by S L Dearing
"No, I just want someone I like to ask me to dance and maybe flirt and stuff. You know, maybe get kissed or something."
Brain Stark walked into the kitchen and grimaced.
"Oh gross!! Kissing?! Yuck!!"
"Shut up, Brian!!"
"Whatever, it's gross!"
He grabbed an apple and ran out of the kitchen. Alisha continued.
"Look, just be yourself, Beck. Be smart and funny. Follow your own path and do your own thing. The right boy will see you and like what he sees."
Rebecca smiled and leaned over, giving Alisha a kiss on the cheek.
"What's that for?"
"Cause you always make me feel better."
Alisha smiled and squeezed her sister's hand.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
Rebecca looked up and grabbed the book.
"Thanks."
Alisha leaned back on the bench and bit into her apple, smiling to herself. The days of young crushes and heartbreak were only memories now, but she remembered what it was like.
"Hey, beautiful, got a minute?"
Alisha turned around and grinned at Vance Worley, who was leaning in though the open kitchen door. Alisha patted the seat next to her and Vance walked over and sat down.
He grabbed her hand and bit into her apple, also grinning.
"What was all that about?"
"Nothing, just being a fifteen year-old girl. You heard?"
He shrugged.
"Some."
"And?"
"She's right, it's your boobs."
Alisha laughed as Vance leaned in and kissed her softly.
"I just wanted to see you before I had to get to work."
"Awww, you love me."
Vance made a mock face of disgust that made Alisha laugh harder. Then he smiled, shrugged and nodded.
"I better get to it and you'd better get dressed. The first arrivals will be here soon."
Alisha nodded and got up with Vance who took her hand and pulled her towards him. No matter how many times he held her, Alisha felt her knees go weak. He kissed her again.
"Ok, so the meeting is today, right?"
"Yeah, six."
"Ok, I won't forget."
"Yeah, we'll see."
Vance smiled and turned to leave, but stopped and turned back around when he got to the door. His lean frame silhouetted against the morning sun and the light dancing off his long black hair made Alisha think of the night before and she wished they were alone.
"Oh, one more thing. Has anyone told that Nyland kid you're off the market?"
Alisha shrugged.
"I don’t know, but he'll know soon enough."
Vance laughed.
"I can't wait to see his face. Later, love you," he said.
He moved out the door and Alisha took another bite of her apple and smiled to herself. She was getting married.
8
The morning sun bore down on the busy revelries of Lia Fail. Molly Creegan stood at her post trying to ignore the heady scents of cinnamon and sugar cakes. She could hear the oils from the deer being roasted on a spit with the biggest of Gordon Hutton's hogs on another spit right next to it. She could smell the chicken being roasted on the giant rotisserie.
She had been on that parapet for almost fourteen hours and she was hungry and tired, but it would all be worth it. She had pulled a double shift so she could have the opening night of the Gathering off. She had only ten minutes to go before the next shift was on duty. She would have cakes and bacon for breakfast and lots of milk. Her eyes felt heavy under the sun, but she shook her head and looked to the distance. Riders approached. She pulled her eyeglass from her belt and peered through it to the south. The banner waved happily in the rays of the sun. The fish was swimming joyously through the blue of the material. Molly put her eyeglass back on her belt, took a deep breath and exhaled. She walked to the edge of the railing and leaned over. Looking down she saw Todd and Quinn playing cards next to the main gate.
"Hey, Dork twins!"
They looked up in unison and she smiled at the sight.
"We've got Crystals on the horizon. One of you better get the captain and the other better get the gates open. They'll be here in thirty."
Todd and Quinn looked at each other and back at the gate in perfect time. Then they dropped their cards and Todd took off towards the barracks while Quinn jumped up and started barking orders to open the gates.
Todd ran as fast as his bulky legs could carry him through the bustling courtyard to the barracks. He burst in the door and looked around, trying to catch his breath. The soldiers in the room looked at him.
"Cap…cap…captain?"
A new recruit smiled and raised his hand and pointed to the showers. Todd nodded and took off. He jumped from the steps of the barracks and almost knocked over Vivian Shorely as she arranged cakes on a table.
"Corporal Tucker! Do watch where you are going!"
Todd stopped and stood at attention.
"Sorry, Ma'am, just received word that the first guests are arriving. Trying to find Captain Lantry."
She stood and narrowed her eyes as she folded her thin arms in front of her.
"Well" she said. "Who is it?"
"Crystals, Ma'am."
He closed his eyes and cringed slightly just as she shrieked and ran to the center of the food booths.
"Listen to me everyone, this is not a drill. The Crystals are here. I repeat... the Crystals are here! Come on everyone, let's go!"
People began to bustle as Vivian continued to bark orders. Todd turned, about to run to the showers, when he found himself nose to nose with Captain Lantry. He stood before Todd with a towel wrapped around his waist. His long wavy hair was dripping and he looked more than upset.
"Did you have to tell her that the Crystals were here? I thought we were under attack with all that shrieking!"
Todd shrugged.
"Alright, go get those replacements out on the bridge and the ledges. They should have been out there ten minutes ago. Creegan and several others have been up there for fourteen hours or more and they need sleep."
Vivian turned and shrieked.
"Captain Lantry!"
Sean turned and looked at her.
"Yes?"
"You're indecent!"
Sean smiled and stepped forward.
"Not yet, Sweetheart, but maybe later."
Vivian frowned and lifted her hand, but Sean, now laughing, had moved towards the barracks. Vivian let her frown waver a little until she saw several bakers trying to lift the grand cake onto a table that was ready to tip over, forgetting Sean as she dashed over to help them.
Todd ran back towards the barracks and emerged with about fifteen young men and women, gathering themselves together and running towards several areas of the settlement.
Sean stepped into the barracks and turned left, moving up the stairs. He walked down a bricked hallway to the end and entered the last door on the right. He closed the door behind him and took the towel from around his waist. He placed it over his head and dried his hair. The water glistened against his tan skin. Moving in rivulets as his muscles flexed against the movement, every so often being detoured due to a scar. He knew he needed a release, but wasn't sure if he had the time. He didn't think about it very long as he felt himself harden at the thought of her. He reached down and rubbed himself as he thought of her hair catching the light. That tiny curl that always fell next to her left eye. The sound of her voice, the touch of her hand. The towel fell from his hand as he braced himself against the wall. He imagined what sounds she might make or the taste of her or how she might move against him with her body, her soft skin against his. The thought of being inside her and…it was done.
He felt the weakness in his knees as he fought off the feeling of shame mixed with relief and ecstasy. He reached for the towel and cleaned himself off.
He heard his name from the window. He walked over and opened it. Below was Molly.
"Captain?"
"Yes, Creegan?"
"Just thought you'd like to know that the Crystals are about twenty minutes out. I sent Chambers to tell the queen, Sir."
“Thank you, Creegan. Go get some rest and get something to eat. Tell Hutton I said to feed you and the others. You’re going to need your sleep if you plan on staying up tonight."
Arthur Jones stepped up yawning as Molly smiled and nodded. The two soldiers turned and walked towards the food booths and caught Vivian Shorely trying to convince Gordon to move the cakes next to the meats. Gordon was happy to feed the solders, if only to get away from Vivian, who found no one there when she turned around. She was about to yell after them when a trumpet sounded through the colony. She shrieked again and ran off.
Sean closed the window and got dressed. As he finished, he looked at the picture he had of Paul and himself.
"Well, here we go, Old Friend. And the damn Crystals are here first."
He smiled and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.
9
Hannah Turner sat quietly in the back of the wagon as her mother went over the lists of items and people that were traveling that day. Hannah's cousins, Jerry and Liam, had decided to ride up front with their Uncle Grant. She stared at the side of the wagon and sighed.
"You bored? We'll be at the Fail soon."
Hannah shook her head and looked down at her skirt, twirling it around her fingers. She sighed again. Ellen Turner looked up from her lists and stared at her youngest child.
"What's on your mind, Little Miss?"
Hannah lifted her mouth and sighed again.
"Out with it, Hannah."
Hannah looked at her mother, who was still staring at her only daughter, and then looked back at her hands.
"What if a boy asks me to dance tonight?"
Ellen Turner looked at her daughter with disbelief.
"I don't know, what if a boy asks you dance?"
Hannah looked up at her mother and rolled her eyes in a way that made Ellen frown. She knew she had never been this bad when she was teenager.
"I knew you wouldn't understand."
"I don’t understand, because I don’t know what the problem is, Hannah."
"I can't dance, Mom!"
Ellen Turner smiled and put her papers down, then took her daughter's hands.
"Of course you can dance, Hannah."
"Not slow dance."
Hannah now looked away from her mother with shame and embarrassment. She hated that she didn't know how to dance.
"Didn't you dance with your dad at the last Gathering?"
Hannah turned to her mother with teenaged dismay.
"I stood on his feet, Mother. I can't stand on a boy's feet. That's all I need. 'There goes Hannah, the big foot.' I mean my feet are already huge. I mean, look at them, Mother."
Ellen looked at her daughter's feet, shaking her head and trying to figure out why she was 'mother' all of a sudden.
"Look, Kid, there's enough time before the festivities tonight, so I'll have your dad show you how to dance. Ok?"
Hannah smiled and let her shoulders drop in acceptance.
"Ok, thanks, Mommy."
"Oh, now I'm Mommy?"
Hannah leaned over, kissed Ellen on the cheek and grabbed her into a hug. Ellen felt herself smile as she wrapped her arms around her daughter. She thought about the wonderful and horrible things that lay ahead of Hannah. A part of Ellen wanted to stop time before Hannah's heart got broken for the first time, but then she would never have her first kiss, let alone her first dance. Ellen looked at her daughter, her long blond hair and the ever-changing structure of her face, she was no longer a little girl and Ellen felt a tear well up, but pushed it back. This was the way of life. She picked up her papers again and tried to concentrate on the inventory. It was a time for celebration.
10
Alia moved quickly down the hallway, pounding on doors as she did.
"C'mon everyone! Give me a break! The Gathering is upon us and the first ones here are the damn Crystals!"
Alia was dressed in a green and blue half blouse with bell sleeves and a long skirt. Her hair was pulled back at the top with pearls and silver pins, well… almost. Micheal, her valet, was trying to work his magic as she helped the nannies get the children ready.
Kaley opened the door to her room and looked at the chaos. She couldn't help but smile. She could hear her father's voice.
“Lots of kids means lots of chaos.”
"Are you just going to stand there smiling or are you going to help us?"
Kaley turned to see her mother holding Amanda by the scruff as the six-year-old tried to hit her brother Brian.
"Sorry."
Kaley grabbed Brian and Alia turned Amanda over to Helen. The older twins, Chris and Tanner, stepped out of their room and moved downstairs, trying to avoid their mother's gaze. Rebecca had Lisa and Brandon and moved quickly down the stairs behind Chris and Tanner.
Alia could see that Coeli and Sara were being ushered downstairs by the other nannies, Megan and Carol. She strained and looked. She turned to Helen, who put up her hand and held up ten fingers. Alia waited for the one. When Helen did not, Alia made the ten-plus-one motion. Helen shook her head and held up two fingers. Alia's shoulders fell and she threw her head back… Alisha.
"Are we done, Micheal?"
He threw his hands up and nodded.
"Thank you."
Alia marched off to her room and closed the door behind her. She walked around the bedroom trying to get rid of her anger.
That girl had no regard for anyone other than herself. Her wedding. Her life. Alia felt her temper rear its ugly head and she stopped to take some deep breaths. In mid-breath, there was a knock on the door. She jerked her head around and with one last breath she walked over and opened the door.
On the other side was a young girl, who was the spitting image of Alia. She held up her hands.
"Before you say anything, I've been here the whole time. I was downstairs helping in the kitchen and I got flour on my dress and I had to change. See it's still in my hair."
She pointed to the braids she was moving in front of Alia. A mother has several options during this kind of conversation and Alia tried very hard to maintain a straight face, but Alisha had always been the one to make her laugh. A slight smile crossed Alia's lips and she lightly pushed on the young woman's head and pointed to the stairs.
Alisha looked up and smiled too.
“Oh, don’t forget about the meeting tonight, ok?”
Alia cocked her head.
“What? Me forget? Please, Little Girl.”
Alisha bounced away, having once again averted a strangling.
Alia stepped back into her room. She began to work on the relaxation techniques she had started a few minutes before, when her mind started to race.
The Crystals. She had a very special place in mind for them. It would have been easier if the first to arrive had been St. Paul's or the folks from Pasadena or Bethel Israel or the Buddhists. Alia leaned against the ledge of her balcony and looked out over the horizon in the bright morning sun. The clouds were few but white and fluffy against the blue of the sky. She began to feel herself relax and closed her eyes. When she opened them she could see a raven circling over the village. She felt comforted seeing it there. The messengers of her goddess always made her feel better.
She looked down towards the side of the mountain and into the woods that surrounded the edges of Lia Fail, the green chaparral and the brown grass against the trees. Suddenly, there was movement! Flashes of something silver against the brown trunks. She looked hard, but it was gone. She shook her head, feeling slightly off balance and stared again into the trees. Another flash of silver and this time she thought there were several of them. She looked intently into the trees once more when. BANG! She jumped and turned, holding her chest.
"Enter!"
The door opened and Sean walked in wearing his finest clothes.
"You all right? I've been knocking forever."
Alia turned and looked at the woods again. It must have been her mind-playing tricks, she thought.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just stressed out."
Alia turned and looked at Sean. He stood staring in awe. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. The sunlight reflected off her hair creating a halo of copper. He found it difficult to breathe.
"Are you alright?" she said.
Sean smiled and held out his hand.
"Yeah, how about we get this over with?"
Alia smiled and stepped towards the captain, placing her hand on top of his.
"Absolutely."
Smiling, they moved out the door to the stairs, where the children were restless to go. They all maneuvered out the front door of the castle to greet their first guests.
From the woods, a pair of blue eyes watched the balcony of Alia's bedroom.
11
The first thing Sam Hearst could remember was hearing his mother crying, but he couldn't see.
“Scott? Scott are you there?”
“Yeah, Sammy. I’m here. Can you see?”
“No, you?”
“No.”
Sam closed his eyes tight and thought of everything that meant something to him: Scott, his mother and father, his grandmother, his sister, Chelsea, Corey and Madison. Just then he felt Madison’s nose, wet and cool in his hand. He began to breathe slowly and with purpose. He heard his grandmother’s voice.
“Focus on the joy, Boy, let the light in.”
The heavy constricting air that had sent him reeling was gone and he felt lighter. Cautiously he began to open his eyes. The light was bright and slowly the blurred images began to take shape.
His father was leaning over him and his mother was holding his hand. He tilted his head back and saw his grandmother between his brother and sister. She was smiling and nodding.
