Flash Fiction #586 -- Buffy the Princess/3

 

 

 

 Thump, thump, thump.

"Your cousins know all about your adventures. You two are legends at court --"

"ACK!" Serena and Buffy chorused.

Thump-thump-thump-thump --

Mom threw open the door. Water and a single fish washed in on them. Mom grabbed the startled fish and held it in front of her face. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Thomas?"

"Warning?" the fish squeaked and gasped. "Down, down, down!"

Mom let go.

Splash.

A young man rose where the fish had been. He wore a tunic and pants but no boots. He was, of course, as soaked as the rest of them and giving little fishy gasps. When Selena started to say something, he held up his hand to stop her. Fish scales fell off his fingers.

"This is your cousin Thomas, Serena. He's from the shape-shifting side of the family."

"A poor relation," Thomas added and stood up straight. Thin, dark curly hair, dimples. How close of a relative, she wondered. "I can only shape-shift to a fish. Not helpful usually."

He also had a nice smile.

Buffy bit her on the ear. Mom turned away and coughed. Serena felt her face go red, and Buffy snickered. Serena dropped her in the water. It didn't make her any wetter, but she sputtered in surprise.

"Thomas?" Mom said.

"Oh, sorry, Aunt Lidana.   I heard Princess Risha say she was sending a storm at you, but that was not the worst. She almost caught me, so I didn't dare stay and try to learn more. And the king is unsettled about something, so I couldn't go to him."

"Unhappy about us coming to the palace?" Mom asked.

"I don't think so," he answered and sounded sincere. "His worry has been building since last year. And there have been more messengers from the West than usual. I think something is going on."

Mom nodded in agreement just as Captain Vane -- Dad -- arrived. He gave Thomas a startled look.

"I should have expected you, Thomas. It is that bad, is it?"

"Serious enough," Mom replied. "We are not wanted at court."

Serena looked in surprise as Dad laughed. Mom gave him a stare that would have sent Serena to her room as quietly as she could have moved.

Dad stared her down. It was interesting to watch, although it made Serena and Buffy nervous. Thomas, though, didn't seem to know any better.

"The storm was the first attack," Thomas pointed out again. Mom and Dad both looked at him, startled. "I don't know what the next problem will be, but maybe the two of you could --

"Whales ho!" voices shouted from somewhere on deck.

"Damn," Dad mumbled.

And then all of them headed for the deck. Just as Serena arrived, she saw something huge heading straight at them. It hit with a wood-shattering crunch that sent everyone flying. Instinct alone made her grab Buffy as they tumbled into the water amidst all the dangerous debris. Serena couldn't get her barrings, and even up and down looked the same.

If it hadn't been for a familiar-looking fish nudging her in one direction, she and Buffy might not have made it to the surface. The fish, who must have been Thomas, splashed his way back into the water.

The last vestiges of the storm were still strong, the wind kicking up waves, foam, and debris. A plank hit her shoulder, and Serena grabbed it. Buffy dug the claws of her right paw into the wood, but she did not let go of Serena with the other.

Serena tried to find sight of any of the others, all the while dreading that she would find someone dead. Instead, she heard something peculiar.

A loud, cackling laughter filled the wind. Serena had thought it was a gull at first, but then she saw a circle of light moving back and forth over the water as if looking for someone. Was that someone looking for her? She tried to turn the plank in that direction --

And Thomas popped up in human form to stop her.

"Not that way. They sent the storm and the whales. I think they took everyone else, too. I don't know where, but it might be better if you two don't go with them."

"How?" Serena gasped.

Thomas looked around and then nodded behind her. "There's a rowboat upside down. There should be some air trapped under it. I'll get you close and wait until the circle of light gets close before you go under it. Stay there until I come back -- or until you don't have enough air."

"Thomas --"

"No time."

He caught hold of the plank and dragged them as fast as he could toward that small spot of safety -- if it was enough cover. Where were the others? Who was after them?

They reached the boat and waited. Then they ducked under cover just as the light reached their area. The glow filled the water around them but not under the boat. Serena pulled her legs up as best she could, and Buffy dug claws into the wood. Neither spoke.


Fish darted in and around her, odd faces looking up as though wondering what kind of fish she might be. The light still swept around and gave her a mesmerizing view of shapes and colors she would never have imagined.

Thomas slid under the overturned row boat as well. Buffy hissed and grumbled as she dug claws into a piece of the wooden shell and pulled herself out of the water. Then she clung to the wood like a demented, long-furred, wet bat.

The surrounding water glowed. Serena held her breath as it lingered too long. Then, it finally moved on, but not too far.

"Can't stay," Thomas whispered. "Use too much air in this form."

"Be careful," Serena whispered and wished she didn't feel so panicked.

"I won't go far."  He smiled. "Just another fish in the sea."Thump, thump, thump.

"Your cousins know all about your adventures. You two are legends at court --"

"ACK!" Serena and Buffy chorused.

Thump-thump-thump-thump --

Mom threw open the door. Water and a single fish washed in on them. Mom grabbed the startled fish and held it in front of her face. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Thomas?"

"Warning?" the fish squeaked and gasped. "Down, down, down!"

Mom let go.

Splash.

A young man rose where the fish had been. He wore a tunic and pants but no boots. He was, of course, as soaked as the rest of them and giving little fishy gasps. When Selena started to say something, he held up his hand to stop her. Fish scales fell off his fingers.

"This is your cousin Thomas, Serena. He's from the shape-shifting side of the family."

"A poor relation," Thomas added and stood up straight. Thin, dark curly hair, dimples. How close of a relative, she wondered. "I can only shape-shift to a fish. Not helpful usually."

He also had a nice smile.

Buffy bit her on the ear. Mom turned away and coughed. Serena felt her face go red, and Buffy snickered. Serena dropped her in the water. It didn't make her any wetter, but she sputtered in surprise.

"Thomas?" Mom said.

"Oh, sorry, Aunt Lidana.   I heard Princess Risha say she was sending a storm at you, but that was not the worst. She almost caught me, so I didn't dare stay and try to learn more. And the king is unsettled about something, so I couldn't go to him."

"Unhappy about us coming to the palace?" Mom asked.

"I don't think so," he answered and sounded sincere. "His worry has been building since last year. And there have been more messengers from the West than usual. I think something is going on."

Mom nodded in agreement just as Captain Vane -- Dad -- arrived. He gave Thomas a startled look.

"I should have expected you, Thomas. It is that bad, is it?"

"Serious enough," Mom replied. "We are not wanted at court."

Serena looked in surprise as Dad laughed. Mom gave him a stare that would have sent Serena to her room as quietly as she could have moved.

Dad stared her down. It was interesting to watch, although it made Serena and Buffy nervous. Thomas, though, didn't seem to know any better.

"The storm was the first attack," Thomas pointed out again. Mom and Dad both looked at him, startled. "I don't know what the next problem will be, but maybe the two of you could --

"Whales ho!" voices shouted from somewhere on deck.

"Damn," Dad mumbled.

And then all of them headed for the deck. Just as Serena arrived, she saw something huge heading straight at them. It hit with a wood-shattering crunch that sent everyone flying. Instinct alone made her grab Buffy as they tumbled into the water amidst all the dangerous debris. Serena couldn't get her barrings, and even up and down looked the same.

If it hadn't been for a familiar-looking fish nudging her in one direction, she and Buffy might not have made it to the surface. The fish, who must have been Thomas, splashed his way back into the water.

The last vestiges of the storm were still strong, the wind kicking up waves, foam, and debris. A plank hit her shoulder, and Serena grabbed it. Buffy dug the claws of her right paw into the wood, but she did not let go of Serena with the other.

Serena tried to find sight of any of the others, all the while dreading that she would find someone dead. Instead, she heard something peculiar.

A loud, cackling laughter filled the wind. Serena had thought it was a gull at first, but then she saw a circle of light moving back and forth over the water as if looking for someone. Was that someone looking for her? She tried to turn the plank in that direction --

And Thomas popped up in human form to stop her.

"Not that way. They sent the storm and the whales. I think they took everyone else, too. I don't know where, but it might be better if you two don't go with them."

"How?" Serena gasped.

Thomas looked around and then nodded behind her. "There's a rowboat upside down. There should be some air trapped under it. I'll get you close and wait until the circle of light gets close before you go under it. Stay there until I come back -- or until you don't have enough air."

"Thomas --"

"No time."

He caught hold of the plank and dragged them as fast as he could toward that small spot of safety -- if it was enough cover. Where were the others? Who was after them?

They reached the boat and waited. Then they ducked under cover just as the light reached their area. The glow filled the water around them but not under the boat. Serena pulled her legs up as best she could, and Buffy dug claws into the wood. Neither spoke.


Fish darted in and around her, odd faces looking up as though wondering what kind of fish she might be.
The light still swept around and gave her a mesmerizing view of shapes and colors she would never have imagined.

Thomas slid under the overturned row boat as well. Buffy hissed and grumbled as she dug claws into a piece of the wooden shell and pulled herself out of the water. Then she clung to the wood like a demented, long-furred, wet bat.

The surrounding water glowed. Serena held her breath as it lingered too long. Then, it finally moved on, but not too far.

"Can't stay," Thomas whispered. "Use too much air in this form."

"Be careful," Serena whispered and wished she didn't feel so panicked.

"I won't go far."  He smiled. "Just another fish in the sea."

Flash Fiction #585 -- Buffy the Princess/2

 

Later...

The bunk jumped upward and came down violently, which meant no sleep for anyone. Buffy mumbled something so low that it might as well have been a growl. She snarled at Serena as they both tried to untangle the blanket and get up.

Serena bounced once more and unintentionally rolled off the bed. "Ow"

The door crashed open, and Dad stood there, his hair dripping and his face grim. She and Buffy froze, waiting for what certainly must be bad news.

"Good, you are up. A bad storm, probably not natural. Your mother needs help, Serena. Buffy --"

"I go with Serena," she answered and leaped from the bunk to Serena's shoulder.

Serena tried very hard not to wince as the claws dug in. She almost complained before she realized how serious Buffy had been. It was sweet. And a bit painful.

Dad had looked back out the window and at the two again.

"Fine. Stay with her, but both of you be careful. Fly if you have to, but there is --" A bright flash illuminated the room, followed by the rumbling argument of the gods. "There is lightning. Be careful."

And then he left without even closing the door. The outer hall ran with rain, and they heard him scramble up the short stairs and out into the storm. That door was not closed, either.

Serena watched in shock. She wasn't used to taking orders from Vane, who was practically a stranger.

"Mom needs our help," Buffy shouted over the sudden howling storm. Then she grumbled. "The idea of spending the New Year's festivities at court doesn't sound like so much fun now."

"I know," Serena agreed.

Being on a ship may have been boring, but being on one in a nasty storm -- wasn't boring. It was much worse. Serena grabbed Buffy so tightly that the cat squeaked but did not complain.

"There is a lot of magic in this," Serena said before taking the last steps onto the deck. "No wonder Mom is having so much trouble with it!"

Buffy mumbled something but didn't repeat it loud enough to be heard as they stepped out into the storm's fury.

And it suddenly got worse. Much worse, and focused on the two of them --

"Back behind a wall!" Mom shouted and shoved them both back toward the stairs.

Serena lost her footing and would have fallen down the steps if Mom hadn't been so fast with a spell to break the fall. Buffy just held on tighter and gasped with a muted meow.

Mom followed and shoved the door closed against the wind and water. Everyone else was up on the deck, and Serena found it scary being down here without any of the crew. Fresh seawater had coated everything, making it challenging to keep to her feet as the ship lurched from one side to the other. She and Buffy both went down.

Two tiny fish flopped around on the steps, looking increasingly panicked as the water retreated. Mom grabbed them both and held them before her face, staring into their eyes.

"Yes, you are fish," she decided, got the door open, and tossed them out into the deluge.

Then Mom followed Serena and Buffy down the steps, her fingers moving as she spread magic in her wake. She looked both drenched and enraged. Serena scrambled to her feet, and Buffy tried to burrow under her arm, almost putting her off balance again.

"What is going on?" Serena asked, her voice hardly louder than the storm. "This isn't natural!"

"Someone doesn't want us at the castle. That spell is specifically hunting the three of us out."

"Me?" Buffy said, her head lifting and her ears back. "Why me?"

"Because you and Serena are a team."

Despite the situation, Serena smiled. This was the first time her mother had admitted it. Buffy even let a little burp of a purr out.

"Don't let it go to your heads. You have, however, done excellent work together. I suspect someone in the palace doesn't want you two showing them up."

"That's crazy," Serena replied. She noticed the storm had lessened, though. "If that person can toss out storm spells like this, I can't be any threat at all!"

"It isn't just about magic," Mom answered with a distracted glance at the door where something thumped. "You belong to a volatile age group from court --"

"Others my age?" Serena asked, startled by the idea.

"I haven't met all of them," Mom said. She tried to keep her voice neutral, but Serena could tell she didn't think much of the others. "My best guess is that they won't be happy to see you, Serena. They are a very closed group."

"You can use the word snobs," Serena offered. "I won't be shocked."

Her mother laughed, which was rare at Serena's jokes. But then the wind pounded the little ship and sent waves crashing over the deck and spilling through the cracks around the door. Buffy made an unexpected sound of fear, so Serena held her close. Mom even petted her, but she looked worried.

"We all sense magic in the storm," Mom said with a shake of her head. "More than just aiming it at us. I almost think there might be a fight over who controls it."

"That might help," Buffy said, though her voice was muffled in Serena's blouse. "Let them fight it out."

"Good plan, but I think we're caught in the middle," Mom said. "Maybe. Everything is too diffuse to tell."

Something hit the door.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump!

Flash Fiction #584 -- Buffy the Princess/1

 Although she didn't say so aloud, Serena agreed with Buffy, her cat familiar, that they should have taken a flying carpet to the capital rather than her father's pirate ship.  Serena had never realized how boring life could be on a boat or how long a journey could take. Serena's mother, who was determined that Buffy would know every nuance of court etiquette and every tedious detail of history, only made it worse.

"Today we start the reign of King Mushrin the twenty-third --"

"Not another one!" Buffy hissed.  She leaped from the bed to the table, her tail fluffed and her ears back.  "Do these mushrooms have no imagination?"

"Mushrins," she corrected with a frown. "Be polite.  They were the longest run in kings any land has ever seen, with sixty-seven generations --"

"No!" Buffy yelled and fell over on her back, all four legs kicking in the air.  "No, it is not possible!  We aren't even halfway through them!"

"Do you know why they survived so long?" Mom asked.

I nodded.  "They were so damned boring that no one cared."

"Serena!  Such language!"

"But it is the truth," Serena continued.  Boredom always drove her to insanity.  "I can tell you 23's life.  He was born in the castle, married whom he was told to marry, let the council rule, and had five to ten baby Mushrins.  He died in his bed.  Twenty-four took over."

Mother frowned and scanned a few pages.  And then a few more. The frown grew.   She finally closed the book with a snap, startling Buffy into a jump -- but she did not unfold her wings.

Mother had warned them about the problem. That didn't stop her from repeating it.

"The King is more than a little paranoid.  He could easily decide that a cat with wings must be a spy.  Especially one who can talk. He won't much like wings on you, either, Serena."

That had been the most straightforward warning Mom had given them. This was serious.  

"The hiding spell is in place," Serena replied, far more serious now.  "Neither of us has flown since we stepped on the ship."

That hadn't been easy for either of them.  Serena suspected Buffy slipped out at night a flew for a while, but she didn't say so.  Buffy looked incredibly innocent right then, a sure sign she was up to something.

Mom stared at the cat but said nothing, either.

"No one is really going to quiz me on this stuff, are they?" Serena asked with a tap on the book.

"The king won't, but your cousins will be a problem. They'll do their best to make you look like a fool."

"Cousins?  I have cousins?"

"Several, but you only need to worry about the five girls who live at court.  They do not like anyone to draw attention away from them.  You are a threat.  Not only are you pretty -- no, you are -- but you are smarter than them.  And you know magic.  They know it.  What magic they know is child's play."

"Why have you never told us about this?"

"First, I wanted your father there.  That proved more difficult than we expected.  But mostly, you had to grow up first.  I can only imagine the havoc you and Buffy would have caused just two years ago.  I trust you now."

Serena threw herself into her mother's embrace.  She didn't feel grown up and wasn't sure she wanted to be, but it still felt good to have her mother say so.

Even Buffy pressed herself into the embrace.

And then the door opened.  All three of them gave a startled yelp.

Dad had put one foot inside the room.  He leaped backward and must have hit something. He didn't yelp, he cursed.  Then he dared the door again and peeked in.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"Fine," Mom replied with a wave of her hand.  We were all back in our places now.  "Tell me that we don't scare you."

"Fear the three of you in one room? Terrified."

Mom laughed.  Serena wasn't so confident that he joked.

The two of them went off to tour the deck arm-in-arm.  She thought it sweet, even if she couldn't yet call that man Father.

She and Buffy went back to studying the book.  They stumbled across the appendix and much more exciting material about battles and scandals.

Not to mention assassinations and secret societies.

"Not such a boring place after all," Buffy said.  "But I can't say I like it better.  Serena, I think we're in for some trouble."

"I am starting to think 'died in bed' is a euphemism for 'someone made it past the guards,'" Serena added.

"Maybe we should make our own accommodations."

"Or at least not both sleep at the same time."

Buffy made a sound of indignation.  "I'm a cat.  I sleep.  I can't imagine you'll stay awake fifteen hours or more to keep me safe."

"I would try."

That softened Buffy's mood, and they both decided to nap while they still could.  It was pleasant to curl up on the bunk and escape from tales of Mushrins and others.  Serena had never realized ruling could be so dull.

They both slept for now.  Serena kept seeing assassins in her nightmares, many looking like Mushrooms with swords and knives.

It was not a restful sleep.  She finally got back up and stood by the porthole.  Buffy sat up suddenly, looked around until she found Serena, and then went back to sleep.

After a little while, Serena went back to bed as well. It was time to rest while she could.  Despite what they thought about the upcoming visit being boring, she knew how fast that could change.

At least the nightmares disappeared for a while, although Buffy snarled and hissed in her sleep.  She didn't even complain when Serena woke her up.

Then, they both slept for a while.

And things changed.

Flash Fiction #583 -- Neko's Vacation/9

 

"Ocean!"

Neko threw himself onto the dashboard and flattened his face against the glass.  They were driving through a canyon, working their way downhill, and the ocean came in and out of sight so often it made Neko breathless.

Colin found the first spot he could park and they headed down to the golden beach.  Neko dashed out into a retreating wave and back again to grab Luna's shoes when a larger wave rushed up over them.

All three laughed with delight, but they found a spot on the dry sand to rest.  Colin magicked blankets and food, and they sat in the warm sun.

Neko stretched out on his back and fell asleep.  He could hear his companions talking and noted when the breeze came up.

"Sleep well?" Luna asked as the cat stood and stretched.

"I love the sound of the ocean," Neko admitted.  "I can't really remember, but I think I was born on an island.  I might have been a bit like Marla -- young and with some power.  I suspect that drew both Minau and Maude to me."

"You know Minau?" Colin asked, surprised.  "But she would never have given you to Maude!"

"She didn't.  Maude tricked her into believing I was dead."

"Minau?"  Luna asked.

"The Goddess of Mischief and Cats," Colin explained.  "She's well known in many realms, but not here.  Still, you could have called on her, Neko.  She is honorable and would have --"

"I couldn't reach her.  Maude cut me off from her from the start.  I might now, but matters have changed."

Before either could speak, Neko started chasing gulls again.  The sun was already casting a fiery red haze over the ocean.  A shark had come too close to shore, and Neko wasn't the only one to stay out of the water.  A helicopter patrolled the area, but Neko thought it unlikely anyone would want to go swimming now.

Far out on the horizon, a large ship drifted by, looking like something from another world.  Books about ships had been among his favorites, although he had never cared for the idea of hunting rats and other vermin from their decks.  Jobs for cats -- even talking ones -- were limited at sea.

When Neko looked back, the two appeared to be deep in a serious  discussion. Since those conversations bored him to tears, Neko kept chasing gulls until Colin called him back.

They were both smiling.  Good.

"I am going to stay with you for the trip back to the east coast," Luna announced.  She was all but bouncing. "I was only going here to escape the problems -- but I'd have to hide here, too.  And my local relatives were just as bad as the east coast ones.  Besides --"

"Hold on," Neko said.  "You really don't think I am going to complain, do you?"

"I -- I didn't think Colin would offer.  I am used to people preferring not to -- never mind!"

"I am going to do a few readings," Colin said as he stood.  "Then we'll find a place to stay and a nice restaurant."

That sounded good.  For now, though, Neko curled up beside Luna and napped again.

Neko had been ready to go back to the bookstore, and without the car trip.  He realized now that the thought of losing Luna had badly depressed him.

He suspected the same had been true for Colin -- and for Luna.  Now they would all be together for at least a few more weeks.

Then, over a wonderful meal of shrimp and steak, Neko had a brilliant idea.

"Luna, how would you like to work in a historic bookstore full of odd books, a bit of magic -- and an attic overrun with Pixies?"

Luna looked shocked by the offer and looked at Colin --

"Neko owns the building and the store.  It is his decision -- and a really good one, I think.  You've both heard me talk about going back to the fae lands for awhile.  Dorian has to go as well, so no one would be around to keep Neko company or run the shop."

"I'd love to help out!"

So they talked about that for a while.

"I will be back when I am done reporting all we've found.  With Neko's permission, I am going to suggest the bookstore as a regular meeting place on this side of the veil. A safe house and a place to leave messages."

"I like that idea," Neko agreed.

They started out the next day by heading north, intending to take a more northernly route back to Rhode Island.  The morning proved gray and damp, a thick fog lying along the shore line and the sun hardly penetrating it.

They laughed and joked. Colin even hinted that they might head into Canada and maybe all the way to Alaska.

"What is going on?" Neko asked.  "This is far too much --"

"Exactly," Colin replied.  "Far too much is going on.  Too many creatures on this side -- ogres, pixies, tree trolls, gargoyles -- and those are just the ones we happened to wander upon in our journey.  Unless we get the trouble under control, this reality is going to be drastically changed.  Before long, humans won't be able to ignore the magic that is coming with the others."

"You think there is something behind these beings showing up here," Luna said.

"We fear so.  I am making this trip to see if I can stumble across anything.  Marla threw me off the work, but we did need to get her settled."

"You don't think her suddenly awakened power is part of the trouble?" Neko asked.  

"It might be, but that's Dorian's problem now."

So they headed north, as content as they had been leaving the east coast.

Neko suspected they were in for a lot more fun.

The End