Chapter 3: Aishah the Babe

Ariadne

"Who is this Aishah the Babe, can she help us?" Ariadne asked again. Enchantress moved her gaze back to the intent eyes of the young witch beside her. She's standing taller than her which looked her more intimidating.

"She's a valuable acquaintance of mine," Enchantress' grey eyes seem to flare as probed by Ariadne.

"She can see what lays ahead in the future. We'll be needing her," Enchantress explained.

"I want to know what mysteries lie in this mirror, how it got broken? How this Aishah the Babe of yours got cursed and turned into a mirror. The mirror of Enthrallment?" Ariadne asked, her voice was filled with confidence.

"Love makes people go crazy. Love betrays and taunts you to eternal frailty. Love makes you fragile," Enchantress uttered glumly. She slithered her fingers on the golden mirror.

"You want to know the mystery behind the curse and the broken part?" Enchantress smiled. Her white robe glistened. Her eyes were fierce. At her right side stood the half annoyed and half amused Colleen.

"Well, get it started then," Colleen snapped in somewhat a commanding tone.

"What can I say?" Enchantress' eyes are flickering as they changed in colors, from grey they turned black then they shift to pure white then red to golden yellow. Ariadne felt the odd familiar coldness again. She shivered, even Colleen hasn't withstood the seeping coldness in the air. Enchantress' hands were covered with golden mist, then she reached her right hand to the mirror. Images began filling the golden mirror, it flickered from picture to picture.

"Find out the mysteries about Aishah the Babe," was the last sentence Ariadne heard before she was filled in daze and is feeling a bit nauseated. She was in a huge garden. Flowers from the different colors of roses, sunflowers, jasmines, and marigolds are arranged in plots. There are lilies in the ponds as well. Butterflies fluttered atop the flowers, there were green, yellow, grey and so much more, from two-inches small to five-inches big. On the corner, there stood a lovely woman with a fair skin and slanted eyes. Her grey eyes were as fierce as Enchantress', her splendid long black hair dangles on the air, butterflies circled above her head. The butterflies are carrying a circle of flowers then they laid it on top of the woman's head.

"Aishah," a beautiful husky voice called from behind. Cold air loomed in the garden despite the hot sun shining from far above. The sky was cloudless.

"Mammo!" The woman excitedly called back, her tinny voice rang through Ariadne's ears.

"This cute lady must be Aishah." Ariadne wondered.

"Oh! Mammo, don't tease me." The woman squeaked. Her somewhat babe-looking face flashed cutely in enthusiasm as her eyes were barely visible as they narrowed in her every grin.

"I miss you." A husky voice whispered from elsewhere.

"I miss you a thousand times. Please show your self. Oh! Mammo. That tickles," She giggled from the floating tickling white feather, she stopped laughing. A 5'7-foot tall lad appeared in front of her. She smiled. He smiled. Mammo's lips shone red, his black hair matched the black tunic he wore. His blue eyes shone for longing and admiration.

"I love you," Mammo leaned and kissed the waiting lips of Aishah. They kissed for a minute then they broke the kiss, both mouths are drawing sweet smiles.

"I love you too," Aishah retorted. Her white silky robe shimmered. Butterflies fluttered above them.

"I've waited for months, why haven't you shown yourself?" Aishah asked sadly.

"Oh," Mammo paced, walked a few steps and said, "My Queen says I must do my duty as a wizard cavalier, protect the Royal Land and lead my army to Goosebay."

"Goosebay? What was your army doing at Goosebay?" Aishah asked, her grey eyes were mystified.

"I must not say this to anyone, but you're not anyone to me. Promise me not to tell this to anyone," he said it in rhymes before he looked into the eyes of his lover.

"I promise," Aisha mumbled.

"Queen Queenne ordered us to look for Goosebay. The black witches are abducting maidens and they do it secretly there," he discussed.

"Why not tell everyone? Tell them not to go near Goosebay. Or why not make it forbidden place instead," Aishah suggested.

Ariadne listened intently, her mind is spinning, she barely understands what they were saying. She knew witches are abducting maidens and little girls but not particularly at Goosebay. Only them had taken courage to abduct one but that was the only one and it happened in the future, this was still in the past. Goosebay is a magnificent place indeed, with fine white-grained sands, lush mangroves, and big boulders. Goosebay is a good place to practice and enhance one's talents. No wonder there are many amateur maidens who visit there.

"No," Mammo pauses, "There's no need to forbid Goosebay. Goosebay is a good place for young aspiring witches, they can discover what they cower and what are their weaknesses there, most especially what their true personalities are, whether they are white or black legionnaires of the kingdom. And if ever Goosebay were to be forbidden, there will be an imbalance between evilness and goodness." Aishah merely nodded and replied, "I see," then she smiled.

"We were assigned for lookouts there. Like some sort of a sleuth's job." Mammo edged near her and touched her baby face. He kissed her again.

"An important thing," Mammo's eyes shine.

"I want you to meet my Queen. We'll be asking her for her blessings. I want to marry you," Mammo confided confidently.

"Marry me? Oh! Mammo." Aishah blurted in surprise.

"Yes, I do." She kissed her lover, tears are trickling down her cheeks from her eyes.

"We'll talk to Queen Queenne this night, prepare yourself, and we'll see each other at the kingdom," Mammo said and kissed her again, vanishing into thin air.

"I'll see you at twilight." His husky voice hushed leaving Aishah at the garden alone then she smirked.

Ariadne stood there watching the excited Aishah. The scene then changed. She was inside the castle of Regality, Ariadne remembered the time when she was once here. She was twenty-five that time when Colleen and she delivered vials for the Queen. Pictures in frames of royalties were hung on the wall. In the center was the painted beautiful face of the Queen Queenne in an elegantly-shapen picture frame, her long coal-black straight hair makes her lovelier, at the right side of the Queen's picture is the portrait image of Mammo in a snubby face.

A glimmering chandelier dangles from the ceiling. There was a huge rectangular table in the center, the red mantle that covered the table was illuminated by the lights from the chandelier. Fruits are placed on silver wares and are arrayed on the table expertly. Twenty-six golden chairs were arranged elegantly. Two are placed from both edges and twelve chairs placed oppositely facing each other. The dining table was arranged almost perfectly.

Five beautiful maidens chit-chatted while going down the elegant staircase, their black hairs were long and straight. They wore white glorious-looking gowns and they looked exactly the same. Next to them was a little boy, he seems to be eight years old. His dark glinting eyes were fierce, beside him stood the ebony haired gal, her blue eyes are flaring, ready to sear anyone in sight. Ariadne recognized this beautiful girl in the pink gown, the blue-eyed Joreyna, the daughter of Josephine. On her right side was the exact replica of the boy on her left side, but this young boy grins a lot, his eyes are mischievous as they glint. They breathe simultaneously and were seemed to be agitated by the persons in front of them.

Servants and food servers in maid's outfit have walked busily but professionally as they are placing the silver plates, spoons, bowls with foods and arranging the table and placing foods to where they should be placed.

The girls have reached their tables and are still murmuring and giggling, talking about lads and wizard cavaliers, or maybe girls' kinds of stuff perhaps. They sat on the right side of the table, sitting beside each other. Joreyna and her 'twin-brothers' sat on the first-three seats at the left side of the long table, facing the murmuring women.

Ariadne stood somewhere watching what is happening and constantly moving her gaze to look for Aishah. A fiercely-looking curly-haired woman bumped Ariadne, throwing her ghostly image aside. She hit the wall, it still hurt even in the state she is now, a pale ghostly holographic image, her ghost form glides near the table, without herself trying.

The curly haired woman who looked like a wild woman sashayed on the table and get herself a seat a-chair-apart from the chattering maidens, her silver curly hair was tied into a ponytail. The maidens eyed her and are seemingly probing her features.

"The dragon-summoner is here," the beautiful maiden in the center hissed.

"Was she the delinquent Reka?" Another girl whispered back. Then they giggled.

Reka moved her fiery black eyes on them and placed her right hand on the table heavily which caused the it to clatter softly. She opened her hand and a bluish ember of fire danced on top of her palm. The small black mole on her lower lip glistened. The girls opened their mouths, their jaws are dropping.

"Cool!" The little boy at Joreyna's left side shouted and he grinned again mischievously.

On the stairs, a brown-curly-haired witch in the black velvety-knitted gown comes down, the little grains of jewels embedded on it shimmered. She looked magnificent and beautiful, her sharp brown eyes are shining. Walking down behind her was another beauty, her long black hair is shining, her white gown made her more beautiful. She stepped down gratefully with a stern face. The woman in the white gown is Queen Queenne, Ariadne is sure of that and that this curly-haired woman in front of the Queen is Josephine? Ariadne speculated. If Joreyna is here why can't Josephine do?

Reka stood up and offered her majesty her hand as Queen Queenne stepped the last step of the stair, Queenne placed her hand on Reka's and they head the table. Queen Queenne sashayed gracefully to her seat as Reka went back to hers. The maidens eyed her curiously. The woman in black took her seat at the opposite edge of the table facing Queen Queenne's seat.

Ariadne wandered her eyes to look for any sign of Aishah. She took a glance at the table, there were a few of the servants still serving food.

There, going down the golden staircase again, is a bulky small woman, she's about four feet or so in height, her bulky feature and smallness make her look like a dwarf, but she wasn't, her chubby cheeks glimmered in pinkish colors, her brown straight hair suited her, she wore a violet gown and it fitted her beautifully. She went down the stairs and walked towards the table, she sat at the left side of the woman in the black gown. She gazed at the woman and smiled at her.

"Thank you, my lady," she said it weakly.

"No need to thank me Gekee. You look magnificent by the way," the woman in black replied then eyed her as if she came from somewhere and gone late.

"Oh, as always to be expected from yours, my lady Josephine. I'll serve you as always. You have my loyalty."

"Just make sure of that. You know that I don't like persons who are not loyal and can't be trusted." Josephine grinned.

"Of course I know you well my lady. I shouldn't have become your apprentice if I'm not," Gekee seems to force a smile back at her meekly.

"Well, be sure then," she placed her right hand in front of her face, twirling it and seemingly probing it of any sign of dirt. Then a small mirror appeared in her hand, a circular mirror with glass a silvery transparent and with a sparkling golden handle. Josephine looked at her image at the mirror and smiled.

Ariadne looked at the stairs again, this time two hooded men appeared, the ones who cornered them at the alley of Hunchester. The red-headed guy who fought her and the bespectacled guy who dueled Colleen, they were lucky Colleen hasn't killed them.

Following them is the couple, Aishah and Mammo, holding hands and smiling widely. Mammo wore a black surcoat, the usual uniforms of a wizard cavalier. Aishah looked as magnificent and beautiful as the queen. She also wore a white gown. The hooded men reached their seat, they took a seat on the left side beside Gekee who gingerly smiled at them.

"What took the both of you so long, Fred, Iron?' Josephine hissed, her brown eyes are flaring.

"My apologies my lady," the spectacled guy mumbled, his masculine deep voice is protruding.

"Fred and I have to deal with the scumbags at Canipus lupus my lady," the red-headed guy defended, his voice is deep and husky.

"The beastly coyotes are spreading fast," the bespectacled guy added.

"I see, as expected of the land of Canipus lupus. Wolves do are lascivious. But why went that way?" Josephine asked.

"Shortcut my lady," the red-headed guy answered.

Aishah and Mammo have seated in their seats, they sat beside Reka.

"It seems like we're already complete now," Queen Queenne said, her voice is deep and womanly, it vibrated in the room but not in a hurting tone.

"Let's commence the ceremony?" Josephine uttered in a some sort of uncertainty.

"But first, we need to fill our stomachs," Queen Queenne blurted.

"Reka, please do the honors of lighting the candles," she gazed at Reka and smiled meekly.

"My pleasure my Queen." Reka waved her hand and the unlighted candles burn to life. Yellowish flames danced atop the twelve pairs of candles now  igniting in flames in the table.

"Cool," the grinning boy clapped in admiration. The maidens giggled and continued murmuring.

They eat in silence, Aishah and Mammo glared at each other and are often smiling, there was a speck of tiny piece of leftover on Aishah's mouth then Mammo carefully wipes it out, Aishah smiled then they both laughed weakly. The maidens stared at them and murmured silently.

Minutes later, they all have finished eating. Queen Queenne then stood up from her seat, she looks at them and smiled.

"I gathered you all for a very important announcement my son will soon say," she eyed Mammo as if her son had done a terrible thing.

"But before that, I want to hear reports from our valiant knight here, Reka, and you my dearest sister," she eyed at Josephine's direction, "about the happenings on the west," Queen Queenne added.

She took her seat, Ariadne's pale ghost  floats motionlessly. She started to wonder now of why she's the only one who had gotten here, and where have Enchantress and Collen gone?

Reka stood up while Queen Queenne took her seat.

"I, Reka a knight of Regality will tell my report. There are ferocious dragons terrorizing the north, a rising cases of abduction at Goosebay, and we still don't know who's behind those." She eyed Josephine accusingly.

"That's all I can say," she finished then took her seat.

Josephine stayed in her seat as she closed her hand, she opened it, in her palm was the holographic image of a black castle with a twin tower on it.

"There's no oddity happening in my grounds, but my wizards here have something to say, Fred?" She clenched her hand and the image disappeared. She paced on her seat while the bespectacled guy stood up.

"There's no need to worry, we're doing our best in holding the wolves in Canipus lupus. The coyotes there are spreading fast but we have dealt with them so far," Fred reported.

"So there are still unsolved cases happening, and we do not intend to close Goosebay, so we are to secure the safety of everyone who'll visit there," Mammo added and looked at Aishah confidently.

"I commend you all for doing your jobs and doing your jobs great." Queen Queenne mused.

"So, it's time to hear what my son has to announce," she moved her gaze at Mammo's.

Mammo stood up and looked at Aishah before he turned to look at the crowd.

"We're here to ask for the Queen's blessings, I am going to marry Aishah soonest," he smiled and looked at his mother.

Queen Queenne changed her reaction into distaste, her brows have furrowed.

"Excuse me? Marry a commoner? A lowly witch?" Queen Queenne scowled disdainfully.

Mammo's brazen face didn't faze. He threw the queen a stern look.

"Mother!" The queen looked at him strictly.

"All my life I have followed you, look up to you and honor you, it is due time to hear my once in a lifetime request, please, I beg you, let me do what I want, to let me love and be happy," his eyes were teary, his voice was bold. He looked at the sobbing Aishah beside him.

The maidens murmured and gossiped in whispers. Joreyna sat still, her brothers beside her stayed calm. Fred and Iron never bothered to care while Gekee and Josephine merely grinned. Reka stayed in her chair unwittingly smiling her grumpy face. Queen Queenne glared at them, her  black eyes are now flaring.

"Well then, where are her parents?" Queen Queenne muttered.

Aishah looked disoriented, her grey eyes are pitiful and are glistening in disapproval.

"I could feel the running blood of Enchantress flowing in her veins," Josephine butted.

The air began to grow cold, oddness is filling the atmosphere. Ariadne shivered as the gust of wind hit them, Queen Queenne's eyes widened, Josephine grinned widely as Reka readied herself.

"Miss me? My dearest?" The voice of Enchantress loomed in the atmosphere.

Ariadne and Aishah both tensed. Mammo's eyes widened as well as Reka's who had prepared herself for battle.

"Easy, easy," Enchantress chattered,

"I came here to discuss," she showed her appearance, she wore a black cloak. Her grey eyes flared warily at them. She scowled at Aishah and she shivered upon meeting her evil gaze.

"Intruder! And who told you to come here!" Queen Queenne frowned.

"I'm here to get my daughter," she returned her gaze at Aishah.

"She's no daughter of yours," Mammo squeaked, he looked puzzled now. Aishah stood up, holding hands with her lover. Her eyes are now pouring with tears. Queen Queenne's eyes grew wider.

"Don't go near that witch Mammo, she's just using you. Slay what you have ever felt for that woman. Wake up, I've never trained you to be merely manipulated with a commoner. A witch whose mother is my mortal enemy," Queen Queene stood up, her long hair glimmered as the incandescent light from the chandelier hit it.

Enchantress walked gracefully as she moves closer towards Aishah's chair, the maidens shivered as soon as she passed behind them. Queen Queenne stared at her in bewilderment, she patted Reka's shoulder, who readied her hand, about to summon flames and burst them to her. Ariadne met her eyes, Enchantress' eyes were burning in grey flames. Ariadne was at the back of Josephine's chair, her pale ghostly-holographic-image shimmered, a bit agitated.

Enchantress reached the standing Aishah, who clung to her lover's arms tightly.

"Don't you dare touch her," Mammo warned, his blue eyes were filled with hatred.

"You have no rights on her. I'm her mother so she follows what I have to say," she stared at Mammo's eyes. Mammo stepped a step back staggering, Enchantress blurted a muffled laugh.

"A weak wizard cavalier will sure fall for my deathly glare," she smirked. Mammo's blue eyes turned full white.

"What have you done to me?! I can't see, you evil witch!" He shouted, sending a heavy blue ray from his hand, he shot a blue bolt of light at Aishah's head and it knocked her aside, the table clattered.

"Imbecile! How dare you hurt my daughter!" Enchantress flared her eyes, sent a golden ray of light at Mammo's head through waving her hand.

"Aishah? Aishah!" Mammo cried, then he shrieked as a pang of pain hit him, his limbs engorged, his beautiful face grew hairy, he grew a snout, a wolf's snout, and a tail on his back.

"What have you done to my son!" Queen Queenne shouted and sent a white splash of ray light towards Enchantress, Enchantress vanished, and the spell hit Josephine, who quickly countered it by flipping her hand as violet ray collided with the white splash.

"This seems fun," Josephine said while sending violet rays to where Enchantress appears, splattering metal scraps and busts of marble from statues and metal knights.

Enchantress appeared at Fred and Iron's side who are holding their twelve-inches black canes. They're about to cast spells when violet streaks of light hit them and sent them flying away, knocked out from their consciousness.

A laughter burst into the air. "Amateurs! I thought you were all good at magic, why so," she hung what she's about to say, time seems to slow down, she fell from above down the cold floor, she looked shocked.

"Enough of the silly talk, black witch," the boy who always grins stood up, his nose bled.

"Janus," Joreyna called, her voice a bit frightened.

"I'm okay, I just froze this insolent witch in time, now, how is being played, witch?" Janus stepped closer to the frozen Enchantress, her eyes are flaring in anger.

"As expected of my great son," Josephine applauded, the maidens looked terrified and shocked, even Reka hung her mouth wide open.

Meanwhile, Queen Queenne calmed her son, as Mammo became a beast and grow berserk, clattering the table, spluttering plates and kitchen wares on the table and kept muttering the name of  Aishah in a hoarse beastly voice. But Queen Queenne can't cure the curse Enchantress has inflicted, all her great efforts of returning her son to normal did no good, so she calms him down and put him to sleep. Aishah was laid there on the cold floor, still unconscious. Reka just stood beside the Queen, the maidens piled themselves in a corner. Joreyna held hands with her other brother. Gekee is beside her majesty, at Josephine's side.

"Can't move, eh?" Janus grinned and looked at the wide-eyed Enchantress. Enchantress draws a smile.

"Come here lil' boy, let me show you what defeat is," Enchantress said telepathically into Janus thoughts her voice was full of charm, Janus edged near her, she flared her eyes.

"Look at my eyes," she invited, the bewitched boy did as what he's told to and stared at the malevolent eyes of the enchantress. A swirl of golden mist began covering him, his black eyes turned to pure gold, his body flickered and is slowly vaporizing, turning his body into a white floating mist with golden glinting eyes. Enchantress stood up as soon as the spell was broken, she is smiling wide. Josephine and Gekee hung their jaws, and both sent a yellow and violet streak of lights simultaneously at Enchantress who just vanished instantly. Janus squirmed and cried in pain, as his body turned into mist.

"Now how's being played?" her voice loomed in the air.

"Enough of this, Enchantress!" The word Enchantress vibrated in the room as Queen Queenne blurted it out.

"Don't you ever insult me, my curses are incurable. I can kill with just a glare," Enchantress said teasingly looking at Josephine and Gekee who turned their gaze away. Aishah stood up dizzyingly she staggered and hold on a chair.

"Mammo. Mammo?" She called. Enchantress appeared at her side.

"We got to get moving, thanks for the fun." And a blast of fiery ember of flame hit her, sending her black cloak aflame.

"You," her finger pointed at Reka who's hands are flaming, "shall pay for your indecency," she continued as she extinguished the flames by covering herself with a golden mist. Mammo stirred in the corner, still calling for Aishah's name in a muffled and hoarse voice. She sent a golden blast and it hit Reka, making her stumble at the corner, her mouth spilled blood. "Enchantress, enough," Aishah mumbled, her voice was muffled. She seemed fully awoken now, her eyes began to water again. Enchantress just looked at her and smiled.

"Who will I curse or kill first?" her eyes stared at Joreyna who quickly move her gaze away. The maidens cowered in the corner. "You'll fit well to be a mirror dear," she smiled. Aishah stood at her back. "Enchantress, stop this," Aishah pleaded. Enchantress sent a bolt of gold at the mouth-opened Joreyna.

"John, no!" Josephine shrieked, too late John has covered his sister and stood in front of her already, a thick mist of violet is in front of him, his eyes have turned fiery in violet colors as he countered Enchantress' curse, it reflected from the violet mist and boomeranged back to Enchantress who instantly teleported unwittingly without knowing that her daughter was behind her, the golden bolt hit Aishah knocking her towards the wall. She screamed as the curse began to work. Slowly, she was covered in golden mist, she continued shrieking in pain. A minute later, an ancient four-foot tall mirror stood there glimmering. Enchantress screamed in anger and was still cursing.

Ariadne dropped her jaw. She's processing the events slowly. She can't move, the images in front of her faltered. She flicked her eyes, then she was back in the dungeon. There on the room standing, were the two hooded men, Fred and Iron holding Colleen and Enchantress, their canes are at their necks.