Makeovers and Letters

Gisa

Gisa sat in Lucy's suite as she paced back and forth. "Can you believe her? Not only did she wait a whole couple weeks to even have this talk with me, or rather at me, she absolutely flat out refused to let me even touch the wand!" Lucy flung her arms out. "I tried to re-explain the bullying that I've been going through too! Just yesterday, Annabelle, Maya, Louisa, you know, all of them?" Gisa nodded, "Yeah, they told Sean, the co captain of the Tourney team that I had a crush on him. Not only that, but they told everyone I was having…" She huffed angrily, "bedroom fantasies with him! I told someone I thought he was cute, but because Maya has her eyes on him, the little group decided to completely ruin me more than I already am. Plus I lost my contact lense, so I had to put back on my glasses from two years ago that make me look like I'm fifty!" She finally plopped down.

Gisa sighed, "I know a thing or two about mean girls." Lucy rambled on about Annabelle's clique, but Gisa was thinking back to the island, before she'd learned how to fight for her own. "I could always curse them and turn their noses into pigs," Gisa shrugged.

"No, that's too noticeable, you'd get in so much trouble," Lucy sighed, "Too bad, it would be hysterical. No, I just want to look better, and maybe not be so awkward."

Gisa stood, "Well, if you'll trust me, I do have the answer to some of it."

"Really?" Lucy's eyes widened. "What is it?"

"Well, I've been practicing some beauty spells. Helps me with the split ends on my hair so I don't have to trim it. Would you like me to… you know?" Gisa asked.

"I… I don't know…" Lucy said, fiddling with her fingers.

"Come on Luce, would I hurt you? Besides, look at my hair. It's never been better since I started using a spell on it." Gisa tugged at her swiftly lengthening purple and brown hair.

"You can always undo it, right?" Lucy asked.

"Absolutely." Gisa smiled. "Ready?" Lucy nodded. So, inhaling a deep breath, Gisa recited the cryptic words from the page, her eyes glowed green, her fingers flaring with purple fire, Lucy squeaked, but Gisa snapped her fingers, and Lucy's horror turned into… wonder. She fingered on the dark ringlets falling over her shoulders. Her hair was… perfect. It might have even been better than Annabelle's.

"Gisa I— I love it!" her eyes shone. "It… it doesn't make me look so childish!"

Gisa smiled, something in her stomach warming. If you think that's cool," She recited another spell, holding onto Lucy's hands. And with a flash, her stumpy nails, bitten to their beds, were suddenly not only long, but painted baby blue, little roses on her pointer fingers. "I can change the color if you—"

"Gisa come on, how did you know this was my favorite color?" Lucy crushed her into a hug. "I know they might seem small but they make such a difference."

Gisa smiled. "Still, I am sorry about your mom." Gisa had been just as disappointed as Lucy when she found out the Mother Guardian wouldn't take out her staff. "It must hurt not to have your mom care. She didn't say anything about the bullying?"

Lucy shrugged. "Not really. She kind of stayed on the whole wand lecture. I wish I could use my magic without the wand… like you. You channeled your magic through your fingertips… The colored fire you make is cool." She still sounded dejected.

Gisa grabbed one of Lucy's hands. "I know your mother loves you, in her own way. My mother does too." Lies. Her mother wouldn't spare her if Gisa stood between her mother and something she wanted. "Well, I'm glad you tried. Sometimes they just don't listen."

Lucy nodded sullenly. "Well, thank you for caring. You should probably get back before curfew."

The girls said goodnight, Gisa frowning heavily as she stormed down the hall. New plan then? If Mother Guardian wouldn't listen to her own daughter then she didn't know who she'd listen to.

Her mood was slightly improved when Emma gestured to a note on her bed. "Camden wrote back."

Gisa smiled, her cheeks flushing as she ripped the note open. She couldn't wait to read it. Though last time she'd written, they were being tried for arson… Hopefully he'd heard about the trial. And maybe he'd have some good stories to tell, or something good. Just reading his scrawling penmanship and seeing his cute stick figures was enough.

Gisa,

I'm so sorry about everything that happened. Just remember that those people are pompous and spoiled. None of them could have survived the things you did. Remember that you are strong and resourceful. Nobody stops Gisa. I'm glad that the judge owned up to his accident. Still, that was low of the Prince to stoop to that level. A few tabloids made it here proclaiming that he punched Jamison for it. I would love to see what Jamison did to that pretty face if the Prince ever tried.

On a good note, we now own the territory containing the Spokes. There was a small gang fight, no major injuries. We sure did miss you in that fight though. You're still easily the best. I hope you've been practicing and working out. I'd love to challenge you to a sparring match next time I see you. I finally mastered that spinning kick you used to try all the time. Still working on the aerial kick? That was pretty awesome. The boys are trying that one. They saw you do it in one of your last pit fights and fell in love. Aaron fell flat on his face and split his lip open. Nobody quite got it like you did.

Aside from my work, I was, let's say, inspired, to go back to school. The Prince was good on his word about school. It isn't being enforced, but a new building was constructed for us adults to go back to school. Want to hear something grand? I got a seventy on my pre algebra test. That's the highest grade I've received since kindergarten. Remember when you were in the third grade, and Emma was already in fourth grade with straight A's… I used to hate her for being so smart. She was the teacher's favorite. Ruined any hope of a curve. She was out with a bad fever for two weeks. My grade was curved to a D. But then she came back, and that's when I was held back and you and I got to fail together.

Gisa laughed. She knew what story he was about to tell.

Emma smiled, "Gonna let me read the letter when you're done?"

"Maybe."

Also, I'm sorry for breaking your leg and your arm on the desk. Again. I know we were little, but I felt bad. You were just so cute in your little dress and pigtails. Too cute not to pull on one of your braids. So when you turned around and put your fist right into my gut, I acted on instinct. Even as a third grader with your rosy cheeks and angry glare, you were still a good fighter. Nearly knocked the wind out of me. Before I knew it, I was losing to a girl who was two years younger than me. And I would never live it down if I lost. I learned by shoving you into that desk that I would also never live down beating up a girl two years younger than me. And after someone took you home, the teacher whipped me so hard I had to go home too. But I'm glad it happened. Because that's what started our little competition we've had all these years. And somehow you keep winning.

There was a little stick figure standing over a very long one. Each of them had on boxing gloves. Her's had a bow in her hair. She smiled, tracing the lines subconsciously. There was that story again. He told everyone. Sometimes the details changed. But the heart of the story was the same. That was the time she'd really met Camden.

I know I tell the story all the time, but it is one of my favorites. I miss being young. Now we actually need to care about things. Oh, Aaron and Harry say hello. They've been bugging me the last four or five minutes to make sure you knew.

Gisa laughed. Of course they were. "Aaron and Harry said hello." Gisa said to Emma who was doodling on a homework sheet.

I recruited a few more to the gang. A set of twins, boy and girl. They're sweet kids, not really gang material, but their house burned down a few days ago. Found someone stealing their few possessions. They've been crashing at Harry and his sister's place since then. They make great scouts. At least the boy does. The girl is more inclined to stare at a wall all day no matter what we do.

I know you aren't a fan of the Prince at the moment, but you really have to ask him to do something. If one house catches on fire, five do. There are people starving. If you don't work, you don't feed your family. If you're a kid then you rely on charity. And we all know how charitable these people are. You have to ask the prince, or gain an audience with the king somehow. The night school was a good start, but we need to do something about all of these kids on the streets. Parents overdosing, kicking them out, running away. They're growing steadily. You can't walk down the street without seeing them. It's turning to Fall here. You know how cruel winter is, they're all going to freeze.

But then… you could always just find a way to do what your mom asked so we can run away together and leave everything behind. With her ruling, we could all leave the island. She's cruel as hell, but she isn't going to let them freeze here. She'll relocate them. You know that. I don't know what you plan to do Gisa, but these kids need something fast. And I've never had a blood oath, obviously, but I've read about them. You have to do something about it, Gisa.

I love you baby, stay safe,

Camden

Too soon, the letter was over. She read it a few times with a sad smile. He was right. She needed to do something soon. But that meant… that meant forgiving the Prince. Or at least pretending to. And somehow standing next to him without strangling him. Somehow.

"Here Em," Gisa handed the letter to Emma, who plucked it from her hand with thanks. Gisa pulled out a fresh sheet of paper to reply to him. He was right. Even if she couldn't stand being around the Prince… it was for a better cause. For something bigger than wanting to potentially hurt someone.

"Wow, so what are you going to do?" Emma asked, spinning around in her chair, dropping the letter in front of Gisa who was lying on the cherry wood floor, her letter only a few sentences long so far.

She huffed. "Well, I just have to suck it up and talk to the prince. I mean I hate his guts, but those kids need someone with influence."

"I could do it." Emma offered, braiding her blonde hair in front of her face, eyes nearly crossed to do so.

"No, I don't… I really need to do it." Gisa sighed, stretching her back. Emma nodded. "By the way Em, how have you been holding up? I know it's been a week or so, but I want to make sure you're alright."

"I'm not surprised frankly," she said, unbraiding the strands of hair. "I mean, I was absolutely nothing like Audenzitios. She absolutely hated me. I mean, she didn't treat either of us well, but you know… Gosh I can't believe she'd… she'd kill my actual mother. And how did the Court think it would be a good idea to give me to her as penance? And then somehow the records were erased, and Queen Gloriannagon was dead and Audenzitios had two daughters?" Gisa squinted a little. Her tone didn't quite match her surprised words.

"Does that mean Audenzitios has people… on the outside?" Gisa asked. Emma shrugged. "I mean, she gets letters all the time… Are we just another phase in some grand plan?"

Emma nodded thoughtfully. "If she were to escape… the military could be mobilized, so she's… of course. She'll need to slow down the continent's army in time for her to organize herself." She hesitated a moment. "If we get that wand, and break that barrier, she's really going to rule. This isn't just any revolution. This will be a 100 percent government shutdown."She shook her head.

"Wow, I mean, I knew my mother was ingenious, but this is something else. She'll skip the battle and go right to setting up her dictatorship and executing the leaders…" Gisa winced at the thought of the lives of the happy innocent nobles ending. Sure, some of them were insufferable… but none of them deserved the terrible judgment her mother would exact. "How many of the kids at our school are going to die Emma?"

Emma didn't respond, almost as if the question was still processing. Gisa almost couldn't fathom it. It would wipe out half of the school. Her mother was something else entirely. Not human. Gisa herself wasn't. She looked at her hands, summoning little flames. She was her mother's daughter physically…

Out the window she could see the students milling about happily, totally unaware of what was going to happen one way or another.

Gisa let out a sigh. "Emma, we need to get a plan together."