Quest for the Rose
Chapter 17
After each had a similar experience with the rose, they explained to the five girls their mission, but were even more worried about their three missing companions. “And what do we do about the rose? Lorri was told she had to bring the last rose to this evil man, but if we cut it, all memory might be lost,” complained Taylor. “But look!” Mandy pointed to the opposite side of the bush. “There is another on this side!” Striker took out his knife, and though he was frightened, he cut it. Nothing happened. He sighed, and handed it to Lorri. Her hand lingered in his a moment longer than needed, and he smiled. She remembered everything. “Now, we must find Amy, Lorraina and Zaaman… where is Lygia?”
She found herself at the stream. The one Boaz had pushed Striker in. She thought of how Lorri’s eyes shone when she saw him, even if she tried to deny it. This made her heart all the more heavy. Lorri had her love, she wanted hers back safe with her. Her tears fell silently from her cheeks, to her hands, then rolled off, forgotten as new ones rapidly replaced it. “So much pain in such a young ladies eyes.” Said a voice. It did not matter whence it came, as long as it understood. “You should not have to cry, Love.” “I can’t help it,” Her voice coming out little more then a sob. She didn’t care. She wanted Zaaman back. “I can take away your pain you know…” “There are only two ways you could do that,” she scoffed. “What are those ways?” the voice soothed. “Bring my husband back…” She sniffed. “Or?” “Or kill me.” Her voice was choked once again as a new army of tears marched down her cheeks. “One or the other, hu?” the voice chuckled, and suddenly Lygia knew what was happening. She tried to run, tried to get away, but she had been under his spell and he was already feeding off of her. She couldn’t move. VAMPIRE!!!! Her head screamed but no one could hear. Or could they? Before she understood what had happened, she was on her face on the ground. She felt a hand reach her shoulder and expected it to jerk her up. But it helped her instead. “Lygia” she found herself in the tight embrace of… her husband. “ Zaaman! What was that?!?” she asked, sobbing both at having found him and shock of almost being the vampires food. “He’s… not the point right now. Amy, Lorraina and I found the camp and I knew somehow I would find you here. This is the River we met at, you know.” He winked as he helped her up. “You knew that vampire… didn’t you?” He sighed. “He was the one that turned me. Perez. He’s been trying to make my life miserable since the day I turned on him. Killed my wife almost 100 years ago… but it is the past. And I saved you.” He kissed her, and helped her back to the others.
Chapter 18
“Finally out of that dreadful forest!!” smiled Hanna, doing a wheelie on the dusty trail that in a about a mile would reach the palace. “But now what? We have the rose, but where do we take it?” asked Mandy, sitting off the side of the road. “We go North.” Striker pointed to the mountains. “But they seem like forever away!” complained Taylor, slumping beside Mandy. “You don’t have to go. No one does. But Striker and my path lead that way to our son, and that is the way we go.” Said Lorri, not trying to rile them like Striker would have, but instead empathizing. “If you go, I go,” said Hanna. “I always wanted you to write me in a story, I’m not about to pass an opportunity to live one!” Lygia sigh. “I guess your going, hu?” she asked her sister. Anna nodded. “I’m going,” said Mandy. “Oh, fine. Everyone just vote against me. What is this? Survivor?” Taylor threw her hands up in defeat. She arose and began walking. Everyone wondered where she was going, so just stood still. She turned around, staring at them like they were daft. “If you think those mountains look forever away, they aren’t going to get any closer with you all sitting on your butts. Lets Go!”
They stopped at the palace, for Amy and Dayna to check on their children. Lorri was silent most the time, thinking on her baby, lost, alone, frightened. But there was some comfort as she clutched the rose to her chest. They had the rose. The first part was over. Strange, though it had been three days, the petals did not fade in the least. Her mother came, and held her as she wept for the first time for her son.
Soon they were on their way again. But this time, not on foot. “Those rocky terrains would kill us, let alone trying to get Hanna through there” Striker explained. The rest had to take his word for it. He was the only person known who had lived in the Unknown Mountains. “Then how do we get up there? We can’t take horses,” protested Anna. Her hair was much lighter then her sisters, almost blond. “Easy. Come to the stables and I will show you.” He brought them to a large mound, covered by a tarp. He ripped off the tarp and the five young girls gasped. Looks like Luke’s land speeder on Star wars Anna thought as she traced a finger over it. “What are they called?” “Land Speeders,” Lorri smiled, knowing what Anna had been thinking. Anna rolled her eyes and jumped in. It could fit about five people nicely, plus room in the back for supplies and Hanna’s wheelchair. “We leave as soon as they are packed. This evening if possible.”
And off they were. They were fast and came up about three feet from the ground. Each had a comm. Link and they turned all three to channel ** (did you really think I was going to tell you? lol) “I can take us as far as where I used to live, but then we get into the real unknown. We should reach the foot of the mountain by morning. Be careful guys. There are worse things out there then dragons and vampires.” Striker switched off the comm. and turned to his wife. “We’re going to get him back” She nodded, then looked back to her mother, Mandy and Taylor. “You guys okay?” Lorraina and Taylor seemed to be enjoying themselves, but Mandy was clutching her seat. “Relax baby. It’s just like driving a car.” Lorri assured. “Yeah, all but the fact that we’re like three feet off the ground!!!” Lorri only smiled. They would be there soon anyway.