Egg, my dearest sister, you never needed to be Flying Girl to be a hero. You did it all just being yourself . . . an incredibly resourceful nine-year-old girl.
And now, I would have the Hameggattic Sisters come stand beside me so I may give each of you Aerianna’s highest Medal of Honor. “
So the girls, embarrassed by all the attention, slowly walked up to Dazzle. They stood there as the new Queen placed the medal on each of them. She also gave them a hug and a kiss.
She then turned to the crowd, “I decree that from this day forward, all history books will include the exploits of the Hameggattic Sisterhood and be studied by all students. I further decree that anyone showing any disrespect for any of these seven sisters will be punished severely.” She turned and winked at K’ssss. “And lastly, I declare that on this date, the people of Aerianna will celebrate the contributions made by our two sisters from earth. This day will be known as Ham and Egg Day.”
*****
About a week later, the wedding took place in that very same building because so many people wanted to attend. There’s not much to say about a royal wedding other than the bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, the ceremony elaborate and the whole thing lasted way too long.
The Sisters, however, thought that the Queen’s dress made her look even more beautiful. It was simple . . . but, on her, it looked dazzling.
“I like her better like this . . . you know, instead of a dressed like a warrior princess,” observed Egg.
“Yeah, she looks wonderful,” agreed her Feminion.
Finally, after all the traditional stuff like reciting their formal vows and exchanging rings, Rose and Z’kkk stood facing each. In a break from tradition (though after today, it probably would be one), they recited a poem that they had written. The first part they read together . . .
“Love is a beacon, a shining light . . . “
“That casts out the shadows from the darkest night”
“Two honorable hearts that beat apace . . . “
“Binding each other through time and space”
“Souls that are not perfect, but aspire to be . . . “
“Joined this day, and for all eternity.”
Then Z’kkk spoke the next part . . .
“From the day we met, a long eon ago
I have come to love you, this you know
Forced to part, I lost my way
As well as hope of seeing this day.
With the help of friends, old and new,
A second chance, my love renewed
I promise you with my soul and heart,
No being in the universe will force us apart.
You are my friend, my beautiful Rose,
I thank the gods that it was me you chose.”
Finally, it was Rose’s turn . . .
“My fair Prince, my heart’s desire
It is you that set my passion a’fire.
I have loved you from that fateful night,
A gift from the gods, Light of my Light
I once told a friend that a woman can tell,
When she has met the man with whom she must dwell,
After a thousand years, you are still that one
From this day forward, our life has begun
As Lovers and Friends, Husband and Wife
We will rule together, for all the days of our life.”
“Wow, that was beautiful.”
“Kind of makes you want to get married, doesn’t it?”
“SYLVIA” cried a shocked Egg . . . but then she smiled from ear to ear.
*****
Now came the hard part. Egg and Sylvia had to say goodbye to their Sisters, to Dazzle and to Aerianna. Their Quest was over, and it was time to go home.
The two girls were in a private room with their five other sisters. Everyone had sad faces and no one wanted to look at each other for fear of crying.
“Well, I guess this is it.” Egg sniffled when she said it.
“So, when can we come visit?” asked Bl’azzz.
“Yeah. We showed you such a great time on Aerianna. The least you can do is invite us to your home,” said Soo’ with lots of sarcasm.
“I would love to visit Earth. It sounds so exciting,” added Sassi.
“Can I wear my scarf on earth?”
“Don’t be a dim-witted ditsy-doodle,” joked Soo’.
“I probably couldn’t go,” said Aeri’elle quietly. “I have to go back to school and there’s so much to do here. You understand, don’t you?”
“Oh, sure. We understand,” answered Sylvia. The truth was that none of the girls, except maybe Sassi, would ever visit earth. The sight of talking dragons and sea serpents would probably freak people out.
“Anyway . . .,” said Egg, “I just wanted to tell you how much I love you guys . . .” She stopped because she was crying, which caused the other six to start. She blew her nose then tried again, “You guys have been terrific. None of this could have happened without all of you doing the stuff you did. You’re the best . . .,” and she started to cry again.
After a couple of minutes, she still couldn’t talk, so she simply hugged each one of them. Sylvia did the same.
“Promise you’ll come back to visit?” asked Aeri’elle.
“That I absolutely, positively do promise.”
“Me, too,” added Sylvia.
*****
Grammy and Sylvia said their goodbyes to Dazzle and her family. Egg remained behind to have a private word with the Queen.
“You really looked pretty in your wedding dress.”
“Thank you. Could you tell how nervous I was?”
“You . . . nervous?”
“Facing Mobius seemed easier than facing Z’kkk . . . at least at that moment. My knees were shaking.”
“Dazzle . . .,” Egg wanted to change the subject. “Will you ever come visit me on earth?”
“I will try, my sister. But I cannot promise. The demands on a Queen are much greater than on a carefree young princess.”
“Sure, I understand.”
“But I do expect you to visit us. Do I have your promise?”
“Absolutely. Ummm . . . Dazzle.”
“Yes, Egg?”
“Did you have anything to do with Zack and Zeke moving next door to Grammy?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I will only say that should you marry Zeke, your child will be extraordinary.” That caused Egg to blush scarlet.
“Do I have to marry him?”
“Oh, no, my dear sister. You may marry anyone you wish.”
“Okay.” That made Egg feel a little better. “One more question . . . did you have anything to do with Sylvia and me meeting?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You needed a Feminion.”
*****
The elder Eloise dropped her granddaughter off at her home and watched as she ran inside. She smiled and drove off.
“MOM, I’m home.”
“Hi, Sweetheart. I missed you terribly.”
“I missed you too. How was your trip?”
“It was such a great adventure. I’ll show you and Ashley the pictures after dinner. So, how was your time in the mountains?”
“Ummm . . . a lot of fun.”
“What did you guys do?”
“The usual . . . we fought monsters and evil kings. Stuff like that.”
“Oh really? Must be nice to have a vivid imagination.” And that word reminded her of something. “Speaking of which, Zeke called for you.”
“He did?” Egg blushed remembering her conversation with Dazzle.
“Yes, he said he wrote a story and he wanted you to read it. Apparently you’re the main character.”
“What kind of story?”
“Oh, some kind of fantasy about a girl with magical powers who can fly. He calls it the Adventures of Flying Girl.”
“Oh my gosh.”
~ Epilogue ~
Queen
Rose’Alynnia and Lord Z’kkk
Sassi
K’ssss
Soo’
Aeri’elle
Bl’azzz
Mobius and Bl’udd
Zack and Zeke
Ham and Egg
The Ballard of Egg
Queen Rose’Alynnia and Lord Z’kkk
“Are you not well, my dearest?”
“I am fine . . . thank you. It is just a little morning sickness.”
“Really? I wonder what might be causing it.” He had a sly look on his face when he said it.
The Queen smiled coyly. “I am with child. I had planned to surprise you this evening.” Then she noticed how his eyes seemed to be laughing at some private thought. “But you already knew, didn’t you?”
“I do confess that I was hoping . . . but I dared not ask. Rose, my love, I am overjoyed.” He hugged his wife . . . but ever so gently.
“I believe it will be a girl. Does that disappoint you?”
“Of course not. Besides . . . this will be our first child; not our last.”
She gave her husband a kiss. “You must help me with her name. I wish to honor my father and my mother and my sister Egg. That seems like an impossible task.”
“Hmmm . . . let me think. Perhaps we can use the M from M’earth.”
“Yes?”
“Ummm . . . Ahhh . . . and the initials of Eloise (he never called her Egg).”
“Go on.”
“And Alynnia, from Kat’Alynnia.”
“Oh my gosh, I love it. That is what we shall call her . . . M’egg-Alynnia.”
“Princess M’egg-Alynnia it will be. And I expect she will be just like her mother.”
“Oh, I sincerely hope not. I was such a spoiled brat.”
Sassi
“Oh, that’s beautiful. What is it?” asked the Princess.
“Thank you. It’s just something I saw in the Maze of Forever.”
“Were you scared . . . when you were trapped?”
“I cried for a little bit. Then I thought about how my mom and dad sacrificed everything to defeat Mobius. After that . . . I felt better.”
“You and your sisters were truly amazing . . . are truly amazing.”
Sassi blushed at the compliment. It all seemed so unreal. Not the Maze or the battle with Mobius . . . but this. She was sitting in her very own studio talking to Ss’ong. Oops, she meant Princess Ss’ong. But it was all too easy to forget her title now that they were best friends.
M’earth and Kat’Alynnia, along with their youngest daughter, had started a retreat for artists and sculptors. To her everlasting joy, they had invited Sassi and her parents to join them. So now, she lived with her mom and dad . . . in their brand new house. And each day, she went to her studio to create whatever her imagination could conjure.
And all the loneliness of her youth had forever vanished.
K’ssss
“H’sssss.”
“Why are you laughing?”
“We never walked together in school before. This is nice.”
“Well, you’re my big . . . ummm . . . I mean my older sister. And I’m very proud of you.”
“Is it because the Queen gave me a medal?”
“No.”
“Is it because the Queen said that if anybody ever made fun of me she would send them to the desert?”
“No.”
“Is it because you like my green scarf?”
K’ssss’ sister burst out laughing. “Absolutely . . . there isn’t another serpent on the whole planet with such a pretty scarf. Maybe you’ll let me wear it sometime?”
“H’sssss.”
“Why are you laughing again?”
“Because it would look funny on you.”
Soo’
“Are you sure you want to hire me?”
“Absolutely.”
“I don’t know anything about the stuff you do.”
“That may be true. But I have the feeling that you’ll learn it all in a very short time.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Would you rather be back selling sea shells?”
“No way. Talk about boring. At least what you do is kind of exciting.”
“You’d be surprised. In fact, let me show you what I’m working on right now.” And Tink’rrr pulled out a garment that Soo’ recognized immediately. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do with that?”
“You and I are going to try and make it work again.”
“Oh My Gosh. You can color me a seriously stunned serpent “. Then without thinking, she did her best imitation of K’ssss. “H’sssss.”
Aeri’elle
Aeri’elle walked into her history class and sat in the very front of the room. Two of her sorority sisters, and former members of the H.A.M.A.N.D.E.G.G. Society, sat on either side of her.
As they waited for their professor to make his entrance, they chatted about their classes this semester. School had just started and there was an air of excitement. All three girls were in their last year of college and all too soon would be looking for jobs . . . something that would never have happened under Mobius.
The professor walked in and took his place at the podium. He fidgeted with his notes and seemed fairly nervous.
“He’s kind of cute,” said the girl on Aeri’elle’s left.
“Yeah. I think I’m going to like this class,” said the girl on the right.
Aeri’elle smiled but said nothing.
Finally, the professor got himself organized and addressed the class . . .
“Welcome to History of Aerianna. This semester we will be studying the era from the coronation of M’earth, to the ascension of Mobius and end with the advent of the Hameggattic sisterhood. My name is Professor Soar’elle. Please open your books to page forty-five.” He then stole a glance at the girl in the front row . . . and Aeri’elle smiled back proudly at her father.
Bl’azzz
“Bl’azzz, it’s for you.”
“Who is it?”
“That boy you used to date.”
“Furn’o?” She hopped over to the front door and sure enough, there he was . . . the weasel that had dumped her.
“Hi.”
“Hey.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Ummm . . . I was just wondering if maybe you would . . . ummm . . . you know . . . ummm . . . go out with me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“I thought that . . . you know . . . that maybe you still liked me.”
“No . . . actually, I never did. You were, and probably still are, boring and rude. So go away before I burp and burn you.”
“But . . .” But before he could finish, she giggled, burped then burned his butt.
Mobius and Bl’udd
“We are going to be locked in this ship for a hundred years. Turn if off or I will go insane,” growled Mobius.
“How would I know how to turn it off?” whined Bl’udd.
“You are a complete imbecile,” but the wicked ex-king didn’t know how to turn it off either.
What he was complaining about was a continuously playing recording of the Hameggattic Sisters singing every Fandango Sally song that Egg and Sylvia could remember.
Unfortunately, the seven sisters were terrible singers.
Really, really terrible.
Zack & Zeke
“What do you think?”
“I think you look like a geek.”
“Come on . . . it’s a great costume.”
“The sword is brilliant . . . I’ll give you that.”
“You look dorky . . . like an ugly Harry Potter.”
“I’m an evil wizard, dufus. I’m supposed to look like this.”
The doorbell rang and they heard their mom answer it.
“Well, don’t you two look terrific,” said Mrs. Z. “Come in. The boys will be down in a minute.”
It was the night of
the Halloween Dance and Egg and Sylvia had asked the boys if they wanted to go. The twins were surprised by the invitation but readily accepted.
They finally came down the stairs and made their grand entrance.
“Hey, nice costume,” said Zeke. Egg was wearing Dazzle’s outfit.
“You, too,” she replied.
“And you look awesome,” said Zack to Sylvia.
“Thank you. It’s not too dazzling, is it?” She was wearing a Queen’s costume with lots of glitter stuff all over it.
“Naw, it’s perfect.”
“Well, I think you four look wonderful; a prince with his warrior princess and the evil wizard with his adversary . . . the beautiful queen.” Mrs. Z was always enthusiastic . . . about everything. “What do you think, Eloise?”
Egg’s Grammy studied the four then answered, “They look like they stepped out of a fairy tale. You know the kind . . . one with heart-stopping adventures and lots of strange creatures like dragons and serpents.”
“. . . and talking trees,” added Egg. The boys looked at her and laughed.
“Yeah, right. Talking trees and little green men,” said Zeke good-naturedly.
“Actually . . . little green girls.”
Ham and Egg
They were sitting in Sylvia’s attic . . . the place where the Hameggattic Sisterhood was first founded.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
“I’m bored.”
“Yeah . . . me too.”
“Let’s go back to Aerianna.”
“Eggggg. We can’t just go back every time you’re bored.”
“Why not?”
“Well . . . just because. Besides, we’re going to have to get used to being just Ham and Egg again.”
“Yuk.”
“Come on . . . it won’t be so bad.”
“Syl . . . we fought Mobius and the rest of his evil friends. We made it through the seven lands. We have friends . . . sisters . . . who are dragons and sea serpents. How the heck can we just be us again?”
“What choice do we have?”
“Yeah . . . I guess you’re right.”
After a moment, Sylvia asked, “Tell me again what Storm said.” Egg had her first dream since they returned from Aerianna . . . and Storm was in it.
Boxed Set: Egg and the Hameggattic Sisterhood: [The 12 book 1st adventure + the series prequel] Page 84
