, how do I know you? I mean you wouldn’t be talking to me if you didn’t know that I might be Saraquine.” For the first time since he walked up to her, he looked away. The tension had built up, but Sara could not figure out how a question like that could make someone nervous.

“Well I told you, I am a friend of your family.” Sara rolled her eyes. She had already decided that he was lying to her about that one. “I would recognize you with my eyes closed Saraquine, I mean Sara.”

“You are really full of yourself.” Jalee laughed, but Sara was being very serious. There was no way that he was the same man that helped her with that monster in the streets. He was different, or was she different?

“Are you sure that I am the one full of myself? Or is it that you are not letting yourself the possibility that you are Saraquine?” Sara turned and looked him in the eye. She wasn’t mad at him; she was in shock that he said it, and with that tone of voice. He said it with anger in his voice.

Just then, they heard a load crash coming from the ballroom. On instinct, Sara went to turn and Jalee pushed her to the ground to avoid a chair heading toward her. She laid there staring up at Jalee, and inside the castle screams rose in terror. Sara could not seem to move, and neither could Jalee. He just looked down at her and her up at him and it felt like they were frozen in time and that nothing else mattered.

It was like when he saved her from the monster. She felt him holding her comforting her. At that moment, she was lost in his eyes. For a brief second, Sara noticed Jalee shift his eyes down. It had been that gesture that knocked a little sense into her brain. Sara finally pushed him off her and he pulled her back down. “Whatever is going on inside, I bet it’s about you and it cannot be good.”

Sara pushed him off and stood up. “I’m not going to let anyone get hurt, especially if it might be about me.” She had been gesturing her arms like a mad man as he stood up to face her hardheaded attitude. She was not going to let him tell her what she can and cannot do. Jalee did not even know her, and he thinks she is going to accept his words.

He was trying to control what she thought she needed to do. As Sara began, walking inside she noticed the screams stopped, and everyone was frozen. Then suddenly a strange scary laugh rose toward her. The laugh froze her in place and gave her shivers. There was something seriously wrong going on.

“Saraquine!” Jalee whispered behind her as he pulled her to a corner where nobody could see them. He talked with the same softness he had earlier that day. “That laugh you hear is the evil witch, Vacunay. She has frozen the entire room to try to pull you out of the crowd. For all we know she is probably going to try and kill you. Even if you might not be Saraquine, she will not take the chance that you could kill her.”

“Listen whether she is or not going to kill me doesn’t matter, because there are a lot of people in there she can kill. I’d rather risk my life then theirs.” She stared at him with so much passion and rebellion, Sara notice him pull away from her a little.

Before he could answer, though both of them heard someone else talking very loudly. “Saraquine, come on out. I know you are here. Actually we are the only ones that can move at the moment.” Sara glanced around the corner, she could see a figure walking around the statue of people, but could not get a good look at them. “I promise I won’t hurt you!” The old and cold voice of the woman said. “All I will do is talk, I promise.”

Sara wanted to go out there and help them, but she was terrified. She had never been so afraid of anything in her life until that moment. Her hands began to shake and she moved them to cover her mouth. Jalee grabbed her tighter not allowing her to move. Sara looked down at his hands around her, and slowly she moved her hands and grabbed his. A fleeting thought of the fact that he was holding her very tightly crossed her mind.

The voice interrupted her thoughts of why he was holding her so tightly. “After all I think your friends Brandon and Christy would appreciate it if you did, or I might decide they’re no use to me anymore.” The voice sounded superior.

Sara gasped at Vacunay’s words. She had left her friends at home so that she would not have to explain any of this to them. How could that witch have known she even had friends? As far as Sara knew Saraquine never had any friends and she figured if she left nobody would have to know. Therefore, for her friends and the lives of everyone at the party she walked clear from Jalee. Even as he tried to hold her in place, she still walked free.

The frozen people were like a wall trying to keep her safe, but she walked around them. Their faces froze in terror, like warped statues, all in formal ware and all running. As she walked the only sound, she heard were her shoes clanking on the tile floor. Sara could see Vacunay farther off in the middle of the room. It felt strange to her, being brave, it was something she never fathomed. Usually she would be running for the hills, only praying they would not find her, but for some force made her feel responsible for the people at the ball. She knew nothing could stand in her way.

As she walked all her nervousness disappearing, Vacunay had her friends and she would never let her hurt anyone. Sara looked down at someone on the floor, Drake. His eyes were open and had a straight face, holding his sword in his right hand. Drake had been trying to stop Vacunay before he was frozen. Just then, as she passed him he winked and smiled at her. Sara was devastated and quickly looked up, afraid to bring attention to him. Exactly how he had managed not to be frozen she would have to ask later. At least now, she knew she was not alone.

Finally, she reached the center of the room, and there she stood in a velvet cloak mocking her. Vacunay was exactly what people had called her an old witch. Her hair was gray and long, skin pale and wrinkling and most of all her eyes were empty like a black hole. Sara did not look down at her or look away just stared at her not showing fear or constraint. “You wanted me, here I am!” She said very blunt and very powerful neither of them a part of her personality.

“Saraquine at last we meet once again. I am here to challenge you, I have three people close to you and you stole something from me. If you think you can travel to my castle, not teleport, but walk, ride, I do not care. You come and face me, hopefully with your memories.” Neither of them moved or even twitched.

“What if I don’t get the memories back and it turns out that I am not Saraquine there is not much you can do then?” Sara looked into the old woman’s eyes still not twitching or even looking away. This was a battle of power and Sara would have the power one way or another. She needed to get an edge off the old witch so that she could learn what exactly was going on. Without a doubt in her mind, she knew the old witch wanted to kill her badly. She was tired of the lies, and she would find out the truth one way or another.

“Trust me Saraquine you are the one, I can see it.” Just then, the old witch was behind her, Sara did not even notice her flinch. The old woman stood behind her talking into her ear, but never touching her. “Your eyes are your mothers; the crystal you wear is your mothers. I would know I killed her myself, the little goodie good. She was not like us; she does not have the power we have. We are the same you know! We were made from the same old lives that we know, and trust me I will have that which I want.” Sara did not flinch or even move as the witch continued to stand behind her.

“What do you want?” Sara felt her heart jump as she said that, but ignored it. Vacunay's words about how they were the same and what she said about the High Protector, raced through Sara's mind. Even if she did not have her memory, she knew her mother was an amazing person and that deserved respect, if she was her mother. This old woman acted as if the High Protector was nothing and that Sara was the only one that mattered. None of it made since to her she was nothing like Vacunay and she knew it.

By the time, Vacunay went back to where she was standing facing Sara once again; she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Jalee standing next to her. “Don’t worry you’ll have it with you.” She saw Vacunay grow angry at the fact Jalee was standing there next to her; to much was going on she did not understand. “He knows the way, that ingrate. Since he is not frozen and neither is Drake they may tag along. For some reason they will not seem to leave you for a minute Saraquine.” Drake was already at her side with his hand on the other shoulder. “The people of the Galaxy will be frozen for two weeks before they die, you’ll have until then to save your friends or they all die. That includes the three of you.” Vacunay was staring at Jalee as she spoke to her. Anger mirrored their eyes and Sara knew it was her fault.

Then just as Vacunay came, she was gone. The three of them were the only ones left to save the Galaxy from its horrible fate. The worst part of it was all of it was up to Sara and she had no clue what she was going to do. Standing in a ballroom with human statues and two men whom she thanks just vowed to risk their lives to protect her from that witch that killed the late High Protector Violette.

Chapter 10

Lady Kovin had dropped Jasolin off on Sar on her way to get Lord Kovin and little Violette. Jasolin had thought about going with her to say good-bye to Violette, just in case she never saw them again, but she might not have gone at all. At least when she said it to Lady Kovin it was respectful and quick then Jasolin walked toward her hometown. Jasolin had only walked for a few hours before she arrived. It was on the border between the Dark Territory and the Galaxy Kingdom, on the far side from the Glass City.

The village was quiet, but there were a few people walking around buying their groceries or what other stuff that they needed. They saw Jasolin as a traveler passing by, but she wanted to find someone she knew. Small villages like the one she grew up in were always suspicious about people asking questions, but that was exactly what she had to do. Find out where she came from and where her brother ran off.

It had been ten years since she had been there, ten years since she stepped a foot in the village. Her father owned a black smith on the far end of town, probably still empty since her brother and her left. Jaria, her brother, was supposed to take over the shop after her father died, but it never happened. Jaria never wanted to be like his father, he wanted something better for himself.

Nothing had changed after ten years and everything was exactly the same. The small bookstore, the little food stands, and the other small shops around. It was the exact definition of a small village. The village was perfect for raising a family maybe that is why her mother left them there with her father. In truth, she did not understand any of it. Her mother was alive, but never tried to contact them.

Jasolin began walking down the street as the people were staring at her passing by. She was still wearing her housekeeper uniform from the Lady Kovin's house. Jasolin had no other clothes with her or any cloak to cover her uniform up. She was who she was and that was all that mattered anymore. In truth the real question was that, she did not know who she was. All her life she only wanted to control her powers and the mother she thought was dead was her ticket.

Looking down at the ground, she continued to walk slowly down the street. She did not want anyone to notice her or think she was weird. If it made any since at all she was trying to find answers, hoping nobody would notice her. Nobody was going to notice her they never did when she was a kid why would they now. Even in the kids running in the streets was just walking past her.

When she was a kid Jasolin would run around in the streets with the other kids. Now she was walking down the street with her head down, alone, but she wanted more. Jasolin wanted to be able to walk down the street knowing who exactly she was or what she was. Her mother had left her but the power she had given her was still deep down in her hiding from her.

Jasolin stopped in front of the black smith’s shop at the end of the road. It was empty; nobody had opened it since her father had died. The wood porch and railing that her grandfather had built a long time ago was dusty. Strangely enough, she felt pride in the building and the tiny shop that was inside it. She could almost see her father standing over his fire and hammering the steel to make his swords. The past she had tried to forget for so long.

Gently she reached over and turned the doorknob and it swung open. Jasolin held her stomach as she walked in shutting the door behind her. Nothing had changed since she walked out that door ten years ago, except for the dust that had gathered over everything. She walked over touching her father’s tools and the work counter. There was so much that had happened in the time she had left this strange place that she once called home. Even now, it seemed like things were so much different.

Her eyes closed as she remembered the last time she was there saying good-bye to the walls and tools that she had left, a day after her father died. Jasolin could not handle staying there anymore, even with her brother. The people in the town were always looking down at them. Therefore, without a word to her brother or even a note she walked out of there not looking back.

It was not as if it was easy to say good-bye to a life she had lived for so long and still did not quite understand as much, but it was something she had to do, for herself and those she cared about. If she would have stayed there and dealt with the villagers looking down at her for what she was it would have killed her. If she asked, her brother to come with her he would have without question. However, she needed to find out what she wanted to do with her life. Find out what she could do with her life.

Jasolin guessed her brother would have left the next day not being able to stay there without her. It did not matter to her though; it was his choice to do what he wished. Jaria would have been furious with her if she said she was leaving without him. He probably yelled and screamed at her forcing her to tell him why she wanted to leave. They had always been together, always did everything the same way. They were twins after all.

Now things had changed, she had changed. Her power had gotten strong and she needed the answers to why it was happening, and he was the first step to learning why. The only problem was she did not know how to find him. Her twin and she did not know where to begin to look. All she ever wanted was to help Lady Kovin and her family to achieve what they wished.

Sure, she could identify the next High Protector for her, but they did not need her to do that for them. All they have to do is look at the girl and see her mother looking at them. The resemblance was extraordinary. Even though Jasolin had only seen pictures of High Protector Violette, she knew that was her daughter.

That was not her problem though; she should not have to worry about those kinds of things until the time had come for her to return to Lady Kovin. Panoka had told her she did not need to come back if she did not wish, but Jasolin liked working for her. She was the only person that ever looked at Jasolin like a person rather then just a freak. It was the only time she could remember where she was truly happy.

Slowly she began to walk toward the back housing area of the little shop. It was all so quiet in the house compared to when she was a kid. Her father had always yelled at her and her brother to be quiet while he worked. They never listened to him because he told them too; it was not in their nature. After all, they were just kids having fun and enjoying their life the best they could. Living in the little house was never bad.

Jasolin opened the door and looked at the housing area for a moment. The kitchen was still clean, except for the dust. She had done the dishes and put everything away before she left that night. There was one thing different though; she could not help but notice on the table in the middle of the kitchen. Jaria had given the teddy bear to her for their tenth birthday. She had kept it over the years as if it was her treasure. The only reason she left it was that she could not take it with her. All she had room for was her clothes.

Her hand grabbed the bear’s shoulder picking it up for a moment. Just like everything else was dusty and old, but it was still her bear. Jaria must have placed the bear on the table after she left to keep it safe. She silently laughed at herself. He probably left and thought she had only gone to go grocery shopping or something. They both might have had the same idea and did not even know it.

Jasolin thought again though, Jaria would have known she would not have been grocery shopping that early in the morning. He had put the bear there for another reason. Maybe he was upset at her for leaving it behind, she did not know. Jaria knew that she loved that bear very much because it was from him. There must have been some reason he had picked that bear and sat it on the table before he left.

Setting the bear back on the table Jasolin turned around and began walking back out of the house not being able to handle it anymore. Tears welled up in her eyes she loved her brother with all her heart leaving him was the hardest thing she ever did. Her answers were not going to be in a house that nobody had lived in since her and her brother had left. The only ones that would have any idea where her brother had run off to would be the villagers. Even then, it was a long shot on finding any information on him.

Suddenly as she walked, back into the shop, the door flew open to the outside and a young woman and man stood there staring at her. The man was holding a bat in one hand and the woman had a frying pan. Jasolin forgot how paranoid people got in small villages like that one. They both were older and just stood there looking at her for a long moment. She did not move though, just stood there staring at them.

“What are you doing in here? There hasn’t been a black smith here in years.” The man said holding that bat down on the ground waiting for her to answer them. Jasolin looked down at the floor once and then back up at the old couple. For some reason she could not seem to identify who they were.

“Forgive me!” She said holding the front of her dress and looking down at the ground afraid to look up at them. “My father owned this house when I was a child before he died. I guess I was hoping that I would find some clue where my brother had disappeared to.”

When Jasolin looked up at the couple, they stood there looking at her. Neither of them talked as they were deciding if she was lying to them. Jasolin had no idea who they were though and the fact that they were standing there just staring at her made her uncomfortable. She thought about running off or just disappearing. “Are you Jasolin?” The woman said putting the frying pan on the counter next to the door.

“Yes, I am Jasolin. I’m searching for my twin brother Jaria; do you know where he went?” Her eyes widened as she stood there looking at the two before them wondering if she should be saying something else but there was nothing to say to the two standing in front of her.

“Yeah, actually we do.” The man said leaning on the bat next to him. His wrinkled face turned to a grin, as he stood there almost laughing at her. Jasolin thought it would be a lot harder to get information, but it seemed she was wrong this time. When she looked at the woman, she began laughing as well.

“Sorry we thought you would never come back here after your father died. Before your brother left, he asked us if we could give you a message if you ever came back. After ten years we just thought you would never come back.” Jasolin smiled a little looking back down at the ground. It was ironic that she had returned after all these years but she did not think it was that big of a deal.

“Well I wasn’t expecting anyone to recognize me anyway, and even then I thought I would recognize them as well.” The couple looked confused then started laughing deeply at her. She felt stupid, like something she said was wrong and they were making fun of her. “I’m sorry did I say something wrong.”

“No!” The man said opening the door and showing her the outdoors. He gently waved her out of the house and back into the light. Jasolin went ahead, left the shop, and stood on the porch against the railing she had done when she was a child. Gently laying her side on it staring at the couple as they shut the door again sat their weapons down on the porch and stared at each other again.

“Sweetheart you have to understand something.” The woman said holding her husband’s hand. “Your brother came to us ten years ago after we bought the house next door over there. He told us that your father had died, and that you, his sister, had run off in the middle of the night.”

“He told us.” The man continued where the woman left off. “That now that you were gone he had nothing left in this village and was planning on leaving. However, he did not want to leave unless he was sure you were going to be okay. The only problem was you had disappeared in the middle of the night he wasn’t sure if you were going to come back.”

“That was when he made a deal with us.” The woman said smiling at her husband. “If you ever came back here looking for him or for anything at all that we would give you a message from your twin brother, and in exchange we could use this land as we pleased.”

“Not that we ever used it at all, obviously.” The man said gesturing toward the ground. Jasolin could not help but think that the couple was very strange. “We never thought you would actually show up, especially ten years later. I guess we were wrong after all. He told us that he was going off to Sourpie a village a few miles away.”

Jasolin stood there looking down at the ground again closing her eyes. Her brother had left just as she thought he would have. When he had left she was not sure, but she thought that at least she had that much information. It was better then not knowing anything about where her brother had gone.

“What was Jaria’s message to me?” She said looking back up at the elder couple still standing there looking at her. The woman laughed a little more at her self then at Jasolin. Jasolin was not laughing she just stood there staring at them with a serious look on her face. Then almost as if lightening had struck her, the woman jumped.

“That’s right he told us to tell you that he was going to Sourpie to find out more about a gift. He understood why you left the way you did and he had planned to do the same thing, but take you with him. But if you wanted to find him that he would be there.” The woman said very proud of herself. Jasolin laughed at the message and stood up straight. That was just like her brother he was very dependent on Jasolin even as kids he would be by her side.

“I grew up in this home!” She said staring at it blankly remembering all the times she had there. All the years believing her mother was dead, and only now finding out that she was alive. Life was getting very stressful, but she knew it would have to happen at some point. “If you want you could sell it or destroy it. You would get a lot of money off of it; consider it payment from my brother and me.”

The two of them looked at her as if she was crazy. It did not matter to her; she was never going back to that place. Instead, she got up and walked away from them. Soupie that was where she had to go, stranger things had happened to her. The only way she would ever be able to control her gifts would be if she found her brother and her mother. If that was what it took then she would do it.

Even if it took her a few months or weeks to find them she would, after all that was what she had set out to do. Jaria was her only family, and she had thought about him from time to time, hoping that he was doing all right wherever he was. This was just the first step to finding him, or at least a clue to how to find him. It was the beginning of her journey to find her mother and yet she still felt empty.