It's been a long week, but I finally finished chapter two! Hope you enjoy.
Chapter Two: The Moon and The Shadow
Over the past half year, Jadaris had invited her three friends to move into her ?Human Habitat? as she called it. Since it meant not having to pay rent, they quickly agreed. They had refurbished the whole place since opening the Pixie Dust salon, and it had become quite a comfy little place to live.
Alfred, Jadaris? human ?assistant? as she called him now, was in the kitchen preparing dinner, while the four girls sat in the living room, watching the nightly news.
?This just in? said the voice of the female reporter. ?Another mysterious disappearance has occurred, this time in Wells, Maine, a small coastal tourist town.?
?Hick-ville, if you ask me? Beth said as she sipped from a soda can.
?Police have not released a statement yet, but it is believed to be linked to several other recent disappearances of similar natures.? The reporter continued. ?The girl in question, one Alana Sweet??
Caitlin about spit her drink across the room. ?Alana!? she shouted.
?I take it you know the missing human?? Jadaris said as she helped Alfred bring in food, sandwiches to be exact.
?Yes. I did know her. She was my lap partner first semester this year!? Caitlin said. ?She?s such a?well, no pun intended, sweet girl?
?I knew her too. She sat next to me in English last year? Jenna said as she sippied from her soda.
?This is horrible.? Jadaris said. ?Poor girl??
?It?s worse than you know? said a male voice from by the window. There, standing on the sill was a tiny figure, male, wearing a modest toga, and a badge.
?Da?av!? Beth said with glee as she saw her boyfriend.
?What do you mean, worse than we know, Da?av?? Caitlin asked.
?These disappearances weren?t some human kidnapping, as the police say.? He then removed his knapsack and removed the small velvet bag. He tossed it up to Jadaris, who grimaced.
?Oh no.? she said, rubbing the golden seal embroidered on the front. ?This has to be a mistake, right??
?I hope it is. I really do.? He sighed as Beth walked over and picked him up ?Not now, hun.? he whispered to her as he stared at Jadaris.
?What is it, Jade?? Jenna asked.
?This is a magic bag. It allows magic to stay in, not leaking through or getting out until it is opened?it holds the seal of the Royal Colony. The King of all Fairies.?
?I?ve already informed your mother. She is going to speak to the king himself?to see if this can lead to any new information.?
Jadaris said nothing, but simply looked at the golden seal, a black spiral?
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?A black spiral that waved on the banner over the entrance to the royal throne room was all Prince Mortimer could seem to pay attention to. He paced back and forth as the banner flapped in the wind overhead. Soon the large doors opened, and a small man, wearing white robes stepped out.
?How is he?? Mortimer asked the man
?He will be fine, with some rest, young prince. You may go in and see him? he replied.
?Thank you, Doctor? Mortimer sighed as he opened the doors and entered his father?s chambers.
There, on a large bed sat King Moon, the king of all Fairies.
?My son, come in!? he said, a glimmer of happiness in his weary voice. ?It is so good to see your face.?
?Father, are you alright?
?I?ll be fine, just a cough, really.? He said hugging his son.
?Father, I don?t know what I?d do without you? he said. ?I am not ready to rule?
?Son, you will make a fine ruler?someday, but I am not yet dead, and don?t talk like I am? he said with a wink.
?King Moon, your highness!? said a voice. ?The High Magistrate from the Meridos colony is here to speak with you.?
?Ah, Lorna! Send her in!? he said, again, a fleeting happiness in his old weary voice.
In stepped Lorna wearing a regal gown, her hair flowing in the wind of the room. She bowed befor the king, who nodded his head in thanks.
?It?s good to see you, Lorna? Moon said.
?I agree, it?s good to see you too, your Highness. I trust you know why I am here.? She said.
?I sense it is about the human disappearances. You have news.?
?Yes, My chief of police has found a magic concealing pouch bearing the royal seal at one of the disappearances. He surmises it held whatever the culprit used to kidnap the girls.?
?Very troublesome indeed. I?ll have my Advisor look into what can be done about it. I trust Da?av is making other progresses.?
?He is, My Lord. He will be working day and night until this enemy of both peoples is caught? Lorna said.
?Excellent.? The King said as he stood up and poured a glass of fairy wine for Lorna. ?I trust your daughter is doing well?? he said.
?Oh, Jadaris? She?s doing quite well for herself. She is helping some humans run a business.?
?I know, I hear many a great thing about Pixie Dust, even from fairies. I am glad for her. There was a time where I wished her to return, if only to marry my young Mortimer here. I think that she would make an excellent queen.?
?She?d be flattered? Lorna said as she looked Mortimer over. ?And how are you, Mortimer? I haven?t seen you since you were a youngling.?
?I am well, Madame Pevnock. I miss spending time with you and your daughter. Like a second family to me, you two were.? He smiled.
?I miss having you. Perhaps you should come for tea sometime?I?ll invite Jadaris?
?I?d like that? he said, still smiling.
Lorna finished her wine, and was poured another glass, as King Moon, Mortimer, and her sat down over lunch.
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Alana shivered in the cold dark of the box she had been placed in since being tricked by the mysterious figure known as Strom. He had left her in a box on the edge of a forest somewhere, and had left for what seemed like days, but was less than 24 hours from when she had been kidnapped art first. She cried as she sat there, knees up to her chest, wondering if she?d ever see home again.
Suddenly a shaft of light came in through the barred window in the box. Then the lid opened, and a giant hand scooped her out. The hand, wearing the same gloves as Strom, set her down.
?Don?t run, little thing. You won?t get far. The owls are out tonight, and you would make a fine snack for one of them? Strom said, his voice deeper than she remembered it, but unmistakable. Two other creatures, humanoid in shape, then surrounded her and oddly, they were the same size as her.
?Bring her down, then bring her to my chambers at once. I?ll shall meet up with you later? he said before vanishing into the shadows.
One of the creatures pulled a small bag, much like the one Strom had used to conceal the stone, and poured a fine dust out of the bag and blew it in the face of Alana. She watched as the world began to grow again, and she did nothing but cry. Shrinking down to miniscule size, the creatures picked her up and placed her inside the box again, which was now infinitely bigger than before.
?Hold on tight, Human? said the voice of one, a female.
?Yeah, this could be a bumpy flight? the other voice said, a male.
At this point, all she could do was pass out, from fright and exhaustion.
-----
The sunlight lit the house as Caitlin readied herself for work. She sipped from a cup of coffee as her hair dried, and she began to knock on the door marked ?Beth?
?Beth!? she screamed.
Inside the room, the naked figure of Beth laid still, the outline of where Da?av had been from earlier next to her.
?Come on, Sleepy Head, you and I have to open the shop for Jade.? Caitlin sighed, and then slowly opened the door.
?Beth, Don?t make me come under there.? She said as she saw the six inch figure of Beth walk out from under the large bed.
?I?m up, bitch, let me get dressed, alright.? She said, in her usual tone.
Caitlin smiled. ?I?ll let Jade know you need dusting.?
She walked out of the room and saw the small figure of Jadaris flitting through the house. She loved sunrise, and frequently flew to the top of the Prudential Center, the tallest building in the city of Boston, to watch it.
?Just get back from the Pru?? Caitlin asked.
?Yep. Another beautiful day in the world? she said smiling.
?Da?av dusted Beth last night so they could?well, you know?and she is opening with us, could you do the honors?
?Love to!? she said flying into Beth?s room
?Hey, can?t you knock first, Jesus? came the tiny, but growing voice of Beth.
Jenna walked out of her room and into the kitchen.
?Morning, Cait!? she said, rubbing her head full of bed hair.
?Morning. So what are you gonna do with your big day off?? Caitlin asked.
?Not sure yet. I?ll figures something out.? She said as she poured herself a very colorful bowl of cereal.
A little while later, Beth, having showered, walked with a grown Jadaris and Caitlin to the door.
?Don?t get into any trouble today, Jenna? Beth said with heaps of snark.
?You either? Jenna retorted with a chuckle, as she plopped down on the couch and put on some Cartoons.
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?Crime Lab has found nothing, Mr and Mrs. Sweet. At this point all we can do is wait to see if anything turns up. We?ll keep you informed?? Detective Horn said. He then leaned in and whispered ??I?ll keep you informed. If you have any thing, leads, questions, need directions to the nearest coffee shop when I town, call me? he said giving them his card.
?Bob? he yelled to the cop sitting behind the counter ?Validate the parking for the Sweets. I have to go.?
Horn always got a weird feeling whenever one of the kidnappings were near, and he could feel like he was on the verge of breaking the case.
Da?av followed him, as usual. His daily routine of coming to Maine to follow Horn was getting old, but if any one of the two peoples were going to make a break through, it was going to be Horn. Da?av knew it.
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?She is in her cage, sir? said a female fairy to the cloaked figure of Strom before her. ?I will see to it that no one disturbs you.?
?Thank you?but prepare the stone. I am off again today to add to my collection?
?So soon?? she asked.
?It is no business of yours when I do what I want, just to make sure that I get it done!? He shouted.
?Yes, Sir.? She said cowering as she left.
?Now, my crystal ball? he said holding a large clear crystal orb. ? Show me?show me my next pet?