The Sister of the North: Flora

Attacked again

   Lief and the others came to Bess's carvan, called by her and they walked up the to stairs to the cart. Tonight they were to tell her that they were to leave, along with their new allies, Jak and Daxter. Lief asked Jak and Daxter to come with them to the cart. Jak and Daxter did. Lief and the others sat down and looked at Bess who was stiring something in a pot. Kyoya looked from the side and saw the Fox woman. She was standing in a corner and was staring at Kyoya. Kyoya could feel her eyes upon her. 

   "You probally are wondering why I call you here." Bess said.  

   The friends looked at each other. Viva cleared her throat and looked at Bess. 

   "Surely, its a perfectly good reason." Viva said. 

   Bess looked at Viva. "Victoria, I would like you to go into my wagon and pull out a chest under the bed. Bring Lewin with you. I want you both to put on what lies in the chest and wear it throughout the rest of the trip." She said. 

    Everyone looked at each other and Barda spoke up. "I'm sorry, Bess, but we must be leaving tonight. We have to go up north. We are heading somewhere else tonight." 

   Bess stared. "You cannot go! You must stay! For the shows!" She turned to Lief. "Surely you understand, yes?" 

   Lief stared. "I understand completely, Bess. But I'm afraid I cannot stay. Where ever my Uncle goes, I must go as well." 

   Bess stared, then she relaxed back into her chair. "Oh......I see....Well then, at least wear what is in the chest, until Midnight. Then you can take it off and be on your way." She said. 

   Lief nodded. "Anything for you, Bess." He said. 

   

   Lief and Viva saw what was in the chest, and it was two bird heads that look so real. When they did put it on and showed it to the others, Viva became instantly in a trance with it. But Lief was having trouble settling in with it. Once he put it on, he became to have a serious headache. Something was tugging on him.......something powerful. Viva agreed with Bess to wear it until midnight, and Lief agreed as well. Bess then told them of a game that she knew that would intrest them all. 

    "I will play a game with you, and I want Berry to pick the number, for this game." Bess said. 

   "Alright." Barda said. He held his number under the table where Bess couldn't see and only the friends could see the number. The number was five.

   "Alright, concertrate on that number all of you. Think of nothing else." Bess said. 

   Lief watched as the room dimed and he watched as she made things float as she put her hands over her crystal ball. Lief looked at the objects and everything. His mind couldn't help but wonder. 

   "Someone's mind is wandering now. Now that number is no good for me. Multiple that number by 2." Bess said. 

   Lief looked at Bess. The new number is 10! 10! 10! 10! Lief thought

   "I still cannot see it. Subtract your number by 3." Bess said. 

   The number is 7! Lief said. 

   Bess then looked up at the friends and smiled. 

   "You're number is 7." Bess said. 

    The friends stared, stunned. 

   Barda spoke first. "How did you know?"

   "You should know that I never reveal secrets." Bess said. 

   "I see." Barda said. 

   "Now childern, run along and enjoy the party, while me and your uncle talk." Bess said. 

   The friends, but Barda, stood up and left. Lief ventured around and looks at the practice stuff that the people were doing. 

   Viva walked up next to him. 

  "The mask feels weird." Viva said. 

   "It feels fine to me." Lief said. 

   She shook her head. "I can't stand it. It annoyes me." Viva said. 

   Lief looked at Viva and opened his mouth to speak. But when he did, a terrified scream came. Lief and Viva looked at each other and ran to the place. It was at their caravan and the creature from the ditch was there. Lief looked up at the thing and saw it looking at him. Lief stared as it disapeared and Viva and Lief looked at each other. Lief looked at something lying on the ground. It was one of the people, though it was the maskmaker. Lief pulled the mask off and looked at the face. It was a woman's face and she had the Shadow Lords mark on her face. Viva was holding the people back with the Fox face woman as Lief stared at the face. Lief saw thorny vines that were wrapped around the neck, ankles, wrist, and the waist. That's when his attention turned to their stuff lying on the ground. Lief stared in surprise. This person went through their stuff and they were looking for something, but what? 

   Lief looked up and saw Viva. Viva was looking at him, and she knew something that he didn't.