LARA’S POV
I walked by Scarlet’s side with a newfound fulfillment and joy. It was as if all my worries are gone and I have nothing else to think about. Somehow, I felt like there was no need to be worried about her. It felt as if everything had already been adequately taken care of by some unknown supernatural being.
“Where are we going to?” I asked as we made our way down the stairs.
“I guess you would have to wait to find out” she replied with a smile.
I walked beside her obediently. I have already received so much good news today and I doubt if I would not be consumed by another great and exciting news.
However, when we started to take the staircase that leads downstairs and out of the palace, I became more worried. “Where are we going to, Chamlar?” I asked again.
She only looked at me, smiled, and then continued on her way.
We were met by Rich as soon as we stepped outside. It appeared as though he was coming to find us.
“Good day, my Chamlar” Rich greeted but not without giving me a wink first.
“Good day, Rich. How did it go?” she asked.
“It went well. Everything is fine” he replied.
She nodded and continued on her way while Rich and I followed.
“You see, Rich, I want you and Lara to have a proper marriage celebration tonight” she declared.
Rich was intrigued by the news. “But we are already married, Chamlar” he replied with shimmering eyes.
“You would agree with me that that was done in a hurry and to please me. I want you two to have the kind of marriage that you both deserve” she said.
“But the war…” he tried to put up more protest but she was having none of it.
“Don’t tell me about the war right now. That could wait for the two of you” she interjected.
“I just think that…” he tried to speak again but was not allowed to.
“No, Rich, not another word. Allow me to do this, I want to make it right” she insisted.
“Is Lara in support of this?” he inquired and shot a gaze at me.
“It is my gift to her, to the two of you” she responded.
“We have to accept it, dear,” I said and took hold of his hand.
“Okay…” he murmured.
Scarlet turned to go to the lone building. I had so many questions in my mind. This was the place we stayed when we first arrived. It is the visitors’ quarter. What would Scarlet possibly need from here?
“Here we are, Lara” Scarlet said with a smile.
“Is this where you want to bring me to?” I asked as I accessed the place once again.
Today, it was unusually busy with servants and guards lingering around. The place should be quiet since we didn’t have any visitors, but instead, it was busy. I pondered.
“Or does this have to do with the war?” I murmured.
“Let’s go in” she replied with an angelic smile and made me lose the use of my tongue. I remained calm and followed.
“Rich, what is happening?” I whispered into his ear.
“Guess we have to find out” he smiled.
I smell something fishy. Rich seemed to be aware of our reason for being here. I was tense but tried to calm my nerves.
Rich reached for me and placed his hand on my shoulder.
When we got to the front of one of the rooms, Scarlet stopped. Surprisingly, there were some guards just in front of the room, and with the way they appeared, they must be there on duty. So who then is inside the room?
“We will have to find out the answers to your questions now” Scarlet murmured.
I shot her an angry look and she giggled. “Even I do not know the answers,” she said in a whisper.
Having stood for some time outside the door, she knocked before going ahead to open it.
When I got into the room, it was as if something jumped out from inside of me. Inside the room were two women on the bed, their backs turned to us. One of them was sitting, while the other, who seemed to be the younger one was lying on it.
“Who are they?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice low.
But the visitor that was sitting seemed to hear me speak and she turned to look at us.
I was stunned. The eyes that gazed at me. It was… “Mama” I screamed and ran to her as soon as I affirmed that she was the one.
I hugged her and gripped her tightly in my embrace. She was speechless and slowly pulled away from my grip and I saw the confusion on her face.
“Scarlet” the other lady who was now up exclaimed.
It was Dawn.
“Dawn” Scarlet whispered as a tear dropped from her eyes.
“Is this you, Lara? We heard you had all gone missing” my mother said as her eyes flickered all over my body.
“I am well, mama” I replied.
I was extremely excited. Never in my wildest dream would I have imagined a thing like this. That I would be seeing my mother this soon.
“Scarlet” my mother called as her eyes moved over to Scarlet.
“Mama Ruth…” Scarlet mumbled.
“Are you alright, Scarlet?” my mother asked with a teary voice and Scarlet quickly ran into her embrace.
“I miss you so much, mama Ruth” Scarlet cried.
After the whole jubilation had died down, my mother asked in concern. “But what are we doing here, why are you all here?”
We glanced at ourselves, how do we start explaining it all to her, and where do we even start from? There is so much to say, and even more that cannot be spoken.
The door opened and Landon walked in.
“My Chamlar, the Chamlee requests your presence,” Landon said with a bow.
“Chamlar…” my mother and Dawn exclaimed in shock.
Scarlet went and sat down on the bed with them. “Yes, mama Ruth and sister, I am the Chamlar, the queen of this great land and I brought you two here to keep you safe from the war” she replied.
“But how… you… what happened?” my mother asked, bewildered.
“It is a long story, mama” I replied.
Yes, it is a long story, and on a good day, she would hear all of it.
DAWN’S POV
“My Chamlar, the Chamlee requests your presence,” the man who had just entered said to Scarlet with a bow.
“Chamlar…” Mama Ruth and I exclaimed in shock.
Chamlar, is that not supposed to be the great queen of the Pixies, how then did Scarlet become the Chamlar? But she should be, right, or she should be someone of great importance to be able to bring us here, at the palace of Pixolands, and have all these servants attend to us.
She came and sat down on the bed with us. “Yes, mama Ruth and sister, I am the Chamlar, the queen of this great land and I brought you two here to keep you safe from the war” she replied.
This is unbelievable and I am so happy for her. Who would have thought that the frail and fearful Scarlet would one day become so strong and fearless and also rule over the people of Pixolands? And now, she had even gone as far as to save us and bring us under her protection.
“But how… what happened?” mama Ruth asked.
“It is a long story, mama” Lara replied.
A very long story it must be but I know that one day, I will hear every single detail.
“Oh no, Scarlet, I have always known that you have greatness inside of you. just see what you have become” Mama Ruth cried.
“I am so sorry to have you and my sister here, mama Ruth. I never believed that a day like this would ever come” Scarlet said with a tear on her face. She stood up. “Please excuse me, I have to leave now, do make yourself at home, Lara will see to it that you are both well taken care of” She left without looking back at our faces possibly to conceal her tears from us.
“Oh, my little girl” Mama Ruth cried as she took another look at Lara who immediately came to sit beside her.
“I miss you so much, mama” Lara cried and grabbed Mama Ruth’s hand.
“I miss you even more, dear” Mama Ruth responded.
Lara looked at Rich and he came to sit by her. Lara took hold of Rich’s hand and smiled. “We are married now, mama, and Scarlet is throwing a party for us today” She paused and smiled shyly. “You will be there mama, you and Dawn”
I was flabbergasted by the news, and so was Mama Ruth whose eyes sparkled as she accessed the couples.
“Yes… yes, of course, my daughter, I have to be there” Mama Ruth said and wiped away tears from her eyes.
It was a moment of joy for everyone. Truly I am going to miss the rest of my family but for my dearest sister, Scarlet I don’t mind being in a place far away from them.