SWNOVELS Chapter 28: Refreshers
Another day graces us all, only now with sounds of gunfire and ice flying through the air. I grin as I dodge a hail fire of ice shards kicking back several while massive mechanical arms slam into the ground just inches from me.
Marie grins like a maniac as she launched her fists at me. Bianca on the other hand summons more and more ice, using the surrounding snow to augment her magic. Swirling ice-filled winds encircle the training grounds, firing dozens of shards towards me with Marie using the brief distraction to close the gap.
I can’t help but still be impressed with the teamwork and power of the youngest combat maids. We’ve been training together for years, each increasing our skill and prowess. This is something we love to do with each other along with any other quiet moments spent together.
I giggle, slamming my sword into the ground and twirl on the handle, kicking away the automata’s fists while firing kitsune-bi towards the glacie. Bianca is struck by my fireballs after some are intercepted by her own ice shards. Marie rights herself, launching another barrage of metal punches at me.
I in turn, kick and twirl on my sword, wrapping a tail around her arm and pulling me towards her. I slam a foot into the back of her head, sending her flying headfirst in the snowy ground. The maid flips back onto her feet, bearing a massive grin on her face. Neither is hurt by any of my actions, just only being fueled more and more with a passion to continue.
In the distance I watch as Lyra, Abigale, my sisters and wolves all watch. I smile to them, happy to see my sisters together. Even in the midst of a sparring session against two opponents, I still watch as the pair seems to be chatting with each other. The conversation appears to be a good one as the pair are smiling as they chat.
My wolfish parents watch proudly as I train, reminding me of when they did back in Dewloura. They’ve always been watching me, always present, and even here they seemed to have resumed their old habits.
Lyra and Abigale watch in amazement at my increased skill, able to adeptly fend off a pair of opponents more easily than before. It kinda helps when you have a pair of knights training with you and then even more so from the past. Plus, I still remember the constant criticism of my sword master in relation to minding my footwork. That was drilled into me even more thanks to Kayle and Piotr.
I miss them terribly. They were my friends while I lived with my ancestors, training as equals and simply growing close. Then there was Norick. He sort of took it upon himself to become yet another teacher of mine, instructing me in warfare as well as being a mentor on other matters. I still have no idea of what became of them during the Fall.
My ears then flick back as I hear the sheen of metal in the air. I tilt back while flipping through the air as I see Orga and Kateryna charging into the fray. I laugh loudly as I’m now surrounded by four opponents. Now this takes me back to Dewloura during the training sessions.
Tails, spells, and sparks fly through the air as blades and magicks clash. While this is meant as training, it’s more of a bonding session for us all. This is just us all also having some fun, another chance to just be with each other.
I twirl and flip through swords and spells, dodging and weaving through attacks all the while baring a massive grin on my face.
Marron and Silvi laugh only to begin their own session. Silvi flies into the air and launches as barrage and fireballs at Marron. Marron grins, firing her darts from Mystletainn, encircling the dragon while also intercepting and deflecting the dragonfire. Silvi is shocked at the speed of the darts as the zip around.
My sisters grin at each other while darts and fire fly, with Silvi flying in close to engage hand-to-hand. Marron dodges and weaves, firing her darts at my dragonic sister, deflecting her punches and kicks using her weapon, also using the darts as further shields.
I then shock everyone as Fenris leaps into the fray and we fuse with each other. My opponents are in awe as I whirl around the grounds, showing off my abilities. Silvi stops to watch, looking on in utter amazement while Marron simply smiles.
After a couple hours we all collapse onto the ground exhausted, with Fenris and I having defused some time ago. That seriously was one of the longest and more intensive sessions I’ve had in a long time. The maids gather around me with my sisters, wolves and knights also coming in close.
Bianca scoots closer to me, looking up with her duo-colored eyes. I smile, leaning into her.
“I’m glad to see your smile again Young Miss,” she whispers. “I’ve missed it.”
I grin, wrapping a tail around her. “I’m glad to have a friend like you.”
The glacie blushes deeply, almost threatening to melt her face.
Marie also scoots in close, cuddling up with me. I grin, also wrapping a tail around her. They are the youngest of the combat maids and we share a lot in common because of our age. While Bianca can be shy at times, she’s really a sweet girl that I love being with. I still remember her coming to visit Concordia a couple years ago after my birth family was murdered.
Heh, feels weird now to call them that with Mom now being my new birthmother.
Marie on the other hand is the exact opposite. She’s a true extrovert as well as a mad scientist in her garage. Yeah…while we do house all of the cars in there, it’s basically a good idea to not go in there during the day as the entire structure is her own personal lab. Aside from that, and her constant love of pranks, Marie is a great friend to be with.
I look to them both, “Do either of you have plans for the future?”
Bianca becomes shocked while Marie looks to me confused. The glacie’s eyes dart for a moment, apparently trying to come up with an answer while twiddling her fingers. “I...I might Young Miss,” she says. “However, I will forever serve the House of Rivenfeld.”
I smile. I’m not asking her to leave us; merely if there’s something more she wants to do. “Well…what would you and Marie like to come to school with me?”
Both girls faces light up. Marron chuckles, shaking her head, no doubt think of when my yokai friends were pulling at me to go to school with them.
Lyra and Abigale smile with the kikimora reaching over and lovingly strokes the glacie’s hair. “I think it would be good for your growth,” she says. “While your duties here are paramount, you both do need to learn how to act beyond the confines of the Manor and with normal people.” Bianca blushes deeply as she peers to her.
Lyra leans over and flicks Marie’s head, “Besides, we can’t keep cleaning up your pranks Marie.” The automata giggles up at her.
Both girls then look to each other and grin, and then look back to me. “We’d loved to Young Miss.”
I grin. When this really is all over, I’d love to be a normal teenager, going to school making friends, and just be in the world again. Granted…I am the crown princess of Dewloura with a whole world of other baggage I have to deal with. So like the old saying with me, “What’s normal?”
Marie grins brightly, “Oh, I can’t wait to come up with new pranks to show everyone there whose boss.”
I giggle, “I might join you in that.” She beams, curling up close with me.
Abigale reaches over and lightly thumps the automata on the head. “You do anything outrageous and it will reflect poorly on the Young Miss.” She then looks to me, “And you, if you do anything, it will reflect on your mother.”
I giggle. Yeah I know. I’ve always been mindful of my mother’s reputation from the very start I was introduced to the world at large. Still have to be grateful for exposing me to the Court. Ugh, that caused me a while world of issues. Yet even after that, I have been extremely careful not to embarrass my mother.
I then stare forward, thinking of my friends, both Coven and yokai. I miss them terribly, having not heard from them in months from my perspective. I really want to be with them again.
I soon feel arms being draped over me. I look up, seeing Marron smiling to me. “Do you really want to go back a normal school?”
I nod, “I do. I really fell in love going while in Dewloura. Plus…maybe it’s time that I do.” It’s time to really take advantage of being a teenager again and start over in the world as one.
She chuckles, shaking her head. “Knowing your mother, she probably already has one in mind for you.”
I grin, and then peer over to my knights. “Are you two planning to settle down again when this is all over?”
The pair looks to each other for moment, eyes glinting softly as thoughts run through their minds.
Orga then looks to me, “We…may, Your Highness. However our duty is forever to serve at your side.”
I smile, nodding. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
Kateryna then blushes deeply, looking to her husband while placing her hand over her stomach. “I understand what you meant Your Highness. And yes…yes I do.”
I grin. Of course this is all planning for a future that I’m praying will happen. The future is a fickle thing. While we can hope and plan for it, it’ll only happen when it does. I have my own hopes and dreams for the future, namely a certain young man and a life with him.
I peer over to my wolves, watching as Fenris preens Athena. I listen to the little groans he makes while she seemingly blushes. I tilt my head, noticing something’s different about Athena, something I can’t make out.
I soon find myself being pulls backwards and placed into a lap. I look up, seeing Silvi smiling down at me. I grin as I curl up into her, tails swishing about, thinking the last I was like this was just before all hell broke loose. She smiles, raking her claws through my hair, planting a kiss on my forehead.
“The weed and I need to have some time alone with you,” she says.
I smile up to her, “Where? The greenhouse?”
It’s always been the best place for the three of us to be together. In fact, it’s really the only place the three of would be together at the same time. Silvi would be either reading a book or tormenting Velhemina. My aunt on the other hand would be tending to the plants and crops while I often sat in my flower and watched them.
She smiles, “Where else? Especially now that it’s been somewhat repaired.”
I grin, nodding to her. “We definitely need it.” She grins, holding me close.
I look over to Marron who smiles, leaning up and stroking my hair. I blush and grin, feeling like a child surrounded by so many people. I’m still small for my age, really small. There’ve been times when I was mistaken for middle-schooler a couple years back in New Orleans.
“We also need some time alone ourselves.”
I grin, nodding. We really haven’t since I got home, given how it’s been split between Mom and nearly everyone else on the Estate.
“Soon,” I tell her.
She grins. We’ve spent a lot together since we reunited back in September, but it never hurts to have more.
We stay out a bit a longer before heading back to the Manor.
Around mid-afternoon, I finally head over to what used to be the greenhouse. It’s still a shambling husk of what used to be one of the many places I would go to find peace and some guidance. As I stroll around it once more, I see the old steel beams still poking out of the ground. I sigh softly, missing it all the more.
I still remember Mom taking me by it the first time I came here. When I peered inside, it’s when I accurately deduced that the large flower at its heart belonged to an alraune, the very same alraune who became my aunt the first day I met her. Strange how it was also on the day I met Silvi and she became my sister.
My ears soon feel the intense heat and flames bending metal into place along with the sounds of hammering. I poke around, smiling as I find the salamanders all hard at work with the reconstruction of the greenhouse as they put in place the new framework along with the dryads aiding with the heavy lifting. Next to it rests the temporary greenhouse, built so that my aunt would at least have a home to go to.
Emeline pokes her head up from her workplace and stares at me. Dropping her tools, she quickly dashes to me, picking me up into her arms. She is soon followed by her husband with the other salamanders looking on and smiling brightly.
Emeline and Chaluk hold me tightly to their chests, feeling their furnace-like bodies blazing against my own.
“You have no idea how much we’ve missed you, Little Miss,” she says.
I grin, holding onto them tightly. I used to love watching them and rest of the salamander work in their forges. I would just spend hours listening to the ringing of hammers on anvils. I used to follow the rhythm, often finding the melody of the forge.
Chaluk strokes my hair, smiling broadly to me. “It hasn’t been the same with you gone.”
I giggle softly. “Thank you both, and thank you for all the hard work you’ve done.”
They grin, peering over to the dryads who wave to me as they place several more beams into place. Chaluk looks to me. “We are more than glad to. It is our purpose and joy being here, our home.”
I giggle softly. This is their home, and anything out of place or broken must be fixed. So helping my aunt rebuild her home is important to them. I’m grateful that their homes weren’t destroyed during the battle.
Emeline leans over, grinning. “I know our son has also missed you terribly, Young Miss.”
I peer around their shoulder, seeing an infant salamander playing around in his playpen. I grin as his parent gently let me down so I can go over to him. I kneel down, grinning. “Hi, Rudy.”
The infant turns and looks to me, forming massive grin on his chubby face. I giggle and pick him up. Rudy of course is short for Rudeus, a spunky little furnace for a baby I often babysat for while his parents and the other salamanders were hard at work.
I tickle his nose, making him giggle. Normally, I would have transformed into a dragon to better withstand the heat of the forge and his own natural body heat. However, since we’re outside and it's still a little chilly, it’s fine.
Salamanders, given how warm their bodies are, don’t even feel the cold like humans would, so it’s fine for little Rudy to be outside, granted there’s a source of heat for him to be next to.
I smile as I rock him a bit, looking the little guy over. “I think he’s gotten a little bigger since the last time I saw him.
He giggles, reaching up and pulling on my hair. “Sissy.”
My eyes flash wide as he talks. I grin, nuzzling his face and showering him with kisses. He giggles loudly, patting my face.
I look back to his parents, who both are smiling to me. These are among the numerous people I have come to love since I first arrived here nearly three years ago. I never once was afraid of any of them, having accepted them as a fact of the world I never knew existed.
Chaluk smiles, stepping closer. “Will you be joining us in our forge at some point?”
I hold their son, swishing my tails behind me. “I might. It’s just I may be awhile before that happens.”
Emeline steps to me, looking worried. “You’re not leaving us again, are you?”
I stare up at her, nodding. “There are tasks that I need to complete before I’m free again.”
I know it’s hard for everyone to hear that after I finally made it home, but it’s the truth. I’m not truly free, not with Regulus and Selene still out there hunting for me and trying to unseal Dewloura.
She opens her mouth to say something, only for her husband to stop her. She looks to him, face filled with worry. He smiles, shaking his head.
“I know what you’re thinking and feeling,” he tells her. “We know what has to be done. The Young Miss has her own purpose to fulfill.”
She sighs, looking to me. “It’s so cruel that you must leave us after just returning home.”
I nod, still holding their son. “I have to.”
She nods, carefully taking their son from my arms. She hoists him gently, holding him to her chest. “Are here to see your aunt?”
I nod, “I am.”
She smiles, nodding softly as Chaluk nods to me. “Be well, Young Miss.”
I smile, nodding as I head inside the makeshift greenhouse.
As I head in, I am greeted by the usual rush of warm, humid air. Velhemina must’ve really poured her heart into getting this place up and running. I look around, smiling as I find her tending to a small plot.
She turns, grinning and opens her arms to me. I giggle, strolling over to her and into them. Velhemina holds me tightly to her body, stroking my hair, filling my nose with her cool, earthy scent. There is the aroma of sage emanating from her, feeling its soothing touch.
“Little Blossom,” she says softly.
I grin, hugging her tightly. “I missed you.”
She smiles, feeling her hands stroking my hair, before moving on to my ears. “I missed you as well, my little niece.”
She holds me tighter as the sounds of plants shifting begin to fill my ears. I look around, watching as the plants begin to form into chairs for us to sit in. We cuddle tightly to each other, with her continuing to stroke my hair.
She pans around, staring at her makeshift home. “The new greenhouse won’t be completed for at least a few months. The Manor took priority.”
I smile, shaking my head. “It’s fine,” I tell her. “Just as long as you have a place to call home.”
She leans over and kisses my head, “Such a good girl.”
I giggle. I know it’s a little odd that the main structure of the Estate is repaired first before another’s home. However I’m pretty sure that the labor was divided to help at least get this place prepared from my aunt.
I look over the several tiny plots and rows in the ground. Inside I see tiny saplings sprouting up from the dirt. I then look back up to her. “So how come you’re not hibernating?”
“That is because the natural cycles were disrupted when the Estate was sealed away,” she explains, still holding me. “Now, this comes with the benefit of allowing the dryads and myself time to help try and put things back together. However we might do so in the coming month to rest and recharge.”
I nod. Nature depends of its cycles. You throw a major wrench into it and everything has to adapt.
I pan over, seeing a new flower resting some distance from me.
“Would you like to slip into it?” she asks, smiling.
I shake my head. “No, thank you.”
She nods, stroking my body. “You truly are kitsune through and through. Even more so than you were the last time you transformed into an alraune.” She looks to me, “I could tell you were struggling slightly when you reverted to being human.”
I giggle softly, “Yukari and Asha said the same thing to me.”
She smiles, “Do you miss them?”
I nod, clinging to her. “My month with them was great. Just being with more family really helped me feel at ease since fleeing here.” I stare out into the greenhouse, “My month in the village was also amazing, spending time with friends, my yokai grandmother, being around more loved ones. Although, I did have to adjust being two and a half months out of time.”
She nods, stroking my hair. “Now don’t forget you were also able to spend time with the young man you became fond of.” She then grins, “You two must have grown even closer.”
My cheeks turn beet-red, trying to hide it with my tails. Velhemina merely laughs as our chairs shift with vines reaching for the rafters, turning them into swing chairs.
We sway softly back and forth, gliding through the air, just feeling the motion. I lean into her, just letting myself go as I sit with her.
She smiles, softly stroking my hair. “You know…I can still clearly recall the very first time you and I met,” she starts. “You walked into my greenhouse, nervous as a sapling. However the boldness you exhibited being here was thrilling. Oh how lovely our first conversation was.”
My cheeks burn a little hotter. “That…that feels like a lifetime ago.”
It really does. It’s been nearly three years since I first arrived here. Here I slowly began to meet everyone who became my family, a part of who I am today. It was here however where I met her, the being who quickly became my aunt, a person I forever would seek council in when I couldn’t turn to my mother.
Strange I know, but it’s just how things have always been since.
She nods softly, kicking us back again on the swing. “So much has indeed happened since that day.” Velhemina then looks to me, “This is where you were born, my wonderful niece. This…is your homeland.” She chuckles, “Granted it took a while for it to truly be so.”
I giggle softly, nodding. “You and Mom must’ve been talking again.”
She nods softly, stroking my hair.
Through everything I’ve been through, every place I’ve either visited or spent a significant amount of time in, my heart always called out for here. I fell in love with my village in Japan. There I felt at home, safe, an entire region to call home. However in my heart, I still longed for here.
In Dewloura, I found a missing piece of my soul I never knew was lost. There I began to lose myself in the wonders of a civilization I had only scarcely been told of. I truly became a part of it, gradually thinking myself as a Dewlouran. I loved the city, its people, the history. I gained more family there, learned so much. It nearly stole my heart completely if the Fall hadn’t occurred.
Yet still, through it all I longed for here, to where I truly was born again.
I grin, looking to her. “While I was in Dewloura, I wrote a lot about the flora there. I made numerous sketches of the plants, meticulous ones in fact. I even saved samples from the city.”
My aunt’s eyes light up as I proceed to retrieve another journal, filled with notes, flowers, even seeds. Hehe, I was quite thorough while there. I watch as she examines the book, going over a few short examples.
She smiles, looking to me as she carefully closes the book. “Thank so much, Little Blossom.”
I smile to her, softly wagging my tails.
We then hear the door to the greenhouse open, with Silvi walking in. I smile over to my sister.
She playfully lets out an exasperated huff. “Well, I know I said the weed wanted to see you,” she says. “However, I hope she didn’t think she gets to hog you all to herself.”
My aunt smirks, “Well too bad, you blithering lizard. It was my turn to have her.”
My sister grins, stepping closer. “Oh? Were you planning on planting our little girl into the ground so that she doesn’t leave again?”
Velhemina scoffs, “Of all the nerve, you buffoon. I would never dream of doing such a thing to my little niece.” She then looks away.
Silvi’s grin grows wider, “You were thinking about it at one time weren’t you?”
My aunt’s mouth drops as she tries to voice her objection, only for her head to drop with here sighing on defeat. “Yes…yes I admit it.”
My sister laughs, “She’s not a plant, you shrub. You can’t make her sprout roots by burying her in the ground.”
My aunt huffs, “I used to be able to.”
Silvi grins even more as she strolls over to us, “Not now you can’t.”
I laugh through all of this. Silvi and Velhemina’s constant banter has only been a source of amusement for me. It’s helped ease tension and even helped lift my spirits. It was their bickering the day after I met them which allowed me relaxed after telling my mother my feelings about her.
Silvi smiles, taking a seat on a salvaged bench. I look to her and to Velhemina, instantly recognizing the oh-so familiar setting. There have been many times when it was just three of us together.
One instance that comes to mind was the night before the Winter Solstice Festival. I was in the conservatory after failing to find Marron, and I found myself on the swing, still in pain after the loss of my family. I was lost in thought and then I discovered that Silvi had come in. She pushed me on the swing as if I were a child, which really helped me relax as we talked.
Then came Velhemina, to which they quickly slipped into their barrage of insults. Yet in the end, she too helped me with my anxiety.
There were so many times when the three of us would simply be together in the greenhouse, with Silvi on the bench with a book, Velhemina tending to the plants, and me in my flower, watching them all.
I smile to my sister. “Did you and Marron have a nice chat?”
She smiles, “That we did. We merely needed to the clear the air between us sisters. Afterwards we sparred for a few minutes.”
I grin, “Of course you did.”
She chuckles.
My grin softens as I reach out to her with one of my tails.
She smiles, wrapping it around her arm.
I lean deeper into my aunt as I feel her hand stroking my hair. I sigh happily, loving this moment between the three of us again. It’s a moment I wish would last forever.
“I wish this world wasn’t as cruel as it has been to you my little niece,” she says. “To have driven you from your home and to be forced into hiding.”
I sigh nodding. I hated being on the run, even when I was at first with the Parkstons and then even in Japan. I hated being so far away from everyone, know that I was safe and they weren’t.
She then plants a kiss on the top of my head. “Are your plans on leaving here again true?”
I nod, “I need to finish this. Mom’s already on board.”
She nods, holding me even tighter to her, resting her chin on my head. “I know many share in the notion that you should just remain here. To just forget the world.”
I sigh into her. “Wish I could, auntie. But I have to do this.”
Her grip on me tightens. My body rests so tightly into hers I might as well be absorbed into her. yet I knows she’s worried, hell I’d be lying if I wasn’t myself about leaving again.
“I wish I could go with you,” she says softly.
I nod. Velhemina may be a powerful elder alraune, but she’s not really that much a fighter. Even if she would to come as a healer, there’s this nagging issue of her being so far from home. Even when she would leave for the gathering of alraune in the summer, she’d still be close to home.
“I’ll fight in her stead,” says Silvi.
I look to her, wanting to tear up. I just got you back Silvi, I don’t want to lose you again.
She smiles, leaning in and starts to caress my face with her clawed hand. “Don’t cry or worry, Little Wing. I won’t be blindsided like I was last time.” Her smile turns into a grin, “Knowing you and your mother, you both may already have a counter in mind.”
I giggle, nodding. Gotta love the pride and bravado of a dragon. Putting worries aside, I am happy that she’ll be coming with. Better now than never.
I smile to her, “You do know we’ll be going to the Court first right? So maybe while we’re there, I could find you a boyfriend.”
Silvi’s face turns a bright shade of red, brighter than I’ve ever seen before. She stares at me for a moment before smirking and ruffling my hair. “Nosy little hatchling.”
Velhemina and I both laugh. Hey, before Kenji I had several people try and hook up with me or a few try and match me to others. I still remember Titania saying she wanted to introduce me to a young fae. Heh, love that woman.
Both women look to me, each still having a hold of me.
“When are you thinking of leaving?” asks my aunt.
“Soon,” I reply. “However, there’s a couple more things to do before we leave.”
Yeah, and I’m nervous for one and anxious for the other.
Silvi smiles, still holding onto my tail while Velhemina holds me to her. I smile to both of them as I swing through the air, letting my worries fly into the void. For moment, we live in ignorant bliss. Just wish it would stay that way.