Monsters & Fairytales (28 page)

Then I remembered there was a castle staring at me. It was like a fortress built by angels. Its edges swirled and blended into the sky behind it. The castle was that white color of the clouds and it had blue trimmings like the sky. The doors and window shades were gold like the setting sun. It was so bright it hurt my eyes, and yet, I couldn’t look away
.

“Can you see that?” Sebastian asked when I finally shielded my eyes.

“Yes.” I responded.

“Good. There is hope.” He smiled.

“The sky will be void of the sun soon. We must reach the gate more quickly than her feet have been taking her.” Carlyle commented. Sebastian nodded.

“Excuse me, Mirabelle.” Carlyle said before I had the chance to interrupt.

His soft, giant arms scooped me up and cradled me against his chest. I was getting fond of being this close to him. That thought was short lived, because my insides glued themselves to the ground as his shot to the sky. I could barely breathe. My arms wanted to reach out and get his attention, but the force kept me frozen. Staring forward, I wish it were my eyesight that was lost instead of movement. The zipping scenery made want to vomit more than the take-off had. Forcing my eyes shut helped, a little. I tried to focus solely on the thudding of his wings as they beat the wind behind us. Right as I felt my coffee cake from earlier hit the back of my throat, we skidded to a stop. I really needed to eat something.

Despite the much gentler landing, I wasn’t sure that was going to help ease the nausea that consumed me. Carlyle lowered me onto my feet, more cautious of my ability to stand than to keep food down. Shaky legs and eyes that still couldn’t focus on anything kept my hand gripped tightly on his arm. He placed his other hand behind my back to help me steady. That’s when I lost it. I turned around and collapsed to my knees. Everything poured out of my stomach. Neither of them moved to help me, however,
Carlyle’s hand was suddenly waiting in front of my face for whenever I was done
. Spitting and spitting some more, I let him help me stand up.
             

Oh God, I need some water. I could taste it in my mouth. I was going to throw up again.

“Mirabelle!”
Sebastian hissed when my body hunched back over.

I gave him the biggest look of utmost bewilderment that I could muster. As if I could control the need to vomit or not! Who did he think he was?

The dry heaves started up regardless of his words. It seemed to take the foul taste out of my mouth. Oh, now I was thinking about it again. You’re fine Mira. You’re going to get water in two seconds. You’ll be home in three. Compose yourself!
             

I shot back around and jumped when I saw the giant gates we were standing in front of. They weren’t closed, but Sebastian and Carlyle weren’t walking through. I went to lean forward to ask Sebastian what was going on, but Carlyle stuck his hand out to stop me. He put his finger in front of his mouth. At that moment, a voice spoke. It was a foreign language. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere and yet nowhere. Sebastian spoke back to it, and then Carlyle. Their voices sounded different in that tongue. I was curious, but held my ground.
             

In a few seconds, a weird creature was standing on the other side of the open gate. He wore armor of a bright yellow color, gold almost, but he still looked thinner and weaker than Carlyle or Sebastian. He had the face of an orangutan with the build and stance of an ancient human. The more I stared, I realized he was more so a caveman, a very ancient one. He had the red fur depicted in all the drawings of the evolution of man completely covering his body. It was sticking out in random spots through the armor. It didn’t help that the armor looked more like a joke than a purpose on him. That was a terrible thought. What if he can hear it, too? How humiliating. Stop thinking!
             

Suddenly, everything got quiet. I looked around and jumped when I saw that he was staring at me. Had he asked me something? Had he heard my awful thoughts about him? Oh, no. Please tell me he had asked me something, even though I didn’t hear anything in English. I looked at Carlyle and Sebastian in desperation for help, but they were staring forward. He repositioned his weapon over his shoulder and walked to stand in front of me.

“Human, what is your purpose here?” He spoke in English. His lips curled and moved in a funny manner this time.

“To get back home.”
I whispered.

“Then why is that not what is in your heart?”

He stared through me rather than watch my eyes. I was inferior to him and that didn’t upset me at all.

“I do not understand.” I whispered still.

“Your true want is to be here, with these Aegyssusians. If that is what you truly so wish, then there is no need to allow you on these sacred grounds. But if you feel that my vision is in the wrong, you may pass and the Minakai can help you get back to your world.”

Now, if ever before, I truly felt like Dorothy.
It was no time to drift off on a fantasy image, though. I quickly went back to considering what the guard had said to me. I had no idea why my heart would want to stay here. I guess, I knew that my heart would be sad to leave, but that didn’t mean I wanted to stay. So I nodded my head. I feared any of my words would come out not making sense.

“Human!” He called out to me, startling me. “You have given your word that your true wish is home. If you betray us, the consequences will be severe. The Minakai does not just help anyone that hopelessly wanders into our world. Do not take his kindness any farther than doing a service to his people.” 

“I understand.” I said.

“
Hmph
. Very well.”
He nodded.

He stepped aside and a weird snap echoed around us. Carlyle took my free hand and walked me through the gate. The guard did not move from his post behind us. I went to look back at him, but Carlyle warned against it. What did they have against looking back? Didn’t they realize it made it even worse that it was forbidden? It was human nature to do things we were told not to. 

“Night has started to fall behind us.” He said.

You have to be
             
             
more specific
than that.

((
even
the darkest of souls can see the light))

“Please, try not to talk so much this time.” Sebastian asked me.

I gave him a look that said he was a complete idiot. I barely even talked before. Clearly I was well aware my words would get me nowhere in this world.
Unless he meant my thoughts.
In which case, he was right. Those did get out of control a little.
             

All I wanted to do was take in the front yard for what it was worth right now, but Sebastian was rushing me. There was so much to look at; I could never see it all in passing. The pond was what grabbed my attention the most. The glasslike water was so breathtaking; I had to get close to it. Not to mention the animals that were everywhere around it. There were duck things that dove and splashed in it, bee things that danced and swirled at its edges, and tons more animals that glittered in the shadows. Everything was so fascinating.

“You’re pushing your luck.” Sebastian whispered in my ear when I bent down to examine a flower.

“I-” I began, but realized that was talking, so I stopped myself.

I didn’t want to keep being irritating or give him any more reasons to hate me, so I just nodded in compliance and stood up. He snorted in his smug-like way and we walked up the massive marble steps to the front doors. Everything just kept making the last thing seem small. It made me fearful for how big this Minakai would actually be.
             

Approaching the castle doors, Sebastian stopped and knocked on the door three times. It echoed deafeningly on the other side. When the last knock echoed back to us, the door flew open. I squeezed Carlyle’s hand. A guard, much like the one I saw earlier, was standing there. He spoke in that different language, nodded a few times, and then let us pass. He let out a low growl when I walked by him. I didn’t have to squeeze Carlyle’s hand to let him know I was afraid, he instantly pulled me closer and wrapped his other arm around my shoulder. I was huddled against the side of his chest wishing this were all a bad dream.
             

A few seconds later, the scenery yet again took me out of my sanctuary that was Carlyle. Inside the castle, it was like a completely different place. It was nothing like the bright and beautiful pasture just outside the doors. I wondered if the illusion only worked outside. Maybe I wasn’t capable of seeing its true beauty once past the doors?
             

The fire from the candles
glowed
a strange green color, causing everything to be cast in a funny shadow. The further from the front room we got, the more the candles brightened. Finally, I was able to make out that the walls were just as white inside as they were outside. Instead of the blue trimmings, it was gold. The rug that we were following was red with gold designs in it that shined in the green glow.
             

I didn’t understand why everything was so dark inside the castle. If I hadn't been able to see the color I would’ve said something to Sebastian just to make sure this was how it was supposed to look.
             

There were many rooms down the halls that we passed. Few of them had doors, but the ones that did were shut. It didn’t really matter, though, because inside the open rooms were so dark, I couldn’t make anything out. This castle was definitely an illusion. Who would show off something so beautiful to have it so ugly inside? I just couldn’t fathom it.

At the end of the hall, everything eventually opened up. We were standing in a massive half circle. It wasn’t much brighter, but bright enough that I could finally see the wall art. It looked cluttered with pictures and paintings from my world. Their leader must keep them as souvenirs whenever the Maracores return with them. There weren’t any windows, just rows up to the ceiling of the strange green candles. Carlyle tugged on my hand, pulling me left.
             

We all stopped in front of two massive doors. They seemed to have come out of nowhere. They were just as big as the main doors into the castle somehow. I noticed that these had door knockers. It seemed the main doors should be the ones with ornate knockers. The lion’s head stared back at me with the ring hanging from its mouth. Sebastian didn’t touch the ring. However, he reached out and touched the nose of the right one. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when it actually roared. Carlyle and Sebastian both shot me the look of death. I regained my composure immediately, not aware my laughter had been aloud. The doors opened and we stared into a giant open room. It was very bright on the inside. I could see every nook and decoration just fine.
             

I realized my insult when in the center of the room was a giant lion. Actually, he was a human lion. Everything from his head, paws, and tail resembled a lion, but he was standing upright like a person. It did make him more intimidating that way. His fur was black, just like the Aegyssusians; and nearly all the other creatures I had seen in their world. His upper body was covered not in armor, but in a tuxedo jacket and shirt. He had a small red flower stuffed in his pocket. He was like the James Bond of guardian angels, minus pants... well actually, especially with the missing pants.
             

Repositioning his head so he was no longer looking at us over his bifocals, he walked around his giant desk and leaned against the front edge of it. I wondered what it was made out of to be able to hold his bulk. His tail twitched around and barely missed all the arrangements on the desk, much a like a cat's tail. He brushed it aside as he sat to avoid sitting on it.
             

I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t just sit on one of the two couches in front of him, or the giant chairs to the sides of him. Were those fragile? All the furniture looked insanely expensive. Maybe they were just props? Actually, I guess sitting in one of those would make him physically lower than us. He wouldn’t be much of a leader if he made himself the same level as an intruder to his world.  I gave him credit for that.
             

I noticed that the entire room was decorated in expensive, lavish belongings. Even the color of the walls and rugs reeked of millionaire status. I was trying to figure out where I had ever seen a blue like the color of the rug in front of his desk, when I noticed his feet. They were lion’s feet. He wiggled his toes and I made eye contact with him again. That’s where I had seen the blue before; his massive eyes were beautiful.