“Sil-”
“Do not call me that ridiculous nickname now, Bermuda,” Syliandanchevas interrupted shaking her head. “It has been over an hour. He’s been patiently waiting all this time for you in the observatory. What has kept you?”
“Well you see we- we- we- um- we-” Bermuda stuttered before quickly skittering over to Max’s bedside and holding his hand, almost fearfully doing so while she kept her eyes on the fey. “We just wanted to make sure he was okay. Just wanted to make sure he was okay and… if he needed anything. Just taking care of our special guest was all.”
“Yeah, just that,” Vale agreed nodding. “We were being good. We weren’t going to blow up the room or anything just now. We promise.”
“Oh?” Syliandanchevas questioned. “So you both brought him here to rest and remained by his side even though I specifically ordered you to report to the observatory afterwards to speak to the master directly about this matter?”
Bermuda lost her voice and turned pale, a faint whine escaping her mouth while Vale glanced to her with a troubled frown. Syliandanchevas slowly shook her head then motioned for others to come in behind her.
“And neither of you apparently wanted to check up on these poor dears,” she mentioned as Lelu came running in with Grace following after. “In fact you left them locked in their room. Not quite what I told you to do either.”
“Lelu? Grace?” Max wondered.
“Max!” Lelu cried out as she sprinted over to the bedside, knocked Bermuda clear across the room with a heavy thud and twitching legs, and grabbed hold of Max with his face being shoved deep into her chest.
“I was so worried about you! They didn’t hurt you, did they? I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, I really am! I was so scared something bad happened to you! Thank god you’re alright!”
“Let go of my servant!” Grace yelled as she ran over to the other side of the bed, grabbed Max’s kicking legs, and yanked him out of Lelu’s grasp over to her. She pulled Max aside and onto the ground next to her, with the boy ending up on his knees while she held him by the hair, then glared at Lelu with such anger and an aura of malice that Vale slowly hovered away from the elf with a nervous frown.
“Keep your hands off my property or else I’ll break every finger you have!” she shouted at the furious centaur before turning her vicious glare down to Max. “And you, where the fuck were you? I was banging on that fucking door telling you to get your scrawny ass over there and let me out for over an hour! When your mistress tells you to come you come, you got that?”
“You wretched tree-hugger!” Lelu yelled before rushing around the bed and yanking Max away from the elf. Grace tackled Lelu to the ground and the two began slapping each other wildly while Max scrambled away from them onto the bed for safety.
“What is wrong with those girls?” Bermuda groaned as she got up and rubbed her head.
“I shall put a stop to this,” Vale declared as she grabbed hold of her blade’s handle.
“Vale,” Syliandanchevas said raising a hand.
“I shall not put a stop to this,” Vale corrected herself while lowering her hand. “Though now you see why we locked them in their room.”
“How could you have known they’d be like this?” Syliandanchevas questioned.
“You weren’t there,” Vale shuddered. “You didn’t see.”
Syliandanchevas shook her head then stepped forward before tapping her hoof on the floor a few times. The girls stopped their fighting and looked to her while still grabbing each other’s throats, both seeing the fey taking a slow breath before holding her hands together and showing a small smile at them.
“Excuse me, dears, but-”
“Who the fuck are you anyway?” Grace shouted as she shoved Lelu aside, stood up before the fey, and then grabbed her by the shirt and shook her back and forth. “Who the hell are you people and why-”
In a flash a blue streak of light bled through the air before stopping in front of Grace’s face, the elf and everyone halting in surprise while silence filled the room.
“Don’t. Touch. Her,” Vale sternly ordered, her eyes narrowed and hands now holding her blade towards the elf. While it appeared to be a butcher knife when sheathed at her hip the weapon apparently was anything but a simple kitchen tool. It was made of very sleek steel with angular engravings set within the blade that glowed with a soft blue light. Even though it was very large in comparison to the tiny monster that was holding it to Vale it actually weighed nearly nothing and was very easy to wield. The mere sight of the strange looking weapon sent chills down the children’s spines, while Bermuda merely sighed and shook her head and Syliandanchevas slowly held a hand up to push the pixie back in the air.
“Vale, there’s no need for that,” she calmly said, then turned to Grace who let go and backed up a step. “Please, there’s no need for violence here. We use our words here to convey our feelings, not force.”
“Bad idea,” Vale countered shaking her head. “She’s got a real bad mouth too.”
“Vale, please put away your knife. There’s no need to threaten our guests.”
The pixie growled for a moment then spun her blade around in one hand before sheathing it at her side. Syliandanchevas offered a hand to Lelu to help her up, the centaur pausing for a moment before carefully taking it and getting back onto her feet.
“Now then, are you children okay?”
“Where are we?” Max asked. “Who are you?”
“My name is Syliandanchevas, I’m the mistress of this sanctuary you are in. You don’t have to be afraid. You’re all perfectly safe here.”
“Syli… what?” Lelu asked shaking her head.
“Syliandanchevas.”
“Silly Damn… what?” Grace asked.
“Syliandanchevas,” the fey sighed.
“That’s… a real big name,” Lelu said as she and Grace exchanged glances.
“We just call her Silly,” Vale mentioned with a shrug.
“No,” Syliandanchevas sternly argued. “They do not, and neither shall you. I am not silly.”
“Really need to come up with another nickname for you then,” Bermuda pointed out.
“Bermuda, do not test me right now,” Syliandanchevas replied with a dull glance at the arachne. Vale and Bermuda slumped back while the fey took a slow breath to calm herself. Looking around she saw the troubled looks on the children then turned to leave while waving them to follow.
“Please, all of you come with me. We’ll explain everything and get this mess sorted out.”
“Go with you where?” Grace cautiously asked.
“To the observatory where the master is patiently waiting for an explanation to what has happened tonight,” Syliandanchevas replied with a glance to Bermuda.
“Wait, before we go, it wasn’t my-” Bermuda started before the fey held out a hand to her.
“Bermuda, enough stalling. He has been waiting long enough, do not make him wait any longer.”
Everyone watched Bermuda lowering her head with a whine before slowly skittering out of the room and into the hall. Vale sighed and floated after her while Syliandanchevas turned to show a small smile to the children.
“I am sorry for all the trouble we may have caused you. Please, come with me and we’ll get this straightened out.”
“I’d demand to be taken home except I don’t have a home to go to anymore,” Grace snapped. “You’d better have a damn good reason for bringing me here, I’m in no mood to play around with you people!”
“Max?” Lelu asked the boy. “What should we do?”
Max slowly got off the bed, with Lelu quickly taking hold of his hand out of fear, then walked up towards the fey who watched him with a gentle smile.
“If I may say,” Syliandanchevas said with a curious smirk. “You don’t seem to be terribly bothered being around monsters such as us. I was worried a human boy would be scared out of his mind being here, but you appear to be holding up just fine.”
“
He comes from a family of monster hunters,” Lelu blurted out. “And they are not going to like that you kidnapped him like this.”
“Oh?” Syliandanchevas worried. “That’s not good. I don’t wish to bring monster hunters down upon this place. I am terribly sorry for the trouble we’ve caused you, I promise we’ll get you back home very soon.”
Max looked down and away as he contemplated what to respond with. A gentle tap on his shoulder got his attention, his eyes turning to see Syliandanchevas motioning him forward with her hand before turning to walk out.
“I understand you may be scared or even angry right now. I give you my word that you’re not only safe here but we will help you get back home again. Please, come with me and we’ll sort this out together.”
“Who’s he?” Max asked, with the fey stopping and glancing back to him. “You said he’s waiting for us. The master of this place you spoke of, who is he?”
“A man is in charge here?” Grace questioned raising an eyebrow.
“Who is he?” Lelu repeated sticking close to Max.
“Someone I think you’ll get along with,” Syliandanchevas answered, her eye taking notice of how Max was actually holding Lelu’s hand close to him then the look he had on his face which didn’t convey he was afraid. The fey walked out of the room while Max and the two girls exchanged curious looks, the three then following after Syliandanchevas as they had literally no other option.
Making their way through the elegantly crafted halls of timber and smooth stone bricks Max and the girls noticed that this wasn’t exactly a dark castle or evil dungeon they had been brought to, but rather what appeared to be an urbane mansion with beautiful paintings, suits of armor standing on display, and stein glass windows that allowed moonlight in from the night sky. Lamps with white flames burned steadily among the decorated walls, the crimson carpet they walked on was clean and straight above the stone floor, and the adjacent halls they passed had stairwells and more chambers within them that got Max wondering something.
“This place is really big. Who all lives here?”
“Any who need to,” Syliandanchevas kindly replied.
“Any who need to?” Lelu asked.
“I told you, this is a sanctuary,” the fey reminded her with a giggle. “We don’t turn any away who need our help or a place to stay.”
“Your help?” Grace dryly repeated. “What do you do besides kidnap children?”
“We don’t kidnap children,” Syliandanchevas sighed. “Bermuda and Vale misunderstood what I sent them out there for. I do apologize for that mix-up. This place is a shelter for those who have fallen under hard times, and for those who have nowhere to return to.”
Walking out into a large rounded hall they saw many adjoining passageways connected to it as well as three floors above with more lobbies set around the atrium levels. In the center of the grand court was a spiral stairwell that only led up through the ceiling to a higher floor, its steps seeming to float in place as there wasn’t any support or suspension for them that could be seen. Not only did the stairwell appear to be floating in midair but also were the many chandeliers that hovered around the court. Polished suits of armor, large paintings, and even marble statues were seen along the walls while the main floor had a few comfortable looking couches set around it. Max and the girls looked around at the massive court in awe, seeing the impressive décor and sheer size of the mansion they were in as well as catching a glimpse of Bermuda skittering up the stairs into the highest floor.
“Okay,” Grace slowly said. “I’m going to assume some magic is involved here.”
“Spectacular assumption,” Syliandanchevas giggled. “Yes, the master has enchanted this place to have a little… flair.”
“He’s a wizard?” Max wondered.
“Oh, he’s more than that,” Syliandanchevas gently praised. “Come, children. You’ll get to meet him shortly.”
She led the children over to the stairwell and started to walk up before turning to see Lelu tugging back on Max with a fearful whine.
“Um, I can’t do stairs,” Lelu insisted shaking her head. “Is there a ramp or something else I can use?”
“You can do it, child,” Syliandanchevas assured.
“No, I really can’t,” Lelu firmly argued. “Trust me, I can’t-”
“Then just wait here,” Grace scoffed as she marched past. She grabbed Max’s hand and dragged the stumbling boy up the stairs with an annoyed grumble.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Lelu demanded. She quickly grabbed Max’s other hand and yanked him back, the boy then being tugged back and forth by the two girls while Syliandanchevas stood beside him with a puzzled look on her face.
“I’m getting some answers, that’s what!” Grace barked back at the centaur. “My servant comes with me, his place is by my side, remember? Let’s go, boy!”
“His name is Max, you insufferable tree sprite!” Lelu shouted as she tried yanking him back.
“Let go you fucking cow!” Grace yelled while pulling on Max’s hand and neck.
“Children!” Syliandanchevas called out. They stopped and turned to her as she slowly shook her head. “Please, keep your voices down. There are some who are resting here, some who have had very tiring trials before ending up-”
“Shut the fuck up!” Grace yelled at her. “You bitches brought me here against my will, I don’t have to listen to you or your stupid rules!”
Syliandanchevas closed her eyes and shakily mumbled something to herself, her hands fidgeting near her cheeks as she tried to calm down.
“Can I say something here?” Max asked while being torn between the two girls. They turned to him in question and slowly let go, with Max straightening out his overalls and catching his breath before stepping down from the stairs with Lelu.
“Is there another way up?” he asked the fey. “Lelu has a real tough time going up stairs, and this is way too many for her to tackle right now. Is there any other way?”
“I’m sorry, but no,” Syliandanchevas answered shaking her head. “This is the only way up to the observatory.”
“Then I’m not going,” Max replied stepping back with Lelu. “I’m not leaving her down here alone. She’ll freak out for sure, and for good reason.”
“Max…” Lelu softly said with a smile. She lowered her head and held his hand with both of hers while stepping closer to his side. Syliandanchevas eyed them both for a moment then tilted her head with a curious smile.
“You really care for her, don’t you?”
“She’s my friend,” Max answered.
“I thought you came from a family of monster hunters. Having a monster for a friend seems a little odd given your family background, don’t you think?”
“My sisters are hunters, not me. I just watched over the cottage while they were out on their hunts.”
“So you don’t hate monsters?” Syliandanchevas questioned with a finger to her chin.
“I do,” Max told her with ire. “Monsters killed my parents. Monsters hurt and rape so many people every day. Monsters make this world a dangerous place to live in.”
“But we’re all monsters here,” Syliandanchevas pointed out as she gestured to herself and the two girls.
“I know,” Max admitted looking down. “And before I met Lelu I would be hating all of you right now. I would treat you all just like my sisters do when they’re out hunting for you.”
“But now?” Syliandanchevas asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Now… I don’t know what to think,” Max said holding a hand over his face. “Look, I don’t trust you. I have no reason to. But I trust Lelu. She’s earned that from me. I don’t hate her even though she’s not human. She’s not bad.”
“I see. And, this young elf here? Is she your friend too?”
“She’s… um…” Max unsurely replied looking to Grace. “She’s… not… so… bad…”
“You don’t sound too sure,” Syliandanchevas pointed out.
“
I’m really not.”
“Fuck you,” Grace snapped.
“But I do trust her more than you,” Max stated with a cautious look at the fey. “She saved mine and Lelu’s lives from copycats. She’s gone through hell losing her home and her mother, something I can relate to. I trust her by my side more than I do you, if that helps you understand how I feel.”
“It does,” Syliandanchevas said with a nod. “I believe I understand perfectly.”
“Enough chit-chat,” Grace scoffed with a stomp of her foot. “Let’s get going and meet whoever the fuck is in charge here. I aim to give him a piece of my mind with how I’ve been treated.”
“I’m not leaving Lelu down here alone,” Max argued shaking his head. “Especially in an unknown place such as this.”
“Fine, I’ll get some answers myself!” Grace shouted. She turned to storm up the stairs then quickly stopped, herself and the others taking notice of something standing above them on the steps.
“Can you please keep your voice down, young lady?” a male’s voice spoke from inside a full suit of knight’s armor that stood before them. It appeared to be a man covered in head to toe by the same kind of armor that was on display throughout the building. The helmet had a pointed front with two slits for the eyes while black mesh and leather covered the joints and cracks between the shiny steel plates.
“There are those in these halls that are trying to sleep.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Grace spat out.
“Master VelRyan,” Syliandanchevas humbly spoke with a bow.
“Master VelRyan?” the children repeated.
“Come now,” the suit laughed shaking its helmet. “Please, how many times must I ask you to just call me by my name? There’s no need for formalities between us.”
Chronicles of Eden - Act XI Page 21
