Chapter 8

Queen Arsila had finally found a secluded, clear powder room which she entered with Morgetha.

"What is with you, Morgetha?" she turned sharply, almost hitting Morgetha who was coming right behind her.

"I am alright, mother" Morgetha replied looking down as she shuffled her feet, her stance making it obvious to the queen that she was hiding something.

"Have you been having visions again, my dear?" the Queen asked, her voice softer as she wore a compelling soft smile.

"I…I…" Morgetha was trying to speak when a young couple wrapped in a passionate embrace, crashed into the room cutting her off.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the queen angrily lashed out at the interlopers.

The rosy cheeked curly haired young lady and her overly eager male companion of measly height looked equal parts embarrassed and shocked to have been seen by others and to have walked into a room occupied by the queen. They just stood there still in each other's embrace at the doorway, both speechless with wide saucer eyes.

"Well, leave!" Arsila commanded, it was then that the speechless couple finally regained their speaking ability and use of their limbs, uttering countless words of apology before hurrying out and shutting the door.

Morgetha who felt a bit embarrassed for them had no doubt that they would probably be going to find the next available room or corner. Being a lady as she is, she finds such scurrying and hiding around completely stupid and degrading, not like she would ever be a party in such endeavors.

Once the door closed, Arsila continued her drilling only for her to be interrupted by a noise outside, a familiar sound. The Magus were here. Sudden fear showed on her face as she made this realization. Why would they be here? For what reason would they have sought her out? Or maybe it wasn't for her they had come, maybe it was for… She looked at Morgetha, oh no. Could this be what she had felt earlier?

She rushed out the door with Morgetha in tow.

~.~

Caleb had been positively thrilled when he saw Arba outside, though it took her saying her name and slightly shifting her mask for him to be certain it was her. She looked different, bewitching, for lack of a more fitting word of description.

And he had almost thought she didn't make it.

They had been talking for quite some time now walking on the grounds of the town manor, by the hedges, near the walls and now they were at the small pool in the center of the moderately-kept garden. If it has been hours, minutes, neither could tell, that's how enraptured in their conversation and the company of each other, they were. Korey could have been in a state of pandemonium at that very moment, and they wouldn't have noticed.

As a matter of fact, chaos was about to ensue.

~.~

[Somewhere close to the grounds of the town manor]

Five cloaked figures, with cloaks bearing the symbol the Magus, had just landed from flight on their broomsticks.

"Are you certain she is here, Misera?" the apparent leader of the small group of magic sorcerers asked one of the other four, a small ratty looking woman with dust colored hair and a passably attractive face.

"Yes, my Lord" the one who is called Misera answered. "I have sent out the Sihkers, they would sniff out her location"

The leader, who is called Fuhrer, nodded seeming satisfied with her answers. Even if Misera is barely ever competent in accomplishing a task, the Sihkers are not. The Sihkers, spirit trackers that take the form of flies and are only ever visible and heard by those they are sent to track, are barely ever incompetent.

Soon the girl would be in their hands and her powers would be theirs. He evilly cackled as he thought of how close they are to success, to realizing the Prophecy. Soon the others joined him with cackles of their own, as Misera joined, he totally lost the desire to cackle or partake in any form of laughter anymore. It seems the ratty woman is incompetent in cackling as well, Fuhrer fixed her a glare that shut her up at once.

~.~

"I am so glad you could make it" Caleb was saying to Arba, who had now removed her mask, as they walked away from the garden, headed back to the front of the town manor grounds.

"I am glad too, Caleb" she said turning to face him as he held her smaller hands in his larger ones. "Although, I fear our time would soon be cut, for my family is leaving soon"

"What if I drop you off at your house later"

"That's kind of you, really, but I can't"

"Well then, can we see tomorrow? We will be leaving for the Capital in two days, I would like to see you before I leave Neverland" he sounded hopeful, his eyes soft as he looked into her enchanting ones.

"I don't know, maybe" she said teasingly as she continued walking, he followed her.

"No bother, let's enjoy the night while we still have it" Caleb said smiling, taking her hand again as he walked by her side.

Arba hummed her agreement, she looked at the sky and was going to comment on how beautiful the stars are tonight when flies surrounded her. Sihkers more likely, but she wouldn't know.

As she began swatting around at the nasty flies, Caleb asked what the matter was.

"It is the flies" she said, swatting still. "From where did they come?"

"Flies?" Caleb asked, seeing no flies around her.

"Do you not hear them too?" she asked, he shook his head.

This conversation seemed familiar. Right! Morgetha had complained of the same invisible flies back in the carriage. Caleb mulled over this and thought it completely odd, at both times he had neither seen nor heard any fly.

As they were about to turn the corner that would lead to the front of the building, they, more Arba who walked ahead swatting flies, were met at the intersection by Morgetha who was also swatting at the unseen flies. The two ladies bumped into each other.

"How dare you?!" Cried the Queen who was coming behind Morgetha, "Do you not see where you are going, child?" she asked Arba whose eyes were closed as she rubbed her head she had bumped with Morgetha's.

"Greetings, mother" Caleb greeted from behind Arba

"Caleb? What are you doing here with… her?" the Queen asked looking at her son.

"I am so sorry for bumping into you, my lady" Arba was saying to the lady she hit, having no idea she was addressing the queen of Korey. As she did so, she was completely oblivious to the fact that Morgetha was no longer rubbing her head but was now staring at her, her eyes wide. Morgetha was face to face with the girl from her visions after all.

"It's the flies" Arba was explaining to Morgetha, "I just cannot seem to get rid of them"

"You hear them too?" Morgetha was equal parts surprised and relieved. Surprised that someone else heard them and relieved that she wasn't the only one, she wasn't losing her wits.

"Yes," Arba slowly said, "You do too", it was more a statement than a question.

"What flies?" the Queen sharply asked, returning her attention from Caleb, who she had been scolding for hobnobbing with commoners, to the ladies.

"The flies" Morgetha flatly replied

The queen was yet to follow with what they were talking about. Caleb granted her an explanation of how both ladies heard flies that were invisible.

"Sihkers!" Arsila gasped, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" all three of them echoed, not following with Arsila.

The Queen looked frightful all of a sudden, fondling her magical amulet. For the Sihkers to be around her daughter, it meant only one thing, the Magus had discovered her powers and were coming for her. They are probably already here too.

Then as though realizing that it was not only Morgetha that heard the Sihkers, she turned sharply to the girl who had once again cast her eyes downward.

"You, who are you?" Arsila asked Arba. If she were a sorceress, Arsila would have sensed it, so she knew she wasn't one, but she could be something else. Someone dangerous.

"She is Arba, a friend of mine" Caleb answered for her, smiling

"I was not asking you, was I?" Arsila asked Caleb who shook his head and stepped back.

"Look at me, Arba" Arsila was already lifting her chin with her hand as she spoke. She stumbled back a few feet, visibly shaken, as she beheld the girl's bright purple eyes.

"Who are you? What are your powers?" Arsila asked all at once.