The Dragon, The Witch and The Thirteen

1

The Tide Turns

Professor Riley held out his hand to Ava who stood before him. She shone as bright as the sun for she was bathed in a shimmering shower of gold and illuminated the vast empty space around her father. The darkness turned upon itself as shadows ran from the light.

Her warmth and her love gave grace in the power she came from. Fire and spirit merged into human form as passion and water made whole within magic.

A hideous screech echoed out of the depths as evil had awoken once more. Professor Riley turned from searching the black emptiness and desperately reached out to Ava. He shuddered as tiny sparks of electricity tingled through him as their fingers finally met but no sooner had they touched than Ava began to fade away into dancing sparks of light.

The hideous screech turned into a mocking, cackling laugh with clicks and deep grunts which bellowed from the belly of the earth.

Professor Riley shut his eyes tight at the horrific sound. His hands began to turn into a fist as strength and defiance welled up inside him.

“You won’t win this battle for we will never surrender this earth to you,” Riley Shouted into the darkness.

The cackling formed sounds resembling a non-human voice almost anti-human in its hatred.

“What battle? This earth is already mine,” echoed the voice as it resonated around the Professor with hideous bouts of laughter as images formed while the voice disappeared into the darkness.

Images of earthquakes shattering buildings, cities on fire, floods devasting coastlines and icebergs crumbling into the oceans.

Professor Riley closed his eyes once more and covered his ears with his hands as he dropped to his knees before shouting, “NEVER!”

Ava awoke with a jolt. She sprang upright in bed immediately as her eyes opened waking Jennifer who stretched out her paws and yawned. Her paws almost touched Ava’s pillow.

Ava gently ruffled her fur.

“Oh, I know Jen, I dreamt of Dad again.”

Jennifer raised her head attentively to look at Ava before collapsing on her side and returned to sleep. Tutting Ava scrambled out of bed pulling the covers on top of Jennifer.

“Oh, you’re no help.”

At that Jennifer leapt off the bed before Ava had slipped her feet into flip flops as she knew what that meant… breakfast. Her paws padded the oak floorboards of Candlesby Manor and she was at the door before Ava had finished putting her feet into her flip flops. As she passed the mirror she gasped, her hair was a tangled mass, elflocks galore! She shrugged her shoulders and continued walking.

As Ava opened the door the smell of bacon, sausages, eggs, toast and coffee wafted through the levels of the house to Ava’s room. Ava and Jennifer looked at one another.

“Tarran!” Ava exclaimed and nodded as she began to race Jennifer down the stairs to the kitchen but by the third level Jennifer was winning. Ava had an idea and gripping the bannister she popped her leg over the rail and promptly began to slide down the bannister. She waved as she passed Jennifer.

Since the events of Midsummer, Ava had changed a lot and she no longer feared sliding down the bannister. Afterall she could manipulate time and could have easily beat Jennifer by slowing time down and getting to the kitchen before her. However, just as she raced past Jennifer, she suddenly realised she had no idea of stopping and to top it all off she had now began to pick up pace and was speeding down the bannister at an alarming rate, the end of the bannister was looming closer.

Ava closed her eyes and braced herself for impact but as her body left the end of the bannister and catapulted through the air, she was just about to feel the hard floor, when she bounced on something soft and delicate, it felt moist to the touch like sparkling drops of mist.

Ava turned around and saw delicate folds of a giant white marshmallow. “The Cloud of Believing!” Ava exclaimed.

“Yes Ava, just as I am ordered to keep you safe so too is every being in Fae also commanded by their majesties – remember his majesty’s the King’s decree in the throne room on your first trip to Avalonia?” answered George who happened to walk past at the exact moment Ava was in danger, his head in a book, wearing small round spectacles that sat on his nose and wearing a teaching gown from the university of Fae. He almost looked human had it not been for his strange dapper attire underneath and his sparkling complexion.

“Oh yes, how could I possibly forget?” replied Ava, clambering off the cloud.

Just then Jennifer reached the bottom of the stairs. Ava bent down and ruffled the little clouds wisps; it gave a pleasing little shake like a wagging tail before speeding up again out of site. Jennifer held her nose high in the air and sniffed indignantly as she gracefully bounced towards the kitchen like a show dog at Crufts.

Ava shook her head and then turned to Commander Wrenn.

“Well George, what have we got planned for today?”

“More study and research my lady.”

Ava gave out a groan as she turned towards the breakfast room. Her eyes lit up as she entered the room. The table was full of all the delicious aromas she had smelled, amongst the bacon and sausages was plates of pancakes, syrup, bowls of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, croissants, brioches, jams, marmalades, fresh orange juice, not to mention coffee and teas and the obligatory basket of chocolate which had pride of place on the table like a centre piece of chocolate bars piled high into a mountain of chocolate.

Several aunts sat round the table, already scoffing, and tucking into everything but the biggest plate was Morgan’s. On seeing Ava his eyes widened and smiling he muttered with his mouth full.

“Here Ava, sit next to me,” and he patted the chair beside her.

Pulling up the chair alongside him she scoured round the table.

“What’s good?”

“Everything,” Morgan replied as he tucked into the sausage bun, he had made himself.

Just at that Tarran came in with another plate of toast. Seeing Ava, he smiled.

“Good morning princess, what will you have?”

Gazing round and although everything looked delicious something wasn’t quite right, the dream of her father had unsettled Ava, scratching her elflocks she replied.

“Well, actually Tarran what I really fancy you don’t seem to have made.”

The room fell silent and Morgan stopped eating.

“Oh,” a despondent Tarran suddenly had his smile wiped off his face.

Feeling very aware of what she had just said Ava quickly replied with.

“I will probably have some toast or sausage bun like Morgan.”

“That’s the third plate he’s had, and should you have seen what he ate first,” Aunt Fawn chipped in.

Ava turned to Morgan as he took a huge bite out of a sausage bun that oozed with tomato ketchup as the aunts all followed and began eating and chattering again.

“Well, I actually just fancied some smoked fish, like haddock or mackerel for breakfast.”

Just as Tarran was about to answer in bounded Aunt Winifred with Jennifer trailing behind.

“Did someone mention fish? Good morning niece,” she said tenderly as she bent down and kissed Ava on the head. Holding up a piece of Ava’s hair complete with elflocks, she simply uttered. “My goodness!”

“Morning Auntie, I was just saying I fancied smoked fish like I had sometimes with Dad for breakfast.”

Aunt Winifred stared knowingly at her niece.

“Still having dreams about him?” she inquired while sitting down.

Ava nodded as aunts Lexi and Ellie came in with a huge plate of eggs, scrambled, boiled, and poached. And a bowl full of freshly picked summer flowers for George who upon seeing the delicious array dropped the books, school gown and spectacles and transformed into the magical being he was before diving into the bowl to gorge himself on the flowers, throwing nasturtiums and poppies into the air.

Aunt Ellie smiled at the sight and turned to Ava.

“You know Ava it would be nice to have some fish on the menu too. I could do my fish gumbo. Everyone likes that.”

The aunts all nodded in agreement as Lexi turned to Winifred.

“I say Winnie, why don’t we go down to the seaside for the day and get some fresh fish?”

“Oh yes please Winnie, perhaps we could gather some samphire while we’re there, or perhaps it’s too early?”

“Too early Ellie,” replied Winifred. “It’s an August speciality but a day out at the seaside would be a welcomed break. What do you think Professor Wrenn, do you think we could play hooky for the day?”

George popped his fairy head up from the flower bowl and tried to be serious but with flowers falling from his head it didn’t quite have any impact.

“Well, the children do need their education and school must carry on,” George replied in all seriousness.

Morgan, Ava and Tarran were all in sync as they groaned, “NOOO!”

“Oh, George we both know no-one in this house needs an education, but we will give it a try. However, Ava will learn far more by practicing her magic and skills than sitting behind a desk. Magic is to be experienced plus it might help us to figure out where the next treasure maybe.”

“True, perhaps we could all do with a bit of a break afterall we have been hitting the books quite hard,” mused George as he began flying back to his seat at the table but just as he was about to sit down he had transformed into human form again and was wearing stripped boating blazer of cream and pink with cream cotton trousers and tan Oxfords, all topped off with a walking cane and panama hat.

On seeing the spectacle before their eyes Morgan asked. “I’ll have a 99 with a flake please.”

Ava put her hand to her mouth to cover her sniggers as Tarran chipped in. “And I’ll have sprinkles on mine,” before also falling into fits of giggling.

On hearing the mockery, George straightened his jacket indignantly.

“I have it on good authority, I’ll have you know, that I am one of the best dressers within Avalonia. Indeed, I am regarded as a key figure in the Avalonia New Wave movement,” and with that George clicked his fingers as Ava, Tarran and Morgan all found themselves wearing beautiful, quirky clothes inspired with a seaside style from the 1920s.

Morgan raised his hand to his head and found he was wearing a straw boating hat whilst Tarran looked very smart in his white Daks Slack trousers and yellow stripped short sleeved polo shirt and tan Oxfords. Morgan and Tarran looked each other up and down, pointed to one another before exclaiming together, “NO!”

Meanwhile, Ava was twirling round trying to get to grips with her navy and cream flowered beach pyjamas with wide legged trousers, her hair had miraculously turned from an elf locked manifestation to a braided updo entwined with forget-me-nots. The three of them looked like a picture postcard from a time forgotten to the past but with something extra special. The clothes themselves were magical and made of a strange cloth Ava did not recognise.

“What material is this?” she inquired holding her wide legged trousers as Tarran and Morgan looked on.

“Nature Ava, they are all made from nature. Yours is a collection of white lily petals and navy morning glory whilst master Morgan’s trousers are a mixture of wide-wale rhubarb leaves topped with an oak leaf belt and a pheasant feather sport shirt with desert boots made of birch bark. And finally, master Tarran’s Daks Slacks are made of shed snakeskin and his polo shirt is made of beech leaves with a sycamore stand-up collar. Oh, and his Oxfords’ are made of the purest pigeon and pheasant feathers. It is my dear girl the Avalonian New Wave – and you’re welcome.”

Ellie clapped her hands.

“Oh my, you all look totally scrumptious. Well done Commander George, you’ve outdone yourself this time.”

“Indeed, well said Ellie. Come on then my little fairy seaside bunch, let’s go.” Aunt Winifred instructed.

“Which seaside are we off too Winnie?” inquired Lexi.

“We need to commune with the Seven Sisters…that’s you, me, Ellie…” Aunt Winifred turned to the other aunts, “Fawn, Brenna are you up for a trip to the seaside?”

“Yes of course Winnie,” replied Aunt Fawn rising from her chair with Aunt Brenna following suit.

“Good that leaves two more. Tarran dear boy, what’s your mother up to?”

“Working the night shift Winifred so not available. She sends her apologies in advance though,” Tarran replied looking to the floor while mumbling, “she had a feeling something magical was going to happen.”

Winifred smiled hearing the words, “Well of course she would Tarran. She is a Thirteen afterall. Now, who’s up for a lovely trip to the seaside, magic style?”

All hands went up in the air as Winifred asked.

“Briar and Holly, you are requested on our trip. April, Guinevere and Eowyn your on-guard duty. Watch the house and book. When Meadow finishes her shift at the hospital she can keep watch too. Make no mistake ladies the war has begun. Keep your wits about you.”

April, Guinevere and Eowyn bowed respectively to Winifred.

“Now the rest of us, let’s saddle up.”

“Saddle up, are we riding a horse?” Morgan asked in between mouthfuls of yet another sausage bun.

“Don’t you ever stop eating?” Tarran demanded of Morgan.

“No, he doesn’t, he’s like a bottomless pit. Get up boy,” Aunt Ellie answered while pulling on Morgan to move away from the table and food.

Winifred smiled, “No Morgan, not horses but the next best thing, our motorbikes.”

“Oh wow, can I have my own? I…”

“No, you may not,” came a sharp reply from his mother who didn’t even let him finish the sentence.

“Ellie you ride with me in the side car. Brenna you have Tarran, Holly you have Morgan, ride front and centre ladies, Briar lead and Fawn take up the rear, Lexi centre. Commander Wrenn you have Ava.”

“You don’t ride a motorbike, you’re a fairy!” exclaimed Ava flabbergasted at Aunt Winifred’s instructions.

“Oh Ava, haven’t you learnt anything yet?” George replied snapping his fingers and turning into a motorbike rider from the 1920’s with goggles to complete the look.

“Perfect George,” Brenna commented while giggling with Fawn before giving her a kiss.

As Holly took Ava’s arm.

“How exciting Ava, I get to go on an adventure with you at last.”

“Oh, I don’t think so Aunt Holly, it’s just a trip to the seaside, not an adventure.”

“Oh Ava, George is right, when are you ever going to learn?” Holly replied whilst winking.