Chapter 5

          I scarcely remember how I got to the stables, much less how I managed to saddle Twister without any help. A sharp terror had washed over me, replacing the shock of learning that my papa, my beloved father, was a murderer. The growing urgency and the danger my friends were in were the only things that kept me from drowning in the disbelief and my pain of knowing.

 

            There was nothing I could do but to tell Chrysanthemum, Auntie Lee and Wen-Ling to beware my father immediately, and though it pained me to do so, I had swung onto Twister and took off, ignoring the protests of Lan and my mother.

 

            I rode. I rode as I have never ridden before, my fingers loose on the reins, my legs loose. A despair grew in my mind and as I moved to the rhythm of Twister’s galloping, I felt sick. I wanted to throw up.

 

            Rain poured from the sky, the gray thunderclouds rolling as a flash of lightening illuminated the gloom. I swallowed and jerked on the reins as the droplets of rain fell upon Twister’s mane. I scarcely felt the rain soaking my kimono, scarcely felt the water splash into my hair and lashes and as I rode on, the dread filled me. What if I am too late? What if…I swallowed the thought and blinked away the tears in my eyes.

 

            Please, fate. Stay your hand. Wait. Perhaps it is not their destiny to die by the hands of my…my father. Please. Deliver me safely. Let me be there on time…

 

            The teashop was right there…if I just pull the reins now…And then Twister did something she never did before: She threw me. All the world faded from before my eyes as I hit a pillar that held the teashop up.

 

            Wait…no! Wait! Chrysanthemum! Auntie Lee! Wait!

 

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            The sweet aroma of tea entered my nose and it was almost as if I was in Auntie Lee’s tealeaf storeroom again…

 

            Wait…Auntie Lee! Chrysanthemum!

 

            My eyes snapped open and I gasped, leaping from the chair someone was good enough to have put me in. “Oh no! Auntie Lee! Chrysanthemum! I have to warn them!” I was only two steps out of the chair when someone grabbed my wrist. “Shh, Mayflower,” I recognized the voice as Wen-Ling’s almost at once and I turned, throwing my arms around her. Tears from out of nowhere suddenly swarmed my eyes and I let them loose. “Shh, shh,” Wen-Ling patted my back, “Everything will be alright. You’re here. I’m here. Shh.”

 

Sobbing, I told Wen-Ling everything I had seen and heard, everything that had occurred.

 

She inhaled sharply. “Mayflower, are you quite certain that he said ‘the pearl’? Quite certain?”

 

I told her that I was.

 

“Come with me,” She told me and grabbed my wrist, tugging me after her, all the while thinking aloud. “It cannot be…a Mr. Dai…I wonder who that can be…but how did he possibly learn about the pearl? And my great-grandfather?” and then she whipped around to face me. “Mayflower,” she began haltingly, “I know this is all very strange to you…foreign, even, but please. You need to trust me. Don’t tell Chrysanthemum about…about her heritage. She doesn’t need to know. Please,” I could see the pain in her dark brown eyes, “She’s been through enough. To take away all she’s known for fifteen years would be…cruel.” I nodded. The pain in her eyes was too deep to ignore. I followed her down the corridor, wiping my eyes furiously with my handkerchief.

 

We came to a halt at a door at the end of the hall. Wen-Ling knocked gently. “Come in.”

 

Auntie Lee was sitting upon the sofa, flicking about her fan. Chrysanthemum stood behind her chair, and, giving a cry of joy, came running to me immediately. “You’re back!” she shrieked.

“Chrysanthemum,” Wen-Ling chided gently, “Please. We have important matters to discuss,” she bowed to Auntie Lee, “My dear aunt. Our friend comes with grave news.”

 

She then turned to me, and explaining as I had explained, forcing the tears down, I told Auntie Lee and Chrysanthemum (without the part about her heritage, of course) the things I had heard my father and that strange Mr. Dai say.

 

Auntie Lee’s brows furrowed together. “So it is that the pearl is in danger…”

 

The pearl! It was that mysterious pearl again! But was so important about it?

 

“Mayflower…”Auntie Lee murmured, “I will now tell you a tale. It has been a lost legend until now, an impossible quest,” She took a breath and continued, “You have heard the story of our gods, how Lady Air, Lord Earth, Lady Water and Lord Fire became how they are now. A long, long time ago, when the gods were young, they, the elements, Lady Air, Lord Earth, Lady Water and Lord Fire worked separately, indifferent of each other even though they were siblings. It was understandable as they were always far apart. Lady Air was the air itself, living among the winds and the breeze. Lord Earth lived on the ground, and where dirt and growth was he could also be found. Lady Water lived in the sea, under those coral reefs and blue tides. And last but not least, Lord Fire lived in the sun, the flames, and light. They were the four dragons that circled our world then as they circle it now. The ancient ones, the only humans then, were respectful to the gods, and the gods roamed as they pleased about the land. Then it was one day, that Lady Air, ever the haughty goddess, decided that she should have what her brothers and sisters do not: an object of power. Thus it was that the first pearl was created. Lady Air had gathered the strongest part of her power, the power of storm and the power of the winds. Lady Air was nearly inseparable with this pearl, and it was easy to carry, for instead of a real pearl, it was the size of an orb,” here she shaped her hands into a sphere for me to see, “And it was the main part of her power, made of ancient magic and the purest of air. Lord Earth heard of Lady Air’s pearl, you see, and he decided that he must have a pearl as well, if his sister has one. And so it was that the second pearl was made, with the strongest part of Lord Earth’s power, the power of growth and the power of the ground. It was the same size as the pearl of Lady Air, made also of ancient magic, and of course, the ground. Two objects of power cannot escape Lady Water’s keen eyes.  She decided that she shall not be the last one to have an object of power, and so the third pearl came into the world with the power of the tide and the power of rain.  Lady Water was content that she was not the last to have an object of power. That was how Lord Fire found out, that his three siblings have already made three objects of power and that he was the last of which to learn this fact. He grew furious. Lord Fire had a short temper, and he was a very proud god. So he, determined that he shall show his siblings what he could do, forged the fourth pearl. The most powerful and dreadful of them all, forged from the lava and flames of Mt. Scoria, a pearl with enough power to destroy the world. So now, all of the gods had an object of power and they had shown up in the same place at the same time to do merely one thing: Show off their power. At first there were only Lady Air, Lord Earth and Lady Water, battling each other until one of them admits they lose, and yet their strength were equal. And then Lord Fire appeared. With his pearl, he unleashed the darkest fires there ever were, and it boiled our world, engulfing it in flames, destroying everything in its path. Lord Fire had won, naturally. Yet even he feared the power that he had unleashed into the world. So it was, that the four gods made an agreement. The locked the four pearls up in four different, most remote parts of this world, guarded by the monks who were selected as “Guardians”. Thus, it was that the pearls were safe. But then the unthinkable entered the humans’ hearts. A greed for power so strong that they were able to kill without blinking an eye, without remorse. And so it was, over the years, that the monks that were Guardians, were slowly wiped out, killed, one by one, until only few remain in knowledge of where the pearls are now. The older Guardians, the ones who survived started training those who would become the next generation of Guardians. They were to pass a test. A test that could only be passed by the purest of hearts. When a few passed, the older Guardians rejoiced.  So it was tradition that every half a century the Guardians would take on ten apprentices, and after a year those apprentices would be expected to pass the test. And yet as the years wore on, less and less passed. For the hearts of men are easily corrupted, and already the purity was evaporating. My great-granduncle, Wen-Ling’s great-grandfather, was one of these Guardians, the last of them,” Auntie Lee’s gaze flickered to look at Wen-Ling, “And now your father seek it.”

 

I swallowed. “I believe so.”

 

“We must warn the current Guardians,” Wen-Ling’s brows knit together, twiddling her thumbs.

 

“Come with me,” Auntie Lee murmured and stood up, “None of us know where the pearls are any more. But, luckily, for you and for everyone upon this earth, Wen-Ling’s great-grandfather was a Guardian. Come. Perhaps there are some clues in his study.”

 

I bit my lip, following Auntie Lee, Wen-Ling and Chrysanthemum. There were a lot of things that I’m not getting here. Why did Papa talk only of one pearl? Had he known only one? And why would he want it? I suppose as power hungry as he is… I shuddered. I need to keep these thoughts out of my mind at least for now. I had bigger worries. Heaving a sigh, I hesitated at the door. Come now, Mayflower. Be brave. For everyone’s good.

 

I swallowed, hard, and walking into another room, closed the door behind me.  

             

 

           

 

Reviews

[rae52]

i really like it it is amazing

[Crystal Marie Rome]

Gahahahahahahhahahhahahahah *sound of amazement* =O. Awesome Chapter!!! =) The writing was awesome and the ending leaves you eager for more. Can't wait for the next chapter and do your best! =)