Destiny by Jinxrox (red white and royal blue hardcover txt) 📕

some luminescent moss flourishing in a cave nearby, that only glowed at night. This silvery greenish moss was strung up everywhere for the villagers lighting during the night. Of course, Destiny couldn't see it, but she felt it. She somehow knew that the restaurants were not as popular tonight. Or, that the many corridors that branched off the main room were filled with people.

'Is the Elder still in the top branch of the Home Tree?' Destiny asked.

'No apparently he's too good for the rest of us. He now lives in a separate establishment next to the Home Tree.' Leo answered, obviously sharing their disdain for the Elder. They walked to the lifts. Made of wood with a genius pulley system, they easily and safely transported the townsfolk to the different levels of the tree.

On the way up, Destiny asked, 'How's Emma?' Emma was their good friend, who had just turned fifteen before Destiny left. Melina's face fell.

'She Burned last month'.

Both Destiny and Leo cringed. Destiny being that she just heard the news, and Leo that he and !destiny were fifteen. Ten years ago, an enchantress placed a curse on a village nearby, saying that sometime in the year a child turns fifteen he or she will be Burned to death. The curse slowly spread as the villagers fled from their town to try to escape the curse. They only succeeded in spreading the curse all over Liguaria. The special aged teenagers had been dropping like flies in the past ten years. Some were afraid that their population would never be able to survive, and would be extinct in the next fifty years. This theory spread like wildfire, and most children feared for their lives.

'How did it happen?'Destiny questioned.

'Don't know, she was by the lake by herself, and next thing you know, an pile of cinders took her place;' Destiny felt sadness take over her body. A small tear made its way down her delicate face.

'Hey, its okay, this curse can't go on forever, can it?' Destiny didn't answer, but as they stood infrontof the Elder's house and waited for admittance, she wondered, can it?


* * *


As usual, Melina and Leo had to stay outside the meeting room. They instead were invited to have refreshments in the adjoining waiting room. The Elder's house was grand, but its true glamour didn't show until you walked inside. The walls made of intertwined branches were prominentlyfeatured in the interior, as well as the vines that snaked their way around the stone columns supporting the peaked roof. Colors of light streamed in through the grand windows in every well furnished room. Destiny knew her way by heart, and comfortably sat down in her favorite red velvet chair. She ran her fingers up and down the arm of the chair as she awaited the Elder. He entered the room silently, but was sure she could hear him. As he watched her lift her head in greeting, he was truly astounded that she lived her life all alone in her three months of solitude. He stood by the stone fireplace, waiting for her to stand in respect. Of course, she didn't.

'I know what you're waiting for, and you will have to wait a LONG time if you want me to show you any respect.' Well, then; the Elder thought, she's going to start this off without any fake niceness this time.

'D,-' he began

'Destiny', she interrupted.

'Destiny, how have you been?' if she wasn't going to pretend to be polite, if didn't mean he couldn't play his charade.

'Why do you ask when you don't care?' she shot back with fake innocence. The Elder rolled hiseyes.

'Listen, I have an opportunity for you. A caravan of actors and playwrights and artists of whatnot need an assistant. I thought you should go with them and see the world before the Burningchooses you.' For once, he sounded sane, Destiny thought. Maybe it would be good to see Liguariabefore- she didn't want to think about the last part of his statement. And its not like she's needed here.

'Have you told them about, you know, my-'

'Dissability? Yes, I have' Destiny opened her mouth to correct him, but decided against it. Ti would only lead to more fighting, plus he might turn down the offer he made.

'And, I would go by my self?' Destiny seemed intrigued by the caravan, but needed a friend with her.

'Leo and that red-headed girl have already agreed to go. You will be gone about a year, if you agree; of course Leo and you won't last that long.' The Elder stated matter-of-factly, swishing his short greying hair and white robes « of purity » that he wore.

'At least you will die soon enough so your blind self will be out of my hair' he continued, his black eyes pondering the thought. Destiny scowled, she knew he hated her, but she didn't think he hatedehr as much as to wish for her forthcoming death. His mean comment made up her mind.

'Yes, I will go with them, Father'.
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Melina watched a disappointed Destiny come towards her.

'What happened, didn't he ask you about the caravan?'

'Yeah' mumbled an unwilling Destiny. Leo raised an eyebrow.

'Hey, you okay? You're coming with us, aren't you?' Leo asked.

'Of course I'm coming, did you think I'd let two inexperienced kids like you go out on your own?' she playfully teased them. Melina smiled, that's the Destiny she knew.
***

Leo led them to the apartments on the second story of the Home Tree. Delicately entwined luminous moss decorated the corridors. Brass numbers hung on the dark wooden doors. Several people were prancing through the hallways, but the majority were either inside or working. Leo stopped in front of the room number 256.

'Ah! Here we are, home sweet home.' Leo swung open the door, which creaked on its hinges, before revealing a destructive sight. Leo's two youngest brothers had taken cinders from the small stone fireplace, and hand commenced to draw pictures in the form of sticks figures on the yellow painted walls.

'Henri, Joseph, stop!' Leo yelled, making them freeze and turn around, guilty looks on their four year old identical faces.

'And what exactly were you doing?' Leo commanded in a don't-you-dare-give-me-lies voice.

'Well.... we wanted to be artists like mama-' Henri started.

'-and we couldn't reach the paper and used the walls instead.' Joseph finished, his traited family blue eyes filled with innocence. Melina lowered herself to his height and placed her red head next to his. Mimicking their innocent look, she said in her best baby voice

'They didn't mean any harm, I mean look at their wittle faces' Joseph looked frankly scared at her tone of voice. Destiny laughed, a musical sound.

'Come on, let's get this cleaned up'.
One hour and five exhausted kids later, the room was finally clean.
'MAMA!!!' Joseph and Henri yelled in unison, and ran over to the door and wrapped their little arms around her long legs. Destiny turned her head in Rina's direction.

'Woah! Henri, Joseph, calm down-Oh! We have company.' Rina reached over her two youngest children and gave Melina and Destiny a one armed awkward hug, and planted a motherly kiss on Leo's head.

'Mom....' Leo groaned, his cheeks pink.

'Twins, why don't you go get Marissa and Peter for dinner?' Rina asked.

'Sure'

'OK'
Rina put down the two large grocery bags she was carrying on the long oak table.
'So', she said, green eyes twinkling, 'how's everyone?' Murmurs of 'good' and 'fine' exited from the three teenagers' mouths. Leo suddenly remembered something.

'Mom', he started warily, ‘I-I need to talk to you about something;'
Rina raised a suspicious eyebrow.

'Yes?' Melina started to lead Destiny out of the room but a worried look from Leo's eyes changed her action. Leo hoped that with the two girls here, his mom wouldn't be as judgemental.

'Mom, as this is my last year, and Destiny's as well-'

'Wait, you're not getting married are you?' Destiny and Leo faced each other, mouth's open and cheeks bright red, while Melina was rolling on the floor in hysterics, her red hair flying out in every direction.

'NO! I was going to say that Destiny, MELINA, and I have been offered a work position in an artist caravan. And...well.. we accepted. The job starts tomorrow, and lasts one year, away from the home tree.' Rina had been nodding in agreement up until he told her the last part.

'Wait- WHAT???!! But this is your Burning year, if you leave I'll-' she swallowed the lump in her throat. She was remembering two children she had already lost to the fire.

'I know Mom, but this is the last chance for me- for ALL of us to see the world, before, well, you know....' he trailed off. Rina by this time was almost in tears.

'My mom is okay with it' Melina said, trying to help. Destiny looked at her. Her single mother had her when she was only sixteen, and never was really able to support her. Her mother, Llia, was almost as cruel as Destiny's father, and was grateful for the burning because she could hardly support her daughter. Rina gave her a look of pity, which Melina shunned.

'I'll have to talk to your father, tonight.' And with that Rina dismissed herself from the room, her light brown bun shaking as she cried. Leo sighed, devastated with the result.

'I don't want to leave, but it’s our last chance' he turned his blue eyes to the girls.

'I know, Leo, but if you stay we won't hold it against you.' Destiny said, placing a hand on Leo's slumped shoulder.

He cracked a half-hearted smile, 'You think I'd leave you two defenceless girls by yourself?' Melina whacked him on the head, showing him how « defenceless » she was.
***
They spent the night in the plentiful chambers of the large family's apartment. Destiny lied on her comfortable bed, and the snores of both Melina and Merissa echoed of the walls like an orchestra. But they could not drown out the heated conversation in the room next to her. With her super-sensitive hearing, Destiny could make out every word.

'It's Leo's choice', John, his father stated.

'But... what about the Burning? If he leaves we will never see him again', Rina argued between sobs. John sighed.

'I know', he placed his hand on his wife's trembling shoulder, and pulled her into his warm embrace.

'But, it IS his choice, and we have to respect that. Even-' he stopped and took a deep breath, 'Even if it means never seeing it again. Who knows? Maybe he'll be the one to break the curse.'